The Crown

Chapter Forty One

"Incompetent idiots!" Marcus roared in anger, tossing her to the ground. 

Her shoulder collided on the floor, causing her to groan out in pain. She pressed her hand to the floor, lifting herself up as much as she could.

Marcus sneered watching her determinedly continue to sit up and face him. He reached out to grab Beatrice again but Tobias was faster; he retracted his arm and punched his father in the side of his face, throwing him off balance. Marcus stumbled and reached for his cheek, looking in awe at his son.

Tobias drained out the sounds of the crowd's cries as they fled out of the room. He stepped in front of Beatrice, shaking all over. He bent down and grabbed his father's collar - a move his father had done to him numerous times - before shoving him to the ground. 

"How could you?! HOW?!" he yelled, stepping forward toward his father. With every step, Marcus scooted backward. "She was my everything and you took her from me!"

Tobias would have surely done something drastic had it not been for Beatrice's whimpers. He turned around quickly, the sound of her voice filling him once more. His heart clenched, his mind still not completely understanding how she would be in front of him again.

How after so long of being tormented by her death, she would be reaching for him once more.

He sighed and rushed over to her, on his knees again. 

He reached for her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles, clutching her in his hands. "Are you hurt?" He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to her hand, trying to shield his torment of having to hear her for the first time in such a pained state as hers. 

Beatrice sighed at his voice, afraid he would disappear again. 

Tobias glanced to her side and noticed her bare feet. He reached out to lift her from the floor into his arms, but paused at the sight of her ankles. Her bruised ankles, marked with an imprint. He worriedly turned to her, only to notice the same bruised imprint around her wrists. 

"I will kill him," he told her, feeling his body starting to shake. 

Beatrice reached for his face. At the contact, she smiled in relief, grateful to have been able to hold him once more. "He's not worth it," she whispered. 

Evelyn watched from the side, still trying to register her shock. Beatrice's words caused her to smile. She...she has the same concerns? she bit her thumb. She can see how easy it would be for Tobias to slip into the same violence-prone nature as his father - slip into the need to assert power over those who betray him. Yet, she continues to hold him.

The Queen sighed softly, pressing her hand against her heart. For the first time, she felt unwavering support of their relationship. She faltered, reprimanding herself for how long it took her to accept it. For how much blood had been shed because of her stubbornness. 

Tobias would have protested had she not suddenly groaned out in pain. She quickly reached down to her thigh, looking at her hand and noticing the blood. She was bleeding. She had hurt herself during her escape. 

Zeke, now at their side, quickly bent down and took Beatrice into his arms. He assured Tobias he would rush her to the doctor, turning around and running out, Uriah behind him.

Tobias stood and turned, determined to deal with his father. Marcus had stood, holding a handkerchief to his bleeding cheek. 

"You must understand why-" Marcus began, but was cut short by his son's fist. In one punch, Marcus fell to the floor, unconscious. Evelyn turned away. 

As the room fell eerily silent, Tobias prepared to leave. He walked forward, but caught a glimpse of a reflection in a fallen vase. He turned, face to face with the princess he had left at the altar. 

Lauren appeared slowly, wrapped in horror, her face full of tears. 

She shook her head and looked at the prince. "You just could not forget her? You really could not?"

He glanced at her. 

She scoffed, understanding how severe the situation was. "So you meant what you said, that day in the garden. You were never going to marry me."

Perhaps it was Beatrice's reappearance that caused a wave of pity to fill him. Even though he would have resented Lauren every day of their marriage, he still pitied her. 

She covered her mouth, horrifyingly confused. "When you professed your love to me, you were speaking to her?"

"Lauren-"

"Answer me!"

"Yes."

Lauren clenched her fist for the first time in her life. "You took me-"

"-No," Tobias interrupted, approaching her. "No, Lauren, you do not have the right to do this. You took advantage of my vulnerability that night and you persisted with this engagement even after I had told you I was not ready."

She flinched at his words. Now that his precious little mistress is back, he has suddenly retrieved his words? No more shy persona? She stared at him before erupting into laughter. "All this?" she laughed, pointing around to the destroyed room. "All this, was for her?"

"Always," he promised.

Lauren stepped forward in a sharp inhale. Before either could open their mouths again, she retracted her arm and slapped him across his face. "You will regret this, Tobias. I will never forgive you."

With those final words, she picked up her gown and walked out of the room. She refused to look back, but vowed to see him again. 

A hand carefully touched Tobias' shoulder in support. He looked back and saw his mother standing behind him, staring at her husband lying on the ground.

"Tobias," she sighed. "I had no idea what your father had done."

He nodded to her. "He will pay for this."

She squeezed his shoulder. "I am sorry for what you had to do."

He turned around to face her. For the first time in a while, his mother saw him smile. Truly happy. "I am not, mother."

Evelyn inhaled and nodded. "Go be with Miss Prior now."

He looked at her, not ready to forgive her for her part in the buildup for today. His mother might not have been the one directly responsible for the kidnapping, but she was responsible for fueling his father's rage and forcing her son into a forced marriage.

Not wanting to get into it at the moment, Tobias turned and ran from her toward the hospital wing. 

Slowly, Evelyn approached her husband's unconscious state. She smiled as she towered over him, finding herself to be enjoying the sight. She crouched down and grabbed his face between her fingers, admiring the bruised impact her son had done to his face.

I might not want Tobias to turn out the same way, but I must admire a beautiful punch when I see one, she amused.

And then, suddenly, she burst into laughter.

Two guards approached her, confused by her reaction. "Your Majesty, what are we to do?" they asked.

The Queen glanced at them with a wide smile. She straightened herself. "Take him into one of the cells. He is not to be released unless I tell you to do so."

The guards stuttered, shocked at such a command. 

She cocked a brow. "Endangering the lives of the Royal Family is an imprisonable offense," she reminded. 

They shifted uncomfortably and confusedly. "You want us to lock the king up?"

"Did I stutter?"

They nodded slowly and proceeded to carry him out. 

Evelyn watched and sat in one of the chairs, reaching out with her hands to grip the handles. She sighed contently, grabbing a nearby drink. For the first time, the alcohol that burned down her throat was invited. Relished.

She looked out at the destruction of the wedding ceremony and laughed.