THE UNTOLD
— 9. Free
It had been a month since Thomas had kissed Katherine and since then, he hadn't seen the girl. It was as though she were avoiding him, much to his confusion.
Had he done something wrong? Did she not care for him as he cared for her?
He felt stupid. Stupid that he had ruined a perfectly good friendship because he had desired her.
It seemed like every time he had caught a glimpse of her at court, she made sure to leave before he could talk to her.
Finally, he had had enough.
That day he had found her alone in the library and walked in. He noticed how she prepared to leave, only for her to become confused when the guards stepped in front of the door, blocking it.
"What is the meaning of this?" Katherine complained and turned to Thomas, an angry look on her face.
Thomas walked closer to her, smiling slightly. "You've been avoiding me for a month. Instead of that, why not talk to me?" He argued and Katherine walked closer to him.
"I haven't been avoiding you," She replied and Thomas only gave her a knowing look, "Fine. I've been avoiding you. What of it? I have no obligation to you."
Thomas stood in place, a part of him offended by her words. He shouldn't have been. She had a point. They weren't married. The kiss was as though it never happened.
"But we had a moment," He brought up and Katherine shook her head.
"You may think we did but I do not, so if you would kindly let me leave, it would be appreciated," She forced herself to say, holding back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes.
She didn't want to say those words but she had no choice.
Thomas forced himself to maintain composure. He didn't want to show her that he was hurt by her words. He felt stupid. He thought she cared about him. She did not.
He nodded and gestured for the guards to move away from the door.
With that, she stormed off, much to Thomas' disappointment.
Moments later, Katherine walked down the wing in the castle where her chambers were. She sighed, feeling bad for the way she treated Thomas. She had no choice, though. Her father made sure of that.
"I'm told you were just seen with the Lord of Bedford," A familiar voice spoke up and Katherine sighed, turning to see her father.
"He cornered me," Katherine complained, trying to hide her uneasiness, "The guards blocked the door. I had no choice but to speak with him."
"I don't care for your excuses," William argued in a venomous tone, "You were supposed to stay away from him. You've ruined your reputation enough and I will not allow you to marry him. I've spoken with the Duke of York. The boy king is unfit to rule. We are to side with Richard," He began to explain and Katherine rolled her eyes in annoyance, "I forbid you from speaking to my Lord Bedford any further--"
"It was the plan to begin with," She spoke quietly, only to feel nervous when her father moved closer to her.
"What was that?" He snapped at her angrily, "Speak up, girl!"
"It was the plan to begin with!" She shouted back at him without realizing it, "You wanted me to get close to him, you wanted me to catch his eye and now you just want me to take it all back? I care for him, Father. I wish to be with him."
"You wish?" He laughed at her, much to Katherine's annoyance, "What makes you think you have any choice in whom you marry? I choose, not you!"
"Why?" Katherine practically cried out, "Why do you, my father, get to choose? Because I am a woman? Women make up more than half this country, we should have the right like any man to choose who we marry. We do not deserve to be sold off to the highest bidder like some livestock--"
Before Katherine could finish her rant, her father had struck her. She wasn't surprised. She spoke when she should not have. What she spoke of was blasphemous in the eyes of everyone around her.
Except Thomas.
Katherine held the side of her face, tears forming in her eyes as she stared up at her father.
"I could have you flogged for saying such things," He growled at her angrily and Katherine tried not to cry, "You will not go near him again. I'm warning you."
There was a moment of silence before Katherine slowly raised her head. She stared up at her father, a hateful look on her face. "And what if I do?"
Watching her father rush toward her, Katherine sprinted toward her chambers, a part of her fearing for her life.
"Get back here, Katherine!"
She finally made it to her room and ran in. Just as she was about to close the door and lock it however, her father shoved it open.
Due to her being right in front of the door, the door flew back and struck her in the face.
She gasped in pain, clutching her nose as she fell back against the wall behind the door. She cried in fear as she watched her father move closer to her, on the verge of hitting her again.
"Father, please," She pleaded, crying out as he kicked her in her stomach.
"A witch, that is what you are!" He screamed at her as he struck her once more, "You're no daughter of mine. All this for a bastard!"
"What is the meaning of this?" A familiar voice suddenly spoke up and both Katherine and her father turned, watching as Thomas entered the room.
Immediately upon entering, Thomas gasped, staring at Katherine in shock. Blood covered her face as she laid on the ground in pain, her father standing over her injured body.
"My Lord Bedford, I--" William began to say, only to groan as Thomas grabbed him by the throat and slammed him against the wall.
"You ever touch her again and I'll have you hanged, drawn, and quartered, do you hear?" Thomas threatened the man in a low tone, glaring at him as his grip on the man's throat became tighter, "Do you hear me loud and clear because I shall only say this once, my lord?"
"Yes, Your Grace," William managed to get out as he stared at Thomas in shock.
Katherine grunted as she forced herself into a seated position. She stared up at the scene, a part of her beginning to smile.
Her father was clearly not expecting such a thing to happen. She could see it on his face. He looked like he could piss himself at any moment.
Finally, Thomas released his grip on Wlliam, allowing the man to slide to the ground as he gasped for breath.
Thomas turned to Katherine and immediately rushed to help her up. "Are you alright? Should I fetch a nurse?" He asked worriedly and Katherine shook her head.
"I'm fine," She managed to get out, using the back of her hand to wipe the blood dripping from her nose.
"No you're not," Thomas argued, immediately grabbing her hands to help her stand up.
He wrapped his arm around her body, assisting her in leaving the room in which her father sat on the ground catching his breath.
The duo sent him a glare, just before leaving the room.
Thomas sighed as Katherine pressed her back against the wall of the hallway, blood and tears streaming down her face.
He turned to look at her, a part of him feeling though it was his fault. He hadn't heard the conversation but he knew it must have been about him. She had been avoiding him and now that they had seen each other for the first time in a month. Her father must have forbidden it and punished her for disobeying him. But it was his fault.
There was a moment of silence between them, just before Katherine decided to speak up. "I'm sorry to burden you with this," She apologized and Thomas shook his head slightly.
"Burden me?" He asked, letting out a large scoff, "This isn't your fault. It is mine."
She avoided eye contact with him, a part of her feeling embarrassed. He had involved himself when he shouldn't have and had now made himself an enemy.
"Look at me," He pleaded, cupping her face in his face.
Finally, she glanced up at him. Tears spilled from her eyes not matter how much she tried not to cry.
"No one will ever hurt you like that again. Not while I'm alive," He promised her and Katherine let out a small cry, "Everything's going to be alright, I promise you that. I care about you and I will never let anything like that happen. Not again."
Katherine's lips parted as she stared at Thomas. She had never met someone like him. Someone who would do anything for the people he cared about. She was surrounded by selfish people who used her for their own personal gain.
And then there was Thomas.
He cared about everyone but himself. He would do anything for his family. He'd die for his family. He'd kill for his family. He'd do anything to keep the people he cared about safe.
And that was why she loved him.
"Thank you," She managed to get out, beginning to cry once more as Thomas hugged her tightly.
He wouldn't let anything bad happen to her. Not while he was around to stop it.
_____
Thomas had placed guards outside Katherine's room, making it so that her father was not allowed to see her. He knew it would cause issues and the moment Humphrey found out, he'd put an end to it.
Thomas didn't care, though. He wanted her safe. He promised her and he intended to keep that promise until his dying breath.
It was morning time and Thomas found himself traveling to Katherine chambers. He nodded as a form of greeting to the guards, just before he was announced.
The doors opened and Katherine stood there, a part of her still looking uneasy. She sported a bruise under her eye and a cut across the bridge of her nose.
Thomas still thought she looked beautiful, not that he should've been thinking that at that moment.
He rushed over to her and Katherine smiled softly, the two of them embracing for a long moment. "How are you feeling?" Thomas asked worriedly, his eyes scanning over her features, "Are you in any pain? I can fetch a nurse."
"I'm fine, Thomas," She assured him, squeezing his arm affectionately.
Thomas nodded in understanding, a part of him looking uneasy. "I might have to go to France soon," He confessed, causing to Katherine to stare at him in surprise, "My uncle John is struggling to keep France under English rule."
"But..." She trailed off nervously, a part of her looking concerned, "But your home is here."
"I know it," He sighed and turned to avoid eye contact with her, "But I simply cannot let France go back into the hands of the Dauphin because my uncle can't even keep his own men under his rule."
Katherine remained silent. She knew it was his duty but it left her in a position where she was unsafe. If he left, she'd be as good as dead in the hands of her father.
"Have you been to France?" Thomas suddenly asked and Katherine shook her head.
"I've haven't been anywhere but England," She confessed in a calm tone, "I almost went to Scotland to be married but it fell through."
"I'll take you there," He offered and Katherine turned to him in surprise, "Wherever you want. Spain is beautiful this time of year. As is Rome. Perhaps we could even go to Sweden. My father's sister was their queen. We'd have to get you some winter attire, however."
Katherine remained silent as she stared at Thomas closely. What was he trying to get at?
"I cannot sleep," He complained, earning a confused look from Katherine, "I haven't been able to sleep since we first met. I found myself lying awake thinking of nothing but you. I can't even eat. All I can think about is my love for you, Katherine. I never thought I'd feel this way about someone but I do and it scares me."
"It scares me as well," She confessed, trying to contain her smile.
"I cannot live like this," He continued as he stared down at her with such love and admiration, "And if you'll have me, I would ask you to marry me."
Katherine's eyes widened in surprise. She tried to contain her smile and nodded quickly. "And I'd say yes, but..." She trailed off and her smile faded, "What of my father?"
"My brother is the king, my lady," Thomas answered in a calm tone, "If he agrees to this marriage, what your father says does not matter. He would not dare to stand against me and his sovereign. He should be lucky I did not cut him down myself for what he did to you."
Katherine tried not to blush at Thomas' words. She smiled widely and nodded quickly.
"Will you marry me, Katherine Neville?" He had asked her once more, cupping her face with his hands.
"Yes, of course!" She practically shouted as she wrapped her arms around the man.
He spun her, just before placing her back down on the ground. He pulled her closer, however, passionately kissing her.
She kissed back, of course, never feeling happier than she did at that moment.
He was to be her husband.
She couldn't be more excited. She could marry for love and no one would dare stop her, for her husband was Thomas Fitzroy.
She'd always be safe and they'd have each other. Nothing else would matter. And she was fine with that.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
And so it begins!
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