Jane and Lucy left the ball and started walking down the street to Jane's house. The night was quiet and dark, the moon hiding behind clouds. A sense of forebroding came upon them and they walked faster. Their dresses swished with every movement.
"Jane? I like you and all, but why did you have to take to me the ball?"
Jane cast a glance at Lucy, raising her eyebrows as if to say, duh you stupid girl! You know why! "Because, Lucy," she started slowly. "Unlike you, I want to have a boyfriend. So I went to the ball because maybe, just maybe I could see Lancaster." She gave a sigh and slowed down.
"Jane?" Lucy said, trying to hide her giggles, "You and Lancaster? Are you serious? He's like, the royal's most trusted person or whatever. Do you really think-"
"Shut up, Lucy!" Jane glared at her friend, wishing she hadn't told her. To Lucy, it looked like Jane was about to take her head off her shoulders.
"Let's just stay calm and go to your house."
Jane hmphed and crossed her skinny arms but started walking. Lucy gave out a sigh of relief.
They reached Jane's house, a tall white house with a neat little garden against the porch, when the moon cast its full light on them. They entered the perfect kept lawn and walked up the steps. The front door creaked open to reveal blue eyes.
"Who be there?" a raspy voice asked. The girls rolled their eyes and continued to the door. "I said, who be there?"
Lucy reached the door, yanked it open and smacked the owner of the voice. "Ow!" it exclaimed in a not so raspy voice.
"Cayden, what are you doing?" Jane asked as she too, smacked him.
"Ow! Girls please calm down!" He looked up and flipped his long brown bangs back from his blue eyes. He stood up all the way, tall as Lucy, a very tall girl for her age, 5'11. He was slim like his sister but had a better attitude. At most times.
"Oh, hello, Lucy. Why are you here?"
"Because my uncle can't come into town until tomorrow. Is that alright with you?" She poked him in the chest with a finger and walked on down the bright hallway. The tapestries had been dusted earlier that day by the servants and showed the many battles the royals had been in. Pounding footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs from the second floor. A head with slicked back black hair and dark green eyes looked over the banister.
"Lucy! Woo hoo!" The person continued on running down the stairs.
Lucy turned, furious, towards Cayden. "Why didn't you tell me Thomas was here?" Thomas reached the bottom of the stairs and tackled Lucy in a hug.
He was taller than anybody in the town, smart and could win in any fight you put him in. His shoulders were broad and his arms thick with muscles. Pretty much all the girls around 13 through 21 were crazy about him. He could be an absolute jerk but had a heart at times. From jerk to sweet in minutes.
"I guess it must've slipped my mind. Sorry, Lucy," Cayden said with a shrug. Jane gave a sad little smile then hopped to the stairs.
Cayden grabbed her wrist. "Where are you going? Father's mad that you invited Lucy here for the ball. He said Lucy was to never go to another one with you after the last one!"
"Yeah but who's gonna tell him?"
"Please put me down!" Lucy yelled. Thomas dropped her and took her hand in his.
"My, Lucy. You look pretty tonight."
"Get lost, Thomas." Lucy pulled her hand away and stomped over to Cayden and Jane. "I'm furious with you Cayden but I'm too tired to deal with you now. And Jane, if your dad didn't want me going with you, I would have been perfectly happy at Uncle's." She trudged up the stairs to what used to be the guest room but was now considered her room, where she stayed any time she was there.
Thomas stood by Cayden. "Oh, and good night, Cayden! See ya later when I kill you!" Lucy's voice floated down the stairs and you could hear the smile in her tone.
"What? No good night for Thomas?" The big boy looked hurt as he shook his head and trudged up the stairs too.
Cayden turned his attention back to his sister. "Jane, Father's going to kill you."
"But I'm fine. Lucy's fine too! See my dress? No punch on it this time! And do you see that Lucy doesn't have a black eye this time? We're fine." She waved her hand and hopped up the stairs, leaving her brother at the bottom, shaking his head.
"What's Lucy's problem with her temper? Why is being asked by a boy to dance such a bad thing?" he mumbled to himself. Then he finally and lastly took his turn going upstairs.
Lucy plopped on the bed and kicked off her shoes. A knock on the door made her jump to her feet. "Oh, Jane, can you help me out of my dress?"
Lucy turned around for Jane to unbutton her black dress. The door creaked opened and someone came in. The footsteps weren't light like Jane's but heavy. Before Lucy could turn around big arms wrapped around her waist and a hand covered her mouth.
The person breathed on her neck, causing her to shiver. Her eyes were wide with fear. "I'd love to take your dress off, Lucy," the man purred.
Through the hand, Lucy tried saying, "You filthy ass!" but it came out muffled. She struggled to punch the man and he just laughed at her weak attempts.
"Hush, hush." He slipped his hand away for the slightest moment to cup her chin, when she screamed with all her breath. Lucy screamed loudly, the scream echoing around the room. The man roughly pushed her forward, in front of the mirror. Dark green eyes stared at her furiously under black hair.
Footsteps pounded up the stairs and the man panicked. He pushed Lucy on the bed, on her stomach. He quickly started to undo her dress while she kicked and struggled to get away. He put his big knee on her back, keeping her from struggling too much. His rough hands worked quickly at her straps and his warm lips touched her neck. Lucy used her strength to flip under him and punch his jaw. Surprise filled his eyes.
The footsteps stopped and entered the room. Someone pushed him off Lucy and to the floor. Lucy scrambled up off the bed to see Cayden panting over the man.
"Thomas, you bastard! What are you doing?"
Lucy rushed to Cayden's side and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her out of the room. He walked with her to the bathroom, gently set her on the counter and started the bath. He stepped in front of Lucy. Taking her hands in his, he looked into her terrified eyes.
"Lucy, are you okay?"
She shook her head. "No, that bastard tried to get my clothes off! I am not okay!" She looked sternly into his blue eyes. That was the Lucy he knew. Definant and independent. Not to forget fierce.
"Well, its okay now. I've got you."
She tilted her head to stare at him. "You aren't going to try and-"
"No!" Cayden tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I would never. But..."
"But what, Cayden?" Her tone was fierce.
"But I wouldn't mind to." He gave a crooked smile. She jumped off the counter and smacked him on the temple. "Ow! Twice in one night. You are on a roll, Lucy."
She crossed her arms and glared dirtily at him. "Well, I never would have come if-"
"Lucy? Is that you? Are you okay?"
Cayden's eyes went wide as saucers and he looked frantically around for a hiding spot. "If he finds me in here with you, I'm dead!" he whispered in Lucy's ear. He opened a cabinet under the sink and started to quietly move everything so he could fit.
Lucy nodded. She knew how Jane's and Cayden's father was. Cayden wasn't allowed in the same room with a girl all alone. Neither was Jane with a boy. He was very strict about it and felt the same for Lucy but he wasn't in charge of her. Her father's brother was in charge. And he didn't think it mattered who Lucy spent her time with. As long as she didn't 'go to bed' with a boy, as her uncle put it.
"Yes, and I'm fine. I just saw a spider that's all. I'm taking a bath, if that's okay."
She heard him cluck his tongue in suspion. "Alright, Lucy. Just get to bed soon, okay?"
"Yes, sir!" She heard his footsteps go down the stairs. After she thought it was safe, she opened the cabinet Cayden was in.
"He didn't even come in!"
"It's because I'm a girl taking a bath. Or so he thought anyways. He wouldn't come in if I was bathing."
"Hmm. I guess your right."
Lucy gave Cayden a smug smile. "Of course I'm right."
"But Lucy, you saw a spider? That's the reason why you screamed? Come on, you're not scared of spiders."
"Maybe, but he bought it for now."
Cayden stopped the water in the bathtub and stared at Lucy. "You want help out of your dress?"
"No!"
He shook his head. "Not what I meant. Do you want a maid to help? Or even Jane?"
"No, I'm fine." He nodded then walked to the door. Lucy felt like she needed to say something, but nothing would come to mind that expressed how grateful she was. Time seemed to slow down, allowing Lucy to find words, only she couldn't. All she could remember was Thomas's rough hands on her. Cayden seemed to pause, as if waiting for something. Maybe for Lucy to thank him. Or he was working up his courage to say something. His hand was on the door knob when Lucy squeaked. He looked over his shoulder with a questioning look on his face.
"Thanks, Cayden. I mean, I'm so grateful that you came, I wouldn't have...I needed help and you came," Lucy blurted out. She felt like that wasn't a proper thanks and should've done a better job.
Cayden walked to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. Lucy noticed that his touch was gentle, and not harsh like Thomas's. He studied Lucy's eyes as she squirmed in his intense stare. "Lucy, you are fine. That's thanks enough. I just want you to know, I'll come to help you whenever you need it." A smile lit up his face, making him look more his age and not so stressed. "Hopefully now you won't kill me. We are even now, right?"
Lucy caught herself smiling back. "Sure. I guess we are even." He wrapped her in a hug.
"Good night, my light." He opened the door and hands grabbed him. Lucy squealed and raced out the door to see his father holding Cayden. He grabbed Cayden's long brown hair and pulled it back. He shoved him to the ground and placed a foot on Cayden's back. Lucy gasped and pulled her dress tight around herself, feeling a draft chill her.
"What are you doing?!" The father screamed at his son. Cayden got his height from his father, who towered over his son now. "You know the rules! Why go and break them? You know I'm going to find out sooner rather than later."
Lucy shook her head, a terrified expression on her pale face. He looked up at Lucy, who was clenching her dress together. "What did he do to you?" he growled.
"Nothing, sir," she managed to get out. Her mouth felt dry and her throat desired cool liquid.
He pulled on Cayden's hair, bringing his head up off the floor and tears to his eyes. A yelp of pain escaped his lips.
"What did he do to you?"
"Nothing, Alcander!"
He tugged Cayden's hair back more. "Okay, okay!" Lucy squealed. She couldn't stand that the boy who rescused her from Thomas was being hurt for saving her. "It was Thomas! He came in my room and put his hand around my mouth so I couldn't scream for help. He pushed me on my bed and tried to get me undressed. He let his hand move a bit so I screamed as loud as I could. You should've seen him! Cayden comes in and shoves him off of me. He takes me to the bathroom to clean me up. Nothing happened! Please stop hurting him!" By the end, tears were brushing her eyelashes and she was worked up. Anger rushed through her. Thomas was the one who needed being punished!
"Hmm. I thought, Cayden took you into the bathroom, tried getting your clothes off, then hid when I came."
Alcander seemed to be mulling it over and both kids were holding their breath, hoping he would believe the truth. "It seemed like Cayden would try something like that, since he likes you. But Thomas makes more since."
Alcander released Cayden's hair and stepped off his back. Cayden jumped to his feet, his face pale.
"Cayden likes me?" Lucy asked. She raised her eyebrows at the now red faced boy.
"Yes. I thought you knew."
"Father," Cayden whined.
"How long? How long has he liked me?"
Alcander rubbed his chin, remembering. "Please, don't tell her," he begged.
"Years now. Since you threw a fit that Cayden couldn't come with you, Jane, and her mother to the market. When was that? You guys were ten, Jane nine. So eight years he's liked you." Alcander looked pleased that he was able to embarrass Cayden in front of Lucy.
Cayden's face turned a bright red. Lucy remembered that day. The girls were going to the market to get fresh ingrediants for supper. She had wanted Cayden to come and play with her in the busy streets. Lucy felt herself glow with happiness. Now it made sense. Cayden had always, since she could remember, been protecting her from other boys. Lucy knew Thomas set Cayden's teeth on edge but he still hung out with him to make sure Jane and her weren't attacked by the rough boys Thomas led. Cayden always seemed mad at her after she was with a boy. Although, he looked relieved when Lucy had gotten in a fight with a boy only because he had wanted to dance with her but she wouldn't allow it. At first he seemed mad because they thought a boy had done it, but after Lucy explained what happened, he looked quite pleased.
She nodded good night to Alcander and when he was out of sight, she took Cayden's hand. He lifted his gaze from the floor to her face. "If you like me, you shouldn't be afraid to tell me. I won't laugh at you like I do with Thomas. Thomas is a filthy bastard and you are a nice boy. So if you want, you can tell me anything. I'll be here for you to talk to." She smiled, released his hand and walked back into the bathroom. She closed the door, stripped out of her dress and sat in the warm water. She leaned her head back and sighed with happiness.