This chapter is dedicated to @caitlin400 who's the first and only person who keeps asking me to update 😂 ❤️
Girl right now you're honestly one of the reasons why I keep going with this story.
Love your support.
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"I'm confused" he says
He's leaning on the door frame, studying her.
she wipes her face and looks at him questioningly
"you jump in between a fight and you risk getting punished... you break the fight nonetheless but here you are... crying"
"I'm done crying"
"walk me through the common sense of what you just did"
"he wasn't going to stop" she says desperately " he was getting too much beating...It was horrible, he wouldn't stop!"
"why would he?"
"because!" she says "where's the decency and honor in kicking a man that's down?"
"I thought decency and honor aren't important things from where you came from?"
she remembers the conversation they've had on the boat
"so you give up loyalty and dignity for money?"
"what's loyalty and dignity if you're dead?" she says back "and to make sure your family stays that way too"
"what's living without loyalty and dignity?"
"That's easy to say when you're not fighting for food"
"but we're not from where I came from, are we?" she says "back home its life or death-"
"Winning and loosing is life or death for these me-"
"you're comparing winning a stupid duel with people who are looking for food and health care"
"That stupid duel means more to some than the air they breath. Who are you to tell them it's stupid?"
she scoffs in frustration and looks away from him
"he should've stopped-"
"why?" he snaps
"Because its wrong!"
"I'd beat him until he stops breathing" he says and watches her reaction intently. It doesn't disappoint.
She looks at him In utter disgust. He ignores the satisfaction that's coursing through his body because of the scared look in her eyes
She presses her lips together and looks away.
"I thought I was helping him" she says softly
"you did help him"
she laughs "I didn't help him, he used my help to win"
"you helped him win"
"I didn't want to help him win, I just wanted to stop the fight"
"What did you expect was gonna happen?" he asks sharply "that he was going to be so grateful for you butting in that he was just going to walk away because you want him too?
"you can't help people and expect not to be used" he says "and you can't invite strange men into your bed if you don't want to be rapped"
Flashes of the incident with James course through her brain, stripping her of any calm she managed to muster in the previous 2 hours.
"you didn't look like the kind of guy who'd rape someone" her voice shakes
"I bet the blond one didn't look like he'd lunge the way he did" he says "would it have been worth it?"
"what?"
"Offering your help" he answers "would it have been worth the risk if I actually did take advantage of you?"
If he asked her this question before she actually tasted slightly what it's like to be rapped, she would've answered in a heart beat. But now, she swallows her sickness and blinks the memories away.
"But you didn't"
he shrugs "I was too tired"
she ignores the disgust and hate she feels for this man "thank god for that"
"Thank god indeed" he says "although I bet if I made up a sob story you'd welcome me with open arms am I right?"
"you are sick"
" and you're naive"
"My naivety saved Richard's life" she points out "seeing that you traveled so far to fetch him, I'd say that counts for something"
"you have a sharp tongue for someone who claims to be so compassionate"
"I'm no fool"
"Oh but you are" he says eerily "either you don't know who I am or you're choosing to ignore it. Either way, very stupid indeed"
her heart starts to beat wildly "you're a soldier, a general" she says "you've been sent by the kin-"
"and who's the king?"
"haven't seen him yet"
"what's his name?"
she opens her mouth but stops short when she realizes she actually has no idea. She's shocked more than anything over the fact that no one has ever mentioned the King's name before.
"why do you ask?" she says instead
"why do you think?"
she feels like the colors have drained from her face. She looks down from him "are you related to him?"
"you can say that"
"are you a cousin?" she asks "you don't look like royalty"
suddenly the head barges in
"your highness!" she says, breathing hard. She looks like she ran "I wasn't aware you were here" she glances at Bell who's frozen "forgive me"
"I snuck in" he says "how's the two fighters?"
"they're both hurt my king but not worst than usual..." she looks at Bell "I apologize for her behavior, I'll release her from her job right awa-"
"no" he says, looking straight into her eyes "let her stay"
Bell's mouth is slightly opened, not comprehending fully.
Bell feels like the breath has been knocked out of her. He watches her shock without any emotions on his face but Bell knows his eyes are twinkling from the smugness.
"she's too much trouble your highness. I believe it would be better to kick her-"
"look at her" he cuts in "she doesn't look like trouble to me"
"she's been stealing books..." she trails when he shoots her an annoyed look
"I'll deal with it myself your highness" she bows down "I apologize"
he pushes himself off the door frame and walks away.
The head walks over to her.
"What's the king's name?" Bell says softly. She feels like there are cotton balls in her ears.
She looks up at the head only to reflexively shut her eyes when feels a sharp pain on the side of her face. The force knocks her to the ground. She grunts in pain.
"you made me look like a fool" she hisses "why was the king here to talk to you?!"
she blinks the blackness from her vision and tries to understand what she's asking.
"why is the king interested in you?!" she asks her sharply
"he isn't" she replies back
"then why was he here?!"
"I don't know..."
the head stands up and says "you are worst than the plague"
Bell turns on her back and stares at the ceiling as she hears the door shut again.
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Hey guys! I'm going to start writing and updating faster. Maybe twice a week too because I'm starting to get excited about where this is going.
And keep commenting and showing your support because it honestly inspires me to open my laptop and continue writing.
Thank you to everyone who voted and commented in the previous chapters, means a lot. ❤️❤️❤️
-P.p | 01,03,2018 (2:48 am) Abu Dhabi time |