A/N: Yeah, I know, no one ever reads author's notes, but...a BIG shout out to Sophitz15 for being the first to vote! Thank you so much! It means a lot. And, thank YOU, brilliant reader, for reading this. Yes, you, who are sitting at the computer/phone/tablet/whatever while fangirling/boying in secret. I've been there. It's ok to let out your inner fangirl/boy.
Previously:
"Don't worry, Fitz," I said. "We'll make sure you can marry Lady Sophie someday!"
"That's the spirit, Tammy!" Keefe wrapped an arm around my shoulders.
"Yeah, whatever, Keefe," I rolled my eyes as he flicked my bangs.
"Ha! Your emotions say otherwise!" Keefe smirked.
"Ya'know, I'm really starting to regret having an Empath in our group," Fitz said, still blushing hard. "I'm going to get some sleep. Good night, guys."
"Night, Fitz," I said.
"They're so oblivious, it's killing me," I told Keefe when Fitz was gone, and Linh had climbed up into a tree for the night.
"I KNOW," Keefe sighed. "The last time we went to her tower, I almost barfed from all the sappy emotions. Seriously, how can Eternalia's most famous thief be so oblivious?"
A/N: (yeah I know. ANOTHER one? Sorry not sorry) Telepathic conversations will be in italics. This actually goes for the whole story.
I leaned back against the wall next to my vanity. A few bottles of perfume and powder clanked to the floor. Oh, well. It's not like I really used them anyway. As I updated Dex on everything, I stared at my ceiling, thinking about my newly arranged marriage. I had painted the ceiling out of boredom, a year before I took up the identity of Will Scarlet.
I wasn't a very good painter, but with Dex's help, I painted the thick branches of a cherry tree. Dex inserted tiny lights that looked like cherry blossoms. Every time Fitz and his friends come over, it feels petty and girly. So against my newfound personality.
Ever since my parents died when I was a week old, I'd grown up in the King Grady's court. Then, when he left for the Crusades, Prince Brant uprooted me and placed me here. Apparently, I'm a "gift" to Sheriff Fintan for his "hard and outstanding" work. We were courting, but I couldn't be more repulsed. And if he won the contest...it was over. I might as well be wrapped in a shiny bow and handed over.
As I finished the story, the thought overwhelmed me, and I heaved...only, nothing came out. I leaned over the wastebasket, and Dex pulled my hair out of my face.
"Are you all right, m'lady?" he asked gently.
A hiccuped sob escaped my lips. "Yes. No. I...can't."
"Did anything else happen?" Dex carries me over to my bed and sets me down.
"No, it's just," I paused. "You've heard about the prize for winning the contest, right?"
"Well, yeah, it's the position of Sheriff," Dex said, confused.
"No. Well, yes, it is, but..." I trailed off, unable to say it. Saying it seemed to cement my fate.
"Would you rather transmit?" Dex asked, sitting in the chair next to me.
I nod gratefully and transmit. Ok, I'm in.
All right, tell me what Prince Brant did this time.
I close my eyes. The winner of the contest...alsogetsmyhandinmarriage.
A/N: (congrats to you if you took the time to figure that out)
What?! I opened my eyes. Dex looked ready to stab Prince Brant in the heart. Not that I would mind, but I don't think Fintan would be too happy about that.
Um, yeah, but that's not all.
Oh? What else can I add to the list of reasons why I hate Prince Brant?
Well, you see...Robin has agreed to compete, disguised as Lord Tiergan or Lord Forkle. So that means...
If Robin wins, you'll be forced to marry one of them. Dex's mental voice said flatly.
And thus my dilemma. If only Fitz were still a noble, then he wouldn't have to be disguised as Robin Hood, and...wait, did I just admit that out loud in my head?
Fitz Vacker is Robin Hood?
Um, yes, please don't tell anyone Dex! This is really important! Can you please keep it a secret?
Hurt flashed through Dex's eyes, and I felt guilty. Don't you trust me?
Of course, I trust you! It's just that Fitz trusted me with his secret, even when he doesn't know mine. I don't want to burden you with a secret. Especially when it's a secret the Sheriff wants so badly.
I'm sorry, Sophie. I know you trust me. So, you'd marry him?
Who?
Fitz!
Oh, um... My face felt like it was on fire. I don't know. Now let me sleep, Dex. I need all the help I can get for tomorrow.
What's tomorrow? Oh, right. I'm so sorry Sophie.
A tear slipped down my cheek and hit the soft wool blanket. It's all right, Dex.
No, it's not. What Fintan does to you...it's NOT ok.
Just...be here for me tomorrow, ok?
I'll be here, Sophie. And with that, I fell asleep.
*TIME SKIP TO NEXT MORNING*
I woke up to the annoying sound of birds singing. I groaned and sat up. This is the reason why the story of Cinderella never made sense to me. Sitting around, waiting for things to get better? No way was I doing that. And c'mon, birds singing has to be one of the most annoying sounds in the world. Second only to Keefe's whining.
The birds left, and I got dressed. But my peace only lasted for a few minutes. My maid, Vertina, entered my chambers.
"Lord Fintan is here," she said with fear in her voice.
"He may enter," I said, my voice trembling.
Vertina hesitated. "I'm so, so, sorry m'lady. I'll be here with Dex when you're done. Good luck."
"Thank you, Vertina," I said sadly.
As soon as Vertina exited the room, Fintan stepped in. His gaze swept over me, and I shuddered. Don'tscreamdon'tscreamdon'tscream.
"What? Are you not happy to see me, Sophie?" Fintan's oily smile dripped with malevolence.
"I never was," I said, trying to keep my voice firm.
"Let's begin, shall we?" he stepped closer and grabbed my arms.
And the torture began.
Fintan burned me in every place possible, and then some. He sank his teeth into my arm, and stars danced across my vision. I felt my power drain out of my skin and into his body. I could feel my heartbeat weaken, my essence being drained out of me like I was nothing. I could barely remember my name, my friends. Blood spilled onto the floor and all over my dress. The pain was so bad, I just wanted to die. I went limp, and it felt like hours before he let go of me.
"Now for the best part," he said. "Give me a memory!"
He burned me again, and I sent him a memory of the day I was humiliated in front of the court by my rival, Lady Stina. Shame welled up inside of me. If I was going to give Fintan a memory, it wasn't going to be a pleasant one.
Instead, the memory had the opposite of my intended effect. Fintan seemed to get even stronger. He burned me over my burns, I bit my tongue to keep from crying out. I would not give him the satisfaction of my screams. Not yet.
Don'tscreamdon'tscreamdon'tscream.
Then, Fintan took the memory and burned it. Inside of my head. And I screamed, terror pouring out of me in waves. Instead of inflicting pain on Fintan, my inflicting seemed to strengthen him even more. I screamed until my throat went hoarse.
"I'll see you before the tournament," Fintan said, dropping me to the floor. He paused at the door. "Oh, and Sophie? I'm looking forward to our wedding day."
He slammed the door, and I was left on the floor, unable to move. It felt like hours before someone entered, the door banging open.
"Sophie?" a voice asked.
"Sophie, are you awake?" a different voice asked. It must've been Vertina and Dex.
"Dex?" I rasped, throwing myself into a painful coughing fit.
"Sophie," the first voice said. "You're going to be ok, you hear me? Good graces, this is the worst I've ever seen him do to you! Hang on, Sophie, hang on."
All of a sudden, a single thought brushed through my mind, like a soft breeze.
(A/N: Really sorry, but it's important. For each person, there's gonna be a symbol.
Fitz/Robin: → Sophie/Will: ⤇ Dex: ⥧ Vertina: ⥻ )
→ Will?
⤇Fitz? What is it? Are you in danger? Or is...AHH!
Vertina and Dex must've been carrying me over to my bed, but it hurt like blazes. I tried to open my eyes, but they were swollen shut from the burns.
→ I think the better question is...are YOU in danger?
⤇Me? Oh, I'm fine. Something just startled me. What's up?
→ Well, we're kind of running from the Sheriff at the moment, and he's on to us. We were raiding the kitchens when he discovered us stealing. He chased us into the forest. Tam is hiding us in his shadows, but it won't be long before Fintan finds us. Seriously, Will, I think something happened to him. He looks...bigger somehow. Stronger. And his eyes...we're pretty shaken up. Do you think we could spend the night at Lady Sophie's?
⤇What? I mean, sure.
→ Ok, good. We're just outside her tower. How do we get in?
⤇You'll have to climb.
→ Climb?
⤇Really fast. Or levitate?
→ Levitating it is.Will anybody be up there?
⤇Yes. Lady Sophie, who I just informed, along with her personal guard and maid.
→ What about you?
⤇I have...other matters to attend to.
→ I see. Very well, stay safe.
⤇You too.
As soon as I shut down the mental conversation, I transmitted frantically to Dex and Vertina about the issue.
⤇What. Do. We. Do?
⥧I don't think we can do anything.
⤇Just...cover me with the blankets, and pretend that I'm dreadfully ill.
⥧All right...
⥻They're here.
Soon, I can hear voices. Dex and Vertina trying to convince them that I'm sick. A voice that must belong to Fitz insists checking on me. Then, dead silence. All of a sudden, the blankets are ripped off the bed, and I'm exposed. A collective gasp is heard throughout the room. Dex, still trying to sell the lie, mentions something about theatrics. I try to shake my head, but a whimper of pain comes out. After years of torture, the gig is up.
Ok...that was kind of dark. Sorry about that! But, anyway...THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING!!!!!! (yes, it requires that many exclamation points) And, um...55 views?!?!?! Have I mentioned that you guys are the best???? Please comment and tell me what you think! If something needs fixing, let me know. (yes, I KNOW that Brant isn't Grady's nephew, but I had to make it work somehow. I'm also very aware that Brant is dead. Alas, sometimes we have to bend facts to make fiction. Sorry if that came out cheesy!)
Oh, and two more things...how do you make your text bold? And do you think that the arrows are too confusing?? Please let me know!! It's probably a simple answer that I'm too stupid to notice...oh, well.
Thank you, the brilliant reader, (yes, I'm talking about YOU) for reading this. (55 views?? *does a happy dance around the room while parents look on with worry*)
Hope you have a great rest of the week,
⤭ Meels