Helena drapes the thick brown cloak over my shoulders, her hands trembling as she fumbles to secure it with a knot. Frays of hair sticking to the sweat forming on her forehead. Since Katherine's banishment, things became tense in the castle. What happened inside the tower, stayed secret after we left. Thaddeus cancelled the execution, claiming mercy to his wife by giving her a private execution. She packed that night, signed an annulment and slipped into a carriage riding to Caprese. Not one soul knew the Queen lived on.
My heart pumping drastically inside me, as I place my hands over Helena's stilling her trembles. Glancing towards the door in agitation, Helena steps away looking to the door nervously. Though locked, we both feared the opening of it.
Now is my only chance to meet with Chadwick. My last opportunity, before I spent eternity inside this castle. An eternity that I sentenced myself to, still I had yet to understand if it was for the best or not. No matters the risks, I need to speak with Chadwick and end this feud for the safety of my child. For the souls of my family stuck in limbo while the misunderstanding hangs high between Chadwick and me.
Helena steps away from me, and my lungs constrict. With no other choice, I hold my breath and tug the hood up and over my hair. She pulls back the tapestry, and I slip under into the darkness. My feet splashing in the small puddles as I wander cautiously through the cold tunnel.
How is Chadwick going to react when he sees me? I know he said whatever happens but there must be some exceptions. Looking down I place my hand on my slightly extended belly, the cloak masking my current condition. We are meeting in public, all I have to do is drop my hood, and everyone's attention would be on me. He isn't stupid enough to do anything to the King's pregnant mistress, and I'm sure word has spread to his ears by now.
I wander through the busy crowds keeping my head low as soldiers pass by oblivious of me. Helena had brought in some old clothes to help disguise me, she knew the importance of this meeting and discrete manner that fell around it. This meeting went outside of the King's knowledge if he learns that I am speaking of peaceful negotiations on his behalf he would have no other choice than to hang me for treason. Unlike Katherine, I will not be so lucky as to receive a pardon.
A hand reaches out in the crowd and stills me, I whip my head around completely alert. A soldier or Chadwick? Only two options. My breathing stills as I stare at my brother's roughened features. My whole world freezes, his scruffy beard, now inches long and speckled with shades of brown. His eyes so soft and pale green as they stare back into mine in relief. Though there was a hardness hidden behind them, something unfamiliar to me.
My mind finally processes the man in front of me, and I breathe out, "Octavius?"
"Yes, Claire. I'm here," he smiles at me knowingly.
This shocking realization he had anticipated, he had planned for it. It has been far too long since I had last seen my brother, we were nearly inseparable back at the village. Much has changed, even his features. His baby face is now thinned and masculine from travel. He isn't taking care of himself while he is on the run.
"Oh heaven above, I thought you had died," I raise my voice slightly as a tear rolls down my face.
Octavius tugs me onto his warm embarrass, "I'm here now, all will be better."
His touch is warming and familiar. So familiar that a lump in my throat forms in the memory of my family, my father.
"Oh, Octavius, I'm so sorry. Father, he is.." I cry into his shoulder.
He silences me, "I know, Claire, it's ok."
"What about Mother?" I whisper fearfully.
She is a strong woman but the loss of her husband and having her children taken away from her, one to the castle and another as a traitor. No mother could handle that kind of heartbreak easily.
"She perished shortly after, your all I have now," he whispers.
I gasp feeling as though my lungs are filling with water. Desperately, I struggle to gulp down the bitter air. My legs tremble, and my hands clench the fabric of Octavius' coat. Giving into the feeling my legs release from under me, and his hold tightens to keep me upright. His quiet breathing and his familiar smell bringing a knowing comfort to me. We are orphans. I glance up at him tears staining my face. He pulls me up into a stand as he watches me compose myself.
Slowly, he scrunches his face in question, "How did you escape?"
"There is a tunnel in the Queen's chambers," I point over towards the alleyway I had slipped from. The alleyway that led to the hidden tunnel. "I'm staying there for now. The King wishes to keep a close eye on me."
"No one knows you left the castle?" he gasps, shaking my shoulders with certainty, "This is wonderful news, escape with me."
He immediately begins tugging me through the crowd farther through the markets. I place my arm on his shoulder causing him to slow down and focus on me again. I don't have much more time if I can save my brother I need to act now.
"Maybe if I plead for your forgiveness, the King will reconsider, and you can stay here with me?"
"Claire, Chadwick is waiting for us. The King is a murderer and look what he has done to you," he looks down to my belly in disgust as it peeks out from the cloak, "he turned you into a whore, your belly, it is swelling."
I step back startled by his change in behaviour, but his grip on me remains strong, "Octavius, I'm sorry, it happened a long time ago. It's all a misunderstanding."
"Is it Chadwicks?"
I feel a lump in my throat as I tell my brother the undeniable truth, "No."
Silence hangs over us. There is no denying the truth, Chadwick and I had never laid together. As far as he is concerned, I left the village with my purity intact.
"Damn it, Claire," Octavius snaps stepping forward.
I stagger back in sync with his intimidating movements. My brother rarely gets mad at me, but things have changed. He has killed people, he has become a traitor. I have no idea what he is capable of anymore.
"Please understand, it was an accident," I whisper ashamed that my brother does not approve of this.
"He has defiled you, tainted the Tucket name. How can you say this was an accident. You are pregnant," he spits with distaste.
"Please, Octavius," I cry gripping onto him as he steps away from me.
He looks down at my weak expression, his face softening, "No need to worry now, I have you. We can go home."
The King will never allow me to leave and I had made a deal to stay. Could I really take back my promise and abandon Thaddeus just to be with Octavius? I shake my head desperately, the lump in my throat stealing my words. I can't leave Thaddeus, and Octavius will never knee to him.
"Claire, the man slaughtered your family and banished his queen. He is not a loyal man. You need to come with me now."
The force behind his words sends a shiver down my spine. He grips my wrist and begins tugging me with determination towards the exit of the market. Octavius is acting as a protector, my guardian. He is taking me from the danger he believes me to be in. In his eyes, he is bringing me home to safety.
If I leave now, what will become of the King? He has lost his wife and the loyalty of some of his subjects. Chadwick attacked a castle for me. God only knows what Thaddeus would do in retaliation. I would be taking his heir from him. This man is a fragile boy trapped under a crown, and I am the only one able to remind him of his true self.
"Claire?" a voice echoes from nearby.
Looking back I gasp as a soldier approaching through the crowd, his eyes set on me. We have been spotted! Both of us freeze unsure of what to do. He is a traitor, and I have snuck out of the castle, this will not end well.
I look back towards my brother and hiss, "run!"
Quickly, I pull my arm from his grasp.
"Not without you," he hisses back gripping tighter around my wrist.
"Run, I can't protect you."
Octavius looks passed me, and with a pained expression, he lets go, slipping into the crowd and out of sight.
"Miss Claire? Why are you out here?" a male voice asks behind me.
Slowly I spin around pretending to be started by my interaction with the soldier.
"I'm sorry. Was I not supposed to be?" I look around curiously, "I only wanted to see the markets."
His eyes look past me, where Octavius had disappeared to, "No need to fret, I will get you back inside."
He places his hand on my back and guides me away as he leans down and whispers to me, "Traitors are around, please follow closely."
My back straightens as I realize the true meaning in his words. He had seen us.
As I am guided through the crowd my eyes lock with Octavius' hidden figure amongst the masses. Sorrow fills me as I fully take in his ragged appearance. Silently, I lip the words "I love you" to him. I will never know if I will ever see him again. He certainly has no desire to come to the castle with me. He is far too distraught over the death of our family. But I need to remain strong, I need to think of my child now. This child needs a safe place to grow up.
~ Anyone out there rooting for the brother? Octavius is back everyone! ~