My heart froze, my insides stopped working for a brief moment as soon as the duke revealed himself through the thick large doors. I made the wrong decision to release my honesty and most definitely at the wrong time. The duke was now only meters away from where me and William were at. I turn towards William but saw nothing of fear or shock by the look on his expression, he was guarded. It was only his eyes that let him down with a slight visible concern showing in-between.
Both me and William said nothing as the duke came fuming into the room further and looked as though he was about to explode with rage, he did nothing that give us a hint of him talking first which made William stand and stride towards him. If I wasn't so caught up trying to calm my heart down even the slightest for it to lower the volume, maybe, just maybe I would have heard his loud heavy footsteps barging and loud husky voice if he were to shout at the guards when dealing with the same thing I had dealt with.
"No! I will not have this imposter in this house!" He shouted, talking to William but looking directly at me through raged eyes. "She is to be out this house by morning, nothing more!" With that he head out the room with smoke probably coming out his ears.
William turned to look at me, with an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, I'll try to calm him down." He said as he also left the room following after him. I could only still sit in the chair, because I know my knees are wobbly and weak due to this situation.
The only words that came out my mouth knowing that the whole plan is ruined in the quiet, silent, empty room were: "What have I done?" In a low whisper that even the guards couldn't hear through the two opened doors. I rushed out the door and ran to my room, not caring about the guards expression when the bile has already made its way to my throat.
Hours had passed since my last occurrence with both William and the duke. I couldn't help but pace in my room for the remaining time until I get executed or locked in the dungeon for years, thinking of another possibility to try and escape because plan or no plan, it's situations like this that you have to fear. A knock came at my door but that didn't stop me from pacing.
"Heard what happened. Seems like you've hit the top notch, Eden." A male voice chuckled. I turn round to see who it belonged to and found Michael leaning on the door, smiling with his arms crossed. "Didn't know you had it in you." He continued.
"What are you doing here?" I said, trying my best to keep my voice calm instead of shaking viciously, but failing miserably.
"Thought you could use some help." Help? What was he even talking about? I don't want the least bit of help especially from someone who knows my name but doesn't know I'm Williams fiancé, I didn't know there was a lower rank than being an idiot.
"But of course I know you." He said, eyebrow raised. I cursed myself for saying that out loud unknowingly and began pacing the room once again.
"Can you please just leave, I don't have the time-"
"No time for help? You and I both know that if there is no help right this moment, your future along with millions of others is ruined." He turned, opening the door. "But if you insist on not wasting my time with you and everyone else's trouble than that's fine by me."
"Wait!" I shouted at him, before he could step outside. He was right, if now isn't the time, there never will be another opportunity for me to take and finish what the duke had started.
"Just say the word and I'll be of assistance." He stated, smirk reaching the corner of his lips. I didn't utter a word, if I was going to need his help, he would need to know about everything. But how can I trust him so easlily? For all I know he could be helping the duke and there's no doubt that he does work for him. "Hurry and say it out straight because I notice the duke's on his way here right now with people I'm sure you're not to like." My eyes widened at his words and I involuntary turned to peak out the doors to find what he's saying was true. The duke looked furious despite it being hours after that incident. There were two muscular guards by his sides but further behind him, making him look superior. I guess his talk with William didn't go so well judging that he wasn't visible to sight at all. How could it end like this? At the very least I could have found something to use against him or find out about what he's working on but I guess I'm useless at this thing.
I turn sharply to Michael and he too looked impatient, if the duke finds him here, he would be in the dungeons too or worse, executed. "I need your help." With that said, he smiled just before swiftly exiting the building through the large windows at the side of the room. God, he thinks fast for the duke's servant. It was too late before I could think of how he was going to help me when the door burst opened with a loud thud echoing the empty room. I stood, wide eyes at the motion as they furthered into my room.
"It seems like you have ignored my warning." The duke spat. I remained in position trying with all my might to not looked fearful in front of him, even if I did he did not show any sign of victory. "I would have stayed to watch you suffer unknowingly but it seems my patience was wearing thin. If you were to even think William would fall for your feminine tricks, then do let me warn you, my dear that you were utterly and completely out of you god damned mind." He hissed the last few words through gritted teeth. "Nothing can make me even happier unless I watch you suffer with many worthy subjects alongside me, rather than just letting you escape through the death path, so you better be honoured my dear, that I have come to a decision to keep you here and watch your beloved William move on after he gets his punishment." He finished the speech with a smile and walked out the door muttering: "Take care of her." Which of course I knew he meant the exact opposite as the men dragged me roughly to the dungeons.
"I can walk fine on my own!" No matter how much I told them they did not release my arms and half-dragged me into a cell. The ground was covered with hay along with the other cells beside each other, with only iron bars separating them. They unlocked the door and shoved me in, causing a gasp to escape my mouth as they did so. I lifted myself up and felt a hinge of pain from my head. Lifting a finger to it, something felt liquid instead of a surface of skin I was expecting, I bring my fingers down to see red pure coloured liquid spill from my fingers and to the cold silent floor soundlessly. I hurled myself against the corner of the cell and wanted all to let it out. But there was nothing to let out. All I felt was emptiness, and nothing more. I buried my hand in my arms as I let time pass waste-fully, hoping for something to happen.
The noises of iron against each other were heard and I shot open my eyes to see the chief maid with clothing in her hands. There was a smirk on her face as soon as I looked up at her, all I wanted was to punch that pretty face of hers and see who's still braver than they look. "You don't deserve to wear these luxurious clothing, here." She threw the clothing at me and I glared at her in return. "Your orders are to change into them." Her smirk grew as she came to me and ripped the gown I wore easily. It always occurred to me that the gowns were not very good material. She glanced at me, from my toes to the tip of my head until I noticed all I had on where my undergarments. "I'd hurry and change if I were you, your food is on the way." She chuckled as she went out, locking the cell.
"She had to tell me now!" I hissed to myself. I hurried and put on the trousers and shirt, but the shirt took longer to wear because the buttons were all interlocked together. Instead of unbuttoning the shirt I put it over myself and wore it just before I hear the jingle of keys again. I frowned because this person was the least I expected to come here with food.
"Hey, don't doubt my word." Michael said, smiling. "I said I would help. Didn't I?" He placed the tray of food in front of me and also sat down, back leaning against the wall. "So how's life?" He said, sighing.
"Marvellous." I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes at his small talk.
"I was expecting something in the lines of: how could they do this to me!? They don't know who they're messing with! Ugh." He pretended to flip his imaginary long hair over his shoulders with a voice as high as the squeaking noise of chalk on a board. I laughed and he just stared at me, smiling slightly. "Good, I was beginning to think you've lost all your social interacting skills you know." I didn't say anything and didn't even touch my food. My appetite was lost as my mind drifted to the thought of duke and his vile plans in the future about what to do with me. "Listen if you're not going to eat how do you even expect to get out of here without a rumbling stomach waking everyone in this mansion?" He gestured towards the tray in front of me. "Hurry, I have to get back out there before they suspect something."
My eyes remained at him in shock. "I'm getting out of here?" For once I felt hope on this miserable cell, I don't even know how long I've been here. Hours? Days?
"We're getting out. To be honest I've grown tired of this place, since your caught red handed there's nothing for me to do except report back home." He said looking into nowhere in particular. Report back home? What was he talking about? He seems to notice my confusion and spoke. "You don't expect to be here forever, right?"
"I don't even know anymore. I even started to question all the planning I've been up to." I admitted, deciding to trust him fully because that was the only hope left in me.
He shrugged. "Don't blame you, but people were talking about you and how brave you were-" he cut himself off with a few fingers to his mouth.
I eyed him suspiciously. "What?" He remained quiet, for once. "What do you mean people were talking about me? They don't even know Williams existence to know mines! And how do they even know me?" I waved my hands in the air. "I've been here since the day I was collected!" He tried to prevent any eye contact, I instantly knew he was hiding something. "Tell me!" Everyone I know seems to back away, just as he did when he exited the cell and walked out without another word. Why does this keep happening to me? I wonder if trusting him was the right choice because I certainly don't want a problem on top of another.
I don't know how much time had walked past me without knowing as I finally noticed the cell darken. It must be night. I heard heavy footsteps, getting louder and louder by the second. Finally I knew who it belonged to and it certainly wasn't Michael I hoped to see, but it was the duke.
He chuckled. "I made the right decision to come here. It seems those filthy clothes suit you better than the previous ones you were provided with." His eyes darted to the tray of food still in front of me, Michael had left it since he was such in a hurry to get away from me. "You haven't eaten your food? Do you think people will care for you and convince you to eat it?" His smile widened as his eyes showed nothing more than evil and madness. "Don't expect me or anyone to care for you anymore. Even William has already forgotten you." My heart sank. Why? I shouldn't feel this. But the more I convinced myself the more I was close to crying and fighting the urge to claw my nails into the duke's smug face. So I asked the only question I could.
"Is he okay?" I said in a whisper. I remembered the time when the duke mentioned that William was to be punished. I don't know how long it's been but my mind hasn't once taken that thought away, once the words were out of his mouth.
The duke chuckled once again. "That's what your worried about!? He's better than you ever were! It's just a matter if he would survive his punishment that you should be concerned about." With an evil smirk he walked away, leaving me, as he wanted, in horror and concern. What kind of parent would punish their child so cruelly?
I curled myself into a ball in the corner and let the tears pour out, letting it out eventually as everything I hoped for was gone. I let down Martha and all the other girls who were collected and any other girl in the future. The world now stays the way it has been like the other hundreds of years and nothing will change. Nothing good will come into being, all because of me.
I let time go and not count the days as they go continuously. I don't know how long I've been here, and I don't care. I've never once been out this cell for weeks probably, nothing to change into. I feel dirty and useless. I've never seen Michael since the first time we talked in the cell. I guess he really was uncomfortable with the hidden topic that never found its answer my questions. The chief maid came at some occasions to give me new clothes an they were still the same. Rags of clothes with pieces of holes and stitches made to look better than it is when worn. But I didn't complain, all I could think about was William and how he is. I knew he would visit me if he was to be okay, so why isn't he? Did the duke or his men beat him to the point that he can't get out of bed or be in need of assistance? My mind kept going over all the conversations I've had with the duke, if there's any hints about Williams punishment, but it didn't settle with an answer and so came my frustration. It was my fault he was getting punished.
It would be my fault if he dies.
Another person that became close to me and opened up feelings he's probably never mentioned to anyone and this is what he gets in return. Everyone who's close to me always ends up in a bad way. I smile slightly at Ethan's victory, now that he's not with me anymore, he can be safe.
This time another set of footsteps made their way near my cell, getting louder and louder each second. I began to notice by the noise that it wasn't just one pair of footsteps, there were others too. By the time when they finally made their way to my cell and stopped, I didn't hear the jingle of keys like last time. If it's not my food or clothes then it could be a visitor, I haven't had a visitor for weeks. But I didn't care, in time itself, I seem to be forgetting myself more and more as I spend my life alone in the cell without anyone to talk to and interacting anymore. My head was still in my arms in the corner, leaning against a wall as always. I heard a small gasp escape in the empty dull room. It sounded wierd, no it sounded way too familiar.
I look up from my arms and can not believe what I saw in front of me.