𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘴, 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘓𝘪𝘦𝘴

The Dungeons

Ferox.

I give a sharp intake of breath.

"Hilda." He whispers. "Hilda."

He sounds relieved. As I look into his eyes I see it reflecting in them. Relief.

I suddenly feel the restraints being removed from my wrists and before I can do anything I am in his arms. I go rigid. He senses that and tries to soothe me.

"Hilda, my love. Where have you been? How could you be so silly?"

Why is everyone talking to me like I am seven?

"I am here now. Whatever your Father says... I know he is angry but... listen, I will not let him or anyone hurt you."

I pull back. Does he not know? How does he not know about Wymond?

"Wherever Lena is, we will find her and bring her back safe. The men who took you will pay their price and -"

"Stop." I snap, surprising even myself. "Stop. You don't know what you are talking about. Really, stop before you get even more hurt than you have already."

He grabs my upper arms and his eyes search my face.

"You don't understand." I force the words into him. What am I doing, I should be quiet. "Those men you talk about." I continue. "Lena and I know them. We decided to leave with them and we had everything planned."

His brow furrows. A blonde strand of hair falls into his face. "No, you didn't want to go with them-"

"Stop." I say loudly. "We did. We knew what we were doing... Ferox... We are- we are not married. We never have been and we never will be. I was already married when we had our 'wedding'. It was all a charade."

My words hang in the air between us. Slowly his grip loosens and his eyes fall away from me. His hands run though his hair and travel over his face. I just stand there, in shock. I knew there was no point in hiding it any longer, I have already reached my fate.

"How- why... why? How could you-" his voice cracks and he falls to his knees.

"I am sorry." I mean it. "I never belonged in this life and this... this shows how I never should have been born into this life."

"You bitch." He yells at me.

That is an old insult now!

From behind me, I hear the door swung open and my restraints go back on and I am being dragged away from him. I keep my stare fixed on him until the wall of the corridor blocks my view. That way I feel the guilt rise up again. That way I can feel something for the countless lives I have destroyed.

***

Darkness descends on me again. My ears are ringing; I am deaf. I am blind. My senses are gone. My feelings are gone. I breath deeply. Eventually I use my hands to feel my way around the dank stone floor. I crawl in one direction and reach a wall. I then follow this around until I reach the bars. Slowly I regain my hearing and I realize Wymond is there. At first his voice is quiet. Steadily he gets louder until I am snapped out of my daze and I respond.

"Wymond?" I call out.

"Hilda! What did they do?"

I push my hand around the bars and reach out to him. "I am fine. Not hurt. Father spoke to me."

He grasps my hand through his bars. "What did he say?"

"Not much." I can sense his dissatisfaction. "He just made me feel guilty."

"The bastard. How?"

"Just told me about all the lives I have destroyed... Daniel... I am not sure... what has happened to him..."

"Daniel?" I hear a voice.

Trystan.

I turn and face the area of darkness from which it came.

"Yes." I say.

"He was here." Trystans voice is deep and fruity. It would be soothing if he were not talking about such terrible things.

"Here?" More guilt.

"Yes. He was worried for his family... said he knew something and helped someone get away... he was... he was tortured and one day, he did not come back. He could have been executed but he may have survived."

"Why would he have survived?" Wymond asks.

"He said something about telling your King what he knew and that if he helped him, he may live, if he did not help then one of his family would die..."

There is silence now. Echoing off the walls. Running in the water that lines the stone all around us. Silence. I still have Wymonds hand in mine. I don't care how uncomfortable it is to sit like this, with your arm through the bars, I just know I am safe whilst he is here.

"Trystan?" I whisper.

"Yes."

"I hope your sister agrees to Lenas proposal..."

There is more deafening quiet. So loud I almost miss his next words.

"So do I."