Wonderland? Wonderland!

16.

"I'll go with you."
"Fantastic!"
Then it became dead quiet.

This was my decision, no one was going to force me to do anything, I had to decide, and I had. To help a friend, to help Louis, I was willing to sacrifice everything, so there wasn't an ounce of hesitation as I continued. "On one condition."
Henry who turned back towards his horse froze as if to ice, before he said. "What?"
"Let them go."
I made a gesture towards Louis and his father, then towards the people behind me.
"All of them."
Henry who was now facing me again pasted on a fake smile before saying. "Of course sweetheart, think of it as an early wedding gift!"
Mad, he was truly mad, yet I did not stop him when he took a firm hold of my hand and led me away to his horse. Instead I took one last look at Louis, it would be a last goodbye, but the image of his lips moving, lips miming a word would never leave me.
Don't.

But while Henry was helping me into the saddle, the castle doors opened and a strong feminine voice was heard.
"Don't you dare take her out of here!" Immediately I recognized the voice, I didn't even have to face the crowd, face all the shocked murmurs, because I recognized that voice. It was my mother.

"If you take one more step, I promise I'll--."
"Who has lost this old lady!"
Henry didn't hesitate, as if the insults just jumped out of his mouth before he could think, but mom didn't hesitate.
"Listen here young man, I'm not an old lady, I'm Alice the dragon slayer and you must immediately put thise young girl down!!"
His whole demeanor had changed at the revelation, but he quickly recovered.
"And why would I listen to you Alice." The name sounded like acid in his mouth, something poisonous that he had to get rid of, something he needed to spit out before he himself was burned, but Alice was undeterred. "Because the girl you're holding there is my daughter!"
For a second, maybe even just a millisecond, I saw it on his face, sheer astonishment. Then it hit me, he didn't know. Henry didn't know who I was, or well, now he did.

But it didn't seem to bother him, for instead of doing as she said he jumped on the horse behind me. His arms grabing the reins in front of me and in doing so he also made sure he got a tight grip around my body. Whether it was for my sake or his, I did not know, but at last he condescended to answer my mother.

"You may claim she's your daughter, but she's my fiancee!"
"Let her go or I--."
He didn't even care enough to listen. Instead, he turned the horse, and with only a wave of his hand, the whole arm turned to go back.

Only then did I panic.
What the hell was I doing!
I was giving my whole life away, I didn't even fight!

So without having time to think, I acted. There were hardly any soldiers behind us, so faster than I thought possible I grabbed a knife from my, my, my harness thing, and proceeded to stab Henry in the leg. The shock and pain he was hit with giving me enough time to roll off the horse.

I hit the ground hard, but before I knew it I was up and running towards the white doors of the palace.
"Get her!!"
But I was too fast, I hadn't thought this through, not at all, all I knew was that I was safer on the other side of the wall than in Henry's arms, so as I ran I roared to everyone in front of me. "Runnn!!!"
And they did.

In a matter of seconds we had made it inside the castle walls and locked the massive doors. But I couldn't breathe yet, first I needed to find him.
"Louis? Louis!"
But then I saw him, or at least his brown hair. I ran forward and tackled him to the ground in a hug.
"You know if you missed me you could just--."
"Ohhh shut up!"
"I've missed you too Darling."
It was almost a whisper, meant only for me, and I don't know if the pain I felt in my chest was because of him, the air, or my fall. But at least he was here, alive and in my arms.

We were in the newly packed infirmary. Louis bruised a little here and there, me with a bruised side. His injuries were a little older, he had assured me the blood was old, as if it would be soothing, and I, I got god knows what to reduce the pain.

We sat in silence as I wondered if everyone could see the stars on the ceiling or if it was just me, until Louis started.
"You realize you've definitely started a war now right?"
"Woohooo, yup absolutitututi!"
"What did they give you anyway?" "Uhhh I don't know, but there were a lot of nice colors."
Then he laughed at me, he laughed really hard and I couldn't help but laugh along.
"What are we laughing at?"
"You, nothing, you should probably get some rest Darling."
"No, I do not want to!"
He was still smiling, ever so patient. "If you go to sleep now we can talk tomorrow."
"But I'm not tired!"

He treated me like a child! And I wouldn't have it! It wouldn't work! "Are you sure?"
He had stood up and walked over to me.
"I'm not tired!"
A large  yawnescaped me, but I was not going to acknowledge it.
"What if you just close your eyes then?"
I puted my lip, not entirely satisfied, but still did as he suggested. And then slowly I felt a soothing tingle spreading through my body.

So just when I was about to fall asleep.
"Louis are you there?!"
"I'm hear Darling."
"Can you stay until I fall asleep?"
He said nothing, but grabbed my hand in response.
"Shore."
"Louis?"
"Yes Darling?"
"I..---..-."
"You?"
"I love you."

He sat quietly for a moment, as if shocked by her admission, before whispering a reply back.
"I love you too Draling."
But she had already fallen asleep.