The Woman in the Garden

Chapter VII. Buried

"I'll kill him," Leanne said, already on her feet. "I'll cut his fucking eyes out and shove his balls in the sockets."

"No! Leanne, it's okay—"

"How? How is any of this okay, Shani? He thinks that he can just come here and put his hands on you like that? Someone has to teach that boy some fucking decency..."

"Someone already has. She stopped him from going any further."

Leanne stopped, suddenly understanding. "Ella."

Shaniera told her the rest of the story. When they had returned from their trek in the woods, the prince was nowhere near the state he'd left the manse in. Bruises, a stiff gait, and a bloody lip all begged questions, but the prince waived them all away. "A wolf," he'd said, showing off his bloody blade. It had approached them on the trail, lone and starving, and tried to lunge for Shaniera, but the prince stepped in and slew it. It had given him a beating, but he claimed it was nothing that merited any special attention. Toren insisted that he examine the prince's wounds, but the boy was adamant until Toren finally gave up trying. Leanne took one look at Shaniera, and knew instantly that the story was a farce. Now they were in Shani's room—a place of many fond memories, though this one was sure to be sour.

"It's a good thing she was there, then," Leanne said. "What would you have done if she hadn't shown up?"

"I... don't know."

"So, what? You would just let him do whatever he wanted to you?"

The clouds blocked the sun, and the room grew dimmer. Shani rose, her wet eyes wide open.

"What do you mean 'let him', Leanne?"

"What do you think I mean? It sounds to me that he put his hands on you, and you didn't want it, but you did nothing to stop him."

"I panicked. What was I supposed to do?"

"Fight back!"

"I wanted to," Shani yelled, her hands balled into shaking fists. "I wanted to stick a knife right in his heart, right then and there, but I was scared, and I knew that my mother wouldn't understand. She would never forgive me if I ruined this, all that she's prepared, all for me." She stepped forward, into the thin shaft of light coming down from the stained-glass window, her face a dark wraith under a dying glow of gold. "I thought you of all people would understand."

"I do understand," Leanne started, and would have continued had words not escaped her. It felt like a spear had driven itself straight through her, pinning her in place. The regret wasted no time in making its appearance, filling her blood and clogging her veins.

"No, you don't!" Shani shoved her to the floor. "You look at me, and all you see is your little princess, young and naïve and helpless and stupid. But I am not so naïve anymore, Leanne. There are things that are being asked of me, and if I do not do them, my family will fall to ruin, don't you understand that?" The tears spilled over, but Shani's face was wrought in stone, a fixture of anger and pain. "That whole time, I only thought of you. I was selfish, I'll admit, and I'm sorry I didn't give a consideration to what you might have wanted me to do. All I knew was that if I pleased him, he might grant me whatever I requested, including letting you live with us when we wed."

Leanne sat dumbfounded. "What?" Shani demanded. "Nothing to say?" When nothing came, her princess slackened her shoulders and turned away from her. "Get out."

The room had gone cold. Leanne fought a wave of vertigo; a pit seemed to open up beneath her, and one misstep would send her plummeting forever. "Shaniera... please..."

"Get. Out. Now." Shani walked gracefully towards the window. Dignity was everything in this house. "Don't make me say it again."

Leanne rose on trembling legs, and staggered out of the room. She turned back slowly, just enough to catch Shani marching towards the door before it slammed shut. Alone in the hall, she took a few steps, slumped against the wall, and gave in to the regret. The interweaving colors of the tapestried carpet blended together in nauseating swirls as the tears took over her vision. Why did I say that? She knew the truth: she was the stupid girl all along. Stupid, stupid, stupid...