Tris Prior's Selection

Chapter Twenty-Three - The Safety of Lying

TOBIAS' POV

I'm startled by an urgent knock on my quarters where I have been pacing back and forth for hours on end while the doctors attend to Tris.

"Sire, Miss Prior is awake if you so wish to see her." I leap upright, hurrying past the butler and run along the corridors to the medical sector.

"Tris?" I demand, out of breath, and a nurse instantly leads me into her room. It's not like a real hospital, all the equipment is state of the art but the rooms are still carpeted with four poster beds and high window, Tris gazing out one of these from her bed.

"Hey." I whisper softly, sitting on the edge of the bed and taking her hand in my own. She gives a weak smile.

"Tobias." She mumbles, still looking tired. "It hurts." She gestures to her arm which is black and blue at the shoulder and was dislocated until they shoved it back into place last night while she was unconscious.

"Do you need more medicine?" I ask urgently but she shakes her head.

"I've had as much as I can." We sit for a few minutes in silence, with her watching me as I curl loose pieces of long blonde hair back behind her ear.

"What's happening?" She asks, clearly thinking about those who attacked her.

"Molly is being sent home after serving a short period of time in the jail, Robert faces trial tomorrow since the ball is still taking place tonight, despite two of the Elite having gone already." She frowns.

"What about Patrica?" She asks quietly, I shake my head.

"She never touched you in a harmful way Tris, not like the other two did, and we can't disprove her plea that Robert manipulated her and at current he's supporting her statement. There's nothing we can do." She turns her head to side, tears streaming down her face.

"Tris.." She holds her hand up to stop me.

"Please leave Tobias." She whispers, I release her hand; I hardly even registered that I was holding it.

"Tris, I just need to know if you'll make it to the ball tonight." I say.

"Of course I'll be there." She snaps. "I'm not letting that bitch put me in hospital for more than one night." She growls. "Leave."

I do so, wincing when I stand; Eric kept true to his promise but I'll never let Tris know what I put up with for her.

TRIS' POV

"Careful sweetheart." Joan whispers, helping me ease my arm through the gossamer sleeve. Stepping back, she smiles.

"Well, it makes a statement." She says. The dress I chose has a soft layer of see through gossamer over laying the rusty pink colour of the dress, and it shows the dark, deep bruises I collected the other day as well as the scrapes and scratches along part of my back, the gossamer delicately flowing over the open back of the dress below it.

"Hair." Joan mumbles, she was the only one of my maids brave enough to return to help me get ready after the incident with Myra.

"They know you didn't do it, Tris." She has said to me. "They are being pathetic and lazy and I'll ensure they won't be anyone's maid for a while to come."

She curls my hair and twists some of it into a crown of hair at the top of my head, the two sides joining to make a small pony tail at the back of my hair that flows into the rest of my hair covered in dusty pink pearls. She threads tiny fake roses along the length of the 'crown' and completes my makeup with the small rusty rose pink finish on my lips.

I end up wear small heels to match my dress and Will comes to escort me to the ball, frequently apologising for Robert's behaviour and asking if I'm alright.

"I just can't believe he would do it." He rambles. "After arguing about who would stay in your room and all." He adds, shaking his head.

"Maybe," I mumble as we approach the ball room. "He was meant to kill me then but didn't have the guts too." I snap as we stop in front of two tall doors with spirals of gold running up them. On the other side, a staircase will await me and Will releases my arm; knowing he must leave me alone from here.

"I'll see you around." He mumbles as butlers on the other side of the doors announce my arrival; how they know I'm here I will never know.

"Introduction Lady Beatrice Prior of Abnegation and part of The Elite." I walk in, moving slowly down the stairs as I was instructed with all eyes on me. I raise my head, looking around with confidence but not really taking on what I see; I can't be bothered while I'm in this amount of pain.

At the bottom of the stairs, the music starting up again, everyone is supposed to return to what they were doing before, but instead all of the guest, Royals or the richest and influential Erudite, continue to watch me. They stare at the bruises along my body.

It's not long before I hear shouts, people are angry and I wince, until I listen more closely.

"What have you done to her!"
"You aren't looking after The Selected."

They aren't angry at me, they are angry at Marcus, angry at Tobias. They are angry because they believe they didn't look after me.

"How could you let this happen to the future Queen!" One brave soul, in black and white clothing, shouts; Candor honesty never stops amazing me. This man truly believes I will one day sit on the throne.

The noise grows, people begin to touch me lightly. Placing their hands on my arm and whispering words of encouragement and comfort.

"SILENCE!" Marcus roars, glaring at me. "There was an attack on young Beatrice," he demeans me. "By another of the selected and a palace guard. The incident has been dealt with. Beatrice is safe, clearly." He sits back down in his chair with fury in his eyes.

"That's the second attack in a week!" Someone shouts.

"You have to protect them!" Another adds. More and more people join in, screaming at the king without fears, power in numbers.

"Stop." I say softly, and it takes a while for everyone to quiet down, but they do. "King Marcus is correct, I was attacked," I look up, meeting my eyes with Marcus. "But it is not the King or the Prince's fault." The crowd whispers. "Nor," I say stern and loud. "It's it mine or Myra's. It is solely the fault of the attackers. Who have now been brought to justice, I am safe." I glance over at my fellow Elite, the three of them huddled together.

"We are all safe."

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little bit of an sos call. i only have one more chapter written and it's not even done. i've kinda hit a brick wall and need ideas. help, anyone?