Royal Love

Chapter 20

   It was the night in the library all over again. Only Henry didn't come until it was to late and Emanuel had what he wanted. When Henry came through the doors and realized he was to late it wasn't pain that flashed across his face but disgust. Disgust in me for not being able to defend myself.

   Henry came to stand in front of me it seems as if Emanuel had disappeared. "Henry it wasn't my fault," I was crying but his face didn't change.

   "You did this," he hissed. "You have no honor. You are like those girls in the village, they don't care who they are with but what they get out of the poor soul."

   "No. I'm not! You know that you love me and I love you!"

   He stood up and stepped away from me. "I would never love you. Your useless." He turned around and walked out of my room.

   The scene faded and was replaced by the wedding. Henry didn't come and no one stopped Emanuel from marrying me. This scene was replayed a few times. The last time it was however, Henry did arrive. It played out almost exactly the same as it happened only when he said I was ruined he didn't blame Emanuel.

   "She was worthless and beged me to take her honor. She didn't protest but gave it up freely. I pity her really," was what he said.

   Emanuel looked at me, then pushed me away. "I don't want her. She is a whore. No man would want her."

   Guests agreed. Then the scene replayed once more. Henry didn't say he pitied me, he blamed Emanuel. After my father told Emanuel to release me and instead he cut me, Henry attacked him. Only he didn't get very far before Emanuel stabbed him with the knife.

   "No," I crawled to where Henry lay on the ground bleeding. I stroked his hair. "No. Henry. Look at me Henry!" It was too late he was dead.

   I cried and the eventually I was no longer with Henry but in my father's office. He was talking. "Elizabeth will marry the Duke of Finland. The others will marry lords or something."

   He was talking about arranged marriages for my sisters. "No. You can't do this to them. Mother would not allow it. They should marry out of love," I argued.

   "Like you married Prince Henry out of love. That didn't end well. He left you for some village girl. Now you are with child and have no one to father the poor thing."

   I was speechless. Then the words came with the rage that bubbled with in me. "You know nothing of love. I thought you loved mother but no, you used her didn't you!"

   My father slapped me over and over again. He eventually got tired and went from slapping me to just hitting any part of me he could.

   "Stop! Father I understand! Please just stop." My words didn't even seem to reach him. When he finally did stop he made me leave the room. I didn't get far before I fell, and blacked out.

   The next scene took place in my chambers. I heard a baby crying. My baby. A nurse appeared to be holding it. "Its a girl, Princess."

   Tears sprang to my eyes. "May I hold her?"

   The nurse smiled. "Of course you can."

   Before the nurse had even took a single step the door burst open. My father entered with guards behind him. "Take the child away." Was all he said. The guards immediately swarmed the nurse and took the crying baby from her.

   "What are you doing! Don't take her from me!" I shouted

   The guards left with the crying child and I turned to my father. "What are you going to do with her?"

   He looked at me levelly, before answering in a cold voice. "I am sending it away. You are never going to see it again. You are not capable of taking care of a child. That abomination will be better off. It will have two parents instead of a stupid girl who ruined her life."

   "Father you can't do this to me. She is all I have left of him."

   "Then she must go. The Prince was out of line. He was smart to leave. I wish you had a sense and would have kept your honor instead of throwing everything away." My father turned and left the room. I was left crying. I suddenly felt someone shaking me.

   I woke up with a start. I took in my surroundings. Darkness was all I could see beyond my window, my face was wet from my tears, and Henry leaned over me with concern on his face.

   I was shaking and stuttered as I tried to speak."Ar.....are y...you rea...real? Th...this is no....not a dr...dream?"

   Henry still showed concern. "No it isn't a dream."

   I buried my head in his chest. "It was awful." I told him about the nightmares and he held me and stroked my hair as I cried. When I finished I tried to fall back asleep but didn't until the early hours of the morning.