Lost Royalty

Chapter 24

Chapter 24

James was the first one to break out of his trance and approach her. He knelt down on the ground next to her and reached out to take the fabric from around her mouth. His eyes didn't leave hers as he did so.

The fabric was tightly tied together, but after a moment of trying, James was able to pull it off. There were red marks on Elle's face where it was clearly too tight. But that didn't make her look any less beautiful.

James then moved to her hands. He untied the rope, and let it fall to the ground. He turned her hands over, and ran his fingers softly over the blisters that had formed on her wrists. It hurt James so much to see her in pain. And to think that he had caused all of this. It was almost too much for James to take.

"I'm sorry," he said to her, too quiet for the other men who were watching from behind to hear.

Elle looked confused. "For what? You helped rescue me."

James didn't know how to reply. How did she not understand that it was his fault?

James was saved from the difficulty of replying to her by a throat being cleared behind them.

He stood up, and held out his hand for Elle to take. Her hand was cold. James pulled her up and they both turned to Oscar and Andrew. James reluctantly let her hand go.

The two men were staring at her, and Elle was internally squirming.

"It's her! It is really her!" the man whom Elle didn't recognise said.

He walked up to Elle and pulled her into a hug.

At first she wasn't sure what to do. A man she didn't know was hugging her. She looked over to James, who gave her a subtle nod. Slowly, Elle relaxed into the embrace.

When he pulled away he held her at arm's length.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" he said.

"I don't understand." She said, quietly. She had no idea what was going on.

The man immediately stepped back, dropping his arms.

"I'm sorry." He said, disappointment filling his eyes.

Elle turned towards Oscar. "Mr Pavey?" she asked. "What are you doing here? What's going on?"

"Elle," James began. "You know when Osc- Mr Pavey came to Grea? When he came to plan the party? Well that wasn't why he was here. He actually came to look for something. Well, someone actually."

James seemed unsure, and this brought a feeling of unease to Elle.

Andrew continued the story. "Nine years ago my little sister, Princess Elizabeth, disappeared. We've been looking for her for years. So we finally started a big search in every village. We were determined to find her."

"But we never did." Oscar said. "She hid right under our noses the entire time. She was the only girl that wasn't seen by me, and her assessment wasn't very thorough. She managed to avoid us completely. But we have found her now."

Elle was unsure what to say. Why were they telling her this?

"What has this got to do with me?" Elle asked.

"Because you are the lost Princess." Andrew said, a soft look on his features.

The emotions running though Elle were difficult to understand. She was the princess? She had been missing for nine years? And she had a family who missed her? It was all so much to take in.