Where The Stories Come From

Part 13

My body trembles and shakes with every step I take. I walk silently. If I didn't want to get caught before, then I certainly don't want to get caught now. I'm completely mortified. I can't begin to comprehend why I ever trusted Elias. Looking back, the only reason I ever trusted him was because he was a friendly face in a terrifying story. But he wasn't truly such. I somehow still manage to love him, though.

After a quarter of an hour of shakily walking, I reach our home. I sneak in the way I snuck out, assuming I'll yet again be undetected. This time, however is a different story. One of the royal guards my father has had stationed at our home walks by me and asks, "Miss Christine." He pauses clearly confused. "What are you doing?"

I can't think of any lie to respond with. Instead I whisper, "Please keep this between us."

"I'm instructed to tell your father everything that happens in this house. I'm to tell him about this too."

"I'm begging you, sir. He can't know about this," I plead as I wipe tears from my face.

"Miss Christine," he argues. "I apologize but I can't disobey direct orders. Now, miss, I'm to escort you to your chambers."

He turns around and we begin to walk over to my bedroom. I'm going to be locked in that room until my dying day when he finds out about this.

On our way to the room, we encounter the Commodore Lawrence. "Christine?" He sounds utterly perplexed. James turns to my escort. "What's the meaning of this?"

"She was coming back into the mansion, sir. I'm not sure from where."

"Thank you, Nicholas," James responds. "I'll take her from here." The guard leaves and James offers his arm to me. I take it to be polite. I stare down at the floor as James puts his other hand upon mine, both resting on his arm. "Christine," he pauses unsure of what to say. "Christine what happened? You've not left your bed chambers in days and then suddenly, in the middle of the night, you sneak away? Where did you go? I don't understand."

I stay silent.

"Christine...." He awaits a response.

I don't speak.

He stops and grabs my shoulders to look me in my eyes. "Christine. What happened?"

Suddenly, my entire body goes numb. I feel myself collapse to the floor. James follows me. I begin to cry hysterically. "I was raped, James," I choke out. "I was raped. In the middle of the night," I pause to gasp in a few breaths. "In the middle of the night some of the pirates cams into my chambers on the ship, grabbed me from my arms and legs, gagged me and took me down to the bottom of the ship. They held me down as one man stripped himself of his pants and...." I cut myself off.

"Shh, shh," James comforts as he embraces me and strokes my hair.

"And that man that's in jail now is the one who saved me. I can't let him rot in there. He saved me, James." I feel ashamed that I have to tell James this, but deep down I know it isn't my fault no matter how much I feel like it is.

"Christine, I-I'm not sure what to say. I'm so sorry this happened to you. That man in jail you spoke of, is that why you left tonight?"

I nod my answer.

"He will be made an example of. He belonged to the crew of miscreants that abused you. Whether he saved you or not. He'll be hanged at the soonest possible opportunity. I can promise you that."