Just Eleanor

Chapter 11-

Chapter 11: 

A horrid scene was displayed before me. Bodies strewn all over and my brother was standing in the middle looking bewildered. I saw Louis and Leonardo wrestling over a knife and I knew I had to stop them. I heard bits and pieces of their conversation and I was shocked at what I heard. They were fighting over me...

"No- She's mine!" Louis said while trying to grasp the knife.

"No- she's not! She is only with you, because of that stupid betrothal." Leo replied.

"You think she loves you-" Louis gasped as his eyes locked on mine.

"WHAT ARE YOU TO DOING!!!" I yelled at them and the immediately shot up and tried to look as innocent as possible.

"We were- a- just having a playful competition..." Leo stuttered as he attempted to hide the knife drenched with blood.

"Did you two start all of this?" I questioned, and I jumped when I felt a hand on my back. It was none other than my loving brother's.

"We- umm-" Louis started to stutter.

"Enough!" I shouted. "Let's get this mess cleaned up. As I began picking up and overturned bar stool.

Leonardo and Louis sulked as they began picking up the pieces, but they often glared at eachother with hateful looks. Why would they even be acting this way? I loved Leo, but neither of them knew that. Besides wasn't there a way that they could at least be civil to eachother? Everyone was patched up and surprisingly no one died in the bar fight except and old man who had tried to break up Leonardo and Louis.

"It's time to go." Edward's deep voice boomed with authority. "We need to head to the Earl's castle."

+ + +

Once again, our small troop was in the middle of the forest. My favorite place in the whole wide world. I kept looking over my shoulder and I often saw Leo and Louis grumbling to themselves, I couldn't believe this was happening... I mean I Louis was a good friend of mine, but I could never love him. I viewed him more as a brother and I prayed that somehow I would be able to break the engagement. But breaking an engagement was practically like getting an annulment. It didn't happen often, and it was viewed as if the couple was already in a marriage contract. Everything was the same except there were no wifely duties.

I kept paying attention to my surroundings and looking around to see if we were being followed. When I heard a branch above me crack. I looked up and what I saw astonished me. A small boy was perched in the tree. I didn't alarm Edward, but I quickly called for a halt. Terror filled the child's eyes as I drew nearer to him. He scrambled down the tree and attempted to run away, but I stopped him.

 "You don't have to be scared, honey. Come here." I said in a soothing tone.

"I- I'm sorry-" the small frightened child stuttered.

"It's ok... where you looking for someone?" I asked as the little boy shifted his sack on his shoulder.

"I- I'm looking for my pappa..." his small frame shook as he whispered.

"What is his name sweetie?" I asked as I walked towards him. All eyes were on the two of us, but the little boy was the only one that mattered to me. I wanted to keep him safe.

"My mamma said his name is Edward. She- She told me to look for him." He said as he began sobbing, but I just tried to calm him down as I began rubbing his back. His blonde locks shook as he sobbed into my shoulder and I realized that we had a striking resemblence to eachother.

"What is your name? Maybe I can help find your papa for you." I said.

"My name is- Samson Dale." The small child choked out. 

I was shocked, how could this be, then everything seemed to piece together. His father was Edward, his name was Samson Dale. He certainly couldn't be my brother's son. He wasn't even married.

"Edward, I need you." I yelled as I called over my brother. I handed the trembling child off to Douglas as I began to confer with my brother.

"Yes, what is it?" he asked with a worried look on his face.

"Did that child look familiar to you?" I asked poiniantly.

"No- I've never seen him before" my brother replied.

"That scared little boy said that his name is Samson Dale, and that his father's name is Edward." I said as I glared at my clueless brother.

"Oh no-" Edward gasped.

"What is it! Spill it! Eddie!!!" I said.

"He- is. Oh my!" my brother gasped.

"Edward, just get your thoughts together and speak!" I said exasperated unfinished sentances.

"Samson, What was your mother's name?" my brother questioned as he walked over to the frightened little child.

"Her- her name was A- Anne-" the little boy stuttered out a response.

"Oh wow-" Edward gasped in response. "Why did she send you here?" 

"She- she died." Samson squeaked out.

In one swift movement Edward fell to the ground and looked as if he was about to start bawling... I couldn't understand what was wrong until I heard some words come out muffled by his sobs.

"Edward what's wrong?" I asked as I attempted to comfort my brother.

"I- I can't believe she's gone." He choked. "Ït just can't be true. My Anne can't be gone."

"Wait hold up- Your Anne?" I questioned still unsure what was going on.

"Come here, El. Just let your brother mourn." Douglas said. Motioning me to him while he recieved death glares from both Louis and Leonardo.

I took little Samson's hand and we walked over to another part of the forest. I walked aimlessly over to a boulder and sat down. Samson began playing with sticks at my feet.

"He will be ok." Douglas reassured me. "He just needs time to internalize all of this." 

"But I just don't understand. Who is Anne?" I asked.

"You don't know do you..." Douglas replied.

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Who do you think Anne is?

What will the revolutionaries to with little Samson?

Who do you think Eleanor will choose? Douglas? Louis? or Leo?