Fallen From Grace

Part 6

When she came to it was dark and cold. She felt the cold stone floor beneath her and her head was throbbing. She moved to sit up wincing as she did as she realized that her hands were bound. That was when she heard the shuffling, a slight noise just off to the right of her. She squinted her eyes as she tried to adjust to the darkness and to see who it was. Feeling around behind her she felt for something... anything that could be used as a weapon. Her choices were very limited so she thought she would try talking it out.

"Hello?" She questioned to the dark. "Who is there?" Nothing, so she called out again. "Hello, you can't keep me here!" She was growing desperate and starting get scared. She tried pulling on the restrains but they wouldn't move, if anything they had become tighter. That was when she heard the shuffling again and tried to look in that direction. She caught sight of a shadow moving in the dark. Trying again she spoke. "What do you want with me?" She saw the shadow move closer to her and she tried to move away only to find herself up against the stone wall with nowhere to go. The shadow came closer but stayed just far enough away that she wasn't able to see who it really was. Then the shadow spoke.

"Things are not what they appear. Be careful who you trust." A gruff voice answered.

"What do you mean? Who are you?!" Emilia demanded to know again. The shadow shifted again and she heard the voice once more.

"Keep her safe. Don't trust anyone"

"What?! Who?" But before she could get an answer she heard the shadow scurry away. "Wait, who are you?" But the only answer was her own breathing and voice echoing off the walls. She felt the tears begin to form and she tried to blink them away as she concentrated on trying to get her hands free. As much as she tugged the more her hands began to hurt as the bindings began to dig into her skin. She could feel the panic start to rise and she tried to call out only finding it difficult as the fear started to choke her. Her breath was coming out in quick short gasps and her already diminished vision was growing more cloudy. She knew she had to calm down or she would never get out of this. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. Once she had calmed down enough her thoughts started to become much clearer. Looking around she tried to get her bearings but with it being so dark it was proving very difficult. She would have to do this blindly and carefully. Using the wall as a guide she pushed herself up into a standing position. That was when she realized she was within the walls of the castle. She had known that the castle had several old tunnels that lead to the outside. The only problem was it was a maze and rumor was that more than one person had gotten lost in them. There was even a rumor of a castles ghost. Not that she necessarily believed it but she had a strong feeling that the "shadow" she had just meant was indeed the castles so called ghost. She figured she would sort that little mystery out later first she had to find her way out. Closing her eyes once again and evening out her breathing she used her ears to listen and her hands on the wall to guide her. She took her first tentative step forward stopping every few to see if she could hear something... anything. After what felt like hours she suddenly tripped and landed on her shoulder hard. She felt her foot kick at something and when she felt around she discovered a jagged piece of shale. Grabbing it behind her back she pain strikingly was able to use it as a knife as she cut away the binds. Once free she rolled her shoulders and tried to get feeling back to her limbs. Her shoulder was sore and her hands had become sticky with the blood from the cuts on her hands from where she tried to get free, but she was finally able to guide herself a little better. That was when she heard the unmistakable sound of running water. She smiled to herself with a sense of relief. She was at the back of the castle where the small river ran. She started to move more quickly down the tunnel looking for a way out heading to the sound of the water. The tunnel suddenly tilted forward and she lost her momentum, pitching downward she fell and the last thing she remembered was the tunnel opening up into the night air as she once again hit her head.

When she came too it was to the whispering of voices. She tried to open her eyes by could barely focus. She was able to make out that she was lying on a bed and that she had bandages on her wrists. She recognized voices and could barely make out what they were saying.

"They found her behind the castle. It looks like she fell."

"What was she doing back there and what about the marks on her wrist?"

"Why don't you ask her yourself? She is waking up." Emilia tried to sit up at that moment but gasped at the pain that shot through her entire body. She suddenly felt to hands push her back down gently but firm.

"Try not to move too much Princess." Emilia looked up into a very familiar, very worried pair of eyes. He took one of her hands in his and sat down beside the bed. "Do you remember what happened?" She tried to answer but couldn't find her voice, in truth she really didn't know what had happened. She basically had been stumbling around in the dark. She didn't think anyone would even really believe her when she told them what had happened. So instead she shook her head no in response to his question. He smiled down sadly at her as he smoothed back the hair on her head that had fallen over the bandage that lay there. He began to answer again when she noticed Francis standing just behind him.

"Bash! What does she say? Did someone do this to her?" He asked impatiently. Bash looked back at his brother with a bit of a scowl.

"She doesn't remember." He simply stated as he gave his brother a look of warning.

"But if someone did this to her, we need to find her attacker before someone else gets hurt."

"Yes, but she has just come too. Give her some time." Giving his brother one last glare when the only other person in the room spoke.

"Your brother is right your majesty. She needs her rest I must ask that we leave her in peace." Nostradamus, the castle physician came to stand on the other side of her. "Once she has rested I will send for you. Perhaps then she will have some answers then. Francis suddenly became tight lipped at being so dismissed by him but gave him a tight nod instead.

"I will start a search of the castle grounds but at this point they may already be gone." He looked back at his brother who still hadn't let go of Emilia's hand. "Are you coming Bash?"

"I don't want to leave her"

"My Lord, there is nothing you can do for her now." Nostradamus said as he retrieved a small vile from his table top. "I am going to give her something to help her sleep. Like I said before I will send for you if anything changes." Bash seemed to consider this for a moment. Emilia grabbed his sleeve. "Go" She whispered as sleep started to take over her again. He looked at her with concern before he nodded his head in agreement before bending down and brushing a kiss to her forehead. He looked down at her with his striking eyes before he spoke once again.

"All right but I will be back before long." That was one of the last things she heard before drifting off to sleep.

When she woke again the room was dark and she suddenly thought that she was still in the tunnel. She heard a noise to the left of her and she very silently raised her head to see if anyone was there. She looked to the foot of her bed and her breath caught in her throat. There stood a hooded figure wearing a mask. She tried to scream but nothing came out as the figure suddenly raised its hand holding a dagger that looked very familiar. The figure threw it into her lap and spoke which made her jump. A slow raspy voice, one so very different from the tunnels gave her a warning.

"Your fault. Death will come" The figure slowly melted back into the darkness and she was left holding the dagger. On closer inspection she realized it was one that had belonged to her father. Almost terrified to touch it she just sat there staring at it as it lay nestled in her lap. Was she dreaming? She blinked several times but nothing changed. She didn't know rather she was seeing things or if it was real. She had hit her head. She started to feel light headed again and lay her head on the pillow. Once again the medicine that she had been given took effect. When she woke once more light was streaming in the windows, casting the room in a bright light. She noticed that Bash had returned sometime in the middle of the night as he sat propped up but sound asleep in a chair next to her. She also noticed that the dagger was missing and for the first time wondered if it had all been a dream. But somehow in the back of her mind she knew that this was just the beginning of something much more dangerous. She just hoped that she could be brave enough to recognize it and stop it before anyone else got hurt, because that was when she remembered the warning from earlier the proceeding day. "Things are not as they seem and trust no one."