Fallen From Grace

Part 8

Two Months Later...

Two months was really not the long for one's life to completely fall apart, but in Emilia's case that is exactly what happened. After her talk with Bash in the stables she thought that they had come to an understanding. They had promised not to keep secrets from one another and then things changed. It started with the return of her sister who had taken no time to start making her life miserable. Even though she had left court in disgrace it seemed that is was soon forgotten. Brigitte always had a way with twisting words and having people believe everything she would say. As a child she could easily hide from the words but now it had proven difficult especially with everyone being on edge around the castle. It had started with the arrival of Olivia at court, a special friend to Francis. Mary was upset, Francis was upset and Bash became even more distant if that was possible. And then she saw them. She knew that Mary had been upset and had gone to seek her out. That was when she found them kissing by the lake. She felt her heart drop and completely shatter. She couldn't breathe and she could feel the tears threaten to spill from her eyes. She put her hands to her mouth to keep from crying out and turned to run away when she ran straight into someone else. She felt hands on her arms and a familiar voice asked her.

"Emilia. What is wrong?" She looked down and used the sleeves of her gown to wipe her tears away.

"Francis!" She exclaimed in surprise. "I was just..." She never got to finish her sentence because she felt his hands tighten over her arms as he glanced behind her and took in the same scene she had just seen.

"Come on. Let me take you from here." She looked up at him and saw the same betrayal she felt shimmering in his eyes as he turned her around and took her quickly to her room. Once inside her room he let her go and started pacing back and forth running his hand threw his hair much like his brother. Unsure of what to do or say she just stood there staring at the floor. She could feel the anger roll of from him and when he finally stopped pacing he went to the window and looked out.

"My brother is such a fool to not see what he has right in front of him." He had spoken it so quietly that at first she wasn't sure she had heard him correctly but he turned and looked at her again. "I am so sorry you had to see that." It was the first time she had seen Francis look at her as a person.

"I'm not the only one who saw it." She said finally finding her voice and looking up at him. "Are you okay?" he gave her a tight little smile.

"Like I said my brother is a fool. I have just discovered my feelings for Mary, but you have loved my brother since you were children. A feeling I was sure he returned until today." He looked away sadly and back out the window. "I was cross with her earlier and fear I drove her too it, for that I am sorry."

"You don't owe me anything." She answered quickly

"I fear that I do. I know I was always come across as indifferent to you but I have always thought of you as a sister. You deserve so much better than this."

"So do you." He smiled at her again.

"I know that your sister has returned and has been causing trouble for you. I will see to it that she is no longer a problem." Emilia looked up in surprise.

"You don't have to do that." He stepped closer to her and took hold of her upper arms once again. Looking down to her he spoke once more.

"You have a kind soul and have gone through so much in your life. It amazes me that you can continue to be this way. Which is what I believe has drawn my brother to you. He does care about you, more than he is willing to admit. Why he and Mary have done what they did I am not sure but I will fix this." He looked at her one last time before he turned to go.

"One more thing, if you ever need a friend, someone to talk to, come find me." She nodded to him and then he was gone, leaving her in her misery.

It didn't get much better after that, in fact it went from bad to worse. There was a problem with the pagans which had drove Bash into the woods to do the unimaginable. When he came back he was different almost unapproachable. She became very good at hiding her feels and keeping them buried but she found herself several times ducking into empty hallways and rooms to cry. This was where Francis found her on a particularly hard day. Her sister had found new and more quiet ways to torture her and Bash had become increasingly distant. She had just ducked inside and let out a shaky cry when she realized she wasn't alone.

"Emilia, are you hurt?" Francis asked as he approached her. She put her hand up to stop him from coming any further.

"I'm fine I just need a minute."

"I know how you feel." He paused for a moment. "Wait here. I'm going to fix this." Before she could protest he was gone. After a few moments she heard shouting from outside the hallway. The voices where angry and as they approached she realized it was Francis and Bash.

"I don't think you realize what you have done brother! You have shattered that poor girl's heart and are so indifferent to her."

"You don't know what you are talking about. If something was wrong with Emilia she would tell me."

"Really?! Then why do I keep finding her crying in empty rooms and hallways."

"What? Where is she?" As they came closer to the room and right outside the door Emilia knew she did not want to be there. She couldn't face him at this point so she quickly looked for another exit. Thinking that like most rooms in the castle she figured this one must also have a passage way. After a few fumbles she found it and slipped inside the darkness just as the two brothers entered the room.

"I left her in here." She heard Francis say.

"Well she's not here." Bash bit back.

"She has probably run off as upset as she was. I told her to wait here."

"Have you ever known that girl to ever do anything you ask her too? Why was she so upset?"

"Because of you!" Francis yelled at him. "She loves you, has always loved you and all you have done is thrown it back in her face. The thing is I think you feel the same way but it scares you because she's the real thing. Instead you decide to go after Mary. It's like you are purposely sabotaging a chance to ever be happy."

"Francis..." Bash began.

"You know the worst thing about this; she saw you and Mary kiss. We both did."

"Francis, I'm sorry. She was upset, we were drunk and it shouldn't have happened. It meant nothing."

"Your right, it should not have happened but it did and because of that people were hurt. So now you need to make it right."

"How?" Bash asked quietly. "How do I fix something I have broken so completely?"

"Go find her" At this point Emilia had heard enough and walked through the passageway. She knew the exit wasn't far off and beyond that was the stables, her safety zoon but she also knew that would be the first place he would look so she quickened her pace coming to the outside. She found and settled a horse quickly and took off into the night. Where she was headed she wasn't sure, she just knew she couldn't be here any longer. As she ran from the castle she didn't really think she just drove her horse as hard as she could barely being able to see through the tears and ignoring the shouts that she could hear behind her. She didn't realize where she was for a long time until she came to a river. Sliding off her horse she sank to her knees and just cried until she had nothing left and was left gasping for air. Hours had passed and she realized how much colder the air had become and how much darker it had become. That was when she had finally realized where she was and then the chatting had begun. She found that she sat right in the middle of the blood wood.