A Prophecy Fulfilled

Chapter Thirteen

Andromeda was held in the high tower. The only light coming into the cell was from the torches placed intermittently along the walls, and those which would be carried by the warden. It had been two days since the fight and her confession with Vincent. Now she hung there in the cell, waiting to hear about when her court date would be. She remembered how she had always wanted to see the inside of the Court Room. But she never expected to see it under the present circumstances. In spite of herself, it made Andromeda want to laugh out loud. There was a loud tap at the bars of the door.

"You have a visitor!" The Warden shouted as he unlocked the door. King Hugh stepped through the door as Andromeda lifted her head. She was unable to move otherwise, she hung suspended with her arms chained and extended at her sides, her feet dangling above the stone floor.

"Why did you do it?" Her father questioned; disappointment and anger in his voice.

"I love him." Andromeda answered simply. There was no sorrow, no weakness in her voice. She felt fear, but she refused to let it show. If there was one thing she had learned from her childhood, it was never to show weakness or fear in front of others. And she was certainly not going to show any fear or weakness in front of her father. She had too much pride inside of her. Hugh was outraged.

"Love him? How can you love him? He may be kind to you now, but mark my words; he will kill you one day."

"You know nothing about him!" She shouted.

"I know the Black family is not worth anyone's time. I know that the Black family is underhanded, cowardly; and that Vincent is just as underhanded and cowardly as the rest of them."

"But he isn't!" Andromeda countered. Her voice rang through the cell. Hugh took a deep breath.

"You can be forgiven. Annul you marriage. Annul your marriage, and we will put this all behind us." He stood face to face with her. Andromeda's eyes were hard as she answered.

"Never."

Hugh looked at his daughter, and saw the bite mark on her left wrist.

"Where else has he bitten you?" he asked. Andromeda looked at him, anger in her eyes, and she remained silent.

"Where else has he bitten you?!" Hugh screamed again.

Droplets of spittle landed on her face. Still, Andromeda kept silent. Anger apparent in her face. A loud cracking sound echoed through the cell as Hugh slapped Andromeda across the face. Her cheeks stung, tears pricked behind her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Instead, she spit in her father's face.

"Traitorous whore!" Hugh shouted, storming toward the door.

"Tell me, Father," Andromeda spat back, "Would you be calling me a whore if I had fallen in love with someone you approved of? Someone who wouldn't tarnish your bloodline? A man you arranged to have marry me? You should know me well enough to know that I wouldn't stand for that even if you had."

Hugh looked back at her, his eyes cold.

"Tramp. Bleeding out will not be easy. You will beg for death before the end." He left the room without looking back.

"Damn you!" Andromeda called after him.

So that was how she would die after trial. To be bled out was the worst form of torture imaginable. They chained the doomed individual to a stone table, and cut him or her until they bled to death. And because a vampire healed quickly, their major arteries were cut over and over again. Yes, it would be a long, slow process. Andromeda knew that there was no real point in the trial. There was enough evidence to condemn her. Her father would no doubt expose the place on her wrist where Vincent had bitten her. Both places, probably, her silence had confirmed to her father that he had bitten her breast; she just refused to tell him. But she knew that her father had figured it out. She had confessed to her marriage on the battlefield. Vincent had rushed to save her when her life was more in danger than she had thought. How she wished Vincent could be with her now. She knew that as hopeless as the situation was, he would find some way to comfort her. He would say that at least they would die together. This was why she loved him. No matter how blatant or brutal, Vincent always told the truth. He was also kind, considerate, gentle. In his own way, he was as playful as a small child. The way he smiled, and the light in his eyes that never failed to make her heart flutter. Andromeda knew now that if the trial wasn't the next day, it would be soon.

Vincent had been subjected to the same treatment. Shouting, insults, questioning, abuse. He had also been condemned to bleeding out if found guilty. Vincent knew that the trial would be pointless as Andromeda had. But it wasn't the sentence or the harsh treatment that worried him. It was knowing that he had failed Andromeda. He wasn't able to protect her. Instead, he had revealed their union to all members of both families. He felt that if he hadn't said anything, neither of them would be in this situation. Vincent wondered why he hadn't taken Andromeda's advice, and arranged to run away from the fight with her. True, Andromeda never knew of his promise to protect her, but he wanted to ask her forgiveness anyway. Any decent man would want to protect his wife. To shield her from as much pain and suffering as he was capable. He knew what Andromeda would say; that there was nothing to forgive. But he still felt that he had let her down. Vincent knew that somewhere inside, Andromeda sometimes felt like a small child. Mostly when she was afraid. Afraid for herself, afraid for him. Vincent also knew that she didn't like to show it outright. Knowing that their childhoods were very much alike, he now had an idea of the kind of effect it had had on her. Though it wouldn't do much good even if he were there, he wanted to hold her, comfort her. Her presence would comfort him as well. If only there were a way to reach her.

There was little hope for either of them. They both knew what the next day would bring.