alive ↠ hs

.32

Saige's POV             Two weeks later

I grunted softly as the servants pulled tightly at the corset. It's not like I needed it anyways, my ribs had become visible from lack of eating since I'd arrived at S33.

"Pull any tighter and I won't be able to breathe." I rolled my eyes, smoothing the front of my dress down.

"We're enjoying this about as much as you are." 

I turned around, shocked at the comment from the servant. Usually, they kept their mouth shut. 

I looked up at the boy, meeting his gray eyes. He rose his eyebrows, finishing lining up the back of my dress.

"Are you new?" I asked him. "I haven't seen you around."

"They had me in the kitchen," he said to me. "Didn't want me working with people."

"I can see why." 

I heard him laugh as he started working on my hair. "You have quite the attitude."

"As do you." He grinned at me.

"What's your name?" I asked him.

"Andrew."

"How long have you been working as a servant?"

"Almost a year," he said. "It wasn't always like this here."

I looked at him through the mirror. "What do you mean?"

He pursed his lips, hesitant to tell me. "You don't have to tell me if you don't wan-"

"No," he cut me off. "I know you won't tell Melody or James."

I turned around to face him, the corset making me agonizingly me sit up straight. "Before Melody and James were the so called king and queen, they were teachers at S33."

"This place hasn't always been a mock England kingdom," he chuckled before clearing his throat. "My dad was the leader of S33 before James took over. We were everything we said we were, we helped people. He had a group of his men take over. Killed my father."

"I'm sorry." I nodded to him.

"It's okay," he spoke softly. "Mel wasn't apart of what James stood for. He forced her into becoming his Queen but just he's forcing you into marrying Jay. Everyone knows you're with that hottie soldier."

I snapped my head to him. "We're not together."

"What?" Andrew asked, leaning closer to me. "You two were absolutely gorgeous together. Not to mention the way he looked at you."

He leaned against me as he gasped loudly. "If a man ever looked at me like, I would likely fall onto the floor and die."

I chuckled slightly, looking down at my fingers. 

"What happened between you two?"

I smiled sadly at him, brushing a piece of hair from his eyes. "I'm happy that you shared part of your life with me, but I'd really rather not share that."

He smiled and nodded. "I understand. Are you okay?"

I nodded again. "I'm well, Andrew, thank you."

Truth was, I wasn't doing well at all. I had stopped eating, I hadn't been listening to what James was telling me.

Beside staying away from Harry, that part was easy. He did that himself.

Over the past two weeks, I've seen him a total of two times. On the way home from dinner and on the walls, guarding. Both times, he didn't see me.

Not only was I confused by his words but I was absolutely heartbroken. Something had to have happened for him to say that. Something to change his mind. Perhaps, he just felt that way.

It's hard for me to grasp that he would share part of himself with me, both literally and figuratively, before telling me didn't love me. He gave up on us because he didn't want to get into trouble. It did not make sense.

I blinked away my tears as Andrew brushed my hair, humming to himself.

Harry's POV

I trudged down the stairs of my apartment, running a hand through my greasy locks.

I had been completely torn up by what I said to Saige. I couldn't live with myself. Not after the awful things I said to her.

Right out the door, I ran smack into someone. This time, I was hoping it would be Saige.

Asher stumbled back, his blue eyes filled with rage as they met mine. 

"Asher, I-"

He pulled his arm back, winding up a punch. I grabbed his hand, pulling it to the side. "Asher, please, I-"

"No, are you stupid? Are you really that much of an asshole?" he scoffed, snatching his hand away. "You've completely smashed her, you know that? You've given up on her, again."

"It's the only way I can keep her safe," I said quietly to him. "You too."

"What?"

"Just listen, tell her that I'm only keeping her safe," he said to him, my hands lingering on his shoulders. "Tell her that it wasn't my choice."

"What are you talking about?"

"Styles, c'mon!" Someone yelled, pulling me away from Asher.

"Just tell her!" I said over my shoulder.

I snatched my arm away, stopping in my tracks. "What are you doing, Frank? You saw I was in the middle of a conversation."

"King James wants to see you, says it urgent," he said before meeting my eyes. "Doesn't sound good, Styles."

He took me to James' room, where he stood, looking out the window, a glass in his hand.

He turned around and smiled at me. "Harry, good morning, I'm glad to see that you followed my instructions."

"What's this about?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.

"We're sending you on raiding mission in the city," he said to me. "The trip should take about two or three weeks, depending on what trouble you get in."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "We just got back from a raid less than two weeks ago."

"I know," James nodded. "We need more supplies."

I turned around, heading for the door. "When are we leaving?"

"Four days."

As I exited the building, I see Asher running at me at full force, his golden hair glistening with sweat.

"What's wrong?" I asked him.

He stopped, breathing heavily, leaning over and putting his hands on his knees. He put up a finger, motioning to give him a minute.

Finally, he caught his breath, pulling an envelope from his back pocket, handing it to me. "It's from Saige."