A Collection of Stories

The Royals

So this is a three part thing I've been working on since I was twelve. It's changed a lot and is still changing. This excerpt is from part II and will be rewritten at a future date. So, once you've read this, please tell me what you think. I think I should post this once I've rewritten most of it.

Theresa

Christopher and I were married three months later and had our first born nine months after that. The three of us lived in harmony together for the next three years. No one was ever upset, angry or sad for any reason. His brother, though, was never happy for us. He always looked to wage war on us, but never had a reason to until Christopher mistakenly tried to take the claim to Anthony's throne for himself.

Christohper readied himself for war on his last night at home. I sat on our bed and held the growing bump of our second child. Christopher readied his weapons and the last of his clothes before turning towards me. I tried to hide the fact that I had been crying all day, but it was futile. Christopher came over and sat next to me, taking me in his arms as I cried again.

"Promise you'll come back to me, Christopher." I whispered. Christopher pulled back and kissed my hair.

"Sweetheart, you have my word thar I will always come home to you." He murmured, pressing his warm lips to mine. I kissed him back, wrapping my aems tightly around him.

"I love you, Tessa." He whispered to me. I smiled weakly and tild Christopher that I loved him.

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Christohper left the next morning for three months. He wrote everyday, telling me that he missed me, how close his men were to winning. But one day, we got a a visit from his trusted servant instead of a letter. My father met the boy at the castle entrance to hear his information. My mother, son, and I waited for my father to come back from the brief meeting with the boy. Father came back in immediately and grabbed my arm.

"Give Tobias to your mother, Tess." He said, taking my hand after my mother took my baby. He dragged me to his horse and we rode as fast as we could to the sight of the battle. We stopped outside of a large, white tent. My father didn't have to tell me what had happened, I just knew. I knew something bad had happened to Christopher. I dismounted the hose as quickly as I could and ran into the tent, pushing everyone out of my way. I saw Christopher laying on his back, his shirt soaked with blood. I ran over and knelt next to him, taking his hand in mine.

"Tessa, what are you doing here? It's not safe for you to be here." He said, straining himself to look at me.

"Christ, shh. Tell me what happened to you." I said, taking his face in my hands.

He chuckled and kissed my hands. "Anthony's men were a little over zealous. Their swords took some fine jabs at me. They hit a few major areas... can't stop the bleeding..." He said, reaching up and tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. My chin wobbled as I fought back tears.

"Please do not cry over me, Tessa. We had a good life together, a beautiful baby and one more on the way. Tell them about me and marry Anthony. He's always loved you." Christopher said before he started coughing . I leaned down and kissed his lips tenderly for the last time. I pulled back moments later to see the doctor check for a sign of life. He sighed and close Christopher's eyes. A sob erupted from my chest as I cried into his chest, cold and still. Eventually my father was able to pry me off Christopher  so they could cover him up. I walked out og the tent with a vendetta. I marched down the lines of troops, across no mans land and over to Anthony's tent.

I stormed into that tent like I owned it. Every man in that room turned around and dropped to one knee as I went right up to their King. I slapped Anthony across the face hard, earning a sharp groan from his lips.

"You got what you wanted, you bastard. He's dead because of you!" I shrieked. Anthony's eyes widened as tears poured out of my eyes like waterfalls.

"Theresa, I'm so sorry. I never meant to harm your family." Anthony said. I wiped my eyes as I backed away from him.

"If you ever think about attending his funeral, your head will roll." I vowed, storming out of his tent. My father stopped my a few yards into no mans land and wrapped his arms tightly around me. I broke down and sobbed into his chest. He kissed my hair before handing me over to an armed guard. As I walked back to the horse, I looked over my shoulder and saw my father speaking to Anthony. My baby kicked inside me as if it was reminfing me what the bastard did to my heart.

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Two dats after his death, my Christopher was buried next to his mother. I had to tell my three year old son that his Papa went to sleep with his Grandmamma. It vroke my heart to hear him cry because I knew I couldn't do anything to comfor him. Anthony didn't heed my warning and had the gall to stay in my son's roon. My son slept curled into my rownd stomach while my first love slept on a cot. It hurt enough to lose the man I learned to love, it hurt more to hear him tell me to marry his brother, and that his brother always loved me.

After a very long day, I tucked Tobias in the same way his Papa did. After his eyes finally closed, I put my night gown on and crept out of my room and to the chaple. I knelt down and started talking to God and my husband, asking them to give me guidance. I was not sure if my unborn child ever heard it's father's voice, but I hoped it did. I fell asleep in a hard pew, but it was a restless sleep. I kept reliving his death over and over again in my mind. I awoke as two arms slipped under my knees and back to lift me up. I shook my head and got out of their arms and stumbled into the dark cooridoor. I placed one hand against the stone wall and the other against my stomach as I slowly walked back to my room. I stumbled and the same pair of arms that tried to lift me caught me. I closed my eyes as I was picked up too fast, making me feel sick.

"Chris, do not pick me up when I am pregnant." I mumbled. "You know it makes me ill." He sighed and kissed my hair, setting me on my feet.

"Tess, wake up." Anthony said. I frowned as I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. I pushed past him and shuffled down the hall to my door. Anthony followed behind me, making sure I didn't fall down. I turned around and glared at him as he stopped in front of me.

"Go away, Anthony. I am fine." I said, holding my stomach. Anthony moved closer to me, close enough that I could feel his warm breath fanning my cheek. I won't deny that I still have feelings for him, but after what his men did to my husband, I could care less what happened to him.

"We need to talk." He said as his hands closed around my shoulders. "I never meant for Christopher to get hurt, Tess--"

"Theresa, to you. I will no longer give you the pleasure of simple formalities." I said, glaring at him. He sighed and nodded.

"Right. As I was saying, if you would allow me to, I could help you raise your son and unborn child. I would never try to replace my brother, I hope you know that." He said quietly. I sighed and looked down at my stomach, rubbing small circles as I thought.

"Why can't you just stay away and leave me alone like you said you would?" I asked as tears came to my eyes. "Chris and I had three perfect years together and we could have had a lifetime more if you hadn't started this stupif war!" I shouted at him. I ran my hands over my mface with a heavy sigh.

"Anthony, can you tell me one thing?"I asked, he nodded as he looked at me. "Christopher told me to marry you before he died. But he also told me that you still loved me. Is this true?" Anthony and I stood across from each other, not saying a word. I turned my back on him and entered my room as he whispered;

"He's right. I never stopped loving you."