The Cruel King and The Captured Queen

Chapter 18 - Part 3 - The Tunnel

Footsteps patter around the room causing me to groan, and shuffle over to my other side. The steps become louder and louder as I realize the person is approaching from behind me. Turning back over towards the noise I squint and blink a few times. Darkness has taken over the sky since I last was awake.

I yawn, "Thaddeus?"

"Not quite," a deep familiar voice chuckles.

My stomach drops and I bounce up sitting straight in alarm, "Chadwick!"

"You haven't forgotten me I see," he chuckles tauntingly.

I gasp taking in the now wide scar that crosses over his face. His hair now cut short, his shaggy blonde hair gone. What had happened?

"What are you doing here? How did you get in?" I gasp.

He glances with a sly smile over towards the tapestry, "It's such a pity you never sealed up that tunnel. Traitors and Murderers might get in."

At a loss for words I realize my mistake, Helena had used the tunnel and I had informed Octavius of it. I should have done something, anything to block that tunnel. I have placed my daughter and I, in grave danger far worse than Helena.

Chadwick walks around the room as I stare at him with disgust, unsure of what to do. Where is Octavius? His hand trailing down the quilt like he owns the place, he saunters over towards the bassinet with confidence.

"Get away from her," I snap as he stops in front of my child.

He ignores my threat knowing I'm weak from labour. Chuckling as he looks down and examines the young heir inside.

"A baby girl? How splendid, do you plan to name her after your chicken?" he taunts me.

My hands clench into fists as I grip the quilt. "Enough Chadwick, why are you here?"

His head whips around, and he spits with disgust equal to mine, "I am here for my wife to be that left me."

I glare back at him, "You and I, both know that's not true."

He smirks darkly, "That's not what Octavius, thinks."

My eyebrows rise as I look around the room, my gaze resting on the tunnel. "Octavius is here?" I breathe.

"At the end of the tunnel, waiting for you, your Majesty," he teases me with a mocking bow.

"I can't leave," I whisper thinking about the letter.

How much I long to unite with my brother once more.

"He believes, your still held captive here," Chadwick laughs lightly, "That you were forced to marry the King, but I know better."

"I'm sorry, Chadwick, but I fell in love," I lower my head in shame.

Till this moment I never had the opportunity to explain the truth to Chadwick, all this caused the misunderstanding that brought civil war to Alexandria.

"Of course you do you, wench, did you think I would even consider taking you with me now?" he growls out in disgust.

I gasp, "Than why are you here?"

"Curiosity. How did a little farm girl like you come to bed a king?" he crosses his arms over in a relaxed suspicious manner. Chadwick knew he was in control of the situation with complete access to interrogate me.

"Chadwick, don't," I plead with him.

This information would cause him to lash out, I've experienced it many times before. This time I need to be cautious.

"No, Claire, you have disgraced my name. I came for you, Claire! Men from Hull slaughtered at the front entrance of this castle. Your own family!" his fist smashes aggressively against my bed posts rising high towards the ceiling. "All that death for what, Claire? A child?" his rage coming out in the saliva spewing from his lips, "You paraded around with the King! Did you even consider that Octavius and I are traitors because of your actions?"

Tears pour down my face, I finally understand how much everyone was hurt because of me.

"Chadwick, I tried. Please," I reach out across the bed to touch his hand, "the King wouldn't let me leave."

He steps back away from me, "Tried? You have a damn tunnel in your own room, you could have left at any moment. Yet you stayed. You filthy rank climbing farm girl."

He stomps across the room towards the bassinet and passes the desk and chair. With a rage-filled toss, he flips the chair as it lands against the wall and splinters with a loud bang.

"No, get away from her!"

My efforts to defend my child gave me the strength to wobble to my legs weakly and grab onto his arm in a pleading manner.

His voice eerily calm, "I would be doing the King a courtesy by disposing of this abomination." With my strength depleting, I collapse to my knees. Holding onto his arm pulling him down with all my weight, and yet he doesn't budge.

"Stop! I love him! Please!"

His eyes, bloodshot with rage, stare intensely into mine, "You love him, but does he love you? I guess I'll just have to take the chance."

He reaches forward to grasp my child. I launch myself up into his outstretched arm, "No please! Chadwick stop!"

My weight falling into his arm, and he wraps his arms around me holding both of us up. I bump the bassinet, and it crashes over loudly. Screams from my infant daughter echo throughout the room, and I glance back at her still swaddled lump on the floor. She is screaming, she is alive, and I need to keep it that way.

Chadwick grabs me by the throat, and I claw at his hold. His eyes burning with rage, his teeth clenching together, "You are a disgrace, and when I'm done with you, and that revolting excuse for an heir, I will have my revenge against the King."

He tosses me with all his might, and I land with a thud on the bed.

"Thaddeus!" I scream as I move to charge towards Chadwick.

He is quicker, and he pounces on the bed straddling me. His hands returning to my throat as he squeezes with purpose and intent. I struggle endlessly under his vice-like grip. Gurgling under my own saliva, I try to breathe.

His eyes stare with madness shining through them as he speaks in a crazed tone, "Oh think of the pain he will experience when he returns to your chambers to find his beloved queen, and princess, dead."

I picture the image he describes, and tears pour down my face. There is nothing I can do, no matters the number of times I kick, hit him, and pull at his hands. I am forced to just stare into my attacker's eyes.

Slowly, my vision turns into spots as I gasp for air. Chadwick's face staring down at me begins to disappear, and darkness replaces him.

My ears burn as I feel my whole face swelling, "Goodbye Claire."