Infuriating Attractions (on hold)

Recollections

A flashback chapter Violet-style. Sorry for the wait 

Violet gave one last glance back at Phillip sleeping peacefully in the ornately carved four poster bed, arm thrown out haphazardly most likely in search of her. She was tempted to simply crawl back in and curl up beside him and enjoy being Queen. It would be so easy to simply let all her responsibilities and reminders of her old life go and bask in Phillip’s assured love. William hated her, he didn’t deserve her time or the risk she was undertaking for him. But she couldn’t, as much as the nasty little voice in her head snapped at her, she couldn’t leave him.

Stealing down the hallway, she once again felt for the keys sewn into the side of her shift. Phillip never had paid much mind to her clothes; being more concerned with taking them off. It took her a week to steal them from an unsuspecting guard, another week to gather the courage to approach Denning at court and plan the escape. It gnawed at her, the waiting sparked her anxieties and sent them spinning out of control. Sometimes she could not stop shaking.

Soon it would be over. 

The corridor was frosty and her breath hung in the air and made her draw her arms tightly around her. She hurried if only to spare herself the shivering that seemed to have overwhelmed her entire body.

The guards were changing shifts and the entrance to the spiral staircase that lead down to the dungeon was deserted. Even the torches burning brightly on the stone walls could not dispel the sense of gloom that permeated the thickening air as she climbed lower. The silence began to unsettle her. Violet had expected moans of despair, shrieks of pain, pleas for help, instead of this uneasy soundlessness. Her heart hammered in her throat and adrenaline spiked through her nerves. This would be the first time she would see William since she had assented to be Phillip’s queen. 

“William?” she called out into the eerie darkness of the dungeon corridor. Though the torches cast some light, the cells themselves were bathed in darkness. Squinting she made her way past the empty cells to the furthest one from the stairs. He had been allowed a small fire and it was by this light she half-saw him in the darkness.

“William?” he was facing the wall, she could only see him in profile yet she recognised his haggard features and the exhaustion that lined his eyes. 

“Have you come to kill me?” his voice was hoarse from lack of use and sent a pang through her stomach. 

“No, I’m here to help you!” she snapped, the stress of the situation grating on her patience. He turned towards her in shock and she could finally take all of him in. He was gaunt and sickly, bruises covered his neck and chest along with cuts and grazes of various sizes. Violet could not help but gasp in horror, starting from where she stood.

“Oh William what happened?” slowly and painfully he stood walking over to her and clasping his fingers around the bars. Up close, he looked even worse and her chest ached. 

“Like you did not know” he hissed, his eyes full of hatred “As soon as he took you what use did he have for me?” 

“Phillip promised he wouldn’t hurt you” she whispered, still unaccustomed to his ghastly appearance and trying desperately to collect herself. 

“No” William spat “He promised he wouldn’t kill me, not directly. Yet here I wait, rotting away, dying in this cell. Are you here to torture me further? To describe in precise detail how well he fucked you?”