Reeve

Part 6

I wake up the next day to the sound of rain hitting the glass, I get up and pull on my clothes and walk to breakfast; Margery wasn't sat at her normal place when I arrived. I looked around quickly and took my normal place, I heard running footsteps from behind the closed doors; I take no notice and eat my breakfast before going to see Carlisle. Carlisle was sat on the floor playing with his toys when I came into his room, he looks up at me and smiles holding his arms up for me to pick him up. I scoop him up in my arms and I hear running again, I poke my head out of Carlisle's door and see half the staff running to Margery's wing of the castle; I shake it off and go to the nursery window. I gaze out in hopes the rain stopped. I sigh when I see fresh raindrops falling on the window, I set Carlisle down and walk to the library. 

I stand in the middle of the library looking over the book shelves that stood floor to ceiling full of books, I pick out a book of nursery rhymes and a black book and take it back to the nursery reading it cover to cover to Carlisle until he fell asleep. I place him in his bed and pull the black book open, it didn't have a title but I knew it was full of plants and remedies. The nursery door swings open and Rudd the head of the household walks in holding a black envelope in his hand, I can tell by his face its not good news specifically for me. He hands me the envelope and goes to stand by the door; I pull the letter from the envelope and read the still wet ink on the page. My hand starts to shake but I reread every word hoping they got the wrong family; I look at Rudd his green eyes focused on me. 

"Does Ada know?" I ask with a shaky voice; Rudd shakes his head; I ask for her to come and see me as soon as possible then walk over to Carlisle's bed and grip the rails waiting for the sound of the door closing. The door closes and a single tear falls down my cheek followed by a waterfall of tears; I sob quietly until the nursery door opens, I look up with puffy red eyes and tear stained cheeks seeing Ada stood next to the open door;

"Reeve? What's happened?" she asks with anxiety in her voice "They're...they're dead" 

"Who?" she asks, I can tell by the tone in her voice she doesn't believe me even if I mentioned no names. 

"Mum...Sela...Ninette and... and Otto" I cry, Ada rushes over to me and wraps her arms around my torso as I clung tighter to the cot. We stay like this until all the tears dry up, I pull myself together and release the cot from my grip. Ada lets go of my torso and walks towards the nursery door, 

"I'll tell your dresser to prepare black clothes" she tells me, I nod in response knowing she wouldn't have waited for my reply.

I dress in my black clothes and walk to Margery's rooms holding the letter in my hand, I walk in letter tight in my grasp; Margery stood at her desk surrounded by her advisers all in black.

"May I have a moment with my wife?" I ask, Margery nods allowing them to leave, they walk out the door and i wait until the sound of footsteps have gone.

"This is how you tell me?" I ask holding the black lined letter up by my face 

"I know what its like to lose family" 

"You send me the letter that told you about their death, you didn't tell me yourself! they're my family; your people and you don't even care!" I yell 

"I do care..."

"No you don't your a spoiled child you know nothing about love! do you think I wanted to be a prince? Or even lord? No I wanted to be healer I wanted to help people not stand by dreamily looking out the only window that showed the slightest bit of my old life while you... you sit in your fancy chair ruining peoples lives!" 

"I try my best to help this Kingdom, I love my people and you but you, you don't love me you never have" 

"Your right but I did marry for love; the love of my family and friends, the people of my village. I married you because I thought I could twist you brain and make things better for them but now? Now they're gone every one; My mother, Sela, Ninette even Otto" my voice trembles as his name leaves my lips 

"The man you love" she says looking at me with no emotion 

"Yes the man I love, I should be in the ashes with them!" I cry

"Get out" she orders. I turn on my heel and storm out anger burning in my heart, I run to the dressers room to find Ada, I burst into the room and walk straight to Ada pulling her away from her work and into a room. I order the room empty and pace the small space until Ada stops me,

"What's the matter?" 

"I need you to take Carlisle and run; run as far as you can go I can get you money and some supplies but..." 

"What are you talking about?" She asks putting her hands on my shoulders 

"Promise me, if something were to happen to me take him and run 

"Why would anything happen to you?" She looks me in the eye she doesn't need my voice to know the answer. I sprint out the room before she can say any thing, I hear her calling me but I ignore and run into the library. 

Later that nigh I sneak into the kitchen grab a bowl and spoon. I crush the poison berries into liquid, I dig out a small jar and pour the liquid in it. I put the jar in my pocket and leave; over the next few days I think of ways to sneak it into Margery's food .