To Love Someone

chapter 29

April waited patiently for the maid to come with her evening meal. One week she had been there, and she had no idea still who her captor was. She only ever saw the silent maid.

Her routine was eat, sleep, eat, sleep, sometimes cry for herself and her bairn. She pushed the piece of wood that had taken her days to break from the bed frame under the bed.

She could have used the candelabra, but there was only one in the room and she did not want to be in the dark.

There was some noise outside the door as the maid removed the wood barring her door and opened it. Her expression was the same every single day. April had tried talking to her, but the girl never answered, so she assumed she was mute.

As the girl walked to the table, April grabbed the wood and tiptoed behind her. She waited till she had dropped the tray before striking her hard on the head. There was no scream. The girls body simply crumpled into a heap on the floor.

"I am sorry," she whispered before slipping out the door and barring it again so the she won't be able to come out.

April hurried down the hallway, making sure to keep her footsteps silent. There was no one around, which was strange.

She entered into the large hall, it was empty and she frowned in confusion. A hall was always busy. She carefully opened the door to the courtyard and was about slipping into freedom when she was suddenly yanked back by her hair and thrown across the room. April screamed as she fell.

Looking up, she gasped at what she saw, "Lord McClain?" she asked disbelief lacing her voice.

"Your majesty," he bowed mockingly.

"I-i don't understand. What are you doing? Why am I here?" she asked as she rose on all fours.

He scoffed before replying her, "you are here because I brought you here. You know, I have been expecting you to run. I thought you would sooner," he sneered walking over to her.

"Please let me go," she begged, "I won't tell my husband anything, I promise."

"Now why would I do that when I have you exactly where I want you, on your knees before me," he said caressing her head gently. "Soon, your pathetic excuse of a husband and king will come running to save his precious wife, and then I can kill him."

April looked up at him with wide eyes. She scrambled to her feet and attempted to run, but he pulled her back and slapped her hard. She fell from the force of it, her stomach hitting the floor, and she gasped at the pain that went through her. She rolled to her side and held her stomach as she curled herself.

McClain, not caring that she was a woman kicked her in the back and all the breath rushed out of her.

"Please, stop," she begged as tears ran down her face. All she could think was was the bairn alright?

He grabbed her by her hair and pulled her to her feet, "You stupid thing, did you really think I would just let you walk out of here? After your weak husband has destroyed my daughter, he thinks he can go free?" he yelled, spittle flying from his mouth. He pushed her away, "Your husband has no right to be happy after taking advantage of my daughter!"

April asked despite the pain she was feeling, "who is your daughter?"

He ignored her question and continued, "the only way I could hurt him was to take away the thing he loved," he looked at her and said, "you."

April wanted to laugh and tell him that Ian did not love her, but he continued with his rant, "I could have easily taken his father, but you just had to leave the keep that day. You should listen to your husband next time. Adam, take her to the dungeon," he commanded and walked away.

Adam hauled her roughly to her feet and dragged her through dark hallways and down steep stairs. He took a torch and opened a door. There was a bunch of keys hanging from a nail, he took it and opened a door and shoved her in roughly. And she fell again, scraping her knee. He hung the key back and left.

April looked around the small cell. It had a thick musty smell. There was a bed and that was all. No chamber pot, no window. She sighed and walked to sit on the narrow bed. Her lips bled from where McClain slapped her. And her stomach hurt. She couldn't stop the tears that flowed, the pain she felt was unbearable.

She lay on her side and used the flimsy, ratty blanket to cover herself and tried not to dwell on the pain.

Please help me God, don't let anything happen to my baby.

********

The keep was silent as no one wanted to anger the King. Ian paced back and forth in his study. Arla was gone, a stupid move on her part. If anything happened to her, April won't forgive him. Damnit, why did she go! She had found April's napkin by the stream and that alone gave him hope. Though he was mad that April had left the keep even when he had told her over and over not to. Why did she have to make him so mad!

The doors opened and Ryan came in holding the hand of a little girl of about six years of age. She looked scared.

"What is it?" he snapped. He was in no mood for Ryan's stupid antics.

"This little girl has something to say," Ryan said.

Ian looked at her and waited for her to speak, but she hid her face in Ryan's trouser. It was obvious she was scared and intimidated. So he crouched down and placed a hand on her tiny shoulder, "tell me what you want to say little one. I won't do anything to you, I promise."

The girl nodded and began speaking, "I was in the forest the other day hiding because my mama had given me a beating, and I didn't want to go back home. I was sitting when I saw across the stream your lady sitting on a rock," Ian tried not to smile when the girl called April his lady. "She was crying, and I didn't want her to know that I had seen her cry, so I hid behind a tree. I was about leaving when I saw a man come up behind her and hit her head, and she fell. Then he carried her over his shoulder and walked away. I followed him and saw him place her on his horse and ride away," she said all in one breath.

"Which way did he go?"

"East."

Ian immediately knew who it was. There was only one border Laird in the east, and that was McClain. He had to have some guts to pull a stunt like that. He glanced back at the little girl, "what is your name?"

"Marley."

He smiled and pulled her into a hug, "thank you Marley," he whispered and the girl flashed him a bright smile and left.

He got up and faced Ryan, "gather the men, we are leaving now."

"But there is a blizzard coming," Ryan said.

"Then we better leave now."

Ryan nodded and left to prepare the men. Ian sat down and wrote a letter explaining everything. When he got outside, he gave the missive to Ryan, "you are not coming with us. I need you to deliver this letter, and then stay and protect my father."

Ryan opened his mouth to complain, but Ian stopped him, "please, you are the only one I trust."

Ryan sighed and nodded.

"Thank you, brother," Ian said, then he swung himself up on his stallion and rode out with half his troops. The other half stayed to protect the keep.

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