by Sarah Olson
James sighed and took my face in his hands. “Just remember I already knew about your past before I fell in love with you,” he said, staring intently into my eyes.
“Thank you,” I said and closed the gap between our lips.
Chapter 49
AS THE DAYS passed, the rebels became increasingly anxious. No one knew what Luther was doing and what his plans were. We could only wait.
I went for a walk with Aria down the street to see Charlotte. When I reached her parents’ house and knocked, Tristan answered.
“Hey,” he said with a smile. “You here to see Charlotte?”
“Yeah,” I said.
“Sorry to disappoint, but she is not here,” Tristan said. “She went out to go practice some archery. I’m heading in that direction so I’ll walk with you.”
“Thanks,” I said. “Come on Aria.”
I scooped her up and the three of us headed down the road. The spring air was warm with a cool breeze rustling through the trees.
“Where are you going?” I asked Tristan.
“I have to go check on our prisoner,” he said.
“Where is he being kept?” I asked. “James never told me.”
“We just moved him to the command tent. It’s the safest place.”
“But doesn’t James live there?” I asked.
“Yeah, but he didn’t want to risk losing the prince so when he isn’t with you, he’s keeping an eye on him.”
“Then why are you heading there?” I asked.
“I’m part of the group of trusted soldiers that takes shifts watching him.”
“Glad to hear that,” I said with a smile.
“Well this is where I must leave you,” he said. “I’ll see you around.”
“Of course.”
We stopped in front of the command tent and Tristan entered when the guard stepped aside. I caught the faintest glimpse of Richard sitting down tied to a chair. He happened to look through the opening at that moment and saw me.
“Layla!” he called.
“Shut up,” I heard Tristan snap.
“I want to talk to her!” Richard begged. “Please.”
“Layla isn’t here,” I heard James’s voice.
“She’s right outside!”
“What?” James said. The flap of the tent opened and James stepped out making sure it closed behind him. “What are you doing here?”
“I was on my way to see Charlotte,” I said. “I didn’t know you kept him in the command tent.”
“It’s the best place.”
“It’s a tent. It’s your tent—where you sleep. What about a building or something?”
“Its fine,” James said, looking slightly annoyed. “Now you should go and don’t come back here while we’re holding him.”
“Just let me talk to her!” I heard Richard plead.
“Let me talk to him,” I said to James.
James’s face hardened. “No.”
“It’ll be all right,” I said, touching his arm. “I want to ask him something—something I really need to know”
James watched me carefully for a moment. “Fine,” he sighed. “Tristan, come here.”
“Watch Aria,” James told him when he came out.
“Yes, sir,” Tristan said, taking Aria to the side.
I stepped into the command tent and met Richard’s eyes.
“Layla,” he gasped. “Please tell them to let me go. I can’t take it here any longer.”
“Is that what you wanted to talk to me about?” I asked.
James stood inches behind me.
“No,” he said. “I wanted to say I’m sorry. I am sorry for everything. For throwing you aside, for not being the father of our child that I should have. I was stupid.”
I raised my chin. I did not pity him. “Richard,” I said, walking closer, “there’s something I need to ask you.”
Richard stared back at me, helpless.
“Was there any moment—just one split second that you ever loved me?”
His response was hesitant. “Yes, I did love you.”
Then why?” I asked. “You told me I intrigued you. That you wanted nothing else than to marry me and yet you still betrayed me—after everything! I thought I was in love with you!”
In the corner of my eye, I saw James’s fist clench. I did not want my words to hurt him, but I truly needed to know if Richard had lied to me during those few months we had been together.
“I didn’t force you to do anything,” Richard said. He did not look helpless anymore.
“I know,” I said. “You didn’t, but you told my aunt and uncle that your intentions were honorable, were they ever?”
“They were from the moment I met you. But I clearly shouldn’t have rushed into an engagement with you.”
“You say you loved me,” I whispered, feeling my bravery drain and pain taking its place. “But it wasn’t enough. You played me.”
“Layla!” Richard exclaimed. “If I wanted to play you, I would’ve done it without wasting so much time! You fell for me so easily that I had you in my grasp the night of the ball, but I wanted to spend time with you. When you told me you were pregnant, I wanted to help you. I wanted to raise our child.”
“But you didn’t,” I spat. “You called me a whore as if you were trying to make yourself believe the child wasn’t yours even though you knew it the moment I told you!”
“I’m sorry!” Richard exclaimed. “I was wrong!”
“It killed me, Richard,” I said. “You broke my heart. I thought I could never be happy again.”
Richard had nothing to say. I felt tears in my eyes but I fought them. I was not going to cry in front of him. I had done far too much of that. He was not worth it, not now when I had James.
“Let me see her,” Richard finally said. “Let me see our daughter.”
“She’s not your daughter,” James snapped. “Just because your blood runs through her veins, it doesn’t make you her father.”
I was still trying to gain control over myself so I said nothing.
“I want to see her,” Richard demanded.
I calmed myself down and thought of what it would mean to let Richard see her. “Let him,” I said, taking James’s still clenched fist. “It’s okay.”
“No it’s not,” he growled.
I looked back at Richard who was watching our linked hands. Realization flickered across his face. Realization that James had replaced the hole he had drilled into my heart.
“Let him see her, James,” I said again.
“Absolutely not,” James said.
I turned around to look at him. “He needs to see what he lost.”
James looked like he was ready to lash out but instead he stepped outside and returned holding Aria’s little hand.
Richard’s eyes widened as she stood there staring at him curiously.
“She has your eyes,” I said. I took her other hand and led her away from James, right up to Richard. “Her name is Aria, after my mother. She probably won’t remember this moment but I know you will. And when you think of her, think about how she will be calling another man her father because you were not there for her in the same way you were not there for me. It does not matter how many times you apologize to me because in truth, you never came after me. You never cared for me. I was just an ornament on your arm the way your wife is to you now. I was just a girl you wooed with compliments and a ring, but I don’t care anymore because when I walk out of this room with Aria, you will never see her again.”
“But she’s my daughter!” Richard yelled.
“You should have thought about that when you sent your soldiers after me,” I said. “I watched them kill my uncle.”
Aria began to cry. Richard’s yelling and his fury had frightened her.
“Don’t cry, Aria,” Richard said, trying to comfort her.
Aria’s cry grew louder as she took a step back away from him.
James stooped down to pick her up.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her tear stained face into his shoulder.
The look on Richard’s face was of jealousy. Aria had paid him no attention but as soon as James had stepped in, she had clung on to him for dear life.
“I am so sorry, Layla,” he whispered. “I thought I was making the right decision. I even gave you a half hour head start before I told my father.” There was a defeated look in his eyes.
“But you told him” I said, “and that doesn’t change anything. James, I’m done here.”
With one arm holding Aria and the other wrapped around my waist, the three of us exited the tent. Once outside, James sent Tristan in to watch Richard.
“Layla, wait,” James said as I took Aria from him. “Are you okay?”
“I’ll be fine,” I replied. “I’m sorry you had to listen to that. But I just—” tears started rolling down my cheeks. I could not fight them anymore.
James ushered Aria and I into an empty tent to escape prying eyes. “I am so sorry, Layla,” he said, putting Aria down and hugging me. He held me tight.
“I was so stupid and naïve,” I cried. “He manipulated my feelings.”
“He took advantage of you,” James said.
“But I let him.” I pulled away far enough to look at him. “Robert warned me. Betsy warned me. Mitchell warned me. And I ignored them all.”
James did not say anything this time but tightened his arms around me so I could release the sorrow and pain that overwhelmed me. As I stood there, wrapped in his arms, I made a promise to myself that never again would I ever shed tears for my past mistakes. I was putting everything behind me, forever.
“I don’t want him to see Aria again,” I said, when I gained control over my emotions. “He is not her father.”
“I’ll make sure of that,” James said reassuringly.
“Thank you,” I said. “I want you to know something. I want you to know I was not crying over him. I was just—I am mad at myself for believing everything he ever said, and if you don’t feel the same way you did about me this morning, I understand.”
“I could never stop loving you, Layla,” James said. “I have fought falling for you for far too long. I’m not in love with the girl you were with Richard, I’m in love with the woman you have become,” he pushed a strand of hair behind my ear. “Nothing Richard says can keep me from loving you.”
I pulled his face towards mine, and kissed him. His lips washed away all the pain I felt and filled me with pure happiness.
When I was certain all traces of my tears were gone, I walked away with Aria and headed over to the archery field. Charlotte was there sending arrow after arrow into the target.
“Charlotte,” I called.
She turned and smiled. “Hey there. And Aria, don’t you look pretty today.”
Aria slipped out of my grasp and toddled over to her as Charlotte got down to hug her.
“How are you?” I asked.
“Better,” she said, “but disappointed.”
“Why?”
“I won’t be able to fight,” she said. “It’s not like I would have with this pregnancy, but all those years of training and I can’t even help take Asteria back.”
“But you have helped, Charlotte.”
“I know but it’s not the same,” she said.
“Well, I haven’t even asked James what I could do, but I’m sure he won’t let me either. There’s no way I’ll be fully healed by the war.”
“Had it not been James making those decisions, I think you’d get away with it.”
“So you heard?”
“All the villages know,” Charlotte said with a laugh. “Do you really think that James visiting you every day and the fact you have walked the streets with him has gone unnoticed?”
“I guess not,” I said. “I wanted to tell you but—”
“You didn’t find it fair because I had just lost Mitchell,” Charlotte finished with a sad smile.
I nodded.
“It’s all right. It’s not like I didn’t expect it, especially after all the alone time you two had during the mission. That and the fact he tried to kiss you in the castle.”
I shook my head and laughed.
“But besides James and everything else, how are you doing?” she asked, fitting another arrow to her bow.
“Not too bad,” I said as she released it into the bull’s-eye. “I went and saw Richard today.”
“Really?”
“Yes,” I said. “James and your brother weren’t too thrilled but it was something I needed to do. I let him see Aria.”
“Why?” Charlotte gasped.
“To show him what he lost,” I replied. “You know he claimed he took his time to tell his father who I was so I had a better chance to escape.”
“Do you believe him?”
“I don’t know,” I sighed. “But does it really matter? I mean he still sent the soldiers after me.”
“True,” Charlotte said. “Just forget about him. He is not worth it. James is yours now and you need to enjoy that. Forget about Richard.”
“I know,” I said. “Thank you.”
☐☐☐☐
Within the next week rebel scouts found a group of Luther’s soldiers with a white flag crossing the bridge over the river and onto the main road. The road led from the kingdom of Asteria straight to Kings City. It was exactly as Tristan had predicted. All we could do now was wait until Sir Nicholas and the other rebel leaders received word from King Darius on what was happening.
James became much more preoccupied. He was constantly sending out scouts and mapping the position of soldiers spotted along the river. Little by little, he put more of his trust into Raphael and Tristan and allowed them to run some things with Davorin just so he could spend time with me.
“It’s a good idea,” I had told him. “After all they are very trustworthy.”
“Oh, the things I do for you,” he said, kissing my nose.
Chapter 50
“WE’VE RECEIVED A message from King Darius,” James said, walking into the house.
It had been a week since the soldiers had been spotted heading to Kings City.
“That wasn’t long,” I said. “What did he say?”
“Luther wanted to know if he knew anything about the prince’s disappearance,” James said. “King Darius told him he was not involved and when asked if he knew if we had taken him, he told them that his sources told him yes.”
“Was he supposed to?” I asked surprised.
“Yes,” James said. “Luther’s soldiers demanded he make us return his son but King Darius told him that it was between us and Asteria. The treaty didn’t require him to do anything, therefore he would not force us to return Richard just like he didn’t have to turn you over to Luther.”
“This means it’s only a matter of time before Luther sends his army,” I said.
“And it will probably be sooner than later. We have sent a spy to Eagle’s Nest to watch the movements of Luther’s men so we are ready. We also have rebels on the mountains ready to light beacons when they begin to move.”
“Beacons?” I asked. “When did those go up?”
“Around the time Sir Alexander found you on the mountains,” he said. “That’s why he and his men were up there. They were building them. It’s the fastest way for us to get word on when Luther plans to strike.”
“So what do we do next?”
“I expect Luther will send some men over to us to try and negotiate the release of Richard,” James said.
“You really think he wouldn’t strike first?” I asked.
“No, he will try and work something out with us.”
“At least that buys us more time,” I said with a smile.
“Just a bit more.”
Within a few days, scouts found five of King Luther’s men crossing the river again with a white flag heading in our direction. When James received word, he immediately sent out a group of rebels to stop them before
they neared the village.
“Let me come,” I told him, after he had sent for Sir Nicholas. “I want to hear what they have to say.”
“No,” James said, strapping a sword to his side. “You know it’s not safe. What if they decide to break their peace and kill you?”
“You know they won’t,” I said, hoping I was right. “If they do, King Darius will move on Luther before he gets a chance to rally his troops.”
“And you’d be dead.”
“Come on, James. The beacons haven’t even been lit yet, so you know Luther isn’t on the move.”
“It’s still dangerous,” he said.
“It’s a peaceful hostage negotiation.”
“Fine,” he said when he realized I was not going to back down. “But you will be under heavy guard. Understand?”
“Yes,” I said. “I understand.”
We mounted our horses and headed out to meet King Luther’s soldiers. James rode in front with Sir Nicholas and six rebel soldiers escorted me. James was not taking any chances.
When we arrived to the clearing, we found five of King Luther’s soldiers still mounted, and a few of our own blocking their path toward the villages.
“Who’s in charge?” one of the soldiers called out as we came to a stop.
He was a strong young man with dark hair and a trim beard.
“I am,” Sir Nicholas said. “My name is Sir Nicholas and I am one of the council members of the refugee villages.”
“You mean rebel villages,” the soldier scoffed. “I am Lieutenant Cromwell and I have come to discuss the return of Prince Richard. We understand he is in your custody.”
“He is,” Sir Nicholas said coolly.
“King Luther wants his son back,” Lieutenant Cromwell said. “He has sent us here with a gracious offer in return for the prince.”
“What are the terms?” Sir Nicholas asked.
The lieutenant took a scroll out from his saddlebag and began to read it. “By decree of Luther, King of Asteria, upon the return of Prince Richard unharmed to Asteria, rebels will no longer be hunted down based on suspicion when they cross the Asterian border unless they are found guilty of inciting an uprising. Spies that are caught within the borders of Asteria will not be executed after questioning, but will be given a proper sentencing to prison in which once they serve the time, they can return to the rebel villages in Malan. Additionally, the bounty from Layla Fallon’s head will be removed so long as she never returns to Asteria.”