All the Things You Never Knew

by Angealica Hewley

  “Heartily’s got a brave woman.”

  “Indeed,” Hargate agreed. “Do you think we can open that window and slip in?”

  “How will I know? We’ve got to try and see.”

  “All right.”

  Hargate went around the bushes and bent down in front of the window to push it open.

  It creaked and then swung forward, almost causing Hargate to fall in.

  “Got you!” Longsword said, pulling Hargate back.

  “Thanks,” he answered. “Now let’s be careful.”

  “So why are you back here again?” asked Lord Lansing’s father for the third time since Rose had dragged them upstairs to discuss a few matters to allow the duke and earl to get in to save Leon.

  “Like I said, m’lord, I want Marcus and I to resume our engagement. We had set it off to be half a year or so before it takes place, but I’ve thought about it and I want to marry him before that despicable man downstairs have any more chances to hurt him.”

  “Are you quite certain?” asked Lord Lansing as he turned to take her hand. “You’re not jesting, are you?”

  “I wouldn’t waste my time back here if I am,” she answered, holding her head high to not lose confidence.

  “Have you been faithful to my son?” asked Lansing’s father.

  He gave her a glance that brought a chill down her spine.

  “Of course!” she said, though she knew that’s far from the truth, but she could have been faithful. Then she countered with the same question, “Has your son been faithful to me?”

  They all knew the answer, but she wanted to ask just because she could.

  “I believe my son to be the most faithful gentleman alive,” the old marquess answered courageously.

  Rose almost snorted at the absurd reply.

  Lord Lansing and her both knew he wasn’t faithful at all.

  “True. True. Most faithful gentleman in the world. You don’t find one like him very often.” Rose was merely being sarcastic, which brought a deep flush to Lord Lansing’s bruised cheeks.

  “Yes,” his father answered. “You should be grateful to have him.”

  “I’m truly blessed to have him,” she said, faking a smile at the marquess who she really doesn’t know what to call anymore. “I love him.”

  “More than that bastard in the dungeon?” asked the old man.

  “A million times more,” Rose answered, wrapping her arms around Marcus’s neck. She would have said never in a million years, but in this situation she can’t.

  “So you still have your virtue intact for me on our wedding night, right?” Marcus asked, leaning to nip at her lips.

  She pulled away, for she doesn’t want his lips on hers anymore. “That and something more,” she said sweetly, cupping his cheeks. “We will have fun.”

  “And if I find you’re not a virgin?”

  “You can do whatever you wish,” she smiled again. He’s never going to find out. Over her dead body would he think she’ll ever give herself up for him.

  “I truly can’t wait,” he said, casting her a crooked smile.

  “I can’t wait either,” she said, smoothing his hair. “I–”

  There was a sudden crash below them, and then a thud and other rackets that cut Rose off.

  “What in the–” the old man’s eyes settled upon Rose. “This is all your stupid little plan, isn’t it?”

  “What?” Rose pretended to feign ignorant, but it failed.

  “Little whore,” Marcus laughed, holding tight of her arms.

  “Let me go!” she struggled.

  “Who did you bring?” the old marquess inquired, walking to face her.

  “No one,” she said. “Marcus, that hurts. Let go of my arms.”

  “Not until you tell father and I what you’ve been plotting. I know you didn’t just come here to discuss our engagement. You would have waited in the morning.”

  Or not at all, her mind offered, but that wouldn’t be wise to say.

  “Don’t be ridiculous–”

  “Doesn’t matter,” said the old man. “My guards should all be out on duty. There’s no escape for the fools that had come in.”

  “No…no escape?” It was merely a whisper that slipped out of Rose.

  Had she just led the Duke of Hargate and the Earl of Longsword into their deathbeds with Leon?

  No. This can’t be happening. She has to do something.

  “Please,” she pleaded. “Please don’t hurt anyone. I will do anything.”

  “Too late,” Marcus answered. “Although there is something else planned for you. Come. Father, please take care. I’m taking this little whore of mine back.”

  “You are the manwhore here!” Rose snapped angrily.

  He suddenly struck her hard across the face, making her flinch. “Shut up! You’re lucky I haven’t sliced that face of your lover downstairs for taking you before me. I know there’s something between you two. When we get back to London, you will be soiled once more and thrown out in disgrace.”

  Rose spit at his face and said through clenched teeth, “You can go to hell!”

  He was about to strike her again, but his father stopped him. “Don’t argue with whores, son. It’s a waste of time.”

  That sparked all nerves inside of her into a raging forest fire that if her arms weren’t locked to the side she would have tried to kill them both.

  “Guards!” Marcus called out.

  Three men in steel armors came through the door and saluted at him.

  “Take this little bitch out and tie her inside my carriage. I will be in with her shortly. Make sure she doesn’t escape.”

  “Yes sir!” they answered in unison.

  Rose screamed and hollered as Lord Lansing thrust her into one of them.

  “Let me go! I hate you! You devil man! You–” A cloth came over her mouth by another guard that only allows little incomprehensible noise to escape.

  “You be good and obey,” Marcus said. “Or you will never get to see that old lover of yours again!”

  If he thinks that’s going to make her submit to him, then he can go to the devil.

  Rose knew it doesn’t matter what she does. If the marquess wants to kill Leon, he would.

  There’s nothing now that she can do about it. She had failed at everything.

  “Damn you!” cursed Hargate when Longsword accidently stepped on a trap. “Now we’re in trouble.”

  “At least we found Heartily,” said Longsword, as he pointed to the far wall of the room where Leon hung unconscious.

  They had managed to get in when Lady Rose had led the marquess and his father out, and found the dungeon where Leon was kept.

  “You fool, guards are coming. Can’t you hear the stampede descending towards us?” said Hargate. “Go free Heartily. I would take care of them.”

  “Are you certain you can take a stampede?”

  “I’ve deal with more than that,” he answered, heading out towards the coming guards. “Get Heartily out now. I will meet you outside by the horses.”

  Longsword nodded and head towards Leon while Hargate strolled off.

  “Heartily,” he said as he approaches Leon. “Damn, you look almost as bad as that Lansing. Maybe worst.”

  “L-Longsword?” Leon managed to say.

  His eyes slowly open to meet that of his friend.

  “It’s me, old pal. Hargate and I are here to save you.”

  For a minute, Leon couldn’t believe it. He thought it was all a dream. Hargate and Longsword can’t be able to find him this quick, unless Rose…

  No way. She hadn’t betrayed him.

  “W-where’s H-Hargate?” he asked, looking around.

  “No time to explain. Probably ambushed outside. I have to get you out of here. Now where’s the switch to unlocking these chains?”

  “L-left wall, r-right button,” Leon replied.

  Longsword rushed off and worked the switch, unlocking the chains around Leon’s arms and legs, mak
ing him fall to the ground.

  “Can you get up, Heartily? We have to run.”

  Leon tried to stand but his muscles were so worn out that he couldn’t.

  “Never mind.” Longsword came and guided him up on his feet. “I guess you’ve been hung for too long that you’ve became an old cripple.”

  “C-cripple my ass.” Leon wasn’t in the mood for joke. “Hargate. We m-must go h-help him.”

  “In your condition? No way. You will kill us all.”

  “S-Shut up!” Leon pushed Longsword away and worked his leg to stabilize and hold him up. “W-we can’t l-leave him.”

  “I’ll get you out, then I will come back and help him.”

  “I-I’m not a c-coward to l-leave y-you two to fight for m-my life.”

  “Stop being so stubborn. You need a high amount of rest before going into battle with a hundred guards.”

  “I’d rather die fending for my friends than run for my life!” There’s no more stutter in his words now. He was serious.

  “Seriously, Heartily. You are in no condition–”

  But Leon was already heading out the door where Hargate had gone through.

  “Oh, well,” Longsword shrugged to himself, pulling off his cravat. “Battle time.”

  Leon cursed to himself when he got out of the dungeon to find Hargate surrounded by a hundred of Lansing’s guards.

  “Hargate!” he cried, diverting the attentions of the guards towards him.

  “Heartily!” Hargate smiled, and knock down one of the guards that was coming at him.

  Leon did the same as one of them charge over to him. Though he was strain of energy, he did his best to fend for his friend.

  “What are you doing?” Hargate asked when they had come backto-back with one another. “You were supposed to be escaping with Longsword.”

  “And leave you? I think not.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “With a hundred men charging at you? I don’t think so.”

  “You look close to collapsing.”

  “You have no idea, my friend.”

  Leon and Hargate were able to knock a third of the guards down until more were sent out.

  “How many of these idiots are there?” Hargate asked, ducking the sharp point of one of the guard’s sword.

  “No idea.”

  “Heartily, Longsword and I know who your real enemy is now. It’s not the present marquess but the former.”

  “Rose told you guys?”

  “Yes.”

  A whistle came from behind them and Longsword fought his way to them.

  “Where the hell did you go?” Hargate inquired.

  “Setting up the explosion,” Longsword answered. “You guys were good with catching their attentions.”

  “What do you insist we do?” Leon asked, he was panting out of breath as he dodges a blow.

  “You guys see that barrel over there? If we can get them close enough, I can shoot at it and it would blow up.”

  “We have to dash outside fast though or else we will get inflamed with them,” said Hargate.

  “Yes,” Longsword nodded. “But we run off pass it and then I will turn back to shoot at it.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” Leon agreed, kicking off another guard.

  “On the count of three, let’s dash,” Hargate replied.

  They nodded, and started back towards the barrel.

  “One…”Hargate began.

  “Two…” Longsword followed.

  “Three!” Leon shouted, and the three of them dashed off, leading the herd of guards to follow them.

  “I see your legs are finally working,” Longsword said to Leon.

  “Shut up. Get your aims ready,” Leon said.

  Longsword laughed and pulled out the pistol from his hessian. “Here goes nothing.”

  He turned back just as they outran the guards and shot at the barrel.

  “Down!” Hargate shouted, and they flew off on their stomach, out the open door as the barrel burst into flames, sending guards flying in all direction.

  “That was close,” said Longsword, as he rolls onto his feet. “Good one,” Hargate answered, sitting up.

  “I thought we would never escape,” said Leon. “Where did you get those explosive devices, Longsword?”

  “I brought them,” said Hargate. “War battle devices.”

  “Yes. They belong to Hargate,” said Longsword.

  Leon doesn’t know why Hargate has these war battle devices, but nodded his head. “I see.”

  They all got to their feet and surveyed the ground of dead bodies.

  “Thank God we’re out in the country that there’s no one to witness this or be at harm,” said Longsword.

  “Where’s that Lansing?” Leon asked, remembering now. “I have to kill him. I shouldn’t have let him survive that day at Phillipa’s at all.”

  “And Lady Rosy!” Hargate exclaimed. “Where is she?”

  “What?” Leon was suddenly filled with indignation. “You brought Rose here?”

  “No. She led us here,” Longsword answered. “Without her, you would still be chained up.”

  “Oh hell!” Leon bellowed. “We have to go find her.”

  “Leon, watch out!” Hargate cried, suddenly pushing him to the ground.

  “You son of a bitch!” Longsword roared and shot at one of the guards that had survived the blow.

  “What the hell–Hargate!” Leon and Longsword both rushed to where Hargate lies, clutching to the side of his abdomen.

  “That bloody son of a bitch stabbed you!” said Longsword as he helped Hargate up.

  “You shouldn’t have done that, Hargate,” said Leon. “You should have let that bastard take me instead.”

  “W-what’s a f-friend if h-he c-can’t e-even s-stand up for h-his ffriend’s?” Hargate murmured. He was bleeding like hell that Leon was in a panic to rip up his shirt and wrap up the wound.

  “It’s a deep stab,” said Longsword as he examines it. “What do we do now? We have to get Lady Rose.”

  “Lansing and his ass father must have took her off somewhere by now,” said Leon. “We will help Hargate first. I will come back here later for clues.”

  “Where should we take Hargate?”

  “I suppose back to the inn,” said Leon. “He’s bleeding like crazy. We’ve got to get him a physician.”

  “I don’t think we should take him back to the inn,” said Longsword. “The enemies are sure to be there. They abducted you from there, remember?”

  “I didn’t get abducted,” Leon said, disliking the way it sounded. “I was merely knocked out and taken as a prisoner.”

  “I-I will b-be f-fine,” Hargate managed through clenched teeth as Longsword and Leon argued about their next destination.

  “Shut up,” Leon told him. “I’ve decided. I’m taking you to my sister’s hideout. It’s the last safe place close to here.”

  “Your sister’s hideout?” Hargate asked, groaning in pain as Leon wind his shirt more securely around Hargate’s waist.

  “Avangelene’s,” Leon answered. “She wouldn’t tolerate it but I have to. There’s a doctor over there that can help. Quickly Longsword. We’ve got to hurry.”

  Longsword nodded, and stood up from his kneeling. “All right. Should I be the guard on the lookout or should I carry Hargate?”

  “D-don’t be absurd,” Hargate winced. “I c-can m-manage a few ffeet or two.”

  “No you can’t,” said Leon. “We will ride those horses over there. They belong to you guys, right? I recognize that brown one to be yours, Longsword.”

  “Correct,” Longsword answered.

  “Good. It should take us less than five minutes or so to get to Avangelene’s place.”

  “All right.”

  “Get the mounts ready, Longsword, then come back and give me a hand with Hargate. You’re quite a few stones, you know,” he said, helping Hargate up on his feet.

  Hargate gave a weak laugh and slowly step
forward with Leon guiding him towards the horses.

  “Don’t even walk,” Longsword said, hurrying to them with the horses. “I will help you up, Hargate.”

  Leon and Longsword both gave him a boost up and tied the reign of his horse to theirs.

  “We would ride as a trio,” Leon said, and whipped the horse off down the road.

  “Am…am I g-going to d-die?” Hargate asked dumbly.

  “No!” Leon and Longsword answered in unison.

  He just gave them a weak smile and closed his eyes.

  How grateful Leon was to have such a great friend who would sacrifice his own life for his. Though he’s merely a bastard, his duke and earl of a friend had submitted to him as if he’s the one in power. He doesn’t even deserve their kind treatment. He should have been the one that was wounded, not that he wasn’t already. He was the one everyone intended to kill. Not Hargate.

  “We’re almost there,” Leon told Hargate after a few minutes. “Don’t go into the dark.”

  That broke out a weak laugh from Hargate. “Only light, I assure you.”

  “Keep talking,” Longsword add in. “That way, you can stay a while longer.”

  “Please. I’m…I’m not g-going t-to…to…” The words slip off Hargate’s mouth and he was out cold.

  “Hargate!” Leon cried out as Hargate went silent.

  “Quick, Leon! I think he’s…”

  “No!” Leon replied. “He’s going to be all right!”

  Leon pressured the horses to run faster until finally they arrived at the hideout of his sister.

  “Why are we at a waterfall?” Longsword asked, confused. “Don’t you know Hargate might be dead already?”

  “Shut up!” Leon snapped. He doesn’t want to hear that word.

  “Where’s your sister’s place?”

  “Help me get Hargate down,” Leon said. “Her place is behind that waterfall.”

  “Behind the waterfall?” Longsword was quite amazed.

  “Yes. I have to hit the switch.”

  “Quite intelligent,” Longsword replied, jumping off to get Hargate down.

  Leon jumped into the roaring water and swim under the waterfall to press the switch that only Avangelene allow her siblings to know about in case they were to face situations like this. The waterfall stopped and a stone door slides open.

  He smiled gratefully and swim back to help Longsword with Hargate.