Never Forgotten- When love is destined, is it future or danger?

never forgotten- chapter ten

Chapter Ten

I awoke very suddenly for the carriage wheels were jolting underneath me along the gravelly road. I shifted up a little in my seat and felt my hair and face. My hair was matted and knotted and my face felt crusty and dry from tears. I imagined that if Frederick were to see me like this, he would shun himself from me and never look into my eyes again.

I turned to look outside and was not surprised to see the same beautiful moors with the flowers swaying in the cold, English breeze. I remembered the days Jane and I ran through these moors, searching for little woodland creatures and berries. Oh how much I missed those lovely, calm days. As I was busy gazing out the window, the carriage gently began to pull into court and a slight wave of nervous nausea came over me. I was not in the best condition to be observed by the King and I feared that my state of health would fright my sister so. I did not want to even imagine the pitiful looks people would most likely give me every time I walked by. I did not want people feeling sorry for me. It would only make this terrible feeling of loss worse. I just wanted to crawl into a warm down bed and sleep away the misery.

Moments later, the carriage halted and the man who helped me earlier opened the door for me and offered me his hand. I looked at him suprisedly, as I thought I couldn't quite possibly have the strength yet to stand. Nevertheless, I gathered my cloak together, wrapping it around me tightly and proceeded to step out of the carriage with as much dignity as I could muster. As soon as my feet felt the ground, my knees gave way and I was glad that the man beside me was there for support. I found myself correct that I was still very weak. Again, I was treated like a child- much to my embarrassment, and was lifted into the arms of the kindly gentleman who had carried me. I covered my face in my hands, trying to hide myself from the world. 

I was expecting to be carried through the secret door at the back of the manor so as not to cause a stir but much to my surprise, I was taken to the front of the manor and into the grand hall where Jane and the king would be sat in their thrones. The gentleman carrying me nodded to the guards at the hall doors and the great wooden gateway was opened to reveal the beautiful grand hall, golden in the sunlight that was shining through the windows. A red carpet lead from where I was being held, procceding up to the royal thrones. The king was sat in his throne beside Jane, observing me with a curious eye. He looked at Jane alarmed, questioning her with his eyes as to why a stranger was being carried towards them. I did not think he recognised me. I was brought forward and suddenly as if he was a blind man able to see again, his face dropped in surprise. I could see many emotions bubbling up inside him- anger and curiosity most of all. I could of said  the same for Jane as her face was of pure beauty but the emotion in her eyes was as readable as a book.

It wasn't until the King addressed the gentleman holding me that I realised I was in the arms of a legal-man, or as you would say, a man of the law.

"Mr Reeds, please explain what all of this is" the king almost whispered, anger rising up in him. "Why is my dearest friend Elizabeth wrapped up in a cloak, pale as death and in your arms? Why?"

Carefully, Mr Reeds set me down steadying me against his chest. 

"I'll explain shall I?" he replied with cool resentment. " Well, firstly your majesty, I am sorry to say this but you would have known about this if you would have kept her in your court for longer with her husband. She is only young and yet your majesty, you thrust on her a life of confinement. She is not to have freedom of life with her husband but to live inside the walls of a manor."

The king rose angrily from his throne. Jane sat back, her hands going white as she clenched the sides of the throne, staring at me.

"How do you know such information Reeds?" the king asked abruptly.