Julian

Julian woke up with a start. There was an intruder. A thin wooden wall was all that separated his room from the stable stalls, and he could hear every step and every breath on the other side. He listened carefully. The Pegasi had awoken too. He could hear their snorts and rustling wings. The sounds grew louder, and a sudden burst of wind blew inside the stable.

Someone had opened the stable gates. Julian quickly rose to his feet and reached for his door. Concealed in the dark, he stepped quietly outside his room, and he could see a small hooded figure leading one of the Pegasi outside.

Julian treaded as quietly as he could, but the figure suddenly stopped as it seemed to sense his presence. Julian held his breath. The figure turned to scan the place. Julian squinted his eyes, trying to make out the face, but it was too dark to see anything. The intruder must have not been able to see him too, and simply turned back, leading the Pegasus away. And Julian realized with horror, that the Pegasus was none but Achilles.

Julian's heart hammered. Whoever that intruder was, Julian had to stop him. He couldn't lose Achilles again.

Julian stepped out of his hiding and walked stealthily behind the winged figure. The sounds of his own footsteps were drained out by the clanking of Achilles's hoofs. Julian was only a step behind the cloaked figure. The intruder stopped, but before he could turn to find his follower, Julian had hurled himself at his back, knocking him to the ground. A short scream followed, and Achilles moved aside without a sound.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Julian said, his voice deep and angry. His victim struggled as he lay on his front, his face hidden in the ground, while Julian mounted his back pinning him down.

"Get off me!" the victim gasped out. It was a woman's voice. A very recognizable arrogant voice. "Let me go!"

"You!" Julian hissed as he realized it was Alina. "You were trying to escape?" Julian grabbed her arm and forced her up to her feet. Despite the dark, he could see the horrified look on her face.

"How dare you! Don't touch me." She tried to free her arm but he only grasped her harder, and she cried out in pain. "You lowly slave!" she shouted and slapped his face with her free hand.

Provoked by her persisting arrogance, Julian only grasped her other arm as well as he scowled at her.

"Let me go, bastard. You'll pay for this!"

"Raise your voice a bit more so the guards would come and take you to Lord Bernard. Or better yet, let me take you to Lord Bernard myself," Julian said, and he started dragging her towards the keep.

"No, stop it. Stop!" she pleaded. "Please, listen to me. Please!"

"So you're begging me now?" he stopped and sneered at her.

Alina lowered her head in despair. "Please... just let me go."

"Just let you go?" he laughed. "What a silly thing to ask!"

"Please... What difference does it make to you if I escape or stay?"

He wanted to laugh again. How much he enjoyed this, having her under his mercy, with all of her arrogance and pride crushed to nothing.

"And when your absence is discovered in the morning along with Achilles, who do you think will be questioned?"

"You don't have to mention anything. Just act as if you were sleeping and knew nothing."

"What a brilliant excuse! Sorry Lord Bernard I've let your wife steal Achilles and escape because I was sleeping. No. I'm sorry. I am not keen on losing my head for you. I am not getting punished for you again," he said coldly, the frustration in her eyes filling him with great satisfaction.

He resumed leading her towards the keep without the slightest hint of pity. He had already suffered enough because of her. He had every right to turn her in and have his revenge. He had every right...

"Then let me go back inside on my own," she said. "Don't turn me in. Don't mention anything about what happened here."

"And why should I do that?"

"Because, if you mention nothing about finding me here, I will reward you."

Julian snorted at her ridiculous words, and he only continued to drag her along.

"Please, wait. Just what will you gain by turning me in?"

"Besides all the interesting means I'd like to see Lord Bernard punish you with, at least I'll make up for my last failing, which was basically caused by you."

The next moment he was caught by surprise as she quickly forced her arm out of his grasp, but instead of running away from him, she had simply dropped herself to the ground. He looked down at her suspiciously, wondering what she was playing at, when he noticed that her small body was shaking. No way...

He knelt down cautiously to see her face, and to his utmost shock, he found her crying. But what shocked him even more was the totally unexpected warmth that filled his heart at the sight of her tears. No. Just No! Annoyed by his sudden softening, he tried to resist the urge of letting her go. No! I am not going to get fooled by her pretty looks again, he reminded himself. He raised his hand, about to grab her arm and force her up to her feet again, only to stop midway and drop his hand back down.

"Don't cry," he found himself saying, out of nowhere, but her tears only continued to stream down her face and her sobs continued to shake her little body, as if she hadn't even heard him at all. "I said don't cry!" he repeated firmly. "Fine. Go back inside."

Just what in the heavens and hells possessed him to say that, he had no idea. As if the words just came out of his mouth against his will. She looked up at him, wide disbelief in her sparkling round eyes.

"Go, before I change my mind," he scowled. What the hell was he doing? He should turn her in to Bernard. It was his only chance to make up for his last failing!

He noticed her hesitance as she managed to get up to her feet. He was still frowning at her while she looked back at him in wonder. He watched her as she took a step backwards, but without warning, her eyes closed and she sank to the ground.

Julian's heart sank along. He hurried at her side and sat frozen for a long moment, staring at her motionless body lying on the ground. He reached with his trembling hands to her shoulders and held her up gently. He shook her, but she did not move.

"No, don't do this. Please wake up!" He shook her harder. But she did not wake. He was horrified. If she didn't wake up before dawn, she would get discovered here.

He rose to his feet and walked around in circles, desperately thinking of what to do. He went back and knelt again by her side, staring helplessly at her oblivious face. It was wet with tears, and he found his fingers absently hovering over an old bruise that marred her left cheek.

His eyes fell to her delicate body that was traced by a dark riding dress, revealed beneath her slightly opened cloak, and his heart thumped. She looked unusually innocent, and completely vulnerable. Nothing like the haughty and mean person he had known. Frustrated, he grabbed her arms and shook her hard. But she still did not wake up. He slapped her.

Her eyes opened slightly, and he held his breath. She was awake! He continued to stare at her, his heart beating anxiously as she moaned and tried to sit up.

"I am cold," she barely whispered, before her eyes fell half closed and she sank back to the ground once more, unconscious. Julian, nervous and angry, scooped her up in his arms and quickly strode back to his room inside the stable. He landed her above his own bed, the only recognizable piece of furniture in the dark and barren chamber.

"Damn you! I will lose my head because of you," he muttered as he turned to light the lone lantern standing on a small broken table by his bed. Next, he reached for a cup of cold water and splashed right it into Alina's face.

Her eyes flew open with a gasp. He knelt to help her as she struggled to sit up properly. She was breathing heavily as she turned to look at him, her large honey eyes shimmering with tears. Then she turned to look up around her, cautiously scanning the tiny battered room. His heart raced. She would definitely scream and snap at him for bringing her in here.

"You fainted," he said quickly before she attempted any assaults. But she was unexpectedly quiet.

"Is this your room?" she asked as she continued to watch the tiny place warily.

"Yes," he answered, almost whispering.

"I should not be here," she said with a hint of fear in her eyes.

"Yes. But you fainted. I had to -"

"Why are you helping me?"

He did not answer. Because he himself did not know. All he knew was that Lord Bernard's beautiful young wife sat there in his own room, in his own bed, in the middle of the night. His heart raced. If someone discovered them now they would both be instantly dead.

"I should leave," she said timidly as she attempted to get up, but just as she walked out of the bed, she lost her balance and fell once more. Julian jumped to catch her, closing his arms around her before her body hit the ground. She clung to his shirt, looking up at him with big round eyes. He slowly helped her back to the bed, his hands trembling. God she was so soft. And warm. His heart raced.

"Stay seated!" he ordered, trying to conceal his nervousness. "Don't move now. I don't understand how you were going to escape when you can't even stand."

The next moment Alina started to cry. Julian looked at her with a frown of concern, and anger, annoyed to find himself softening so easily before her tears. But he had never pictured her so weak and helpless. He had only known her to frown and sneer and snap with arrogance. And now he watched her in sympathy as her small body shook with endless sobs.

"I'm sorry," she said through her tears, her voice almost muffled. But he could clearly make out her words. "You have suffered because of me," she continued. "I am really sorry. I have always wanted to tell you this. Ever since that day, when they whipped you because of me. I am sorry."

He sat there still and silent, unable to believe that she actually said that. She looked up at him again. And his heart thumped. She was very beautiful...

"I had better leave," she said, already attempting to rise.

"No, wait... wait until you feel good enough to walk," he said. Anyone in his right senses would have encouraged her to leave. But he stupidly encouraged her to stay! Why, he did not know. A long silence followed. And the tension only increased.

"Why were you trying to run away?" he asked, in an attempt to break the awkward silence.

"How many times has Bernard hit you?" she asked back, and he paused for a moment, a bit confused by her unexpected question.

"Umm, more than I can count," he answered hesitantly.

"And you live in the stable," she said. "Imagine if you lived with someone like him in the same room. I bet you wouldn't have stayed for even one night."

Julian only looked at her silently, his eyebrows furrowing as he realized that she was not the spoilt little brat he had thought her to be. It seemed that she too had suffered, far more than he could imagine. But he didn't need to imagine, for next, Alina had slowly slid down her cloak, and turned her back to him.

"I am as good as a slave here too. Look," she said, and Julian's eyes widened as he saw her chained wings. But it was not only the chains that horrified him. Her delicate ivory wings were heavily bruised and battered, and full patches of feathers were missing. What the hell had Bernard done to her?

His frown deepened. How pitiful. The proud and haughty princess was now chained like a slave. All he had ever wanted since Achilles's incident was to see her suffer. Nothing would have given him more satisfaction. And now when his dream had come true, he realized that it did not please him as he thought it would. Surprisingly, it even made him feel furious. All he wished now was to have the power to take those chains off her and ease her pain.

"Do you still hate me," she asked timidly as she turned back to face him, putting her cloak back on, "for what I've done to you?"

"No," he said softly, almost in a whisper. "I don't hate you..." How could I just hate you now?

"Good," she whispered as she lowered her head, and he could almost swear he saw the hint of a smile on her face.

He leaned forward in an attempt to see her better, when she suddenly looked up at him with sweet honey eyes. And his heart stopped for a moment. There was indeed a little smile on those sweet soft lips. But he could not smile back. He could not speak. He was utterly lost, that he did not notice how low the lantern flames flickered, before the room suddenly turned pitch black, bringing him back to his senses. Shit! 

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