Summer Manner in the Easter Forest

Jeremiah swallowed and rose from his seat, surprise in his eyes. Slowly he came closer to Diana and looked into her eyes. "Are you sure? It's not only his reputation that would be on the line. Not that anyone would hold it against you, but more questions would arise... Questions you may not want to answer." He sighed and closed his eyes for a moment, his fist tightening. "Whatever we do, the next time I see that slime of a man he will know what he did." He turned and put his hands on the table, sighing as he pushed against it in frustration. Eighteen years they have known each other... And Jeremiah had been to foolish to realize anything was going on. "Diana, when did he start? When was the first time he hit you?" he muttered through clenched teeth.

She looked at him she new the answer instantly but she did not want to say it it would probably make him more angry. She had never seen him this mad she had seen him mad before but never this mad. She sighed knowing if she did not tell him it would only make things worse. "well the first time i could remember getting hit i was 8 i threw a fit because i did not want to go to a event he slapped me then threw me in the car slamming the door then turned around and started yelling at my mother" She new there had been times before that that he hurt her but she could not quiet remember them all that well. She could remember the first time he saw him hit her mother it caused an accident. Her mother had been pregnant and when he hit her she fell really badly down the castle steps causing a miss carriage of her unborn baby brother, every since then his fathers anger just seemed to be worse. "there were times before that i know but thats the earliest one that i truly remember" She walked over to him placing a hand on his shoulder her voice soft and slightly worried "Jeremiah are you ok?"

Jeremiah closed his eyes and released his hot breath at her touch. Four years had overlapped between the abuse and their annual summers together. He had allowed himself to remain ignorant to her silent pleas. There must have been something he could have done to stop it. He sighed and nodded while turned toward her. He was surprised to realize how much he towered over her now since his growth spurt the summer after they last met. "I'm fine," he said, looking down to her. "I just.. I feel like there should have been something I could have done. Something to stop him. I never even knew it was happening, I'm so sorry. But from now on, I won't let him touch you again. If he even looks at you the wrong way..."

She sighed looking up at him. "You could not have known i hid it to well. I always wore long sleeves and pants I did not want any one to know I was embarrassed and scared" She softened her look a bit. "Some of my servants did not even know" Tried to smile "You are not to blame for this if anything its my father his anger for not having a son and getting a girl instead my fathers anger has always led to people getting hurt" mumbled the next sentence barley hear able looking down. "or someone dying" She did not look up at him she did not want to look at anyone really she kinda felt like being alone.

Jeremiah sighed and glanced away, not really believing that there was nothing he could have done. "Listen, it's going to be dark soon. We might as well stay for the rest of the night here since it's warm and let things calm down a bit before confronting them again. Deal?" He ran his hand through his hair and looked to the pile of blankets. There were enough for one make shift bed. Of course for Diana. And Diana alone. Not that anything would happen, but...

Jeremiah cleared his throat loudly and turned, trying to hide the blush on his cheeks from his wandering mind away from the image from the dressing room. "Get some sleep and I'll stay guard," he said.

She looked at him and nodded softly "yeah i guess your right but wake me up in a few hours so you can get some sleep as well ok i mean it." She walked over to the chair and pulled one of the blankets to her and sat in the chair covering up with the blanket leaning her head to the side closing her eyes. It took her a few minutes before she was able to fall asleep but sooner or later her body relaxed enough for her to fall asleep. She slept a restless sleep turning every once in a while and mumbled often.

Jeremiah watched as she slept, aware of how alone they were. Her restlessness disturbed him, knowing that there was little he could do to sooth her pain. He wanted to help her, be there for her, but it had taken eighteen years just for them to be put into the same room and not start screaming at each other. He was at a lost.

Silently he rose from his seat and took a doll he found in ht prop room. Carefully, so not to disturbed her, he set the small creature on her lap in an attempt of comfort. Lacy always slept with dolls, so he hoped the act would not be too childish for the princess. He sighed and stroked her hair softly, his heart aching for her. She held so much pain.

Stepping back, he went to adjust the temperature of the stoves to keep the room nicely warmed. He was exhausted, but refused to sleep in case Diana needed something. She was his main concern. Jeremiah yawned and leaned against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest as he blinked heavily. Without him even realizing, his head drooped as he fell into a soft sleep, still managing to stay upright.

After an few hours she woke up. She noticed the small doll in her arms smiled softly looking at it. It was almost a perfect replica of the one she used to have. She looked over and noticed Jeremiah leaning against the wall. For a few moment she thought he was awake but then she noticed he was asleep. She smiled at the fact he was asleep he had seemed so tense so worked up.

She slowly stood up uncurling from the chair. She was a bit wobbly as she had been curled in the same position for a few hours. After a while her legs became stable and she walked around the room. She noticed the small window and walked over to it opening it a crack to let some fresh air in as the air in the room was getting stale. She looked back over at Jeremiah. He did not seem like the gangly thin annoying boy she used to know. he seemed proper, wiser, and she was embarrassed admitting it to herself but he was handsome. She walked back over to the chair grabbing the blanket and folded it up and carefully trying her hardest not to wake him up slid it behind his head.

She hummed softly to herself sitting down at the table trying to build a tower from the cups left after the evacuation.

Jeremiah awoke with a start, his head snapping up as sleep blinked from his eyes while trying to remember where he was. The moment he saw Diana playing with cups, the memories of what happened returned to him. His grip on his sword loosened which he had grabbed from its hilt when waking. Slowly he tucked it away and stretched his stiff body, aware of the makeshift pillow behind his head. He smiled, curious as to how long he had slept but mostly thankful that Diana seemed to be out of harms way. "Good morning, did you sleep well?" he asked, pulling a chair up to the table. How long have you been up?"

She looked over at him and smiled "A few hours not long i opened a window a bit to let some fresh air in it was getting a little stale in here i hope you do not mind" Smiled and put the cups away and smiled. "how did you sleep it did not look very comfortable but i could see how it could be but it did not look like it" laughed softly the all laying nicly on the table.

Jeremiah smiled awkwardly and rubbed the back of his neck. "I've slept better, but seeing I was trying not to sleep, it was pretty good if I can say so." He chuckled, running a hand through his hair to fluff it slightly. "I was in the military for a few months last year, doing a few rounds before the king decided it was too dangerous with the uprising rebellion and pulled me out. The guys and I... We pretty much learned to sleep wherever you could get some. Comfort didn't matter even if we weren't in active duty. It was still tough, but not nearly as bad as what they are going though now." He sighed and stood up to look out the window.

She nodded lightly and sighed "I dont even understand the wars i mean our fathers get along perfectly fine why should the kingdoms be at war its stupid and childish." looked away standing up "Its pathetic i dont even think anyone knows why the war was started in the first place i dont i wish i new." Looked over at Jeremiah. "my father does not even care about his soldiers when a general sent him a letter about five troops having been killed he just ordered more to go out its like as if their lives mean nothing to him and i hate to say it but i dont even want to admit to be his daughter anymore. My mom has told stories of when they were first married and he was such a happy man she said after i was born and i wasnt a boy he was so irritated that he just went into this depression and never got out of it....."

Jeremiah pressed his lips together as his fists closed slightly. That retched man. "He has nothing to be disappointed about," Jeremiah said stubbornly. "Nothing at all." He sighed and turned toward her, his eyes mirroring her sadness. "An author I knew once, Kurt Vonnegut, wrote that there will always be war; they are about as easy to stop as glaciers. And even if the wars do not come like glaciers, there will still be senseless deaths." He smiled sadly, standing up and walking past her. He paused and put his hand on her shoulder, looked down at her for a moment in thought, and then continued by to gather his few items that he had with him. "Come on, you said that you wanted to confront them today. We might as well go back to my home and get breakfast first. The servants won't tell if we come, they trust me more than my father."

She nodded standing up putting things away. "ok that might be a good idea but wont your father hear the bike pull in?" She looked at him slightly curious. "And please do not be upset with him i am not anymore i honestly dont care anymore" she smiled softly trying to brighten his mood. She grabbed the doll as she felt like taking something from this place that brought so many happy memories back to her that it only felt right. She shut the windows locking them then turned the stoves off so the building would not burn down. "I am going to go change back into my cloths they should be dried by now and your might be as well."

"That's like asking a bull not to charge at the color red," he growled annoyed. Not be upset at that man? How could that even be possible? He sighed and forced a smile for Diana's sake. "We could leave the bike at the woods and cut through. It would be a five, ten minute walk at most? I know the way around, the King won't suspect a thing." Jeremiah scratched his neck nervously and chuckled. "Go get changed, I think I'll wait here to stay on the safe side," he said, attempting to hide the blush spreading across his cheeks.

"well if i only ever asked and aimed for the possible then i dont think we would be having this conversation" She laughed slightly as she walked out of the room walking back to the changing room for the theater. She changed quickly grabbing his cloths for him and walked back taking her time as she walked to look around the building. As she walked back into the room she handed him his cloths. "i will wait outside" She turned and walked out and leaned against the wall waiting for him.