Elaine Marie's Story

“Jason, don’t turn your back to me.” She said softly not angry as she walked around so he was facing her again. “I’m not trying to make you feel guilty…I’m trying to make you see.” She sighed standing back up. “Right now you need the others and me. You May not have Sebastian’s Mercy, but you have mine, and it might just save your life.” She walked out of the cell. “I promised to get you out today, and I’m not one for breaking my promises.” She turned to the guards. “If I come back, and his hands are chained, or there are any more wounds on him. You two had better fear for your lives, if the Head of Guards has a Problem, tell him he can come answer to me.”


Sebastian walked into the throne room no one else was there but the English king, and a few guards. “I’ve been doing what you have told me to do. This isn’t me, someone will find out.” The English king paced around him. “You are acting like a King, you are a King aren’t you?” Sebastian sighed. “Your making me treat Elaine awfully, your making me hurt her, and beat her, and toss her aside. Your making me hurt her friends, my friends. You have to remember this is my court!” The King nodded. “It is your court, but, this is also war. If you want to keep your country safe, your Sister will marry my Son, and you will do as I say.” Sebastian glared at him. “And if Elaine finds out? You must remember, she is the Queen of France and of Ireland, she has been a Queen since she was seven, if she finds out…” The king cut him off. “What will she do? She is a Queen; I am a King. Besides, if you slip up, if you don’t do what I say, Elaine, her Ladies, Jason, Perhaps even your sister will end up dead. Poisoning is an Art boy, and no one, would suspect me. If I were you, I Would be a smart King and Tread carefully. Your young, mistakes are made, but I suggest you don’t make one in this matter.”

Jason sighs silently as he closes his eyes, praying that he could get a few hours of sleep. It would help more than most people imagine. He was tired, felt broken, and felt as if he had no chance in getting out of his situation. He was being what the old king of France wanted, what this new one seemed to want too. He looked up at the small window that let in cold air, his frame shivering in the cold air. He was freezing, his shirt in tatters, and Elaine's bloody shawl. He sighed quietly as he tried to doze off.

Annabelle stands just outside the viewpoint of the kings. Her eyes wide, she listened. Sebastian's strange behavior made sense now. Isabella and the wedding was being out off so much, the king of England was extremely unhappy. She watched as Lucian entered, his eyes seemingly furious as he goes. He just have found other about Elaine visiting Jason. Taking a deep breath, Annabelle prays she can slip out of the room unnoticed, looking at the door that was a few feet away. She closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, then moves to go to it. It wasn't the door she had entered in and found it locked making the noise audible as she had pulled on the door. She looked back, knowing the sound had gone throughout the room, all eyes on her now. "No, no, no, no," Annabelle whispers as she struggles to open the unyielding door.

Elaine walked into her room where she found Gabriella with Charles rocking him and singing a lullaby most Irish children knew well. “Over in the Killarny, many years ago, my mother sang a song to me, in tones so sweet and low.” Elaine smiled joining in. “Just a simple little ditty, in her good old Irish way, and I’d give the world if she could sing that song to me today.” Gabriella turned around and smiled at her friend. “He was just being fussy.” Elaine nodded. “I’m not surprised, he has been fussy since last night.” She took the baby gently rocking him kissing his tiny forehead.

Sebastian felt his stomach turn seeing Annabelle, he stopped Lucian from speaking and stopped the English King from going over to her. “She is a French subject and my Wife’s lady, I will deal with her.” The English King scoffed. “She will tell the Queen, she needs to be silenced.” Sebastian looked at him anger in his gaze. “You lay a hand on her, and all deals are off, a threat of war or not.”

He went over to Annabelle pretending to grip her arm tightly for show, but not actually holding her tightly, He walked her out of the room taking her hand leading her down the hall, he stopped, calming her down. “Go to Elaine, tell her, tell her everything, but make sure she knows to act like she doesn’t know what’s going on, to act like she is still very angry with me. The English King will kill her; He will kill all of you if he finds out, he will poison you, are wait until you are alone and make it look like an assassination.” He let go of Annabelle. “I don’t expect you to forgive me, or talk to me, or even look at me if you do not wish. But this isn’t just about me anymore I was trying to keep all of you safe. Now, go, go quickly and quietly, and get to Elaine as fast as you can.” Sebastian took a letter out of his pocket. “And give this to her, its Jason’s release notice, if she gives it to the guards they will let him go, its signed by me.”

Annabelle looks up at Sebastian in what could be thought of as terror. "How could you? Jason is lying in the dungeon nearly dead and you ordered it because of him? Why didn't you stop when it came to him?"Annabelle asks, her voice sounding somewhat broken as she looked at Sebastian, not daring to reach for the letter. She felt sick. Things were bad, getting worse. Isabella was probably still wandering the castle and Elaine was now in danger with one of their friends half dead in the dungeon. Things were extremely bad. "That's why you were being so cold... Demanding Elaine even if she didn't want it and was already hurt... God Sebastian... Was that also why you threatened to kill me or was that just you being careful?" Annabelle asks looking up at him with a hint of hatred now.

Annabelle looks at Sebastian with mixed emotions. She was hurt, she felt betrayed. She also knew things would get a lot worse if she didn't leave now. "Secrets come with a prize Sebastian, you have friends to help you pay it," Annabelle says softly before taking the letter and leaving, looking back only once with a tentative look. She was fearful she would be intercepted, but thought the chances unlikely as she made her way to Elaine's room. Upon entering it, she wasted no time explaining as she handed the letter over, her calmness a facade that she had never used before in such a situation. "The letter will free Jason if you give it to the guards," Annabelle explains.

Isabella closes her eyes and takes a deep breath as she hears what Sebastian says to Annabelle having ducked behind a corner at true last moment. She turns when she sees Annabelle go past. "It'll be tomorrow. Let's tell him now," Isabella says as she walks towards Sebastian, referring to the wedding. Her eyes held no nonsense and were more stuborrn than Sebastian could ever be, saying that she would find a way even if he refused. "You need to get out of this, right now France is being ruled by England," Isabella says as she looks to the door and moves to it.

Sebastian grabbed her gently. "No, it will not." He said softly. "You are not taking the fall for this Isabella. Lucian may have a advantage over me, but this is still my court, my rules, my command, my say. I'm going to fix this, you, you should go see James. He always relaxes you, listens. I think you need that right now." Sebastian looked at her kindly as he did before all of this had happened. "I will see you later." He started walking down the hall.

Elaine took the letter opening it. "How did you get Sebastian to sign this?" Elaine looked up at Annabelle, starting to see through the mask, she knew her friend to well. "Annabelle, whats wrong with Sebastian? What aren't you telling me?" She put Charles in the cradle, she looked at the both of them. "Come on, before the Head of the Guards gets any ideas." She looked at Annabelle as they were walking towards the dungeons. "Annabelle, I want to know everything Sebastian told you, as soon as I get Sebastian out." Elaine walked to the guards. "This is a Letter from the King of France, stating that Jason is to be released, Immediately." She handed the letter to the guard and he lead her to the cell, she walked in as soon as it was open, she kneeled beside Jason carefully waking him. "Jason, lets go. Sebastian gave me the letter to release you." She helped him up Annabelle taking his other arm, Elaine looked at Annabelle. "To my room, I dont want Jason alone." They helped Jason to her room sitting him on her bed when they got there. "I told you I never break a Promise." Elaine said softly to him, before turning to Annabelle. "What did Sebastian say to you? you wouldn't have come in here so calm if you weren't hiding something. I know you Annabelle. What did he tell you that has you so worried?"

Isabella looks after Sebastian with broken eyes. Dropping her mask before barging into the room that held the king and prince, the doors loudly heard through the halls. "I'm ready for the wedding now Lucian. You must swear however to realeases everyone," Isabella says as she walks towards him. She wasn't referring to just Sebastian, but James as well. He was recently of into the English army forcefully considering he is originally english. The king was the only one who could release him. "We can have it tomorrow so long as that works for you two," she says rather coldly.

Annabelle explains the situation as Jason hunches over, half asleep and half semiconsious. He was tired and his back frunt incredibly. Annabelle couldn't look at it as she had the memories of him as a child with the same wounds. "Sebastian is being controlled so long as the wedding it postponed," Annabelle says as she goes to jason, careful to hug his head like she did when they were younger. He smiled softly in her arms.

Lucian looked at Isabella. "I appreciate your enthusiasm Isabella, really I do." he walked over to her. "But I dont think the King, or the Queen of France agreed to that." He lifted her chin with his hand gently. "Did they?" He looked into her eyes seeing her resistance. "I didn't think so. You know that the wedding cannot go on until Your Brother, or his wife says so."

Elaine headed for the door, looking over her shoulder when Gabriella called her name. "Just, stay here and help Annabelle look after Jason, get the maids to get you things if you need them, and watch Charles. He is in his Cradle." Elaine opened the door walking down the hallway at a quick pace going to Sebastian's room, she didn't even bother knocking, she just walked right in. "Elaine." Sebastian said walking over to her. "I'm assuming Annabelle told you..." Elaine looked at him more hurt than angry. "Yes, she did, why didn't you tell me? We are married we are supposed to get through things together, look after each other, and our people. Lucian wants revenge for you stealing me away or whatever he thinks happened."
Sebastian sighed. "I'm not letting my sister take the fall, she deserves to be happy."
Elaine looked at him. "You and I both know she would never marry James, Sebastian. I want her to be happy as well, she is as much a sister to me as she is to you; but this needs to end. You are at war with yourself, people are getting hurt, people I care about, people you care about, I am getting hurt...We need to do something."
Sebastian glanced at her. "There is nothing to be done Elaine. My sister will break more than she already has if she marry's him." Elaine shook her head. "Sebastian, we are all broken. Some more than others, we are Royal, we don't get to be happy, we dont choose who we marry and when."
"We got to be happy, we loved each other, we have a beautiful son. We had Everything, and then Lucian showed up with his father..."
"Loved each other?" Elaine raised her eyebrows. "Sebastian, I will always love you, I may get angry or hurt, but nothing you say or do will ever make me not Love you." Elaine gently kissed his cheek. "She is your sister, you are her older brother, and the King of France...and Ireland, Whatever you choose, I will accept and we will figure something out."

"Then let's convince them shall we?" Isabella asks softly as she runs her head slightly and leans forward. She had to stand up a bit but is able to kiss Lucian, her insides feeling sick. She needed to convince everyone. She needed to make Elaine and Sebastian believe she was happy, she wanted this, otherwise James was dead and couldn't be freed in any way. It was the first time she had kissed him, kissed anyone but James. "They just need the extra push to see I'm happy. You tell the truth, show restraint, and know what you want when you want it, that's very important," Isabella says her hands rest on Lucian's shoulders, her fingers playing with the hair at the nape of his neck.

Jason whispers something inaudible to Annabelle as she gently strokes his hair. She looks down at him, curious. He doesn't say anything else though as he stares into the fire.

"Sorry to interrupt Your Grace." The messenger looked at Sebastian then at Elaine. "Your Grace. Prince Lucian and Princess Isabelle have requested your presence in the throne room." Sebastian nodded thanking the messenger and sending him off, the two of them walked down to the throne room, as soon as they entered Sebastian was swarmed by many different advisors on the matter at hand, Elaine proceeded to one of the thrones sitting down, since it was a diplomatic matter it was a custom, she watched Sebastian carefully, seeing his expression change from calm to frustrated, he went to Elaine whispering something in her ear which caused her to clench her fingers into a fist on the arm of the throne, she looked at Sebastian as he sat. Elaine cleared her throat before speaking. "I do not see, why we are all here, I made it quite clear to both of you, that the wedding would not happen until Isabella was well enough. Since the Princess has not stayed in the infirmary Jason has not been able to inform me on her current condition, and until he does so, the wedding is not to happen." Lucian looked at Elaine. "With all due respect Your Grace, we have been waiting a quite a few months." Elaine looked at Lucian. "Yes, a few months." She got up off of the throne walking down the steps and going to Lucian. "Sebastian and I waited nine years, and even when I returned to court, if so many attempts on my life didn't occur, if the French King wasn't killed, we could have waited years more." Sebastian got up and went to Elaine's side. "Alliance's take time, both of you know that. Beside's Lucian it helps if you are on the King and Queen's good side, which you currently are not." Sebastian looked at Isabella, with a questioning look as if to say: 'why are you doing this? I know this isnt what you want."

Isabella was getting frustrated. She kept glancing at Lucian beside her with small smiles while she waited for the attention. She just needed them to believe her and her acting was extremely good thanks to her father. "I am perfectly well. Jason should be who you are more concerned about as nobody can take care of himself but himself. I'm not skilled enough in that area. Come now, I know I'll get better if in away from such depression and worry. England would be able to care for me while Jason is incapable," Isabella says as she rests her head on Lucian's shoulder, her hand in his. "Besides, it'll only do good," Isabella says with a small giggle she used to give around only James, tucking her head into Lucian's chest. She could feel her morale slipping but held on for the final stretch to convince her brother and sister in law.

The entire conversation Isabella had been rather angry at Sebastian, crossing her arms and feeling like a child as she didn't look at him. When he left, she didn't say anything still, but closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Things needed to go further in order for them to believe her. Isabella saw Annabelle walking down a perpendicular hall and said to her, tell Elaine if she asks that I'm going to see Lucian and that's where you'll find me before dinner," she says with a wink as she moves away. Annabelle stands there, momentarily shocked before taking off at a run to find Elaine and tell her.

Isabella walked down the halls quickly. Her dress was tight today, one of the ones she hated that father gave her. She knocked on Lucian's door and when he opened it, looked up at him tiredly. "They still don't believe us, any ideas how to make Elaine believe us should she come here looking for us?" Isabella asks as she leans forward slightly, using a trick that any aristocrat fell for as they saw her rather bare chest, scarcely covered by her dress.

When she reached Elaine's rooms, she immediately told the queen in a rushed manor, hoping she'd do something to stop Isabella.

Lucian gave a little smirk. "The Queen doesn't like me Isabella, she basically hate's every word that comes out of my mouth. Beside's you really think they would by your desperate attempt? You hated me, and then all of a sudden, its like you had loved me your whole life. That act never convinces anyone." Lucian closed his book putting it on the table. "It will take us at least a week to convince them, that we are so in love we want to get married right away, and even then I'm not sure if you Sister-In-Law would by it, and if she doesn't, well your brother isn't bound to."

Elaine stood up from where she was sitting. "Annabelle, calm down. Isabella, she is just trying to prove a point, what point she is trying to prove is unclear to me, but I'm sure that's what she is doing, she would never let Lucian take it to far. She is smarter than that, and I can;t exactly go bursting in there...Well, I can, but I wont without a proper cause."

Isabella manages a pout. "Come on then Lucian, help me convince them. You've tied my hands so let me get this sped up to get him out," Isabella says as she walks over to him, draping herself over the back of the couch to wrap her arms around him. "Would you like to take a walk perhaps?" She asks, whispering in his ear. She knew he knew it was really an act, but she hoped he would at least enjoy it enough to help her. "Or we could stay here," she offers as she lets her fingers play with a button in the of his shirt.

Annabelle looks at Elaine with concern. "Elaine, I think she has something in mind to get your attention. She's going to his rooms and she's wearing that dress and acting like a different person. Sebastian just finished doing the same. For all you know, she could be being controlled too," Annabelle says.

Annabelle goes to Charles, looking down at him with a soft smile. "You know, Elaine, if you don't act somehow soon, everything will be destroyed. Relationships, alliances, kingdoms..." Annabelle says softly as she allows young Charles to take her finger and play with it.

Jason goes to Sebastian's desk, hating himself as he bowed slightly in his specific greeting. "The king of England is getting out of control Sebastian... Something must be done soon... Your only option is to secure the alliance and you know how to do it. Get lucian a castle or his own wing of this castle to allow Isabella to stay here while still performing as his wife. Then you are here for her and she cannot and will not have to face being away from home until she gets used to her new life," Jason says, getting straight to the point. He was worried about Isabella but he knew the consequences she was up against and hoped that her brother would trust him. "Please Sebastian, you know I didn't want her to be married in the beginning, but it just happen. You must trust me on this even if you trust me in nothing else for the rest of my life, but please listen to me," Jason says as he looks at Sebastian. He had pride, and he did still have a grudge against the king of France for having him imprisoned a few months ago, but he knelt to the ground, begging Sebastian do as he asked. Isabella would have never asked him to do such, but it didn't matter what she asked when it came to his friends.

Isabella nodded her head to the door. "I saw them outside but figured they wouldn't bother stopping me," she says softly as she looks down, her demeanor nervous. She had not seen James for over almost half a year now. For all she knew he was dead, or half dead in the English dungeon. "What are you busy with?" She asks as she goes to his desk leaning against it as she fiddles with one of he strings on the front of the dress. It was so right on her it hurt her it was better than not appeasing Lucian and having his father hear of it. Isabella wasn't even sure if Lucian knew about James, but she was sure he wouldn't be careful with her when it came to her doing something he disliked.