Chapter 13: Nightmares

Gabrielle sat on her bed, Josephine sitting next to her, holding her in a side hug.

She covered her face, tears dripping through the cracks of her fingers. "What was I thinking walking around alone… How could I have been so stupid… This is all my fault Josephine," She sobbed, barely able to speak.

"This is not your fault," Josephine remarked, "Don't you blame yourself for their actions. They knew better. They were supposed to be protecting the castle, protecting you. Instead they used their strength to harm you because they are horrible weak little boys and His Majesty is not going to let them get away with this either."

She looked at Josephine, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Oh His Majesty… How can I ever face him again," She lamented.

"What do you mean," Josephine exclaimed, "Why would you not be able to face him again? You're the one he loves the most. The one who holds his heart."

She met Josephine's eyes again, tears blurring her vision. "But he saw me. He saw everything. I was in a room full of men, with a torn dress on… How can he ever look at me the same way he did once before," She whimpered, her heart filling with sorrow.

"Oh Milady, His Majesty only wants to make sure that you're okay. If anything he's probably beating himself up over the whole ordeal. He's not going to look at you any different. He loves you and he knows it's not your fault," She comforted, meeting Gabrielle with a hug.

She held onto Josephine tightly for hours. Crying until she fell asleep.

Josephine tucked her into bed, quietly leaving the room, closing the door behind her.

Outside of the room she saw Ansel sitting on the floor next to the door and Cobsworth standing across from him.

She curtsied, muttering, "Your Majesty."

He quickly stood to his feet, fear filling his eyes as he grabbed on to her arms.

"How is she doing, is she alright, does she need anything, is there anything she wants, how can I help her," He bombarded her, questions spewing from his

"She's finally asleep," She consoled, grabbing onto his forearms, tenderness filling her face, "But I can not deny that the whole ordeal has shaken her up and she… She…"

"Ansel,"

Gabrielle's shrieks pierced their ears, interrupting their conversation.

Ansel moved past Josephine, fixated on Gabrielle's screams. He swung open the door, watching as Gabrielle screamed in her sleep.

"Ansel," She cried out, unable to stop.

He hastened over to her bedside, his eyes staggered with fear. He grabbed her hand, watching calmness rollover her face. He examined her eyes, seeing tears pooling in her eyelashes. He wiped them away.

'This is my fault. She wouldn't be so scared if I had done a better job making sure she was safe.'

He kissed the back on her hands, his eyes intensely fixated on her face.

"Never again," He whispered, rubbing the back of her hand.

He looked towards the doorway, seeing Cobsworth standing there.

"I want security in the castle doubled and have word sent out to Sir Darce that he is to meet me in my office at dawn," Ansel ordered, turning his gaze back to Gabrielle.

Cobsworth nodded, giving a bow. "It shall be done, Your Majesty."

"Leave us," Ansel commanded.

Cobsworth nodded once more, leaving the room, closing the door behind him.

Throughout the night Ansel held on to her hand tightly, unwilling to let go. He kneeled on the floor and rested his head on the bed, falling asleep next to her hand.

The rising sun painted the sky in an orangish blue color. The sound of bird chirps played in the air, waking Gabrielle from her sleep.

She sat up slowly, feeling his hand on her's, she slowly looked down at him.

"Ansel," She uttered, looking dewy-eyed at him.

He woke up, feeling her pull her hand away, he sat up, and looked at her.

"You're finally awake," He sleepily muttered, reaching his hand out towards her to touch her face, being met by her turning away in a hasty rejection.

He pulled his hand back, his heart beginning to ache.

"Where's Josephine," She murmured, fighting back her tears.

"I'll… I'll have her sent in," He sighed and left the room, closing the door behind him.

The sounds of Gabrille's cries crept through the door, filling his ears.

'She hates me… How am I ever going to make this up to her.'

An hour rolled past and Gabrielle heard a knock at her door.

"Come in," She muttered, seeing Josephine enter the room with a silver tray that had a cup of tea on it in her hands.

She bowed, saying, "Milady," and walked over to Gabrielle's beside, closing the door behind her.

She sat down on the bed, setting the tray on Gabrielle's bedside table.

"I brought you some tea," She sighed, handing a cup of tea over to Gabrielle.

She glanced down at the tea, taking it from Josephine, watching it swirl in the cup.

"I don't want Ansel to come into my room ever again. I don't even want to see him," She stated, gripping on to the cup.

"Surely you can't mean that, Milady. I mean last night you cried out for him… You…"

"I don't want to see him," Gabrielle interrupted, reiterating, "I can't face him… Not after what happened."

"But it wasn't your fault and His Majesty just wants to make sure that you're safe and happy, and…"

"I don't care if I cry out for him every night, I don't want him back in my room and I don't want to see him…" Gabrielle interrupted once more, pressing on her point.

"Yes Milady," Josephine nodded, hesitant to agree, "I'll let His Majesty know."

Gabrielle looked away, hastily wiping away a tear that escaped from her eye. "Please see to it that you do. I can not bear seeing him, not like this," She uttered.

Josephine got up and left the room closing the door behind her.

She headed for the King's Office, the words of Gabrielle weighing heavily in her mind.

She made it to the office, hearing Ansel harsh tone inside, she listened in but dared not to enter.

"You are in control of the hire of all new recruits and one of them disrespected and attacked Lady Gabrielle. He even went as far as to disrespect her in front of me. He was able to recruit 2 servants to trap her in a room for who knows how long. He managed to rip her dress to shreds down to her slip. He had her in tears. None of the guards around here noticed. A servant girl and Cobsworth were the ones who found her and from my understanding they were able to find her because of her screams which means the guards aren't doing their jobs in making their rounds which means you aren't doing your job in making sure this is done. I want all the new recruits properly hazed immediately. Every single recruit needs to be deeply looked into again. Find any and all information on all of them. Should I find any more bold deception as I did with the new recruit I will strip your title as Guard Master. Lady Gabrielle is the top priority. Anyone who has the boldness to lay a finger on her shall be killed. Do I make myself clear?"

"It shall be done," Sir Darce responded meekly.

"Go and start the hazing process now, and double the security in the castle. I want this castle full of royal guards. There should be constant rounds in the castle and to make sure all of this is done I will be overseeing. This tragedy can not happen again," Ansel commanded, his tone full of anger.

"Yes Your Majesty," Sir Darce responded once more and left the room, bumping into Josephine.

"Excuse me," He mumbled, leaving in haste.

She knocked on the door, looking towards Ansel. "May I come in, Your Majesty?"

He looked up at her, jumping in his skin. "Please, please come in."

She entered the room, bowing to him.

"How is she," He inquired.

"S-She, she's okay but…"

"But what," He interrupted, walking towards her, "Is she hurt, does she want something, does she want me, what can I help her with?"

"Your Majesty, she's okay but she… She does not wish to see you… She doesn't want you in her room or anywhere near her…" Josephine sighed, turning her gaze to the floor.

He took a step back, feeling his heart drop.

"Doesn't wish to see me…" He gasped.

"She said she can't face you after the whole ordeal…"

He held back his tears, feeling a wave of grief fill his body, he turned away.

"Please, please watch over her Josephine… She needs a friend right now and she trusts you. I want that to be your only task so from now on you will work alongside Cobsworth to make sure Lady Gabrielle is comfortable…" He deadpanned, holding back his sorrow.

"Yes Your Majesty," She bowed, leaving the room as she closed the door behind her.

She turned around, being met by Nylah and Hattie, smiling in her face.

"So she wants nothing to do with His Majesty… Oh what a shame," Hattie glowed, covering her menacing smile with her fingers.

"Don't look too happy. His Majesty loves Milady, you don't stand a chance with him," Josephine remarked, fire filling her eyes.

"Yeah, well will just see," Nylah interjected.

"Yeah and you'll see that His Majesty wants nothing to do with either of you," Josphine declared, pushing them out of her way as she left.

"We will see," Hattie mumbled, "And you'll see that I'll come out on top.