As the guard shut Gigi inside her room, she staggered forward and fell against the bed. Her mind was a chaos of thoughts she was drowning in. Weak with the reality she was now facing, she sank to the ground, curling her knees to her chest. The patter of footsteps alerted her to the fact that she wasn't alone. Margo stopped before her.
"Lady?" she said.
"Please leave me." Gigi's voice was small and choked with building tears.
Margo paused, feeling the need to comfort Gigi though she didn't know what from.
"Go," Gigi said when she didn't hear Margo leave.
The maid nodded and left. When the door clicked shut, Gigi laid her head on her knees and cried. The tears were slow, quiet, as they released the bits of the emotions flooding her. Alone and faced with the truth of who her grandparents were, Gigi thought of her mother. Her warnings against her grandparents.
In that moment, Gigi hated herself. Hated the way she had betrayed the mother who loved her completely. Hated that she turned away from the family that was so accepting of everyone. Hated that she had let herself be bewitched by the illusion of refinement. Hated this world that she was now trapped in. Hated beauty that covered up the vileness that lay beneath.
But most of all she hated the fact that she broke her word to Huck that she would come home. Hated that she would never get to tell her family of how much she loved them. They would believe that she had willingly turned away from them for a life of luxury. They would not know there was no other place she would rather be in that moment than with them.
These thoughts ran around and around in Gigi's head until she felt exhausted from them. Until her tears had run out.
Lifting her head, she gazed around the spotless room, at the silken sheets, the rich curtains, and thick carpet. This finery was now her prison. Though she knew there were so many that would take her place, she didn't want it. She wanted the thin, straw-filled bed, patched canvas tent and the floor of grass.
A pang of longing hit her harder than before. It filled every inch of her. The image of her family pushed all other thoughts from her mind. Her father's unshaven jaw and soothing but deep voice. Her mother's gentle smile and feather soft touch on her cheek. Huck's merry blue eyes and unkempt hair.
As if wishing he would come to steal her away again, she looked to the balcony doors. In her weariness, she could almost picture his mischievous grin looking back at her from behind the glass.
A new wave of tears streamed out, wanting so much to tell him she was sorry. Sorry that she ever left him. Sorry that she let some glittering thing snatch her away. Sorry she didn't keep her word. Sorry she didn't get to tell him that she was a fool and he had been right.
A laugh bubbled in her throat as she imagined his crooked smile at her words. He would accept her statement as fact and that would be the end of it. He would not hold it over her. He would forgive her.
The laugh was never released as she knew he would never hear her say that she was a fool. She wouldn't see his crooked smile. A fresh swirl of grief overtook Gigi. She buried her head in her hands, trying not to let it pull her down again, but couldn't see a way past it.
A knock on her door startled her. As it opened, she pushed herself up. Her grandmother entered and hot anger burned away every other emotion Gigi felt. Hurt mingled with the white-hot feeling and both raced through her body. When her grandmother moved towards her, Gigi took a step back. The concerned look her grandmother had been wearing - when she entered - dropped away and in its place was a calm, determined look.
"Genevieve," she said, "I wanted to talk to you."
"Why?" Gigi said. "It seems that there is nothing else to say. I am to stay or you will imprison the people I love."
Her face was free of tears. She didn't want to let her grandmother see how broken and weak she felt. Though she would be living with these people the rest of her life, she didn't want them to ever have more of a hold on her than she could give them. They were the ones standing between her and all she held close.
"Genevieve, we are doing this for your own good. The life we will give you is better than you could wish for."
"All I wish for is to go home."
Her grandmother took a step closer, looking as if she was going to try and reach for Gigi.
"This is your home."
Shaking her head, Gigi retreated further. "No, this is the place I will stay in order to keep my family safe. Nothing more."
Her grandmother folded her hands before her, stiffening.
"In time you will change your mind. But I can see that you have your mother's unyielding stubbornness. Do not worry, it will be a trait that will make you a strong Brixton in the future."
At the door, Lady Brixton told the guard to make sure Gigi didn't leave. Alone again, Gigi wanted to scream, to throw something against the wall. She wanted to tear apart everything in the room with her bare hands. Not knowing what the repercussion would be, she held herself back. Instead, she moved to the balcony and yanked open the doors, needing to breathe. Needing to break the suffocating feeling.
The stone was rough beneath her palms and bits of pebble dug into her skin. She didn't notice. All she was aware of was the wall that stretched out all on sides, the guards watching from the towers, keeping her locked in. Her eyes traveled along the ivy-coated barrier. The thick greenery reminded her of the night Huck had sneaked her out.
In an instant, a thought came to her. As the plan took shape, a resolve took hold of her and stilled all her conflicting thoughts and emotions.
************
The sky was black as coal, a thick layer of clouds keep the light of the stars and moon away. Gigi had refused to join her grandparents for dinner and in turn, they had refused to send her food. She didn't care, her nerves would have made it impossible to eat.
Before they had turned in for the night, her grandparents had visited her, assuring themselves she was still there. In return she had assured them she would do as they said for the protection of her family. Secure in their power, they left her, but not before setting a second guard to her door.
As the sun had slipped out of the sky, she waited. The manor slowly quieted, lanterns extinguishing one by one. In the light of a single candle, Gigi wrote out a letter to her grandparents, one they would find when they found her bed empty in the morning.
Under the cover of darkness, she changed into the clothes she had first arrived in. She tucked the loose cotton shirt into the worn trousers and draped the threadbare cloak over her shoulders.
Feet bare, she crossed her room and slid out onto the balcony. The grounds were a sea of blackness, not a soul in sight. Out on the wall Gig caught the flash of a torch flame. The faint murmur of voices was lifted on the night breeze.
Checking that no guard stood under her balcony, Gigi climbed over and dropped down. The soft grass cushioned her fall. Though she knew she could find the same place where she had escaped with Huck, she didn't go looking for it. Instead, she edged her way around the manor, hugging the wall. The grass was cool beneath her feet.
When she heard footsteps, she dropped to the ground, breathing in dirt. Her heart pounded in her ears. The sound was so loud she feared the men would hear it and discover her. She dug her fingers into the soft soil, willing her heart to quiet down.
Agonizing seconds ticked on until the footsteps passed by and Gigi let out a shaky breath. Slowly getting back onto her feet, she resumed her trek towards the stables. She made it there without another encounter. The thick wooden door creaked once as she heaved it open. The smell of hay and horse hit her and she breathed it in. The smell of home. It calmed her frantic nerves.
Despite the late hour, there was light coming from the main row. In its yellow glow stood a familiar figure, his hair rumbled with sleep and tired body leaning against a stable wall. At the sound of the door, Vic looked up. He blinked once as if he couldn't understand what he was seeing. When Gigi strode into the light, the sleepiness in his eyes vanished.
"Lady," he said, standing away from the wall. "Are you all right?"
Gigi shook her head. "I need to leave."
He hesitated and she reached for him, laying one hand on his crossed arms.
"You once told me that I could come to you if I ever needed to leave the manor. I am coming to you now." Her grip on his arm tightened as her need to get away built. "Please Vic, I need your help."
At the desperate look in her eye, he gave in.
"Of course, Lady," he said. "What do you need?"
"I need whatever food you can get, oats for the horse, a blanket and a weapon if you have it. I'm making a four-day ride."
With a nod, Vic left to find what he could. In his absence, Gigi collected her mare's saddle and slipped into her stall. Fire was asleep, leaning towards the right slightly. At the sound of her mistress's voice, she woke and shook out her head. Moving slowly so as not to startle the horse, and talking in a low gentle voice, Gigi started preparing her. She had finished attaching the saddle when Vic reappeared, supplies in hand.
"I got all that you asked for, Lady," he said. Gigi reached for it, but Vic held it back. "Are you truly planning to go alone?"
"Yes, I must."
After a pause, Vic spoke. "No, I will go with you. You can not travel alone."
Amidst all the eagerness Gigi was facing, she couldn't help feeling gratitude.
"Thank you, Vic, but we both know that there is a reason you can't go with me."
"She would understand."
"That may be but I will not risk that. She cares too much. I will be fine."
Gigi took the collection of items from him. She bundled them together and attached them to the back of the saddle. As she led Fire out of the stall the echo of voices sounded in the quietness. Gigi froze, fearing the worst. But then a voice countered Vic's and her muscles relaxed. She knew that voice.
Following Vic down the main lane was Raif. He was dressed as immaculate as ever and showed no sign of being tired despite the lateness of the hour. When his eyes landed on her, a bemused smile fell into place.
"Off to dance away the night?" he asked.
"No, I'm going home."
A look of confusion passed over his handsome features.
"Correct me if I am wrong but I was under the impression that this was your home." His gaze traveled down her outfit and up again. "Am I wrong?"
"Yes. I am an Eldin. My mother is Lady Annaleigh, my father is a horse trainer."
Raif's smile was laughing. "A true vagabond girl after all."
"Yes, now if you will excuse me, I have to go."
Gigi tossed the reins over the horse's head and pulled herself into the saddle. Raif took a step forward and took hold of the horse's reins near its mouth.
"Do you mean to say you are traveling alone?" he asked.
Gigi felt as if she would break apart, every inch of her screaming to run away, to burst through the stable doors and never look back.
"Yes, I am."
"No, I'll escort you for your protection," Raif said.
She looked at him, ready to argue but the smile was gone and his expression told her he was not going to let her win this one.
"I need to leave now."
"And we will." He turned to Vic. "Ready a horse and give me some of your clothes. I'll draw less attention this way."
Though it was only a few minutes later that Raif was on a horse beside Gigi - dressed in black trousers, a faded brown shirt, and cloak - it felt like hours, her nerves fraying at the edges. Sensing her crumbling state, Raif reached out and squeezed her hand.
"For whatever reason we flee tonight know that I am here, Lady."
His words were soothing and Gigi held them close like a promise. She nodded, her throat tight. Vic pulled the side entrance open and the night air rushed in. Raif handed him a folded note that was sealed with dark red wax.
"Give this to Lord Brixton. It will explain my need to take his horses and will absolve you of any blame."
Vic bowed his head. "Stay safe."
Raif led the way out, Gigi close behind. The city was still, minds wandering the streets of dreams. They made for the gates in silence, their ears tuned to anything that might alert them to danger. The blackened buildings felt like dark sentinels that stared down on the lone pair. A shiver ran through Gigi's spine and she raised her hood, as if hiding her face she could hide from their glare. At the gates, her heart plummeted seeing them locked. Though he didn't look at her, Raif felt her panic.
"I have it in hand," he said.
As they approached one of the sentries walked up to them, a lantern raised before him. The light fell over them, illuminating their faces.
"Evening, Gentry," Raif said, as if leaving the city in the early morning was natural.
The broad shouldered man nodded his head.
"Your Grace," he said.
Turning, he motioned for a man to open a door in the large wooden gates.
"Thank you," Raif said.
He nudged his horse forward and Gigi mimicked him. When they were on the other side, she let her heart hope. Raif looked to her.
"Where are we headed?"
"By this time my family will be on the border of Drimm and Loria. We settle on the outskirts of the city of Tessha, by the water."
She said the words without a hint of doubt, willing them to be fact. If the Eldin had moved on then it would take longer than four days to reach them. Gigi hurt at the length of four days that held her from her family, she prayed it would not be longer.
"I follow you, vagabond girl."
Gigi took in a breath and prodded her horse into action. Their pace started slow as the horses warmed to the motion. After a time where the city was in the distance, they gave them free rein letting their strides lengthen.
As they rode the words Gigi had written to her grandparents ran through her mind.
"Lord and Lady Brixton,
By the time you read this I will be gone, but do not worry, I will hold true to my promise of taking up my title and the inheritance. I have left to say my goodbyes to my family. I will tell them nothing of what you have threatened me with, I simply wish to see them one final time before I remain with you. I will return to you in twelve days time, you have my word. Though all sense is saying do not trust you, I hope that you will refrain from coming after me. I will be back. I will not break this promise.
Yours, Genevieve."
*************
As they traveled Raif spoke very little, never asking questions and never questioning Gigi's silence. He talked only when making suggestions of resting or where they would spend the night. His presence was comforting in a time Gigi didn't think she could find comfort. They avoided towns and stayed at the smallest of inns at night, hoping not to cause any bit of stir.
It wasn't until they were drawing close to the border of Drimm the second day that Gigi finally let loose her story of who she really was. She left out the truth of what her grandparents were forcing her to do, knowing there was nothing he could do to change it. Raif listened, never breaking his silence, his expression open. When she finished, he gave her one of his teasing smiles.
"I knew there was a reason I found you so intriguing," he said. "You are worth more than any Lady I have been acquainted with."
Her expression softened and the knot in her stomach unfurled.
"Thank you for escorting me," she said.
"It is my pleasure."
They cut away from the main road and took a less trodden path, winding their way through clusters of trees with boulders jutting up from the ground. The air was sweet with the scent of the last of the season's flowers. Birds sang overhead, as they skipped from branch to branch. Through the thin tree trunks, Gigi could glimpse the pale blue of the Western ocean.
The light was fading, the day slipping away. Shadows stretched across the ground at their feet. They were diving further into the spare forest when Gigi heard a sound that made her eyes prick with tears. It was the high wandering sound of a fiddle chasing a melody.
Breathless, she spurred her horse into a trot, following the music. As she drew closer voices began to mingle with the song. The tears flowed freely down her face as a clearing opened before them and a city of tents appeared.
A shriek of laughter punctured the air, as children went running after each other. Fires were crackling to life, as black pots hung above them, the spicy scent of food already floating up from their bellies. Women streamed in and out of tents, their long skirts bouncing around their bare feet. Trials of white smoke drifted from pipes as men sat, resting their tired legs.
Gigi hopped down from her horse, Raif following, but remaining behind her. A tall figure rose from one of the groups around the fire and Gigi couldn't help the lump that formed in her throat at the wild mess of hair.
She opened her mouth to shout to Huck but the words were blocked by her happy tears. It didn't matter though, he turned and froze at the sight of her standing there. With a shout to one of the scampering children, he ran towards her.
In an instant he was hugging her, his laughter rolling over her and bringing more tears to her eyes. He smelled like grass and hay. He smelled like everything she wanted to hold on to.
When he finally released her, his smile was breaking his face. It was as if the months they had been separated hadn't mattered at all. He was the same just like she was. Though she knew it wasn't true, she wished it to be.
"I told you I would keep my promise," she said, dropping all the soft tones she had picked up the last few months.
"I never doubted," he said.
She swatted his arm. "Yes, you did. But I don't blame you." Her eyes saddened. "I'm sorry I ever left, Huck."
"All that matters is you're back."
Gigi swallowed back the pain that was mounting in her chest and nodded as if it were true. From behind Huck her mother and father came rushing forward. Her father's face was wearing a look of eagerness as if scared Gigi would slip away if he didn't keep looking at her. Her mother was all smiles, though there was a look of hesitancy in her eyes. Huck moved out of the way and her parents enfolded her into their arms, kissing her head, and cheek.
"My girl is home," her father said, with a breath of relief.
When they broke apart, her mother held onto Gigi's shoulders, looking her over. Her eyes took in all the changes, seeing more than the physical ones. She cupped her cheek, tears pooling in her eyes.
"My little girl is gone," she said.
Gigi gave her a small smile, knowing this was more than true.
"Yes, but a daughter you want is still here."
Her mother hugged her again, squeezing tightly.
"Who is this?" Huck asked.
Raif - who had remained a few feet away - stepped forward. Gigi's parents cast her shocked and wary glances.
"Don't worry," she said. "He escorted me here and is someone I have come to call a friend." Her eyes touched briefly on Raif's, mutual affection stringing them together. "This is Duke Sayers."
Huck stiffened as Raif waved his hand.
"Please," he said, "no titles. I am simply Raif." He bowed to them. "I am honored to be with you."
Huck's posture remained defensive, arms crossed, a scowl cut into his forehead.
Raif looked to him and smiled graciously. "I believe we have met," he said. "You trained my stallion. Your work is beyond reproach."
At the genuine compliment, Huck loosened his tense muscles. Annaleigh gave Raif a welcoming smile.
"We are pleased to have you here and are in your debt," she said, her gaze trailing away from him to Gigi. "You brought our daughter home."
**********************************************************************
Curse the skies!
(Not sure why we're cursing the skies and why there are more than one skies but okay!)
There you have it! Gigi has finally been reunited with her family! At least one thing has been made right again! OooOooH! I wonder if they will play a part in helping her escape her grandparents! Maybe Raif will marry her and they will defy the grandparents! Maybe she'll be kidnapped by pirates! Maybe aliens will jump down from space and kill Lord and Lady Brixton!
So many possibilities people! They are endless! Let's just hope it ends well or I will not make it to the next book. I've had multiple people tell me I won't if it doesn't end well. So either it ends well or I'm going on the run! So much excitement and terror!
How many of you believe that I will be mean to you again and give this book a sad ending?
Hey! Don't blame me! Life sometimes doesn't work out and it's not a fairy tale.
I have to admit I hope that you've been able to move past your dislike (or hatred for some of you) of Raif and been able to accept him for the lovable, flawed scandal that he is!
Okay! Worsting book ending you've ever read? (It can be because it sucked or was just really sad)
If you were going to be any Disney princess, who would you want to be?
Mine is for sure Princess Kida from Atlantis! I mean the girl is freaking BA and has white hair! So epic!
I know it's all sad and depressing and what not but come on, there could be hope so vote, comment, follow! I know you can do it!