Released

Lucian got dressed for bed, his mind a jumble of thoughts. He had been so caught up in everything that had been going on, he had lost track of time. And now Persephone would be leaving.

He got in bed and rolled on his back, sighing as he pondered the ceiling. He didn’t want her to go. He wanted her to stay. He looked forward to seeing her each morning and hated saying good night each evening. Seeing her smile was a small victory each time. All he wanted was to hold her. And her support. He sighed, closing his eyes. Her support during all of this testified to who she was as a woman.

He rolled onto his side just as he realized how much he had fallen in love with Persephone. He decided that, before she could leave in the morning, he’d tell her and beg her to stay.

=

Frantic knocking woke him up and he rubbed his eyes.

“Come in,” he yawned after seeing it was around seven in the morning. “Gretchen? What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be with-?”

Gretchen looked incredibly upset as she passed him a piece of parchment. He frowned and sat up so he could read it. His heart fell like a stone.

My dearest Lucian,
I have to say, you really are a fool. Though you managed to convince Uther to come back, I know that it won’t last. You let Jerkin stay even after everything. Your awful ruling over this kingdom will soon be revealed to Uther and he’ll realize that you’re not worth it. You’re not worth the crown nor are you worth me. You are just as bad as your father.

Thank you for entertaining me this week. I really needed to get out of that inn. Don’t bother following me, either. I’m leaving the first chance I can.

All my ‘love’,
Persephone

Lucian was finding it hard to breathe. This couldn’t be right…. But it looked like her handwriting. He didn’t understand and looked up at Gretchen.

“This is a joke,” he said but she shook her head, tears pooling in her eyes. “She’s in her room, isn’t she? Probably still asleep…. It’s a sick joke. It has to be.”

“It’s not,” Kendra said, walking in with a sad face. “I’ve searched everywhere. She’s gone, your highness.”

“Please leave,” he mumbled and they did so, Gretchen pausing long enough to put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

The moment the door was shut, he covered his face and let slip the first tears he had released since his mother died.

=

“Lucian? Lucian, what’s wrong?”

“Go away,” he said, staring apathetically at the wall.

“Can I come in?”

“No.”

Uther walked in anyway, though, and Lucian rolled his eyes. He stayed sitting in bed, still in his night clothes and gripping the letter from Persephone in his hands.

“What’s wrong, Lucian?” Uther asked.

Lucian just pushed the note at him and waited while he read it.

“This can’t be right,” he said slowly. “She loves you. I’m certain of it.”

He scoffed. “Some way to show her love,” he said.

“No, this isn’t right,” he repeated.

“Don’t be a fool, Uther. It’s obvious. She wanted out. I gave her that chance.”

Uther stopped him from standing up and pointed at the letter.

“Our kingdom has been at peace for so long for a reason,” he said and Lucian looked at him. “You learn how to read things and see what’s really being said.”

“It’s obvious what she said,” he snapped.

“Look here,” Uther said and pointed.

“I don’t need to,” he said. “I’ve seen it enough, thank you.”

“You know, quills are tricky things to write with,” Uther continued, not letting go of Lucian’s arm. “If you hover for too long, you can drop a bit or even bold a word.”

“So what?”

“So, what if these drops aren’t an accident?”

Lucian rolled his eyes. “That’s ridiculous.”

“Is it?” Uther challenged. “Just hear me out. Get me some paper and a quill.”

“Fine,” Lucian spat and shoved it all at him.

For a few minutes, Uther wrote. Lucian sat beside him, fighting with himself. He wanted to believe what Uther was saying but he couldn’t handle his heart breaking again. He ran a hand through his hair and stared out the window. It was snowing again and he wondered if Persephone was still here. Maybe he could go talk to her….

“Ah-ha!” Uther said triumphantly and shoved the paper in his hands. “What do you think of that?”

Lucian frowned and took it. There were a bunch of words written with numbers under them. Together it read:

Lucian, I have to say, Jerkin, to come back, love, Persephone.

Lucian’s hands started to shake as he reread the choppy sentence over and over again. He looked at Uther who looked half triumphant, half worried.

“Are you saying someone made her write this?” he whispered.

“And that someone is Jerkin,” he said darkly. Lucian’s head was swimming and Uther continued to explain. “I have had many times where letters have been sent and the abducted person managed to send me a message. That’s what Persephone has done, Lucian. Somehow, she managed to make these marks in such a way that you could find out the truth. Jerkin came back, made her write this to break your heart, and….”

“And what?” Lucian asked desperately.

He shook his head. “That’s it. I can’t think of why he would do this. Breaking your heart hardly seems like enough for him.”

“I have to find her,” Lucian said, jumping to his feet. “I have to find her now!”

Uther didn’t stop him as he changed clumsily and pulled a cloak over his shoulders. He shoved on his boots and ran down the stairs.

“King Lucian,” Kendra said. “We need-.”

“Not now!” he said. “She’s in trouble!”

He threw the door open and took the steps two at a time. People gaped at him as he ran through the streets. He was sure he looked like a madman with his hair a mess, his face unshaven, and his shirt on backwards. He didn’t care right now, though. If Jerkin made her write that note, what more could he have done?

When he got to the inn, he pushed through the large crowd trying to get in on a game. He found Ongar selling ale and grabbed him by the shirt, shoving the patron to the side. Ongar looked dumbfounded.

“Where is she?” Lucian demanded.

“What?”

“Persephone! Where is she!?”

“She went to deliver some ale,” he said slowly. “Your highness, what’s wrong?”

“When did she leave?”

“About an hour ago. Matter of fact, she should be back by now….”

Lucian groaned and ran his hands through his hair. The patron was staring at him in shock and he mumbled an apology. Then the door opened and Milly, who was sweeping, screamed. People stopped what they were doing and a few men ran to Persephone who fell onto her knees. She was covered in blood.

“Percy!” Ongar shouted and tried to get to her. “Move, ‘gents!”

“What happened to her?” someone asked.

“Ain’t no one’s beat her before!”

“I didn’t even know there was a fight! Why didn’t they tell us?”

“She’s a demon with those knives. I don’t get it.”

None of these statements made any sense to Lucian. His legs were heavy as he walked toward Persephone and Ongar. Men parted for him and he shut his eyes briefly when he saw her.

Someone had attacked her without mercy. There were bruises on her face and her eyes were half open. There were cuts of various sizes on her arms, neck, and face. Her dress was torn and some of her hair had been pulled out.

“We need to get her upstairs,” Milly whispered, wiping her nose on her sleeve. “Away from everyone.”

The men all around them erupted into protests.

“Ain’t no one movin’ our Perce until we know what happened!” a man shouted from the crowd, surprising Lucian even more.

“She’s injured,” Milly began.

“So treat her here, dammit,” an old man said.

She sighed. “I really don’t think this is-.”

“Percy!” Ongar gasped when she groaned a little. “Percy, who did this to you, baby?”

She struggled to speak. Silence had fallen on the bar as everyone listened carefully. She coughed a few times and Lucian’s stomach dropped when he saw blood.

“J-J-J-,” she stammered but couldn’t finish.

“What’d she say?” he heard coming from everywhere but he stood up slowly as her Persephone’s head landed on the floor again, her eyes shut.

Anger was pulsing through his veins and he swore he was seeing red.

“Jerkin,” he snarled.