Run From the King

As Ruby pulls Eliza through the kitchen doors, Eliza tries to pull away. As Eliza attempts to take back her arm, Ruby's grasp slides down Eliza's arm and grazes past the princess's hand-where she feels cold steel on her ring finger. She pauses making Eliza stumble into her. Ruby pushes her off but grips Eliza's hand up to her face. Her green eyes focus on the steel ring for a moment as she squeezes Eliza's hand.

Eliza winces in pain. Her rope burns were still sore.

Ruby turns then and rushes down the hall. All the while, avoiding looking at Eliza.

Eliza was being pulled along quite rushed. She watched the back of Ruby's black ponytail whip from side to side as they made their way. Her stomach was still reeling and she was tired. Her throat still burned with acid. She stayed silent the entire way to the master bath.

They rushed through Klaus' room, to the double doors on the far end. Eliza remembered the familiar room-which she often joked, was more of a library..back then...

When they reached the master bath they stepped on white and gold marbled floors. There was a table set with plush white towels with gold 'B's stitched carefully on each one.

The faucets and handles were gold, as well as the bowls that lain assortments of white candles in beds of pink rose petals. Her favorite color... It was beautiful.

"Take your clothes off."

Ruby orders Eliza as she turns to face her.

"W-what?"

"Are you deaf?" Ruby raises a brow,

"Take your clothes off."

Eliza furrows her brow, she's never been spoken to in such a way.

"You can't talk to me like this? You can't treat me this way."

"Oh, why?"

Ruby mocks as she crosses her arms,

"Because you're a princess?"

She rocks her head from side to side when she says the royal title.

Eliza stands defensively.

"I am."

"Not in this kingdom, and especially not in this castle."

Says Ruby in a spiteful tone.

Eliza falters and lowers her shoulders. Ruby was right. Her title was stripped, along with the respect it commanded. Why would Ruby have any reason to be kind to her?

Eliza began to undress as Ruby watched, annoyed at her slow pace.

As Eliza handed her-her clothes another thought crossed her mind.

"My ring."

"What?"

Ruby, acts confused, as she rolls the dirty clothes in a ball.

"My ring, why did you look at it like that?"

Ruby stays quiet and picks up a basket beside the doors. She lays it against her right hip as she leans to her left.

"I'll be back in 10 minutes. The bath has already been made ready for you."

She turns to leave,

"Try not to kill yourself till then."

Ruby warns over her shoulder sarcastically.

"Hey! Answer my question!"

Ruby steps out of the bathroom and closes the door behind her leaving Eliza naked and alone.

Eliza walks over to the sink and rinses out her mouth, finally. Her throat had been so sore, her stomach sickened, her head was pounding. She looked in the mirror. She was covered in bruises, dirt, and grime. Pieces of broken clay still lay atop some parts of her hair which-itself was horrifying. She leaned over the sink and groaned in anger and pain. She brushed her teeth with the toothbrush and paste that had been left for her and she stepped up towards the white gold-clawed tub after locking the door.

It was filled with bubbles and a soft pink sponge loofah hung from the faucet for her. It smelled wonderful. Eliza watched as the streams of steam swirled upwards from the tub.

Eliza sighs as she slowly steps into the tub. It was hot, but it felt good on Eliza's skin. Once she finished combing through her hair, she felt the crust from all the dirt and grime from the dungeons start to loosen off her skin. She grabbed the loofah and wiped her arms down and her legs. Her wrists were especially bad. Still red and raw from the ropes she was tied with.

Eliza melts into the warm water. She rests her head back, suddenly feeling extremely tired.

_______________________________________________

Ten minutes had gone and come and Ruby still couldn't get into the bathroom.

"Stupid girl probably ended up killing herself."

She mutters under her breath as she bangs on the door.

"Hey! Open the door right now! This isn't funny! You're going to get us both punished!

Ruby yells as she bangs on the door.

But Eliza doesn't respond.

Ruby starts panicking and kicking and banging the door as do a couple of staff members who stop to also call out for Eliza.

Suddenly Klaus enters his bedroom, following the staff to his bathroom door.

He moves quickly, pushing people out of his way.

"Sir, she won't open the door. She hasn't answered."

Says a worried house servant, as he bows in Klaus' presence.

Klaus looked over at Ruby. She looks down and nods avoiding his glare.

Klaus immediately puts his hands on the knob and turns it, unlocking it instantly with his touch. He rushes in and sees Eliza's head barely over the rim of the tub. She's completely unconscious and doesn't respond when he calls her name.

Without a second thought, he runs over to the tub and carefully pulls her up to the side without pulling her completely out. Remembering the crowd gathered. He orders the staff to retreat and they turn to leave except Ruby.

She watches as Klaus cradles Eliza carefully, readying to take her out of the tub.

He notices Ruby still standing there.

"She wouldn't want this."

Ruby says quickly.

"You. Touching her. Naked. Or seeing her this way."

She says to him.

"I don't care."

He answers, as his fingers grip Eliza's soft warm skin.

Klaus' arms ruffle through the water making splashes as he raises her from the tub. Ruby watches as he becomes soaked in her bathwater. Her naked body lay motionless in his arms. He stepped down the steps from the bath and walked over to Ruby.

"She's okay..she's just fainted." He cradles her carefully.

Ruby's throat tightened...

"You sure you don't care?"

She asks looking up at him holding her breath.

Klaus sighs as he nods for Ruby to follow him. Ruby reluctantly drapes the towel over Eliza as Klaus makes his way to his bedroom and lays her on top of his bed.

As his hands leave Eliza's body, Ruby looks over and notices the ring on his finger. She suddenly feels sick herself.

He turns to walk out.

"Make sure she's dressed and ready for bed when I get back."

Ruby nods without looking at him. She can't.

When Klaus walks out, Ruby's eyes flood with tears as she silently walks over to the closet.

The closet.

Filled with the princess's gowns, dresses, and robes... made ready for the day she moved in after the wedding. The ones Ruby would try on now and then...when she'd pretend to be Klaus' princess after nights of passion with the prince.

Her stomach crippled at the thought of those nights. All were gone. All the nights they shared ceased. They were done now because of her.

Eliza.

Her hand moved along the beautiful fabrics and cool silks as she tried to get the image of Klaus holding Eliza out of her head but it wouldn't go away. She needed to leave immediately. She grabbed a simple pale blue nightdress and slipped it over Eliza. Eliza stirred now and then but didn't have enough strength to do much more than that.

She couldn't help the warm tears falling on the princess's skin.

By the time Ruby had wiped her face clean and gotten Eliza dressed for bed, Klaus had returned. He walked past Ruby without saying a word. Awkwardly, Ruby made her way out quietly. She went back to her tasks and put a brave face until she made it home.

Klaus waited for the door to shut before hanging his bed robes and making his way to his bed. His bed was lit by the moon,

'a round glass ceiling so the prince could dream below the moon and stars, always,'

His mother's words.

The walls were amassed with books, journals, some his, some Eliza's-which he had read and gone through enough times over to know everything about his princess. Everything but why she left him.

The long open balcony facing the sea was the view from Klaus' bed. The breeze was gentle, like the waves along the shoreline.

Walking over to the bed he leaned down and lifted her and placed her on his left, farthest from the door. For obvious reasons.

After pulling the covers over her he looked down at her face.

This wasn't Eliza anymore. The Eliza he grew up with had beautiful rosy cheeks. Her blue eyes were always crinkled from her infectious smile. Her beautiful golden-brown hair cascaded down her petite shoulders.

Who was this girl that laid beside him now? Her skin was so dull..her frame so fragile, her cheeks so sullen.. What a hard life she chose. 'Would I ever have made her look so weak and tired in our marriage? Surely not. Then, why? Why leave?'

Klaus sighed as he lay beside her now.

Her breath was shallow, he noticed some of her muscles twitch-from lack of food.

'She looks so broken.' He thought.

'Weak and broken..'

He raises his hand to her cheek and caressed it gently.

He cursed himself for his weaknesses.

The most powerful man in their world..worried over the broken girl's bedside.