Run From the King

Eliza hits the crumbling clay encased over Tess' fists.

Tess cries out for her to keep going despite the pain of the hammer pounding away at her knuckles.

"Keep going!"

As Eliza strikes Tess harder, she screams out in agonizing pain. Tears mixed with drool, seeped out of Tess' mouth as she reeled. The sounds of bones kept cracking against the cold metal of the hammer. When the blood was too much, Eliza had to turn away and throw up on the hard ground. She wiped away her tears and spit away the acid souring her mouth.

"Just one more.."

Tess's face is sullen and pale. She started leaning from side to side trying to catch her balance.

"One more and..and I can get my hand out."

Eliza nods as she slowly raises the hammer. She can't avoid looking at the bloody mess that is Tess's hands. Her face had become dotted with her blood. She could smell it mix with her vomit and it nearly made her sick again before she slammed the hammer down.

Tess cries out one last time before slowly moving her broken hands out of what was left of the clay encasement.

She slowly opens her fist and a bloody key falls out. Eliza ignores it and looks directly at Tess.

Tess closes her eyes, and places one hand over the other and starts to recite an incantation with gritted teeth.

Eliza watches in amazement. She always loved watching Tess perform a spell. She looked on as Tess's fingers began to straighten out and heal as she sat unmovingly. Eliza hugs herself, waiting for Tess to heal as much as she can. A glow momentarily appears around Tess as she recites.

When it's gone, Tess opens her eyes to Eliza. Eliza sits patiently waiting and looked back into her best friend's eyes. They were back to their normal hazel-green intensity. Her skin looked healthier but she still looked a little worn down.

"Tess?"

"I'm ok."

Tess takes the keys into her newly healed hands and walks a little shakily over to Eliza. Her tattered clothes were now so big on her. She looked starved. Eliza stands and holds her hands out expecting the young witch to fall. Tess holds her arms out but soon reaches and hugs Eliza.

"I've missed you so much!"

Tess cries out.

Eliza hugs her back just as tight.

"I missed you more than you'll ever know. Trust me."

Tess holds out Eliza in front of her. She wipes away the bloody dots on Eliza's face.

"You're still not taller than me."

Eliza looks at her for a moment before bursting out in laughter. Oh, how she'd miss her best friend.
Although she was never permitted to call her a sister she always felt like one and Tess would always hold the title as one in Eliza's heart.

"What are we going to do Tess?"

Tess hands her the key.

"First things first, we have to get back home."

"I'm not allowed home. My fathers exiled me until I've been forgiven by Klaus' family."

Eliza holds back what happened when she saw her parents, still embarrassed by her father's words.

Tess nods.

"He needs time."

Eliza nods.

"I know..."

Eliza's cheek suddenly burns where her father struck her earlier. Before the sinking feeling had a chance to bring her down, Tess interrupted her thoughts.

"We need to get out of here. Klaus will send me home, he has no more use for me. I don't know what he's going to do to you but he won't let me take you."

Eliza nods, understanding.

"So, what do I do?"

"Just. Tell him what he wants to hear. Win his heart back and get back to your father's land. Now that everyone knows you're alive, I can go back home."

"Wait. You want me to stay here and play a good girl for Klaus?"

Tess shakes her head.

"I don't want him anywhere near you. But we need to make him think that you were just scared and you wanted to leave. Even if he does or doesn't know what his mother has planned, -you acting oblivious is your best chance."

"Tess. I can't do this. I can't be around him. I can't even look at him."

"You have to. At least until I can find a way to convince your parents. I need something more..more than the night of the engagement, you had quite a bit of wine after all."

"-hey"

"I'm just saying, everyone, drank that night."

"Are you saying you don't believe me?"

"I will always believe you, Eliza. But I'm saying, we need more evidence than word of mouth."

"A spy. You want me to be a spy."

Tess shrugs.

"Sort of. Yes, basically."

Eliza groans as she turns to the metal bars and presses her face between them.

"You want me to pretend to fall back in love with my murderer?"

"Even if he is, he won't do it until after a wedding and a treaty. We'll have a plan by then."

Eliza still doesn't face Tess as she closes her eyes and imagines all that she'll have to do and say around Klaus.

"How am I supposed to tell him I love him?"

Eliza says in a small voice.

"Do you still love him?"

Eliza's eyes shoot open and she turns quickly on her heel.

"That's not what I said! Never. Ever. He's nothing but a monster to me now."

"You'll have to lie to him, Eliza."

"..Can you do that?"

Eliza nods remembering getting away with a lie earlier with Klaus. She wondered if he truly did believe she had been with someone else.

"Yea...I think so."

Tess puts her hands on Eliza's shoulders and looks at her seriously.

"No one knows how or why Klaus has powers. Maybe he is chosen. Maybe. But, I can't charm you, or give you anything without him knowing. You'll be alone with him.."

Eliza stares back at Tess not saying a word.

"Can you do this?"

Eliza hesitates for a moment before nodding.

"Yes, I can do this."