LostOneReturnsCareful to stay within the shadows of the streets as they went from the shady side to the more affluent homes of the wealthy, Elissa leaned against the wall. Almost there. Almost reached safety. Everything in her ached. She was sore, weak, from her bloody torn feet, to the bruised ribs and general unkempt feeling from her captivity. Pulling the cape around her, tugging the hood down, she raced across the last street with one last bit of energy. Instead of the main doors, she went to the beloved side entrance. Exhaustion took over and she collapsed against the door in a pile of sore, bloody limbs. Tears tumbled down her face. She lifted one hand and reached for the bell. She pressed her face and one palm against the door. "Jules..." Pressed against the dark, carved wood of the door, she more felt than heard the footsteps coming down the hall, just before the door swung open under her hand. There was a pause, then a sharp exclamation in a voice she recognized as Peterson's. "Miss Chatham!" Falling inside as her only support was taken away from her, Elissa braced a hand on the floor to support her body, but it didn't hold for long. She let herself drop in a miserable state on the floor. Her cloak slid open to reveal to Peterson some of the damage done to her during her captivity and flight to freedom. She turned her head to look up at Peterson. "Giulian... Take me to Jules... Please..." "Directly, Miss." Though not nearly as war-torn as Elissa, Peterson looked as if he hadn't had an easy week either. Elissa could swear there was more grey in his hair than when she'd seen him last, deep lines of anxiety graven in his face, and shadows under his eyes as if he'd been on Jules' usual sleep schedule rather than one that suited his own constitution. Certainly he hadn't slept tonight. Nevertheless he didn't hesitate a moment before stooping to gather Elissa up in his arms. Years of caring for a young man who couldn't always walk on his own had evidently left him with considerable reserves of bodily strength. He turned and headed directly for the stairs. Leaning her head on Peterson's shoulder, Elissa let out a long sigh of relief, knowing she was safe in Peterson's arms. She patted light fingers to his chest before they dropped back to her lap in exhaustion. "Thank you, Peterson... So tired..." she whispered. Giulian, keeping vigil through the night at the prie-dieu at the foot of his bed, had actually fallen into a light doze near morning, but he started awake as Peterson shouldered the door open. It took him only an instant to recognize what his manservant's burden was. "Elissa!" He lurched, awkwardly, semi-upright, ignoring the protests of his cramped muscles. His dark eyes were wide with fear. "Is she—" "Safe, my lord," Peterson informed him gently. Without even being told, he moved forward and laid Elissa on Giulian's bed. Using the bedposts for support, Giulian dragged himself to the bedside and once more fell on his knees. One hand reached out to touch his beloved's face. "Elissa..." Lifting heavy lids at a familiar voice, Elissa focused on a pair of warm beloved eyes. She leaned against his hand as tears rushed to her eyes at the thought of never seeing his face again. "Jules... You're here... My uncle ... he took ... was going to sell me..." Giulian's dark brows drew together and his expressive eyes flashed anger. "I know. He was trying to sell you to me." "No, someone else was there to buy me, not you. A stranger." She swallowed hard and gripped his wrist with her hand, the cloak opening to reveal her state of distress to her beloved. "Home ... safe ... don't ever let me go. Please. Hold me. Please please hold me close. Feel so lost." Giulian raised himself up enough to draw Elissa into his arms, her head resting on his shoulder. "You're not lost anymore," he whispered to her. "You've come back to me and I never want you to leave me again. Promise me you won't." Curling tight against him, pressing her face against him, she shook her head. "Never again. Don't ever want to be alone again. Not even to go to my house..." She lifted her face and pressed a kiss to his jaw, her body trembling with exhaustion, pain. When she moved her feet, a wince of pain crossed her face, and a bit of blood streaked the bed cover from the cuts in her feet. Her bruised ribs also protested being moved. The aches and pains of her ordeal began to overwhelm her. "Don't feel too well..." "I'll get Dr. Gomast here," Giulian said at once. "Peterson..." The manservant vanished from the doorway. "What did they do to you?" he asked Elissa. An undertone in his voice promised dire retribution to whoever had harmed her. "Tied to a bed for most of the time. I refused to eat most of what he gave me. Fear of him drugging me. Fought against my uncle when he wanted to show me to his buyer. Got loose. Didn't have any shoes. Ran barefoot to get to you. I think he bruised a few ribs." Taking Giulian's hand, Elissa held it to her bruised cheek and closed her eyes, snuggling with it. "He'll pay," Giulian vowed. "He's the one who will pay." Elissa nodded. "Whatever your father needs to put him in jail or worse, I'll give it to him. I'm done with that side of my life. For good, Jules. No more excursions to the dark side for anything except to protect those we love and care for." Giulian turned his head to place a kiss in her palm. Then he said, "No need to involve my father in this. I'm not sure he wants to be involved ... or that I want him there. I have contacts of my own now. And Decuma ... Decuma will help." She gave a barely there nod, revealing her exhaustion to him, and her pain. "Hmm. He is a good one, your cousin. Trust him with secrets." "Yes," Giulian murmured back. "We've trusted each other that far for a long time." Just then Dr. Gomast arrived with not only Peterson but Korine in his wake. Giulian moved out of the way temporarily to let the doctor work, though he kept a close eye on the proceedings. Between them, the doctor and Korine cleaned and bandaged Elissa's feet, bound up her bruised ribs to help her breathe more comfortably (Dr. Gomast confirmed that one rib was actually cracked), and provided a soothing ointment for her bruises and the rope burns on her wrists and ankles. Her ragged and soiled clothing was replaced with a nightgown Korine had borrowed from Lady Anderon's rooms. Dr. Gomast also produced a dark brown glass bottle of medicine, but Giulian intervened before he could spoon it down Elissa's throat. "I'll give it to her if she wants it," he told the doctor firmly, "but it's up to her." Giulian had formed the opinion long before that Dr. Gomast tended to deal out his drugs with a far too liberal hand. Alone again with his beloved, Giulian asked her gently, "Do you want some of Dr. Gomast's medicine? Knowing him, it'll put you right to sleep and keep you under for hours. Could be just what you need...” "Perhaps just a little bit would be good for now," she said. "A few decent hours of sleep where I'm not afraid." "One spoonful should do for that," Giulian judged. With a tender smile he added, "I can tell you're barely keeping your eyes open now." He retrieved the spoon and bottle from the bedside table and carefully poured out the dose for her. "It'll take very little for me to sleep in your arms. Knowing you're here to keep an eye over me," she said. "I'll be here," he promised. He gave her the spoonful of medicine, then made his way over to one of the armchairs by the fireplace. There he began taking off his shoes and jacket. When he was down to shirt and trousers, his crutches helped him once more to the bedside — but this time the side nearest the wall. Propping the crutches within reach, he climbed into bed next to Elissa. It was a single bed, but with Elissa gathered close to him, there was plenty of room for two. Tangling her fingers with his, she brought their joined hands closer to her breasts. Turning her head, she pressed a sleepy kiss to his jaw. Yawning, she twined their legs and let the medicine pull her into a dreamless sleep with Giulian guarding her. Relieved, for the moment, of all anxiety, it didn't take Giulian long to follow his beloved into sleep. |
