Chapter Five

A week had past, I hadn’t left the city. I'd become a zombie in my own skin. I wasn’t even leaving my house the last two days. I walked towards the door, just to look outside and I noticed an envelope that had been slipped under my door. I reached down to pick it up and immediately recognized Abran’s handwriting on the front.

Amelia,

I knew this wouldn’t be easy, but I had no idea the city would make it this hard. I am totally confused about the issue with Duane, why didn’t you say anything? I haven’t seen you leave the city walls all week, I found out that they have you locked in the city somewhere. I am so sorry.

The day in the field was not what I had expected at all. I didn’t want to fight anyone, but Duane had left me with no choice. I did try to pick you up from the ground when everyone just left you there. Unfortunately Davina saw what I was going to do and got to you first. I didn’t lie to you when I told you I still care about you and I always will. I will wait for you Amelia, as long as I have to. Nothing Rircaex can do will change that or push me away from you.

I love you, Amelia

Yours Forever,

Abran

I slid down against the door, in a heap. I didn’t know what to do. I knew if I left the city to go see him I would get banished and be forbidden to speak to Dimetrius, but I didn’t want to spend another moment without speaking to Abran. I can’t get banished though, I have nowhere else to be. I am enemied to both Palarayden and Oenardil.

I sighed, I was stuck here. I was going to have to marry Duane and I would never be able to see Abran again. I heard someone walking up the path towards my door. I quickly picked myself up and ran to my room. I hid the letter in my pillow case as I heard someone knock on my front door.

“Who is it?”

“Its Duane”

I sighed and walked back down the hall to the door. “Just a minute” I unlocked the door and opened it half way positioning myself in the gap. He was standing there with a relatively large black box in his hands.

“Hello”

“Hi Duane, what can I do for you?”

“Well can I come in, it is rather cold out here”

I nodded my head and pushed the door open further and walked back towards the lounge room. I slowly turned back around to look at him.

“I brought you a present, I hope you like it. You looked like you needed a new one”

I smiled weakly as he handed me the box. I put it down on the table and slid the lid off it. Inside there was a black, silk riding dress with a matching cloak. I looked up, “Thank you, its beautiful” I slid the lid back on.

“Wait, wait. Why don’t you go try it on? I had to guess your size, it might not fit” He smiled, it was obvious that he was proud of himself.

“Of course” I picked up the box and walked down the hall to my room again. I shut the door behind me and threw the box onto the bed. I quickly slipped out of my dress and pulled the lid back off the box.  I pulled the dress over my head and it fell down me to the floor. It was a beautiful dress, I felt wrong wearing it. I reached down and wrapped the cloak around my shoulders, I glanced in the mirror before I walked out into the hall again. It was a perfect fit. I put on a smile as I opened my door and walked to the lounge room.

“Wow, it fits and looks better then I imagined. You look beautiful.” He then pondered over me as he walked closer. I felt my body stiffen, his hand went into his pocket.

“It’s missing something” I found myself looking at him curiously, the dress was perfect. Nothing was missing from it at all.

“Close your eyes” I closed my eyes slowly, I heard him take a few steps closer. Suddenly something cold, rested against my skin. He brushed my hair to the side and I shivered. I then heard a clasp click.

“There, much better. You can open your eyes now”

I opened my eyes and walked towards the mirror. He had wrapped a diamond encrusted necklace around my neck.

“Turn it around, look at the clasp”

I looked at him confused but did it anyway, I slid the necklace around until I saw the clasp. It had ‘Marry me?’ engraved on it. Everything went black.

When I came to my surrounding weren’t familiar. Everything was white and stale. I didn’t like it here.

“Nurse, she is coming too”

I turned to my right side where the voice was coming from. It was Duane. He looked so worried. What was wrong with me? My head started to hurt so I reached for it. It had a bandage wrapped around it, I cringed when I felt it.

“What's going on?”

“You fainted, you hit your head when you fell. You wouldn’t come to so I carried you here to the hospital.”

I didn’t remember fainting, just him asking me to marry him. I got woozy again at that thought as I reached for the necklace that had been wrapped around my neck. It wasn’t there, had he changed his mind?

“I have it, don’t worry. When they let you out I’ll give it back to you” He leant forward and kissed me on the forehead. I pulled away subconsciously.

“I know this is difficult for you Amelia, but if it helps. I have cared for you for a very long time. You have always been sort of a light in this dark city of ours. I can tell that Abran has been muddling your head around a lot lately. You should know that I will love you as much as he does, plus some. And unlike him, I won’t leave you.”

I couldn’t say anything, the city had already decided. It was marrying Duane or leaving the city. They knew I had nowhere to go. I just nodded my head slowly, that hurt.

“I decided I wanted to give you a little more romance then an arranged marriage, hence me giving you the necklace. It does have a matching ring and bracelet. You will never go without when you are with me Amelia, I’ll treat you like the princess you are”

I cringed, Abran called me that.

“Is there something wrong with that? I can swap them if you don’t like them”

I shook my head, gosh it hurt. What did I do to it?

“So what is your answer? Will you marry me?”

I went to open my mouth and answer, not that I knew what I would say as the nurse walked in.

“You took a nasty bump to the head there Amelia, how are you feeling?”

“It’s quite sore actually”

She nodded her head, “That’s understandable. You didn’t hit it lightly. We will rebandage it for you then you should be right to leave. I don’t suggest you do much walking for a few days. You will probably experience some nasty headaches and possibly some dizzy spells. It is much better to avoid that. If you do experience any of those symptoms, please come back.” She smiled as she beckoned for another nurse to come in, they began unwrapping the bandage. I saw strips covered in blood. She wasn’t kidding, I must of hit it hard.

It hurt as she rewrapped it, it was very tight but she assured me it needed to be to make sure it didn’t swell too much. I watched them walk out of the room after giving me the ok and I knew Duane would bring up the conversation again.

“I think you should stay with me for a few days. You need someone to make sure that you aren’t doing too much and I guess it will give us some time to get used to each other. Not like we won’t be living together soon anyway.” He smiled again as he reached his hand out to help me up. I took it hesitantly, as I rose I got light headed very quickly. Everything started going black again. I panicked and let go falling back onto the bed.

“Nurse!”

I suddenly felt very tired, I closed my eyes. I could hear Duane calling my name but it slowly grew softer and softer.

I drifted back threw memories as I laid there, the black was so boring.

I remembered back to my days in Oenardil when I was the old me. I was happy. I used to pick herbs every day. I loved what I did. People would become sick or injured and my herbs were the remedies to their pain. I had so many friends, I used to be very social. We would spend so many hours sitting around Calare in my old Inn. We would drink and eat. It was the best way to grow up.

I remembered being part of the city council. I enjoyed being a chieftain. My job was to look after all the younger members of our city. Guide them and help them when they needed it. I spent a lot of time making sure our efforts were efficient. Setting up packs with all the necessities that a young one would require once leaving their village to join our city. I knew a lot of the younger ones, it was such a rewarding job seeing them grow and prosper.

I continued drifting through my memories, it was so peaceful.

“Amelia! Amelia can you hear us?”

I blinked my eyes, trying to focus.

“Amelia! Oh thank goodness. What happened?” Her voice was unfamiliar, but I answered anyway

“It all went dark, it was so peaceful”

I could feel the nurses fussing around me, I overheard the doctor speaking to Duane.

“I think its worse then we previously thought, we may need to keep her in a few days, though I did hear you saying she was going to stay with you?”

“That’s right, I want to keep an eye on her. Make sure she is alright”

“Well, if you prefer to have her in a home environment I can organize that for you”

“It would be much appreciated, I’ll send someone to gather some of her things”

“Amelia, its Duane. We are going to move you to my house. Ill organize everything, you don’t have to worry. They are going to put you to sleep now. I will see you soon” He leant down and kissed my forehead. I felt his hand brush the side of my face and my eyelids became heavy and began to droop. Everything was black again.