Chapter 30.

TRIGGER WARNING: mentions about violence, blood, sexual abuse, rape, use of weapons and vulgar language.

“I know that you want to cry

But it's much more to life than dyin'

Over your past mistakes

And people who threw dirt on your name…” Sun Goes Down - Lil Nas X

March, 2137

Eveline

When I woke up at first I didn't feel any pain or heard anything, but when my senses started to come back I realized I was lying in the infirmary with the same ball gown now totally destroyed and with my left thigh and right shoulder bandaged, I didn't feel pain, so i assume it was on the effect of pain relievers.

I had no idea if it was still night or day and how much time had passed since the shooting in the ballroom but the nurses were on fire with so much screaming and whining coming from the beds beside me.

I was receiving serum and blood and I didn't know if I had been operated on or not, but I needed information and I needed to know what else had happened during the period when I was out. I then pressed one of the buttons on the side of the bed and heard a commotion down the hall until a nurse appeared and I realized it was Linda, our head nurse.

When she saw me sitting on the bed she despaired and tried to make me lie down, but I needed to get out of there and find my parents, the girls and Roman, see if everyone was okay.

“Honey lie down please, you were out of surgery less than four hours ago and you need to rest,” She said with tired hazel eyes and I noticed that her blond strands were all messed up from the long night's work.

“How long have I been here? Where is everyone? Where is Nolan?” I asked desperately and she sighed as she pondered what to say.

“The servants are organizing the palace right now, it's still Saturday morning Missy, the guards are patrolling and searching the palace for any devices or traps left behind and the guests and their family were being attended to, and that's what I know,” She said and I nodded as I took in my surroundings.

“Thanks Linda, but I need to get out of here, I have someone I need to find and I need my chaperones,” I said as I climbed out of bed and plucked the strands from my arms and felt a small twinge in my leg.

"Miss, you need to rest!" She said worried but I just shook my head and straightened the rag that had once been my ball gown and looked at her seriously.

“I'll be fine Linda, don't worry, as soon as I change I'll come down to help you if possible,” I said and she just nodded in resignation and kissed me on the cheek and muttered a “be careful” against my ear before withdraw.

I then walked with a little difficulty through the halls of the ward and saw the rooms full and the nurses running from one side to the other and when I saw a guard I would stop to check if it wasn't Roman or Nolan or try to find my family but it was not successful, perhaps they were being treated in the rooms upstairs.

I continued walking and through the guard's office which was partially intact with only a few gunshots on the walls and doors and as I passed I prayed that Scott and Kesley were okay, and that we hadn't had so much loss, but I knew that the number of casualties was large.

When I reached the kitchens the place was completely ransacked and destroyed, there was blood beside the stove but I couldn't tell who it was from as the employees had been taken to the shelter safely and I turned my face away before continuing up the next flight of stairs and slipping in the blood with my bare feet.

Holy shit.

I then tore off a piece of my dress and cleaned myself as best I could so I could continue climbing and felt some twinges in my leg, but the painkillers were still working for my luck.

When I got to the upper floors the destruction was even worse, the carpets were stained with blood and dust, there were gunshot marks and broken glass scattered everywhere which made me redouble my attention to walk around.

There were workers cleaning and rolling the rugs and gathering up what was left of the castle's furniture and art and when they saw me their eyes widened and I sure felt terrible but to see what they had done to my house and people's homes that I loved so much and that they were with me on a daily basis made me feel hatred, hatred for having destroyed everything and left a lot of dead behind, for having killed my guards in cold blood and for almost killing me in the process.

If the rebels wanted war they had just found a worthy opponent.

I did not know who was the author of this attack and did not know if a statement had been made about it, but if the answer was negative I would be happy to do so.

I said good morning to the staff and continued my way upstairs seeing some less injured guards walking around and I almost dismissed everyone but despite everything we needed to keep moving forward.

When I got to my room I saw that the doorknob had been forced several times but when I opened the door I saw that everything was intact. I didn't know the condition of the other rooms in the castle but no documents or books seemed out of place while my chaperones fixed the space.

I saw Eylisha smoothing the bedspread and Anne drowning the pillows while Adela fiddled with my closet, they were all red-eyed from crying but the first to see me was the blonde, her blue eyes watered and she fell to her knees on the floor and soon the other two surrendered to tears and without realizing it I too had started to cry.

“She's alive and well,” Anne said and the others nodded and I went to Adela to lift her off the ground and she hugged me tightly.

“I'm fine girls,” I said and the other two came to hug me.

“What he did to you wasn't fair and yet you're standing here,” Eylisha said as I wiped away a tear and I backed away a little, finding what she said strange.

"Who did what to whom?" I asked and the three dried their tears looking even sadder.

"Roman," Adela said and I felt my body go cold and I looked at the three of them blankly and felt panic wash over me.

"What did he supposed to do to me?" I asked cautiously and the three looked at me fearfully but I gestured for them to say right away and the only one who had the courage was Anne.

"They said that you stayed behind and that he found you but that instead of taking you to the shelter he raped you and left you in the hall and then you were taken to the infirmary as soon as the attack was over, so he was arrested and will be punished in the execution square, they even said they canceled the opening of the amusement park after the attack because of what they did to you, we didn't see Roman during the ball but they said that he was in guard in the hallways.” She said at last and the first person who I thought to look for it was Kesley, only he would know where Roman was stationed and after him only finding reports about last night or Nolan.

But some of the above options would have to do.

"Such bullshit, I was alone in the ballroom in the middle of the shooting helping the guards when I was injured in the shoulder and thigh, Nolan found me as soon as I fell and took me to the infirmary, I haven't seen Roman since Thursday night when he came up to my room and all of you were present and above all that is not his conduct,” I said extremely dismayed at that accusation and before I let the hatred go to my head I turned to the three and traced a quick plan in my head before speaking again “I'm going to need the help of the three of you now, I need one to go get Kesley and Nolan for me and the other two to help me look presentable because if I get to the square dressed like that people certainly won't believe me, i'm surprised my family hasn't come to stay with me given the bad news is it? So comforting,” I said with disgust in my voice and the three of them just looked at me and Anne volunteered to fetch the captain and I left her free to go and the girls went to pick out an outfit for me and prepare my bath.

I cleaned up as best I could given my conditions and Eylisha left to fetch more pills for me from the infirmary because I could only make it to the execution square if I didn't feel any pain.

Adela helped me into my clothes and did my hair and makeup and Eylisha came back accompanied by Anne, Kesley and Nolan who was limping a little and when he saw me he smiled.

“Your Highness," Kesley greeted me and I saw that his left arm was badly bruised and when he went to bow I stopped him.

“That's not necessary," I said and he nodded with tired brown eyes and Nolan stopped too and I heard him moan and touch his leg and Adela ran to steady him.

The sight of my friends and teammates in that state made me want to vomit and destroy everything around me but I had to stay sane for a while longer even if I threw it all away and acted against my principles.

That hate had just started to burn and he was still going to burn a lot along the way.

"Why did you call us, Your Highness?" I heard Kesley ask and I invited them to sit in the bedroom while I took my pain meds and turned to them.

"I've just been informed that my guard is going to be punished and executed, on the false charge as it is clear, of having raped and abandoned me," I said and the head of the guard frowned and that was all I needed to know that did that behind his back, Nolan was just as choked as he is now I just have to wonder if Scott was part of that circus which I very much doubted "From your expression I'm afraid you don't know about this and Scott? Does he know?" I asked haughtily and he denied it.

“Scott has been bedridden in his room since yesterday, he was shot in the shoulder, Your Highness,” He said and something caught my eye in the midst of all that fuss.

Someone was having some revenge complex or simply the rebels decided to attack my strongest allies to try to take me down and it shouldn't be the Outbreakers doing, the girl said we had their support so it could only be the work of the Knights from Hell, what made me mentally jot down the need to find that girl again somehow and of course I couldn't forget about Nate, he sure as hell had to put his finger on this.

But for now I needed to get Roman out of that execution square as soon as possible.

“Great, so you're dismissed and thank you so much for your sincerity, now I need my keys and one other little thing I've been saving all this time so I can end this hell before they hurt my guard any more, and I hope the men who touched him receive the proper punishment within army guidelines, right Kesley?” I said firmly and he nodded, but something made his eyes widen and I looked at him in confusion as Eylsha brought over the keys to the Mustang and what would get me out of this shit hole that Nate put me.

"Do you have a license to drive?" He asked worriedly and I laughed and shook my head while the girls laughed with me too.

“Nick taught me to drive, don't worry,” I said and he chuckled as he shook his head.

"That kid is impossible, I hope he comes back soon, now go Your Highness and be careful," He said and I nodded as I said goodbye to them and left the room.

I stormed down the stairs as the servants watched me and I bid them good morning again as I hobbled towards the garden where more destruction and blood awaited me.

Our flowers and monuments had barely been preserved but still I passed some dirty crimson stones on the way to the greenhouse which luckily were still intact, so I walked around the place and found the car I knew wasn't borrowed, maybe it was from Roman, maybe not, right now I needed to get it out of there and take care of what happened next.

So I wasted no time and unlocked the vehicle feeling my thigh tighten and my shoulder hurt but I tried to let it go as I got in and started the engine and press the gas pedal until I reach the gate I always used and saw that they opened again and I accelerated to the main avenue seeing that the traffic was loaded and I was sure it was because of the execution, the most clueless people loved to see one.

I then drove as fast as I could to the center where from afar I could see the crowd screaming in the square as the cars slowly passed by to look and the Space Cars traffic was racing above us.

I knew I would have to stop the car somewhere, but everything was packed, so as many people had stopped almost on the sidewalk of the square I did the same and walked out of the car with a limp, I decided to take off the jacket I was wearing and stayed in just the red skirt and black tank top Adela pulled out and I locked the car and looked around.

There were many people screaming and others with protest posters as several guards held back the crowd, so I looked at the stand that had been set up in front of the execution house that was in the middle of the square and the wooden log where they were going to tie Roman, the executioner was standing up there just waiting for the order while a movement inside the house was thrown and looking at the porch I saw my parents, my brother and Nate.

And the son of a bitch was smiling, but I was going to wipe that smile off his face soon.

I then think of the best way to get there without getting crushed and then I see two guards come out of the house bringing a third person and my body squirms at the sight of the beautiful dress uniform destroyed and the long lost medals, the face is covered but seeing the warrior tattooed on his chest I know who is there.

I decide not to waste any more time and launch myself towards the crowd and since I won't have enough strength to get everyone out of there I use my title for that.

“Make way, the princess is passing by!" I said and people seeing me widened their eyes, mainly for the injuries but I was just asking permission and wishing them good morning who just nodded and got out of my way.

I risked a glance in the direction of the stand as I cut through the crowd as quickly as I could bruised in so many places and watched as they tied him with his back to the crowd and ripped open his shirt showing the black dragon of De'Ath on his back and some citizens gasped at the sight on my side.

My parents and everyone else in that castle had lost their minds after yesterday.

I started walking faster feeling my thigh tighten but I ignored the pain and prayed the painkillers would last a little longer because when the effect wore off I would collapse.

The executioner then read Roman's rights while my parents just watched along with my brother and Nate comforted my mother which made all the hate I've been building up since yesterday bubble up and my pain faded, the voices faded, all the hubbub faded and I saw everything red for the sole purpose of reaching Roman and get him away of this mess.

I didn't feel anything when the guards tried to hold me and I stepped on the foot of one of them and kicked his balls and punched the other in the face and knocked them down, but no one tried to stop me again after that, and I’m thankful for that. The executioner already had the whip in his fists and was spinning them in midair as I took the steps two at a time.

And I made perfect timing because when I reached Roman and his bruised body the executioner brought down the whip and I charge as much as I could from my guard's back with my body and when the whip kissed my skin I felt nothing at first but the burning sensation came in slow waves and I still didn't hear anything, I just held tight to his body when I heard the whip come down again.

The second time it hurt a little less but the third time the stitches in my shoulder broke from the force that the executioner slap the whip on my back. I was trying not to scream and give Nate that taste, but everything stopped when someone screamed and I looked to the side seeing my mother leaning on the porch of the house looking horrified at me.

The executioner stared at me and I'm sure he realized the shit he'd done so I smiled at him and walked away from Roman limping and walk towards him and take the whip from his hands and throw them at his feet, I took advantage of his distraction and the lack of sensitivity on my part and I stole the knife from his belt to free Roman while my parents yelled something to the guards but no one moved.

They were all watching me like I had lost my mind and maybe I had lost some of my sanity after yesterday. I looked for just a few seconds to the porch and my dad was pale and my mom was crying while my brother was amazed and Nate was worried.

I smiled at him like I'd won the biggest pink diamond in the world, he had threatened me and set me and Roman up behind our backs but at some point the masks fall, and all that psychological terror he'd made will come to an end.

I then released my guard and he faltered as he clung to the trunk and I held his arms so tightly I had no idea where it came from and he coughed.

"Hold on a little longer Rom, I still need to do something," I said softly to him and heard him cough again as he nodded.

I then threw the knife to the ground and walked over to the microphone and looked up to where I knew my dad was about to have the microphone cut off and pointed it at him.

"If anyone dares to cut my microphone I will scream to be heard!" I said it out loud and my dad stopped mid-motion and I saw Nate biting his lip in frustration and I smiled.

He had messed with the wrong person.

“Good morning people of Waybrook, I'm Princess Eveline Taylor and I'm here today to clear up this beautiful antics that was made here, first I would like to reiterate in case you have not been informed that last night there was a rebel attack on the palace and we had some casualties and some injured people, I wish my feelings to all the families who lost a loved one today, but even so the victims' wages continued to be sent to you.” I knew for sure whether they hated me now or loved me after everything that had happened, but I hoped the burning pain that was spreading down my back would somehow serve to tell me that my side was the people's.

I would never abandon them, that was never my purpose from the start of it all, I was here as a shield and would protect everyone with my life, even if I didn't get anything in return, so I cleared my throat and put on a lock of hair which had loosened itself behind my ear with some difficulty and I continued to speak feeling my body tingle with fury and hatred and blood run down my arm, but it not affect me.

The only thing that kept me going was my hatred.

"And going on with what I need to tell you, last night I wasn't raped by anyone and I don't know who said it but it's nonsensical to use such a serious accusation to try to give me such a low blow or whatever the intention was with that gesture, but I was shot and in surgery when this insanity was uttered and they didn't think I would get up anytime soon but here I am and I didn't mind taking part of the punishment for him,” I say pointing to Roman and I hold onto the stand when I feel like I'm getting weaker with each passing minute but I maintain the position to keep talking “I would do it again without thinking and would take as many lashes for him because, unlike what is being suggested, he is a man of his word and did not deserve all this humiliation here, he loves his work and swore with his life to protect me and would never do what they insinuated that he did, I'm even angry to say the words such is the hypocrisy of those who invented all this, if we want to evolve as humans and citizens who are part of a society, we have to take sexual abuse and rape seriously and not play with something like that level and accuse an innocent person for revenge and kill him for it, the man in front of you is a real man, unlike you Dear Nate, you're just a spoiled brat who thought that by threatening me you would make it to the throne anyway, sorry to inform you but I'm not such a fool as you thought,” I say smiling like a degenerate and I turn to look at him who was pale on the porch of the execution house while my parents look at him in disbelief and my brother is red with anger.

The executioner beside me is desperate for his body language and Roman has removed the cloth covering his head as I speak because when I saw his serious, restrained face turn towards me my heart twisted at the image of him so wounded.

He had a split lower lip and he had several cuts and bruises that started on his cheek and went down his neck, not to mention the other bruises he got on the Wednesday round, the left side of his body was almost black from being bruised and he was very scratched but it relieved me a little that I had been lashed by him.

“You're a lunatic Eveline, you got that crazy idea out of your head just because…” Nate started yelling from upstairs but my brother pulled him up and shut him up in two seconds which was a relief.

His days in my territory were numbered.

“I apologize for him but as you can see not everything that is too good is true, and Nate thought threatening me by using my relationship with my guard would have effect when in fact on his first night at the palace he harassed me and whoever took him away it was my guard and if you say it's a lie I can prove it,” I said and I turned to the guy who was hiding behind the stand controlling the screen and the microphones that showed my image and my voice and pulled out of my skirt pocket a memory drive and I gave it to him that don’t ask any questions.

No one knew I had kept it and it was the best shot I could do to get rid of that thing.

He didn't even ask me and I didn't feel ashamed when the video was shown, I just looked at my parents and my brother, they looked indignant and sad, that was the first time I saw my father look so furious at someone and my brother held back, the crowd began to mutter and Roman had closed his eyes and was breathing heavily.

When I thought it was enough I asked the guy to turn off the footage and went back to the microphone.

“And this is the son of the president of McQuoid, dear citizens, a faker, a liar and a son of a bitch who doesn't respect women or a single person, and that's payback for his threats to me, my family and integrity of my nation, I want you out of my home and country today, I don't want to look you in the face or see you walking the halls that were once so safe for me and turned out to be something terrible, get out of my way! And to all the women who have been through this, don't be afraid to report it and ask for help, we have a group that specializes in this at the Taylor Self-Help Center, we have to stay together, and as my last speech I thank you for listening, please have a good day of service!" I say and people salute me with a bow and I bow before my people to the amazement of many and I turn to Roman who looks at me with a tired smile on his face. I smile just as tiredly as I finally feel that my body is surrendering to pain and blood loss that hasn't stopped.

I look at my shoulder and see that my shirt is covered in blood and I didn't even know how I'd been on my feet for so long since I left the castle. Maybe it was the painkillers, maybe it was the hate it was hard to tell.

I tried to take a step towards my guard but my body was shaking and I held on to the stand as the crowd began to disperse and the next second Roman was at my side trying to keep myself upright.

“I'm fine we need to get to the car and I need to take you to the infirmary,” I say and he denies as he lifts me off the ground in a bridal style and I watch him extremely tired trying to understand how he still had the strength “You're hurt, put me on the floor,” I say and he nods again and turns his back for my family as we descend the steps and walk towards the crowd and just as I expect a figure I haven't seen in a while comes up smiling wearing a cute little black suit with graying hair shaking in the wind.

My grandmother was there.

And I could feel my dad looking in our direction but finally the weariness of it all was coming like a punch in my direction and I laid my head on Roman's shoulder as my grandmother came up to me to kiss my forehead.

“Nice words honey, and I missed you all baby,” She says and I smile at her and Roman settles my body better against his as my grandmother and he say something I can't hear, my eyes growing heavier "Let's take care of you boy and my granddaughter, did you come by car?" She asks and I nod yes and slowly point to my skirt pocket.

I then close my eyes as we make our way through the crowd and I don't worry about the repercussions of what happened today, whatever comes after this I don't care, at least Roman was fine and my grandmother was here with me too and that's what that mattered.

Then I slowly surrendered to unconsciousness and everything went black.