Abby's POV
I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. There was only the image of Charlie, falling, and Abbott's cold, empty eyes.
Then strong arms were around me, holding me up. I smelled leather and soap—Markle. My Markle.
I collapsed against him, my body shaking with sobs I could no longer contain.
"He's gone," I choked out, my face buried in his tunic. "He just… he threw him. He killed him."
Markle's arms tightened around me.
A horrible realization tumbled out of me with my tears. I wasn't just crying for Charlie. I was crying for the terrifying, broken man I was tied to.
"He hates me" I whispered. "He hates me. He killed Charlie" I told him and buried my face in his chest.
"i hate him" I gasped, pulling back to look at Markle, my vision swimming with tears. "He's a monster. A monster…"
I heard someone clear his throat and I turned around and it was Bastian holding a very much alive...very much breathing Charlie, and right next to him was... Abbott.
"Abbott"
He heard everything. I took a step away from Markle, a step towards him but he took one away from me, turned around and stalked away.
I looked at Bastain who looked so outraged, he didn't bother hiding it.
"I thought he killed Charlie" I tried to explain, as I took my toad from him. "I thought...I thought he killed Charlie" I tried explaining again.
He said nothing to me, instead, he turned his attention to Markle.
"May I suggest you return to your part of the palace, Your highness, it's getting late. And someone might misunderstand and think you were trying to covert what doesn't belong to you...like your uncle's wife"
Markle walked away after a few glances and I was left with Sir Bastian.
I saw the confirmation in Bastian's pained expression. He was on Abbott's side not mine.
"I thought he killed Charlie" I tried to explain once again.
He came closer and threw his cloak around me.
"I thought —"
"Let's get you inside, Your highness"
I walked side by side with Bastain and without thinking I blurted out a single thought that went through my head.
"He is so difficult to love, Bastian. He's difficult to love"
"Abigail, stop talking!" He finally snapped. I stared at him wide eyed. "And Move out of his bedroom, will you?"
"No!" I shrugged his cloak off and took off with Charlie.
***
(A month ago)
After my parents disappeared, Staying in Bluestone manor ceased to be an option especially with the new Baron, my uncle actively sending thugs to kill me and recover the raven's seal I inherited.
But Nanny Josie's plan had been a simple one. Locate the palace. Present the Ravel's Seal. Force the king to marry me off to his heir. Secure my head from the chopping block, Uncle was trying to place it. Use my new found influence to find my parents.
I stuck to that plan.
The palace wasn't hard to locate. It was a gigantic castle that was as high as my eyes could go.
I followed it till I was standing by the entrance. It was heavily guarded.
There were six guards by the huge gate and many more standing on top of the watchtower holding arrows and swords.
Are they aiming at me? It looked like they were.
Maybe I should turn back?
But if I turn back, then what?
I will use my non-existent fighting skills to keep myself alive from the warlords and skilled mercenaries my uncle will send after me.
And so, I cleared my throat and gripped the satchel tighter as I took a step closer to one of the guards holding a scroll.
"Good day, sir. I would like an audience with king Aldous Raven" I smiled a little for not stuttering.
They all turned to look at me all at once. If I wasn't nervous before, I sure was now.
The gatekeeper looked at me like I was a three headed monster and I was also dancing to an invisible drumming like a lunatic.
He didn't say a word at first and it gave me the time to get my pounding heart under control before speaking again.
"I said I want an aud…"
"I heard you perfectly, girl. Turn around before you meet a truly awful demise" he said coldly.
"No" I whispered, terrified to my bones.
I was a young girl of very little title; I had no business demanding to see the king or refusing an order from a royal gatekeeper but Nanny Josie said to grow up and now was as good a time as any.
"I must see his majesty, today…please" I demanded, fighting every urge to pick up my muddy dress and run like a mad bull.
"Throw her out!" the gatekeeper ordered and just like that, I was grabbed.
They started to drag me away when I yelled as loud as I could "I have a raven's seal. I demand to see a raven king!"
It gave them a pause and I was dropped like a sack of potatoes.
"Ouch!" I groaned.
I stood up and I tried to ignore the scraps on my knee and the yellow dress that was now stained with brown dirt.
I pushed my hair to the back. I must look a mess right about now; my red hair was probably in knots and disheveled.
"I have a raven's seal" I told the gatekeeper again.
I opened my satchel and I pulled the little scroll with a huge red seal in the middle. I handed it over to the gatekeeper.
"How did you come by a seal, girl?"
I realized I had to give the appearance of a willful educated young lady rather than a scared little girl with no one in the world.
"It was given to my father, Baron Baltimore Spencer by the Raven King. I am the honorable Abigail Spencer and I need to speak to his majesty"
They were quiet and so I decided to keep talking.
"My father was a wise man and a friend of the king and he told me that with a raven's seal, you can't turn me away without risking your head. Do you want your head on a chopping block, Sir gatekeeper?" I asked in the politest voice I have.
"My name is Ian. I am not a knight"
Don't vomit, Abigail!
Don't vomit!
Breath and hold his gaze!
Take a deep breath and hold his gaze!
"Very well then two guards shall escort you to the king' court, Miss Abigail"
I exhaled. I haven't felt this relieved since I stopped a suitor from eating my toad Charlie, I closed my eyes momentarily and I exhaled again.
"Thank you. Sorry, I threatened your head, sir gatekeeper"
"I am still not a knight since the last time I told you my name"
"Sorry"
I murmured and followed the guards inside the castle. It was the biggest place I have ever seen.
It looked like it was carved out of stone but it was impossible because where can one get such a ginormous stone to carve.
The castle went as far as my eyes could go on each side and it was a thing of beauty and art.
"This way, Miss"
The guard told me as I walked until I was winded in an effort to match his remarkably long stride. We were almost near the largest garden I have ever seen when I tripped on my own foot and before I could fall face first a hand reached out from the thick flowers and steadied me.
That hand was Markle Raven.
And it was how I met the love of my life.