Finding Him

45l Victim

“If we had gotten married, Lord Talbot, you would have needed to force yourself on me and you would have never been able to please me.”

Hadassah's words to him that evening, cut deeper than he had initially imagined and as he carried her limp form into her bed chamber, placing her on the bed, it was all he could think of. The heavens knew how much he longed to claim her, how much he longed to be with her in that moment. Yet, he couldn't. It would not only hurt his pride to resort to forcing himself on a woman, it would have ascertained her words; he needed to force himself on her if he was to be with her and Julius Talbot would never need to force a woman to be with him. Daniel perhaps would, for what woman in her right senses would be attracted to a blind man?

Julius couldn't lose to his brother, he had already lost so much. He was tired of coming second in everything; in his parent's lives, in society, in his lessons, and ultimately, in life. He had been pushed to the edge the evening his parents made it clear the title belonged to Daniel by birthright. They had been boys at the time and Julius was already beginning to have some resentments towards his brother. It was clear to him who his parents favored, who the servants favored and most of all, who Sarah favored. He had been infatuated with Sarah at the time but his brother had managed to snag her attention. So, he had resorted to his loss but never in his entire life, did he imagine he would have to live without the title, that he would have to live the life of an ordinary man. He had imagined at the time, that both children will be able to lay claim to the title, both children could enjoy the perks of it. How wrong he had been, sitting in the dining area and finding out that the title could only go to one person and he couldn't even contend for it; it was Daniel's.

Julius hadn't even planned the accident. He had simply gone with his father and brother on a horseback adventure. Daniel had initiated a race and as always, Daniel had won. Julius knew his father let his brother win, adding salt to his injury. Daniel was seated atop his horse who stood at the edge of the cliff. His face was lifted to the heavens, his eyes closed and his back to Julius, oblivious to his brother who approached from behind. Their father was purposely losing, far behind and approaching at a very slow pace. In that second, Julius imagined watching his brother falling off the cliff. His mind coming up with a plan in alarming speed, he slowly climbed down his horse, picked up a stick that had most likely fallen off a tree, and mounted his horse once more. Without stopping to think for a second, he emerged from the bushes, whipped his horse into a run and before Daniel could turn around, he slammed the stick to the back of his head.

Most likely frightened, Daniel's horse neighed and began galloping in the other direction, ruining Julius' plan. Daniel's limp form was sprawled on the horse, his head hanging over the behind of the horse.

Julius watched the scene with heightened disappointment but after a short while, the horse disappeared down the hill and he heard the faint sound of his father's horse approaching. Panicking, he whipped his horse and brought it to a run in the other direction. He roamed the forest for a while and only emerged when he thought it was safe to do so.

They found Daniel hours later, unconscious and discarded on the rocky path. Julius remembered the feeling of dread that washed over him when his brother was found to be breathing. He was however relieved to some extent, when Daniel woke up blind.

Blindness however didn't stand in Daniel's path, it just gained him the love and pity of his parents, causing them to neglect Julius further. Frustrated, he left home and joined the military. He returned years later to find him brother in a pathetic state and the title, in his own hands; Julius was finally winning. Then, the news came; his brother was dead and in that second, Julius genuinely believed himself to have won.