unforgivable | solangelo royalty au | sequel to unattainable

Chapter Nine

a/n: oof this is long overdue

WPOV:

As I ease into consciousness, I become aware of somebody singing softly.

The pain on my back spikes, and I jolt, prompting the singing to stop.

"Shh..." The voice is familiar, I think. I blink a few times, waking up, and realise that whoever is in the cell with me is gently wiping my back with a cold, wet cloth.

The relief is so strong I almost sob aloud. Lou Ellen steps in front of me and pulls a roll of thick material from her pocket.
"You're halfway through your punishment." She murmurs. "I've been permitted to clean your wounds." She begins to wrap the bandages around my arm, where a particularly nasty wound resides. The only reason it isn't infected is that Octavian takes pleasure in rubbing stinging alcohol into the wound as hard as he can, keeping it sanitary whilst hurting me further.

Lou looks like she wants to free me from my restraints, but refrains. My toes only just brush the ground, pulling my arms up painfully. It feels as though my lungs are filled with broken glass, and they scream protests with every breath.

My head spins; I let my eyes fall shut and concentrate on not crying as Lou Ellen finishes bandaging my wounds.

"You should rest." She advises me as she finishes. "Octavian will be here in about an hour."

I think I nod slightly, but perhaps I just shudder. I'm too exhausted to open my eyes. She brushes my limp, damp hair from my forehead as a sudden chill washes over me. It's the gentlest thing I've experienced in a long time. Her voice is barely above a whisper.

"You've got to stay strong, Will. This will end eventually, I promise. Hold onto that."

~~~

My eyes snap open and I'm instantly on high alert, but there's no threat in sight. Across from me, Silena and Charlie share a bed. On the other side of the room, Reyna is asleep too, her eyelids fluttering as she dreams. I'm well aware that the hand which resides under her pillow is gripping a dagger.

After what feels like hours of laying in the dark, waiting for sleep to take hold of me again, I realise that it's fruitless. I'm far too restless to sleep.

Trying my best not to make a sound, I leave the hut and start walking, not really sure where I should head. The dirt under my feet and the warm breeze threading through my hair is soothing.

I decide not to enter the forest, as my directional skills are far from great and the last thing I want is to get lost in the dark on a foreign island, so instead I walk along the tree-line, humming the tune I remember Lou singing my dream.

Why am I suddenly reliving my torture? Unlike the dream before it, it didn't leave me scared, but rather, unsettled. I had forgotten that brief encounter until now, and I'm even more glad I allowed Lou to become a guard, rather than remaining as a maid, a position she hated.

Though I hate the methods used by Octavian to "strengthen" me, I have to admit that the unintended results really did shape me to be a fairly good ruler. Thanks to Lou Ellen's soothing actions and, once I was freed, Cecil's attempts to cheer me up, I believe I grew to further appreciate kindness and fairness.

And, of course, I now understand my mother's actions better.
"My mother was a good ruler. I was disobedient. I must not question the Queen." I mumble, a mantra I have memorised to the point where saying it is as natural as breathing. The brands on my back seem to burn a little. I continue to chant as I walk the perimeter of the forest.