Amethyst (Fallen Kingdom)

Labeling emotions

Amethyst stayed out until the last moments, and her sister insisted that she walked her back to her room. Now, she was forced to endure her conversation."I'm not going to speak to you about Lord Carlisle or how familiar you two are getting, how much of a bad idea that is, or how it concerns me because you already know all of this.""Then what are you going to say, sister?" Amethyst ran a tired eye over Meghan, noting a sadness that came out."Francis got a letter during the solstice to come home, and we are leaving now, not even waiting for first light. He wouldn't let me see it. He told me not to worry, but..." She ran her hands down her face. "I'll sleep in the carriage, and it will be nice to have a companion this time but far well for another summer sister." Megan hugged her before running off to the kingdom of Bettlewood for another summer or forever.Amethyst slept very fitfully and was woken to glass breaking and pure carnage. It sounded like many wild animals were set free on the other side of the door. She was going to the door to peek at what was happening when a desperate banging started, causing her to cry out in fear."Amethyst, open the door! Open it quickly," Nikolai's voice came through, but she could feel the fear and tension. As quickly as she could not even cover her sleeping gown, she opened the door. He slid through and slammed the door back so that the sound made her jump. He ran over to her, checking that she was all in one piece; the look on his face made her forget how inappropriate it was."What's happening?" She grabbed his hands to make him focus."Do you still have that servant dress for the night we met?" She nodded, almost sure it still rested on the bottom of her dresser. "Put it on as quickly as possible right now, then hide behind the door." He left without another word, and she did as she was told. But her mind kept running; there was something wrong. Where was her father? Why wouldn't he come and get her? She was almost done dressing when the door opened, eliciting a scream first from the sound, then from the sight. Nikolai was dragging in a dead body, not any dead body, one that looked entirely too similar to her own."Circe!" Amethyst yelled and tried to reach for her, but Nikolai held her back."She is gone. There is nothing you can do for her." He held her fiercely. Her whole world shrunk to that girl, a small bloodstream on her temple. "Please, we don't have time." She nodded and went back to her gown. Nikolai went to her closet and pulled out a simple night shift, one of Amethyst's extras for sleeping. Then, set to dressing Circe in the clothes. Amethyst shuddered involuntarily as she watched him make her friend bear. He laid Circe in the bed, then, in one swift motion of a knife, slit her throat. A blow that, if she had not already been dead, would have killed her. He used her blood to make it look like he had killed her."Amethyst," he stood, walking towards her. His hands were red like the dress she wore when they met. "We need to get you to the kitchen. The men won't kill any of the female servants down there because they need food." She was frozen, eyes fixed on Circe lying in the bed as if she could will her to rise. Nikolai was ushering her to the door, a shell of a person moving where she was told. There was a movement at the door; they had forgotten to lock it, but Nikolai was quicker. He pushed her to the dresser, his body pressed against hers, his lips roughly attacking her mouth. His heat was in suck contrast with his hands, cold, slimy on her arms, neck, and face. The realization that he was rubbing Circe's life force on her hit, and it woke her up enough to fight and push. There was a hearty laugh from several men at the door to the room."Look, boys, our prince found himself a little toy. Are we bothering you, your Highness?" The man's voice was low and smug, as if he was enjoying the show. Nikolai clamped his arms around Amethyst, faking a romantic embrace."Don't you have something to do for my father?""We are getting settled. Your father is checking that we got the whole family downstairs; we can strike the little one off the list. As far as I know, the king and queen are gone too." Nikolai squeezed Amethyst a little tighter in an attempt to keep her quiet."Well, I shouldn't keep my father waiting. Could one of you do me a favor and take this little one to my room and make sure she stays there. I want to save her for later." Nikolai pushed her towards the crowd of men, 4 or 5 standing in the doorway. They all gazed at her hungrily as she tried to fight. Nikolai pulled one of the men close like he was sharing a secret. "I'd like to have her to myself, so if you can keep the men off this one, I would be grateful." The man nodded, grabbing Amethyst. He was planning on dragging her as Nikolai did. She fought so hard that he ended up throwing her over his shoulder. All her kicking, screaming, and fighting was for nothing. When she was unceremoniously tossed into Nikolai's room. The door was closed and locked with no promise of opening again. Amethyst hugged her knees to her chest and cried. Her best friend, mother, father, and brother were dead. She was alone in this castle, but the fact that her sister left earlier gave her hope. She could run, get to her sister, and tell her what happened. Amethyst cried for hours until her tears ran out. Her hands and feet were so cold that she could no longer feel them. After the cold seeped into her whole body, she rubbed her hands on her arm to warm up. She felt pieces of dried blood fall off her arm. She felt this need to get the blood off, but there was no water in the room, so she scratched at her face and her body to get it off. She was so intent on getting the blood off that she didn't notice Nikolai come in."Amethyst, you are making yourself bleed." He grabbed her hands to stop her. "You are freezing!""I need to get it off," She said, her eyes not focusing on him."Okay, I will help you. Stop scratching, and I will help." He rose, leaving her to scratch again. He spoke to a man outside the door and asked for hot water and a rag. When he returned, he didn't even bother grabbing her hands. He picked her up and brought her to the bed. He held her to himself and wrapped the blankets around them to keep her warm. Her fight left her, and she sank into him and his warmth, unable to take anything else in. When a knock came to the door, he yelled that they could send in the maid. Catherin, the queen's maid, hid herself in the kitchen and was the only one brave enough to leave the kitchen. Catherin nearly dropped the bowl of hot water when she saw the princess."Oh, highness, you're alive." Catherin put the bowl on the table and pulled the blankets away to look at her. "What is wrong with her?" Catherin spoke with Nikolai since Amethyst was not responding."She is not taking the loss well." Nikolai reached for the rag as Catherin inspected the princess."How did you survive?" Catherin waited for a response. As she was about to redirect the question to Nikolai, who was whipping her arms with the rag, Amethyst reached out and took his hands in hers."Nikolai saved me, hid me here." She leaned back into him, not caring how inappropriate it was."I can take her to the kitchens with me now and get her set up," Catherin said."I don't think that is a good plan. You know, or at least you can guess what the servant's quarters will be like tonight with all these soldiers walking around. Here, I can protect her. I'll send her down in the morning.""You think I am leaving my princess, the last of the royal family, here with you.""If I was going to hurt her, why would I save her.""I don't know what sick game your father plays in his takeover." Amethyst took a moment to piece together the night's events and their conversation. Then she pulled away from him so swift it startled them both."The men were wearing red and gold, Vilencian colors. You were always writing when you got here. You said someone was making you do something you didn't want." Amethyst shook off the hands that were trying to still her again. "You brought them here. You helped them kill my parents and my brother, and now I am alone in this overrun castle. So what I can watch as you break my country like you destroyed my family.""No. I didn't... I thought." he was on his feet approaching her, but he stopped dead when he realized what the next question would be."Was any of it true, or was it all a sick game?" No response from Nikolai, and Catherin watched. "Your castle, the winter solstice ball, climbing the mountain, your annoying teachers, your brother? What game were you playing?""All of that was real and true; everything I told you and wanted to tell you was true. I don't expect you to forgive me for not telling you everything. But please let me tell you that your words about not doing something I know is wrong struck a chord in me. I immediately stopped writing to my father. I hoped that it would stop his plans. When I got home, I would convince him to go through with the peace agreements. So that I could court you and introduce you to my lands and my family.""I believe you." Amethyst breaks on the words; even Catherin makes a knowing sound. Nikolai crossed the room, pulling Amethyst to him again. She didn't fight, but she was numb."I will do you one better," He said, looking towards Catherin. "Your brother made it out; when I went to meet my father, he said you and your parents were dead, but your brother escaped. I will help you get your brother back on the throne and my father out of your country.""I want to trust you, but I am so confused. If that offer is genuine, then it is good because I was not raised to quit on my people. I am going to send your father home.""I understand, and we can start planning right away." He tried to guide her back to the bed."But not tonight; those girls in the kitchen need to be protected. I will not abandon them." Catherin looked proud and scared all at once. Amethyst grabbed Catherin and went to the door, but Nikolai held her arm to stop her."In the morning, will you come to see me so I know you are alive? If you don't, I will have to go down and look for you." Amethyst blushed despite herself."yes, I can do that.""And we can't call you Amethyst anymore." He had not let go of her yet."If Circe took my place, I would be honored to take hers. Now, you must let us go. I will see you in the morning." The two maids made their way out of Nikolai's room. They kept their heads down as they passed a collection of smug soldiers who laughed at them. Nikolai was right about the night being long and hard. When they entered the kitchen, they heard the screaming. Women were being pushed around and dragged out screaming. Any man who came to their defense was threatened or killed. There was nothing Amethyst could do for those men and women that were already lost. The other women were being brought to the food cellar for safety. Amethyst pulled as many girls in with her as she could before they were locked inside by one of the stable boys. They were trapped in the darkness until someone in the castle opened it up again. Assuming the people live through the night. The crying was the worst part of the night. Everyone had to stay quiet, so when a girl's crying got too loud, another had to crawl over and cover her mouth until she stopped or fell asleep. Amethyst hardly slept that night with all the comforting she was doing. Finally, the dawn came streaming through when the stable boy who closed them in the night before opened the door again. Amethyst released a sigh of relief the soldiers hadn't killed all the men. Some of her people lived through the night. Once all the girls were out, they started their morning chores. Amethyst guessed that it gave them comfort. Catherin told them all that if they wanted to keep the soldiers out of the kitchen, they needed to work. Amethyst tried to help but didn't know what she was doing. This immediately leads to the woman realizing that she is the princess. They fussed and wouldn't let her do anything to help at all. Catherin stepped in again, told them to call her Circe, and handed her a tray for Nikolai. Amethyst added flair, putting a paper flower on the tray she brought up. One knock and he was there. Nikolai was not finished dressing, and when he saw her, he had nearly forgotten the part he was supposed to be playing."Please, um... put the tray down on the table." He stepped to the side, letting her in. The second the door closed, he pulled her into his arms. "I was starting to get worried about you." Amethyst stepped out of his arms."I'm sorry, but I'm so confused right now.""Of course, but we will start planning, right?" He walked to the tray and picked up the flower. "what's this?""When my sister and I were young, we were taught by a lady who came to visit the castle how to fold paper into different shapes. Anyway, I was better at it than Meghan was, so I used to leave her taunting notes all over the castle. Soon, it became a secret way for us to talk to each other.""We could use the same messaging system?" He said, putting the flower down."Are you not going to read it?" He pulled the flower apart slowly so he would not rip it."It says thank you." Amethyst crossed the room and started straightening his disheveled self. Helping him finish dressing. "Thought for a thought?""Okay, you first.""You make me scared for the first time in a long time since I lost my brother. I never want you out of my sight because it is so dangerous, and I'm not sure you will return.""I find myself thinking about you like before. I wanted you to be near me, but then my head snapped to the faces of the people I lost, and I felt so guilty for wanting to be near you for not hating you. And yes, I know you tried to stop it and saved my life. I'm not in the right space for anything.""I understand, and I wouldn't make you do anything you didn't want to do. On another note, we should use your flowers to decide times and meeting locations.""I'll let you know." Amethyst made moves to leave."Can you do me a favor if my father tries to collect all the servants? You should hide. Don't go to him, alright.""I'll try, but I can't promise I'll get away with hiding; why, what is your father planning.""He doesn't trust me anymore since I stopped writing to him. He said that he had something planned." Amethyst left and told Catherin about his warning. She was weary all day as if any soldier that walked through had malicious intent. While Amethyst struggled through Cierce's chores, she was terrible at starting fires.The king did eventually come to collect the servants. There was nowhere for Amethyst to hide, so she went out with everyone else. One of the girls from the kitchen was bawling about how they were all going to die, which is what everyone was thinking. Amethyst wrapped an arm around her to keep her a bit quieter. They were near the front entrance of the castle. There was dry hay all around their standing area, making a flammable mess."servants of the castle." Nikolai's father spoke so that the whole area was filled with his crushing voice. "I want this to be a peaceful change from your last king to me," He began pacing in front of the crowd, raising his hands. There were no weapons on his hands, a sign of trust, but the look in his eyes of wicked joy spoke of another intent. "But I have a problem. The young prince of Medivia ran the night I arrived. I need to know where he went, and I feel like some of you might know." He waited for someone to speak up, but no one did. "I am trying to give you all a chance to earn my favor. Besides, the royals you are protecting either ran for their lives or dropped dead at the mere sight of us. So, does anyone know where the coward would go?" No one answered again, but there were subtle looks at Amethyst, a royal who neither ran nor died."Pity." the king gave a signal and set the yard on fire in a circle around the staff. It blazed wildly for a moment, heat pressing in, but it couldn't sustain the flames on hay, so it started to die. "No one ready to talk yet; maybe you need more persuasion." On cue, three figures stood up on the castle's walls. Amethyst didn't cry out or fall to her knees. She stood mutely, staring at them as the wind pulled on their dressing gowns. Everything turned to background noise as she stared. It was cold out, though Amethyst knew they couldn't feel the cold biting on their skin today or any day. Catherin's arm guided her away from the bodies. The image was sealed into her heart forever; it was an out-of-body experience for Amethyst. That night, as she got ready to lie down, she wanted to talk to Catherin about what had happened but couldn't find the words. She tried to get some sleep, but the girl's tears kept her awake again. Amethyst resigned to staring at the ceiling as she tried to scrub the day's events from her mind. The morning took its sweet time to come, but in the sunlight, the nights without sleep were starting to show.When Catherin and Amethyst made it to the kitchen, they were greeted with a perplexing sight. Nikolai sat uncomfortably on a stool. The girls gave him dirty looks and tried to size up the knives kept in the kitchen. The second Amethyst came into view, he stumbled to his feet."Are you..." He made quick glances at the girls all around him. "Can we um... will you...""Let me get your tray, my lord, and then I will go with you." One of the other kitchen girls handed a tray over hesitantly. The two walked in silence, and only Nikolai's eyes betrayed the indecision inside of him. Once the door was closed, the façade dropped."I can't express how sorry I am. If I could make it all stop, I would.""I am fine. I can handle anything your father has to throw at me." He stood before her, staring for any hint that she was cracking."While I do believe you can handle it. I know you are lying; you don't need to do that with me. Let me in. You don't have to bear anything alone." Amethyst knew he meant his words. She could feel the truth of them in her bones. His touch made her blood rush, reminding her of her feelings. It also reminded her how it made her a traitor to her people and family."I said I'm fine now. We should start planning how to send your father home." Darkness colored his eyes, but it was gone as fast as it came."Have you ever heard that you are not supposed to fight angry? Well, you are not supposed to plan to be angry as well; it makes you reckless.""What do you want from me? Of course, I'm angry. My mother, father, and best friend are stuck on poles like grotesque scarecrows. I am the useless sister trapped here; while my brother may be building an army, this castle is designed to be held. Your father got in because he had a small group and a man on the inside.""And now my father is guarding the only way in or out, so a siege is our only option.""The two gates are not the only way in or out. There is one gate in the water cellar. It leads to the nearest river's edge. It is not big enough to march an army in.""Then why are we talking siege? A small group could do this.""That's not enough. Your father used that method. He will be ready for it.""So why not both?""Why not all three options?""Three options. We were only talking about two?""My brother brings his armies and surrounds the castle. Nothing goes in or out. Then, the people here start destroying the food supply that we have. A small group from the outside helps everyone to escape and crushes the weaker opponent.""Starve us out, then send us home without killing anyone?""No one needs to lose their lives.""That is a brilliant plan." Nikolai grabbed her arm, and her voice involuntarily hitched, betraying some of her true feelings for him. Amethyst ignored it and set herself to folding a piece of paper until it became a beautiful flower she left on his nightstand. "Know that I will be here when you are ready to let me in."Amethyst discussed the plan with Catherin as it came together in her mind. Catherin seemed nervous about it, pointing out some of the glaring issues. How are they going to communicate information to her brother? When and if they are going to tell all the staff? What happens if they can't destroy or get the food out? What if the tunnel is sealed?"Darling, I love that you want to save us and get your country back. But this is the type of thing where you wait and hope someone comes and saves us.""That, Catherin, does not sound like the best way to get free.""This isn't a game. It isn't supposed to be fun. There is a high chance that the Vilencian king will decide to kill us all.""That makes it seem like we should find a way to get out of here faster, not sit around waiting for it to happen." Amethyst grabbed a piece of paper and folded it into a rose. "I need to talk to someone about the issues with the plan.""Amethyst," Catherin grabbed her arm, eyes shining with concern. "Be careful."Amethyst carried her rose up the stairs and brought it to the prince's room; he wasn't there as she expected. She scribbled a vague note on one of the petals and hoped Nikolai would understand.After dinner, it was cleaned, and everyone packed into the food storage cellar for the night. Amethyst left the kitchen. Amethyst made her way outside, knowing full well that Catherin would be worried about her all night. Amethyst made her way to the back of the stables behind a tree. She had hidden there as a child from her mother's lessons. Amethyst let out a choke of a laugh; she would never sit through one of her mother's lessons again. She, at this moment, would give anything to have a lesson tomorrow. Amethyst was so preoccupied with her thoughts that she didn't notice Nikolai walk around the stable. She made a quiet noise to let him know that she was there."What did you need to talk about." Nikolai pressed close, wedging between the tree and the stables so no one would see them talking."I need to leave the palace. Do you think that could be arranged?""You want to go for a stroll, or are you running away." There was sadness in his eyes, but he shook himself out of it as if he would help her if that was what she wanted."No, I want to talk to my brother, then come back.""So, pop out for the afternoon?" His dry comment cut into her: "Do you even know where your brother is?""Lady Grace Dubree, she and my brother were entering into marriage talks, remember. He would go to her father's estate.""Say your brother is there. What are you going to say to him?""I will tell him to march an army, sit there, and not attack. I will get everyone out of here via the water tunnel; he needs soldiers ready to help. The plan is to get all the food and livestock out that way. I will take back my home without destroying yours by forcing them to surrender and turn the army around. No one needs to die.""That has a lot of holes in the plan. It can't hurt to try, and getting the information to your brother about the coming army will be invaluable." Nikolai shrugged. "When we are sent home, will I ever see you again?""Our countries, I assume, will return to the previous policy of silence." She knew that was not the question that he was asking. "But I will tell my brother how you helped us. When you become king, our nations could heal, and we could see each other again." They let that sink in. It could be years before they saw each other after he leaves Medivia."Like I said before, your mind is brilliant. Anything you try to riddle out doesn't stand a chance.""Well, you are the only person who sees that or my thought as a good thing." She tried to look away, but Nikolai grabbed her face and forced her to look him in the eyes."Don't let anyone convince you that your mind is wrong or less than because you are a woman. Solve the problems. Don't care what anyone else thinks, no matter who they are." They were locked where they were staring at each other. Amethyst reached a hand up to his face as his own moved to her shoulder."Can you get me out of this castle?""I'll try." Then he was gone. The warmth of his body that she was somehow already used to left her with chills as soon as it was gone.