1x1 with it.will.rain

[~*AsMaDaSaHaTtEr*~]

Soon the other kingdom sent a messenger to the capital. Explaining that Lenore had been taking prisoner the day before. Lenore was so ashamed for getting caught, she knew the stress that it would put on her soon to be husband. She didn’t mean for all of this to happen and hoped that it wouldn’t ignite a war. Lenore started to pace in her cell, trying to come up with a way out or at least a way to get in touch with James.

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James was not happy when he got word. He entered the capital and went right to the palace and started trying to negotiate with the king. James had some of his spies in jail right now and was hoping the safe return of two of them was enough. He did not want to start a war but he was worried he would have no choice. He just wanted his Lenore back.

[~*AsMaDaSaHaTtEr*~]

Lenore waited in the dark. She had lost weight and was bruised from the constant heavy shackles around her wrists, ankles and waist. Lenore thought she should just be left there, she didn’t want to risk the outcome of the war on herself. Also she knew that this would result in having to be followed by guards for a very, very long time if she returned .

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James called the war on so that they could get Lenore back. It took a while but he managed to get in with a couple of guards and saw her. "Lenore." He said when he saw her. He walked to the cell and got her out and picked her up and started out. "Are you okay?" He asked her.

[~*AsMaDaSaHaTtEr*~]

Lenore sighed and looked down, by now she must’ve lost 20 pounds. She didn’t say anything, she was so ashamed of getting caught and getting James involved in her mess. Lenore was covered in bruises and dirt. She didn’t speak a word the whole way home. She couldn’t apologize enough to justify speaking so instead she said nothing at all.

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James sighed. "Lenore my love, speak to me. Are you okay?" He asked. He was not the kind of guy to ever ask for an apology from her. "Also, our wedding is technically tomorrow but we can move the date if you are not feeling up to it." He said to her. He wanted her to be happy. He did not bother putting her on a horse to get her home. It was kind of far, but he planned to carry her. He walked into the palace and gently sat her down when he got her into the bathroom. He started a bath for her. "Okay. I will let you get cleaned up and will have clean clothes right outside the door for you." He said to her. "Okay?"

[~*AsMaDaSaHaTtEr*~]

Lenore shook her head and in a whisper, no louder than the wind she said “No, we can not get married. Call it off.” She closed the bathroom door, locked it and softly cried to herself as she saw herself in the mirror. Lenore was covered in bruises, some blood, and dirt. She didn’t know what to do, she didn’t deserve to be Queen if she couldn’t even find her way back home.

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James sighed when she said they could not get married. It hurt him a lot to hear that. He should have found her faster. Maybe then she would still be in love with him. She was always going to be in danger with him here but he thought the two of them would make it. He went to his office after speaking to a guard. He told the guard to hand her a note from him. The note read that he was sorry he had messed things up and that she no longer wanted to marry him but he understood. It was hard to be married to him. He had learned that over the years. He would take care of canceling all the wedding plans and she was welcome to stay in the castle as long as she needed. The guard waited for her to come out. James sat at his desk and put his head down. He would just make himself scarce around the castle until he was sure she was gone. He would give her all the space she wanted. He would stay in his office, guard room and his bedroom as much as he could.

[~*AsMaDaSaHaTtEr*~]

Jenny pulled on an old skirt and bodice, she sighed as she could see the bruises around her wrist, they were quite large and rather dark. Jenny read the note and frowned, she didn’t want him to think it was his fault. So Jenny walked to his office and brushed pass the guard to walk in. “Please don’t blame yourself, my king. Th-that place was horrible, but I got myself into that situation, you didn’t cause that. I shouldn’t have been in the woods.” Jenny blamed herself for it all, how she become queen if she couldn’t take care of herself.

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James had been staring out the window. He was more distant than usual. He just wanted to be with her. He had not even heard her walk in so he jumped a little when she spoke and pulled him out of his thoughts. This is how he had been when he had lost his first wife but this was different. He was even more distant than that. He kept looking out the window. "If you want to leave, I am not going to stop you. I just want you to be happy. But I also know that the kingdom is mine to take care of so most of the responsibility falls on me. If you are not happy here, go ahead and go. But I know that you would be an amazing queen." He said to her. A man walked in. "Sir, we need to talk. We have a meeting in the town hall room and you are already 15 minutes late." The man said. James sighed. "Move it to tomorrow." He said. "But sir..." the man started to say. James sighed. "Move it to tomorrow." He said a little harsher. He continued to look out the window. The man sighed and nodded. "As you wish my king." He said and bowed and started out.