Chapter 71: I know you saw me

"Victoria~", I heard his sick voice sing, "Don't you dare fucking run from me! What are you a spy?! You want to tell on me?! Watch my actions too?! Come face me!"

The security guard was right behind me, and I didn't stop running. Tears in my eyes and makeup smeared. I can't go back I just can't face the Bellums like this. They would eat me up, chewing me like food and spitting me out on the dirt they walk on. At least I know Lady.Bellum would anyway. She said she was looking for my weakness and I can't show her this.

Not now, not ever hopefully, I need to hide, run, make an excuse. I just can't go back yet, especially with knowing that my Father saw me. What's he going to do? Chase after me? Come for me again just as he did before? I just can't take it, I don't know what to do, what am I suppose to do?

I weep, I weep within a bed of flowers nearly falling completely into them, probably watering them with the purest water here. My tears, raining down like storming clouds coming upon the land. My tears not stopping and my wails loud. I hope no one hears me but at the same time I can't stop, it's too much.

My mother knew I wasn't ready for this yet she threw me at the wolves before I could even pick up the knife, baring my throat to them knowing that they would bite. But why? Does she know about all the letters? The sneaking off? Why does she continue to torment me when I try to do everything she says. I try to be a good girl but yet nothing is ever good enough for her.

I am never good enough for her. For anyone. Not even as a heir or for myself.

"Victoria?", I keep making mistakes, not being precise and getting caught. "Victoria." At this rate Rene' is better off wishing for a real savior, not her, "Victoria!", She snapped out of her thoughts turning her head around, the face she was met with was rather a surprise.

"Charles?", "Victoria", he touched her shoulder, taking a light breath, "I was out for a stroll, I was finishing up a garment and decided to go for some air. Que faites-vous ici ?" Victoria wiped her face, pressing on a light smile, "What are you doing out here? That's what you said right?" "Yes, you're catching on." He smiled as well and Victoria stood up dusting off her dress, "Getting some air as well, I had to escape from a rather unpleasant event."

"Oh was it the company you had this evening?" Victoria nodded, "Yes I guess you know." Charles put a hand to his face, "It's uh Difficile de ne pas savoir(Hard not to know). Lady.Acres made it clear to me." Charles glanced down at Victoria's hand seeing the dripping blood. "But what wasn't clear was that! Are you okay? What happened?" Charles grabbed her finger and Victoria flinched, "Sorry-I-we need to get that taken out is that a wood piece in your finger?"

"Yes it is a wood piece in my finger, when I was walking earlier I came across a rather discombobulated shed." "Discombobulated?" "Oh well rather undone, it was falling apart and I touched the ends of it, getting this piece of wood well…". She held up her finger, wincing again, Charles grabbed her other hand pointing far off.

"Well let me help you, I'm sure you're company won't mine you gone for a while longer. We'll get this fixed and probably get something new instead of your stained dress." Victoria looked down to the dress, grass stains, mud, and bits of blood caking it. "Okay, thank you Charles I don't know what I would have done without you." "It's fine, Coquelicot, it's what friends are for. They help each other and now I will help you."

Victoria sighed, Charles leading her off to a different part of the garden. It's almost lucky that he happens to come at the right times, almost too lucky. Sometimes it feels as if it's planned. The misfortune of events leading Charles right to her and just in the wake of help.

She really does appreciate it but can't help but find it suspicious, as if someone is writing her story instead of herself. As if her words and actions are being controlled. Read by the words of others. It almost makes her extremely on guard, watchful, as the simple sun filled day becomes something of irritation and sorrow.

She wanted this day over with too, like the one before, and the one that will soon come after. "You we're crying, I see it ruined your makeup." "Yes I must look terrible." "No no even with makeup all over you are still beautiful Victoria." Victoria glanced up confused glancing back down, the grass was a sort of comfort now. It's stillness only being disturbed when they walked over it. Which was for a second, then it was peaceful again.

The grass didn't have to worry about anything like her, she on the other hand worried a lot and she tried not to cry again thinking about it. Her breath feeling heavy but she tries to calm it as much as she can, the heat starting to get to her a bit.

There wasn't much shade out here like it was in certain areas of the garden, this area was meant for the plants and the plants only. So she was feeling the consequences of it and it seems Charles was too. Breaking off a few sweats himself.

But they kept going, Victoria taking a quick glance behind her just realizing that the security was gone. They had stopped following her… They turned back to Charles peeking to the sides just to see endless rows of flowers, "Charles. Is that really you?" "What? Victoria whatever do you mean?"

Victoria's breathing started to increase, "C-charles did you really leave your station today? If Lady.Acres told you about my schedule wouldn't that mean you would stay there? Or at least stay inside so you don't accidentally bump into me. Charles?"

He didn't answer and that's when Victoria knew something was up, that something had happened again like in her dream the other day.

This was not Charles.