Chapter 198

"Everything is healing well." The doctor said. "Let's get that cast off."

"Thank god." Pearl said. So far, it had been the most interesting and yet most peaceful 4 weeks of her life. The first week with no memory and the last three spent isolated, avoiding the press and being with Erik at his country home. Erik was wonderful. She was so in love with him, his wit, his charm, his ravenous hunger for her. He had been enjoying bathing her more than he should. She was almost sad to see the cast go.

Charles drove her back to the house and the military guards let them in. The press was all over the front of the house. Pearl wondered about these people's lives. Did they not have families?

"Erik has been delayed. He will not be home until dinner." Charles said.

"What? He has been gone since yesterday. What is the hold up?" Pearl asked.

"Apparently a wealthy French wine and spirit maker has decided to start a charity on your honor. He wants to meet with Erik while he is in France to discuss it."

"In my honor? He can just donate to the New Hope, why not do that?" Pearl said.

"No ma'am. This is different. This is going to be a heroes fund. For acts of heroism and courage. I'm sure Erik will know more after his meeting." Charles said.

"Tell me, Charles. Do you think I am a hero? I don't feel like a hero." Pearl said.

"You are the first real hero I have ever met. I've known Erik since he was a wee lad. I will always be grateful for what you have done for him." Charles said.

"Yes. But anyone would have pushed him out of the way. It was a normal reaction. Not heroic." Pearl said.

"I wasn't taking about the accident." Charles said. "But yes, that as well."

"Charles, tell me about him. Before me." Pearl asked.

"I don't think you want to know about that."

Charles said, opening her door.

"Charles, I'm going to make us tea and we are going to sit down and talk about everything I don't want to know. If I am to be with him, I need to know these things. I have to."

"Ok ma'am. Glad we have the rest of the day, then." Charles said.

Pearl poured his tea and sat at the outdoor cafe table with him in the garden. It was still chilly but the sun was getting warmer.

"Tell me about his teen years." Pearl asked.

"We were all at a loss after the incident. He didn't want to leave his room for a few years after. He didn't speak. He wouldn't eat. He was so sick they had to give him intravenous vitamins and nutrients. And the nightmares. My god. They started right after. He would scream and cry all hours of the night. We had psychological evaluations performed, child therapists, he had an entire trauma team. But nothing helped. He was home schooled until he was fourteen. He was rebellious. Got his first tattoo when he was fifteen. His father and he fought constantly. His mother was distraught. It's like a switch went off and he shut down." Charles said. How awful, Pearl thought.

"He started to get a little better when he began attending university. He met a girl there and she was his first mate since Robbie. Things were going a little better for a short while and then he found her in bed with his flat mate. That's when things really took a turn."

"How so?" Pearl asked.

"I don't want to tell you these things. But if you insist, I will." Charles said.

"I insist."

"I found it ironic that Erik dressed as Darcy for you. He was very much like him, only much, much darker." Pearl shifted uncomfortably in her chair.

"Women flocked to him, of course at that age. His looks, his title. But he was quite intolerant of them. Almost cruel. He would treat many of them like the vapid and brainless women that they were and acted as though they had no value. Rarely did one come along with substance. He made it a point for them to realize they were only fame chasing and could never get close to them. There were confidentiality contracts when he was lonely for a time and wanted one of them to be in his bed for an night. I would see them leave his room, shaken, crying, or completely terrified. But after that, I wouldn't see the woman come 'round again. This went on for a few years. He was a tyrant. Angry. The staff feared him.

Then he started to withdraw again, altogether. He avoided the spotlight. Only went to events he was required to but even then, he was distant. He started spending more and more time alone. Prior to you, I don't think there had been a woman in his bed for three, maybe four years. He closed himself completely off. Trying to act as though he didn't have a title. He began to have an interest in photography, which we thought might help. He lived here for three years, completely alone. We were worried about him. Really concerned that we might lose him.

And then he made a trip stateside for a charity tour. The charity was all he pulled himself out of dark for during that time. He traveled with the team but laid low, attending the events but not making it publicly known. He returned and something had completely changed. He cut his hair and started on the gardens again. He would come out of his room for breakfast and tea, and he started making more public appearances again. He bought the house in Los Angeles a few months later and since then, he has been a completely different man. I asked him one night what the change was. The difference. He smiled and looked at me and said, "I've finally found out that someone like me exists in this world. And she is going to save my life." And that was all he said. Then, after he had me hire the private investigator, I knew more about the situation and about... you." Charles explained.

Pearl listened intently and felt every emotion possible hearing Erik's sordid story. Her heart hurt for him.

"When he found out you were getting married, I tried to talk him out of his pursuit of you. But he was unwavering. It would have taken an act of god to keep him away from you. He found out the marriage wasn't real and then we found out you were going to be in LA. He watched you for two days, waiting for his chance. When we saw your fellow drive off and leave you alone, he made his move. It was all quite calculated. For him, it was love at first sight and nothing was going to keep him away from you now that he had found you."

Pearl couldn't believe she was valuable enough for all of that effort and desire. She always felt like she wasn't enough. But to have a prince pursue her like that was unbelievable, at the very least.

"And he was right. You saved his life in more ways than one, Charles said.

"Thank you, Charles. I needed to know these things. I won't make Erik aware you told me." Pearl said.

"It isn't a problem if you do. He has informed me that we all are to be completely transparent with you at all times and that anything and everything is to be mentioned to you and you are to be included in, no matter what." Charles said. Pearl smiled and thanked him.