Chapter 30: In My Arms

Hours of silence passed as Gabrielle sat deep in her thoughts. Flashbacks of Ansel played through her mind, distracting her.

'He said it was a nightmare to have me gone… A nightmare… How can he say such a thing when he has Hattie… No… It can't be true…'

Ansel slowed down, stopping his horse in front of the castle.

"We're here," He mumbled in her ear, snapping her back to reality.

She looked around her, seeing a group of guards and servants waiting around the castle.

Ansel dismounted off the horse, reaching out towards her.

"Let's go inside," He uttered, softly.

She looked at him, hesitation filling her heart. She turned her head away, looking down from the other side of the horse.

Ansel snapped his fingers and the guards blocked the other side of the horse.

Her eyes widened, she turned her head, looking back at Ansel.

"Today you will be in my arms," Ansel stated in a soft tone, "Now, please come down."

She sighed, dismounting off of the horse into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck, turning her head away from him.

"Our Princess is home safe… Today the whole Kingdom and all of its subjects may rest," Ansel announced, walking into the castle with Gabrielle in his arms, meeting Cobsworth by the front door.

"Milady, you're back," Cobsworth exclaimed, "Welcome home. His Majesty was truly worried sick about you… We all were…"

She looked down, holding back a response.

"Cobsworth please see to it that the King Priority Decree is lifted and that the Central Towns City people are notified that they are allowed to leave their houses. Also pay the shop keeper his due reward for the help in finding our beloved princess, and have the doctor and Josephine sent to her room, her foot is hurt and she needs new clothes." Ansel commanded, looking at Cobsworth.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Cobsworth bowed in compliance and Ansel walked away, closely holding on to Gabrielle.

"I can walk… I know where my room is," Gabrielle grumbled, refusing to look at him.

"You can not walk on your hurt foot, stop being so stubborn," He responded, looking down at her, "Besides as I've told you, today you will be in my arms."

"Will you stop with this act," She whinged, pushing on his chest, "I know you don't have feelings for me."

"You know," He questioned, giving a long sigh.

She looked up at him, meeting his eyes, she quickly looked away.

"Yes," She huffed, crossing her arms, "I know, so stop with the act."

He made his way to her room, walking inside, he set her down on the bed.

He gently grabbed her chin, moving her face to look at him, he stared deeply into her eyes.

"You know," He questioned, once more.

She continued staring back into his eyes, her mind completely mesmerized.

"I-I," She stammered, unable to respond.

"Milady," Jospehine shrieked entering the room alongside the doctor.

She rushed over to Ansel and Gabrielle, breaking their eye contact.

"You're back Milady, I've been worried sick about you," Josephine exclaimed, reaching out towards her.

Gabrielle hugged her tightly, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Jospehine let go of her, looking into her eyes.

"Don't ever run away again," Josephine warned, "Or else your best friend is going to set this whole Kingdom on fire to find you…"

She looked over at Ansel, "That is if His Majesty doesn't do it first," She chuckled, looking back at Gabrielle.

Gabrielle looked down, turning her head away from Ansel.

He sighed, looking back at the doctor.

"Clean her wound," He commanded, looking back at Josephine, "After he's done have her changed, discard of the dress, and then escort her to The Guards Chambers."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Josephine and the Doctor nodded in agreement.

Ansel looked back at Gabrielle, letting out a soft sigh.

"I'll be waiting for you," He stated, walking out of the room.

Gabrielle closed her eyes tightly, holding back her tears.

The doctor walked over to her, kneeling down to her level, he looked at the bottom of her foot, cleaning and dressing her wound.

Half an hour rolled by, and the Doctor finished up.

He stood to his feet, looking down at her.

"There you go Milady, all fixed up," the Doctor remarked.

"Thank you," She responded, continuing to look down.

The Doctor nodded, leaving the room, closing the door behind him.

"Alright, let's get you all cleaned up, and dressed," Josephine announced, walking over to Gabrielle's bathroom, "I'll run you a bath and why don't you pick out a new dress."

The minutes flew by and Jospehine finished running the bath. She walked out of the bathroom, seeing Gabrielle still sitting on the bed.

She sighed, walking over to Gabrielle.

"Let's get you into the bath," Josephine comforted, helping Gabrielle up and into the bathroom.

An hour rolled by and Jospehine finished dressing Gabrielle, sitting her in front of the vanity.

She got a brush, brushing out Gabrielle's hair.

Gabrielle stared deeply at her reflection, looking at her lavender colored, pleated, long sleeve, tulle dress, that had shimmery sparkles throughout it.

She sighed, tears welling up in the bottom of her eyes, catching Jospehine's attention.

"You know His Majesty had this dress specially made for you while you were away… This isn't the only one either… His Majesty wanted to make sure you would have beautiful dresses to come back to," Josephine soothed, trying to reassure her.

She closed her eyes, tears fell down her face, dripping onto her dress.

"I don't know what happened to you out there… The fear, and trauma you went through while you were gone… I can't imagine… But if you want to talk about it… I'm here to listen," She comforted, holding onto Gabrielle's arms.

She turned around, hugging Jospehine tightly.

"I missed you…" She cried.

"I missed you too," Josephine choked out, holding back her tears.

She looked up at Josephine, tears blurring her vision, she shared everything that happened.

"Oh my goodness Milady… I'm… I'm so sorry…" Josephine gasped, holding on Gabrielle.

"What makes everything worse is that I was holding on to His Majesty's promise to me… Every night even before I got kidnapped I wanted His Majesty to come and save me… I wanted him to whisk me away… Sweep me off my feet… But now… All I see when I see him is how much he loves Hattie," She lamented, burying her face into her hands.

She grabbed Gabrielle's hands, kneeling down to her level.

"He does not love Hattie," She assured, "He's in love with you."

"But how do you know…" Gabrielle sighed, looking back at her reflection, "He kissed her so tenderly… He has to have some feelings for her."

Josephine stood to her feet, holding on to Gabrielle's shoulders, "You'll see the truth when you meet him… You'll see he doesn't love her," She proclaimed.

Gabrielle looked down letting out a long sigh and Josephine continued to do Gabrielle's hair.

Half an hour rolled by and Jospehine did Gabrielle's hair into half up, half down braided hairdo.

Gabrielle looked up, staring at herself in the mirror.

"Let's get you to His Majesty… You both have been waiting long enough," Josephine hummed, softly, helping Gabrielle to her feet.

She led Gabrielle out of the room escorting her to The Guards Chambers.

They walked inside, seeing Ansel's back facing towards him.

"Your Majesty," Josephine bowed, alongside Gabrielle.

"Leave us," Ansel commanded.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Josephine responded, leaving the room.

Ansel turned around, seeing Gabrielle looking down, he walked over to her.

He grabbed her hand, marveling at her.

"Now, we can pick up where we left off," He uttered.