The Messenger

Through the next seven hours, I'd scratched my face so much that there were red marks from my nails running down my cheeks. Of course, Cyrus had stopped me before I demolished my face. I almost stabbed him with the dagger at my side.

I almost stabbed myself!

Cyrus was still at my side, as usual. I fell asleep over the hours, but each time, I was woken up to see him sitting there, his head on my lap, his hand massaging mine. I even started crying at one point, it was so adorable.

Finally, the pain stopped and I heard someone walking outside. I realized it was Deirdre.

Her smell was wafting into the room.

“Come in.” I said, startling Cyrus, who's head shot up.

“You're awake!” He said. His whole face had tear tracks down the sides.

I smiled.

“Yeah, I'm awake.” I said, before Deirdre entered the room. She looked a little nervous, but I was fine so I had no idea why.

“Yer lordship?” She asked. “I doona mean to interrupt, it's great to see ye well lass, but a Sylan messanger has arrive, Lord.” She continued, wringing her hands. “He be waitin' for ye ootside in the great hall.” She smiled at me, and then waliked out.

Cyrus sighed.

“I guess I'll have to go deal with him.” he kissed my hand. “But I will be back. He left the room quickly.

I sat up and pulled back the covers of my bed. Looking down, I realized that at some point when I was screaming, he'd undressed me.

I don't know why it embarassed me, but it did. I found a simple dress folded up on the chair. I wouldn't need anyon'e shelp to put this one on, so I did.

Then, I walked quietly out of the door. There was no mirror in our room so I couldn't check out my appearance. I probably looked like a drowned, sweaty rat, but I didn't care at the moment. I headed downt he stairs, towards the direction of the voices but then stopped. I smelt soemthing, from behind me.

Something familiar.

I turned around to see Shane standing behind me. I gasped, as a slow grin slipped up his face.

“Bad night?” He asked.

Friendly. Too friendly.

“Yeah, just a little.” I sighed. “I'm sorry about what Cyrus did. He had no right.”

“No, he did have a right. He is king and you are his. He just got mad because I threatened his woman. I can understand that. You are a beautiful woman.” He smiled again. Somehow I didn't take that as a compliment.

“I have to go.” I said, turning. I walked out into the great hall. I found Cyrus talking quietly with a tall man with night-black hair, cut short, who was carrying a staff with a snake on the top.

The messenger.

I walked up to them.

Cyrus heard me coming as did the Sylanian.

“May I introduce my Wife, Alexa Black, Queen of Valeria and Mercia.” Cyrus introduced. The messenger looked me up and down, and I stiffened under his gaze.

“She doesn't look like a Queen.” he said, wrinkling his nose in disgust.

Cyrus snarled at him.

“She just turned for seven hours, I'd say she looked pretty damn good to me.” He said. That made me smile.

I looked at the Sylanian.

“What do you have to say, Messenger?” I asked.

“Forgive me, my Queen. I forgot my manners.” I rolled my eyes.

“No.” I started. “What was the message you came to deliver?”

“Oh, I see. Yes, well that is for your husband and I to discuss--”

“If you have something to say to me, you can say it to my wife.” Cyrus snapped. The messenger looked at Cyrus, then at me.

He sighed.

“The message is from his Majesty. He see that you will not surrender, and have now passed the deadline. So, we bring war upon Valeria, but his glorious majesty is going to give you one more chance. You do not have to give us Mercia. But, we will take the Queen.”

I glared at him.

“She is mine.” Cyrus snarled. I'd never liked being called someone's property, but when he siad it, I felt so good and so protected. “You will never get her. And you will never get Mercia. Leave now, before I cut you down.” Cyrus said, menacingly.

The messenger backed up.

“Then, let the King destroy you both.” He said, before disappearing into thin air.

Cyrus sighed.

“Okay, why can't I do that?” I said. Cyrus smiled.

Then he scooped me up and kissed me deeply.

“You made it.” He said. I frowned.

“Could I have died?” I asked. “You did promise me I'd be alright.” I warned. “If you lied, I might just have to break your nose.” I said. We both laughed, but I could feel Shane's gaze burning into my back.

Oops.

Cyrus lifted me, bridal style, and carried me back to our bedroom. He placed me on the bed.

“Sleep now, love. You need rest. There's a war coming.” I smiled, sadly.

“Are you sure you don't want to join me?” I asked patting the spot next to me.

“I have to go and warn the council about what's coming. I will be back around eight. It's now three. I've noticed since you were here you lost track of time.” He said. I laughed.

“Yeah, well, I was never very good in math...or sundials, seeing as that's all you have here.” I said.

“You know you've been here for two weeks already?” He asked.

I grimaced.

“Yeah, I know. Oh, b y the way, I was actually going to ask you if you have a telephone. I'd like to call my family and tell them I'm alright, if they even care.” I said.

Suddenly, Cyrus disappeared, leaving on a breeze.

He was gone for two minutes, and then he was back, holding out a box.

“What's this?” I asked, eyeing the box.

“A cell phone.”

“Where'd you get that?”

“Tokyo. From the Source.” My mouth opened.

“You stole a cell phone from the Sours...for me?” I asked, smiling.

“Sure did. Hope you like it, call them, but don't get them involved in this. We don't want the army out looking for another dimension--”

“What?!” I cried.

He frowned at me.

“Didn't Deirdre tell you?” He asked.

“No!” I snapped.

“Oh, well, Dedria is in an entirely different dimention than topside. We're close enough to the humans that we can trace in between them, and the phone frequencies are almost parallel. That's why there was a tear when I first found you on our wedding night. It was a door to another dimension. If Valeria had been on the earth Dimension, I could've just put you over my shoulder and ran there. No one would have noticed. “He was smilling at me.

My mouth was still open in disbelief.

Another dimension? It was hard to breathe.

“Anyway, have fun calling your family, and I'll see you at eight.” He kissed my forehead and traced away.

I looked down in my hands at the cellphone nestled in the box.

Iphone.

Goody.

He stole me an Iphone! That was like...even more illegal than stealing a cheap phone! And so cute.

I ripped open the package, which was easier since my changes.

I opened the phone and activated it by calling the number on the back.

I called home first. The phone rang three times and then, right before I was about to hang up I heard my mom's voice.

“Hello?” She sounded like she ran to the phone. “Hello?” There were tears in my eyes as I answered her.

“Mom?” I said, quietly. There was a gasp, and then it sounded like the phone hit something.

“John!” I heard in the background. “It's her!” Then the phone was picked up again. “Honey?” It was my dad. “Are you okay? Where are you? Tell us, and we'll pick you up--”

“Dad!” I yelled. Then, in a quieter tone I said. “I'm fine, Dad. You can't pick me up. But I just wanted to let you guys know that I'm fine.” I heard someone crying on the other end and then,

“Oh, God, honey. We're so sorry. It's all our fault, Bella.” Hearing my old name again was weird since everyone had been calling me Alexa or my lady, or of course 'wife'.

“It's not your fault, Dad. Trust me. And I'm happy. Extremely happy actually. Someday, I'll come visit you and tell you all about it, but for now, I just want you to know that I'm fine.” I stopped. “I have to go now guys--”

“Wait! Jess wants to hear your voice.” Mom said, before there was crackling on the other end.

“Belle?!” Jess' voice cracked. “Oh, Bella, i'm so sorry! It's all my fault. I made you run away. I--”

“Jess!” I snapped. “I didn't run away, and you weren't the reason I disappeared. I found my real family now. I love you Jess, but trust me, I'm fine. Tell mom and dad again that I'm fine and tell everybody at school that I'm alive and well. I'm going to call Marie and tell her too. Goodbye Jess. I will see you soon.” I hung up before he could say another word.

Then I dialed the number for Marie's house.

“Hello?” It was Carter. Boy, I could not deal with him now.

“Hey, is Marie there?” I asked.

“Who is this?” He asked.

“It's A—Bella.” I answered.

“Bella!?” He asked. “Oh, my God, are you okay?” His voice was frantic. “I-I mean where have you been? You just disappeared and I didn't even know what happened!”

“Carter, it's alright. Just please, let me talk to Marie.” I pleaded.

“Just please, tell me you don't hate me.” I sighed, irritated.

“I don't hate you. I've got more people to hate here than I do at home. Now, put Marie on the phone please.”

“Sure. S-ure. Here she is.” He handed the phone to his sister.

After much convincing of the fact that I was indeed fine, Marie quieted down. I called Kiara as well, and she took less time, but she did cry. Once I finished calling my immediate family and friends, I turned off my new cell phone and placed it on the dresser.

The door opened slowly, andI knew it couldn't be Cyrus, because it had only been an hour. When the door opened completely, Shane stepped through.

I hoped to glare him out, but it didn't work.

“What do you want?” I asked, still glaring.

He smiled.

“What do I want?” He asked, annoyingly. He left the door open.

I swallowed the lump in my throat.

“Nobody ever asks that anymore. What do I want?” He continued. I sighed.

“Are you done?” I asked, one eyebrow lifted. He stared at me for another minute, a smirk crawling up his face.

“Not nearly.” I looked around me for some sort of weapon I could use, my gaze settling on my husband's broadsword. “Don't even think about it, sweetheart. You're no match for me.” He growled, noticing where my gaze rested.

I looked back at him.

He softly kissed the air before turning on his heel and breezing out the door, gracefully.

Damn.

I hate him.