The Archduke's Songbird-Chapter 51: Broken Heart

Jessamyn cowered against the wall hearing Jerrick’s thumping footsteps rushing at her. But his footsteps stopped a few feet away.

Jessamyn opened her eyes and still with her face covered with her forearms, looked at his feet.

"Look at me," he said. His voice had considerably gotten softer.

She curled her lips. She didn’t want to.

"Jessamyn..." he pleaded. "Look at me, please..."

Jessamyn tried not to listen to him. But his hypnotizing voice combined with the undertone of hurt in his words shook the foundations of her heart.

She realized it was happening again. She was going to get sucked into the whirlpool of his mystique, and end up doing something she’d regret later. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Not anymore!!!

She gritted her teeth and closed her eyes to focus her mind to tune out everything else.

"Milady!"

Jessamyn opened her eyes to Isadora’s shout. Reflexively, she charged toward the door. But she was blocked.

Not willing to look at his face, she bowed her head. She focused on not listening to his voice. "Isadora is worried. I need to~"

Before she finished speaking, he grabbed her wrists. Even though she was not looking at him, she felt immense pressure on her. That was followed by the pain she dreaded. She held her breath thinking it would reduce that pain but it didn’t.

"Look at me!" He shouted.

His breath fell on the top of her head and she turned her face. There was a short pause in his breathing and after that, he let out a deep breath. His hold on her wrists loosened and his voice softened to the extent of a gentle whisper.

"You loved Imogen, Jessamyn. Do you remember? The day we met; you taught that boy a lesson for Imogen. You let her wear your clothes, you bore her punishments, you allowed her to brag about the embroidery works you made as if she did them herself, you let her take your place to balls rather than making her stay home with you... You brought her home, Jessamyn. Just like you brought me home. You are a kind soul, Jessamyn...It’s important to remember. You love Imogen. You know it deep in your heart. You know it..."

His voice was gentle and yet held despair and urgency—a need to make her believe something so far from the truth.

Jessamyn’s heart broke.

Am I not allowed to hate someone anymore? Should I do everything as he wants? Who am I then? What am I to him? Am I someone related to Imogen he wants to keep as a cheap replacement? Is that all I am?

"You are right, Your Grace. I love Imogen. Are you pleased now? Will you let go of my hands?" she spoke looking at the floor. Her voice was deep as she choked on her sorrow. But she refused to show it to him.

Even after she told him that she hated Imogen, he had to force her to believe the falsehood Imogen propagated. She lived through suffering because of Imogen and now he wants to change the past by wiping out her suffering.

Of course, he would believe Imogen’s words more than what he saw with his own eyes. He saw what I went through in that place growing up. But Imogen’s words were worth more. After all, he loves only her!

Oh, Joar... Why didn’t you take me with you? I should have fallen asleep with you in your coffin. Why am I still alive to be humiliated like this? You were the only person who believed me and knew my pain. Even if I was ashamed to talk about it, you understood and you protected me.

I miss you... Joar, I miss you so so much...

Jerrick left as if he got what he wanted. The moment he opened the door, Isadora stormed in. Jessamyn sucked in a deep breath and brought a smile to her face seeing Isadora’s misty eyes. She rushed to Isadora’s side as she tripped.

"Be careful," she held Isadora’s shoulder to stop her.

"Milady, are you~"

"I am fine. See..." Jessamyn did a swirl. "I even had a hearty dinner. Did you eat?"

Isadora hugged Jessamyn tightly. Jessamyn smiled this time from her heart as she was able to successfully deceive Isadora. Her eyes ended at the door where the tall figure was still observing her. Her smile fell.

He bowed his head as if he was ashamed of something.

"Make sure Isadora stays here and looks after Jessamyn tonight," Jerrick told Bernard. "I don’t want her to..." hurt herself. He didn’t have the guts to finish the sentence. He knew he had hurt her. He knew.

He stumbled his way to his room.

Bernard saw the women smiling at each other and closed the door. Jessamyn tried to smile in front of Isadora but she couldn’t hold back the bubbling sorrow in her heart.

She walked to the window and opened it amidst Isadora’s concern for her health. Sticking her head out to allow the chilly wind to numb her face, Jessamyn took in a deep breath. She hoped the cold froze her heart so that she wouldn’t hurt anymore.

But nothing changed.

Jessamyn asked for her coat and Isadora brought it. "We can close the window now, Milady. It’s getting chilly..."

"Go, lock the door," Jessamyn asked.

Isadora pressed her lips. She had a feeling something was not right with her lady.

"Go," Jessamyn smiled.

Isadora nodded and walked to the door.

"I’ll be back soon, Isadora..."

Isadora stopped hearing her lady’s voice just as she was latching the door close. She panicked seeing Jessamyn jumping down from the window.

"Mi~" Isadora covered her mouth to stop herself from shouting and rushed to the window. She looked down to see Jessamyn climbing down the windows. Isadora’s heart pounded but she relaxed seeing how careful Jessamyn was.

The dogs!!

Isadora’s stress rose as she heard the dogs around. She saw Jessamyn throwing something for the dogs. The dogs surrounded her and wagged their tails as they licked her hands. She looked at the table to see the big slice of meat missing.

She has a plan! Isadora relaxed. She thought it would do her good to go for a walk.

Jessamyn walked aimlessly through the pavement that led to the woods. When they left for the town, she noticed a moat around the castle, but she didn’t find any traces of the moat there. She looked around and saw that the dirt road got narrower as she walked.

Tears dripped from her eyes and since no one could hear her, she sobbed and wailed to her heart’s content. She took her time resting and walking as she dropped her sorrows one by one through her tears and sighs that almost broke her chest cavity with the insects and nocturnal animals kept her company.

She stopped and turned back. She was so far from the castle. If she had to guess, she was already in the Great Green Forest; at least, the outskirts of it. She heard a stream running nearby and washed her face and hands.

She didn’t want to smell like meat in a place where predators were prevalent. She turned back once more but she couldn’t bring herself up to return there yet. She knew she had to return for Isadora’s sake and her brother’s safety. But she just wanted a few more moments where she could do what she pleased.

Her tears didn’t stop even as the chill wind slapped her. She walked and walked in the direction her legs took her. Under the dim moonlight, everything looked grey and gloomy just like her mood.

She couldn’t walk anymore and rested on a rock. It was then she noticed a weird thing.

Silence.

She looked around. There was no hooting of owls or the chirping of crickets. She didn’t see jumping hares and creeping critters.

Danger!!!

She got alert and fisted her hands. Closing her eyes, she listened closely. In the distance, she heard it—mutts.

The laughing that resembled hyenas and the noise of heavy breathing and slobbering mouth slowly got closer to her.

Her hand automatically reached to her waist for her trusted crossbow, and once again was cruelly reminded that she didn’t have it anymore.

What should I do? Should I fight?