Many weeks later
Gabrielle slowly sat up in her bed, her eyes slowly opening. She looked around her, seeing Josephine standing by her vanity.
She looked down, tightly grabbing her covers. "I was doing it again wasn't I," She muttered, staring at her sheets.
"Yes, Milady," Jospehine sighed, nodding her head.
Gabrielle continue to stare at her covers, her mind filling with thousands of thoughts.
'I keep screaming his name while I sleep. It's like I can't help myself… I just wish I could stop but I can't…'
"Milady," Josephine called out, looking towards her.
She looked up, listening attentively.
"Yes Josephine?"
"It's just it's been almost 4 months now and… His Majesty is really worried about you and,"
"I don't wish to see him," Gabrielle interjected, hastily looking away to cover her tears.
"Milady, you scream for him every night. It's as if you can't calm down without him and he really wants to see you. Maybe you should…"
She looked at Josephine, tears rolling down her cheeks, "I don't wish to see him," She shouted, interrupting Josephine mid-sentence.
Josephine walked over to her bedside, sitting next to her.
"Then why do you cry for him," She asked, placing her hand on top of Gabrielle's.
Gabrielle hid her face with her other hand, trying to cover her shame. "Because I want him with me. I want to see him but I… I can't do it," She cried.
Josephine sighed, looking down at the floor, "I understand Milady and even though I wish you didn't feel this way I understand why you do."
Knock, knock, knock
"Come in," Gabrielle mumbled, watching as Cobsworth entered the room holding a short sleeved, sparkly silver, floor length, empire waist lined dress in his hands.
Gabrielle looked at the dress.
"His Majesty had this specially made for you, Milady. What do you think," Cobsworth inquired.
She hung her eyes in shame, turning her head away from the dress. She glanced up at Josephine.
"I don't want to see it," Gabrielle stated, her eyes filling with tears.
"You don't like it Milady," Cobsworth gasped, "I thought you would."
"The dress is beautiful," Gabrielle responded, turning her gaze towards Cobsworth, "It's the most beautiful dress that I've ever seen but… I'm not worthy of wearing such a beautiful dress."
"Oh Milady, surely you don't mean…"
"Send His Majesty my apologies," Gabrielle interrupted Cobsworth, "I can not accept this dress and I do not wish for him to send me anything else."
Cobsworth nodded, saying, "Yes Milady, I'll take this back now."
Josephine looked at Cobsworth, seeing him leaving the room, she stood up. "I'll come with you," She insisted, following Cobsworth out the door, closing the door behind them both.
He looked at her, his eyes filling with disappointment. "His Majesty will be so disappointed," He sighed, looking down at the dress.
"I know… His Majesty already has closed himself off in his office only leaving to go to the Training Grounds and Guard Chambers for hazing of the new recruits. I fear if I don't at least try to explain the situation to him it will deepen his sorrows," Josephine explained.
They left heading for the King's Office.
Inside the King's Office Ansel sat behind his desk. His cheeks beginning to skin in, dark circles forming under his eyes.
Knock, knock, knock
"Come in," He called out looking towards the door.
He watched, seeing Hattie and Nylah entering the room. In Hattie's hand she held a bowl of bell pepper soup, the fragrance of the soup filled the room.
They curtsied, looking towards Ansel.
Hattie walked over to his desk, her eyes fixated on his. She set the bowl in front of him.
"Your Majesty, I made you some soup," She breathed, smiling gently at him.
He looked away, a half laugh falling from his mouth.
"I hate bell pepper," He scoffed.
She felt her body jolt, covering her anger with a light smile.
"Please eat something," She begged, continuing to stare at him, "It's not good for you to keep skipping meals like this."
He looked at her, fire filling his eyes, he grabbed the bowl, pouring it out in the trash can beside him.
He tossed the bowl onto his desk, watching as her smile dropped.
"Get out," He growled, continuing to make eye contact with her.
Tears filled her eyes, "Why do you have to be so cruel to me," She whined, "I only want make sure you're eating."
He stood to his feet, placing his hands on the desk.
"The only thing you're trying to do is compete with Lady Gabrielle," He accused, watching her eyes widened.
He continued, "You think I don't know what you're doing? I can see through all your tricks, all your lies. You aren't coming in here with pure intentions, you're coming in here to compete with Lady Gabrielle. You think because she's closed herself off you have a chance? Well between her and you there is no competition. I would pick Lady Gabrielle everytime and even if she wasn't here I would never pick you. Now get out."
Nylah walked beside her, gently grabbing her arms in a side hug. "Let's go, Lady Hattie," She comforted, turning her towards the door.
Knock, knock, knock
Josephine and Cobsworth entered the room.
Hattie glared at the dress in Cobsworth hands, watching as he walked it over to Ansel.
"She didn't want it, did she," Ansel sighed.
"No Your Majesty," Cobsworth responded, shaking his head, "She doesn't want it and doesn't want you to send her anything else."
Ansel looked at the dress, hiding his sadness.
"This is the 5th present she's rejected from me… She must really hate me," He muttered, hiding his sadness in a half laugh.
"She doesn't hate you," Josephine interjected, walking over to Ansel, "She's ashamed. She doesn't feel worthy to accept any of your gifts, so she won't accept them no matter how much you beg."
Hattie stomped her foot. "You see Your Majesty! She won't even accept gifts from you because she's guilty! If I were her I would never reject any gifts from you," Hattie whined, balling up her fists.
"I thought I told you to get out," Ansel growled, "Leave now! I don't want to see your face."
Hattie huffed storming out the room as Nylah followed behind her.
Josephine looked around the room, spotting a teddy bear sitting on a bookshelf. She walked over to it, grabbing it.
"She won't let me see her, she won't accept anything from me… I don't know what else to do… I mean it's already hard enough not being able to see her, to hold her, but… Her screaming every night… I can't keep hearing her scream and cry for me and do nothing… I don't know what else to do," He sighed, sitting back down in his chair, "What can I do Cobsworth… How can I help her, if I don't know how to? How can I make her feel comfortable again? I just want her to be happy again."
"I have an idea," Josephine chimed in.
Ansel looked at her, "What's the idea," He inquired.
"Give me the cologne you wear regularly," She instructed.
Ansel left the room, grabbing his cologne, and brought it back, handing it over to Josephine.
She grabbed the cologne from him, spraying the teddy bear with it.
"This should help me," She smiled, handing the cologne back over to Ansel.
"How is that going to help her," He questioned.
"Milady misses you dearly. She wants you by her but she still feels ashamed after the whole ordeal and the reality of it is she screams for you and only you at night. You are the only one who can calm her down but she refuses to take anything from you. So by giving her something that smells like you hopefully it'll remind her of you and make her feel safe. Keeping her from screaming at night," She planned.
"How are you going to give it to her, if she won't accept anything from me," He asked.
"I'm not going to tell her it's from you," She stated, "Since I'm the one giving it to her anyways so she won't know it's from you and she'll accept it."
"Alright, go and give it to her now… Hopefully she'll take it from you… Hopefully she'll feel better," He hoped.
She nodded and left the room, going to Gabrielle's room.
She knocked on her door, hearing Gabrielle call out for her to come in, she entered the room, closing the door behind herself.
"Milady I have something for you," Josephine chirped, walking over to her, sitting beside her on the bed.
She handed the teddy bear over to Gabrielle, watching as she took it.
"I hope it makes you feel a little better Milady," She beamed, watching her stare at the bear.
"Why a teddy bear," She mumbled looking up at Josephine.
"Well I figured it would be nice to have something warm and cozy with you since you're always cooped up in your room," She answered, placing her hand on her (Gabrielle's) shoulder.
"Thank you," Gabrielle muttered, staring at the teddy bear, deep in her thoughts.
"You're welcome," Josephine responded, a smile brightening up her face.
'It feels so different… It feels as if Ansel is with me… And I… I don't want to let it go…'