"You fucking piece of shit," Vivianne yelled hitting him viciously.
"Just one simple instruction, find out what they are up to without being seen.. without being seen, moron, and then you go out there and make trouble for me. What the hell am I paying you for," she asked furious about his report.
"What am I going to tell Richard now," Vivianne yelled hitting his face again, "moron."
She turned around and left the garden, heading back towards the castle. It was getting dark already and she could barely see were she was going.
There was a little house deep within the garden that had been abandoned for years. No one came that way so it was the safest place to meet Gabriel, the hired assassin.
Richard had sent him to her after hearing about William and his lady bodyguard's sudden trips to the house in that isolated place.
'What was she going to tell Richard now,' Vivianne wondered. Once again she had failed to carry out his instructions properly.
She could not keep it away from him even if she really wanted to, there might be trouble. The stupid man had said he left the lady unconscious in a quiet pathway which was rarely used and the worst thing was that she had been hurt.
Why were things getting so complicated, why was faith not giving them a hand. They needed to get rid of William soon, as long as he was alive he was a threat to her, a threat to her throne.
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"What the hell," William yelled out as Alfred walked in with Anna in his hand, her face messy with blood.
"We need a doctor sire, she is unconscious. I am sure she has lost a lot of blood, her breathing is faint."
William looked at his valet unsure of what to do, they were out of town, they could not possibly reach any doctor quickly from this place.
"We should lie her down first, what happened to her?" William asked.
"She was unconscious when I saw her; I believe she hit her head on a large stone there," Alfred explained before climbing up to place Anna on her bed.
He then went down to assist William up.
"Get warm water and a clothe we need to clean her up to see how deep the cut is, I hope it's only a minor cut Alfred. If anything happens to her, I would never for....."
"Nothing is going to happen to her sire, Alfred said cutting him short, "I would get what you requested for now."
Alfred returned almost immediately with the items in his hand including an ointment to apply on the cut.
"I know of a plant sire, it seems that she is still bleeding, it will stop the bleeding immediately."
"I know what to do sire, one of my previous master was a doctor. You clean up her wound and I'll get it, I will not be long," Alfred said walking out of the room.
"Thank you Alfred, I owe you for this, William replied before Alfred finally left."
He looked at his Anna, placing the bowl of water on the bedside table. He dipped the towel and squeezed cleaning her face tenderly.
Memories of the day she had slept in his arms came playing in his head. He realised that very moment he truly loved the woman. He was so scared to lose her and hoped nothing bad was going to happen to her.
The dried blood were all gone but she was still bleeding as Alfred had said, he put the towel on the wound exerting pressure on it.
She was losing so much blood, she could not remain this way all night or she would not last until the morning.
If Alfred failed to find the plant or if it failed to work, then they would have no option than to ride into town this night. He did not care about the risk, all he cared about was her.
Alfred finally returned holding a lamp in one hand and leaves in the other.
Placing the lamp on a table, he walked into the bathroom filling the bowl with clean water, washing and squeezing the leaves in it.
"You did right sire applying pressure, you can remove it now so I can use the leaves."
"She is losing so much blood Alfred, I am scared. I am glad you saw the leaves if it does not work out we will ride into town immediately."
"All will be well sire," Alfred said placing the leaves on her head exerting pressure on it.
"For how long are you going to apply pressure?" William asked.
"I do not know sire, but I would know whenever the bleeding eventually stops."
Anna moaned softly moving her hand.
"She moved, she is regaining consciousness," William said happily.
"She is not regaining consciousness sire, she might not even come to this night."
William wheeled away to the window, he could not bear to see her that way anymore. He closed his eyes deep in thoughts.
'If he was told to forget about walking again for her to be alright that very moment he really would not mind,' William thought within himself.
"She has stopped bleeding," Alfred said suddenly bringing William out of his thoughts.
He wheeled to her bedside, indeed the wound had stopped bleeding. He watched Alfred attend to her not interrupting.
Alfred applied the ointment, wrapping the bandage over her head and carefully returning her head to the bed.
"I think she might be out of trouble now," he said rising.
"I do not know what I would have done without you Alfred, I owe you my dear friend."
"You owe me nothing sire, all my years with you, you have shown me nothing less than love and respect. I owe you sire more than you can imagine. She will sleep peacefully now, I'll take my leave now. Call me sire if you need anything else," he bowed and walked out without giving William the chance to reply.
"Thank you," William whispered after him, "thank you my dear friend."
He gently stroked her face, tracing it down to her lips, then drew his face closer, taking her lips into his mouth. He loved her so much, loved her so dearly. He was a fool not to fight for her from the start.
A fool to have hurt her times and times and again. A fool to have let her go. His Anna, his beautiful and precious Anna.
Morning came quickly, William was unable to sleep all through the night.
He could not stop himself from looking at her all night, making sure she was still breathing.
'Her breathing was steady now and at a normal pace,' he thought removing a strand of hair from her face.
'When was she going to open her eyes and what was he going to say to her when she eventually did,' he wondered.
Just then Anna stirred, moaning softly.
'She was regaining consciousness,' William thought.
He did not know if he should call Alfred now or face her alone.