The Abused Princess' Second Chance

The next day…

Knock, knock, knock

Gabrielle slowly opened her eyes, looking towards the door, she sat up in her bed, placing the teddy bear she had in her hand next to her.

"Come in," She called out, watching as Josephine entered the room, holding a covered silver tray in her hands.

"Good morning Milady," She greeted, setting the tray on Gabrielle's bedside table.

"Josephine, you weren't in my bedroom this morning…"

"Yes Milady." She beamed, staring directly at her, "You didn't scream at all last night… So there was no need for me to come."

Gabrielle grabbed the teddy bear, looking at it closely.

"I didn't scream at all last night… Not even once," She uttered, her eyes fixated on the teddy bear.

"Not once," Josephine hummed, "It's the first time in months you've been able to sleep all the way through the night without a night terror. I'm so glad you were able to sleep."

She continued staring at the teddy bear, smiling gently.

"The difference is night and day," Josephine continued, sitting beside her, "As if you were finally able to get some rest."

"It's because I was," She responded looking up at Josephine, "This teddy it made me feel so safe… So secure… I know it sounds silly but it reminds me so much of Ansel."

"Doesn't sound silly at all Milady. I'm glad you're feeling better," She smiled, her face glowing with happiness.

Jospehine grabbed the tray, setting it on Gabrielle's lap. "Now come eat, Milady. We don't want your food getting cold."

Gabrielle uncovered the tray, eating all the breakfast, while Jospehine tidied up her (Gabrielle's) room.

She glanced over at Gabrielle, seeing her plate empty, she grabbed the tray.

"I'll take this to the kitchen. I'll be right back Milady," Josephine hummed, heading for the door.

"I'll come with you," Gabrielle interjected, getting out of bed, gripping her teddy bear in her arms.

She turned around, looking at Gabrielle, astonishment painted all over her face. "You want to come out of your room Milady," She exclaimed, "It's been months since you've left."

Gabrielle looked down, holding the teddy bear against her chest.

"I know, but I'm so tired of being cooped up in here…" She said softly, looking at the teddy bear, "I feel as if I can go anywhere now and I won't get harmed. It's silly I know but… I feel safe now."

She looked at Gabrielle, smiling tenderly. "Alright, let's go Milady," She beamed, leading Gabrielle out of the room.

Through the hallways they walked, Gabrielle holding her bear closely.

She looked around her, noticing the high number of royal guards making rounds and guarding the castle.

"Why are there so many guards, Josephine," She questioned.

"After everything happened His Majesty had security around the castle doubled. The castle will be heavily guarded like this from now on," She sighed, responding to Gabrielle.

'All this because of me… He's going through so much trouble…' Gabrielle thought, holding closely onto her teddy.

"Where is Ansel now," She inquired, looking up at Josephine.

"Training new recruits with Sir Darce in the Guard Chambers, Why," She questioned.

"Because I… I want to see him… Even if it's for a moment," Gabrielle muttered, "I know if he's training he has to be busy but… I… I… I just want to see him. Make sure he's doing okay."

"I'll take you there after I drop off this tray to the kitchen," Josephine smiled, responding to Gabrielle.

She led Gabrielle to the kitchen, setting the tray on a countertop.

"Are you sure you want to see His Majesty," She asked, turning around to look at her.

She looked down, nodding softly, holding the teddy bear closely.

"Let's go then," She beamed, leading her to the Guard Chambers.

At the entrance of the Guard Chambers, Gabrielle and Jospehine stood unnoticed. They watched looking at the new recruits sparring with one another using wooden swords.

The sounds of yelling men filled the room. She looked upon the group of men, searching for Ansel.

"Where is he," She asked, looking at Josephine.

"All the way in the back, sparring with the Brown Haired Man," She breathed, pointing out Ansel as she covered her blushing face.

Gabrielle looked at Ansel doe-eyed, seeing him sparring intensely with a tall man.

Bonk, bonk, bonk,

Their wooden swords hit each other.

"Amazing," She uttered softly, watching on, "Look at Ansel."

"What are you doing here," A familiar voice snarked.

Josephine and Gabrielle turned around seeing Hattie and Nylah standing behind them.

"Every time," Josephine grumbled, rolling her eyes.

"Every time what," Nylah lashed."

"You annoy us every time," Gabrielle interjected.

"You're the one to talk," Hattie snapped, "You haven't been out here in months and now you show up. Me and Nylah have been in here everyday checking in on His Majesty while you've been sulking like a baby."

"I would watch my mouth before I get slapped in front of His Majesty again," Josephine warned.

"And I would close my mouth and not dare threaten the Lady of The Castle," Nylah retorted.

"We're not going to keep arguing with a brick wall," Gabrielle responded deadpanned, turning around to look back at Ansel.

"Well I'm not going to argue with a child, I mean look at you holding a teddy bear as if you were a baby. Pathetic," Hattie insulted, crossing her arms in satisfaction.

Gabrielle grabbed Josephine's wrist, turning her away from Hattie and Nylah, to face the sparring guards.

"Gnats, Josephine. Just annoying gnats buzzing in our ears," She grumbled.

"You think if we slap them they'll go away," Josephine smirked, giving a light chuckle.

"Gnats never disappear when you slap them, but they sure do shut up," Gabrielle jested, covering her smile.

They chuckled to each other ignoring Hattie and Nylah's harsh remarks.

Gabrielle continued to watch Ansel, looking on in amazement.

'He's so strong…' She thought, continuing to watch him spar.

As she watched on, she noticed the brown hair man, pulling out a long silver dagger from his boot. Getting ready to strike Ansel with it, her eyes widened, and her heart sank to her stomach.

'He's trying to kill Ansel, I have to stop him.'

She dropped her teddy bear at the entrance running over to him, moving around the guards that were sparring, ignoring Josephine's calls for her to come back.

She ran, watching as the brown haired man got ready to swing his dagger.

"Ansel," She cried out.

Ansel turned his head seeing Gabrielle running towards him. She ran in front of him, making the Brown Haired Man stop mid swing.

"What are you doing," Ansel astonishingly inquired.

"He's trying to kill you, Your Majesty. He has a dagger," She responded, looking fiercely at the brown haired man.

"Looks like you have yourself a keeper," the Brown Haired Man chuckled.

"I don't know what you think is so funny," She snapped, "If you think for one second you're going to waltz in here and hurt His Majesty you have another thing coming. I will never let you hurt him, not now or ever. So if you're going to try to kill him you'll have to kill me first."

Ansel's eyes widened, feeling his heart pounding against his chest. He looked at Gabrielle love-struck.

'She feels so deeply for me… The way she tries to protect me even though I need no protection… For that alone I want to give her the world.'

"How loyal you are," The Brown Haired man smirked, putting away his dagger, "Are you going to tell her Your Majesty or should I?"

Ansel continued to stare at her, distracted by his thoughts.

"Tell me what, that you're a coward trying to take a cheap shot," She snarked.

"Me pulling the dagger is part of our sparring," He chuckled.

"Oh yeah right, if it's part of your sparring then why were you guys using wooden swords before," She retorted.

"It's the element of surprise," Ansel answered softly, "Anyone who is well seasoned in combat to draw their real weapons during sparring. It helps with practice."

'I feel like an idiot… I thought he was trying to hurt Ansel…' She thought, feeling her body jolt from embarrassment.

"Oh well then… Proceed," She deflected, "I'll just be going now."

She turned around, walking around the guards, heading for the entrance of the room, while Ansel stared at her.

"Are you crazy? It's dangerous to distract someone who's sparring," Hattie jeered.

"He had a dagger, I thought he was going to hurt Ansel," Gabrielle disclosed, gritting her teeth.

"It's okay," Josephine comforted, "He's allowed to pull his dagger during training because he knows how to use it properly. In fact His Majesty encourages it when sparring with him because of how skilled His Majesty is. He likes to test the skill level of his sparring partners."

Gabrielle turned around, seeing Ansel walk towards her, moving past the sparring recruits.

She took a step back.

'I messed up his sparring for no reason… I have to go…'

She turned around, leaving the room in a haste, leaving her teddy bear in the process.

Ansel hurried to catch up to her, picking up the teddy bear, ignoring Josephine, Hattie, and Nylah bowing to him, he left the room.

He ran, seeing Gabrielle walking far ahead of him down a hallway, he called out to her, making her stop in her tracks.

She turned around, bowing to him as he caught up to her, daring not to look up at him, she mumbled, "Your Majesty."

He grabbed on to her lower arm, rubbing it with his thumb.

"You dropped your bear," He gently hummed.

"T-Thank y-you," She stuttered, grabbing the teddy from his hand.

"I'm glad to see you out of your bedchamber… I haven't seen you in months…" He said softly.

"I'm really sorry Your Majesty… I didn't know that… I thought he was… I thought he was trying to hurt you," She spluttered teary-eyed.

"I don't care about that. I wanted to hear your voice again anyways," He expressed.

She looked up at him, her cheeks turning red. She looked into his loved dazed eyes.

"I've missed you," He professed.

She examined his face, seeing his slightly sunken cheeks. She touched his face.

"You haven't been eating," She remarked, "You have to take better care of yourself, Your Majesty or else you'll…"

He grabbed onto her chin, "It's Ansel to you," He interrupted, focusing in on her eyes.

"Must you always tease me as if you have feelings for me," She huffed, scrunching her nose.

"But I…"

"Ansel please, you need to eat something…" She interrupted.

"Lady Gabrielle, do you really honestly think that I don't have feelings for you," He inquired.

"Why don't you go finish sparring and I'll go to the kitchen to make you something to eat," She proposed, turning her head away from him.

He tugged on her arm, pulling her in close to him. He kissed her on the side of the cheek. "I'll be waiting for you," He whispered in her ear.

He let go of her arm, watching as she took a step back, covering her blushing face.

She felt her heart begin to race.

"I-I'll g-go and m-make you l-lunch and I-I-ll bring it t-to you in t-the Guard C-Chambers," She stuttered, turning away.

"Can't wait to try it," He chirped, and she left, heading to the kitchen…