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Aimee sat under a tree and wrote a letter to her best friend Monica before looking around her. Harry had shown her this place. It was deep in the woods and really peaceful; she fell asleep. Something made her wake up and she heard some people rushing to her; it was dark. They raised her to her feet, and before she could yell, they gagged and blindfolded her. Two people held her up by the arms while one other felt her body for weapons. Then the rustling stopped and someone hit her head with a piece of wood. Darkness fell. Aimee didn't hear another pick up her things from the ground and carry it with him while she was carried to their headquarters.
Aimee awoke to find herself in a bed. Aimee tried to move but she had a huge headache and noticed that her wrists and ankles were chained, each to a different corner post of the bed. Figuring it was useless to do anything, she sat up and looked at what was around her: a chair, window and seat, and the bed; nothing else. Aimee lay back down. The doorknob turned and two men walked in, both she recognized immediately. Harry and her archenemy, Rich. Aimee sat up quickly. Ignoring her, they talked in hushed tones. Aimee caught a few phrases, but didn't catch the rest. "What in the world is going on?"
Harry turned to her. "When we met, I knew you were of Lhaam, and I'm… Well, I'm part of Nica." Aimee stared at Harry. "I was supposed to get you captured so…" Words failed him. He shifted and dropped his gaze. Aimee failed to notice his awkwardness and uncomfortable look as she sat in shock.
Rich interrupted then. "Get on with it and bed her!"
Aimee's face was a mixture of emotions: anger, confusion, but mostly terror. With a calm in her voice that she didn't feel in her body, she asked, "Well what do you want? It's either me or Nica."
Harry looked to each, but they kept their eyes fixed on him. Then he turned to Aimee, and with eyes filled with tears, he whispered, "I'm so sorry." Harry came closer to the bed while Rich left. Harry tried to look her in the eye, but she'd closed her eyes and was now crying silently. When Harry was sure Rich was gone, he widened the distance between them again. "I'm sorry," he repeated.
"You never loved me," her voice filled with sadness. "You never loved me!" She pounded her hand on the bed before opening her eyes to stare at him with eyes filled with hatred as she sat up.
"Aimee-" He started and reached out to touch her.
Aimee cringed and yelled, "Don't touch me! Don't you ever touch me again!" Aimee turned, furious at letting him see the tears. "Just leave me alone." Harry sighed and left. Aimee broke down and cried herself to sleep.
When Harry left, he went to his room and took out the letter Aimee had written to Monica, Aimee's best friend. Dear sister, Hello! I know it's been awhile, but I've been so busy what with everything. I'm taking a break now so I'll tell you everything. I know I try to give you details over the phone, but they never seem right so I'll try again now. As you know, Harry and I re-met at the reunion at the end of college. I went and met the man of my dreams (no joke!). Harry is everything one can want. He's handsome, fun to be around, and really understands me. I've never met anyone like him. Remember in high school when I had the biggest crush on him? Well I never thought I'd see him again. You still remember how I'd talk about him on the phone almost every single night. Even during senior year when I'd already went out with other guys, I kept thinking about him. Well, we got to hanging around each other more and like you said so many years ago, we finally decided to get married. You were right. I'm so happy! Now if only you'd settle down. Ha! The letter went on, but he didn't read anymore. Aimee really loved him. He loved her. Then this had to come up and now she's never going to believe that I truly love her, he thought. Damn it! He lay on his bed and went to sleep thinking about his love for Aimee.
The next morning, Aimee found food, a sketchpad, and pencil, for they knew of her interest in drawing. She'd been set free from the chains and now freely walked over to the window seat and looked out as she drew. Aimee didn't look at what she drew until she was finished because if she did, she'd mess up. When she looked down at her finished drawing, there was Harry's head portrait. Wide-eyed, she started another picture of a tree she saw outside. When she was finished, Harry was sitting at the foot of the tree. Aimee did picture after picture, but all reminded her of him. Angrily, Aimee threw the pad across the room and looked out the window. Twilight came and Harry went to her room. He found the pad and looked at page after page of himself. She can't help it! It's all my fault. She trusted me… He took the sketches and left.
The next morning, someone came and told her to work. She never got much done though, because someone was always dragging her to the woods to rape her. On the third day though, Harry came to her and held her by the wrist as he led them into the woods. Harry stopped and turned to her; they sat down. "Aimee, I'm truly sorry. I was torn apart. I honestly didn't know what to do. I made a mess of everything, but I want to change. Understand?"
"Yes. I tried to force myself to think that you hated me, but I couldn't." Aimee lowered her gaze.
Harry cupped her chin in his hand and raised it up so he could see her face. Her eyes were unable to leave his. "I understand." Harry kissed her. "I love you." More passionately this time. They closed their eyes as they kissed, and his hand left her chin, making a trail down her neck, across her shoulder, and down her arm before encircling her waist. They kissed as their hands traced the other's body. After awhile, they walked back to the manor silently, not needing language to know that they truly loved each other.
That night, Aimee didn't have much time to think about their afternoon together as she served food; it was busier than usual. When everyone was served, she and the rest of the servants stood back to watch. When everyone had their fill, Rich called Aimee and said to everyone, "As you know, tomorrow, we give a sacrifice to our leader, Keris. It is always important in picking out the best to serve as the offering. So you'll all be happy to hear that Aimee," grabbing her wrist and raising it up as she looked on wide-eyed. "Will be this year's sacrifice to our leader." Everyone cheered and raised their cups to drink as she struggled to get out of Rich's iron grasp. Harry was as horror stricken as Aimee, but he couldn't show it, otherwise he'd be killed. I have to get her out… before tomorrow night!
When everyone else had gone to sleep, Harry went to Aimee's room. They embraced before he told her, "You need to leave tonight. I'll take you to the edge of the wood and you'll have to find your own way back. I'm sorry I can't go any further than that. I'll try to see you sometime, but don't count on it. Now hold my hand." He transported them to the woods. "Can you find your own way back from here?"
Aimee nodded and told him, "If you need help, think out a message in your head and think that you're talking to me. Promise me you'll do that." Harry nodded and they hugged once more before he went back to his room and she walked home, both knowing of the risks laying ahead for him.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE'S GONE!?!?" It was morning of the next day and some of Rich's servants had gone to prepare Aimee for that night. When they came back empty-handed, he roared and cursed. Now thinking, he realized something. Aimee would be back if someone was in trouble. "Prepare Harry for the sacrifice. He'll do just fine." They found Harry lying in bed.
"What's going on?" he demanded as they brought him to the keep. Then he realized that with Aimee gone, he'd be the sacrifice. After they gagged him, they beat him. In the end, his shirt was torn, revealing a bloody shoulder, his face full of cuts and blood, and every part of his body aching. They left him, and he took the chance to get a message to Aimee. He didn't know if it worked, but it was worth trying.
Aimee had gotten the message and gathered her finest archers. They went into the woods to a small clearing where the sacrifice would be held. They got into their positions and waited.
Finally, the party arrived, dragging Harry with them. Harry struggled as they bound him to a stake, but he was too weak. Keris himself was there, seated at the throne. A few speeches and awards were given before the sacrifice. As he struggled to get free, they bound his hands behind him and forced his head to a stump. A hooded person carried an ax and lifted it for all to see and they cheered. Then he positioned himself. Right before the ax fell, an arrow, Aimee's, flew and pierced the executioner's heart. More arrows followed, none intending to kill as Aimee took the chance to cut Harry's ropes. They fled into the woods. They stopped at one point, hearing their pursuers following. "Climb this tree and wait for the group to pass by. When they're gone, transport yourself back to my home no matter what happens!" After she was sure Harry agreed and was safe, she ran on, but not far when a group rushed onto her, dragging her screaming self to the ground. They muzzled her, binding the rest of her body in ropes and chains. They carried her still struggling body back to the mason. Harry watched everything form the limb and transported to her house as promised.
They dropped her on a cell floor at Rich's feet and he kicked her stomach. As she lay groaning, he mocked her. "I knew you'd come back." He kicked her again and laughed when she whimpered. They all left her there, sobbing in pain.
Aimee's execution was set two days after that, when Keris promised to come again. As they prepared her, the only thing that kept her going was the thought of Harry and the knowledge that he loved her and that he was safe. They took her to the same clearing in the woods. She was tied to a stake in the very center of the area and dry twigs and brush surrounded it. They danced and ridiculed her, spat on her face and made catcalls, but she didn't notice any of it. All it did was make her even angrier. Weak as she was, she tried to get free. Keris came to her with a fire lit torch in hand. "Poor Aimee," he cooed, touching her cheek. She snarled and bared her teeth and he let his hand fall. He spoke so that only she could hear. "All my life, I've waited for this moment. Ever since I last saw you, I wanted you. To see you again and have you for my own. Time has changed us both. You've truly become a warrior. And me? Well, look at these people. See how they worship me. You know, you can still live. Choose me and live with a true warrior and be the queen of a great people, or find death in a fire and be left with nothing at all."
She stared at him coldly, a blazing fire in her own eyes. "I knew you'd come back for me, and I knew you'd have me choose. By now though, you ought to know me better, and know what my choice is." She raised her voice so all could hear. "I'd never have you, never let you own me. No. I choose the fire."
His eyes showed his rage and he raised the torch as he turned to his people. "Let it be known then, that this woman has chosen death over life with me." He turned around again and let the torch drop into the brush. The fire caught and blazed. Everyone yelled and screamed as they started another dance around her. Let them scream. There will be others, better ones after me. It will be Harry. I know it. Aimee began to get dizzy and everything was turning blurry. Aimee started to cough violently and her captors screamed even louder. In the fire, a vague semblance of a man formed. "Harry?" She whispered. Blackness fell and she knew nothing more.
Aimee awoke again. She was at home, but how? I'm supposed to be dead, nothing more than a pile of ashes. Aimee slowly turned her head to see the clock. It was six in the morning. A moan sounded beside her and she slowly turned her head. There, in a cot next to her, was a man. Harry? It can't be! It just couldn't! Harry was asleep, but from the looks of it, he was hurt. Forgetting her own pain, she turned on a small lamp and took a cool cloth from a bowl between them and laid it on his burning head. Exhausted and finally admitting the pain, she held the lamp up to inspect him. In a few places, he'd been burnt. He groaned again in his sleep. "He'll be okay." Monica came over to her. She'd been sleeping in a chair when the lamp woke her. "When you came back, you refused to tell us anything. Harry came and after a little bit of persuasion, he told us everything."
"Oh," Aimee reached down and stroked his head and started crying. "He saved me. I never thought…" Aimee let her sentence trail off.
"There, there." Monica said, trying to comfort her friend. "Be thankful, Aimee. All he has are a few burns; nothing major. Stop crying!" Aimee eventually fell asleep and Monica put her on back on the bed before going back to the chair to catch some more sleep.
The next day, Aimee woke up in a more joyful mood. Aimee helped dress Harry's wounds and when he was better, she finally started looking after herself. Left alone one day, while Harry continued to finalize some wedding plans for them, she smiled to herself. Nothing more can go wrong, but if they do, I'll just have to pick myself up and start over. And this time, I'll have Harry with me. Oh, it feels good to know that there is hope for the Nica…