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Courtesan	By : Shelindrea Category: Twilight Series > Het > Jacob/Renesmee Views: 4787 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or make any money from this story.

Chapter List
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Chapter 36

Chelsea POV

The poor child was tied to the whipping post and seeing it made my heart break for her. In the time before the chamber was prepared she had sat and prayed with me, begging me to remember her to those she loved. I asked her how confident she was that she could endure the lash in silence and she assured me that she would do anything not to succumb to the Duke's desires. I believed her and that is what frightened me.

When the duke stalked over to her tiny frame I felt my stomach clench, then I saw the blade in his hand and surged forward. He took it and sliced her out of her garment and laid bare her entire form. It was degrading, and by the look in his eyes I knew he meant it to be.

He molested the child and I saw her raise her eyes to my own with a plea to remain strong and help her get through this, so I did. I locked my eyes to hers and sent every bit of the iron will I had forged since I had taken the habit. I would get her through this if I could and then ease her wounds. She needed to know she was not alone.

The duke began to swing the whip causing it to whistle through the air. Renesmee's eyes grew large with fear and I willed her to calm herself. I thought she was succeeding when the first blow struck her skin.

Her body bowed from the pain and the shock. She sucked in a breath through clenched teeth and as she breathed out she nodded almost imperceptibly. I took that as sign that we were still in this together.

I began counting aloud the blows that the duke landed. By five I could see the welts rising on Renesmee's back. But still she remained silent. Her breathing was growing ragged and I saw the muscles in her arms straining as she pulled against the ropes with each landed swing. As the twelfth strike hit its mark I saw a trickle of blood. By the fifteenth the welts were splitting and pouring blood down her back as well as sending showers of blood droplets that sailed off the whip with each stroke. The closer we got to the completion of the wager the angrier the duke became until his blows were having such force I could not believe the child was holding up, although tears streamed down her face and I saw the pain there.

"Seventeen," I counted and the duke lowered the lash and approached Renesmee.

"Say the word and this ends," he offered her, but she shook her head vehemently. "Do you mean to thwart me and return to your horse farmer? Is that your plan?"

At the mention of her love Renesmee straightened herself and nodded with a finality that made me proud. Unfortunately pride was also what the duke must have been feeling for he grabbed the girl's braid and bent her head back, his eyes burning with rage.

"I would rather you die than see you in his arms. You will be mine or no other's. What say you to that?"

I meant to warn her of his trick. He had not completed the wager, any sound she made would lose her freedom, but she was wiser than I anticipated. She looked him in the eye and smiled. She would not yield and she was making it clear.

"Clear this room!" the duke cried and the soldiers that had escorted us in moved to remove me. I fought them, straining to get to the poor girl tied to a post and bleeding. I knew he had meant it when he said he would rather see her dead. The men dragged me from the room as the sound of the whip resumed.

I fought them, kicking and screaming. Through all this I heard the whip and counted the blows. The door was barred against me and I pounded trying desperately to make the man see reason, but it remained immobile. "You will kill her! Good God man, you will kill her!"

I screamed for her, yet she remained silent. I had lost count at thirty lashes, but they kept on. My fists were becoming numb when I heard the men run down the hall.

JPOV

"Stand back Sister!" I yelled and Jasper and I thundered into the door. It took three tries but finally it gave way. The sight before me tore all the breath from my body. Caius stood over a slumped form. Her back was a spider web of interlacing wounds, each weeping blood and looking like a flayed piece of meat. His eyes were insane and he was laughing.

"Even if she lives she will never be yours alone, for she will wear my marks upon her form forever. It will drive a wedge between you and you will find me inhabiting her mind," he cackled.

In that instant I found my hands wrapped round his throat and squeezing. It was only Jasper's cry that stopped me from killing the man. "Jacob! Nessie needs you!" he touched my arm and I released the bastard into his custody.

I approached Nessie's slumped body and thought to cut her down, but I was afraid she might fall onto her back. I was terrified of causing her more pain and I did not know how to prevent it. I do not know how long I stood before her thinking of the best course of action, but the nun approached me and gently placed her hand on my arm.

"I think it best if you drape her over your shoulder. I will cut her down if you position her so. Then we can get her to a safe place and treat her wounds," she said gently.

I braced my shoulder at Nessie's waist and the sister cut her down. She slumped against me like a wet rag. I had her weight, but again I was unsure of how best to hold her.

"Lock your arms round her knees. This should keep her still and safe," the nun said. Again I was stuck by her practicality and sense.

I stood with Ness upon my shoulder and turned to see Jasper fitting Caius with irons. My eyes locked with Caius' ice blue eyes and it took everything within me to calm myself enough to speak.

"I will see you rot in hell. I swear on everything that is holy you will pay for this."

"I am a duke. You cannot imagine that the king will side with you against his own family? You are a fool! And you Captain, do not think for a moment that you will go unscathed after you have importuned me thus."

"I have witnesses that will testify that you violated the terms of the wager and I have no doubt his majesty will exact his own justice on that score. Now I am going to gag you for all our sakes.

Sister Chelsea had draped Nessie in a sheet from her bed within the palace. I did not want to leave Nessie in this place for a moment longer, so we hired a coach and rode to the convent. Once there Sister Chelsea led me to an empty cell which held a bed and helped me lay my love face down upon it.

Nessie had not stirred the entire ride. She had hung limply over my shoulder, and then across my lap in the carriage. I could feel her breathing, and that alone kept me sane. Now I looked down at her unconscious form and truly took in the extent of damage Caius had inflicted. I fell to my knees. He had not left an inch of her back unmarked.

"Oh god," I lamented, "how do we help her?"

"Pull yourself together, lad. She will need you when she wakes. I will fetch what we will need and then you and I will begin to treat her physical wounds," the sister said.

Chelsea returned with two of her compatriots. They carried white linen sheets, water, and some malodorous salve. The nuns went about tearing the sheets into strips and soaking them in the water. After a few moments Chelsea turned to me with a sympathetic look in her eyes. "This is going to cause her a great deal of pain, lad. She is likely going to cry out. I ask you know if you can handle following my direction without question? If you cannot I would have you go now, for once we begin there will be no turning back. Have you a strong stomach?"

"I will not leave her."

"Good," the formidable woman said. "Now stand at the head of the bed and hold her hands tightly. We are going to begin to bathe the wounds with water. It is likely to wake her. She needs to remain still. That is your mission. Speak to her, hold her down, and whatever you do, do not let her go."

I knelt before her and took her hands into my own. I noticed my mother's ring upon her finger and kissed it. It was also that wrist that bore the bracelet with the ruby heart. I felt better knowing she had not been alone, she had kept me with her. Still, I could not stop my heart from aching knowing she had bourn this all to spare my family. My love for her grew more than I imagined it could. Still I wanted to scold her for her foolhardiness.

As the water poured over her wounds she stirred slightly and a soft moan escaped her lips. Her brow furrowed and she pulled against the hold I had on her hands. It was tortuous to have to hold her still knowing that we were causing her such pain. After several pitchers were poured to cleanse the wounds Sister Chelsea began to spread the ointment on each open wound. Nessie squirmed again and groaned in discomfort, but still she remained unconscious. Finally her back was draped with the water soaked bandages.

"This should help, although, I fear we are ill equipped to treat such severe injuries here," the nun said sympathetically.

"We must get word to the capitol. We need a messenger to send an urgent post."

"It has already been done, Jacob." Jasper stood in the doorway looking horrified at seeing Ness in such a state.

"Where is the Duke?"

"He is currently housed in his own dungeon. Several of his servants are guarding him."

"Is that wise? Will they not release him?" I asked rising to my feet, afraid that Caius could escape at all.

"I have no concerns on that score, friend. It is more likely that they will kill him themselves. I have sent word to Volterra, as well as to Bella and Alice. The latter should be here with a few hours. Fear not, I will return to guard that bastard until he can be charged and tried. You just focus on our girl."

Aro POV

"Bring them in," I ordered my guard after he informed me of a pair bearing an urgent message from Jasper. The man and woman entered and bowed to me. I waved them up. "Speak."

"My name is Samuel Uley, Sire. I am brother-in-law to Jacob Black. I bear news of Renesmee Cullen. She is in desperate need of your intercession."

I had listened to the testimony of Mr. Uley and then Miss Clearwater. I was appalled at the actions of my nephew and immediately ordered that my carriage be readied for the trip to Port Angeles. I summoned Carlisle to accompany me and was instructing my ministers on how to proceed when the door to my meeting chamber flew open. When I raised my eyes I saw my son, in a dire state.

"Is it true, Father? Tell me! Is it true?"

"Leave us," I ordered the ministers and motioned for my son to sit. "It appears that your cousin has indeed plotted and schemed to coerce young Miss Cullen into becoming his."

"Do you think he will harm her?"

"I do not know son."

"If he lays a hand on her… I shall… I shall…"

"You shall follow the law. That is what we must both do. One day you will rule this kingdom, my son. You will face many wrongs perpetrated by your subjects and as king you must remember to listen and evaluate before you pass judgment. Ready yourself, Felix, I believe you shall accompany me to this trial."

Edward POV

We had arrived in Port Angeles in the early evening. Jasper was in the palace. He and I talked and when I heard what had happened I rushed over to the convent.

When I entered the cell which housed Ness and Jacob I found him with his head in his hands. I touched his shoulder and when our eyes met I knew I had work to do. He assisted me in removing the soaked bandages so I could assess the damage.

"The Sisters have done well in cleaning and treating this, though I have rarely seen anything so severe in a lashing. Most know better than to inflict this kind of damage. The biggest concern is that she will dehydrate from the amount of damaged skin." It took the look on Jacob's face to make me realize how cold and clinical I sounded. "We shall ensure that she is well cared for, Jake. I swear. We shall do everything to see that she heals well and quickly."

Alice POV

I clung to Jasper when we were reunited and he held me fast. I drank in his scent and his strength. I waited for several minutes before I worked up the courage to ask what I knew I needed to know. "Were you in time, my love?"

I felt him sigh in my arms and knew they had not been. But in a moment I felt his shoulders begin to shake and my fear grew exponentially.

"Oh God, how bad?"

"I have never seen a beating like this. Not even your back has seen what he inflicted upon her," Jasper said shaking his head.

"I must see her," I told him firmly.

"Are you certain that is wise, love? I fear it will cause you immense distress."

"She will need someone who knows how she is feeling now. I must be there for her."

"She is not even conscious, Alice. She will not know whether you are there or not."

"She will know," I assured him and he led me to her side.

NPOV

Pain, sharp, burning agony was all I knew. I could hear voices, but none of them could puncture the overwhelming pain. I wanted to scream, but something prevented the sound. "Not a sound" my mind repeated over and over. I was certain there was a reason, but I could not recall it. All I could recall was that the excruciating pain and my need to bury myself in the oblivion of blackness .
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Courtesan