Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 420: Facing Her Trauma

Chapter 420: Facing Her Trauma

"He touched me everywhere..."

She broke her silence after a long time.

Bear was curling up behind her and sleeping after his tiresome day.

Arthur paused drying her hair and the towel he was holding almost slipped from his hand. He felt his chest closing up with pain and he found it hard to breathe. He thought he was having a heart attack.

After taking a deep breath, he felt a wave of rage washing over him. He wanted to kill Ralph.

But he knew it is not about him. If he is this hurt hearing it, she, who experienced it will be in more pain.

He placed the towel down and stood in front of her. She was bowing her head down, looking at her hands, fiddling with her fingers. The diamonds in the ring glittered in the light, but he wanted to look at her eyes.

She was carefully avoiding his eyes and it hurt him more than anything.

"I don’t know how long I was unconscious for, but after I became conscious, he touched me mostly to... He did not penetrate though... either digitally or-"

"Are you sure you want to talk about it, Iris?" he knelt in front of her and held her hand. His hand flinched as a warm drop of tear fell on it.

He didn’t know what he feels about this or if he wants to know in detail everything happened. After searching for her for hours, they found her and she is safe. That’s all he wanted and that’s all he cared about.

"Should I not? " she met his eyes for a moment before bowing down. "Did you notice? I am wearing the ring." She showed him the ring.

"I noticed and I am happy you decided to wear this ring. I am delighted that you got over the uneasiness that was holding you back and want to marry me. And I am happier that you’re safe. I don’t think anything else matters, Iris. Look at me. I need to tell you something." He spoke softly and waited till she looked at him.

"Iris, I will never understand as a man how it feels like to go through what you went through. But I will say this. Look at me," he held her chin as she bowed her head once more.

When he saw her teary eyes, his heart hurt. He wiped her tears and continued.

"You are not filthy. I don’t care what that scum did or didn’t do. It doesn’t change the fact that you are my Iris. Since you are mine and mine alone, you can’t be filthy. And even if you felt filthy, take that thought out of your mind. Now that I’ve washed every inch of your body with my own hands, you’ve become clean. Understand? So don’t ever say that you’re filthy,"

He wiped her tears flowing as if the floodgates are opened. If he could, he’d have kissed her from head to toe and sank himself inside her, proving how he still loves her. But in this situation he can only be cautious and wait until she feels ready to be intimate with him again.

Talia held his hand and pressed it on her cheeks. She wasn’t surprised by his reaction.

She wanted to talk to him about this because she wanted him to know about it from her mouth rather from the recorded footages of Ralph’s camera.

Also she wanted his support. She wanted him to say words of comfort and words that’ll bring back her confidence.

"I did want to clean myself with acid before... but now I will remember your words. I won’t think of me as sullied."

After sobbing for some time, Talia said kissing his hand.

"I truly don’t deserve you..."

"Idiot, we both deserve each other," he looked at her in the eye. He wanted to kiss her.

"Kiss me, my beloved," he looked at her and Talia could not refuse his puppy eyes.

But then she remembered Ralph forcing her to drink piss.

"After I brush my teeth," she said and watched his face losing the radiance it had some moment ago.

She bent and placed a little kiss on his cheek and saw him smile gleefully. Seeing how this little thing made him happy, she teared up once more.

"Fred, if I forget, keep on telling me that I am not filthy until I remember... Don’t think I am rejecting you if I flinch because of your touch and wait for me. I promise I won’t make you wait long. Please, never doubt my love for you."

She said holding his hand. She knew what she went through was traumatic and she might need to consult her doctor once she returns. She wanted Arthur’s help as she deals with it.

Arthur with a smile kissed her hand.

"Of course, my love. Take as much time as you need."

It is a given he will be doing this all for her. And he knew if she sensed there is a problem, then it can be tackled properly.

Arthur walked out of the tent after she got fed and the doctors gave her an examination. She was given antibiotics since she was scratched at a lot of places and she had already developed slight symptoms of cold.

She was already asleep and Sir Robert who was in the Command Centre guiding the operation to search for her, returned to her side. They already have announced the world that Princess Talia is back and that she is unhurt. Of course they blamed the militia and currently the militia in the national park area are getting rounded up by Basmian military.

The speed in which the Basmian government gathered information about the secret lair of the militant leader was very fishy as many pointed out. Intelligence gathered by international union found that certain ’leaders’ in Basmian Government used the militia to eliminate their enemies in exchange for the freedom and safety of the militants.

Of course Louis used that information to get what Talia asked for. They found the cave where Talia was held and the hours of recording in the camera was forbidden to be viewed by the Basmian Government and Rosandale Government sealed the document of transfer of Ralph along with everything found in the cave.

Arnold Belfauger tried to interfere, but after Jerome Brunton had a talk with him, he backed off. He made a wish to let his daughter meet him for one last time and it was agreed.

Arthur had the only copy of the tape with him as asked by Louis. He wanted to know everything that happened in the cave, but he was scared to know about it too.

He was in a serious dilemma whether he should watch it or ignore it.

Talia was sleeping deeply after their talk and she developed a slight fever and the doctors said that her chest is congested. They immediately moved her back to Rosandale to get proper medical attention with utmost secrecy.

The Basmian Government wanted Talia to release a statement thanking Basmia for their efforts in finding her, but Louis diplomatically slapped them in the face.

It was revealed that her works among the rural people angered the minister of that area since it exposed his corruption and he aided in the delay of reinforcements after Talia fell in the hole.

And people who knew about the underground tunnel systems were silenced from speaking out to help Talia by that minister. If they were allowed to come forward, they would have found Talia pretty early. Ralph had used a little underwater stream t get to the cave where he held Talia and the very few people, who knew about this tunnel, were silenced.

’Sack him before demanding anything from Rosandale ever again!’

That was Louis’ reply and he put his foot down making the Basmian Government back off.

---

In the jet...

"She’s still sleeping deeply and her fever hasn’t risen and so it is fine," Peggy sat in front of Arthur.

"Thank you," Arthur said from his heart.

Talia was having nightmares at times and when he touched her, she shivered more. Somehow Peggy’s soft touch soothed her and he was glad for her presence here.

"Here is the list of the tabloids we can sue," he gave her handwritten notepad and Arthur got it.

Peggy had listed the names of the tabloids along with the false information they wrote about and was impressed.

"Good."

He gave his approval. He decided to sue them to oblivion for daring to announce his Iris’ death when she was alive.

---

Arthur made sure Talia had her meals on time and he woke her up. She wasn’t interested in eating because f the cold and Arthur made sure she has something.

Talia got sleepy once more and asked him to wake her up when they reach Rosandale and that she wished to walk out of the airport and didn’t want to be carried out as Louis suggested.

"There sure will be reporters and they sure will ask stupid questions and Please... Don’t punch them." Talia pleaded with Arthur.

Arthur agreed immediately and that made Talia more sceptical.

As she slept, Arthur decided to watch the video recording anyway. Talia inquired if they’ve found the recordings and she asked him not to watch it.

And that only kindled his interest and he wanted to know more.

Tears streamed down his cheeks as he watched everything.

My poor Iris... No wonder you are having nightmares.