post "Divergence"

?Murinin,? he didn?t see her until she was standing there on the last step of the stairs. He rose quickly as she attempted to step down, clinging to the railing as her legs almost gave out beneath her. She shot him a look, though, that stayed him in his place as she straightened up and moved forward towards the breakfast table as though nothing had just happened. She moved steadily under the scrutiny of the wide-eyes of all the children; Amanda alternated between watching her in alarm and shooting glances at Stephen to tell him to do something before her mother hurt herself. Most of them could see that she was still not well in the paleness of her face, the dark circles that bruised the skin beneath her eyes, the overall frailty of her frame; though the little ones may have been fooled by the bright smile, usual clothing, and the normal way she had tied her hair back in a low ponytail

Stephen did not sit again until his wife took her place at the table beside him and he had pushed her chair in for her, trying to smile at her murmured thank you. When Stephen had made their family complete, Jewell had given up the head of the table to him and had taken the spot at his left hand, the children falling into place around them while the other end of the table was often left open for Robert or any other visitor. No one resumed the lighthearted chatter that had filled the table before her arrival despite the air of oppression that had settled over the house since mother had ?taken ill.?

Jewell?s smile faltered some as she looked around at the eight faces staring anxiously back at her. All those years of etiquette training failed her miserably as she grasped for something to say, something to show her family that all was well in their little world once more. Devyn, with her child-innocence, came to her rescue; ?Mamma did not want to eat in bed anymore??

Jewell blinked her eyes at her littlest one a moment before finding that fake smile easier to wear, ?No, darling, I got quite tired of it. All those crumbs, you see, they are uncomfortable to sleep on and make the ants invade our bed.?

?Ants?? The little girl?s eyes lit up. ?I like ants, though. Can I eat in bed? I never get to,? and she was back to her old routine of ?I never,? said with an all-out pout.

?That?s not true, lovely. You?ve eaten in bed several times and you know it.?

?Only when I?m sick. Maybe I?ll get sick so I can eat in bed!? The thought seemed to cheer her immensely; she couldn?t have known the reaction it would provoke in her mother.

?No!? Jewell shouted before she could bite it back, her face twisted in pain at even the thought of one of the children getting sick. If one of them got sick, she may not be able to help them, the doctor may not be able to fix them, and then what? Stephen?s touch to her arm made her flinch but it brought her to her senses to find them all staring at her again, Devyn?s eyes quickly filling with tears. ?I?m? I?m sorry sweaty, mommy just does not like to think of you being ill is all,? she got out with some trouble.

It was Iona that saved the family from further awkwardness this time, entering the dining room with a tray of waffles that she almost dropped at seeing Jewell seated at the table amongst the family. ?Miss Jewell! I did not know you had come down for breakfast this morning,? she bumbled out, trying to cover her surprise and concern. ?All is well, though, there still should be more than enough to go around.? The older woman laughed as she delivered the tray to the table and started divvying up waffles amongst the children first so they didn?t fight.

Jewell?s shoulders sunk in relief as she replied quietly, ?Yes, you always make more than enough, Io.?

With the introduction of food to the table, the atmosphere became much more relaxed as most of the children became more concerned with eating than with being concerned for their mother. It helped that their lack of concern put her at ease and she was able to play her usual role much more convincingly, laughing lightly at their stories and antics. All was not well, though, as Stephen watched Jewell eat even less than she normally would, noted the strain around her eyes, studied the way her fork shook in her hand before she had to set it aside and be content with just watching the others eat.

And when the meal was over, she was much slower at rising from the table than normal, as all the kids rushed to their rooms to ready for the outing Stephen had promised to take them on this afternoon, thinking to get them out of the house and give Jewell some peace and quiet. He did not stir from her side, offering her his arm, as she struggled to stand, with a disapproving frown; she had obviously overexerted herself with simply even being present and trying to exude her normal level of energy during the meal. They moved at a snail?s pace for the stairs, the loose hold on his arm turning soon to a grip, then to a lean, before he scooped her legs out from under her and held her close to his chest.

Barely controlled emotions made his voice gruff as he started up the stairs, ?Jaysus, Jewell, the doctor told ye tae stay in bed fer at least ?nother week, wha? were ye thinkin???

The anger in his tone?more directed at himself, frustrated as he was and feeling somewhat helpless?caused her to struggle wildly against him for a moment in a burst of energy, ?Put me down! I will not be ordered about by some doctor; I am a grown woman and I will do as I please!?

Despite the display of energy, he could feel her trembling uncontrollably from fatigue and softened the quality of his voice, ?Aye, murinin, tha? ye are. I dinnae mean tha? we were nae pleased tae see ye with us, luv, I jus? be worried, tha? be all.? His kind words and soft reproof through them killed any fight she had in her and she went still in his arms, her head falling weakly against him. He was pleased with that small victory, worried that she would only do more damage to herself if she had fought more.

Stephen paused on the threshold to their room, looking between the bed and the divan set near the windows, ?Where tae, luv??

Having already admitted defeat in a way, she uttered a small, ?I?m tired,? begrudgingly.

He nodded, moving towards the bed to set her down with extreme gentleness on the edge, ?Aye, then let?s get ye intae somethin? warmer than tha? dress ye be wearin?, luv, as lovely as ye look in it, an? I can tuck ye in jus? as ye like,? he teased her with a smile, ?before I go out with the little ones.?

She had smiled the tiniest bit as he had been helping her out of her dress until that last part, ?You?re not staying??

?I promised the little ones tha? we could go out today, they being so good all week and quiet.? She had regretted her objection as soon as it came out of her mouth and even more so at his explanation. ?I can stay, if ye wan??

?No. No no,? she shook her head rapidly, taking the dressing gown he held out to her and pulling it over her own head. ?I will be fine.?

?But I would stay all the same, if ye would like?? She shook her head again and he nodded, sitting beside her and taking her hair out of the ponytail she had managed to put it in earlier, messier than usual though it was, and smoothing out her hair for her. ?Issy will be stoppin? by later tae see ye an? entertain ye while we be gone.? She nodded, not objecting to Issy?s visit at all. The Judge was one of the few people she would not mind seeing now that she was well enough to have visitors. Isuelt was no stranger to grief and depression, and she and the Empress had been through much together already. Issy would not push Jewell to talk about any tumultuous feelings that were brooding under the surface of her apparently calm demeanor and she was one of the few people that Jewell did not mind ?mothering? her.

Stephen?s sudden touch to her ear brought her out of whatever thoughts she had lost herself in. ?Ye still ?aven?t put yer earrin? back in, murinin,? he observed quietly. ?Why??

She looked away from him, ?It hurts too much, still.? They both knew she didn?t mean that the earring hurt. What was questionable was whether she was preventing him, shielding him, from feeling the physical pain she was still in or the mental and emotional pain, refusing to share that burden with him.

She couldn?t look at him after saying that, did not want to see the expression on his face. He only stroked the curve of her ear once more with his thumb before clearing his throat and standing, ?Let?s get ye tucked in.?

betrayal-two

He wasn?t even downstairs for an hour when the trouble started.

He was telling the bar wench a story that she was just enthralled with?as long as he kept the coin coming and she kept the drink flowing?when he caught her frowning as she looked over his shoulder towards the foyer. He knew better than to look himself, casually taking a drink from his mug instead, ?Wha? be the problem??

?Ye bes? be gettin' yer men out, Robbie, an? quickly.? That did cause him to look over his shoulder and what he saw made him curse: city guards, lots of them. Most of them were being pointed his way, into the barroom, while the rest, he assumed, were already heading up the stairs. ?Out the back, with ye,? Mariah, that lovely bar wench, shoo?d him with a coy parting smile.

?Ah Mariah, I luv ye I do!? He didn?t have time for any more endearments. He shouted brief orders to any man of their crew left in the barroom before he headed towards the back hallway and the other set of stairs that led up to the rented rooms above. He wasn?t even at the stairs before he met with trouble in the form of four guards. Withdrawing both sword and pistol, he fought them off, gaining a wound to his side in the process.

He flew up the stairs, already hearing the sounds of further fighting coming from above. He got to the third floor unhindered and was dismayed to find the post before his brother?s room abandoned: either the man had run off at the first sound of trouble or had gone down the main stairway to fight off those coming up. It didn?t matter now, he?d have to get Jewell out by himself.

She had been sleeping fitfully, not yet disturbed by the growing noise level of the fighting below, when Robert burst into her room. She sprang up in bed quickly, her hand reaching under the pillow for the pistol kept there, grabbing hold of it even when she recognized Robert. ?Trouble?? But she didn?t really need to ask; now that she was awake, she could hear the fighting for herself.

?Think ye can get ou? the window?? He asked in return, already barring the door against anyone trying to come in that way.

?I can certainly try.? Jewell got up in a hurry, not even throwing boots on as she padded barefoot to the window. She peered out cautiously, not yet seeing anyone on the porch that rounded the entire building, ?Looks clear.?

?Then out we go.? Robert climbed out first before reaching in to help lift Jewell out, encumbered as she was with her growing stomach. They were heading for the outside stairs that lined the back of the house but hadn?t even made it around the side of the building when they met with resistance: five armed guards coming up from the stairway. Robert pushed Jewell behind him and turned to look back the way they had come only to see guards climbing out of the window they had just exited themselves. Someone had given away what rooms they were staying in.

Jewell trained her pistol on one of the guards while Robert had both gun and sword raised. It would do them no good, though, as several of the guards already stood still, muskets trained on the two of them. ?Drop yer weapons or we open fire on the both of ye!? Robert frowned; any other time he would have thrown himself over the porch railing and hoped to good luck that he wouldn?t break himself in the fall, or charged straight at the guards and hoped they had bad aim. Having Jewell with him eliminated all immediate forms of escape he could think of. With a clatter, he dropped both his pistol and his sword, kicking them away from him; Jewell followed suit.

A guard pushed forward from the back of the ranks of those that had exited out the window of the room Stephen and Jewell had been staying in, clearly in charge if the fancy sash he wore over his coat was any indication. He approached them first, the other guards following closely behind. ?If it isn?t Robert Kidd,? he smiled cruelly at them. ?And the good Captain?s lady, I presume?? he inclined his head towards Jewell before laughing, ?Pregnant, no less. My, Captain Kidd has really made this too easy for me.? He turned to one of his officers, ?Round up whomever else you can find, bring them downstairs, and clap them in irons.?

betrayal-four

?An? jus? wha? be tha? all ?bout jus? now?? Robert started with her the second they were walking the mile and a half towards the prison under the watchful gun barrels of the guards.

She spit out a mouthful of blood at their feet, struggling to keep up with the pace the guards had set for them. ?I?m allergic to iron,? she repeated exactly what she had told the officer.

?An? jus? wha? the ?ell does tha? mean??

?It means?? she cursed under her breath as she tripped over something, almost stumbling to her knees; all her senses were completely thrown off, her usually perfect balance non-existent. ?It means that I don?t have access to any of my,? there was a slight pause as she grasped for the correct word, ?abilities. Not one of them.? She hoped he could understand the gravity of the situation: there was nothing to hide what she was from these people now except inky curls that would hopefully keep her ears covered; she was devoid of any and all magical protections; her very energy was thrown off balance and she could not fathom what that would do to her, let alone the baby she was carrying, if it was allowed to persist for any length of time considering the exhaustion she had already been fighting. She felt extremely weak, naked, and vulnerable.

?Aye, I ?ad noticed yer skin.?

?My skin is the least of our worries,? she muttered.

He stayed silent for a moment before starting again, ?This be all yer fault, ye know.?

?My fault? I cannot possibly see how this is my fault.? Her wrists still burned, the fire spreading through her entire body, but it was the pain that was keeping her focused and alert as she was as the adrenaline from their attempted escape wore off and the fatigue that seemed a constant these days set in again. She desperately wanted to crawl back into bed and go to sleep but that did not look like it was going to be an option tonight or any night soon.

?Iffin ye ?ad jus? stayed at ?ome where ye belong??

?Oh! You best not be getting all sexist on me Robert Kidd, I swear!? A look from one of the guards shut her up. They both remained silent before she continued again, quieter this time, ?I am just as capable as any man you two hire on to your ships.?

?Not in yer condition yer not.? He shot back at her and she scowled. ?I told Stephen from the start tha? this were a ?orrible idea.?

?Oh, so I just should have stayed at home and?and knit while you two gallivanted about wherever you pleased??

?Yes! If ye ?ad, we would not be in this mess.?

?Yes you would, I just wouldn?t be here with you is all.?

?Nae, Jewelly, cause if ye ?adn?t come than not one ov us would ?ad been at tha? Inn this evenin? an? ye know it.? She apparently had no reply to offer up in the face of his comment and he smirked triumphantly at her. ??ow ye thought ye?d be anythin? but a burden when ye cannae even walk wit?ou? becomin? tired, I simply dinnae know.? She frowned even more at him, frustrated that he could so easily read the exhaustion on her face, but she let him continue on. ?Instead ov usin? common sense, ye insist on puttin? us all in danger and yerself.?

?Are you done yet?? She asked him quietly. He paused, thinking. He was actually far from done! There was a number of things he had been wanting to say to his sister in law and now seemed as good of a time as any. Just as he opened his mouth to continue, she cut him off, ?Because if you do not understand why I insisted on coming along and why Stephen let me come along because of my condition, not in spite of but because Robert, than I do not think I can explain it to you. You cannot possibly understand what it feels like to be this helpless but at least I thought you would understand that I feel safer on the Fury with both Stephen and you nearby than anywhere else right now. You,? the word was spit out so accusingly, reproachful, ?do not know what it is like to have to be alone when you are in this condition and how scary that can be and how vulnerable it makes you feel but I do and I would never do it again, not when Stephen is willing to keep me at his side wherever he may go.?

She had clearly overexerted herself with her heated little speech, and Robert?s bound hands came up to steady her with a touch to her arm as she lost her footing and stumbled a little again. He kept his hands there, ready to support her even though the pain in his side increased with each step they took; ?Easy there, Jewelly, dinnae overdo it.?

?I?m fine,? she muttered but did not move away from him.

?Aye aye, I know ye be fine, luv. Fine specimen ov a woman,? he nudged her a little.

?Damn straight,? she smirked.

betrayal-six

Robert looked across the cell at his sister in law, shaking his head. Her head was resting back against the wall, her chin tilted upwards so her closed eyes faced the ceiling. She was singing snatches of songs, most of which were in other languages that he didn?t understand at all; occasionally he would hear a few words he could understand, a ?It?s a pirate?s life for me,? thrown in amongst some Elven lullaby. At least it was an improvement from when she had fallen completely silent the day before, barely reacting to any sort of stimulus save for when someone came by to give them all water. He knew they had the doctor, which the guards had in earlier to examine them all, to thank for that. It came as no surprise when the man had examined Jewell and proclaimed that she was possibly dehydrated. Anyone that took one look at her eyes?glassy and increasingly vacant when they were open?could have determined that. At least they were giving her more water now; he knew it helped because there was even a touch of color to her cheeks again in addition to the singing.

Robert had gotten a little satisfaction, at least, from the doctor?s reaction to seeing what the irons were doing to Jewell?s skin: The doctor?s brows went up and he whistled lowly, ?Never seen anything like that in all my life.? He called the commanding officer over to take a look at the mess that was now Jewell?s lower arms: the iron had eaten away at the skin around her wrists, leaving a raw exposed wound that was slowly spreading the longer she wore the shackles.

The captain examined the wound and frowned, narrowing his eyes on Jewell a moment before looking to the doctor again, ?It matters not. She?ll be dead before the week is up.?

The doctor had suggested removing the irons from her wrists all the same and just tying them with rope if necessary, but nothing had been done yet about that, much to Robert?s frustration. Without the irons, at least Jewell would have a little more fight in her. It was odd to see the normally fiery woman so helplessly lethargic.

The doctor had also examined his wound, cleaning it for him. He informed the guards that if they didn?t take better care of him, the wound was sure to get infected. Both Robert and the doctor knew there was little chance of the guards doing anything more than they currently were. That was another area where Jewell could prove helpful if she was not so dazed and confused from the iron and lack of water; even if she couldn?t use magic she at least had basic skill in keeping wounds clean and well dressed. Robert frowned, leaning his head back against the wall much as Jewell did; he wished either his brother or fate would hurry up and find them.

betrayal-eight

Unable to stand anymore on her own after that first volley, Jewell fell to her knees when the musket ball came close to grazing her temple. She didn?t hear the second line of executioners step up, take aim, and fire, but she somehow knew that their aim was not on the line of prisoners standing blind still before the whitewashed walls, but on the other soldiers standing by, and even on the observers who would dare come to view the execution of seven men and one pregnant woman as if it was some type of spectacle.

Chaos erupted. She couldn?t see it but she could hear it, and that was easily filtered out. She didn?t care that even as that second volley was fired, a number of Stephen?s crew emerged from the crowd of spectators, attacking what soldiers had not been felled during the volley. She didn?t even care that one executioner, after that first volley had been fired, had broken rank and came running towards her as she fell. At least, she didn?t care until he tore the blindfold from her eyes. The sudden rush of sunlight blinded her momentarily before she was even able to see those brilliant green eyes that were looking at her with concern. Even through the haze of dehydration and the poison of the iron, she knew those eyes unmistakably even if the man they belonged to would never be found dressed in a red soldier?s uniform.

?Murinin?? She saw his lips moving but it took a while for the sound to reach her. It seemed like it was coming from far away before it suddenly hit her ears in a rush, along with the sounds of the battle that surrounded them. ?Murinin, say somethin? tae me, luv.?

Her mouth was so dry she had to wet her lips before she could speak, ?What took you so long??

He grinned at her, ?Sorry ?bout tha? luv, ye know ?ow me plans work. Always ?eld up by a detail or tae. Now let?s get ye out ov ?ere, luv.?

He moved to take her up in his arms but was stopped by her bound hands pressed against his chest. ?No!? His presence always brought her clarity of mind, even in her deteriorated state, and she knew what she needed if she really wanted to think clearly. ?Take them off, please?? She held up the shackles before him, pleading; the slightest shimmer of tears in her eyes was all her body could produce.

Stephen scowled to see the irons locked on his wife?s wrists and what they were doing to her, but softened his expression as he shook his head and lifted her up. It worried him how light she was in his arms, even when pregnant. ?I?m sorry, luv, ye ?ave tae wait till we get back tae the Fury. I nae ?ave anythin? tae take them off with jus? now. Jus? wait a lil bit longer, okay??

She made the tiniest, distressed little whining noise but offered no argument, if he could not free her of the shackles then he couldn?t. Her head fell against his shoulder as if she didn?t even have the energy to keep it up. Although he was wearing foreign clothing, she could still ascertain the faintest scent of tobacco and spices about him, a hint of salt air that soothed her. ?Robert??

?Robert be fine. It be Fischer?s job tae get ?im out. Don?t ye worry ?bout tha?.? He smiled, though; it was nice to hear his wife?s concern for the brother in law she often threatened to kill. He looked around once before taking off towards the exit as fast as he could without jarring her. He almost made it there before he heard the sound of a pistol being cocked directly behind him and froze. The sound of boots crunching against the dry ground heralded the feel of the barrel of the pistol placed against the back of his head.

?I thought you would have learned by now not to turn your back on an enemy, Kidd,? Jewell tensed in Stephen?s arms at the sound of captain voice.

Stephen mumbled something quietly, soothingly, to Jewell before slowly setting her down on her feet, making sure she was somewhat steady, before lifting his hands up and turning to face . He was satisfied to see that the officer was injured, blood staining his uniform from an injury to his leg. ?Ye threatened me family, , dinnae think I?d be lettin? ye get away with tha?. I promise ye I was comin? back tae get ye once I got me wife squared away.?



?Not going to just run off like you did last time? I haven?t forgotten myself,? he said as he raised the pistol so it was on level with Stephen?s forehead, ?but I?ve certainly learned better than to leave you alive this time.? His finger started to tighten on the trigger but got no further before a bullet found its home in his chest, spraying blood across Stephen?s uniform.

The second Stephen had released Jewell, keeping her behind him as he had turned around, she had started to waiver on her feet. Her muscles couldn?t keep her standing and so she had reached forward, bound hands pressing against Stephen?s back to steady her. What they found there surprised her and she had overcome the wash of dizziness to, discretely as possible, reach up under the uniform jacket he was wearing to retrieve the pistol he had hidden beneath it; it was no easy feat with her hands still shackled together. She had tried to muffle the noise as she cocked the pistol, but it didn?t appear that Stephen or the officer were listening to her anyways, though it was impossible for Stephen to not notice what she was doing even if he showed no visible reaction to it. Still using Stephen?s body as her support, she had leaned around him as stealthily as she could without her magic, and took aim from under Stephen?s raised arm.

The officer, his hand raised to cover the gaping wound on his chest, fell to the ground as Jewell dropped the pistol to the ground, as if it were hard to even hold that weight up. ?Nice shot, murinin,? Stephen commented admiringly, as he was quick to pick his wife up again before she too would fall to the ground, ?though ye did make quite the mess.? She muttered something along the lines of, ?Screw the mess,? which made him laugh, ?Aye fine, ?ave it yer way.?

memento mori?a reminder of death.

It was so easy to get lulled into a false sense of security again. Not that she had forgotten about the feeling of being followed, of the bloody handprint on her window and the words it was coupled with: I See You. Jewell would probably never forget those things. However, to move on was necessary, to keep going was necessary. She could not live in a state of fear forever. In fact, she refused to do so. Once she ensured that her children were safe?first hidden away at Wyh and Jame?s house and then safely living under both her own and Stephen?s watchful eyes?she went about life as normally as she could with subtle glances over her shoulders when she walked. Jewell wasn?t reckless, but when it came to her own life she was far from overly cautious. Fate had dealt her many bad hands, but her own death was not one of them and so Jewell Ravenlock did not fear it.

She opened the door of the Heavenly Boutique, allowing Eva Jade to step out of the store into the warm, summer, evening air before her. Jewell gave a parting wave to Koyliak VanDuran before exiting the shop herself, closing her eyes a moment to enjoy the breeze playing across her face. It held the fragrance of cooked food, someone?s dinner, and there was pollen thick in the air, mixing with the scent of the city streets. She loved that smell, even in the summer when it was sometimes overbearing. Although Benson Blvd. was rather quiet in the evening hour?many of the rich socialites who filled the streets during the day, wandering from shop-to-shop spending absurd amounts of money, already escaping into the posh cocktail bars for a martini or two, or into a fancy restaurant for a lavish meal?she could hear a few people hurrying home, their expensive heels clicking and clacking on the pavement and sidewalks, a door being slammed shut, locks turning in the shops lining the streets. Opening her eyes to the sights that went with the scents and sounds, she hoisted the collection of shopping bags further up on her shoulder before leaning down to scoop up the little girl who had amused herself in her own observation of nature: plucking up a dandelion and examining the small yellow petals as if they were beautiful and not just parts of a weed. So simple. She laughed when her mother lifted her up. At five, they both knew she was getting too old for this, too big for her petite mother to carry around. Neither complained. Jewell kissed the cheek of her little girl as her arms wrapped about her neck, ?Ready to go home, sweet pie??

?Yeah! I wanna wear my new hat.?

?Right now??

?Pleeeaaassseee.?

?How about tomorrow instead, so you can wear it all day?? The art of child manipulation.

Eva Jade thought it over for a moment or two, weighing it in her mind. ?Okay!?

?Okay!?

They moved further down Benson Blvd., the very heart of rich New Haven, as the streets emptied quickly since the stores were already closing for the evening and people were waiting in their homes for their evening meal to be brought to them by the help. Even the few they did pass never made eye contact or offered a greeting of any sort. RhyDin was not a friendly city at night, even on this classiest of streets, and its citizens knew better than to open themselves up to strangers, even a seemingly harmless woman walking home after a day of shopping with her little girl.

Jewell didn?t hesitate, about two blocks or so away from the Heavenly Boutique, to cut into a side street. It was a short cut that would save them a few minutes on the walk home, a necessary step taken as Eva Jade started a line of complaints, growing tired as she was: ?I want to be home now,? ?I?m hungry,? ?I?m tired,? ?Why?s this taking so long?? Jewell picked up her pace as she traversed the empty side street without looking like she was picking up her pace. Back entrance doors for the many stores lined the side street as did fire escapes to the luxuriant apartments that resided above them.

She was about halfway through to the other side when she realized her mistake, a serious lapse in judgment in stepping away from the safety of Benson Blvd. There wasn?t a sound or something seen out of the corner of her eye, just a creepy feeling that made the small hairs on the back of her neck rise. She didn?t pause in looking over her shoulder, trying to judge which opening onto the main thoroughfare was closer, trying to figure out the quickest way out of the situation she had unwittingly placed her daughter and herself in. It could possibly be nothing, a creation born of her paranoia, but now Jewell felt she couldn?t be too cautious. She kept moving forward, picking up her pace once more with the sinking feeling that she was possibly being followed.