Remember Then

XIV. Wench

Sophia paced around her bedchamber as she waited for Marcus to arrive.

Aabha and Brigid followed her movements until the secret door opened and they both scrambled to hide under the bed.

Sophia stopped and turned to find Marcus with another letter in hand. His shadowy form bent to place it on the table. "The exchange shall happen in the dark forest," his cold voice uttered. He was obviously still harboring anger from their last encounter.

"Do not go through with the ambush, Marcus," she said, voice shaking.

He stiffly turned to face her and used the silence to lash on her. It had always worked in the past. He would stay silent and she would cower. But this time it was different. Lives were at stake.

"I cannot let you go through with it," she insisted. "If you do it, I shall find a way to let the Guards know."

"Why?" was his cold question. He took one step toward her. Sophia held her ground, using all her strength to stay strong. It was not an easy task to go against a man one had always been obedient to. "Why, Sophia?"

"Because they might overpower your men! They are the Town Guards!"

He let out a mocking chuckle. "Oh, Sophia, the many things you do not know." She frowned as he took another step closer. "We have men in the Guards, my dear. Osegod shall make certain that they will also be there for the ambush."

She gasped in horror as the weight of the situation fell upon her. She was engulfed with a sudden sense of desperation and helplessness.

What could she do? She was as powerless as the slaves in this game. But she had a voice.

She lifted her chin in defiance and uttered, "If you do this, I will cease to help you. I will be of no use to you."

"You are being pathetic. And you will do what? Go to Nicholas Everard and tell him the truth? You will allow the Guards to use you against us? They will do the same we do to you, Sophia. They will use you. The only difference is that if you remain by us, you shall not go to prison." He sighed and finally stopped right in front of her. "You are being pathetic. So tell me what you will do, Sophia? What will you do?"

She lifted her chin, her lips quivering as she uttered, "I will kill myself."

A cold silence followed before Marcus managed a mocking chuckle. "You put so much importance upon yourself if you think I will concede."

Her eyes welled with tears and she brushed them away. Taking a step back, she glared at Marcus with contempt. Never had she allowed herself to do so for never had she felt such feelings toward him.

"I have done everything you have asked of me until now. I only ask this one thing. Spare them, Marcus. You do not need blood in your hands." When he started to shake his head, her desperation grew even stronger. "Have you not thought of the consequences of your actions? The ambush will merely prove their suspicion and everything you have thus far worked for will be ruined!" Sophia was certain Marcus saw her reason. She swallowed before she continued, "If Ralph Everard will be hurt, his brother will stop coming to me and you will lose an informant. He tells me everything! Not only that, he will believe I conceded to this plan! If this ambush happens, Marcus, the Guards will never rest. We do not want that to happen. Osegod merely wants to be rid of them for selfish reasons but he shall never take the fall—you will! We will!"

Marcus shook his head slowly. "Gaining Osegod's trust is everything, Sophia. This is the most crucial part of our plans."

"You can always gain his trust the other way. But not through this. You must realize that I am right, Marcus. You might be able to eliminate a few Guards, but you cannot stop those who remain loyal to their cause. Hurting them by hurting their comrades will not do you good." When he did not say anything further, Sophia asked, "Do you truly want to do this? Do you truly believe that an ambush is the best way to scare the Guards away?"