Little Red (Jacob Seed)

23. Talk to me...

Ever since Rieka got home from Joseph's place and Jacob whispered 'I love you' into her hair, he has been distant. His kisses are quicker and shorter, he leaves the house earlier and comes home later. Rieka has pinned it down to stress but she would be lying if she said that it wasn't bothering her. She went on with her duties, patching up all of Jacob's men, but she was starting to feel worn down.

Whether it was the stress that the Deputy was causing, or the fact that Jacob was being distant, or the possible pregnancy that was always on the back of her mind. She was feeling tired, finding it hard to focus on her job.

Jacob was working and Rieka was by the training area, patching up Jacob's men who had gotten hurt. Rieka just finished patching up the last of the men and packed up her bag, just before she walked away she asked one of the cultists where Jacob was. They told her that he was by the cages.

Rieka thanked them before walking down to the cages, her bag hanging from her shoulder. She smiled when she saw Jacob standing in front of Pratt's cage, he was talking but she couldn't hear him. She walked up to him and waited for him to finish up with Pratt. He was basically taunting him about how he is going to kill the Deputy.

Jacob finished and stepped backwards, turning and seeing Rieka. "Excuse me" he mumbled before walking past her. Rieka opened her mouth to say something but she lost the words, she just stared speechlessly at the floor in front of her.

"R-Red..." Pratt stuttered from his cage, pressing against the bars and looking up down at her.

"What was he staying?" Rieka asked with a sigh, walking over to the cage so that she was standing in front of him.

"He told me that Rook's training is over...that he is going to fulfil his purpose. Jacob told me that he is going to confront Rook...he said that Rook won't be coming for me" Pratt told her. He liked Rieka, really liked Rieka. He wanted to help her like she helped him.

Rieka just nodded before sitting down on the floor and leaning her back against the bars. Why didn't Jacob tell her about confronting the Deputy? Why is he avoiding her and being so cold towards her? "I guess this thing is finally going to end..." she hummed before hearing Pratt move behind her.

Pratt turned and sat down on the floor like Rieka, he lent his back on the other side of the bars that she was leaning on. "What will happen to me...if Jacob does kill Rook?" Pratt asked quietly.

"Honestly, I don't know. I guess you will be treated the same way as you are now or become a soldier, one of Jacob's men, because he won't have to use you as leverage" Rieka told him, not actually knowing what Jacob planned to do with him after all of this.

"I'm not cut out to be a soldier...he is going to kill me isn't he? I'm weak and he culls the herd, he is going to cull the herd and that means killing me" he whispered, hanging his head.

"I'm not going to let him kill you Pratt, you will be fine" she assured him. She felt a little guilty and selfish about it but she wasn't concerned for Pratt at the moment like she usually is, she is more concerned about Jacob and his stupid plan to confront the Deputy.

"...Go and talk to him Red..." Pratt sighed.

"What are you talking about?" she asked and turned to him with a confused expression.

"You are upset about Jacob...a-anyone could see that...go" he turned and smiled at the girl in the red hood.

"I hope things turn out alright for you" she smiled at him before jumping up to her feet and walking off to find Jacob.

Rieka drove home and saw Jacob's truck parked outside. As she walked into the cabin she wondered whether she should tell him about her little secret or wait until everything blew over. That's when she froze, she only just shut the front door behind her and couldn't walk any further. She just started at the floor while she thought over every bad thing that could happen.