Juliet of Dundee

Leverage

Juliet of Dundee Chpt. 19

Juliet

"I lo-"

The door slammed open.

"My, my, what have we here?"

I jumped and pulled away, Pater let out a disappointed growl. Somethin' in me switched on and I struggled to keep meself under control.

"S-Stouts," Pater hissed through clenched teeth, his voice husky and impatient. The way he said it seemed to give the monster some justice; in fact, Pater said it in the most brilliant of ways, of which I believe it should always be said. Everythin' he did was brilliant.

"Pater," Stouts dipped his head as he strode into the room and ripped the sheet off us. I leapt to me feet and stood in between the rivals. He looked me dead in the eyes as he spoke. "The captain wishes to speak with..." he directed his gaze towards Pater again, "the leverage..."

Leverage? What was that supposed to mean?

Wait-

Stouts shoved me aside and peered down at Pater. Pater threw himself off the bunk and stood face-to-face with the enemy.

All too quickly Stouts grabbed Pater by the neck, picked him up and slammed him against the wall all in one swift motion.

"Belay!" I shouted as I threw meself at Stouts. "Let h-him go!" I nearly cursed, frustration boilin' within me. All the stutterin' from the cold made me sound unsure.

"Mr. Calaway!" Stouts ordered. An old man from the hall rushed in and took hold of me.

"Pretty one, aren't ya?" the geezer smiled - well, what was left of it.

I grimmaced as the man pulled me closer.

Gross.

"Now you listen here, Bernard, you're on the Valiant again. Remember how it was before? Remember the blood? The agony? You remember it, don't you?"

Now Pater had started to struggle. His fists were still balled, his eyes still cold, but now he began to gasp. Stouts had never come across as terribly strong until now. I had to do somethin'.

"Stouts!"

"Quiet her muzzle!"

I was gagged. So much for doin' somethin'.

Stouts bashed Pater against the wall before he let him down. Pater sputtered, gasped and coughed.

"You and I are gonna head up top now, and you shall see what will become of you."

Stouts then shoved Pater towards the door and I watched helplessly.

"Hapher!" I screamed through the cloth.

"It's okay, Juliet. I'll b-be back." He gave me a mildly convincing smile before he was shoved out the door. A certain longing flooded every inch of me being the moment he was gone. The geezer followed the two out the door and locked it behind him.

"I love you..." I whispered into the darkness.

~*~*~

Warmth. For the first time in ages I felt real warmth. The last time I'd felt warmth had been when Pater had been with me, which had been hours before. It'd dawned on me that we'd probably left the realm and were only two days time away from the Source.

Time seemed to pass by slower than ever. Without Pater me mind wandered aimlessly. I couldn't focus. All I could envision were the horrors that had taken place within those very walls. Visions of much blood and raw screams enveloped me and slowly I began to sink into a horrifying day-mare.

"Get up." A steely voice snapped me out of me unspeakably terrifyin' daze.

"Where-"

"I said get up." The voice was colder now. I looked up to see me stepbrother, Acton, sneerin' down at me. "If you wish to see your precious Blue-eyes come now." I grit me teeth as he flashed his intense hazel eyes at me. I drowned then stood to me feet with little hesitation.

Moments later I found meself bein' escorted by Acton down the corridors I'd once called apart of me home. These Walla had seen too much. So many horrifyin' scenes, so few of the fondest of moments between meself and me mother.

Distracted by much thought, I did not realize me stepbrother had stopped before me at the bottom of the stairway to the deck. He grunted as I collided with his chest. Acton had always been a little runt growin' up, but he'd sprouted some in the last few years, I'd guessed. I flashed a puzzled look at him as I tried to regain my composure.

"What the hell was-"

Acton quickly repositioned himself behind me and took hold of me wrists. I struggled some against his grip, as Acton had always been stronger than he really looked, but stopped after he spoke.

"Behave, my dear sister, or return to your chamber. Do you not wish to see your beloved?" Acton had always also spoken so formally at spontaneous times. In some moments he sounded much like you would expect a pirate to, and in others a king. It was an odd trait indeed.

"He's not my-"

Acton did not permit me to continue, nor would have I besides the fact. How could I deny what had become so very quickly the truth?

"Walk now," he demanded as he shoved me towards the foot of the stairs. I began my ascent, each step agonizin'. I knew at the top I'd immediately become the center of attention, all eyes on me. Me hated crowds.

But what of Pater? What had he been doin' all that time? Or, more rather, what had they been doin' to him?

Once I'd reached the top of the steps I came upon the scene that answered most me questions; as well as fill me with complete and utter horror.

What had we done to deserve this?