24: Victim of the Game
The rest of the trip was in relative silence. Rosalie seemed ok after a while, even talking to Luke and Michael. To Jack, she spoke with her mind only. Tristan had gone to his room-to work on something though what no one knew. At long last the carriage came to an abrupt and Tristan came out, his face grim.
“That bad?” Jack asked, looking up at him.
He didn’t answer, just looked down. “What?” Rosalie asked him, sensing that something big had been kept from her.
No one answered, they all silently got off but Rosalie was not done. “What is going on? Jack?” He avoided her gaze, not wanting to be the one that would tell her. “What?”
“It’s…Complicated.”
“Well uncomplicate it” she snarled, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. “Someone had better say something.” Again, no one spoke.
“Please, Rose, just…Come with us, don’t say anything, don’t do anything. Just come with us and see for yourself.” She muttered underneath her breath but nodded, taking Jack’s hand as he led her through a thick forest, Michael and Luke behind them, Tristan in front of them, the guards leading the whole way. They came to a cave, the guards ducking their heads as they entered. “Watch your head” Jack warned her as he led her, guiding her through the maze.
They stopped again, the pitch blackness suddenly illuminated kwa a light in Tristan’s hand. He waved a hand and alisema something that didn’t sound human. A section of the ground parted to the size of a manhole. Tristan stepped back and jumped through it.
Rosalie turned to Jack, her eyes wide. “What the?!”
He laughed softly. “It’s ok. I promise.” Luke followed next, then Michael, then two of the guards, one waiting for Jack and Rosalie. “I’ll go first” he said, gently dropping her hand. He placed his arms at his sides and let himself fall. Rosalie took a breath and walked to the hole, following his lead.
Jack waited, a big smile on his face. “What now?” she asked him, chuckling in spite of herself.
“Welcome to the batcave.” She looked around then. Despite the name it sure didn’t feel like it was underground: the ground, which should have been solid concrete, was an assortment of stones, all varying in colors, shapes, textures, the walls were painted in bright colors, heavy drapes and curtains lain strewn about them.
“Woah.” Jack smiled and took her hand, suddenly feeling tense as he led her further into the room. He could faintly hear a commotion ahead and he considered waiting, leading her to his room until the chaos died down. As it turned out, he didn’t have time for that-David came flying from the very back, landing on his stomach just in front of them. “David” she said, instantly dropping to the ground. He smiled faintly and stood, turning around to see a tall form behind him, his hands clutched at his sides, his body shaking violently. David walked several paces from his sister and Jack, meeting him halfway.
The taller man raised his fist, knocking David’s head hard. Rosalie snarled and started towards him, Jack grabbing her, pulling her tightly against his chest, her attempts to get free fruitless. “Don’t” he whispered, turning her around and walking down one of the many tunnels.
“What was that about?! And wewe had better tell me!” She finally broke of his grasp but didn’t go to her brother, her eyes dangerous as she glared at him.
“Traitor! Ungrateful bastard! How dare wewe disgrace me this way?! How could wewe betray me?! After everything I’ve done for you!” Her head snapped to the shouting, no doubt from the taller man that had towered over brother the way a teacher would a student.
She snarled again, considered making a run for it, but thought best if she stayed put, convinced Jack would have had her in seconds. They could faintly see the shadows cast from candles in an unknown source. Once again David took another blow to his head, he did nothing to defend himself, his head down in shame. She growled low and started towards them but Jack caught her, dragging her against his chest again, pinning her so tightly she almost felt light-headed.
“What do wewe have to say for yourself?! Well?!”
“There is nothing I can say that can justify my actions.”
“Damn right! Betray me zaidi than anyone has ever done-and I’ve had my fair share of back-stabbers. Was it a waste-everything I did for you?”
David didn’t answer, his head down, his shoulder slumped. Rose turned to Jack. “Do something” she snapped at him, trying once zaidi to get free.
“I can’t. He is completely right in his actions against your brother.”
“What?!”
“I’m sorry. I should have waited until this was over.”
She looked at him, their eyes locked though now it was uncomfortable and not salama almost. “You knew this was coming? And wewe didn’t do anything to stop it?!”
He winced at her words, not able to look at her as he alisema “Tristan saw that something was going to happen-something that was going to shake our foundation and break several binds in our family.”
“Some family! I don’t know what David did au what wewe think he did…”
“Rose, we know what he did. We all knew.”
“Well if wewe call yourself family wewe wouldn’t react to a mistake this way.”
Jack shook his head. “Love, there are some things that are unforgivable. Completely and totally unforgivable. There are some instances where I’m sorry is not enough. Where being family is not enough.”
SAMCK!
She winced as she heard another blow take to her brother’s head and snarled again. “Was it worth it?! Was it worth losing this family over?!”
She watched as David turned his face to his, their eyes meeting. “Yes. It was beyond worth it.” The other man reeled on his heel and this time struck David in the chest, knocking him completely out of sight. She was dragging Jack and herself out of the tunnel, very slowly. She watched as the man walked to David, dragging something with him. He lit a match and threw it in the tall, dome shaped object.
“I should break wewe into tiny pieces and let them burn” the man alisema calmly, stepping closer to David.
“No! Jack!” He gripped her tighter and shook his head, hoping that he wouldn’t follow through with his threat.
“But that would be letting wewe off the hook too easily. So get out and never return. If I ever see wewe anywhere near, so help wewe God.” David stood and shot up one of the tunnels, racing out of sight before Rosalie could catch a glimpse.
The man strode away, going inside a room, the door slamming hard. “Let me go!” He did so reluctantly, staying close if he sensed she was going to do something out of line. She shot up the tunnel that David had disappeared but could find no trace of him. She heard Jack behind her though she didn’t acknowledge him. She walked back out to the center of the cave, fuming though exactly at who she couldn’t be too sure.
Tristan was standing there, he looked at Jack. He nodded once and Tristan went to the room where the man had gone, his voice calm and soothing as he shut the door behind him. Rosalie looked at Jack again, her eyes hard and accusing. “What do wewe want me to say?”
“You should have done something.”
Jack sighed. “I told you…”
“Yeah yeah totally unforgivable, I heard you.”
“I’m sorry wewe had to see that. If I could I would take it back and erase it from your memory.”
“I still don’t get what happened.”
“I really can’t tell you.”
She laughed. “Of course not. So, is your creator that way with the entire family? au is it reserved for those that don’t please him?”
“Rose please. I’m sorry but it happened and there’s nothing we could do.”
“You could have stopped it. But wewe didn’t. How can I be with wewe if wewe won’t protect my family?”
He opened his mouth then shut it again, stunned. “Rose, if what John did was purely out of malice and he had no real reason to hurt David we all would have been pulling him back. But he had reason. Reason enough to kill him.” She growled at him, backing away slowly. “Like I said, there are some things are not forgivable.”
She shook her head, her eyes fixed on the door that John and Tristan were behind. She felt Jack behind her, his arms sliding through her waist. She closed her eyes and alisema “Jack, I Lost the family I had been with for over seventy years. I can’t stand to think of losing anyone else.”
“David’s fine. Trust me. He’s safe.” She sighed, partly frustrated, partly exhaustion.
“I just don’t understand what could have turned the creator of this family against someone the way I saw.”
“I promise I will explain it but not here. Too many eyes, too many ears.”
“Thought wewe alisema everyone knew?”
“Well, sort of. Some of us know the truth, some of us know rumors.” She turned to him, sighing again. “Please don’t worry yourself with David, he really is fine. Shaken, but fine.”
“I couldn’t believe he alisema that it was beyond worth it…To lose this family.”
“Who knows the secrets of the human heart” Jack alisema quietly. From inside the room, they could hear John screaming still, swear word after swear word, and he pelted the door with object after object, all the while Tristan’s voice is calm, trying to ease him into a gentler state. Jack led Rosalie up a staircase and down a dim hallway.
The rest of the trip was in relative silence. Rosalie seemed ok after a while, even talking to Luke and Michael. To Jack, she spoke with her mind only. Tristan had gone to his room-to work on something though what no one knew. At long last the carriage came to an abrupt and Tristan came out, his face grim.
“That bad?” Jack asked, looking up at him.
He didn’t answer, just looked down. “What?” Rosalie asked him, sensing that something big had been kept from her.
No one answered, they all silently got off but Rosalie was not done. “What is going on? Jack?” He avoided her gaze, not wanting to be the one that would tell her. “What?”
“It’s…Complicated.”
“Well uncomplicate it” she snarled, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. “Someone had better say something.” Again, no one spoke.
“Please, Rose, just…Come with us, don’t say anything, don’t do anything. Just come with us and see for yourself.” She muttered underneath her breath but nodded, taking Jack’s hand as he led her through a thick forest, Michael and Luke behind them, Tristan in front of them, the guards leading the whole way. They came to a cave, the guards ducking their heads as they entered. “Watch your head” Jack warned her as he led her, guiding her through the maze.
They stopped again, the pitch blackness suddenly illuminated kwa a light in Tristan’s hand. He waved a hand and alisema something that didn’t sound human. A section of the ground parted to the size of a manhole. Tristan stepped back and jumped through it.
Rosalie turned to Jack, her eyes wide. “What the?!”
He laughed softly. “It’s ok. I promise.” Luke followed next, then Michael, then two of the guards, one waiting for Jack and Rosalie. “I’ll go first” he said, gently dropping her hand. He placed his arms at his sides and let himself fall. Rosalie took a breath and walked to the hole, following his lead.
Jack waited, a big smile on his face. “What now?” she asked him, chuckling in spite of herself.
“Welcome to the batcave.” She looked around then. Despite the name it sure didn’t feel like it was underground: the ground, which should have been solid concrete, was an assortment of stones, all varying in colors, shapes, textures, the walls were painted in bright colors, heavy drapes and curtains lain strewn about them.
“Woah.” Jack smiled and took her hand, suddenly feeling tense as he led her further into the room. He could faintly hear a commotion ahead and he considered waiting, leading her to his room until the chaos died down. As it turned out, he didn’t have time for that-David came flying from the very back, landing on his stomach just in front of them. “David” she said, instantly dropping to the ground. He smiled faintly and stood, turning around to see a tall form behind him, his hands clutched at his sides, his body shaking violently. David walked several paces from his sister and Jack, meeting him halfway.
The taller man raised his fist, knocking David’s head hard. Rosalie snarled and started towards him, Jack grabbing her, pulling her tightly against his chest, her attempts to get free fruitless. “Don’t” he whispered, turning her around and walking down one of the many tunnels.
“What was that about?! And wewe had better tell me!” She finally broke of his grasp but didn’t go to her brother, her eyes dangerous as she glared at him.
“Traitor! Ungrateful bastard! How dare wewe disgrace me this way?! How could wewe betray me?! After everything I’ve done for you!” Her head snapped to the shouting, no doubt from the taller man that had towered over brother the way a teacher would a student.
She snarled again, considered making a run for it, but thought best if she stayed put, convinced Jack would have had her in seconds. They could faintly see the shadows cast from candles in an unknown source. Once again David took another blow to his head, he did nothing to defend himself, his head down in shame. She growled low and started towards them but Jack caught her, dragging her against his chest again, pinning her so tightly she almost felt light-headed.
“What do wewe have to say for yourself?! Well?!”
“There is nothing I can say that can justify my actions.”
“Damn right! Betray me zaidi than anyone has ever done-and I’ve had my fair share of back-stabbers. Was it a waste-everything I did for you?”
David didn’t answer, his head down, his shoulder slumped. Rose turned to Jack. “Do something” she snapped at him, trying once zaidi to get free.
“I can’t. He is completely right in his actions against your brother.”
“What?!”
“I’m sorry. I should have waited until this was over.”
She looked at him, their eyes locked though now it was uncomfortable and not salama almost. “You knew this was coming? And wewe didn’t do anything to stop it?!”
He winced at her words, not able to look at her as he alisema “Tristan saw that something was going to happen-something that was going to shake our foundation and break several binds in our family.”
“Some family! I don’t know what David did au what wewe think he did…”
“Rose, we know what he did. We all knew.”
“Well if wewe call yourself family wewe wouldn’t react to a mistake this way.”
Jack shook his head. “Love, there are some things that are unforgivable. Completely and totally unforgivable. There are some instances where I’m sorry is not enough. Where being family is not enough.”
SAMCK!
She winced as she heard another blow take to her brother’s head and snarled again. “Was it worth it?! Was it worth losing this family over?!”
She watched as David turned his face to his, their eyes meeting. “Yes. It was beyond worth it.” The other man reeled on his heel and this time struck David in the chest, knocking him completely out of sight. She was dragging Jack and herself out of the tunnel, very slowly. She watched as the man walked to David, dragging something with him. He lit a match and threw it in the tall, dome shaped object.
“I should break wewe into tiny pieces and let them burn” the man alisema calmly, stepping closer to David.
“No! Jack!” He gripped her tighter and shook his head, hoping that he wouldn’t follow through with his threat.
“But that would be letting wewe off the hook too easily. So get out and never return. If I ever see wewe anywhere near, so help wewe God.” David stood and shot up one of the tunnels, racing out of sight before Rosalie could catch a glimpse.
The man strode away, going inside a room, the door slamming hard. “Let me go!” He did so reluctantly, staying close if he sensed she was going to do something out of line. She shot up the tunnel that David had disappeared but could find no trace of him. She heard Jack behind her though she didn’t acknowledge him. She walked back out to the center of the cave, fuming though exactly at who she couldn’t be too sure.
Tristan was standing there, he looked at Jack. He nodded once and Tristan went to the room where the man had gone, his voice calm and soothing as he shut the door behind him. Rosalie looked at Jack again, her eyes hard and accusing. “What do wewe want me to say?”
“You should have done something.”
Jack sighed. “I told you…”
“Yeah yeah totally unforgivable, I heard you.”
“I’m sorry wewe had to see that. If I could I would take it back and erase it from your memory.”
“I still don’t get what happened.”
“I really can’t tell you.”
She laughed. “Of course not. So, is your creator that way with the entire family? au is it reserved for those that don’t please him?”
“Rose please. I’m sorry but it happened and there’s nothing we could do.”
“You could have stopped it. But wewe didn’t. How can I be with wewe if wewe won’t protect my family?”
He opened his mouth then shut it again, stunned. “Rose, if what John did was purely out of malice and he had no real reason to hurt David we all would have been pulling him back. But he had reason. Reason enough to kill him.” She growled at him, backing away slowly. “Like I said, there are some things are not forgivable.”
She shook her head, her eyes fixed on the door that John and Tristan were behind. She felt Jack behind her, his arms sliding through her waist. She closed her eyes and alisema “Jack, I Lost the family I had been with for over seventy years. I can’t stand to think of losing anyone else.”
“David’s fine. Trust me. He’s safe.” She sighed, partly frustrated, partly exhaustion.
“I just don’t understand what could have turned the creator of this family against someone the way I saw.”
“I promise I will explain it but not here. Too many eyes, too many ears.”
“Thought wewe alisema everyone knew?”
“Well, sort of. Some of us know the truth, some of us know rumors.” She turned to him, sighing again. “Please don’t worry yourself with David, he really is fine. Shaken, but fine.”
“I couldn’t believe he alisema that it was beyond worth it…To lose this family.”
“Who knows the secrets of the human heart” Jack alisema quietly. From inside the room, they could hear John screaming still, swear word after swear word, and he pelted the door with object after object, all the while Tristan’s voice is calm, trying to ease him into a gentler state. Jack led Rosalie up a staircase and down a dim hallway.
