The Price of Freedom
By jelliclesoul635
Summary: Demeter and her young daughter Jemima must escape from Macavity, but how can they do so when he forbids their freedom from his Warehouse?
A/N: Wrote this in a day. It's probably not very good, but I dreamed something along the lines of what happens in this story and I decided to write it out before I forgot about it. I hope you enjoy it!
I know, I know! I have other stories to finish, but they are going to have to wait for a little bit longer when my first year of college has ended. Granted, that's only in a couple of weeks, so you'll have to keep waiting, for those of you who are currently reading my other "in progress" stories, but at least the wait is coming to an end! Hopefully this can satisfy you temporarily. Thanks for being patient!
Disclaimer: I do not own CATS.
Main Hall:
Demeter sat on the throne (a pair of giant couch cushions) next to her mate. He was currently ordering the death sentence of another spy who had betrayed him. The executions lately were piling up, the prisons filling to the max with enemies of the crimson fiend.
After the guards had carried off the protesting spy, Demeter turned to her mate, speaking somewhat hesitantly. "Couldn't you give that one a break? How much room do you think there is down in those dungeons? Certainly not acres… which is what you need to keep all of those felines behind bars."
Macavity looked at her quizzically. "Darling, what's gotten into you? Since when does it trouble you how the prisoners are kept? They're prisoners!"
"I know, and I don't know what's going on with me, but I feel like things need to change."
"Change? Whatever for? Things are marvelous! Perhaps you should return to your chambers and rest. You'll feel better after a nap. You shouldn't be worrying too much about anything anyway, not in your condition." He held a paw over her rounded belly. He caressed her cheek, and she grinned absentmindedly.
Demeter's Chambers:
Demeter stood by the window, fondling the velvet curtain and allowing her mind to wander…
What's come over me? Macavity's right. I've never bothered to be concerned before, for the lives of those who I don't even know. But the look of desperation on that criminals face, he was pleading with his eyes and I could tell he was innocent…
Stop it! You've got a wonderful life here! Nothing's wrong! Macavity spared the Junkyard and all those you love! Being his mate hasn't been that much of a price to pay. So I don't have much freedom, and I don't get to visit the Jellicles, but at least I'm alive, and at least my family is safe.
I worry though, suppose Macavity unleashes his temper upon our child the way he sometimes does to me? I could never forgive him, and I could never subject my child to such abuse. Ah, but he's not so terrible! Is he?
There was a knock at the door.
"Come in."
"Hi, darling." Macavity walked over to Demeter, coiling his arms around the top of her swollen abdomen from behind.
"Is there something you wanted, dear?" Demeter leaned against him.
"Just you." He smiled, as did Demeter. "Are you feeling okay?"
"I feel fine. The kitten will be here any day now. Just a little more patience and a bit more time is all it will take."
Macavity moved from Demeter abruptly, nearly causing her to fall. He paced wildly, holding his paws to his head. He looked frustrated. "Why does it have to take so long? Isn't there any way to speed the process? This is madness!"
"Macavity, the only madness there is right now is in your temper. Relax. The baby will come. I promise." Demeter spoke in soothing tones, placing her paws gently upon his tensed shoulders.
"But when?" he shrugged off her touch and continued to rant and rave. "We've waited for what seems like forever! How do we even know if that thing is alive in there? Let's just cut it out, maybe it's stuck!"
"Macavity! Have you gone insane? The baby is not stuck. It's growing. So it's taking a little longer than anticipated, that doesn't mean she isn't going to be okay."
"She?" Macavity was incredulous. "Since when did we decide it was going to be a she?"
"Well for one, we don't get to decide what it is, Mac. But I have a feeling that we're going to be raising a little girl. I don't know how I know, and of course I could be wrong, but something tells me deep inside that this little creature inside me is going to need a female name."
"Demeter." Macavity was serious. "You can't have a girl. How can I pass down anything to a girl?"
"Macavity, be sensible. Just because there's a chance that this baby could be a girl doesn't mean she will be any less capable than a boy."
"Well let's just hope that you're wrong, for your sake and the baby's." Macavity's tone was frightening.
"Now what is that supposed to mean?" Demeter was astonished that he could threaten her so. Although, recalling how he made her agree to be his mate in the first place erased any question in her mind regarding his ability to make threats.
"I think you know precisely what I mean! Would you like a preview?" Macavity raised his paw over his head, aiming at Demeter. She fell to the floor, losing her footing as he approached her. She held up her paws in front of her face and her legs to protect her stomach as best she could.
Macavity got down on the floor, leaning over her, whispering in her ear. "Don't ever cross me, Demeter. You won't appreciate the consequences, and neither will your child."
Demeter continued to tremble as he left the room. She couldn't believe this could happen. How could she stay here with this beast? How could she let her child be raised even partly by this monster? Children aren't perfect, they make mistakes, and as Demeter had learned in her time spent with the fiery feline, Macavity didn't take kindly to mistakes, or anything other than what he wanted for that matter.
What she would do would have to wait. Her face contorted in agony as the first wave of contractions began. Her baby was coming and there wasn't a thing she could do to stop it.
A/N: I'm planning to put the rest of this story up today! Hope you're liking it so far!
