Another Fable story! I've finally got time to write one, and for once no writer's block :D
Spoilers for the very beginning of the main quest, and hints at bits of side-quests.
This is basically the first 'year' that takes place in-game, all from Elliot's POV. Starting with the day Princess Rosalyn has to make the choice between killing her lover or three revolutionists, it tells the tale of how Elliot came to work in the Bowerstone Shelter and his engagement to Linda.
Because Elliot is weirdly adorable and I liked coming up with bits of backstory for him.
On that note, I know that Elliot is listed as 'Middle Class', but I've put him here to work in the kitchens, simply because that's where you always find him if you marry him and live in Bowerstone Castle. I think I'll put little hints of how Elliot came to work at the Palace in later chapters ^^
Set in the evening, a few hours after the Princess, Jasper and Walter make their getaway through the Catacombs. Elliot is doing a runner from his rented room in the Market, because he's scared of being so close to the Palace. Italics are flashbacks to earlier on in the day, or thoughts. It should be fairly clear.
Disclaimer: Don't own anything Fable-related, except for Rosalyn and Dog and dammit I've forgotten to write Dog in AGAIN.
It was late evening. It was hushed, and quiet, but not in the way Elliot liked it to be. It wasn't a calm or peaceful sort of silence – it was tense, afraid, uncertain. Or was that just him?
His hands shook as he hurriedly piled his few meagre possessions into his sack, pulling the drawstring tight. His breathing was fast and shallow, and his stomach kept turning over and over, making him feel sick. The events of the day kept replaying themselves in his mind.
It was such a glorious morning, so bright and beautiful, with birds singing in the palace gardens and the early morning sunlight reflecting off of the pools in the grounds, he could almost kid himself that the rumours were nothing, just spite on a few poor peoples' parts.
It wasn't quite enough to stop him from needing to talk to Rose about it, however. He waited in the garden, idly staring up at the statue of Logan, as Jasper went off to awaken the sleeping Princess and inform her of his visit. He frowned up at the statue.
Is it true, my king? Did you really kill that worker? You always seemed to be such a good monarch to me...just like your mother.
And then Dog had come bounding up to him, followed by the laughing young figure of the Princess he loved. Just seeing her had made everything seem just a little bit better, somehow.
Elliot glanced quickly around his room to see if he'd missed anything. It was small, very small for someone of his calibre, but it suited him. Noble blood might run through his veins, but he'd never seen himself to be particularly noble. He worked in the Palace kitchens, for Avo's sake!
A sound from the next room. Elliot paused, terrified he'd woken his landlady. But there came a creak of the bedsprings as she doubtless rolled over, followed by a loud, piggy snore. He sighed in relief, turning back to his packing.
"You're his sister! Maybe he'll listen to you. We have to do something."
Panic was threatening to overwhelm him, but he forced the feeling down. Seeing the demonstration had terrified him, but he'd forced himself to remain calm.
They're overreacting. It's just rumours – they're just jumpy, like the staff are. Logan might be cold, and harsh when he does deem to speak, but to kill a worker just for standing up for a child? And what would a child be doing in a factory, anyway?
He'd run to tell Walter and Rosalyn, and the three of them had watched as the crowd had made its way towards the Palace, shouting abuse and waving crudely-made signs showing a bloody cross over Logan's face. Walter had sworn a few times, before leaving quickly to talk with the King. If anything, that worried Elliot all the more. The two teenagers had remained by the windows, and as the people drew close enough for Elliot to make out the whites of their eyes, the panic took him.
"We can't just stand here. We need to do something."
He glanced back.
"Look, the guards have moved away from the stairs. We should follow Walter, find out what Logan's going to do."
Rose had nodded, following him quickly and silently up the stairs. They had crouched at the door, witnessed Logan ordering his men to shoot into the crowd. Walter had protested, and both teenagers watched as one of Logan's men smashed the butt of his rifle into Walter's knee, causing the old knight to collapse to the floor.
They had both gasped in the same moment, and they straightened up, staring at each other in horror. Then Rosalyn's face had set, and in one sharp movement, she had shoved the door open to confront her brother.
A gourd of water dropped from Elliot's shaking hands, bouncing on the mattress. He hardly noticed. His hands closed into fists, and he shook his head, desperately trying to rid himself of the memory.
Hands had grabbed Elliot's shoulders roughly, and he stared up at his king. He couldn't possibly be suggesting-
"I give you a choice. Who shall be punished? The strangers, or this boy?"
Logan gestured to him, a dismissive wave of the hand, without even sparing him a glance. The older man's eyes were on the Princess.
"The sentence will be death."
Elliot's blood turned cold as the three revolutionaries in the other corner whimpered in fear. The cruel fingers on his arms tightened, giving no chance of escape. Disjointed words fell from his mouth.
"No- This can't-"
Logan looked at his sister, cold grey eyes showing no emotion.
"You are the princess. Decide."
Walter started forward, but Logan paid no heed. He continued, seemly oblivious to the whimpering of the revolutionaries and the pale green that his sister's face had gone. Rose shook her head, her fingers suddenly gripping Elliot's hand.
"No! I won't do this!"
Logan sneered at her.
"If you can't choose, I will. They will all be executed. So tell me; what are you willing to sacrifice to do the right thing?"
Elliot was finding it hard to swallow. He looked across at the 'traitors' – probably no more than five or six years older than himself. A young woman was burying her face in a man's jacket in fear, his arms wound around her tightly. They were just ordinary people. Just standing up for what they thought was right, just like the worker who had been killed before.
Rose glanced at him, and to his horror he saw her eyes filled with tears. Rose never cried. But then again, she'd never had to make a choice like this before.
Elliot knew he couldn't let her.
"This is madness. We can't-we just can't-"
He took a deep breath, his heart beating frantically in his chest, echoing in his head.
"Choose me. You can't let them all die."
Rosalyn shook her head, but Elliot reached up, his hand steady despite his terror. He touched her face, making her look him in the eye.
"Choose me."
Rose blinked, a single tear running down her cheek. She looked at him for a long time, then across at the revolutionaries, then back to him. Elliot found himself murmuring the words again. She couldn't make this choice –she was too young, too innocent, and above all he didn't want her to have to-
Logan clicked his tongue impatiently, and a hand twitched, as if to raise it, command the soldiers to take them all away, when Rose spoke.
"Wait."
The Princess was staring at the carpet, her hands clasped into fists. Dark droplets of tears made tiny circles on the navy blue. She took a shaky breath, then murmured something.
"The revolutionists. Kill the revolutionists."
A yelp of horror from one of the mob leaders. Elliot's jaw dropped, and he shook his head frantically.
"No, no, Rose! Me, you have to-"
Logan paid no heed. Out of the corner of his eye, Elliot saw Logan raise a hand, and the soldiers surrounded the mob leaders just as the cold hands on his arms released him. He took a step forward, reaching out to the Princess who wasn't facing him.
"No! It should be me. Don't do this. It should be me!"
Rosalyn was shaking as the soldiers roughly escorted the crying mob leaders away. As the pounding footsteps and weak cries faded to nothing, she spun around suddenly, facing her brother, all the fire of anger in her eyes. Her voice broke on the words.
"I will never forgive you for this!"
Logan merely stared back.
"Good. Then you will never forget it."
His gaze went to the remainder of his men.
"Escort my sister to her chambers. Now."
Rosalyn spun around on her heel, marching smartly out, flanked by the purple-clad elite soldiers. Elliot almost reached out to her, but she didn't even glance at him. When he saw her face, wet with tears, he realised it was because she couldn't look him in the eye.
How? How did this day become so-
He didn't have time to answer that. With a fearful glance at the King, who had turned away to face Walter's angry retorts, he scurried out of the room like a frightened mouse.
It was a few hours later when a serving maid found him hiding in the gardens, shaking by the pool. She'd told him that the Princess, Walter and butler Jasper had all gone missing. In that moment, his heart, torn by the day's events, broke.
A thud. The gourd of water had rolled off of the bed, popping open and spilling its contents all over the wooden boards. Elliot blinked out of his reverie, automatically reaching down and going to the basin to refill it. He realised his face was wet, wet like the dusty wood that thirstily sucked up the small puddle of water.
With a sniff, Elliot quickly wiped his eyes, hurrying back to his pack. This was why he had to leave. The Palace wasn't safe for him anymore – maybe he'd been kidding himself that it had ever been safe. He was never going to see Rosalyn again. And so, he'd have to move somewhere, somewhere safe, and live out the remainder of his days.
Maybe he could get work in Bowerstone Industrial. Even with his semi-sheltered life in the Market and the Palace, he'd seen the recruitment posters. Always room for more workers. All he had to do now, was keep his head down and his mouth shut.
And try to forget about the woman who had saved his life today.
Gah, angst. I always give Elliot angst. But then again, he's got a lot to be angsty about. I guess I can forgive him for being so rediculously happy once he marries Rose.
I'm not sure if I got it across, but Elliot is a little naive about the world, not knowing about child labour, for instance, but knows enough about where he needs to go.
R & R, if it so pleases you. ^^