TSFT Spoilers
Sorry for any OOCness(Out of Charcter-ness). I don't know when this happens, but it is some time after she kills Nell Hawkins, and the fight between Kartik and Gemma in the stable hasn't happened and she has bound the magic to herself. I just had the random idea so I had to write it down. There are elements from all three books.
Disclaimer: These characters and plotlines belong to the wonderful Libba Bray. I wish I was as brilliant as her.
Chapter 1
Nell Hawkins is holding the bow.
Miss Moore is holds me in her arms. "I could offer Gemma right now as a sacrifice. Join me, and I shall let her go peacefully,"
"You have given me an impossible choice," Nell says.
"But it is choice, nonetheless, which is more than you've given me."
I lean against Miss Moore like a lifeless doll. I turn my eyes to Nell and send her a mental message. Don't hesitate…
Nell lets go and arrow flies for me…
"Ahhhhhh," I wake up screaming. I then realize that there is hand covering my mouth. I look down and see it is colored chocolate-brown.
I bite him slightly to show him I'm awake.
"Oh, good you're awake. What the bloody hell were you screaming about?"
"I don't recall," I lie. "What the bloody hell are you doing in my room?"
"Oh. I, umm, I, umm, well…"
I smile lightly at myself as a light blush crawls up his cheeks.
"Well spit it out, I haven't got all night," I scold him playfully.
"Why, do you have plans?" He joins in the game and all awkwardness is gone.
"Well yes, I was planning to take a midnight stroll in the garden and then go and visit my carriage driver to inform him of a dream I had a few nights ago."
"What was the dream about?" He asks, suddenly back to business.
"Well, I learnt how to curtsy without falling on my face," I reply.
"Gemma, no more games, this is serious. What did you dream about?"
I wince at his sudden business-like tone. "Sorry, I just realized I am very tired, I shall inform you tomorrow." I rolled over and pretended to be asleep, until I heard the gentle pad of his footsteps across the room and the quiet squeak of my window opening and then closing. I rolled back onto my back and lay there until sleep claimed me again.
The Next Morning
I woke to Emily shaking the daylights out of me. "Wake up, Miss. Wake up."
"Why?" I groaned.
"The Middletons have come to pay a call and Mrs. Doyle wants me to wake you up and get you presentable in your pale pink gown."
"What? Did you say the Middleton's have come?"
"Yes, Miss."
"Could you please inform my Grandmama I am indisposed, and cannot make an appearance? I am not feeling well." I don't want to face Simon Middleton; I haven't seen him since I left the brooch that he gave me on the mantle.
"Yes, Miss." She bobbed a quick curtsy and left the room.
"Miss Doyle?" A man stepped from behind my curtain. Kartik. I used to jump out my skin when he did that, but I got used it in the end.
"Yes, Kartik." I say trying to keep a grin from my face, I knew he doesn't like us having an argument, so I knew he would come back to apologize.
"I am leaving."
WHAT!! I didn't think he would come to say that. I struggle to keep calm. "W...Why, what has happened?"
"The Rakshana have called me back for a meeting, I am surprised because I have not been in contact with them for many weeks. Maybe I will be handed another assignment because you have already entered the realms and have destroyed the runes so I can't do much more and there's not much more damage you can do." I wince at his insult.
"What do you think will happen, to us, I mean? Will I ever see you again?"
"I don't know, Gemma." I smile because he was using my name again, meaning we have moved on.
"When do you leave?"
"The day after tomorrow,"
"But what, they just mean to punish you for not making me do my job, what if they try to kill you…"
"Gemma, don't worry about me, I will be fine. I learnt from them so I know how they work."
"But what if-"
He cuts me off, "Gemma, please just calm down."
"No, I will not calm down. I worry about you because……" I trail off, unsure of how I will be answered.
"Because what?"
"I love you. I have loved you since, well, since the beginning and I never told you because I didn't know if you felt the same way and now, since there is a chance I will never see you again, I just had to tell you."
Kartik's P.O.V.
WHAT!! She loves me. I want to say, "Gemma, I love you to." But I can't because that would go against everything the Rakshana have taught me. We hear the heavy steps of someone coming up the stairs. I quickly turn to go, when I see a single silent tear running down Gemma's cheek. What am I doing, I love her so I am going to tell her.
"Gemma, I love you too." I see her face light up with happiness at my words. I pull her into a warm embrace. "But I must go before someone finds me and I am hung in Newgate, I will come and see you later."
And with that I jumped out of the window and onto the platform just below Gemma's window.
Gemma's P.O.V
"Good Morning Father."
"Good Morning, Gemma. I thought you were indisposed."
"Well… I am, sort of."
"Now Gemma, please answer me truthfully, is it because of Simon?"
"Yes father," I hang my head, thinking he is about to send me downstairs.
"Gemma, I know you only rejected him last week, but you are going to have to face him sometime."
"I know, just not now."
"Gemma, I know your Grandmama must have asked you this many times, but I am only going to ask once and if you don't want to tell me you don't have to. Why did you reject Simon Middleton?"
"I rejected Simon because… I don't know, I just didn't love him and it didn't feel right to be around him," I actually wanted to say, "I love someone else, I love Kartik."
"Gemma you known how society works and that people want you to marry someone of good fortune. I am not one of those people, Gemma I wish for you to be happy, so please do not marry someone out of duty, marry them out of love." He says giving me an omniscient smile.
"Oh father, thank you, I only wish that Grandmama felt the same way." I say giving him the biggest hug.
"Gemma, I only wish for you to be happy, find someone you love, like your mother to me."
"I already have," I muttered quietly under my breath as he stood up to leave.
I hear the muffled voices of my father and Grandmama out side my door. "Gemma, is asleep mother, let her stay asleep." He says loud enough so I could hear him. I take the hint and jump into bed and feign sleep.
I hear the door open and then close again. A few seconds later I hear the heavy footsteps on the stairs.
Later that day I dress in my favorite gown. It is crystal green and brings out my eyes. I love it for two reasons the first is that it was the last gown my mother bought me before she… died; the other reason is that Grandmama hates it; she says my eyes look unnatural, though I like the dress more because of the former. I walk down the stairs and see Grandmama in the sitting room drinking tea with one of her spinster friends and an attractive young man next to her. He had nice brown hair and hazel eyes. He had unusually bright red lips; it looked like he was wearing lipstick. I tried not laugh. I found myself comparing him to Kartik. Kartik had full lips; this guy had small bright red lips.
Kartik had deep brown eyes; this boy had simple hazel eyes. Kartik was very attractive, kind and caring. This boy was only slightly attractive, ok maybe a bit more than slightly. He looked familiar, like I had met him before.
"Ah here is my Gemma now," She calls to me; she has a habit of stating the obvious. "Gemma, this is Lady Portout and her son Alberto. Lady Portout, Alberto this is my granddaughter, Gemma."
Alberto takes my hand a kisses it. "Pleasure to meet you, Miss Doyle."
"And you to." I dutifully reply.
"Miss Doyle, what a pleasure to finally meet you," Lady Portout says standing up. "Your Grandmama talks about you all the time."
"Hello, Lady Portout." I say giving her a quick curtsy.
"Gemma, I called Lady Portout for a call because you have been so antisocial lately, I thought you might like to talk with Alberto, since you two danced lovely at the ball last week." Ahh, so that's where I remember him from Lady Franklin's ball last week. I had to dance the waltz with him. If remember correctly I stumbled a few times be he saved me scandal by righting me quickly.
"Miss Doyle, would you like to accompany me for a stroll in the garden?"
"Yes Mr. Portout that would be quite pleasing." He handed me his arm and I take it as gracefully as I can.
He leads me outside where we meet with the maid, Sarah, she is to follow us.
We stroll around the garden and talk small talk about the latest scandals.
"Mr. Portout, while we are on the topic of scandal I wish to thank you for saving me from my own scandal at Lady Franklin's ball last week. If you hadn't of stopped me from falling I would have been the talk of the town."
"I have no idea what you are talking about Miss Doyle; you are a most graceful dancer."
"You are too kind Mr. Portout."
"Please, call me Alberto."
"Alberto it is then"
I look out to the woods that are just past the garden and see Kartik watching us, when I see him I give a small gasp.
"Is there something wrong, Miss Doyle?"
"No, everything is fine. I just stumbled on a rock."
"Well, we have been gone quite a while; they will be looking for us. Let's head back shall we."
"Yes, we should."
We walk inside to find our elders whispering intently over something. I only catch a few words like "Unacceptable," and "Soon will be too old," before Alberto clears his throat and alerts them of our presence.
"Oh, how was your walk around the garden?" Lady Portout enquired.
"It was lovely mother." Alberto dutifully replies.
"We must be going."
"I will call on you some day Miss Doyle?" He questions.
"Yes, that would be lovely, Alberto."
They leave and I start to head back up to my room.
"Gemma," I turn around at the sound of my Grandmamma's voice.
"Yes Grandmamma."
Do you find Alberto a pleasant young man?"
"Yes he is very pleasant."
"OK."
I thought that conversation was very odd as I headed up the stairs to my bedroom. I opened my door and gasp when I see a man in a black cloak sitting at my vanity.
"Hello Miss Doyle."
Suspenseful music plays. I wonder who that man is.
Everyone who reads needs to review or Kartik will be tortured until no end. (Like saw)
A special thanks to my BF4L JessA for editing this for me.