Thank you to girlswithaxesdontwrite and DefyingLogic2011 for your reviews- I will give a shout out for all who review :D
So in order for this story to work, unfortunately Ashley has to be a strict horrible uncle because it would be what they were like. I have specifically made him the horrible one based on a few things that happened after Jenna left the village in 2009- he started hitting and bullying- and even though I said it was only up to 2009- I am taking into account who would fit what based on the events that happened.
Anyway- sorry for the long Author's note...
Enjoy! :D
Church was not in the slightest bit interesting. Jasmine stood up with everyone else to sing hymns but then Jasmine was asked to sing a solo in front of the masses that went to church. She originally declined but then was forced into it by the male population, just so they could get a good look at her. She ended up singing 'Abide with me'. She sang for her parents, whom she thought about more frequently every day and she sang for her grandfather.
"Get in there you wretch!" Two guards pulled a young girl into the lounge, where Jasmine was catching up with her cousin who had come back from her marriage to Lord David of Knighton. Ashley stood, surprised. Jasmine craned her neck to see the girl behind Ashley and Lord David.
"Debbie!" Jasmine said, her eyes widening. Lord David turned to her, surprised.
"You know this girl?" He asked, staring ad frowning at Jasmine. Jasmine shifted uncomfortably in her seat, squirming out of his stare.
"Y- yes... she's my stable g-girl..." She said, fidgeting. Gabrielle, her cousin, stood. She grimaced at Debbie.
"A girl who looks like a pig, dresses like a runt and smells like the wrong end of dog?" She asked. Jasmine stood up, angrily. Ashley, pushed her back down, to sit. Ashley turned to Debbie, grabbing his knife from his tea tray. He brandished it in front of Debbie.
"Now, miss Dingle... setting fire to my parishioner's house was a very foolish thing to do, wasn't it?" He asked condescendingly, he pushed the knife into Debbie's neck slightly. A guard pulled her hair back, causing her to grunt in pain.
"I didn't d-o it! It was D-Darren E-Eden!" She choked out. Ashley pulled the knife away, laughing. He looked at the males in the room, who begun to laugh.
"She didn't do it!" He said, pushing the blade back under Debbie, pressing the sharp edge against her perfectly shaped chin. Jasmine winced. Debbie winced and shook like a leaf in the wind. Ashley's laughing soon turned to a glare.
"Do you want to lose your life to the noose, girl?" Ashley hissed, Debbie shook her head, her eyes full of fear. Jasmine stood up and walked in front of Gabrielle and David.
"Do you have absolute proof that she set fire to the Vicarage, Uncle?" Jasmine asked, genuinely concerned for the girl, who was restrained on the floor in front of her. Ashley started to chuckle again, as Jasmine frowned.
"What would you know about it? You're only a girl, Jasmine!" He laughed. Jasmine breathed a sigh of disbelief. She looked down at Debbie, who wasn't struggling out of fear and was a deathly pale.
"So is she!" Jasmine retorted, pointing at Debbie. Jasmine stared Ashley straight in the eye, showing she wasn't going to give up without a fair fight. He stood, angrily.
"David! Escort Gabrielle out while I have a word with Jasmine!" He chewed out between gritted teeth. Jasmine stood her ground. David took Gabrielle out, shutting the doors behind him. Ashley glared at Jasmine. Jasmine glared back.
"You insolent child!" He shouted at Jasmine. Jasmine stood her ground, folding her arms. She was not affected by her uncle's shouting.
"I am not a child, nor an insolent one at that! I am of age and am not scared of you anymore. You think shouting will make me back down! I believe Miss Dingle! If she didn't do it, I believe her!" The back of Ashley's hand met swiftly and sharply with Jasmine's cheek, causing searing pain and redness to flood Jasmine's cheek. She clutched the side of her face in pain as Ashley backed away, pointing at her.
"You! Do not answer me back, child!" He shouted. Jasmine breathed quickly, trying not to break into sobs in front of her uncle and her stable maid. She bit her lip, looking at Debbie apologetically before running to her room and collapsing on her bed, sobbing.
For the first time in a month... she sobbed for two people she would never see again... she sobbed for something she feared she would never fix... she sobbed for the pain she felt.
An hour later, Jasmine woke up to the sounds of horses hooves and their neighs. She jumped off her bed, looking out of her window to see Debbie being escorted onto an open carriage- to be taken to Peterborough Prison. She stared down at the girl she had met a day prior, apologetically.
Debbie seemed to have the same thought, as she looked up at Jasmine's window, seeing Jasmine and nodding, smiling weakly with an understanding look. She used sign language to say thank you, lifting her hand so the pads of her middle, ring and index fingers were touching just below her mouth, pulling them away as if she was blowing a kiss.
Jasmine smiled, grabbing her quill quickly and writing the words 'I WILL SAVE YOU' in big letters, holding them up to the window for Debbie to see. Debbie smiled.
Jasmine knew she had some sort of feeling for this girl, but love or hate; she didn't deserve to die for something that she didn't do. And whoever this 'Darren Eden' was, she was going to make sure he stood up and was counted for this...
R + R :D Hope you enjoyed!