We Have to Keep Believing

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, it's not mine

Any text in italics is either Estella's rendition of Aida or the court record.

Chapter Eight: Seems Quite Unbelievable

"But Mother, please, listen to me!" Teresa pleaded.

"I don't like liars, Teresa Leanne Palmer," the older woman snapped sharply. "I know you miss your father, but that doesn't give you the right to make unfounded accusations against any other man in my life. I chose Lucius, get over it."

"But Mother, I'm telling the truth."

"That's enough out of you." Leanne slapped her daughter firmly across the face. "You will not make up blatant falsehoods against the man who has given us so much."

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Sarah hastily sorted through the stacks of paperwork they had acquired after Estella's kidnapping. Regulus still refused to tell her what he was hiding, and she had a feeling that the answer lay in the official record of Malfoy's trial. Regulus had testified at the trial, but he wouldn't say about what. There had to be more to their relationship than Malfoy's marriage to Narcissa, but every time this was mentioned he clammed up and tried to change the subject, and when that didn't work he outright refused to answer.

"Yes! Found it!" she whispered triumphantly as she pulled the court record from the stack. She hurriedly replaced the papers she had moved in her search and sat down with the coveted file.

"Testimony of Draco Malfoy... Testimony of Narcissa Malfoy... Testimony of Harry Potter... Testimony of Ginny Weasley... Ah, here we are. Testimony of Regulus Black."

Please state your name and age for the record.

Regulus Arcturus Black, thirty-seven years old.

Mr. Black, my records state that you claim to have been raped repeatedly by Lucius Malfoy, along with other Death Eaters, for a period of approximately two-and-a-half years. Is this correct?

Yes, it is.

Sarah drew in a sharp breath. So this was what Regulus had been hiding.

When did this begin?

I believe that it was January 1977. I had been captured by several Death Eaters on December 18th, 1976, and by the first assault I had lost track of time.

You stated earlier that you were raped by multiple Death Eaters. Was Lucius Malfoy the first? Did he encourage the others?

It was him and Rudolphus Lestrange. They came together into the cell where I was being held, stripped me, tied me down, and then raped me. I don't know which was first. I don't want to know. And yes, he encouraged the others. He and Rudolphus began bringing other people down to the cell, to watch and participate.

Sarah didn't really want to read any more, but at the same time she couldn't tear her eyes away.

When were you released?

After roughly three months.

Why were you released?

I agreed to join Voldemort's Death Eaters out of desperation and because I thought I might be able to bring them down from the inside.

You claim Malfoy continued to rape you after you were released. How did he manage this?

He and the others did it sometimes when we were in Voldemort's hideout but were not actively doing anything. In addition, both Malfoy and Lestrange were married to my cousins, and were often invited to our home by my mother. Bellatrix Lestrange helped to secure these frequent visits - she knew what Lucius and her husband were doing.

"Sarah? What are you doing in here?" Sirius' head poked in through the door. He quickly noticed that she had tears streaming down her face and entered the room fully to sit next to her. "What's wrong?"

"It's - Regulus - I got sick of not knowing anything so I - I went and looked at the court records to find out what he was trying to hide-"

"You saw the record?" Sirius repeated. "Sweet Merlin, Sarah."

"Why didn't he ever say anything?" she sobbed. "I thought he'd been involved in something Malfoy was doing - something he wasn't proud of - not that he was -"

"What you have to understand is that Regulus never really talks to anyone about what happened to him. The first time Malfoy and Lestrange did it here, he tried to tell our mother and she told him it was his fault."

"What? That's awful!"

"I know. But the result of that was that he didn't tell anyone else for more than two years; he was afraid he'd get blamed again. James found out by accident, and it was him who managed to talk Regulus around. Reg told me, and he got up the guts to speak in court, but he still never really talks about it unless he has to."

"I need to find him. We need to talk." She started to leave the room, but Sirius stopped her.

"Sarah."

"Yes?"

"Be gentle with him."

"I will," she promised, and then she left.

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"He hasn't come yet," Isabelle said quietly. "Maybe he won't come today."

"Maybe." Estella hardly dared hope. "I just wish I knew for sure, one way or the other. I can't stand waiting like this."

"Ellie," Marissa said quietly, "what if you told us more of the story? Just to help us wait."

"Is that what everyone else wants?"

Her question was greeted with a chorus of approval.

"All right, then."

Aida stood on the riverbank, washing clothing with the other slaves. Radames stood nearby, in deep discussion with a soldier. Noticing Aida, he dismissed the soldier and walked up to her.

"You were watching me again," he commented. All week your eyes have been on me. Do you think you're going to gain your freedom, just because you've gained my attention? You are beautiful, but I am not so easily led."

"If I've looked in your direction, it was only to see if your chalice needed refilling," she answered icily.

"I have no chalice now," he pointed out, "and yet, you're looking."

"Excuse me, Captain," she snapped. "I have linen to wash."

"I do not excuse you," he countered. "Stop there."

"You wanted something from me, Captain?"

"Oh yes. I want to make your life easier, Aida. Tell me how. What can I do for you?"

"Help my people."

"I want to help you."

"I am my people.," she replied. "And I cannot continue to live in the comfort of the palace while my countrymen are dying. You want my 'affection,' captain?"

"I can have your 'affection' right here if I command it."

Estella grimaced slightly at that line before continuing.

"I want to know if you feel anything for me - aside from contempt."

"I don't know," she admitted.

"Then let's find out." He pulled her to him and kissed her, just as Mereb approached them.

"Aida, I just saw-" he stammered. "Aida, Amneris requests your presence. The princess... "

Aida hurried off, leaving Radames to contemplate.

"I once knew all the answers
I stood on certain ground
A picture of true happiness
Of confidence so effortless
No brighter could be found
I never asked the questions
That trouble me today
I knew all there was to know
Love worn lightly
Put on show
My conquests on display.
And who'd have thought
That confidence could die?
Not me, not me
That all I took for granted was a lie
Not me, not me
And who'd have guessed
I'd throw my world away
To be with someone I'm afraid will say
Not me, not me."

Mereb watched his beloved master with concern. "He's in love
But he's not the only one
Who'll be changed."

Aida and Amneris walked past them at this point, carrying purchases from the market.

"This would be lovely on you," Aida said, examining a bolt of cloth. "I'll say this for you Egyptians; your thread count is amazing."

"Why hasn't Radames come to see me again?" Amneris wondered. "We're to be married in three days and yet... Aida, I must make things right with him."

Aida sighed. "I shall not envy lovers
But long for what they share."

Amneris was lost in thought as well. "An empty room is merciless
Don't be surprised if I confess
I need some comfort there.
And who'd have thought
That love could be so good?
Not me, not me
And show me things I never understood
Not me, not me
Who'd have guessed he'd
Throw his world away
To be with someone til his dying day
Not me, not me."

All of a sudden, Nehebka, Aida's friend, ran by with her arms full of things.

"Nehebka, where did you get that?" Aida asked.

"The Egyptian Captain!" Nehebka told her. "He's giving away everything he owns. And he's giving it all to us!"

Radames came by then as well, still giving out his possessions. All three of them - Aida, Amneris, and Radames - found themselves transfixed by the power of love.

"And who'd have thought
That love could be so good
Not me, not me
My secrets and
My passions understood
Not me, not me
And who'd have guessed
I'd throw my world away
To be with someone til my dying day
Not me, not me."

"Look," Amneris cried, "he is preparing to move into the Palace. So, whatever doubts he had the other night must be gone." Suddenly, she became shy. "But you stay, Aida. Apologize for me. "

"Oh, no," she protested. "I can't."

"You can," Amneris argued. "You always say the right thing. I never do."

"Princess, please," Aida begged. "Don't make me."

"I would never make you. But I am asking you, as my friend."

And finally, Aida nodded. Amneris rushed off, and Aida approached Radames.

"Thank you," she said.

"It was nothing," he replied. "Well, actually, it was everything. But it doesn't matter."

"Captain," Aida said hurriedly, "I just came to tell you that the princess is sorry for what she said the other night."

"Aida -" Radames reached out and took her hand.

She jerked back. "You are betrothed to my mistress!"

"It was arranged by my father," he argued, "and it will be unarranged by me!"

"You could raid another country tomorrow and rebuild your fortune," she protested. "Radames, you're an Egyptian! Nothing will ever change that fact. I don't even know why you bothered to do this."

"Don't you?" he asked quietly, and as Aida stopped to look at him, he seized his chance.

"We all lead such elaborate lives
wild ambitions in our sights
How an affair of the heart survives
days apart and hurried nights
Seems quite unbelievable to me
I don't want to live like that
Seems quite unbelievable to me
I don't want to love like that
I just want our time to be
Slower and gentler, wiser, free
We all live in extravagant times
Playing games we can't all win
Unintened emotional crimes
Take some out, take others in
I'm so tired of all we're going through
I don't want to live like that
I'm so tired of all we're going through
I don't want to love like that
I just want to be with you
Now and forever, peaceful,true
This may not be the moment
To tell you face to face
But I could wait forever
For the perfect time and place.
We all lead such elaborate lives
We don't know whose words are true
Strangers, lovers, husbands, wives
Hard to know who's loving who
Too many choices tear us apart
I don't want to live like that
Too many choices tear us apart
I don't want to love like that
I just want to touch your heart
May this confession
Be the start."

And finally, Aida allowed herself to accept her feelings for him. She fell into his arms, as if nothing else mattered.

"Please tell me that's not the end," Hannah said.

"No, it's not. It's not even the end of the first act."

The door banged open to reveal a guard, who immediately grabbed Marissa. "You're to come with me."

The girl's muffled protests were ignored as she was dragged out and the door closed behind her.

"Oh, God," Rose whispered. "I hope it's not one of those."

"One of what?" Estella asked.

"Every once in a while, the guards take her and she comes back a total mess, horribly hurt. Always her, never anyone else, not like that. I don't know what they do to her - frankly, I'm not sure I want to."

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"Reg?" Sarah tentatively approached her husband. "Can I - can we talk?"

"Sure. Is something the matter? You're crying."

"Oh, am I?" She wiped her eyes distractedly. "Well, it's - I-wanted-to-know-what-you-were-hiding-so-I-looked-at-the-court-record." She blurted the story out before she could stop herself.

"Oh, Merlin, Sarah," he whispered. "You saw that?"

She nodded. "I'm so sorry this happened. And I'm sorry for pushing you so hard to tell something so painful."

"You didn't know; I didn't want you to. I wanted to protect you."

"Protect me?"

"From sharing my pain. From having to experience even a shell of what I went through. It was hell, Sarah, plain and simple. Two years of hell, and I never wanted to bring it up, for both our sakes."

"Oh, Regulus. Come here." She wrapped her arms around him, allowing him to take comfort from her.

"All I can say," Regulus managed through his tears, "is that if Malfoy hurts Estella like that, he'd better hope his holding cell is good. Otherwise I'll kill him with my bare hands."

Three days. I think that's a record for me. So how about you reward my hard work by reviewing, huh? Please? With a virtual cherry on top?

Also, can anyone guess what it is that happens to Marissa, and only Marissa? Hint: the date for this chapter is December 17th, 2013. Leave guesses in a review.