Disclaimer: I do not own Inkheart or any of its characters Cornelia Funke does. I own Joy, I do not own "You." Sonjia owns herself. Rosalita is one of my characters too. :)
(A/N: If you go to Youtube and type in either "DimensionalTraveller" or "Basta's Pride and Joy" the video I just made will come up. It's this story's "trailer." :D I hope you all like it, I tried to find someone who looked like the book-version of Basta. .com/watch?v=6Dl3f7r9jtE)
Your heart went out to the small twelve year old girl standing in front of Capricorn. You could see the terror in her face but she stood bravely and looked determined not to let her fear show. You knew how she felt; you were the same way when you had first come here…Even now you were the same way. However, you were no longer terrified of your husband; he had promised you two nights ago never to raise his hand to you or harm you in any way ever again. During these last two days he had kept his promise.
Basta had walked the little girl, Meggie, in only five minutes ago. You wondered who the older woman was, she reminded you of Rosalita: strong, determined, and refused to be bossed around. You smiled at that. But when you saw Dustfinger walk in you frowned and your stomach twisted. Why had he led Meggie and this older woman here?
"I…I'll give you the book as soon as I get my father back," Meggie stammered.
Capricorn stared at her like she was a fish wriggling on a hook. He looked at your husband; Basta was quickly away from Capricorn's side and grabbed at the plastic bag the little girl was clutching so closely. Meggie blinked as she tried to figure out how Basta could have been so fast, you had been wondering the same thing yourself.
Basta peered into the bag as if there was a snake or some other dangerous animal or reptile inside it waiting to bite him and then grabbed the book.
"Finally," Capricorn smiled before he walked over to Meggie and grabbed hold of her arm. The little girl paled and stared at him in silent horror, "In a few years she'll grow up to be a pretty little thing. Good for our men. How old is she?" He asked Dustfinger.
"I'm twelve!"
Capricorn ignored her, "Twelve…Already so pretty," he commented, "But too young, but in a few more years my men will appreciate your-"
Basta winced as he listened to Capricorn, you were just as disgusted. Meggie didn't need to hear her possible fate.
"Capricorn, sir," you exclaimed as you put your hand onto your stomach. The baby kicked. "If I may…Sir…May I take the child to the kitchen? She looks starved and I'm sure Mr. Mortimer wouldn't appreciate his daughter being starved….Perhaps we can convince him to read for you easier if we take good care of his daughter?"
Capricorn stared at you, "That is a good idea. Silvertongue will have to remember that I've been taking good care of his daughter and in turn for keeping her safe and cared for he will have to read for me if he wants her well being to continue. Take her to the kitchen, bring Basta with you. Flatnose, bring take that old lady to the cages."
That wasn't exactly the point you were trying to get too, but if it kept Meggie safe it was all that mattered.
You walked over to Meggie and she gave you a dark stare. You understood why she was staring at you this way, if you had been in her position you'd be staring the same way. She didn't know if you were friend or enemy. All she knew was that you had made a suggestion the evil man liked and you were the same black jackets as the rest of the men; therefore you had to be evil too.
"Hi Meggie, I know your father…My name is Joy, and this is my husband Basta," you smiled as you looked over to him. He scowled at Meggie but when she looked quickly away he gave you a small smile. "I bet your hungry, huh?" You asked softly.
"I'm not a baby, you don't need to treat me as one!" She snapped, then she stared at Dustfinger, "I hope you choke on your own smoke!" She screamed. He looked away quickly, obviously feeling quite guilty. Good, you thought, he should feel damned guilty. What was he thinking bringing an innocent child here to be used against her father? Damn him, anyway. Later you'd introduce him to Hurricane Joy; he would have to pray he survived it.
You took Meggie's hand and walked out of the church with her and Basta, "I know you're not a child, but I know how it feels to be a stranger in a new place."
"You…Do?" She asked as she stared up at you.
"Yes," You replied, "I didn't come here because I wanted too. The village isn't always a good place, but I'm glad I am here because I met my Basta. He kept me safe and protected me," you said, which was half true. You weren't going to mention the physical or mental abuse. You had made a decision before Basta had stopped slapping you that you would force yourself to become the way you were before he had taken you…With Dustfinger's help.
Dustfinger, he always pretended to be innocent and a friend to all. But in the end he backstabbed everyone: you, Meggie, Mo, and the older woman. You agreed with Meggie, you silently hoped he would choke on his own smoke…Only you wished he would just disappear and never return.
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"And who's this little 'un?" Rosalita questioned as she put her hands onto her hips. You could tell she was trying to look annoyed but you could see the friendly smile breaking out over her lips when she saw Meggie.
"Meggie Mortimer," Meggie replied, she started backing a little into you, you put your arm around her.
Rosalita smiled, "Well, hello Meggie, I am Rosalita. You come sit yourself down and let ole' Rosalita cook you somethin' real good. My Gumbo is real good, but it would set your mouth on fire and I'm saving that for Mr. Basta there."
"I'm honored," Basta replied in sarcasm. He looked at you, "I'm going to make sure that dimbulb guard is doing his job. I'll meet up with you later; you need anything before I go?" He rasped.
"Nothing right now," You replied as you gave him a hug. He tensed a little, hugs were still foreign to him and he was still adapting to them, but he was doing a good job so far. He slowly wrapped his arms around you and held you for a long moment and walked out of the kitchen.
"He's nice to you," Meggie said softly.
"Which is good or I'd shove that rabbit's foot of his down that cat throat of his!" Rosalita exclaimed.
Joy had to bite back a smile at Rosalita's comment, "Yes, he's very nice to me."
"Do
you love him?"
"Yes."
"How and why? How could you love him when he's so mean to everyone else? Why do you love him if you were taken like me?" She asked curiously.
"Well…" You paused, "I hated him at first to tell the truth. But over time I started liking him a little bit more and more, it wasn't until just recently that I truly fell in love with him," you smiled.
"What did he do to make you love him?"
"He showed me kindness and killed the monster that was hurting and scaring me," you replied as Rosalita came over and placed a grilled cheese sandwich, juice box, and a small handful of potato chips in front of Meggie. Comfort food, it was what the little girl needed right now.
You let Meggie eat as you followed Rosalita back to one of the stoves, "Rosalita…Thank you."
"For cooking for the little 'un, that is never a problem you of all people know that," she smiled.
"That," you smiled, "And for being such a good friend…You are really someone to look up too, you know. I think of you as a second mother…I mean if that's alright with you…"
Rosalita stared at you speechless at first then she smiled, "It is an honor to me that you think of me that way. I think of you as one of my own little 'uns. I have two daughters back in Lousiana."
"But you said that…"
"Yes, I said I wasn't married and I was not. They were adopted," she smiled sadly.
"Well I'm sure a good man will come along one day and come take you away from all this, you're knight in shining armor," you smiled.
She snorted and laughed, "You are still too much of a romantic!"
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"Who is this - another person to point a gun at me? Well you can just point your gun at me; I won't back down the least bit!" Snapped the older woman as Joy led Meggie into the 'cage.' The duty had fallen to you since Basta was trying to find a replacement guard to be stationed in front of Darius's room. In your arms you carried bundles of sheets and two thick cloths you'd curl up for pillows for the three.
"Elinor," Mo exclaimed, "She's not like the rest, her name is Joy she was married to Basta against her will. Joy, this is Elinor."
"Hello, Elinor," you smiled, "It is nice to meet you, ma'am," you smiled as you began to grab hay and throw it on the floor until it was big enough to make a mattress. You put two sheets over that, then a blanket and quilt, followed by the curled up thick sheets to use as pillows. "They're not the best beds ever…" You frowned.
"Well, finally! Someone here with manners!" Elinor exclaimed, sounding very pleased, "It is nice to meet you too. I'm sorry you were taken," she frowned.
"Dustfinger tricked me too," you replied.
"The beds are great, Joy, thanks," Mo smiled as he opened his arms, Meggie ran over to him, sat down and quickly cuddled up to him.
You smiled and walked out of the cage.
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"You trick me and the next thing I know I'm here….But of all the nasty, no good, rotten, low-down things you trick an old lady and a little girl to coming to this village be used against Mo?!" You shouted at Dustfinger, your face was red with rage. You had cornered him in the now empty kitchen.
Rosalita had left a minute before to take Capricorn his nightly snack.
"You know nothing of my reasons for bringing them here!" Dustfinger shouted, "You can't accuse me of doing what I have too!"
"Doing what you have too? If you just have to be a low down snake than yes, I have every right of accusing you! Didn't you see the look of terror on Meggie's face! You should have seen the shock and fear on Mo's when I opened the cage door and Meggie walked in! I thought the man would die of a heart attack!"
"I warned him if he didn't read me back home this would happen, I warned you of the same thing last year before you moved again! Or have you forgotten?" He shouted at you.
"All I remember of each time you came around was you begging to be read back and me telling you that I can't do that!" You shouted back at him.
"I went to Mo and he wouldn't do it either! You were my last chance before I had to do something!" Dustfinger exclaimed in anger.
"Abduct us against our wills!" You shouted, tears in your eyes, your hormones were having a field day with his argument. The baby kicked inside of you and a pain went through your back as if the baby was shouting at you to be quiet. You gave a small wince but tried your best to ignore the pain.
Dustfinger walked over to you and shoved his face into your own, "I. Warned. You." He exclaimed slowly, "I told you, read me back or I'll make you read me back."
"Oh! Such a good warning, read me back home or I'll make sure your abducted and given to a man you read out….Then overnight I'm his wife, without me even knowing!" You growled, "That makes me angry to this day and I still can't forgive you! And I never will! But what you did tonight: leading an innocent child and her aunt into this cursed village and not letting them know their fate. That is unforgivable! Evil! Wrong! You are just as bad as the other black jackets!"
"Have you taken a look in the mirror?" Dustfinger snapped.
"What are you talking about?" You asked as you squared your shoulders and crossed your arms. You glared at him in anger, you felt as if your body was on fire.
"You're just as much of a black jacket as Basta is, just as much of one as you accuse me of being," Dustfinger exclaimed through bared teeth.
"I am not," You replied, your heart skipping a beat. Your worst fear was turning into one of them….One of the cruel crows that followed Capricorn around as if he was the goose who laid the golden egg.
"Look in the mirror," he snarled, "You've become emotionally detached to everyone but Basta and that baby in you."
"That's a lie," you snarled, "Sonjia's my friend, and I've tried to consider you one as well and overlook the fact you kidnapped-"
"Oh here we go again!" He exclaimed throwing his arms into the air in exasperation, "You want to know the truth?"
"Yes, I do," you replied.
"I came to take you to Capricorn's village myself," Dustfinger replied, "I knew the government official would be here, I…I was going to have you married to me to keep you safe until I could go home to Roxanne. You look just like her, you know. It's probably the reason Basta wants you."
You stared, your eyes stung, those were the most hurtful words he could have ever said to you. The fact that Basta loved you because you looked just like Dustfinger's wife and not just because he loved you for being you hurt, badly. So that was it, Basta wanted you because he didn't have the real thing.
"Go to Hell," You shouted at him before you turned and quickly walked out of the kitchen.
"Joy?" Rosalita asked in shock, you walked away faster. You didn't make it back to Basta's home before you burst into tears.
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You must have walked around the village twice in the last two hours, still your heart ached. Each time you thought you were ready to near Basta's home again Dustfinger's words echoed in your mind causing your heart to hurt once more. You had cried on and off during the two hours and part of you wondered how you even had any tears left to be shed.
"Basta! I found her!" Flatnose's nasally voice exclaimed from above you. You sniffled and wondered what was going on. You turned at hearing footsteps and found Basta running up to you before he wrapped his arms tightly around you and drew you close.
"Joy, where were you?" He asked.
"I was just walking around the village," You replied with a sniffle.
"What happened?" He asked at seeing you had been crying, he pulled away and blushed when the black jackets began to laugh at him. After a threat of cutting off their toes they quiet silenced and went along their ways. He put his arm behind your back and led you back to his home.
"Dustfinger and I argued, he…" You stared at Basta.
"He what?" he asked, his face already turning a pale shade of red with anger.
"He told me you love me only because I look like Roxanne."
He stared at you, "He's a damned liar," he rasped in anger, "You're far more beautiful than Roxanne could ever hope to be. Plus you have something she doesn't have, a real backbone, not a fake one she hides behind."
You wrapped your arms around him in a large hug and cried long and hard once again, his arms wrapped around you. He patted your back and you knew he was unsure of exactly what to do in this kind of situation.
"Joy…Please…Don't cry?" He asked in a small voice.
You sniffled and forced yourself to stop; you sat up again and looked at him.
"Thank you," you said softly.
"It's what husbands are made for," He replied, sounding a little uncomfortable. He stood up.
"Where are you going?" You asked.
"To have a long talk with a certain fire eater and making sure he never comes around you again," he replied as he walked out.
