Disclaimer: I do not own or profit from this. Only plot and OC's belong to me
Author's Notes: an extra long chapter for everyone! I couldn't find a better place to cut it off.
Chapter 9: Family Ties
5 hours and 37 minutes later, just as Abigail foresaw, the Sons (plus Kate and Sarah) were back at the Coven house. They saw a note on the door saying to go to a house in Ipswich. With a lot of muttering and mumbling they returned to their cars and drove back to Ipswich to the Coven Manor House.
They arrived at a Manor house to rival Caleb's. It's huge expanse seemed more welcoming than their own homes, but at the moment they didn't notice. Paul opened the large front door. "Right on time," he said grinning. "Now, I have to warn you, keep the anger and Using down. Whatever you think you might achieve after you hear what they have to say, it won't do any good. And Hannah is just looking for someone to provoke a fight," he added.
"Would you like anything?" Patience asked as they walked inside.
"No, thank you," Sarah said. "I never realized this was your house before. I've driven past it before. It's gorgeous."
"It's been in our coven for generations," Patience said happily. She had grabbed a tray full of sodas regardless knowing this would be a long conversation. "Everyone is in the parlor."
Abigail and Faith sat on one sofa while Violet and Paul sat on another loveseat. Hannah had taken a chair in front of the fireplace and Patience took the one adjacent to it. The Covenant took seats that were left.
"What the hell is going on?" Reid asked making Caleb and Sarah roll their eyes.
"You honestly have no idea who we are?" Violet asked. They shook their heads. "Your books and history lessons are seriously lacking. We've already told you who we are."
"How can you be related to us?" Caleb asked. "The Covenant men only have one son each, there hasn't been a female born from any of our families in the 300 year history of our Covenant," he stated logically.
"Your book says nothing about The Betrayal?" Hannah asked.
By the weird looks they were getting they assumed the answer was no. "So there is no mention of your ancestors' sisters?" Faith said looking at Tyler.
"Only saying they were killed during the Witch Trials," Tyler said.
"Which doesn't make sense since they could have Used to get themselves to safety," Pogue added.
The girls nodded to Abigail to tell the story since she was the most intimate with the history. "For various reasons, they were unable to Use and were killed. The act of betrayal by their brothers, all of our ancestors, had left them powerless in a sense."
"Betrayal?" Caleb asked. "There is no mention of betrayal."
Abigail laughed. "Do you honestly think would call it The Betrayal? Betrayers never see their actions as evil, and even if they did, they would hardly flaunt it."
"What happened?" Reid asked Abigail evidently concerned.
"Our families were thought of as The Families of The Power," Abigail began. "For generations they had been friends, first in Europe and then they migrated over to the New World together. During the witch trials, the sisters were accused, found guilty, and killed as witches. While they were being plagued by the townspeople and tried, they obviously turned to their families to help them. The power is stronger when people are unified behind it– you have forgotten much through the generations. Their brothers all turned a deaf ear to their pleadings. Their own concerns were more important. John Putnam was worried about the fact that his wife had died before bearing him a son. James Simms was worried over business transactions going bad in France with the war going on, etc etc. They all chose The Power over their own blood, and that year each of their sisters were killed."
"They chose Power over Blood, a betrayal that had repercussions on both sides," Faith explained.
"That can't be right," Caleb said defensively.
"They weren't all as good and nice as you, Caleb," Abigail said gently.
"How did they die?" Kate asked curiously.
"Their ancestors," Faith said pointing to Violet, Patience, and Hannah, "were drowned for the 'baptism of their souls.' Abigail and I, our ancestors were burned, the only way to cleanse the devils from our souls."
"The book does say they were killed, but also that you died off," Caleb said. "How . . ."
"They each had a child right before they were killed," Abigail said. "Patience's ancestor, Remembrance, was the school teacher and a spinster. She was the first to be killed and the oldest when she died, she was 38. She had had an affair with one of the local elites, his wife found out, accused her. She had a daughter by him and the wife wanted the child killed as well; her daughter was about a year when Remembrance was killed, but everyone found a dead baby right after her death and thought the devil had taken back his own," she said. "Violet's ancestor was the second oldest at 35. She was happily wed, but the jealousy over her and her family led to the accusations. She had a daughter as well. She was tried a few months after Patience's ancestor. Her husband came to her defense. He even tried to jump in the water to save her, and for his actions was killed. He was crushed to death," Abigail said and they saw Violet squeeze Paul's hand.
"And her daughter?" Kate asked.
"Taken in by Hannah's ancestor who was 30, but she was brought to trial a few month's after Violet's death. She was also happily married with a daughter. Her husband also tried to save her but the townspeople shot him."
"Lucky bastard," Hannah said sipping her soda. "Nice and clean."
"Anyways. Faith's ancestor was 27. She thought she was in love and they were engaged, but he broke it off and left her for some other woman. She had a daughter by him and the wife wanted the child killed as well, but she had been sent off with the other girls into hiding. They burned her at the stake. In her rage she almost burnt the entire town down before the fire burned her to the point she had no control over herself anymore," Abigail said.
"And Charlotte Danvers?" Caleb asked.
"She was just recently widowed," Abigail said. "She was 26. She knew they were coming for her, she was the last one of the Five families. She placed a protection around her house to keep anyone off until the birth of her child. She had just given birth and saw the townspeople were coming for her. She sent her baby off with her trusted maid to be taken to the other four babies. They came and they could take her since the charm had worn off and burned her at the stake thinking they were also killing her baby."
"All that because they didn't help their own sisters," Sarah said both sad and appalled.
"It gets worse," Hannah said with a snort.
"Things involving the power usually do," Reid said.
"When the girls were dying, in their . . . intense anger doesn't even begin to cover how they were feeling. They were so outraged about being betrayed by their own brothers they used their dying breath for one last bit of Power. They each cursed their brother and all who would follow him."
"What?" Pogue asked.
"Does the curse exist today?" Caleb asked.
"Yes. Unfortunately they didn't see that there would be repercussions on both sides," Hannah said.
"What did they do?" Pogue demanded.
"They each cursed the male line, basically, since they chose power over blood that the power would become their blood, that the power would become their lifeline and that what they loved so dearly would be what betrayed them. They thought it would be perfect irony," Abigail said with what could only be described as a witchy grin. She understood the irony of everything better than anyone else in the room.
The guys all jumped up angry. "You mean that the entire reason we age . . . why it drains our life, is because they cursed us? Our own ancestors?" Pogue demanded.
"We are addicted and dying because of this?" Reid asked. The girls nodded. After much grumbling they stormed out.
"Well, that went well," Paul said with a smirk.
"You fit in so well here, Paul," Hannah said laughing. "It's nice to know I'm not the only one who enjoyed it."
"We tell them our sob story, and they walk out pissed at us because of it! We didn't curse them!" Faith said.
"They are the ones who feel betrayed now," Patience said quietly. "Irony seems to run deep in this messed up family."
"Irony runs deeper than blood. . . Or should it be thicker than blood?" Violet said, making everyone grin at her attempt at being poetic.
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"This is absurd," Pogue said. "First, we find out the fifth line didn't die out like we thought because psychotic Chase showed up, then we find out there is an entire other section of our families we didn't know about that have been the cause for this cursed life!"
"Can I point something out?" Sarah asked tentatively. She waited till the guys had all calmed down. "I know it is surprising. I didn't think it could get any crazier, but didn't you hear Abigail explain?"
"That is the problem," Pogue snapped.
Sarah glared at him. "You obviously didn't listen closely. Besides, how do you think they feel? They have known their entire lives and have been raised to believe that the Sons of Ipswich are nothing but betrayers. No wonder they were shocked." She tucked the hair behind her ear. "My point, though, was that you didn't hear them completely. Hannah and Faith said there were repercussions on both sides."
"They cursed us," Reid said. "What could have happened to them?"
"That is what we need to find out," Kate decided. She turned and walked back up the steps knowing at least Reid, Tyler, Caleb, and Sarah were behind her. She knew Pogue needed another minute and sure enough, he finally joined them.
"Abigail must be off, she didn't say you would be returning," Violet said opening the door. "Can I ask why?"
"We have another question," Kate said.
"Only one?" Violet asked surprised. She led them back into the parlor.
"Sarah pointed out that there were repercussions on both sides," Reid said not waiting for everyone to take seats again. "What happened to you?"
The girls looked at each other. "The betrayal severed the ties between our lines," Faith said. "You would only have one son with the power, we would only have one daughter. And the curse affected you like you already know."
"But, between the betrayal and the act of the curse, which was petty and used an incredible amount of vengeance and power, it has cursed us as well," Abigail said.
"So it had a side affect?" Tyler said confused.
"Yes." There was a pause as they waited for someone to continue. "Each generation is forced to the same fate," Abigail finally said. "We each die on the same day at the same age as our ancestors."
Sarah and Kate sat down in shock. "What!" Reid demanded.
"It means, that on November 12 when I am 26 I will die, just like my mother, like her mother, like we all have since Charlotte," Abigail said. "That's why I was going to sleep with you, but then things got out of hand," she admitted.
"You were going to sleep with me," Reid said with a cocky grin.
"Only to get pregnant. It was suppose to be a casual fling, and look! You are a bloody Son, and . . ." she trailed off. Now was not the time to say she had fallen for him.
"You are only 18!" Sarah said.
"Yes, and I will die in a little over 8 years," Abigail said. "Faith has almost 9. That is why we were starting to look for someone so that we could continue on our lines. We are running out of time."
"8 years?" Caleb and Reid said at the same time. Tyler just looked at Faith horrified.
"And you have done nothing to change this?!" Reid demanded making Abigail roll her eyes.
"Nothing!" Hannah said jumping to her feet her eyes flaring white, electricity cackling around her. "Nothing? We have been trying for almost 300 years to change it. We have tried everything imaginable, and even things that are not normally in the realm of imagination, and everything has failed. We still die, we still have babies, we still follow this ridiculous time table long before you even saw us," she said angrily.
Abigail stood and motioned for them to follow her. "It isn't just us. Anyone who joins us is destined to follow this pattern. With the Putnam and Pogue lines usually the father of the children stay around– like I said, their ancestors were happily married– but they too die on the same day as the women just as they did 300 years ago."
Sarah turned to Paul horrified, remembering Violet's ancestor's husband was crushed to death. "You are going to die?" she asked.
"In a little over 10 years," he said
"You knew this? You knew ahead of time?" Kate asked.
"We wouldn't lie to him," Violet said offended. "I'd rather he leave and live."
"It was my choice, and I made it," he said. "As you will soon see, I am not the first, nor will I probably be the last."
"What about Hannah? Why didn't he stay?" Sarah asked, but looked sorry she asked.
"He already died," Hannah said sadly. "You killed him."
"We?" Kate asked. "But . . ."
"Oh G...," Sarah said. "You mean–"
"Chase," she said without looking at her.
"You slept with Chase?" Pogue asked bewildered.
"I'm not asking for your blessing," Hannah said icily.
"Where are we?" Caleb asked changing the subject as they entered a large room with floor to ceiling bookcases and bay windows that gave the room a light, cheery feel.
"This is our library. The history of the Coven," Abigail said. "We have always banded together. Patience and her ancestors usually end up raising the rest of us since she is older and all our mothers die when we are young. This is where we keep all our records," Abigail opened the doors to an extremely large library. Ceiling to floor bookshelves covered two and half walls filled with volumes of books. The other half of the third wall had five very large scrolls fastened. Abigail unraveled the one named Putnam. "See, it shows everything from the original betrayal to present day," she said and pointed to where it said Hannah Putnam with a line to Chase Putnam-Goodwin-Pope who had two children– Chase and Isabel Putnam.
"They are the first in 300 years to have anything other than a single daughter," Patience said.
"Why?" was all Caleb could think to ask.
"We discovered Chase was a Son, and I had, um, we knew he was going to die. We couldn't let the line die out. Hannah decided to let him be the father of their children."
"It wasn't a sacrifice," Hannah said dryly. "Contrary to what you know about him, he wasn't always corrupted. The Power has a way of doing that to you men. Part of the curse," she said.
"Great," Pogue muttered.
"What this?" Reid asked as he walked around the room. There was the largest book he had ever seen in his life sitting on a podium.
"We fondly call it the Giant Book of Failed Attempts," Patience said with a grin. "It records all of our attempts throughout the generations of trying to break the curse. Basically, it is our Book of Damnation."
"It tells how we continue to die on our pre-determined day regardless of all of our crazy attempts," Violet said.
"Some make for some interesting stories though," Faith laughed.
"Like my Grandma Scincella?" Abigail said laughing.
"How can you be okay with this?" Reid asked Abigail.
"I've known my entire life before it happens. I've known for 18 years that I am going to be burned." She saw his horrified look. "Yes, burned. We die in someway similar to our ancestors."
"This has been such a weird day," Pogue said as Kate sat on his lap.
Caleb pulled Abigail into a hug, much to her surprise and Reid's dislike. "I'm sorry. I can't even imagine what it would be like to know how you will die, and when, your entire life."
"It is our lot, just like if you use to much it will kill you," Abigail said returning the hug. "None of us chose this."
"Now what?" Pogue asked. "I mean . . . well, I am assuming that the other three," he said gesturing to Tyler, Reid, and Caleb, "are going to want to help as well."
"Help?" Hannah asked surprised. She seemed genuinely surprised by the idea.
"Of course help," Caleb said. "You didn't think you would tell us and we would just walk out and turn our backs did you?"
"Um, yeah," Violet said grinning. "You don't have a very good track record with us."
"That was then," Reid said. "Now you have 6 more people helping."
"Abby?" Patience asked.
"I've got nothing," she said as she trailed her fingers over their Book of Damnation, looking as if she was trying to remember something when it was the exact opposite. "I mean, it can't hurt. Like you said, we've tried everything else."
"What happened to your grandmother Scincella?" Reid asked.
"Oh. She tried the tactic of not staying in one place during the day. She materialized in a different place all day every few seconds. She paused for about 30 seconds in one spot and was electrocuted by lightning."
"What?" they asked horrified.
"We all have plenty of stories," Patience said. "My great grandmother jumped off a bridge the day before her death day hoping to change something by just one day, nothing but a few scrapes. Next day she slips after getting out of the tub and cracks her head and drowns."
"I get the feeling you got the worse end of the deal," Reid said walking up to Abigail.
"Yeah, we have refrained from further curses," she said with a grin.
"How do we do this?" Tyler asked.
"Nothing tonight," Faith said. "It's just so . . . weird, now, that you know," she admitted avoiding Tyler's gaze.
"That's an understatement," Hannah said. "I'm going to check on Chase and Isabel and go to bed," she decided.
They saw them cringe at the mention of Chase. "He wasn't always psychotic," Faith said.
"How would you know?" Pogue asked. "He practically killed all of us."
"Chase and his mother lived in Cambridge. Our mothers took her in for awhile, I think secretly hoping that she would be around after they all died and she could help me raise all of them," she said referring to the Coven girls. "Hannah and Chase were close. We didn't know he was a son, but we should have guessed," Patience said. "Your mother said he would be key to our future," she told Abigail.
"He grew up with us. He was the same age as Abigail and I, and he and Hannah got along like 2 peas in a pod. Hannah had a huge crush on him," Faith said smiling as she remembered. "Childhood love."
"His mother died when he was with us, and he was adopted and they moved," Violet added. "We lost track of him after that."
"Till we found out who he was and he was going to die. Hannah met up with him at a party during the summer before he transferred to your school. They hit it off again after 7 years like it hadn't been but a week," Patience said.
"You said something once that Hannah's babies were early?" Sarah asked.
"We try to time when we have our children, at what age," Abigail explained. "Hannah should have waited another couple of years, normally she would have had them about the same time as Violet, but she was determined to save Chase's line, so she went for it now."
"So that's why you were looking to sleep with me and Tyler?" Reid asked.
Abigail nodded, embarrassed since everyone was there. "Our inheritance– that's what we call the ascension– is different. We get our powers when we are 5, full powers when we are 7. I want to be alive when my daughter comes into her inheritance, so I have to get pregnant soon."
"This is officially the weirdest conversation I have ever had in my life," Reid said shaking his head.
"This is exactly why you can only help if you agree to be nothing more than friends," Abigail told him, her demeanor completely serious.
"What?" he asked even more bewildered.
"There is nothing between us, Reid. I would have broken it off in a bit anyways, but this discovery of who you are just sped the process up," she said surprised at how calm she was. She couldn't believe lying was this easy. "So, sorry," she said and walked out of the library up to her room. She was surprised by how calm she was walking out and managed to make it to the stair case before her emotions took over.
"What happened?" Hannah asked coming down to the foot of the staircase. She wrapped Abigail in a hug. "What's wrong?"
"I just made Reid hate me," she said. "I hate this."
"Ah, I know," Hannah said. "Every time I look at Chase, Isabel too, I see Chase. I know things went bad with him, and I find I hate myself for it. If only we had found a way to fix all this," she whispered. "We could find a way to save us, release them from the curse," she said. She wiped a tear away off Abigail's cheek. "Maybe it will work now with their help," she said. "If not, we'll go boy shopping," she teased trying to make Abigail laugh but it didn't work.
"I just want to sleep," Abigail said. "I wish I was Faith or Patience," she said. "Not have to worry about a man, just be alone."
"Me too," Hannah whispered. She walked up the stairs with her till they got to her room. "As hard as it is now," she said, "it would be much harder if you let him in your life. Just remember that." Abigail nodded and went in her room.
Hannah went back to the baby room. She loved watching Chase and Isabel sleep, she saw Chase in his son and daughter, and was happy she at least had that in her life. She thought she felt a presence behind her but when she looked she didn't see anything. Creepy, I know someone was there, she thought. She had felt it before, and had figured it was Chase once she knew he was a Son, but he was dead now. Tucking them in to reassure herself, she quietly left the nursery knowing she would be back in a few hours for a feeding.
"He is taking this too well," Kate told Pogue as they walked back to their cars. Reid had disappeared for a moment after Abigail left, but returned a few minutes later. Whatever happened made him seem to calm after everything that just happened.
"He's to stubborn to just accept it," Pogue said. "I asked my mom, like you wanted," he told Caleb. "My grandfather met my grandmother when he was seventeen, his father met his wife when he was sixteen. Why?"
"What about you?" he asked Tyler and Reid.
"They were both seventeen," Reid said, while Tyler said "My parents were sixteen and fifteen."
"Sarah had an idea," he said nodding to Sarah letting her explain it.
"It seems the Ipswich families like to follow tradition," she said thinking back on everything they had just heard. "I don't know why, I had this idea back in Boston before we
heard all this," she started. "It seems like the Covenant men always meet their future wives and the mothers of the future Covenant sons, before their ascension," she said. "Me, Kate, your mothers, grandmothers, they all met before the ascension happened."
"And we met Abigail and Faith before Reid and Tyler's ascension," Kate said excitedly. "Fate is kind sometimes at least."
"And I guess Chase met Hannah before his ascension as well," Sarah pointed out.
"But they refuse to be involved with us," Tyler pointed out.
"Faith didn't," Kate pointed out. "Just Abigail, and Reid is to stubborn to let her stay away from him. Faith seems more . . . skittish," she decided.
"Well, right now, we just have to concentrate on helping them," Caleb said.
"How?" Pogue asked. "Don't get me wrong, I want to. Heck, I volunteered all of us. I just have no idea how, nor do I have any idea on how we would know if we succeeded."
"We'll figure it out as we go," Caleb said.
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author's note: another twist! Hopefully one everyone enjoyed. Review and let me know : )
avidswimmer drama is always fun: ) susangel What was your suspicion? I'm curious. Hopefully my twist is unexpected : ) shadowwolfdagger thanks alex! evilangel he-he, I thought it would be interesting. They don't normally use them, the girls normally go by the name Coven, but they do keep passing them down.