Disclaimer: I do not own Inkheart or any of its characters, I only own Kris, Jacopo, Byron, and Dutch.
(A/N: Thank you all again so much for all the great reviews! :-) I thought it was time I make Kris "more human" by having her finally break down in this chapter. But don't worry, everything will be fine with her and Basta, in the next chapter she's going to surprise everyone including herself.)
Dustfinger looked from left to right as he entered the village with Byron. Everyone was staring at Byron oddly, trying to place his face; they didn't realize that he had been the black jacket Jacopo. A fearsome figure who loved to set things ablaze. Guilt was beginning to make Dustfinger's stomach tighten, a feeling which Silvertongue described as butterflies in the stomach. He glanced down at the cobblestones and shoved his hands in his pockets as he flashed back to when "Jacopo" first entered the village.
The tall Italian man bowed before he turned and followed Cockerell out of Capricorn's church. Dustfinger knew the man was the kind of person Capricorn wanted for one of his men: Blood thirsty, vile, loved to set fires, and greed was his middle name. The only odd thing that Dustfinger noticed about him was his accent, it sounded forced; sometimes it almost sounded like Kristiana's.
"That man…" Capricorn started as he tapped his fingers on the golden arm rest of his chair, "That man has potential….However, something too good to be true is usually fake. Dustfinger, follow Signor Jacopo, if that is indeed his name, and learn all you can about him. See who he really is, and when you find out report it to me immediately….Then bring him to me, he will be taken to the crypt…My crocodile is always hungry after all and it needs nourishment."
Dustfinger grimaced; he didn't want to bring this man to his own execution.
"I will give you this incentive Dustfinger, if you bring this man to me and do as I tell you: I will have Silvertongue read you back into that silly book from which we came from. That is, if you find him," Capricorn exclaimed and raised his eyebrow.
"I will find him…." He paused and watched as the church doors swung closed. Guilt pierced his heart, but he wanted to go home so badly to Roxanne and his daughter. "…I will follow Jacopo….And I will see who he truly is and out I find out, I will bring him to you."
"Good, now see how easy and rewarding it is to be one of my men? Basta here will tell you: If you remain loyal to me and do what you are told, the path for you will be smooth….And your life expectancy is much longer."
Now, a month later, here was Dustfinger leading FBI Agent Byron Meyers to his death….He would be going to the same place poor Leigh would be going too within a few short hours: Straight to the Crocodile's stomach. He stopped in his tracks causing Byron to bump into his back.
"What'd you stop for? I know the way," the FBI Agent exclaimed.
Dustfinger shook his head and turned, "We need to get you and Leigh out of here now."
"Huh? I gotta get Dutch-"
"Robin Hood is safe, I assure you," Dustfinger replied softly. "Capricorn would never kill him...He's too valuable. I wasn't….Bringing you to Capricorn to free Robin….Dutch, whatever you want to call him."
"What are you sayin'?" Byron asked with a raised eyebrow as his hand slowly reached towards his service weapon, which was in a holster strapped to his right leg.
Dustfinger cleared his throat and said quickly, "You were to be delivered to the crypt, for Crocodile Food." At seeing Byron's face slowly contort in anger, Dustfinger held up his hands. "I'm not bringing you there, I can't. We need to get you and Leigh out of here right now."
"And just how the hell do you expect to do that now that everyone's seen my face?"
"They don't know your Jacopo," Dustfinger coughed.
"Think I don't know….That…" Byron paused and a smirk made its way across his face. "You got something up your sleeve."
"Yes, I do." Dustfinger exclaimed as the two walked into an alley way together, "Do you still have the mask and the costume?"
"I do. Why?"
"You, Dutch, Kristiana, and Leigh are leaving this hell hole, that's why."
Kristiana's head was spinning: The man she loved had never been Dutch Moorsey, he was Robin Hood! The Prince of Thieves! She wrapped her arms around her chest and paced in front of her and Basta's house. Her eyes were stinging with tears as heart felt as if it had just been stabbed. All couples had secrets and it was a part of a relationship she sometimes felt necessary to have (such as one individual hiding a surprise birthday party from the other, little secrets like that). But your boyfriend hiding the fact that he was Robin of Loxley, better known as Robin Hood….She understood why he hid the secret from her: Months ago she would have never believed him….heck, she would have shipped him off to a looney bin!
Throughout the entire meal, Kristiana had held back her tears, it had been difficult but she managed. That was all that Capricorn and Basta had wanted to see, they wanted to use her to break Dutch….And use Dutch to break her. She took a deep breath and wiped her jacket sleeve across her eyes and cheeks to wipe away her tears. She didn't want Basta to see her cry, no one would know that they had hurt her….She would talk to Dutch…Robin…Whatever the hell his name was and they would work things out.
"Kristiana!"
Kris jumped and turned and raised her shoulders in defense as her face revealed fear at the figure that stood before her, Jacopo.
"Kristiana," Jacopo said as he walked forward, he held his hands out and said softly, "It's ok." His hands suddenly lit with fire.
"Dustfinger?" Kristiana whispered in amazement.
He nodded, "Jacopo was never real. He was Dutch's partner in disguise; he was coming here to help save you and Dutch. He's dressed like me and he's freeing Dutch. Follow me to Leigh's, she's in danger, Capricorn plans to feed her to the crocodile."
"Capricorn has a man eating crocodile?" Kris asked wide eyed, "If I had known that I would have held my tongue more often," she grumbled.
"C'mon!" Dustfinger replied, "Hurry before Basta and the others get back. They ran out of rope and their down at the hardware store buying it and lumber."
"L…Lumber, what for?" Terror rose in her heart, something was wrong. There was something else Dustfinger wasn't telling her.
"Come on, now, Kris."
Kris charged after the fire eater, grabbed hold of his arm and spun him. She glared at him and squared her shoulders in confidence and authority instead of fear, "No. What. Is. The. Lumber. For?"
"You don't want to know."
"Tell me now or…"
"Or what, Kristiana? You'll stay here while your friend is fed to a hungry crocodile?"
"No- JUST TELL ME!" She shouted, getting the attention of several maids. She blushed and quickly covered, "JUST TELL ME WHERE MY HUSBAND IS YOU LUNATIC!" The maids all looked away, quickly losing interest now that the topic of their 'argument' was Basta.
Dustfinger grabbed her arm and dragged her along quickly towards Leigh's house, "Every year for Capricorn's birthday they tie two people to a stake and burn them. This year Dutch….Was supposed to be the person tied to the stake."
"You said two people."
Dustfinger stopped in the alleyway just outside of Leigh's house and turned to face her. "Haven't you wondered why Basta treats you so well? And why Capricorn allows you to get away with so much? Basta wanted a wife, and he got one. However, the rule is for a burning is that there must be a man and a beautiful woman; the only two other beautiful women in this village are Brenna and Resa and Capricorn is much too fond of them. You're it, Kristiana, you're to burned at the stake at midnight."
Kristiana slapped her hand over her mouth in horror and shook her head as her free hand went over her stomach to protect her unborn baby. "No…No….Basta would never….He'd never agree to that." She shook her head rapidly, "No…I…I…Don't….I don't believe that."
Dustfinger stared at her gravely, "He agreed, regretfully, he agreed. That's why they wanted you to know who Dutch really was, Kristiana. You lived together, and you would die together. Believe me, when it comes between Capricorn and you, Capricorn will win every time when it comes to Basta….Every….Single….Time."
"Basta has a child-"
"Basta is a monster, he doesn't care-"
"Basta doesn't care about what?" Purred the cat like voice of Kristiana's husband from behind them. Kris slowly turned to see Basta leaning against the mouth of the alleyway with his arms crossed over his chest, a smirk on his face. "Basta doesn't care about what, Dirty Fingers?"
Kris looked behind her only to see several other black jackets, including Cockerell, blocking the other end of the alleyway. They were trapped. Dustfinger peeled off his mask as his shoulders slumped in defeat.
"Basta," Kris whispered, "Is that true what he said? I'm your wife…You wouldn't….Burn me at a stake?"
Basta smirked as he saw the terror on his wife's face; Dustfinger had fallen for it which made it all too convincing for Kristiana. Capricorn didn't burn people for his birthday, he fed them to the crocodile and Kristiana was one of his favorites. He would never harm her. But the Fire Eater didn't know that and wouldn't know that. A younger black jacket had witnessed the little costume exchange between him and "Jacopo" and Capricorn decided to beat the men at their own game. He had sent Basta, Cockerell, and a few others to go and get Silvertongue, now that they knew where he was thanks to the Fire Eater….But told Basta to tell Dustfinger they were doing a special burning; and Kristiana and Dutch would be this year's 'special couple.'
How easily Dirty Fingers had believed him. It was pathetic. Yes, Basta was undyingly loyal to Capricorn, however if Kristiana were to be burned he would hide her. He had to wait too long for a wife. Much too long and he would not lose her so soon. Not only that, but never would he harm a woman with child….It was unlucky.
"You're real gullible, Fire Eater, do you know that?" Basta smirked as he walked over to Kristiana and wrapped his arm protectively around her. The look on Dustfinger's face when he realized he had been tricked was priceless. The frown on his face was pitiful, even the anger in his eyes couldn't mask the disappointment and humiliation shown by his frown.
"Leigh-"
"Is just fine," Basta rasped with a smirk, "Capricorn would never harm such a pretty prize. And I would never allow my wife to be harmed." He pulled Kristiana closer to his side as he turned and began walking out of the alleyway with her.
"Leigh's safe?" Kristiana asked in silent amazement.
"She's safe….For now. If she doesn't recover after this baby is born, then Capricorn will have no use for her and her fate will be the crocodile." Basta replied, he glanced over at his wife and stopped in his tracks. She was crying. He had only seen her cry once, and that had been weeks ago when he first lifted the veil of her wedding dress. "What are you crying for?"
"Gee, Basta! What the heck do you think I'm crying for?" She snapped. "I thought my best friend in this village was going to be fed to a crocodile, I was going to turned into a human piece of wood to burned, my old boyfriend is Robin Hood….What the hell do you think?"
Basta felt his temper soar. How dare she speak to him like that in front of his men! Didn't she know better by now? He raised his hand and slapped her so hard she fell to the ground.
"I hate you!" She shouted up at him, her eyes filled with anger, "I hate you! Why can't you just die or something! I hate you!"
For a moment Basta stood there, frozen as the words echoed around the village. I hate you. He blinked as his jaw fell open. He thought he had been making progress; she had been falling in love with him! The black jackets were all gawking at the scene before them, but Basta ignored them for once.
"I hate you!" She screamed at him again, "I hate this entire village! I hate Cockerell for raping me; I hate you for doing the same!" She balled her hands into fists, "I just want to go home with my boyfriend! I love him Basta! I love Dutch, Robin Hood, whatever his name is, I love him! He never treats me like some object to be won in a competition! He never treats me like some animal to be shown off at a horse show! He treats me as a human being!"
Basta hadn't noticed the weather until the moment the words sunk into his heart: I hate you, I love Dutch. In the skies above the gray clouds began to light with electricity as thunder boomed and rain began to fall. At the same time Kristiana began to cry.
Kristiana had done her best to remain strong, but today had been so terrible. She didn't care anymore what Basta did to her. She was finally able to release what she truly felt for him and this village.
"I'm so sorry Leigh!" She sobbed in a shout, "I'm not strong enough," she hiccupped, "I'm…Just…Not…Strong…Enough…." She wanted to go home! To Georgia in America! She wanted to see her brother! She wanted to marry Dutch! She wanted to forget Basta even existed!
"Get up," Basta growled at her.
"Go to – "
Basta growled at her leaned into her so his foxy face was shoved into her own. She was able to see small reflections of herself in his eyes. Her face was scrunched and swollen from his slap and from her tears. "I said get up!" He shouted at her as he grabbed her knife. She whimpered and scooted away from him on the muddy ground before pushing herself to her feet. Basta grabbed onto her wrist and dragged her away so quickly that she was stumbling after him.
"Basta-"
"Shut up!" He shouted at her as he dragged her through the streets. "So you think you're in hell here?"
"From what you all put me through, yes!" She shouted angrily at him. Through her blurred vision she noticed the other prizes before her were all backing away and shrinking as if hoping to make themselves smaller so they wouldn't be noticed. Only Brenna stood there with an 'I warned you, we all did' look on her face. Basta continued dragging her until he stopped at Door number Five of the cages; he shoved her inside and chained her wrists to the wall.
He turned and smirked, "You have company now, Silvertongue!" He glared at Kristiana, "When I come back tomorrow your attitude had better improve!" He turned and stalked out of the room and slammed the door shut behind him.
Kris watched her husband leave and struggled against the chains; the light switch suddenly flipped on revealing the reason why her husband had suddenly disappeared with Flatnose and Cockerell. Kristiana's book binder, Mortimer Folchart, sat on the other side of the room with a bruise on his forehead. His eyes were wide and filled with concern.
"Kristiana?" He asked softly, "How did you get here?"
Kristiana stared at him wide eyed, "Mo?" She whispered in amazement, "I….I was kidnapped…What about you?"
He looked at her, "The same," he replied softly. As Kristiana looked back up at him a flash of images of Mo went through her head, flashes of men taking a book from him…A woman in a library with her hand over a child's mouth, and a flash of Basta hitting Mo. Her breath caught in her throat….She did have her mother's gift and it had finally awakened. It had been forced to awaken, because now it was time to escape. She would be the good wife again and when she saw the opportune moment, she would get Leigh and she would run. She would run like the wind and never look back….However, very strangely, the thought of never seeing Basta again was making her almost….Sad….It just had to be her adrenaline winding down….It had to be…
As the two were watching each other neither was aware of the fact Byron had gotten away and had returned for Dustfinger, freeing him. However, Dustfinger was going to do more thing for Capricorn: Get the girl and the book. He wanted to go home. For he too was tired of this village, he wanted to go home.