Again, a massive thank you to Mountain Cat, who makes these stories run smooth and helps press out the kinks!
Just a few notes before we begin.
This story does take place during season 1 and between episodes 9 and 10.
This story is NOT associated with any of my other stories. Please consider them all stand alone stories unless otherwise noted. When I write a story that's associated with another, I'll be sure to make note and link the stories in order.
There is a battle ahead, some violence, and of course some H/C - a bit more than what I've written before... I'm not a fan of "warnings" but I'll note a caution at the start of those chapters. This one is longer... the longest so far (66 chapters), so hang with me and hopefully you'll enjoy the ride. I had a lot of fun with this one. And, as always this story is complete. I'll try and post on a daily basis.
Enough of my babbling... on with the story!
PRELUDE
Rain poured. It hit the ground and splattered against the walls of buildings, carriages, against horses' legs, and boardwalks. Puddles of mud collected and flowed in serpentine directions across the road and morphed into nearby trenches. The darkened night sky amplified the harshness of the weather, and Johanna gripped the hand of her daughter Amée as they ran down the street. Johanna grasped her skirt and pulled the hem above her ankles as they rushed toward the covered wagon. It stood alone outside the stables, and she could see Gidie checking the flaps of the wagon cover.
"Please, Monsieur Gidie!" Johanna shouted. "Please wait!" She stopped, grabbed her daughter, and wrapped her arms around her as she ran. "I can pay you!" Dark brown hair clung to her face. Her jewelry dangled from her ears, tangled within strands of her hair, and her gold ornate necklace clung uncomfortably against her skin. Johanna's long gown — now drenched — clung awkwardly against her thin frame.
"Duchess Vallot," Gidie said and stepped away from the wagon. "What has happened?"
"Please," Johanna said. She looked at her daughter and brushed her hair from her face. "You must take her with you." She turned back to her husband's chateau and then looked at him. "You must protect her." She reached for a bag of coins and handed it to him. "Protect her… please!"
"Duchess," Gidie said. He looked at the bag and shook his head. He watched her lower her daughter to the ground.
Johanna knelt in the mud, brushed her fingers across her daughter's brow, and wiped her hair from her face. "Say nothing to anyone." She looked into her daughter's eyes, "promise me." She gripped Amée's shoulders and then brushed her fingers across her brow. "Promise me."
Amée nodded as tears ran down her face. Her chin quivered, and she clutched at her mother's sleeve. "Please, maman," she cried, "I don't want to go."
Johanna cupped her daughter's face, kissed her forehead, and promised, "I will find you — no matter what — I will find you." She wrapped her arms around her and held her tight for a moment. "Do not say a word to anyone, Amée." She shook her head. "Not a word — they must not find you."
Gidie frowned, looked at the mother and child, and then looked from where they had come. "Duchess," he rubbed his grizzled jaw, "if you want me to take 'er… we need to be on our way."
Johanna clutched her daughter's hand, looked up at Monsieur Gidie, and nodded. "Tell anyone who asks that she's mute." She looked at the covered wagon and the four other children who sat huddled together, wrapped in blankets, and surrounded by useless items given by their parents out of guilt. The children that were blind and deaf… those who would not be welcomed into the higher levels of society. Children given away by their families who could afford their education, and the comforts of a life outside of society.
"I'm takin' these girls to —"
"No," Johanna said, "I cannot know — just keep her safe — please just keep her safe."
"You can trust —"
"No — I cannot know." She gripped his forearm, squeezed, and met his eyes.
Gidie nodded, slipped his hands beneath the girl's arms, and swung her into the wagon.
Amée screamed for her mother. On her knees, she gripped the back of the wagon's gate and shook it. "Please, maman, I don't want to go!" She ignored the rain that pelted her face and drenched her fine blonde hair. "I don't want to go! I want to stay with you!"
Johanna stepped back, her fine dress muddied, her hands clutched to her gown. "I love you!" She cried as her tears mixed with the rain. "Remember that I love you!"
Gidie looked one last time at her and heard yelling in the background.
"You must go now," Johanna said, wiped her face, and watched him step into the wagon. She looked at her daughter, pressed her hands to her lips, and blew her a kiss. "I love you!"
"Maman!"
Gidie slapped wet reins against the horses' rumps and with a sudden jolt the wagon lurched forward. The racket of wheels, wood that groaned, and with the fading light of the moon behind darkened clouds, the wagon quickly disappeared into the night.
Johanna followed a few steps and listened to the shouts. She turned and looked at the torches as servants left the house, and then at the man who led them toward her. She glanced once more at the wagon, grasped her skirts, and ran in the opposite direction. Her lungs screamed for air as she hastened her pace, prayed for her daughter's safety, and wept at her loss. She stumbled, fell to her knees, and quickly picked herself back up. The lights grew brighter as they followed, dogs barked, and the men's shouts grew louder.
She stumbled again, lost her shoe in the mud, but continued to run. She turned one last time as the lantern light reflected off the face of her husband's brother. Silver hair clung to his scalp, his full beard and mustache broadened his already harsh features: deep set blue eyes, broad shoulders, and a tall, imposing figure.
"You will not defy me, woman!" he screamed into the night.
Johanna fell, and tangled in her dress, she struggled to stand. Suddenly grabbed from behind, she screamed.