AUDEAMUS
Chapter 6
She did not remember how she got home. Nor did she remember falling asleep in a cloud of confusion. All Bella remembered was the body, so flimsily covered by the off-white cloth that she had seen part of Ridge's uncovered legs. He had been so dehumanized in her eyes. No longer was he the man who held such passion for the law and for justice. He was just another dead body by being treated in such a clinical way.
The day after his death, Captain Forster had come forth with more evidence. A note had been found, written in Ridge's hand—leaving no doubt that it had, in fact, been a suicide. Bella found it all so abrupt—that the man she had been speaking with one day, was to be gone the next.
Mr. Johnson had found the situation to be a complete fiasco. The judge who had wanted to establish that the law worked for all, was left to run with his tail between his legs, hoping that the downfall of the lawyer would not haunt him for the rest of his career.
Sour days followed the departure of Mr. Johnson and the death of Mr. Ridge. They were days where Bella was mostly inside. She had no mind for listening to the unsavory gossip that so freely floated around everywhere. So many people said that they "had seen it coming", saying Mr. Ridge "was of a weak mind". She could not keep her mouth shut and had defended the poor man whenever possible. Charles Swan had, in the end, forbidden her to speak any of it.
Carlisle Masen had stared at the same defeat. The baron who had been so keen on helping Bella Swan drifted away and did not speak much to anyone in his household. He seemed crushed much like young Miss Swan had been.
Jacob Black had returned from weeks in prison, finding the world he returned to, to be completely changed. He had grown bitter toward most and kept away from them all. Whenever he was seen on the streets, tongues started wagging, but the gossip was not malicious. Jacob and his father represented those who had stood up for themselves—stood up for their beliefs—and lost. Even if the town admired their folly, their actions were still seen as unnecessary. Now the people knew what not to do in the future. Whatever spirit of change might have graced Hayes before, it had been completely wiped away now. Captain Forster could not be more delighted at the prospect. While he before had fought hard to defend the taxation, he had now risen the taxes further without as much as a murmur stirring.
But there was one thing left for the proud captain to do. His honor had been insulted—his word had been questioned. And Billy Black would pay, one way or another. For Forster, it was not enough to lock up the man—even if he would spend the next few years rotting away in some far-off prison cell. Forster required more than that.
He thirsted for blood.
Johnson, having run away without ever seeing to it that Billy Black was correctly moved to the maximum-security prison outside of Safeira, would find out about Forster's plans too late. And when he did, the captain suspected he would do little about it.
Two days after the release of Jacob Black and death of Lucas Ridge, Forster had started, once more, to build the gallows. This time, he had done it in the square for all to see. The message was clear: the one who defied the word of the captain would meet a deathly end. Bella heard of the execution from Lorraine and Sara one afternoon as she sat in the kitchens, playing with a stray doughball while the cook oversaw the baking.
"He is not even ashamed to hide it!" the young woman said as she squinted her eyes. "And we all know who those gallows are meant for." Lorraine gritted her teeth.
"Judge Johnson sentenced Mr. Black to prison. I do not believe Captain Forster would have the nerve to go against a ruling."
Dory scoffed as she kept rolling the dough into a thin sheet. "That man got away from this godforsaken town as quickly as he could. He will not raise a finger in Black's defense now."
"But that cannot be true, Dory. Mr. Ridge could not have taken his life for this!"
"This is why he took his life, because everything he believed in was proven a farce," the cook responded back. Bella remembered one of the maids had given her a copy of the letter written by Lucas Ridge.
I write in haste for I cannot bear it any longer. I threw it all away, I failed myself. What I believed in does not exist in this kingdom and it crushes me. I cannot live in such a world. I hope your judgment will not be too harsh on me. I hope those who knew me will understand.
L.R
Still thinking of it now made her shiver where she sat. Bella picked at a loose thread from her auburn robe, scratching her head, trying to forget those impactful words.
"It is sad to think that a man with such strong ideals would have given up on them so easily," she whispered to herself.
"You would be surprised at how common it is." Dory frowned, a remembrance from her own past seemed to have made way into her mind. The aging woman stared at a young Bella. "Do not let this crush you, Miss Swan. This will all be an estranged memory, you will see," the cook lied. She had no wish to see the girl so utterly crushed. Bella had taken the death of Lucas Ridge hard, as well as many of those who knew him. "Friar Blackwood has had him buried close to the cemetery. He may not be able to bury Mr. Ridge on holy ground, but he has lain him to rest as close to the church and its cemetery as possible."
Bella squeezed the dough ball. Poor Mr. Ridge.
"And no one is willing to speak out for Billy Black," she muttered.
She knew what she had to do. Billy Black would not have his life much longer. It was either being a dead man or a fugitive.
Bella left the kitchen, determined to right all wrongs, despite herself. She called for the small carriage that took her to the merchant corner of town. The streets were quieter around the Black home than usual. The windows were barred so that no unwanted eyes might look in.
She straightened out her auburn gown, brushing away some flour that had gotten on her left arm when she'd been helping Dory bake. Bella knocked forcefully on the door, her heartbeat rising as she heard steps closing in.
"We do not want any visitors, go away!" the voice said, irritated. She glanced behind her nervously as curious onlookers stopped by, wondering if they would get a glimpse of the family.
"It is me, Jacob, Bella Swan," she croaked, clearing her voice to hide her nervousness.
The door glinted open a sliver as Jacob looked out. "You should go, Bella. Nothing good will come from associating with a man like me."
"Please, Jacob. Let me speak with you," she pleaded, stranded on the doorstep like a mere street dog. Jacob took pity on her and let her in.
"My aunt has run away to Safeira, struck down by grief," he whispered as they passed the stairs.
The house was in mayhem. Trinkets and clothes were haplessly strewn everywhere, as if the inhabitants of the space had no mind to pick them up. The messy state of the small apartments showed the mindset of the family. "My cousin is upstairs packing some things and will go with his mother. He has asked me to go with him," he trailed off. She suspected they would not be interrupted. She could hear footsteps as the cousin upstairs walked around.
"I came to offer my condolences," Bella said as he led her to the small sitting room.
"Thank you," he muttered, allowing her to sit in the finest chair they owned.
Jacob sat down next to her and stared at the filthy floor, the wooden boards readied with dirt and stains of food they had dropped during the time they had spent in that house. In the corner lay some broken china he had thrown when having heard the news of his father.
Jacob looked a broken man. He looked as if he had no hope left in the world.
The old grandfather clock ticked away in the background as the embers in the fireplace shifted. Some semblance of what had once been toast was now as black as night in the ashes.
"Are you really leaving, then?" she asked timidly. There were signs of closing the house down. Their household echoed what the Black family was now; a jumble, a mess.
"No, I am getting my father before he—" Jacob could not bring himself to utter the devastating words.
"Well, why do you not search for the man who helped him escape the first time?" the young woman asked with a semblance of hope in her eyes. "And then you place Mr. Black on a ship to your old homeland?"
Jacob's lips turned into a thin line as he placed his elbows on his knees and clasped his hands. He had taken off his coat and rolled up the sleeves of the off-white shirt. Jacob's long hair was out of its usual low ponytail and fell into his face as he stared up at her from between the tresses.
"That is the first person I would have gone to if I knew where to find him."
"Surely your father must have told you something about him?"
"He never even saw his face, Miss Swan. He said he was just another shadow in the dark."
She frowned. "This person that helped your father, I am certain he will have heard of his predicament once more."
"I cannot sit around and wait for someone to maybe come to my father's rescue."
"So what? You rescue him yourself? Don't be foolish, Jacob."
"I will do all I can to free my father."
Bella took his hands in hers, a forward gesture that made her blush slightly. "Let us find this man who rescued your father, let us find a way around this. The law failed Billy Black… Mr. Ridge thought as much. But we will not fail him."
Jacob could not help as a smile escaped him. "Oh, so it's 'we' now?"
"I dragged many parties into this, I will end it as well," she said, determined.
"You can be quite resolute, Bella," he chuckled, the compliment making her blush turn a shade deeper.
Lucy frowned at the text placed in the main square on the wooden board. The notice board was usually avoided. But, these days, the townspeople flocked to it as a source of excitement, gossip or dread.
The announcement this time was made by none other than Forster himself. She spat to the side, reading the words once more, wrinkling her nose.
"Seems Forster's out to capture the man who saved Billy Black," she muttered as the onlookers who could not read stared cluelessly at the intangible words.
"Wha' does it say, Lucy?" one of the younger boys asked.
"It is the time n' place for Black's execution, my boy!" the hearty woman exclaimed. "Tomorrow at noon they're hangin' him like some animal," she spat again. The boy's face whitened.
"This 'ere is a trap!" one of the farmers who would venture into Hayes exclaimed as he heard what the notice said. "A damned trap!"
"Who for?" another one of the townspeople asked.
"For the chap who helped Mr. Black the first time. And best believe it ain't his son, they will be keeping a close eye on 'im tomorrow. Ya can be sure of that," the man said.
The small crowd started mumbling amongst themselves as Lucy left them to get back to her tavern. She could sense the change hitting Hayes. For things were indeed about to change, but she did still not know if they were for better or for worse. She entered her tavern and saw the same usual drunk looming over a few mugs of beer, stinking foul of the liquid.
She sighed but did not blame the man as he sat in his corner, the very picture of someone having given up on life. Lucy had been in a very similar situation after her husband's death. Bella had been one of the few people who had made her push forward.
The day progressed and a tension unlike anything they had ever felt before now claimed Hayes. The suffocating blanket of awaiting a tumult took its root in the otherwise sunny and joyous village. The presence of oppression had never been given much thought here—they were far removed from the crown and the government. Cadherra was more closed off than other provinces, and her citizens enjoyed that; or they were told to enjoy it.
The news of Billy's execution had finally spread like wildfire. And the following day, by late afternoon, it was what all spoke of.
Jacob had been taken to the garrison for the captain to keep an eye on him. His reasoning was as idiotic as a small child's and could cost Jacob his freedom once more. If the mysterious man who'd saved Billy did not come for him again, they would conclude that it had always been Jacob beneath the disguise.
It left the townspeople wishing harder for the mysterious savior to come for Billy once more. After supper, Bella had feigned fatigue and been allowed to go to bed. But, instead of heading to her room, accompanied by Lorraine, she had dragged the maid with her to the attic and to the tower. They had an excellent view of the main square from there.
Night descended quickly, and both sat there, wrapped in blankets, freezing as the winds tore at them from where they sat.
"Are you certain we will see anything from here?" Lorraine asked, wondering if she would get into much trouble if the owner of the house happened to catch them there.
"Lorraine, can you keep a secret?" Bella asked, not removing her eyes from the square, afraid she would miss a single thing of the spectacle that was to unfold. She, like everyone else, was curious as to how Billy would be rescued from his demise.
"I swear it," Lorraine answered, genuinely eager to hear what the young woman had to say.
"I saw him the night he rescued Mr. Black the first time."
Lorraine's mouth opened slightly as her eyes lit up. "You did?"
"Only an instance and from very far. But I saw him, mounted on a horse as black as a raven's wing, just another shadow, riding as fast as the wind. It was so bizarre," she whispered. Her skin prickled at the memory, as if she had seen an apparition of sorts—as if she had beheld something she shouldn't have.
Lorraine remained silent when she saw Bella's reaction to such memories. She was now even keener to see just what man this was to have saved Billy.
They waited patiently, their bellies full of food. It did not take long until they succumbed to real fatigue, ignoring the frisky wind and chill of the night. The sun had long since lowered in the sky, and the colorful houses and dark rooftops were only illuminated by the stars. Some lights in the windows illuminated the streets in yellow as the wax candles flickered, almost eerily in their strange dance.
Bella had long since shut her eyes when, somewhere in the distance of her mind, she was brought back to lucidity. She forced her eyes open. Lorraine, it seemed, had long since left—perhaps to get another blanket.
Her eyes searched the main square, only finding it to be completely enveloped in darkness. All light in the surrounding windows had been extinguished. Any streetlights that had been lit were gone as well. It was a strange black hole where now shouts emerged.
Bella thought them triumphant shouts at first. Had the lancers managed to capture their pesky intruder? She held her breath while staring, squinting her eyes, trying to discern the figures in the darkness.
Suddenly, she saw a shadow outlined against the brick wall, casting itself over as more figures followed. Her heartbeat increased as the shouts of triumph turned into shouts of anger and even fear. She understood, then, that the man must have once more done the impossible—having escaped the closely guarded garrison with Black in tow.
"You idiot!" Captain Forster's voice sounded as the ultimate insult. Bella could only guess that it was directed at a particularly fat and rotund sergeant. "Go after them, do not let them escape!" She directed her gaze to the main entrance of the town, finding, to her dismay that it was guarded by more lancers.
But the shadows never went there. Instead, she saw them leave by the south entrance. The young woman had to turn and saw them leave, illuminated by starlight as they rounded the town, disappearing once more into the depths of Raven's Grove.
When Lorraine returned, carrying two extra blankets, she could see in Bella's eyes that she had missed the whole thing.
While walking back to her room, Bella gave the young maid such a detailed description of the events that Lorraine could practically place herself there.
But she was still disappointed at not having seen it with her own eyes.
Night soon gave way to day and tongues wagged—as they usually did in Hayes—about the previous night's events.
Jacob Black had been freed as it was clear that he wasn't, and never had been, the mysterious man that rescued his father. Forster also had no other means to keep him locked in as bait—the ruling had rendered Jacob safe, for now.
Bella wasted little time in sneaking out of her house to ride April to the main square. She threw on her green riding habit and urged the mare to move as fast as possible to the front of the garrison. Bella wanted to see the defeat on Captain Forster's face herself as he explained himself.
The road to the main square was void of people. All had either gone to work or stayed inside, afraid of any repercussion the angered captain might take against them.
But some brave souls had ventured outside. Bella braved on, hoping the captain might not unleash his anger against her personally as she reached the main square.
The shouts were audible even before seeing the garrison. Captain Forster had a set of lungs unequal to anything she'd ever heard before. His screams must have been heard through the city as he went on insulting his soldiers from behind the closed doors.
She pressed on as she found the square otherwise empty. The young woman returned, but not before reaching the old square of the city.
A group of people had gathered in the far end of the plaza, close to the statue of General Cullen, the crowd trying to make someone within the group talk.
Bella dismounted April and neared them. "What is all this fuss and commotion about?" she asked as she spotted Lucy amongst the group. She had left her tavern after having seen the people pass by the windows in a rush.
"Mr. Simmons has been sittin' like this for the better part of the mornin'. I sent Joe to fetch some spirits for him."
Bella looked at the old man, the same man always sitting by the statue, under the tree, playing chess. He was the best gossiper in town, somehow knowing everything about everyone.
"He looks as if he's seen a ghost," she remarked, taking note of the paleness in his face.
"A ghost!" the man suddenly exclaimed, jumping in place as pearls of sweat rolled down his temples. The shadow stretched over his thin features as his white hair swayed with his motion. The man trembled, his empty eyes searched fervently in the air, trying to get ahold of something. A look of horror and excitement glazed his orbs as he regained composure.
"What happened, Mr. Simmons?" asked a young woman, carrying a basket of wooden coils on her hip.
"Last night, I saw it—" the old man mumbled to himself, still looking past them all with horror and something else present in his gray eyes.
"Ya were by the garrison yesterday?" Lucy demanded in harsh tones. "Now, why on earth did ya do such a stupid thing, Simmons? They coulda got ya in the crossfire they coulda," she chastised, the accent harsher when she got angrier. But while Lucy worried more for the old man's well-being, the other townspeople quickly pressed for more information.
"Did ya see who saved old Mr. Black?" one of them asked as he leaned in. Bella widened her eyes in anticipation, waiting for the answer given.
Mr. Simmons turned to the young man. "As clearly as I be seein' ya now, lad," he whispered. "As clear as day did I see him."
"Well, do not leave us in suspense!" an apprentice of the smith exclaimed. "What did he look like?"
"They say he is nothin' more than a shadow."
A shaky finger rose in the gentle breeze of summer, the emerald leaves of the tree shifted with the sigh of the wind. They all turned by the force of Simmons' gesture, following where it pointed. Many jaws fell ajar as he stopped on the object.
There was no mistaking it. Simmons pointed at one thing: the statue of General Cullen. The man, whose face was entirely obscured by a mask, loomed over them, the statue casting a grand shadow over the small group as the indiscernible eyes regarded them in stoic silence.
Bella's stomach dropped, her breath left her lungs with a stifled gasp and her skin prickled. She wanted to believe it was the mere ramblings of an old man. She had only seen a shadow, but a shadow nonetheless.
"Quit foolin' around," one of them sneered. "Yer scarin' the girls," the man snickered. "Come now, what did he look like?"
But Simmons just kept pointing at the statue. "I saw him as clear as I see ya now, lad. I ain't lyin' to ya. A horse distracted the lancers while I spotted a shadow creep up o'er the wall. They did not notice him even once. The only thing the lancers ever saw was that Billy was missin'. But I saw 'im, I saw what did not wish to be seen: a man in black, no face, no eyes—just a shadow as eerily alike as tha' statue," he gulped.
"The ramblings of an old man, I tell ya!" another one snickered and received a few stifled laughs. They left Simmons there. But Bella and Lucy stayed behind.
"And his horse was as black as night, is that true Mr. Simmons?" she whispered, afraid her voice would break. Her face had paled.
"How'd ya know?" he asked, for the first time breaking that intense stare at the statue, meeting her flickering eyes head-on."
"I know for I saw it last night, as well as the first night he saved Mr. Black."
"And it will be somethin' ya best shut up about, missy. If that Forster catches wind about ya knowin' any of this, he will bring ya in for questionin'!"
Bella shivered.
"This can only mean one thing." Another gust of wind brought the loose dirt of the old square up, swirling around them as the leaves rustled like music once more. A faint waft of flowers invaded their nostrils. "Cullen has risen from the grave. He has come to fight for the people of Hayes once more!" Simmons said with a twinkle in his eyes.
"I, for one, refuse to believe such rampant news," Charles said pacing back and forth by the window, eagerly awaiting something. The Persian carpet braved on, a miracle it had not yet received a hole from his insistent shoes.
Bella kept her mouth shut while sipping her juice from the crystal glass. Her mother asked no questions, but she had seen her daughter sneak out the previous morning, coming back with a most befuddled look on her face.
The whole of Hayes was afire with the rumor. "Gah, one day after another there is something new. All we needed to know is that Billy Black managed to evade the soldiers once more." Charles stared out the window in wonderment. "One might think Hayes is turning into a circus!"
"Well, dear, there are very few who manage to escape from the garrison one time, not to talk of two!" Renée added innocently. The genteel woman did not show it openly, but the tales that had emerged in Hayes recently had quite stirred her normal and mundane life. Hayes was quickly transforming from an average sleepy town to an adventurous place, now even frequented by fine folks from the capital.
Renée smoothed out the brown lock over her shoulder, pushing them back as her husband threw her a sideways glance, his mustache ruffled. She rose an eyebrow in response and smoothed out the nonexistent wrinkles in her lavender muslin gown. She adjusted the modest white shawl around her bosom of the square neckline.
A carriage pulled up in front of their house and Charles jumped in place. "They're here!" he exclaimed. "Now," he turned to his daughter. "Remember to be on your best behavior!"
"How could I forget, father, with you constantly reminding me," his daughter echoed. Bella's mother fixed the small lace around her rounded neckline, making sure the dress she wore looked as flattering as it could. Her mother had forced her to wear a robe redingote of silk and cotton satin in plain weave in mint and dark green. The layer underneath peeked out, in pure white. It had taken Sara hours to prepare her gown, making Bella mindful not dirtying the dress or even wrinkling it.
Amidst all the tumult, Alice Hale had decided it would be a perfect event to go to Raven's Grove. Bella suspected the young woman had a wish to flee from the gossip of a small town.
She had been right. Mrs. Hale had not even stepped a foot inside the house before urging that they flee to the woods. They were alone as Jasper had to apparently receive someone in Coldwick. But Alice would not tell who.
They rode an exquisite vis-à-vis carriage with black detailing and maroon leather cushioning. It was a perfect day for it. The sun shone brightly. Alice had brought two parasols with her so that they might shield themselves.
Bella never minded receiving some sunshine. It always made her feel better. But the sought-after complexion was as fair as was possible. Luckily, she was naturally pale and did not have to worry too much about getting a tan.
"Miss Swan, the happenings in this town have my whole household positively up in arms. I have never seen my father so concerned. Who would have thought that the soldiers here would be more brutish than the rest of the country?"
"You mean to tell me they are the same in Safeira?" Bella asked.
"They are much worse here, because we are in the middle of nowhere," Alice stated. "Coldwick is the closest city, a good half day's ride with a fast horse. But Captain Forster is a nasty fellow. I am sad to see that Judge Johnson could not do anything about him."
Bella lowered her gaze. "He disappointed us all, Mrs. Hale." The driver urged the two white horses into a slower trot as they entered the woods, the green crowns enveloping them as the roof let through the faint sunbeams.
"I am sorry to hear about what happened to Mr. Ridge," Alice offered with utmost sincerity. She pushed a raven lock out of her eyes as she put away the white parasol. "I heard you were a good friend to him."
"Mr. Ridge was a good friend to all who knew him. He formed an important part of this community. I am sorry to see someone burn so passionately for something, only to have it disappoint them to such levels."
"The law failed Mr. Black, not Mr. Ridge," Alice reminded Bella.
"You really think so?" Bella asked. Once she remembered herself, she blushed. "I am terribly sorry, Mrs. Hale. This was to be a carefree promenade and I have ruined with my personal problems."
But Alice Hale shook her head, taking Bella's hands in her own. The presence of the woman before her surrounded and calmed her. Bella had never had any siblings, but Alice's calming smile almost made her feel what it would be like to have one. "What happened to Mr. Ridge was tragic, but you cannot do anything about it now, Miss Swan."
"How did you know I felt so guilty about it?" Bella asked in wonderment as the leaves sang and the birds chirped.
"Well," Alice smiled. "Because since arriving here you are the kindest and most wholehearted person I have stumbled upon. You never gave up on Mr. Black when all the other young women kept babbling and gossiping. It was only warranted that the last days' happenings would weigh your mind down," the young woman before her said.
Alice was a good judge of character. But Bella had never realized how good. They had scarcely known each other for more than a few weeks and already both women knew that between them kindled a strong friendship. Bella's blush faded away as a smile spread on her lips. "I am honored to hear such kind words, Mrs. Hale."
"You are very welcome, Miss Swan. Now," Alice continued as the driver started taking them back to the town, for they seemed to have forgotten their promenade. The women noticed how the forest had changed to them then. There was no gloomy aura. The green roof smiling down at them was bright and clear. The distant light in between the trees was not the same dark blue that usually clung to Raven's Grove. The moss-covered ground reflected the yellow beams. "My husband is meeting up my brother Edward at the port of Coldwick."
"How wonderful, you must miss him very much!" Bella exclaimed, genuinely happy—but only for Alice's sake. She had no pretenses of ever getting beyond a friendly acquaintance with Edward Masen, despite what her father might think.
"I have not seen him in years. Mother hasn't talked about anything else," Alice smiled. "But I thought you might want to know before your father does." She stopped herself, it was Alice's turn to blush. "Forgive my outspokenness, Miss Swan, I meant nothing bad by what I said!"
"Ha!" Bella laughed. "You only spoke the truth, Mrs. Hale. My father is as insufferable as they come when it gets to a potential match for me," she blinked. "Thank you for warning me before he unleashes the full force of his intentions on me."
"I suggest you prepare, father is meeting us up when this ride is over to inform your father of just this. Shall we suspect a great deal?" Alice looked amused as she continued, but she had managed to drag Bella into it.
"I dare say a great deal, Mrs. Hale."
A/N: Another chapter, enjoy! :)