Hours on a dirt road, braving the slushy snow-laden paths, proved more draining than originally thought as Nicole had gotten turned around twice before finally arriving at the Harewood estate. It was a grand Tudor style mansion that had been recently renovated with a large french garden, all by Matteo Castelli. It was a nice place with a beautiful view of the Harewood land, only disturbed by their tenants working the expansive acres. As she approached the four-story house, a young servant was already at the bottom of the entrance to take her steed. Nicole dismounted Lex, handing him the reins as she took a letter he held out.
"Shaelynn?"
"No madam, from the Mistress of the house."
"Oh," she whispered in surprise, "thank you." The usual servants were by her side, taking her belongings to her room. "Are they in the garden?"
"Yes, ma'am," Sophia answered.
"Thank you," Nicole nodded, opening the letter as she meandered to the back door. Instantly, she was confronted by the two dark-haired siblings, Joseph and Shaelynn, clad in black but ecstatic to see her. He went to shake Nicole's hand while his older sister embraced her dear friend. "What an amazing welcoming committee I have here," Nicole beamed.
Joseph nodded politely and opened the back door for them, sarcastically adding, "Only the best for the best."
"What is the reason for your dress?" she inquired.
Looking at his sister, the second eldest Pressman folded his hands and explained, "Our father passed last week."
"What happened?"
"He had been suffering from a lump in his stomach and passed in his sleep."
"My condolences," Nicole apologized. "Did anything else happen while I was gone?"
"I never mentioned it, but Bernie was deployed for the war in October. He's fine but homesick," Shaelynn responded, ending with a small sigh. "Mother and Sybil are currently partaking in an insanely boring pass time."
"It couldn't be that pedantic," Haught chuckled to herself. She spotted the matron of the house sitting with the youngest daughter, Sybil, working on some embroidery in the damp grounds. "Mrs. Joan Pressman, Mrs. Travis Port," she politely greeted.
"Dame Haught," Joan beamed, standing to greet her guest. "I'm glad you came. How has your deployment been in the Ghost River Triangle?"
"Not great, the Triangle is under constant threat from their own people. Haven is a small trading town with no law, Derelict is a crime-ridden village and Purgatory is always under threat from some disgruntled nomads. Actually, it's gotten to the point that the nomads are threatening death upon them and they don't have an army large enough to protect them."
"That truly is a serious problem, I only wish we could help. It's been hard since the war was waged, even we struggle with keeping order. I assume these two chatterboxes told you about Bernard's deployment."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Well since then there have been many breaches of power. Even my ties to the house of Lords tell me that we are on the brink of a revolution. The world is not the same as it was when you began. If you need a safe place to be, Harewood always has an open room."
Nicole nodded, her hopes slightly dashed, "No thank you. I must be there for them when the time comes to fight. Would you like to take a turn around the garden, Mrs. Pressman?"
"No thank you, the cold always makes it harder for me to move."
"Of course," she nodded.
"I'll join you," Shaelynn smiled, following their young guest.
"Perfect, Joseph would you care to join us?"
"Maybe later, I should ask Jenkins to have tea made for us."
Nicole shrugged and followed her hostess through the bare garden where flower boxes housed hibernating plants and frozen dirt crunched under their feet. She found it weird coming back to the Harewood estate between her deployments, but every time it still felt like home. The Pressmans were her second family but as she became more invested in Earp's affairs, she found that there was a hole in her heart- a mix of guilt and homesickness even though she was only a few hours from the Ghost River Triangle. As the pair of friends doddled around the garden, Shaelynn prodded her friend in the back noting that her playful demeanor was quite vacant, only adding to the somber air that lingered in the manor. Haught tipped her head down in her direction but her eyes wandered to the finely cut shrubs again and the masonry tucked away in the peaceful nooks of the garden.
"I plan to get married again, this summer, in fact," she began, instantly grabbing Nicole's attention.
"Who, what happened with the Minister?"
"We found a better connection, Ser Hendrik de Behr of Overjissel; he's a Dutch tradesman with a title." Nicole simply grinned at the news, a flash of curiosity causing Shaelynn to continue. "You understand that this means we will no longer be as physically close as we once were, I'll be in Holland most likely until I die."
"I understand," she nodded, still unperturbed by the news.
Shaelynn stopped and turned Nicole around, feeling quite flabbergasted by the blasé reactions she was earning from her dear friend. Although, as she looked up at the young knight, she realized that there appeared to be no malicious intent behind her tone. The mile-long stare she wore on her face reminded her of the time she knew she would be replaced. "Oh, I know that look, so, who is it?" she asked, playfully poking her stomach a few times.
Nicole protected herself from the prods and chuckled, "I shouldn't," she protested.
"Please, there's no one here, Nicki," Shae whispered, "Who is it?"
Nicole nervously pulled her lip between her teeth as she glanced around the barren scape, chuckling to herself before finally confiding, "She's just this person from Purgatory."
"Purgatory?"
"The place I've been stationed in," she quickly explained, "I just… I can't stop thinking about her." Nicole curiously pondered, her heart fluttering at the thought of the young ingénue. "I know it's ridiculous to fawn over someone but-"
"But you should," Pressman nodded with a few small steps to progress their promenade.
"I just worry about her… and of course everyone else. With the impending war, I don't want to spend any more time away from the Ghost River Triangle than I already must. If it hadn't been for her approval I wouldn't have come here," Nicole finished in a whisper.
"Why do you think she sent you away?"
They rounded another turn in the pathway, focused on the ground as Nicole analyzed their last conversation and the recent events in town. "I'm not sure, in all honesty."
Shaelynn closed her eyes, tipping her head back to look at the sky, "Aside from preparing for the imminent danger, Nic, what have you been up to?"
"I've learned that there are two people who can outdrink me."
"Oh yes, and who are they," she chuckled, enthralled by the homely topic.
"The Lady herself and a merchant of hers," she smiled, "Well I'm not entirely sure about the former but I choose to give her the title anyway."
"I never took Lady Waverly Earp for being a heavy drinker."
"Oh, no, her sister," Nicole corrected, the sound of her love's name on foreign lips breaking the slight stupor she had been in. "I find it funny how they address nobility in Purgatory. It took me a while to finally fall into their routine, but the citizens are quite… casual in their titles."
"How so?" Shaelynn inquired.
"They call the Earp family by their first names, rarely ever a formal title," she explained. "I think it helps though. There is this deep-rooted connection they all shared. I found it quite difficult to be trusted by them when I arrived."
"Really? Are they a superstitious lot?"
"It's a mixed bag but I've found that the people of Purgatory are all very interesting characters of their right," she chuckled to herself. "Maybe that's why I found it so hard to leave them."
Shaelynn nodded, still hurt by her friend's displeasure of being in Harewood and now partly jealous of how attached to the people of Purgatory her friend was. "I see. Do you wish to return to them so soon?"
"What do you mean?" Nicole caught on.
"I mean nothing bad, I just understand now why you seemed so glum about being here."
"Please do not guilt me, Shae, you know how I feel about that," she lightly bit back. "I'm glad you invited me, but I have important and pressing matters to attend to back home."
"Home, quite an intriguing term," she finally snapped. "And pray tell me, what do you know about home?"
"What do you know of the term? Your only experience is being stuck in Harewood marrying men you don't quite care for," Nicole gawked. "I understand what home and family are. I had never felt it more than when I was here with you."
"I apologize for the outburst," she muttered, "but-" Haught clenched her jaw and began to return to the mansion. "Wait! Wait, wait, Nicole!" Shaelynn gently sighed, gently grabbing her sleeve. "I'm sorry, really." She looked at the ground, her eyes flicking around the area before she led them back to the manor.
Nicole looked out of the guest window to the servants below, those who were leaving for their own homes and those who stayed as near-permanent residents of the estate. She found it curious how silent they were when compared to those who worked for the Earps. There were bonfires every holiday that the younger workers and Wynonna would throw. Every moment in Purgatory felt like a dream too good to be true, but with the constant threat from Svane maybe there was a reason to celebrate every day as if it were the last. Nicole rested against the window sill, guarded thoughts rushing through as she counted the passing minutes until she could return home. She thought briefly about the lie she told Shaelynn, home. It wasn't something she necessarily talked about but it was a subject that reared its ugly head wherever she roamed. A home had your family and her family was in Shannon Basin but that place wasn't her home. She felt that in her years of wandering from deployment to deployment she would find a place she could truly feel at home. Deep down, she knew that Harewood wasn't home either- it was a rest stop for her in all reality, so she and Shaelynn treated it as such.
"You don't usually pinch the bridge of your nose unless you're stressed," Shae noted from the doorway.
Nicole nodded in response, "I am stressed that's why. For obvious reason, I hope."
"I can sympathize," she reluctantly agreed. "What's this?" Haught looked down at the book of sonnets and smiled, her fingers brushing against the raw pages. "I guess this explains your newfound diction," Shae teased. "You know, if it stresses you so much, maybe you should just stay here. Let the people of Purgatory handle their own affairs and stay with me."
Nicole bit her top lip, refusing to meet her hostess' gaze until she tried to take the sonnets from her grasp. She finally turned around, clutching the book to her abdomen, "You know, you can be quite selfish sometimes, Shae. It's my job to protect those people just like it was my job to protect yours. I've been training the civilians against this army for the past month while Lady Earp has greatly improved the armory. I would rather die than send my family to their death."
Shaelynn took a tentative step back and warily nodded as she witnessed her friend's vexing break of character. "Finally, I hate when you bottle up your feelings and brood. It reminds me of your last night here." She took a spot on Nicole's bed and continued, "You do remember?"
Nicole nodded politely at the memory eleven years prior, "You knew how to push my buttons just as well then as you do now. What's the point?"
"I thought back then that you were scared of the great big world out there, you were only sixteen but now I know you were anxious to see everything. I envied you, I still do," she added as an afterthought. She removed her coat, setting it on the small chest at the end of the bed. "So tell me everything you've seen."
Nicole closed and locked the door while her friend lit a candle in the ever dimming room. She sat opposite of Shaelynn as she prioritized her emotions. "I wasn't afraid then but I am now. I'm afraid of dying and leaving behind everyone I love," she began. "I'm terrified of who I might lose in this battle and this distance only increases that."
Shaelynn placed her hand on her shoulder, "You are an amazing knight. I am more than sure that with everything you've experienced you'll come out on the other side. In the time I've known you, Nicki, I've seen you become such a fierce warrior; an honest to god guardian angel."
Nicole smiled and hugged her, "Thank you. She pulled away and went to hang up her hostess' coat. "I don't know what I'll do when you move to Holland."
"Hendrik said he was okay with me returning for Christmas celebrations and you can always write to me?" Shae chuckled to herself before explaining, "I have heard that the Dutch's inner circles are more flexible though, so hopefully, I can cope while I'm there. And maybe you could come, too?"
Nicole laughed in disbelief, shaking her head at the audacious statement, "While I would love to delve into the debauchery-"
"That's a bit extreme."
"Well it's not entirely Christian," she jibed back while stripping to her nightgown, "I will have to decline but I'll give you one last taste before you leave." Nicole gently pecked her cheek before sliding under the covers.
"You're right, I will miss that."
Shaelynn instantly tackled her into the bed, cuddling against her, "Thank you, Shae."
"I try," she playfully sighed, "Hendrik would never hold me like this."
Nicole brushed a stray hair back into the loosened bun and smirked at the revelation as she dozed off.
"Well, you're a butt face!" Wynonna proclaimed to her sister in the office.
"Wynonna!" her aunt berated. "Stay the course or I will tan your hide."
"I'm twenty-seven-"
"I don't care, act like an adult, then," Augustine sighed.
Wynonna closed her eyes before looking over her notes. "I want you to go home, Gus. It's safer for you there than it will be here."
"Like hell, I will," she protested. "The Ghost River Triangle is as much my home as it is yours."
"Fine, then you'll organize and watch over the citizens within the walls with Nedley. I need you," she directed to her sister, "to fend them off from the northwest with Xavier and Doc and I'll stick to the southeast with Nicole. Speaking of which, when does she plan to return from her little vacation?"
"Don't say it like that," Waverly defended.
"We need her, I'm sorry that I'm prioritizing my people over distant friends or even our family out in France.."
"Look, Nicole had personal matters to attend to. She'll be back by Thursday, Wynonna," she huffed. "Can you just lay off of her. She has done so much for us when she could have just stayed in Haven or Derelict when all of this started."
"Enough, I thought you two would have all of this needless drama under control. Until then, I'm going to talk with Nedley about the battle at hand if you need me," Agustine caved as she left the office.
"Look, I'm sorry for blowing up, I should be less emotional," Waverly apologized. "Nicole is important to me and the safety of our home."
"I can tell," Wynonna nodded. "I need to update Xavier about all of this," she gestured to her notes before leaving.
Once her sister had left the room, the young Earp heir retrieved her lover's necklace from her pocket. A token she was given when Nicole left, Waverly reveled at the pristine sterling silver medallion with Saint Michael pressed into the front. She held it to her lips, trying to stave off the negative thoughts of Robert attacking before he had promised. Waverly never trusted him- and for good reason- but now out of power, all she could do was follow her sister onto the battlefield. She placed the medallion back into her pocket, brushing her thumb across the image as it failed to soothe her. Renegade tears of fear began to fill her eyes as she thought of their possible death. Her breath grew more rapid while she spiraled into thoughts about death, each more gruesome than the last. Waverly lightly dabbed her eyes and focused on her breathing, letting out a cracked sigh as she felt her sister reach out for her.
"How do you do it?" Waverly asked.
"A lot of booze," she joked. "And a great support system."
"I could never do this like you. I would have given in."
"But you didn't have Nicole, Doc, Dolls, and of course your favorite, me."
Waverly closed her eyes and asked, "Aren't you afraid of Svane attacking?"
"Of Course, but if he does, I'm willing to put my life on the line if I know we aren't ready."
The younger sister shook her head with new tears in her eyes, "I can't lose you, not when you just came back."
"Okay, it's okay, baby-girl," she comforted. "It's Plan Z we still have so many options before it will come to that, I promise."
"So what did Xavier say?"
"Oh, I haven't talked to him yet, can you do that for me? I need to look over some more catalogs."
"Yeah," she nodded on her way out, closing the office door behind herself.
Wynonna quietly locked the door behind her sister, closing her eyes for a moment. Putting out fires was her specialty now- even though she missed being allowed to start them too- and every second was spent preparing for a battle she wasn't sure they could ever win. She took a slow breath and approached Curtis' ornate desk of dark stained oak only damaged by the sun and small scuffs that had been neatly mended. She flicked up the top of the desk to reveal reverse colored keys to the harpsichord hidden within. Lackadaisical, Wynonna lightly pressed a black key which was plucked to reveal its perfect pitch. The harpsichord must have been cared for as not a speck of dust could be found on the instrument. She lightly played a melody with her right pointer finger, G. The familiar song began to take on a life of its own from the small flicker of memories she had packed away. With her left hand, she placed it as she was trained and pushed the A key and octave below as she continued the song.
As her fingers played the tune as if she were still a tryo, using only two notes at a time while she familiarized herself with the harpsichord.
In her mind, she recalled the lessons her father gave and how Uncle Curtis trained her on the small harpsichord back in France. It was the only time she met her Mother's relatives but none of them truly belonged in that high society. Wynonna rather enjoyed having reckless adventures to learn more about herself and the world. Even as she left the Earp manor for what she had thought and hoped was the last time, all she could see was her sister tucked away in the small yard reading. The older Earp lied, saying that she was going to grab their Father's bible and bury it with the gun, but at the moment she saw her belongings on Willa's old bed, she felt that it was time for her to leave.
Wynonna stopped playing and pushed down the ten keys where her fingers were, forcing the instrument to make an off-key tritone. She put her head in her hands for a brief moment before sitting down and playing a short scale with her right hand, F G G4&#G5. She began to recite a somber piece Curtis played whenever he was upset. She recognized in herself the lower tones that she had to hold onto while playing within the limited range of keys. Flipping the back gate on, Wynonna continued the melodic tune with more gusto, her fingers momentarily slipping every moment or so until she finally stopped before the last note.
Nicole knelt in the small prayer room on the second floor behind the Pressman family. She always preferred praying in the morning but since Joan requested she join them before she left, Haught decided it was the least she could do. Without Saint Michael over her heart, the young knight instead brought her partner's book, it seemed more direct anyway since every thought and benediction was meant for the rightfully named fief.
Joseph led the prayer as the eldest man now and finished off their time with a special addition of calling out to Saint Christopher for his guest. He quietly ended their afternoon prayer and closed the triptych, flicking over the latch. Nicole held out her arm for Joan, staying strong as she used her to stand back up. She felt her hostess gently pat her shoulder before letting go.
"Now, have a safe trip, Miss Haught," she whispered. "I want you to be careful, you never know what kind of bandit could be out there."
"Thank you, Ms. Pressman," she smiled. "Thank you for all of your hospitality. I- I mean I always enjoy my time here." The elder Ms. Pressman took her daughters to the parlor room as the snow ruined their spot in the garden.
Her son approached Nicole, holding out her book. "I do hope your friends are okay."
"I hope so too," she admitted with hidden fear. Nicole took the book and smiled, "Thank you for allowing me to include them, Joey."
Joseph bowed his head, "Of course, I took the liberty of having the servants gear up your steed. Feel free to leave when you are ready, just be careful with all of the fighting."
"I will," she chuckled, "Maybe we can have a cup of tea before I leave? I wouldn't mind someone to talk with."
"I'll request it," he agreed.
Nicole meandered in the library, passing by a few portraits of the Pressman family and the new wallpaper they replaced a few months prior. As she passed the drawing-room, she heard Shaelynn call out to her. She peaked her head into the room, the Pressmans took on different tasks. Joan was still working on her embroidery while her daughters were gossiping over a round of backgammon.
"What's there to report?" she playfully inquired.
Shaelynn glanced up at her, "Good, you're here."
"You summoned me," she cockily tried with another step inside.
"Do you want to jump in for the next round of backgammon? I need someone who can give me a challenge."
"I wouldn't be so sure," Sybil teased, "pay attention to your moves."
"Joseph and I are having tea in a few short while, but I would love to watch this current round."
A knock from behind Nicole spooked her to turn around. "I know it wouldn't be fancy, but I understand you wish to depart as soon as possible. Jenkins has some pauper's tea left on the kettle if that will suffice," Joseph explained.
"Anything will do," Nicole agreed.
"I'll bring it to the library then," he offered.
"Why not in the kitchen? We can talk on the way."
Joseph waited for his friend to speak, the silence settling even as he began to pour tea into a cheap wooden cup for her and pushed forward the plate holding milk and sugar. Nicole glanced down at the tea and added a bit of milk and busied herself by testing the flavor as she relented speaking. Joseph sensed her pensive attitude and began to speak in her place.
"Before we all came back to help mother, I was blessed with a son." He pulled out a flask and added a splash of whiskey to his cup. "Would you care for a nip?"
Nicole shrugged and added a bit to her cup, "Why didn't you say anything earlier?"
"You seemed preoccupied with Shae, as usual."
Nicole raised her eyebrows in mock shame, "Not as usual, I have someone else. We're just figuring everything out."
"What is everything?" Joseph prodded.
"Oh," she dramatically sighed with a small chuckle, "Um… I forgot what it was like to have a highly perceptive friend. We agreed to write one another once a month, but I fear she will never be entirely happy. I almost feel guilty."
"Why?"
"I- she's my friend. She has always been there for me. I should be there for her but I can't help but think I would just be her side attraction as I have always been." Nicole took another sip from her cup and waited for Joseph to respond. "I already know how to distance myself, this isn't the first time we've had someone in the way, but now I just don't want to be with her like that or how we were in the past."
"Hearing about how my sister has used her friend is quite disappointing," he began. "I apologize for her behavior, I'm quite happy for you, Nicole. Would you mind if I asked a bit more about the future skirmish?"
Nicole thought about how she felt, the turbulent emotions too strong for her to reveal. "Yes," she huffed, "I'm having a fair bit of trouble talking about it."
"It's okay," he comforted. "Is there anything else you want to talk about?"
"No, I think I'm ready to return home," she nodded politely. "Thank you, Joseph. So with your father gone, are you going to move in, I mean you already own his business."
"No, I told my mother to pass the estate onto Bernie, he was given almost as little as Sybil in the will as our dog."
"Your dog?"
"Dad gave him his butler."
"You're joking?"
"Not at all."
Nicole rolled her eyes with a small grin and finished her cup of tea. "I should be heading out, thank you for the gossip and for speaking with me."
"Thank you for drinking with me," he chuckled as she stood.
Nicole took a quick swig from the flask and walked from the kitchen to the stables, quick footsteps following her. She glanced over her shoulder, spotting Shaelynn behind her.
"Now what?" Nicole jested, letting her catch up. Shaelynn closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around her ribcage. "Okay, that's enough."
"No, please don't go, Nicki."
"Nicole, no Nicki," she corrected, pulling her arms from around her core. Haught turned around and shook her head. "Go find another person who will fawn all over you, Shaelynn because I have someone else." The look on her friend's face hurt her heart as confusion and pain filled her eyes. Nicole nervously gnawed at her lip, trying not to confuse her with the wrong gesture. "I have to go home, but I will write. I wish you and Hendrick the best of luck." Nicole took a quick breath and brought Lex out of the covered barn.
"That stings, Nicole," she admitted. "You don't really mean it, do you?"
"I meant everything I said," she declared while mounting Lex.
Shaelynn watched patiently as her former lover left the estate. Her heart felt heavy with the words that echoed in her head. Nicole pulled her scarf up over her mouth and nose as she picked up speed, leaving behind the old memories in Harewood as she considered the current strategies that she and Wynonna had been deciding upon. A part of her wished she wasn't so cruel to her friend, but Shaelynn was rarely ever so forgiving towards her. She just wished to be back with the people of Purgatory, they were by far easier to deal with than traditional nobles and wealthy merchants clambering up to the next rank like her dear old friend. It changed her perspective the more she reflected on Shaelynn's life. Destined to be with someone who gives her financial security and a proper place for the Pressman family line. Pity, that's what she felt now, guilt wasn't what she felt towards her predicament, it was just plain pity.
Nicole reached once more for her medallion, grasping at her bare sternum. With a short breath, she slowed to a trot, taking Lex over to a small inn to rest. Haught slid off her saddle, landing in the hay where she could be shielded from the frozen air. Lex rested beside her, nudging her lightly with his snout and the air turned to mist with every breath he took. Nicole rested her head against the wooden wall, hoping to not get caught by the innkeeper. She closed her eyes for just a short rest until dawn, normally choosing to take the six-hour trek at once, but she hated riding in the cold. After a few minutes, she dozed off while snow fluttered through the open stables.