Song is "The Last Rose Of Summer", a poem by Thomas Moore and the music was made by John Andrew Stevenson. Tune and poem were published together in 1813. Chapter is rated m for sexual content.

Chapter 27: Secrets

5-year-old Lilly was dragged out on to the selling block after a 14-year-old boy was sold off. She was forced to stand facing the group but she didn't like it. She stared down at her bare feet instead.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I give you The Siren! An Irish girl, only five years of age, with a shout that strikes the fear into any man's heart and a voice so pure and angelic, you will most certainly cry after hearing her!" said her seller.

Some of buyers scoffed, pointed and laughed. Lilly narrowed her eyes at them. She did not like being made fun of. "Oi! Give us a show, lil' girl!" someone yelled.

More men laughed and Lilly looked over at Brian and Sean and then at the crowd. The boys looked miserable. "You wantah show? I'll give ya a show!" she yelled.

"Oh c'mon! That ain't scary!" The crowd started to boo.

Lilly growled. "STOP BOOIN' ME, YA BASTARDS!" her voice clapped and echoed.

A lot of the buyers backed up and yelped before it turned into laughter. "See?" her seller began. "Fearless and commanding, that she is! Shall she demonstrate a song?" The crowd cheered at her and demanded a song. "Your choice of music, little one," the seller said to Lilly, plugging his ears with cloth.

Lilly frowned up at him before looking back at the crowd. She started to sing, her eyes shut as she did. She couldn't stand seeing people under the spell of her song.

'Tis the last rose of summer,

Left blooming alone;

All her lovely companions

Are faded and gone;

No flower of her kindred,

No rosebud is nigh,

To reflect back her blushes,

And give sigh for sigh.

I'll not leave thee, thou lone one!

To pine on the stem;

Since the lovely are sleeping,

Go, sleep thou with them.

Thus kindly I scatter,

Thy leaves o'er the bed,

Where thy mates of the garden

Lie scentless and dead.

So soon may I follow,

When friendships decay,

And from Love's shining circle

The gems drop away.

When true hearts lie withered,

And fond ones are flown,

Oh! who would inhabit

This bleak world alone?

Lilly opened her eyes and gazed at her stunned audience. She fidgeted with her hands nervously.

"You're a freak!" someone shouted. "You belong in a circus!"

Lilly started crying and covered her face. She knew that was coming. People kept shouting insults at her.

"Freak!"

"Monster!"

"Evil spawn of Satan!"

"Witch!"

The seller knelt down to the girl and turned her around. "Lilly, look at me."

Lilly continued to sob and shook her head. "Why are they bein' so mean, Nathan? I don't like bein' like this! I hate it! Why did ya make me do it?! Those men killed Sean's Da! Why?!" Lilly demanded, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Nathan picked her up, walking off the platform as the crowd started throwing vegetables and other things on the platform. "I'm sorry, girl. We'll figure somethin' out for you and your brother and Sean, okay?"

Lilly nodded as she cried into his shoulder. Her eyes looked at the angry crowd but Lilly spotted one dark haired, dark eyed fellow with a soft smile and in a dark red suit. She clung to Nathan as they walked off but then Nathan handed her to Brian and he held her in his arms. "You're alright, deirfiúr beag, you're alright."

"Come on, let's get you guys outta here," Nathan said. They left the selling area and Nathan rubbed his face. "Brian, Sean, I know she's gifted but I think we're done advertisin' her gifts. I don't like how them folks reacted to-"

"I'll buy her," a man said behind them. Lilly raised her head. It was the man in the crowd with the nice smile. He had a strange accent. Certainly wasn't American. "I'll buy her along with the two boys."

"Ah, my favorite customer," Nathan said. "Boys aren't for sale, though. They're her handlers."

"I see. Well, since I am buying her, they will need to stay with her, yes?"

"Yes. Brian, Sean, Lilly, this is-" Nathan asked.

"Papa. Just call me Papa."

Lilly walked out of the castle with her pups toward the gardens. Lilly went into the maze and started running. She found her favorite bench, sat on it, and took deep breaths. She felt like her heart was going to jump out of her chest. She did not like the looks she got in there. Lilly knew those expressions all too well. Lilly looked down at her watch and kissed it. At least she got her watch back. The boys whimpered at her and she scratched them both behind their ears. She was still having a hard time breathing so she put a hand on her chest. It felt tight. Lilly felt some sort of anxiety attack coming on. It got to the point where she began hyperventilating. Lilly tried to slow her breathing but it was difficult. Why was she feeling this way? Suddenly the boys started to growl.

"Mrs. Morgan?" she heard a man say.

Lilly blinked and looked over, seeing a man. She gasped and shot off the bench. "Agent Milton?"

"Yes. Hello."

Lilly swallowed hard and put a hand to her chest. "You...what are you doin' here?"

"I followed you, of course."

The boys snarled and snapped their chops. "Are you here to kidnap me? Take me back to America?"

"No. I'm pretty sure you'll be returning to the States eventually."

Lilly blinked a few times. "Boys, behave." Brian and James relaxed and sat down. "Then why are you here?" Lilly asked the agent.

Agent Milton clasped his hands behind his back. "I was hopin' to speak with you."

"Oh." Lilly looked around. "About what?" She was expecting an ambush at any moment.

"It seems Mr. Cornwall and Sir Patrick withdrew their bounties. I was curious as to why. Those two were quite obsessed with you...as is Papa." Lilly chuckled. "Is that funny?"

"Men tend to get protective of me; possessive, even, but as it turns out, Mr. Cornwall is an old friend of the family, but I only knew him as "Uncle Levi". He was merely concerned for my well being. As for Sir Patrick, him and Arthur had a nice chat and Patrick decided he would respect my wishes and let me be."

"Yet here you are in Ireland on his property."

"I was invited."

"I see."

Lilly crossed her arms. "That still leaves Papa, though, doesn't it?"

"Yes," Agent Milton inclined his head. "In fact, he's increased the bounty. One hundred thousand dollars."

Lilly sat back down. She felt like she just might faint. "You're kiddin'."

"No. But...I am curious, Mrs. Morgan. Why is he so determined to capture you? Sure, you have "abilities" but that's still a lot of money."

"It is, Agent Milton."

The agent slowly took a step forward. "May I sit?"

Lilly scooted over to give him room. "You may."

Milton sat down next to her. "I have a proposition for you, Mrs. Morgan. You come back to the States and return to "Papa", and I will leave the Van der Linde gang alone."

Lilly's mouth went agape. "Are you serious? Why?"

Milton chuckled. "As I said, you are worth a lot of money. More than all of them combined."

Lilly stared at the ground. "I see. I don't think they'd give me up so easily, especially Arthur." Lilly stared down at her watch, fidgeting with it. Her gang was her family and she wanted them to be safe. And after all the looks she got inside, Lilly felt Ireland no longer had a place for her. The Irish countess would have to sell her estate and rescind her title. Unless... "But...may I have some time to consider this? I will have to make arrangements."

"Of course." Mr. Milton stood and sighed. "For what it's worth, I am sorry."

"For?"

"I heard you were tortured recently? Flogged, almost a hundred lashes?"

Lilly looked at him, standing to face him. "Do not feel sorry for me, Agent Milton. They're just scars."

"Scars?" he asked, confused. "A whipping gave you scars?"

"The whip was a cat o' nine tails, Agent Milton." Lilly removed her shawl and walked past him with Brian and James. "When I return to the states, I'll let you know my decision." When she left the maze, Lilly put the shawl back on and walked back into the castle with her pups. She reentered the ballroom, saw Arthur talking with Sean, and walked to them. "Boys," she said with a smile. It was a fake one, but she had to put on a strong and happy face. She was not going to tell them about Milton's offer.

5-year-old Lilly slurped the spaghetti noodles into her mouth with a giggle. She was at a restaurant in New York City with Brian, Sean, Nathan, and "Papa". It was empty, save for all of them. Brian gave her a chastising look as she ate but Lilly ignored it. Papa also took part in the meal, but soon he was done and gave his hands a clap."So, Mr. Nathan," Papa started. "Shall we discuss this business about the sale?"

Nathan nodded. "Yes sir."

"Excellent. Considering your lack of finances, I can offer you...hmm, how much did you say she was worth?"

"Two hundred dollars."

"I will give you five hundred."

Brian almost choked on his noodles. "Five hundred?"

"Yes."

Nathan smiled. "Well, I think we have a deal." Nathan took out a booklet. "Let me just write up this bill of sale."

"Haha, excellent. Then it is settled." Papa looked at Lilly and grinned. "There's chocolates in the kitchen. I can't remember where, but feel free to search the area thoroughly."

Lilly got up and went running through the kitchen door with a giant smile on her face. Brian, Sean, Nathan, and Papa stared at the door and a high pitched scream came from behind the door.

Sean laughed. "Now ya done it."

"What in God's name are you doing, you little street rat? Get out of here!" a woman on the kitchen shouted.

A waiter came running out. "What a menacing little child! Papa! Where did you find this one?"

"Just bought her, poor thing. She truly sounds like a little scamp, doesn't she?" Papa laughed. Cooking pots were heard crashing down to the floor. Papa took a sip from his cup. Brian went to get up but Papa stopped him. "Oh, don't worry about that. Eat your spaghetti, my boy."

Sean began to giggle, but Nathan merely smiled as he finished his writing and handed a small sheet of paper to Papa.

"I said get out, you dirty mongrel! Stop rummaging through my kitchen!" the woman shouted again from beyond the kitchen doors. More noises of pots and pans falling went on, as well as a few plates breaking. Brian and Sean stared at the door. Papa took another sip of his drink before setting the cup down. More staff members came running out of the kitchen. "Are you daft in the head? No, give those back! Those are not for-"

Lilly came back out with a box full of chocolates. "Found it," she said with a smile.

Papa smiled at her. "Well done, little Lilly! That was very quick!"

The doors swung open and Lilly went running back to the table and sat as a short, plump woman in a blue plaid maid dress and an apron came walking out, her face red with anger. She shook a rolling pin at Lilly. "Sir, this child has made a complete mess of my kitchen!"

"You were chasin' me! I thought you were gonna eat me, ya fat arsed witch!" Lilly shouted.

"Lillian Rose!" Brian yelled. Sean started giggling again.

Lilly glared at Brian. "She started it! She called me a street rat and a dirty mongrel!"

"I see you met Mrs. Bartleby," Papa said, trying to contain his laughter. "I did tell Lilly there were chocolates in the kitchen."

"Oh, so this is your doing?" The cook shook the rolling pin at Papa. "Sir, these shenanigans you pull every time you enter my restaurant are becoming very tiresome!"

"Maybe for you," Papa replied. Mrs. Bartleby growled and walked back into the kitchen. Brian stared at Papa in disbelief while Lilly gorged herself on chocolates. The strange man stood up with a grin and gave Lilly a quarter. "Your handlers and I have some business to discuss. We won't be long, but feel free to explore the place and terrorize the rest of the staff. Oh, and I believe there's ice cream in the kitchen, too."

Lilly smiled, got up with her chocolates, and went running all over the place. Eventually she went back into the kitchen. "Would ya like some chocolates, Mrs. Bartleby?"

"Get out before I hit you with this-"

"DON'TCHA THREATEN ME, LADY!" Lilly's voice boomed. More plates fell and crashed.

Mrs. Bartleby screeched and ran out of the kitchen. "My God! Who is that little varmint?"

Papa chuckled. "My new pupil, Mrs. Bartleby."

"You're quiet, Lilly," Arthur said on the ride home from the ball. "Are you okay?"

Lilly was sulking about something and he knew it. "Just tired," she said as she stared out the window.

"Liar," he said with a smile, hoping to try and lighten her mood.

"I'm not."

Oh boy. She was definitely unhappy about something. "Lilly, what's wrong?"

"I told you. I'm tired," she growled.

Arthur narrowed his eyes. "Liar."

Lilly glared at him. "Do I look bright eyed and bushy tailed to ya?!"

"No. You look like you got somethin' on your mind."

"I don't want to talk about it."

The Earl frowned and sat next to her in the carriage. "I'm just concerned, darlin'."

Lilly sighed and rested her head on Arthur's shoulder. "I'm sorry. I just...the way those people looked at me tonight..."

Arthur nodded. "Yeah. I certainly didn't like it, either. I wanted to beat the shit outta all of 'em."

Lilly snickered. "How unbecomin' of an Earl."

Arthur chuckled, lifted her chin and kissed her. "You think that's unbecomin'?" Arthur pulled her dress up and stroked her womanhood and she gasped. "Oh, no drawers?" he said with a smile.

Lilly giggled. "I like to make it easier for you."

Arthur chuckled deeply and kissed her neck. He out a finger in and wiggled it around. As usual, her pussy was warm and practically dripping wet. "Ooohh, so wet already."

"I'm always wet for you, mo chuisle," she said with a purr.

Arthur chortled. He played inside her and her thighs opened more. He put his mouth close to hers but didn't make contact. "Do you know how much I love you, Lillian?"

"Yes. I love you too," she moaned.

"I don't think you know how much." He fingered her faster, his thumb massaging her clit. He placed a kiss on her throat. "The day we went and got Sean, I told him nothin' meant more to me than this gang. I said the bond us members share is the most real thing to me and I'd kill and happily die for it, but there is one thing that is more important than the gang. You."

Lilly arched her head back. "Tell me, Arthur. How much do you love me?"

"Nothin' means more to me than you. Our bond we share is the most real thing to me. I'd kill for you, I'd die for you...I'd do anythin' for you, Lillian except one thing."

"What's that?" Lilly moaned out, her climax coming close.

"I will never let you go. Not ever." Arthur kissed her deeply as Lilly achieved an orgasm, moaning loudly into his mouth. "You are mine, Lillian."

Lilly gulped when she looked at him. Arthur was being very possessive. As most men tend to get when she bothers to give them any attention. This shook her but she only smiled at him and kissed him. "And you are mine, Arthur."

Arthur and Lilly made it back to Darach ar an gCnoc as did the MacGuires and the Blacks on a matter of two hours. They all retired for the night but apparently Arthur wasn't quite done with his young wife. He made love to Lilly after helping her out of her dress, bustle, and corset. Lilly snuggled up next to her husband and quickly fell asleep. So did Arthur.

Lilly is held up in the darkness by chains. A cat o' nine tails hits her repeatedly in the back. Lilly cries out as each one hits her. Brutus and Mr. Pierce laugh each time.

"AAHH! STooooOOOP IIIiiiiT!" she sobs loudly, her voice warbling but the effect still claps throughout the pitch black area.

"Ha! So much for your shout, you freak!" someone shouts.

"Evil witch!" another shouts.

"Kill her! Kill the witch!"

Lilly cries out again. "STop it! STOP HurtING ME!"

"Lillian!" she hears Arthur bellow. "Wake up!"

"Arthur! Help me! They won't STOOOOOOOOP HITTIN' ME!"

Lilly, wake up!" Arthur shouts again.

Lilly falls to the ground and looks around. Her sobs echo throughout the room that she finds herself in. She looks up and sees a big house. It's the same from all her night terrors and she screams. "NOT AGAIN, PLEASE!"

"Lilly, please wake up!"

The room shakes and she scoots back, seeing the front door of the house open. A shadow stands in the doorway. "Piccolo fiore! Get back here now!' it shouts.

"NO NO NO NO NOOOO!" Lilly cries.

"WAKE UP!" Arthur and Sean shout.

Lilly gasped for air and struggled out of bed. She knocked into the bedroom wall and slumped down, holding her knees to her chest. Her eyes, wide and full of hot tears, scanned the room desperately. She saw Arthur and Sean standing over her with candles.

"Lillian," Arthur said.

Lilly stared at him, trembling from the shock of her night terror. "W-What...what...?"

Arthur got on his knees in front of her. "C'mere," he said, holding his arms out to her. "Come on, you're okay."

Lilly wrapped her arms around him and sobbed. "I need my tea."

"Karen is makin' it now."

Karen walked in. "Arthur, what is this stuff in the vial? It was with the tea fixin's.

Lilly looked up. Arthur ahemed, let go of Lilly, and walked to Karen. He whisperered. "...sedative to put her to sleep after..."

Lilly stood up. "I fuckin' knew it!" she yelled angrily.

Arthur snapped around. "What?"

"You been druggin' me with the god damn tea, haven't you?!"

Arthur lowered his head. "Yes, but I-"

"Every time I had it?!" Lilly marched over to him and got on his face. "EVERY TIME?!

"Yes, after your third night terror."

"Why?! Arthur, how could you do that to me!?" She grabbed his candle and shoved him into a wall. He hit it hard. "Why would you and Da and Athair-"

Lilly looked down when she stepped on something. She noticed the floor was littered with glass and other objects. She looked back up at him. Arthur rubbed the back of his head. "Ow."

Lilly cocked her head to the side. "What happened to our room?" she asked sternly.

"That's why we been spikin' your tea, Lilly," Arthur said. "When you have night terrors and you use your shout, a lot of shit goes flyin' and breaks."

Lilly blinked at him then looked at the windows. All of the glass was shattered. "...I really am a freak."

"No you're not, deirfiúr," Sean said, going over to her. "You're-"

Lilly backed up from him. "Did you know about this?"

"Lillian," Arthur got up. "I...I'm sorry, but-"

"Why did none of ya tell me? I coulda handled knowin' it!"

"Really?" Arthur approached her. "You sure about that?"

"Yes! Why would you keep a secret like that from me?"

"Why won't you talk about Saint Denis?"

Lilly backed up. "That is not the same thing!"

"We didn't tell you to protect you. You didn't tell us to do the same."

Lilly scowled. "I didn't tell ya Papa was still after me fer years tah protect ya! The rest is..."

"Somethin' only Sean knows?"

"Yes!"

Sean lowered his head. "Arthur. Maybe she's right about keepin' secrets from her?"

Lilly eyed both of them. "Oh what the fuck? Sean, did you tell him?"

"Yes...everythin' I knew. I'm sorry I betrayed yer trust, deirfiúr, but I-"

"Get out. Both of you. I don't want to see you."

"But Lilly-"

"SEAN GET OUT!"

Sean went running but Arthur stayed. "Lilly, be reasonable here!"

"Oh, I'm bein' unreasonable? Ya know somethin'? Ya just couldna stand someone else knowin' more about me than you, is that it?"

"Of course not!" Arthur belted.

Karen sighed. "The tea?"

"Just the tea without the fuckin' drug," Lilly said bitterly.

Karen set the the tea on the nightstand. "Should I go?"

"Yes," Lilly said. "Arthur and I are about to have a real fuckin' dialogue here."

Karen left the room and Lilly glared at Arthur. "Lilly, I'm sorry. Just let me explain."

Lilly scoffed. "Ya know, not even Sean knows everythin'."

"How?"

"He wasn't...there all the time, Arthur. And neither was Brian." Lilly looked around. "Where are me pups?"

"They got scared and-"

"Oh, now me pups are scared of me. That's just GREAT!" her voice made more glass break. She covered her mouth.

"Well, shit was bein' tossed everywhere! Christ, Lilly! Do you know how dangerous it is when you have a night terror?"

"Now I do. Ya shoulda told me!"

"Why? So you could feel like a freak?!" Arthur approached her. "You've been through so much, Lilly, and we didn't want you to burden yourself with somethin' like this. So yes. We sedated you so you wouldn't have a second one. Then we realized you have a trigger. Bringing up your past. And that is why we don't push you on the subject and why I asked Sean to tell me all that he knew so I wouldn't accidentally mention anythin' related to it."

Lilly sighed and put the candle on the dresser. "Arthur...you still shoulda told me."

"You're right. I'm sorry."

Lilly crossed her arms. "Well, since we're lettin' secrets out, I have one too."

"What is it?"

Lilly turned her back to Arthur. "Agent Milton was at the party tonight."

"He was?"

"Yes. And he said...he will leave all of you alone and not come after you if I let him take me back to Papa."

Arthur held her from behind. "That is not happenin'."

"It's not your decision to make."

Arthur turned her around. "Don't you tell me you're actually considerin' it!"

"I am! I would do anythin' to keep you and the gang safe! I would kill for ya, I would die for ya, and I'd even go back to that bastard if it meant ya could be safe!" Lilly yelled.

"Then how would we get away from the law?"

"You're an Earl now. You can bring them here without me."

Arthur embraced his wife. "You can't do this thing, Lilly. I ain't gonna let you, and I do have a say in it because I'll be damned if that piece of shit gets anywhere near you. You understand me?"

Lilly nodded and sobbed into his shoulder. "Yes."

Arthur grabbed her head and kissed her. "Mo grá," he chuckled. "Faithful and bold, indeed."

Lilly chuckled sadly. "Yes."

Arthur picked her up in his arms and brought her to the bed. "Now, do you want the tea with or without your sedative?"

"With. I don't want to risk anyone gettin' hurt if I have another one."

Arthur placed her in bed and grabbed the vial. He put in half, mixed it in, and handed her the cup. "I am sorry, Lilly."

"I am too." Lilly took the cup, blew on it and took a sip. "How did you guys even find stuff like this?"

"Doctors, mostly. You have a prescription you don't know about."

"Oh for fuck's sake..."

Hi guys. So I'm keeping the chapters shorter again because my app that I use for this gets a bit slow once I hit around the 5k to 6k mark for words, so...anyway, tell me what you think! Review, fav, follow, and thanks for reading!