A big thank you again to those who review, follow and favorite =)
I realize I change the sequence of events a bit from what happened in game, buuuut I felt like it flowed better, and further develops the intimacy between Ben and Abigail in a way that I think would have been wonky as a second chapter. I already have the majority of the next chapter done, and it's quite fluffy to make up for this one. It should hopefully be up on my next day off from work. Whenever that is...
/
/
/
Cerberus darted through the bustling streets of Bowerstone, a blur of black and white fur. The hound ignored the occasional step on his paw and bump, racing towards his destination. Abigail and Ben were not far behind, both in dark slacks and grey cloaks, hoods up to hide their faces. Finally, they found themselves carefully weaving through an amassed crowd in the vast garden of Bowerstone Castle, the faithful collie nudging the knees of his master.
"Treason will not be tolerated in my Albion. For much too long, rodents have infiltrated their way into positions reserved for those deemed worthy." Logan stood on a dais high above the collected, his tone monotonous yet authoritative. "Today, we shall make an example of one such pest."
Guards pushed a hooded man to the front of the people, his hands bounds behind him. Trousers and shirt were dirty, ripped and torn, and he noticeably favored his right leg. Through a hole in his shirt, a familiar tattoo could be made out.
"No…" Ben murmured, his mouth going dry.
The hood was roughly pulled, revealing Major Swift's bruised and swollen face. His normally twisted moustache was matted with blood. Head held high and proud, the Major presumably could not see through his blackened eyes.
Abigail looped her arm through Ben's, trying to pull him away from the scene she knew would haunt his dreams. "Come on, Captain. You don't need to see this." Her free hand pressed to his cheek, body pressing closer as she looked into his eyes.
Shaking his head, he tried to shove past her. "He will not go through this alone! Abi, how could you even suggest that?" he hissed.
"Because I was there when Logan's men killed Elliot, and it tore me apart!" She stepped before him, ignoring the droning of her brother. "Please, Benjamin. Do not put yourself through-"
Three shots fired in succession.
Ben's eyes widened, pure shock and terror plain on his face as the Major fell. Three fatal shots to the head, heart and lung ensured he would not rise again. Overkill in the most extreme of ways. It was more than an example, it was a clear message to any that dare to oppose the king. A message that, if Ben Finn had anything to say (which he always did, like it or not), would not go unanswered.
He was barely aware of the princess leading him through dark alleys, and the faint whimpering as Cerberus trotted along at his side, licking at his limp fingers. It wasn't until the dog growled and barked at a stray ruffian that he was forced to realize the whimpering was his own. His companion eventually helped him to sit on an abandoned crate, then kneeled before him.
"Captain Finn?"
His distant eyes met hers. Despite the grime and muck, she was beautiful. Pale skin and clover green eyes, with a gentle splay of freckles across her nose. Loose curls of chocolate brown hair framed her face, a few tufts almost escaping the confines of her cloak. At her blush, he realized he was musing aloud.
"Benjamin, I didn't want you to see that," she whispered, taking his large hands in her own. She lightly stroked at his rough, calloused skin, tracing invisible patterns and reveling in his warmth. Sighing, she smiled at him despairingly. She was clearly choosing her next words carefully, chewing on the side of her lip thoughtfully. "You're going to ask me to kill him, aren't you?"
This grasped his full attention. "You would allow Logan to live after everything he has done? After everyone he has killed?" Ben asked, incredulous. He pulled his hands from hers, standing up abruptly. "That tyrant deserves no mercy!"
"That tyrant is my brother, lest you forget. You do not know him as I once did: the young man that mended my scraped elbows and wiped away my tears when our mother died." Her voice was a harsh whisper.
"No, I know him as the man that deserted the Swift Brigade to our deaths at Mourningwood. We lost countless good men at that fort, who did nothing but their duty to the crown. I know him as the man that just murdered only family I had left!" he argued. "What of your Elliot? Can you really just forget that pain so easily?"
Tears sprang to her eyes. "I could never forget the pain of losing Elliot, just as Logan wished of me. But his death was my fault, and I have learned to accept that. Might I add that you are asking me to kill the only family I have? Who are you trying to seek vengeance on, Logan or me?" Ben started to argue, but Abigail silenced him with the wave of a hand. "Now is not the time."
Cerberus' excited barks acted as a warning, and the pair quickly made their way to retreat to the sewers, recounting the afternoon's events to Walter and Page.