Thanks to trainsgirl13 for her review! She gets a mega-super-awesome cupcake for being the first one! :D I really appreciate it! And remember, ANYONE can review so do just that, won't you? :)

Jonathon had allowed himself to be pried away from his father and dutifully led back to his escort's carriage, standing tall and choking back the tears as he watched his father's carriage pulling away. He sighed and suppressed the urge to chase after the Admiral, looking instead up to the face of the man behind him. The man's countenance was stiff and unreadable and Jonathon wasn't sure why he got a cold feeling when those blue eyes settled on his face. The man was expressionless yet stern at the same time and Jonathon felt a spark of something disconcerting as he was ushered to the door of his new carriage.

However, he pushed all nervousness aside and attributed it to the wild emotions of his father's departure. Though it was slightly odd that his aunt would send her escort to wait for him in the middle of the road, which was settled in the middle of the woods. But his father had seen fit to leave him with the men so he wouldn't question it.

He ignored the rough slam of the door and frowned when he felt a rough jerk forward, signifying the carriage moving forward. He instead closed his eyes and leaned his head back. He wasn't quite sure when exactly he fell asleep, admitting to himself that he'd been dozing for what seemed like quite a while, but he did know that when he was finally out he dreamt some very odd things.

When he dreamt, he was on a ship with his father running around and doing whatever chores needed doing. Everything was wonderful and they were all happy and content. However, somewhere along the way a storm had suddenly raged up and the ship was all in a mess, tossing and turning this way and that. He remembered panicking because he could not find his father, but then, with a sharp strike of lightening, a fire was lit upon the deck and it illuminated figures all around. No matter how the water sloshed about to extinguish the fire it still blazed, sometimes even brighter. Yet suddenly, through that blaze Jonathon could see his father… holding a knife to a man's throat. A surge of hatred suddenly coursed through Jonathon, fiercer than the blazing fire that was engulfing the ship. The next thing he knew, he was walking through the fire, letting it engulf him no matter the slight sting he felt. And that was all that there was, a slight sting. He watched his father's face turn from love for him, to pleading, to pure fear as Jonathon opened his mouth and a stream of fire-

A huge jerk brought Jonathon's eyes fluttering open and he took a moment to gather his surroundings. He heard a loud roaring sound and rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he leaned over and peered out of the window. Though it was significantly smaller, not mention the inside of the carriage was not as luxurious as his father's, he could still see through the foggy glass. It seemed that it was pouring rain so hard you could barely see the remnants of the muddy road. He felt a pang of pity for the driver, but the emotion was unconsciously dismissed as quickly as it appeared. Instead, his thoughts traveled to his aunt and how she would go about making sure he still completed his studies. As much as he liked the man, he didn't think Thompson Loughwell would travel all the way from London out to the countryside everyday just to tutor him. It was a lovely thought though.

He leaned his head back again and crossed his legs out of habit. He found himself hoping that his father wasn't caught out in the storm and that he wouldn't be too swamped with duties when he arrived to his ship. That would more than likely not make for a very good start.

Jonathon found himself uncrossing his legs again and settling further back into the seat, his eyes closing again. The rain and gloominess outside would definitely explain his lethargy. And his thoughts were all muddled up as he retreated further back into his warm collar. He found that his head was drooping but he didn't fully comprehend the fact. It was only when the sudden stop of the carriage threw his head back and he bumped it, that he woke up enough to frown and push himself forward to see what had happened. As he peered out he had to narrow his eyes to make out the shapes of a few quickly moving horses and their riders, as well as even more carriages of various shapes and sizes. Then behind that he could make out the shapes of various buildings, which was odd considering his aunt didn't live in a town at all. He was just leaning back when the door was violently thrown open and a dripping wet, blue-eyed man was staring at him fiercely. He flinched back, partially out of sudden fright and partially out of disgust for the sudden cold and rain that had invaded the inside of the cabin.

"Time ta get out lad."

Jonathon's eyebrows drew down in confusion and a disgusted look twisted his face.

"No! I don't mind if this is just a temporary stop, which it obviously must be for my aunt does not live in a town. But I will not be stepping out into that freezing mess! How dare you even think that I would! No. If you want me out you're going to have to wait until the rain lets up."

Jonathon wrinkled his nose and looked back out to the driving rain that had now soaked the man completely to the bone. He tried to scoot over to the other side but the man grabbed his upper right arm and jerked him over to the entrance. Jonathon yelped in surprise and pain and became to shocked to do anything as the man dragged him out of the carriage and into the torrent. The man wrenched his arm at an odd angle and in response Jonathon nearly went to his knees, barely registering the raspy voice through his pain.

"Get yer'self movin now, brat. I don't have time fer playin' around. Now shut yer damn trap an' walk along!"

Jonathon whimpered in fright as the man twisted his arm at yet another angle, this one not quite so painful, and brought his other arm around Jonathon's shoulders. The man pulled him closely, more so it wouldn't look as though something were wrong. Not that anyone would have stopped that is. The rain was heavy so as to blur the sight of them enough that one could have mistaken them for family anyways.

Jonathon however, was painstakingly aware that they were nothing like family. Far from it in fact, and by now he was thoroughly frightened. But he hadn't enough time to really even think things over, because before he knew it he'd been shoved out of the rain and into warmth. He stood as straightly as he could, with his arm still in a vice-like grip, and cringed when he felt hot sticky breath on his neck and heard a raspy voice in his ear.

"Now ye jus' behave yerself an' be a nice, quiet lad. Not a word or I'll have yer tongue boy."

Too frightened and shocked to speak anyway, Jonathon nodded just as a short, portly woman came bustling in through one of the three doors leading into the room. The man hastily smiled at her and pushed Jonathon forward with him toward a set of stairs leading to a second level. If he hadn't been so scared, Jonathon might have enjoyed the cozy feeling the warm little parlor area provided. He also might have appreciated the motherly concern in the woman's voice when she spoke.

"… Mr. Spencers? What…?"

The man behind Jonathon, or Spencers as he now knew him, simply smiled tensely and pushed his little prisoiner along even further.

"Mrs.-"

"Spencers! There ye are, you lazy ol' brute. I was wonderin' where ye'd gotten off to."

Jonathon looked up, drawing his gaze from the floor and meeting that of a new man who was now standing solidly before them upon the steps. One with a dark, brooding gaze and midnight black hair that was tied back, complete with a strong commanding air that instantly filled Jonathon with more dread and fright. Somehow he was even more afraid of this new intruder than the man violently twisting his arm…