The air was thick and he expected her to pull away. "An heir?" She asked confused as she sat up, her hair fanned down onto his chest as she searched his unreadable expression. "Like to have a child?"
He sighed. "He wants us to produce his predecessor." He said and he watched the array of emotions go through her face, from red with anger to white in horror and all of the colors in between. She bit her lip and turned away from him, sitting on the other side of the bed.
"You and me? To produce a child. He wants us to give him our child." She processed the information out loud. She couldn't tell what part of it she was most upset about-being forced to have a child or giving up the child to be the successor of Ambrosia.
Professor Layton got up and sat next to her. "Emmy." He said softly, rubbing a hand on her back. He wanted to reassure her that they would get out of this trap somehow, but he didn't want to give her empty promises.
"How can someone be so horrible?" She asked as tears fell from her eyes.
He reached for her chin and brought her gaze to his. "You know I would never hurt you." He said with sincerity.
She looked at him with guilt, putting their foreheads together. "I know." She whispered, seeming to get her act together. She placed a hand on his cheek. "There is evil just outside these walls and you, Hershel Layton are far from it."
For the first time in what seemed like years, a smile graced his face. He closed his eyes for a moment to savor the peace that washed over them. Until the door opened behind them and they jumped apart, he grabbed her hand as they got to their feet.
Two maids walked in with two large armed guards standing in the hallway, the larger one carried a tray with two dish covered plates and the younger one, not much younger than Emmy followed with her hands filled with an arm load of clothing, who placed them on the chair and ran out without making any eye contact with them. The larger one tutted as she set the food on the table before picking up the clothing and hanging them up in the cupboard. "Well are you going to eat?" She snapped at them.
They shared a look, both unsure how to take her intrusion. "Well go on! It isn't poisoned, I made it myself." She ordered with a stern glare and they jumped, both taking their seats across from each other.
She pulled the lids off the plates to see some roast, potatoes and beans, almost like a normal evening dinner. They both looked skeptical at their plate and the maid huffed again. "Or starve, whatever you choose." She said, shutting the door behind her.
Emmy let out the breath she was holding and they shared a look. Slowly Emmy went to the cupboard to look at what the maid put in it while the Professor went to investigate the plates on the table. He pulled the lids off to find a proper meal of roast, potatoes and string beans, normally his favorite and his stomach growled in agreement. When was the last time they ate? How long had they been there? What time was it? "She brought us spare clothing." Her voice brought him from his thoughts as she handed him a black t-shirt and some sleep pants. "You should change."
He smiled in gratitude and took the clothes from her. "Thank you." He answered quietly and politely turned his back to her, allowing her some privacy to change. His clothes stuck to his skin as he peeled it off, cuts and bruising that had started to heal over the threads. He hissed as he put the fresh clothes on and turned around just as Emmy pulled her shirt down over her bare back, he shivered and turned away from her and sat down at the table.
Emmy slowly turned around, looking at him shyly because she only wore a baggy shirt. She sat across from him and looked at her plate. Her stomach growled angrily for food and slowly they began to eat.
The roast was probably the best she had ever tasted and melted in her mouth. Before they knew it, both of their plates were empty and they both laid contently on the bed, with her head against his chest. He hands worked out the tangles in her hair while hers held tightly to his shirt. The silence between them was filled with tension, both of them unsure of what to say.
They knew that there was a major shift in their relationship status, but neither knew what it was or if it was because of their situation. Professor Layton shook the thought away, he had always been somewhat attracted to her, he had eyes for god sake, but he was unsure if the feelings were reciprocated.
Until she sat up slightly. "I've been thinking." She said, her voice hoarse from crying and from the silence. He waited for her to speak. "I'm hoping that this is a horrible nightmare, where I wake up in a hospital because I crashed my scooter . . . "There was the Emmy he knew, borderline hysterical. ". . . but I know it's not and I know he is going to force us to have a baby, I know you feel guilty about the process. . ."
He reached up with sad eyes and cupped her cheek, to focus her from her ramblings. She took another shaky breath, nuzzling his hand. "Please understand that no matter what happens between us that I will never hate you for it." Tears lined her cheeks and he brushed them away, to seal the deal she leaned down, brushing her hair back and kissed him softly on the lips.
/
They were woken up abruptly but the door slamming open and two different thugs stormed in. Both the Professor and Emmy jumped up, bumping heads because of their close proximity. "Get up! Come on." The larger of the two said, grabbing Emmy by the wrist and the other grabbing her other arm. "You, keep up." They ordered the Professor as they walked down the hall in their sleep clothes.
They led the way back to Descole's study, where they were shoved into chairs and tied up again. Descole put down a letter that was in his hand and smiled. "Good morning." He said as he got up and stalked around Emmy. "You both look well rested."
Emmy turned away from him and closed her eyes. "I'm sure Hershel told you of my plan." He whispered into her ear. Goosebumps appeared down her arms and the hair on the back of her neck stood up. "It is an honor to be the mother of Ambrosia."
His hand brushed up her bare leg and Professor Layton squirmed uncomfortable in his chair. "No! Don't touch her!" He cried. Descole stood up to full height and pointed at him, the thugs understood him without words and placed a thick piece of tape on his mouth to silence him.
"You are so beautiful." He said, caressing her cheek for a few moments and she turned, snapping her teeth and his hand. He pulled away, knowing how feisty she was. "Naughty girl. If you are good, I may let you stick around to see our child grow up."
"Our child?" She seethed, pulling away from him as much as possible. "There isn't going to be 'our child'."
He laughed slightly at her tenacity as he stood up to full height. "Sadly, I cannot provide half of the DNA required to have a child due to an unfortunate accident when I was a child, which is why our good man Hershel Layton is going to provide it for me, really couldn't ask for a better surrogate." He patted the professor on the shoulders roughly. "He is a genius, which is surely a trait that will pass on nicely."
"You are planning on breeding us like horses." Emmy growled. "It is wrong!"
Descole stalked around the room some more and ignored her. "I know you will never have romantic feelings for me, so out of the kindness of my heart, I am allowing you to conceive the natural way. I really should just do it the clinical way, but this way is more fun for you" He tightened his fists, his knuckles cracking.
"Fun for me?" Roared Emmy from her seat and mentally Professor Layton pleaded with her to quiet down. "You are planning on forcing us to have a child! You are sick!" He backhanded her and split her lip, she was slow to look at him.
"I'm not planning anything, because this is happening!" He shouted before he collected himself, straightening his jacket. "Conception starts this afternoon." Descole turned his attention to his lackeys and nodded his head. "Get her down to the doctor and take him back to the room, we will not be late."
The bigger thug from earlier ripped the tape off Layton's mouth as the other one picked up Emmy, tossing her over her shoulder. She kicked with all of her might and the bigger thug moved over to assist his struggling friend, pulling a syringe from his pocket and shoving it into her backside. "EMMY!" He cried against his ties as she went limp.
"Come on, Professor." He was dragged in the opposite direction from his assistant.