~ I ~ Feather in the Wind ~ I ~

~ Jasper ~

~ Historical (fan) fiction ~

~ Chapter 12 ~

1845. After a forced agreement with Whites, 15 year old Piper is betrothed to Jason Grace, son of the one who has caused much harm to her people. Yet she doesn't know that and it doesn't help the vast rumors of forced marriages with the lightly-colored she had heard of. But yet she never thought that she would fall for him, despite the knowledge that he might leave.

~ Arrivals ~

~ Piper ~

Piper took Jason's hand and let him lead her downstairs.

Going down the stairs after what they had just experience was tempting to continue. The smiles on their faces didn't fade out. The playful smirk hidden beneath those smiles didn't either. Carefully, one by one, they descended from the steps and arrived down, bumping into Reyna.

Reyna had the last stages of a laugh on her face. She was looking into the living room when she had bumped into them.

"Omph," Reyna said when she bumped into them, "I was just going to go get you. Dylan has arrived!"

The happiness was evident on the seven year old. As if a joke was recently said.

"Really," Jason said steadying her, "Then let us go greet him together, shall we?"

Reyna nodded violently and practically squirmed out of her brother's hold and into the living room.

When Piper entered the room, she thought she was seeing double. On the couch was Jason. But Jason was also standing next to her. Putting the pieces together, she figured the look-a-like of Jason was his older brother Dylan and beside him, his wife and newborn daughter.

"Dylan! Brother!" Jason came up to his brother and gave a firm hand shake.

"Jay, long time, no see." Dylan told him. "Let me introduce you to my family. This my wife, Catherine and our daughter, Josephine."

Piper could see something in Jason's eyes. Surprise? Yes that's it. It is as if Dylan courteous behavior was unusual and by what she has heard, Piper didn't argue with that.

Jason planted a light kiss on Catherine's hand and she smiled, holding her daughter tightly. Jason then wiggled a finger to his new niece's little hand. Josephine wrapped her little finger around his finger. Piper smiled at the scene. She could see that Jason is waiting anxiously their child. Just by looking at how he treats children; Reyna and now Josephine.

Jason stepped out of his reverie and stood up. He turned to Piper gestured her to come forward. Piper did as so.

"This is Piper. My wife and she is expecting our first child." Jason introduced proudly, placing a hand on Piper's stomach.

Piper smiled at the late family. Catherine smiled back.

She was a beautiful woman. Her eyes, a pretty emerald color, showed kindness beyond comparison. Her facial features were elegant and bold, yet had that fragile twist. Her hair was a light brown, almost blonde. She wore a gown that puffed out all around the bottom of it. Similar to the ones Piper used to wear. In her arms, Catherine held her baby, wrapped in a pink lace and wool blanket.

Piper glanced at the infamous elder brother of the Grace clan. She immediately felt intimidated. The courteous Dylan she saw a few minutes ago was replaced by an observant and inspecting Dylan, eyeing her from head to toe. He extended his hand for hers and kissed it, making the kiss last a bit longer than it should.

"I've heard of your wife, Jay, but I never thought she was this beautiful. Thalia was evidently wrong when she stated you would never get one. And beautiful not even." Dylan said Jason, still holding her hand as well as her gaze.

Piper retracted her hand from her brother-in-law's.

Piper looked around and saw Thalia standing next to Catherine, silently asking for the baby girl.

Catherine smiled and handed the baby to Thalia, who took her and began to coo at her.

"Shall we get head to the dining table?" Jason asked in general.

~ I ~

"-couldn't help it. I had to marry her. And all of you know how I was with compromises. I never kept them but once I laid my eyes on Catherine, here, I couldn't just let her go." Dylan finished telling the family of his first encounter with his wife. "Then I proposed. And now here we are enjoying our first daughter."

Dylan laid his eyes lovingly at Catherine. She smiled and looked behind her shoulder to where Esperanza stood with Josephine, feeding her.

"Oh please stop it. Dear, I think we have bored them with this story." Catherine said in all modesty.

"No! I think pretty." Reyna said dreamily.

Everyone chuckled.

After a few moments of eating, Catherine spoke up.

"Piper, I couldn't help but noticed that you are barely beginning your pregnancy. In anything you have doubts, don't hesitate to ask." Catherine said to her invitingly.

Then a sound was heard from beside, Jason. Thalia had stabbed her fork into her food a bit to loudly. There was something different from her expression, though. But Piper couldn't pin it.

"Thank you." Piper said to Catherine.

"Not much of a talker you got there, brother." Dylan observed, eyeing Piper with those uncomfortable eyes.

Jason didn't seem to notice and chuckled.

"She is just shy, that's all. She hasn't been talking much lately, today." Jason said, setting his hand on her.

Catherine spoke up before any else could. "Oh excuse her. Being pregnant, our energy is low. Even talking requires energy and so what if she doesn't for a few hours, right Piper?"

"Right." Piper chuckled.

"Well, I just said so." Dylan defended himself.

The seating at the table was like this: Dylan at the head of the table, taking the general's chair. Catherine to his right. Piper to his left. Jason next her, Reyna next to Catherine. And Thalia sat next to Jason. An empty head seat was left.

Piper hadn't noticed she was seated next to Dylan until everyone was settled and it was late to make a change.

A non-important chatter sprung at the table. Piper smiled and chuckled and nodded at whatever they talked about. Frankly, the reason she hasn't been talking much is the simple reason that she is anxious. Jason had helped her settle a bit but then the infamous Dylan came and all those mixed feelings came. She didn't know why, but just that her brother-in-law makes her very uncomfortable.

Jason made a general comment and everyone laughed. Dylan laughed loudly and caused her to jump. It could seem an accident, but he rubbed his leg against Piper's.

She quickly stopped laughing.

She looked at Dylan and he just had a hungry eye? Hungry? He was eating and hunger didn't seem appropriate to describe what his gaze looked like but that is the first word that came to her mind. It just didn't fit to the eating-type of hungry. So what type?

She broke the interaction and retracted her leg from the original spot. He sat back.

And then it happened again. And it didn't seem like an accident this time. He leaned forward and soon she felt another sensation but this time on her leg. His hand. His hand was on her leg. Why? What was he attempting?

Soon, dinner came to an end and everyone said their "good nights". Just Jason and Dylan stayed behind to talk.

And Piper respected that. She just wanted to stay away.

Just as Piper was to enter her bedroom, Catherine came behind her.

"Piper, may I speak with you?" she asked kindly.

"Of course." Piper said. She gestured inside the bedroom. "In here, is okay?"

"Yes, it's fine." Catherine said, with a bit of hurry in her voice.

They entered the room and they agreed to sit in the couches settled near the window.

"I saw what happened at dinner. With Dylan." Catherine began. Piper's heart raced. Hopefully, with what she saw, Catherine didn't get a wrong idea. Catherine was holding her sleeping child and she passed a finger over her soft cheek.

"Would you like to hold her?" Catherine asked.

Piper felt insecure about that. She was afraid that in a few months she was to hold her own child and she was afraid that she might let him fall. Now she was given the choice to hold a baby and get used to it.

Catherine noticed, "Don't worry. Just hold her tightly. She won't fall."

Piper took the baby and held her dearly.

Instantly, Piper felt the peace that many women describe when holding a child. Josephine was breathing soothingly, enjoying and preserving each inhale. Her slight pink arms were crossed over her tummy. Wearing a light pink dress, Josephine looked like an angel.

"She is beautiful, Catherine. Congratulations." Piper said sincerely.

"Thank you." She replied.

They spent a few minutes admiring Josephine's features.

Then Catherine spoke: "I know Dylan wasn't a settling type of guy. And when we married, he wasn't one to change."

Piper wasn't sure where Catherine was going.

"Like I said before, I saw what happened at dinner. Dylan and his action under the table were irresponsible. And for that I apologize."

Piper looked up from Josephine and settled her gaze into Catherine's.

"I have no desire in preceding any action with Dylan. In fact, my nervousness for him due to what I've heard made me quiet. However, I see no harm. Just something of a minor flirt." Piper reassured her.

Catherine nodded. "It's just I fear that in our stay here, he might wish to keep at his game. I am grateful at you for not trying anything as well. I see that you love Jason very much and seek no harm to him."

Piper slightly blushed. Of course she loved Jason; it's just funny to think of how she became to love him.

"I would never do anything to hurt Jason." Piper enforced.

"And well, you are very young, Piper. How old are you? Fifteen? Fourteen?" Catherine inquired.

"Around there." Piper said.

"Way too young. And Dylan likes young girls. You saw it by yourself." She told Piper.

"I will stay miles away, Catherine." Piper said, fearing for Dylan's attempts. She vaguely remembered of James' attack on her way to Virginia.

"I trust you." Catherine took Josephine from Piper's hands and smiled.

Hey guys. I was witting for another story and couldn't help but think of this chapter, so I wrote it.

Hope you like it.

~BeautiWind –heart-

PS – I like the new format for FanFiction. It's classy.