Chapter 75

Author's Note: Okay, major angst chapter which is why it took me so long to write. It's easier to write happy fluffy stuff. Enjoy (if you can actually enjoy angst?) Thank you once again to my reviewers and readers. Thank for sticking with me for 75 chapters! A few more and we will reach the ending.

Dafne stirred and blinked her eyes. She slowly saw the ceiling above her, felt the bed beneath her. She turned her head to see more beds. She wasn't in Capricorn's bedroom anymore. It was one of the maid bedrooms.

"Oh you're awake," a relieved voice startled her. She went to sit up and cried out in pain. It was her hands. She crumpled back to her lying position. "Sorry," the voice apologised quickly, "I didn't mean to frighten you bella. Let me help you."

She felt Pietro rise from the side of her bed. He put his arms around her and heaved her into a sitting position.

"Thanks," Dafne murmured in a tight voice, staring at her hands. They had been bandaged so she couldn't see the damage. But it had to be bad if there was this much pain.

"Orlanda treated them while you were out," Pietro said as he resumed sitting on the bed, "She gave me these to give you. To help with the pain."

He showed her the pills and she opened her mouth so he could pop them in.

"Hopefully they'll kick in straight away," Pietro said as she finished swallowing the last one, "You must be in a lot of pain."

Dafne nodded with a slight whimper. Pietro watched her with concern. Then he looked away for a moment and sighed,

"Why did you do it? You must have known the chances of killing him were slim to none," his voice was quiet with reproach.

"He was going to kill Basta," Dafne said in a slightly shaking voice, "He still is."

The pain in her heart overwhelmed the pain in her hands. She was going to lose Basta. She had failed. She started to cry. Pietro made a noise of sympathy but otherwise stayed silent. That made her cry harder. His silence meant it was true. Basta was going to die.

No. She began shaking her head. She wouldn't accept it. There had to be some way to save him, save Resa too, some way. One way...

"Please Pietro," she looked at him with tears in her eyes and desperation in her voice, "I couldn't kill Capricorn but one shot from your lupara and he'd be dead. You could take over as leader. The men would accept it..."

"Some of them yes," Pietro interrupted, "But not all. There would be people who wouldn't want to follow me. Cockerell, Flatnose, Sergio, Mortola. It wouldn't be a smooth takeover. There could be bloodshed and I don't want any of that blood belonging to my family," he looked at her with a sad tenderness, "I like you bella but my family has to take priority over a woman who wants to ride off into the sunset with someone else."

His words were a crushing blow but Dafne understood where he was coming from, and had no way to argue.

"I'm sorry," Pietro said. She could tell he meant it but it didn't comfort her. He had been her only hope of saving Basta. She couldn't save him herself. Not with two burned hands. No weapon. No key. No help.

It was more rage she felt than despair in that moment. Rage at being completely helpless.

"It's not fair!" she shouted, "I love him and I can't save him! I can't..."

Her ability to speak broke down and she just sobbed. Sobbed because she could do nothing else.

Pietro tried to put his arm around her and she shoved him away - seething at the pain it caused her hands to do so. He had refused to help her and she couldn't stand to have him touch her, not even to offer comfort.

"I'm sorry things have turned out the way they are bella," Pietro said sounding slightly wounded, "Truly I am. I have no desire for to Basta die..."

"But you'll stand by and let it happen," Dafne glared at him with condemnation.

Pietro sighed,

"Yes I will. For the sake of my family and also because Basta would do the same in my shoes. He wouldn't go out on a limb to save me from death. He doesn't expect me to act any differently. He didn't ask me to save him when I went to see him again. He only wanted me to save you."

"Me?" Dafne said, "But I'm not the one getting executed."

Pietro looked at her solemnly,

"Not tonight no but someday. Capricorn isn't going to let you live into old age now you've tried to kill him. He's refusing to let me take you up north. He told me that after the execution, you're going to be locked up somewhere until he decides the Shadow needs another feeding."

Fear clutched Dafne's chest. She should have known Capricorn wouldn't have been satisfied with just burning her hands. But she was still shocked to learn of her death sentence.

"But why not execute me alongside Basta?" she stuttered. If she was going to die, she wanted to die with him, with Resa.

"Capricorn said that would be too merciful, letting lovers die together," Pietro answered, "He said you would suffer more watching Basta die, reliving it until your time comes to die," Dafne could hear the disapproval in Pietro's voice as he said this. He put his hand on Dafne's shoulder. This time she didn't knock it away, "But I'm not going to let you die bella. I promised Basta I'd help you escape and I will."

"How?" How would he be able to help her escape and not Basta?

"You were out for a long time," Pietro started by saying, "People have already started moving down to the arena. Orlanda was supposed to take you along with the other maids but you were still sleeping. So I offered to bring you myself," he smiled briefly, "Of course she said yes. Once we leave the house, I'll take you as far as I can to road leading out of here. You know where that is?"

Dafne nodded, there were questions on her tongue but Pietro didn't give her a chance to say them.

"Good. You'll have to make it the rest of the way yourself. There won't be many men walking around soon. They'll be at the arena. And you don't have to worry about the guard in the church tower. It's Carlo. He won't raise the alarm if he spots you. You'll still have to be careful to avoid anyone on the ground. But once you reach the road, you'll be fine."

"What about the guard at the bridge?"

"Oh he won't give you any trouble. It's Nico," Pietro told her, "But once you reach him, don't stop, I want you to get as far away from the village as you can. To the next village if you can make it. Tomorrow I'll make the excuse that I have to leave because Gabby is demanding I come home. We'll pick you up, wherever you are, and take you to your village."

He sounded so confident of the plan succeeding. But there was something he hadn't mentioned.

"Capricorn is going to be upset when you turn up without me," she said, "And he isn't going to believe that I got the better of you."

Pietro didn't look that worried.

"I'll tell him Dustfinger appeared out of nowhere, I had to let go of you to give chase," he smiled, "He's still missing so my story is plausible. I'll say that I lost you both in the woods. Capricorn won't be happy but he'll let me live. I've never failed him before. And I'm the best person to run things up north. He knows that so I should be fine."

Dafne nodded distractedly.

Yes Pietro would be fine. It was Basta who wouldn't be fine. How could she escape the village leaving him behind to die? She started shaking her head.

"I can't do it Pietro," she said, "I can't abandon Basta to die."

"You have to bella," Pietro said, his voice sympathetic but firm, "This is our only shot at getting you out of the village. The alternative is watching him die then dying yourself. You can't want that for yourself. Basta doesn't. He wants you to go back to your normal life."

"Without him," she said in small mournful voice.

"He said it's probably for the best," Pietro told her, "That he wouldn't be much good at honest life. He said he'd rather die than end up disappointing you."

Dafne grimaced hearing this.

"The idiot, what a stupid thing to say," she said somewhat angrily, "How could he disappoint me if he at least gave it a good try. He might have even surprised himself," she hung her head, all the anger in her voice dissipating, leaving only sorrow, "But I guess we'll never find out."

Tears flowed as she mourned all the things that would never happen. Basta would never get to meet Signor Orazio. He would never see Silvio again, if the boy was where he was supposed to be. They would never live together in her rented house and nail a horseshoe to the door. She would never help him find a job, one he might actually enjoy. She would never teach him to write anything other than his name, or tell him any more stories.

The list of nevers seemed so painfully endless.

She wouldn't even get to...

She looked up at Pietro with a desperate expression.

"Is there any chance of sneaking me into the crypt to see him one last time?"

She couldn't leave without seeing him.

"I'm sorry bella," Pietro said, "but that would be impossible. He's already been taken to the arena."

Dafne couldn't help a sob escaping from her mouth.

She wouldn't even get to say goodbye to Basta.

"He told me some things to tell you," Pietro said softly, "Since he knew you wouldn't be able to see each other."

Dafne stared at him with pained eyes.

"Tell me," she said in an almost fearful voice. Tell me even though it will hurt.

"He's sorry for what Capricorn did to you," Pietro began, "He knows you did it to save him. He said you were very brave..."

Dafne tried to smile but ended up wincing.

Brave but I failed, she thought, I failed and now you'll die...

Pietro paused, seeing the distress on her face. She nodded for him to continue.

"He's also sorry for putting you through all this hell by kidnapping you," Pietro smiled lightly, "But he's sort of glad he did because you turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to him..."

Dafne bit her lip. Those words were so moving but she could only feel heartache at hearing them.

"He hopes you have a nice life, because he loves you and wants you to be happy little mouse... he told me to call you that from him."

Little mouse. She would never hear him call her that again, that name that had used annoyed her so much. Now there were no words she wanted to hear more coming out his mouth, no other words except I love you but she wouldn't hear them either, not from him, ever again...

She could dimly feel Pietro massaging her shoulder, to comfort her. But she felt no comfort, just overwhelming sadness and the pain in her heart, far more piercing than the dulled pain in hands.

"He wanted me to give you these as well," Pietro's voice sounded far away even though he was right next to her.

She watched him dig two items out of his jacket pocket and place them in her lap. She grimaced at the familiarity of the small tin. Inside were the leaves that made Basta's kisses so wonderfully sweet. She tore her gaze away, not able to bear looking at it. She would never taste his kisses again.

There was a folded piece of paper too. She picked it up, ignoring the escalating pain in her hands as she unfolded it clumsily. Two names in two sets of handwriting stared back at her, triggering the memory of the night she had taught him to write his name – on this very piece of paper. She thrust it at Pietro.

"Fold this please," she said in a barely comprehensible voice. Take it before I weep all over it.

"We need to leave soon bella," Pietro told her gently as he did as she asked.

Dafne picked up the peppermint tin and held it to her nose. She could smell the peppermint but it did nothing to comfort her. This tin of leaves was no substitute for Basta. Neither was the piece of paper in Pietro's hands. Yet she was taking these things with her while she left the man she loved to die.

Even though Basta wanted her to do this, she felt despicable.

But she knew she had no other choice. She couldn't save him and she couldn't bear to see him die. Or Resa. Her heart would break, though it was breaking already.

"Dafne?" Pietro said as she had not given him a response.

She gave him one now, nodding her head sadly and moving off the bed. Pietro gave a small sigh of relief at this gesture of acquiescence. He rose to his feet and helped her slip the tin and paper into her dress pocket. He took a mobile phone from his jacket.

"We'll call you on this tomorrow so you can tell us where you are," he said and dropped that inside her pocket as well.

He waited for Dafne to nod in understanding before they left the room, Pietro leading the way. He stopped at every corner to glance around it. Dafne presumed he was looking for Mortola. She must still be in the house. But they didn't see her or anyone else until they stepped out the front door and saw the group of guards outside. None of them were Pietro's relatives and even more unfortunately, one of them was Cockerell. He gave Dafne a nasty smile,

"How are your paws pussycat?" he jeered, eyeing her bandaged hands gleefully, "I bet they hurt like hell after having the boss toast them the way he did," he chuckled, "But not to worry, when Basta's getting eaten by the Shadow, you'll forget all about your hands."

Dafne glared at him with utter hatred as he laughed along with some of the other men.

"Speaking of hands," Pietro said in a calm yet slightly raised voice in that silenced the lot of them rather quickly, "Cockerell, do you know how Sergio ended up with a broken arm."

Cockerell didn't answer. He wore a scowling expression but couldn't hide the anxiety flickering in his eyes.

"He ended up with a broken arm..." Pietro said when he was met with silence, "because he did something to Dafne I took offense to. So I would apologise for those insensitive remarks, otherwise I'll break your arm."

The fear danced on Cockerell's face. He glanced quickly at his companions. It was likely their presence which persuaded him to reach for the gun slung around his shoulder instead of apologising. He probably didn't want to appear weak in front of them.

"I'd like to see you try," he glared at Pietro, "Take one step and I'll shoot you."

Far from looking afraid, Pietro just laughed,

"How cowardly you are, threatening to shoot me when I don't have a gun in my hand. A real man would challenge me to a duel," smiling, he stroked the side of his jacket where his lupara was concealed, "But you won't because you know you'd lose, being the pathetic shot you are."

"Pathetic shot?" Cockerell shouted, his face red with anger, "I'm the one who shot Silvertongue. I hit him and now he's dead. How's that for a pathetic shot.""

Silvertongue was dead? Dafne's heart went out to Resa. Her husband was dead and wouldn't be coming to saving her...

"We don't know that for sure," Pietro said, "We haven't found his body."

"That's because the old woman buried him somewhere," Cockerell snarled, "She said he died from the gunshot!"

"Convenient for you if we all believe her," Pietro said.

I really hope she was lying, Dafne thought as Cockerell was seething. He turned his head away from Pietro, as if he couldn't stand to look at him since he had no way to verify the old woman's story.

Something caught his eye in the direction he was looking and he started to grin.

"You want proof I'm not a pathetic shot," he said in a low voice and one of his hands left his gun to point, "How about I shoot that cat over there?

Dafne's heart leapt with fear as she recognised the cat moving in the shadows. It was Ignazio. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Cockerell move to aim his gun.

"Stop!" she cried, "Don't shoot him!"

Pietro had his hand on her hand since leaving the house, to give the appearance she was his prisoner. But his hold wasn't tight, making it easy to wrench free as she did now. She started hurrying towards Ignazio. She heard Cockerell cursing her, telling her to get out of the way. But she kept going, despite the fact she was in his sights. Pietro wouldn't let him shoot her. Cockerell probably knew Capricorn wanted her alive for the execution anyway. She heard him grumbling as Pietro ordered him to lower his weapon.

She slowed her pace, not wanting to startle Ignazio by approaching him too quickly. She didn't want him to run off. He had noticed her coming and was watching her. She called his name gently, hoping he would recognise her. They hadn't seen each other a while. She stooped down a short distance from him,

"Come here Nacy," she said in a coaxing voice, "Come here."

To her relief the cat prowled out of the shadows and brushed up against her. She drew him up in her arms immediately, ignoring the flare of pain in her hands. She hugged him to her chest. The cat squirmed a little but she was not going to let go.

"Settle down," she whispered, dipping her head to put her cheek on his head, "I'm taking you to Netta. She'll be so happy to see you. And Silvio."

Her eyes started to feel hot with oncoming tears. Silvio wouldn't be happy. He would be devastated about Basta...

"Dafne," she turned as Pietro called to her, "We need to get going. Bring the cat if you like."

He had started walking over to her. Dafne blinked back her tears and went to meet him. He stroked the cat's head before taking hold of her arm once more.

"See you at the execution," Cockerell called cheerfully as they set off. But that was all he said as Pietro gave him a glance over his shoulder.

"I suppose you would object to me breaking his arm," he said in a disappointed tone, "You were appalled at me breaking Sergio's."

"What good would come from breaking his arm," Dafne replied quietly, "It won't stop the execution. It won't stop Basta and Resa dying," she stopped and held Pietro's gaze, "There's only one thing I'd ask of you Pietro and it isn't to break Cockerell's arm."

Pietro looked at her solemnly,

"I know."

"Then please do it," Dafne begged him, "Please kill him!"

Pietro closed his eyes and sighed. She clung to hope until he opened his eyes and saw the apology shining in them.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I can't. I've already explained why."

Dafne looked down at Ignazio, hugging the cat tighter though it did nothing to comfort her as she began to despair once more.

Later, when they reached an empty crossroad where they would part ways, she felt the urge to beg Pietro one more time. But she knew the answer would be the same so she bit her tongue as Pietro gave her directions, just so she could be sure of the route. She repeated it in a monotone voice at his insistence. Afterwards he nodded, satisfied.

"Be careful bella," he said.

Dafne nodded, still biting her tongue but pleading with her eyes.

Please kill Capricorn Pietro. Please save Basta.

Pietro's face staring back at her was rather somber. If he understood the plea in her eyes, he made no acknowledgement of it.

"You better get going," he said, "While there's no one around."

Dafne turned and started walking away from him. She didn't say goodbye, unsure if it was out of resentment or the fact she would see him again. Pietro wasn't the man she would be losing tonight. But she tried to keep her grief at bay. She needed to concentrate on her surroundings to avoid running into any men. She listened hard for any noise signalling they were nearby. Then she started to hear the music. It was obvious where it was coming from and it turned her stomach. Something for the crowd to listen to before the real show started.

Other noises reached her ears over the music. It was the sound of men's voices and their boots on the cobblestones. She took cover in the darkness between two derelict houses. The men didn't see her as they ran past, shouting at each other to hurry up. That kind of talk caused Dafne to panic. Was the execution was about to start? What other reason would they have for rushing? But she could still hear the music as she emerged from her hiding place. It was continued playing even as she reached the road leaving the village.

She stared down the dark road hedged by forest. Freedom lay ahead of her, the freedom she had wanted for so long. But the man she wanted to share it with lay behind her, locked in a cage probably, about to die once the horrible music stopped and a little girl summoned a monster. How could she turned her back and walk away?

Because he wanted her to. Because she had no possible way of saving him.

Those justifications didn't make her feel any less terrible but she did start to walk. Each step was leaden with grief and tears sprung into her eyes but she kept walking down that dark lonely road.

To be continued...

Okay I'm hoping no one hates Dafferz after this. Really hoping. I mean what else could she do? Watch Basta and Resa be killed then die herself? You can tell how heart-broken she is.

I hope you don't hate Pie either for refusing to save Basta. Would you save the boyfriend of the girl you were in love with just so they could live happily ever after? Pie isn't completely selfless. But he does put his family first and would never risk their lives unnecessarily.

Of course Cappy will be pretty p*ssed when Pietro tells him Dafne escaped. He might not even believe his story but he wouldn't be able to prove Pie is lying. And he won't execute him as he and his family are useful. He wouldn't call off the execution just to look for Dafne either. He doesn't see her as any kind of threat and probably thinks she might be caught later or die in the forest.