Les Misérables

Summary: After studying about the dark past of surrounding kingdoms, Tanya asks Cedric and Sofia if any other kingdom ever had the same level of darkness. This leads to a very unexpected story, filled with despair, hope, severed and forged bonds, and preventable demise. Read Me a Story format! (Takes place 5 years after my season 5 stories)

Disclaimer: I don't own Sofia the First. I own Corban and some other OCs mentioned here. MarionetteJ2X owns Tanya and Nana.

A/N: Yet another long delay, and I apologize. School/work, dissertation, and life stepped in, as will happen sometimes. Nevertheless, here is the next chapter. I won't promise any specific dates for the final five chapters, but my goal is to have the story completed in either December or January. We shall see!

Chapter 14: Roland's Role

Roland winced a bit as he felt his shoe scuff against a stray rock, which was to be expected as he was running. He knew he was nearing the barricade as he could see the looming yet unstable structure in the distance, and he steeled himself for what could lie beyond that barricade.

Needless to say, after intercepting Desmond's letter to Amber via Sofia, he'd taken the time to read it. It wasn't that he didn't respect his daughter's privacy, but his natural parental affection and concern for her outweighed the disdain he would likely face after peering into the personal yet secretive world of his daughter's love life. He was at first perplexed at the possibility of his daughter becoming romantically involved with someone, but he also recognized that she was old enough to make her own decisions. She, like anyone else, deserved to be happy.

And so did Desmond… The young man who had stolen Amber's attention and affections recently seemed like a good person, from just the little Roland knew or Amber had volunteered. Desmond had promised Amber to try to find her once she and Roland left their homestead, but the letter indicated his change of heart.

"It's not for any lack of love for you, my dear Amber," the letter had read. "I just know this world is not safe for us to be together right now, nor is it safe for anyone else. I must stand with my friends and fight the governmental regime, for if nothing changes, our futures will not be ensured. I want to safely assure you that we will be together; however, I must be selfless rather than selfish this time. Selfish Desmond would have run to your arms and avoided danger at all costs. Selfless Desmond knows it is better to let you go and allow you to be at a safe distance from the trials of the government. Even if you find love with another, it would be better than to know that I have brought you into an unstable reality. I will try my best to make it back to you, Amber. I love you.

Desmond"

Roland did not want his daughter to face a life of grief like her mother had, nor like he had personally experienced, so he had immediately set off to find the boy. He knew in his heart that he had to somehow protect Desmond—out of kindness, out of respect for Amber's potential suitor, and out of fear of what losing a dear and compassionate soul might do to his daughter.

As he neared the barricade, he checked his current outfit. He was dressed in a soldier's garb, having swiftly stolen it from an unidentified source (some things never changed), which he knew would likely set the attendants at the barricade on edge. However, he had to keep himself from being suspicious to the government while on the opposite side (literally and figuratively), and then he would make good on his purpose for broaching the Merlin followers' station.

"Hold it!" Orion shouted as he peered over the barricade, having been on watch due to the event with Sofia not long ago. "You have five seconds to remove yourself from our grounds, or you will know what being pelted with bullets feels like."

"I mean no harm, sir," Roland responded, not the least bit intimidated by the other man's stern voice. "I've only come to help."

"Help?" James repeated, popping up next to his friend, glaring at the other blonde man. "The last person who tried to 'help' us ended up being a spy, and one of your people already killed someone over here! Why should we believe you?"

"Is the boy called Desmond here? May I at least speak to him?"

Cedric, having heard the conversation, approached the other two and glowered down at Roland. "He's preoccupied. What you have to say to him, you can say to us. Otherwise, remove yourself before we remove you instead. And I assure you, sir, after the day we have had, you don't want that."

"Cedric, look out!" Orion shouted a little too late, as a rogue soldier growled and rushed up the barricade, aiming his gun at the leader.

Roland lunged at the other man, using his incredible strength to hold him back. When the man began thrashing and cursing at him, he took the soldier's head in both of his hands, snapping his neck quickly enough to kill him. The body dropped to the ground, the soldier dead before him. He looked up at Cedric, who appeared slightly shaken. "I assure you, I am on your side. You may kill me now if you don't believe me, or if I betray you. I will not resist or try to fight back."

Cedric could only nod as he turned to Orion, whispering something to him. "Meet us on the side, sir. And…thank you." He disappeared from the top of the barricade, along with the other two.

Once Roland was securely with the rest of the followers, he respectfully approached Cedric, reaching into the soldier outfit's inner pocket, and he withdrew something eerily familiar to the magic wielders.

"Is that Merlin's wand?" Greylock asked in shock as he stumbled out of the café. "I thought it was rumored to have been destroyed."

Roland shook his head. "I met Master Merlin many years ago. After quite a…series of events… He bestowed his wand to me." He extended his hand, offering the wand to Cedric, with the edge of it facing away from people so no one would assume he wanted to use it as a weapon. "I have no knowledge of magic nor any need for such a thing. However, if it will help you with this fight, please take it."

Cedric frowned cautiously as he reached out, his fingers brushing the fine surface of the infamous wand. "I almost want to ask what the catch is…"

"There's no catch. Consider it a peace offering so you know I am on your side, please. I know how hard it is to trust people, especially these days, but I have a daughter whom I love, and I want to do right by her. What you and your people have done to negate the wrongdoings of this wretched government is admirable. So please, take it."

Still a bit hesitant but feeling more assured, Cedric grasped the wand and pulled it carefully away from Roland. It felt just as powerful as he remembered hearing about when he was younger. And here he was, in possession of the wand of Merlin… His eyes flickered up to the other man, and a cautious smile broke on his face. "Thank you. Sincerely." He held out his free right hand. "I'm Cedric."

Roland nodded, shaking his hand. "Roland."

After talking with the group members for a while, except for Desmond (who was sleeping upstairs after the trauma he'd experienced with Sofia's death), Roland's ears perked up when he heard a familiar name.

"What are we going to do with Baileywick, Cedric?" Corban wondered, his head resting on his arms as he leaned against a table. "That guy is bad news, and he's probably going to get us killed the longer he's prisoner here."

"He should be executed," Hugo told them. "That's the protocol."

"Right," Zandar agreed, nodding. "And the men under his rule had no trouble killing one of our own…"

Cedric sighed, nodding. "I'm aware. I'm not entirely sure when or how I could—"

"Would you permit me the honor, Cedric?" Roland inquired, his demeanor a bit more eager but nevertheless collected. "Call it something of a personal vendetta against him, as he was responsible for a lot of death in my life…"

A bit taken aback at first, the leader soon nodded and agreed. "But do so away from this crowd, since we do have women and children in our vicinity. And we have already experienced enough bloodshed for one day." The image of his friend's cold, lifeless body flashed in his mind, though he tried his best not to think of it. She had deserved so much better…

"Very well. Thank you." He stood as Orion offered him a sword, and he followed the other man into a private room. There, he saw a rough-looking Baileywick bound to the wall, a leg and arm each in a set of shackles. The man before him appeared broken and solemn, unlike the passionate and heavily motivated man from whom he'd been running a vast majority of his life. To see him like this now was surreal, and though he should have been thrilled at the idea of his biggest negator being captured… He wasn't. Something about this listless being unnerved him. He was supposed to spout his usual indignation upon seeing him—not stare at him with a dull expression. Thoughts still racing, he glanced at Orion, nodding quietly, watching him depart.

"If you've come to kill me, do it quickly," Baileywick mocked, though his voice didn't hold quite the same level of command as it used to. "I've lived long enough to see the corrupt get their way, with little hope of restoring order. I'd rather die than be part of this disgusting world any longer." With that, he closed his eyes and bowed his head, fully expecting Roland to use the sword he was holding to run him through.

Instead, the older man blinked, opening his eyes, as soon as he heard the unmistakable 'snap' of the chains holding him in place, not to mention the clang of the sword falling right before him. He could feel the blood rushing back into his limbs as he tried to move a bit, his muscles sore from being held in one position for too long. Confused (a hated state of mind for him), he glared up at Roland. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Run," Roland told him simply.

That solitary word fueled the inspector with a rush of emotions: relief, anger, wariness, uncertainty, and indecisiveness. He should swipe that sword and do away with Roland right now. It would satisfy his bloodthirst and desire for order, but… He couldn't. Enraged, he snapped, "Damn you!"

"I have a feeling I'm already damned, I'm afraid. But I'll tell you what: let's make a deal. I'll ensure your living status as long as you leave me in peace to handle my own duty."

"You should have killed me when you had a chance." He felt his former passion reignited within him, and his righteous nature swiftly returned. "I am a man of the law, 24601."

Despite the circumstances, Roland couldn't help the small smirk that lifted to his lips at hearing his old number assigned to him.

"I will not relinquish my duty of hunting you down and bringing you to justice. I do not bargain with wrongdoers and those who challenge the law."

"I assure you that there are no conditions, Baileywick." He noticed that the older man paused, as if not used to hearing his own name. Perhaps because it was said with…compassion. "I hold no grudge against you now. I am aware you were doing a job for which you were hired. I can't fault you for that. However…" He flexed his arms a bit, a subtle reminder of just how strong and powerful he was, and how he could use that to his advantage if Baileywick opted to try him. "I have a job I must do now as well. We will meet again, and then, you may try once more to bring me to justice. I doubt I will challenge you when that time comes… But we'll see." With nothing more to say, he turned and left.

Baileywick sat in silence for a few moments, trying to nurse his sore body and fathom what had just happened. Roland had once more had the upper hand. How? How could a lowly man such as him, as a criminal, always come out on top? He surely had the power of evil persuasion on his side… Something with which he could not combat… He needed to regroup and continue his work, though he was unsure how to handle the situation. Shakily standing to his feet, he managed to stumble out the back door of the café, and into the darkening streets. "Soon," he promised himself in a rough yet quiet voice, "I'll settle this debt soon, Roland. I'll grow healthier and stronger, and I'll search for you once again, and I'll find you… I'll find you if I have to hunt you down for the rest of my life." Satiated, he left under the cover of the darkness, unable to predict what the future might hold.

To be continued…

Next Chapter: Before the Dawn