"This is unfair," Violet whined, curled at the end of the couch beside her twin who was sniffing and wiping her tears.
"Not fair at all," Valerie choked. "You only talked about how Nick rescued Sophia from Rock'oles. There was no mention of a brother. And the wedding happened!"
Fiona Trilby shared a mournful look with her husband. "This is why I wrote the fiction," she uttered.
"How much of them is fiction, Gram?" Violet asked. "Which book did you start weaving the fiction?"
It was their Gramp Eddie who answered. "Nicholas' story, I believe."
Valerie groaned in her tears. "Then how much of Ralph's story is true?"
Their grandmother cleared her throat, looking guilty. "I merely wrote the fun parts."
"What!"
She raised her hands and said, "I left out the horrid ones but the fun parts are true."
"And Emma's?" asked the twins in unison.
Edmund Trilby sighed. "I believe we must make more tea."
Violet buried her face in her hands and groaned in frustration.
"Emma's story is almost entirely fiction, I am sad to admit," their grandmother said.
Valerie turned to her twin. "I do not think I can hear more of this."
"We've been living a lie," Violet said in exaggeration.
Fiona Trilby merely chuckled.
The twins threw her an accusing look. "You are enjoying our misery."
"No, but I am quite ecstatic to see your reaction once you know what truly happened." She looked at her husband. "Go make that tea, Eddie. It is about time we tell these girls my true story before your turn."
"Urgh," Violet groaned. "There's more?"
Edmund simply chucked as he stood up.
As their grandfather went to the kitchen, the twins continued to look at their grandmother. "Why, Gram? Why change the last three books?" Valerie asked.
Fiona looked over her shoulder where her husband was before she smiled at the twins. "Because, my dears, I meant to preserve your grandfather's family."
Valerie scoffed. "Why? They did not really care about him. We know he is not like the rest of them, Gram."
Fiona nodded. "Perhaps I will never be able to explain why I changed the stories. Maybe I did get too carried away. A writer always does, see?"
The twins sighed. Violet counted with her fingers as she started to summarize the facts. "Ben, Levi, Maggie, Ysa and Max got their happy endings. Maxine is really a Trilby, right?" Their grandmother nodded. "Okay, so that is a fact. Good. Osegod is real, right? Because I am hoping he is not."
"He is real, my dears."
Valerie groaned with frustration. "Then it was him. It was him who took Sophie."
"So Sophie did not have the wedding we read about," Violet continued. "But what about Aurora, Gram? Did she really get caught and disappeared? Never heard of again? Was that fiction or not?"
Their grandmother's face turned grim. "I am afraid, my dears, that it was worse than that."
Violet jumped to her feet. "Gramp, I'll help you make two kettles of tea. We are in for a very long storytelling."
*****
The Everards did not correct everyone else's assumption that Nicholas Everard's bride ran away on the day of her wedding. In fact, none of them even bothered to argue with anyone about the rumors.
Because everyone was devastated, Lady Alice amongst them.
She had witnessed how five men stopped their carriage and attacked the two footmen who were supposed to protect them. It took her days to coherently talk about the event, about how she was helpless when they took Sophia away. But like she had always been, she stayed strong.
She demanded answers which her children provided. She vowed to hate Osegod for the rest of her life, but she also vowed to maintain her secrecy. Ysabella and Emma were her constant companions. Nicholas tried to comfort but everyone knew he needed it most.
Margaret asked for help from her fellow Leaguers and was still tirelessly working to find Sophia. But as days went on, as Wickhurst was coming to terms with the devastating event, as the articles on the Herald focused on new gossips, Sophia remained missing.
The days turned to weeks and the weeks turned to months.
Nicholas had gone almost half-insane and it took all of his brothers' efforts to stop him from taking off on his own to search for Sophia on his own.
Ralph was his frequent companion in Whiston where he locked himself from the rest of the Town.
"Mother is getting worried, Nick," Ralph told his brother that afternoon. He looked at the once empty wall across his brother's desk. It was now filled with papers, map of the entire town. A red thread traced all places Sophia could possibly be taken to.
Nicholas shrugged as he poured himself a glass of brandy. He threw Ralph a look and said, "Fret not, brother, I am not spending my days foxed. I need to be sober to think. I need to have a clear mind should the day come that I get a clue of where she might be. And you will let me go. No one will stop me if that day ever comes."
Ralph's jaw tightened. How could he tell Nicholas the truth? He wanted to but if he did, his brother would merely do what every foolish man in love would. He would storm his way to his own demise.
"At the very least, Nick, please allow our mother more visits." he uttered instead. "I believe Ysabella and Emma were here yesterday."
"And we had a pleasant time discussing Emma's theories," Nicholas said with a scoff. "I do appreciate that sister of ours, Ralph. She does not see me as a fragile piece of furniture." His strong gaze locked with Ralph. "It is true."
Shaking his head, Ralph said, "We do not see you as a man engulfed by grief, Nick. We are merely worried that you are turning into someone else."
Nicholas wryly chuckled. He walked to sit across Ralph. "This is the price I have to pay for everything," he said. "One would think we Everards will have it easy what with the name and the wealth." He looked at Ralph, his eyes barren. "I believed it as well. I lived my life believing everything is attainable. But now..." His jaw tightened and all Ralph could do was gaze with defeat for how could he fill that barren space in his brother's eyes? He knew the way to bring him back and it would take bloody great efforts and many chances of luck to do so. "She is gone, Ralph. I do not think I can ever go back. Wherever, whoever I was before her... I do not see it anymore."
Sophia's dog, Aabha, walked to sit beside Nicholas' winged chair. His brother absently patted the dog's head as if they were the only ones left to comfort each other.
"I've read Durley's letter for Sophia countless of times and I still do not think the bastard has her."
"He does not," Ralph affirmed. "If he does, he would not have stormed here months ago to beat the soul out of you."
Nicholas wryly chuckled. "I still believe he is to be the best brother-in-law."
Ralph scoffed. "I believe he does not feel the same."
Nicholas finished his brandy and sighed. He gave Ralph an empty look and a smile that did not reach his eyes. "Does he know anything we do not?" Nicholas asked.
Ralph shook his head and did the only thing he knew. He lied. "No."
Nicholas sighed. "But should he be lying, you will know, yes? We cannot discount the fact that Durley is desperate to have his revenge and he is capable of doing anything to achieve it. If he is working with Osegod, I will haveâ"
"He is not, Nick," Ralph said with finality. "And we cannot entirely connect Sophia's disappearance with Osegod. There are still the Trilbys whom we had a bit of a squabble in the past. We have one of their own under our care and it is possible they may want revenge. An investigation is still active and we have very promising leads." Nicholas was about to open his mouth and Ralph stopped him by raising his hand. "But I am not here to talk about that. You must think of other things. For one, Ysabella is soon to have a babe of her own."
"Yes, she already shared the news."
"And Mother has prepared a sumptuous dinner for us all on the morrow. You must make an appearance."
His brother merely stared. "I am tired of pretending to be all right, Ralph."
"But you must for our mother's sake. She is still partly blaming herself for being helpless during Sophia's abduction." Ralph wanted to say more but he chose to let the quiet reign for a long time.
"Ralph," Nicholas said, breaking the silence. "Is it evil of me to be thinking of wanting to demand for the League to hand Aurora to Osegod in exchange of Sophia?"
Ralph stiffened. "The difference between you and evil, Nick, is that you can never bring yourself to act upon the thought."
His brother sighed and nodded. "Sophia would hate me for it. And I will hate myself even more." Nicholas blindly looked at the puzzles on his wall. "She told me to find someone who wished for my happiness should something happen to her." His brother shook his head, his eyes glassy with tears. "How foolish to ask that of me. I don't need to find someone else. I just need to find her. I need to rescue her from the hell she must be in." A tear finally escaped and Nicholas seemed to not even notice it.
Ralph did not offer a word of comfort for there was no comforting his brother now.
He stayed for another hour and left when he thought his resolve was melting. Seeing Nicholas in such a state almost made him spill another devastating detail.
But confessing everything would merely make him angrier.
*****
After giving more instruction to Nicholas' butler and footmen to always watch over their master's every move, Ralph left but did not go straight to his Wickhurst apartment. He rode straight to his Beechworth estate near Rock'oles where a guest was supposedly waiting.
He went to his private study where not even his household staff was permitted to enter.
As he had expected, Durley was already waiting for him, standing in one dark corner, looking out through the window that faced a wall of rock.
"I assume you came from Whiston?" Durley asked. "How is the bastard doing?"
"As horrible as you," Ralph snapped. "What do you have, Durley?"
Durley turned and his face was as blank as Nicholas'.
"I believe he is keeping them captive in the southeast. I had word that three of his men are constantly taking the same tracks from Wickhurst to somewhere in the southeastern part of the Town. My men could only follow them to a point."
"Why the southeast?"
"Most of his allies are located there," Durley provided, "Tiny Town included."
Ralph studied Durley closely. "Does he suspect you?"
Durley scoffed. "He always suspects me. He believes he is controlling me and he does so by providing me evidence that my sister is still alive and suffering somewhere."
"He took them to control us all and he revels on it," Ralph said, walking to his chair. "But would the rescue mission be far bloody easier if you simply talk?"
Durley shook his head. "And what would come from that? Osegod is too powerful. Should I talk? Yes, perhaps I should. I could burst into the Men of Courts and expose the bloody bastard. Should I provide them proof of our slave trade? Yes, of course, I should. But where would that lead me? Would the League be willing to expose their selves and support my claims? Those bastards survive because of their secrecy. And the entire Leaders do not like them, do you know that? After the conspiracy with the secret passages years ago, the Leaders had lost faith in the League and Osegod is taking that to his advantage. And yes, perhaps the League can take him down, but to stand in the middle of a trial to present their case? No, they will never ever do that. They will still need the help of the Guards who will be representing them, like it was always in the past, should a hearing ensue. And you cannot say the entire Town Guards are clean, Everard. You know Osegod has people inside. Whatever evidence I may present now shall prove to be worthless." Durley drew in a breath with a mocking smile. "So should I talk? I believe we both know the answer to that. This battle is not to be fought face to face and the battleground is not in the Men of Courts. And we cannot very well kill the bastard even if we can. He has more allies and most of them unidentified. The only way to win against Osegod is to use his wit against him."
Ralph's jaw tightened. Durley was right. The League would not expose their anonymous identity to support him for it shall destroy the purpose of their existence. And the Guards could only do so much. What they all had were merely assumptions with very weak concrete proofs. They would never last a day in the Men of Courts.
"I am not providing the League and the Guards anything against Osegod until I find my sister alive," Durley said with finality. "Taking down Osegod has become my utmost priority now. But first, I want my sister back. And I cannot do that alone now, can I? I am using the lot of you and you shall allow me because we all have the same goal of preserving our own."
Ralph nodded grimly. "I am doing my best."
"Not enough. Investigate the southeast and get answers while I distract the bastard. I will be spending most of my time in Willowfair doing so."
"How do you plan to distract him?"
Durley smiled. "He has a daughter, if you must know." Ralph's jaw tightened but he did not utter a word of objection. "Find my sister, Ralph, and bring her back alive. Then we can all feast on Osegod."
Ralph closed his eyes and pressed the bridge of his nose with his fingers.
"You are in such a great dilemma," Durley said, tone amused.
"And you have the time to find it amusing?" he growled, opening his eyes to glare at Durley.
Durley shook his head. "I have faith that my sister is alive, Everard. Osegod is not a bloody fool to not realize how she can be of great use against us all, but I will not wait for the day he will no longer find her useful. I will send word should I discover more, but I can only do so much. He is watching my every move. One wrong move from me and Sophia might end up dead. I am putting my faith upon you. Find my sister alive and then we can start planning Osegod's destruction." Durley tilted his head to the side with a frown. "And I hope we make it in time to rescue the other two he is holding captive."
Ralph's face tightened and his hands balled into fists.
"The night Bertram came to the cottage was around the same time he lost them, am I correct?" Durley asked, his tone bare of accusation, merely curious. "And you have not told Whiston about it. He is unaware that Miss Randolph and her child have been abducted from right under the League's bloody haven of protection."
"That is enough, Durley."
But the man was not done. He continued to stare at Ralph, eyes filled with judgment. "You did not tell your brother because you know it would destroy your family. If your dear sister did not take Miss Randolph and her child, Osegod would have spared Sophia. He would have left your family alone." Ralph could not meet the man's gaze. "She must be very devastated now, yes? Margaret, I mean. She must believe she caused all of this."
"Enough!" Ralph gritted out.
"Very well," Durley said, fixing his coat. "I am not your brother, Ralph. I cannot entirely blame your sister. I dared defy Osegod by attempting to stop the ambush you suffered with your men. I lost his trust from then on. I overestimated the enemy and I have learned my lesson." He started for the secret door that led to the secret back entrance of the estate. "I merely hope the lot of you realized your own as well. Get over the guilt and trudge on. The fight is not over."
*****
Alex grumpily jumped off her horse and glared at it. "Quiet, Siege," she hissed at the black mare. She looked over her shoulder and pulled the horse deeper into the Dark Forest.
It protested with a whine.
"Shh!" she shushed. "We can't have 'em catch us, Siege. They'll hang us. And they'll roast ye, I swear they will!" The horse may never understand humans, but at that moment Alex swore Siege understood her for the mare quieted down and allowed her to lead her deeper in the darkness of the forest. "Bleedin' Guards," Alex muttered, stumbling on the uneven ground. "And where're Ned and Barto, eh? Those bleedin' idiots better have escaped. My 'Pa will beat our behind if they get caught."
At the distant sounds of the horses' hooves, Alex whirled around.
"Don't enter, don't enter, don't enter," Alex prayed.
The Guards that had been chasing her earlier appeared and Alex stiffened. So did Siege.
But the bloody idiots were heading straight ahead down the road, ignoring the dark forest to their right.
"Shh," she whispered to Siege, caressing the mare's mane. She guided the horse back and into the shadows of the trees.
They both waited until the horses and its riders galloped past their line of sight. And they both sighed with relief as the sounds of their would-have-been captors grew distant away and vanished, leaving naught but the sound of the dark forest behind them.
"Now we go home and see if my bleedin' cousins are still alive," she said to Siege, turning the horse around to retrace their steps out of the Dark Forest.
But Siege started to neigh with a shrilling pitch that told Alex Siege was stimulated by something. She frowned and looked around. The Guards were gone, were they?
When Siege turned and rose to her hind legs, Alex began to search for the horse's source of stress. And there she saw her.
"Bleedin' hell!" she said under her breath as she watched the woman scramble to her feet and fall back on the ground with a pained moan.
Alex rushed forward, eyes wide.
"Oi! Woman, whatâ" The rest of her question was left unspoken when she finally had a good look of the woman's state. "Yer hurt!"
The woman was slumped against the dirty ground, her dress covered with mud, her feet bare and covered with dirt and cuts. But those were not the cause of Alex's alarm for it was the big pool of blood on her backside.
Alex dropped to the ground and turned the woman around. Her face was white as paper, her left eye swollen, a corner of her lips covered with dry blood.
She hovered over the woman and tried to wake her. "Wake up! Wake up!" she hissed, gently slapping the woman's face.
The woman's eyes opened, the left one merely halfway, and Alex stared at the blue depths as they focused on her. Alex nearly stumbled back in surprise when suddenly the woman gasped and grasped her arm.
"Oi, calm down," Alex told her. "Yer hurt. We must take ye somewhere."
"Help!" the woman said, eyes wide with fear, fresh tears streaming down to her temples. "Help!"
Alex nodded. "Aye, I will. We have to take ye toâ"
"Help 'em... please..."
"'Em? Ye mean to sayâ"
"Them!" the woman struggled. She coughed and Alex's eyes widened when she saw blood gurgle out of the woman's mouth. "Help 'em... the other woman... and my baby... please..."
"Bleedin' hell," Alex muttered in panic. "Where the bleedin' hell did you come from? No matter, we must take ye somewhere, aye? Ye can talk later."
But the woman was losing consciousness. "Get Nick..."
Alex frowned. "Who?"
"Nick... Nicholas... Ever... Everarâ"
"Everard?" Alex provided.
"Help 'em... my baby... please..."
Alex's face tightened. "Very well. But first, ye need help. Yer badly hurt, lady." But the woman had ceased moving. Alex gave her a shake, her own heart hammering against her chest. "Oi, woman, wake up." The hands that were gripping her arms merely seconds ago dropped to the ground. Alex searched the woman's bloodied face and found that the woman's eyes were still open, a lifeless pair of blue globes.
She let out a gasp and stumbled back, falling on the ground behind her.
Siege whined behind her. "Bleedin' hell, Siege, she's dead," Alex said in horror. "She's bleedin' dead!"