Baldwin’s Nightingale (Part 20)
Characters: Baldwin Montclair/OC
Timeframe: Can safely say AU at this point, after Matthew and Diana go back in time and before they return
Summary: After escaping Benjamin (and Gerbert) with help of Rebecca’s magic, the trio arrive in Sept Tours. Questions demand answers, secrets are revealed and the newlyweds encounter a serious challenge to their marriage.
Spoiler Warning: TV Show canon S1-S2, goes AU after that, some Book of Life
Tag requests: @christi14 @poemfreak306 @pookie-cleary @hofficoffi @stormyheart326 @wonderlander594 @madamquacklemore @thereadersmuse @kynthiamoon @ordinarymom1 @fuzzyflowervoid @maybelightning @lady-lazarus-declermont @whoa-studymuch @shugensha
Alisha swallowed hard as nobody moved for several seconds. Baldwin and Marcus had been interrupted mid-fight and the rest of the gathered creatures stood in reflex to the vampire brawl about to blow through the room.
“Becca,” Miyako grabbed her cousin’s arm, pulling her back, and putting herself between the bright-born and, potentially, her father.
Understanding what was possibly about to happen, Alisha joined Miyako in front of Rebecca.
Baldwin released Marcus and carefully regarded the three women.
“I see you returned my wife, safely, thank you Miyako,” Baldwin’s voice dripped with sarcasm, “I’m sure she simply got lost when this witch abducted her from the safety of her home.”
“You know she didn’t kidnap me,” Alisha answered back, causing both Miyako and Marcus to regard her with wide eyed fear, the latter even shaking his head in the hope to discourage her from provoking him.
“You know who I am,” Rebecca spoke up, drawing Baldwin’s ire from his wife and his daughter.
“I’ve known both who you are and where you have been for the last two weeks.”
“You let us think our friend was lost and in danger for all that time?” Nathaniel fumed.
“It was for their safety, the decision had nothing to do with you.”
“Stop this,” Ysabeau interjected calmly, regarding Rebecca with a flash of warm familiarity that Baldwin luckily did not see.
“That magic, I know it,” Sarah shook her head in confusion.
“You called her Rebecca.” Emily addressed Miyako.
“And Montclair called her a witch.” Sarah agreed.
“A witch and a vampire,” Marcus added, “with Matthew’s blood.”
“Papa,“ Miyako started carefully.
“Stop talking,” he warned and fixed his gaze upon Marcus.
“Take Madame de Clermont to our rooms, do whatever checks you need to do to ensure she is well.”
Marcus took a breath to argue but the look on Baldwin’s face was one he knew well.
Disagreement would not be productive.
“I’m fine,” Alisha argued, “and I’m staying with Rebecca and Miyako.”
“Miyako, escort our guest to my office,” Baldwin continued, ignoring Alisha’s protest, “I suggest the smaller reception room for your gathering Ysabeau, this one is much too draughty for warmbloods.”
“Wait-“ Sarah started but was led away by Em and followed behind by Nathaniel.
“Alisha, please,” Marcus held out his hand to gesture she lead the way and follow Baldwin’s directions.
Annoyed but with Baldwin, not Marcus, and not wishing him trouble, she relented and led Marcus and Phoebe to the turret.
Ysabeau glanced at her granddaughter then to Baldwin when the others had left.
“You know who she is?” He challenged.
“She has my blood, of course I know who she is.”
Baldwin sighed deeply crossing his arms and leant against the table.
Ysabeau recognised the exasperated, exhausted look as one frequently displayed upon his father when the strain of holding everything together became apparent.
She knew why he was struggling but would never say it as it would not be constructive.
Alone, he was one half of the equation, the rod. Matthew was the carrot, Philippe had told her so himself, only together could they make things work.
Now, she believed for the first time that even Philippe failed to foresee the effect both of their mates would have on this equation.
“I will speak with her and Miyako, then, if you wish, you may converse with her.”
“What about Marcus and her aunts?”
“Of course Marcus can, but there is no way I’m telling my sisters about this.”
“Nor would I but I meant Diana’s aunts.”
“This is a family matter, the witches aren’t family.”
“They’re her family!” She told him firmly but carefully.
“Very well,” he grumbled and stood.
Ysabeau smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek, leaving before he could process the caring gesture and before she could see the almost imperceptible quirk of a smile.
“Here,” Phoebe handed Alisha a glass of water from a nearby carafe, “drink this, you’re white as a sheet.”
Alisha noted her giving a concerned look to Marcus, in the process of him checking her pulse and blood pressure.
“Thank you,” Alisha took the glass gratefully, “Phoebe.”
“Vitals are fine and since I value my life I won’t ask what got you so afraid.”
“I’m not…” she trailed off as she saw Marcus regard her with doubt, “it’s best for both of us if you don’t.” Alisha agreed quietly.
“You’re concerned your husband would harm you?” Phoebe prompted.
“I know vampires have their rules, Marcus, but I won’t just sit back and let that…fucking brute abuse her.”
“Baldwin has never harmed me, and he wouldn’t,” Alisha assured her warmly, “but if I were ever in that situation I’d want a friend like you.”
“We’ll be family soon,” Phoebe corrected reaching out a comforting hand towards her shoulder, stopped only by Marcus catching her wrist firmly but gently.
“She’s been gone for two weeks, any new scent near her could set him off.”
“Your sister is a new scent.”
“No, she’s not, I can’t explain it but she seems to have my grandfather’s blood as well.”
“I thought vampires couldn’t have children biologically.”
“There’s a lot we’re still learning but it has happened before.”
Marcus looked questioning at Alisha.
“I can’t, anything I might say could change how things are supposed to play out. Only Rebecca knows what’s safe to tell. I hope you understand.”
He nodded with reluctance.
Gallowglass hadn’t answered his call when Baldwin sought to tell him about the appearance of the trio.
It was not like him but Baldwin hadn’t the time to ponder before Gallowglass called him back.
“Something happened,” Gallowglass started as soon as Baldwin accepted his call, “I followed them to Venice but they’re just gone-“
“Stop, Gallowglass,” he sighed, “they’re here, they’re safe! And you didn’t answer when I called you!”
“I was busy. How did they get there?”
“You told me about the witch, seems she inherited her mother’s abilities.”
Gallowglass heaved a deep sigh of relief and chuckled.
“I should have known that wee pissant Benjamin wouldn’t have gotten the best of Miya.”
“Benjamin,” Baldwin fumed, “Fuchs, Matthew’s fuckup that keeps on giving was near my wife and my daughter?”
“According to Domenico, who’s still alive but barely. His children are looking after him.”
“Leave now, go to the airport, my plane will be waiting for you!”
“I’m not afraid of Benjamin, or that decrepit old pope Gerbert.”
“Gerbert is working with Fuchs?”
“Aye, but I can handle it!”
“If Gerbert and Fuchs are working together it’s not safe, they probably killed Peter.”
“I’ve seen off more Christians in my time than you have, Uncle, I can handle this one.”
“I’m not arguing with you, come home!”
“You know France has never been my home, not after-“
“I know, I shouldn’t have said that. You’re right, France may not be home but we are, I expect you here by the morning.”
There was an audibly furious silence on the other end of the line.
“Yes Sieur.” Gallowglass hung up.
Baldwin sighed with relief.
Even in death, Hugh would never forgive him if he let anything happen to Gallowglass on his watch.
Shaking the thought off, he strode towards the office where his daughter and the witch awaited him.
“Is everything alright?” Rebecca prompted.
“Of course,“ he took his seat opposite them, “so just how far ahead in the future are you, exactly?”
“Eighteen years.” Rebecca answered.
She knew her uncle, he could be kind, affectionate and generous with his time but she also knew of his impatience when information was critical.
“I suppose I already got two thousand years, I probably shouldn’t lament a shortness of time.”
“There are things we cannot tell you about the future-“ Miyako started.
“And yet I know if I was there I’d never have let this happen.”
“Does this future include Benjamin Fuchs?”
Miyako and Rebecca glanced at one another, shocked.
“Gallowglass was following you, at my behest but he lost the trail when you appeared here.”
“Is he alright, did Fuchs attack him?” Miyako asked.
“He’s fine, apparently Domenico was forthcoming with his version of events.”
“He’s alive?” Rebecca asked hopefully.
“He’ll live,” Baldwin regarded her curiously, “Gallowglass will be back soon but in the meantime, you’re going to tell me why you sought out Domenico.”
“Father, your rules, as you said-“
“I am aware of what I said, but I am also aware that you already changed things by removing Catarina from her time!”
“You know-“ Rebecca started.
“No, I suspected,” he answered sharply “now I know!”
“We saved her to prevent something worse happening in the future,” Rebecca admitted, “we didn’t know then that she was your mate and our intention was not to reunite you. Obviously fate intervened.”
“I suppose Michael was someone from your time you could trust?”
“One thing changed since he won’t be there now.” Rebecca confirmed.
“Anything else drastically different?”
“Knox, he shouldn’t be dead yet.”
“But there’s not too big a jump.” Miyako countered.
“Keep going!” Baldwin warned and noted Rebecca’s anxious expression.
“Emily,” she admitted, “Knox was killed because he killed her first.”
“I’m sorry Papa, I know I’m not your Miyako-“
“Stop talking,” he warned her, “you tried to act the same and your effort was commendable, cbut I know when my daughter is behaving strangely.”
“I wasn’t behaving strangely.” Miyako frowned, offended by the insinuation her cover wasn’t sufficient.
“I can count on one hand how often you called me Papa before you visited for the wedding, I estimate you came to this time just after I sent you to Seoul?”
“Yes.” She said in quiet defeat.
“Never tell me you are not my daughter because in anywhere at anytime, you will always be my Miyako. Is that understood?”
“Yes,” she paused, “Papa.”
He smiled warmly and turned to Rebecca.
“Gallowglass couldn’t tell me much more than what you shared when you first arrived.”
“And I knew you would understand the danger of messing with the timeline, as Grandad did when Mum and Dad visited him.”
“Messing with the timeline,” he huffed, “you have done a lot of that already. Does my wife know, who she was?”
“There’s knowing and there’s remembering. She knows she was Catarina but doesn’t remember being her.”
“Alright, what doesn’t she know that I have to?”
“Something happens in the future that forced us to go back to fix things. Because it’s related to future events, we can’t tell you.” Miyako explained.
“We got Catarina to make this video before the spell, insurance policy.” Rebecca placed a memory stick on his table.
“She agreed to you taking her memory?”
“Suppressed. She wanted a complete wipe, to protect you and what she knew about our family. I convinced her to do it this way instead.”
“She’s started remembering her ability to understand written and spoken language.”
“Michael’s elixir,” Miyako agreed, “he had it created so that if anything happened to him, she would remember who she is. It wasn’t part of our deal.”
“So she’ll gradually remember?”
“Is she a threat to herself or to others?” He asked pointedly.
“Absolutely not.” Miyako echoed her cousin’s sentiment.
“Very well,” he confirmed, feeling slightly more assured, “I would encourage you both to remain here although I suppose I cannot prevent your leaving, given your talents.”
“As the head of this family and with my father absent I ask for sanctuary, Sieur.”
“Granted. I suppose you will enjoy spending time with your Grandmother, brother and cousin, when he shows up.”
“If you have time I was hoping you’d take me on a hunt. I am half vampire.”
“Matthew actually allows you to hunt?”
“No, he didn’t teach me.”
He raised an eyebrow but didn’t question her further.
“Marcus can supply you with bagged blood tonight, first thing tomorrow all three of us will go on a hunt. I’m curious to see my training at work.”
Alisha stood upon hearing the door open.
Baldwin entered with an expression she couldn’t read easily. He wasn’t angry but nor was he contrite.
That was fine, neither was she.
“Marcus assured me you are well.” He said simply, shrugging himself out of his jacket.
“I was safe with Miyako and Rebecca, of course I’m well.”
Baldwin was turned away from her when she heard the cuff-links drop into a bowl on the table.
“And yet,” he turned back to her, “mistake or no, they almost served you up to a sadistic little cretin”
She didn’t say anything, unsure as to what she was permitted to reveal.
“That wasn’t their their fault.”
“You’re right,” he stalked closer, “it was yours.”
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