A slightly belated birthday gift for @ericstripe. I've been meaning to draw a double mawshot of the Captains for some time now, to show off some of the fun anatomical oddities they've got going on (kudos if you spot them!) And of course, I had to make Eric's long suffering immortal pirate/thief/snack Argo the not so unwilling victim in this case. Two very different yet equally handsome gullets, but he can only take the plunge down one. How could he possibly choose?
It doesn't matter much in the end. With Nathaniel and Levi sharing a stomach, food winds up in the same place regardless...
Summary: When death enters the town of Alshire, your world becomes darker as secrets pour out of the dark.
W/C Update: 6.2k
T/W: angst with occasional fluff, family drama, emotional/mental abuse, profanity, use of alcohol, death and murder, classism, smut, mention of gore and blood (will be updated as needed)
A/N: Here is the first chapter! I hope you enjoy lemme know what you think :)
Part I
The weight of your head rested on the crook of your elbow, it was warm and comfortable compared to the draft from the window. If you squinted, you could see the paint chipping from the window frame; some of it had been your own work but staring outside the window, watching the gray clouds pass over the dying landscape only brought so much entertainment.
From the second story, you could see the division between the fields and forest, a weathered iron fence marked the separation between the two worlds. You noted the branches gently rattled under the touch of the wind. In between pockets of matured cedar trees, you could see the blossoming colors of the birch and elm trees.
A knock at the door brought you out of your thoughts, without turning your head you spoke, “come in.”
The door opened with a small creek and the maid, Sasha poked her head into the room. “My Lady, I’ve come with your afternoon tea and biscuits,” she said politely.
You turned and smiled. “Thank you, please leave them on the table.”
Sasha entered your bedroom and set the tray next to the dishes from breakfast. She placed the dirty dishes back on the tray and stood awkwardly, tapping the bottom of the tray with her index fingers. It looked like she wanted to speak but felt uncertain.
“What is it, Sasha?”
“Oh, nothing, My Lady,” she mumbled.
“Please speak openly. Whatever you say here is to be kept with me,” you said, desperate to hear any news about why your parents were keeping you locked away or why Levi hadn’t dropped by in days. You would be grateful for any drop of information.
Sasha kept her eyes on the ground. “I feel you should know that– the Ackermans are under investigation and have fled Alshire.”
“What? Why?” you asked, hugging your shawl closer to your body. The room felt even colder than before despite the numerous candles flickering in the room.
“I’m afraid that is all I know. I was shooed out of the room as soon as they began discussing the situation. I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything,” she said apologetically, her head hanging low.
“No, no, Sasha. Thank you for telling me.” You looked at her with furrowed brows, her choice of words captured your attention. “What situation?”
She shook her head, there were tears forming in the corners of her eyes. You felt a pang in your chest. You smiled again, trying to comfort her. “Thank you for the tea, Sasha. You’re free to leave.”
She bowed her head and left, leaving you alone in the dim room, again.
You walked over to the table and sat on the adjacent ottoman, the mug warmed your frozen fingers. Sipping tentatively, you scanned the coffee table which was littered with books on subjects about modesty, social etiquette, and courtship, they were hardly touched, dust had formed on the covers. In fact, the entire bedroom had slowly been covered with dust, leaving a stale smell in the room. The maids hadn’t been allowed to enter for the past two days. The only person who you’ve seen three times a day was Sasha.
The room felt smaller than before, it was suffocating, you felt trapped and confused. But why would Levi leave without saying anything? It was uncharacteristic for him, he always told you if he was to be absent for long periods of time. You bit your lip and scolded yourself for thinking Levi owned you anything of the sort, he was simply an employee of the estate, nothing more. If he were to leave then he would tell the head of the house, your grandfather, not you.
You smoothed out the folds in your skirt and sat at the foot of your bed. It wasn’t right, the thoughts you had about Levi flooded you with shame, the lust you felt for him. How your skin seemed to jump when he was near you, the flutter in your heart, and the clamminess in your palms. It was unbecoming of someone of your status; you were fully aware but it didn’t stop you from imagining how soft his lips looked, the way his waistcoat clung to his torso...
You wondered what he would say if he ever found out how you felt about him. He’d probably quit and find a new job as a bodyguard for some other young lady. You hated the idea of him watching over someone else so you kept your thoughts to yourself.
However, it didn’t seem to matter since he’d apparently already left.
You figured it might be a simple confusion, there was no reason for Levi to be under investigation. He was an honest and hardworking person plus he was beloved by your family. Steal your family’s money and run away? Ha! It was honestly the best joke you’d heard in a while. You chalked up Sasha’s story to gossip, it was common for the maids to muddle information together to create a false narrative. You didn’t blame them, it must have been dreadfully boring to be at the estate constantly; you definitely hated it.
Small pitters of rain echoed throughout the room, the clouds cast dark shadows across the walls of your bedroom; a heaviness lulled over you and pulled you into a deep sleep.
Downstairs, in the formal room, your parents along with their accountant and business advisor were on their third cup of tea of the night. Your mother had not eaten in two days and heavy bags had formed under her eyes. Your father was haphazardly put together, his blazer hung around the back of his chair, his sleeves pushed up his forearms.
“I can’t believe we trusted them,” your mother, Eleanor said lifelessly, “if he did something to her. I would just die.”
“Now Dear, we can’t think like that. We need to be logical and not falter to our fears,” your father, Augustus assured her.
“I agree with Lord Augustus, My Lady. Your daughter is safe in her corridors, there is no need to worry,” Porco, your family’s trusted accountant, seconded. After the passing of your family’s account last year, Porco was hired to take his spot. He had ties with the previous accountant and had a clear understanding of the family's money, assets, and business.
The sound of the crackling fireplace filled the room, heavy shadows hung on everyone’s faces.
“I simply cannot believe he did that to you, Mr. Galliard. On behalf of the family and the estate, we apologize deeply for putting your life at stake,” Lady Eleanor insisted.
Porco shook his head. “I am grateful for your apologies, My Lady but please I do not wish to speak of that night again. But I will add, it is my fault the Ackerman’s have left with half of your fortune and fled Alshire. That is my final word on the matter.”
Eleanor blew her nose and tried to stifle her tears. The lady was burdened with worry, what will the town say when they hear that the family had been keeping such horrid and lowlife company? Will there be any more suitors bidding for your attention and hand?
“How did your daughter react to the situation?” Armin asked, while young he had proven himself capable of advising the estate in the matters of finance and business. In fact, under his advisory, the family business had managed to grow two fold and acquire enough land to build five new iron factories. The construction was set to begin next month but with this new development, everyone was unsure how it was going to be funded.
“She has no idea. We’ve kept her out of this situation, it does not pertain to her. At this time in her life she should be worried about her presentation and finding a husband,” Augustus explained.
Armin nodded and turned his attention to Porco, he was beginning to explain what the family could do to regain some of their lost finances. The family looked at him like he was their savior, drinking up everything he had to say; they were lost lambs and him their shepherd.
He sipped on his tea and listened intently to what he was saying, amazed by how Porco had come up with a plan this quick. The Ackermans had taken off with the money two days ago and everyone had been struck with loss to have a moment of sanity yet Porco was unfazed.
I guess it’s what a true businessman does, Armin thought. He was taken away from his thoughts by the moaning of the floorboards, he looked up and waited for the sound again. Not hearing it, he shook his head and wiped his tired eyes with his handkerchief. It was going to be a long night.
-
You were walking through dewy grass, your feet were numb and the bottom of your dress was soaked. Shivering you pulled your cloak tighter around your body. For miles, you could see the heads of graves poking out of the mud. Mist rose from the ground and seemed to touch the low hanging clouds; everything was cast in a deep navy blue creating a sense that the world was dead.
Unsure what you were looking for, you wandered around the cemetery, trying to read the epitaph on the headstones but none of them made sense, the letters danced around the stone in a circular motion. You were staring at one when you saw a shadowy figure in your peripheral vision. Quickly, you turned your head and searched for it again, you saw it run in between headstones, its movement was smooth and low to the ground like a black cat slinking through an alleyway.
“Hey!” you called out.
You turned to chase the figure, it led you further into the cemetery, deeper into the surrounding forest. Under the canopy, it was still, the smell of fresh rain and greeny encircled you. Normally, this would bring you comfort but there was an eerie presence surrounding you, it was hanging to each leaf, branch, and bush in the forest. As you followed the figure, the understory became denser, it pulled at your dress ripping the fabric but you persisted. The smell of decay quickly filled the air, you coughed and held your breath, continuing the search for the figure.
Fear creeped into your heart as you walked, there was something unfamiliar and vague about this section of woods yet you felt as if you’ve seen it a hundred times. The only sound was the rustling of your dress against the ground and your heavy breaths. Whenever you began to question your route and felt the urge to turn back, the figure appeared again but it was always a few dozen feet ahead and never turned when you called for it.
You noticed a gap of blue light in between the trunks, you squinted and blinked a few times to make sure you weren’t imaging it but as you stepped closer, it seemed to grow in size. When you reached the opening, you let your eyes adjust to the light and tentatively poked your head through the gap. There was clearing, shaped in a perfect circle, there were no clouds in the sky here and it allowed the moonlight to pour in.
When your eyes adjusted, you saw the figure standing in the center of the clearing, what you assumed was its back, was turned to you. Right before you were about to call out again, a pair of hands grabbed you from behind dragging you to the ground, the darkness swallowed you whole.
Your eyes shot open and you gasped for air, you grabbed your body, making sure you were still intact. The room was dark, the candles had long burned themselves out, the smell of ash was in the air. You stared into the empty space, waiting for your heartbeat and breath to calm down, it had been a while since you had a nightmare like that.
The bed underneath you was soft and warm, you wanted to crave an outline on the mattress and sleep again but there was something tugging you outside. You needed to escape this room or you were certain you were going to go mad.
Hastily, you tugged a sweater over your head and grabbed your cloak from the wardrobe. You breathed deeply and opened the bedroom door, it creaked and echoed throughout the empty hallway. It had stopped raining, the clouds had moved and the stars twinkled against the blackness. The moon was at first quarter, light weakly illuminated the hallway.
Keeping your body close to the wall, you made your way up the corridor and down the stairs. You were careful to avoid stepping on particular portions of the floorboard, scared of waking up your parents. To your surprise, you could hear the mumbling of voices from the first floor. In an attempt to make out the voices, you lost your footing and stepped on the wrong floorboard.
You gasped and held your breath, waiting for someone to come and get you in trouble but no one did. You grabbed the body of your dress and continued making your way to the backdoor, careful to avoid any more mishaps. From the kitchen, you could make out the shadows of four people, speaking in low, worried voices.
You wanted to barge into the formal room and demand to know what was happening but you knew you’d get sent back to your room and locked away again. You clenched your jaw and grabbed your shoes from the rack in the mudroom. They had recently been polished and shined under the moonlight.
Outside, it was freezing, a layer of mist clung to the ground and circled the trunks of the surrounding forest. You turned to the house and cursed its dark, cold hallways and rooms and its even colder residents.
“Good ladies do this and good ladies do that and blah, blah, blah,” you said mockingly. You’d always rolled your eyes at the expectations your parents had for you. Since you were the sole inheritor of the business and the only daughter of the family, high society demanded nothing but perfection from you. Society stripped women of their agency to bow to its unequal rules.
After you turned eleven, you were handed a book on social etiquette and were expected to be nothing but a pretty face, something to be admired rather than understood. Your friendships with the family staff changed, you were no longer allowed to run around with Sasha and Connie due to the class difference. Sasha became your personal maid and Connie was tied to the stables.
All of it was for one single reason: to find a rich husband with a prosperous business and merge the two to create an even bigger profit and to raise each family’s rank in society, it was cold and transactional. It was disgusting to you, all of it, especially the marriage part. You never wanted to get married, you hated the idea of being tied for one person until you die, to be under their control and have nothing for your own. Unless, you were getting married to someone you actually loved, someone who liked the real you. So far there was only one single candidate but you knew it would be doomed.
You huffed and clenched your fist. “They have to be lying about him. Levi wouldn’t do anything to hurt me or the family.”
Despite the darkness, the forest was teeming with life, you could hear the scuttling of the mice and the soft hoots of an owl. It was peaceful and quiet, you allowed your mind to relax. You’ve walked this path many times before that a thin brown trail had formed. You walked for a while, humming to yourself and allowing your mind to wonder.
Since you were young, you would sneak by the iron fence and step into the woods, to explore the vastness of the land. The trees encased you in serenity and it allowed you to leave the world of etiquette and modesty that lived at the estate. You never told anyone about your adventure since it felt like a sacred time between you and nature, you didn’t want to ruin it.
However, one day in the early morning, you were scavenging for mushrooms when you heard footsteps and someone call your name. In that moment, your heart stopped and you knew you were in trouble. You turned and saw none other than your bodyguard, Levi looking at you with a puzzled expression. He didn’t question why you were alone in the forest and you didn’t question him; you both understood the desire to escape from the mundane.
From that moment on, the both of you would sneak out and explore the forest. These nights became your favorite and you truly felt at one with the outside world. Eventually Levi showed you his favorite place to read and relax, an abandoned cemetery hidden in the middle of the forest.
After a few more minutes of walking, you found yourself at the edge of that very same cemetery. A few years ago, the Smiths had dedicated a plot of land to build a new cemetery with a brand new iron fence and carefully organized graves close to the center of Alshire, so this one had been long forgotten. The tombstones were large and intricately carved with letterings, moss covered the engravings making them almost illegible.
There were statues of saints, angels and crosses made of stone sporadically placed on top of graves, the moss and ivy draped off the statue like robes draped on a queen. There were a few barren trees, suffocating under the ivy wrapped around its trunk and branches. The grass was long and overgrown due to years of negligence.
It felt morbid to admit but this was your favorite place in the world. Since there were no expectations from you or Levi, your relationship leveled out, he was no longer an employee of the estate but a friend. Above the myriad of decayed bodies, a love was born inside of you.
You didn’t care if it was once sided, you just needed to have him near you.
Tonight you were hoping he would be there, waiting for you.
As expected, sitting at the mausoleum door, reading a novel that was falling apart at the spine, was Levi. He looked ethereal under the moonlight, dressed in black slacks and a heavy navy blazer, a black scarf was hung around his neck. The light cut across his face accentuating his cheekbones and deep set eyes. Without looking up from his book, he said, “what are you doing here?”
“How did you know it was me?” you responded.
Lazily, he glanced up. “That’s a stupid question. What other insufferable brat would come to the abandoned cemetery in the middle of the night?”
“Not like you left me any other choice.” You crossed your arms and pouted.
Levi closed the book and set it on his lap. “My Lady, I –”
You raised your palm to stop him. “Please, Levi, stop the formality and just call me by my name.”
He rolled his eyes. “Go home. It’s not safe for you here.”
“So now you decided to do your job and protect me,” you quipped.
Levi clenched his jaw and looked up at you. His gaze bore through you and you wanted to crawl inside of yourself and hide. You swallowed, shoulders slumping. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to sound rude. I’m just... confused.”
You stared at the grass and dug your foot into the soft earth.
“Don’t get your shoes dirty. You’re not the one who cleans them,” he scolded.
That was all it took for your eyes to water, you stared at his face, he looked unamused by your presence. This was foolish, you thought, he doesn't want to see me.
“Why did you leave the estate without telling me,” you blurted, sniffling in your tears. He said nothing. “Levi, did you at least tell my parents or my grandfather? That’s the professional thing to do.”
He glanced down at the book for a few seconds before looking at you again; this time his gaze had softened, reminiscent of how he looked when he listened to you speak about the latest place you read about that was now on your traveling lists. You would do anything to keep his gaze on you.
Levi said your name gently. “Please don’t worry about business matters, that’s not your jurisdiction. You should go home, you’ll catch a cold in this weather or a coyote might attack you.”
“I’m not going anywhere, Levi.” You balled your hands and stood tall.
“You really are insufferable, do you know that?”
“Of course, I do. I always have someone around to remind me,” you said, wiping the corners of your eyes with your pinky.
Levi smiled, a genuine smile that reached his eyes. You noted how they looked silver in the moonlight. He scooted over and patted the spot next to him. You walked over trying to hide the joy you felt. It had been a while since you’d been this close to him, thighs almost touching, his smell surrounding you. You shivered from the excitement coursing through you.
“You’re cold,” Levi said.
“No, I’m not.”
“Tsk, don’t lie to me.” He unwrapped his scarf and draped the black fabric around your neck and shoulders. Although it had been tied around his neck, it was cold, as if it had been hanging in a snowy forest all day. Still, you covered your lower half of your face, you were overwhelmed with the smell of black tea, spearmint, and something else you couldn’t put a name too but it was dark and inticiting; you wanted more.
“Won’t you get cold?” you asked.
“I don’t get cold easily,” he responded.
Neither of you said anything but you were dying to question him, to have him clear up the ‘situation’ Sasha had mentioned. You wanted to ask him so he would scoff and roll his eyes, he thought gossip was stupid and a waste of time and he would especially love it if he was at the center of it. He would probably just laugh it off and tell you it’s all rubbish.
Levi traced the spine of the book absentmindedly. “How have you been?”
“Lonely,” you said quietly, “and bored. I haven’t had a proper conversation in ages. I’ve been locked away in my room with nothing to read but those damn etiquette books my mother keeps giving me.”
“Maybe if you read them you would be so damn bored,” he teased.
You turned to look at him, you looked at him in disbelief. “Levi, are you serious? Those books are dreadfully dull and full of meaningless garbage. I think they’re polluting the minds of young women everywhere.”
“Are they now?”
You smiled for the first time in days, it felt uncomfortable but you welcomed the soreness. At times, it felt like Levi was the only person you could be yourself, he felt like your only believer. He didn’t care for social rules and attitude yet he was the kindest and warmest person you knew. Others might counter but you didn’t give a shit about them.
“I’ve missed you,” you confessed timindly, scared how he would react to your honestly. The topic of feelings was still uncharted territory between the two of you, it was the only boundary had been silently set.
“Tsk, you’ve missed having someone you could boss around,” he said, quieter than normal.
“I’m being honest, Levi. The house is too big and empty without you.” You looked at him with those eyes he loves so much, full of adoration for him. He felt undeserving of them. “Please, is it true, did your Uncle take half my family’s fortune? I won’t get mad, I just need to know what’s happening.”
He rested his elbows on his knees and placed his head in his hands, he looked tired and defeated. “I don’t know. I haven’t heard from him in three days.”
“Oh,” was the only thing you could say.
“He went missing before any of the accusations began and then your parents banned me from the estate, saying if they ever saw me talking to you they would have the cops come for my head,” he voiced cautiously.
“Oh, Levi, I’m so sorry,” you said, eyes wide and worried.
He wanted to wipe that look away, he wanted to kiss your eyelids until the worry and tension left your gaze. He hated himself for wanting that.
“Don’t worry about me. I could take care of myself,” Levi replied.
You rolled your eyes and threw your hands up in disbelief. “Is it so wrong to worry about a friend? Would it be a crime if I said I cared about you?”
“Yes,” was Levi’s answer.
“You must be joking,” you stood up and smoothed out your dress. Levi kept his eyes forward. “Why are you like this?”
“I don’t know what you speak of.”
You placed your hands on your hips and stared at him. Eventually, Levi sighed and looked up at you, in that moment, all the anger and frustration you were feeling melted away. Despite his cold exterior there was a glint of sadness in his eyes not even he could hide.
“Levi, I–I don’t expect you to tell me everything that’s going on but I would love it if you allowed me to care about you as a friend. We’ve known each other for many years and please correct me if I’m wrong but we have built a foundation of, of friendship,” you sat down next to him and continued, “you could trust me, I’ll keep everything between us. I always have.”
You reached out to grab his hand and gasped before he quickly pulled away. “Your hands are freezing, how long have you been out here!?”
“Don’t worry about it, I’m fine,” he sighed, “I can’t be around you forever you know. You’ll get married someday, probably soon and move out to your husband’s estate and have an entire new staff and –”
“Levi, please, don’t mention talk about marriage. It’s the only thing my mother speaks of and it drives me mad! I have no suitors as of now so there is no reason to worry,” you spoke with annoyance laced in your voice.
He smiled softly. “Sure, we don’t have to talk about it.” In fact, he hated talking about your future marriage and future husband, he knew that they wouldn’t appreciate you, the real you, not the one fabricated for high society. You deserved so much more and it shamed Levi that he couldn’t be the one to provide.
The rest of the night was spent in casual conversation, never reaching over the line of professionalism. The topic of the accusations never came up again, there was no need, you trusted what he had to say.
You liked hearing him speak, his manner of speaking was different from most people, he spoke as if he had years of experience on you dispute being a few years older than you. You always felt like he knew something you didn’t and you were curious to know, hoping if you spoke to him a bit longer than you’d figure it you. However you always felt even more confused and lost every time you tried to put your finger on it.
Levi was an enigma.
You glanced at the sky, the stars were beginning to fade away and a deep purple hue filled their place. “I think it’s time I head home.”
“Good idea, I’ll walk you back,” Levi offered.
He led the way past the gravestones, through the forest and the gate of your property. No one said anything on the walk back, there was no need to say anything, walking side by side was enough.
When you saw the outline of the house, your heart sank; being in the forest was a dream and this view was a slap in the face, a reminder that there was an entire role for you to participate in.
You rested your hands on the cold iron and turned to him. “Thank you, Levi.”
“I had to walk you back or else you’d probably run away,” he scoffed.
You shook your head. “No silly, thank you for spending your time with me and listening to what I had to say.”
It was Levi’s turn to be stuck saying, “Oh.”
He fiddled with the button on his coat sleeve, he wanted to wrap his arms around you and tell you that he missed you too. These past few days had been long and lonely without you.
“Here, let me give you this back.” You grabbed the scarf and started unwrapping it.
Levi raised his arms and shook his head. “No, keep it. It looks nice on you. Plus you could wear it next time you sneak out of your house.”
Your face felt warm, you thanked him while staring at the ground. He looked at the approaching gleams of sunlight. “I should leave now. Please, take care.”
“When will I see you again?” you asked.
He said your name softly, “I don’t know but I promise we’ll meet again soon. Okay?”
You nodded. “Okay, it’s a promise.”
Levi turned and walked towards the forest, you stared at him until he completely disappeared into the undergrowth of the greenery.
You looked back at the house, frankly it looked unwelcoming with its intricate and pointed trim, small pointed iron fence on the roof, and the dozen sets of stairs that led to the entrance. Ivy had begun to grow on the northside of the house and it made it look like it was being eaten by the forest, this was the only part of the house you liked.
You hid the scarf under your cloak and made your way to the house. It was calm which concerned you, normally the staff would be busy preparing breakfast or cleaning the floors but there was no one. You set your shoes back in the mudroom and sneaked across the hallway to the stairs. The formal room was empty which meant everyone must have gone home or to bed.
“What are you doing?” called a shrill voice from behind you.
“Going to my room,” you responded.
“Don’t backtalk your mother, it’s in poor taste,” Eleanor chided.
You turned to look at her. “I wasn’t back talking.”
Eleanor’s eyes widened when she saw the black scarf and the mud stains on the foot of your dress. “Did you leave the house?”
“Yeah, I went for a walk,” you said meekly.
Her hand shot to her mouth to cover her gasp. “Did anyone see you? Are you trying to ruin the family’s reputation?”
“Mother, I’ve been trapped in my room for days, I needed some fresh air to clear my mind. No one saw me, I stayed close to the edge of the forest near our property,” you explained, “Plus, fresh air is good for the skin, I read that somewhere.”
Eleanor exhaled. “I swear if this doesn’t kill me, you will. Constantly putting me through stress and worry.”
Your ears perked up and you leaned forward. “I do apologize for causing you trouble, I won’t do it again. I do have a question though–”
“Lady Eleanor,”Armin interrupted, “and ah, Miss. I was about to have one of the maids fetch you. We were about to meet in the formal room again, would you care to join us?
There were dark shadows under his eyes and the top button of his waist coast was undone. You lowered your eyes to avert his gaze.
“Of course. Thank you, Armin. We’ll be there in a few minutes,” Eleanor said.
Armin smiled and walked back to where the rest were now sitting. Eleanor turned to you and tried reaching for the scarf. “Give me that trash.”
You shooed her, “No, it’s mine.”
“Give it to me,” she repeated.
“Mother, I cannot.”
“Don’t be a naughty girl and listen to your mother,” she whisper-shouted.
“Is everything all right here?” Augustus stepped into the foyer and frowned at the sight of you and your mother batting at each other.
Eleanor stiffened and pushed the fly away hairs from her forehead. “Yes, dear. Your darling daughter and I were about to go greet everyone.”
He nodded and left the foyer. Eleanor turned to look at you. “Behave.”
You followed her into the formal room, the coffee table had been cleared of dirty dishes and a fresh pot of tea was at the center. The curtains were drawn and tied with gold thread, the entire room was embellished with golden accents from the pattern on the carpet, to the book stoppers on the high bookshelves. It contrasted the heavy hickory furniture and dark walls of the room. It was supposed to look stately but you thought it looked gody.
Porco was nursing the fire with an iron rod, his back was turned to you. Armin smiled and offered to pour you some tea. You smiled and thanked him, sitting on the same umber-colored leather couch as him. Your father sat on the sole recliner in the room with Porco and your mother sitting across from you.
You looked around the room. “Is Grandfather coming?”
Augustus sighed and Eleanor’s eyes watered. “Uh, we'll be starting without him today,” Augustus said.
You crossed your arms and waited for him to continue. Assuming this meeting was about the stolen money, you were reading yourself to defend Levi. You knew he wouldn’t do something like that and the family still had more money than half the town even with half of the fortune. Money was nothing but a tool of oppression and facade to hide behind.
“I want to begin by apologizing for keeping you in your room for the past few days. Things have been rather hectic and I didn’t want to worry you. Everything I do is to protect you, my only daughter, ” Augustus began, “I don’t mean to alarm but... we have been robbed by the Ackermans. Kenny attacked Porco a few nights ago, leaving him unconscious, and stole half our money, gold, silver, and jewels. We have reason to believe Levi was his accomplice in the crime. There is now a warrant for their arrests and we warned Levi if he were ever to get near you or this house, we will shoot him on sight.”
“I don’t believe Levi has anything to do with this,” you said firmly, turning your nose to your father’s words.
“He stole half our fortune and you’re defending him? You are a ridiculous and foolish little girl,” Eleanor spat. “Ask Porco about what happened that night. Go on ask him.”
You turned to Porco, his knee was shaking and his eyes were red. “Is it true? Did Kenny attack you? Was Levi there?”
He breathed deeply and closed his eyes. “It is true. Three nights ago, Kenny barged into my office with a loaded pistol. He held the barrel to my face and said he would shoot if I didn’t give him everything that was in the safe. I held my ground and denied, I told him I could never betray the family’s trust. He cursed at me and the last thing I remember is a second figure entering the room before everything went black,” he exhaled and fiddled with the handle of the mug. “The following morning, I woke up with blood on the back of my head and the safe was gone, along with the other account information.”
With squinted eyes you examined his face, looking for any signs of lying but his eyes were honest and traumatized, tears forming in the corners. There was no way…
“He was knocked out, how could he tell it was Levi?” you questioned.
“Is that really the only thing you care about,” Eleanor said, baffled.
Augustus raised his hand to calm Eleanor, her eyes were wide and her hair was sticking to her face. You turned your face to look at the empty chair next to you, if only your grandfather was here, then he’d defend you and the Ackermans. He’d say there was some sort of confusion.
“Honey,” Augustus said gently, “who else could it be? Levi is his nephew and the only person we’ve ever seen him talk to outside of this family. I’m sorry.”
You shook your head, an attempt to stop the feeling of crying that was taking hold of you. They had to be wrong. Levi is a good guy. You pulled the scarf under your nose and breathed in the scent, it comforted you and allowed you to compose yourself. There was no way you were going to break down in front of everyone, especially your mother.
As the clouds rolled in, darkness swept the room, the orange glow of the fire reflected off the gold in the room. No one said anything for a few minutes, the sound of the grandfather clock in the hallway seemed to boom along the walls of the house.
Augustus set his cup down and cleared his throat. “There is something else we have to tell you.”
You looked at him, he was staring back with solemn eyes. The others sank back into their seats and stared at various parts of the room. Eleanor was openly weeping now and Armin handed her his handkerchief.
Everyone is so dramatic, you thought. You looked your father in the eyes which to your surprise were also watering. A bubble of nervous simmered in your stomach, your hands felt clammy and you shifted in your seat.
“What is it?” you asked.
“Your grandfather is dead,” Augustus sighed, “Kenny killed him.”
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