{chapter twenty-seven: 6} lyric
Lucy: *The best things come in small packages, her mother had parroted to her since she realized that even though she was only fourteen years, she was never going to grow taller. She had never doubted that; she honestly enjoyed it, particularly considering how large Rick was. She was melded into his back now, and she half thought were his arm not around her she would not still be standing. Yet her mother also had said that a straw will show which way the wind blows, and she wanted to see now. She wanted to be able to look into Daniel's eyes, offer comfort, offer anything - bloody hell, she had known the man all her life. As glad as she was that Arthur had escaped, that Karyn would not be there to see ... she hated the thought of Daniel dying alone.
Rick's arm tightened around her suddenly, and her eyes darted from straining to see the scaffold -- where the bloody hell was Daniel, anyway? -- to the ramparts, imagining there must have been someone up there he recognized, fear in her eyes, and gut that she'd see his father. An apology was planned word for word, but she knew it would not fall from her lips if she saw Cyrus, for want to scream how dare he refuse to recognize his son, how dare he make her feel so responsible for it, and why pride was more important than happiness.
She was relieved to recognize only Etta, and promptly laid her cheek against Rick's shoulder. Murmuring warm against his ear,* I, love, you. This is...god, I have no words. I don't know what I'd do without you here. *Lucy slipped her arm around his waist too. Up on those ramparts was his sister, with the knights his old friends, his cousins surrounded them everywhere - Lord, how many Brackners were there? For the most part in nearly a month, he had not seen any of them and if they deigned to come see him it was only to mock, or puzzle or gape. The few that did not apply to who honestly had proven their affection for him, almost hurt him worst she thought - they lived a very different life, and only served to remind him of it. Yet he was there with her. Tears were already threatening to fall, but her jawline tightened seeing the sheriff appear, hatred replacing sorrow in her eyes.*
Frederick: *He hadn't hesitated for a moment to offer to come here with Lucy. As soon as she had made her mind up on coming, he knew he would be there for her, holding her, keeping her together. Lucy was a strong woman but this...this would phase even those with hearts of ice, and Lucy's heart was certainly not made of it. He knew perfectly well the people he was bound to see, the possible pointing and gestures he'd have to ignore, but he'd ignore them all without a trouble and that was exactly what he was doing. He was not here for them, he was here for Lucy. He did not know the man sentenced to die personally, only that he was Karyn (and Arthur's) father, only that he had been framed. That man did not deserve this.
He only looked up at the ramparts once, and easily found his sister. She was a commanding presence without trying, and now when she put effort into it, it was all the more effective. Their gazes met and after a few seconds, her head shook once, barely noticeable; she had managed to figure out exactly what he was thinking. Cyrus Brackner was not among them.
He tilted his head level again, having found Virgil though he knew that for sanity's sake, he could not keep looking. The longer he kept looking, the more chances he had of finding someone pointing at them, whispering, sneering. And God help Weston if he saw him, because then Rick would surely have no restraint. Instead, he focused on Lucy, holding her tighter, kissing her forehead in hopes of easing her as she began speaking again.* You don't ever have to find out, my love. I'm here, I'll always be here.
Lucy: *As his lips met her forehead, her frown softened but she couldn't seem to tear her eyes from looking at the Sheriff. He was sneering, the bastard was giddy up on that scaffold, conferring with another of the councillors. Teeth gnashed together, she finally just closed her eyes, leaned against him and let his words flutter over her.* Thank you... *Lucy let out a breath, then another. How it was he came to be there beside her -- she couldn't say it was some odd coincidence or that they didn't deserve it, because she remembered every detail painfully vividly and they worked at it. God, every day. She was lucky. It was hard to remind herself of that now, when her oldest friend's father was a quarter hour from death, but the fact that Rick was there...she was lucky.
By the time she let her eyes open, she only said calmly,* He's shorter up closer. *She gestured to the sheriff, though her jawline was still hard. She looked back at Rick, muttering,* The bastard isn't going to win. Arthur's out, Rick, he's out and -- he, Ken, Mitch - they aren't going to stop. *Quietly, she looked back at him.* I know you're with me, and I love you so much. I'm with them. Rick...they're going to need me. And I'll do anything, this...this has to stop. And Arthur's one of my oldest friends...I want to find him, and I--well I know how.
Frederick: *He snorted, his gaze flicking towards the Sheriff at her comment. Frederick had never liked the man, not even when he was still at court. He was just so...unpleasant, imposing, bordering on being a complete delinquent. Men like that, when they weren't on the side of the 'law', had the tendency of becoming serial killers and mass murderers. Though, he was already well on his way to that, and today was not the beginning of it.
His gaze didn't linger long, however. Frederick turned his attention right back to Lucy, rubbing her arms, listening to her talk with a fury he hadn't heard on her before. As every day passed, Lucy was more and more determined to help her friends and he supported that. He would do the same if it was his friends and his family being persecuted, even if at the moment he wasn't sure who exactly qualified in those categories anymore. He nodded silently, licking his lips and then paused, his head tilting in curiosity at her last statement.* How?