Joy in the Fire

Tragedy

Adrian returned two days later, and for a while everything went on regularly. November slowly drew to a close. At the beginning of December, Mr Peterson was next to go for supplies and provisions. Elizabeth followed him out of the cave into the stinging cold, and after hugging and kissing him goodbye, watched him as he made his way down the snowy mountain. But as he neared the bottom, three knights jumped out of hiding and seized him. Elizabeth opened her mouth to scream and was lurching forward when someone covered her mouth and held her back. As the men took her father, Elizabeth turned to see Adrian restraining her. She broke then, and sobbed into his shoulder. Adrian stood there with a half-shocked, half-disgusted look on his face. He turned, and, seeing Edward watching, mouthed, "What do I do?"

Edward managed a very unconvincing smile, and answered quietly, "Just comfort her."

Adrian was a particularly bad comforter, but after a bit Elizabeth seemed to have fallen asleep.

"Well?" Edward's voice came in a harsh whisper. "Are you going to bring her in?"

Adrian stared at the other for a moment, then mumbled, "Oh, right," and gathered up Elizabeth. As he carried her into the cave and to her room, Edward following, people began to inquire as to what had happened. Adrian looked annoyed, but Edward answered them quietly and mournfully.

When Elizabeth had been deposited in her makeshift bed, Adrian muttered something about playing cards and ambled off. Edward watched him leave and then turned to Elizabeth. Her face was red from crying. Edward sighed and patted her head. "Be brave," he whispered. He heard a voice in his head, as if responding. It was Elizabeth's voice, and it said, "He's gone. Da's gone, Ed!"

Elizabeth opened her eyes groggily, then sat up with a look of terror which changed to relief. "It was only a dream then?" She asked Edward, whose look then told her otherwise. Her face fell and she whispered softly, "Da?" She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned a downcast face. Edward was looking at her, his blue eyes filled with sympathy—no, empathy. And for a moment she didn't feel quite so callous towards him. She even managed a small smile before dissolving in tears again. She turned away from Edward and he rose. "It's dinner," he said quietly. "You want me to tell the others you won't be there?" He received a nod and a sniff, and with one last empathetic glance, he left her.

The word had spread and nearly everyone knew what had happened to Alexander Peterson. When Edward sullenly entered the room, Mrs Rowe hurried over to her nephew. "Is she alright?" She asked tensely. Edward smiled. "I think she just wants some alone time," he said quietly. His aunt patted him on the shoulder as if he was the one who had just lost his father. They might not have been his parents, but Edward's aunt and uncle knew him, and Alana Rowe could see past her nephew's smile to a pained expression and a broken heart.

Edward ate half his portion of food, added the other half to a full portion, and carried the bowl back into the girls' room. He set it down next to where Elizabeth lay, and she turned at the sound. Spotting the bowl, she sniffed and said, "Thanks."

Edward managed a smile and quietly said, "As your doctor I will have to insist that you eat."

A ghost of a smile appeared on Elizabeth's lips as she sat up. Edward saw to it that she ate every last bit of her dinner, then took up the empty dish and was about to leave when Elizabeth called him back. "Edward?"

He turned. "Yes?"

"Do you know where Adrian is?"

Edward felt a twinge of anger, not towards Elizabeth, but at the mentioned name. He shrugged and said, "Still, eating, I suppose."

"Oh." Elizabeth sounded disappointed. Edward felt horrible. Where was that berk, anyhow? "Do you want me to tell him you're looking for him?"

Elizabeth pushed herself up. "Oh, no, I'll just come and see him."

Edward proffered his hand, which Elizabeth was too broken to reject. Once up, she followed him silently into the middle room, where she received many sympathetic glances. "Adrian!" She called, suddenly spotting him. He turned, saw her, and said, "Oh, hey."

Elizabeth came and stood next to him.

"You wanna join?" Adrian asked nonchalantly, indicating their card game. Elizabeth stared at him for a moment, trying to indicate with her eyes that at the moment, she needed emotional support. When he still seemed to simply be waiting for an answer, she said softly, "No, thank you," and trudged back to her room.

Edward saw her leaving and walked over to where Adrian was playing cards. "Oi, Adrian," he said quietly, to attract his attention. Adrian looked over, and, seeing Edward, asked grouchily, "What do you want?"

Edward answered quietly, "I think Elizabeth's really upset about her father."

"So?" Adrian asked distractedly, then, laying down a card, exclaimed, "Ha, beat that, scum!" To which the others replied with a collective groan. Edward pursed his lips in a disapproving manner, then said quietly, "Never mind," and left Adrian with the thought: It's coming soon.