Joy in the Fire

Elsie Fidomini

Edward recovered surprisingly quickly, and within a week had insisted on taking up his usual duties once more. Despite his encounter with the knight, he was as joyful as ever, although now Elizabeth understood that part of this was only on the surface.

One morning, Edward, Ariana, and Elizabeth were breakfasting together when Adrian sauntered over and asked to speak to Elizabeth. She shot Edward a look before standing up to go with Adrian. Edward nodded and watched from where he sat. It seemed like Adrian was making a halfhearted apology, trying to convince Elizabeth of something. Edward knew how hard that could be. Stubborn was one thing she most certainly was. Finally Elizabeth pushed Adrian away and stormed over to the cave's exit. Edward quickly followed.

As Edward maneuvered out of the cave after her, Elizabeth stepped backwards into him. He saw in a moment the reason why. Seven palace guards, startled but armed, stood outside the cave. Edward drew his sword but Elizabeth pleaded with him to sheath it. "You can't do anything, Edward! You can fight, but all you'll do is get yourself hurt."

Edward did not heed her warnings immediately. The first soldier approached, and Edward swung his blade, knocking the other's to the ground. He was an excellent swordsman, but seven to one—"Edward, don't." Elizabeth winced as Edward sidestepped to dodge a sword only to be slashed by another blade. Edward groaned and tried to fend off the new attacker.

"It's no use, Edward, just give in!" Elizabeth bit back the tears that came anyways. Edward sighed, and with a hateful glance at the soldiers, cast his sword in front of them spitefully. He took a step backwards and clasped Elizabeth's hand. One of the soldiers picked up his sword, and another came forward and tied their wrists behind their backs. After that they were led down the mountain roughly. It's not easy to descend a mountain, but it's nearly impossible with your hands tied behind your back.

Every time they stumbled they were kicked or jabbed with a spear or sword. The soldiers were cruel in their actions and their speech. Once Edward tried to whisper an encouragement to Elizabeth, but he was hit in the head with a spear butt. "No conversing between the captives!" He was warned. Elizabeth glanced and him and he smiled, making up for the words he was forbidden to speak in his expression. Elizabeth tried to keep up her courage for Edward. She could hardly stay standing. She felt every blow with added pain on her already weak frame. But Edward's smile gave her fresh vigor and she managed to support herself a while longer.

What seemed like an eternity later, they arrived in the city. As they passed, several people jeered at them, but they caught a few sympathetic glances as well. One man went so far as to attempt to give them some food, but he was knocked to the ground and yelled at by the soldiers. After that they were avoided.

They were headed toward the palace. They were at the gates. Just a bit longer, Elizabeth told herself. They walked through the gates and past guards. Gazes followed them, some curious, others hateful, others mocking. Edward's smile trumped them all. They came to stairs now, and began to descend, down into the damp, cold, darkness. When they reached a corridor, one of the guards unlocked a door and shoved Edward into the cell, locking it after him. Elizabeth snapped back into reality and began to panic. They couldn't put them in separate cells! She couldn't survive without Edward; she needed him! Oh, how far she had come in the past months...

The guard gripped her arm and threw her in another cell. As she landed on the cold, hard floor, she heard the key turning in the lock. She beat on the stone wall and screamed for Edward until her hands were bleeding and her voice was hoarse.

"Is he your brother?" A small, kind voice asked. Elizabeth whirled around to see that she was not alone in her cell. A small girl sat in a far corner of the room. She had scraggly blonde hair, kind blue eyes, and a smile that scrunched up one side of her mouth. By her physical appearance, Elizabeth reckoned her to be about eight years old, but her voice belonged to an older girl.

When she got over her first shock, Elizabeth replied, "No, he's my friend. He's like a brother, though."

The girl smiled. "What did you say his name was?"

"Edward. Edward West." Just saying his name brought a lump to her throat. The girl then bowed her head and began to pray. "Dear Father, You Who can do all things, we pray now that You would be with Mr. West, however he may now be faring. We pray that You would give him Your peace that passes all understanding; that he would be able to trust You no matter what happens to him. We pray all this in the name of our matchless Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. Amen."

Elizabeth gaped at the girl for a moment, then remembered her manners and shut her mouth. No longer did she think this girl was eight. By her rhetoric and speech, well, she sounded like Rev. Rowe! The girl was speaking again. "I'm Elsie," she said with a smile that made her look like a young child again. "Elsie Fidomini."

Elizabeth smiled. "I'm Elizabeth. Elizabeth Peterson."

Elsie's eyes grew wide. "Peterson? Was your father by any chance..."

"Samuel Peterson. Have you seen him?" She leaned forward expectantly. Elsie nodded gravely. "He was put in this cell. Taken a few weeks later with my mum and da. He's lucky his time here was short. My parents had to wait three months, and I've been here another."

Elizabeth surveyed the young girl's frame again. It could hardly be said that she was alive, let alone in good health. "You've been here all of four months?" Elizabeth asked incredulously. Elsie nodded again. "We got taken nearly as soon as the law was passed. My father was a minister, and he had no intentions to stop proclaiming the Word. How were you and your father taken? And your friend, too?"

Elizabeth explained about the cave, the suspicions the royal guards had had, and how they secured her father; the story of Edward's family and Barnabas Winchester, how he had returned and Edward had let him go—here she stopped and began to sob. Elsie's forehead knit in concern and she laid a hand on Elizabeth's shoulder. "What's wrong, Elizabeth? Do tell, what is the matter? Please don't cry."

"It's all my fault," Elizabeth sobbed. "I made Edward let him go, and now we've been taken and it's only a matter of time before the others are all taken and killed and it's all my fault, if I had let Edward kill him, oh!" She continued sobbing and would not be consoled, no matter how hard Elsie tried to do so. Finally she had no more tears and huddled dejectedly in the corner. Elsie watched her sympathetically for a while, until there was a rattling at the door and their food was pushed through.

"Elizabeth."

Elizabeth sniffed and lifted her head. Elsie was smiling kindly at her, holding out a bit of old bread. Elizabeth shifted and looked at the meal they had been brought. Bread and water; stale, dirty bread and old, grimy water. But it was food, and when Elsie thanked God not only for it, but for Elizabeth to keep her company, Elizabeth couldn't help smiling despite their dire circumstances.

"So," Elizabeth asked as they ate, "Did they take you out to watch when they took your parents or did they leave you here?"

Elsie, understanding the true question behind this, replied, "Your father died bravely." She smiled sadly and continued, "They were only going to execute my mum and da, but they went down quickly and the crowd wanted more, so they brought out your father. They still weren't satisfied, as none of them put up a fight, but I was the only other prisoner and they were less willing to execute a child, and I do believe they thought I should recant, you know."

Elizabeth nodded slowly, trying to take this all in. She was terribly frightened and wished dreadfully that Edward were there. She tried to think what he would say if he were there. He'd be smiling, she knew that much. And so, while she was tired and miserable, Elizabeth sniffed back the tears and smiled.

~Author's Note~

So, the last chapter and this one were both really short, so I decided to just smosh them together :P Yeah. Okay bye.