Heart Of Iron: Praecordia Ferri [ON HOLD]

Six - Trust

New chapter! The writing style is a little different, please bear with me.

Dedicated to ELatimer because her Jotun Series is AMAZING! 

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Chapter 6 

"That is a remarkably grandiose assumption, don't you think?" Ben turned to Niccolo.

"I promise you, this actually happened!" a bald man exclaimed.

The carriage vibrated as its passengers roared with laughter; Esme and a fellow lady curled their lips in distaste. Men with whiskey glasses were gathered around a poker table, fervently narrating tales of their journeys. Ben already seemed to be losing his steadiness.

"Goodness, boy," said the same storyteller, "weak stomach you have there! Didn't your father ever teach you how to hold your liquor?"

Ben paled and quickly stood up. A little hush fell over the table as Esme appeared by his side, her gaze burning holes into each person’s head. He coughed to excuse himself and walked away unsteadily, tears already pooling. Niccolo gently laid a hand on his shoulder before Esme continued to usher the young man through to the next compartment. The poker table awkwardly resumed their game.

In the cabin he shared with his male companions, Ben pretended to drift asleep until Esme sighed and left. While he appreciated all that the Paxtons had done for him, Esme was beginning to become the mother he never had, and it scared him. Ben turned to his side and finally let out the tears of his grief. Just one more time, he told himself, you have a new family to live for now.

Esme drifted slowly down the narrow corridor, allowing herself to sway with the train’s movements.

"Thinking about the boy again?" Her brother’s voice jolted her out of her thoughts.

"James, you frightened me...for once," they grinned before she continued, "Yes, he's like a lost boy. I can't help but want to protect him, especially after all he has been through."

"Of course you would," James smiled gently and clasped her shoulders, drawing his sister in for an affectionate hug, "You're one of the kindest people I know."

"And you, not so much," she replied teasingly. James chuckled and let her go. 

"Now do you want to tell me what is bothering you? Or must I annoy it out of you, brother?" her tone became serious.

James hesitated, "it's nothing you should be worrying about." His sister stared at him, refusing to break eye contact.

"Alright, fine," he resigned, she waited.

"In Calais, when we were waiting at the port, I felt something. Not just something, someone - one of us. But this feeling, it was different. Almost as if someone sinister was watching us. It came out of nowhere, one moment the little girl - oh I forgot to mention, she was one of us, but I do believe her power is small enough to go unnoticed for the time being - anyway, the enigma whom I felt had a much, much stronger prese-"

"Wait a minute!" Esme interrupted, "Why didn't you tell me she was...was gifted? We could have taken the child with us, she was homeless for Heaven’s sake!"

"I just told you, it was an insignificant 'gift'. Don't you realise how many people are gifted? I pass at least one a day, most of the time they really are insignificant 'gifts' - to our cause anyway. One man had the ability to charm any lady into his bed quite literally and once, a girl could hold her breath underwater for at least twenty minutes. That little urchin had eyes that glowed when she showed high emotion, so what?" He inhaled heavily before continuing.

"The people we have to worry about now are the ones who are exceptionally powerful; we protect them from this ridiculous cult. Goodness knows what they're doing and you have to understand that we cannot simply take every child under our wing. I trust you know the gravity of this situation. Uncle's last wishes were specific, with specific people in mind. Please, Esme, just this once, please see what I am trying to tell you. Whatever…whoever it was, I haven't been able to sense again. Count yourself fortunate because you, my dear, hold the strongest light of pure power I have ever seen. Be thankful that the sinister do not have my ability, at least not so far."

They were silent for a while - the window they faced fogged up with each breath - absorbed in their own thoughts.

"I trust you, James, you are all I hold dear. Thank you." And she laid her head on his shoulder as they watch the world go by.

Niccolo found the siblings soon enough, and staggered cheerily towards them.

"Ah there you are James! With your beautiful sister I see."

"Well I do know I'm beautiful, but you sir, need to get some sleep," Esme said. The doctor laughed before promptly passing out on the floor.

James sighed and helped him up, not before raising an eyebrow at his sister who in turn smilingly brushed passed him to her own cabin.

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