Pain of the Past (a Preminger fanfiction)

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Madam Carp was less than pleased to see Erik and Preminger turn up at her doorstep, and even less so that it was the middle of the night. A deep scowl etched into her face, but she let them in begrudgingly, eyes sweeping the dark streets before locking the door behind.

When Nack had come to them a week before, it had been with heavy news that had set them all into a panic. However, as time passed and they'd been fed more news from afar, one crucial piece of information made its way to their ears: the King did not know who he was looking for. Not exactly. He had no name, no face, no connections other than that the mysterious third person who had escaped that night should have been burned at the stake along with Addams and Willam. It gave them some leeway, but once they had made it back into town it was clear that they were far from safe. Military presence had doubled in the streets to the point that they felt at risk even in the cover of night.

"My grace is wearing thin." Madam Carp warned through gritted teeth, striking a match to light one of the hand held candles.

"Where is Vanessa?" Erik demanded, drawing back the black hood of his cloak.

"Your very pregnant wife? She's upstairs, sleeping, as we all should be at this hour."

Preminger looked at her, calculating.

"They've come by looking for me, haven't they?"

Madam Carp turned to meet him, the fury in her gaze dulled to a sober resentment, though whether towards him or the crown he couldn't tell. Alas, she gave a short nod, her features swimming in the orange light of the candle.

"They've made their rounds to about all the houses now. Anyone suspected of harboring the traitor is sentenced to hang. So if you've come to ask for somewhere to stay, you've wasted your breath. I'm done with you."

But Erik shook his head.

"We ask nothing more of you," he told her genuinely. "I've come to take my wife, we must leave the kingdom. Its not safe here for any of us as long as that tyrant sits on the throne."

At this, Madam Carp barked a laugh. The two stared at her numbly in surprise.

"Your wife is due any day now. She's not fit for travel, no less for travel outside of the kingdom. She will not be able to travel for quite some time after the birth, and then after it would be foolish to travel with a newborn through the cold season. She must stay here."

Her words rang unfortunately true in the still of the hot summer night. Preminger found himself reeling for a solution, but his brain felt heavy with the weight of the day. No matter what he tried to come up with, his thoughts always wandered back to the looped end of an old rope. There seemed no escape from the threat of the king, not unless they left Vanessa behind, and he knew that was something Erik would never do.

"I must go alone, then." He resolved finally, though even as he said it he felt unconvinced that that was the desirable option. He had no roots, no family or friends to go find, no home outside of the kingdom. It had all sounded like a beautiful adventure when William had been in the picture, but now it sounded like a lonely penance, maybe even worse than death. Perhaps it was what he deserved.

Before that train of thought could continue, Erik had shut him down.

"Absolutely not," he said firmly. "It is too dangerous, not only from the King's men but from the elements as well. You're no traveler, my friend. You would not make it far."

"What choice do I have? I cannot ask you to come along with me, and Vanessa will not be fit for travel for at least another year. The twins would come if I asked, but they have a life started for themselves here.  They may think they want adventure, but I know them. They belong here." Preminger argued. Erik began to respond before he was cut off by Madam Carp.