Secrets Intertwined

VII

Aislyn was at unease. Six months ago, she didn't even plan on going back home. In fact, up until she saw Elijah standing outside her grotty prison cell one month ago, she thought she'd never be returning home. So she felt uneasy.

Uneasy because of the guilt she felt when she remembered she hadn't spared her brother or a Community a single thought in the four months she was incarcerated.

But here she was.

Sitting around the Council House for the last month she had had plenty of time to come up with a reason, an excuse- a lie-convincing enough to placate her brother's inquiries. She had a plan, a crappy one, but one that was mundane enough her brother wouldn't question it. She just couldn't lose control, or everything would go to shit.

"I know you don't understand. There are some things I may not be able to tell you but I'll try my best. Just wait until we get home so I can tell Logan and... Tamani too."

"Well, how about you start by telling me- just me, your brother- what happened at the Council House."

Aislyn tilted her head to the side and replied, "I don't know what you mean."

"Don't you lie to me, Aislyn. You get back in here, your hair's a mess, you smell like the backside of a horse and you have marks on your neck."

Aislyn hand travelled up to her scarf.

"I don't know what you mean," she repeated, "I had to run to get to the carriage, I guess I just stood in some shit-"

"Language."

Aislyn threw her hands up in the air, a look of pure exasperation planted on her face.

"Are you shi-kidding me? Language?"

Jackson had the decency to at least look bashful, running a hand through his hair and offering a slight grin, "Old habits."

"Look, I had to run to get back to the carriage, I ran through some fields and I must have stepped in some... something, okay?"

"And what about your neck?"

"Nothing's wrong with my neck."

"I saw read marks, Ais. I saw you cover your neck up with your scarf."

"No, I-"

"Show me."

"Jack-"

"Just show me. Don't lie-"

"For fucks sake!"

Aislyn yanked off her scarf, flinging it to the side.

"I said, there's nothing wrong with my hells-damned neck!"

Not a mark, nor a bruise, nor a stain marred Aislyn's pearly-white neck.

Taking a deep breath, Aislyn folded up her scarf and placed it in her bad. "Look, can you just finish this when we get home... please?"

"Is it though?"

"Is it what?"

"Your home?"

Aislyn remained silent and tilted her head, studying Jackson.

"You tell me."

Grunting and shaking his head, Jackson reached over and grabbed her hand.

"Sorry," he said, "Of course, it's your home. And sorry about the bit with your neck. I swore I saw some marks or something."

Aislyn smiled and pulled her hand away and tucked it under her arm.

"Forget about it. Speaking of home, how is the other Leader anyway?" she asked, crossing one leg over the other, "I thought he would be here with you two."

"Someone had to stay, we don't have enough money to pay for co-Leaders. And plus, you know how he is. Tam doesn't do well with confrontation. He holds a lot of resentment towards the Council, we all do, but... He hasn't been the same since you left. I think he blames himself."

"I can't- It just-"

It was the first time Jackson had seen her lost for words since they had been reunited.

"I'm not the same person I was five years ago, he's going to be disappointed."

Trying to steer the conversation in a different situation, Aislyn let out a huff and reached into her bag and pulled out a compact filled with crushed charcoal. Giggling quietly to herself, she quietly got to her feet and crept over to the still-sleeping Logan and began to draw on his forehead.

"Aislyn," groaned Jackson, rubbing his eyes.

"Five pieces of silver says he won't realize until he goes to bed tonight."

Jackson leant over and read the word she had written across his forehead.

"Whore? Really?"

"Seven pieces."

"You're on."

As they neared closer and closer to the Community, Aislyn thought back to the first time her brother had explained to her what theirs was like. A small fourteen-year-old Jackson sat with his legs crossed with a map laid out in front of him.

"See here," he said, "this is our Community. There are thirty-four houses but they're making more. When me and Logan grow up, we're going to be the Leaders."

"Why?" asked a ten-year-old Aislyn.

"'Why' what?"

"Why are you going to be Leaders?"

"Because we need to look after everyone else. Every six years, all the people vote for three people to be the Leaders. It's mothers last year before they have to choose again and then the next time, I'll be old enough."

"But why do you want to be a Leader, Jack?"

"It's a great responsibility," he replied, carefully rolling up his map.

"Do you run it the same way?" Asked Aislyn, looking at Jackson.

He tilted his head to the side and asked, "What do you mean?"

"Do you run the Community the same way as our Mother did?"

Aislyn thought back to her mother, though she was never really fit for the title. Elections for Leader of the Community took place every six years and she had won two consecutive years in a row. When she didn't win the third time, she decided that it was offensive her own people hadn't reelected her for the job and decided to move away. Jackson was fifteen and Aislyn eleven. When their mother up and left, Aislyn found herself not overly bothered. She had always had a much closer relationship with her brother and she had never met her father.

When they were left alone, Logan's parents took both of them in and as far as Aislyn was concerned, Logan was just like a second brother.

Jackson, letting his back fall back to rest against the wall of the carriage, "Yeah, I try to at least. Say what you want about her but hers was the best way."

"Doesn't make what she did okay though."

Jackson just shrugged his shoulders.

Aislyn turned her head to watch the scenery passing by through the window. A smile threatened to form on her lips as she thought back to her mother. In all fairness to the woman, she had been a kind Leader and the Community ran smoothly under her control.

Snapping out of her reminiscing thoughts she looked back out the window as the carriage pulled up to a massive wooden gate. Peering out the window she saw a familiar sign, with the words 'BANE COMMUNITY' gracefully carved out. She turned to Jackson who elbowed Logan awake before leaning out of the carriage window.

"It's us! Open the gate."

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