History Has Its Eyes On You ~ A Hamilton Fanfiction (Book 1, Act 1)

Hechicera Extraña

!!WARNING!! - There may be some disturbing imagery.

°~2 Weeks Later~°

(Y/N POV)

There was no need for me to visit the Dame. I was no longer a child who needed care. I could no longer see the man I loved in his bed, sketching various replications of creatures or objects.

His bed was cold. Soon, another orphan would take its place after eight years of Charles' presence. Even though I bared the thought that this was where he had passed, I laid there anyway. It even lingered with his smell.

Mrs Taylor had removed all of his clothes from the wardrobe. It was horrifying. For a man who wanted to become a tailor, watching as his clothes were taken away was extremely frightful. I'd recognised most of them, for he would wear a new outfit each day.

Yet one thing Mrs Taylor had not removed were the items beneath his bed. He'd kept his treasures under there even since the day that we had met. I hung my legs over the side, using them to crouch down upon the floor.

There it was.

'Art Book'.

I smiled at this one memory. Charles hadn't let me look through it, and he would kill me if he knew that I was. "Forgive me, Charles." I chuckled, gazing out at the sky.

The first few pages were just as I had remembered them from the day I had briefly looked through it: a collection of sketches of animals, predominantly turtles. I wondered what his fascination had been then, for I didn't believe that we had even brought about the word in any of our conversations. Not once.

The next developed into spectacular works of art of his surroundings. One was of the entire view of the room from the perspective of his very bed. The next was what appeared to be Valentino, who didn't look at all content that she had to wait around for a finishing result. Then another sketch on a different page, dropping completely in skill. It was a rough outline of a man with a rounded face, short, scruffy hair and a skinny body. On the left side of his neck were a few squiggles, which I assumed was an indication to the scar upon Charles' neck. At the bottom it was signed with a large 'V.F.'.

The next page was what left me in shock.

It was a sketch of myself, writing at a desk. By the surroundings, it seemed to be the sitting room just downstairs, and from my looks and long hair, I was roughly 15-16 years of age. The page was titled "Hechicera Extraña" and a faint heart that had been rubbed out beside it. I hadn't been made aware of this whatsoever, therefore to see it so well presented was just... beautiful.

The remains of the book didn't contain much, only sketches of outfits, both male and female. One I found familiar- it was the dress I had worn to the ball. Had Charles designed it himself? If so then he had to be the most talented man I had ever gained the pleasure of meeting.

I cradled the book into my arms. I'm sure that he wouldn't mind if I kept it in my own safe keeping. I remade the bed, placing a kiss onto my finger to press against his pillow.

Out of the blue, Valentino wandered in. The poor girl was finding it hard to recover. I had found out from Mrs Taylor that she was beside him as he passed mid-sentence with his eyes bulging outwards. From what she could recall, she had heard Valentino's screams from the bedroom and instinctively sprinted to check on her; Charles' head and left arm were hanging off of the bed. She beckoned Valentino and the other children away whilst her and the other teachers dealt with his body.

The imagery couldn't phase me now. I knew that he was at peace.

"Valentino." I greeted. I wrapped my free arm around her shoulders. "Perhaps you should not be in here. We are-"
"I know what you're doing." she muttered. "I don't care."
"Are you sure?"
She nodded. "I'm sure."

She stared at the book, like she longed for it to become her own. "Here."
I passed it over to her, and yet she refused it. She pushed it back. "No, you keep it. He'll be telling you to keep it."

I sighed, dragging myself down on one knee. "You don't have to stay here, Valentino. You could live with us, as a family."
She smiled. "You know how I feel about family. But I think I'll stay here for awhile. This is my home now. I know nothing more than this."
I rested my hand on her cheek. Her brother's features certainly shone within her. "Just know that you can always come to visit me whenever you please, as I will visit y--"

"WE TOLD YOU TO GET OUT OF HERE, YOU STUPID FUCK!!" Mrs Taylor screeched at the bottom of the stairs.
"Stay here." From alarm, I left Valentino to inspect. Mrs Taylor had somehow got her hands on a rifle and was holding it at a man at the door. He held his hands up in the air.

I checked his face.

...That couldn't be...

"Stop, please, I know him!!" I shrieked from behind them. I barged past her to block him from the end of the rifle. "Please, I'll deal with this."
"Sophie-"
"I'll deal with this. Trust me, please, he won't hurt me."
Mrs Taylor laid down the rifle. She did not, however, close the door entirely, leaving it quarter of the way open.

"Eric, what are you doing here?!" I questioned him. That was a face that I had hoped to never see again.
"I have to talk with someone."
"You came from England to America to talk?!"
"Yes! Well- no, but-"
"Who is it, Eric?"
"I-"
"Who is it?!"

Eric faced the floor. "You would likely kill me if I were to tell me."
"Just tell me, for Christ's sake!!"
He gulped. "I was hoping to see Mr Fernández."
I laughed in a scornful manner. "You are still head over heels."
"It was business matters!"
"You really think that I am a fool, Mr Harrison?

Well you are out of luck. Mr Fernández passed weeks ago."
"Then you have my condolences-"
"I seemed to remember that he told me in a letter than a man visited him not so long ago." I contemplated. "A man, alike yourself."
"Which could possibly mean?"
"This man held him against a wall. Threatened him. About me."
"I do not know what y--"

"You sick bastard, what if you're the reason he's dead?!!" I charged up against his face.
"What?! No, Miss, trust me, I knew nothing of his passing!!"
"Then did you or did you not come here to torment him?!!"
"I-!" Eric rubbed his hands together and glared about frantically. "Yes, yes I did."
"You bastard..." I repeated.

"Can one not forgive me for my dreadful actions?!"
"You regret nothing, Mr Harrison. If anything at all, you're delighted that he's in his grave! But I want you to know this." I tugged his ear towards my lips, making him wince. "I will never love you. If my heart is devoted to a sack of bones at the bottom of a pit then so be it. But if you dare to threaten my friends or family ever again, I will make a mockery out of you."

I released him with a shove at his chest. He tumbled down the stairs with a painful landing on his back. "Now get out of my sight. I don't want to see you here any time soon again."