Pain of the Past (a Preminger fanfiction)

=13=

It took longer than he had expected to find William. In fact, nearly a week had passed before the two finally crossed paths again. A week had been plenty of time to further consider the storm of thoughts and emotions that had been racing through his head.

Eventually, he'd settled on two truths of thought. The first; that if he owed anything to his father, it was to devote himself to the kind of hard work that would bring him a fulfilling life. What a fulfilling life looked like to him exactly, well, that was what he did not know. He was devoted, then, to find his greater purpose.

The second was that he would play the defensive with William. He'd meant what he said to the twins — insurgents often had a charm about them to sway you to their side. Therefore he was not looking to join the cause so much as he was distantly inquiring about it.

Once he'd settled on these two actions, he mustered an apology for the twins who were elated to accept and even more excited having been tasked to find William.

"Remember," He assured them again, hands against their shoulders tightly. "We're not committing to anything, make sure he knows that. I just want to talk."

Despite, it should have been no surprise when William came swaggering into the tavern that night, a pleased smile plastered across his cheeks as he leaned into the bar.

"I have it on good authority you're interested in joining the cause."

Preminger cast him an skeptical look as he brought forth a mug, reaching below the counter for a bottle of liquor.

"I'm sure you do," He mused, letting the last of the bottle drain into the mug.

"So we'll call this a recruitment, then?"

"An inquiry." Preminger corrected, sliding the mug towards the man. William nodded, still smiling slyly as he took a drink.

"You were right, I want more to my life than a farm. I think my father wanted more for me also. That said, I'm not a criminal. I'm not interested in joining some anarchist crusade so-"

"Preminger," William cut in. "We're not looking for anarchy, we're looking for change."

"Nevertheless, I was raised to respect the law."

"And what if the law is wrong?" William challenged, a gleam in his eye revealing that he'd been waiting to have this discussion for some time.

"Who are we to determine that?"

William scoffed, "Who are we? Who are they? These are their laws, the King and the Queen and the nobles, so is it any surprise that we are the ones hungry and sick? The laws that protect and fatten them inside their castle are the same laws that let our people die in the cold and in the streets!"

Preminger worried the inside of his cheek. He knew he was speaking with an insurgent, but this was all a bit more treasonous than he was ready for. It occurred to him that they could be hung for having this very conversation.

He weighed his next sentence carefully.

"So what is it that you are asking me to do?"

Williams eyes drifted back and fourth, checking their surroundings before wrapping his hand back around his mug. The tavern was mostly empty at this time.

"I need to know that you're committed."

"Committed?" Preminger laughed. "I'm sorry I'm not committing to anything, especially when I haven't even heard even a semblance of a plan."

"Listen, Preminger," William reasoned, leaning in close so Preminger could make out every detail of his face; the worry lines around his eyes, the small beads of sweat against his brow, the way his brown eyes swam in the torch light with desperation. "I know I haven't given you much, but I can't leave here unless you come with me."

Preminger furrowed his brow, suddenly feeling as though lightning was running across his skin. "What is that supposed to mean?"

William licked his lips, urging Preminger to lean closer as he looked around them once again. His bright smile had vanished, now an anxious seriousness worried his face.

"Change is coming." He said, now speaking in a grave whisper. "I mean it, not just as some inspirational line to get recruits. A change is going to come and Preminger, I think you're a part of it. I think I was sent here to find you."

Preminger leaned back, rubbing his hands absentmindedly against an old rag for the sake of keeping busy. A steady unease had clenched around his heart.

"How do you know?"

Again, William looked around them anxiously. After all his loud-mouthed declarations of overthrowing the monarchy, this seemed a strange time to be precautious.

"I went to see a... wise-woman." He looked up at Preminger through thick, dark eyelashes, gaging his response.

"A witch?" Preminger hissed before letting out a heavy sigh. "Heavens, man. If they ever do catch you, the most difficult part of their duty will be figuring out which crime to hang you for."

William waved his hand, dismissing the thought.

"My point is, Preminger, that I believe she sent me here to find you. We needed her... insight on a few different things. She revealed to me specifically that in this village I would find the man we were looking for: someone intelligent and cunning and resourceful. I left to come here straight away and on that same night I arrived, I ran into you. Our paths keep crossing Preminger,"

"You practically hunted me down," Preminger countered, busying himself again with drying the rack of washed mugs. William shook his head fervently.

"Do you believe in destiny?" He asked, and Preminger cast him a sideways glance.

"Yes she said you would be a skeptic." Preminger opened his mouth to retort, but William was already continued. "It doesn't matter. I believe your destiny is with us, is rising up against them.  If anything, you must believe that your life is worth more than this." He gestured vaguely.

With pressed lips, Preminger set down the mug he was drying. Skeptic as he might have been, he could not deny belief in what William was saying. Treason was not exactly what he'd had in mind, but perhaps William was right — as long as the laws of the land were corrupt, no true change could come by sticking to them.

"Okay," He said, rubbing his forehead with the back of his hand. "Alright. Count me in."

The tension in William's face dissolved into a bright smile and he raised his mug to Preminger, a warm look in his eyes.

Preminger sneered half heartedly.  "Well what do I have to lose, really? My life?"