"Freedom is something everyone desperately desires, however, it is not something that everyone is lucky enough to have."
— Forbidden Fruits
CHAPTER FOUR
»»☆««
Marinette wasn't the biggest fan of ceremonies. They only further reminded her of how little she could accomplish on her own as the mayor's daughter. But here she was nonetheless, smiling as she cheered her youngest brother on.
Cody, amongst several other young men, was receiving a silver medallion tonight as recognition for passing his first course in training to become a law enforcer himself. As the medal was placed over his head by the sheriff, her brothers' chorus of shouts uproar, along with her own feminine roots of cheer.
Out of her peripheral, a few men around her age were watching her strangely. The look in their eyes was enough to say that they thought her enthusiasm to be improper, simply because of the name she carried. Without even meeting their eyes, she ceased her clapping only to shoot them the bird.
The men instantly averted their gazes, mumbling in disgust with one another. That in itself brought a satisfied smirk to her lips in a matter of seconds.
On her right, Jasper nudged her arm with his elbow rather harshly.
"Ow! What was that for?" She turned to glare at him, rubbing at the spot where she'd been hit. All around them, the townspeople who had come to watch the ceremony were still clapping and cheering, which left her hardly any options besides raising her voice slightly when she demanded an explanation for his actions.
"For bein' foolish. It would be in your best interest not to flip off random fellas in public." He said, his eyes remaining forward and his voice raised as high as hers as he continued clapping. "Pa could'a seen that, and you would'a been in a heap of trouble if he had."
The clapping slowly died out as everyone took their seats once more. The sheriff continued with his speech, which she could guarantee most weren't even paying much attention to.
"I honestly wouldn't give a shit if father saw." She leaned over to whisper near his ear. Jasper even met her halfway with a tilt of his head. "Besides, you didn't see the way those boys were looking at me."
"Looks on their own don't got no power unless you give it such." Jasper chuckled under his breath. "Especially if they're comin' from scrawny little lads still squawkin' around with their Pa's hard-earned money."
Marinette snorted loudly at that, which earned her a few unpleasant looks from unfortunate folks near her seat. She and Jasper fixed their posture and their amused smiles just as their father leaned forward in his own seat, turning his head to the left to ensure the distractions being caused weren't from his perceived golden-star-grown children.
Little did he know that a brother and a sister were struggling not to laugh lest they compromise their composure and be met with the wrath of their father.
Once their father turned his attention to the front once more, a wide grin broke out on Marinette's lips. "Not only that, but they're waltzing around with girls rather than a proper lady. A proper woman wouldn't be swooned with daddy's money."
A breathy laugh escaped her brother's lips at that. "Proper? I thought somethin' as stereotypical as such didn't exist in your book?"
"Let me rephrase: I meant to say a mature woman wouldn't be swooned with daddy's money."
Jasper snickered, his grin pulling wide at his lips. His eyes glanced past her at the three preppy fellas before they were back on her. "Those lads aren't even from these parts. I bet they're from Pikeingham."
"The neighboring town?" Marinette's eyebrows furrowed confusingly at that. Since when did folks from Pikeingham come down to Deadwood to attend minor ceremonies with not much importance to the rest of the world? "They would travel a day's time merely to see this?"
"Couldn't say," Jasper whispered out through the side of his mouth. His eyes remained forward to seem less conspicuous. "But they're all dolled up—too pretty to be fellas who grew up in the middle of the desert. My best bet is they're the mayor of Pikeingham's three sons, here to do business with Pa."
"What type of business?" Marinette asked curiously.
Her brother turned to look at her then, and even with the dimness of the room, it was still easy to make out the sudden unease that clouded his hazel irises. "A type of business you'd sabotage if you could, I'd reckon."
"Oh no, don't tell me." Marinette blanched at the sudden thought.
She was certain her soul had ascended right then and there like a ghost up into heaven, abandoning her flesh in the wasteland she desperately wished to leave.
With a hesitant glance, she slightly turned to see if the young men she'd flicked off earlier were still looking in her direction. She wanted to wince when she realized they indeed were. She averted her eyes in a matter of seconds. "They're suitors?!"
Her whispered exclamation wasn't too loud, but her voice had raised. It was enough to have Jasper discreetly surveying their surroundings to make sure no one had heard.
"That would be my best guess, yes." He supplied, his eyes conveying his sincere apologies, as well as a warning for her to keep her voice at a low whisper.
Marinette eyes were frozen wide. She stared ahead of her, at the back of a random woman's head. "I raised my middle finger at those men. They couldn't have missed it."
"I reckon they didn't considerin' I saw it just fine out of the corner of my eye."
"Father is going to have my head." Marinette pulled at her braided pigtails anxiously. "They're going to tell him what I did, I just know they will."
"I thought you wouldn't give a shit if Pa saw such an exchange?"
Marinette nudged her brother in the arm, which earned her more of his teasing snickers. All around the room more claps uproar, signaling the end of the sheriff's long and rather boring speech. The lights dimmed back on, brightly illuminating the room once more. They stood from their seats a moment later and Jasper offered his arm, which she gratefully took. As they exited their row, the siblings headed for the front of the room, where Cody and the rest of the young men who'd received medallions stood as their relatives came up to personally congratulate them for their successes.
It seemed even the three young men she'd flicked off earlier had the same idea. She clung tighter onto Jasper's arm as she watched them take turns shaking the hand of one of the men she didn't recognize. Jasper extended his free arm out to his younger brother, a wide grin on his lips when Cody accepted it with a firm shake. "Congratulations, little brother."
Cody matched his grin. "Much obliqued, big brother. Care to help me celebrate?"
"What did you have in mind?"
"Gettin' wasted."
"I'm literally right here." Marinette frowned and pouted, which earned her a unison of chuckles from her dimwitted brothers once they realized the meaning behind her words. Of course, she wouldn't truly hold Cody back from going out with his brothers to the saloon. He had every right to celebrate as most men did on a night worth celebrating, and after all he had done to help her sneak out to the saloon, it would be wrong of her to demand they choose a different location of celebration simply so she wouldn't feel excluded.
"Sorry 'bout that, sis." Cody addressed her with a somewhat apologetic smile. "I woulda picked somethin' different in order to include you, you know I would'a, but Pops was the one who insisted no matter how much I tried to change his mind."
"Of course he did," Marinette grumbled. Her father was the master at making her feel excluded.
Cody's excited expression fell in a matter of seconds as he watched her deflate. It made Marinette feel bad because her intentions weren't to ruin his night. Cody deserved this. He was accomplishing his dream, something she would always support because he was her brother, and in return, he would always support her dreams too.
"I'll be fine." She insisted before he could open his mouth with a slew of apologies. He had nothing to be sorry for, after all. Along with her insistence, she forced what she believed to be a convincing smile in order to match her lie. "When do you intend to return home tonight?"
Her brothers exchanged an unsure look with one another. It was meant to be discreet, but nothing her brothers did could ever get past her. She knew them all too well. Cody cleared his throat, unsurely meeting her eyes. "I believe we'll be out well past midnight. You best not wait up for us."
"Of course." Her hold on her brother's arm weakened ever-so-slightly, but knowing just how observant Jasper was, she was certain he had noticed. When his free hand came to rest on her own which was still clinging to his arm, she realized she had been correct.
"How 'bout the five of us do somethin' t'morrow?" Jasper suggested as if to cheer her up. "We could go horseback ridin' up the side of Bearclaw mountain, down by the little oasis where Ma used to take us when we were kids."
"That'd be a great idea!" Cody added just as cheerfully, "We could go swimmin' too! And I could bring some booze to make up for the fact that you couldn't join us t'night."
A small, grateful smile found its way to her lips. Her brothers never ceased to be the best. With a slight nod, she deemed that a wonderful idea, and just seeing Cody's elated grin reappear was enough to have her smiling again.
A second later, Jesse reappeared amongst the crowd of gathered people and extended his hand out to Cody. Elias lumbered behind him, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his jeans as he remained silent. Their father was nowhere to be seen.
"Well done, baby brother!" Jesse clapped his hand.
Cody firmly returned the shake, laughing, "Thank you. We intend to celebrate t'night. You in?"
"Absolutely!" Their eldest brother slapped him on the shoulder for that. Grinning, he then turned his attention to Elias, nodding his chin at him. "What say you?"
Elias's expression remained entirely nonchalant. He looked up at his siblings, blank as ever, voice unexpressive.
"I'll pass."
"What, why?" Cody frowned slightly at that. "You don't want to celebrate with us?"
"Nah, it ain't that. I've just had enough drinkin' for a while." Elias's eyes briefly made contact with hers, and enough was said in just his irises. He wasn't too keen on re-visiting the saloon so soon after an appearance made by Chat Noir only a few days prior. But, of course, he couldn't say that aloud, lest he break their agreement.
"Ain't no one said you had to drink," Cody said, meaning so genuinely. "But at least join us. I want you there, and I'm sure Pops would have a fuss if you didn't show."
"You should go on my behalf," Marinette suggested with an all-knowing grin only he and Jasper would truly understand. "You know, since I'm forbidden to step foot in the saloon."
Elias simply glared at her. To any other onlooker, it would look like nothing more than a stoic expression, but Marinette could tell the difference between the two, even though Elias was the least expressive man she'd ever met in her life. He was like a rock, that one. Very rarely could a smile be gained out of him.
"Very well." He finally gave in after some long consideration. His brothers cheered at that, Jesse even grabbing him by the shoulders to shake him a bit madly. Despite his brothers' joyous and boyish exclamations, Elias didn't smile—which was to be expected. Marinette found herself grinning at just how silly her brothers truly were.
Their laughter instantly fell silent, however, when their father suddenly emerged from the crowd.
"Congratulations son." The mayor of Deadwood said as calmly as one would when emotion seemed to be absent. He extended his hand out to Cody like his brothers had done before him. Cody took it with no enthusiasm, no boyish grinning or snickering, no smile for that matter, and shook his father's hand like he was completing a business deal. The sight rubbed Marinette the wrong way, as it always did when being an onlooker to interactions between her brothers and their father ensued. Even though her father preferred his sons and didn't treat them unfairly, he lacked expressing fondness for all his children—if he was even capable of such. It made her wonder how he was ever a married man.
Cody nodded once as his form of thanks, but no words were spoken between father and son.
They released each other's hands a moment later, awkwardly so. The mayor cleared his throat as a form of breaking the unknown tension. "I shall see you four in the saloon then?"
His four sons silently nodded in unison, and that was enough to satisfy their father. With that settled, their father finally turned his sights on her. Marinette swallowed uncomfortably, her grip tightening around Jasper's arm. She hoped that whatever he planned to say had nothing to do with her possibly shooting her middle finger at the mayor of Pikeingham's three sons—
"You will head home immediately and you will not go alone." Her father said sternly. "Have someone accompany you there."
She tried not to let her relief show, but she was sure it was rather obvious. Her fingernails were no longer digging into her brother's skin, after all.
Jasper discreetly patted her hand. "I could take her Pa—"
"No, no, that's quite all right," Marinette assured him. She looked up at him reassuringly, their eyes connecting briefly before she averted her gaze and pointed off across the room. "I see my friend, Alya, over there. I'll have her accompany me."
Her brothers' eyes all followed, including her father's, to where she was pointing. Sure enough, (because she wouldn't dare concoct such a last-minute lie in front of her father), her childhood best friend since they were in diapers stood beside her mother, father, and younger brother, talking amongst some of their fellow townspeople in pointless conversation.
Jasper was the first to avert his gaze from them, his uncertain eyes studying her briefly. "Are you sure you don't wish for me to join you?" He asked, voice close to a whisper to avoid their father's nosey input lest her brother insist differently. "No disrespect to you or Alya, but I would feel a lot more comfortable if a man accompanied you after recent developments."
He was talking about the infamous bandit Chat Noir, and he had every reason to worry about such. Chat Noir's recent appearance at the saloon had only been a few days ago, and who was to say the bandit wasn't still in town somewhere? She understood what her brother was implying, and she wasn't offended by it. If Chat Noir were to make an appearance in front of two lonesome women in the darkness of night, it was likely he would be able to overpower them both easily.
"What recent developments?" Jesse asked innocently enough, interjecting in what was meant to be their discreet 'personal moment.' He seemed genuinely confused, if not concerned, but his innocent inquiry captured everyone's attention.
Including their father's.
Jasper's eyes widened in what could only be described as a boy being caught stealing sweets from a baking tray. He recovered quickly though by schooling his expression. "I said nothin' of the sort. What are you on 'bout?"
Elias shot evident glares at both Marinette and Jasper, his eyes narrowing just to convey how irritated he was by Jasper's little slip-up. She offered him a sheepish smile in return. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Cody's confused eyes darting between his brothers.
"Bullshit," Jesse skeptically narrowed his eyes at his brother. "I heard you as clear as day."
"Well, you must'a heard me wrong 'cause I never said that."
"You lyin' little worm—"
"It doesn't matter." Marinette quickly interjected before her eldest brother could pry any further. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as Jasper deflated slightly in relief. The small smile he offered her was his form of silent thanks. "What matters is that I'll be fine if Alya escorts me home. I shall see you all again tomorrow morning."
"Adequate." Her father answered with a clap of his hands, satisfied. "Since that is settled, we should proceed with our plans for the evening. I shall see you four in five, then."
And with that, their father took his leave, disappearing once more amidst the crowd of people.
"Yeah..." Jesse's eyes were still narrowed at Jasper. It seemed their eldest brother wasn't entirely convinced that he had heard wrong. Skepticism clouded his irises, but nonetheless, he turned to take his leave. "I'll meet ya'll there."
When he was gone, Cody moved to place a hand on Marinette's shoulder. "Have a good night, sis. I'll see ya t'morrow."
She offered him a warm smile. "You too."
He beamed at her, his toothy grin showing off his boyish features. Then he took his leave, weaving through the people in the same direction where their eldest brother had disappeared only moments prior.
As soon as they were gone, Elias raised his chin, moving his hands from his pockets to fold his arms across his chest. "You almost got our asses served on a platter, dimwit."
Jasper chuckled nervously. "I didn't expect anyone to hear what I was sayin', I swear—"
"Doesn't matter. From now on, we don't talk 'bout Chat Noir or what happened at the saloon. If any word of that gets out, especially in front'a Pops, we're damned. Got that?"
"Yep. Got it."
"Good." Elias took a look around as if to assure himself that no one had heard their conversation (even though it would've been physically impossible with how low he was speaking in a room bursting with noise), but apparently he preferred to be safe than sorry, she supposed. "Then let's get'a movin' before they start gettin' more suspicious."
Jasper took a hesitant step away from his sister, his eyes conveying his apologies. More than one apology, because she knew he wasn't only apologizing for his slip up. He was also apologizing for the fact that she couldn't join them. "Right. Well, I'll see you t'morrow then."
She offered him a smile that masked her disappointment. "See you tomorrow."
He matched her smile, even though his eyes held guilt. "Walk safely, yeah?"
His concern brought a genuine smile to her lips. "Of course. We'll be fine."
»»☆««
Later that evening, Alya and Marinette walked side-by-side down the silent dirt roads of Deadwood. Their hand-sewn skirts swayed back and forth at the ends with every whoosh of wind the mountains pushed into the vacant valleys, and strands of their hair untucked from once neatly hairstyles. The roads were empty due to the celebration.
The only building lit and exuberant was the saloon.
"If your brother offered to walk with you, you should have taken his offer," Alya said, "And then still invite me to join you both, of course."
"You only say that because this is Jasper we're talking about." Marinette wriggled her eyebrows at her, delighted in the way it made her best friend blush. She often liked to tease her best friend when it involved her secret crush on her brother.
Alya quickly averted her gaze, as if to hide her tinted cheeks. Her efforts were pointless considering Marinette had already seen them, even amidst the darkness.
"You should tell him how you feel," Marinette said when Alya remained silent. "He thinks highly of you, so what could go possibly wrong?"
Alya turned to look at her with wide, bizarre eyes. "So many things could go wrong. For one, he could not return my feelings which is highly possible. Do you know how awkward that would be if that were the case? He would probably never speak to me again."
"I think you're overreacting just a bit." Marinette chuckled softly, "You and I both know Jasper isn't the type of man to avoid the people he cares about. If he doesn't return your feelings, he'll be honest and super nice about it because that is just how my brother is."
"I suppose," Alya muttered in agreement. "But the fear of rejection is still there."
"It will always be there when concerning any man you're attracted to."
Alya hummed in agreement at that. "What about you?" She asked after a pause of silence. "Is there anyone in this town you find attractive?"
"Hardly." Marinette chuckled at the idea. Attractive men in the town of Deadwood? Surely not. Her brothers were the only exceptions, and she could say that because they were her brothers. No one had ever caught her eye, and she figured no one ever would so long as she remained in the isolation the town of Deadwood would forever provide.
"Not even those three fellas from Pikeingham?"
"So, they are from Pikeingham?" Marinette wasn't too surprised by that revelation, but it did mean that Jasper had been right. The three men were most likely suitors called in by her father, and the mayor of Pikeingham's sons no less. "How are you so certain?"
"My parents spoke with them," Alya said. "I'm sure they wanted to see if I could snag one for myself, considering I have no husband, but they are not the best looking in my eyes."
Marinette let out a genuine laugh. "They surely are not."
"Do you know why they've come here? They would not tell us when my mother asked."
"I'm not certain," Marinette answered truthfully, but she had a pretty good idea—one that wouldn't leave her mind ever since Jasper had suggested it. "But I have reason to believe they are the mayor of Pikeingham's sons, suitors upon my father's request."
"For you?" Alya's eyes widened at that. "I would say lucky you if they weren't so repulsive."
"Even if they were attractive, I wouldn't deem myself lucky," Marinette admitted scornfully. Along the road they walked, pebbles littered the dirt, and she found herself kicking some as if to release her emotions of distaste amongst them. "At least you have the option to choose whom you might marry, but I? My father will force me to marry whomever he deems suitable and will disregard however I feel upon the matter."
The look Alya offered her in response was an apologetic one, even if she might never know how her best friend felt. "I know. Perhaps you should consider leaving Deadwood then. There's a lot more out there than just this town, I'm sure of it."
"But this town is all I know. And besides, if I were to leave, where would I go? Who would accompany me? I couldn't possibly just wander off into the desert all alone, could I?"
Her Manor came into view a moment later amongst the darkness. Alya shoved her hands into the pockets of her coat. "You could go everywhere if you really wanted to. Besides, who says you must only be limited to one destination? You could see the whole world! And you don't need to be accompanied by anyone to do that."
They reached the polished steps of what she deemed her ultimate prison. As Marinette slowly trod carefully up the steps to the front door of the Manor, Alya remained at the bottom.
"Perhaps you are right." Marinette mused over the idea hopefully. She turned to look over her shoulder when she reached the top, a small smile adorning her lips. "Maybe I shall pack a bag and gallop into the desert on my trusty mare. By the time anyone notices I'm gone, they won't even know where to begin searching."
She thought about how heartbroken her brothers would be, how they would search high and low for her and probably never give up. That thought broke her heart no matter how much she longed for her freedom.
Alya offered her a wide grin. "Just be sure to let me know when you venture, so that I may see you off myself."
A moment of silence stretched on between them before the women shared a series of echoed laughs. To be able to accomplish such seemed like a wistful dream, so for now, Marinette would only imagine what it would be like to finally leave Deadwood; to see the world she believed was so much better than their little town isolated out in the desert. She wanted more to life than just what Deadwood had to offer. Perhaps if she was selfish enough, she would actually follow what her heart so desperately desired: to be free.
She unlocked the front door with her key. Now under the threshold, she smiled warmly at her friend. "You shall be the first to know when I leave." That earned her a smile, which broadened her own grin. "Good night, Alya."
Alya did a dramatic bow, which ensued more girlish giggles between the friends. "Good night, Marinette. I shall see you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow." Marinette grinned.
Alya took her leave with a final wave, beginning her walk home down the dusty roads of their silent town. Marinette watched her until her silhouette blended in with the darkness of the night sky. With her friend no longer in her sights, she gently shut the door and locked it behind her. Sighing heavily, she began her ascent up the grand staircase that led to her bedroom.
In the midst of the darkness of a barely lit home, a sudden hand clasped over her mouth. Marinette's eyes widened, and she intended to scream, but her cries were muffled behind cloth with an immense odor. She tried to struggle free with all her might, but her eyes grew heavier and heavier in seconds with every lash of her limbs. Suddenly, she was battling with tiredness more than she was with the stranger in her home, and much to her dismay, sleep overtook her before she could even blink an eye.
_______________________________
Me: *sigh* "I have so much stuff to do today"
Phone: "Reminder: Update Forbidden Fruits today"
Me: "Oh! Right! Thank God I set that reminder."
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