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Post by Rebecca on Aug 23, 2008 6:38:43 GMT -5
*Rebecca had stopped the hansom at an inn, feeling herself far enough away, and so tired she could scarcely keep a hold on the twins. The coachman helped her out with her scant luggage and children, and as dawn broke she entered the inn, procuring a room for the night. She settled the three poor, exhausted children in the large bed and took her own rest in a shabby armchair by the fire, dozing fitfully throughout the cold day, rousing herself once as food was brought for them all.
As dusk fell, she looked out the window and knew that they must move on, and quietly went to wake the children.*
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Post by Rebecca on Aug 23, 2008 12:31:14 GMT -5
*Having finally made all ready, and found a carriage more suitable for a longer journey than the hansom cab, Rebecca held the twins and told Stefan to keep close beside her as they went out to load themselves and their bags into the carriage. She'd wrapped a dark shawl close about her head, and another about the twins, and their breaths fogged the crisp evening air as they quickly began putting their bags on board the coach. Rebecca had paid the innkeeper's wife to prepare a basket of food for their travels, so they would not have to stop anywhere in the dead of night.
Taking the basket, she turned to the carriage and handed it to Stefan, who used all of his small strength to lug the heavy basket in beside himself and his brother and sister, who half-dozed curled up against the seat cushions. Laying a few pieces of coin in the innkeeper's hand, she thanked him and his wife before stepping up into the carriage, shutting the door behind her and giving brief instructions to the driver before drawing the shades across the windows.*
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Post by Rudolf on Aug 23, 2008 16:16:02 GMT -5
*Sometime after Becca and the children had left, there arrived a contigent of official-looking men all wearing the colors of the monarchy. The appearance of them put the innkeeper's wife into a panic, and it took some time for the men to relay to her (and then her husband) that no one was in trouble, that they were merely searching for a woman and her children.
The innkeeper was surprised when they gave him a description of someone that had been here only mere hours earlier. He'd just told them what direction she'd gone in when--
--Rudolf stepped into the inn. Both the innkeeper and his wife fell silent at the sight of the Emperor. Rudolf, for his part, had only a one-track mind right now*
"Where?"
"East."
*With a nod and a thank-you to the innkeepers, the entire entourage headed outside. Rudolf paused after re-mounting his horse.*
"I'll go on alone."
"But--"
"If you all come with me, she'll only run faster. She'd never go with you, not willingly, and I refuse to have her dragged anywhere."
*Among endless protests, Rudolf left them behind, following the carriage*
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Post by Rebecca on Aug 23, 2008 16:28:28 GMT -5
*Rebecca had almost dozed off, with Violetta and Zachaire settled, sleeping, one in each aching arm, and Stefan curled up with his head on her shoulder, when a jolting of the carriage woke her completely as it came to a halt, a blur of voices, clattering, and the snorting of horses making a dull mêlée outside the covered windows. She wearily wondered why they had stopped.
The coachman's voice drifted down.*
"Your papers, frau?"
"...what? But...I thought..."
*She hadn't needed papers when she had come to Austria.
...then again, she had been escorted by the emperor in broad daylight. She looked out the window and saw the border station, heavily guarded and patrolled in the torchlight.*
"I...just...a moment, I must...I must have them somewhere..."
*Identification papers. She had the children's birth certificates...but nothing for herself.*
"Oh dear God," *she moaned softly to herself. She could not send t he children on alone, of course--but they HAD to get out of the country, and soon. She settled the twins and Stefan, telling them to wait, wrapped up warmly in another blanket she'd brought, and she got out to speak with the coachman.*
"...I have money. A great deal of money. If you can get us across the border, it is yours. Believe me that I am no fugitive from justice, I have committed no crime, only I...I must get out of Austria!" *there was soft pleading in her voice, and her eyes had filled with tears despite herself; though perhaps it was for the best, as she felt some of the coachman's general resolve seeming to waver at the pitiful picture she presented.*
"...please..." *she whispered.* "For the sake of my children, monsieur..."
*What seemed like an eternity later, he nodded slowly, whispering to her.*
"I know of a narrow footpath...to a cottage...the path beyond will take you across the border, and eventually meets up with the main road.
Rebecca nodded and re-entered the carriage, drawing the shades once more. The vehicle turned down the side-path, disappearing into the thick trees. The road was rough, and the road was slow going, and thus it was nearly dawn by the time they reached the main road once more. Rebecca breathed a sigh of relief.
Her relief was short-lived.
There were shouts, a clatter of hooves, the thunder of approaching riders, rough voices barking orders in German. The carriage rocked slightly as the coachman dismounted from his seat--or was pulled from it.
A moment later the door to the carriage was flung open, and their papers demanded.
Rebecca shook her head mutely and hung back, cradling her terrified children close before they were each taken roughly from the carriage, a guard dragging each child from her arms.*
"NO! PLEASE!" *she screamed desperately, first in French, then English, at last in rough German.* "Please...no...do not--"
*Her cries went unheeded and they were taken back to the border station, the sobbing children herded into a single room with a guard who looked distinctly uncomfortable with his task as the twins began to scream and Stefan did his best to be brave, even as tears ran down his cheeks and he hiccuped softly, sheltering his baby brother and sister in his little arms.
Rebecca was taken, alone, to a room for questioning. Her comprehension was better than her spoken German, and she spoke brokenly to try to answer questions without telling them why or how she had come to be sneaking across the border without any identification.*
"Please...just let me go to my children..." *she pleaded.*
"How do we know that they are even yours, Frau?" *snapped the captain who questioned her, a swarthy, swaggering man of about five-and-thirty. Other guards patrolled the hall outside the closed door.*
"You have nothing to say that they are not!" *she cried.* "They call me Mother!"
"...you are quite young...to have three young children..." *the man mused, stepping nearer.*
"I married very young," *she said through gritted teeth.*
"Married--and yet you wear no wedding ring."
"I am a widow."
"Recently?"
*She did not reply.*
"I am sorry for your loss, Frau. You must feel the lack of your husband greatly." *He squinted at her before continuing.* "I am a benevolent man..." *he said.* "If you are so eager to get out of Austria...this matter of the papers may be...overlooked. Provided your eagerness may extend to equal benevolence on your part..."
*A large hand descended upon her shoulder, moving to brush a loose curl lying against her throat and she recoiled, nearly upsetting her chair as she stood, backing away from him.*
"I do not think an officer of the Imperial guard ought to--"
"An anonymous woman attempting to leave the country under suspicious and illegal circumstances has no right to lecture me on my duties or how I am to go about them," *he snapped, turning red.* "Bear in mind what may be in your best interest, Frau. Your...children...will face being left alone in the world...if their mother must face prison...or the noose."
*His dark eyes gleamed.*
"A pity to break such a lovely neck."
*Rebecca stared at him hollowly, desperation churning a sick feeling in her stomach before she turned her head away and shut her eyes.
It appeared to be invitation enough, and the captain advanced, one hand fumbling with the fly of his breeches.
In an instant, everything in her revolted at the idea and she cried out, fighting the captain's bruising hold as he brutally pinned her against the wall.
Let her die, then. Let her children not know the shame of having a mother who would rather whore herself to save her own skin.*
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Post by Rudolf on Aug 23, 2008 17:38:01 GMT -5
*From outside the room, there was a commotion, as though someone was hurrying as fast as they possibly good and making a mess of things instead of helping. Then, a simpering voice, one that was quite plainly trying to placate someone, judging from the tone. Then, commanding words, in a voice that would be quite familiar to Rebecca*
"Wenn Sie mich in dort Recht dieser Augenblick nicht lassen, werde ich Ihren Kopf auf einer Platte haben!"
*There was fumbling at the door, with mumbled apologies before it was flung open to reveal a lesser officer, face flushed, and behind him--Rudolf, looking like a storm ready to break. He turned flashing eyes to the Captain, who had hastily backed away from Rebecca...but not before Rudolf caught sight of how closely and aggressively the man had been standing to her*
"You...I will deal with in a moment." He hissed.
His gaze softened when he turned it to Rebecca.
"Are you all right? Are you hurt?"
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Post by Rebecca on Aug 23, 2008 17:46:27 GMT -5
*Rebecca shook her head silently as she slid against the wall to sit on the floor, shaking violently.*
"Th-the children," *she gasped in a hoarse voice through her hysterical sobs, trying to get to her feet.* "I must go to the children."
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Post by Rudolf on Aug 23, 2008 17:51:45 GMT -5
*The captain moved as far from Rudolf as possible (which meant the opposite side of the room from the only exit) as Rudolf knelt down beside Rebecca, placing a hand on her shoulder*
"They're all right. They're waiting, safe and sound, to see you again."
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Post by Rebecca on Aug 23, 2008 18:00:26 GMT -5
*Rebecca nodded slowly, passing her hand over her face for a moment to wipe it dry before she clambered gracelessly to her feet, looking to the guards who stood outside the door.*
"...please...take me to them," *she said softly, in halting German. The guards shuffled about, nodded briefly, and led her to the next room over, where the twins were now sobbing and Stefan was being held, violently kicking, scratching and biting, by the long-suffering guard. Upon seeing his mother, he at last freed himself and ran to her, hugging her knees.*
"Maman! Maman!" *Rebecca hugged him close, covering his face in kisses.*
"Are you alright? My darling...my darling..." *she went to where the twins sat, and gathered all of her children close, in her lap, careless that she was sitting on the floor, only too happy to have them with her once more. She had heard the twins' cries, when--
Her eyes widened. If she could hear them, it meant that they would have heard...*
"Wait here, sweetheart. I promise I'll return directly," *she whispered, patting Stefan gently as she exited that room and went back to the first, flinging herself between Rudolf and the captain and serving the oily man with a smart uppercut to his chin.*
"How DARE you even THINK to frighten my children like that! And to have me in the next room, to let them hear their mother screaming?" *she hissed in a tightly controlled whisper that was no less lethal than a shout may have been.* "You--" *she punched him again, her knuckles singing with sweet pain as she watched the blood begin to flow from his nose.*
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Post by Rudolf on Aug 23, 2008 18:09:01 GMT -5
*The captain stumbled, caught off-guard, and for a moment only stood there looking surprised. Just as quickly as Rebecca had acted, however, he launched himself at her as though he'd return the punches.
He never got the chance to, however, as he was punched yet again--this time by Rudolf*
"You're fired. Not just dismissed, or discharged--FIRED. And if you don't get out of my sight right this instant, so help me, I'll do worse than break your damn jaw."
*When the Emperor threatened you, there was only one thing you could really do: run for it. The captain did just that*
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Post by Rebecca on Aug 23, 2008 18:14:20 GMT -5
*Becca wiped her bloody fists against her skirt, leaving dark smears as she went back to the children, forcing a smile following a deep breath.*
"Come, children," *she said, picking up the twins.* "We have to go, now."
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Post by Rudolf on Aug 23, 2008 18:18:05 GMT -5
*Rudolf followed them outside*
"Becca..."
*He swallowed*
"Why...?"
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Post by Rebecca on Aug 23, 2008 18:20:54 GMT -5
*Rebecca glanced at the children as she lifted them into the carriage, then looked back to Rudolf.*
"I'm doing this for them. And for you."
*She walked to the rear of the carriage, lowering her voice so the children could not hear her.*
"We made a mistake, Rudolf. A very great mistake. I'm trying to fix it."
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Post by Rudolf on Aug 23, 2008 18:23:49 GMT -5
*He gently placed a hand on her arm*
"How is it a mistake to want you to be my wife? To want to be with you always?"
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Post by Rebecca on Aug 23, 2008 18:33:28 GMT -5
"It's not the wanting...it's the acting upon the wanting that will undo you. You cannot have someone like me for your wife, Rudolf. You are an Emperor...a leader to your people...your people must look up to you in everything that you are and do."
*She took his hand in hers and held it, though her grip was weak and her fingers icy-cold.*
"You know that they would never be able to look up to me. I have heard the things that are being said--not only about myself, but my family...my parents...Philippe...my children... These things will reflect badly upon you. They will damage your position--have already damaged your position."
*She let go of his hand and began to walk back towards the carriage door.*
"Moreover I will not expose my children to a life of such ridicule. I can stand it easily enough, but I could not bear to see them and you scorned for who I am and what I have done."
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Post by Rudolf on Aug 23, 2008 18:38:35 GMT -5
*He heaved a sigh*
"The same thing happened to my mother. All of the old biddys and snobby holier-than-thou's disapproved her marriage to my father. Even my grandmother didn't like her, and she used to complain about how that could have reflected negatively on my father, and his children."
*He gently took Rebecca's hand in his*
"But...something unexpected happened. Something that surpasses any nobles' opinion. The people loved her. They adored her, and in the end it was a positive thing. The noble naysayers couldn't do anything about the common man--people that outnumber them--loving the new empress."
*He kissed her hand*
"It's not the nobles who dictate what's what. In the end, the people will decide if one is a success or a failure. And I know they'd love you."
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