get your words out { 2022 } yahtzee tracking

[iluvroadrunner6]

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Running Score: 260 (8/8)
Word Count: 36,156

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we've got these chains hanging round our necks | regency au | 1,374

[iluvroadrunner6]

[Prompt]

Peter wants to see the bodies at the nematon, so to the nematon they go.

It’s not a simple journey, so even with getting an early start in the morning, they take most of the day to get there, particularly because traveling by horse is ill-advised on the rocky climb. And, in competition with a werewolf and a vampire, Kate is doing her best to keep up. Especially since Peter seems content to let Marcel lead but not move past her so that she doesn’t fall behind.

It doesn’t help matters that her foot slips mid-protest that she’s just fine, and she feels the velvety palm of his glove catch her side, holding her in place so that she doesn’t go tumbling down the hillside below. She grits her teeth as she steadies herself, before fixing him with a glare.

“I would have been fine.”

“Experience would beg to differ,” he points out, unapologetic and unmoved by her stubbornness.

Rolling her eyes, she turns and begins the climb again, this time paying more attention to her feet to ensure that she has a better foothold. Peter seems content to leave it at that, not wanting to push the matter any further, but she can still feel his eyes on her back, just waiting for her to have another misstep. It irritates her, but it’s nothing new to her relationship with Peter, so at least that feels normal, where asking him for help did not.

“I didn’t know you were one to consort with vampires.”

His attention is on Marcel as he moves ahead of them. Kate purses her lips before shrugging. “I wouldn’t call it consorting. But I’ve done favors for him in the past and he’s done some for me. A mutually beneficial relationship where we don’t kill each other.”

“I find it surprising that you would ask favors of a vampire, given your family’s edicts.”

“My family’s edicts would prevent me from asking for help from a werewolf, and yet you’re here.”

“Ah, yes, but our families are ‘allies,’” he sneers, lip curling as he makes his way upwards. He despises the forced peace of the treaty, just as every male member of her family does. “And since Gerard believes his son is going to have the run of my family one day, he’ll make exceptions. I don’t think he would be as fond of Marcel.”

“What my father doesn’t know won’t hurt him.” Kate reaches up and grabs hold of one branch overhead, testing its ability to bear her weight before using it as a handhold as she navigates a tricky passage. “At least I'm using the treaty for our benefit, rather than just complaining that it exists.”

Peter scoffs as he navigates the same stretch. “And you’re saying that you don’t hate it? These forced niceties, the forced wedding for your brother? You realize that this could have just as easily been us. It should have been us—”

“It would never be us.” Kate turns to face him, with a firm stare and a set jaw. She shouldn’t blame him for being ignorant of the way her family works. He’s never had to live in an institution where children were property or chess pieces, meant to be moved about the board to Gerard Argent’s benefit. Peter meets her stare with the cold focus of his own.

“Why not? Technically, we were the living heirs. The agreement was that a Hale was to marry an Argent.” He places his hand to his chest. “Hale.” He points to her. “Argent.”

“And what you don’t understand is that in my father’s mind, whoever was donating a daughter to the equation? Would lose.” She sets her jaw. “Technically, I’m supposed to be the head of the family. Did you know that? He’ll never let me have it, but this family is supposed to go from mother to daughter, as Marie-Jeanne wished it. Can’t have an Argent leader who’s breeding mutts.”

Never mind the fact that Kate can’t have children at all. Not that she ever wanted them, but to add it to the list of things that made her useless in Gerard’s eyes. But that pain isn’t for Peter to mine at the moment.

Something shifts in Peter’s expression, whether it’s confusion or understanding. She can’t say for sure. Instead, she turns away and continues heading up the path. “It was always going to be Laura, Peter, because my father doesn’t like to lose, and even if it was to negotiate a truce, he was going to find some way to win.”

He doesn’t follow her at first, but eventually his footsteps sound behind her, and she hopes it leaves things there for now. What’s done is done.

Resolving the treaty is far over their heads, and there’s nothing they can do about it.

* * * * *

As they reach the top of the hill, the heavy branches of the nematon stretch out above them, creating beautiful kaleidoscopes of light from above. The thick, sturdy trunk twists above them, almost welcoming in its stature. Kate has always wondered what it would be like to be called by the beacon of a nematon, ever expansive as it is. It’s something she would likely never feel, given that she’s human and always would be. She had to imagine it felt nice to be wanted somewhere.

She might have asked Marcel, were it not for the immediate concern that came next.

“Where are the bodies?”

She dashes ahead of Marcel, circling the tree with wide, panicking eyes. All the children, all of their misshapen forms, they couldn’t have just gotten up and walked off again. They were dead. They had to be dead.

“They were here a day and a half ago.” Marcel joins her in their search, but he’s no more successful than she is. Peter seems to take his time, stepping back and circling the space to find any clues. She should probably do the same, but before she can get too far, she catches sight of a burned dress under one of the bushes.

“My God,” she whispers, making her way closer and pushing away the branches, revealing the body of the hellhound beneath. She drags her out of the way of the foliage and checks her pulse. “Wake up, please wake up,” she murmurs to herself, trying to find a sign of life.

As she goes to move her hand off the young woman’s mouth to check her breath, the hellhound jolts to wakefulness and gasps, looking around at the three strangers.

“Where am I? What happened?”

“Easy.” Kate holds up her hands. “My name is Kate Argent. This is Marcel Gerard and Peter Hale. Do you know what you are?”

The young woman swallows hard before nodding. “Of a sort. I know it’s called a hellhound, but unfortunately I don’t really have much control over when or where it appears, nor do I remember much.” Marcel opens his mouth, and she cuts him off. “So no, I don’t remember what happened.”

He closes his mouth, then starts again. “I was going to ask your name.”

She briefly looks sheepish. She likely gets asked this question a lot. “Sorry. My name is Danielle Maldeuax.”

“Danielle, could you find the bodies again? Or…could your other half?”

“I think so.” She glances over to the empty spot where the bodies used to be, and her face sobers. “All it wants is to not have them be made a spectacle of.”

Kate can respect that, even if she doesn’t think stealing the bodies is the answer. “I understand. We just want to stop this. Can you take us to them?”

Her eyes burn, and her demeanor changes in an instant, flames licking the side of her body. When the transformation is complete, the hellhound speaks. “You’ll have to keep up.”

“I’m faster than I look,” Peter nods.

Marcel does the same, before glancing over at Kate. “I can take you with me.”

At least they aren’t leaving her behind. She nods and reaches for his hand as he pulls her closer. “Let’s go.”

And with that, they take off down the opposite side of the mountain, following the flaming beacon ahead of them.