"She always had a reason for doing something, never without cause."

Robyn didn't get far before she was confronted once again. 

Or rather, she was accosted by her Father as she marched with a temper toward her home with every intention of throwing it all to the wind somehow kidnapping Alec and Jane, and running off to only the Lord knows where. 

He was always quick in doing so, whenever he was capable, and Robyn knew that there was some sort of extra intelligence to him that drove his actions this time, this sense that made sure that he grabbed her before anyone else could see -- not that it would matter -- and lead her away for a private chat. 

Her instincts told her that he knew, somehow, of her plans, but she simply could not understand how that came to be. It was a marvel that he was even around for others to see and not hanging about mourning the loss of his beloved church. 

Robyn, at least, pitied him that for it was a symbol of his faith, his place to care for that was burned down with him standing within unable to do a thing to assist him. It was sad for all, but none more than her Father that, when not with his pants around his ankles, was dwelling within doing what he believed to be the word of the Lord for our village. 

Father bled and lived for the church, poured himself into each loving caress that he laid upon the wood that filled him with false righteousness and love.

And the embarrassment, the mortification. Robyn truly did feel for her father and his loss. 

They stopped in a small corner, in front of their abandoned house as most of the workers available to lend a hand were set to begin clearing out the remains as they set about erecting a new church building. 

In her mind, it seemed a fitting place for any confrontation to take place. It was a reminder of everything that had burned away with her all that time ago, the forgotten fragments of a girl that was now changed for the better -- a young woman that was brave and determined to no longer allow others to force her about and wield her like some object. 

"Tell me that my intuition is correct, daughter, tell me that you wish to flee with that boy and his sister," he stresses, grabbing her firmly by the shoulders. "Do not lie to me now, daughter, speak only truth." 

Startled by how easily he was taking her entire plan, she swallows thickly and nods. "I am. You are enraged by this?"

He chuckles mirthlessly. "My daughter, I am relieved. There are foul plans afoot here that I find myself no longer at the mercy of preventing." 

"What do you mean?" she asks hurriedly. 

"I fear that they plan to set forth a witchhunt, Robyn. The people are angry for the church and wish to place the blame onto them. They no longer heed my judgment." 

Robyn blanches, breath seizing as she stares at his face blindly in disbelief. They would stoop to something as unholy as a witchhunt... There resolve was set if rumours were left to float about with such untempered freedom. 

Her father had gone to extreme lengths to convince them to leave such judgement to God instead of outright murdering two people that have done nothing wrong and who have never hurt another soul in their entire lives. 

"What are you talking about? When did you hear this?" she asks, voice shaking as she speaks. 

"I hear it in passing whispers as I walk through the village roads. There is someone that aims to make keep me from knowing of their plots." 

"They have always been miserable at keeping quiet," she mutters bitterly. "What are we to do then, Father? I will not allow any harm to come to them." 

Her Father sighs, brushing his fingers over the top of her head, trailing down to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "My darling daughter, my little girl. You must go. You must run away with them both and never return." 

"You're giving me... your blessing to do this, Father?" 

"I give you more than my blessing, Robyn," he says. "I have the power. I wish for you to be wed to the boy before you leave." 

She jumps. "Wed to him? Are you certain?" 

"Is this not what you wanted?"

Biting her lip, she shakes her head softly. "I am not certain that it is what he still wants. I am helpless to do anything that he does not want." 

"Perhaps if you explain, dear girl. Go to him now. Warn them both. I will be waiting at home for you in your meadow, Robyn. Gather your things and be swift." 

In a flurry of movement, he was gone with the back of his robe billowing behind him. She stood still, gaping stupidly after him as she waits for the moment to fall, for some sort of sign that this was one big intricate joke made in poor taste to hit her --  none came and Robyn shuddered, tears welling in her eye and burning her cheeks. 

She wished that her Father had left her with something more, but what more was there to say? What was she expecting him to do to raise her spirits, as though she was some small child still in need of his comforting arms when she scrapped her knees playing. 

With shaky legs, she gathered herself in a swathe of calmness that she used to cloak her emotions as she forced herself to calmly return to the Law residence, each step concise and careful not to attract attention to the knowledge that she was not meant to have. 

Robyn could out them all, perhaps, bare their secrets in a feeble attempt to buy the twins more time. She could whisper words nonsensically and shock them terribly into believing that she was the witch. 

There were many things that she could do, but all she wanted was to warn them and leave. That was best. That would make her happy. 

She would do what she must to convince them. 

Jane was in the front yard tending the herb garden when she came upon the home and no longer could she control her fear as she ran the short distance between them. 

Robyn crashed into the other girl, barely able to control the way they spun apart and nearly tumbled upon the garden. She clung to her, holding tight as she forced Jane to listen. 

"They're coming," she gasps. "They're coming for you and Alec. We must leave by tonight. You have to pack your things and leave." 

"Pardon?" Jane blurts, eyes blinking in confusion. 

"They intend to set you and Alec to burn, Jane. We must go." 

The other woman grows red in the face, eyes blazing with contained fury. "Fetch my brother. I will begin packing our things to go." 

"Jane, wait! It was my father that sent me to warn you. He wants to have Alec and I wed before we flee."

"It that truly appropriate?" she snaps. 

"Is it not necessary to ensure that the Lord doesn't frown upon our travels, just in case?" she retorts. 

Jane rolls her eyes. "We could simply leave you here. Go without you." 

"You would allow me to burn in your place as a sympathizer?" Robyn asks. 

Jane's gaze is blank, unseeing before she scoffs and turns her head away. "No, I suppose that I wouldn't. Hurry. Take him and I will pack." 

Nodding, she darts around back, unsurprised to him swinging away with his axe once more. Robyn doesn't hesitate to throw herself at his back, stilling him in his action as she thinly avoids the axe dropping on top of her. 

He staggers, stumbling forward under her weight. 

"Alec!" she breathes into his back, forehead pressed to sweaty skin. 

"Robyn?" he questions. She doesn't give attention to the surprise in his voice. "Why are you back?" 

Slowly, she releases her binding hold on him, letting him put distance between them and free from the embrace of her arms. "We must leave. I have heard that they plan to try you and Jane as a witch." 

He goes tense. "You are certain?" 

"Yes, I have already told Jane and she has begun to pack you both a bag." 

"We must be away at once," he breathes, backing away from her to go to the house. "Thank you for telling us." 

Her jaw clenches. "I am coming with you," she bites out. "If I am to remain they will burn me in your absence." 

Alec pauses. "That is not the sole reason that you wish to come with us, is it?" 

She considers her words carefully, forming them on the tip of her tongue. "Must I have a reason or explain myself?" 

"Robyn, I will not have you throw your life away for nothing! This is the reason that I continue to turn you away time and time again!" 

"Then stop turning me away! Were you not happy when we were together? When you had accepted my feelings? Why must any of that change now?" 

"Because you would not have a life wherever we were to stop. You would have no future!" 

"I have no future hear!" she shouts. "I have no future anywhere that you are not. Regardless, I was leaving before this all, to begin with, so it matters not what you think on the outcome of my life and future and what I wish to do with it." 

Alec shakes his head. "Surely your Father will have plans to marry you to a fine man should you stop being so stubborn for one moment and allow him to do so." 

She grins. "My Father wished for us to be married before we should go. He waits for us now, actually." 

His chest stills as his breath catching in a gasp, eyes wide as he gazes at her with something dark in his eyes. 

"He does what?" 

"He wants us to be married before we are to leave. Alec, if there is one that I trust understands the reaches of love, then it is him," Robyn says gently. "Please, my love, my dearest, do not push me away. Come with me. Let us be married and away from here the three of us. Let us cheat death together." 

"Cheat death?" he repeats. "Robyn, I cannot allow you to come with us unless you swear. Swear to me that you will not regret it a moment in your life." 

Alec looks her in the eyes, searching deep for the truth, for the answers he wanted to hear. 

The beat of her heart was loud in her ears. "I swear that I will never regret my love for you for a moment, Alec. No matter where it takes me. No matter what shall happen. I will never regret choosing you a day in my life." 

The distance between them is closed with two long strides. His arms wrap around her middle, pulling her up so that her toes only grazed the solid dirt beneath as his head dips and mouth moves to meet hers. 

Her quiet gasp is silenced by his mouth, the sound swallowed away as he replaced it with the gesture of his love and feelings, spreading it through her with as though she was a flower greedily drinking in the sun. 

Just as quickly, he pulls away leaving her a panting mess with weak legs and buterflies fluttering in her chest. 

"Come, let us hurry. Your father is waiting, you said?" Alec asks, lips quirked into a cheeky grin. 

She wiggles against him, not wanting to be out of the fold of his arms. "Yes, he is. I will need to pack soon after as well. We should hurry." 

He does not let her go just yet. 

"Alec," she whispers, not wanting to be away from him but knowing she must. 

He sighs. 

"Let's go. Where is he?" 

Robyn smiles, beaming up at him. "In our meadow." 

"She was always mine, just as I was always hers." 

°°°

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unedited 

written: 2020-08-17

posted: 2020-08-22