Captivation

40: Allegiance

Allegiance (noun):  loyalty or commitment of a subordinate to a superior or of an individual to a group or cause.

Henry makes it through the night, and when I see him the next morning I am immensely relieved, although I pretend not to be. Roderick has drug us both out on to the deck, though I don’t know for what purpose.

I sit on the ground with my hands tied behind my back, and I wait. I wait to die, or I wait for some sign of Roderick and his plan for revenge. It’s become obvious that Henry slept with Roderick’s wife, and I guess that Roderick would rather exact revenge over leaving his wife and moving on with his existence.

I’m sitting thinking about all of this when Henry is brought over by one of the men on Roderick’s ship and told to sit down. “Sit here.” The guy says and I can’t quite figure where his accent is from, “Roderick wants to talk to the two of you at once.”

When the man walks away I look over at Henry and he looks at me. I can’t say anything, I can’t tell him that I’m not mad at him, that I don’t hate him, that in all reality I’m just worried that his affection for me will be used against us. I disregard all of these thoughts and take a chance and whisper to him anyway.

“I didn’t mean any of it.” I say my voice barely audible.

“I know,” He responds in the same tone, “Neither did I.”

“It’s safer.” I whisper.

“I love you.” He says.

“I love you too.” I murmur.

Henry moves his foot at taps mine with it. I sigh, realizing that this all could end very soon, depending on how crazy Roderick is, or how stupidly we react to the situations presented to us. I don’t know how to win this, I don’t know what to say or who to hit in order to end whatever is about to unfold. I take a deep breath, telling myself that no matter what happens I am not going to give up in saving us. I look over at Henry and see fierce determination in his eyes. I am relieved to know that we’re on the same page.

 We both straighten up and put on looks of annoyance as Roderick comes into view walking toward us, with Violet in tow, carrying something.

“Henry Meyer, did you ever wonder the consequences of your actions?” Roderick asks and Violet looks like she might get sick.

“I supposed I have.” Henry says, “Very recently though.”

“Did you ever wonder what would become of your on night stand with my wife?” Roderick asks.

“To be honest I didn’t even remember your wife. I just inferred that I slept with her from your reaction to me.” Henry says, “Bravo, I might add, for your spectacular obsession with your wife’s infidelity. I don’t think I could be bothered to care so much about someone who cheated on me.” Roderick stares at him for a minute I think Roderick might hit him. However, Roderick regains his composure and then looks at me.

“I know you love him. It’s in your eyes. It’s also in his. Don’t think I’m a fool.” Roderick says, changing the subject, and trying to embarrass us like Henry embarrassed him.

“Fool is too nice of a term for what I think of you.” I say without thinking of the consequences, but at this point I have come to the conclusion that Roderick isn’t going to hit me, or Henry, but I know he’s going to do something awful, I just can’t figure what yet.

“Well aren’t you captivating?” Roderick asks me sarcastically.

“No,” I say giving him a patronizing smile, “I’m being held captive. Those are two different things.”

Roderick gives me a look, and I can tell that he isn’t sure how to respond, so he takes the bundle that Violet was holding and turns to Henry. The bundle starts to cry, and I realize that it’s a baby. “This is your son, Henry.” Roderick says to him, moving the covers off the baby’s face, and showing us the child.

One of his eyes is blue, and the other is green, he has a head of dark hair. I see the shock on Henry’s face, and I know that I am mirroring his expression. Violet looks like she wants to cry.

“Roderick, please don’t do this.” She begs, looking fearful as a tear rolls down her cheek.

“Shut up you whore!” Roderick screams and I begin to move and stand up, do defend Violet in some way, but Henry grabs me with his hand and pulls me back down. Roderick takes a deep breath and looks at Henry. “However, this child is lucky, because many believe that he is my son.” He says calmly, “Of course, Violet had to fabricate the lie that her grandmother’s eyes are both blue and green.” Roderick says, stroking the child’s head.

I notice one of the men who belongs to Roderick’s crew looking at Violet, and when she turns to look at him, I know that while nothing is happening between the two of them, they are most definitely in love. And that they both most definitely want Roderick gone.

Henry is watching the two of them as well, but turns his attention back to Roderick before Roderick takes notice of Violet and the other man. “That’s my son.” Henry says, and then pauses, “What’s his name?”

“He was going to be nameless.” Roderick says. “He’s a bastard child unworthy of something as human as a name.” There is a pause and I almost don’t believe that Roderick is serious, but after a moment passes and Roderick doesn’t withdraw his statement I begin to worry that he is serious. And absolutely mad. Roderick continues talking, “But Violet has insisted multiple times that the child’s name is Nero.”

“Why did you bring me here?” Henry asks.

“To take everything away from you.” Roderick says, and then someone comes up from behind me and grabs me, yanking me up on my feet.

I feel a knife being pressed to my throat and I pull back as far as I can away from the knife but I can only pull back so far, because then I run into the man who is holding the knife.

“No!” Henry says, standing. He is forced down by another member of Roderick’s crew.

I look at him, neither of us expected this. I make eye contact with Violet, and she gives me a look that actually makes me feel safe. Like maybe we aren’t in as deep as we think we are.

It is then that I see the man who Violet was looking at earlier give a signal of some sort. I realize then that the allegiance of these men is not to Roderick, but to the man who is clearly in love with Violet. I give Henry a look, hoping to calm him down.

He looks at me like I might be crazy for not freaking out. An awful thought then hits me. Henry’s hands are free. He grabbed me and pulled me back. This is not good. These men are on Violet’s side. And Violet doesn’t want to kill us. She wants to kill Roderick. But Henry is free, which only allows him to do something stupid. Something to get us all in trouble. Something to foil whatever plans Violet might have had.

“Don’t.” I say, not caring anymore about Roderick. “Don’t do anything. I’m serious.”

“Shut up.” Roderick says to me, passing the baby off to Violet. “Kill her now.” He says to the man holding the knife to my throat.

Henry then does the stupid something I was worried about. He lunges at Roderick, taking him to the ground. And Roderick is armed, while Henry is not.