Back in Mystic Falls

32. Two Orphans

*Huge thank you for Jazmine F. from ff.net for the Gilbert storyline. I did alter it somewhat.

Pairing: Sage/Jeremy (F/m) hand

Mystic Falls Saloon

Mystic Falls, Virginia

August 1855

Next Day, Morning

Sage had just finished cleaning her teeth using the basin on her wash stand. Now, she had to dress for another day of work. She was agile at putting on her own corset and petticoats herself, though Finn had hired her a lady's maid, a few weeks earlier.

"Miss, allow me," Dolly insisted. She pulled the stays tighter. Sage inhaled sharply and smiled bravely.

"If I falter from lack of breath, you will revive me?" Sage joked, as the young brown haired girl.

"Of course, Miss," Dolly said without a trace of sarcasm. Sage braved through until Dolly tried to lace up her boots.

"I can do that myself, dear," Sage said. "Business is picking up and I do need to be able to walk." There was a sound of some kind of ruckus downstairs.

"Oh dear, I wonder if that drunkard is back again too early!" Dolly fussed.

"Yeah, probably. Sadly, many of our customers do have a problem with the drink. A temperance union was trying to shut our doors before you got here. I do hope Mr. Fell behaves himself today," Sage frowned. "But we do need the coin from such as he to keep afloat."

Charles, a bartender, stomped to Sage's door.

"Mistress, we have a problem. I think you want to see this," Charles announced as he tapped on the door. Dolly and Sage looked at each other in alarm.

Dolly chuckled, "Maybe that young man who got fresh with Prudy last night wants another slap to his smug face?"

Sage grinned, "Prudence is a good deal stronger than she looks. If he does sass her again, he best watch out. You know, I shall not let any man disrespect what they refer to as 'the weaker sex.' Our only weakness is to not fight back."

Dolly went to empty the chamber pot, "You have some funny ideas, Miss, if you do not mind me saying so."

"So I have oft been told, and ignored them all. Now, I shall see what is so vexing that Charles cannot handle it himself. A big man and all!" Sage quipped. She did not tell Dolly that she suspected it was a mouse. But when she got there, it was something a tad larger. And there were two of them!

Mikaelson Estate

Same Morning

Kol and Damon were woken up early before school.

"Damn me, Damon. With being condemned to an early bedtime, we never got our punishment writings done. My backside cannot take another licking with that infernal board!" Kol wailed. He rubbed his behind to see if it was as sore as it was yesterday. He was dismayed that it ached and itched somewhat awful.

Damon bit at his nail on his right pinky finger. His father would cuff him if he saw him doing it, but the gesture calmed him slightly. Normally, Damon shared a room with Stefan, but Finn ordered him to sleep in Marcel's bed. Stefan probably slept with Rebekah, as the younger boy was afraid to sleep alone.

"I could try a spell to see if I could cloud her mind. Surely, we are going to get it again if we did not complete the punishment," Damon mumbled. In all the excitement last night, he had put the assignment out of his mind. Kol and he had listened at their door as the wolf and witch came and revived Klaus. Kol relayed everything he heard to Damon, through their bedroom door. Marcel had not shared much when he finally got sent to bed. He had seemed troubled, but also tired. He got his night clothes and went to sleep in Damon and Stefan's empty room. Kol had joked that he would not be visiting with Rebekah so maybe he would actually get some sleep. Normally, Marcel would have argued but he just shrugged and left with his things.