The Prodigal Saga: The Escapee

Chapter 6: Betrayal

(Merideth POV)

I stirred hearing grunting and the occasional scream. My eyes flew open to see Uncle Daniel supervising his first mate and one of his cronies beating on my father.

"DADDY!" I screamed, going to get up to help him when I felt resistance. I was tied down!

"Merideth, stay back!" Dad grunted as Daniel stood straight and moved to me.

"Ah, Merideth, finally woke up from your little...nap, shall we say?" his voice wasn't like the warm, happy sound I grew up with. It was cold...sly.

"Uncle Daniel?" I whispered. "What happened?" Uncle Daniel stepped toward me, his dark eyes narrowed down and a cold smile in place. He smelt like sweat and my father's blood as he forced my chin up.

"I rescued you, of course, sweetheart." he told me. "That pirate was going to kill you!" I moved my head back.

"No, he wasn't." I chuckled. "It was all a misunderstanding. He was going to warn me about..." I blinked as Daniel's eyes went cold, I trailed off, biting my lip as he chuckled.

"About me?" Daniel hummed, patting my head. "He was right to do so. Now, about your pretty little necklace." I swallowed and looked him in the eye.

"What about it?" I whispered. Daniel leaned in, his face reeking even more of blood, but now I picked up a subtle scent of rum.

"I want it." I shied back.

"But you gave it to me." I whimpered, Daniel chuckled.

"You were holding on to it for me. But now, I need it. And since you wore it...I need this." he took out a knife and pressed it into my arm. I shrieked in pain and struggled.

"Un-Uncle Daniel! What are you doing!?" I screamed. Daniel sighed, touching my chin in an almost soothing manner.

"Oh, Merideth, I'm killing you." I gasped.

"What!?" I said. "You said you cared about me!" Daniel stood up and laughed.

"Oh, Merideth. I never cared about you. You were just my pawn." he stood up. "Thanks for holding on to the necklace for me. The power it will give me will surpass everyone else, especially the great Wesley Carter!" I glared at him, realizing that the tail wouldn't help him and realizing that he had lied to me this whole time!

"You lied to me!" I shouted. "That story of being framed for murder...was all a lie!" I gasped. "Wesley was telling the truth." Daniel chuckled.

"Of course, my Captain didn't see what I was capable of...and neither did Travis. I swapped beds with the idiotic fool so I would be seen as less of a suspect, that those foolish idiots would assume that the murderer was after me. But I needed a scapegoat...and your darling little boyfriend fit the bill. So, I framed him." I blinked and smirked.

"He saw straight through you." I grinned before realizing what he said. "And he's not my boyfriend." Daniel leaned over me.

"Carter was a fool. Ran back to be with his mummy and new sister. He would have gone blabbing to Scotland Yard. Me still being a Privateer at the time, I would have been sent to court martial and possibly killed. So, I sent the anonymous tip." I gasped. "And now, after I kill you, I'll chase Wesley off to a place they condone the death penalty...and then put the knife and your blood on his hands." I growled.

"You're no match for Wesley! He can stop you!" Daniel laughed.

"Please...who do you think brought you to me? Wesley is nothing more than another foolish pawn." he leaned down against my ear, his hot breath sending terrified chills down my spine. "He was working for me. His job was to come and get you, steal that little necklace and give it to me. Then..." he smirked. "Whatever he did with you was his business." I gasped.

"I don't believe you!" I snapped, glaring and trying to get up.

"Really? What about the contract? He had nothing to lose and everything to gain. His free name, a possible wench in you and, what I think he thought most fulfilling...his father." he smirked. "Not like I'd give him any of that." I panted.

"You're a monster! Let me go!" Daniel chuckled and touched my cheek.

"Now, Merideth...I'm a patient man. I'll make you a deal...I can let you go, even bring you back to your new ship with your mother and siblings...or, you can stay..." Daniel snapped his fingers and the men backed away from Daddy. "and I let your father and the triplets go." I blinked, raising an eyebrow in my confusion.

"The triplets?" I raised an eyebrow as the first mate left, coming back minutes later with two little girls and a boy, all dressed in brown clothes.

"Weren't you aware? Or did your parents not tell you?" Daniel turned to Daddy, who glared.

"We didn't think she'd handle it! The house was small, we weren't ready for another set of multiples!" Daddy spat. Daniel punched him and Daddy slumped, blacking out in a pool of blood.

"DADDY!" I screamed, earning a smack to the face.

"Shut up! And meet your siblings." I gasped and looked at all of them.

The only boy had light brown hair, like our Uncle Jay and eyes the color of honey, he wore a coat like Wesley's and I shook him off, turning to the first girl. Jade green eyes met my own and her black hair was pulled up in a ponytail. Again, she wore a shabby brown coat and thin white stockings to protect from the cold. The last girl's hair was bright red, her tiny oval face a mess of freckles. The three of them couldn't have been more than two, possibly three years old.

"Christopher, Alice and Audrey Hudson...meet your big sister, Merideth." Daniel smirked. They stared at me as I wondered who was who. Obviously, Christopher was the boy. But I didn't know these three from Adam, the fact I knew who Christopher was was a miracle.

Little Christopher toddled over to me and flopped down in front of me, he turned to his sisters, who followed him one by one. That's when I noticed their necklaces, the two girls. The redhead had a silver necklace that said Alice, the raven haired girl a golden one that said "Audrey."

I looked to little Alice, who was the smallest of the three and she smiled. My heart melted for the little girl. She smiled and patted my cheek, turning to Daniel.

"Wet go!" she shrieked, pointing to me. Daniel glared.

"No."

"Why?" Christopher asked.

"Because I said so and I'm bigger!" Daniel smacked the boy's bum and he screamed. I gasped and struggled against my bonds more.

"Don't hurt them!" I shouted. "Let them go, they're only toddlers!" Daniel turned to me and smirked.

"I turn them loose, you stay with me." he said. I glared.

"NEVER!" I shouted. Daniel grabbed Alice and Audrey.

"Come along, then, Christopher. It's Merideth's naptime anyway." Daniel set the kids in their room and belted me over the head with the blunt end of the sword. I slumped, blacking out again.