Iris Blue, Am I In Love With You? (Childhood/Teens)

Chapter 17

Chapter 17 (May 1866)

Stella's face contorted as her confusion flooded her.

"Didn't you tell me?"

Anne shook her head.

"None of us kids told you about it. We made a deal."

"She's right, Stell. I remember, 'cause we were worried that the adults would hear us, or you would tell them, and they or you would blame the fire at the Moriarty's on us. Looking back, it was a silly idea. But it was obvious you were hurt from that fire, with how you showed up so soon after it, and your scar. Everyone thought it was an accident but if you were there... anyways, we didn't talk about it anymore. Plus we had no leader..."

"Leader?"

Elsie looked aghast at this conversation, trying to wrap her mind around what she was hearing. Stella was too filled with worry to notice this as she realized her mistake. What were they going to think now? There was no way of explaining her way out of this one, Anne and Jeremy were on to her. Pierre and Elsie were clueless so they could be convinced it was a joke or something, but-

"Yeah. To get rid of the bad nobles."

Stella's eyes stared down in front of her as she tried to find words to say. She had to smooth this over and get them all back to normal- unless.... what if she didn't?

"Children..."

Elsie sighed and put her hand to her forehead, about to launch into a lecture of some kind, Stella knew from the tone of voice from her own mother in her world. But maybe if she could convince them all now that she was from another world, she could get them to help her when the Moriarty's did their plans.... It was now or never.

"Wait! I... may I explain?"

The door gently clicked shut again as Pierre drew closer with Jeremy, setting him down in one of the sofas the girls had in their lavish bedroom. Elsie pulled her face out of her hand and watched Stella curiously, before nodding and sitting on the bed. Anne eagerly crawled over the sheets to sit by Stella when Elsie patted the soft material, urging the nervous girl to sit.

"I...I know this is going to sound completely and totally insane..."

She paused for a moment, glancing through the faces.

"But I need you to believe me.... You see I'm.... from another world...."

Elsie's eyebrow raised as she looked at the girl. She wasn't buying it. Stella instead turned to Anne, desperately clinging to memories she had of the series and ways to convince them.

"In the chapel that day, when Will- Louis's brother, I mean, taught you all about the nobles, the bad nobles as well, you were the first to respond when he asked what to do with them. Weren't you?"

Anne and Jeremy's eyes widened as they listened to their sister.

"You were the first to shout the answer weren't you? To fight them?"

"Y-Yes.."

"And Jeremy. When you were outside in the playground, with the two boys sitting on the bench and everyone gathered around, you wanted him to teach you maths so you could make money in the city, but Anne wanted him to read the next chapter of the book. Right?"

Jeremy turned pale as he listened, barely nodding in response. Stella turned to Elsie and Pierre.

"They know these instances are true, but I don't know how to prove this to you. I... I may have made a mistake, but I wanted to try to make you understand so maybe we can change events that will happen in the future but I'm not sure how....and from watching your faces, I've definitely messed up, oh no..."