Blood or Water

Chapter 29: River

Blood or Water

Chapter 29

River

Eve walked next to her father and Peter walked a few feet behind them. A small package in his arms. A toy picked out by Eve to apologize to her brother for not playing with him that often. When she picked out the toy train she seemed to just stare at it for a moment before touching the little green smoke stake. She oddly enough didn't say a word to Percy about it, it was almost as if she had reverted back to being 8 and seemed ashamed of asking for what she wanted. Percy smiled at her and picked up the train and walked over to the man behind the desk. The man who owned the place originally passed on two years before leaving his toy loving son to manage it for him.

Percy walked his daughter into there favorite eating place and sat down at a table near the window. Peter sat down as well although he felt very odd sitting down with the lady he was charged with taking care of. It was very nice of her to ask for him to eat with them. He however wasn't very used to the concept. He was used to eating with his dad in the kitchen after serving his family.

Eve looked over the menu handed to her. She looked up slightly out the window as lightning cracked nearby a few of the women who were there with there husbands, and/or children jumped and held on tightly to there children or husbands. Eve buried her face in her fathers arm.

"Hush child...its alright. Its just a bit of lightning." percy said and put his arm around her. The waitress walked over and sat down the tea and took there orders. Percy looked down at Eve as she watched the storm, just like she did back when she was 8 and inside the carriage.

"Hey...I'd ask if you want some bread...but I already know the answer to that." He said with a chuckle. He looked down at Eve as she kept looking out over the streets. She normally giggled at such a notion.

Peter looked down at the tea he had just drank. He wondered how well she really was. She hadn't spoken to him once since the insolent. She looked up at him for a moment before going back to looking outside. He looked up at Percy who held her close not letting go of her. He knew Percy wouldn't ever let go of her, and Peter pitied the man who ever asked for her hand. He would have to deal with the Pimpernel...and the League. She had a whole army on her side, and he wondered if she knew this.

Eve jumped again when the waitress put there food down in front of them.

"Oh I'm sorry sweetheart. Didn't mean to scare you, it is a freight outside. Its been rumbling all day, I'm sure it'll be doing the same thing all night too. Best hurry on home when your all done." She warned Percy who chuckled.

Eve looked around at her food and picked up a spoon and began to eat. Peter watched her take a few bites before looking up at him. He had ordered a small sandwich. He wasn't a big eater at all. His father often said he ate as much as birds do...which wasn't accurate at all because birds ate a lot.

Percy chuckled when he looked down at his daughter who seemed to actually eat as much as she usually did. She even ate half a roll. When she was finished she sat back and looked outside again. Percy missed the endless chatter his daughter had. Every word she spoke he never tired of, he could listen to his childrens endless chatter forever if he was aloud to.

"Well are we finished?" Percy asked looking at both the children who nodded. Peter looked over stuffed and his plate was picked clean. Even the garnish was gone. "Not hungry were you?"

"I didn't get a chance to eat breakfast before leaving." Peter admitted and looked at Eve who looked almost asleep. She had that habit since they rescued her. Once she was to full to fall asleep.

"Eve?" Percy called. Eve opened her eyes and looked up like she got into trouble. So Percy said this in a much gentler voice. "Are you ready to go home?" He asked she nodded and stood up.

Peter went to fetch the carriage and came back moments later only for Eve to back away from the street. She took her fathers hand and shook it and pointed. Across the street was the man that held her hostage for a week coming out of an inn. Percy pushed Eve into Peters arms and told them to get into the coach, he had some unfinished business to do.

Peter helped Eve into the coach only to have himself shoved inside and the door was slammed and the knob pulled off. A gun shot echoed through the streets and people screamed. The coach jerked to one side throwing the occupants to the floor.

Percy looked up when he heard the word...oh that beautiful word spoken from his little angels frightened lips.

"Papa!" Eve screamed from within the coach. Percy grabbed a horse that no one was using and road after the coach.

Peter held onto Eve as the carriage thundered down the road at dangerous speeds.

"Eve I'm coming." Percy yelled. He hoped she could hear him. At least they weren't on the main roads anymore.

The carriage hit a bump and it jumped. Percy could hear Eves screaming. The carriage rounded a corner and went up onto two wheels before flipping and rolling down a hill.

Velvet had jumped onto a horse and clipped the pin. It popped loose causing the four horses to speed forward away from the raging man.

Percy climbed down the embankment and looked on to his horror the carriage was in pieces.

"No...Eve...Eve answer me!" He didn't hear anything just wind, and the rumbling of the distant thunder.

But to his left he heard splashing, and someone talking. He ran around the bushes to see his daughter and Peter. Eve was sitting down in the river which was really low right about now, and Peter was trying to get her to stand up.

"Can you stand Eve?" Peter asked, but only to be pushed aside by Percy who picked up Eve in his arms and held her tightly to him. At first Eve didn't know what was going on or, much less what to do. But then it was like a dam broke and she let off a mighty howl of pain and realization.

"I thought you didn't want me anymore. I thought you didn't trust me, so you let them hurt me...why are they here, why do they want to harm me? What did I do to them? Am I that bad of a person? Even Robert is mad at me Papa...he won't even come near me but to pat my hand and say I love you. Why'd he mad at me Papa? I don't feel to good and...and he's mad at me cause I'm sick, and weak. I can't even walk the length to my bedroom to the dining hall without getting winded now. How am I suppose to play with him?" She went on and on about things. Percy just listened to her as he carried her back toward the town where they could rent a coach.