Sing Me A Lullaby

Devils Cave

Maribelle and Jolene were having an early breakfast when Vincent joined them the next morning. Bright rays of sunlight shone in through the floor to ceiling paned windows and lit up the room with a sunrise kiss. Maribelle sat at one end of the long dining table scowling at Jolene, pushing her foood around the china plate, whilst Jolene sat at the other end ignoring her looks and eating hers in small bites. They both knew what had happened, or at least, Vincent's version. Their Aunt had been more than happy to tell them both at the crack of dawn when she burst into each of their rooms and woke them, her face lit up with a smug smile at the fact that Storm was the traitor in their eyes for now. Even though Jolene already knew, she played innocent to it to avoid the scolding she would get from their Aunt for being out so late.

Of course, Maribelle hadn't believed a word of it. She loved Storm as much of Mollie did, if not more, and refused to believe that she was a traitor working with pirates. Pirates, of all things. Belle also thought it ridiculous that everyone else believed it, especially their Father. Their Aunt had told them that he had assembled men together and set off immediately to his ship, The Titan's Spear, leaving the manor and the harbor on full alert with soldiers and guards at every corner. No one in the bay was allowed to leave their vessels unless they were known to the town, and no one was allowed to leave or enter the manors grounds.

At seeing Vincent enter, Jolene looked up to him and smiled.

"Good morning, Vincent. I am told that you are to be our personal guard until our Father returns"

Vincent flashed her a toothy smile back.

"Until the very second that he returns. I am to stay near you both at all times"

Jolene sent him a flirtacious smile whilst Maribelle began glaring at him instead of her sister and slammed her fork down on the table.

"You are a liar!" She shouted across at him "Storm would never betray us and help pirates!"

"Maribelle! Watch your manners! That is no way for a young lady to act!" Their Aunt scolded from where she sat near Jolene.

"If Storm isn't a traitor and isn't working with pirates, then why did she leave with them and take Mollie captive?" Vincent asked simply, a sideways smile playing at the corner of his mouth.

"I don't know. But Storm is our friend. She's family!" Maribelle told them all before shoving her chair back and leaving the room.

"That girl is far too disobedient. She should have been disciplined more. That's what happens without a Mother around, your Father should have remarried when I told him to" Their Aunt spoke righteously and stuck her nose up into the air as she spoke.

Jolene's smile dropped slightly and she looked at her Aunt.

"You shouldn't say such things, Aunt Maude" She told her with a soft voice "I'll go and find Maribelle"

As she went to stand Vincent put his hand on the back of her chair.

"I will go and find her, Jolene, it is what I've been assigned to do, after all" He flashed her a charming smile and watched as she returned it with one of her own. Knowing how all he had to do was flash a smile to have her melt in his hands made him even more confident that his plan on taking the two sisters was going to work.

"Don't take too long, Vincent"

"Don't fear, miss, I won't be away for long at all" He grinned before turning and leaving the room to go after the youngest Nightingale.

............................................................................................................

Water dripped from the wooden boards above and the strong smell of the salty water surrounded the air around them and reminded Storm at every inhale that they were aboard a ship. Mollie sat beside her leaning against the cell bars rather than the damp wooden sides and Storm felt her head begin to droop onto her shoulder. She didn't move her, but let her sleep. Her friend hadn't slept since they first woke up. She wasn't sure exactly how long they had been there for now, but night had come and gone again and neither of them had slept. Instead, they had sat awake either talking about what was going to happen to them or sitting in silence, listening to the creaking of the ship and the sounds of the crew above them.