Hostage

II

[a/n: So I attempted to leave the last chapter off at a cliffhanger, but eh it was bad. But this one will be better.]
House Forrester
-
Ethan opened his eyes. Ramsay stabbed straight through the Ironwood wall. They gazed into each other's eyes.
'He-- he didn't kill me. But-- why?'
Ramsay smirked. He removed his dagger from the wall. He softly skimmed his dagger on Ethan's neck, but not cutting any flesh.
"Ethan..." Ramsay said in a mysterious sort of tone, "My boy..."
'His-- boy?! What kind of joke is this?'
"Do you want to know, why I didn't kill you? Like everyone expected?"
Ethan stared into Ramsay's eyes, but fearfully.
"Wh- why, my lord?"
Ramsay smirked and used his dagger to gently stroke Ethan's neck and chin.
Ethan backed away, into a wall, where Ramsay hovered over him, Ethan staring upward.
Ramsay put one hand on the wall, and put his dagger back in his belt.
Slowly he moved towards Ethan, and put the hand once holding the dagger, underneath his chin. He pulled Ethan closer, almost touching his forehead with his.
"How about this?" Ramsay exclaimed flicking Ethan's chin up.
"I won't take the girl, and I'll take you instead? Like you mention?"
Ethan was almost pissed off, but yet relieved.
'Why the sudden change of heart?' Ethan wondered.
His mother stood with a shocked look on her face, "Y-you can't! Ry- Ryon is far too young--"
"Ryon will do fine." Ramsay told the worried mother.
"You give me your-- lord and I'll leave this shithole of a house alone."
"Stay, Ethan, please!" Ryon cried, holding onto Ethan's forearm and tunic.
'What can I do now? Ramsay, surprisingly, hasn't killed me yet, but now this? If I leave, Ryon will have to take over my position as lord, but if I stay, I might not even be alive to be a lord. Ryon is only a child, he knows nothing of lordship. But-- neither did I when Rodrik "disappeared." I can leave and protect my family, as long as Royland and Duncan agree on helping Ryon along this path. Ryon will practically take advantage of his position as a lord, but what other decision do I have? I have to stay. Family first, right? No, Ethan! Stop. The weight of this house is on you hands. You must make a decision that benefits everyone else.
So what decision can I make, and I will be alive, and I'll be able to do something for my family? Stay, and die, or leave and possibly gather intel about the Whitehills plan to destroy my house. Leaving will be hard, but it seems best.
I guess I've made my decision.'
Ramsay stood staring at Ethan. It took Ethan a while to process his thoughts and make a decision, but Ramsay gave him all the time he needed. He wanted to make sure that Ethan truly thought his decision was a decent one.
Ethan peered his head up looking at Ramsay.
"I will go with you, but only so my family can stay out of harm."
"Lord Ethan!" Royland yelled furiously.
"Ethan!" Talia exclaimed.
"N-no. Ethan please..." Elissa said quietly crying with her hands over her face.
"He has made his decision! Calm yourselves." Ramsay said firmly.
Ethan knew his family would be devastated, but he was only doing it to benefit their house.
"Very good, Ethan." Ramsay said not addressing him as lord. "I can tell that you are sure about your answer. Submitting to me." Ramsay said emphasizing "me."
"But, lord Ramsay?"
"Yes?"
"I would like to stay for one last week, so I can gather my belongings, or at least, say goodbye to everyone."'And everything.'
"Very well, I'll give you only a week. No more."
"Thank you, my lord." Ethan bowed his head.
"Come along, men. We will come in a 'week.'"
Ethan was relieved, but knowing Ramsay, he would come a day before it was actually due. So Ethan prepared his belongings afterward.
-
Ethan walked down the stairs, to hear his mother, sister, and brother weeping.
Ethan approached, to comfort them, but Elissa began to speak.
"Ethan... How can you make... Such a..." Elissa fixed her head to look at Ethan, and she was angry. "Such a coward decision?!" Elissa yelled, as if she wanted the entire house to hear.
"Mother..."
"Shit!" Elissa slammed her fist on the wooden table, "What have you done, Ethan?!"
Ethan felt guilty.
"Ethan, I knew you were smart, basically smarter than anyone, but now..." Ethan let his mother lecture him. "But this is-- fuck!" Elissa cursed.
She ran up the stairs and into her bedroom.
Talia and Ryon both looked up at Ethan.
"How could you?" Talia asked, tears streaming down her face.
"Talia... I--"
"You promised you would stay!" Ryon yelled out.
Ethan began to remember the day they received news on Rodrik and his father's death, he promised Ryon he wouldn't go anywhere, when they played hide-and-seek.
"Ryon, I'm sorry."
"You say sorry to everything." Talia said firmly.
Ethan looked down, and he felt terrible. Talia and Ryon both walked up the stairs, and slammed the door shut.
Ethan sat down, looking downward, but resting his forehead on the back of his palms.
'What am I doing...? What have I done? I wish Rodrik was here. And Asher and Mira. Their guidance could be really useful now. I wish every thing was like what it was before. When we played in the grove for hours.' Ethan stood, and walked to the hall, to finish up his work.
-
Ethan walked around the grove at midnight.. It was peaceful. Away from everything that was happening. As if he was in his own world.
He sighed and continued to wander.
He would normally come outside at night to play his lute. It often soothed him, but this time was different.
Ethan felt this-- depression. His family hated him. He was being used. So he sat, and wept.