Vices (A Frontier Fanfic)

Chesterfield

I do not claim the rights to Frontier or to the characters in the show. This is just for funsies! Please dont sue me. 

I sat quietly at the table, picking around the food on my plate and half-listening to the conversation that was going on in front of me. 

Lord Benton and Captain Chesterfield sat farther down at the table and talked openly about their business. 

This was our usual weekly visit to Lord Benton. Captain Chesterfield was here as frequently as he was home but I only visited once a week as requested by Lord Benton. I wasn't sure why he always requested me to join Chesterfield but I did as I was told. Lord Benton had taken a liking to me, much to my dismay. 

"Are you finished, child?" Lord Benton's voice cut through my own clouded thinking. 

I jumped slightly and looked down at my plate. I had eaten some of the food but I realized for the past half hour I had just been pushing the rest of it around. 

I placed my fork down and nodded at Lord Benton. 

"Use your words, Delilah!" Chesterfield hissed at me. 

I gritted my teeth and grabbed a handful of my skirt underneath the table. 

"Yes, thank you Lord Benton," I said as sweetly as I could. 

Lord Benton opened his mouth to say something but before he could a young boy entered the room. His name was Michael. I remembered him. He had been a stowaway on our ship when we came to this land. 

I remembered feeding him and talking with him before Lord Benton had sent him away. I had tried to warn him before he left. Lord Benton was a snake. I was forever in his debt but Michael didn't have to be. He had argued with me and mentioned that he was doing it all for a girl. 

I had thought that it was stupid at the time, but I had no idea what love was. Maybe it was something you needed to fight for, even if it puts you in danger. Even if it wasn't, he still left. I had thought he was dead after not seeing him for a week, but here he was. 

"Lord Benton," Michael breathed. 

Michael was dirty and the smell of sweat and forest filled up the room. 

"Well, the stowaway returns. I assumed you were gone for good," Lord Benton said raising his eyebrows. 

Captain Chesterfield clenched his fists and I could see his jaw tighten from the other side of the room. He was in a rotten mood but in Lord Benton's presence he would watch his mouth. 

"Have you made contact with Declan Harp?"

My head snapped over to Michael. Declan Harp was a name I couldn't get out of my head. I had been severely beaten over the fact that Declan Harp attacked Chesterfield's men. I had spent many nights cursing that name. 

"Yes sir. I've kept up my side of the bargain," Michael said nodding his head, "Have you made contact with Clenna?". 

Clenna. That was the girl that Michael had been constantly talking about before he left. 

"Harp has accepted you?", Lord Benton asked, taking a sip of his wine. 

"He threatens to kill me everyday", Michael said shifting in the spot he stood, "I don't know how much longer I can keep this up". 

"How many men does he have?"

"I've seen 20, but there's many more, a hundred possibly two. He is planning an alliance right now with the Cree tribe, the lake walkers," Michael said glancing around the room. 

Michael's eyes met mine and I could tell something wasn't right with him. He seemed fidgety and a little scared.

"What else?", Chesterfield asked leaning forward across the table. 

Michael paused and then said, "that's all I know". 

Chesterfield grunted and sat back in his chair. 

"his camp?", Lord Benton asked picking some meat out of his teeth. 

"I haven't seen a camp. We're constantly on the move. To tell you the truth,my lord, there's no one place you can find him. I told him I would steal some supplies from the fort here tonight...Perhaps you can help me with that, Sir?," Michael said looking back towards the door, "Im to return in the morning". 

Lord Benton asked Michael to sit down at the table and he obliged. 

Then, Lord Benton looked lazily over at me, "Delilah, I believe it is getting late. I will have one of my men escort you back to your home. I must ask Captain Chesterfield here to stay a little longer".

I nodded and was actually quite happy to get out of Lord Benton's and Chesterfield's company. I stood up from the table and Captain Chesterfield walked me out of the room. Several guards stood outside of the door and Chesterfield took one aside to inform him that he was to take me home. Before Chesterfield left the hallway he pulled me in roughly towards him and whispered. 

"Wait for me at home"

I shivered but proceeded to nod my head. I was incredibly used to this by now. 

Chesterfield let go of me and quickly rushed back into the room as to not miss a part of Lord Benton's and Michael's conversation. 

Once Chesterfield was gone, the soldier smiled at me with crooked teeth.

"Come along, Mrs. Chesterfield. Time to go home".