1794 (A Frazel AU)

May The Heavens Help The People

Marie and her daughter slowly walked home. They were out of danger, for now. Marie still had tears marks on her cheeks. Hazel was still shaking in fear and sorrow. Marie held her close, taking care to keep her footsteps silent.

"Mama, what do you think of Mista Frank?", asked Hazel.

Marie sniffed, but thought about it for a moment. "Naïve, nice, polite. A bit on the soft side and honest." She smiled, "I think he like you."

Hazel snorted, "You is the second person tell me that."

"Then it probably true."

Hazel gave a small smile, but her mind wavered to Piper. And Johnny. And Magpie, Issac, Lament...all of whom were her friends. Now they're dead. Because of a snitch. And Hazel knew exactly who the snitch is.

She couldn't escape tonight. Mars was still patrolling for hiding slaves. Nico and Frank was able to get away safely. Thank goodness, Hazel thought. Then she froze. Why did I think that? I don't care for Mista Frank. Do I? No, no way, she shook her head. Impossible.

A owl cried out sorrowfully. A dog howled to the unseen moon. And two slaves walked quietly home, saddened by the day's events.

Nico and Frank split up to head home separately, to avoid getting caught together. The master's son, so deep in thought, was startled by a blond haired, tall, son of a slave master.

"Hi Nic-", Will started, right before Nico kicked him in the shin. "Oww!"

"Shh...sorry", Nico whispered. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you", Will said, "I planned to throw rocks at your window to wake you up."

Nico huffed. "I know I don't sleep."

Will smiled, then wrapped an arm around Nico. "I missed you."

"I missed you too."

Will bent down and kissed him. Nico pulled away almost immediately. "No, not now, not here." He looked around. "My uncle is patrolling. Some slaves was caught going against Pluto's word. He may catch us."

Sighing, Will let Nico go. "Sorry."

"It's okay. " Silence filled the air for a moment, right before Nico decided to kiss Will. "Maybe for a few moments."

Will smiled and kissed him some more. Right as they pulled away, they heard something.

Clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop.

"He's coming, go!" Nico yelled. Will ran home as if his life depended on it. Which is kind of did. Nico ran in the opposite direction, looking like a scared cat.

Mars heard Nico rustle in the bushes and gave chase. Since he was on a horse, he caught up to Nico almost instantly. The boy tripped just as the horse pulled up on him. It neighed and reared, almost kicking Neeks in the head.

"What do we have here, a snitch aye?", Mars questioned. "You're in serious trouble boy."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Frank made it to the house safely. The two story, white, towering building looked intimating in the night. He sighed and sneaked inside.

He peeped through the door. The front hallway was clear. He slid inside like water and silently shut the door behind him. He tiptoed down the hallway and started to go up the stairs. As he passed the kitchen a voice called out to him.

"Hello boy."

Frank flew up three steps. That voice was...

He turned to the kitchen. The dining room table was in perfect view of whoever goes up and down the stairs. Sitting at the table was his aunt, Proserpina.

Frank gulped. "Good night Aunty."

Proserpina brushed off the skirt of her nightdress. "Good night Frank. Where were you?"

Clearing his throat, Frank said, "Um...outside."

"Why?"

"I...went to look at the stars."

Proserpina huffed. "So you say. Anyways I'm glad people still appreciate the stars." She got up and walked the bottom of the stairs. Frank turned to continue looking at her, admittedly a little freaked out. "Maybe we can watch them together someday."

Frank nodded as the cold sweat poured off his body. Proserpina smiled; it seemed eerie to him. She began to walk up the stairs and as she passed him she whispered, "If you do anything that can jeopardize my husband's wealth, then we'll have problems, okay sweetie?" She rested her hand on his shoulder.

Frank nodded for the umpteenth time. Proserpina kissed his cheek. "Good. Sleep well." She continued up the stairs. "I won't mention this little escapade to Mars, as long as it doesn't happen again."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nico got a tongue lashing from Pluto for the whole night. Frank thought it was unfair, but when he was about to jump in and take blame, Nico shot him a look. Don't. You. Dare. And he didn't. Instead he went upstairs without a word.

Bianca's room was closed up and dark. As Frank passed, he heard her snoring; a bit too loudly to be believable.

She's faking, he thought.

Sighing, he retired to his room. He doesn't have the energy to think about it anymore.

The next morning, Pluto went to the barn with Mars to deal with the slaves from the night before. As far as Hazel knew, he used a whip, ground red peppers and turpentine. She heard the screaming, all day.

Frank heard it to, from inside the house. He was eating breakfast, or trying to, when it started. He looked at Nico, Bianca and Proserpina, who were eating somewhat contently.

"What's going on?", asked Frank.

"Punishment", said Nico. "Father's whipping them, then rubbing the turpentine and pepper in the wounds."

"That's legal?", he asked. "It's sounds like human torment."

"It pretty much is", Bianca responded. "But the law says slaves are three fifths a human."

Frank wanted to speak against it, but remembered what Nico said, You are the first person I've seen to stand against slavery like that. But did you know that can get you beheaded?

"So it's just something everyone does."

"Not all slave masters, but most."

Proserpina continued eating her porridge in silence. Suddenly, she started coughing violently.

"Mama? Mama is everything alright?", asked Bianca.

She couldn't respond; she grabbed her throat and banged on the table.

Nico got up and passed her some water. "Frank go get Father." He looked up at the other boy, who was frozen in shock. "Go!"

Frank blinked, then complied with Nico's request, running out the door fast. Nico turned back to Proserpina. "You're going to be fine okay? You'll be fine."