Richard

Richard prided himself on his honesty, he always had. Now he'd lied to a good friend of his so that he would kidnap his daughter. He'd lied to the people of his city so they would believe the story. He'd lied to his daughter's fiancé, a man so in love with Willow he'd refused to believe she was gone without evidence. He'd planted 'evidence' of Willow's death. He'd watched this young man break down in front of him at the confirmation he needed to believe and held him, trying to comfort him while also acting the grieving father.

The lie he felt the most keenly though was the lie, so well-worn and over told by this point, told to Olivia. Willow'd known her since they were both infants, they'd been each other's closest friends their entire lives. Olivia, who had lost just as many people as Willow, who'd just lost the last of her family didn't deserve to have Richard knocking on her door, looking for helping hands to find her missing friend. He could only imagine the reaction when her husband told her of the hoes they'd found.

He knew many in the city mourned, had been informed of the wake that the people had held by the Mother river. It was a high honour, but Willow had touched so many lives, saved so many lives that it perhaps shouldn't have been as surprising as it had been for, he, Esther, and Siobhan. Even Siobhan who seemed to have her finger to the very pulse of the cities gossip hadn't realised how invaluable Willow had become. Many mourned and even those that had never known Willow in any great capacity regretted her lose.

There was no one now to collect and sell herbs. Willow had been the last after her tutor was executed. She'd had employees who could help but Willow had not been old enough or felt herself mature enough to take an apprentice. Her knowledge disappeared with her.

Esther and Richard had gone through the usual motions, as was expected of a family who lost a loved one and began to clear her room. Most was actually 'purchased' by member of the resistance to be held in storage there until Willow decreed what would happen to them. The guilt Richard felt had settled in mere hours after Wandering Foot had left but he bolstered himself by repeatedly reminding himself that it had been to keep her safe.

Amongst her things they'd found a few things to give away, amongst them a brown paper wrapped gift for Olivia that Richard had hand delivered to the distraught young women. She had seemed grateful.

Several small items were spread amongst other friends. Her fiancé had been difficult until they'd found a tightly wrapped bundle in the bottom of the trunk at the foot of her bed. Inside, she'd been squirrelling away fabric for her wedding gown as well as gowns for Siobhan, Olivia, and Esther. They also found several carefully monogrammed handkerchiefs with her own and her fiancé’s initials as well as a few knitted blankets that they thought she may have been intending to bring into the home to bolster her dowry. These, they chose to gift to Jay.

He'd been sitting with his mother when Richard had stopped over to deliver them. They'd both been grateful for the gift although it was clear the lose had affected them both dearly. Richard had consoled them both as best he could before escaping. How did he act as a mourning father when it was his fault she was gone? She wasn't dead, she was safe just elsewhere.

Siobhan was still furious with him, and Esther and mealtimes had become strained. Nianti's new escort, a tall male elf named Neldin had arrived and soon Nianti was on her way.

She'd attempted to soothe the hurt in the house, feeling at least in part responsible for the situation although she had been repeatedly reassured that her vision had only expedited a situation that was inevitable. She'd left still carrying the blame but there was nothing anyone could do about that. Nianti was a young elf, barely an adult by Elven standards and was as such still prone to the guilt of a young person.

Siobhan was barely home the first few weeks, too angry with her parents to set foot in their home. She felt they'd sacrificed her for the cause and couldn't be swayed from that line of thinking. They couldn't do anything about that, not even her Resistance friends had even been able and many refused to even try. They couldn't remove her from the cell either, she knew too much and was far too good an asset.

The people in the city saw it as mourning anger though and so there was no suspicion on that side at least. She cooled a little after a few weeks, but the anger was still there.

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Richard and Esther felt guilty enough. But they stood by the decisions they'd made. If what they had to do was considered unethical, fine, as long as it kept Willow safe and as far as they were concerned the Resistance compound in the South was the safest place to be for her.

They'd had no correspondence from Wandering Foot although this wasn't altogether unexpected. It did set them on edge though.

Even when a message came it had been terribly short.

Willow angry.

Doing what we can.

Won't listen.

It hadn't looked as promising as they'd hoped. Richard had desperately hoped that once her anger had cooled, she would listen when the Betrayer's explained the situation fully, including the parts she had refused to listen to from them. Privately, Richard thought it might sound better coming from strangers then her own parents, but this had not obviously been the case.

This was when Esther had crumbled, murmuring late at night curled up against Richard's side that she thought maybe they had made the wrong decision. But when asked what else they could have done she didn't have an answer.

Willow’s departure hadn’t really affected the Resistance. Most people were not even aware of the situation, although Siobhan’s anger was well known. The Resistance had bigger problems to contend with.

Tensions were high. The Lieutenant had been replaced twice, and more and more guards were still rotating through. The sheer number of Kings Guard were unprecedented and made it difficult to do any of their usual activities. Supplies were dwindling quickly, and it was all Richard and the others who lived in the city to keep up with the demand. Kane had been behaving more and more like a caged animal as the weeks passed, his temper growing short and his decisions erratic.

Willow’s continued reluctance was a point of contention between Richard, Esther, and Kane. There was little recourse Kane had to retaliate against them. Richard and Esther had not made Elder for nothing, and Kane hated that their supports were so numerous. Kane had little reason to openly complain about Esther, who had taken her grief and used it to work with the women and children of the compound. She had been fundamental in keeping morale as high as it was amongst the troops.

Richard was another matter. The tunnel connecting to the compound fell on Richard’s land and given the state of things, Richard had restricted its use. Kane couldn’t fight the ruling, but it didn’t help his temper either. The meeting after the change had been awkward. Richard had expected the childish cold-shoulder from Kane, but Stoss’s anger had been unexpected. While fuming, he’d still managed to laugh at Richard’s expense afterwards.

Privately, Esther and he began to plan for what seemed to be the inevitable attack on the compound. They only had Willow’s old room to spare. Dickson’s home lay empty and dark, but it was now under Bea’s jurisdiction until Amelia became of age and it became part of her dowry. There was no doubt in Richard’s mind that Bea would not be willing to lend her house to strangers. She was aware of the Resistance of course, being an ex-member herself, but she would want as little to do with it as possible. That hadn’t stopped them from sneaking out children to other relatives at their parents begging.

Kane was doing nothing but proving Richard’s opinions correct Kane was a great squad leader but when faced with something this much bigger, he was as a fish out of water. He had no idea what he was doing, but far too prideful to ask for advice, let alone help. Kane’s reputation was tanking around him. Most were loyal to the cause, but the rumours circulating were growing louder by the day. The desire to ousted Kane had grown from whispers to general conversation held over breakfast.

But bringing these issues to Kane’s attention did little more than aggravate and Richard soon gave up. But it left him wondering who was worse, Kane or The King?

Things came to a head some weeks later. The Guards seemed to double overnight, although Kane continued to ignore the multiple reports flooding in that a second Lieutenant had joined the first. Richard and Esther had both seen the women and he still denied it. But Richard had continued to push. He’d sacrificed everything for the Resistance, even maybe his own daughter, although he refused to delve too deeply into that.

Kane had lost it screaming incoherently, breaking furniture. When he’d calmed, he had barred Richard from the compound, forcing his personal guard to escort him from the premises. Richard had taken it in stride, coolly reminding Kane that the tunnel was off limits to everyone.

Kane’s failing leadership had disheartened Esther. Her father, the previous Leader, had been beloved. All had hoped Kane would work in his image and maintain the progress and safety they’d enjoyed under his rule.

It seemed hopeless as Richard made his way home. If they couldn’t come to an agreement over something as simple as this, what could they do against The King?

Months passed in this way and over and over Richard told himself that at least Willow had been removed from the situation. If she had remained here, Richard was convinced she would be dead. With the growing issue within the Resistance, it likely wouldn’t be long until they compound was raided. Many would take their own lives before being captured, but sometimes that just wasn’t possible. If anyone survived and was captured, everyone was in danger. He, Esther, and Siobhan had signed up for that danger and by removing Willow, they had at least protected her from joining their fate.

He received periodical updates from Edward, short, clipped messages that gave no real idea of how she was feeling. But he knew she was alive. She hadn’t started her hunt yet, but as far as Richard was concerned this was secondary to keeping her safe.