On the rising tide Chapter 17

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Sad_Girl

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*adult themes and violence

**Disclaimer – Though inspired in part by people who exist in reality, this story is not meant to represent them in any literal way. No offense is meant to anyone who resembles in any way any of the characters in the story.

On the rising tide Chapter 17

True to his Irish blood, Larry was as stubborn as a mule. He would sooner suffer for a bad decision than admit it had been a bad decision in the first place. So once he’d cleared the aingeal of all cargo and sailors, he had marched directly to the shipyards to find Alastar Mead. Alastar was thrilled to see him, and Larry accepted his invitation to dinner readily.

Here was a man with whom he could speak rationally. A man who understood honor and business. He was feeling better about things when he reached his fathers old cottage, the place he called home when not on the aingeal. At least, he knew without a doubt that he should be feeling better. He was, after all, simply taking care of the things in his life which needed doing.

He lit a fire in the hearth and put water on to boil before beginning to pull his belongings out of his canvas bag and put them in their proper places. He’d folded about half of his clothes and tucked them away in the foot locker he kept, even here on dry land, when he came across something in his bag which was not his own. He withdrew the item slowly, holding it out for inspection, both hands clasping it now. He ran his fingers over the material, remembering the way it felt with the warmth of her body underneath it.

He didn’t have to wonder how one of Carra’s shirts would have ended up in his bag, the woman was a slob. He took care with his things, made sure they stayed clean and in good repair. Carra would simply toss something aside without a thought. He felt a bit like that shirt, forgotten as soon as something had changed for her. Things weren’t so comfortable and so she’d tossed him aside and moved on.

Of course, he hadn’t meant to tell her that way, about Brigid. He hadn’t been sure he would ever tell her at all. The moment their lips had met, all those month back, he had decided he would have to find a way to get out of his deal with Mead. He didn’t want a family with someone else. Carra already was his family. She hadn’t given him the chance to explain. Now, what else did he have, but the arrangement itself.

He cursed the wine that had loosened his lips. He cursed his heart for it’s stubborn pride. He cursed Carra for turning him into the wreck he could already feel himself becoming. She had left him, just like every woman he’d loved. Just as he’d always been so afraid she would, once he truly let himself need someone. Women were too frail, to unpredictable to let them become such a powerful motivator in his life.

He lifted the shirt to his nose, felt the surprisingly soft material against his mouth and cheeks as he breathed her scent in greedily. It was the smell of her hair that lingered in the pillow in the bed beside him, the smell of the lavender oil she used on her skin. It was the smell that filled his lungs whenever she was near, and he realized just then how much he already missed it.

How much he already missed her.

He folded her shirt and sat it aside, deciding he would return it to Paul later. He would pass by their house on the way to dinner with Mead.

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He could hear the sound of women’s voices long before he reached the door. In fact, the sound of several giggling girls made his usually steady stride falter. He was seriously contemplating turning around and fleeing when the door swung open and Mead rushed out to greet him jovially.

Larry wasn’t sure if it was good timing, or if Mead had been waiting for him at the window. Perhaps he had seen the fear in Larry’s eyes and knew exactly what he’d been thinking. He tossed the thought aside as an over active imagination as he shook the man’s hand politely. He presented him with the bottle of wine he’d brought as a gift, and Mead led him into the kitchen to give the bottle to his wife, Patricia.

“Oh, go on! You didn’t need to be bringing over a gift such as this. Now I’m afraid my dinner won’t suit, it’s nothing fancy. I didn’t have time to go to any special trouble.” She said, her brilliant blue eyes twinkling in the fading light that came in through the solitary window.

Obviously, she had been less than pleased that her husband had invited someone over without warning her first. Alastar gave her a sheepish grin and she couldn’t help but smile right back at him. It felt like he was intruding on a personal moment. Larry averted his eyes, shifting uncomfortably, putting his weight on first one leg and then the other, focusing his attention elsewhere.

“Have a seat, lad. Dinner’s nearly ready. I’ll fetch Brigid and bring her down so the two of you can get acquainted.” Alastar said, leading Larry to be seated at the old table which was crowded by eight chairs of varying shapes and sizes.

“How many children do you have?” Larry asked Patricia as he stretched his legs out and made as much room between himself and the chairs on either side of him as possible. He was already not comfortable eating in front of other people, especially a large group of relative strangers. It was not going to help if he couldn’t move his arms without bumping elbows with his neighbor.

“Five.” Patricia replied with a tired smile. “Four girls and finally, just four years ago, a son. Sean Patrick.”

Larry smiled politely and nodded, running a hand through his hair nervously. He was as uncomfortable as he’d ever been. Or at least, he thought he was, until Alastar reemerged from the narrow hallway with his daughter in tow.

He stood to nod at her politely and waited for her to be seated. The first thought that came into his mind was Carra’s voice.

“She’s barely sprouted teets and you plan on making a family with her?”

The girl was slight of build, willowy; in fact it almost seemed as if a strong wind would literally blow her away. Her dark hair fell in her eyes and hid her face, and she was constantly blowing on it to clear it from in front of her eyes. An annoying habit that had already begun to grind on Larry’s nerves.

She sat directly to his left and, much to Larry’s consternation, stared at him throughout the entire meal. If he looked her way, she would look down at her plate immediately, but within seconds she was staring again. The chatter of the younger girls took up most of the conversation, a fact which Larry could hardly believe he was thankful for.

After dinner, he was like a caged animal, looking desperately for a way out. He wanted to find the nearest pub and wash away the memory of this evening on a wave of black gold. Unfortunately, before he could make a run for it, Alastar suggested he and Larry sit by the fire and discuss the formalities of their agreement over tea.

While Alastar began going over the details of the ship he would be building for Larry, Larry only half listened. He could hear the girl and her sister in the hallway, peeking into the room and giggling. He only caught the occasional word as whispers were exchanged, but he didn’t need to hear the exact conversation to know what they were saying. It was the same thing he’d heard since he was just a boy.

“Before you say anything else, Mead… I don’t want to take up your time for no reason.” Larry interrupted the man mid sentence. He could take it no longer. “I know we’ve had an understanding, but I’m not going to be able to honor it.”

“What? Why not? What’s changed?” Mead demanded, immediately defensive. “She’s still young, and nervous around you. You’ll get to be more comfortable with each other with time.”

“No, no, it’s not… I mean, I’m sure she’s a fine girl. I just… I can’t marry her.” Larry said, pursing his lips and shrugging his shoulders emphatically as he backed toward the door.

“You’re not going to find a more suitable match, especially not as far as her dowry is concerned.” Mead argued and Larry nodded in agreement.

“I know. I’m sorry.” He told the man once more as he reached the door, bidding him a quick fare well before all but sprinting out of the house and down the street. He could hear the girls wailing sobs all the way down the block. Sighing, he wished he could have realized before it had gotten so far that there had never been a chance of it working. He decided that even more than a drink, he needed the comfort of his own bed. He was exhausted and frustrated.

He let himself in and threw himself down on the bed without bothering to pull back the blankets. He was nearly asleep when he rolled over onto his side and his sense of smell was overwhelmed by her. He reached out automatically, his memory failing him in his sleepy state. He expected his hand to find her warmth, her soft curves, her wild hair.

His hand only found the cool cotton shirt he had forgotten to return to her father earlier. His heart began to ache in his vulnerable state, and he felt the tears well up in his eyes. His lip trembled with anger and frustration. Not only had he lost her, but now he knew, that no woman could ever take her place.

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Carra had seen to it that her father would take Lardence the cat home with him, had said her goodbyes to both of them and then to the aingeal herself. She had certainly tried to keep from saying goodbye to Larry. There was too much turmoil inside of her to deal with him. In fact, she’d barely spoken a word to him since she’d left his bed that night. She could hardly believe his nerve.

‘You’re mine.’ She heard his voice over and over again, echoing in her head. Had she really been so stupid as to pledge herself to a man who wanted nothing more from her than physical release? She had considered their relationship to be deeper than that by far. Apparently, she was the only one.

He was getting married. The very thought made her physically sick. Her stomach burned and twisted, her chest aching so terribly it was as if she’d been kicked by a horse. Her pulse pounded in her temples, her head ached terribly and she felt all the energy leave her body.

She had lived for so long, dreaming of one thing. She had thought she’d achieved her dream, only to have it ripped away from her. She felt like a fool. She was sad, angry and embarrassed all at once. She’d never been more miserable. But she wasn’t about to let Larry or her father know that. She had enough pride to hold her head high in front of them.

She needed something to do, some sense of purpose to keep her going. If she had gone back to her fathers home, she would’ve gone to bed and not risen for days. Weeks, maybe. So when Bono had suggested she come with them, she’d agreed eagerly.

They made their way through the city at a brisk pace, Bono and Carra frequently falling behind and having to rush to catch up to Edge. He had grudgingly agreed to sit and have a meal with them, their feet beginning to ache from trying to keep up. They had splurged on a fine meal at a pub, lamb and potatoes, as well as a pint of Guinness for each. Once Bono and Carra’s feet were rested and their bellies filled, Edge insisted they get back on their way.

“He’s anxious to see Molly.” Bono told Carra as they settled into a slightly slower pace, following Edge from a distance.

“How long have they been engaged?”

“I can’t recall, to tell you the truth. We’ve all known each other since we were old enough to walk. I think he’s loved her as long.” Bono informed her, and Carra forced a smile as her own heart ached for Larry. So long had he been the center of her existence that she was feeling rather lost without him.

“Right up this way is my…” Bono started, stopping in his tracks, looking as if he’d seen a ghost. Carra looked up to see Edge standing before what was left of a cottage that had long ago burned to the ground.

“No…” Bono muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. “No!” He called, running up into the charred rubble.

“No!” He screamed, kicking apart the charcoaled remains of a beam that had once supported the ceiling.

Edge rushed forward and grabbed Bono from behind, wrapping one arm across his chest, the other hand clamping down over his mouth to muffle his screaming.

“Bono, Shush!” He hissed, dragging him away from the ruins and down the street. Carra hurried to join them.

“What the fuck! Get the fuck off me!” Bono cursed Edge as he thrashed about, struggling to free himself from his friends hold.

“Bono, whoever did this may be watching for us to return!” Edge told him seriously, and Carra’s blood ran cold. She’d never before glimpsed in Edge the sort of intensity she was seeing in his eyes now. Not even when facing pirates or rough seas. Immediately, she knew the trouble Bono had been running from was far more severe than he had ever let on.

“My father!” Bono said, his rage subsiding and his fear beginning to show through.

“Clearly he isn’t there, Bono. We’ll find him.” Edge assured his friend, though Carra couldn’t help but notice that he made no reassurances as to the man’s well being.

“Fecking Christ, lads! Ye make enough noise to raise the alarms and bring the whole damned British Army running.” A voice commented from the shadows, and Carra spun, reaching for her dagger defensively. Emerging from the shadows behind a small cottage were two men, judging by their frames.

The one who had spoken was considerably larger than the other, in both height and breadth and he seemed the more menacing by far. He had dark hair and a broad, square jaw, and in some ways reminded Carra of Bono himself. A larger, meaner version, upon first impression.

The other man was almost mousy, possibly an effect of his extraordinarily long, wiry blonde hair. He was also very thin, almost like a skeleton with skin and hair. Carra took a step back but held the blade out in front of her so that they would see she was prepared to defend herself and her company.

“Woah, woah! I didn’t realize you had yer very own avenging angel watching over you!” The larger of the men said, and although the shadows hid the smirk on his face, Carra could hear it in his voice. He held his hands up in a sign of surrender, and the smaller man nudged him playfully in the ribs.

“Don’t tease her, mate, or she may just smite you.” He laughed, and Carra’s temper flared. If Bono hadn’t rushed toward the men she wasn’t certain she wouldn’t have. Of course, the end result would have been completely different. Bono hurried forward, pulling the men into a tight hug, kissing each of them on the cheek. Carra glanced back at Edge, who gestured that she could put away her blade.

“Gavin, Guggi!” Bono greeted his oldest, dearest friends eagerly.

“I see you’ve managed to survive each others company all these months.” Guggi said, reaching out from under Bono’s arm to shake Edge’s hand. Edge chuckled and shook the man’s hand politely.

“Somehow I’ve managed to keep us both alive.” He replied.

“…I’d say ye’ve done more’n just survived.” The big man said, turning his attention back toward Carra. Carra frowned at them as she slid her dagger back into her boot. She wasn’t ready to trust these strangers who had snuck up on her from the shadows. Especially when they insisted on talking about her that way.

“Are you goin’ to introduce us?” He urged, and Bono turned to see what his friend was referring to, as if he’d completely forgotten Carra’s presence.

“Oh, right! Carra, these are me two best mates. This is Guggi and Gavin Friday.” Bono told her, the mousy blonde being introduced as Guggi and the bigger man as Gavin. “Boyos, this is Carra McGuinness.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Guggi told her politely, nodding in acknowledgement.

“A pleasure indeed. And just how did such a beautiful lassie like yourself end up in the company of these two vagabonds?” Gavin greeted her, stepping forward and taking her hand to kiss the back of it.

“You had it right the first time.” She told him roughly, pulling her hand free when he tried to hold on a bit longer than she was comfortable with. “I’m here to protect them.”

This, of course, earned a hearty laugh from the man, who glanced back at his friends suspiciously when they did not instantly break down into laughter themselves. Bono smirked at his friend and Edge shook his head, smiling and saying playfully,

“I’d not laugh at that one, if I were you.” When Gavin turned back to Carra and looked her over more closely his smile faded. She stared him down until it was his turn to take a nervous step back.

“C’mon, let’s be off before the fecking guard finds us lurking ‘round here.” Guggi said, slapping Bono on the back and guiding him back out onto the road. Gavin bowed and gestured for Carra to go ahead, which she did, though not without some hesitation.

“So, tell me what’s happened since we’ve been gone.” Bono asked his blonde haired friend seriously. Guggi sighed and scratched his beard in contemplation, as if struggling with a difficult decision.

“We’re going to have to find somewhere we can sit down and go through it all, in private.” Guggi told him, and Bono frowned at the somber tone in his friends voice.

“Let’s go to Dick’s” Gavin suggested, and Guggi nodded silently in agreement, leading the group to a small home not far away. He rapped his knuckles against the door quickly, turning and looking around as if checking to see if they were being watched.

The man who answered the door looked so much like Edge that Carra knew instantly they must be brothers, and her suspicions were quickly confirmed when they embraced each other happily. They were invited in and all the proper introductions were made as they settled themselves at a sturdy oak table near the fireplace.

“So, tell me what’s happened already!” Bono finally demanded impatiently. He could tell something was troubling them, and after having already discovered his home in ashes, he knew it must be something dire.

“You hadn’t been gone a full day yet when a group of soldiers came looking for you.” Guggi started, clearing his throat awkwardly and looking to Gavin for help.

“They came to your house.” Gavin said, leaning one hip against the table rather than sitting in a proper chair. “Your father told them he didn’t know where you were.”

“Which, of course, was true.” Guggi added.

“But they didn’t believe him.” Gavin said. “They left, because we all came out to see what was going on. They were outnumbered. They knew they’d set off trouble if they insisted on bothering a dying man.”

“But they came back.” Bono guessed, his teeth clenched tightly together.

“Aye. They came back.” Gavin said with a sigh.

“They came back to bully a sick man when he was alone. The fucking cowardly bastards!” Bono repeated, standing and beginning to pace the floor.

“He wasn’t alone.” Dick said, his attention on his brother rather than Bono.

“What?” Edge asked, that frightening intensity flashing in his sea green eyes again.

“Molly was there, with him. He wasn’t feeling well, so she’d fixed him dinner and was sitting with him for awhile.” He answered his brother, moving to rest a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“What did they do?” Edge demanded. The tension in the air was thick enough to choke on. Carra watched as the three men who had been here tried to find either the words or the courage to answer his question. Bono and Edge were growing agitated, being made to wait. They were being given too much time to consider the possibilities, their imaginations running wild.

“Their were five or six of them, from what we’ve been able to gather.” Gavin finally spoke. “We weren’t nearby that night. We came back to find the place burned, but we’ve got a pretty clear picture of what happened. They saw an opportunity to force Bob to talk, by roughing Molly up.”

“She’s strong, that one. She wouldn’t talk, and she wouldn’t let Bob even tell them what little he might have known. Not that he would have either.” Guggi added.

“What did they do to her?” Edge asked, his voice barely a whisper, but Carra swore she could see the fire of hell lighting his eyes.

“They …” Gavin started, his face twisting up sourly, as if the words were so foul he couldn’t bear to speak them for the bitter taste they left in his mouth.

“…they ravaged her.” Dick said finally, all of the men’s eyes cast downwards, ashamed to even speak of what had been done.

“Bob, God bless him, as sick as he was, he wounded two of the bastards and ran another through, killing him right then and there for what they done.” Gavin informed them.

“They killed my father.” Bono said, in a state of shock and disbelief.

“No. They may as well have, for the beating they gave him, but the cowards left him and that poor girl to die in the cabin. They set the roof on fire and bolted the door.” Guggi told him.

“My God.” Carra breathed, not meaning to speak aloud.

“Molly’s father and Tim, her brother, had come to see her home and to check on Bob. They managed to get them out of the building before…before they burned.” Gavin paused, his teeth clenched and lips pursed. “Bono, I’m sorry but your father died before the sun rose. Molly survived.”

“Molly’s alive?” Edge asked, the faintest glimmer of relief shining in his eyes.

“Aye. She’s a tough one, as I said before.” Guggi replied.

“Where is she now?” Edge asked, obviously desperate to go to her.

“She’s home with her parents. We tried to talk her into going to stay with her uncle in Killarney, but she wouldn’t have it. She said if she ran away, they would’ve beaten her and she couldn’t let them have that victory. Besides… she was afraid you wouldn’t come find her there.” Dick told his brother, who was out the door before anyone could even have predicted it, let alone done anything to stop him.

“Edge! Come back here, I’m not finished!” Dick called after him, but Edge was not about to wait another moment to be reunited with his Molly.
 
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