just remind me now of what you give to me

[William deGrey]

William still couldn't believe what he had done. Even after speaking with his brother, he couldn't seem to calm down, fearful of the domino effect that would most likely follow. In a way, he wasn't concerned with himself, not in the least. Instead, the eldest deGrey brother worried that, after all of what went down at Pearlwood, after everything she had endured, Marinette would be forced to go back to her father. Will knew what the council was like, he knew the law...but she had been beaten and abused, the evidence as clear as day upon her skin. The baron hadn't even thought to keep the markings just beneath her collar.

On top of it all, what if this affected Triston's run for regency? Family reputation meant everything in this kingdom. William wasn't sure if his moment of valiant weakness could tarnish the deGrey influence in Tresteria, but it was still something he was going to concern himself with regardless.

He'd never done something like this before. It was both invigorating yet frightening all at the same time and he could hardly wrap his head around it.

With a quiet sigh, he made his way through the halls of the castle before stopping at the room he managed to procure for Mari and Helene. Knuckles knocked quietly upon the door, unsure of whether she would still be sleeping, and it was a familiar servant's face he saw on the other side when the door opened. Helene must have stepped out momentarily.

"She is still sleeping, Lord deGrey," Clara told him in a hushed voice.
He nodded. "Take a break," he told her gently. "I'll watch over her until her sister returns. Thank you, Clara."
With a curtsy, the young woman left without word and he slipped into the dimly lit room, the door shutting softly behind him. The curtains had been drawn to help Marinette rest, despite how the sun still shone brightly outside. William stood there for a long moment, watching her as she rested beneath the covers.

Guilt. It was eating away at him all of a sudden. What if this only worsened for her? What if his interference did her more harm than good?

Running a hand down his face to wipe away the exhaustion, William stepped in further to pick up one of the chairs from the small table nearby to carry it silently closer to the side of the bed. He wasn't sure how long he sat there for; his gaze drifting back and forth from Mari's sleeping face to the sliver of sunlight through the curtains that was creeping its way in. Eventually, his mind was even too tired to think and Will found himself beginning to doze off; his head resting within the palm of his hand.

[ Marinette Roquefort ]

[Marinette Roquefort]

Marinette woke somewhere soft, wrapped in clean sheets that smelled of lavender and crinkled crisply as she stretched. Someone must have changed her out of her dirty clothing as well--she was dressed in a borrowed, but clean, linen nightgown that was too short at the hem and too loose at the shoulders and bust. Every inch of her ached, and the stretching did little to ease it. She frowned for a moment, trying to recall what had happened. She'd been at Pearlwood, father had nearly killed her, and then… Helene and William! Had all that really happened? It seemed so surreal it might have been a dream. She remembered opening the door of the dim foyer to the sun shining blindingly behind them as if they generated the light themselves. But if it had been a dream, she wouldn't be on a bed. She'd be curled into a ball in the broom closet with her quilt and the door barricaded. That meant…

She sat up slowly, rolling her shoulders and neck once more to try and relieve some of the aches. It helped a little, at least. The nightgown was more comfortable than being buttoned up to her throat and stifled with corsets, as well. It hung slightly off her shoulders, but the cool air of the room wasn't uncomfortable. Actually, it felt a bit nice against her bruises. She raised one hand to rub the back of her neck, then moved both to rub her eyes before she finally opened them.

The person she found sitting at her bedside startled her so much she actually jumped slightly. What on earth was he doing? He'd done so much more than she'd ever asked already, and still, he was doing more? Her heart ached as she watched his chest rise and fall with his steady breathing, despite the awkward position he'd slumped into as he dozed. How could anyone, even someone as spiteful and greedy as Margery Decant, bear to harm this man? Kindness poured from his heart even when he could so easily have walked away.

Asleep like this, some of the worries eased from his face, leaving him peaceful. She was almost reluctant to wake him, but if he was truly tired, he deserved to sleep more comfortably.

She leaned forward to put a hand on his arm, trying to wake him as gently as possible. "William…?" she called softly, then wiggled her hand as lightly as she could manage. "Wake up, William…"

[William deGrey]

He hadn't been sleeping long, but William managed to get right to that moment of pure (albeit uncomfortable) sleep when he felt the gentle touch to his arm. Then his name, someone was saying his name. Although her voice had been quiet, it wound up being enough to pull him from dreamless sleep and back to the present. Dark eyes blinked, his head slowly lifting up from where there would be a slight imprint from his hand upon his cheek. It hadn't been long, but it took him a moment to recall just where he was, and that it wasn't at Olivia's bedside.

The girl had heard Marinette and Helene were in the castle, but thus far, he'd been able to keep her away and distracted. He did not want his daughter to see Mari like this, especially if the woman hadn't been fully conscious to the world around them. In truth, he probably shouldn't even be in there right now but there was this nagging thought at the back of his mind, making him worry that somehow Davide would find his way in here and steal her away.

He couldn't ignore it, and he wasn't going to let damn propriety get in the way right now either. Will was already breaking laws, it seemed, what was one more, right?

"Mar-" He paused groggily, sitting up more in his seat. Even in the dim lighting from the curtains drawn, it was not hard to miss the marks upon her skin, even more evident in that simple gown. It made his heart sore, and recalling what that devil of a man had said made him wake up that much faster. "Marinette, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to just...doze off like that." He rambled in a gentle murmur, quickly rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "How, uh...how are you feeling?" Well, wasn't that a loaded question? Maybe even a stupid one.

Will looked back to her again, unable to mask the concern and guilt at the sight of that bruise on the side of her face, the remnants of Roquefort's fingers around her neck. If only he had inquired about her absence sooner, maybe- just maybe- he could have stopped some of it.

She had told him about it at the Yule chase. He should have done something then.

Grinding his teeth, he rose up from his seat and turned to the ornate end table; pouring her a glass of water from the pitcher there, offering it over to her.

[Marinette Roquefort]

Marinette smiled warmly and shook her head at his apology. He didn't need to worry about that. He didn't have to be here in the first place, how could she be upset that he'd fallen asleep? Especially seeing as she'd done the same earlier…after he'd carried her into the carriage… Now that memory sent a hot blush burning across her face and she dropped her eyes to where she was wringing her hands in her lap.

"How, uh...how are you feeling?" He asked, and she lifted her head again to give him a rueful smile.

"Sore," she answered, then shrugged. "It could be worse. It hasn't been this bad in a long time, but I'm not unfamiliar with it." Her voice was quiet, almost apologetic as she reminded him that she was well versed in recovering from her father's abuse. And what she added last was the quietest of all, "I'm just grateful to be alive."

She shivered at the thought and instinctively wrapped her arms around herself. She looked a little past William's shoulder and her eyes lost their focus as she remembered. She had come close, so close, not even a day ago. She'd seen the murder in her father's eyes as he dug his knee into her chest and clenched his hands around her throat. She swallowed hard as she pulled herself from the memory and looked back to William. He was offering her a glass of water, and she wondered how long she'd left him holding it. She hurried to accept it and took a small sip.

"Thank you. For--for everything." She gestured helplessly, unable to capture it all in words. From the moment the two of them had met, they'd become more and more entangled in each others' lives. And while she'd done him one small favor--and clumsily, at that--he'd stepped in to protect her more than once. This time, she had no doubt he'd literally saved her life. "I don't even know where to begin."

[William deGrey]

Maybe he didn't have to be here, but he was. He wanted to be. He wanted to do a lot of things that he couldn't or shouldn't, already having stepped over the line earlier. What he had done was risky, but there were no regrets. William would have done it a hundred more times if he had to.

It also made him feel good, he'd admit, to stand up to another for once, and grind them beneath his heel.

Tresterian society was harsh when it came to their women, and it was beyond acceptable or agreeable in his eyes. Not all men here liked the laws, but it's "been the law" for so long- it was as if it was impossible to change. He had always thought this, yet now? Now his worries over it had risen. He had a daughter to worry about, and Marinette needed someone to understand her, to see her more than ever now.

'Sore. It could be worse. It hasn't been this bad in a long time, but I'm not unfamiliar with it.'

His expression faltered, and he didn't bother to hide his displeasure. Maybe it was even subtle hints to this newfound rage he was suddenly feeling after speaking to Lord Roquefort. What was worse, was how she seemed to apologize for something she shouldn't be. She shouldn't know what this was like.

All he could seem to do was watch her, emotion after emotion washing over his face, unsure on which one to settle on. Clearly, he didn't like seeing her this way. He hadn't even liked her demeanor in front of Davide at the chase, either, or when she had told him what her father did. It wasn't right.

Slowly taking his seat again, he was still trying to find words when she thanked him. His head dropped and he shook it lightly. "There's no need, Marinette. I just-" Will was attempting to find a way to apologize without blatantly saying it, yet that didn't seem possible. Deep down, he knew it wasn't actually his fault, but he still felt like he should have known better. "I just wish I had thought to act sooner." Fingers ran through his hair in light frustration before he dared to lift those dark eyes back to her. He couldn't seem to hide the concern from his gaze. "And I don't know...what will happen if he retaliates. I technically broke the law taking you from him, Mari..."

It wasn't regret in his voice, but sorrow. Worry that he wasn't sure what he would do if Davide came. It was why he had gone to Triston in hopes of finding a way to fight back if it came down to it. William didn't exactly wish to worry her, but he would always be honest.

[Marinette Roquefort]

Marinette shook her head. "You couldn't have prevented this," she said with certainty. "All that time, with Helene? I had been waiting for this. I always knew he would come for me, that it couldn't last forever. Don't you see? It's who he is, at his core. He believes I'm his property, and the law agrees with him. Helene took me away; she tricked him into letting me stay there longer than he'd expected. But he was always going to drag me back." It seemed obvious to her, and she didn't understand why William didn't see that. "It's not about me, you see. It's about control."

She turned and set the water aside on the nightstand. "As far as what's to come, when he strikes back…" She sighed. "I'll accept whatever happens with as much grace as I can. Helene won't be pleased, I know, but… I don't see any way out of it. She's got her own freedom to worry about, and I don't want her to throw it away trying to secure mine. If that means I'm sent back to Pearlwood, then…" She shrugged, shook her head, and dropped her hands and gaze to her lap.

If that was what the council decided, then there wasn't anything she could do to change it. Wherever she went, here at the castle, Lini's house, if she tried to hide somewhere in the countryside, or heaven forbid, she tried to run away on her own, in the end, she was still property. Her father was relentless--he wasn't going to stop until he was dead, or she was.

The sobering thought seemed to fall in her stomach like a stone. It wouldn't be over until one of them was dead. If it came to that...would she fight back? Could she? Or would she die quietly, a stone dropped in a pond without even a ripple? Would the council feel remorse, knowing it was their decision that had sentenced her to death?

Abruptly, she realized how she must sound. Her head snapped back up, and her horror was clear on her face. "Of course I'm grateful to you both, I don't mean to be dismissive! I just mean...I wouldn't want either of you to blame yourselves." She bit her lip while she tried to put her feelings into words. "You both mean so much to me. If I thought for a moment I was causing you pain... I… I don't know what I'd do."

[William deGrey]

'He believes I'm his property, and the law agrees with him.'

Although she was trying to ease his own worries, to perhaps make him feel better about not acting sooner or attempting to prevent all of this, her words only made it worse. It made his heart ache and that rage he rarely ever felt rise back up towards the surface. William was not normally hot-headed, he rarely rose his voice even when he was upset. It took a lot for him to get to that place and Davide Roquefort managed to bring him there. And far too easily, too.

"But it is about you," he said without thought. William sat up a little straighter, fidgeting in his slight hesitation. "It bloody hell should be. We all know the law, but this? This isn't right...and you shouldn't simply accept it." He sounded a little on edge now, but his voice was still quiet; his anger directed at society, at the council, maybe even himself for allowing such a law to exist.

'If that means I'm sent back to Pearlwood, then...'

He was shaking his head slowly, arguing with that fact without verbally saying so. The duke hadn't a clue as to how to stop Roquefort if he came for her, but he felt like they still had a bit of time. And, hopefully by then, Triston and the council would have helped, and put an end to this woman's suffering.

William knew, if that man got a hold of her once again, Marinette would die. That was the horrifying truth he struggled not to think about...and yet, it was all he could seem to think about.

Before he could utter another word, she was speaking and worrying that he had somehow taken her words differently. Once more, he shook his head, leaning forward to instinctively take one of her hands within his. "Marinette, stop. Please." William's voice was quiet and tired, gently pleading. "Your concern for others is admirable, but...you need to allow us to be worried for you. It's what people do when they care, when they-" Pausing, he sighed as he stopped himself; letting his head drop a little. He really had no idea where he was about to go with that.

"I just...don't want you to give in so easily. I don't care what the law says, what he says- none of it matters, you hear me?" Brown eyes lifted to her own and he barely registered that he was holding his breath. "This is your life, Mari. Take it. And we will be right beside you."

I will be right beside you.

[Marinette Roquefort]

Marinette held perfectly still as William took her hand in both of his as if moving suddenly might make him realize he'd done it and frighten him away. His hands were arm against hers, and it felt as if that warmth were traveling up her arm as well.

"Marinette, stop. Please." William's voice was quiet and tired, gently pleading. "Your concern for others is admirable, but...you need to allow us to be worried for you. It's what people do when they care, when they-"

Her throat clenched and her eyes began to well with tears. Whatever she had done to deserve such wonderful people coming into her life, she'd do it again a thousand times over. William may not have finished his sentence, but she did, in her mind. When they were family. This was crossing the bounds of just a good friendship and was so much more than she knew how to accept. Apparently, though, she was going to have to learn.

"I just...don't want you to give in so easily. I don't care what the law says, what he says- none of it matters, you hear me?" Brown eyes lifted to her own and he barely registered that he was holding his breath. "This is your life, Mari. Take it. And we will be right beside you."

Marinette's lips shook and she brought her free hand up to press against them as she tried to control herself. She didn't mean to cry; she simply couldn't help it. For so long she'd felt empty and alone, and now her life was overflowing.

Her life. Hers. It felt foreign to hear it that way, to think that she belonged to herself. She'd always been father's daughter, or Helene's sister, even in her own mind. It rarely occurred to her that she could make a decision on her own, choose her own path. It was terrifying...but also exhilarating. It was her life. Would she hand it over without a protest?

Though her lips still trembled slightly, they drew into a smile as she nodded.

"I'll do my best. I just...I hardly know how to do it...how to be myself. I've never…" she shook her head, at a loss for words. Then she remembered what he'd told her at Yule.

"I'm not used to being this happy. All this," she gestured to everything around them, "From last night, everyone being so kind to me, and the gifts, and the time with you all, and the perfect dance, and just...just everything…I can hardly keep up."

She shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. "It's all so much more than I deserve, and now you're offering me a dream, and I…" She laughed softly, although a soft sheen of tears threatened at her eyes and made her voice crack. "I'm at a loss."

---

Finally, a small smile curled up a corner of his mouth. "Well, I'm sorry to inform you, but...you will have to learn to keep up," he told her quietly, his expression shifting to that of soft amusement. "Because you deserve far more than you believe, Marinette. More than whatever he tells you."

Despite the tears falling down her cheeks, she laughed.
"I'm still learning how to keep up. You might have to be patient with me."

[William deGrey]

When one was wonderful themselves, when one put out good into the world no matter their own plight, it was bound to come back to them tenfold. It's what William believed in, and it was certainly what was happening to Marinette.

And, in a way, it was possibly happening to him, whether he realized it or not.

William, at first, didn't know how to handle her sudden tears. Perhaps he had said the wrong thing, or was being too forward or brash with the need for her to take back her life. And that was just it- he wanted her to do it. Was that, in some strange sense, misogynistic of him, despite him wanting her to have a better life?

This just wasn't fair, and something had to give. Something had to change. It was why he went to his brother. Triston wasn't yet the voice of Tresteria, but he knew he was a good man and would want to do what was right. The council likely would not go for Eleesa as regent, but she would be in Triston's corner, to help influence this change that needed to happen. He wanted to hope. Not just for Marinette, but for Olivia as well. William had always thought about her future, but now he was concerned for it. No, he was actually kind of terrified.

Mari was floundering over her words, and he was trying to find a way to gently interrupt her and explain that everything was alright. Yet, she paused, and her laugh made him still before she was repeating something. It took him just a moment to recall that it was from Yule, and it finally caused a smile to spread across his face.

Without thinking, Will was slowly reaching up to try and dry those tears from her face, laughing quietly along with her. "I have three younger brothers, and a daughter who acts like she's twenty years older than she is...I feel like I have a lot of patience." He drew in a slow breath. "We will figure this out, alright? I promise." Maybe he shouldn't promise...but he wanted to.

[Marinette Roquefort]

"I have three younger brothers, and a daughter who acts like she's twenty years older than she is...I feel like I have a lot of patience." That made her laugh again. He really did, more patience than anyone else she knew.

Mari's laughter faltered, however, as William reached to wipe the tears from her face. His thumb was gentle as it swept across the apple of her cheek, and this time she leaned slightly into the touch before she could catch herself. She had to stop doing this to herself. She couldn't read too much into things, nor ask for more. Especially not from William. Even if he kept offering her more than she could fathom asking for, she couldn't ruin this. Anything but this.

"We will figure this out, alright? I promise."

A tentative smile lingered on Marinette's lips as she nodded just once. There were very few people in this world that she would actually believe that kind of promise from, but she trusted William. They would find a way. She would live.

"We will," she echoed.

[William deGrey]

That laughter of hers was refreshing, and it immediately made him smile. He realized he'd do anything in order to hear it more, even if, at the back of his mind, he realized that was probably a thought he shouldn't have. Then again, it was an innocent want, was it not? They were friends, after all.

It was what he was telling himself as he wiped those tears away, because he didn't know what else to think. Already, he had done things he shouldn't have, and was now suddenly wondering if he was beginning to step over a line.

And what line was that, exactly? He was too lost to dwell on it, and maybe he shouldn't try to understand it.

As if this all came rushing at him, William withdrew his hand and sat back in his chair, running fingers through his hair quickly. "I, uh...I believe that Her Majesty may wish to speak with you. She'll want to help if she can." He returned his eyes back to Marinette, concern gently seeping back into his gaze. "If that is alright? Not today, but soon...before all of the-" Marks are gone, he was about to say. Instead, he let out a slow and steady breathe before his jaw clenched.

[Marinette Roquefort]

She was a bit disappointed that he pulled away, seeming to realize he'd been quite familiar with her. She didn't protest, though, she simply smiled fondly as she watched him turn nervous.

"I, uh...I believe that Her Majesty may wish to speak with you. She'll want to help if she can." He returned his eyes back to Marinette, concern gently seeping back into his gaze. "If that is alright? Not today, but soon...before all of the-"

Before…?

Oh. Her bruises. The evidence.

Marinette's smile vanished and she nodded solemnly. "Of course. If you trust her majesty, then I do, too. I don't mind showing the others, too, if you think that will help. It could even be today if it needed to." She wouldn't like it, of course, but if it meant that her father would finally lose his power over her, and over Helene? Then she'd do it.

The determination taking hold surprised her. She'd been so resigned only a moment ago, and yet… The sheer potential of it all, the thought that her dream of being free might finally be real… She would fight. She'd stand on display before the whole council if she must.

"Really, whatever you think is best. I'll manage."

[William deGrey]

William had hated to even bring it up, but it was necessary because simply hiding her here wasn't going to do anything. Eventually, Roquefort wouldn't be satisfied with the payments (something Will was still inclined not to even give him) for his daughter's hard work, and likely demand her back. The only way to truly prevent it was for Marinette to be "owned" by another, through marriage. It was possible to get her emancipated...but that was such a rarity in Tresteria. The very thought angered him again.

Yet, this was why he went to Triston. This was why the queen wished to help. And William was going to do whatever it took to see this through.

His grin faltered but still remained because he heard the determination in her voice. That was good, she would need that. She deserved to be free of that man. "You rest today, Marinette. We'll figure this out tomorrow." In truth, he didn't like the idea of her having to stand in front of the entire council, baring her bruises to a group of men who likely wouldn't care. In actuality, it made him sick.

"In the meantime, I've been having to lie to Olivia about you being here." There was a faint look of amusement that flickered across his face. "I swear, she has a sixth sense for these things and gossip. She might be better at it than my mother."

Oh, right, Anne. She was not going to like this if or whenever she found out. William actually expected to see her waiting in his chambers already whenever he returned.

[Marinette Roquefort]

"You rest today, Marinette. We'll figure this out tomorrow."

Marinette nodded obediently.

"In the meantime, I've been having to lie to Olivia about you being here." There was a faint look of amusement that flickered across his face. "I swear, she has a sixth sense for these things and gossip. She might be better at it than my mother."

With that, Mari was overtaken by a bout of giggles. Of course the little lapin had sniffed out the latest castle gossip right away! Really, they ought to be surprised she hadn't snuck in here already. She could just imagine Olivia creeping in when her father was distracted, her little kitten trailing along behind her. Her giggling fit intensified, and she covered her mouth with one hand and her stomach with another as she started to curl forward. As she did, though, she pulled at the bruises on her neck and chest, which had her sitting back up sharply with a little gasp.

"Ow," she complained, more annoyed than anything else. "Now that's just unfair, that laughing should hurt."

Something else, though, dawned on her with the reminder of her many bruises and the broken arm--if Olivia knew she was here, she'd have to know why. All the color drained from her face along with the laughter. She'd never want to frighten the little girl. She was too young to know there was such evil in the world. Just thinking about it made the tears return to her eyes with a vengeance. She took a shaky breath and swallowed hard, trying to keep herself in check.

"Oh. Oh, dear. No, you're right, she definitely can't know I'm here," she agreed with a slight wobble in her voice. "She...she doesn't need to see this. It would be rather traumatic, I'm afraid."