Across the Tracks, Right?

[Sero]

"Business." He said coldly, waving Jamie off almost laughingly. "I doubt there's anything you could tell me of importance anyway." He added, feeling pleased with himself at the moment to reduce his usually strong witted daughter to this.

 

[tamaracorine]

She sighed and ran her hand through her hair, shaking her head. "Fine. Don't tell me. Ill fine out soon enough." She turned around to leave. "Not resorting to kidnap, I trust?"

 

[Sero]

"Oh no, I wouldn't stretch my hand that far on purpose. They just do their job and pick up any dust lying in the streets....magic dust." He chuckled,, looking down the hall thoughtfully. "Depends on how fast he runs."

 

[tamaracorine]

Jamie looked back briefly and then left the house, sprinting back to the fence and ducking through the gap. She returned to Quin's house, rushing to his bedroom and sitting on the bed.

 

[Sero]

Quin had finished his rounds around the border like usual, met up with the normal people he did, and covered his tracks as quickly as he could. Feelingout of breath and exhausted. Especially due to another ordeal involving magic jammers. However, he had managed to fall right back into place where he needed to.


However it left him pondering about some very scary things about the other side of the city. It made him feel sick inside. Usually to have something like that.... he opened his door and paused spotting Jamie and looking her over curiously. "You made it." He said in soft wonder.

 

[tamaracorine]

She nodded, laying back in the bed beside him and resting her head on the pillow. She was out of breath from running, and felt foolish for running even though she knew her father could have caught her at any moment. "Yeah, I made it." she told Quin meekly. "My father... he's..." she took a deep breath and shrugged. "He's not happy... He tried to make me move in with him until you went away."

 

[Sero]

Quin tried to process what she meant, feeling a bit angry at this. "That's kond of....I don't know if I like that." He admitting, moving to the bed and gently plopping himself down next to her. "You made it back though, you look really upset, did he say anything else?" He asked, reaching over to move his arms over her shoulders and pull her over to him close.


She seemed a lot more unhapy then her father just telling her to stick around, so there had to be something more.

 

[tamaracorine]

She relaxed as he pulled her close, appreciative of the effort he was making. "There's more." She admitted quietly, wrapping her arms around Quin. "He didn't tell me details. He just wanted to upset me. They've got hunters on that side of the fence..."


Jamie took a deep breath before continuing, "he mentioned hunting magical people, and he mentioned headaches that you could get, and he mentioned power... But he didn't connect the ideas..."

 

[Sero]

Quin made a nervous noice at that news. "Oh, well, yeah I saw those hunters..." he was skimming a few details but he didn't want to upset her, as for the second part, even though it made him sick to even think about he quietly agreed it was possible. "Look Jamie we can always suppose he was messing with you on some of it."


Doubtful but she seemed really shaken and Quin felt responsible. He was the one that had wanted to cross the fence and she was the one paying for it.


"What do you want to do?"

 

[tamaracorine]

She looked up at him, shrugging. It seemed like anything they could do would go wrong, and so she settled for safety in bed with Quin.


"I want to lay here forever... But if we can't do that, then let's find a way to change things, Quin." Jamie smiled at him.

 

[Sero]

Quin nodded. Secretly wondering if they really could accomplish anything. "Well, we can lay here for a while and think okay?" Quin was aware that he wasn't in a position to convince his father of anything. His father was expecting things from him that were much different from the path he was deciding on.


"Let's just sit and think, and be careful." First...he wanted to find out about the stuff that made him sick. However maybe it was safer to stay here... he would have to gather information... "Haaah...."

 

[tamaracorine]

"We keep doing things as expected. Treat me the way your father expects, until we know that anything else is safe." Jamie told him quietly. "You need to get the mark back onto me before your father knows it's gone. I'll act like a well trained little human pet."


She knew he needed to think, and she did too. Keeping the peace, and staying alive, mattered for now.

 

[Sero]

Quin bit his lip. He didn't like that. He was starting to hate that thinking at all. "You're like sweet poison" he mumbled before straightening his position and motioning for her hand. "Here, I'll take off the consealer now. I'll forget if I don't so..."


Quin trailed off before sighing. "Let's just make this work for now." In truth he wanted to rush. Wanted to rush and run through everything. It made him so upset that they had to slow down. However..it was to keep Jamie safe he told himself. So he had to stay calm.

 

[tamaracorine]

Jamie gave him her hand, watching as the mark returned to her arm, fascinated by what was happening to her skin. "We can make it work." She told him quietly. "You need to please your father. Don't you?" She tilted her head as she looked at him, unsure of herself and unsure of what was happening with his father.

 

[Sero]

Quin could only nod. Hating how he was starting to despise working for his father. However a little break in the peace wasn't bad for sure. "I'll do my best, for now, please stay out of trouble. Though I feel like that's a bit hard to ask for from you." Mhe laughed at his joke. Though he was quite serious.


"I need to find out what's happening where your father is though, and what's happening in my own city."

 

[tamaracorine]

Jamie's lips curved into a small smirk at his joke, and she leaned up towards him so that her lips met his in a small kiss. "I don't know why you'd say such a thing." she whispered with sarcasm obvious in her tone. She let her lips rest against his for a few moments, just barely grazing his again as she spoke. He was right, that they would have to find out about her father's actions. She nodded solemnly and lay on her back, sighing. "We're not detectives, Quin... what do we do?"


Footsteps paused just outside the doorway, hesitating at Quin's door. Jamie hushed, listening to hear if the person would speak. A diminutive woman with Quin's eyes opened the door and entered, closing it just as quickly. "Out, girl." she told Jamie sternly, and Jamie obeyed quickly, sliding off the bed and leaving the bedroom within seconds. "Quin. I'm your mother, and you know I care for you, right?"

 

[Sero]

Quin swallowed and nodded. "Mother, I heard you weren't feeling well for dinner the other day, are you well?" He tried. Quin liked his mother quite a bit actually, so he tried not to upset her. He had a few ideas about what she was goong to bring up and he didn't like a few of them. He steeled himself. "Is there something wrong? Do you need to tell me something?" He asked, forcing himself to relax.

 

[tamaracorine]

"The girl. Jamie, is it?" she began slowly. "She's not magical, Quin. She isn't one of us, and you need to be careful of your... feelings... regaring her because of that. Quin... your father..." she sat on the edge of the bed, "Your father once had a... relationship... with one of them, and it caused him nothing but pain. It caused me nothing but pain when I found out. There are so many magical women who would love to date you, Quin. Please. Send the girl to another household to serve."

 

[Sero]

Bingo. "Mother..." he tried, before frowning. "Father did something like that?" Oops. Not what he had meant to slip. He had an idea, his father had hinted at it. No, he had to stay focused. "Mother I understand your concerns and will have to think about it, she's actually quite useful, and I caught her myself. I know this is...high handed of me, however I have some pride in being able to tame her." This was a lot of stress, to talk like this about Jamie. I dropped really heavily in his heart.


It hurt.

 

[tamaracorine]

"Taming her is not my concern, Quin." his mother told him gently. "My concern is that you fall for her, and she falls for you simply because it is the easiest way for her to escape a life of captivity. You'll hand her freedoms, and she will take advantage. I don't doubt your strength, my son. I just don't underestimate how manipulative people from that side of the fence can be." she reached out, taking hold of Quin's hand. "I trust your judgement, Quin, but if at any point, you find yourself thinking it's love, then send her away."

 

[Sero]

Quin didn't like those words. It left a sinking and intolerable feeling of guilt whirling in his chest. Would she really? No they were goingn to change this city together. They would both be gaining something. Sorry mother, it was too late for him not to fall in love with her. "I understand." It didn't really matter to him, as long as Jamie didn't leave his side. "I'll make sure to make the right choice." That was keeping her close right.


He squeezed her hand back, feeling like a caged bird. However, this was all he could do right now. He loved his mother but he loved Jamie too. A naive, inexplicable love for her.

 

[tamaracorine]

His mother leaned over and kissed his forehead, "I love you, Quin." she told him quietly. "Now, I need to go, but I've organised dinner to be brought up to your room tonight. Your father is in a particularly sour mood and I figured you would want to avoid him. Your servant girl will be bringing it up soon, I assume. The maids and cooks know she's to be the one to serve you. Have a good night, son. And do remember what I've said." she let go of his hand and left, shutting the door quietly.


A few minutes later, Jamie entered the room with a tray of food and placed it on the beside table, standing awkwardly beside the bed, unsure of what to do, and if Quin's mother had made a difference to how he would treat her.

 

[Sero]

Quin sighed. It was a weighty sigh. "Hey Jamie. Why do love me? Is it love or just an intense gravitation. Both? Do I even know what that is?" He asked, is eyes darting over. "My mother wants me to discharge you under certain circumstances. She's afraid. Ah, well...." I didn't blame her. From what I had heard.


"Tell me for a bit will you?"

 

[tamaracorine]

Jamie's eyebrows raised at his question, her arms folding awkwardly across her stomach. This felt like a test, but she didn't know what the right answer was. She suspected that he wanted the truth from her, and not just what he wanted to hear, but the truth felt like a blur of emotions to her. "Both?" she answered uncertainly. "You're... intense, and you're kind, and you care, even when you don't know what to do, and you're safe. You feel safe to me, even though you should feel anything but safe." she bit her lip and looked away from him. "Should I go? Do you want me to go?"

 

[Sero]

"No." Quin muttered, reaching over and gently patting her head. Having to stand up to reach her. "That's enough. Its okay." He had to think, he had to think about this very hard. "Sending you away might protect you from father. I don't think mother would hurt you, she's worried...she knows id be upset." She might slap Jamie though. That could sting. He wasn't sure. He was thinking of something really stupid.


"Hey, thanks for bringing this up." He motioned to the food. Trying to bury himself in additional thought. What to do.