(Aubrey’s P.O.V.)
Locked in my room, I cry for hours, I try to be as quiet as I can so my mother-in-law won’t hear me. I do not want her to know how much her mean-spirited remarks hurt me. Besides, as much as it pains me, I have to admit that she only spoke the truth. Grace is Leopold’s original Bearer, I was only a poor substitute. Now it is time for her to take her rightful place beside him and for me to step aside.
Mrs. Jordan and Mabel watch television for a couple more hours, the volume is so high I can clearly hear what happened with the Shark mission: the live transmission was interrupted to take Grace to a safe location. Just the idea of Leopold and Grace being together while I lie on the bed makes my stomach churn. I wonder if he is happy to be reunited with her? I wish I knew what was going on, at first I thought Grace being there meant she ran
Hi! Thank you for reading! What do you think about Grace's comeback and the accusations she made against Leopold?
(Aubrey’s P.O.V.)Our house sinks in despair and anguish. Commander Leopold Mortensen, Estermond’s hero, arrested for treason is something I never imagined would happened. Mabel walks from one side to the other with a concerned expression on her face, she is like a caged lion, her despair is palpable. I’m no better, I bite my nails until my fingers hurt, we are both too upset and distressed about the situation.Jareth followed Commander’s Wilson Unit to find out more about the accusations against Leopold and to see if he could help in anyway to clarify the situation. We are waiting for his return and there is not much we can do in the meantime.Mrs. Jordan comes over with a plate of her famous lasagna to cheer us up but neither of us is hungry. We are too worried to eat. I do not th
(Aubrey’s P.O.V.)Shortly after Alice leaves, Mrs. Jordan informs Mabel about the latest developments and she replies by throwing a big tantrum. While Mrs. Jordan tries to comfort her, I lock myself in my room to have a moment of peace. I do not understand why Grace is doing this, she was already with the man she loved, why did she come back to accuse Leopold of being an Eel? It is hard to come up with a plausible explanation when Alice’s words are tormenting me, she was so certain that Leopold was going to be executed… would the Righteous Regime be capable of murdering one of his greatest heroes? I wish I could say no, but I have experienced first hand how easy it is for authorities to believe you are guilty of a crime you did not commit. It happened to me, it can happen to anyone. I feel sick with guilt, I should have shared my suspicions about Zack
(Aubrey’s P.O.V.)Shortly after breakfast, Jareth arrives. He is disconcerted to find us all in his house. His mother explains to him what happened and how Grace took over Leopold’s house, kicking us out in the process.“Ugh, she is a nasty person, I always knew it,” he mutters angrily.“How is Leopold? Is it true they are going to execute him?” Mabel asks frightened for her son.“Not if I can help it,” Jareth replies not sounding very convinced. “Look, I am not going to lie to you. The situation does not look good for the commander. For some reason, the Eels have decided to testify against the commander and they claim that he is their leader, and, to make things worse, an idiot from the
(Aubrey’s P.O.V.) Mrs. Jordan helps me do my hair and applies a little blush on my cheeks to give them color. As the moment of the interview approaches I regret my decision more and more. What if I say something stupid? What if I just end up making things worse for Leopold? I wish I could talk to him to know his opinion about this matter, I need him more than I need air. A purple van arrives for me punctually. I take a deep breath before I step out of the house. Mrs. Jordan and Mabel decide to come with me to the studio to show their support, I am thankful to them, having them near makes me feel safer. The three of us hop in the purple van, the driver makes no questions he just drives without showing any interest in us or what we are going to do. “What ever happens, don’t get nervous, no matter what Peggy Sue asks you, she sometimes enjoys making her
(Aubrey’s P.O.V.) The audience starts to clap frenetically. My heart sinks to my stomach. Grace comes out from behind the purple curtain and waves at the people in the audience with a wide smile on her face. I am so taken aback I can not think clearly. This was a trap. I draw in my breath in as I watch her approach. Now I get why their parents are here, they have come to see her daughter. Grace walks towards us and takes the seat in front of me. “Welcome, Grace Mortensen. What a pleasure to have you here with us again in my show,” Peggy Sue declares ecstatically. “The pleasure is all mine, dear Peggy Sue. It is great to be back, but the name is White now. Grace White. After all the things that horrible man did to me I can no longer use his last name. Part of my healing process is to go back to the person I was before I met him, that includes using my
(Aubrey’s P.O.V.)The way to the Jordans’ house is one of the most somber experiences in my life, everything lost meaning for me during the interview with Peggy Sue. Grace’s confession changed everything for me, the love story I thought I was living turn out to be a sham.The same purple van that took us to the Ministry of Press and Information takes us back to the Jordans, on our way there, Mabel complains bitterly about how I was set up and that it was all a plan to make Leopold look bad. Mrs. Jordan agrees with her unenthusiastically. I do not pay attention to them, there is a grey cloud over me, disenchantment runs through my veins. I am still processing the fact that everything between Leopold and I was a lie for his selfish benefit. Every kiss was fake, every love word whisper to my ear was a lie. Every moment we spent together now has a different
(Aubrey’s P.O.V.)We walk into the courtroom and take a seat on the front row. Among the public, I see many Sharks from Leopold’s Unit that are here to support him, including Anthony and Sabrina. Shortly after us, Grace and her parents arrive. She takes a seat next to her lawyer, a tall brunette woman with a silver color pantsuit. My stomach churns by Grace’s appearance, she looks radiant and full of life, she is evidently enjoying this moment.“Ugly witch,” mutters Jareth as he looks daggers at her.All of a sudden, a door opens behind the witness stand and two Keepers come in dragging Leopold to his seat next to his lawyer. He is handcuffed and looks gaunt. Seeing him like this makes my heartache. His pain is eyeopening, I realize that maybe his love for me is false, but the love I have for him is real and it hurts in my b
(Aubrey’s P.O.V.)We go to bed feeling dejected. Things do not look good for Leopold. I know I am supposed to be mad at him, and I am, but that does not mean I want him to die for a crime he did not commit. He is innocent and he deserves to be absolved, regardless of how he played with my feelings. Mabel is snoring quite loudly next to me on the bed, I get up feeling restless, I can not stay laying down any longer. I walk out of the room and I notice that the lights downstairs are on. I go down the staircase and I hide behind the banister. Jareth, Sabrina, and Anthony are chatting and drinking scotch in the living room with a grim expression on their faces. “I thought we were about to win and then the lawyer showed those stupid pamphlets, this is so unfair!” Anthony complains before he takes a sip from his beer.
(A few months later) (Aubrey’s P.O.V.)I fix my eyes on the TV screen, I look at the news anchor for a brief moment trying to pay attention to what he is saying.“The secession movement has gained enough support in the Fourth District and now they have separated from Estermond. This is the third district to separate from our nation in the last two months. Unfortunately, without the Righteous Regime, there isn’t anything we can do about it as we witness the downfall of our nation…”I turn off the TV. I don’t care about the news, I am uninterested by Estermond’s destiny. Since the fall of the Righteous Regime a lot of changes have occurred in our nation and there is no one who can stop them. People are taking back what once was taken from them, the life that we once knew is over. We don’t have a unified powe
(Leopold’s P.O.V.)We get off the car in half a second and run towards the building. It is time to save Bastian. We go in and run up the staircase to the sixth floor. Sabrina is waiting for us in front of the apartment where she heard him cry. As soon as the four of us are together, Jareth kicks the door open.“Ministry of Bravery! Hands up!” Wilson yells at the top of his lungs as soon as he takes the first step inside. Sabrina and I go in behind both of them.We are immediately greeted by a burst of gunfire. Jareth drops to the floor in time to avoid the bullets, but Wilson is not fast enough and he is shot twice in the chest. Sabrina and I take cover behind a wall and start shooting back at the Eels. Ahead of us, we hear Jareth shooting at them too. I lean my head slightly to see what is going on, Jareth is crawling inside the apartm
(Leopold’s P.O.V.)The only thing I want is to drive as fast as I can to get to the place where the Eels have my son. But I am aware Jareth and I cannot do this alone, we need the support of our Sharks and for that we have to go meet everyone else.The meeting point where Major Anderson and Commander Wilson are waiting for us is located a few blocks from where the Eels supposedly have Bastian. Jareth drives at full speed to get there, we don’t want to waste any time. We arrive at the meeting point, the place is brimming with Sharks from numerous Units. Wilson is not the only commander present, there are other commanders ready to help. The only high ranking Shark who is absent is General Thompson who is with President Laurent at the Righteous Regimen headquarters, but nevertheless he is in constant communication with us thought the telephone. It moves me to see
(Aubrey’s P.O.V.)I look at myself in the mirror of the dressing room where they are making us wait until it is time to go to the set. In my hands, I hold a sheet of paper on which I wrote down what I want to say in case I get too emotional and forget the message.Leopold is standing behind me looking at his phone insistently in case there is news about Bastian’s whereabouts.Someone knocks on the door and comes in. It is an assistant who is here to take me to the set. I get up my chair and walk behind the assistant. Leopold gives me a reassuring smile before we exit the dressing room. The assistant leads us to the set, which consists of a black desk, a chair, and a gray background. I already gave them Bastian’s photo, so they can show it while I talk to the camera. The assistant takes me
(Aubrey’s P.O.V.)There is no point in staying at the Equality Square, the banner has no more information or clues that can help us find Bastian. We go back home, heartbroken and feeling dismayed. Sadness is has consumed my will to live, I find no comfort or solace. The Eels have not attempted to contact us, they have not asked for ransom or anything in return for Bastian. The banner we found in the Equality Square only indicated their desire to make the citizens of Estermond suffer, they do not seem to have any intention of negotiating to give our son back to us.Once we are home, we find that Roberta has made dinner for all of us. I sit at the table and stare at the food on my plate. I am unable to eat, sleep or do any normal human function, in my body there is only room for anguish.Mabel turns on the TV, the news of Bastian's kidnapping spread like wildfire through Estermond. Several people w
(Aubrey’s P.O.V.)Several hours go by and we have no news of Bastian, with every passing minute my heart breaks a little more. I do not know how much I will be able to endure this nightmarish situation. I never imagined experiencing pain like this was possible.In the news they are justifying the closure of the roads with maintenance work, President Laurent does not want the population to panic thinking that Estermond can not take care of their babies. He wants for Bastian’s kidnap to remain a secret.The night ends and a new day begins. We are all exhausted and dejected. At dawn Alice decides to go home, she wants to be here to support me, but she also worries for her little boy. She is afraid that what happened to us could happen to her child. Commander Wilson orders one of his men to accompany her and watch over their house, he is worried about his son too. Our experience is a cautionary
(Aubrey’s P.O.V.)I feel like I am trapped inside a nightmare and I don’t know how to wake up from it. The house is full of Sharks that come and go gathering evidence. I am seated in an armchair in the living room while Alice holds my hand to give me strength. On my lap, I have Bastian’s blue baby blanket. My baby boy is not here, someone took him and forgot his blanket. Bastian must be cold, he must be scared, hungry... I burst into tears again. Alice surrounds me with her arms to comfort me. She says nothing because there is nothing to say. What can you say to a person in a situation like this? There are no words, no possible comfort.The 9th Unit along with other Units is questioning all our neighbors, hoping that someone has seen something unusual that can help us find Bastian's whereabouts. People I have never seen in my life are searching for Basti
(Leopold’s P.O.V.)We arrive at the building of the Ministry of Bravery. People get out of their vehicles wearing their best clothes, the place is brimming with Sharks and their families. Aubrey takes my arm and we head to the party. The event is going to be held at the Temple of Strength under a big white tent. A lot of Sharks salute me as we walk, I am enjoying greatly all the honor and respect that comes with being a major. I look at Aubrey out of the corner of my eye, even though she has barely slept since Bastian was born and she has spent all her energy taking care of our boy, she looks ravishing. I feel like the luckiest man when I am with her.We enter the tent, inside I see General Thompson chatting with other high rank officials, among them Major Anderson. I d
(A few months later) (Aubrey’s P.O.V.)My eye lids feel so heavy that I have to close my eyes for a moment to rest. I can still hear Grandma and Mabel as they talk to each other seated on the couch next to my bed. I would like to ask them to give me a few hours to sleep in peace but I am afraid to be perceived as rude.The whole family is so excited about the birth of our little Bastian that they did not even wait for us to leave the Bearer Center to come to meet him. Normally, the Matrons do not allow so many family members to be here at the same time, but this time they decided to let it pass because of Leopold’s rank.Leopold is showing little Bastian to Jareth and Roberta in the nursery, while the three of us stay in the room waiting for them to come back."Aubrey, are you paying attention? What do you think about the id