(no subject)

[fiery_ring]

Breakin' teeth down in, tent one
I fought the law and the, law won
I fought the law and the, law won
I needed some satis-faction
I fought the law and the, law won
I fought the law and the, law won

Around the baby it felt so bad,
I'd had enough of Fern,
She gave me a real ton of crap
I fought the law and the, law won
I fought the law and the, law won.

She's robbed people of their, rations
She fought the law and the, law won
She fought the law and the, law won
She missed her baby and she, missed fun
She fought the law and the, law won
She fought the law and the, law won

Around the baby it felt so bad,
I'd had enough of Fern,
She gave me a real ton of crap
I fought the law and the, law won
I fought the law and the, law won.

In adjacent cells, with a typical barred door, Kate and Fern have been incarcerated. Fern has spent most of her incarceration so far sobbing loudly, but it hasn't got her any more than the bread and water Kate got.

There is one guard, who looks tired, and is sitting down the end of the corridor with a newspaper. There is a barred window in each cell, a non-lit fireplace near the guard, and a large barred window at the other end of the corridor.

Comments

[ikissdhimbck]

Ever so calmly:

"Doesn't change the fact y'slept with a married man."

She gives that a moment to sink in, hoping it does sink in.

"Y'got your heart broken, Fern. There ain't nothin' right about that. But Will wasn't free t'give you his heart, an' if he didn't love Miss Carlotta then he wouldn't have gone through with today's ceremony. Wouldn't you rather he'd come t'you of his own volition, rather than goin' through this spectacle? Can y'be happy with a man who marries you out of a sense of duty, knowin' he's always gonna love someone else?"

[fiery_ring]

Fern sniffles for a few moments.

"He'd never have come to me. She poisoned him against me, took my place from the moment she came to our house.

You called me a whore, but it's at least as much Will's fault as mine. But nobody cares that he broke his vows, even Carlotta has just let it go. It isn't fair. Especially on William."

[ikissdhimbck]

"Y'can't help who y'fall in love with, Fern."

She turns her head, listening to the woman sniffle. She should know that better than anybody. The heart wants what it wants, and it manufactures its own poisons without need of another person.

She sighs.

"What I said wasn't very sportin'. I was angry on behalf of my friend. You're right; it takes two t'make a baby, an' if I'd been reactin' t'that then I'd have had a thing'r two t'say to Will as well. Hell, I still might, once I'm outta here. But what happened wasn't Carlotta's fault. She don't deserve t'be treated the way you treated her tonight jus' because she forgave Will, an' tried t'help with Li'l William while you was gone. You wanna talk 'bout what's not fair t'that little boy? Introducin' violence an' anger into his young life. That ain't fair."

She returns her gaze to the ceiling.

"You wanna be that boy's momma again? Then you best start actin' like one. An' stop treatin' him like a chess piece. I promise, y'do that an' Carlotta will be happy to acquiesce."

[fiery_ring]

"I will never forgive Carlotta for taking my child into a circus." Fern says petulantly. "You can't use a child as a freak show just because he happens to have albino skin. You know how I found out where William was? I saw the poster, tracked them down, and he was left playing in the mud with a bunch of other babies and just one of the other children watching."

She wipes her eyes.

"And she's not looking after Will properly either."

[ikissdhimbck]

"I hardly believe any of that's true. I saw a great number of performers today, an' none of the children were dressed t'participate. An' Carlotta flat out said she'd never use Li'l William like that when y'confronted her in the big top.

"She's a good girl. She an' Will have both been through a lot, but she'd never mistreat a soul."

[fiery_ring]

"You never knew her at school then." Fern says. "She used to be violent to the other girls."

[ikissdhimbck]

Kate laughs dryly.

She can't exactly say she's known Carlotta through all her young years, thanks to the presence of a magical bar. Not that she thinks it would make a lick of difference.

[fiery_ring]

"Slapping, swearing, boxing ears... I know she slapped Will, how do I know she hasn't slapped William?"

[ikissdhimbck]

"Even jus' askin' that question makes you a fool."

Another dry laugh.

"How long ago did y'attend school?"

[fiery_ring]

"Libby and I were with Carlotta in the third form." Fern says.

[ikissdhimbck]

"Then don't y'think it's about time you grew up? Carlotta sure has."

[fiery_ring]

"You don't know what you're talking about." Fern says, sniffing again.

[ikissdhimbck]

"Got a feelin' you don't either."

She mutters under her breath, resigning their night to silence. Nothing's sunk in. They've only come full circle.



"Sometimes I'm up / Sometimes I'm down / Sometimes I'm almost / To the ground / Nobody knows the trouble I've seen ... "

If she could only find a tin cup.