An Antebellum Sunset*Chapter 5*Atsushi/Uruha
Title: An Antebellum Sunset
Chapters: 5/8
Author: gimbat_ash
Genre: Horror, Historical
Warnings: Eventual violence, rape, mild het
Rating: NC-17
Pairings/Characters: Astushi (Buck-Tick)/Uruha, Atsushi/OC
Synopsis: The year is 1841. Rory (Uruha) Scarborough’s father owns a large plantation in North Carolina. One day Uruha will inherit the plantation but he is a less than ideal heir. He’s a musician with his head in the clouds. His life is thoroughly boring until someone buys a nearby plantation, changing Uruha’s life forever.
Disclaimer: I own Gazette only in my strange, sad little brain. I wanna be Atsushi when I grow up though!!! My parents are thrilled…
Uruha had been staring at the same page for the last hour and a half. He sat curled up on the window seat in his room, his forehead resting against the cool glass pane. The eastern horizon drew his gaze. Darcey was there, over the earth’s curve. He and Marie were still on their honeymoon on the coast and Uruha couldn’t help but think that he should be out there, feeling the chill ocean breeze on his face, instead of Marie. He watched with half-interest a withered leaf drop into the dust of the front drive. Uruha could stand this no more.
He tossed his book aside and leapt to his feet. Stealthily, he tiptoed across the hall into Maire’s vacated room. All her things remained just as the day she left. Uruha knew exactly what he was looking for. He shut the door and quickly stripped down. With a few last deep breaths, he struggled into a corset and hoop, tying the corset as tightly as he could from his odd angle. Then he reached into the wardrobe and took out Marie’s wedding dress. He carefully slipped it over his head and when he’d done up the fastenings, he cautiously stepped over to the mirror.
A smile played at the corners of his mouth. Darcey was right. He was beautiful, more beautiful even than Marie. He also noticed with pride that the dress was too short. Now that he thought about it, it made sense that he’d be taller. His voice had deepened since that fateful summer day when Darcey gave him his first kiss, and he had plucked plenty of hairs off his face recently. Soon he knew he would have to break down and just start shaving. He felt justified and hurt at the same time. He knew for sure now that Marie would live a life rightfully his, but at least he could be certain that these feelings were not simply juvenile pining for Darcey. Darcey wanted him too.
Resolved in this, he took off the dress and once back in his normal attire, he skipped down the stairs only to plop onto the piano bench. He began to practice the piece he’d been working on all week but it somehow felt too somber. He was in a good mood and the sun had finally peaked up from the cloud-cover, bathing him in golden warmth. Unable to continue with his current piece, Uruha broke into a cheerful folk song.
He smiled when he reached the second verse and a familiar voice joined in. He grinned at Eleanor as he played and she smiled back. In his joy, Uruha piped up when hey got to the chorus. This earned his a whack on the head. He stopped playing to rub his stinging scalp. However, his smile didn’t falter. His singing was officially banned from the house after his mother declared him incapable of carrying a tune.
“Your singing sounds especially ghastly today,” Eleanor commented. “That must mean something good’s happened.”
Uruha’s grin widened. “I think I’ve grown another inch!”
“Let me see.”
Uruha stood up and stepped toward his sister until they were toe to toe.
“Why, I do believe you’re right! Your mouth is at eye level now. Thank God! I thought I’d be staring at that horrid nose forever.”
It was Eleanor’s turn for a whack.
“You hit a lady, you beast!”
“You’re not a lady yet. We’re kids after all.”
Eleanor’s expression turned serious. “Uruha, I was just going to tell you that father said I could go with him to Raleigh in the spring.”
“That sounds like fun. Why didn’t you ask if I could go too?”
“I don’t mean to come back.”
“What? Why?”
“I hope I’ll find a husband there.”
Uruha’s heart sank. His sister was his best friend in the world. He couldn’t imagine life without her.
Noticing her brother’s distress, Eleanor tried to comfort him.
“Don’t worry, Uruha. You’re growing onto such a handsome man. Soon you’ll find a pretty lady that will make you forget all about me.”
Uruha’s mood didn’t brighten. Perhaps she was right but the real question was, could this person make Uruha forget about Darcey.
~
“Could you grab those dresses, Henrietta?”
“Why sure, Ma’am.”
“Rory. Rory! Rory!!!”
Uruha jumped. “I’m sorry, Mother. You hardly ever use my real name.”
“I know, dear,” Mrs. Scarborough sighed. “My mind is all turned around in circles. Would you and go with this next cart load and help Marie out?”
Uruha nodded and went to get into the cart before there was no room for him. The countryside was abuzz now that Marie and Darcey were back from their honeymoon. Now all of Marie’s things had to be transported to her new home. Uruha scowled at the pile of things in the back of the cart. There was no room for him as it was so he jumped up to the seat at the front beside old George, wondering how all of this stuff ever fit in the house. The aged slave smiled at him and he returned the gesture.
He remembered the days when George would ruffle his hair and tell him stories passed down from Africa and he wished that childish innocence could have gone on forever but that’s not how things worked. Now that Uruha was older, the slaves all maintained a respectful distance. Uruha would be the master one day. He knew they all thought that Uruha would grow up to be like his father, stern and heavy-handed, but Uruha had other plans. He’d played with the slave children. He grew up with them and he still remembered all of their names and he still cried when they were sold. Yes, Uruha vowed that things would be different once he made the rules.
“You look mighty pleased, Master Rory. You must be glad to see your sister again,” George commented.
“Yes. The time’s gone fast though. I can’t believe it’s winter already. It seems like it’ll be cold this year. I’ll talk to father about getting some extra fire wood to the cabins.”
George’s smile widened. “Why, thank you kindly. That’s right nice of you.”
The wagon lurched forward and they started toward the gate.
“It’s no trouble,” Uruha muttered, worry overtaking him. “No one should have to freeze in the snow.”
He had no idea how he would feel seeing Darcey again. Already he felt jealous of Marie. He only hoped he could contain his emotions enough to avoid ruining his relationship with his sister.
When the cart pulled up to the door of the house, Uruha hopped out without hesitation and took a load of dresses into his arms. He just wanted to get this over with. The more he thought about seeing Darcey the more he wanted to sprint straight home.
Shifting the dresses on to one arm, he opened the screen door and started up the stairs toward Darcey’s room. Belatedly, Uruha realized that he really shouldn’t know where he was going. For all anyone else knew, he’d never set foot in this house before.
Fortunately, he hadn’t gone far down the hall when Marie poked her head around the bedroom doorframe. A piercing, girly screech split the air. Uruha gasped for air in his sister’s crushing embrace.
“Oh my lord! Uruha! I’ve missed you so much and look how you’ve grown. I must throw a party! You’ll give every girl there the vapors for sure. Oh! Can I plan your wedding?”
“Marie,” Uruha gasped. “You’re wrinkling your dresses.”
Uruha knew by now what motivated Maire. The excited young woman let her brother go immediately and snatched the dresses away. Uruha followed her into the room.
“Hello, Uruha,” Eleanor greeted when he entered. She was busy arraigning Marie’s brushes and combs. Uruha waved distractedly, eyes darting around the room.
“Are you alright?” Eleanor asked. “You look kind of…confused.”
Indeed, Uruha was confused. The room bore very little resemblance to the one in which Darcey first made love to him. His eyes flicked over to the bed and he shivered. Marie would never know that she was not the first person with whom Darcey shared that bed. At least Uruha hoped she’d never know.
“Uruha?”
“Sorry. It’s just… I mean I can’t quite picture Darcey sleeping in this room. It’s so…frilly. It wasn’t always this way, was it?”
“No, no,” Marie prattled. “It was so drab and cold before. I’ve tried to make the best of it though. I’m sure Darcey will thank me. It was simply intolerable before. Don’t you think so Eleanor?”
Eleanor looked like frightened deer. “Uh…It was…I don’t know. I really do prefer green to pink.”
“I suppose it doesn’t matter. You’re not living here anyway.” Maire then hurried downstairs to direct the slaves as they brought in her wardrobe.
“It was so much better before, the room I mean,” Eleanor sighed. “Darcey has nice taste for a man, actually. If I were him, I think I’d cry if I walked into my room and saw this.”
“I almost did cry when I walked in,” Uruha giggled. “This is horrible.” He walked over to the lace curtains and poked one of the giant, pink, velvet bows as if it might bite him.
The two then scurried onto the bed to avoid the gargantuan wardrobe progressing across the room.
“That’s it. Put it in that corner,” Marie instructed from the doorway. “Uruha, Eleanore, would you mind getting the rest of my dresses now that the wardrobe’s here?”
The siblings nodded and hurried outside, eager for some fresh air.
Right away, they set about gathering up the remaining garments.
“My arms are full. Can you get the rest?”
Uruha nodded and Eleanor started back toward the door.
“Hello, Darcey. Where have you been?”
Uruha didn’t look up. He didn’t want to see him.
“I’ve been at the stables getting Marie’s horse settled in her stall. Is Marie almost finished inside?”
“Yes, but I don’t know if you’ll want to see what she’s done to your room,” Eleanor warned.
“Oh, it can’t be that bad.”
“Well I wouldn’t want to wake up in that every day. That’s for sure.”
The screen door thudded shut. Uruha became acutely aware that he was being watched. He could hide no longer. He gathered that last item and straightened up. The first thing he saw were those keen black eyes staring straight into his.
“My, how you’ve gown. You’re even lovelier than when I left.”
Uruha refused to be drawn in. “Marie says so too.” With that, he headed straight for the door, but a strong hand on his shoulder halted his progress.
“I hope to re-familiarize myself with that gorgeous body of yours.”
Anger blazed in Uruha’s heart and he whirled to meet the other’s hungry gaze. To his satisfaction, Darcey flinched a bit. Uruha had grown nearly two inches since they’d met and was now almost eye to eye with Darcey.
“You can hope all you want,” Uruha bit out before wrenching his shoulder from Darcey’s grip and disappearing into the house.
~
Uruha’s elegant fingers danced over the keyboard. His tunes had been melancholy as of late. He missed Marie. He only saw her now when she visited. He simply couldn’t go back to that house. What if Darcey caught him alone? He didn’t know if he was strong enough to resist him if it came to force. He was certain now that Darcey would use force if he continued to resist.
He sighed and channeled his feelings into his music. He could faintly hear voices from the kitchen. Eleanor had asked Henrietta to teach her to make biscuits. Just then, there was a knock on the door. Mrs. Scarborough ran to the door, arriving just before one of the slaves.
“It’s alright, Josephine. I have it,” she assured the slave. When she opened the door, one of the house slaves from the Sakurai plantation stood at the door.
“I’m afraid I have bad news. I’m terribly sorry, Mrs. Scarborough.”
He handed over a letter written in Darcey’s distinctive penmanship. Mrs. Scarborough bade the slave come in and asked Josephine to take him to the kitchen for some bread and milk until she could write a reply.
Uruha stopped playing when he heard his mother sob and run off toward Mr. Scarborough’s study. He stood up from the piano bench and rushed into the kitchen. Something was very wrong and he needed to be near his sister.
“Uruha? What are you doing here?” Eleanor inquired.
“We got a letter from Darcey. Mother cried when she read it.”
Eleanor’s face fell and she struggled out of her apron. Henrietta brushed some flower off Eleanor’s dress and shooed her out of the kitchen.
They ran into the foyer just as their parents walked out of the study. To their horror, their father was wiping tears off his cheeks.
“I-is Marie alright?” Eleanor asked cautiously.
Mrs. Scarborough hugged her daughter close. “Marie fell off her horse this morning. She…Her back is broken.”
Uruha shook his head in disbelief. “Will she ever walk again?”
Mr. Scarborough spoke up. “No, Son. Marie will never do anything again. She’s dead.”