Baker and Jones Ch. 12

"There's more?"

Annette takes a breath, feeling herself fight the sense of inertia. She relents, allowing her tiredness and the rawness of her emotional state carry her forward. "I... I'm not sure if I'm more worried that you will or won't kiss me."

Cordelia chuckles, pulling back to meet Annette's embarrassed blush. She shoves a hand into her pocket, searching around for a moment, then pulls out a coin. She dances it through her fingers for Annette to watch. "An old adage," Cordelia supplies, "'chance reveals more of your heart than choice ever could.'"

She flips the coin, and Annette watches it tumble through the air, only to land once more in Cordelia's outstretched palm.

"Tails," Cordelia shrugs. "...pity."

The detective slowly exits the embrace, stepping away to retrieve her tea, and Annette feels her desire push forward. She blocks Cordelia's departure, pulling her back and lifting onto her tiptoes to kiss her. She sighs, savoring the feeling of Cordelia pushing back into her, enthusiastically lifting Annette up to meet her as well.

Annette abandons her restraint, allowing herself to be swept up into the rapture of the moment. Cordelia's touch is gentle and precise, holding her with a great deal of care and kissing her with a dedicated warmth. Her arm wraps around Annette's waist, and a hand on her back pulls the former servant in deeper. Cordelia lets out a satisfied breath.

When Annette eventually pulls away, her face warm and her chest feeling giddy, she's surprised to find Cordelia's hand return to her chest. "Well, let's hope this rapid beat is excitement and not fear this time."

Annette giggles, and rests her forehead into Cordelia's neck, closing her eyes and resting in the feeling of safety.

"Now," Cordelia says gently, "what shall we do about Mister Wemberly and your Mallets?"

"You said it yourself," Annette replies, slowly exiting Cordelia's embrace and preparing to face reality once more, "he's my only leverage left. It's time to negotiate."

"Wait," Cordelia stops her, hastily lifting a hand to her jaw and pulling her into another quick kiss. "Chin up. Shoulders broad. Face brave. Project confidence."

"Thank you," Annette blushes.

She takes another breath and turns on her heel, strolling into the living room and facing down Mister Wemberly. "I want to make a deal."

- - -

Annette stands before them with her head bowed, hoping that she had done enough to sufficiently predict how everyone in the room might respond to her presence. She hopes that she's done enough, but for now, she must simply sit and endure the escalating argument unfolding before her.

"She failed to kill the Deacon, she failed to capture Wemberly," Jarl is shouting, "and she's lied to us all along!"

Patrick leans over to Annette, and quietly whispers, "For what it's worth-,"

Annette shakes her head. She'd rather avoid the unfortunate apologies now that the damage was done. "I understand."

"Truly, I-,"

"We're alright," she sighs. "Don't feel guilty."

Failinis' voice fills the room of the impromptu trial. "We are in agreement that Red has failed in these tasks. But have you no mercy?"

Jarl scowls at him. "You'll let her live?"

The burly redhead crosses his arms. "I'm not in the business of killing fellow laborers, Jarl."

"Her true owner is a detective."

"Yes," Failinis puffs, "a bastard with a famously unpopular character who could not be taken seriously by the crown if she were old King Arthur herself!"

"She could be a spy," Jarl insists.

"As could you. As could I. As could Patrick."

Jarl storms forward, towering over the shorter leader and letting his anger temper slightly. "You brought me here to be the voice of reason."

Failinis places a hand on his chest and pushes him back. "I brought you here to be the voice of cool pragmatism. And in this case, I'm siding with idealism."

Jarl scoffs. "And so you'll what? Let them remain among us?"

"Absolutely not."

"So bury them," Jarl insists again.

Failinis waves him away. "Excommunication is punishment enough."

"Of course, wise thinking," Jarl bites sarcastically, "so she may run to the police and expose us?"

"Red is principled, and truly cares for the cause. She wouldn't."

"And if you're wrong about her?"

"I'm not," Failinis asserts.

Jarl strolls away a few steps. "Unbelievable."

"I'll remind you," Failinis calls after him, "she is still wanted for escape, attempted murder, conspiracy, and now kidnapping."

"Say she makes a plea deal with Captain Beckett?"

"He'll want to make an example of-,"

Annette takes her mark and pips up, stepping forward and quietly interjecting, "I believe I have a solution: a compromise that removes my ability to report to the police while simultaneously guaranteeing my livelihood."

The two men exchange a surprised look and glare back at her.

- - -

"As you can see," Mister Wemberly announces to the crowd assembled outside of his famous collarhouse, the one Annette had lived in before being settled with Cordelia, "the brave men of Captain Beckett's police have successfully recaptured the first of the runaways!" He gestures to Annette, standing at his side with her hands bound. "I personally commend them for the excellent work in combating the Mallets."

Captain Beckett steps forth, and Annette is surprised that he's smaller than she expected. She'd always assumed he'd be a towering hulk of a man, but he seems to be just a regular fellow.

"Rest easy, Bellchester," Beckett informs the crowd, "as you can see, my men are more than capable of putting right the wrongs of this group."

Wemberly nods and gestures to Annette. "Miss Baker, as punishment for her escape, will surrender the value of her contract to my collarhouse and return to fulfill the rest of her service, with time added for escape."

And thanks to a generous bonus payment from Cordelia, Annette grumbles inside.

Cordelia steps forth, frowning at Annette before standing beside Mister Wemberly. "Thank you, Mister Wemberly, Captain Beckett, for your role in restoring order to this city."

Annette is relieved Cordelia was successful in her effort to retrieve the contract from Simon. She'd be mortified if her bargain for her life resulted in once again being tossed in his path. She's even amazed that Cordelia convinced Simon to drop the charges against her, and wonders how much convincing it had taken.

"As an additional consequence," Wemberly continues, "in conjunction with her owner, Miss Baker will bear a permanent accent to her collar to signify her wrongdoing, as well as a temporary representation of her shame upon her person."

She takes a breath. Cordelia had talked Wemberly out of the worst of his ideas for a symbolic gesture, and finally settled upon something that felt relatively reasonable. Cordelia takes a step towards Annette, grabbing her braid and brandishing a pair of haircutting shears. She makes quick eye contact with Annette, then slices her braid off. With a few more quick strokes, Annette's hair is suddenly as short as many men wore theirs.

Wemberly nods, satisfied. "Miss Jones, we once again offer you the option of returning Miss Baker into custody."

Cordelia shakes her head and places a firm scowl on her face. "I shall take charge of her punishment myself."

"And you are willing to uphold the remainder of her contract, plus damages?"

"I am," Cordelia nods.

"And you take full responsibility for her needs, duties, and discipline, for as long as she remains in your care under contract?"

"I do."

Wemberly steps aside, allowing Cordelia to step forth with something new in her hand. She approaches Annette, her face remaining firm whilst her eyes twinkle knowingly. Annette shudders slightly when she sees the collar again, dreading the constant tugging and pulling of it around her next, the strangely claustrophobic feeling of it upon her at all times. But then she notices the permanent token on it that Wemberly mentioned, and sees that Cordelia has placed a small hook on the front of the collar, just enough to dangle a small ring upon it. It's a simple silver band, with a small centerpiece etched with a House symbol that Annette didn't recognize.

Once she's closer, Cordelia winks at Annette, and she feels a little flutter run down her chest. Her hairs stand on end as the leather wraps around her neck, and she flinches a little as the locking mechanism clicks shut. But then she sees nothing but Cordelia's eyes, glimmering at her and reassuring her, and knew some part of her was relieved that Annette would be back home with her. A part of Annette is relieved, too.

Cordelia feigns as though she is inspecting the binding on the collar, ensuring it is firmly in place, and quietly whispers in Annette's ear:

"I do."