Fort Hunting Lodge

[Carlisle]

Paranoia definitely thrived in this environment. It had infected Julia's consciousness already and it felt like an epidemic in the lodge. It didn't take much to accelerate dangerously in to dark thoughts and worst possible scenarios, or search for darker ulterior motives in even the purest of gestures.

However this was different. There was something different about Karin as she approached them with these allegations. Julia would be the first to admit that she hadn't always been patient with Karin. Of everyone in the group, even the likes of Norbert who bolted as soon as he could, she was the one person Julia didn't fully trust. Something about the over-enthusiastic delivery of the Beatrice situation didn't sit right with her and there was always an element of suspicion there. She had already seen her wave that drill around menacingly and jump from 0-80mph in no time at all. What would she be like with a gun on her belt? There was no doubting that Julia's ice cream 'weapon' tasted nice but it was sure as hell no match to bullets if they started flying.

This time though there was a vulnerability in her words. A wavering fear that felt too raw to be a fabrication. It felt genuine.

Karin's words made her feel sick to the stomach. It was gut-wrenching, a betrayal of sorts that somebody she had viewed as trustworthy and somebody that had portrayed themselves as someone who would protect them would actually do something so disgusting. She had empirically trusted him. In fact, she had trusted him with her life. She had exchanged laughs and tried to make light of the situation with him. Shared food. Hell, he even shared his liquor with her. She had always found the reality of boys and sex a bit off-putting. By no means a puritan, there was something grotesque about the sleaziness of it all and Victor was just proving her fears right. Boys will always just be boys.

Julia had struggled to fall asleep too. She found herself night after night silently lying there with her eyes open. Looking up at the ceiling in the pitch black. Living in eternal fear of what else roamed in the elysian fields that cursed them. Admittedly, she had not seen Victor actually do anything suspect herself. If he was watching them sleep then in fairness that kind of was what night watch was. When Julia had been keeping watch she also would check in the den to make sure everything was safe and secure. But the rest of what Karin was saying? Unbelievable. Yet scarily believable.

She didn't know what to say. Karin paused and looked on the verge of tears. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around Karin and gave her a comforting hug.

"Does Ashlee know?"

Karin gently shook her head.

"We need to tell her," Julia's voice found more conviction than ever before, "Then the four of us can figure this out. We can't keep him here. What if he does something even worse tomorrow night?"

She wasn't sure if she was being rational anymore. Sure -- they could tell Ashlee and try to resolve this but what could they actually do? In her head she tried to convince herself that democracy would work. They could confront him together and hold a vote. Nobody needed to get hurt but Victor needed to know that he wasn't welcome anymore. Just send him on his way and keep the safe haven for themselves. They had the weapons that if anybody tried to attack they could get the upper hand. The Amazons and Valkyries thrived without men so they didn't need any either. The more she thought she more she deluded herself over what to do.

There was absolutely no way that Karin would be lying about this.

[S119 - Julia Guercio - continued in Top Ten Anime Betrayals]

[decoy73]

Victor looked over as Ashlee left. The other three were talking about ... girl stuff? Nerd stuff? Whatever. He didn't really care about what they did in their alone time. Victor just rolled his eyes.

((Victor Grail continued in Top Ten Anime Betrayals))

[Ryuki]

Karen was stunned by what Han told them. She didn’t figure Victor was that kind of guy. Then again she didn’t know him that well. And Han seemed pretty upset. Julia suggested they tell Ashlee.

“I agree,” Karen said, “If we’re going to stay safe, we need to stick together. We can’t let a potential creeper ruin that.”

(Karen Nguyen, continued elsewhere…)