Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

 

 

 

                The morning was dark and cold with coming rain.  The winds were tremulous.  The castle was silent.  And empty.  And joyless.  Risten expected it to be so.  With Sebastian so ill, nobody felt like doing anything.  What were they supposed to do besides pray?

 

                Risten stomped down the stairs in her boots, a Henley sweatshirt, a miniskirt, and ribbed tights.  Jasper couldn’t get her to wear one of those stuffy gowns even if he fell on his knees and begged her.  It’s not like she was going to a court meeting or something, anyway.  She wondered if even then Jasper would be able to convince her to wear a gown.

 

                Then she wondered where Derek was.  He was always disappearing, it seemed.  She hadn’t seen him yet, and she had been up for an hour.

 

                “Morning, my lady.”  said Jasper when she reached the last step.  He had his hands behind his back (Risten thought subconsciously of Father Martel), and was dressed in a flagrantly green tunic and matching feathered hat.  Risten noticed that he didn’t say good morning.

 

                “Morning.”  she said, crossing her arms.  “How is Sebastian?”

 

                “He’s hanging in there, my lady.”  Was all he could manage to say.

 

                “Have you seen Derek?”

 

                “No, I haven’t.  Is something wrong?”  He eyed her curiously.

 

                “I’m not sure.  I haven’t seen him since dinner last night.”  she said, lowering her gaze to the tiled floor.  Jasper put a gentle hand on her shoulder.

 

                “Don’t worry, my lady.  You need not more troubles.  Leave all in God’s hands.”  he said, very unconvincing in Risten’s opinion.  He nodded when she glanced up at him.  “Shall I send someone to look for him?”

 

                “No.  I’ll find him.”  said Risten.  She nodded to Jasper, and she went out the front doors, leaving them to slam behind her with a boom that echoed throughout the empty castle.

 

~*~

 

Kaela groaned, her head throbbing with an odd sort of headache.  Everything that had happened before she passed out rushed into her mind, and she got up slowly.  She wiped her cheek, and felt extremely embarrassed that she had drooled all over the front of Aidan’s shirt.  She bent over him and touched his neck, her two fingers glowing slightly.  He regained consciousness suddenly and sprang up, knocking Kaela aside.

 

                “Marayna!”  he cried out, breathing too fast.  Kaela muttered something impolite under her breath, apparently displeased with having been knocked over. 

 

                “She’s gone, Aidan.”  she said tightly.

 

                “Oh my God.”  said Aidan, looking past Kaela.  She turned, and saw Arias lying a few feet away in spot of blood-stained dirt--obviously his own.  Aidan shot to his feet and fell back down beside his brother.

 

                “Arias!  Arias!”  he cried.  He immediately began searching for a wound.  Kaela came over and shoved him aside.

 

                “Let me.”  she said hastily, feeling about Arias’ chest.  He was wearing far too many layers of black under his cloak.  Aidan stood and put the palms of his hands behind his head, pacing back and forth.

 

                “Oh my God, oh my God…”  he kept saying.  Kaela glared up at him, her eyes annoyed.

 

                “What are you, three years old? Will you shut up?  You’re not helping.”  she said, so sternly that Aidan’s cheeks went red.  He bit his lip as Kaela pulled away layer after layer of clothing, until she found the wound, a discolored incision just above the left side of his hipbone.

 

                “A lightning dagger.”  Kaela muttered.

 

                “What?”  said Aidan, looking sickened at the sight of the injury.

 

                “A dagger infused with lightning-style magic.  It causes spasmatic pain that interferes with the proper function of the nervous system, thus causing the victim, even one proficient in magic, to quickly lose consciousness.”  she said, all while attempting to heal the cut as gently as she could.  Aidan stared at her as if he had never heard her say something so intelligent before.  Which he probably hadn’t.

 

                “Okay…can you heal it?”  he continued, sounding edgy.

 

                “Maybe, if you shut up so I can concentrate.”  Without looking at Aidan, she touched her forefinger to Arias’ hip and all the blood was siphoned, leaving nothing but a deep red scab.

 

                “There.”  she said after a moment, wiping her brow.  “That’s about the best I can do.  He’ll live.”  She glanced at Aidan, was looking down at his brother’s face with a sincerely discomforted expression.

 

                “Marayna…she wouldn’t have done this.  Would she?”  he said, although the question was directed to no one in particular.

 

                “I don’t know the circumstances, so it’s not my place to judge.”  said Kaela, sounding uncharacteristically tired as she leaned against a tree and hugged her knees.  Aidan’s eyes met hers.

 

                “How did you do that?”  he said.

 

                “What?”

 

                “Heal.  How did you learn how to that?  You just don’t seem the type to be a healer.  No offense.”

                Kaela ignored his last comment.  “The element is called Holy.  It’s rare.  I only know of one other person besides myself who has it.  It’s an extremely difficult element to master, let alone get it to the point where it’s actually of any use.  I had a kick-a*s trainer; let’s just put it that way.”

 

                “Interesting�"“  he abruptly turned his head; Arias had made a sound.

 

                “We should get him inside.”  said Kaela.  “It’s getting cold out here.”  Aidan heaved his brother onto his back, straining under the weight.

 

                “Here, let me help.”  said Kaela, standing up with a heavy breath.

 

                “No, I got him.”

 

                “I’m gonna help.”  she said through her teeth, grabbing Arias’ legs.  Aidan gave her an annoyed, ‘yes ma’am’ sort of look, and together they carried Arias down the steps into the underground of the Rellasmir.

 

                Both of them shivered as they always did upon entering Clemenstra’s lair.

 

~*~

 

                Risten sat on her bed, alone in her big, empty room.  She had searched the castle and city, but she still hadn’t found Derek.  She was scared; not simply because he wasn’t with her, but because she was worried about the things that may have happened to him.

 

                She fell asleep on top of her blankets, still dressed, with these thoughts blaring through her mind.  She had been thinking so hard that she gave herself a migraine.  She felt so sure that she would have a nightmare tonight.

 

                She was right.

 

                A blank, black canvas.  No visions, no sounds, no smells, feelings, or tastes.  Oh, right, she was asleep.  A dreamless sleep, thus her mind was blank.  Random portraits flashed behind her eyelids.  Halie.  Arias.  Clemenstra.  Brennan.  Sebastian.  Derek.  None of them were smiling.  Not even Clemenstra or Brennan.  Sebastian’s eyes were closed, but he looked sincerely peaceful.  And beautiful.  He looked like an angel.  Halie looked sorrowful, her expression full of intense longing and guilty regret.  A tiny diamond glittered from the ring finger of her left hand, and another from a strange looking pendant that hung around her neck.  Arias looked blank, as usual.  But Halie’s mournful face was reflected in his lifeless yellow eyes.  Finally, Derek.  He looked happy now, wait…no, he was sad.  Very sad.  He stared forward for a long while, his lips parted as if he wanted to say something.  His thoughts were saying goodbye.  But the word wouldn’t pass through his lips; instead, he turned away.  An icy tear escaped the corner of his eye before he disappeared.

 

                Risten woke at an actual sound.  Blinking away the spots before her eyes and easing back into reality, she recognized the sound of her bedroom door opening and then closing.  She lay with her back facing the door, but she was too afraid to look behind her.  Somebody had entered the room.  Whoever it was was leaning against the door, shaking violently, gasping for breath.  It was male.  Risten froze, not even daring to breathe, and listened.  She tried to block her mind from hearing only her heart pounding in her head.  But she was a Fire-bearer.  Did she really have anything to fear?  An adept Water-bearer, maybe…            

 

                The man groaned in pain and slipped down the door.  He had a young voice.  Not just any young voice.  Derek’s.  Was this a dream?  Risten couldn’t tell.  She wasn’t sure about anything anymore.  Then was it a trap?  She couldn’t sense danger, so her uncertainty was increased further.

 

                Summoning all the courage she could manage, Risten turned her head, and nearly screamed at what she saw.

 

                Derek was sitting against the door, shirtless, his jeans ripped, and the sole of one of his shoes torn.  Blood was splattered all over his body, more heavily on his hands and up to his elbows.  Streaks of red covered the white door.  Derek sat on the floor, moaning with pain and twitching like a dying insect.

                Scared out of her mind, Risten ran to him, pulling him into her arms despite the gore.

 

                “Derek!”  she cried, breathlessly, “What happened?”  She looked down at him, he was shivering, his lips were bleeding, and his hair was plastered to his forehead with sweat.  His eyes were dank and exhausted.  Risten swallowed a sob.  She had never seen someone so distraught before, and she would’ve never thought that someone to be Derek.

 

                “Risten…”  he panted, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.  “I…I…”

 

                Never mind, don’t speak.  Calm down.  Risten soothed, and then she wiped his face with the sleeve of her sweater.  He burst into tears; coughing, sniffling.  He was terrified.  Risten could feel his fear, and it made her panic.  Derek…w-who did this to you?  She stammered, her fingers trembling against his skin.

 

                M-me…I had to…I had to stop myself…I had to stop me…  He cried, tears pouring from his eyes.  Risten didn’t understand, but she held Derek close.  He sobbed into her neck.  She could feel her heart cracking with every passing second.

 

                I…I killed…  Said Derek, his voice muffled by Risten’s hair.  She abruptly raised herself, glancing down into his fear-stricken face.  His sobs racked his entire body.

 

                “What?”  she said aloud.

 

                “My scar…”  he began, but he suddenly lost consciousness.

 

                He left Risten sobbing until she too faded away into the night.

 

                When consciousness had returned to her, Risten became keenly aware that she was lying on a bed.  Her bed.  She sighed deeply without opening her eyes.  Thank God.  She thought.  It was just a dream.  The room was cold and dark, the heavy curtains filtering any sunlight that wished to enter.  If there was any sunlight.  It didn’t seem so.  Risten listened harder, and heard rain pattering against the walls and roof.

 

                She sat up and stretched, feeling angry that she had just told herself that it was just a dream.  There wasn’t such a thing as just a dream for Risten anymore.  She chewed on her lip, and was surprised to taste blood.  She looked down, her sweater, skirt, and hands were covered in it.  Her mind went into frenzy, and she suddenly felt very faint.  She turned to the door, and gasped so hard that it hurt.  The door, as well as the floor and rug, were stained with blood.  Not just any blood.  Derek’s.  With a cry, she fell upon the bed once more.

 

~*~

 

Arias’ room was dark and empty, and the prominent color within it was black.  Everything including the walls, furniture, and curtains were painted with it.  There was one thing that clashed against it all; the engraved silver ring that sat atop Arias’ dresser.  He didn’t know why he still had it.  It was the only material possession he had kept from his past life.

 

                From his bed, Arias stared at it.  It only made sense that he had loved someone before.  He thought of Halie�"Marayna.  Her thin, petite body, her blue eyes, her head of bouncy blond curls.  So indifferent, yet so memorable all at once.  She was beautiful.  He could fathom why he would be in love with her.  Then again, she had stabbed him.

 

                His hip burned, and he bit his lip to stop himself from crying out.  His true love wouldn’t have done this to him.  Or was it all part of some monstrous plan to which he was completely oblivious?

 

                The pain shot up his side, and rendered him unconscious.

 

~*~

 

“Lady Risten…”  said a gruff voice.  Risten stirred, but refused to open her eyes.  It was just a dream.  It was all just a dream.  She thought over and over.

 

                “Lady Risten!”

 

                Her eyes shot open, and she found Basque, Jasper, and Felicity hanging over her.

 

                “Thank goodness.”  said Jasper, releasing a held breath.  “Are you all right, my lady?”  Basque slapped his shoulder.

 

                “What a foolish thing to say, you numbskull!  Of course she’s not all right!”  he snarled.  Jasper looked abashed, but the disgust that mingled in his expression would’ve made Risten laugh if it hadn’t been for the current situation.

 

                Risten sat up and stared at the now brownish stains on her sweater.  She felt weak and broken again.  She almost didn’t want to ask.  “Where’s Derek?”  Jasper chewed his lip, and Basque sighed heavily.

 

                “Derek’s scar has been paining him terribly.  I’m sure you know this, my lady.”  said Basque.  Risten nodded sadly.  “He’s in the hospital now.  Melody has examined him, but has found no significant change in the scar since the last time it was inspected.  It doesn’t make any sense�"“

 

                “But all the blood�"“

                “That’s what we can’t understand, my lady.”  continued Jasper, absentmindedly springing one of his curls.  “He may have been hurting himself.”  He gave Risten a cautious look.  She frowned.

 

                “No.  Derek wouldn’t do that.”  she said.  Somehow she felt like she was lying.  She pinched her arm for thinking such a thing.

 

                “Now let me finish.  Some of the blood wasn’t his.  No one knows where it came from.  Soldiers searched Epsilia, but found nothing.”

 

                I killed.  Risten thought.  What had Derek meant by that?  Had he…committed some sort of murder?  She felt the tears start in her eyes.

 

                “What is it, my lady?”  said Basque, placing his hand on her shoulder.

 

                “She knows something else about this.  Do you, Lady Risten?”  asked Jasper.  Even Basque looked slightly suspicious now.

 

                “No, I just…”  She burst into tears, unable to say more.  Felicity embraced her lightly.

 

                “Enough.  Leave us.”  she demanded, speaking for the first time.  Jasper and Basque bowed obediently and went out the door.

 

                Risten sat like that, surrounded by Felicity’s arms, for a long while.  The young queen gave her a handkerchief.

 

                “Felicity,”  she gasped in between sobs, “Why is nothing ever simple?  Why is this happening to me?  It isn’t fair, Derek shouldn’t have to suffer like that; he’s so perfect…”  Felicity sighed through her nose.

 

                “Nothing goes the way we want them to.  Surely you know that.”  she said.  Risten nodded and gulped air.  “Peace be with your heart, Risten.  If you will it to be, if you seek it, happiness will always find you.”

 

                Risten stopped crying and swallowed hard.  The road may be difficult, but there is happiness at the end for those who believe in it.  She remembered the clichéd line Derek had given her just yesterday.  She also remembered that Felicity was Sebastian’s fiancée.  Who knows what sort of pain Felicity was going through?  With her fiancé near death in the hospital, and a path that lead to uncertain future?  She was strong, and hopeful, and brave.  As Risten longed to be.

 

                “Or so the Ancanthian proverb says.”  said Risten, finding brief comfort in Felicity’s grey eyes.

 

                But then Felicity was crying too.

 

~*~

 

                His muscles were tight and throbbing violently.  His head hurt so much he wanted to cut it off.  His heart burned for Risten.

                Derek reached out for her, but found nothing but cool air.  A spasm shot through his back, and he moaned.  He was lying in a soft bed in a sick room of the castle, but that was no comfort for him now.  He forced his eyes open.

 

                The room was dark from the rainy day.  The air was thick and smelt of freshly cleaned carpet and too much antiseptic.  To his surprise, Derek’s scar wasn’t paining him much.  He was sore, but the burning, piercing pain was gone.

 

                He took a deep breath and flexed his fingers.  They were sore too; as well as his wrists, and felt very cold.  He must have used insane amounts of his magic for him to feel this way.  That, and his scar.

 

                Then came something even stranger.  Derek couldn’t remember a single thing from last night.  Well, he did remember, vaguely, sobbing in Risten’s arms.  Her terrified expression.  Derek pinched his eyes shut, as if that would take the sight from his mind.  He prayed to God that he would never see Risten make that face again.

 

                “Oh Rose…”  he whispered.  Shortly after, Melody stepped into the room and came to him.

 

                “Derek.  You’re finally awake.”  she said gently.  “How do you feel?”

 

                Derek swallowed and shook his head.  He was sure that if he spoke, he would start crying.

 

                “Can I get you anything?”

 

                He shook his head again.  She probably wouldn’t bring him Risten right now.  Melody patted his hand.

 

                “All right.  I’ll come back to check on you in a few minutes.  We’ll see if you can stomach something.”  She turned, but Derek grasped her wrist, ignoring the pain that pulsed in his shoulder.

 

                “Wait, you’re Prince Sebastian’s doctor.  Why are you here�"“  but Derek stopped, nearly choking on a sob.

 

                No.  No, no, no.  He thought over and over.  God no.  Risten…  Melody went slightly pale, but retained her composure.

 

                The prince has no need for me anymore.  He’s in angels’ hands now.

 

                Melody stroked Derek’s hair as he cried, both of them reciting the Litany of the Sacred Heart together.  Every pain Derek had ever felt, physically and emotionally, resurfaced with his sobs.  At that moment, he realized how awful his life was.

 

                Worst of all, he was sure that he would have to see Risten’s sad face again.

Reviews

[ravenjess]

oh no! HE DIES!!!! ahhhhh that's so sad but this is a really beautiful chapter. more, more more!