Seasons of Sadness, Seasons of Joy
Disclaimer: I do not own Corpse Bride, or its characters. They belong to Tim Burton.
A/N: Hey guys! Hope you enjoyed the last chapter!
I want to thank my first two reviewers for this story:
Spedclass: Thanks! I hope the rest of this story is to your liking!
Griffin-queen-of-the-silver-skies: Thank you very much for your review! It's good to hear that every once and a while!
Now, on with the story!
"So, how was life going? I figured you moved on with it, right," asked Emily.
At this, Victor's smile faded. "It's a long story Emily. And not a very happy one either."
Emily's face fell at this news. She'd always hoped that, even though she loved him, his life would be happy with her.
"What happened, Victor? Did something happen to…Victoria," Emily asked, even though she knew that Victoria hadn't died since she hadn't seen her in the Land of the Dead. And she hated saying her name.
Victor let out a short and bitter laugh. "You could say something happened to Victoria, that deceitful, conniving whore."
Emily gasped. She had never heard Victor speak this way before, especially not of his precious Victoria.
"Victor? Victor, what did she do that was so bad?"
Drawing a deep breath to calm himself, Victor began.
---Flash back begins---
We had been married for eight wonderful months. We were so happy. At least, that's what I thought. When I walked into our home, I couldn't see a soul anywhere.
"Victoria, Victoria dear? Where are you," I called out. There was no answer. Curious, and admittedly a little worried, I wondered through our home looking and calling for her. I went from room to room, with no sign of her anywhere. Finally, I got to our bedroom. Looking down, I saw a trail of clothing. Hers… and his.
---Flash back ends---
"Emily, I should stop there. It-it gets rather vulgar," said Victor.
"Oh no! Victor, I'm so sorry," Emily said sadly. She reached over and took Victor's hand in her own. She was careful to use her right hand, since it still had flesh. Angrily, she wondered how anyone could cheat on someone as wonderful as the handsome and kind man before her.
"That's…not all Emily. I decided that we should try to work things out. We had some bumps, but I'd thought that we'd worked things out," Victor said in a low tone. She could hear the self-detrimental tone in his voice.
Emily started to unconsciously run her thumb over the back of Victor's hand. She had a bad feeling with were this was going.
"Victor, if you wish to stop, I'll understand," she said in a small voice.
Victor laughed humorlessly. "No no Emily. I've waited for far too long to speak my mind."
--Flash back begins--
It was two months after the escapade with that man.
I was fairly confident that everything would be fine. Why wouldn't it? It seemed as if our marriage was blessed.
I had been working in my father's office since Victoria and I had married. Father had been teaching me so that I could take over the family business. I was to take over soon because father's health had gone down-hill very quickly.
One day, it was like any other yet…not, when I got home the house was deserted. My mind instantly leaped straight to the thought that my "loving" wife was committing another indiscretion in our bed. I instantly pushed these thoughts from my mind. Victoria surely wouldn't do that to me. And if she had, well we would work through it again.
Wondering through the halls of our home, I began to think that it was something else. Something…worse. I know, how odd. What could be worse in a marriage than multiple affairs? Well, what she did was worse.
I quickly headed to our room, looking to see if there would be a trail of evidence leading to an unfaithful wife. There was nothing. My curiosity peaked; I began to roam the halls again. Eventually I ended up at my office. I didn't use it much. I mainly used the office located next to my father's at his business. The only thing there of importance was the bearer bonds to the fortune that belonged to my parents. I don't know why they had put it into bearer bonds, I told them that it was risk, but my mother and father was always a bit…off.
Walking into my office, it was like walking into a nightmare. My desk was torn asunder, papers and drawers scattered haphazardly around the room. Then, to my growing horror, the wall safe was open; the portrait of my mother and father (that had concealed the safe) was on the floor in shreds, its frame destroyed. The bonds were gone.
--Flash back ends—
Emily sat there silent, stunned. 'That bitch! She robbed him! She made such a fuss, saying that she loved him, and she only married him so she could rob him! That-that whore!' Emily thought angrily.
"She took everything Emily. And what's more, due to the stress of the situation, my father had a stroke. He lived…barely. Mother took him to the country, to try and make sure he wouldn't have another. Or at least that's what she said. I think she did it because she couldn't bear to show her face in public after the theft," Victor said very quietly, and angrily.
"They abandoned me Emily. They left me with nothing. No home, no money, nothing. So, I had to rebuild. I took a job as a shoe maker's assistant," Victor said in a subdued tone.
Emily could hardly believe his words. Here was a man who was as perfect as a statue under a master sculpture's hands to her, and he sounded as if he thought he were so much garbage. She couldn't reconcile it.
"After a while, the war began," Victor said, drawing Emily back to reality.
--Flash back begins--
"What happened? I heard that there is going to be a war," I asked my employer, Mr. Chastens.
"Don't really know. All I's knows is that some Austrian big wig done got himself shot. Now, the Germans are rallyin' to them to help punish the murders. Or some such rot," replied Mr. Chastens in his rich Cockney accent.
I went back to sweeping the floor.
"So, do you think it will be bad, Mr. Chastens, I asked.
He let out a dark laugh. "What war isn't bad, Victor my boy?"
Embarrassed, I replied.
"T-True. But do you think it will be worse than usual?"
"Mark my words Victor, the world's been bayin' fer blood fer far too long. Many men will die. Many boys will march off to death. I've got ah feelin'," Mr. Chastens replied sadly.
--Flash back ends--
"A few months later the war began in earnest, and I enlisted. I had just finished training and was at my second battle when, well you know…" Victor trailed off.
Emily covered her mouth with her left hand while squeezing Victor's hand with her right.
"Victor, that's horrible. I'm so sorry," Emily said in a small voice.
Smiling, Victor squeezed Emily's hand in return and said, "Don't worry Emily. My life ended sadly, but I couldn't be happier. I'm back with you. The exact place that I've wanted to be for the past two and a half years."
Emily couldn't believe it. He had missed her?
"Which brings me to my next question Emily," Victor said, "What happens now?"
A/N: Hey all! Hope you enjoyed. Also hope that the length made up for the wait. Finals and the preparation for them are kickin' my butt. I'll try to update soon, but it may be a while. Until then, have a happy turkey day!