Well, again thank you for the reviews, that´s really an honour!
This chapter turned out to be very long, so I divided it in halves. The second half will follow soon.
Oh, before I forget: I do not own Trinity Blood etcetc. and of course the title of this chapter as well as the lyrics belong to Within Temptation.
CHAPTER II - the Solemn Hour
Are they themselves to blame
The misery, the pain?
Didn't we let go?
Allowed it, let it grow?
If we can't restrain
The beast which dwells inside
It will find its way somehow, somewhere in time
Will we remember all of the suffering?
´Cause if we fail it will be in vain.
Esther felt a little lightheaded. Soon there would be no more tears nor pain and no more duties. Isaak´s bite would kill her, Cain´s blood would bring her to a new life and she wouldn´t remember anything. Her old life would be over and done and of no importance. A tiny voice inside Esther´s head (and to be honest, it was the grown-up voice) protested:
Half an hour ago you still tried to escape. Cain is manipulating you! This is why you want give up.
The queen suppressed these unwelcome thoughts. She didn´t have the power anymore to face more years of waiting and unanswered prayers. The woman who could have everything she ever could think of wanted the only thing she could never have: Abel´s heart. To think he had been so close to her and never bothered to at least let her know he was safe!
She stepped forward to Isaak, opening the upper buttons of her collar and exposing her long elegant neck. Although performed innocently this small gesture made him want to devour everything she had to give- immediately. Again her infatuating scent engulfed him and made it difficult control his desire but he nevertheless gave Cain a questioning look: The woman had cooperated so maybe Herr Cain thought she should be treated in a less special way than originally planned.
Cain raised his eyebrows.
"What are you waiting for, Isaak?" Since his subordinate still hesitated he added:
"She´s yours. Consider it as a compensation for Dietrich."
With that he retreated to his chair and watched.
Esther wondered what that was supposed to mean: The AX had suspected that von Kaempfer had been Dietrich´s mentor, but why compensation?
She thought she saw hate flashing up in von Kaempfer´s eyes, but that maybe was only a reflection of the open fire. When he turned to her his face was smooth and didn´t give away his thoughts.
Unexpectedly tender and careful the Methuselah took her into his arms. The woman hung in his arms like a doll, not responding but not struggling either. The delicacy of her frame reminded him of Dietrich who had been killed by Cain because of one meaningless mistake, because of the queen´s and her associates´ fight against the Contra mundi.
How he had longed for the opportunity to make her feel the pain he felt. Now the time had come.
In a soothing singsong he mumbled in her ear:
„Pain, sharp but short, that first changes into a light burning and then into a not unpleasant tingling while I drink your blood. And then the world will darken and drift away from you until you are surrounded by a warm blackness in which you will drift peacefully until it´s all over. No thoughts or memories and or conscience. Is that what you expect?"
Esther nodded, her cheek touching his. She prepared herself for his bite- but nothing happened.
Isaak only tightened the embrace and continued softly, as if his words were endearments meant for a lover:
"It will be nothing like that, mylady. I will break you like a horse and when you are ready for my Lord you will gladly accept his gift. Your thoughts will be like an open book for him and if he has the slightest notion of resistance, I will have the pleasure to torture you into submission. There will be no blissful oblivion and you will be conscious of everything you do- and of everything I do to you."
The meaning of his words slowly sunk in, waking Esther from her near hypnosis state.
She had been so naive! How could she ever think that these two demons would be the ones to put her out of her misery?
Another terrible thought came up and cleared her head instantly.
Isaak sensed a shift in the woman´s thoughts. He brushed aside some unruly strands of her red hair and explored her face intently. To his surprise he found his gaze returned. She quietly asked: "Is that what you did to Dietrich?" There was no fear in her voice, only a deep sadness that stirred something deep inside Isaak´s black soul.
The Methuselah was stunned. He just did not understand that woman. She was not stupid, how could she think about a traitor when she must have realized what lied before her? Those Terrans and their compassion never failed to amuse him.
Some unconscious change in his expression must have given away his amusement because in a heartbeat the woman´s demeanour changed completely. Forgotten was the passive victim that gave her life thankfully in the Rosenkreuz´ hands. Before him stood someone who was used to issue commands that were obeyed immediately.
She repeated sharply: "Is that what you did to Dietrich? Answer me!"
"Yes, why don´t you answer your queen, Isaak?" Cain sounded nothing but honestly interested but Isaak knew that his Herr was enjoying that spectacle.
Hatred against his lord and master that had slumbered deep inside him stirred and at the same time he wanted to howl with joy: Although the Terran was not aware of it she had invited him to a game- under his rules. And how he was going to enjoy it!
The Methuselah threw back his head and laughed while Esther stared at him uncomprehendingly.
For the split of a second the world stood still.
Then she was slammed brutally against the wall next to the fireplace. The collision was so hard that it took her breath away but the pain nevertheless cleared her head of self-pity and sadness. Again, instincts trained years ago took over.
While she was still gasping for air she desperately fumbled for something she could use as weapon. Her left hand grasped something made of iron- the poker. She grabbed it and took a swing but before she could finish the movement Isaak reached Esther and wrest the poker from her.
Suddenly shadows lashed out and wrapped themselves around Esther´s arms, legs and waist, making it impossible for her to move at all. The Methuselah saw how she fought against their cold, merciless grips and against the panic that she was seized by and greedily licked his lips.
Breaking this woman would be an unrivalled pleasure!
At another unspoken command and his creatures dragged her to the fireplace.
„Will you ever try to do that again?" Isaak asked, smirking.
Esther remained silent. She would not give in, she swore, hoping that he would not have her pushed into the flames.
Still smiling, Isaak shook his head in feigned affliction as the shadows held her right hand just over the blaze.
Esther cried out and fought against her sinister bonds but to no avail. Her eyes filled with tears. „I won´t let you use me as you used Dietrich and all your other pawns", she pressed out between clenched teeth.
That instantly wiped the smile off his face.
"Correct me if I´m mistaken, but that sounded somewhat different five minutes ago. Did you really think your heartbreaking little speech would gain you leniency? I´m sorry to disappoint you. As you are still learning how to behave, I will graciously repeat my question once more: Will you ever try to do that again?"
Although the creatures had dragged her so close to the fires that the first strands of her long hair got singed, again she didn´t answer. Once more the shadows placed her hand over the blaze, lower this time so that the flickering flames almost touched her. The skin of her hand turned into a deep read and blistered and as the pain became unbearable Esther screamed:
„I won´t! Please!"
„Good girl."
The horrific creatures dragged her away from the fireplace. Isaak loved the determination he saw on the woman´s face that was wet with tears, despite her injury she fought his creatures relentlessly. He had always liked his toys young, frightened and- of course - in pain. And this one certainly was rather special. He was sure she would give him a good fight if he´d only let her. So he commanded his shadows to let go. Instantly they vanished into the realms where the had been conjured from.
As he had expected she seized the opportunity to make a dash for the door, only to be jerked back after her few steps: Isaak had simply stepped on the hem of her dress. She tripped and fell heavily, barely able to support herself because of her badly burnt right hand. As her weight fell on it she almost lost consciousness because of the pain that caused. Esther nevertheless forced herself to stay focused: Breathe, get up, RUN!
She tried to prop herself up on the other hand, but there seemed to be something wrong with it, it stuck out in a funny angle. And there was this hot liquid trickling from her brow into her eyes. When she tried to get on her feet, Esther realised that she had entangled herself so hopelessly in that cursed dress that she could not even turn around or get on her knees. Tears of frustration welled up in her eyes and she could barely suppress a sob, her hope for fighting back or even escaping slowly fading away.