Disclaimer: I don't own the movie "Underworld", its characters or plot concept.
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An Alternate Future
Chapter Four
Nemea watched the steady rise and fall of her charge as he slept. Curled up on a mat, his lycan guard rested at the foot of his bed. Yet, she was confident that even before an intruder could come through the door, the lycan would be ready and at his feet. She tucked her hand in a pocket and took out what was the last of her stock of cigarettes. Placing the slim stick into her mouth, she stepped out for a smoke. A light still shone from underneath Sonja's door. Nemea could hear the soft cadence of her voice as she read from one of her favorite tomes. It seemed that looking back to their past was not yet forbidden. Maybe there had never been a reason to prohibit it until war had broken out between the two races.
She stepped out into the hall to find it empty. Viktor's door was closed, but she had a feeling his room was empty. Walking down a corridor, she caught him just as he stepped out of his council chambers. She bowed low as he passed by, then found herself alone with two people she'd avoided since her arrival. After a curt nod, she started to step around them, but Kraven continued to bar her path.
"What?" She asked flatly.
"Are you avoiding us?"
"Should I have reason to?"
"No."
"Then, there you have it."
She begun to walk past him again, when he grabbed hold of her arm. Jerking it away, she looked at him with narrowed eyes.
"Don't touch me," she hissed.
"Do you have something against me?"
The vampire noble actually looked hurt at the possibility. She pursed her lips and warily studied his face. From the start, she'd never allowed herself a second look. She was too afraid that she'd lose control and lash out at him. However, she didn't have a choice now, and it disturbed her that perhaps she'd misread him. She'd forgotten that this was a different man from the one she'd known in the future. He looked younger...and less angry. Perhaps, it was because there was nothing yet between Sonja and Lucian. Her mother had always told her that Kraven was obsessed with her. Something about wanting what one couldn't have. And since her mother reminded Viktor of his daughter, Nemea wondered if perhaps Kraven had been in love with Sonja as well.
To be rejected twice. No wonder the man was constantly angry, she thought viciously. He was sexually repressed.
"I just don't like bureaucrats," she coolly lied.
With that, she successfully side-stepped him and walked on into the Great Hall. She lit her cigarette with a slender piece of kindling, then dragged a bench so she could sit by the fire. Annoyance flared within her once more when she sensed a familiar presence. The vampire sat down next to her, warily watching the sparks of fire that hissed from the hearth.
"Can I help you?" She asked tersely.
"As a matter of fact, I think you can."
She arched an eyebrow at him.
"Perhaps you can teach me how to fight."
That was definitely the last thing she'd thought to hear from him.
"I thought it would be useful, considering the state of things."
"Then ask Kahn," she said flatly.
"He's busy with other matters."
"As if I'm not?"
"You aren't now."
In one swift motion, she rose to her feet and kicked at the bench they sat on. Taken by surprised, he fell on his back and she promptly placed a foot firmly on his chest.
"Lesson one. Always be at a ready. Lesson Two. ...Get yourself a weapon."
At which, she strode out of the room. She encountered an amused Soren just outside the hall. He leaned against a wall and smirked at her, ever-present whips curled over his shoulders.
"Why don't you teach him?"
"Oh, I think you're doing just fine."
The man grinned and walked right past her. She watched him help Kraven to his feet. But, it was with surprise that she saw Kraven look bemused, rather than insulted. It seemed this one took offense less often than the Kraven she'd known. She cursed under her breath and killed her cigarette under her heel. How she wished she had a good reason to keep on hating him. For now, his future self was the only reason she had. But, that was good enough, she reassured herself, eyes darkening.
Yes, quite good enough.
*****
The next evening, Sonja claimed her brother's time as hers. Together, the siblings pored over old tomes and went over his lessons. Raze had been called away by Kahn, so that left Nemea alone with Lucian. They sat at a secluded bench, just out of sight but with an excellent view of their charges. The brother and sister were seated at a fountain in the gardens with the stars overhead as reference for the telling of tales. Their sight allowed them to see clearly though the new moon was but an inky blackness in the night sky.
Nemea watched Lucian from the corner of her eye, observed how he drank in every movement and word of his mistress. She shook her head. He caught that small gesture and turned to her with a wary look. This time, she didn't allow him to break eye contact.
"You should be more careful, Lucian."
"What do you mean?" He asked stiffly.
"I think you know exactly what I mean."
"If I did, I wouldn't ask," he insisted stubbornly.
"Suit yourself." She shrugged her shoulders at him.
"...If you notice, why don't you tell the others?"
"Some things are meant to be," she simply stated.
"And you think -this- is meant to be?" He spat out. "I can only watch. Never speak, never touch...never have her." He paused with a look of bitter resignation. "She deserves better."
"Because you are a slave?" Nemea arched an eyebrow.
"Because I am that and worse. I am an animal."
"Is that what they tell you?"
"It is what I know," he said.
"Oh? ...I didn't think animals were capable of love."
He blinked in surprise, unable to reply immediately.
"...Why are you telling me these things?"
"We cannot chose who we love. We just do."
"And if circumstances forbid it?"
"Then, one must decide if it is worth it."
"...And if it is unrequited?"
"Only the other can say so."
Lucian stared at her with an unreadable expression on his face. Then, he shook his head and turned to gaze at his goddess once more.
"It is cruel of you to give me hope. I am content with what I have. Leave me in peace."
"And if she loved you, but you would not return it out of cowardice. What then, Lucian?"
Without another word, Nemea rose to her feet and walked towards the other two.
The lesson was over.
-----
An Alternate Future
Chapter Four
Nemea watched the steady rise and fall of her charge as he slept. Curled up on a mat, his lycan guard rested at the foot of his bed. Yet, she was confident that even before an intruder could come through the door, the lycan would be ready and at his feet. She tucked her hand in a pocket and took out what was the last of her stock of cigarettes. Placing the slim stick into her mouth, she stepped out for a smoke. A light still shone from underneath Sonja's door. Nemea could hear the soft cadence of her voice as she read from one of her favorite tomes. It seemed that looking back to their past was not yet forbidden. Maybe there had never been a reason to prohibit it until war had broken out between the two races.
She stepped out into the hall to find it empty. Viktor's door was closed, but she had a feeling his room was empty. Walking down a corridor, she caught him just as he stepped out of his council chambers. She bowed low as he passed by, then found herself alone with two people she'd avoided since her arrival. After a curt nod, she started to step around them, but Kraven continued to bar her path.
"What?" She asked flatly.
"Are you avoiding us?"
"Should I have reason to?"
"No."
"Then, there you have it."
She begun to walk past him again, when he grabbed hold of her arm. Jerking it away, she looked at him with narrowed eyes.
"Don't touch me," she hissed.
"Do you have something against me?"
The vampire noble actually looked hurt at the possibility. She pursed her lips and warily studied his face. From the start, she'd never allowed herself a second look. She was too afraid that she'd lose control and lash out at him. However, she didn't have a choice now, and it disturbed her that perhaps she'd misread him. She'd forgotten that this was a different man from the one she'd known in the future. He looked younger...and less angry. Perhaps, it was because there was nothing yet between Sonja and Lucian. Her mother had always told her that Kraven was obsessed with her. Something about wanting what one couldn't have. And since her mother reminded Viktor of his daughter, Nemea wondered if perhaps Kraven had been in love with Sonja as well.
To be rejected twice. No wonder the man was constantly angry, she thought viciously. He was sexually repressed.
"I just don't like bureaucrats," she coolly lied.
With that, she successfully side-stepped him and walked on into the Great Hall. She lit her cigarette with a slender piece of kindling, then dragged a bench so she could sit by the fire. Annoyance flared within her once more when she sensed a familiar presence. The vampire sat down next to her, warily watching the sparks of fire that hissed from the hearth.
"Can I help you?" She asked tersely.
"As a matter of fact, I think you can."
She arched an eyebrow at him.
"Perhaps you can teach me how to fight."
That was definitely the last thing she'd thought to hear from him.
"I thought it would be useful, considering the state of things."
"Then ask Kahn," she said flatly.
"He's busy with other matters."
"As if I'm not?"
"You aren't now."
In one swift motion, she rose to her feet and kicked at the bench they sat on. Taken by surprised, he fell on his back and she promptly placed a foot firmly on his chest.
"Lesson one. Always be at a ready. Lesson Two. ...Get yourself a weapon."
At which, she strode out of the room. She encountered an amused Soren just outside the hall. He leaned against a wall and smirked at her, ever-present whips curled over his shoulders.
"Why don't you teach him?"
"Oh, I think you're doing just fine."
The man grinned and walked right past her. She watched him help Kraven to his feet. But, it was with surprise that she saw Kraven look bemused, rather than insulted. It seemed this one took offense less often than the Kraven she'd known. She cursed under her breath and killed her cigarette under her heel. How she wished she had a good reason to keep on hating him. For now, his future self was the only reason she had. But, that was good enough, she reassured herself, eyes darkening.
Yes, quite good enough.
*****
The next evening, Sonja claimed her brother's time as hers. Together, the siblings pored over old tomes and went over his lessons. Raze had been called away by Kahn, so that left Nemea alone with Lucian. They sat at a secluded bench, just out of sight but with an excellent view of their charges. The brother and sister were seated at a fountain in the gardens with the stars overhead as reference for the telling of tales. Their sight allowed them to see clearly though the new moon was but an inky blackness in the night sky.
Nemea watched Lucian from the corner of her eye, observed how he drank in every movement and word of his mistress. She shook her head. He caught that small gesture and turned to her with a wary look. This time, she didn't allow him to break eye contact.
"You should be more careful, Lucian."
"What do you mean?" He asked stiffly.
"I think you know exactly what I mean."
"If I did, I wouldn't ask," he insisted stubbornly.
"Suit yourself." She shrugged her shoulders at him.
"...If you notice, why don't you tell the others?"
"Some things are meant to be," she simply stated.
"And you think -this- is meant to be?" He spat out. "I can only watch. Never speak, never touch...never have her." He paused with a look of bitter resignation. "She deserves better."
"Because you are a slave?" Nemea arched an eyebrow.
"Because I am that and worse. I am an animal."
"Is that what they tell you?"
"It is what I know," he said.
"Oh? ...I didn't think animals were capable of love."
He blinked in surprise, unable to reply immediately.
"...Why are you telling me these things?"
"We cannot chose who we love. We just do."
"And if circumstances forbid it?"
"Then, one must decide if it is worth it."
"...And if it is unrequited?"
"Only the other can say so."
Lucian stared at her with an unreadable expression on his face. Then, he shook his head and turned to gaze at his goddess once more.
"It is cruel of you to give me hope. I am content with what I have. Leave me in peace."
"And if she loved you, but you would not return it out of cowardice. What then, Lucian?"
Without another word, Nemea rose to her feet and walked towards the other two.
The lesson was over.