Chapter 3:
It is all just a dream. A silly, bad dream. It was all just because her father had returned and she had thought of Basta so much before falling asleep. He wasn't really standing beside her bed smiling down at her.
He had never been so scary, another proof, why he couldn't be real and- "No reason to look so shocked, aren't you happy about our little reunion?" his voice was still so calm and soft…unnaturally calm and soft. Unlike the Basta she had known.
Just like Dustfinger he had also aged, but his hair was still the same length as the day he left, his shirt and clothes looked just the same…and his eyes. These unforgettable brown eyes, that could look so soft and puppy like and so angry and frightening. Brianna had seen all of them in any situation.
"Are you…are you real?" she asked stretching out a hand to touch his face. " 'f course I am real, silly." and what could be interpreted as a laughter left Bastas lips. Brianna also had to chuckle. She didn't know what else to make of the situation. It was unrealistic, yet made perfectly sense. Dustfinger and Basta vanishing at and coming back at the same time. It felt like one of destinys' sick joke.
One lover disappeared, another returned.
Basta rushed through the corridors of the castle. The kitchen had to be somewhere. This night was perfect. He had beaten a few of the guards down and everything had been perfect until now. Damn, the silly kitchen had to be somewhere. Just in that moment he heard food steps behind him, damn now I'm finished.
Basta immediately grabbed the little sac around his neck and prayed to whoever might hear him. Then, a fat maid went past him. When she noticed him she stood still and asked= What do you want here? A guard in civil who wants to steal food from the kitchen?" the tone in her voice was dangerous and although everything in Basta screamed for getting rid of her and cutting the fat hens' throat, he thought it might be cleverer to test her intelligence first.
What had the Firefox told him about the situation in the castle? The Prince of Sighs only drinking tea?
"I was ready with my guard, when suddenly I was called by out dear Lord, who asked me personally to get him some tea from the kitchen." The fat hen looked at him as if that was too much for her small brain. "And I need to know where the kitchen is, because I've never been ordered to deliver food." Basta said with after-pressure. "Well, then." The hen suddenly said. "It's right over there the corridor to the left. Basta actually smiled at her. "Thank you very much, young lady." The hen actually blushed and if the situation hadn't been so serious he would have laughed.
The door wasn't a problem for him. He had had to handle much worse for Capricorn in the other world. Doors with time codes and alarming systems. Against that, this one was nothing. He just hoped Brianna wouldn't wake up. He wanted to cut her throat right away and then flee, before anyone noticed.
Ah, there it was, the door went open leading Basta into a small room, of course, a maids' room. And there she was. Lying in the bed. She looked just like the sleeping beauty Darius had always told everyone of. Only that she wasn't sleeping anymore. Basta hurried and closed the door behind him silently. He needed to scare her enough so she wouldn't scream.
Her actions had never been able to be foreseen, one of the many things he liked about her. She sat up and looked at him, her eyes blinking once, twice, then she seemed to be shocked. Her eyes went wide. Did she recognize him? "Basta." She whispered breathlessly. Yupp, Basta, he thought. That's me.
He leaned down to hear and whispered into her ear. He was trying to make his voice sound as dangerously as possible. She should be frightened after all. "Hello, darling, did you miss me?"
Brianna looked shocked and frightened. Ok, enough playing, he thought. Let's just get it over with and then run away as quickly as you can. He was just about to approach her and bring his knife to her throat, as she began to speak to him.
What surprised him was the fact that she didn't sound a bit scared. She may be a way better actress than I thought, he thought. In fact, she sounded angry and upset. "..?" she looked at him angrily, her position was now upright and she had her arms crossed over her chest.
What? SHE was angry at HIM? For what? She had no right to be angry. HE hadn't loved another woman…at least not mentally, but that wasn't the point. He was here to kill her and that was it. But at the moment, Basta was so perplex that he couldn't speak a word.
"Could you say something about this please and not just stand around and stare at me like I was some cow? Where have you been? What gives you the right to just run without saying goodbye and not showing up for nine years and then suddenly you and my father are here again. Back. Do you know how I've felt when you left me? Hell, I was in love with you! And you just pushed it away for what? Robbing other cities with Capricorn? Is that what you have done all the years?"
Bastas face went pale "Capricorn is dead." He said monotone. "And yes, I have been robbing cities with him. But I didn't decide to go away. I didn't, trust me." Why did he want her to trust him? Hadn't he wanted to cut her throat a minute ago? Brianna had always been good at turning all his thoughts and decisions, he made in situations when he couldn't control himself anymore, around. And he loved her for that. Still, after all those years.
"Brianna", he whispered reaching out with a hand. He wanted to touch her cheek. The warm skin he had dreamed of so often, he had wanted so long to touch, but Brianna pushed his hand away roughly. "You know what, I was over you. I met someone new and I am very happy with him." She said her voice shaking. Basta grinned. "Well, I have heard that certain someone died about a week ago. And now you're alone again…and I am here."
He shouldn't have said that. Tears shot into Briannas eyes and all the tension she had been holding back, all the emotions suddenly came over her. She jumped up from the bad and threw herself into the arms of the surprised Basta, who caught her and pressed her hard against his chest. She was as warm and good-smelling as he remembered and few women were as clean as she was. The most beautiful woman in the world was still sobbing into his white shirt, but that was worth it. Her being pressed against his chest was the most beautiful feeling in the world and it was now that he finally realized how much he had missed her.
"Where have you been.", she cried "Where have you been?", Basta wanted to tell her. He wanted to tell her everything about the land full of TVs and Snacks and Cars. He wanted to, but for now it was too late. Someone must have noticed the knocked-out guardians. Screams could be heard in the corridors. "I should be going." He said to her.
She looked up at him, her face full of tears, but still beautiful. And she was smiling. She was finally smiling. "Meat me at the market," she said in a husky voice. "The day after tomorrow, alright? And then you will tell me everything, understood?" Basta chuckled. She sounded like the Firefox when he was giving orders. "Yes, Ma'm."
He turned to the door. He had to hurry in a few minutes the whole castle would be awake. But Brianna grabbed his arm and he turned around. She was still smiling. Then she lend over to him and gave him a small kiss on the cheek. " You must come." She whispered insistently and then she let go of his arm and he was gone. The faint smell of peppermint was all that was left of him.