This chapter gave me the chills when I wrote it! -girlish squeal- I love it!
Chapter 13
Akeii glanced around the tavern at all the towns people gathered there. Merry music played in the background as the people sang and drank cheerfully.
He smiled as he leaned back in his chair, vaguely tuning in and out of the conversation of the rebels around him. He closed his eyes and was on the verge of unconsciousness when the door flew open and slammed against the wall jolting him back to life. The music and chatter stopped as everyone looked to the open doorway.
Akeii also looked up just as Discordia stormed in from the snowy street; she immediately turned her gaze to him and stormed up to the table in the corner where Akeii sat with a few of his companions. They shrank back in caution but Akeii only stared up at her in an uninterested expression, "Is something wrong?" he mumbled, still half asleep.
An instant later Celsia ran in after her, a pink shawl thrown over her usual dress to shelter her from the cold, "I'm sorry, Akeii." she said, "I couldn't stop her."
Discordia slammed her hands on the table in front of him and hissed angrily, "I have been loyally serving you and this town for three years. I made it possible for your silly rebellion to capture two-thirds of the Kilbor Mountains and all of Samhaeil!" she exclaimed, "I won't have your secrecy any longer! You will tell me what I want to know or I will leave and tell the world that this rebellion is run by a fool!"
Akeii continued to stare up at her expressionlessly, though a hint of annoyance could be seen glimmering in his eye. Discordia's glare only became harder, "ANSWER ME!" she screamed in a rage.
Leo, who was seated next to Akeii, stood up, "You have no business poking around in his personal affairs." he said sternly, "What secrets he wishes to keep he may keep them!"
Discordia turned her gaze onto Leo who stepped back trying to hide his anxious look, "Of course you would not care for him to tell me; you already know everything don't you?" She turned to look at the other rebels around Akeii, "All of you do, don't you? You who were with him that day on the scaffold when he-" she pointed to Leo, "-should have died! When Akeii used the Dragon Spirit's power to heal the fatal wound in his throa-"
"That's enough!" Akeii said standing up to face her. He glanced around at the townsfolk in the tavern all staring at the scene, "We'll not talk here." he mumbled taking his sword and cloak off the back of his chair. He strode past Discordia and Celsia and towards the door. He pulled it open and looked back at the demons, "Are you coming or not?"
Discordia quickly followed after him into the cold night. Celsia paused but then ran after them. The door shut behind her and the music slowly started again.
Leo stared after for a moment and then sat down with a sigh, "This will be a long night for him." he said shaking his head mournfully, "He'll be moping about for the rest of the week for her."
The other rebels nodded agreement and sat in silence, not sure of what to say after knowing their friend and leader was off being forced to dwell upon painful memories.
Akeii slipped his gray cloak over his shoulders as he left the tavern and trudged through the ankle deep snow over to the scaffold in the center of the square. As he reached it he brushed off the snow along the side and sat on the platform looking back at the pink and black demons following him.
"You want to talk out here?" Celsia asked glancing around, "It's a bit too cold to be outsi-"
"There's no one else around and that will suffice for now." Akeii interrupted sternly. He looked up to Discordia, "Alright, you want answers? Ask away."
Discordia straightened her posture and folded her arms tightly across her chest, "How did you come across the Dragon Spirit Power? Levee has never set a curse upon anyone but myself."
Akeii groaned and pulled his sword out of its sheath and held out the handle for her to take, "This is where my power came from." he responded. Discordia only stared at at the blade he held out to her for a moment then looked back up at him.
"You must be joking." she said, "This is a fine blade but-"
Akeii pulled the sword back and, holding the blade tightly in his hand, twisted the handle forcefully and, to Discordia's surprise, the end began to unscrew. She stared as he pulled off the handle and tilted it to the side. Something slid out of the hollowed out handle into his hand and he held it up for her to see.
"A... rose?" Celsia asked staring down at his hand.
"The White Rose." Akeii said pulling it close to him, almost affectionately, "This is where the power I used to heal Leo came from."
"Where did it come from?" Discordia asked.
Akeii looked away, "My wife... bid me to take it while she was dying." he mumbled.
"That's terrible! What happened?" Celsia asked sadly.
"She was murdered." he replied, "By Levee's battalion."
"Levee doesn't usually send her soldiers out to attack civilians." Discordia said, "What was so special about her?"
Akeii looked up at Discordia, "Nothing. Only that she was my wife." he replied harshly, he turned away again, "Six years ago I was a soldier in her ranks. A very high ranking soldier for such a young age as well. She came to High Rise on business with the lieutenant positioned here and she... noticed me."
"So you've met her? Spoken to her?" Celsia asked incredulously.
Akeii nodded, "She offered me a higher position in her Royal Guard in Dey Ruien... I... turned her down." he mumbled painfully, "I said I was planning to leave the army in a month to be with my wife, start a family... I don't remember what I told her but... she didn't like it. It was about a week later and I'd forgotten all about her offer. I was sent into Samhaeil with a small unit to find a group of highway bandits killing off merchants coming in from the ocean city of Vaietyn.
"On the road outside of High Rise the other soldiers jumped me! I barely escaped alive but I was hurt and was losing blood fast. I ran back home hoping my wife could help me but... I came in the front door and..." he paused and inhaled deeply. Celsia noticed the tears on the brim of his eye he was trying to hold back. He continued, "-there was blood everywhere. I ran upstairs and found her... lying on the floor... she had been attacked just like I had but she didn't escape.
"She looked up at me when I came near and told me to take the sword she kept on the wall as a family heirloom. I tried to go for help but I collapsed on the stairs. I woke up five days later in our neighbor's home. They said they had tried to save her but... she was gone."
Akeii looked back up to Discordia, "I went back to the house and found the rose inside the sword. And that's all I know about where it came from."
"You have no idea where she got it from?" Discordia asked.
"No."
"What was her name?"
Akeii stood up, "WHAT DOES IT MATTER?" he screamed suddenly, "SHE'S DEAD!" Discordia stepped back, surprised by his sudden outburst. Akeii turned and away resting his face in his hand. "I'm sorry... please, excuse me." He turned and strode past them towards the tavern door.
Celsia stared after him sadly, "Isn't that just awful?" she mumbled.
"He started a rebellion to avenge a woman." she said, "Doesn't seem very logical when you think about it."
Celsia glared back at her sister, "Well, if I recall correctly he's not the only one trying to avenge someone he loves."
Discordia's stare became hard, "Those are two totally different situations." she snapped.
"You know that's not true." Celsia said coldly. Then she turned and followed Akeii into the tavern. Discordia looked after her for a moment and then turned away just watching the snow fall lightly on the street.
Celsia entered the tavern and glanced around for Akeii but he was nowhere in sight. She approached his rebel friends in the corner, "Where did Akeii go?" she asked, "I need to talk with him."
"He went up stairs to the spare bedroom." Leo answered pointing towards the stairwell towards the back of the room, "I don't think he wants company right now though." Celsia ignored him and made a beeline for the stairwell.
Upstairs Akeii closed the door to the room and staggered forward with his face in his hand. He collapsed in front of the bed and choked out a sob. After a moment he pulled himself onto the bed and laid his head on the pillow as tears ran down his cheeks soaking the fabric.
Then he heard the door creak open and he immediately sat up wiping his eyes frantically, "What do you want?" he demanded not looking back, "I'm not in the mood."
"Akeii..." Celsia called, "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. Just... leave me be." Akeii mumbled viciously.
"Please, I just want to talk-"
"I'M DONE TALKING!" Akeii shouted, still not looking back at her, "Just... go!"
Celsia turned and was about to leave when she stopped, "I'm sorry," she said turning back, "I can't. You're hurt, I want to help."
Akeii mumbled something angrily under his breath and turned to look at her, "You can't." he said simply.
Celsia approached the bed and sat down next to him, "I'm sorry you had to relive all that tonight." she said, "Discordia really isn't all that awful. Actually, I believe she understands how you feel."
"I don't think so."Akeii hissed wiping his eyes again.
"Please, stop crying." Celsia said pulling him into a hug, "I hate to see you like this."
Akeii neither returned nor pulled away from her hug. He turned his head away and laughed falsely, "I'm must look pathetic."
"No, you don't." Celsia insisted. Akeii glanced at her, "Okay, maybe a little." she said with a smile.
Akeii smiled for a moment but then looked away again, "I can't help it." he mumbled, "I loved her... and it still hurts."
Celsia stared up at him sadly and pulled him closer, "I'm so sorry Akeii, I wish I could help." she mumbled.
Akeii closed his eyes holding back his tears again, "Nothing you could do would make me stop thinking about her." he replied.
Celsia smiled slyly, "I beg to differ." she mumbled, barely audible. Then Akeii started as he felt her hand along his lower back. He stood up tearing himself out of her grip.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he demanded glaring down at her.
Celsia stood up as well, "Trying to help you forget." she said reaching for him.
Akeii stepped back out of her reach, "You keep your hands off me!" he shouted, he raised his hand pointing for the door, "Get out!"
"I'm not going anywhere." Celsia said glaring at him with her sly smile.
Akeii only stared at her unsure of what to do. Finally he turned and was about to leave himself, assuring himself he wouldn't succumb to her devilish tricks. Before he could even move halfway across the room, Celsia had grabbed his arm and, using strength he never would have guessed she had, slammed him against the wall and pinned him there.
Akeii stared at her face an inch from his almost fearfully, "Celsia, please don't do this!" he pleaded.
Celsia laughed pressing herself upon him, "Don't even try to resist, Akeii." she hissed seductively, "It's been five hundred years and no man yet has been able to."
Downstairs Discordia walked into the tavern. The conversation halted as she was seen but it immediately continued without missing a beat. The black demon glanced around for her sister and then looked to Leo and the other rebels, "Where did my sister go?" she asked.
"She followed Akeii upstairs." Leo replied. Just then the thud of Akeii being pushed up against the wall came from upstairs, "I warned her he wasn't in the mood for company." he continued as he took a sip of his drink.
Discordia's eyes became wide, "They're alone?" she demanded.
"Yes... is that a problem?" Leo wondered placing his mug back on the table. Discordia ignored him and sprinted towards the stairs and disappeared up them.
Akeii pulled his head away from hers, "Please Celsia, I can't!" he cried, but as he said this a nasty voice in his head said, What does it matter? She's dead. You said so yourself!
I didn't mean it like that! Akeii looked back at Celsia and opened his mouth to tell her off but she pulled his head down and pressed her lips against his forcing her tongue into his mouth. Akeii repelled in disgust but she again used her inexplicable strength to hold him against his will.
He closed his eyes hoping this was all some horribly twisted dream and he would wake up now but he knew, much to his dismay, that it was much too real to be a dream. He felt her hand run down his back and pull on his belt.
You know, she is more attractive.
NO! SHUTUP! I can't!
Oh stop being so noble, you know you want her.
NO I DON'T!
You're lying. We both know it.
Finally giving in, he wrapped his arms around her waist and returned her passionate kiss. He reached up to unbutton her dress when, as luck would have it, the door flew open and Discordia stormed in. Celsia pulled away from Akeii quickly and swore loudly.
Discordia glared at her sister for a moment then turned her vicious glare on Akeii. He immediately knew her intention and dove out of the way as she lunged at him, claws bared. He shot a glare at Celsia and ran out the door. Discordia pulled her claws out of the wall where she had driven them in and went after him.
Akeii almost tripped as he sprinted down the stairs. He caught his balance again and ran for the door. He pulled his cloak off the rack where he'd hung it. Leo stared up at him, confused by his panicked expression, "Akeii what-?" as he spoke Discordia came tearing down the stairs after him. Akeii immediately opened the door and ran out into the snow with Discordia in close pursuit.
Leo and the others jumped out of their seats and quickly followed. Akeii and Discordia were nowhere in sight as they ran out into the cold. Then a horse's whinny was heard down the street and a white horse galloped around the corner with Akeii on its back. He rode the horse past them at breakneck speed without so much as a glance in their direction.
Discordia came slowly around the corner and glared after him, not making a move to try and catch up.
Three miles from High Rise, Akeii pulled his horse to a stop and jumped off. He was shaking so terribly that the impact made him collapse to his knees. He sobbed into his hand as tears streamed down his cheeks. He raised his head to the cloudy night sky, "ANYA!" he screamed, "FORGIVE ME! I WAS WEAK!"
The horse whinnied loudly and ran off, startled by his screams. Akeii paid no notice and fell against a nearby tree, crying into his hands. There he spent the night, alone, cold, and helpless.