Trinity Blood: #2: Future Seen in Golden Eyes
Chapter 13: The Verge of Exile
Abel sat within the main room aboard the Iron Maiden II. He'd only just learned their group had gotten away thanks to Petro's help. Abel shuddered to think if the man had chosen to side with Francesco, but it seemed Petro was only interested in serving his Holiness.
Sighing, Abel turned a page in the book. The rustle sounded distant. He wasn't really reading the book. He, like all the others in the room, was waiting to hear news from Rome. Caterina had vanished well over an hour ago. She was speaking with other cardinals no doubt telling them what had happened and that Alessandro was safe and sound.
The boy was seat nervously at a table with William and Petro. Lilith and Athy had vanished after they were certain Abel was fine. He'd looked for Lilith but no one had known where she went. Aran and Azul were staying close to Abel. Azul was leaning against the wall, cleaning his sword while Aran sat beside Abel, watching the people in the room. It felt more like Abel had two over protective guard dogs than anything else.
Abel could hear someone sneaking up on him. He didn't move, just pretend he could hear. The weight of an armor across his shoulders made Abel jump and cry out in shock. "So, majesty—" Abel made to leap up, causing both him and Athy to tumbled to the metal floor. All of this he did purposely to make Athy shut up.
The book slid across the ground. "Don't call me 'majesty,' Athy," Abel hissed in her ear. "I'm not the emperor." She smiled as him as if saying, Right? And I'm not an Asran. Abel smiled in return. It was hard not to scowl at her.
"You can't just—"
"Abel!" a sharp voice snapped. Abel leapt to his feet, pushing up his glasses. "What did you just do to our guest?" Kate demanded, glaring at him.
Abel just stared at Kate at a loss for words. He could've said something, but didn't, just stared at her. Damn it. Damn this act to hell. It was hard enough keeping his sons and Lilith from wrecking it without adding in Athy. Not that he hated seeing them again. It was wonderful to see all of them again. Now if only Tabitha was here.
"Abel," Caterina's voice made Abel look towards her office. She stood, looking at the scene with indifference. It was plain this normal action of Kate and Abel wasn't on her mind. "I need a word with you in my office." Abel hesitated, glancing at Kate and Athy before he moved towards Caterina. She ushered him into the office before shutting the door with a snap.
"What's wrong?" Abel asked. Turning, he froze at the sight of her expression. "What happened?" Abel touched her shoulder with a light, caring touch, the touch of a good friend.
Caterina looked at him with pain in her eyes. She started to tell him of the brief meeting she'd had with the other Cardinals. Abel nodded and listened. None of it was good news. It seemed the Cardinals believed Francesco's story on Caterina and the AX with the aid of the empire killing Alessandro. Even with the boy alive they'd chock it up to some sorcery. There was no possible way to get the Cardinals to see the truth. Well not in the amount of time given to them.
"He's going to broadcast the fact we're now wanted to every nation," Caterina continued. "I don't know what to do," Caterina sighed, her head in her hands. "All we've worked for gone in minutes. Centuries of work on your end shattered because of me. I'm sorry, Abel, I've messed everything up."
"None of this is your fault," Abel rested his hand on hers as he took the seat opposite her. In fact it was more his than hers. Abel should've known Cain would've found someway to turn the Vatican on them. "Right now we need to focus on what to do before the announcement is made. The sooner we've a plan in place the better off and the safer everyone will be."
"I don't know what I would've done without you," Caterina looked into Abel's eyes. Her gaze filled with hope and despair all at once. "What did you have in mind?" her demeanor changed abruptly. She was back to being his boss, her voice stern and commanding.
Abel smiled. He started to go over all the scenarios he could think of happening. As with when they made plans for any other mission, Caterina listened intenetly and would interrupt whenever she had a question or something to add to the plans and scenarios.
"At this point fleeing to the empire is our only option," Caterina stated with a heavy sigh. Abel just put this in as a choice. He hadn't actually meant for her to choose it. Though, now he thought on it, she was right. "Human nations are more likely to turn us in out of fear of war with the Vatican."
"And the empire has already been placed as an enemy by Francesco's case against us," Abel added. His glasses rested on the wooden desk, his gloved hand beside them.
The office was a smaller version of the one Caterina had back in Rome. Instead of a window to Abel's right there was a door which led into Caterina's chambers. The office was large enough for only six people and Caterina to be in it and that was pushing it. Two would've had to sit with other four standing cramped behind them.
"We'd have to clear it with Asthe," Abel continued, rubbing his eyes. "As a high ranking member of the Methuselah court she might be able to get an audience with her Majesty Augusta Vradica. If not…" Abel trailed off. "This is extremely risky. The empire won't want to risk war with the Vatican, not after what happened the last time."
"We'll see what the Duchess has to say on this matter," Caterina rose. "Abel," she paused, about head for the door, "I'd like you to drop the act." He stared at her and a complete loss for words. "As of now we're no longer members of the Vatican. You're no longer held to the order my father gave you. I don't want you to have to continue being someone you're not."
"Is it an order or a suggestion?" Abel asked, already knowing what it was.
"Both," Caterina replied before continuing to the door. "Tres," she'd stepped from the room, but Abel's eyes were on his glasses. "Find Astharoshe Asran and bring her here. Tell her my second and I wish to speak with her."
"Affirmative," the sound of Tres moving off soon followed.
What felt like only moments later, Asthe entered the room. As ordered Abel withheld the urge to pick up his glasses or say something which would make it clear he wasn't Caterina's second.
"You asked to see me?" Asthe asked, stifling a yawn. Her yellow, sleep clouded gaze passed over Abel without notice. She did a double take, "Tovarish? What are you doing here? I was told it would be the AX's second not you!"
"Abel has been my second since Know Faith was killed," Caterina explained.
"What? This idiot is Crusnik?" Asthe demanded, gaping at them. "This isn't funny." For the first time in Abel was seeing Asthe without his glasses blurring her. She looked a lot like Athy. It her hair had stayed red, he suspected they could've passed as twins or really close sisters.
"Discussing whether or not I'm Caterina's second in command isn't why you were asked here," Abel spoke in his normal voice, the voice he'd used when he'd first meet Caterina.
"My half brother, Cardinal Francesco, is going to make an announcement the entire AX as well as myself have killed Alec with the aid of the empire," Caterina explained.
This snapped Asthe's attention to maters at hand. "You mean that man is framing both the AX and empire for a crime which hasn't even happened? Why not just take the pope to Rome? Prove he still lives?"
"Doing so would imply witchcraft," Abel said bluntly. "If we took his Holiness to Rome he'd be killed in minutes when Francesco declares sorcery is at work. No matter how good the AX agents who are here are, we don't stand a chance against the entire Vatican military."
Asthe stared at him. "What – I don't – what happened to you? You're suddenly a completely different person," it seemed Asthe was struggling to find words.
"With the AX on the run, an order Abel was given thirteen years ago no longer applies," Caterina explained.
"We need your help," Abel glanced at Caterina. He silently told her they could explain this later to everyone. "The moment the announcement is made, this ship will be attacked. Even if we stayed in natural territory they wouldn't hesitate to destroy us," Abel explained. "The most likely scenario is there is an Inquisition ship following us just out of Kate's sensor range. The next would be an ambush is waiting for us to reenter Vatican territory. Out of the two, the first is more likely."
"Francesco doesn't care if he sparks a war with empire," Caterina put in. "In fact, he'll be aiming for it."
"The problem now lies within the fact you're aboard the vessel as well as the fact he's pointed blame on the empire for the pope's 'death,'" Abel added. "If we're attacked with you still onboard a war will become unavoidable. The empire will retaliate because one of their nobles was killed."
"We're on the verge of a treaty with the Vatican!" Asthe looked from Abel to Caterina and back again. "What you're saying is the Vatican would willing break that treaty?"
"No," Abel stated, "Francesco never approved of peace. With the way events are unfolding the likelihood of peace is now next to nothing. No matter what you chose to do, what actions you take on this information, war will breakout between humans and Methuselah once more." He'd been unable to stop it. How was he ever going to face Lilith now? His last promise had just shattered into tiny pieces.
"If you're given protection and leave the ship now, it'll put off the war," Caterina put in, "but not for long."
Asthe stared at them. After what felt like ages she asked, "What about you? If what you say is true, then you're not going to be welcomed in any terran cities."
"The Iron Maiden is a battle ship," Abel explained. "We'll be able to stay air born for a time and protect our position. Eventually we'll be overwhelmed and killed or captured." Another war, another damned war. Why did it have to happen now when peace was so close? Abel's hands balled into fists by his glasses and on his leg.
"There has to be away to get all of you out!" Asthe shouted. "If the pope lives we could end the war faster."
Abel wasn't listening. Visions of the past, of blood, lose, and war clouded his mind. His hands trembled. He'd hoped to never see another war again. For the past thirteen years he'd hoped – but now that hope was gone. All he could do was try to protect the pope and Caterina. Then there was Lilith, his beloved Lilith. What would she think?
"What if you ran to the empire?" Asthe's question jolted Abel from his thoughts.
"No!" Abel shouted, looking at her sharply. "Do you have any idea what that would tell the Vatican? It'd tell them what Francesco's told them was true." He wanted his friends to live, but the price – the terrible price.
"Abel," Caterina tugged his sleeve, "if she's offering to help us, we have to take it."
Abel stared at her. He was an exile from the empire. It'd been wrong for him to return even for that short time. Then the terrible risk – Abel had explained this scenario to Caterina, but she still wanted to take it. Why?
"You're right, not matter the message it sends, you, all of you, will be safer there," Abel looked into Caterina's eyes. "I'll go with the Iron Maiden to the boarder. Once there I'll draw the Inquisition and Orden away from you." He stood.
"Abel, you're coming with us, all the way," Caterina was on her feet now as well.
"I won't – no, I can't return to the empire, Caterina," Abel couldn't bring himself to look at her. "The mission into the empire was the only exception I could justify. This time – I can't."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Asthe demanded.
"Abel, you said your sister lives in the empire. You could go to her," Caterina began.
"My place is among humans now," Abel replied. "I'll do everything I can in human territories to slow the war. It'll buy you sometime," with those words, Abel slipped from the room.
xxx
Several hours had passed. Abel stood at a window watching the moons. The announcement had yet to come, but he knew it was only a matter of time. No doubt the announcement would be made in the morning.
"Abel?" it was Lilith. Abel didn't turn. "Caterina just approached me. She told me you weren't coming with us to the empire." A warm hand took his. "The empire is still your home no matter how many years have passed. Why not come home?"
"I promised you there'd be peace," Abel whispered. He couldn't look at her. "I promised you that night. Even if we couldn't be together I'd make that dream a reality. I'm sorry," he slipped his hand from hers; "I failed you."
"You didn't fail, Abel," Lilith kissed him on the cheek. "You did more than I could've ever dreamed."
"It's time you went home, dad," Aran entered the small long room with Azul and Athy at his side. "Haven't you spent enough time in self-imposed exile? You're home is in the empire."
"You're only family is there, Seth," Azul added in. "Besides, you're place is as a lord of the night. You're our father, not just Aran's and mine but all of the Methuselah. No other father would've made such scarifices for his children. Isn't time you returned to them? To your great some odd grandkid, Ion?"
"As a child of the night, I'm saying return to the empire," Athy smiled at Abel. "You're our real leader, the only emperor."
"I can't return," Abel protested. "I have to protect—"
Lilith's finger over his lips cut him off. "Abel, you've paid for the crimes 02 committed. Go home. The promise doesn't matter anymore." Abel stared at her, "What matters now is the safety of everyone on this planet: Methuselah, human, and crusnik alike. You can't do that as a priest or an exile."
"You won't be alone either," Aran stepped forward. "You still have three of your nobles with you."
"You still have your sons and me," Athy folded her arms across her chest. "We'll show your brother you're not to be messed with."
"But – I – I," Abel stared at them before he bowed his head. "I'll go with you, but I don't think it's wise I ever return as a Nightlord."
"Pft," Athy flicked her wrist, "you're a Nightlord no matter how much time's past. You can't change that fact, Majesty." Abel just shook his head.
(Author's Note: There is no longer going to be a book 3 to this series. They got meshed into one book in my notes. I'm sorry about that, but it just sort of happened. Also there are three stories I am focusing on besides my novel: this one, Vehemens, and A Brighter Night. I'm not going to start the other books I have planned until two of theses three are complete.
A request: if you read this story please, please leave a review or a comment even if you don't have an account for fanfiction. Comments and reviews help me get motivated to write when I am not in the mood do so.)