Trinity Blood: Book 3: Vehemens Veritas
Chapter 19: Return Home?
The soft light of the moons fell over Abel's face. A dull pain could be felt in his chest and on his back. Slowly Abel blinked and a familiar ceiling swayed before his eyes. Where – where was he? Moving his head so his right ear pressed against the freshly laundered pillow Abel saw curtains draping over all but the end of the large bed. It was familiar. The curtain to his right swayed in a soft, night breeze. The bed itself felt way too soft for the ones he was used to sleeping in, but it was warm and extremely familiar.
Wincing, clutching his side with one hand, Abel sat up and slowly pushed aside the curtain with his other hand. His eyes widened at the sight of the open sliding door and the large nearly empty room. He moved his feet over the side of the bed. His toes touching the soft carpet before he stood. Gasping, he would have collapsed if he hadn't taken hold of the bedside table. His hand knocked against a glass filled with the thick liquid of Methuselah blood. Slowly he picked up the glass and stared at it before sniffing. The blood had been laced with sugar in a mixture he had once preferred before leaving the empire. Had he fallen into a dream? Abel slowly took a sip of the blood. The sweetened flavors washed over his tongue before he downed it in several thirsty gulps. Strength flowed back into his limbs but the pain hadn't dulled.
Setting down the glass, Abel staggered to the open door, taking hold of it before moving out onto the balcony. His hands closed around the elegant railing and eyes widened as he stared out over the city and the sea. This just had to be a dream. Abel looked at the clothes he wore and breathed a sigh of relief it was a soft white shirt and paints were not his old attire from his time as emperor. The shirt and paints were extremely elegant which made it apparent they weren't nightwear. On the shirt there were veins of blue in graceful, swirling patterns with blue jewels set into it. Abel blinked. This had to be the fanciest clothes he had ever worn.
There was one more way to check and see if this was a dream or not. Moving from the railing, Abel staggered back into his room and out into the hall beyond. He stopped at the first door and opened it. The room within was completely empty except for a bed at one end of the rather large room and desk at the other. Moving to the room across the hall, he opened it as well to find this one still had many of the toys and books in it. Abel stumbled in and collapsed next to the bed, painting heavily. Slowly he touched the books which were placed neatly on the shelf. They were all on the outside world or medical books. Slowly he looked around the rest of the room, tears in his eyes. This was – this had been Aran's room. His son had never taken any of the items from it. Wait, this wasn't true. Abel's eyes locked on the desk. A gift Abel had given Aran when he had first come to live with Abel was missing. Abel pulled himself onto the bed and sat there, staring at the room. He could almost feel Aran there with him. It was if his son lived on in the items he had left behind.
Abel didn't know how long he sat there only that he heard someone moving beyond the room. "My lord?" a voice came in the direction of the room he had left but Abel didn't move. Someone ran past this room before stopping, backtracking, and pushing the door fully open. "My lord?" the voice repeated. It was Mirka, but Abel still didn't look at her, he didn't want to look away from the items his son had left behind. The bed sunk next to him. "This was one of their rooms wasn't it?" she asked softly, "One of my ancestor's?"
"Aran," Abel said hoarsely, his voice choked at the thought of his kind, gentle son. "He – his descendent lives inVaticanterritory," he whispered. "She looks like him in away too," it was hard not to cry, but he forced himself not to. He hadn't cried after discovering Aran was dead or Azul, but it was only because it hadn't sunken in until he had come to Aran's room.
"Who is she?" Mirka asked politely.
"Caterina Sforza," Abel stated with a small, sad smile. Slowly he reached under the bed, wincing in pain before he pulled out what he was looking for. It was a small, extremely dusty box. Opening it, Abel looked at the small crystals Aran had collected over the years.
"The pain of losing a child never goes away," Mirka said softly, sorrow in her voice. "I know this all too well. Without Ion I don't know what I would have done after my son's death."
Abel smiled and looked at her. "I should be proud," his smile widened, "both of their descendants have served their nations well."
Mirka returned Abel's smile with a soft one of her own. "Off this subject, her Majesty will want to know you have awakened," she stood, "I will summon her here."
"No," Abel replaced the box and stood, wincing in pain, "I will go to Seth," he stated. "She is the empress, it wouldn't be right for her to come to me. I am a peasant after all."
"You're no peasant," Mirka stared at him and Abel met her gaze, "you are the first and only emperor of the empire. The rightful ruler," she said this with an air of confidence.
"Ah-ha," Abel didn't believe it at all, "I'm still going to her." He managed to walk out of the room and back into his without staggering. Pain lanced through him at very step but he ignored it. In the room he scanned for his bag and boots, finding them easily. The white and the black coat both hung over the closet door instead of in the bag. It was obvious someone had cleaned them and polished the boots, Abel just stared at them, not so curtain what to do. Shaking his head, he walked over to them and pulled down the white coat. Wincing, he slipped into it as he got his boots at the same time.
"My lord?" Abel frowned, who…? Ah, right, Mirka was talking to him. Turning, he saw her pointing at the desk where a cape which matched the shirt and paints lay as well as a coat and boots. "You are used to only having one set of clothes aren't you?" she grinned at him. "If you insist on seeing her Majesty, at least wear the clothes she set aside for you. Also let me call the servants."
"Ah, no thanks on the servants," Abel stated, "at the very least I am an exiled emperor and I can dress myself thanks." He winced as he pulled off his coat and boots.
"Really? With the injuries you have it looks like a painful task," at Mirka's teasing words, Abel scowled. "If you're going to stay here you're going to have to get used to having servants again, my lord."
"Who said I was staying?" Abel bit back a snarl and sighed instead. The truth was he was planning on staying. Caterina had gone through a lot of trouble to get him, the so called "package," over the border and Lilith had wanted him to stay in the empire with Seth.
"You did just now," Mirka grinned. "I will get the servants," she turned to go.
"What? No!" Abel tried to stop her but pain stopped him dead in his tracks. He collapsed to his knees hand over his heart. At least he knew Seth had removed the half of 04 which wasn't now part of 02. Too bad he was still fused to one hundred percent.
Abel managed to get back on his feet just as several servants entered; he glared at Mirka and she gave him a smile. "Oh, stop pouting, you're the emperor not a priest, you should just get used to that fact," Mirka grinned a grin which reminded Abel of the Cheshire Cat.
Turning his gaze on the servants, Abel asked, "Are all of you human and treated well?"
They stared at him and the one in the lead nodded, "Yes, my lord," he said, "we are all terran and paid handsomely by her Majesty." He kneeled and bowed low, "It is an honor to serve the first and only emperor." The others followed his lead, muttering the same thing.
"All right," Abel conceded with a heavy sigh. They leapt to their feet and raced to collect the clothes. "Just the coat," Abel said, eyeing the armored and jeweled cape, knowing he would more than likely not be able to make it down the hall let alone to the throne room if he wore that much weight. They picked up the coat, a belt, and the boots and raced over to him.
Abel was completely unused to having so many people around him at once. It took a lot of effort on his part not to pull away as one person stood on a stool brushing his hair while another placed the white belt with blue jewels and a similar design to his shirt around the long shirt. Another person got him into the long coat which was much like his old one except the collar stayed down and it stayed open. The design of the coat matched that of the shirt and belt. The boots were a polished black and of a fancier design than his other new ones Caterina had given him. They would be hard to fight in much like his older boots which he had lost after getting a new pair on joining the AX. The boots were meant to look nice not feel nice or be for combat.
The servants left the room and Abel let out a long breath of relief. "You are a very—" he cut off at Mirka's smile. Abel slipped over to the bag and from one of the pockets took out the hat and book. He hid the hat behind his back by tucking it into the belt, but kept the book in his hand. "Let's just go," he grumbled and started forward. The coat felt heavy in and of itself and there a cape which went with it as well. Gah, did he really want to come back? Abel stopped to where the hall opened into the main room. The space and been made for a family to live in as a retreat from the life of the imperial palace but it still spoke of royalty. There was a piano in one corner as well as another balcony. A fine coach and other furniture was in the room as well every inch of the room had been cleaned and was spotless. Abel turned away from it and headed for the door.
"My lord," Mirka stated, "allow me to enter the throne room first and announce you to those within." He glanced at her to see her smiling with a teasing glint in her eye. "We don't want Baibars to chase you out a window again."
Abel managed a small, pained laughed. "I don't think I could jump out a window right now," he said lightly, joking as well, well partly. He could jump out a window, land, and fall over from the pain. The wounds hurt more than what he was used to no doubt because they were caused by the crusnik. If it was caused by the so called "virus" in him it would take longer to heal or cause more pain, right? There was a long pause as they walked through the nearly empty halls. Finally Abel plucked up his courage and asked, "Do you think I should stay in the empire or turn myself in to the humans?"
"Stay of course," Mirka shot him a grin. "Azul and Aran wished for you to one day return to the throne, especially Azul." Abel smiled at the thought of his sons telling Seth this. It would have been just like them to do so. Oh how he missed them. The empire would feel lonely without his boys or Sara around.
"That sounds like them," there was a pained note in Abel's voice he hadn't meant to be there. Abel knew he still wore the butterfly necklace under this shirt and he had Lilith's cross, but he had nothing remaining of his sons. Not nothing, he had what Aran had left behind and if Abel stayed he could try to keep the room exactly as Aran had left it. "Thank you, Duchess of Moldova, that helped me greatly," Abel gave a bow of his head.
They stopped before the doors into the throne room. "I hope it is you're staying, Emperor Nightlord," Mirka blinked up at him before entering the room. Abel watched her go, a small smile on his features.
xxx
"Majesty, you called for me?" Asthe stopped before Seth and bowed. Seth sat upon the leaf like throne and smiled down at one of her many children. The small white squirrel she'd named Abel after her beloved brother perched on her shoulder, nibbling happily on some food.
"Yes, please rise, Duchess of Odessa and Kiev," Seth gestured to Asthe to rise, trying to think on how to tell the duchess her brother was here without giving away the fact it was Abel just yet.
Before Seth could figure out what to say, the doors opened once more and Mirka appeared from the shadows around the door and into the light of the moons and over Seth. "Your Highness," Mirka bowed low.
"Is he awake?" Seth asked eagerly.
"Yes, Your Highness," Mirka confirmed, "and he wishes to speak with you."
Seth was about to get to her feet when a familiar light voice added, "And he is here." A scowl appeared on Seth's features. Abel shouldn't be out of bed with the wounds he had and how slowly they were taking to heal. She looked at Mirka who mouthed, he insisted on coming. Out of the corner of her eye, Seth saw Asthe standing, eyes locked on the shadows of the door.
"Well brother, you need not stay in the shadows," Seth laughed lightly, "or are you scared of the light?" At her words there was a slight hesitation before slowly a figure dressed in the finery she had prepared for him stepped into the light. It was easy to recognize her brother. Seth stood, frowning at the old book he held. She couldn't make it out from here but it contrasted against the newness of his clothes. Abel went down one knee, bowed his head, and placed his hand over his heart. The gesture was that of a servant to one of imperial family. "Brother," Seth heard the squirrel Abel hissing as her voice wavered between amused and annoyed, "you're not a servant; you're the emperor."
"I'm not the emperor or a servant. I am an exile who has returned without the permission of the imperial family," stated Abel.
"You exiled yourself, I just never noted it as an exile," Abel's head shot up at Seth's words. "Oh, come one," she placed her hands on her hips and grinned at her brother, "why would I do such a stupid attack as exiling the emperor everyone was begging to know what happened to?" She lifted a finger, "Now stand up and stop acting like you're a priest still."
"Tovarish?" Asthe seemed to snap out of her shock. She started towards him looking as if she wanted to punch him, "You're the emperor!" Seth watched for several moments as Asthe moved. "It's impossible, you're a priest, an idiot, and klutz!" it was becoming apparent Asthe truly did mean Abel harm.
Quickly Seth leapt from the dais and raced so fast she knew only Abel would see move. Stopping feet from her bother, Seth placed herself right in Asthe's path, "Stop, Asthe," Seth glared up at the younger, taller woman. "My brother couldn't have told you without revealing who was to the humans, all though," Seth looked over her shoulder which didn't have the hissing squirrel on it, "why were you acting so strangely last we meet?"
"Ah, that," Abel sighed heavily as he slowly stood, "I feel like I have been nonstop explaining this since leaving the AX. I was ordered by the pervious pope to act like an idiot and fool as well as wear glasses which made it hard to see thus I was klutzy," Abel stated, sound almost exactly like his old, glass half empty self if not that then his voice was between light and extremely sad. To Seth he said with a smile at the squirrel, "Seems like he likes you again."
Seth laughed, "And he still hates you," she grinned at him, turning to look at him. He was pale and she could see the slightest shaking of his hands. This alone gave away the fact he was in great pain and having difficulty just standing there. "You shouldn't have left your room. 02 was trying to destroy 04 which meant destroying you from the inside out, brother. If you were a Methuselah you would be dead by now."
"Then it is a shame I'm not a Methuselah," Abel half joked, but there was note of longing in his voice. Seth looked sadly at her brother. For eight centuries he had been in morning for Lilith and for eight centuries had watched those around him grow old and die far more quickly than Seth had. Looking into his eyes, she could see the weight of the years he'd seen and suspected he could see the same in her eyes.
"Are you here only to deliver a message or to stay?" Seth asked in barely more than whisper.
Before Abel could answer Asthe spoke again, "So you were lying all through the time I spent in human territory?" she demanded.
"Astharoshe," Mirka walked over to the Asthe and pulled the younger woman aside. Seth could just hear Mirka saying, "Give them some time. They only a few minutes together the last time the emperor was here. Both of them need this."
Abel's lips twitched in a smile as he glanced at Mirka. His eyes reflected his gratitude for Mirka's words. "I am," Abel looked back at Seth, looking her in the eye, "here to stay, if you will allow it, sister."
At once joy exploded in Seth, sweeping aside commonsense as a grin appeared on her features and eyes watered with happy tears. Racing forward, she felt Abel the squirrel leap of her shoulder seconds before embraced her brother in a huge and buried her face in his shirt. "Of course you can come home," she said happily, she heard a slight groan escape Abel and was about to release him as she remembered his wounds when he returned to the embrace. Looking up, she saw a gentle smile on his features which reminded her of how he had been when she was little and how much he had changed over the years. He place a hand on her head and she snuggled him again, "Welcome home, brother. Welcome home," there was nothing else she could say, there was nothing else she wanted to say at this moment. She was scared if she said too much she would lose him again. There was a large part of her which knew she couldn't go through the loneliness again, that she wanted to spend however long she had left in this world with her dearest brother.
xxx
Pain wracked Abel's body, but he was more than content to put up with it. After so many years of loneliness only the other could feel, he knew his sister needed this embrace as much as he did. Stroking Seth's soft hair which was the color of darkest night, Abel smiled more in his own content joy than anything else. A large part of him didn't want the embrace to end. The fear this was all a dream clung to him and it felt as if the embraced ended this dream would shatter as well.
Seth was the first pull away. "You need to eat something then you should return to your rooms and rest," she sounded almost mournful at the thought of him having to rest. Abel chuckled softly, but didn't argue. He might not feel hungry even though he knew he had to have been out for more than a day. "Asthe," Seth was looking at the young duchess, "you and Mirka are more than welcome to join us. I'm sure you have questions, just hold off on hitting for him about three weeks."
"Isn't like my tolerance for pa—" Abel began but cut off at the glare Seth shot him. Sighing, he gave her a small smile. Seth returned the smile with one of her own and the "v" over her eye as if saying, I know, isn't it great? Abel sighed but returned the old childhood salute, knowing she was the only one he would return it to. There was actually a matter about Cain Abel wanted to run by Seth. Out of every he knew, and would actually go to about this, Seth knew the most about the crusnik and its effects on the body and mind.
"To join you?" Asthe stared at Seth with wide eyes and a startled expression on her young features, "It would be an honor, Your Highness," Asthe gave Seth a graceful bow.
"I would be honored," Mirka said politely. "It will be nice to get to know the emperor when he isn't acting," Abel scowled and Mirka gave him a teasing hiss.
"I'm not the emperor," Abel said hotly, glaring at Mirka. "Once, long ago, perhaps, but now I am just—"
"Don't make me kick you," Seth's threat was light and teasing as she took his hand. "You are the emperor; it isn't something you can just give up. Once done it is done you are part of the imperial family and that is that." Leading him out into the hall, Seth smiled at him over her shoulder. "Besides if you're coming home then you had best get used to be being emperor again."
"You are not stepping down," Abel protested. "The people love you, almost literally. There is no way I am going to let you step down as empress," how had he known she would try to pull this stunt on him if he agreed to come home?
"Don't worry so much, you won't have paperwork to worry about until Cain declares war on the world," Seth laughed. "I know how much you hate paperwork."
"It wasn't the paperwork," Abel grumbled, "it was Tabitha's and Lilith's deciding I couldn't have a second's worth of sleep."
"I thought that was your fault," Seth looked as if she was trying to not giggle. "You were the one who stayed up to work when you were supposed to be sleeping, it wasn't their fault and then you'd try to sleep in. What did you think would happen with someone like Tabitha as your second and then Lilith being around?"
"I could sleep?" Abel joked as well. He had known Tabitha would keep him on top of his work back in the colony and that was why he had appointed her. She had been an excellent soldier; she just made for crummy diplomat. Granted Abel couldn't talk there. "She did her job at least," Abel sighed, missing those who had passed on long ago.
"Yeah and you shot Alaric whenever he annoyed you," Seth spoke in light tones.
"I only did that once," Abel said defensively. "He wouldn't shut up about how unfair the rationing was or stop trying to unmind the four of us at every turn. After eighty years of that it was either shoot him or throw him in jail or cut his rations. Besides I missed," he had missed on propose, the point had only been to scare the idiot not kill him.
"Yep, I know," Seth was grinning, her slender shoulders shaking as she tried to suppress her laughter. "You're still so easy to get under the skin of, brother," at this Abel chuckled and allowed her to lead him into a smaller dining area than would have been used on formal occasions there were already servants there.
At once they bowed to Seth, the female speaking, "Morning Empress, what you and your guests care for this fine morning?"
As Seth ordered the food, Abel looked around the room. A flash brought him to the past in one moment. This room had been used for the war effort against theVaticanandAlbioneight centuries ago. A soft smile appeared on his features. Abel was glad the room had found a better use.
"So, Tovarish," Asthe was before him now. Taking hold of his shirt collar, she dragged him so his face was less than inch from hers, "Where you ever going to tell me you were the emperor?" she growled.
"Wasn't ever planning on returning," Abel replied lightly. "Though if the empire had taken over, taking flies from a cat would have been a nice change of a pace, even if your cat is a tiger," he'd meant it as a joke, but this only caused Asthe to glare at him, baring her fangs at him. "Look, I never even told Caterina my real name, Asthe, it wasn't anything personal, it was just the fact I needed to stay undetected by the humans." It felt as he was failing at explaining this and he could feel himself starting to shake with pain.
"Asthe!" at Seth's snapping voice Asthe released him. Abel didn't stumble back or fall, just rubbed his neck and looked at her mournfully. "I gave you the reason why my brother did what he did and it helped keep the peace you grew up in even if Methuselah still aren't as excepted in the outside world as we would like them to be, my brother did have role in the peace treaty being forged between the empire, Albion, and theVatican." Seth took a seat, signaling they should all do the same. Only Mirka followed her example.
"Tell me, Tovarish, how much did you have figured out on the mission we were assigned together? How much didn't you tell me?" Asthe shouted at him, pain and hurt on her features.
Abel sighed heavily. "I knew Endre would go after the pope and was trying to ignite a war between theVaticanand the empire from the start," he confessed, remembering his conversation with Caterina right before that mission. "I was assigned to that mission because of this and because of the fact I could handle being around Methuselah better than most of the other agents. Back then I was ranked as the second highest AX agent in theVaticanunder Vaclav Havel."
"So when the rowers attacked you, you could have handled yourself," Asthe snarled at him. "You could have handled that entire mission on your own!" she shrieked at him.
"That wasn't the point behind my mission, Asthe," Abel stated. "Your mission was to get Endre. That was my second priority, my main mission the only other person who knew of it was Caterina and it was to establish a link between theVaticanand the empire at any cost. As for the rowers, no I wouldn't have acted against them. As you noticed it is hard to judge the strength of Methuselah against what a human can take. I am not a Methuselah, but I could have easily over stepped and killed them which wouldn't have gone over well with me or theVatican," Abel said. Glancing at his sister, he saw her green eyes were intent on the two of them. "I didn't tell you what I knew on the situation," Abel said, looking back at Asthe, "because I would rather the young learn instead of being given the answers straight away. You did learn from what happened there, your viewpoints on humans changed and you began to understand humans and Methuselah are not as different as they appear to be."
Asthe stared him. Hurt in her wide eyes, which was overshadowed by shock. Abel walked over to the table and sat down across from Seth, his hands shaking from the effort of remaining standing without support for so long. "Did you do that to your boss as well?" Seth asked him, no longer smiling. "Not tell her all you knew on a situation so she would be able figure it out on her own."
"Yes," Abel stated, "with everyone I have worked with who is younger than me, in fact."
At this Seth laughed. "Dear brother, you won't find someone older than you who will be working with you unless you decide to join the orden and then Cain is only an hour older than you," she shook her head. "If you're cryptic with me, I won't help heal you."
Chuckling softly, Abel leaned forward and held up a finger. "Ah, but you would catch on to the hints long before I did. Which reminds me," he held out the book across the table.
A frown creased Seth's features. Slowly she took it and looked at the cover. At once her features brightened and she exclaimed, "Sherlock Holmes! I can't believe you found a copy," she flipped open the book and began to look through pages, "and not just any copy but my first one. Wherever did you find it, brother?"
"The base in Londinium," Abel couldn't help but smile at the joy on his sister's face. "That's not all I found there." He stood and slipped out the hat. Leaning across the table, he placed it on her head. Asthe sat down heavily a chair away from Abel, glaring at him, but Abel's attention was on Seth.
Seth blinked as Abel sat back down. Hesitantly she reached up and pulled off the old hat. At once her eyes widened and her mouth formed an "o" as she stared at it. "It's the same one," she breathed as she looked at a mark on the hat she must have placed there years ago. Eyes brimming with tears Seth leapt onto the seat before leaping over the table and tackling Abel. The chair swayed, falling back onto the floor. Abel was gasping in pain and laughing harder than he had laughed in years as she hugged him. "You're the greatest brother in the entire galaxy, you know that, right?" Seth's breath tickled his ear.
"Now, I think Aran would say Azul was the greatest brother in the galaxy," Abel managed to say between his laughter and pain. There was a long pause where his laughter died away and he winced. "Can we get off the floor now?" he asked timidly.
Seth laughed and got off Abel. Somehow in a graceful movement Abel rolled out of the chair and stood in one motion. "Well, I doubt Azul relieved a nightmare of a past for childhood treasures," Seth grinned returning to her seat as Abel picked up the chair and sat back down. "By the way, what were you doing down there to begin with? You swore you'd never return there."
"I swore a lot of things, fortunately I can't see the future and thus can't know what would happen," Abel teased her, remembering when she'd once complained about the crusnik being weaker in healing than the bacillus and how they should get foresight for it. Seth laughed at this. "I was actually down there because the blueprints hadn't been destroyed. If I hadn't destroyed them when I did Cain would have ripped Londinium apart to get into that base and get them." He paused before saying, "Hall broke ties with Mars to keep the colony from returning to save humanity," his voice was hollow as he said this. "There was a record he made for whoever entered the base in the future.
"Hall, as in General Kadin Hall?" Seth tilted her head to one side in question. Abel nodded confirmation to this. "That jerk!" she shouted angry as the servants returned with the food, setting in the center of the table before bowing and leaving. There was human blood for Mirka and Asthe and Methuselah blood for Abel and Seth. "I wouldn't mind going back in time and—" Abel laughed, "What? You can't tell me you actually approve of what he did!"
"I don't approve of the man in general and will never agree with what he used to say about us, but he did give up his life basically to stop the colony from returning," Abel slowly explained. "I don't think the world would have liked having Armageddon going on at the same time as Methuselah appearing, do you?"
"We had a war going as well, you know," Seth huffily, "the Methuselah Civil War, remember?"
"Vividly, though the name is new. I thought it was called the Mars Civil War?" Abel cocked an eyebrow at her as Seth started to eat. He hesitated before doing the same. It had been too many years to count to not have to say prayer before eating.
"Nope, not anymore," Seth said after swallowing a bit, "hasn't been called that in nearly six centuries. Some historian decided Methuselah Civil War sounded better than Mars Civil War or Martian Civil War, something about that making it sound like we were little green men."
"You mean gray men, don't you?" Abel joked, knowing Seth had read a lot of science fiction when they were kids.
"Na, we should say purple and leave it at that," Seth teased. "Though," she swallowed thoughtfully as Abel started to eat as well, being more polite about since Asthe was staring at him, "weren't those frozen aliens we found gray?"
"I don't think they were from Mars, they had crashed there, or do you not remember reporting that?" Abel asked.
"Yeah I remember, I was just trying to remember their color," Seth shrugged.
Before Abel could reply to this, Asthe asked, "How old are you?" Her eyes were locked on Abel, voice wavering between shock and anger.
"Who? Abel?" Seth pointed her fork at him. She wouldn't – Abel glared at her, willing her to keep her mouth shut about his age. In return Seth gave him a wolfish smile before replying, "He's nine hundred seventy-six nearly seventy-seven, but who's keeping track."
"You, apparently," Abel stated tightly, setting down his fork and knife and glaring at her across the table. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could Asthe's mouth had dropped and she was staring at Abel as if she couldn't believe what she'd just heard. "I got enough hell from Ion when he learned I was around six centuries then even more when he figured out I was over eight. Personally I dislike being called a 'geezer' by anyone."
"He called you that?" Seth glanced at Mirka who was quietly eating her food and pretending not to hear their conversation. "Age means a lot in the empire. Being older than me will earn you a lot of respect." Abel snorted but not in disbelief, "Figures you don't want respect at all, do you? Is this the same 'I deserve hell because I let myself be manipulated over eight centuries ago' speech you gave me the last time you were here?" Abel opened his mouth ready to argue when he realized it was something similar and closed his mouth. "Yeah, I thought it was that. Is that also the reason you don't want to return as emperor?"
"Hold on, empress," Asthe, who had been eating, stood, "you're not going to step down for this idiot are you?" she demanded, gesturing at Abel.
"Preciously what she said," Abel stated, picking up the glass of blood before deciding against it and setting down. He returned his meal instead. There was a short pause before Abel heard the whistled of a knife being thrown across the table. Without looking up from his meal he caught the sharp blade between his fingers. "That was uncalled for, sister," he said blandly between bits. He set the knife down on the table.
"As is what you said," Seth's voice was laced with venom. He heard her lean back in her seat. "Did it ever occur to you I promised your sons I would give you back the throne when you returned home? You're home; I need to keep that promise."
Abel stopped eating and looked at her sternly. "You are not stepping down, Seth," he spoke sternly. "I refuse to lead anymore. I led our people straight into two wars. Too many have died because of mistakes I have made," Seth glared at him and he returned her hot glare with an even look.
"It sounds like you are running away," Mirka's calm voice cut through the silence. Abel didn't look at her. "Haven't you been running long enough, my lord? Your people will need you when war breaks out with the orden," Mirka explained calmly. "Seth is an excellent mother to the Methuselah, but they will need their father in a war not a caring mother."
"Father?" Abel and Asthe both asked at the same moment. "Hold on," Abel shook his head, "that just sounds completely wrong!"
Mirka chuckled. "What else would you have use call you? You might not be married to your sister but the two of your created the empire and you lead us countless times. There would have been far more lost in both wars without you being there."
"One you could call me 'idiot priest' I think I preferred that," Abel stated, "and two more would have been saved if I had never been created in the first place." With that Abel stood.
"Brother," Abel looked at Seth, "you don't mean that. Even if you and I had never been created someone would have found the old Ark and all the pain which has happened would have been far worse. Can you imagine what would have happened if you hadn't been there?" Abel looked at her, at a loss for words. He had always believed he had caused more problems than he had ever solved. "Lilith and I once ran simulations during the Terran-Methuselah War. The outcome of both wars would have been devastating without you as the leader of our people and Lilith within theVatican at the time of the second war."
"More devastating than well over seven million humans killed in the span of a week!" Abel didn't know why he was shouting; only that he was.
"Yes," Seth was on her feet now. "If Cain had led in your place, if you never were then so much more would have been lost. If you hadn't been there Cain would have had his way and destroyed the world eight centuries ago instead of having over an eight century delay to regenerate in," Seth said sternly. "Lilith could have tried to stop him, but we both know out of the three other crusniks only you had enough physical strength to stand against Cain!" Silence meet her words, Abel couldn't bring himself to look at her or anyone for that matter. He just stood there, staring at the floor and thinking over her words. If he looked at it only logically it made sense, but he wasn't Tres and couldn't think that way. Abel only saw all the pain he had caused people throughout the years; he couldn't see any of the good he had ever done. "You can blame yourself and call yourself a terrible leader, bother, but it doesn't make it so," Seth continued. "Please sit down, brother, we don't need to talk on the past or the plans for the future, we could just talk," there was a pleading note in her voice.
Abel hesitated. The truth was he wanted to get away from all it, but here, in the empire, there was no place to run to but the past. Slowly he returned to his seat and stared at the food before him. For eight centuries he had done nothing but live in the past or run from it, perhaps it was time to work towards the future instead. Lilith had wanted him to return to being emperor, she had said the world needed him and now Seth was saying the same thing. How could the world need him? Out of all the children created he had been the screw up, the mistake, the imperfect child. Granted he had always switched his and Cain's tests after that first time, trying his best so his brother would be able to keep the position he had been chosen for. Cain had scored lower in the tests than Abel and believed he was getting near perfect to perfect scores on them. Cain had never found out but Lilith had. She had berated him until Abel snapped at her, telling her he was doing it so he would never have to be the damn leader. She'd seen through him and knew he did it because Cain had been excited at being chosen for leader. She'd smiled at him and said, "We all have to look out for one another, that's what family does."
"You're now way too quiet," Asthe's voice interrupted Abel's train of thought. He looked at her sharply. The anger and hurt had vanished from her eyes after overhearing the argument between Seth and Abel. "Look, I know you don't want to accept this, hell I don't either, but history calls you the greatest leader the Methuselah have had." Abel sighed heavily and looked back his plate.
"'A leader isn't created, but forged in hard times,' Lilith used to say that," Abel gave a sad smile at those words.
"Well, while we are quoting people from the past, 'You shall lead us to safety, to victory, to our home. The words you utter speak of warmth, of grace, and solace,' Sara sung that and wrote in the song 'A Lone Night,' which is about you mainly, so… that proves you were a good leader," Seth pointed her fork at him in her enthusiasm.
"Because Sara wrote it?" Abel asked now highly confused. "You do realize she would have been highly opinionated on this matter, do you not?" his voice was light, with a little sugar added in.
Seth rolled her eyes. "You have become a better Politian over the years," she grinned at him before adding, "though, you're right on that. You also should remember what Lilith said was about you as well."
Thinking back, Abel knew Lilith had said this after the Mars Civil War, but nothing more. "I seriously doubt that, Cain was still leader back then," Abel stated.
At this Seth burst out laughing and Abel stared her, confusion filling him. "You," she gasped, "honestly never noticed Lilith and I lied about the end results of the votes. You were voted in as leader for the war and after it."
"People are insane then," Abel stated, withholding the urge to wince as he leaned back in his seat. He kept glancing at the blood. Judging by the smell there was a restorative in it as well sugar. The blood in and of itself smelled as if it would have been sweet. The metallic taste of his own blood filled his mouth at the scent which was causing his fangs to grow.
Seth noticed this and laughed. "You know trying to deny the thirst is far worse than giving in unless it was one of my children and you attacked them, I would be rather cross about that," her tone was light, teasing, but the words were as a whip to him. Abel hated the fact he needed blood to live, hell he hated the fact he had to live. "Drink it, I would rather you start getting blood more regularly. I noticed why your control was lacking the last time you were in the empire, honestly you ended up electrocuting yourself, brother, so just drink it." Seth picked up a glass of water.
"Well it isn't as if we crusnik can just go out and look for a human," Abel's nose wrinkled at the thought of even trying to taste that fool smelling blood. Seth choked on the water, coughing. "Yeah, you see my point, don't you?" he teased.
"You are cruel!" Seth snapped. "Terran blood would have a very negative affect on us if the taste and scent didn't make you sick first." Abel started to laugh. "Cruelty!" she picked up several spare knives and threw them at Abel. With ease Abel caught them between his fingers and set them down on Seth's knife.
"You're calling my cruel when you're the one throwing knives?" Abel cocked an eyebrow, "You're logic is infallible," he bowed, meaning it as a joke. The next second Abel was forced to duck under the table to avoid a metal tray. "Isn't this counterproductive, sister?" he asked, daring to sit up before ducking again to avoid yet another tray. "All I did was mention human blood and you decide to go insane."
"She's out of objects to throw at you, Tovarish," Asthe told him. Slowly Abel got out from under the table and whack. A metal tray slammed into his head from where Asthe had been. From the ringing in his ear he was sure which would be worse off the really thick tray or his head. Abel felt the hard floor strike him and lights were exploding around him. Blinking back black spots, Abel looked in Asthe's direction to see her grinning over at him. "Now, we're even," she held the wrecked tray in one hand and held out the other. Abel eyed her hand suspiciously before taking it. Pulling him to his feet, Asthe said, "You'd still make a better servant than emperor."
"I couldn't agree more," Abel managed a pained smile and collapsed in his seat. A throbbing pain was coming from his head and ear while the rest of his body felt as if someone had decided to try and gouge out his bones.
"By the way," Asthe tossed aside the wrecked tray with a frown, "what is a crusnik?" she asked also taking a seat. Abel noticed Seth was staring at them.
"You know I wasn't actually trying to hit him, right?" Seth asked before sighing. "Drink the blood, brother; it will at least dull the pain in your head now." Abel picked up the glass and took a sip. He tried not shudder at the thought of how good the blood tasted. "Crusniks are what Abel, myself, him, and Lilith are or were in Lilith's case," Seth began to explain, "we're sort of like the Methuselah in the fact we need blood to live and have a vampire like nature, except we can't drink terran blood it has to be the blood of a Methuselah." Abel saw Asthe stiffen and glance at the glass Abel held. "Don't worry, I have it taken from donations given. I haven't drunk raw blood in centuries." Abel coughed, "My brother though would have to. I don't think terrans keep a stock of blood on handy."
"Caterina suggested it once but the Professor couldn't figure out how to keep the blood from being destroyed in the sun," Abel stated, "and I said no."
"Like raw blood?" Seth meant it as a joke, but it made Abel glare at her. She sighed, "Okay, I know you hate having to drink blood, but you have really hurt yourself in the past by going on binges. Aran reported back when you were in the desert trying to stop Valdemar that you went so long without blood you made yourself unable to heal and entered coma, not healthy! I didn't fully believe it until I saw you electrocute yourself when we tried to stop the Puppet Master. I don't think going off blood will kill you, brother, but it does make it easier for Cain to get you," she spat Cain's name.
"Speaking of Cain," Abel started, steering the subject away from him, "I encountered him on my way to the border. It wasn't too strange to see him; I figured he would try to stop me from getting into imperial territory, what was strange happened near the end of the fight." Abel told Seth everything which had happened in the fight. He started with meeting Cain and ended with them fleeing from the battle. "I wasn't aware once the deal was made the person would have the ability to fight back."
"I wasn't even aware of a deal until now," Seth replied rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "It does explain why Cain went insane and you are no more insane than you were since the day I was born. I think it has to do with his condition, though. Having been thrown from the Ark might be affecting 01's ability to keep their minds fused. Can you explain this deal?" Abel did so, leaving out the fact he had meet with Lilith. He also explained that it seemed once it was refused the machines could no longer speak. "Interesting," Seth's eyes were bright and she had a look which told Abel she wanted a sample of his blood to look into this matter. "Can you tell me if there is a difference between your power compared to Cain's?" Seth asked excitedly.
"Can I not?" Abel retorted draining the rest of the blood. At her disappoint Abel added, "Not today. You have to be busy and it is nearly midnight."
Seth sighed. "You have a point," Seth stood and stretched before picking up the book and hat. "Mirka, I will meet with you and council shortly. Asthe—" Abel stood and left the room, not wanting to stay around and be questioned more. Every inch of him felt soar, more than soar. Right then all he wanted to do was collapse and sleep for a month if not more.
(Author's Note: Now you see why Aran looks like Caterina's mom. Like I sad in chapter 16 there was a resemblance between my dad and William Clark (and yes I do mean William Clark as in Lewis and Clark) it is because they are related. Scary thing genetics, isn't it?
Here's to hoping Asthe's reaction didn't disappoint anyone (praying hard).
All right a friend of mine asked me to ask this question to my readers: who is your favorite character in these stories (the ones I have written about Trinity Blood)? Who is it in the original works by Yoshida? (First one was the one she asked me to ask, added the second incase an OC gets put in which I doubt but still…)
I don't mind answering questions in the author notes if you don't have an account here unless it is a major spoiler. I will answer those only through the messages.
Last note: I am sorry about the two chapters showing up. The internet at school sucks and I hit it twice by mistake. At one point I am hoping for a double update but it might not happen unless it is a new part chapter and a chapter.
A request: if you read this story, please, please leave a review or a comment even if you don't have an account of . Comments and reviews help me get motivated to write when I am not in the mood do so.
I really appreciate all the comments I have been getting. Even if I don't respond to them do know I read them and will reread them over and over. Readingreviews and comments make my day.)