Author's Note: This is the end of the line, people. ~.~ Let me just say thank you to all of those who've supported me throughout this entire writing process. It was a pleasure to have you as my readers.
Disclaimer: I don't own the movie "Underworld", its characters or plot concept.
-----
An Alternate Future
Chapter Twenty-Five
She stacked the last journal, the latest one, atop the pile in the bedroom. After searching through their quarters, she'd found each one, devouring the words of the past in search of an answer for the present. There'd been pictures, poems, and letters too, between those aged pages of yellow paper and faded ink.
Cartons of videos and various memorabilia also surrounded her. Picture windows and touchstones to a past that continued to evade her. Yes, the pieces had started to fall into place, but the most of it still danced outside her reach. ...And she wondered if knowing everything would only confuse her further.
Her son had spoken little to her, knowing it was her decision to make...and sympathizing with his father, of course. She knew it from the way his eyes darted to the other in pity every so often, though he never said so in words and his loyalty to her never wavered. Her daughter, too, could not help. She was too young to understand the centuries-long courtship that had gone on between her parents.
And Kraven... It was as if a veil had fallen between them, one she could not pierce. He still came to meals, still spoke when spoken to. But, most of the time, he closeted himself with Soren in his study, putting business in order before his departure. Still, she knew that it was just a convenient excuse not to see to her.
After their confrontation, he must be staying away for fear of weakening in resolve. She thought that she knew him enough to know this, and bittersweet though the knowledge, she could understand why he might feel that way. After centuries of being kept at arms-length, he must have come to long for the affection she sucked from him like some mad succubus.
If she stayed in this place, she would be alone once more. Her children would leave with their father, and though they'd return to see her, it would not be enough. Suddenly, she could understand how Kraven must have felt each time Kris came to visit, coming only to leave after too short a time. Could she stand such visits? ...Or better yet, could she bear the coldness of an empty bed? Having spent the past few nights alone, she had come to realize how big it was without anyone lying beside her.
There was no doubt that there'd been a change in her writings. A subtle touch to its tone that had not been there before. The love that was written between the lines of Kraven's old letters, now could be seen in her recent journal entries. Could it be that she'd started to relent before she'd lost her memory? That she'd come to -
She shook her head to clear her head, troubled and confused. Pacing the length of the room, she finally wandered into the sitting room. Distracted, something caught her eye. It was a slim envelope underneath one of Kraven's books. Anxious for something to take her mind of things, she slid it out and opened it with a slim finger. She paled when she saw a plane ticket peek out at her. With trembling fingers, she took it out.
There was only one. He didn't expect her to come with him.
As the full impact of it hit her, she collapsed onto the couch. She didn't realize she was crying until she saw the wet drops that covered the crisp piece of paper. Sharp ears hearing footsteps in the hallway, she hastily shoved it back into the envelope and threw the latter back onto the table before fleeing for the sanctuary of the bedroom.
She locked the door behind her and rested her back against it, shaking and uncertain of what to do. Eyes darted wildly around the room in search of inspiration, then came to fix themselves on the fireplace. The dancing flames reflected themselves in her eyes as it came to her what she had to do. The only way to end everything as it was.
*****
Kraven heard the rush of footsteps, then the click of a door, as he entered their quarters. Sighing softly, he massaged his forehead at the sight of the closed bedroom. He loosened his tie and slid it off to lay on the table when he saw the envelope already there. For a moment, he was frozen in place, uncertain of what that meant. So, she'd seen the ticket. But, what was to that? She already knew he had to leave. He wondered what she'd thought of it as she saw its confirmation in the form of the ticket. What had run through her mind to make her lock herself in the bedroom. Was she avoiding him then?
Rubbing his face with his hands, he sat down on the couch with elbows on his knees. He was so tired. Taking care of the last loose ends had not been enough to take his mind of Nemea. It never had been, even in the past, when he was knee-deep in blood and battle, fighting to forget her coldness. He couldn't stop loving her. He didn't think he could even if he tried. And the thing was he -didn't- want to try. Even after letting out his frustration on her, he still couldn't let go. Maybe he was a martyr for her cause, but even with all the darkness in their relationship, he could not forget the rare moments of light that had also shone upon it. Perhaps if he hadn't heard the words his daughter had stumbled in saying, he wouldn't feel so resolved in holding on. But, they'd given him hope.
He'd avoided Nemea for the past few days because he didn't want to influence her. Whatever she decided, he wanted to be sure it came solely from her. He knew that his son thought the same, though Kris said nothing. But, whatever Nemea decided, Kraven also knew that he still had to go. He couldn't stay here any longer. Of course, he hoped that Nemea would come with him, that they could start a new life in the Americas. But, if she didn't...
Well, he could bend the words of his own ultimatum to suit himself. He said that if she stayed it would be the end of -that- matter, but he'd never spoken for sure of what was to come after. He was willing to wait in silence for her to regain her memory and hopefully, go after him. After all, he'd waited centuries for her to come to his side. He could wait just as long to hear her say that she loved him as much as he loved her.
As he smiled to himself, he suddenly caught the scent of something burning. Getting to his feet, he whirled around to see smoke seeping out from under the door. And in the air, there was the faint odor of burning flesh. His heart fought against a vise as ran to the door only to find it locked. But, adrenaline and fear gave him strength and he refused to let it stand in his way for long. Shouting on the top of his lungs, he bore his full weight against the door until it crashed down.
Disoriented, he waved at the smoke that filled the room. Then, suddenly all was clear and a breath of fresh air came in from the newly opened window. He stared speechless at Nemea, who stood by it. But, that was only for a brief moment for in the next, he was across the room and holding her tightly to his chest.
"I thought..." He started to say in a choked voice, but he could not finish.
"That I'd thrown myself into the fire?" She laughed softly, but her eyes were kind.
"Yes," he said hoarsely as he brushed at her hair with hands that trembled.
"It was just my hand as I was pushing in the last of the lot," she explained, eyes going to the fireplace.
He turned to see what she was looking at and found piles of bound books burning merrily in the hearth. Dumbfounded, he questioned her with his eyes. Her lips held a sad smile as she caressed his cheek.
"I've made a mess of things, haven't I?" Kraven wasn't sure of what she meant exactly, but she went on. "I thought to burn those things, and in my haste, I didn't realize they'd be too much for the fireplace until too late." A rueful laugh. "Caused all that smoke and scared you half to death."
"But, those were your journals..."
"No," she corrected him. "That was the past keeping me from you. Now, we can start fresh.
"Hello, my name's Nemea."
"I...they call me Kraven."
"Pleased to meet you."
With a smile on her lips, she rested her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist. Although still confused, he just buried his face in her hair, thinking it better to kept silent and not to question gifts given to him. From the door, their son smiled. Shaking his head in wry amusement, he chased off the people that had come at the commotion. He was the last out the door of his parents' quarters.
His little sister was just coming up the corridor, a look of curiousity on her face. Taking her up in his arms, he kissed her cheek and went to open the door of his own quarters.
"So, li'l sister, what room would you like on the plantation? There is one beside an apple tree that blossoms with beautiful flowers in the spring. In fact, come spring, we might have a wedding underneath that very tree."
"Could I be the flower girl, Kris?"
"Why, yes. I think you could, sis."
Disclaimer: I don't own the movie "Underworld", its characters or plot concept.
-----
An Alternate Future
Chapter Twenty-Five
She stacked the last journal, the latest one, atop the pile in the bedroom. After searching through their quarters, she'd found each one, devouring the words of the past in search of an answer for the present. There'd been pictures, poems, and letters too, between those aged pages of yellow paper and faded ink.
Cartons of videos and various memorabilia also surrounded her. Picture windows and touchstones to a past that continued to evade her. Yes, the pieces had started to fall into place, but the most of it still danced outside her reach. ...And she wondered if knowing everything would only confuse her further.
Her son had spoken little to her, knowing it was her decision to make...and sympathizing with his father, of course. She knew it from the way his eyes darted to the other in pity every so often, though he never said so in words and his loyalty to her never wavered. Her daughter, too, could not help. She was too young to understand the centuries-long courtship that had gone on between her parents.
And Kraven... It was as if a veil had fallen between them, one she could not pierce. He still came to meals, still spoke when spoken to. But, most of the time, he closeted himself with Soren in his study, putting business in order before his departure. Still, she knew that it was just a convenient excuse not to see to her.
After their confrontation, he must be staying away for fear of weakening in resolve. She thought that she knew him enough to know this, and bittersweet though the knowledge, she could understand why he might feel that way. After centuries of being kept at arms-length, he must have come to long for the affection she sucked from him like some mad succubus.
If she stayed in this place, she would be alone once more. Her children would leave with their father, and though they'd return to see her, it would not be enough. Suddenly, she could understand how Kraven must have felt each time Kris came to visit, coming only to leave after too short a time. Could she stand such visits? ...Or better yet, could she bear the coldness of an empty bed? Having spent the past few nights alone, she had come to realize how big it was without anyone lying beside her.
There was no doubt that there'd been a change in her writings. A subtle touch to its tone that had not been there before. The love that was written between the lines of Kraven's old letters, now could be seen in her recent journal entries. Could it be that she'd started to relent before she'd lost her memory? That she'd come to -
She shook her head to clear her head, troubled and confused. Pacing the length of the room, she finally wandered into the sitting room. Distracted, something caught her eye. It was a slim envelope underneath one of Kraven's books. Anxious for something to take her mind of things, she slid it out and opened it with a slim finger. She paled when she saw a plane ticket peek out at her. With trembling fingers, she took it out.
There was only one. He didn't expect her to come with him.
As the full impact of it hit her, she collapsed onto the couch. She didn't realize she was crying until she saw the wet drops that covered the crisp piece of paper. Sharp ears hearing footsteps in the hallway, she hastily shoved it back into the envelope and threw the latter back onto the table before fleeing for the sanctuary of the bedroom.
She locked the door behind her and rested her back against it, shaking and uncertain of what to do. Eyes darted wildly around the room in search of inspiration, then came to fix themselves on the fireplace. The dancing flames reflected themselves in her eyes as it came to her what she had to do. The only way to end everything as it was.
*****
Kraven heard the rush of footsteps, then the click of a door, as he entered their quarters. Sighing softly, he massaged his forehead at the sight of the closed bedroom. He loosened his tie and slid it off to lay on the table when he saw the envelope already there. For a moment, he was frozen in place, uncertain of what that meant. So, she'd seen the ticket. But, what was to that? She already knew he had to leave. He wondered what she'd thought of it as she saw its confirmation in the form of the ticket. What had run through her mind to make her lock herself in the bedroom. Was she avoiding him then?
Rubbing his face with his hands, he sat down on the couch with elbows on his knees. He was so tired. Taking care of the last loose ends had not been enough to take his mind of Nemea. It never had been, even in the past, when he was knee-deep in blood and battle, fighting to forget her coldness. He couldn't stop loving her. He didn't think he could even if he tried. And the thing was he -didn't- want to try. Even after letting out his frustration on her, he still couldn't let go. Maybe he was a martyr for her cause, but even with all the darkness in their relationship, he could not forget the rare moments of light that had also shone upon it. Perhaps if he hadn't heard the words his daughter had stumbled in saying, he wouldn't feel so resolved in holding on. But, they'd given him hope.
He'd avoided Nemea for the past few days because he didn't want to influence her. Whatever she decided, he wanted to be sure it came solely from her. He knew that his son thought the same, though Kris said nothing. But, whatever Nemea decided, Kraven also knew that he still had to go. He couldn't stay here any longer. Of course, he hoped that Nemea would come with him, that they could start a new life in the Americas. But, if she didn't...
Well, he could bend the words of his own ultimatum to suit himself. He said that if she stayed it would be the end of -that- matter, but he'd never spoken for sure of what was to come after. He was willing to wait in silence for her to regain her memory and hopefully, go after him. After all, he'd waited centuries for her to come to his side. He could wait just as long to hear her say that she loved him as much as he loved her.
As he smiled to himself, he suddenly caught the scent of something burning. Getting to his feet, he whirled around to see smoke seeping out from under the door. And in the air, there was the faint odor of burning flesh. His heart fought against a vise as ran to the door only to find it locked. But, adrenaline and fear gave him strength and he refused to let it stand in his way for long. Shouting on the top of his lungs, he bore his full weight against the door until it crashed down.
Disoriented, he waved at the smoke that filled the room. Then, suddenly all was clear and a breath of fresh air came in from the newly opened window. He stared speechless at Nemea, who stood by it. But, that was only for a brief moment for in the next, he was across the room and holding her tightly to his chest.
"I thought..." He started to say in a choked voice, but he could not finish.
"That I'd thrown myself into the fire?" She laughed softly, but her eyes were kind.
"Yes," he said hoarsely as he brushed at her hair with hands that trembled.
"It was just my hand as I was pushing in the last of the lot," she explained, eyes going to the fireplace.
He turned to see what she was looking at and found piles of bound books burning merrily in the hearth. Dumbfounded, he questioned her with his eyes. Her lips held a sad smile as she caressed his cheek.
"I've made a mess of things, haven't I?" Kraven wasn't sure of what she meant exactly, but she went on. "I thought to burn those things, and in my haste, I didn't realize they'd be too much for the fireplace until too late." A rueful laugh. "Caused all that smoke and scared you half to death."
"But, those were your journals..."
"No," she corrected him. "That was the past keeping me from you. Now, we can start fresh.
"Hello, my name's Nemea."
"I...they call me Kraven."
"Pleased to meet you."
With a smile on her lips, she rested her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist. Although still confused, he just buried his face in her hair, thinking it better to kept silent and not to question gifts given to him. From the door, their son smiled. Shaking his head in wry amusement, he chased off the people that had come at the commotion. He was the last out the door of his parents' quarters.
His little sister was just coming up the corridor, a look of curiousity on her face. Taking her up in his arms, he kissed her cheek and went to open the door of his own quarters.
"So, li'l sister, what room would you like on the plantation? There is one beside an apple tree that blossoms with beautiful flowers in the spring. In fact, come spring, we might have a wedding underneath that very tree."
"Could I be the flower girl, Kris?"
"Why, yes. I think you could, sis."