Trinity Blood: Book 3: Vehemens Veritas
Chapter 25: Plans, Part 3: Of War

Abel's eyes scanned the room as he watched the humans and Methuselah dancing and talking together. From his vantage point at the head table he could clearly make out Asthe speaking with Lord Walsh and Vanessa enjoying a dance with one of the yeniçeri. Seth had convinced Baybars to dance with her and the man's face was almost as red as his uniform as he danced with his empress. Caterina was back on the floor with William. Somewhere in the palace a clock chimed midnight, but Abel barely noticed it as he realized Ion and Esther had slipped off. They were in the gardens no doubt with many in the royal guard.

The soft sound from the doorway, made Abel look up to see Petro enter, look around before striding around the dance floor. He was heading straight for the head table. Sighing, Abel knew he would have to move from here soon. If he did so the girls would take it as he break being over and try to dance with them again. After a dance with one girl, she'd asked him if he was married to the empress. On learning he wasn't she'd been pestering him none stop. He could see her now, lurking close by in a tight fitting blue dress. Her golden brown hair was pulled up into cage of silvery metal. She was pretty, but, in truth, Abel had no interest in any woman beside his beloved Lilith. As he watched, she declined several young noble's offer to dance. Abel sighed. She was yet young and should think on finding someone her age and her race.

"Your Holiness!" the loud voice made Abel turn to see Petro kneeing before Alessandro.

That guy just – "Excuse me, my lord," Abel turned and saw the girl had moved so she was before him, "but are you going to be dancing again tonight?" there was a hopeful glint in her eye.

"Err," Abel wasn't sure how to reply right then, his mind was still on the fact Petro was there and there was a chance Petro would see him here. Abel glanced at the man before looking at his hat which rested beside his gloved hand. "Perhaps later," Abel gave her small smile. He was honestly sick of dancing. Standing, Abel replaced his hat and nodded to the girl before he started to move away.

"Nightlord!" Abel froze at the sound of Petro's voice. Great, this wasn't good. This really wasn't good. Abel heard the light tapping as Petro walked over to him. "I was wondering where you vanished off to after we arrived at the palace," Abel didn't turn, trying to think of a way to avoid Petro. He'd already stopped, revealing the fact he'd heard, thus he couldn't keep without Petro thinking him rude and potentially wrecking relations with the Vatican.

"I didn't vanish, you just didn't know it was me," Abel said, feeling like he was forcing out the words. Turning, he saw Petro's eyes widen slightly as he recognized Abel.

"Nightroad!" exclaimed Petro, leaping and pointing at him. "What? You're the emperor!"

"You honestly are slow, aren't you?" Abel said, not amused by this. "Before you try to arrest me, know I wasn't an imperial spy like it says I was. I hadn't had contact with the empire until the past year or so."

"Well, duh, you weren't a spy," Petro folded his arms across his chest, bowing his head in thought. "Anyone could have told as much," he nodded. "No spy would trip over his own feet or even act like you did. Plus," Petro took hold of Abel cape collar, "you're a holly man! You served the Vatican for over eight centuries, such dedication!"

"Umm, are you all right?" Abel asked, feeling a bead of sweet trickle down his face. Petro has just complemented Abel in his own strange way, which lead Abel to believe the man wasn't feeling well.

Petro released Abel, "I admire a man who gave so much to the Lord and his Holiness," he began, "but don't think this makes us friends!" he pointed at Abel, jabbing his finger into Abel's chest, "The Inquisition and AX will always remain enemies within the Vatican and you still owe me that duel!"

"Again with this duel?" Abel sighed. "You're never going to drop this, are you?"

"Not until I crush the legendary Angel!" Petro declared vehemently.

Abel was about to reply when – the entire room shook. Whipping around, both Petro and Abel saw Death Hunters racing into the room. "Not now," Abel raced forward, shouting, "Get back, everyone!" the people didn't need telling twice. There was a stamped to get closer to the head table. People whipped past Abel, Seth, Caterina, William, Leon, Petro, Asthe, and Baybars. With a glance at the others Abel moved so he was standing beside Leon who was cursing leaving his weapons in his rooms because they scared the chicks away.

The Death Hunters didn't attack however. Instead one of them stepped forward and place a small device on the floor. At first Abel took it to be a bomb. Light erupted from it and the next moment an image of Cain was before them. "Ah, 02, wonderful you are there are well!" Cain said gleefully, capping his hands together and grinning at them.

"You again!" Petro shouted, storming forward. "I will—" Abel held out his arm, stopping Petro before he could make a bigger fool of himself than he was already making. "Stand aside, Nightroad, this is a holly matter."

"It's a hologram," Abel stated calmly, "a piece of lost technology. He really isn't here, Brother Petro. You couldn't harm him even if you tried right now. He could be in the desolate areas, attacking him will only cause you to make a fool of yourself in front of his Holiness."

Petro paused before snapping, "Fine, Nightro-Nightlord, I won't attack." Abel turned his attention to Cain, lowering his arm.

"Ah, you're no fun, 02," Cain pouted before holding up a finger and smiling, "but I am not here for fun. I have given you chances to join me, 02, and you refused each. Now, I am giving you, Esther, 03, and Caterina each a chance, join me or parish with this world!" he grinned happily at them.

"Never," Abel said with light yet determined tones. "No matter how many times you ask, my answer will remain the same. I stand with the people, whether they are human or Methuselah. Nothing you say or do will change this."

"I stand by the Vatican, the alliance, and Abel," Caterina spoke with smoothness to her voice which held true to her codename: Woman of Steel. "Nothing you can do, Contra Mondi or not, will destroy the peace we have created this day," her monocle flashed as she glared at Cain.

"I threw you out an airlock and you're asking me to join you, wow, you're far more insane than I remembered you being, Cain," Seth said, sounding unimpressed by Cain's asking her to join him. "Besides we both know you're only after Abel," Abel looked at his sister out of the corner of his eye, "if you could get the three of us to join you then you're chances at getting Abel increase."

"I stand with my people and the alliance," Esther said, glaring at Cain.

"Then," Cain's eyes flashed, stained red with the power of the crusnik and anger, "all of you will burn with this world. Albion will go first," he grinned, it was a wild, wicked grin which scent a chill through to Abel's bone. "It's such a shame most of Albion's fleet has been destroyed. Igne Natura Renovatur Integra," with those words the hologram flickered before vanishing. At once the Death Hunters charged. Oh hell! Leaping forward, Abel placed himself between the Death Hunters and both Caterina and Esther. His hat fell from his head. Soft strands of white hair crackled around his head. Long nails ripped through his gloves as he took hold of the nearest Death Hunter, snarling.

"In the name of the all might Lord and his Holiness I will destroy you!" Petro shouted, taking his screamer from his back and charging at enemy.

xxx

"Baybars, protect the civilians!" Thomas say the hologram which was Abel shout from where he was bound on the floor near Cain's chair. Beside him he could just hear Kadin shift, but didn't dare look at his half brother. The cloth cut into the sides of Thomas' mouth making it impossible from him to shout or be heard by his other son. A Death Hunter lunged from the beautiful woman in red. "Caterina!" Abel leapt away from the Hunter he'd been restraining and instead placed himself between the woman and the Hunter. Before the Hunter could strike Abel the large group began to pull back.

"Flee you crowds!" one of the priests with hair like a lion's mane shouted, waving his fist at the Death Hunters.

"Odd," Thomas' eyes flickered back to Abel as his hair fell down around his face.

"What's odd, Four-eyes?" the priest demanded, walking over to Abel. "They fled, there's nothing odd about that."

"Think about it, Leon," Caterina stepped forward so she was beside Abel. "Most of us are unarmed or civilians. This is a ball in the middle of Londinium in the palace. If they managed to get past the guards outside of the place then why flee from this battle?" Abel was looking around, his eyes locked on the emitter on the floor. "Abel?" Caterina looked at him as he knelt down.

"This is a two way transmitter," Abel murmured. "It's still—" suddenly the hologram vanished as the transmitter was crushed. Thomas stared at the spot where Abel had been.

"Well, that can't be helped," Cain sighed. "Guess 02's pets are more capable than I originally believe. Isaak?" the man bowed to Cain, standing beside him as a shadow. "Take the general to the cell and Thomas back to his work. I want the clone completed before we strike Albion."

Later, in Albion:
The door behind Abel closed with a snap. Before him were six people all seated or standing around the table. "Well this was unexpected," Seth began as Abel crossed the room to where his sister was seated. "I knew the Orden would declare war on the world eventually, but I didn't know it would be this soon." The veil rustled as she turned her masked gaze on Abel. There was a silent plea behind the glance, but Abel ignored it. He wasn't returning to the throne no matter what he'd told Lilith or how many times Seth pleaded with him. The last matter any race needed was for him to become a leader again. "How many combat capable airships does Albion have left?"

Lord Walsh was the one to answer, "Three med sized airships and a few smaller fighter planes, but other than this none."

"Th-the V-Vatican could h-have a f-fleet here s-soon," Alessandro stammered a bead of sweet visible on his brow. "R-right, s-sister?" he looked at Caterina who sat beside him, thought clouding her normally steely gaze.

"Abel," Caterina looked at him, lowering her hand from her chin, "you have lead in a war before. What would suggest we do?" she asked.

"Not just one war," Seth said almost a bragging note to her disguised voice, "but two. He led one side in the Methuselah Civil War and the empire during the Terran-Methuselah War. Out of all of us here, you are the only one who has led during a war."

Abel's lips twitched down into a scowl. He knew exactly what Seth was hinting at, but he wasn't the emperor anymore. All eyes were locked on him, even Petro's. A sigh escaped Abel, "There are only three med sized airships left which are combat capable, but what about ships like the Tristan? Even if we are low on pilots it shouldn't take too long to train a few in the basics of piloting and manufacturing weapons takes less time than building airships does."

"That would be doable," Lord Walsh agreed, "but we'd need time to do so and we don't know when or where the Orden will strike or come from."

"Augusta, a friend told me 'he's where the maze is,'" Abel looked at Seth out of the corner of his eye. "If possible we should send a few airships there to investigate at the very least and if he is there, they'd be able to delay him. This should by us a month at the very least."

Seth bowed her head before turning to Baybars. "Tell the duchess of Kiev to place a call to the duchess of Moldova. Send the fleet to ruins on the border of Yaegrow Dukedom and the empire, Mirka will know the one I am speaking of," she ordered. "I would like four of our larger airships to come here to Albion and help with defense of our allies."

"Yes, my lady," Baybars placed his hand on his chest, but didn't make a move to leave the room.

"We will call for all our ships to stay here then," Esther spoke, looking at Abel and Seth. "If Father Nightroad has led an army before shouldn't he help lead this time as well?" Esther asked, looking from Seth to Abel and back again.

"No," Abel said with slowness to his voice he wouldn't come off as rude. "I led through two wars and both of them were complete disasters. The three of you will do fine this time around," he managed a small smile. Bowing his head strands of silvery hair brushing his cheeks and neck, Abel said a formal farewell before he left the room. The longer he stayed in there the more likely he was to fall back on old habits and end up leading anyway. Out of everyone Caterina and Seth should be the main leaders with Esther still learning they were really the only ones.

Abel entered his rooms and walked over to where Elizabeth was sleeping quietly. A servant had dosed off on the couch while the two yeniçeri shifted uneasily in the room. Leaning over the crib, Abel brushed a thumb over Elizabeth's forehead, his eyes softening as he watched her sleep. Soft threads of auburn hair were starting to come in. It was sad how quickly she would grow. Careful not to wake her, Abel wrapped her blanket around her and lifted his precious daughter and her tiger from the crib. Sitting down in the rocking chair, Abel felt Elizabeth snuggle against him and smiled.

Another war, sorrow bit into Abel as he looked at her round face, the thought of raising her in a time of war was almost unbearable. He'd hoped Elizabeth would know only peace, but then Cain – Cain just had to wreck everything. "I'm sorry," he whispered, choking back tears, "I'm so sorry, my precious child." A single tear trickled down his cheek, striking Elizabeth's small nose. Another tear followed. Without a sound the tears slid down his face, hitting his daughter's blankets.

Minutes slipped by unnoticed as Abel looked at Elizabeth's peace face. The door into the room opened, allowing a sliver of light to cascade over the floor before it closed with a soft snap. "Brother?" Abel didn't look up. "Is she sleeping?" Seth lowered her voice so it was a gentle whisper. He nodded. "We need to speak," Seth muttered so as not to wake the slumbering baby. "Please, brother," she pleaded.

Slowly Abel looked at Seth. "I can't, Seth," he whispered hoarsely, "I know what you want of me and I can't. I-I don't have the strength to lead again, not during a war or e-even out side of one," every word hurt to utter, his throat felt clogged, and all he wanted was to sit here in the darkness with Elizabeth and forget about all which had happened.

"I know you fear what will happen, brother," Seth whispered as she removed her hat, "but the world needs you, Eliza and I both need you." The soft sound of her hat striking the ground was barely noticeable. "I love all my children; can you imagine the pain I will go threw sending them to war? I don't want them to die, I don't want to send them to their deaths, I'm the one who is supposed to say 'I can't' not you, brother, not you." She paused as Abel looked at his daughter, taking a shuddering breath, Seth continued, "All my life I have looked up to you, brother. You're the one who was always there for me. I fear," Seth let out long shaking breath, "I fear for our future if you're not there to lead my children."

A silence fell between them, stretching on and on until Abel spoke, "I lost the will to lead when Lilith died." Never once did Abel look away from Elizabeth. "Seth," he heard her move and knew she was ready to argue, "just give me sometime. If and only if it is necessary, I will lead again,."

"You idiot!" Seth shouted. Elizabeth's eyes opened and she started to cry. "You're needed now!" whipping around, Seth stormed from room, the door slamming behind her. The servant leapt to her feet bowed to Abel before racing out to get a bottle ready from Elizabeth.

"Hush," Abel tried to ease Elizabeth's tires, "she's just upset, hush." Abel glanced at the door, his mind still one what Seth had shouted. He couldn't lead again, he just couldn't.


(Author's Note: Sorry for this taking so long, kept hitting writer's block on it (or writer's laziness and I started a short story for my own work, it's so funny XD)

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. Reading reviews and comments make my day.)