Leviathan's Daughter
GoldenEagle
Author's Notes: This is the second to last installment. I haven't seen the entire series (unfortunately) but I'm rounding this up in my own version. So please forgive me for major discrepancies and also for any bad writing on my part. Read and review!
Chapter Fifty-Two
Folken was on the balcony, leaning out over the railing, the moons shining down on him, a crisp breeze ruffling his hair. It had been two days since she had fallen. Two days and she wasn't awake yet. He sighed, looking down to the bustling streets below.
"Penny for your thoughts?" The coarse, small voice startled him and he turned quickly. Persephone stood, leaning against the doorway, blankets wrapped around her and cascading to the floor. The moons' lights hit the folds and creases, making them look a little more expensive than they really were.
"I'm glad you're awake." Folken said in his serious, deadpan voice. She sighed and walked towards him, shakily, and he welcomed her into his embrace from behind. They both turned their attention to the outside.
Persephone turned her head to look up at him and frowned slightly as she saw his gaze seem more than just wandering, but rather intense in one direction. A painful rage built in her. "You're thinking of Zaibach, right?" She asked, her voice cold, her eyes cast to the horizon, in the direction he was looking, in the direction of that empire.
His sigh was loud against her ear, but he didn't answer her question. Instead he asked one of his own. "How are you feeling? You were out for a couple of days. It seems you might have a fever."
"I'm sure I do." She stated plainly, slightly peeved that he wouldn't answer her question, but letting it drop, anyway. "I kind of feel like I have the flu."
"Flu?" He asked, slightly confused.
"An... Earth virus. Bacteria, actually." She stated.
He nodded. "Sometimes I forget you're from there."
"I'm not, really. Not anymore, at least. Gaea's in my blood." This comment pushed them both into silence because of the remembrance of her "sickness".
"You should go clean up. I'm sure you'll feel better after it's done." Persephone nodded before turning in his arms. She kissed him lightly before pushing deeper, their tongues and lips meeting gently, comforting. She pulled away after a short moment, looking down.
"You won't leave me." It was more of a statement than a question and he merely nodded. She pulled from him, still not meeting his eyes, before walking to the bathroom. Folken turned once more, his gaze on the horizon, his thoughts consumed by Zaibach.
***************
The hot water of the shower cascaded down Persephone's body, and she took a few breaths in, to calm herself, letting the water sooth her nerves. She felt sick and weak and more than a little scared. It was a troubling thought that Dornkirk could strike her down, without thought or reason, from a multitude of miles between them. She sighed, looking down at her lean form as the water washed over it. She was surprised to find that she had actually lost weight since she had been out. A great deal of weight, too. She stuck her hand out from behind the curtains of the shower and glared at herself in the mirror. Great black circles ringed her eyes and her skin was a sickly color. She bit her lip as she returned to the running water. She was scared. Scared because something was destroying her, an outside force, and she couldn't escape. Again she calmed herself. Everything would be fine. She'd get over this, and Zaibach would be overthrown, if all went well. All she had to do was wait this out-
She doubled over, the water suddenly seeming too hot, a pain issuing throughout her entire body. One hand was wrapped around her abdomen while the other was spread against the cool stonewall of the shower. Her eyes were wide as another wave of pain hit her. Not again. Surely not this soon. Yet, despite her rationalizing, her body heaved, and blood flowed from her lips. She closed her eyes, feeling the stinging rising in them as the blood flowed there. No... No... She was too weak. Not this soon. Her legs gave out beneath her and she hit the ground painfully before laying on her side. The world dimmed around her, the last things she remembered was that of the water cascading down her skin and the coppery taste of blood in her mouth.
****************
Folken stood on the balcony still, his gaze focused outward, along with his attention. Something was nagging at him, in the back of his mind. Something he didn't pay any attention to. And still it pulled. He gave out an angry growl before turning away from the outside world, back towards the hotel room. As soon as his attention was detached from Zaibach, the instinctive feeling grew stronger, and his heart began to pound. Something was wrong. He walked inside, glancing around for an intruder that could have triggered this feeling of something askew, but found nothing. A pain, in his heart, something pulling, pounding. He rushed forward, towards the bathroom door, opening it without thought. Steam filled the room and he glanced around, noticing the closed shower curtains. "Persephone?" He asked plainly before pushing the material back.
She was there, laying on her side, her eyes closed. Water pounded across her pale face and he lifted her up. He figured she passed out, from the fever, perhaps. Water dripped to the floor from her bare form as he walked her back to the bed, laying her down before reaching for the covers that she had left at the side. As he turned, covering her, his breath caught. Something was wrong. Her breathing was weak, wheezing, shaking. His eyebrows furrowed. Surely... Surely, not so soon... But his fears were brought to light as he lifted her eyelid and was once more met with the crimson shifting.
Fear embedded itself in his heart. She was too weak... She couldn't handle this. She'd give out. A snarl of rage escaped him and he turned quickly, his metal hand smashing into the wall, leaving a heavy dent.
***************
A week. It had been a damn week since she had been struck again. Folken had been at her side, unable to give her any food, and only a little water. She was dying. Dying before his eyes. A decision had reached him, one that was very important. It was on the night of this seventh day that he was awoken by the stirring next to him. He turned in the bed, his eyes intent on the form that slept next to him. Her eyes remained closed, and he was turning to his side once more, hopelessness washing over him, when he saw her face twitch momentarily before her eyes opened a crack. "Persephone?"
Her eyes floated to him and he moved to the side quickly, bringing the light up in the room. He turned to her again and she moved her lips weakly, trying to form words. Finally, she said them. "Water..." It was the only word she could get out. Folken acted immediately, jumping from the bed, grabbing a pitcher of water he always kept to the side. He poured it to a cup and brought it to her lips. She drank slowly, weakly, before motioning to him that she needed more. She drank a couple of glasses before closing her eyes, an indication that it was enough.
"Are you hungry?" He questioned, kneeling by the bedside.
It was a few moments before a reply was given. "Yes, but I think I need to rest before I give that a try." Her words were barely heard.
"I love you, Persephone. I want you to know that. I want you to keep that with you. Always." He said quietly yet urgently. She opened her eyes a crack and smiled a troubled smile.
"I love you too, Folken, but it's not like I'm going to die on you or anything." She muttered before falling back asleep.
Folken looked down. "It wasn't you that I was thinking would die."
***************
Persephone woke, feeling extremely weak, a cool breeze floating in through the open doors that led to the balcony. Hunger and thirst consumed her, and she used all her strength to slide up and look around the room. "Folken?" She questioned tiredly.
"Hello."
"Yah!" She yelped and fell back, scrambling in vane as the voice came close to her ear. She looked upon the speaker and found a short, round old woman. Persephone looked closer, her eyes squinted. "Do I... know you?"
The woman chuckled, circling the bed, preparing a meal of fruits and juice for the bedridden girl's breakfast. "Surely you remember me, child."
Persephone's eyes widened. "Zenla! Is that you?!"
"Don't over excite yourself."
"But the last time I saw you was-"
"Long ago. Yes, I know, child." She chuckled. "I was there, remember? I cared for you before you were taken away for training. Shortly after you were taken I left the Empire. I was tired of the cold ships. They gave me frightful allergies."
Persephone relaxed as the woman laid a platter of food before her, and she took a small bite of a strawberry before looking around once more. "How did you get here? What are you doing here?" She paused, her voice tainted a bit with concern as she asked the last question. "Where's Folken?"
The woman paused and looked up. "Ah, yes. Folken. We ran across each other in the square a few days ago. He didn't recognize me on sight, but I recognized him. I told you he was nothing but trouble when you brought him in. I imagine I was wrong." She paused, a carefully hidden look on her face. "Once I made myself known to him, he mentioned that he was at the market to buy some things, for you were sick. He then asked me if I would mind caring for you if he asked me to."
Persephone frowned at the woman. "So... Where is he?"
The lady sighed. "He came to me in the middle of the night. He told me where to find you, and that I needed only to feed and care for you. He also told me to give you this." She pulled out a large, leather bag from the folds of fabric around her and handed it to the girl.
She opened it cautiously, an air of forbidding surrounding her. She reached in and grabbed the first thing that met her fingers. It was warm and hard, smooth and cut. She pulled it out and found that it was an energist. She stared at it in confusion before she recognized it as what it was. "Leviathan." She muttered. She turned back to the bag and reached in once more. Her hands met with something small and hard. She withdrew it as well. It was a wring, silver, with rubies embedded in it. On one side a delicate symbol was etched. A Fanalian crest. She had never seen him wear it before. Perhaps he had hidden it in shame. She was not sure.
She placed the ring over her ring finger of her right hand and stared down at it. As she watched, it seemed to conform to the size of her finger and fit snuggly around it. She raised an eyebrow. Perhaps there was magic to the thing. She reached in once more to the bag and was met with the touch of something soft and light. She got a puzzled look on her face before she pulled it out. She breathed in deeply as she looked upon it. A feather, long in length. But it wasn't the feather itself that troubled her, but the color. A deep black, a signature of what was to come. She dropped it, her face unbelieving, her eyes filling with tears at what he had said wordlessly with that object. "No..."
The older woman looked down on her apologetically. "He left in the direction of Zaibach at dawn. It was obvious he loved you. Look, child, I'm sure he'll return." She said, trying to comfort her.
Persephone pulled away, pushing the platter of food off of her and onto the floor. She laid her head on the pillow. He left... Left for Zaibach... The feather... black... The Machine... Her sickness... His kisses, comforting, protective... protective... "No..."
Author's notes: If you don't understand what's happened, Folken left for Zaibach to kill off Dornkirk and be rid of the Fate Machine to keep Perseph from dying. He's decided that he is to die, as he did in the show (which I haven't seen, but read about). Anywho, only one more installment! Yippee!
GoldenEagle
Author's Notes: This is the second to last installment. I haven't seen the entire series (unfortunately) but I'm rounding this up in my own version. So please forgive me for major discrepancies and also for any bad writing on my part. Read and review!
Chapter Fifty-Two
Folken was on the balcony, leaning out over the railing, the moons shining down on him, a crisp breeze ruffling his hair. It had been two days since she had fallen. Two days and she wasn't awake yet. He sighed, looking down to the bustling streets below.
"Penny for your thoughts?" The coarse, small voice startled him and he turned quickly. Persephone stood, leaning against the doorway, blankets wrapped around her and cascading to the floor. The moons' lights hit the folds and creases, making them look a little more expensive than they really were.
"I'm glad you're awake." Folken said in his serious, deadpan voice. She sighed and walked towards him, shakily, and he welcomed her into his embrace from behind. They both turned their attention to the outside.
Persephone turned her head to look up at him and frowned slightly as she saw his gaze seem more than just wandering, but rather intense in one direction. A painful rage built in her. "You're thinking of Zaibach, right?" She asked, her voice cold, her eyes cast to the horizon, in the direction he was looking, in the direction of that empire.
His sigh was loud against her ear, but he didn't answer her question. Instead he asked one of his own. "How are you feeling? You were out for a couple of days. It seems you might have a fever."
"I'm sure I do." She stated plainly, slightly peeved that he wouldn't answer her question, but letting it drop, anyway. "I kind of feel like I have the flu."
"Flu?" He asked, slightly confused.
"An... Earth virus. Bacteria, actually." She stated.
He nodded. "Sometimes I forget you're from there."
"I'm not, really. Not anymore, at least. Gaea's in my blood." This comment pushed them both into silence because of the remembrance of her "sickness".
"You should go clean up. I'm sure you'll feel better after it's done." Persephone nodded before turning in his arms. She kissed him lightly before pushing deeper, their tongues and lips meeting gently, comforting. She pulled away after a short moment, looking down.
"You won't leave me." It was more of a statement than a question and he merely nodded. She pulled from him, still not meeting his eyes, before walking to the bathroom. Folken turned once more, his gaze on the horizon, his thoughts consumed by Zaibach.
***************
The hot water of the shower cascaded down Persephone's body, and she took a few breaths in, to calm herself, letting the water sooth her nerves. She felt sick and weak and more than a little scared. It was a troubling thought that Dornkirk could strike her down, without thought or reason, from a multitude of miles between them. She sighed, looking down at her lean form as the water washed over it. She was surprised to find that she had actually lost weight since she had been out. A great deal of weight, too. She stuck her hand out from behind the curtains of the shower and glared at herself in the mirror. Great black circles ringed her eyes and her skin was a sickly color. She bit her lip as she returned to the running water. She was scared. Scared because something was destroying her, an outside force, and she couldn't escape. Again she calmed herself. Everything would be fine. She'd get over this, and Zaibach would be overthrown, if all went well. All she had to do was wait this out-
She doubled over, the water suddenly seeming too hot, a pain issuing throughout her entire body. One hand was wrapped around her abdomen while the other was spread against the cool stonewall of the shower. Her eyes were wide as another wave of pain hit her. Not again. Surely not this soon. Yet, despite her rationalizing, her body heaved, and blood flowed from her lips. She closed her eyes, feeling the stinging rising in them as the blood flowed there. No... No... She was too weak. Not this soon. Her legs gave out beneath her and she hit the ground painfully before laying on her side. The world dimmed around her, the last things she remembered was that of the water cascading down her skin and the coppery taste of blood in her mouth.
****************
Folken stood on the balcony still, his gaze focused outward, along with his attention. Something was nagging at him, in the back of his mind. Something he didn't pay any attention to. And still it pulled. He gave out an angry growl before turning away from the outside world, back towards the hotel room. As soon as his attention was detached from Zaibach, the instinctive feeling grew stronger, and his heart began to pound. Something was wrong. He walked inside, glancing around for an intruder that could have triggered this feeling of something askew, but found nothing. A pain, in his heart, something pulling, pounding. He rushed forward, towards the bathroom door, opening it without thought. Steam filled the room and he glanced around, noticing the closed shower curtains. "Persephone?" He asked plainly before pushing the material back.
She was there, laying on her side, her eyes closed. Water pounded across her pale face and he lifted her up. He figured she passed out, from the fever, perhaps. Water dripped to the floor from her bare form as he walked her back to the bed, laying her down before reaching for the covers that she had left at the side. As he turned, covering her, his breath caught. Something was wrong. Her breathing was weak, wheezing, shaking. His eyebrows furrowed. Surely... Surely, not so soon... But his fears were brought to light as he lifted her eyelid and was once more met with the crimson shifting.
Fear embedded itself in his heart. She was too weak... She couldn't handle this. She'd give out. A snarl of rage escaped him and he turned quickly, his metal hand smashing into the wall, leaving a heavy dent.
***************
A week. It had been a damn week since she had been struck again. Folken had been at her side, unable to give her any food, and only a little water. She was dying. Dying before his eyes. A decision had reached him, one that was very important. It was on the night of this seventh day that he was awoken by the stirring next to him. He turned in the bed, his eyes intent on the form that slept next to him. Her eyes remained closed, and he was turning to his side once more, hopelessness washing over him, when he saw her face twitch momentarily before her eyes opened a crack. "Persephone?"
Her eyes floated to him and he moved to the side quickly, bringing the light up in the room. He turned to her again and she moved her lips weakly, trying to form words. Finally, she said them. "Water..." It was the only word she could get out. Folken acted immediately, jumping from the bed, grabbing a pitcher of water he always kept to the side. He poured it to a cup and brought it to her lips. She drank slowly, weakly, before motioning to him that she needed more. She drank a couple of glasses before closing her eyes, an indication that it was enough.
"Are you hungry?" He questioned, kneeling by the bedside.
It was a few moments before a reply was given. "Yes, but I think I need to rest before I give that a try." Her words were barely heard.
"I love you, Persephone. I want you to know that. I want you to keep that with you. Always." He said quietly yet urgently. She opened her eyes a crack and smiled a troubled smile.
"I love you too, Folken, but it's not like I'm going to die on you or anything." She muttered before falling back asleep.
Folken looked down. "It wasn't you that I was thinking would die."
***************
Persephone woke, feeling extremely weak, a cool breeze floating in through the open doors that led to the balcony. Hunger and thirst consumed her, and she used all her strength to slide up and look around the room. "Folken?" She questioned tiredly.
"Hello."
"Yah!" She yelped and fell back, scrambling in vane as the voice came close to her ear. She looked upon the speaker and found a short, round old woman. Persephone looked closer, her eyes squinted. "Do I... know you?"
The woman chuckled, circling the bed, preparing a meal of fruits and juice for the bedridden girl's breakfast. "Surely you remember me, child."
Persephone's eyes widened. "Zenla! Is that you?!"
"Don't over excite yourself."
"But the last time I saw you was-"
"Long ago. Yes, I know, child." She chuckled. "I was there, remember? I cared for you before you were taken away for training. Shortly after you were taken I left the Empire. I was tired of the cold ships. They gave me frightful allergies."
Persephone relaxed as the woman laid a platter of food before her, and she took a small bite of a strawberry before looking around once more. "How did you get here? What are you doing here?" She paused, her voice tainted a bit with concern as she asked the last question. "Where's Folken?"
The woman paused and looked up. "Ah, yes. Folken. We ran across each other in the square a few days ago. He didn't recognize me on sight, but I recognized him. I told you he was nothing but trouble when you brought him in. I imagine I was wrong." She paused, a carefully hidden look on her face. "Once I made myself known to him, he mentioned that he was at the market to buy some things, for you were sick. He then asked me if I would mind caring for you if he asked me to."
Persephone frowned at the woman. "So... Where is he?"
The lady sighed. "He came to me in the middle of the night. He told me where to find you, and that I needed only to feed and care for you. He also told me to give you this." She pulled out a large, leather bag from the folds of fabric around her and handed it to the girl.
She opened it cautiously, an air of forbidding surrounding her. She reached in and grabbed the first thing that met her fingers. It was warm and hard, smooth and cut. She pulled it out and found that it was an energist. She stared at it in confusion before she recognized it as what it was. "Leviathan." She muttered. She turned back to the bag and reached in once more. Her hands met with something small and hard. She withdrew it as well. It was a wring, silver, with rubies embedded in it. On one side a delicate symbol was etched. A Fanalian crest. She had never seen him wear it before. Perhaps he had hidden it in shame. She was not sure.
She placed the ring over her ring finger of her right hand and stared down at it. As she watched, it seemed to conform to the size of her finger and fit snuggly around it. She raised an eyebrow. Perhaps there was magic to the thing. She reached in once more to the bag and was met with the touch of something soft and light. She got a puzzled look on her face before she pulled it out. She breathed in deeply as she looked upon it. A feather, long in length. But it wasn't the feather itself that troubled her, but the color. A deep black, a signature of what was to come. She dropped it, her face unbelieving, her eyes filling with tears at what he had said wordlessly with that object. "No..."
The older woman looked down on her apologetically. "He left in the direction of Zaibach at dawn. It was obvious he loved you. Look, child, I'm sure he'll return." She said, trying to comfort her.
Persephone pulled away, pushing the platter of food off of her and onto the floor. She laid her head on the pillow. He left... Left for Zaibach... The feather... black... The Machine... Her sickness... His kisses, comforting, protective... protective... "No..."
Author's notes: If you don't understand what's happened, Folken left for Zaibach to kill off Dornkirk and be rid of the Fate Machine to keep Perseph from dying. He's decided that he is to die, as he did in the show (which I haven't seen, but read about). Anywho, only one more installment! Yippee!