Yay!! I got another chapter done! Sage, you will definitely like this one—lots of Neicole and Balthazar stuff in the second part. Oh, and if anyone is wondering why on Earth I named this chapter 'Lacrymosa', it's because Lacrymosa is an orchestra piece that completely inspired this chapter (with help from Arwyn, of course). I can't remember which famous composer composed Lacrymosa though, so if ANY of you know please either e-mail me at gabgirl209@aol.com or let me know by reviewing! Anyhoo, onward….
Ditto.
~*Chapter Fifteen: Lacrymosa*~
"I am Folken in this form, yes," the man answered, now squatting in front of Hitomi.
Hitomi was utterly obfuscated and befuddled. A man, first appearing with strangely familiar ebony hair and emerald eyes, had come to her out of the brightness of a shining white light. Then, he had shifted his appearance to that of Folken Lacour de Fanel, the deceased brother of Hitom's one true love. What on Earth is going on? Finally realizing that the man spoke, she replied, "What do you mean you're Folken in 'this form'? Who are you?! What do you want?!" She backed away against the glass again, not trusting her instincts which were telling her to trust this ghostly apparition.
The man made no attempt to dissuade her from her actions. "A lifetime ago for me, you knew me as Folken. You knew me as the Strategos to Emperor Dornkirk of Zaibach, the object of affection of Nariya and Eriya the cat-women, and most importantly the man who sacrificed himself to create a world without war." He paused, closing his eyes and again assumed his original appearance. "I have the soul of the man you called Folken. We are the same, but I am addressed by a different name now."
Hitomi cocked her head to the side, trying to understand what this young man was talking about. "I'm…afraid I don't understand."
The man smiled that familiar smile. "I would be surprised if you did. You gave birth not very long ago, you've been captured by a very confused man, and you're imprisoned in a glass container that is rapidly filling with water. No wonder you don't understand me; your mind and heart are concentrated on other issues."
Hitomi nodded, her head falling downcast as she was reminded of her grim situation. She looked up again, refusing to cry. "Why are you here?"
"I'm here to help you," the man answered, his striking emerald eyes shining with an emotion that Hitomi could not identify.
Hitomi was still confused. "But why? Why would you help me if you've obviously been reincarnated? You're not Van's brother, technically, anymore so…."
The man muttered something under his breath, and Hitomi chose not to ask what he said. "I'm here to help you because in a few moments Neicodemus will look into his mirror-globe and go into a fit of rage at what he sees."
"What will he see?" Hitomi asked, interrupting. This strange man had her curiosity peaked.
"What he sees is unimportant right now," the man replied. "But this rage will consume him to the very…"
"WEEENNNCCCHHH!!!!!!" yelled Neicodemus as he entered the room.
"…core," finished the man as his eyes narrowed. He clasped Hitomi's hands in his, looking directly into her eyes as he continued speaking. "I have come too late, and I cannot stay. But rest assured, I will be back." He leaned forward, gently kissing Hitomi on the forehead. And then he vanished.
Hitomi stood, and reached out her hand as if she could pull the man back to her, but was drawn from her reverie as Neicodemus again shouted at her. He stormed to the glass container, completely enraged. "You!! How DARE you!!"
Hitomi stood, looking at him strangely. "What did I do?!"
"He refused her!!" Neicodemus exclaimed. "She poured her soul out to him…and he REFUSED her!! And now…now she's crying in the arms of a manservant. A MANSERVANT!! And it's all your fault, you wench!!"
Hitomi cowered into a curve of her glass prison. She was about to say something else, when she saw Neicodemus twist a knob on the bottom of the glass. She gasped as she noticed that the more he turned the knob, the faster the flow of water into her prison became.
Neicodemus laughed maniacally. "You still have six feet and seven inches to go, but not for long!" He paused to crack his knuckles. "At this rate, you will have drowned by either tomorrow night or the next day's afternoon. Basically, you either have 24 hours left to live or 36 hours left to live." Again he paused, sighing slightly. "It's a pity you have to stay alive for so much longer. I would kill you myself—believe me, I would—but I'm not a big fan of blood."
As Neicodemus started to walk off, Hitomi cried out, "Why?!"
Halting in his footsteps, Neicodemus turned around. "I have already explained my intentions to you. You will die, King Van will be sad, and my little Neicole will be there to comfort him. He'll be in love with Neicole before he knows it, and not long after she will become Queen of Fanelia." Neicodemus grinned. "Did you know that their future child is destined to rule all of Gaea? It is Fanelia's fate to rise to dominancy. Even higher than Austuria!" He chuckled, while Hitomi gasped. "King Van has been so good in rebuilding his little kingdom. Nearly everything has been restored, except for a few remaining parts of the castle. The only thing left to be restored is economy, and that will be completely accomplished by the year King Van dies. Neicole will die shortly after, as is natural, and their child will inherit Fanelia in all its glory. And pretty soon, that child will be Ruler of all Gaea."
"Even if I do die," Hitomi snapped, "and Van does marry your daughter and has a child with her, that child will be Van's second. His first child, my child as well, is the true heir."
Neicodemus smirked. "What makes you so sure that your son will live?" He chuckled, watching her thrash around in fury. "I might let the boy live for a little while; you know, let King Van get attached to him. But then he dies!!"
"NO!!" Hitomi screamed. "I won't let you kill Sachairi, even if I am already dead! I swear on my own soul that I will not let you kill him!"
Neicodemus chuckled, walking off. "Believe what you want." He glanced back at Hitomi. "Happy drowning, wench." And with that, he exited the room.
Hitomi sniffled, a tear making its silver trail down her cheek. She looked to the markings on the glass. Two feet, she noted sadly.
Only
five more feet until I die…
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
THE NEXT AFTERNOON
"Oy, yer Majesty! We'z be commin' to da kin'dom of Austuria now!" informed one of the levi-ship's crewmen. "Won't be too much more longer till we'z be getin' to Palas!"
Van nodded, inwardly noting to make improvements in the education system of Fanelia. Putting those thoughts aside, he realized that the levi-ship had actually made good time. Palas was far enough away from Fanelia that Van estimated it might be early evening by the time they got there. But, because the weather was good and the wind was blowing in their favor, he suspected that they would reach Palas in an hour or so. Not bad timing at all, Van commented to himself.
In another area of the levi-ship, Balthazar removed a crate that threatened to fall on Neicole. He sighed, and asked, "How again did you convince me to sneak us on here, my dear Neicole?"
Neicole giggled quietly. "I didn't have to convince you at all, silly! I simply said that I wanted to know where King Van was going, why he was taking his friends, and why his friends left their baby behind with Lady Merle and that other cat-boy that was with her at the docking bay."
Balthazar grinned, despite the fact that he felt uncouth about stow-awaying on the trade levi-ship. "Ah yes, that's right."
Suddenly Neicole paled. "You don't think King Van loves Queen Millerna, do you?!"
Balthazar shook his head. "No, my dear Neicole. We both know that King Van is a man of honor and morality, and he would never stoop so low as to love an already-married woman."
"B-but," Neicole sputtered, "what about Princess Eries? Could she be the one he loves?!"
Balthazar put his hands on Neicole's shoulders in an attempt to calm her down. "Neicole!" he addressed her, his voice whispered with force. "It doesn't matter who King Van loves." He paused, gulping a bit. "Don't…don't make the mistake of loving someone who you know will never return your feelings."
Neicole looked into Balthazar's eyes, somewhat startled. That was…the first time he simply said my name… No 'my dear' attached, just 'Neicole'… Finally realizing what he had said, she replied with genuine curiosity, "How do you know so much about love?"
Balthazar grimaced. I should have known that she would ask that, he berated himself. "I know these things because…" he trailed off.
"Because…?" Neicole prompted him to continue.
"Because…I…am in love," he disclosed reluctantly.
Neicole squealed, hugging Balthazar around the neck. "Oh, Balthazar! That's so great! What is she like?"
Balthazar winced, but then decided that this was a moment that would surely not come again. "She is very beautiful," he began. "But she is much younger than me, and above my station. A love that cannot be pursued, I fear." He paused, sliding a bit away from Neicole and letting his gaze focus on a crate of grapes in the far corner. "But it doesn't matter because she does not return my feelings. I had…hoped she would, but she loves another." He chuckled—an action that was not common of him. "It's ironic in a way; the very man that she loves loves someone else as well. In the end, I know she will be hurt, but all I can do is be her friend through it all."
Neicole nodded, listening intently to her companion. She looked to Balthazar cheerily, pulling his chin to face her. "Don't worry, Balthazar! I'm sure this girl will learn to love you." She smiled, the action somehow adding a happy light to her green eyes.
Balthazar returned the smile, although he knew she was just speaking to comfort him. He knew that she didn't know who the true object of his affections was, but nevertheless her happiness and radiance made him smile. "I hope so," he replied, allowing himself to look into her eyes. "I really hope so."