A Lesson
Elizabeth Knight
Chapter 19
The footsteps stopped next to her, but before he could reach for her, Bra jumped up from the mattress. Grabbing his shirt front, Bra pulled him to her and looked up into the black mask. Dark Brown eyes that were almost black, glittered down at her. The leather clad hands stayed at his side and he didn't try to escape her hold.
"Who are you?" she ask him.
"I'm a phantom. A figment of your imagination."
"Why is it everyone now days is either a dream or a figment of my imagination?" Bra spat in irritation. She glanced back up at the confusion clouded eyes above her.
"Would you prefer I were something more frightening?"
"Never mind. What business have you with me?"
"I was sent to be your executioner. If they sent me, they must have believed you were going to be hard to get to. However, I found it only to easy to take off with you." he smirked. Bra growled up at him, bearing her fangs. "Carful, my lady. I have a set of my own."
"I won't be so easy to kill." Bra informed him. He didn't appear to be perplexed by her threat or overly concerned by his situation. "How is it your so calm, when I so obviously have the upper hand?"
"Do you really? I think not." Bra gaped as he disappeared from her hold right in front of her eyes. He completely dematerialized and disappeared.
Bra searched the darkness for him. "Very cleaver magician."
Steel bands encircled her body as the phantom materialized out of the shadows behind her to whisper in her ear. "I'm far more dangerous than a magician to you, Bra. Now who has the upper hand?"
"You've revealed a weakness, magician. I still have the upper hand."
"What weakness would that be?" he ask, sounding curious.
"I'm still alive. If you were sent to kill me and didn't then you must want something from me. I still have an advantage."
"Hmmm. But for how long, my lady? How long?"
Kyle sat amid an array of Bra's art work sorting through her room looking for clues. There were several paintings that had been smashed beyond recovery, ripped and torn. At first he thought perhaps there had been a struggle, but as he picked up the pieces of the pictures that had been destroyed he began to notice a common link. All the pictures had him in them, and more often then not Bra too. All of these had been singled out for destruction. Probably in her rage. He should have stayed, but he had no idea she had such a temper.
He was sure White Fang had something to do with her disappearance, but there was no way of getting a hold of the werewolf. He covered his tracks well. The people didn't care about a saiyan and wouldn't stand against the decision of a council member to destroy one of the enemy.
Kyle sat back and gave a frustrated sigh. There was nothing here. He couldn't find anything. Apparently, neither could Vegeta. He had given up and gone downstairs hours ago. He'd said he'd be back later when he'd cleared his head. Kyle got up and looked around the room one last time. His eyes locked on a jar with a familiar dried flower in it. Now where had he seen one like that before? He picked up the jar and made his way out of the room.
He met Vegeta on the stairs. "Found something?"
"I don't know yet. Do you know what this is?" Kyle ask the man.
"It's a flower. It looks like a rose, but not quite." Vegeta answered the cat-man.
"I think I know someone who might be able to identify it. I need some help, but I'll have to bring her back here to help me. Do you mind?"
"Under normal circumstances I think I might, but I wouldn't now when my daughter's life depends on the expertise of a native. Who better to catch one of you then one of your own kind?" Vegeta stepped out of his way.
"I'll be back." Kyle snapped and disappeared out the front door.
Bra rested her head against the edge of the marble lined pool and closed her eyes. It had been a trying day to say the least. She'd finally awakened in a new set of rooms father in the interior of the rock in which she found was a maze of some sorts. No matter where she went or what path she took she always ended up in the same set of rooms. There had to be a way out, but at the moment, Bra had given up hopes in finding it.
There was a series of five rooms. There was the bedroom, which was by far the largest of the rooms. Like the four poster bed of Kyle's, she found this room was decorated with one in the center. The posts were tall and decorated in a spiral shape going upward with sheer crimson drapes tied at the tops with thin golden cords. There were several animal skin rugs on the floor to keep the chill from seeping up and through one's bones. They were immaculately clean and extremely soft.
The next room to the left was an odd half moon shaped acoustical room of sorts. It's design made it wonderfully effective for carrying sound. It was about half the size of the bedroom and very empty. It's tall ceilings seemed to disappear into a dark nothingness above. As she walked around the sound of her footsteps echoed off the dimly lit stone walls giving an eerie feeling to the whole room. The only stick of furniture in the whole room was a settee. She pushed back a curtain of some strange material and encountered only hard cold stone.
Trying another door hanging she found the room opened into a great pool room. Steam floated on top of the crystal clear water lending the feeling of warmth to the otherwise cool room. A small stream flowed through the room and into the pool, providing a constant flow of fresh water. It seemed to flow through the pool and empty into a second stream that seemed to run out a whole in the bottom of the wall. There were several green plants placed around the room and what appeared to be a rose bush full of blooming crimson roses....but not quite roses. The petals were too spiked and there were too many thorns covering the whole of the bush. She narrowed her eyes taking a closer look at the familiar flowers.
Shaking her head she continued on through to another room from one of the many other doorways. This room was some sort of library. There was a large desk of strange design and several lounging chairs. All though all the furniture in the room was of exquisite craftsmanship and expensive material, the room was completely masculine. This room was finished in all dark tapestries and furs. The lighting was not unlike that in the acoustical room, very dark and full of hidden mysteries. This room of them all drew her like non-other....except perhaps the bedroom. Shaking off the temptation to wonder through his belongings, Bra crept into the next room. It wasn't a room at all, although it was as large as one. This had to be the largest walk in closet she'd ever seen. Giving the unusual cloaks and clothing a curious glance, she turned to wonder through the other hall ways as well.
Again and again she went from one room to another all from different doors and hall ways, but there was no way out. She pushed on walls and furniture alike but nothing gave way. After she had exhausted herself, she gave into the urge for a soothing bath.
She didn't hear any footsteps behind her, but she heard his voice in her ear. "Do the rooms please you, my lady?"
"They're as comfortable as can be expected." she replied coldly not stirring the least bit under the water. She was past caring how this beast saw her.
"And the bath? This pleases you also?" his angelic voice ask.
"It's relaxing."
"You still seem very tense. Relax, I'm not going to hurt you." His voice was a whisper that arose a haunting image of Kyle's face. There'd been a time when Kyle had said almost the same thing to her the night he'd first kissed her. Tears burned her eyes and slipped passed her lashes to trickle down her cheeks. She took a breath, but it caught in her throat and came out on a sob of despair. Leaning forward, she buried her face in her arms, shoulders shaking.
"You're home sick?" he ask quietly.
"A little." she whispered, wiping at her eyes.
His leather clad hand now came under her chin and forced her face upward. "What is the cause for these tears my lady? Are they for yourself? I will replace all your personal belongings. Anything your heart desires, I will provide."
"I'm not so selfish as to weep for wealth." she spat at him.
"Of corse not. Any ordinary woman, but not you. Is it Kyle perhaps?" he ask laughing.
"You laugh at my anguish and grief." she charged.
"Only because I know if I chose to I could replace him." he said honestly.
"You don't put much faith in my loyalty, do you?" she ask, looking him in the eyes. "Nor in my love." At her words, he released her and backed away. "Surely you must have loved someone at sometime yourself."
"I love all my people, Bra. It's a pity they don't always return such affections."
"Why not? There must have been someone." she urged looking at the same covered face she had seen for several days now.
"Someone? There was no one, Bra. There never has been. I was orphaned early in my life, and kept with all the other orphans. I'm am more than anyone gave me credit for, except my teacher. Maigus is one of the wisest mystics. Now, I have surpassed him. There is no equal for me anywhere."
"Must be lonely. Is that what your looking for? An equal?"
"There is no equal to you either, Bra. No woman half as strong or cunning. No woman half as brave to court my wrath, a like I assure you that you've never seen."
"Have you changed your mind then?" she ask cunningly.
"About what?"
"About killing me."
"Perhaps."
"Why?"
"Perhaps I've decided to take pity on you. This really isn't your fault after all."
Bra sat up a little higher glaring at him. "Pity? That's something you'd know well isn't it? It's sad you pity yourself so much."
"Pity...." he sneered crossing the gap between them. He grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. "I can't afford pity, my lady. It's a luxury only for the weak, and I am not that vessel."
"You pity nothing, you love nothing, what else don't you feel."
"You base a great deal on love. Love, lady, will not save you from me, nor will Kyle should he come for you."
Bra refused to back down from him. Instead she gave him a trembling smile. "That's where you're wrong. For love is stronger than anything you possess. It makes poor men rich and cowards brave."
"It's been my experience that love turns wise men to fools and strong men careless."
"It will be my hope and savior." Bra continued determinedly. "For when this battle is over if you have won, it will not have won you anything you didn't take. Perhaps if you lose you will have gained something great that can only be given. If you're still alive."
"What great something might that be?"
"I don't know. Valuable knowledge of real love perhaps."
"I can think of a better way you can teach me, my lady." he said ripping off the mask.