A/N Discordia is back for yet another chapter. I still don't own the rights to the game, characters, etc. Anyway, here's the long awaited third chapter. * Sarafan Raziel glances at Discordia doubtfully. *
"Long awaited? It's been two days since you published this. That's not very long."
*Discordia glares at Raziel. * Silence, you. I don't need you telling me what to do. Now get back to Nosgoth before I do something really evil.
"What could you possibly do to me?"
That's it! You asked for it! *Discordia hurls Raziel back into the story. * I'll deal with you in a minute.
Anyhow, please read and review. Thanks again to everyone who reviewed my first two chapters. I probably won't update for a while after this, since I already had these three chapters written.
In response to Sagan Fox, yes the Irony stick is being polished as we speak. To Silveriss, thank you. * Discordia bows. * To Light in Dark Places, you don't have to hurt me. I'll write more for the simple joy of it. * Kain snickers. *
Hey, just because you're not in this fiction yet, doesn't mean you won't be! I can think of plenty of ways to deal with you. * Discordia's eyes light up, and she grins evilly. * In fact, I just did.
Right, with that taken care of, here's chapter three.
Raziel continued with his life as always, his mind now occupied by the proximity of the war's end. He passed several weeks buried in these thoughts. Only when the winter was half gone did he realize that he hadn't seen Melina since his announcement to her that Janos would die within a year. As he thought on it, he realized that she seemed intent on avoiding him. This thought hurt him deeply but also angered him.
He finally cornered her as she was sitting down to eat in the hall, addressing her position as the leader of the sorceresses. He approached quietly, not giving her the opportunity to see him.
"Sorceress Melina," Raziel called, watching her flinch at the sound of his voice. "I need to have a word with you in private regarding one of the new recruits. That is, if it's no inconvenience to you."
Melina turned and gave Raziel an impassive look before responding. "Of course, Lord Raziel. If you would be so patient as to allow me to finish my meal, I'll speak with you."
Raziel turned on his heel and called over his shoulder, "Be quick about it!" He strode away, angrier and more suspicious than before.
"The nerve of that woman!" he seethed as he slammed the door to his chamber.
An hour passed before Melina knocked and let herself into the room. She stood there, impassive and quiet.
"You wanted to speak to me?"
Her quiet composure infuriated Raziel. "Indeed I did. I hadn't seen you for some time. I was wondering if perhaps you'd lost interest."
"If you're going to treat me like a brothel girl, the least you could do is pay like one." Melina scoffed at him.
"Where have you been?" Raziel could feel his temper rising, threatening to break. He couldn't help but wonder if he'd be able to control it if she did confess to some infidelity or other.
Melina gave Raziel a somewhat disgusted look before answering.
"I've had more important things on my mind."
"On your mind?!" Raziel stood up, blind with jealous suspicion and rage. In a quick effortless movement, he backhanded Melina. "Answer me straight, girl! Have you been bedding with someone else?"
He raised his hand once more, but Melina's look of hatred stopped him. Tears had begun to form in her eyes, and blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.
"Are you quite through?" she asked him, throwing open her cloak.
Raziel stared in shock at her swollen abdomen. It hadn't shown in the rest of her body, but he could now see that she was pregnant. A wave of relief and self-loathing coursed through him.
"If you're quite finished with this inquisition, and you've no more accusations to make, " Melina said, turning to leave.
Raziel's legs buckled, dropping him to his knees in a supplicating posture.
"Melina," he called hoarsely, "don't go. Please, forgive me."
Melina glanced back at him with a brief expression of unmitigated hatred, but stopped, one hand on the door. Raziel felt prepared to crawl before her if necessary and quickly found his voice lest she demand it of him.
"Forgive me my deeds, my words, and my ignorance. I never should have doubted you."
"No, you shouldn't," she replied quietly, pain written on her face and in her eyes.
"I swear to you, by the Pillars themselves, that I will never raise a hand against you again, nor will I in any other way harm you. All I ask is that you forgive me."
Melina stared coldly at him for a moment, and he feared that she would leave cursing him to some terrible fate or torment. Instead, she approached him silently and placed her hands on his cheeks. With considerable strength, she began pulling him to his feet, all the time staring directly into his eyes. Raziel found himself unable to withstand the raw pain and anger in her glance and shut his eyes. He was shocked to feel her lips brushing against his in what he felt certain must be a farewell kiss.
"I forgive you."
She said it in a voice that was barely a whisper. Opening his eyes, Raziel found her looking at him with the most heartrendingly loving expression. There was something tragic in her in her look, but Raziel ignored it. With a gesture meant to show his gratitude, Raziel kissed her gently and enfolded her in his arms.
Raziel's body was numb and exhausted with shock and emotion, but his mind raced in a cascading tirade.
You goddamned stupid fool! How could you do such a thing?! Not only do you get her with child, you accuse her of being a whore and treat her like a common brothel girl! Her father has every right to kill you! Knowing that old bastard though, he'd just take the bride price, 'graciously' decline a forced marriage, and beat her to death!
His mind continued with these and similar thoughts until Raziel felt as though he would die of grief or shame.
The two finally collapsed on the bed, Raziel's hand lying protectively over his child. Melina's sobbing drew his attention, and he suddenly feared that she might miscarry.
"What are you going to do?" he asked her gently.
"When the weather changes," she began in a choked whisper, "I'm going to Uschtenheim to stay with my sister Leda. I'll claim some family emergency or other and give birth there."
"Nonsense, you should go to my mother and . . . "
"And what?" she interjected. "Tell her that I let you tumble me a few times, got pregnant, and expect her to care for me and my bastard child?"
Raziel's mind went in several directions at once, one part working to find a logical resolution to the problem and another reminding him that it had been far more than 'a few times.'
"If I stay with Leda, there's no big scandal over my pregnancy and no explanations to your lady mother that I'm the common born girl whose skirts her son has been lifting. My way is easier for both of us. Leda can take care of my child until such a time as I'm able to do so, and we can visit whenever we like."
Raziel sighed, but he knew that she was right.
"Fine, if that's the way you want to do it, then go right ahead."
"Thank you."
They were falling asleep, but Raziel didn't care. With or without the legal documents to prove it, this was his wife, the mother of his child. He pulled Melina closer, letting one hand remain over their child, while the other rested absently on her already swelling breasts.
"I love you," he whispered tenderly.
"And I love you, with every fiber of my being."
Raziel fell asleep, exhausted by the entire scene and glad to have Melina in his arms. He never knew when she awoke and slipped away, and he wasn't surprised to her gone when he awoke.
A/N If you're still reading this, thank you. I just want to clarify that I in no way whatsoever support abuse in relationships. I think that people who do that are terrible human beings. Despite this, I've made Raziel abusive. Why? I'm focusing on the darker, more violent side of his character here, the side that enjoys killing and torturing vampires. As you can see, the more rational and emotion driven side of his character took over soon after.