The sun shone timidly outside of the bride and groom's secret
chambers. There were no actual windows within the room, but it grew lighter
inside as the sun rose higher. Ansem stirred from his slumber and was
pleased to once again acknowledge where he was. The precious body beneath
him lay sleeping with a gorgeous smile on her face, her arms folded over
her head. The only separation between them was the loose silk nightgown
Rassia had been wearing much earlier. Ansem stroked Rassia's wild and
beautiful hair, kissing its delicate strands.
How lovely she is, Ansem thought as he watched her take in long happy breaths. Everything I do all seems so far from important once I'm with her, but I do it all for her. Ansem glided his fingers across her bare sorrel shoulders and up her arm. The Queen stirred, but did not open her eyes. Ansem smiled and kissed the inside of her arm, then her fingers.
"If I could be with you every night, I would, my Darling," Ansem whispered almost into Rassia's mouth. "I do this all for you. Forgive me if I have neglected to show you adequate love."
"You are...forgiven...," Rassia sighed, half in sleep, then dozed back off again. Ansem chuckled and kissed her lips. However, as soon as the sweet taste once again excited his senses, a sharp pain seemed to strike him in his chest. Ansem recoiled quickly, but the pain lingered making his breathing hard. He had to stand up on his feet and try to take in long shallow breaths before the pain began to diminish.
What? Ansem thought shaking his head, tiny beads of sweat glittering on his forehead. The room about him began to dwindle as Ansem was transported from the chamber to the Dark Lab where his instruments and portals were. He was now dressed fully in his dark coat, pants, and gloves, staring fascinated into a large portal window, his hand still clutching his heart.
You have drifted from the Darkness, a voice, Ansem's voice, spoke into his own head. You cannot lose it, not this close to succeeding. Mere emotions cannot interfere with the leading priority, not now. A thought of Rassia flashed in Ansem's mind and he knew what he had to do, but did not want to lose the precious memory of what they had just shared. Another sharp stab inside his chest made him sorrowful as he shook his head.
"If I must do it...I do it for her," he groaned. The Darkness and all its splendor were so close to his grasp, he could feel it. He had been allowed his chance to take Rassia into his arms again and love her just long enough for his motivation to be replenished and the love and affection that he would always have for her to be renewed in her mind. Now, Ansem was in the long stretch to complete his project and succeed in achieving the life he strove for for him and his wife.
Slowly Rassia opened her eyes and gazed around the empty room. What wonderful memories returned to her as she took in the familiar surroundings. She stretched and yawned happily, noticing Ansem's absence, but thinking nothing bad about it. He had at last proven himself true to her, devoted to her and her alone. True, his projects had become his main focus and priorities, but her love was what powered him to do so.
"Just one night," she whispered to herself, "and all the many nights alone have been forgiven and forgotten forever." She spoke the word 'alone' with the thought of Sephiroth and realized that, even with him, she had been alone in love.
Rassia dressed back in her violet gown and transported herself to the large lift in front of Hallow Bastion. The sun was just peeking over a layer of pink clouds as she stood near the rail of the round lift and took in the morning air. Her hair and gown fluttered behind her as the cool breeze caught her. She knew it was risky to be out in the open so early with Sora and his friends drawing ever closer to the castle, but she was quick and had no fear, nor worries at the moment.
Strong hands swept down Rassia's arms as she stood transfixed on the morning sunrise. A body pressed against hers and lips caressed her ear. Rassia smiled and let out a girlish giggle.
"You have come back, Ansem?" she asked softly. Turning around fully she found herself face to face with Sephiroth. An expression of absolute shock exploded onto her face. Sephiroth noticed with a grin.
"Has he come back?" he asked smoothly. Rassia stepped away from Sephiroth and took in a few heavy breaths as she tried to regain her speech. "Has the negligent husband returned to his mate, at last?"
"He came back," Rassia shot at him, "and he proved he truly loved me."
"One night of rehearsed passion and you are ready to return to him again? Let us not be hasty, my Dear." Sephiroth said walking towards her.
"I do not need...want you, Sephiroth. I know Ansem loves me now and this affair is through."
"So, you just take and toss love when you need it, Rassia, is that it? You used me for your own pleasure just until your Ansem could once again see you in the light that he used to? Why should I just let you go?"
"I made a terrible mistake and you know it. I'm...I'm sorry if I caused you any...any...."
"Pain? Hurt? Ha! You forget who you are talking to, my Dear. This was not for me, but for you," he said gliding his hand over the Heartless necklace and down over the silk fabric of her gown. Rassia slapped him away and stepped back.
"This was for you to get revenge on Ansem, wasn't it?" she huffed. Sephiroth smirked.
"Only if you want to look at it that way." Rassia frowned and vanished from the covered lift leaving Sephiroth alone with a smile curled across his lips. "Oh, my Dear, it is not over yet," he said to himself and disappeared as well.
The Heartless Queen changed into her regular attire, her ivory shirt and skirt, and reappeared just outside the entrance of Ansem's Lab. She peeked in slowly and found Ansem clutching his chest and staring into a dark window. His breathing was shallow and he was hunched a bit in pain. It took all she had to keep from running in to embrace him and heal whatever he was feeling.
She listened intensely as she watched the swirls of black and neon in the portal window. An image of Sora in the Coliseum ring was produced and Rassia was both astounded and delighted at what she saw. The young boy was in the arena with none other than Sephiroth! Rassia watched the short fight in awe as she saw Sora easily beaten by the powerful Sephiroth.
"That means nothing," Ansem groaned as he held onto the side of the window. "Sephiroth has unnatural power that the boy is nowhere near defeating. I shall be ready when Sora arrives." Rassia watched Ansem's face glower at the triumphant Sephiroth as he talked to himself. She was a bit confused at why Sora still survived even after taking the harsh blows from Sephiroth, but then she recalled the tournaments on one of the distant worlds. Yes, that is how I should do it, Rassia thought and looked once again to her hunched Ansem.
Dear love, for you I will endure the long stretch. Thank you so much for what you've done for me. My remaining attitude will be for you all completely. Rassia watched now as Sora danced around the Coliseum arena, easily destroying Heartless and thought again, Even if you might fail....
How lovely she is, Ansem thought as he watched her take in long happy breaths. Everything I do all seems so far from important once I'm with her, but I do it all for her. Ansem glided his fingers across her bare sorrel shoulders and up her arm. The Queen stirred, but did not open her eyes. Ansem smiled and kissed the inside of her arm, then her fingers.
"If I could be with you every night, I would, my Darling," Ansem whispered almost into Rassia's mouth. "I do this all for you. Forgive me if I have neglected to show you adequate love."
"You are...forgiven...," Rassia sighed, half in sleep, then dozed back off again. Ansem chuckled and kissed her lips. However, as soon as the sweet taste once again excited his senses, a sharp pain seemed to strike him in his chest. Ansem recoiled quickly, but the pain lingered making his breathing hard. He had to stand up on his feet and try to take in long shallow breaths before the pain began to diminish.
What? Ansem thought shaking his head, tiny beads of sweat glittering on his forehead. The room about him began to dwindle as Ansem was transported from the chamber to the Dark Lab where his instruments and portals were. He was now dressed fully in his dark coat, pants, and gloves, staring fascinated into a large portal window, his hand still clutching his heart.
You have drifted from the Darkness, a voice, Ansem's voice, spoke into his own head. You cannot lose it, not this close to succeeding. Mere emotions cannot interfere with the leading priority, not now. A thought of Rassia flashed in Ansem's mind and he knew what he had to do, but did not want to lose the precious memory of what they had just shared. Another sharp stab inside his chest made him sorrowful as he shook his head.
"If I must do it...I do it for her," he groaned. The Darkness and all its splendor were so close to his grasp, he could feel it. He had been allowed his chance to take Rassia into his arms again and love her just long enough for his motivation to be replenished and the love and affection that he would always have for her to be renewed in her mind. Now, Ansem was in the long stretch to complete his project and succeed in achieving the life he strove for for him and his wife.
Slowly Rassia opened her eyes and gazed around the empty room. What wonderful memories returned to her as she took in the familiar surroundings. She stretched and yawned happily, noticing Ansem's absence, but thinking nothing bad about it. He had at last proven himself true to her, devoted to her and her alone. True, his projects had become his main focus and priorities, but her love was what powered him to do so.
"Just one night," she whispered to herself, "and all the many nights alone have been forgiven and forgotten forever." She spoke the word 'alone' with the thought of Sephiroth and realized that, even with him, she had been alone in love.
Rassia dressed back in her violet gown and transported herself to the large lift in front of Hallow Bastion. The sun was just peeking over a layer of pink clouds as she stood near the rail of the round lift and took in the morning air. Her hair and gown fluttered behind her as the cool breeze caught her. She knew it was risky to be out in the open so early with Sora and his friends drawing ever closer to the castle, but she was quick and had no fear, nor worries at the moment.
Strong hands swept down Rassia's arms as she stood transfixed on the morning sunrise. A body pressed against hers and lips caressed her ear. Rassia smiled and let out a girlish giggle.
"You have come back, Ansem?" she asked softly. Turning around fully she found herself face to face with Sephiroth. An expression of absolute shock exploded onto her face. Sephiroth noticed with a grin.
"Has he come back?" he asked smoothly. Rassia stepped away from Sephiroth and took in a few heavy breaths as she tried to regain her speech. "Has the negligent husband returned to his mate, at last?"
"He came back," Rassia shot at him, "and he proved he truly loved me."
"One night of rehearsed passion and you are ready to return to him again? Let us not be hasty, my Dear." Sephiroth said walking towards her.
"I do not need...want you, Sephiroth. I know Ansem loves me now and this affair is through."
"So, you just take and toss love when you need it, Rassia, is that it? You used me for your own pleasure just until your Ansem could once again see you in the light that he used to? Why should I just let you go?"
"I made a terrible mistake and you know it. I'm...I'm sorry if I caused you any...any...."
"Pain? Hurt? Ha! You forget who you are talking to, my Dear. This was not for me, but for you," he said gliding his hand over the Heartless necklace and down over the silk fabric of her gown. Rassia slapped him away and stepped back.
"This was for you to get revenge on Ansem, wasn't it?" she huffed. Sephiroth smirked.
"Only if you want to look at it that way." Rassia frowned and vanished from the covered lift leaving Sephiroth alone with a smile curled across his lips. "Oh, my Dear, it is not over yet," he said to himself and disappeared as well.
The Heartless Queen changed into her regular attire, her ivory shirt and skirt, and reappeared just outside the entrance of Ansem's Lab. She peeked in slowly and found Ansem clutching his chest and staring into a dark window. His breathing was shallow and he was hunched a bit in pain. It took all she had to keep from running in to embrace him and heal whatever he was feeling.
She listened intensely as she watched the swirls of black and neon in the portal window. An image of Sora in the Coliseum ring was produced and Rassia was both astounded and delighted at what she saw. The young boy was in the arena with none other than Sephiroth! Rassia watched the short fight in awe as she saw Sora easily beaten by the powerful Sephiroth.
"That means nothing," Ansem groaned as he held onto the side of the window. "Sephiroth has unnatural power that the boy is nowhere near defeating. I shall be ready when Sora arrives." Rassia watched Ansem's face glower at the triumphant Sephiroth as he talked to himself. She was a bit confused at why Sora still survived even after taking the harsh blows from Sephiroth, but then she recalled the tournaments on one of the distant worlds. Yes, that is how I should do it, Rassia thought and looked once again to her hunched Ansem.
Dear love, for you I will endure the long stretch. Thank you so much for what you've done for me. My remaining attitude will be for you all completely. Rassia watched now as Sora danced around the Coliseum arena, easily destroying Heartless and thought again, Even if you might fail....