Author's Note: Again, this is an unedited chapter that will be replaced with an edited version soon. Expect one more little tidbit to follow this one shortly and enjoy.
"Fare the well
Trade in all our words for tea and sympathy
Wonder why we tried, for things that could never be
Play our hearts lament, like an unrehearsed symphony.
Not intend
To leave this castle full of empty rooms
Our love the captive in the tower never rescued
And all the victory songs
Seem to playing out of tune…"
- Tea and Sympathy, Jars of Clay
Chapter Eight: Warnings Renewed
"Mercy, milord, mercy!" Eoin pleaded. "I'll do anything, please…spare his life."
"Eoin? What are you doing…he's
going to destroy us!" Kiernan moaned under Snape's weight. "He'll…"
"Shut up, Kier! Master,
please!"
Severus stared at Eoin, disturbed. "Are you begging? One should never have anything he's willing to beg for."
"But yet, I am willing to do so. He is young and a fool…please lord."
Snape glanced up; the Death Eaters were watching it all with rapt attention. Even Alistair had attempted to sit up, nursing his stomach and examining both. Snape knew everyone present had the deepest respect for Eoin.
He could use that. Looking up, Snape asked, coldly. "What do you ask of me?"
"To spare his life!"
"And you would do anything for this?"
"Yes, my lord, but please let him live!"
"Swear your loyalty to me."
Malone's brow furrowed. "You know you have it…I am guardian of the Dark Lord."
"Fuck that, I'm Lord by default. Swear your allegiance to me, now and here, in front of everyone. Swear now."
Eoin stood slowly, eyes on Kiernan and torn; on one hand was the very core of his self- his Kaga duty. Like all those before him and since, allegiance to their charge was paramount. It meant more then words, or lip service. Severus had to know what he was asking. If Eoin spoke now, he would be bound to Severus in every way, despite whatever happened. It was the code of the Kaga.
Be loyal to your charge even as heaven and hell fell to ashes around you.
He glanced at Kiernan. He had lost so much family already because of his loyalty to Voldemort and he couldn't bear the idea of losing another. He had already lost so much…
He couldn't lose another sibling to this war…
"I swear to you, my Prince." Eoin whispered. "I am loyal."
Snape nodded and stood, picking up Kiernan. He scanned the crowd, searching for a face he could trust. A grim smile spread over his lips, under his mask. "Lucius?"
"Yes, my Prince?"
"Take this…creature." He pushed Kiernan into Lucius' arms. "And deliver him to the Aurors."
"What?!" Eoin shouted, stepping forward. Galen and Erskine pulled him back. Eoin turned to Snape, desperately. "You said, you'd let him live!"
"And indeed I have." He nodded. "But what the Aurors would do with a Death Eater is their own affair."
"You…you can't!"
"Watch me. Malfoy, take him."
"Yes, my lord." Lucius said, pulling the man out of the room.
Snape ran a hand through his hair and nodded. "And for the rest of you, leave. Go to your homes and hide your masks. Be patience and be proud…we will meet again."
One by one, the Death Eaters began to file out. Snape returned to his seat, watching as each left. Eoin was still staring at him blankly, to stun and enraged to reaction just yet to the event. Snape knew, somewhere in the back of his mind, that one day perhaps Eoin would want revenge but it didn't matter. Eoin was Kaga. He could never openly betray Severus. It was impossible for him to do so.
Eoin was like his sister in that regard.
"No," Snape mused to himself. "Don't think about that…"
[June, 1994]
Snape was shivering when it was over. He dropped to his knees, shaking from pain and shock. He stared at the grisly scene around him. Garridan, and Elizabeth were lying where they had fallen. Garridan had fought valiantly against Snape while Alistair and Elizabeth had ganged up on Eoin. For that mistake, Eoin had impaled Alistair on the iron wrought fence. The body still shook from surges the brain was still giving. Snape forced himself to his feet and winced from the invasion of pain that pierced through him. Maybe he screamed but he wasn't certain. He looked around the abandon street and wondered if anyone had seen the terrible battle.
"Don't worry." Eoin said, walking towards him. The Kaga's face was bloodied and he was walking with a severe limp. "I took care of the witnesses."
"How did you take care of them?"
"It's best not to dwell on such matters."
"And this was what all the bother was about…" Snape said, staring at Garridan. This boy had once idolized Snape, and yet Severus hadn't so much as flinched when forced to kill him. He kneeled down and touched the boy's face. So young, and so much zeal for such a bloody thirsty cause. This was partly his doing, and Snape hated himself for it. How many of this generation had been lulled by the daring and thrilling stories of the Prince? How many had believed the lies that he had sowed?
How many had lost their lives…
"Sleep sweet, dear one." He whispered into Garridan's ear. "You're battle is over."
"Not yet," Eoin countered, turning away. "One of the Coven remains…"
"Who…" Snape began to ask but realized who was Eoin's newly acquired target. Panic that only a parent could fully understand began to fill his entire being, spurring him to beg but at the same time retarding his body and denying him the ability to stop Eoin. "Eoin, you can't! Not her! Please!"
"We have no choice, dear Prince." The Kaga kept walking. "The evil must end here."
"So it must…" Spoke a new voice, belonging to a youth barely a man who came into the light, blocking Eoin's path. He pulled back his hood, revealing dark brown hair and incredibly strong cobalt blue eyes that were both wise and sad. "But I cannot let you hurt Kaiya."
Eoin's eyes narrowed. "And who are you?"
"Most call me Choice." The youth spoke, before glancing briefly at Snape. "But my name is Blade, a child of the Coven. I was no more then a toddler when the Dark Lord fell, and Liam, my Coven sire, hid me away- he had desired that his only son would live a life away from the evil that he thrown me into…but I cannot escape it."
"Admirable that you accept your fate."
"But I cannot let you hurt Kaiya."
"You can't stop me. I could kill you and then continue on my way."
"Yes," Choice admitted. "But I would have died for her…and that is a powerful magic not even you or your Kaga strength can overcome. No matter what you do, or why you do it. She'll be protected…"
Snape raised a brow, staring at the boy. He had stood now, but still hadn't found the strength inside of him to pull his wand on the Kaga. Instead, he stood and watched the boy. Choice was walking to Eoin but had no wand out, and hadn't so much as lifted his hand in defense or attack.
"And in doing so, you would have damned us all. Don't you understand that?" Eoin was saying, although he seemed to be touched by the boy's devotion, he was driven by a goal he thought greater. "Voldemort will return to full power if she- and you- live." He tilted his head. "Do you want the Dark Lord to return?"
"No," Choice said sadly. "But I also don't want to live a moment without Kaiya."
"What power does she have over you?"
"I love her."
"But you know you cannot have her. She is living on borrowed time, you both are. What do you think you would gain by stopping me today?"
"I don't know." Choice answered, truthfully. "Maybe we'll only have a couple of hours, maybe a week, a year and a year is long…and maybe, if God is kind- we'll live to see age and family. I don't know what's left…but I do know that some things, despite the consequences are worth dying for. Love has to be one of those things…and not even Voldemort and his dark magic can touch that."
Eoin stared at Choice, "There are ways around your sacrifice…"
"I would still be here," Snape
finally spoke, but the voice was soft and defeated. "But that doesn't matter,
Eoin…because you don't want to do this."
"I don't have a choice,
Auror." Eoin whispered. "Don't you understand? Things have to be done…for the
greater good."
"I'm begging you, Malone…don't do this. Have mercy on her."
"Like you had on my brother?"
"No," Severus said, "Like a man would. We weren't much different then this boy once. We had things would die for, we just lost sight of them…give it to him."
"He'll lose her anyway." Eoin met Choice's eyes. "Don't you know that? You will lose her, despite what happens today."
"If that is to be." Choice said, nodding. "I'm willing to risk it."
Eoin sighed, his eyes staring into Choice's, then to Snape's and finally towards the Heavens as if he was wondering if any angel was listening to this plea. Snape held his breath and Choice merely continued to plead with his eyes.
"You have bought her a moment longer," Eoin finally said, putting the wand back into his coat. "And be glad for a moment is long." He turned to Snape and bowed. "My Prince…good night."
With that, the Kaga disappeared into the shadows.
[November 1, 1981]
Severus Snape shook his head, and pulled off his mask. Moisture pooled around his cheeks and forehead and when he bowed his head, thick beads of swear poured down, stinging his wounds and eyes. He forced air into his lungs and leaned forward, arms on his knees, mask in his hands.
He was alone now, in a looming castle that had held him prisoner for eight years.
Eight years he had been the Dark Prince, the epitome of the Death Eaters and the man who made nations tremble. Eight years he had been a demon and destroyer and now, because of a child he was free. He wasn't quite sure he knew how to react to this. There was nothing in his lift that prepared him for peace.
What would become of him? He could not return to the Aurors. Eight years would not have been long enough to heal the wounds and besides, by now he had made new sins. No, he could never return to the navy. But now, there was no kingdom to rule and therefore no need to wear the mask that had kept him safe for so long.
What would become of him?
What would become of the world?
Peace seemed a long and distance dream that he didn't quite seem to remember. He wondered if there had been a time when the sun shone and he felt like a man…
He found himself thinking of Billy.
A happier life, with family and friends and simpler times when heroes were defined by the color of robes they wore. That time when he had been a good guy and an innocent one, someone was always there for his friends (as long as they didn't steal his ice cream) and someone who wanted nothing more at the end of the day then a nice, warm bed and someone beside him. But those days were gone and maybe he could never be that again but he hoped, at least, that maybe someone else could be…and maybe they were given that chance because of something he had done. Maybe, he could hope, the world was a little safer because of his actions.
After all, he had died for them, hadn't he? Despite all that had come happened, all that he had become, he had still done for his friends. That made it something worthwhile, didn't it? He forced himself to believe it because he desperately needed too.
He needed to believe because he had fought for them- for Billy, and Sydney and Melanie, and Drucilla, and Jean…and a hundred other names that were woven around him like a cloak, they hadn't died in vain.
He had fought for those he lost, but now the fighting was over. Now, he could mourn. Snape let the mask fall to the floor where it echoed loudly. He slid his hands over his face, hiding it from the outside world while he sank to his knees in front of the throne.
And he wept.
