Disclaimer: We don't own these characters, but we do have intellectual
ownership of these interpretations of them. We have never seen one of the
pairings here anywhere else. This story is a lot less creepy than the
first one. But it's not a happy story, either. (It may also be considered
a PWP, but we felt like slapping you with an idea.)
"Till Death do We Part"
by Silver Dragon and Golden Dragon
--
We met as children, innocent and loving, as children go. I'd never known I'd outlive her.
--
"Mr. Pegasus," a smooth, controlled voice came. It was the voice of a woman who was all business, yet airy, mystical.
He turned from the Venetian blinds in startlement. "Who are you?"
The thin, dark woman stared at him piercingly. "I am Ishizu Ishtar. Come with me."
He didn't have to ask why. He'd come to Egypt with three very dangerous artifacts, to put them where no one could tap their awesome powers. Ishizu had obviously been sent by whatever gods she followed to help him in this task.
Besides, he could see it when he looked into her eyes.
--
I had loved her. Cecilia had created a fire and passion in me that I had never felt before. After her death, I had known I'd never see another of her sort. She had been an angel, light, pure and golden. Her blue eyes had pierced right through my soul.
--
"I now present to you, Maximillion and Cecilia Pegasus!" The church erupted. The two young adults, little more than children but now bound by marriage, ran between the pews, hand in hand, laughing in elation.
Cecilia's golden hair trailed behind her, her pale skin aglow with joy and life.
And Maximillion could never have been so happy.
--
But Ishizu isn't like Cecilia. In fact, in many ways they are as the sun and the moon. The only thing they hold in common is the soul searching quality of their blue eyes, and even that is different. Cecilia's eyes were always supplying me, nourishing me-- While Ishizu's eyes are starving.
--
Cecilia lay on the hospital bed, cheeks wet with perspiration. It was such a cruel thing, to look down on such a young woman and know, without hesitation, that she was dying.
--
"You need to loosen up, Miss Ishtar."
Ishizu turned and stared at him as though wondering if he was sane.
"I beg your pardon, Mr. Pegasus?" They were sitting in her jeep in a parking lot in Cairo, the last of the three cards hidden away in the sand.
"You see, that's exactly what I mean. So stately, so prim and proper. Even your hair speaks of something authoritarian."
Ishizu touched a lock of her raven hair, still as neat and prim as when she'd called on him in her hotel room. "You grew up the son of a rich man," she pointed out.
"In AMERICA," he laughed.
--
I still remember how we met, Cecilia and I. We were children, as I've said, very out of place in a tux and bowtie gathering, which my father had thrown. Indeed, we were the only children there. So naturally we were drawn to each other.
We escaped into the hedges and played hide-and-seek for hours.
--
"Isn't that your third glass?" Ishizu asked pointedly, nodding at Maximillion's wine. They were in a small local restauraunt, the dark and hazy atmosphere of which was intoxicating enough.
He grinned at her. "I have a high constitution, I'm afraid." She'd tried to take his advice on loosening up, had worn a lovely white evening gown and tied her hair differently, but she still had a long way to go. Still, accepting his offer to buy dinner was a start.
Ishizu sipped her own, half full glass, still her first, and shook her head. "I suppose it is just as well that I am driving," she said.
Maximillion laughed.
--
Ishizu is too restrained by the future that she sees, none of which seems to be good.
But Cecilia-- even on her deathbed she was gracious, loving.
--
"Don't let this kill you," Cecilia whispered, holding Maximillion's hand weakly. The cancer had almost taken her.
He rubbed her fingers. "I promise."
--
They stood outside Maximillion's hotel room. He turned and leaned on the door, grinning at her a little tipsily.
"You don't really plan on drinking that entire bottle of wine tonight, do you?" Ishizu asked him sternly.
Maximillion crossed his arms, the bottle resting under his elbow. He leaned his head towards her.
"Not if I have someone to share it with, Miss Ishtar."
--
I had only really developed a taste for wine after Cecilia's death-- but then, she'd died before we were even twenty. But drinking to drown one's sorrow is the worst way to drink. I'd already known that.
And something inside me wanted to feel that pain.
--
Her hair was falling in her face. Giggling, Ishizu pushed it back behind her ear.
Maximillion pulled it loose again. "You look freer that way," he explained. "Look freer, Ishizu, look freer."
She unfastened the heavy golden necklace from around her neck. It fell from her neck to the bed, and slid to the floor with a thunk.
--
I wish I could do that. It would be nice to see as a normal man sees again.
--
Ishizu awoke, pulling Maximillion's silk shirt closed as she glared at their unexpected visitor.
"Why are you here, Shadi?" she demanded irritably. Maximillion muttered in his sleep beside her and put an arm around her waist.
"You have made this mistake before, Ishtar," the figure warned her. Ishizu's hand flew to her throat. "Do not risk losing your way, or him losing his." The shadow vanished.
Ishizu gasped, terror taking her heart. Carefully she eased out of Maximillion's arms, scooping her Tauk off the floor and beginning to gather her clothing.
Maximillion rose from the bed suddenly, taking her arm.
"It's rude to leave in the middle of the night, you know," he murmured softly, gently clasping her wrist.
Ishizu looked away guiltily. "I'm sorry, Maximillion, but I--"
"I heard Shadi," Maximillion soothed her. "Please, Ishizu, wait until morning. Morning, and then I'll happily get on that plane home and we'll never see each other again. I promise."
Ishizu sighed and leaned into him, resting her cheek on his bare chest.
"I wish it didn't have to be this way," she murmured, a tear escaping and running down her cheek.
"So do I," he whispered, wiping the tear away.
--
But we still both had our obligations-- Ishizu to her family and her destiny, and I-- I had promised myself that somehow I'd see Cecilia again.
--
"Don't ever forget the time we had," Cecilia whispered, clasping his hand, "But please, Love-- Don't let this kill you."
"I promise," he said.
--
I always keep my promises.
--
Ishizu watched the plane as it climbed into the air and began a steady journey west.
"Take care, Maximillion," she murmured softly.
End.
"Till Death do We Part"
by Silver Dragon and Golden Dragon
--
We met as children, innocent and loving, as children go. I'd never known I'd outlive her.
--
"Mr. Pegasus," a smooth, controlled voice came. It was the voice of a woman who was all business, yet airy, mystical.
He turned from the Venetian blinds in startlement. "Who are you?"
The thin, dark woman stared at him piercingly. "I am Ishizu Ishtar. Come with me."
He didn't have to ask why. He'd come to Egypt with three very dangerous artifacts, to put them where no one could tap their awesome powers. Ishizu had obviously been sent by whatever gods she followed to help him in this task.
Besides, he could see it when he looked into her eyes.
--
I had loved her. Cecilia had created a fire and passion in me that I had never felt before. After her death, I had known I'd never see another of her sort. She had been an angel, light, pure and golden. Her blue eyes had pierced right through my soul.
--
"I now present to you, Maximillion and Cecilia Pegasus!" The church erupted. The two young adults, little more than children but now bound by marriage, ran between the pews, hand in hand, laughing in elation.
Cecilia's golden hair trailed behind her, her pale skin aglow with joy and life.
And Maximillion could never have been so happy.
--
But Ishizu isn't like Cecilia. In fact, in many ways they are as the sun and the moon. The only thing they hold in common is the soul searching quality of their blue eyes, and even that is different. Cecilia's eyes were always supplying me, nourishing me-- While Ishizu's eyes are starving.
--
Cecilia lay on the hospital bed, cheeks wet with perspiration. It was such a cruel thing, to look down on such a young woman and know, without hesitation, that she was dying.
--
"You need to loosen up, Miss Ishtar."
Ishizu turned and stared at him as though wondering if he was sane.
"I beg your pardon, Mr. Pegasus?" They were sitting in her jeep in a parking lot in Cairo, the last of the three cards hidden away in the sand.
"You see, that's exactly what I mean. So stately, so prim and proper. Even your hair speaks of something authoritarian."
Ishizu touched a lock of her raven hair, still as neat and prim as when she'd called on him in her hotel room. "You grew up the son of a rich man," she pointed out.
"In AMERICA," he laughed.
--
I still remember how we met, Cecilia and I. We were children, as I've said, very out of place in a tux and bowtie gathering, which my father had thrown. Indeed, we were the only children there. So naturally we were drawn to each other.
We escaped into the hedges and played hide-and-seek for hours.
--
"Isn't that your third glass?" Ishizu asked pointedly, nodding at Maximillion's wine. They were in a small local restauraunt, the dark and hazy atmosphere of which was intoxicating enough.
He grinned at her. "I have a high constitution, I'm afraid." She'd tried to take his advice on loosening up, had worn a lovely white evening gown and tied her hair differently, but she still had a long way to go. Still, accepting his offer to buy dinner was a start.
Ishizu sipped her own, half full glass, still her first, and shook her head. "I suppose it is just as well that I am driving," she said.
Maximillion laughed.
--
Ishizu is too restrained by the future that she sees, none of which seems to be good.
But Cecilia-- even on her deathbed she was gracious, loving.
--
"Don't let this kill you," Cecilia whispered, holding Maximillion's hand weakly. The cancer had almost taken her.
He rubbed her fingers. "I promise."
--
They stood outside Maximillion's hotel room. He turned and leaned on the door, grinning at her a little tipsily.
"You don't really plan on drinking that entire bottle of wine tonight, do you?" Ishizu asked him sternly.
Maximillion crossed his arms, the bottle resting under his elbow. He leaned his head towards her.
"Not if I have someone to share it with, Miss Ishtar."
--
I had only really developed a taste for wine after Cecilia's death-- but then, she'd died before we were even twenty. But drinking to drown one's sorrow is the worst way to drink. I'd already known that.
And something inside me wanted to feel that pain.
--
Her hair was falling in her face. Giggling, Ishizu pushed it back behind her ear.
Maximillion pulled it loose again. "You look freer that way," he explained. "Look freer, Ishizu, look freer."
She unfastened the heavy golden necklace from around her neck. It fell from her neck to the bed, and slid to the floor with a thunk.
--
I wish I could do that. It would be nice to see as a normal man sees again.
--
Ishizu awoke, pulling Maximillion's silk shirt closed as she glared at their unexpected visitor.
"Why are you here, Shadi?" she demanded irritably. Maximillion muttered in his sleep beside her and put an arm around her waist.
"You have made this mistake before, Ishtar," the figure warned her. Ishizu's hand flew to her throat. "Do not risk losing your way, or him losing his." The shadow vanished.
Ishizu gasped, terror taking her heart. Carefully she eased out of Maximillion's arms, scooping her Tauk off the floor and beginning to gather her clothing.
Maximillion rose from the bed suddenly, taking her arm.
"It's rude to leave in the middle of the night, you know," he murmured softly, gently clasping her wrist.
Ishizu looked away guiltily. "I'm sorry, Maximillion, but I--"
"I heard Shadi," Maximillion soothed her. "Please, Ishizu, wait until morning. Morning, and then I'll happily get on that plane home and we'll never see each other again. I promise."
Ishizu sighed and leaned into him, resting her cheek on his bare chest.
"I wish it didn't have to be this way," she murmured, a tear escaping and running down her cheek.
"So do I," he whispered, wiping the tear away.
--
But we still both had our obligations-- Ishizu to her family and her destiny, and I-- I had promised myself that somehow I'd see Cecilia again.
--
"Don't ever forget the time we had," Cecilia whispered, clasping his hand, "But please, Love-- Don't let this kill you."
"I promise," he said.
--
I always keep my promises.
--
Ishizu watched the plane as it climbed into the air and began a steady journey west.
"Take care, Maximillion," she murmured softly.
End.