Bara no Scarlet
Chapter 18
Reality
The barn was quiet and the rich smell of warm hay was comforting. They'd hidden there, and it was just the two of them for the moment. Anshii knew that the villagers would find them soon, that the Light around Dios drew people inexorably to him, no matter where he was. And of course, as always, he would go to aid them.
Cursed with these gifts, they were. He who rescued others, and she who healed his wounds. They were expected to use the gifts that they controlled… used and exploited by the foolish ones who didn't have the gifts.
They were only children.
She cast the spell to heal him, silently hating those who threw themselves willingly into danger because they knew that he would come. She loved him above all else, and cared nothing for the fools who used him. He loved them all, and didn't see how they used him continuously. He couldn't, after all. He was the Light, and the Light saw nothing of the darkness that it defeated.
He was going to die if they didn't give him the time to wait for her to heal him.
Voices were growing outside; they'd been found. Weakly, he tried to move, tried to go to answer the call for help, but she pushed him back, telling him that he needed to rest, that he would die if he went. Golden bracelets slipped down her arm, a jarring jangle harsh against the soft voice she used to try to convince him to remain still.
He argued, but she would not relent. All too suddenly, she saw what she would have to do in order to protect them both. It was within her power, though it would take much of that power and bind her in the process.
For him, it was worth it.
For his life, she'd give hers.
Power flared, and his eyes widened as her spell cascaded around them, sealing the powers, forming a castle, sealing away the Prince. His eyes closed as the gifts were sealed away, feeling suddenly even weaker.
Anthy stood, a tiny figure wobbling over to the door, looking back at him. Much of her own abilities were gone, but he was safe. It was enough for her.
She opened the door and slipped out of the barn, feeling his senses whirling. He was dazed, confused, sleepy. She smiled thinly as she looked at the people who had come to the barn. She closed the door, looked at the people, told them that Dios was sealed away and that he couldn't come aid them. Dios was hers, she told them. They'd have to learn to manage on their own.
It was time for them to grow up.
Her eyes widened as the people turned on her, attacked her. She hadn't expected them to be angry, hadn't expected them to try to kill her.
But attack her they did, with words and swords, calling her a witch, damning her for protecting Dios. Over and over the blades and the words stabbed into her, one blurring into the other until she could no longer differentiate the two.
By all rights, she should have died.
And yet, she lay there, unable to move, but still alive.
The door to the barn opened, and he stepped out. The people fell silent, moving back from Anthy, looking at him in horror. Anger swirled around him, bitterness creeping into his voice as he damned them all for their actions. He picked Anthy up, cradling her to him, and reminded them of the story of the fallen Angel Lucifer. When Light falls, it becomes Darkness, he reminded them.
And Akio turned away with Anthy in his arms, and left the villagers staring after him.
She sat up, in the darkness of the room, caught between the dream of memory and reality. She wrapped her arms around herself, chilled by the memory, then slipped out of the bed and walked down the hallway to the bathroom. She flipped the light on, and turned the water to warm, bending over the sink to wash her face and try to forget the memory of those swords.
She stood up, looking into the mirror, watching the water drip down her cheeks and saw the blue eyes behind her. She gasped in surprise, jumping before she realized who was there.
"I thought you'd like a washcloth to dry your face…"
Ayomi's voice. Not Utena's.
She should have known it was only a dream.
Bitterness welled into her heart, but she turned and took the washcloth with a smile, grateful for the cloth that would hide her face for a moment. "Thank you, Ayomi. I'll be back to bed shortly."
Ayomi nodded, and giving a little smile, turned and headed back to the bedroom.
I should have known better…