CHAPTER 5: TRAGEDY FINDS TRAGEDY
She spurred Darkness on faster as she saw the sign for the town of Translyvainia. As she neared the town square, she noticed a great crowd. Not wanting to be seen she rode into a grove of trees nearby. She halted Darkness and waited silently for the crowd to lessen. As she drew her rapier she heard a twig snap. She turned and put her rapier at the man's throat.
"Show your face or die!" she told him fiercely.
"I am not armed!" he told her.
"Show your face or die!" she repeated.
He removed his hood," I am Carl, the friar."
"What are you doing here, Carl?" she asked, her rapier still at his throat.
"Van Helsing sent me to this grove to wait for him, is he alright?"
"Van Helsing?" she asked.
"Yes, that's right. Do you know each other?"
"I am Tragedy Angel, he cared for me while I was wounded."
"Oh, I see have you seen him?"
"No, I haven't."
"He said he'd meet me here, he seemed to be in trouble."
"Well why didn't you say something before?!" she mounted Darkness and galloped down toward the town square. When she reached it, she saw the undertaker stab Van Helsing and then inject something into the wound.
"Hey! Why are you harming him?"
"It's the murderer! Seize her!" the crowd rushed at her. She drew her guns and began shooting the ones around her.
"Stop! This is madness! I came here to ask about this man. I found him in the woods. He was a werewolf that lay dying, who is he? I found traces of fur on him to prove my theory," she held up the corpse of the man.
"Now, unhand Van Helsing! He is not to be hurt any further!" as the crowd gathered around the body, Tragedy had brought. She rode over to Van Helsing," Are you alright?" she asked as she gently picked him up.
"Tragedy?" he asked her," What are you doing here?"
"It's a long story, get on my horse we need to get out of here," she closed his trenchcoat and helped him onto Darkness' saddle. She then rode away at full gallop.
"I'm going to get Carl," she explained.
After she picked up Carl, she rode on into the woods," They will not follow me here," she told them. They reached a small hill and suddenly stopped," Carl, hold him here, I'll be right back," she dismounted and brushed away some vines, she lead Darkness inside.
"Where are we?" asked Carl.
"This is my hiding place," she closed the door and lit the torches," lay him here," she motioned toward a bed," I'll do my best."
"Very well," Carl lay him down.
"You'll stay here," she pointed to another room. She sat on Van Helsing's bedside.
"Tragedy?" he asked," where am I? Is. . ."
"Quiet," she gently opened his trenchcoat to see a large stab wound," how do you feel? Dizzy?"
"Yes, like the whole world is spinning," he said.
"Alright, you've not had werewolf venom then," she sighed," you're just ill."
"Is Carl alright?"
"Yes, he's in his room," she told him," he'll be fine, just try no to worry," she pulled the sheets down further," No more wounds, so I guess you aren't hurt badly as I was," she said humorously.
Van Helsing lay back and sighted," Well it seems the tables have turned," he laughed slightly," Now I'm the one laying on the bed wounded."
"You're not hurt badly," she reassured him.
Carl's door opened and he stepped into the room," Where am I?" he asked frantically.
"Carl?" Van Helsing.
"Van Helsing!" Carl staggered over to his bedside," Are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine," he answered, wincing as he sat up,"you?"
"I feel sick," he said clutching his stomach.
"Sorry about that, I had to make sure you hadn't had werewolf venom," Tragedy looked over at him sheepishly," It'll wear off," she turned back toward the fire," Here this should warm you two up," she handed them both bowls of soup.
"Thank you for your hospitality, how can we ever repay you?"
"You already have," she put her hands next to the fire an dbegan warming them.
"Yes, but. . ."
"Don't sit up yet," she pulled something from the fire," Here, this may sting, but it'll clean any poison from your wound," she began unfolding a cloth. Placing it on his slash, she lit the top layer on fire with a candle, when Van Helsing saw the flame he jolted.
"It won't burn you, it's a special cloth that I made myself," she put the candle away," Just lie still."
"I'm trusting you," he said.
She looked into his eyes," You do?"
"Yes, I think you're lovely too."
"Thank you, sir," she blushed.
"Tragedy, I feel as if I've known you for a long time. I also feel that I love you," his mind began to fill with memories. . .
FLASHBACK
Hair, hands, back, neck. Twisting and turning. Love and lover. . .bright eyes. . .violet eyes.
END FLASHBACK
"Tragedy," he said," you're the link, the missing link I've searched for!" he said astonished.
"What do you mean?" she asked in surprise.
"I mean you were my partner in my battles! You're the face I see at night in my nightmares. I almost didn't recognize you! You were my soul mate!"
Tragedy looked at him, puzzled for a moment, was this Gabriel?
"Gabriel?" she asked.
"Anya?" he asked, both of them looked at each other in shock. Tragedy embraced him.
"I've looked for you for so long!" she cried into his shoulder," and I dreamt of you!"
"Shhhhh. . .I'm back," he said soothingly.
OK I'm done! Hope you like it! NO FLAMES!! L8R!
