The Day I Died.


Chapter 13. Daddy dearest. Part I.

After the sphere's contents were shown, and the glowing lightball glowed less and less shinier, Lulu, Wakka and Rikku still sat in their seats quietly. There were no words to be spoken.

After a long moment of uncomfortable uneasiness, Laetitia rose up from her crimson cushion and headed for the tent's entrance. After moment's of hesitating, she finally turned around and addressed the trio. "You can watch the rest of the sphere's, if you like. I care nothing of them anymore…my husband from those memories is dead. All I have now is a memory of him, a bitter man, who is battling constantly; trough out his life it's all the same…but this is a battle he cannot win. It will prove too much for him…and to me, too." She said quietly, and Rikku watched with her swirling green eyes at the thin woman before her.

"I never knew…If we had known, we could have tried to bring the religion of Yevon down! We could have…prevent it from happening…we could have--" Rikku whispered, her eyes wide open, and with a childish self-accusing, she tried to reason with herself.

"Yevon, child, had nothing to do with my son's death. I know now that the agreement for his punishment´, like Commodus so skilfully named my child's murder, was only one of…convenience." Laetitia irrupted softly.

""…Convenience"?" Wakka asked in confusion.

"Yes. The Guado´s are amazingly old, pure race and immensely proud of it.

Seeing their ancient race be tainted with such an inferior blood can be considered as some kind of twisted, sacrilegious crime. Hearing that someone of that great tree of Guadosalam had been doing exactly like that…well, they weren't quite happy about it." After seeing their terrified faces, Laetitia smiled with half-amusement, half-sorrow.

"But do not take me wrong…they, like us, are not so keen on taking other people's lives for such a disseverance for the rules…The Guado race is small and withering. If they want to continue to exist, they have to welcome outsiders for their great family tree." Laetitia smiled ironically at this. "But nonetheless, my and Serian´s son was not pure, he was not royal by blood…so very unlike this other blue-haired hybrid I have previously encountered. Of course, Jyscal, with all of his fame and glory, could make an exception, which he did, years before my son was birthed.

Yes, his son could survive. His son was rich and royal by blood. His son flourished!

And mine got swept away, under the mattress, to be hidden and ashamed for the rest of his life…and the rest…you already know." Laetitia spoke bitterly, cursing the name of the Guado Maester each time with a furious hiss, every time she remembered his blasphemy.

"…But even then, when Seymour was already in this world, could not Jyscal see my son's brilliance. He saw only his failures, his flaws. He wanted Sion out of the home of his ancestors, out to the cold, rejecting world.

He wanted him out, away from his eyes, like he had wanted his own son as well, years before. And this…suited Commodus Honoré, my husband's father, very well." Laetitia sighed deeply, sadly. "Very well indeed…"

"But…why?" Lulu asked, curious to hear the answer.

"Commodus was not the most…slacky father there was. In fact, he hated and despised everyone who was not pure-blooded…who were not humans. In secrecy, of course.

Your career in politics was quite short, if you babbled out everything you thought, and Commodus was wise not to make that mistake.

And he was also highly ambitious! Take a handful of ambition, a spoonful of extremely high wealth, pour deep hatred in to the cauldron, and stir. What do you get? A mixture of not so good intentions, yes?" Laetitia continued with tired sarcasm.

"You see, Commodus was twin brother of lady Adelé Honoré.

And this certain Adelé happened to marry years before a strange man, a man of bluish hair and long arms. That man was the future father of lord Seymour Guado.

Commodus and Adelé had always, as I heard, been very, very close.

They always shared everything, and loved each other deeply. So, eventually, as their father announced the news of his sister´s great future to him, Commodus didn't take the news of her marriage with that strange man easily.

Even though Commodus objected harshly, their father naturally didn´t listen to him. He had gained rather large fee when he agreed to give his daughter´ s hand at marriage with Jyscal.

And so was Adelé separated from her brother and the rest of her family for the rest of her illness-filled life. Jyscal prohibited her to make contacts with the outside world; she was now living in Guadosalam. She was now part of them. Her place was there, now: as a Mistress of Guadosalam, no matter how she was despised and ignored there.

Commodus saw her for the last time in her Chamber of the Fayth, in Baaj, where her own son had condemned her in a decade after her leave for Guadosalam.

Commodus tends to be rather fanatical about everything he beliefs, and he believed that Guados and the Al-Bhed were scum, and they needed to be eradicated from the face of Spira.

Now, all he had to do was to convince Jyscal that Sion was a product of conspiracy against him. That Sion was standing there; ready to cause his reign's downfall. Of course, as Seymour had already swayed Jyscal´s rocky boat, he was naturally afraid the immense threat of my six-year old son.

And when Commodus offered relatively high fee in return, that spineless mouse of a Guado of course, naturally, agreed to show everyone in Spira that the Maester´s son was the one and only half-Guado, and he would always remain as one in the future." Laetitia solemnly stated.

"That's terrible!" Rikku exclaimed, but Lulu merely lifted a brow.

"I don't really understand. How come you keep talking about that your son was a half-breed? You are not a Guado, nor is your husband. So, what's the catch?" Lulu questioned.

"Yeah! Spill the beans!" Rikku exclaimed, again, and now they all stared at Laetitia as if she was a lying bag of…well, beans.

"I will gladly eh, "spill the beans", to you…I'll tell you everything." Laetitia Honoré said, and showed her next sphere to them.

They had now arrived, and a great lump of fear that had gathered to Yuna´s throat like a furball in cat's throat, threatening to suffocate her. They now stood near Guadosalam´s entrance, and eerie silence fell in the forest.

Despite her fear, Yuna quietly went to Serian´s side, and he stared at her with stare of mixed loathing, annoyance and genuine, although somewhat odd, interest.

She was in ease, although just in small, tiniest one, with him around her. Yuna knew that Serian wouldn't kill her yet; he still had to wait for that to happen. Now as he was towering somewhere above her, as he was more than head taller than she was, Yuna furiously tried to figure out something, anything, to say to him in attempt to sway him off of whatever cursed plot he had.

Without a warning, Serian´s stony voice spoke to her somewhere above her.

"Are you sure about my offer, m´lady?"

Yuna glanced him in annoyance. "Yes, I´m sure, m´Lord, and the answer is still no. I'm not going to be one of your puppets in the Council."

Serian was silent for a moment, but then the corner of his mouth lifted in to a half-smile, making him look, once again, all knowing. This annoyed Yuna greatly.

"As you wish." He solemnly stated, and waved somebody to come.

"Yes, my Lord?" The soldier asked. He was one of the men who had driven the carriages.

"Order the battalion to arrive. I trust that they are waiting for my orders right at the very moment?" He coolly asked, and the soldier nodded and disappeared from Yuna´s sight.

"What? A battalion? What are you doing?" Yuna asked in horror, but Serian simply ignored the girl. Instead, he turned to look at the closing battalion of a hundred men, all clothed in the darkest of black and crimson red. Their silver masks shined, and Serian smiled at his soldiers.

"It was such a pity, that Tromell did not agree to hand Seymour to me last week, as I kindly asked. He was already dead, he said. But I knew…I knew that he was still somewhere in here…I would have killed him myself. I still could…but this makes it much more enjoyable." Serian whispered the last word to her ear, and Yuna shuddered from the words´ cold and uncaring echo.

"As the Guado did not agree to my kind and fair proposal, they must die. Truly, such a pity." Serian smiled, responding to Yuna´s questioning stare.

"What?! You can't just--! DONT DO THAT!" Yuna screamed, and all what Serian did, was to smile. Smile his all-knowing, superior, and remorseless smile.

As the Inquisitors marched past them, Yuna gasped, and held her hands in front of her mouth. Standing behind her, Serian took a step closer, so that they were very close to each other. As Yuna was observing the soldiers advancement, she didn't realise how Serian gently slipped his hands on her shoulders.

He leaned closer, and whispered to her ear.

"You should not have disobeyed me, Yuna. Now you shall see what happens when I am not obeyed."

Yuna felt his hot breath fan the crook of her neck, her ear and hair…and the thought that she had caused this made her shiver and tremble.
He smoothed her neck and bare shoulders with his thumb, she could feel his steady and warm breathing. This new feeling made her shiver even more.
" It does not matter. Not anymore. They do not matter. Anymore." He whispered once again, and as she remained silent, he pulled her closer.

He forced her to lean against his chest, and continued to agitate her with his soft (yet cold?) whispering.

And as she heard the terrified screams of the completely surprised Guados, the shouting of the Inquisitors and the cries of the few Guado children, she was breaking.

She couldn't take this anymore.

It was entirely fault. My fault. Mine. If I had agreed, those people could have been spared…My fault!

These thoughts swirled endlessly in her mind now, and Yuna couldn't help but to feel helpless, alone and…guilty. And as the first tears dropped down on her cheeks, and her shoulders started to tremble, Serian knew. She had given up.
Everything was breakable, and he would break her. It was only matter of time now.
This dark, selfish thought had been troubling him, since he first saw her, and Serian knew that he had to give in to this little thought someday. Preferably soon.

"Will you obey me now?" He whispered in her ear, as he swirled a lock of her chocolate-brown hair in his finger.The question was futile; he knew what she was going to answer. He simply wanted to hear it.
She whispered a small "yes", and Serian smiled yet again. For the first time in his life, he would soon attain everything he had ever wanted.

By destroying Guadosalam to the last roots of the Great Tree, he would finally erase the crimes committed against his son. He would erase his own past from there.
Only Laetitia, Yuna and his own father knew about his…condition.
Commodus and the High Summoner would take that secret to their cold, lonely graves, Serian would make sure of that.

His world would be perfect then, his sins would be redeemed and his son would be happy that his father had avenged his death!

Serian was happy for the first time in months as he thought more of his utopia, his dream.

Unlike Seymour, Serian never needed power to make his life reasonable; he had his wife and son to take care of that. And now, when part of his haven was gone…he had became unbalanced; he wanted revenge. He needed revenge, like a fish needs water to survive or a bird needed its wings to fly.

After the screams in the city had quieted down, and no more sounds of battle were heard, eerie and ominous silence fell once again, surrounding Yuna and Serian with it's nothingness. A true prelude, maybe even crescendo, for Serian´s glory.

He cherished this moment.

Lives had ended, and his retribution had now fulfilled its purpose with another tiny deed, although he knew that his task had only begun, he felt no remorse. After all, if something had to be done, why not enjoy doing it?

Serian pushed Yuna harshly away from his embrace, as a soldier came to his presence.

The Inquisitor bowed and spoke to Serian. "My lord…we have purified the city. There's nothing in there anymore. Would you like to come and inspect the casualties?" The soldier questioned in formal, overly respecting tone, and Serian glanced at the man.

"How big is the rate for casualties and dead civilians?" He asked coolly, and the soldier straightened immediately. "There are four casualties from our side, and all of the city's occupants are dead. No survivors, sir. The mission was completed perfectly, sir." The soldier stated with enthusiasm. He didn't care whose life he took, his fat gil-pouch from his Lord was more than enough to promise him eternal peace from the half-breeds.

Serian´s expression didn't even flinch from the news of the massacre.

"Splendid. Burn the whole city to the ground!" He ordered with determination.

Yuna swirled around, and looked him straight in to his eyes.

"No!! You can't do that!" She screamed in desperation, but Serian only glanced at her.

"I can, and I will." He whispered calmly, and his expression remained stony, his mask of remorseless executioner was perfect. "You would do wise and not to forget, whose fault this all was, yes?" He said to the girl, and Yuna´s eyes widened.

Her legs were too weak to carry her, and she fell to the cold ground, and tears ran once again from her eyes. "How can…someone be so cruel? Do you have no mercy?" She whispered very quietly, but Serian still heard her.

"Do you think I'm heartless?" He questioned, and his face was not now cold and uncaring, but relatively curious and calculating. Yuna lifted her eyes to look at him.

"No…but you are a monster." she said quietly, and her voice was filled with fury and venom.

Those words seemed to have some kind of impact on Serian. He was staring at her with wide eyes, forgetting to shut his mouth and his hands were clenched to fists.

And his eyes…Yuna saw something glistering in those dismal eyes.

She saw pain, bitterness, hatred and anger.

"I'm a monster now, am I?" He whispered quietly.

Serian grabbed her hand and yanked her off from the muddy ground. He slapped her right across the face, and the pain and the sheer power of his hit made Yuna see stars, but a small voice in the back of her head demanded her not to show any weakness to that man, and she knew that if she whimpered in pain, it would only arouse him to continue.

Serian however, didn't need any kind of stimulus to continue his sadism over her.

As the girl didn't beg him to stop, she didn't whimper from the pain or the fear he inflicted upon her, Serian wanted to continue. He wanted her to beg on her knees for him. So, in order to fulfill his twisted needs, he hit her with the back of his hand and if it was even possible, even harder than the last time.

Yuna´s head snapped to the other side, and her knees doddered dangerously, but she refused to give in. She didn't want to be weak, not in front of him.

She demanded her legs to carry her weight, and for her amazement, she didn't fall to the ground. She lifted her chin up proudly, defiantly, and looked at him straight to his eyes with all the murderous rage she mustered from her feeble body.

There it was.

There was the emotion what Serian had hidden in his heart trough his shredded life, and he could now see it from her eyes…the feeling gave him a disturbing sense of déjá-vu.

In order to repel his own agonizing scream inside his head, he hit the girl once more, but this time he punched her straight to her prettily shaped mouth.

She fell straight to the mud this time. But for Serian´s dismay, the girl was not unconscious, she glared at him with tears making finally their way down her face. Her eyes were wide open from paralysing fear, but not fear from his painful aggression, but from the fear of his eyes.

His lilac eyes were wide open too, but not from fear.

They were glossy, feverish and seeing something completely different what Yuna could not see; Serian turned his eyes to rest upon her petite form, and a small, twisted smile played in his lips.

"So…tell me again what kind of a monster I am…tell me where the likes of me belongs…what I deserve…" His voice rose gradually from quiet whisper in to high pitched rambling as he continued to speak to her.

"I won´t. You´ll hurt me." She said with meek voice.

Serian drew a silver dagger from his robes, and continued his mumbling. Glancing at the blade, Yuna felt immensely cold; it was the same silver dagger which killed her countless of times in her nightmares.

"I won´t hurt you, girl….It usually was the other way, Father. Tell me once again what I am ….if you don´t tell me now, I will hurt you, Lady Yuna!" Serian murmured, and Yuna continued to stare at him, his voice seemed to be dark, low in one time, and in the next second his tone was high-pitched and shrill.

Not caring about the hot tears she could feel running down her face, or the fear eating her away from inside, she reached her hand to him.

"Serian…please stop this."

He looked at her in surprise, like he had just been awoken from a deep slumber and Laetitia´s image danced in his retinas happily ever after, blending to the young summoner´s face.

Serian was confused.

Wasn´t he was just talking with his Father? And then the Summoner had somehow interrupted him…and now his wife was laying in the ground. But….wasn´t Laetitia at home? Where Yuna was? What happened?

He focused his eyesight, trying to get a hold of his rampaging thoughts, and after a while of fruitless staring, he saw that Yuna was the one lying in the ground, shivering from something he had done.

"You´re not Laetitia…You´re not Her." He whispered breathlessly, still staring at her with wide, confused eyes.

"Of course I´m not…I´m Yuna." The girl said with drained voice, and slowly Serian started to grip to the steep edge of reality, and a sudden warm sensation flushed trough his body. "She was Yuna, and I had not yet killed her. Good." The voice in his mind breathed, and Serian soon had a sour expression.

"How stupid of me to get lost to my thoughts again…I should punish her for making me getting lost again. She is the only mudblood here, after all."

A/N: Angst! God´s gift to twisted writers. Yep.

And no, there weren´t any R- rated content in this chappie. Lovely Lucrecia pointed this fact to me in her review, and I came to the conclusion that those scenes, which I first intended into this chapter were merely space fillers, and would have had nothing to do with the plot. And, if I would write too depressing plotline people would lose faith in me.

Anyway, the R-warning is not yet removed, however.

I planned this fic to be quite dark in some parts, and I intend to hold on to that plan.

As always, reviews are warmly welcomed and their sender is highly respected. ; )

I have encountered an critical error, my Mozilla firefox has crashed for some reason, and all of my former information such as bookmarks, cookies and pagehistory has disappeared, and I decided to get rid of Mozilla and get Opera instead. But now I see that does not support my browser entirely. (I don´t remember if I have too old or too new browser.) Anyway, I am not able to access QuickEdit at all. This will result in highly annoying text format, the loss of bold texts, italics and such. Irritating! If anyone can help me with this, please feel free to drop me an mail, for I am not anykind of expert on computers. I do not think that I will post any more chappies to , if they do not start to support Opera fully, or I will get a new browser again. (for the fourth time!)This, however, is rather wishful thinking.