A/N- Sooooooo sorry about the delay. Will go back to writing now. I'm thinking of chaining myself to my computer chair with chocolate and a cup of coffee (writer's diet). And this Saturday, I'm leaving on vacation. Won't be back till the following Saturday. Just so you know.
It continued on like that for a while; for the next three days Gabriel and Elizabeth went through the demon's "games," which included them battling a lesser demon that would take the shape of someone close to them.
Gabriel broke the rules twice more, having to spend more time in the torture chamber. After a few hours the second time, he managed to block out the voices entirely, saving his sanity. For the time being, anyways.
Elizabeth grew more adept with the sword, almost defeating her opponents each time. Oddly enough, just as she went to deliver the winning blow, her blade would either falter, or she would trip. Seemingly on nothing. After she and Gabriel thought it through, they decided it was the demon, making her mess up purposely, so Gabriel would brake the rules to save her life.
Every night Elizabeth would fall asleep in the blood-stained stone room, curled up against Gabriel, who would stay up all night anticipating some sort of attack.
The fourth morning of their imprisonment in the maze came with no great significance to Elizabeth. She yawned and woke up, stretching her cramped legs and arms, which bore bruises from the day before. And the day before that, and the day before that, she thought miserably. Will this ever end?
"Did you sleep any better, ange?" Gabriel rolled his neck from side to side. If he had any bruises, she couldn't see any.
"What do you think?" she snapped. "We're in a God damned bloody room, every night you come back from what kind of sick nightmare he puts you through, I'm covered in freaking bruises and cuts all over-!" She broke off, guilt replacing the frustration as a look of hurt resignation crept into Gabriel's red eyes. "Sorry," she sighed. "I just…snapped."
"I don't blame you, ange." He uncoiled to his full height, stretching his back. "I'll try my best to get us out. I've had enough of this."
She craned her neck to look up at him as she got up, wincing as blood rushed to one of her feet that had fallen asleep. "So have I. How about we eviscerate him, as a little thank-you for the lovely game?"
"That sounds like a very tempting idea, though I'm not sure it's right to hear it coming from an angel's mouth. When did you become so violent?"
"When did we arrive in the hell hole?"
"Point taken, milady." He scanned the room. "Who do you think our enemies shall be today?" His so far had been his mother, his father, and his nurse.
Elizabeth's had been Giles, Jocelyn, and her mother. She shrugged wearily in reply. "I just want this all to be over and done with."
Gabriel opened his mouth, but whatever he was going to say was cut off by excited, high-pitched squeals.
"Lady Elizabeth!"
"How did you get here-!"
"We were looking everywhere!" The three faeries swarmed around Elizabeth. As an afterthought, Fraya added "Oh, and hello, Monsieur Gabriel!"
This drew a laugh from him. "How did you three get here?" he asked, just before Elizabeth blurted out "How did you find us!"
Ella tucked her green braids behind her leaf-shaped ears. "Well, actually, it was Mirei. She transported us here, after Fraya found out where you were." Elizabeth looked over gratefully at the two. Mirei dropped her gaze to the floor shyly. "Really, Ella, you helped too," she whispered. Mirei was the calmer, and shyer of the three.
Ella punched her good-naturedly on the shoulder. "All I did was help Fraya with the tracking charm."
Fraya rolled her eyes. "Never mind that. But why are you two here?" She flicked he eyes around the room in disgust. "It's not exactly an ideal vacation spot. Oh! And Mademoiselle Elizabeth, you're hurt!" She scanned the bruises worriedly. "What happened?"
Elizabeth waved her hand dismissively. "It's nothing, it doesn't matter now, but we're trapped here by a demon."
Their eyes widened.
"That's terrible! Why is it keeping you here!" Ella gasped.
"As far as we can tell for his amusement," Gabriel said. Behind Ella, Mirei's skin grew paler than it's customary shade. Gabriel didn't notice and turned to Fraya. "Is it possible that you three can transport Elizabeth back to the castle?"
"What? Me! What about you!" Elizabeth side-stepped the faeries.
He looked down in embarrassment. "It's…they can't…touch me."
"Huh?"
Fraya frowned sympathetically. "It's true. We can't touch those who've been touched by demon's magic."
Elizabeth looked from the faeries to Gabriel, confused. Gabriel was touched by demon's magic? But how…she blinked. Of course! His curse!
"But you can take Elizabeth, right?" he asked, looking up.
"Yes. We can take her." Fraya said while Ella and Mirei nodded silently.
Elizabeth broke away from the group, walking backwards. "No! There is no way that I'm just going to leave you!" she glared accusingly at Gabriel. "And what made you think I would accept that offer!"
He shrugged helplessly. "It would be a lot safer, and you wouldn't have to put up with this."
"Bull crap! I'm not leaving, and you know it! And you can't force me, either!" She folded her arms stubbornly and lifted her chin. "Ella, Mirei, Fraya, you can go now. I will call you if we need any help, beyond taking me back to the castle." She flicked her hand out, and to her surprise, they all vanished. "Wait…how…?"
"You banished them." Gabriel turned his back on her, becoming very interested in the door.
"How could I…I can't even use magic!"
"It doesn't matter. There's enough magical energy left over in this from the demon."
"Oh…well that's…interesting. And you," she walked over to him, lightly slapping his arm. "You try to get rid of me like that again, and I'll banish you!" she paused. "If I can remember how, that is."
"Banish yourself. Do you understand that the demon wants to kill you!" Gabriel covered his face with one huge hand.
"H wants to kill both of us," she shot back, reaching up on the tips f her toes to tug his hand away from his eyes. "And why are you acting so…" she trailed off as she saw Gabriel's eyes. "Oh…"
He hastily wiped his tears away with the back of his hand. "Stupid," he hissed to himself, not realizing that he was saying it out loud.
"Hey, don't cry…" Elizabeth hugged him, feeling her gut twisting. What was it that'd made him so upset? Other than everything that had happened in the past few days, that is.
He stepped away from her. "I'm not sad, I'm just…frustrated. Elizabeth…every time I close my eyes, I see you getting killed by him! You know what that's like! To see something like that, and not be able to do anything about it!" He hit the wall with his hand. There were other numerous cracks along the smooth grey stone, where he had lost his temper. "I'd much rather he just kill me already!"
"Gabriel!" She rushed over. "Don't say that ever again! We're going to get rid of this demon, and then we are both going to go back to the castle. Alive. Understand?"
His shoulders slumped. "Sorry. It was stupid of me."
"My, my, my, Gabriel. One of the first truthful thing s I've heard from you in awhile. Is this humility?" The demon grinned so broadly that it made him look maniacal. Then again, he probably was.
"You lowly little-" he stalked toward the demon, who only laughed and re-appeared a safe distance away, on the other side of the room.
"Language, Gabriel. Especially in front of a lady." He bowed to Elizabeth. "Sorry, milady-- since I'm wearing these robes, maybe it would be more appropriate to curtsey, but I'm afraid I've never learned how. Perhaps you could teach me, sometime?"
"Go to hell," she said through clenched teeth.
"You are adorable when you're angry. A lucky find, eh, Gabriel? I'm so fortunate that you brought her to me." The demon blinked out and appeared behind Elizabeth, who automatically tried to run away. The demon caught her by the hair and yanked her back, pulling her against him. "Wondering what the next game is, Gabriel?" he laughed.
"Get your filthy hands off of her!" He made to run to them, but the demon produced a small dagger from nowhere, pressing it gently against her jugular vein. "So hasty, Gabriel. I will take the delicate maiden, and it will be up to her prince to come and rescue her." He wrinkled his nose distastefully. "Or her guard dog. Bye-bye!" Just like before, the demon disappeared.
Taking Elizabeth with him.
Gabriel sprinted down the maze, almost missing a turn. He could smell the demon, and even Elizabeth, faintly. They were close! He continued on, the walls all becoming a repetitive grey blur. Focusing on nothing else but finding them, he navigated half-unconsciously through the labyrinth.
I WILL find them! And when I do, he'll pay! Making a sharp right, he ran straight into a wall, instead of a pathway. Slightly disoriented, his rubbed his head. Déjà vu. That wall is not supposed to be there. He kicked it angrily, and a large chunk of stone fell easily away. Surprised, he kicked it again. This time, the whole wall crumbled away to reveal a short passage. At the end, there was an elegant door made of oak. The scent of bitter smoke covered the entire hall.
They're there!
When he reached the door, he wrenched it open so hard that it ended up rebounding off the wall, narrowly missing him. He squinted his eyes to adjust to the bright room, after being accustomed to the gloomy labyrinth.
"Ah, Gabriel. You found us sooner than I thought you would." the demon was re3clining in an elegant armchair next to a fireplace. The room was small, and bare except for the armchair and a low couch against the far wall. There Elizabeth was laid out, unconscious. Her wrists and ankles were bound, and there was a large bruise spreading from her right temple. Gabriel's blood boiled at the sight of her laying injured.
"How dare you--"
"Yes, yes, 'how dare I'" the demon mocked. "How can I be so cold-hearted, so ruthless." He smiled slyly, silver hair glimmering in the light from the fire. "Because I can, I suppose. It does so amuse me to watch the both of you suffer." His eyes turned from taunting to cold. "Suffer like my poor Marie did."
Was that the person my family killed? "Look, what happened to her, I'm sorry, but it doesn't concern me or Elizabeth." He did feel sorry, too. IF anything like that happened to Elizabeth…well, it wouldn't. He wouldn't let it.
The demon seemed to completely ignore him. "Maybe I could give your 'angel' back to you…for a price," he drawled.
"Done. What is it?"
He smiled, obviously pleased with what he was about to say. "Your humanity. If you wish for me to let her go, for her to return to the castle with you, then you will never be able to become human again. On the other hand, I will release my curse from you, and you would appear as you used to. But," he paused, drawing out he suspense. "You will never be able to see her again. She will remain with me, as my bride. A replacement for my fiancé."
Gabriel slumped, all the anger fading out of him. Never to be human… "If I give up my humanity, if I choose the first option…you will let Elizabeth go?"
The demon's eyes registered slight shock before nodding slowly. "You have my word on it."
"Then I'll do it." He straightened up, determined. As long as Elizabeth would be safe and happy…he'd already said he would do anything to get her out of this. He wouldn't go back on his word.
The demon looked sour, upset that he had to give his 'replacement'. "Very well." He waved his hand airily at Gabriel, who felt an odd tingling sensation over his body, like he was being pricked with fine needles, hard enough to hurt, but light enough not to draw blood. He shook himself mentally then went over to the couch and picked up Elizabeth. Her head lolled. She still seemed to be out.
"Send us home, demon."
He stood up, scowling. "I have a name, you know: Jason. Lord Jason, to be precise. Show some respect."
"Please send us home, Lord Jason," he asked sarcastically.
Jason clapped his hands once, as he did before. Gabriel felt the familiar sensation as if falling into cold nothing-ness, the found himself in standing in his room, holding Elizabeth. Judging by the lack of light, he guessed it to be late in the evening. But that can't be right, we just woke up not long ago! He recalled that, in places of magic, time passed differently. That must be it. He looked down at Elizabeth. Her eyes were open.
"You should rest, ange. You hurt your head." He set her down in the chair next to the balcony, cutting through the ropes with his claws. They slithered off of her and onto the floor.
"Where are we?" Her hand crept up to cover her bruise. "I remember the demon taking me to a room, but nothing after that."
"We're home. In my room. I'll take you back to yours." He helped her stand up, and after swaying slightly, she gained her balance and made her way to the door, asking questions on her way.
"But how did we get back? When? How long have I been out? All day? It looks like it's already night here, but I remember he took me just after we woke up…"
"We only just got back," he answered, opening the door for her. "You weren't out for more that ten minutes or so, and time passes different there than it does here." They went down the stairs then opened the door to the East Wing.
"But how did we get back? Did you find the way out?"
"No…Jason, he transported us back here, after I found you."
"Oh." A pause. "Who's Jason?"
"The demon. That's his name."
"Oh." She rubbed her head. "Damn that hurts…so you're saying he just let the both of us go, from the good in his heart?"
"Well…no…" He picked up his pace slightly, eyes straight ahead. What she didn't know couldn't hurt her.
"Gabriel! What aren't you telling me?" she asked, annoyance coating her voice. He glanced over his shoulder, and his eyes met a pair of smoldering blue ones. This was a girl who'd gone through three day of battle, then had been knocked unconscious and tied up by a demon. And was clearly not in a joyous mood about it.
"Nothing important," he answered shortly. They reached her bedroom door and he opened it. "Would you look at that, we're here. Now, you go clean up and relax. You've been through a lot. I think I'll go work on that concerto I've been meaning to finish…" He slipped past her, meaning to leave without having to answer her question. It really wasn't important…depressing, embarrassing, and horribly disappointing, but not important. They were back home, and the demon--Lord Jason, he reminded himself-- would leave them alone now, if they were lucky.
A small hand grabbed his forearm in a vice grip. "Gabriel, tell me: why did he let us go?"
He sighed. "It's nothing…we just made a little deal, that's all. Now we're out of the maze, and back at the castle. What I promised. And now I'll just be going…"
She didn't release her grip. Gabriel could have broken it with barely any effort, but didn't want to seem like he was anxious to get away. Too anxious, anyways. "What kind of deal?"
"Just a minor price, that's all."
"You're lying. I can tell." She let go, arm dropping to her side. "I'm grateful to you Gabriel, really, I am. You got us out of that, and I'm in your debt. But why aren't you telling me what happened?"
"Because…it's not important like I've said." He bent down and hugged her quickly, then stepped back. "Does it really matter to you so much?"
She shook her head. "No, not really…but it'll keep me up for hours wondering what that deal was. And you know I'll keep pestering you about it. I'm annoying like that," she laughed.
"No, you are never annoying." He sighed then said "The deal was just a simple payment. Nothing's changed, except now…" he waved a hand at his face. "My curse can't be broken I'll just be like this forever. That was the price; my humanity."
"Oh my God…Gabriel…" she shook her head, her expression caught between confusion and sympathy. "I knew you were cursed, but there's a way to break it?"
"There was," he said simply.
"And you gave it up? As a price!"
"Look, there was no way my curse was going to be broken, so what does it matter!" he half-shouted, something inside him snapping. "You're safe, we're back, so just drop the subject! Good night, Elizabeth!" He turned around and stormed down the hall, leaving a considerably stunned Elizabeth standing outside of her room.