3 years later
Raphael Sorel smiled wickedly as his carriage approached the Alexandra manor. Picking up his cane, he fixed his cape and looked into the mirror across from him. Raphael had to fool Archelous once more with his charms and concerned manner for his daughter and in his personal opinion; the old man had no idea.
Archelous considered him a close, trusted and personal friend, no doubt a delusion. He even wondered how Archelous whitewashed over some things that Raphael let slip in his presence but brushed it away, knowing fully that 'his old friend' was allowing him to do whatever he wanted simply because Raphael convinced people of the outside world that she would be cured.
The only secret that never escaped his lips was that Raphael was going to cure her. Or at least contain her in a room where only Raphael was permitted to enter…
The carriage stopped, swinging the door open. Stepping out, Raphael began to walk smugly to the manor, dignified.
The Alexandra Manor, what used to be beautiful and proud, now stood dreary and haunted. Three stories high with four windows each facing, Raphael's eyes went to the very last window on the left of the third story, chuckling to himself. It held a deep secret, a hidden treasure that never laid eyes on the outside world.
Opening the door to the manor, Raphael swiftly walked up the once alive stairs to the study where he knew exactly where to find the old man.
Almost instantly, he heard two voices:
"Archelous, you know it's useless." A soft soothing voice tried to persuade him. The other, filled with weary sighs and melancholy, replied stubbornly,
"Yes she will. She is an Alexandra. She must get better…."
"Archelous, you know it to be true. It's only gotten worse. Far worse than usual. Do you honestly think that she could get better? The tragic anniversary is not so far off…"
"Doctor Jameson, I would prefer it if you left…"
"Listen to me, Archelous, take her out to the woods…"
"Please leave, Doctor…"
"And lead her to the river…"
"I SAID LEAVE, DOCTOR!"
Raphael figured this was his cue. Opening the door, Doctor Jameson exited quickly, mumbling incoherent words. Watching him disappear from sight, he turned back and smiled.
"Good news, Archelous?" He asked with amusement. Archelous motioned him to sit, took his place behind the desk. He was now much older, his face now filled with worry lines and his brow furrowed in a depressive state. His blue eyes, dulled along with the rest of the manor, stared lifelessly into whatever they saw. His hair, losing its black night, began to submit to age, becoming gray as Athena's robes.
"I would hardly consider that good news." Archelous answered and Raphael shrugged. "Well, what do doctors know anyway?" The Frenchman inquired jokingly, taking off his cape.
The older sighed again. "Raphael, I'm sure you…."
"Of course I do. Let me handle it."
XXX
"Yunsung! Yunsung!…oh! What a useless bodyguard…! Yunsung..!" a young dark skinned girl called out, her eyes flashing wildly. Her pink ribbons in her hair danced around like a jovial jester, mimicking her movements.
"What! Stop yelling, it's annoying!" a red haired man jumped out with a saber, irritated. The girl rolled her eyes. "You're annoying. Now come on, we have to take Cassandra out into the gardens."
"Yes! I love going to the gardens, only time to get out of this stuffy place." Yunsung said in relief. "AND I'm not annoying, Talim!"
"Yes you are, now be quiet." Talim commanded before pushing open the door.
Inside a tiny room sat a beautiful blonde haired girl, about 17 years old, looking aimlessly out the window. Her outfit consisted of a blue short-sleeved dress, plain and simple. Easy to get in and easy to get out of. Luckily, Cassandra Alexandra was able to dress and bathe herself, therefore not making her a total vegetable.
Talim gently tapped her lightly on the shoulder, smiling. "Cassandra, do you know what day it is?" She asked, expecting no answer. "Well, today we can go to the gardens! The flowers are in full bloom and it is so beautiful outside."
Cassandra merely looked ahead, staring in space. Tugging on her, Talim helped her up.
"Yeah, and if you want, we can pick lilies to put in your room." Yunsung told Cassandra and Talim glared at him.
"Shut up! You know we can't pick flowers because they'll…cease to be and we can't show any…ceasing to be in front of her!" She hissed and he glared back. "I was just trying to help! Aren't lilies supposed to be her favorite flower…!"
"Lily? Flower?" Cassandra suddenly said, snapping the two out of their fight.
"Yes, Cassandra. Lilies." Talim nodded her head.
XXX
Placing a lily within Cassandra's hand, Talim
smiled. "See? Isn't it beautiful? All these flowers just for
you!"
The Grecian touched it lightly, her face unchanging. "Can
flower feel pain?" She asked quietly, stroking the petals.
Talim hesitated to answer but found an answer that would be most suitable. "No. They live to be appreciated and their souls can never feel pain because they are loved so much."
Cassandra became silent again, just staring at the blue flower with nothing in her head.
XXX
"Archelous, my dear friend, Cassandra will be taken care by my people who are well aware of her situation. No harm would befall on her shoulders…"
"I trust you, Raphael but moving her to another location, even temporarily, would be damaging for Cassandra…" Archelous rejected, trying to explain. Raphael, calming himself, smiled lightly.
"Archelous. Archelous, Archelous, Archelous. You haven't even been outside in years! Worrying too much about your daughter, a good sign for a father but you yourself need a life not revolved around her. Let me take for a few weeks, under my eyes, so you can have a normal life for once…" Raphael tried to sway, his voice pressuring the old man.
"She needs me." The other bluntly said.
Tapping his cane, Raphael was prepared for that remark. "She's always going to need you. But what are you going to say to God when you die? She needs me? I will assure you that I will take good care of Cassandra while living in my home, treated with the utmost respect and honor. She may even have whatever she wants for I tend to spoil my guests, a natural habit of mine. If anything goes wrong, I would take absolute responsibility and pay for whatever damage would be done." He pushed forward, gleefully taking in Archelous's thought on the matter. "So what do you, old friend?"
"Absolutely not!" a voice from behind loudly rejected. "Cassandra isn't going anywhere under MY watch!"
The two men turned around and saw Talim, hatefully glaring at Raphael.
Raphael almost strangled her…he was so close…
"Talim," He managed out, pretending to be happy. "So nice to see you again. How are you?"
"Raphael. I thought I recognized your stench…"
"Talim." Archelous reminded her and she sighed. "Yes sir."
Raphael bowed mockingly towards her direction. "You are always such a pleasure to be around." He laughed a little, standing up straight. 'Oh how I would adore breaking that little neck of yours…'
Talim placed her hands on her hips, looking right up at Raphael. "As I was saying, Cassandra will not leave this manor. She needs to stay here." She coolly said.
"But as I was just saying to Archelous here
that you all need a vacation. Cassandra also needs one too and a few
weeks at my home would be happy for everyone…"
"Not her.
She belongs here and not anywhere near your bed!" Talim
interjected.
"Talim!" the other exclaimed loudly, a little insulted. She bowed to him again. "So sorry once more sir." She apologized again.
Raphael, amused by her remarks, merely waved his hand. "I would not harm Miss Alexandra at all. I am more of a gentleman than you think." He tried to manipulate Talim into believing it but she was smarter than that.
"Do many gentlemen often try to sleep with poor mentally hurt girls or are you the first?"
"TALIM!"
"Sorry again, sir." Talim quickly apologized and Raphael stiffened. "IF you weren't so stubborn, Talim, you would understand that I am your master's friend and would not do that to his daughter. But, as we know, little girls are often influenced by their boyfriends…" He strongly implied, making Talim angry.
"Yunsung and I are not a couple…! We're just friends!" she denied.
"Enough, both of you!" Archelous shouted, standing up. The two immediately stopped, looking at him. "I understand both of you have a concern for Cassandra…"
"Ha!" Talim said under her breath.
"But I feel that it is safer with Cassandra here at her home. Perhaps another time, Raphael." The elder made his decision and Raphael bowed. "Understandably. But now, I must go. I have many things to do and so little time to do it." He jerked at his face to keep a smile.
"Talim, if you would please leave as well."
"Yes sir." She happily obeyed, overjoyed that Cassandra would not be hurt by Raphael. Walking out enough so Archelous could not hear them, Raphael looked enraged.
"You have a lot of nerve, girl! Next time, I won't be pleasant when you back talk me…" He warned, spitting rage.
Talim smiled broadly. "You will not touch Cassandra. If I have to spend my life keeping you away from her, then I will do it gladly." She sweetly reminded him, making him angrier.
"You insolent little brat! I don't know why I even have to put up with you, Archelous likes me enough without being nice to you!" Raphael vehemently snarled, threatening her with his cane. "Don't cross me again, Talim or I will take my own measures."
"You do that, Mr. Sorel. I'll be sure to wait for you." She told him and he rubbed his head, groaning. "Must you have a goddamn reply to everything? If you shut up for a while, I'll pay for you and Yunsung's wedding."
"WHAT! We're NOT a couple, Sorel!" Talim cried out and retorted, "If I didn't have a reply to everything, it would be too easy for you to get to Cassandra!"
"That's why I want you to shut up." Raphael returned the dice and began to walk swiftly. Talim leered at him.
"Oh Mr. Sorel…" She said in a singsong voice, "That's the way to Cassandra's room. You want the exit…I'll gladly show you the way."
He stopped and glowered at her. Talim could not help but feel happy.
XXX
"So Raphael is still trying? I thought he would have given up already…" Yunsung mused while eating bread.
Talim sighed, picking up the salad. "I know. He's been trying for so long to get Cassandra and I can't let him do that. I can't do that to her. She needs me to protect her."
Yunsung swallowed. "You know, I think Cassandra could fend for herself…" He stated, setting down the plate.
Talim gave him a disbelieved look. "Oh really? Have you noticed her condition? Not exactly fit for a Champion and Grandmaster Rapier."
He smiled. "Yeah, and he's a great with a sword."
She laughed. The two were sitting outside Cassandra's door, eating their dinner. It was already late into the night, the hallways dark and brooding. Archelous had gone to bed hours before and they were the only two up. A candle was the only source of light, fighting a losing battle against the darkness.
"So what precisely do you mean, Yunsung?" She asked, slowly eating her salad. Yunsung picked up his steaming bowl of Chinese noodles and began to noisily slurp on it.
"Easy." He managed between, "I hear her behind the doors. Cassandra is not a child. I would know since I'm the only one for most of the day. She talks and thinks to herself…"
"And?"
"Well, you should hear her. She's planning, Talim. Maybe they are a little farfetched and maybe she forgets them after a while but the fact remains: Cassandra can plan. She still rationalizes and decides however small it is." Yunsung explained, wiping away the broth from his chin. "You know, maybe Cassandra isn't mentally hurt at all…"
Talim reflected on that for a while before answering, "Well, why won't she tell anyone?"
Her friend shrugged, putting down the noodles, lightly sipping his tea. "I have no idea. I was just saying."
She sighed and glanced down the dark hallway. "Yunsung…" Talim murmured, putting back an unfinished bowl of salad, "Why did you do this job?"
Yunsung jerked slightly, spilling some of tea. "What?"
"Why did you? You told me you were a student at a academy before Archelous hired you for the job." Talim told him, looking intently at him. The other simply shrugged and stared down at his food. "I needed the money. For my family in Korea." Yunsung replied.
Talim began eating her dinner again. "I needed the money too…but my Grandfather owes Archelous so I was more than happy to do it. So," She paused to drink her tea, "Speaking of family, how is your brother Hwang?"
Yunsung laughed. "Hwang is good. He likes his job as a blacksmith, making weapons and such. But I think Seung Mina is hitting on him." He said with a shiver of fear, "I'm not kidding, they better not get married."
"Why?"
"Because then she would be my sister-in-law…and I don't want to be related to her. If they get married, I am never coming to the family reunions."
"Speaking of weddings, Yunsung," She set down her teacup, "During the time me and that son-of-a-bitch, Raphael told me if I were to shut up for a while, he would fully pay for our wedding."
"WHAT!"
XXX
Sorel Manor, France
"Uncle Raphael," Amy Sorel, 12 year old girl popped her head into Raphael's study, her eyes shimmering. "You're back!"
"So it seems." Raphael sighed listlessly, putting down his pen. "Amelia, I thought you went to bed hours ago."
Amy giggled. "Uncle, you know I don't go to bed when I'm supposed to!"
Raphael smiled slightly and Amy ran over to embrace him tightly, lovingly. "So how was Archelous, Uncle?" She asked, looking up at him. Stroking her hair, Raphael looked bitter. "He was fine. I can't get anywhere near the girl though." He told her and caught a flash of jealously that crossed Amy's face, making him secretly pleased.
He had always known that Amy harbored a deeper love for him, one that goes beyond the Uncle/Niece relationship. It was always there ever since she was a little girl, crushing on him blissfully and happily. Her emotions towards him were more than obvious, the blushing and the deep concern for him…
Poor Amy. She was going to have to learn the hard way that men will sometimes break her heart. Especially if they were blood related. She was going to spend months, maybe a year with him, she may want to learn that now.
Wrapping his finger around one of her gorgeous red curls, Raphael kissed her on top of her little head, humoring her. It wasn't fair to her if he told her flatout that they couldn't be together. Why not humor her? It makes her happy for a short period of time.
"Amelia, you should be in bed." Raphael scolded her lightly, "I wouldn't want your pretty face to be smudged by sleep."
Amy flushed. "Alright, Uncle. I'll go to bed if you promise to get sleep too." She bargained and he flashed her one of his charming smiles. "Of course. Go to bed, Amy." He accepted, obviously not going to do it.
She hopped out of his lap and ran out of the room, blushing as red as her hair. Raphael watched her leave before turning around. He pitied Amy, she was nothing more than his adorable niece, a daughter of his younger brother. Though, she was really the only one he tolerated and showed slight compassion…
However, once he got Cassandra, things will change. Not only will he get his lust fulfilled and Cassandra would be forced to wed him after he told Archelous that Cassandra had no desire to leave and after Archelous would 'unexpectedly' drop dead, therefore wedding Cassandra to Raphael, giving him all of her inherited estate but Amy would learn to live with other people. Another woman.
Amy could earn him a lot of new friends when she grew up. A lot of…influential and rich friends…
XXX
Greece Woods
"So, magician, musician, warrior in disguise…is there anything you can't do?" Li Long interrupted his relatively new friend in the middle of his story, taking a bite his bread.
The elf, Link, sighed with a hint of exasperation. "Yes…"
"And what would that be, overachiever?"
"…well, I'm not much of a dancer…" Link admitted, his ears starting to turn red. Li Long almost broke a lung laughing. "That's it? ANYONE can learn that, overachiever! My, did you have lots of free time back where you came from?"
Link rolled his eyes. "You know, I can't have a decent conversation with you…I don't even know why I bother…" He mumbled to himself. Li Long punched him on the shoulder and the elf made a noise in his throat.
"Ah, my friend! You should be happy to be friends with me! You got no one else to feed you…"
"What the hell are you talking about? This is MY food, YOU were starving before I met you…"
"Well, you wouldn't have a place to sleep under and fire to cook with…"
"I always set up the tents and make the fire while YOU sleep…"
"Well, you never had the fine taste of Korean beer before you met me!" Li Long finished before Link became silent for a moment.
"…that is true, I never did…though, I could have lived without it, personally…did get us into a lot of trouble back there in Italy…" He finally spoke, giving Li Long the unfortunate credit. "For a peon, you are terrible at people-skills."
"Yeah, well, if those bastards who I work for would pay me more, I wouldn't so cross." Li Long yawned, rolling over to his side. "Night, Link."
"Night, Li Long." Link grumbled, reassessing his friendship with Li Long and wondering how the hell he wound up with this guy.
XXX
Argh! I wish it could be longer! Oh well, first chapter done. Please read and review. A little helping out with character's costumes:
Talim: SC2 2P
Yunsung: SC2 1P
Raphael: SC2 3P
Li Long: SC3
Cassandra: Just a dress. No official outfit
Amy: SC3 1P (the red haired Amy)
Link: SC2 1P
For reference: A peon is a person who is unskilled or semi-skilled in manual labor. (in Spain, it refers to someone who travels on foot rather than horse-it was later changed to the chess piece pawn). A peon has also been known to do odd jobs around any town that he is in.
Don't want to smudge it up with Author's Notes but the original chapter was ERASED. So I tried to rewrite but this didn't turn out so well…so what have we learned, children? NEVER TRUST A FLOPPY DISK.