Yeah, yeah. I'm at a roadblock in both of my stories. So I decided to write a one-shot…because it is easy as hell.
AND I would like to say that this one-shot is very different from the others. For one, it's all in Raphael's view. Two, it's my version of Raphael. So don't complain. Some scenes tip into more adult-like scenes but its no R. However, if you can't stand that, then don't read…
Disclaimer: Namco! That's it.
XXX
There she was.
I knew I could find her. I could always find the girl no matter where she hid. It was a like a game, I treated it like a game. The cat and the mouse. Hunter and the prey. Letting them go to lengthen the chase, to challenge the game. The more she raced around the world to hide, the more I wanted to catch her, the more I wanted to have her.
It was a twisted little mind game for fools of love. For me, it was a trophy to place upon the mantle.
Striking my cane upon the ground, I had to give her a badge for courage: to hide in my home country was brilliant yet the most ridiculous thing I ever heard of. France. The town where I lived in. The place I came in every night to drink and gamble.
She selected a magnificent prison.
I watched her go into one of the shops, a flower shop. Taking in everything, she acted like a child in a wooden toy palace; taking in every single scent she could get her slender beautiful hands on. Her perfect, pink lips parted slightly in awe as she spotted the innocent flower: the blue lily.
It's always been a wonder to me why anyone would pick that particular flower, it was such a plain flower compared to the beauty of others. But I suppose it had to do with how she felt: overlooked but had this beauty inside that was special, that only so few people could truly see. Blue lilies represented innocence, the forever dreamer of the world. To her eyes, it had more fire than the rose because it looked at life not as a fast, desperate object; it truly embraced life and fought it to the very end, a determination that survival was the necessity, not hopeless.
Life to my prey meant much. To use life in a way that no one else could, to spare life was the miracle of the world.
To create life was godlike, a power that only gods could have.
She may be a good mother. I have seen her with her nephew and niece; she is a loving, caring mother-like figure that would stop at nothing to get them to succeed at life.
Smiling, I watched her pick out a lily and buy it, holding it close to her heart. It was her heart now, her beating heart.
I had remembered the first time I ever met her. She was certainly was a looker that she still is today:
It was at a party in my mansion several years ago. I had planned to spend my time and amusement at the fools dancing and laughing. However, I easily grew bored: no one here could possibly hold my attention for more than three minutes, if I even granted them that long.
I had brought along my rapier. I never truly believed in the theory that people were good on the whole because quite honestly, that was a bullshit lie.
Strolling through the party, I saw her by the stature of a woman pouring water. Her clothes, as I perceived, were not of this country nor was it in the style of class and riches. Apparently, she was lost.
So I decided to help the little lamb out.
"Hello." I said, startling her. She whirled around and frowned slightly. "I see you're very confused." She was a little less than my height with beautiful blonde hair fitted with a headband. Her bright blue eyes seemed to analyze me, her lips pursing.
"I'm not confused. I'm merely looking for something." She said with a little annoyance. I bowed in a mock apology.
"I'm sorry to assume that." I smirked. "By the way, may I inquire what you are looking for?" She shook her head. "I'll looking for nothing that concerns you." Was her quick answer.
Wrapping my arm around her slender waist, I touched her cheek. "My, my. Aren't you a beautiful young lady. How about we go up to my bedroom upstairs on the second floor?" I had suggested in a soft, persuading voice.
A look of pure disgust went over her face, shoving me away from her. "Ugh. You're definitely not my type." She snapped, backing away. I glared at her, grasping tighter on the handle of my rapier.
"Why you little brat." I hissed, "Don't you have any idea who I am?"
"No and quite preferably, I don't want to know." She replied, moving away from me. "If you'll excuse me…"
I grabbed her by the arm. "I don't think so. My name is Raphael Sorel. I am the master of this house and unless you do as I say, you aren't ever going to leave." I threatened her. She growled and slapped me across the face.
"My name is Cassandra Alexandra. You can go to hell." She snarled, turning heel. I fumed. No girl was to slap and embarrass me in public! I reached out to grab her arm again, this time, violently before she put a sword tip to my throat.
"Go away." Cassandra warned and I, keeping my head up, grabbed my rapier, pushing it into her stomach. "Don't defy me." I returned.
We locked murderous eyes at each other for at least five minutes before she laughed. "This is stupid. Excuse me, Sorel, but I have a quest to do." Cassandra coldly stated, "Here, this is how pathetic I think of this situation." She placed down her sword and I wickedly smiled.
"You just lost, my dear…" I chuckled. However, my laugh was premature, she slapped the blade away, turned heel and ran. I stared after her, knowing fully that I could not chase after her. "We'll meet again, Cassandra." I mused, feeling angry that I, for the first time, did not get what I wanted, "And next time, I won't be so nice about it."
Touching my hair, I briskly walked over to my carriage where it was waiting. "Drive back to my home." I ordered, "And hurry. I have things to be planned out."
XXX
I had allowed myself a temporary peace. With Cassandra on the mind, I knew I had to end the long war between us.
After the party, when I began to travel for Soul Edge, I had learned that she was also looking for Soul Edge. She was at the party looking for the shards…so ironically, she was indeed looking for me.
We fought several times because we had different plans for Soul Edge. Cassandra wanted to destroy it, I wanted to use it. She felt it was evil, I felt it was an advantage over enemies. Within these battles, we evened out. Cassandra lost a few and I lost a few. However, it was strange that when I tried to have my way with her when I won, she always managed to squirm out of my grasp by lucky slides. People often showed up and saved her, she got the perfect amount of strength at the right time to push me off…it was annoying.
Especially with her lover. That boy Link. He continuously saved her from me, constantly stayed with her. I could see, even afterwards, that they deeply loved each other by the way they hugged and held each other.
Of course, I knew Cassandra was still pure. She wasn't the kind of girl who slept with just anyone who told her that she was the most beautiful girl to ever grace the planet. I also knew that she was engaged to him.
Even when I saw her just now, she was still engaged. But I knew I wanted her first- Link would just have to wait his turn.
XXX
"You bastard."
I looked up from my desk, putting down my quill. Sitting back, I was in the presence of the beautiful angry Grecian who had her fists clenched so tight that they were about to break
"Where is he!" Cassandra demanded, her face contorting into a rage. "I swear by Zeus I will slit your snake throat open…"
"Where is who?" I asked innocently, folding my hands.
"Link! Where is he! I know you have him!" Cassandra growled, shoving her sword only inches away from my face. I was unafraid, sitting there motionless and amused. "Link? The boy? I'm very sorry, my dear Cassandra, Link is not here." I said calmly, looking into her angry eyes.
"Yes he is! I don't think it's a coincidence that we are in this town for three days and he mysteriously disappears along with his sword and shield without warning." She snarled and I shrugged.
"No idea. Have you tried the brothels? The women there are very persuasive. However, I am very sorry to hear that your fiancé ran off with another woman right before your wedding…tsk, tsk tsk…the manner of some…" I said with a fake apologetic tone before she grabbed me by the collar.
"Listen to me damn good, Raphael…Link is a man. He would not run off with someone else, I know he's around here somewhere in your mansion. I suggest you tell me before I get really mad…" Cassandra warned.
"Or what? You'll kill me? If you had the courage to do that, you would have done it a long time ago…" I snickered before wrapping my arm around her back, shoving her down on the desk. Her hand ripped my shirt collar a little but it was nothing that my tailor couldn't fix. "And I don't like people threaten me, it's rather rude."
Cassandra got up and slid off my desk. "I'm tired of playing these stupid games. You tell me now."
"And what? Ruin the game?" I smirked, "Now, now, where's your sense of fun, Cassandra!" She glared at me hatefully. "So you do have him." She stated, ready to attack me.
My hand went up to my chin in a thoughtful manner. "Tell you what. I'll give you his location if you do something for me?" I offered and Cassandra stiffened. "No, here's one. You tell me and I don't kill you." She countered the offer.
"As I said before, Cassandra, you don't have guts to. You love that boy, don't you? You have no clue to where his whereabouts are and you are worried sick. You even had the nerve to march into my mansion and demand from me where he was. But you are helpless and you know it. I know exactly where he is and if I were you, I wouldn't play around with that chance, play around with me because I could just as easily let him rot to hell. Now," I paused, "Will you listen to my offer, Cassandra?"
She swallowed and stayed silent. I stood up and began, reveling in my victory.
"You spend a night with me and I'll tell you where he is. If not, he remains missing." I stated, smiling broadly. "You are pretty much stuck, my dear."
Cassandra gave me a murderous glare, tightening her sword. "You perverted, psychopathic bastard. I have another choice: I can rip apart your mansion looking for him." She added another choice, making me open my arms wide.
"Look around my mansion all you like. Tear it to shreds for all I care. You won't find him." I permitted her to do so, gleefully taking in her frustration. Clenching her teeth, Cassandra stamped her foot.
"Fine. I'll do just that." She accepted and began to hunt around my study like a wild animal. I simply shrugged my shoulders, picked back up my quill and began to work again. She overturned my things, checked all the corners, tore off the paintings on the wall, cleaned out bookshelves, tossing books over her shoulders…
I was too busy to pay attention to her little tantrum, writing down payments and little notes. Flipping open a book, I scanned the page, tapping on it.
"If you would be a dear, Cassandra," I pointed to the bookcase across from my desk without even looking up, "Would you please hand me that book with the red covering?"
She threw it at my head.
Catching it, I set it down. "Thank you, my dear." I unemotionally said, opening it up to a particular page. Cassandra furiously hacked away with her sword until there was absolutely nothing but destruction of my study. Books strewn about, pages torn and scattered across the floor, shelves destroyed and antiques broken on the floor.
"Are you quite done with that Cassandra? Or are you going to another room?" I finally asked, scribbling down a paragraph from a book. She began to gasp, tired from her rage. "Another room." Cassandra said quite simply, angrily.
"Alright." I said and closed the book. "Go ahead. The mansion is littered with secret passageways; try the one upstairs in the room second door to the right. That's one I know of."
"I'm not falling for that, Raphael. That's a ploy to trick me." She accused and I raised an eyebrow. "It's a music room, for your information, my dear. It's a passageway that leads to another room across the manor. There's a colorful history of it but I'm sure you don't want to hear it." I said matter-of-factly.
"You're right, I don't." She said and ran out the room. Knowing that Cassandra would return in a matter of due time, I rummaged through my desk for a new bottle of ink. Keeping an estate was much more difficult that it was all cracked up to be…
"It's locked." I heard her say as Cassandra entered the room again. "Forgot to tell me that, Sorel?" I smiled lightly, closing my desk drawer. "I must have locked it yesterday. And don't be rude, Cassandra, I refer to you by your first name. Repeat your sentence with my name and I'll unlock for you." I told her, sitting back.
Gritting her teeth, she repeated: "Forgot to tell me that, Raphael?"
"Good girl. If you don't trust me and I suspect you don't, stay here and I'll go unlock it for you." I explained, getting up. She glared at me.
"What, so you could fool me into going up there when I don't hear anything and attacking me there? How do I know that you won't take a passage in a different and kidnap me when I'm not looking?" Cassandra snapped, tapping her foot. I crossed my arms, looking at her with a frown.
"You don't trust me when I tell you of a passageway. You don't trust me when I tell you he's not here. And yet, I seem to be right, aren't I? If you stay here, I won't do anything except unlock that door and come straight back." I remarked, making her swallow.
"I'm coming with you. I certainly don't trust you to go alone." Cassandra said and I shrugged. "Suit yourself." I said and walked out the door. She followed close behind, watching my every move.
There was a complete silence when I approached the music room door. Taking out my master key, I pushed it into the lock and unlocked it, making it swing open slightly. "There. I'm going back." I lifted my arm in a gesture. "Look around but try not to hurt the grand piano. It's very old."
"Go to hell." Was her reply as she walked inside. I put the key back into my pocket and quietly raced to the other side of the mansion.
The passageway that she was taking was one of the few. However, it connected with several of them, leading to other rooms such as the basement or the Grand Hall. Yet, it was the only one that led to a room I was going to catch her in…
My bedroom. It was the only one that had a direct passage to it. Smiling devilishly, I opened the door to it and locked it tight. This time, I was going to catch her once and for all. I didn't lie to her; I simply forgot the rest of the truth.
Hiding among my curtains, I watched the window with intent. The end of it, which was facing the canopy bed, was an optical illusion I had masterminded myself. It looked like a door from inside the passageway yet from my bedroom, it looked like a giant window that showed the northeastern front of the house, towards the woods. The other windows, which were real windows, were carefully placed to mirror the reflection onto the window (perhaps it was more of a mirror itself) as exactly the lawn was. No one except me ever knew the difference.
However, if you looked at it at night, it was too foggy to see through it therefore giving the edge away. But everyone was too stupid to realize it.
I heard her footsteps. I waited patiently, waiting for it to swing open to reveal my prize.
It creaked open with a moan of a ghost. Cassandra, looking around the room, probably not fully realizing that it was a bedroom, closed the window. "So where am I now? I've already been through rooms and rooms but it seems like this is the end of the way…" She murmured to herself, "Oh Link, where are you?"
She had to be closer. I silently took out my rapier.
Walking around, Cassandra checked the fireplace before anything, trying to push it out to see if there was a door behind it. "Hmph. Well, that didn't work. Where the hell am I anyway? It looks like a bedroom but it's too big…maybe…" Cassandra mulled over it to herself, trying to figure out her location.
She stepped closer, I felt myself grow anxious. Cassandra had to be close enough for the rapier; it was one chance I wasn't going to ruin. This was my chance to truly have her and I wasn't going to lose it again.
Checking the table that was on the wall fifty paces away from me, I stayed deathly silent. "Nothing here. Goddamn Raphael. Probably downstairs smirking, so full of himself…." Cassandra cursed, throwing off the items on the desk.
I forced myself not to laugh. I had to be silent.
She was beginning to walk right in front of me. The instant her left foot hit my set of curtains, I lunged at her.
Hearing a cry of disbelief utter from her lips, I forced her on her knees, pressing the blade to her throat.
"Drop your weapons." I ordered coolly, standing behind her. Cassandra obeyed, releasing her sword and shield. "Yo-you tricked me…" She whispered tearfully, "You were waiting for me."
I grabbed her shoulder. "You are right. I was waiting for you. My patience will be paid off, Cassandra. Even if you want it to or not." I told her, pushing harder on the throat. "Do you understand?"
"Yes." She answered back, "This was your plan all along…"
"It's sad sometimes that the hero never knows the villain's plan until it is too late for them." I commented, stroking her cheek with my free hand. "It won't be so bad, Cassandra. You'll be asking me for more afterwards."
"How did you do it?" Cassandra asked, closing her eyes. I flashed a dark grin. "I played on your mistrust, Cassandra. I knew you wouldn't trust me to do anything and you would forget to mistrust me on the most important things." I explained with pride.
She was silent for a moment. "Link really isn't here, is he? You were playing off of that too…" She finally stated, shivering.
"You're quite smart. Yes, I'm afraid, you did all this for nothing. As I said, I didn't have him. I did for a short time being, until I knew you would conclude it was I and I released him. He should be back in his bed right now, probably oblivious to what happened." I smirked, letting my hand go down to her chest. "Now, that's enough questions. Time for me and you to have that well-overdue romp in the bed."
"I'll never sleep with you." She resisted and I forced her up. "Yes you will. I'll make you. Cassandra, you lost. The war is over. You can go back to your lover boy after this and cry on his shoulder for all I care but you're mine tonight. I outsmarted you and you, perhaps the best adversary, must now succumb to me." I told her, dragging her to my bed.
"There is no way out. I have the key to this room and you probably have no idea where you came from. The windows are two stories high with no ledge; you'll break your neck. So really, Cassandra, I would suggest you obey me and you'll get out of here with very little trouble." I sadistically told her and forced her down.
XXX
She stayed silent as I kissed her on the neck, below the jawbone. Perhaps Cassandra was planning, I wouldn't know. I was too busy right now to decide whether or not some futile plan was going on in her head.
Taking my rapier, I slid the tip of it over her shirt, revealing a thin line of flesh. I knew she was struggling, praying that I was going to change my mind…
Oh how little was Cassandra aware of men.
My hand reached underneath her skirt, making her flinch violently. "Don't be alarmed, my dear. Just relax…" I advised her, kissing her on the mouth.
However, my sword left her body for two seconds. That was my mistake.
Kneeing me hard in the chest, Cassandra literally pushed me off the bed, knocking me to the floor. I grunted, holding my chest.
"Why you little-!" I swore and she rolled off the bed, holding her shirt. I got up and dived towards her, rapier ready…
She grabbed her shield and blocked me, knocking me off balance. Taking up her sword, Cassandra glared murderously at me. "Let me go." She ordered.
"I don't think so, Kitten. You be a good girl and leave here with two arms." I shot back, getting into stance.
Swinging her sword, she charged at me but I moved out of the way, thrusting my sword but Cassandra turned around too quickly, blocking it. I reacted by slashing at her feet, making her jump back.
Taking my cue, I shoved my sword forwards, making her lose balance. I swung it horizontally, forcing her onto the ground. "Not so easy to fight me this time around, huh? You should learn to give up, it suits you." I snickered before Cassandra rolled over to my left, kicking my ankle so I would bend slightly over.
Getting up, quick as a flash, Cassandra quickly placed her sword on the back of my neck, threatening. I was stunned…was it over already? I had lost to her!
"You should learn to stay down. It suits you better." She answered, "Now give me the key before I behead you."
"This isn't over, Cassandra." I warned her, closing my eyes.
"Yes, it is. This fight is done with; I have a fiancé at home waiting for me." Cassandra corrected, "Up with the key."
I reluctantly gave her my master key, keeping my eyes onto the ground. She grabbed it and ran for it, unlocking the door. I stood up slowly, watching her. "Trust me, Cassandra. I am a determined man…"
"You'll be gone soon enough. Link and I are to be married and he's rather protective of me when it comes to these situations." Cassandra interrupted, throwing the key back at me. "I'm never coming to you. Ever."
Growling, I stared at her, slanting my eyes. "Promises, promises. They break, you know, with time." I told her hatefully.
"That wasn't a promise, it was a vow." Cassandra said, smirking. She closed the door and I heard her race to the door. Rubbing my head, I slammed my fist into a post of the bed.
I was so close…so close…I was careless. Foolish. I had her right where I wanted and I failed miserably.
Going to my cupboard, I took out a glass and some wine. I needed a drink. Pouring it, I felt a wave of intense rage pass over me before I drowned it in wine.
"I'll have her one day." I muttered, clutching the glass. "One day, Cassandra will be mine. I'll just have to think of a better plan. A much more foolproof plan. One that she can't escape from."
I had my prey and she escaped. But I was the hunter; I was to hunt, forever if it took that. It made the catch more satisfying. It was going to be worth it, for the teaser I felt was incredibly wonderful.
Our game was as twisted as I made it. I made the game; I could beat her at it. Cassandra Alexandra just played along with it, just finding loopholes within it. She did nothing but extended the gameplay further.
Because once Cassandra found the loopholes, I would tie them up. And then, there would be no escape from my victory.
And that was the day I looked forward to with great anticipation.
XXX
Read and Review. Slightly creepy. Hope I don't get in much trouble with some scenes…
But there you have it. No flames, alright?