The characters from the game belong to Capcom. The OC's and story background belong to me.
Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
A/N: I'm not English native speaker, so you might find some typos or grammar mistakes, I do apologize for that.
Deluxe Suite
Kate turned towards the bathroom. Eyes glancing past the mirror, she went straight to the toilet and sat down to run a bath. A few minutes later, she had sunk so deeply into the hot bubbles, they covered her face. She wished she could stay there – under water, in the warmth and quiet. Nothing was demanding about the water, nothing harsh about its heat or its intentions. It was soothing.
With painstaking slowness, she sat up and turned on the jets. Washing herself. Finishing, she turned off the jets, pulled the drain plug and stood to stretch her muscles.
Stepping out of the tub, she rolled the towel around her body and headed to the room to finish drying herself and put on her clothes. Standing before a large mirror, she noticed some bruises on her breasts and neck. She took a better close to her nipples that looked darker than the usual, and swollen. The skin around her mouth was dry and peeling – "we kissed" – she remembered his words, and probably her skin looked disgusting from making out with his beard.
"It was more than just a kiss…" she whispered in realization as she looked back her reflection in the mirror. Her fair skin showed the evidence of marked territory and the soreness confirmed it.
"I'm totally fucked!" she murmured as she lathered on moisturizer and put on the new red summer dress Piers had bought her – he definitely knew the style she liked.
She took her cellphone from her purse and texted her best friend, Lucy, before leaving the room: "Sis…I screwed up this time…You're not going to believe what happened…I myself still can't believe it!"
(**)
(…) One of the classic romances of Bohman literature, The Drowned Lovers is the tale of a young couple, a fisherman named Christian and Katherine a beautiful peasant. The two are, of course, eventually separated and months of pining ensue; the story culminates in a thwarted reunion. Originally a 14th-century legend.
(*)
Long, long ago in the province of Arthena there lived on the shore of Bohma in the little fishing village of Artenopolis a young fisherman named Christian. His grandfather had been a miner and his father had been a fisherman before him, and his skill had more than doubly descended to his son, for Christian was the most skillful fisher in all that country side, and could catch more fishes in a day than his comrades could in a week.
But in the little fishing village, more than for being a clever fisher of the sea was he known for his kind heart. In his whole life, he had never hurt anything, either great or small, and when a boy, his companions had always laughed at him, for he would never join with them in teasing animals, but always tried to keep them from this cruel sport.
In a morning, Christian went out as usual in his boat. The weather was fine and the sea and sky were both blue and soft in the tender haze of the summer morning. Christian got into his boat and dreamily pushed out to sea, throwing his line as he did so. He soon passed the other fishing boats and left them behind him until they were lost to sight in the distance, and his boat drifted further and further out upon the blue waters of a river. Somehow, he knew not why, he felt unusually happy that morning (…)
"What the hell am I doing? This is just a folktale…a stupid dream!" Chris murmured in his thoughts as he closed the Google app in his cellphone while he waited for Kate.
The hotel breakfast time had already finished when Katerina joined him at the lobby, they checked out, and so the pair headed to a nearby café.
Burl Café
Chris was sitting across from Kate in the back corner having their meals in a disturbing silence, eating like robots. There was a wall between them just like when they met.
"It wasn't just a kiss…" Kate thought in between bites and sips always avoiding eye contact with the man before her.
Opposite to the brunette, Chris didn't really avoid eye contact with her, yet they just spoke the necessary such as picking up the meals in the menu.
Apparently, all the progress they had since they started working closely had gone down the drain.
Kate moved her feet, restless. They were in public and she had to compose herself as much she could aside from the hangover side effects. She checked her cellphone to see if her friend's feedback. No reply yet. And that silence from her friend only increased her tension. She liked listening to Lucy's feedbacks and advices, although she knew she'd lecture her about the "I told you so!". Long ago Lucy had already foreseen something would happen between them.
Kate let out a heavy sigh wandering in her thoughts. Despite Lucy's warnings, she never really expected to have any intimacy with the man that 'was not her type' and even less with her boss!
Such an awkward situation. She'd still have to return to his home after the trip for a day or two. She let out another heavy sigh.
"You okay?" Chris asked after hearing her loud sighs
"It was not just a kiss and he lied about that…" she thought ignoring his question
"Kate?" he called her again louder
"It wasn't just a kiss…" Kate shrugged miserably, not meeting Chris' eyes
Kate's quiet statement seemed to echo loudly in Chris' ears as he looked at the pretty brunette sitting across from him.
He opened his lips to say something that hesitated forming sounds in his voice cords, and made him remain mute.
His silence annoyed her. It was already stressing not having memories of what happened the previous night, and his oblivious reaction only pressed her buttons of impatience. Why was he so silent about that?
With a deep, unhappy sigh, Kate wrenched her thoughts back to the present. She finally focused on the dark-haired man sitting opposite her, stirring his coffee absentmindedly as he tried to deal with her statement she had just dropped into his lap.
"So you remember now…" Chris asked, his low voice carefully devoid of emotion
"I saw the marks and bruises in my skin…"
"So you still don't remember…" he said with even less expression
"It's a matter of my concern, why aren't you discussing it with me?"
"There's nothing to discuss" he replied, this time a slight tremor shook his voice
"What?" she gasped, "How isn't there anything to discuss?! Am I just a petty thing for you?"
"Of course not!" he hastened to reassure Kate. While he still found the memories of last night strangely disturbing. Unconsciously, he decided not to think about that right now, but Kate had a divergent opinion.
Chris echoed Kate's earlier sigh. When he had been able to discuss their night of passion at all.
"Was it that bad?" she questioned
He took a quick sip of his coffee, distressed. Tense, "No… it wasn't that bad…"
"So why aren't you discussing it with me?"
"I'm sorry Kate. Don't take it personal." He replied remembering Piers' advice about the apology
"It is personal! You're my boss. We had sex!" she said it louder than she expected
"Kate…" Chris whispered looking to the sides in distress if anyone else had listened to her, "There was no sex…" he bit his lips as he recalled the blowjob she made on him. Okay, technically there was oral sex, which made him regret denying what had happened – the no sex part.
"If there was no sex, why are you treating me like this? I know you're not telling me something which makes me think you took advantage of me"
"No way I took advantage of you! Geez! It's not what you're thinking"
"So tell me! And don't fuck my intelligence by saying there's nothing to tell! My body has the bruises to prove otherwise!"
"I never said 'nothing' happened… I just thought that as you didn't remember what happened, we didn't need to discuss anything and just move on with our lives"
"As if nothing happened…" she said with a slight mock
"Yeah"
"But it did happen and I deserve to know the truth"
"Why? Why such details are so important to you?"
"You still ask?"
He swallowed with a sigh.
She exhaled, "Because I need to understand what the hell is going on between us but there's a wall blocking a mature discussion on a matter that is of our concern. A matter that will make all the difference in our relation from now on because I need this job and I need the extra you're providing for my career but is a fact that we have crossed some professional limits…so I need to know in what ground we are. I don't like hiding the dirt under the carpet"
She had a point. He had the habit to hide or run away from his emotions or feelings. He had difficulties dealing with them. However, he didn't think she needed to know the dark thought he had which made him run away from her for 'her' own protection – or was it for his?
Any ways, he stopped their good time for safety, and she clearly had the wrong idea about the whole thing.
"I'm sorry…it's not what you're thinking and honestly I myself don't know what really happened…" he made a pause, "all I know is that we didn't sleep together but we did cross some limits… however I want you to understand I need some of those limits back because I know you need this job, but as you know I just got out of a serious relationship and I'm still not ready for a new relationship"
"Having a relationship with you never crossed my mind… you're not even my type! And what does it have to do with your silence and different treatment towards me? All I need to know is why did you lie about us?"
"I'm sorry…all I can say is that I'm very sorry, Kate… I didn't want things to go this way and I can assure you I never took advantage of you…we drank and lost control…"
"And we did more than just kiss…" she completed him
He nodded in confirmation, "So please…let's leave things at that…now you know we did more than just kiss and I owed you an apology. It's up to you to accept the apology or not."
Kate was not satisfied, but they had convinced each other that there was no secret attraction between them. Their fault lay in giving in to the romantic atmosphere they had unwittingly created, in letting their mutual fondness for each other sweep away without stopping to think about possible repercussions to their actions. They were human, after all, and they had made a mistake. Unfortunately, it was a mistake that couldn't be just forgotten. They worked together – and lived together.
They sipped listlessly at their by-now cold cappuccino.
"I should find another place when we return home as I wait for Lucy"
Her statement brought Chris' eyes back to her face. She met the hazel orbs unable to read them.
A wobbly smile formed in his lips.
"You don't have to do that. We had a deal that you would stay until Lucy's return. We'll stick to that"
She dashed away the clatter of porcelain on the table, "Okay, so let's get back to work"
"Actually we got the day off…"
"Great…we can't return to the hotel as you checked us out"
"Well…I thought we could visit other places until the time of the next train to Edonia later the day…before the sunset…and actually I need to visit the library that is near the Art Museum…maybe you could enjoy seeing some of the local culture…"
She let out a defeated sigh. Pointless continuing that discussion. The boss-employee had been crossed long before that night. She was tired and sore, but as a grownup, she had to act everything was fine.
Although it was true that loved learning new things and culture, but with a hungover, she doubted she could enjoy it, as she'd prefer. Yet, without any other option, all she had to do was to follow the man.
The National Library and the Art Museum were sided buildings, and while Chris made a brief visit at the library, Kate headed to the Art Museum.
Art Museum
Going to an Art Museum wouldn't be the type of recreation Kate would jump in deliberately, but knowing how strong the Arts had a strong influence in Bohma, she didn't think it would be a bad idea checking it out.
The place was huge and divided in sections, from paintings to sculptures. National and foreign. She enjoyed the section dedicated to ancient Egypt and Greece. She always had the curiosity to travel to those places someday.
Continuing the walk, she arrived in the national section, noticing a large room dedicated to a unique painter: "Angelique Stafford/Angely Reed"
She had a strange feeling staring the room's entrance, but as the curiosity got the best of her, she decided to walk in.
Several portraits on the walls, ordered by date. Note that it could be seeing the evolution of the painter's technique over the years. From simple drawings to nature and objects paintings, and then to people.
Kate didn't understand of art, but admitted the artist's talent.
As if immersed in a trip to the past, Kate studied the portraits one by one. With no hurry. A strange sensation involved her as she stood before the large portrait of noblewoman wearing a styled 18th century French floral gown, holding a white umbrella, with a long curly dark hair and red lipstick in a scenario that contrasted with the young woman's unique beauty and style. A scenario that exalted her while she being the only colored figure in the middle of the gray and brown scenario of a medieval town – an old-fashioned Photoshop filter.
"Young Katarina O'Gregon" she spoke in a low voice reading the info beneath the board
She let out a sigh as she started feeling her legs heavy while she continued looking the next paintings until she paralyzed before the large wall titled "Reed-O'Gregon House".
The first painting showed a couple in a wedding ceremony leaving a church. The groom's shadowed face expression contrasted with the bride's and guests happy faces.
"Christopher Reed and pregnant Katarina O'Gregon on the wedding day" she read the info and looking back at the painting, she took notice of the bride's belly bump.
She frowned biting her lips as she figured the real motive of the event, "Poor girl…It's evident that guy didn't want to be there but that baby forced their union…maybe that's why she could be so happy as being a single mother has never been well seen…it was probably a happiness of relief…" she spoke as she headed to the next painting
The followed portrait had a considerate jump of years, showed an older and more mature, and beard Christopher Reed wearing a sumptuous red gown. Grand duke Christopher Reed said the beginning of the info before the brief text telling the man's main story events.
Kate remained staring it for some time, admiring the details and the man's distinct beauty. The painter had done a real good job to show every detail of lights, clothes and skin marks on his face. The realism of Angely's technique was beyond words and it could be compared to a modern picture. It seemed there was life and there was a sensation he could move any minute.
"He definitely is my type!" she said laughing a bit at herself
"I finally found you" Chris said joining her
"Hi…" she replied after a light scare
"Having fun with Christopher Reed?" he joked after catching her laughing alone
She laughed, "Yeah…sort of…"
"So he's your type, huh?"
"He is! He seems to be a good guy…"
"I am a good guy too"
She giggled, "But he's accessible. Not you"
"Meaning?"
"He doesn't hide his feelings. Even through those portraits, the painter could catch his real emotions at the moment. He wasn't happy in his wedding day and he demonstrated it. The info about him also says he had a kind heart and was a family man, and in this portrait you can see he's not a grumpy man. He seems more mature but lighter…He's your opposite"
"That portrait was drawn before he learned the truth about Katarina and the bittersweet lie they lived. Christopher died as a grumpy and a dark man. No lightness after losing the love of his life in such a coward way. Unfortunately he loved the wrong woman."
"I haven't reached that part of the story…"
"So I'm already spoiling you his fate. Lionel, my sister Claire and Angelina told me his story"
Unconsciously Kate rolled her eyes at the mention of Angelina's name. That girl always had to be between them somehow.
She looked at the portrait of a sumptuous older version of Katarina wearing a red gown and a crown and jewelry of red gems – probably Rubi. The glamorous pose and the defiant facial expression caught her attention, making her look at the other side of the room and compare the difference with the younger version – Katarina had darkened too.
She read the info beneath the board: "The infamous Grand Duchess Katarina O'Gregon"
She frowned, "Infamous?" she thought. Then she turned to Chris who was staring Christopher's portrait, "So Mr. Spoiler, can you tell me her 'infamous' story?"
Chris looked at the famous painting and huffled as he remembered of his dream, "Katarina was a selfish – bitch- seductress and a murderer. She played with all the men's hearts that fell in love with her. She was a plague. Being known as infamous is the least she deserves. I hope she burns in hell forever if there exists."
"Geez…why so much hate! It seems you're taking it personal!"
"I only answered your question about her being infamous"
"You just told me a resume and not the whole story. Here says she loved Christopher obsessively and they had 6 children"
"5. One was another man's" he replied and pointed at the wedding portrait, "That day Christopher was forced to marry her based on the pregnancy that wasn't his. She lied to him since the very beginning, not to mention she killed the love of his life and an innocent unborn child. That wasn't love. Christopher was only her biggest prize and toy. You noticed he used to be a light man, but Katarina and her poison made sure to destroy him and if there was a chance of Christopher ever reincarnating, I doubt he'd ever be the light man again because Katarina made sure to break him in tiny pieces that is nearly impossible he getting light again!"
"Hey! Don't spill your poison at me, I have nothing to do with that! I was just saying it…" she replied putting her hands over her chest as she started feeling a pressure in it
"Sorry…It's just I can't stand Katarina and all she represents"
"Geez! If you Christopher and Katarina ever reincarnated I wish they'd never meet again if he feels the same as you, damn!"
"If I were Christopher, I'd never forgive her and I'd make sure to make her life a hell if we ever met!"
"So I hope you never meet!" Kate said crossing her arms and walking away to the next painting
"Kate…don't take it personal…It's not about you…" he said following her
"Reknow…"
He stopped for a while after hearing someone whisperer and looked to the sides searching for it.
Katerina looked back and took notice of his strange behavior, "You okay?"
"Yeah…"
She turned her back to him and stood before the Reed-O'Gregon clan portrait: "Christopher, infamous Katarina, Madeline 'Maddy', Adelina 'Lilly', Philip 'Phil', and baby Beau on Christopher's lap"
A sudden wave of sadness passed through her as she studied all the details, and a feeling of fondness formed in her chest, and also an emptiness, "Katarina had 6 children, two are missing in this portrait…such a fertile woman…" she thought with sadness comparing herself and her miserable condition.
Chris stepped closer to her to observe the same painting. A strange feeling hit him, although he couldn't name or describe it – nostalgia- perhaps.
"I don't know how women could have so many children…" Kate commented
"Giving birth is a capacity I admire about women…"
"Unfortunately not all women have that capacity…and it's sad that some that can do it end up doing atrocities with their children…This is so unfair…" she said looking down
"Yeah, I agree, but there's the reversed scenario too…"
"I know…I'm just saying it in general…While there are women that could be good mothers and dreaming of the children then can't have, there are those bad women that can conceive but end up throwing newborns in the trash, rivers…killing children…this is unfair!"
"Yeah…"
A silence arose between them, and together they observed the solo portraits of all Christopher and Katarina's children in order of birth.
Kate struggled with her affected emotional. Children was a very delicate matter to her mostly due to her womb's and ovaries condition. Since the start of her cycle when she was 12, she always suffered with painful periods that didn't diminish with the administration of painkillers. Long and irregular cycles and heavy bleeding led her to acquire a constant state of anemia. As the years passed, the cramps worsened leading her to end up in hospitals and fainting.
After going to several specialists, and having several diagnosis and failed treatments only two doctors had being capable of giving some reasonable explanations and the right diagnosis: polycystic ovaries, septate and bicornuate uterus and only one fallopian tube.
She who always dreamed of a large family was devastated with the infertility, and now facing all those family paintings and the woman she had a strange affinity, a woman so fertile, reminded her of her misfortune.
"They had beautiful children" she commented breaking the ice
"Yeah, they did"
"Despite our personal opinions about the outcome of their story, do you really think there was no love at all between them to make all those children?"
He gasped, "You don't need love to make children…"
She rolled her eyes holding the urge to curse him idiot, "Chris…I know love-love don't make children, I'm not that stupid!"
He giggled at her way of speaking.
"I only meant that…" she stopped speaking as she noticed the other children that were part of the 6 pack and immediately rushed to read their bio.
"I know what you meant Kate, I was only joking" he said following her
He stopped at her side, noticing her seemly fascinated expression seeing the portrait – and last Reed-O'Gregon made by Angely – of the twins: "Melissa 'Mel' and Henry on the laps of their parents".
Christopher held Henry and Katarina held Melissa. Both looked very happy with their children.
Tears formed in Kate's eyes. She was in the edge of her emotional control. She wished there was a portrait of the couple and their 6 children together.
If only she knew… that day was the last one Katarina and Christopher were happy together as a couple. As a family. As a whole.
Kate noticed Christopher and Katarina holding hands while holding their twins, "That's what I'm talking about…The little details reveal the special things…They weren't perfect, they were human and made mistakes. Maybe one more than the other…but that doesn't annul there was love…once upon a time…" she said squeezing her hands while fighting her tears
Chris swallowed listening to her. For him, Kate was a romantic girl who could still see love everywhere. She was not just a party-girl, or a bubble, nor a "beautiful and sexy steak"; she was more than that. She was sensitive. She was a hard worker. She was human. She was cool…
"I never said they never loved…I just meant that they could've had loved forever if it wasn't for Katarina's mistakes. She ruined their love story. She destroyed all they had built. All they had together. She destroyed families!"
"Was it only her fault?"
"She's the one who lied. She's the one who stabbed innocent people and killed them! She's the one who ruined it all"
"So she did it without a reason…was she just a crazy ambitious woman? No one never gave her motives to do what she did?"
"In my opinion? Yes! She was a crazy bitch! Nothing justifies killing innocent people! A pregnant woman!"
"I see…"
"I can see you're teamlionel. He also tried making us see Katarina's side, her victim side! She's no victim! And honestly… why are we discussing this again?"
"I'm not discussing anything…you're the one altered…" she shrugged
He huffled. Another uncomfortable silence between those two.
Maybe it was the hangover. Maybe it was whole situation between them in the morning after intimacy. Maybe it was the particular affinity with a fertile person while she was the opposite. Maybe it was her sensitive emotional. Maybe it was everything altogether. Kate moved to the extra paintings of the twins made by Maddy O'Reed showing them as older children. A strong pain formed in her chest and an abrupt wave of sadness took over her. Not being able to disguise it anymore, she surrendered to the tears.
The dark hole was back in her chest. She felt so alone. That was enough history for her.
Chris – as the usual didn't know how to react to the crying woman next to him – wasn't sure of what to do. Things were balanced between them. She no longer was just his coworker – and a hardworking girl. She no longer was just someone he helped in what he could. She no longer was just someone he almost fucked – and his friend's ex. She was a combination of all that – and more. She was becoming more than that. More than anything he ever imagined.
They still didn't have a classification.
But one thing was true… They were more than just friends.
Leaving aside the divergences, Chris made a bold move – listened to the part of him that was fond of her – and walked out of the museum holding her in support.
"Are you feeling better now?" he asked as they arrived at a small plaza
"Yeah…thanks for asking"
"No problem"
"Chris…can I ask you something?"
"Sure"
"Can we pay a visit to Mr. Lionel before we leave home?"
"Yeah. What about we do it now?"
"Sounds a great idea!"
"We can go by walking…"
"Yeah, but before that I need to remake my makeup…I don't want to scare people with my panda looks"
He giggled, "You look fine. It's not that messed" he said passing his fingers delicately at the end of her eyes wiping the tears
She swallowed in distress. Her chest still hurt. Her legs still felt heavy. After checking her looks in the small mirror in her purse, they walked side by side to the Lake Land. Still recovering, Kate held his left arm for support to walk as the pain progressively went away and the torment wave dissipated used one another for support for whatever bad feeling they had.
Thank you Pin for the review! :D