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.
A/N: Part two
Kate couldn't lay off her eyes from the new gift. Chris couldn't stop thinking about couple's supposed grave. Lionel gave a slight nod to the female figure near the barn. A figure only his special eyes could see. Reason why it passed unnoticed by Chris and Kate.
They were returning to the house when Chris finally decided to ask about the famous tale.
"Mr. Lionel, may I ask you something?"
"Of course"
"I heard about a famous local folktale known as the Drowned Lovers. Have you heard about it?"
"Absolutely! It has passed by the generations, but I have to correct you that it's not a folktale, it's a true story"
"Oh, really?"
"Yes. Of course, there are other versions that really have more a content of folktale or legend, but the base is true…it's the story of Christian Greencamp and Katherine Guéron"
"What?" Kate paralyzed listening to those names
"It's the love story of Christian and Katherine, a young couple who lived in the 14th century" Lionel replied
"It can't be…" she said
"Why not?"
She looked at the men staring her with curiosity and she felt taken aback with Chris' stare as she remembered the fortune teller's words, "Because when I was a kid…I used to dream about a couple with those names…" she said half of the truth as she feared Chris's reaction, but hardly she knew Chris had dreamt about them too
Lionel didn't look surprised, "Well…there are people who have access to the past through dreams"
"I had the same dream too…"
Kate looked at him attentively
"It keeps repeating since the exhibition last year, and because of the repetition that has intrigued, I wondered that perhaps there's a message I'm not understanding… and that's why I came to talk to you for some insight as I dreamed again last night…"
"I see…"
"If Kate and I had the same dream, what does it mean?"
Lionel had to think fast to give a convincing explanation to both of them who awaited a logic explanation, especially Chris. Not so much Kate as he knew she had already talked to his female partner.
"Honestly? I can't give you an answer because you two have different beliefs and what makes sense to me may not make sense at all to you"
"I came to listen to your opinion" Chris replied
"You're too rational for my opinion. Incredulous."
Chris let out a sigh, "Meaning I'm one of them?" he asked with a skeptical tone
Lionel caught it, "What if I told you that. Would you be satisfied with the answer you came to look for?"
"Hard to believe but the answer I really came to learn is something else…depending on the answer I can make my own opinion about what to believe"
"What's the answer you're looking for?"
"Is there a grave that belongs to them in the end of the property?" Chris asked straight to the point
Lionel didn't hesitate giving him the real answer, "There is…in addition, earlier this morning I was cleaning it and sending prayers to them, to their restless souls"
Kate hesitantly asked, "Why do you think their souls are restless?"
"Separation from the ones we love is already a tough moment to deal, but it's even harder to be at peace when you're separated abruptly from the one you most loved…there enters a cycle of broken promises, unfulfilled dreams…"
"I thought people went to heaven or hell when they died" Chris commented with incredulity
"Heaven and hell are a state of mind, not a place…in my opinion"
Chris made a skeptical face. It was pointless discussing that. As Lionel had already said, they have different beliefs.
Kate remained in silence. She felt saddened listening to Chris' opinion. He was the opposite of her in that matter, and after believing the fortune teller's opinion, she felt kind of hurt that if it was true Chris was her fisher Christian, she saw the distance between them and after the last night's events she could say there was no chance between them. They seemed to have entered the cycle Lionel had just mentioned – and restlessness.
"Can I see it?"
"Sure"
Kate was hesitant to follow them. Her heart was already broken as she recalled the dreams, but as it was inevitable for her to stay behind in that creepy place, she decided to follow them.
The grave was slightly different from his dream, but Chris finally had the confirmation he looked for.
"Would you like to pray for them?" Lionel asked
"Sure…" Kate replied
Chris didn't protest and remained in silence contemplative staring the grave and the pink lilies pot near it. Why did he have those dreams? What was the message he couldn't understand? Did Lionel's belief make sense? He didn't know what to think of it all.
"I really wish they find peace and that their true love stands out among the adversities they have been through." Lionel said
"Why do you say that? You speak as if they don't love anymore just because they died in an accident?" Chris questioned
"It's beyond that…it's about something you really don't want to listen…unfortunately"
"You can tell me their story so I can understand…" Chris replied
"It's beyond that story, it's beyond time…you won't understand"
"Lionel, I'm not that skeptical as you think. My work is to fight creatures only believed to be true in movies. If it was me before July 24th of 1998 you could be totally sure I wouldn't buy your…with all the respect, bullshit… but that's not the case now as I have witnessed the bioterrorism developing new ways to infect people in ways I can't name now and with the help of the technology. My job forces me to keep my mind open, so please just tell me… What do you know?" Chris questioned with a serious expression
Lionel nodded in agreement, "Forgive my old brain. Sometimes I forget to live the present times, but as you know, I've dedicated most of my life dealing with the past, so it became a habit keeping looking back."
Chris gave a single giggle with Lionel's way to ease tense moments, "No problem. I understand"
Lionel looked at the lake and the couple next to him couldn't see it, but mentally it was as if he could transfer his current mind to the exact moment of the past and that fatidic night.
"Christian and Katherine were the typical young couple who had an overwhelming love from the moment they met. A pure and innocent love that unfortunately was doomed to a sad end as it aroused envy and jealousy of nearer relatives who were against the relation. They lived in the 14th century, and during their escape to fight for their love, they died drowned in the river flooding. Their bodies were found by an old couple that came often to this land to fish and they buried them in the same position they were found, and that's what immortalized their story." Lionel commented
"Why?" Chris asked
"Because miraculously, Katherine never let go of Christian's arm even after their deaths and not even the water current was capable of separating them, and they were buried in the same position…with Katherine attached to his left arm. It's believed that Christian died first and Katherine unable to live without him, chose to go with him and never let go of him so they could stay together in the afterlife in a way to fulfill their promise of eternity"
Kate and Chris looked at each other as if in synch. Kate recalled the dream of a man named Christian. Chris recalled the dream of the drowned couple and their grave. And Kate noticed she was at Chris' left side – an unconscious habit she had, now that she thought better about it, which made her remember of the fortune teller's words of him being her fisher.
Unexpectedly, Kate started feeling dizzy and without warning she fainted. Chris had a quick reflex and managed to hold her.
"Let's take her to the house" he said carrying her
On a cool summer morning, Christian waited for Katherine at the shore of the lake as he always did, and then paddled to another more private spot where they could enjoy their privacy and make eternal love vows.
The beautiful peasant made him feel something he had never felt before, and made him feel the happiest man in the world. He loved her youthful spirit. He loved listening to her singing and performing. He loved watching her dance while he sang and played the guitar, or when she spun and danced around the fire when they went on picnics and grilled fresh fish. The couple made plans to marry, but feared their families' disapproval, and so they kept meeting in secret for some time.
As usual, he spotted her from a distance and waited to greet her with a kiss before helping her into the boat and navigating the lake course.
But that day was special, and he was waiting for her holding a ship of flowers he'd picked-red, rosy, and white roses-her favorites and delivered to her. It was the one-year anniversary since they met.
That day the route was a little different and for being a very special day, he took her to the small cottage that he lived, and that became his current residence to be closer to his beloved.
"Hmmm, that good smell of food, who is cooking?" she commented as soon as they arrived at the door
"Nobody is cooking. I cooked it before I went to pick you up"
She was surprised to see the whole house so clean which was a contrast to the kind of messy times they stayed alone there in a few occasions- "The house is tidy, you've cooked and you're treating me like a queen. What is going on?"
"Today is a very special day, don't you remember?"
She made an effort and made a distressed expression as she remembered the date.
"Today is our first anniversary since we met"
"Yes, I realized now... and I cannot believe how I could forget! I did not bring anything to give present you..." she said covering her face embarrassed for having forgotten that detail
He smiled, taking her in his arms, "You are my gift, the best of all!" And kissed her passionately
Ah how that day was really special! They had fun, talked and made so many plans for a future together - and they loved each other like they had never done before. A natural love of a young couple in love, living full happiness.
"I can feel your heart. It's as fast as mine..." she commented as she lay on his chest, and caressed him gently, with a broad smile on her face.
"I've never done this before..." he confessed as he stroked the young woman's arm in his arms as they rested from the first moment of love - and the only one they would have.
She lifted her face to look at him, "Is it true?"
"Yes, I have no reason to lie about it"
She smiled and kissed him softly, "We are discovering the love together..."
He smiled back and stroked her face, staring into the pale-brown, almost honey-like eyes of her that glittered in ecstasy, as did his, "And we will continue to discover it… this was only the first time of many we will still have. And then we will marry, have children and we will be a happy family!"
"Yes, that's what I want, my love!"
"And it shall be so… I will love you all my life!"
"Our love is eternal!"
"Eternal..." he replied before sealing the vows of eternal love with a kiss full of sublime love
(**)
"Why did you tell them?!" Katherine questioned her sister
"I'm not a liar like you! Our parents deserved the truth, they asked me and I answered them!"
"It's your fault they separated me from him!"
"Our families would never accept such a union!"
"Why not? We're not that different!"
"Wake up Katherine, you barely know how to sew! You can barely clean the house, or even cook! You have no qualifications for a good wife besides a pretty face"
"Christian loves me the way I am! And nothing stops me from learning these skills"
The sister shrugged, "True... but at least one skill you've proven to have... to spread your legs!"
Katherine exploded and slapped her sister's face for insulting her, "Shut up! Do not talk as if I'm a vulgar!"
"But you're a vulgar! You gave it before the wedding!"
"We made love and we're getting married! There is nothing wrong with that!"
"Good luck Kate... Daddy's already left to talk to his parents, because this marriage is never going to happen!"
"You are jealous! You have no competence to find a man to love you, to be good and handsome and in love with you like my boyfriend!"
Angeline smirked, "You have no class. The slap that gave me proves how low-grade you are... you do not deserve a man like Christian and I will never forget the slap you gave me!"
"I don't recognize you Angeline... I trusted you and you betrayed me... like this..."
The pale-skinned young woman, light-brown eyes and smooth dark brown hair remained silent.
At that moment Katherine had a moment of realization and figured the malicious intent behind her sister's actions, "You're in love with him... you want my Chris for you!"
Angeline laughed wickedly, "Think whatever you want Katherine... Think whatever you want..." and left the room
That night, Katherine received the sentence of her life, her parents and siblings upset her. Her father and mother beat her like they had never beaten before and kicked her out of the house. Without a pillow, or a blanket and no comfort, Katherine slept in the stable with the horses. She gathered sawdust and improvised a bed to sleep on. She cried all night, and talked to the horses, especially with the one that seemed to comprehend her lamentations.
After the traumatic event, Katherine reflected and coldly planned her escape.
She contacted a friend, Peter, and asked him to deliver a letter to Christian, and while she waited for an answer, she pretended to have accepted the separation from her great love and acted the way they expected her to…submissive. She kept all her secrets and plans to herself, and one day while she was in the stable, she was visited by a friend Lucelia (Lucy) who was also Peter's girlfriend and Christian's cousin.
"Kat, I managed to talk to him"
"Did he get my letter?"
"Yes, and he said he'll be waiting for you at the Hope Bridge. Do you know where it is?"
"Yes, I know, it's on the border with the neighboring country"
"Yes, that's where you're going to get away. I have a friend who will be waiting for you in the other side to house you there... I hope everything works out for you."
"Thank you Lucy, everything will be all right! It must to! It's our only chance to stay together..."
.
It did not work. Katherine and Christian lost their lives during the escape.
It was a cloudy night and a sudden rain overflowed the river that covered the bridge. Christian and Katherine were taken by a wave and in the current they drowned.
Lake House
"She's awakening" Chris said while watching Kate lying on the couch
Lionel observed her – them.
"Kate" Chris called her with a concerned tone
"Chris…what happened?"
"You fainted"
"What?" she frowned confused
"Are you feeling better?" Lionel asked
"Yeah…"
"Do you want to go to the hospital? I'll go with you" Chris said
"No…no hospital. I'm alright…I only suddenly felt dizzy but..." she paused, "I'm fine…it must be the hungover" she tried to ease the situation
Chris and Lionel exchanged gazes not believing that excuse, but they wouldn't force her to do something she didn't want if she really proved she was alright.
"What time is it?" she asked
"4:30PM" Lionel asked
"Oh no… We'd better hurry…we still have the last daylight train to catch" she said sitting up
"The last train is only at 7. You should rest a little more" Lionel said
"No crossing bridges at night"
"She's scared of water and bridges…especially at night" Chris commented
"It's also because I don't know how to swim and I always imagine something bad will happen like the bridge break, or some animal might take me such as alligator or a shark… I know it's a silly fear, but…I can't help it" she explained
"Did you ever consider a treatment for it? Or learning how to swim?" Lionel asked
"Yeah…I did try to learn how to swim when I was a kid but one day I almost died drowned at the beach…"
"Really?" Chris said
"Yeah"
"How did it happen?" he asked
"I was 8 or 9 years-old when one day I went on a trip with some relatives and friends when because of my stupid curiosity I ended up walking too much ahead of the shore because I was curious to know when the sand bank would end because it was really extent that day, and the sea was really far…so as I walked with the water still under my knees when suddenly I didn't the ground anymore and I tried to swim back but I just couldn't because the water was dragging me. so I was with the water in my neck level and as I tried to float, I looked at the shore and nobody really cared or noticed I was getting tired and couldn't feel the ground anymore… I remember very well my last thought when I was seeing the people at the shore and I thought that was my end and I wanted to cry because my mother wouldn't see me return from the trip and so I apologized for that, mentally… so it was when a big wave dragged really further into the sea and then I turned my face to look back and there was a second larger wave that hit me on the head and I was pushed back, eating sand and all back to the shore… I had sand everywhere into my bikini, I had some scratches and my eyes got so red because I opened it. I was trembling, scared and never again I tried to enter any water I can't feel the ground"
"Well, this is really scary. I understand your trauma. You got a real reason to fear it" Chris commented
"Yeah…"
Lionel made a face. It wasn't just the real event of this current life. Mentally he made the relation of her fear and the death of Katherine. A traumatic moment her soul hadn't still surpassed as Katarina didn't know how to swim either and shared the same fear as Kate's, but different of her, Katarina never considered trying to learn how to swim.
"If you want you can spend the night here in the guestroom. There's a hospital nearby and if you don't feel alright again, we can take you there instead of risking to run to catch a train and then fall sick again during the trip" Lionel suggested
"I agree with Mr. Lionel. I can see you still don't feel that good"
"But we have to work tomorrow"
"No work for you until you're fully recovered" Chris replied
"But…"
"Your safety first. Work can wait, right?" Lionel commented
"Yeah"
"But I can't stay here alone…"
"You won't stay alone. I'll stay with you if Lionel gives permission…"
"Of course you can stay as long as you want"
Chris exchanged gazes with Kate. Once again, their plan to return to Edonia had been postponed. Chris called Piers to inform him about the sudden change in plans. There was something about Bohma that seemed to root them there.
"I'll call my assistant to prepare the room for you"
"Are we staying in the same bedroom?" Kate asked
Lionel gave a shrug, "You'll be in observation and for that someone needs to keep an eye on you"
"But…"
"Is there a problem for you Chris?" he asked
"No at all. My only request is for a sleeping bag? Could you ask your assistant to get that?" he replied
"Sure!"
Kate was still reluctant. Probably that wasn't a good idea to stay the night there. She wasn't feeling sick, but she still felt very sleepy.
"I'm sorry my manners but I'm so happy to have such a special guests in my final days! Now excuse me, I'll talk to my assistant to provide a special dinner and your sleeping bag"
Chris and Kate exchanged gazes again and giggled at Lionel's way of speak.
"Are you sure we have to do this?" Kate questioned after Lionel left the house
"We can't take that back anymore"
"I know…but…it's embarrassing…"
"Yeah, I'm not that comfortable either, but I prevented your fall, so now I'm really concerned about your wellbeing"
"I know and I appreciate your concern…but it's not that what I was really referring…"
"And what were you referring?"
She bit her lips reluctant, and swallowed, "Spending the night with you…again"
Maybe he shouldn't had asked that. Or maybe he just wanted to listen to it loud.
strangely – or not – he didn't mind spending the night with her. He liked her company – deep inside he always did.
Later at night, Chris and Kate were already sleeping. She on the bed, he in the sleeping bag. The assistant in his room.
Lionel was in his desk writing on some papers – ratifying his new will.
He looked outside the window and saw a haze forming. He stood up from his chair and walked outside.
"How are things at your end?" asked the mysterious woman who spent the day near the barn
"Everything is fine. Better than I expected"
"I could see that. You manage to make them stay"
"Not without your help"
"I did what I had to do, considering you'll be leaving very soon"
"I wish I could stay longer, but I remember one day you told me to not interfere too much in their choices and not suffer for their failure"
"Do you think they'll fail this time?"
"I hope not…but I did notice they have evolved a little since the last time. Angelique's influence as Christopher's sister did contribute immensely to dissipate part of his obscurity when he left the 18th"
"Certainly…but he's still not ready to forgive and accomplish what they requested before they reincarnated"
"From what I've seen I have hope they will make it"
"Let's see how they will behave when you're gone"
"Yeah…just don't be too harsh on them… Kate is really working hard to make things right this time"
"She has a dream. She needs to work hard to achieve that"
"I know, I saw her Sacral Chakra"
"And I can assume you used your energy there" she exclaimed
"Yes I did, I saw her merit for it"
"But it's still too soon to say that, from what I've seen she doesn't have much sympathies with Angelina, which is still a serious mistake from her part. From their part is more correctly to say"
"I noticed that too, but…we already knew the probabilities of accomplishments and failures they could have. I'm aware they might not be a huge success, but I want to believe they won't waste this opportunity like they did before"
"We'll see…"
Lionel smiled softly, "I'll now hand the torch to you, my dear. It's your turn to rotate the wheel"
She gave a single nod, "And certainly I will!"
"Ah and just one more thing"
"Say it"
"I had a bad feeling about Kate's former boyfriend…"
"Douglas - the Duke"
"Is that him?"
"Yes. They have met and she still struggles to leave his domain…"
"So more than never she will need Chris…"
She nodded in agreement, "Katarina and the Duke's fate is not over yet. I'm keeping eye on him already. His toxic possession threatens to bring their negative karma very soon."
"Chris needs to remember…" Lionel said in concern
"He doesn't need to remember, he needs to follow his heart, the inner voice"
"His rationality is an obstacle for that"
"So more than never Kate needs to show how much she has changed…"
"It's payback time…"
"It is time for me to move the wheel of their lives…" she said before disappearing with the haze
Thank you Pin for the review! :D
Thank you DaRooster2000 for the follow :D
So...in this chapter we could see better how their past influences their present. We saw how their experiences changed them in each life. The sweet Katherine turned the imposing Katarina and now the emotional Kate. While the free-spirited Christian became the passionate Christopher and now Chris 'the rock'. And poisonous Angeline who became the submissive Angelique and now the adventurous Angelina.
What more the future awaits for them?
Stay tuned!