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.
Arthena, Old Cottage, Christopher's Land
Henry stood at the door of the shack looking at the surrounding nature as he recalled the meeting with the "old father". Certainly Chris Redfield was someone other than the Christopher he met centuries ago. For an unexpected encounter things went as well as possible. A forgotten father did not mean that he was not present in any way, after all, at the end of the conversation Chris demonstrated to care for the safety of the "creature" before him, even after learning of all the things that had happened about the mysterious deaths at over time.
And it was interesting as Chris Redfield despite the work he had in killing creatures, he also seemed to "care" about it. Perhaps deep down he still believed there was some humanity in them and maybe even some way of reversing the process of transformation.
"You're cool ..." he chuckled, remembering the soldier's words
It was strange to hear that. For all the paternal zeal Christopher had, he was not much to praise with words. Some things had really changed in that spirit. But as always the attitudes always spoke louder for him, and the proof that this characteristic was still strong in him were the words spoken at the end of the conversation. He would keep the property - even though he said he would not. And even after Henry had hinted that the change of mind was due to the emeralds in the undergrounds, he knew that his father never really cared about money. Henry knew that the change of decision was by protective instinct.
Henry heard at a long distance someone approaching the gate, and with a special look he saw Jerry, and waited.
"How was the meeting with him?"
"It wasn't like I imagined in my script, I wish I had said a few things, but it was better this way, after all he doesn't remember who he was in the past"
"Even though he did not remember, the conversation made him change his mind about staying with the property..."
"That was one of the best parts... it shows that he wants to know me better..."
"Or perhaps in the background "he" misses the son that one day you were... Mr. Lionel said that the spirit recognizes energy even after physical change"
"Maybe that's related... but what really matters to me is that I've been able to see him after so long, and despite being in a new body, he still bears a resemblance to the old body, only more robust and a bit more tanned"
"True. I also noticed that"
"But you know what makes me happier about this encounter?"
"What?"
"See him in good health!"
Jerry smiled.
"I am very happy to see him so healthy and vigorous. In the past he had physical strength as well, but he had a slightly more fragile health, and now he has almost an unshakeable health, even more for being in his current age. He still fights on the field; he doesn't seem to age so much physically and has incredible stamina even without Black Herb's help!"
"How nice he overcame successfully to the fragile health challenge!"
"Yes! I cannot say the same about my mother instead... And it's a pity I didn't get to see her up close. To touch her... And to apologize for being a bad son... And maybe I might could have healed her... and so my siblings who always accompany them could come faster..."
"What? Your siblings accompany them?"
"Some of them want to be born their children again... I've seen two of them... but the blockage in my mother's chakra will hinder their development and may delay their birth... Even my father giving all the physical help that he can for her gestation, after all, he has this debit with her, but even so she will still need extra help and I can do it... I owe it to her, because one day she gave me life and after understanding what I have come to do in this life, I feel it is my duty to reciprocate it in the same way and to help them maintain the destination they came to fulfill together"
"I see... and is there any prediction of when they will be conceived?"
"Very soon!"
"And which one did you see accompanying them?"
"Christian and Mel..."
"Christian?" Jerry said in surprise
"Yes! I was happy for him and at the same time envious..."
"Envy? Why?"
"Because it may happen that he comes as the twin brother of my Mel... "
"Oh ..."
"I know he's cool, but I've gotten used to being her twin brother... but I understand that she feels the same as me for not being a good daughter and for believing daddy's ugly words about mom...we were the youngest and easily influenced... Not to mention that dad also made it very difficult to visit her in prison..."
"Mr. Lionel told me that part... what your father did to punish her was not cool at all..."
"He was blind in disappointment and resentment... But what matters now is that he is fixing this and does everything to help my mother... He owes it to her and even unconsciously he knows it..."
"What about her? From what I've learned, she's very committed to changing herself and repairing past mistakes..."
"But she still hides something that might make them lose that opportunity again if the disappointed Christopher gets hit again... And only after the Wheel of Life will spin again..."
"So I hope they overcome this challenge as well"
"Yes, I also hope too... and it is this hindrance that postpones the return of my siblings."
"I understand. And they will come in the same gestation?"
"I don't know... As I told you, my mother has a serious block on her uterus and she will need all the assistance"
"Is it that serious?"
Henry nodded in affirmation, "She can die for it ... I mean... they..."
"Oh damn..."
"My mother more than ever will need all of my father's forgiveness and all his love... She has blood on her hands and relentless enemies from the past around her... More than ever she will need redemption to receive the merit of life and come true her biggest dreams... for as there was also a schedule that she could only live one of the dreams and she is already living it..."
"The great love dream..."
"Yes..."
"And for the greatest dream of being a mother, she needs to redeem herself from the crimes she committed in the past and the failures she committed in this life, so that she could receive the merit of living after breeding my siblings... It will be a great spiritual battle for her and only the strength of Katarina will not be enough..."
"She's going to need the strength of your father too..."
He nodded again, "She will need me too..."
"So for that you will need to be near them..."
"Yes, and this will be my biggest challenge with this physical limitation... It may be the last thing I do in life... but on the other hand I can have my freedom after completing my mission..."
"I thought your mission was to take care of the Black Herb"
"Yes, this is also part of it ... but my father before he died asked me for something that I denied myself at the time because I was blinded by anger at my physical condition... but now that the anger has passed, I want to comply his desire and take care of my mother... of my siblings... they will need it! Today I realize that I didn't wait unnecessarily... And it was thanks to Lionel that I could perceive this and I will be eternally grateful for all that he has done for us... Our angel..."
"I believe that in this great challenge Mr. Lionel will also guide you"
"He's done enough for us..."
Hanover - New Hampshire, Medical Center
"Lucy... where is she?" Kate asked entering hurriedly the hospital reception
"She's in the bedroom sleeping. The surgery was a success."
"Surgery? Was it that bad?"
"She broke one leg because of the run-in"
"Oh my God..."
"But the worst is not this..."
"What else is worse?"
"Witnesses say it was not accidental..."
"Oh god, how can someone run over like that?"
"The police are investigating the case..."
"What about Vlad? Where is he?"
"He left. He didn't say where he was going to"
"As the usual my brother's the worthless idiot as always... When I read his message I thought she was dead..."
"Now that you know she's out of danger, are you going back to New York?"
"No..."
"No?"
Kate shook her head in denial, "I want to see her..."
"I can't believing you're saying this"
"Me neither..."
"You're finally putting the stubbornness aside..."
"I've been reflecting on the things you said and so many other things too... It's not easy, but it has to be done..."
"Did you tell Chris you're here?"
"No... he doesn't know. He went on a mission and I took the gap to come..."
"So you won't tell him?"
"I intend to... but it will depend on the conversation... and I don't know if now would be the moment of this conversation... with her..."
"I agree, but I'm glad you took this first step to the reunion"
"Yeah..."
"You're failing to be stubborn... it seems Chris's stubbornness diminished yours" she said jokingly
"It was not his stubbornness, but his love..."
"I know, I was only kidding about the stubbornness..."
"But what you say is true, everyone who knows me tells me how I changed after him... But I tell you that my change also happened due to the diaries of Katarina. Her lessons made me think about a lot and the conversations with Mr. Lionel were very enlightening too"
"I'm glad you're a better version of her..."
Kate laughed, "I try to be, but not a better version of her, but a better version of myself"
"Do you still believe to be her reincarnation?"
"It's not that ... but I'm talking about a better version of me myself... I made a lot of mistakes in adolescence, especially after I got involved with Douglas... you have no idea of how much I regret having been so stupid to have believed in his lies!"
"You were young, impulsive and full of anger and rancor... he took advantage of that"
"Yeah, and I bore the brunt of that bad choice and his blackmail for 6 years!"
"But fortunately you broke it!"
"Yes it's true"
"And Dennis, is he still blackmailing you?"
"No, he stopped. He knows I know something against him and that he doesn't want his family to know about. It would be a scandal to their traditional family, especially to his wife..."
"Oh I know. He's gay and you have proof of that."
"Exactly! And he's scared to death for me to throw this on the fan!"
"I see..."
"But changing the subject, I know you took responsibility for my mother's medical expenses. I'm very grateful to always count on you, but I'll pay you back everything, okay! When I get the money Mr. Lionel left for me..."
"No way! You know you don't have to pay me anything"
"But I want to! You cannot always take responsibility for my things."
A doctor interrupted them and called them for a conversation.
"Mrs. Von Göbel has already been examined again and everything is going well. In a few days she should be discharged and continue treatment at home"
The girls sighed in relief.
"Is she awake?" Kate asked
"Yes. She's in the apartment"
"Can she get visitors?" Lucy asked
"Sure!"
The doctor informed the room and left for another appointment.
"You'd better see her first" Lucy suggested
"What? Me? You'd better go first. I'm afraid she'll fall sick with my sudden presence..."
"Don't be a chicken! You came here for this!"
"I know, but is better you talking to her first, and then you tell me if she'll want to see me or not..."
"You already know that's what she wants the most!"
"I'm afraid she has changed her mind..."
"Stop Kate from making up excuses! Get in that room and give Mrs. Olga a long hug!"
Kate was still reluctant. The memories of when she was 18 hit her with full force. How much regret. Damn words. Bad words spoken. Unbridled pulses. Inconsequence of youth. The weight of the damn words she still carried after so many years. A secret that covered up an even bigger one. A shame without size. A trauma.
Still with a mix of feelings she walked towards the door of room 301.
She glanced back at Lucy once more, and again Lucy made a gesture of encouragement to her. After taking a deep breath a few times, she walked carefully into the room and saw the 55-year-old lady lying in bed with her eyes closed and the television on.
Kate's heart almost seemed to come out of her mouth at any moment, her hands were cold and trembling. Maybe she should back away, but she doubted she could pass by 'Lucy the guard' who was waiting for her in the hallway.
Kate watched the woman resting. 5 years had made a difference in the woman's countenance. She looked a little older. The lines of expression were a little more pronounced. Her blond hair was grayer. But the haircut was still the same. Shoulder level. Wavy.
I been walking around
Inside a haze
Between the lines of reason
Hiding from the ghost
Of yesterday
Feels like I'm barely breathing
I wanna feel the rain again
I wanna feel the water on my skin
And let it all just wash away
In a downpour
I wanna feel the rain
I've been losing days
The shades pulled down
I still can't face the sun
But I'm going crazy
I can't stay here
I've gone completely numb
I just wanna need someone
I wanna feel the rain again
I wanna feel the water on my skin
And let it all just wash away
In a downpour
I wanna feel the rain (Downpour - Backstreet Boys)
"Kat..." the woman whispered after opening her eyes and could barely speak at the sight of the young woman looking at her apprehensively
Kate was shaking, and her stomach was bubbling with nervousness. Her legs could barely stand up, but she did not want to demonstrate to be so shaken.
"Kate... is it really you?"
"I believe I am myself..." the young woman answered in confusion
"Oh my daughter! My prayers were answered! My God, thank you so much for bringing my beloved daughter back!" the woman cried in tears after not seeing her daughter for five long years
Kate didn't know how to react. There were many feelings hitting each other. Relief, confusion, surprise, fear. That woman was grateful even after being reneged through a lie told repeatedly. That woman knew very well that she had been given as dead by the young brunette's acidic tongue, and yet she seemed to have passed an eraser in the last five years living under a lie.
"How can you be grateful for me being here and at such a moment like this?"
"Because you are my little girl... this incident was the way of Life giving me a second chance with you..."
"There was no need to have this incident..." Kate looked at the floor
"But it made you hurry up."
Kate swallowed and cleared her throat, "What matters is that now you are under medical care and you will be fine... as far as possible"
"Now I know I'll definitely be fine"
Kate nibbled her lips still looking at the floor. If she had ever rehearsed what to say at the moment, the whole rehearsal had been in vain. Words were gone.
"I separated from your father..."
It was the mother who broke the ice, noticing her daughter's shyness.
Kate looked surprised at the lady in bed, but not as happy as she would have liked to hear such a declaration. Maybe that attitude had come too late.
"Separated? Vlad said he still lives with you"
"He did. After the separation he stayed living with us for a while, but it's been a couple of weeks that he left in definitive"
"I didn't know that part... I have not spoken to Vlad for over a month"
"I know you never got on well"
"And we never will..."
"Don't talk like that... he's been helping us a lot since he got a job"
"Vlad got a job? In what?"
"Freelancer"
Kate laughed, rolling her eyes, "It's a lie!"
"Since you went away he has helped us with the expenses"
"With the money I always gave him! He's a liar and a blackmailer, not an honest hard worker!"
"You gave him money all this time?"
"Yeah... even though I didn't have the guts to show up, I was never able to cut the bonds completely and somehow I gave this assistance and the amount I could... until Vlad started to cross the limits..."
"I see… I didn't know Vlad had contact with you, only Lucy..."
"It proves you don't know anything about him..." Kate shrugged
"Yeah, apparently, I don't know anything at all... but tell me, how's your life now? Are you still with..."
"No! I got rid of the idiot Douglas about six months ago..."
"I'm glad to hear that"
"And me too"
"I'm glad you saw who he really is..."
"I never liked him, but I was stupid to believe in some things... but now it's over and that's what matters!"
"True... so do you live in New York?"
"Yes I do, with my fiancé"
"Fiancé?"
"Yes. We'll get married next month"
The lady looked thoughtful. It had been a while since her daughter had broken up with the disgusting Douglas and now was about to marry someone else so fast, "How long have you been together?"
Kate laughed, "We've known each other since I started working at BSAA, but we've been living together for about 5 months, but dating officially for about two months"
The mother made a face.
"I know it's confusing... it's a long story! What matters is that we are happy and he is the man of my dreams! He's the complete opposite of the disgusting idiot. Chris is a very honorable, respectful, understanding man with a huge heart! And it is mainly thanks to him that I was determined to come and speak with you…"
"Does he know we are alive?"
Kate cleared her throat, "No, not yet... but I'll tell him... it's just that I wanted to talk to you first and see how things would get between us and then I'd tell him everything, because he deserves me to be transparent with him"
"I see"
"His love has changed me and he does me so good! I've never been so happy in my life!"
The mother smiled, "It's good to hear that you're happy and I hope Chris is as understanding as you say when he knows the truth"
"He might get upset on the moment, but then it will pass."
After passing through the initial distance, at the end of the visit, mother and daughter reconciled with a long and affecting hug.
BSAA Headquarters
Chris had returned from the mission and was on his way to his office when he noticed a blond man sitting on the couch in the foyer. He kept walking until he found his secretary and greeted her.
"Any news to me?" He asked
"No, but that gentleman sitting on the sofa was waiting for you"
"Who is he?"
"He introduced himself as Vlad, he said he's your brother-in-law..."
Chris made a face.
"Is not he your brother-in-law?"
"I know Kate has a brother named Vlad, but I've never met him... until now..."
"I see... Are you going to talk to him?"
"Yes, I'll wait in the office"
Chris's Apartment, Evening
Chris was upset at everything Vlad had said. Kate had lied all this time, in addition to denying her parents. What kind of person lies about the death of a relative this way?
Kate was dirty. He could not believe how blind he had been. She deceived him perfectly. She was a manipulator and a calculator. She was the lover of a man like Douglas Fleury and there were "hints" that she acted as a spy for him. Now her interest in the BSAA made sense and she became involved with him and Piers. She had only used them to get information and more recently information was about the Black Herb.
Damn her!
Everyone tried to warn him, but he seemed to be deaf.
Traitor!
He took out a cigarette pack. He smoked when he was nervous or tense. He then went to the mini bar and started drinking.
(*)
It was late at night when Kate returned to New York. She was more relieved after reconciling with her mother. After a long conversation, they both preferred to leave the wounds in the past and start over again. It was certainly a good peace deal. It was undeniable that they both missed each other.
Now all that was missing was the last part, and probably the hardest part: to tell Chris the truth.
She opened the door to the apartment and then smelled the cigarette scent in the air. Something had happened, since Chris was not a regular smoker.
She turned on the lights and was startled by the figure of Chris sitting on the couch staring at her with a look she had never seen before. She felt a cold spine and closed the door.
"What happened?" She asked, showing concern
"Where were you?" He asked coldly
"With Lucy..."
"I did not ask who, I asked where!" He almost shouted
She swallowed, "We were in the hospital"
"What hospital?"
"Wow, why so many questions..."
"I want to know where you were exactly, Katerina! Or are you just trying to get time to make up any more lies for me? And if that's your intention, I'll let you know you will not make it this time!"
"Why are you talking to me like that?"
"Damn you!"
She began to tremble.
"You're a curse in my life! But now I already know who you are... damn whore!"
"What ..." she was affected by his words
"I did everything for you... I fought for you... I was always honest with you... Such an idiot I was for always believing in your words... all lies! But your game is over and now I know what you are... despicable!"
Tears cored down her face. She was simply powerless in the face of all those offenses coming from the man she loved.
"Stop crying! I don't believe in your crocodile tears anymore!" He shouted
The impact from his scream somehow made her kneel on the floor. Trembling. Defeated.
That was not a part of Christian. It was a part of Christopher...
Katerina was paralyzed by the man's fury. She had failed to prove her love for him. Had she failed to show that she was redeeming herself from the mistakes of the past?
He stood up from the couch and stood before her, "Looking for redemption, Kat*rina?"
It was inaudible if he had called her Katerina or Katarina. Regardless of the name, the young woman on the ground was paralyzed. What had aroused his fury that way?
"Now I understand why you cannot stand Vlad... He's more sincere than you. He told me the whole truth"
"Vlad..." she whispered.
Of course! She could not be surprised. She knew very well that he was not a person with many scruples and seemed to take pleasure in hurting her, to see her suffer.
Now she understood it.
Now she could face the fury of that man standing before her.
Like a fearless sovereign coming into action, she looked up and stared back at him.
Two legends. One truth. Lovers who had been everything in so many centuries, from friends to enemies. There was a cycle to come to an end. And just one truth to be revealed.
Firmly and elegantly, it was not Katerina who stood up. It was Katarina.
Finally the couple in black had met after centuries.
"Since you became Vlad's best friend and you know the 'truth', then why are you questioning me?" she asked imposingly
"I want to hear from your mouth"
"You will not like what I'm going to say"
"From you I expect everything"
"But the truth..."
"And do you know how to be sincere?"
"Of course! But I was foolish to think that you had realized that I am sincere..."
"You deceived me. You used me. What did I do to deserve this?"
"What are you talking about exactly?" Katerina started to take control again
"Wanting to get time again?" He replied with a smirk
"Look... I'm not a guesser and I don't know what lies Vlad told you, but the truth is I did not lie only to you, but to everyone about the death of my parents... and I was going to tell you..."
He laughed scornfully, "Oh, you were going to tell me?"
"Yes. You really were very sincere with me and I was wrong not to have told you before... and that was my intention after this quick trip I made to Hanover. I didn't believe in Vlad's message, but I believed in Lucy when she informed me that someone had run over my mother and she was in the hospital. Thank God it was not as bad as I imagined, but it was what rushed me to finally deal with my mistake... but I think even for you it's hard to admit that you missed something and going back is not that easy..."
"You said your parents were dead! You made me believe that you were like me, you made me shelter you in my house soon after the end of my engagement to Cathy because I believed you had nowhere to go! You took advantage of me!"
"I didn't force you to this and it was not a lie that I had nowhere to go except hostels that you yourself went against the idea... now you want to throw in my face your attitude?"
"You lied to me!"
"Oh and you never lied to anyone?"
"At least my lies never hurt anyone!"
"As far as you know, huh?"
"You're Douglas Fleury's lover! And you provide him information that you obtain from the BSAA"
"What? Was that what the idiot told you?"
"Is it a lie? Are these pictures a lie?" He showed her old photos of her with the old man
She swallowed in nervousness, it was a bitter sight, "I'm not denying that I was his lover, but this story of being an informant is a grotesque lie! I cannot believe you were able to believe it!"
"But you lied when you denied knowing him and his son!"
"I just didn't want to remember the big mistake of getting myself involved with that disgusting old man"
"Oh, a gentle lie!"
"I had no obligation to tell you who I was involved with, just as I never questioned you about your past"
"At least I've never lied about my past!"
"Do you want a trophy for that?"
"What?"
"You boast for being very sincere, but you sin in not understanding what should be understood... there are things that people don't tell because they simply don't want to or don't want to remember the pain…"
"It should hurt more the pain of lie... Even more about your parents"
"You judge me based on your experience, you don't see what you should see... my side!"
"Will it change the fact that you're a liar?"
"Not. It doesn't justify a lie, but it is not because I'm unscrupulous as you 'trustworthy' source"
"Then why did you lie to me? Right to me?"
"Because when I invented this lie I was angry, with hatred, with everything bad."
"Because your parents were against your ridiculous relationship with the old man"
"No! Because I wanted to escape from that house of horrors! I wanted to stop being mistreated and abused by my own father! That monster! I wanted to get away from that disgusting reality, because it was me alone against them. My 'lovable' brother was passive with what was happening to me and my mother was silent for fear of retaliation. So when I was seventeen I met Douglas and at first I admit that I was dazzled by everything he could offer me because he proved to be the exact opposite of what he is. I had just discovered that I could not have children and believed that he really wanted to help me, I believed that because he worked in the health care business he would help me with the treatment so that I could fulfill my dream. But I was dumb! Very dumb! He never wanted to help me, he just used me, made me his sexual slave and took all my freedom for a long time. I left one penance and fell into another. And instead of challenging him since it would be useless to buy a fight with a powerful man like him, I had to coldly plan my escape... it took longer than I expected, especially for having my stupid brother to upset my plans because for him, only money matters and he expected me to get money from Douglas for him! He didn't want to work and help at home... and even me away from them and after having invented the lie, I continued giving them financial support without their knowledge. I would give money to Vlad and pray that he would really use it at home, as my pride was still bigger and prevented me from going back in my decision... and gradually I built my escape, I submitted to Douglas's wishes to ease him and get permission to do some things I wanted such as to study and work... getting to college was a big effort, but getting a job was an achievement! The BSAA was a watershed in my life. It freed me from Douglas and brought you to me..."
"You lied to Piers too!"
"He was never such a serious affair and you know that... at least that's what I believed most of the time. And he never asked me about my past either... while with you... everything was different. I never thought I would fall in love with you, I never believed I would meet a really good man who would really help me without using me, and as I got to know you better, the more I was in conflict. You so sincere and with the pain of having lost your good parents... and I carrying the weight of my lie for not having a good family... I didn't lie about it to you for being evil... but since everyone knew me for not having parents, so I ended up keeping this version for you as well..."
Long silence.
A lie destroys a relationship for purely breaking the trust.
"I don't know if I can believe you anymore... I'm sorry you were abused by someone who should protect you... but after everything we went through I thought I had shown you that you could trust me"
"But I trust you"
"You didn't trust me, and I don't know if I can trust you after so many things that we've been through. You turned my world inside out and now I feel I've lived an illusion..."
"Then we have a problem of trust..."
"Yes, and this is a fundamental pillar of every relationship..."
"So..." she left the sentence in hang and headed to their bedroom
Chris remained in the living room, swallowing one cigarette after the other as he drank straight from the bottle, listening to Kate's distant cry echoing down the hall.
After a while he heard a roaring noise in the hallway and saw Kate pulling on the suitcase she had brought when she moved into his house. Just that suitcase.
With the little pride she still had, she passed him without looking at him and briefly crouched near the coffee table to leave the engagement ring before leaving the door and leaving it unlocked, as she had not taken the keys with her.
Chris just watched Kate's goodbye from his life. She took with her only what she already had before they got together, but also carried the memories of those beautiful 6 months of daily living.
Chris would swallow one cigarette after another. One bottle after the other as he stared at the small shiny object on the coffee table.
Part of him had also stepped out the door, along with Kate.
And in the quiet apartment were only the memories of a broken man and a desolated heart.
The night was not cold, but a chill breeze passed through the skin of drunk Chris.
"Once again you failed..."
Chris heard a feminine voice and looked at the kitchen and saw a young-looking woman, "You two really are very proud and stubborn!"
"I saw you at Mr. Lionel's funeral, but I didn't give you permission to enter my house just because the door is unlocked"
"I don't need an unlocked door to enter or any human's permission to give my message"
"I'm not in the mood"
"Trust is imperative in a relationship. He, who has no confidence in others, cannot also ask they trust him. Sometimes the other person may not be deserving of trust, other times it may be you. You will never have a real relationship if you don't learn to trust.
Have you ever stopped to think about how your partner feels if you don't trust her? Whatever has happened in your past must be left behind, it is not fair to pay for the error of another. You don't want to get hurt in the future because someone from your past was stupid enough to betray you, right?
Wanting proof that the other is trustworthy is not feasible. The problem is that the more effort required, the less natural attitudes.
Trusting is inexplicable, intuitive, not something that can be given or charged to someone. Trust is an act of faith, and this dispenses reasoning."
"She lies and I'm the problematic?"
"You two are problematic in my opinion... that's why you work"
He smirked, "It's over"
"The game is not over until it's over"
He swallowed another cigarette.
"She will need you and you will need her... but for this you have to forgive each other. Let him who is without sin cast the first stone. And only those that don't see the truth are those who don't want to see it..."
Chris frowned. Or he was too drunk to understand what that woman was saying, but he really could not understand her words. Then he looked at the coffee table and the two flash drives were next to the engagement ring. He blinked in confusion. He certainly must have been too drunk!
He began to feel torpor as the mysterious woman disappeared.
Flashback
Arthena's House
Old Christopher sat on the edge of the bed looking at erotic painting of his and Katarina's and remembered clearly the day it was painted. Love, passion and sex had no distinction in their relationship.
He smiled slightly. Still it was strange to believe that he had the courage to allow himself to be painted while loving Katarina.
At that moment young Lionel entered the room and noticed old Christopher admiring the painting that was controversial for the time.
"Impulses of youth... only Katarina had this gift of making me do things that my mind never thought I would..." he commented looking at the painting
"It is still a beautiful painting extolling the crudest form of the love of a couple in love..."
"While you see poetry, most people see only madness"
"What difference does the opinion of others make? Even more about an intimacy that has nothing to do with them?"
"Sovereigns must follow a strict label... but she and I have never been able to follow the traditional labels so precisely..."
"Traditions should not be stony, but flexible enough to have harmony..."
"You talk very hard sometimes Lionel... it even reminds me of the old seer who appeared to me a few times" Christopher commented laughing
Lionel smiled slightly, shrugging his shoulders.
"Thank you for breaking a label and coming to see this old man in front of you, since you are a prince and people address to you..."
"It is not the prince who is here, but your great-grandson. This is the family hierarchy..."
Christopher laughed, "You have an answer for everything... just like your great-grandmother from the painting..."
"It's amazing what a reconciliation visit was able to do..."
"We didn't reconcile"
"But you could coexist in the same place... It is already an advance"
Christopher nodded, "But soon my coexistence will end and that's why I called you to this conversation"
"I'm all ears"
Christopher took a deep breath and looked at the picture, "I can only entrust this mission to you, son... only to you…"
"I will carry out this mission with pleasure, Granny. You can say it"
"Take good care of my Katarina... she's so alone in that cell... Kat always had horror of loneliness. No one else likes her, the people she helped so much turned their backs on her and I contributed with it, but for this very reason, now I want to be able to do one last good thing for her... Henry is irreducible and you will someday become a king and you can decide her future if she's alive by then. But I ask you, if you can free her, free her. She is no longer a threat... she has never been a threat... I was..."
"You were never a threat. Nor her..."
"But that's not how people see her"
"It will be up to her to decide this point of view... but as far as I know it, it doesn't matter what they say about her anymore"
"Oh no, she cares, she so cares! Katarina always liked the attention of people..."
"It was not what she said"
"But it's not what she says, but what she thinks, what she feels... don't be fooled by the mask of her label... she was well trained to be a liar..." he laughed, "I mean sympathetic and diplomatic!"
"And you know her well to know what she feels and what she truly thinks"
Christopher shrugged, "I believe that a few decades of coexistence may have taught me something about her and deciphered her smiles... her denials..."
"I'll take that into account... thanks for the tip."
"I thank you for being the only one to hear her, to be with her... while I left her..."
"You still have the chance..."
Christopher laughed, "I don't even know if I'm going to be breathing tomorrow! You know that sickness consumes me and it is not forgiveness that will save me now..."
"But it can save in the future when you meet again..."
"This will take long to happen..."
"But it will happen"
"I'm not so sure I'll have this merit... I screwed up..."
"If you already recognize your mistake, it is already a beginning of merit"
Christopher took a deep breath, "I'll leave it to chance, what matters now is that Katarina is well cared and doesn't stay so alone... If you can give her a little more comfort, that bed is too hard"
"I'll arrange what I can"
"Thank you, Lionel"
"No need to thank me. I know that even when you were at your worst you still did care about her and used your influence to let her stay with her most cherished trunk..."
"It was the least I could do..."
Lionel smiled slightly, "Chris, can I ask you something"
"Sure"
"Do not you feel like reading the letters she wrote to you in prison?"
"Not really"
"Why not?"
"Because I already know what is written in it... if I know her well, she cries out for my forgiveness and admits that she has screwed up too... And so I have another mission for you"
"You can say it"
Christopher stood up with difficulty and walked over to the nightstand, "Deliver this letter to your father..."
"I will deliver for sure..."
"Now take me to Henry... I need to say one last thing to him and then please take me home..."
(*)
Christopher walked slowly heading to the barn after leaving the Lake House.
The house reminded him of Angelique. The barn, Katarina.
And it was there that he decided to spend the last moments of his life. He knew it would be over that day.
It had been some time since he had asked Henry and Lionel to arrange a bed for him to sleep in the barn. They ended up providing him more comfortable besides the bed, they provided lights, an armchair, and a desk as well. The place had become Christopher's main room in the last two years.
Usually they left the doors open and so Christopher could see the lake from the comfort of the barn while he was lost in his memories.
And it was precisely in those last moments that old Christopher had written his Final Letter.
He died asking for redemption and for a second encounter he could never have with Katarina.
He wrote the famous letter but forgot to let instructions that it was to be delivered to Katarina and so Lionel had to decide whether to deliver the letter to her or not, after all, Lionel was his successor and who was instructed to continue that mission.
Lionel knew they both wanted to meet again to finally open up their hearts to each other.
It didn't happen. So Lionel felt he should make the meeting happen somehow and so he decided to hand the letter over to Katarina and so he started to ingest the Black Pills. He took on an extra mission and stretched his own life for it, as well as being able to protect Henry more closely.
Lionel was always different and for accompanying those souls for so long, he really wanted to believe in their surrenders so that the cycle of pain finally would end and the love triumph.
Christopher's body collapsed in the barn and unlike what the population believed and even he came to believe for many years of his life, after the physical death he didn't meet again with Angelique, but his spirit remained there in the barn waiting for the desired meeting.
Of course he received some visits from his departed loved ones, as well as from Angelique.
"So your choice is her?"
"I messed with her, I need to redeem myself with her"
"You know she's going to take long, don't you?"
"I will wait forever if I need to"
And the wait was finally over, or at least partially over.
Katarina had finally "accepted" the freedom that had been granted her many years to get out of the prison, but she preferred to stay where she had last seen Christopher.
Invisible to her physical eyes, Christopher watched Katarina enter the land. Old, vulnerable and apathetic. She wore an old black dress and there was no longer the sparkle she had in her youth or when she was Katherine.
Katarina was defeated and eagerly awaiting her death.
Every day she read his letters and spent the day at her favorite place, the barn!
It was as if her spirit could feel Christopher's energy in there and on several occasions he tried to get noticed by her and hit the wood - the famous crackling.
But it was only in the last days of life that Katarina finally got to see the spirit of her beloved.
"Christopher..."
"Kat..."
"Is it really you?"
"I think so I am me..." he teased
She fell kneeling right in the center of the place.
"Are you looking for redemption Katarina?"
"Yes!"
"Me too..."
"Is it true what you wrote?"
"If it was not, do you think I'd be here all this time?"
"I thought you hated me..."
"I hate myself... not you..."
"I cannot believe..."
"You don't trust me?"
"I do not trust myself..."
"Then we have a problem of trust..."
"And how do we figure this out?"
"With pardon and one more encounter"
"I am not ready for this encounter... look at me... I am devastated"
"So am I..."
"We failed..."
"Yes... we failed..."
End of Flashback
Thank you McTamale for the review! And thank you Kadence0622 for favoriting the story :D