"Hatred, in the course of time, kills the unhappy wretch who delights in nursing it in his bosom."- Giacamo Casanova
The past is a weapon to some,
Its ghosts are friends to many,
But it tends to only follow one,
Whose heart is in it plenty.
So run with me along the Nile,
Of pasts hidden by denial,
And see here why I can't leave,
These frozen beaches of retrieve.
-Me
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Te Amo. (Spanish.)
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Chapter Two: Chasing Ghosts
Fate has a way of presenting itself to the non believer; in this case Atem was the skeptical individual who dared challenge the phenomenon. The blond chit that was now leaning against the pearly white pillar didn't seem as desirable as he had first suspected. And to his relief she was called from his company by a rather alarmed mother. No one really wanted to see their daughter ruined. No, they were too fearful of a powerful title slipping through their fingers.
"Oh! Excuse me" The blond said as she had apparently walked into someone on her way out. He turned around to only feel himself freeze over. Was it really her? Was it really Kiya? It couldn't be.
Casey felt a similar affect of shock as if a large amount of volts suddenly traveled up and down her spine. She recovered more quickly however due to the fact that she had been aware of his presence. And with her own good share of wit she decided to play it cool and composed.
She decided to pretend that she didn't know him.
The feeling of familiarity was too strong to shake, and so stepping over his pride, Atem approached the red haired girl with caution.
"Um…excuse me, but do I know you?"
"No I believe we never met." She answered, and what seemed to be the faint trace of a sadistic smile passed her lips.
"Are you sure?" He asked, not catching the smirk that betrayed the truth of the circumstance. But perhaps it wasn't Kiya and his mind was just playing a trick on him. Regaining his stance he added, "Well, maybe, we can get to know each other." A playful twinkle played in his violet eyes.
Having raised an intricate glass of rich wine to her lips, Casey did not know what exactly sparked her mirth. But there she was, laughing at the duke's obvious attempt to seduce her.
"And what is so funny?"
She gulped down the wine rather quickly, and finally stopped her laughter abruptly and let out a tiny little "nothing."
"Well, I'm quite not so sure that it's in fact nothing…" Atem trailed off as he eyed her. She had developed quite nicely, if it were Kiya after all. He then noted the rather bold decision for a dress she had on. It wasn't as revealing as most woman of the ton. But it went quite easy on the male's eye. The elegant fabric hung loosely off her shoulders, revealing the creamy paleness of her skin. He then spotted proof that he was in fact staring at the girl from his past.
"And what happened here?" He breathed, his hand reaching up and grazing the faint scar on her shoulders.
"Oh well, quite an amusing story actually. But it is quite long. "Casey was obviously enjoying the irony of this whole affair. She knew who he was. And something told her that he knew who she was likewise.
"Really now? Well I must say that I'm quite intrigued and must hear this story."
"Casey?" Her brother interfered, coming over. "A young gentleman has volunteered to accompany you to the first dance"
And since it was most satisfying to do so, Casey nodded and turned to the person that had stolen her heart when she was just a child. "Well then, perhaps at a later date."
She never received a reply. For Atem was quite shocked. Has he been fooled by some skipping girl when he was younger? Who was this Casey? Or was it Kiya? He didn't know. But all he was quite sure of was the burning of anger in his chest. Perhaps he was over reacting, but having his own heart traded off at a ripe age did have its side affects as well.
"So…Casey Kathingale…" The male she was currently dancing with had finally found the chance to pierce her rather soothing thoughts of a certain duke. She then realized quite suddenly that she had no idea who the man she was dancing with was.
"Oh you shall find me quite the klutz, but I have forgotten your name!" She explained, hoping that she didn't sound offending in any way. First impressions were quite stressed.
"Well I'm sure it won't happen again" the man said good naturedly and Casey decided that he in fact was not that bad.
"I can assure you that it won't" she nodded.
"Slervine, Jonathan Slervine." He smiled. As much as Casey was beginning to enjoy this man's company, she couldn't wait to continue her much anticipated talk with Atem. She of course had never experienced a full length waltz before sp after she had finally gotten used to the steps she started to count down the seconds in her head.
"Well thanks for the dance milady" It took all she had to restrain the sigh of relief that was begging for release.
"Same to you, kind sir" she smiled brightly and headed off the dance floor to locate her sister and tell her the latest news. She finally located her sister in a quite unfavorable position.
"Now, now, Elena, tell the duke that you are sorry" Derrick was saying. Her sister shook her head vigorously.
"I do not say what I do not mean." She said stubbornly. Casey found herself struggling not to laugh now.
"I think you better do what your brother says there, chit" Seto ground out his arms folded but keeping a rather precise distance from the girl.
"Okay, I'm sorry I was wrong." Elena got out, sounding quite genuine.
Casey swore everyone that was watching this almost had a heart attack at that statement.
"I do not believe there is room for another stick in his rear end" She relieved most and turned her nose up, leaving the onlookers with mixed reactions.
"Well your sister made quite the impression." Atem said, taking her by surprise.
"Well yeah, it appears she has…" Casey finally let some of her mirth show. "But honestly you can't blame her. The Kaibas had worked her to the bone before… and she by no means is a hypocrite."
"So about that story…" Atem trailed off expecting her to take the bait in this conversation.
Casey couldn't help but notice the silent glint of malice in his violet eyes and she took a wise step back but that had been the only precaution that she had taken. Other than that, she shook any feeling of danger off.
"Well, it was during that one year when it had rained the most." She began, wondering how to phrase the tale to take every possible advantage on him.
"My sister and I had been looking for the rumored abandoned cottage to make our home… We had gotten a bit lost and crossed onto the private territory of the Glorywoods. I was feeling skittish but my sister assured me that everything was going to end well, and that this was the way to the cottage. We kept walking when a road came into my vision and a small dot of a person on it. I was curious on who could be out in such rain. Perhaps they were alone and poor like my sister and I? So I came closer and forgot the thought. For there on the road was a site that any painter would envy to capture on canvas."
Atem momentarily forgot his anger as he listened to the past event in which he was involved being retold. "What did you see?"
"A little boy, dressed quite royally but acting like any regular boy. He had a string in his hand and was trailing along the road, a darling home made sailboat following close behind. I was so entranced that it was only until my sister gasped in shock did I notice the carriage on the road. The horses had lost control and they were skidding right for the boy! I simply blanked out, but apparently I acted fast for I had saved the boy. Unfortunately his boat had not survived for it had in its own way saved me."
"Well that's quite the tale." Atem shook his head to regain his composure. He managed to push that wonderful memory out of his mind and the wonderful memories that followed when he had gained the girls friendship. He began to remind himself of the horrid diary he had located. It had been placed so conveniently along the trail in the forest he always took. As if she wanted him to find it. It had revealed her true colors, that the only reason she was friends with him was his money, his power. He reminded himself how he didn't even know who she was. Perhaps she was scheming the Kathingales out of their money?
Casey frowned at his reaction, the soft look that had glazed his eyes during the tale was now abandoned and replaced by a hard look she could only identify as dangerous. Something was off and that something was urging her to get out of there before-
"Who on earth do you think you are?" A fire that burned cold sparked in his violet eyes making her flinch.
"Apparently I'm Casey Kathingale of Ashville" She nodded bravely.
"Oh are you? Because what I think is that you're a scheming witch. I don't know your name. Kiya…Casey….doesn't very well matter now does it?" his hand reached up to grab her by the forearm quite painfully. He was talking through gritted teeth and in a low dangerous voice. But to her it seemed his voice was amplified and everyone could hear it though they were pretending not to.
"What are you going on about?" She answered bravely yet again although tears of shame were beginning to burn her eyes. "Let go of me this instant!"
"Oh I'm on to you. And when I find the needed proof, you will be thrown out into the gutters where you were, where you belong" With that he flung her and made his retreat out of the mansion where this particular season event was taking place.
Once outside he stepped into his carriage and abruptly instructed his driver to head home. He watched the scenery pass by quickly through his window and admitted to himself that he had over reacted. But that bit just made him more bitter and hardened. Who was she to make his emotions go into such turmoil as this? It was wrong; he didn't like it when he felt dependent. He decided he didn't like her one bit. Only there was one thing that he wouldn't admit even in his thoughts… The reason he was so sensitive and the thing that he hated the most was that he actually liked her more than any other woman he had met. And on the basis of his parents' marriage and other marriages of the ton, he knew that women were lowly creatures. Never to be trusted and only good for one thing, warming ones bed and bringing about heirs. Alright, maybe that was two but in his rage he wasn't making much sense.
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Casey had rushed to the nearest room she could find in the mansion. After a spell of crying and sobbing which only accomplished soaking her handkerchief she took the liberty of lighting a candle in the dark room.
Conveniently enough she found herself in the study of the head of the household, the one who was co-sponsoring the opening event of the season. She sniffed slightly and moved over to a cabinet which had old newspapers piled up in a non organized fashion.
Sniffing a bit she began to mindlessly leaf through the many pages. True she had been a poor girl on the streets, but she had learned to read about the time when her sister had gotten that job at the Kaibas which had been almost a year after they had found the abandoned cottage. True she was a bit a slow of a reader but it didn't well affect happened next.
Just as another sob escaped her lips a newspaper flew to the ground. Bold letters spoke for themselves "Kathingales of Ashville diseased…. Murder or Accident?" Her crying stopped abruptly as she looked at the title of the article "A Plague on Ashville."
She looked to the articles that followed;
"Two daughters of Lady Anne and Lord Alex gone missing. Authorities claim they are deceased. Also no foul play is suspected." Her eyes widened as she saw the next bolded text.
"Is son Derrick to follow?"
Something was definitely off… Something was- Her running thoughts were interrupted with the sound of the door opening. She jumped and began to turn slowly to the door frame, quite aware on how bleak her situation really was.