a/n:
HAPPY NEW YEAR FELLOW AMNESIA-HEADS!
Oswald Mandus: Yes, a perfect time to NOT unleash an army of pig people to destroy the world!
Me: Ozzy WTF! You aren't in this story!? Get out!
Oswald Mandus: But I have to find my sons! Are THEY in your story?
Me: THEY AIN'T IN MAH STORY, THEY'RE DEAD, STUPID! D:
I am SO excited to show off this next chapter. I meant for it to be a Christmas chapter, but I guess I couldn't make it in time D:
STILL this was a really fun chapter and had some juicy goodiez in it! :3 ENJOIIIII!
The baron and the English boy layed in bed for hours discussing their future. One thing was certain, they had to leave Brennenburg. Even with the shadow gone, the castle held hundreds of horrid memories. THE Shadow was gone, but depressing shadows of the worst times of the lives still lingered in each corner.
"We will go to England." Alexander announced at last. "It makes the most sense. You are English, and that is where you are from. I will adjust to a place that you are more familiar with, for a change."
"Yes…" Daniel agreed. "It makes the most sense." The British man smiled a little. "And it would be nice to spend a Christmas back home again…"
Alexander watched as his lover's hopeful smile withered before his eyes. Daniel sighed and went on to say "We shall never be able to return to London, though."
"Why is that, Daniel?"
"We have no money. I must find work. I must find someone willing to pay for our safe journey home, for work."
"A benefactor."
"Presicely."
But who? They two men both thought.
Daniels words were true. After yearts of fighting the shadow neither man had anything to their names except a run-down castle in the Prussian woods, a plethora of antique torture devices, and a cursed orb. None of these things would be easy to sell. In order to start a fresh life, they needed a fresh new bit of money.
Alexander brushed a hair off of Daniel's forhead and kissed
It.
"Doo not worry Daniel."
"But…"
"You are a renowned man in your field. Your work with the late Herbert put you on the map in your profession. That's how I knew to contact you all those years ago…if you write home to England, there will be those who want to hire you."
At that time, Daniel was not so sure. Deep down he feared he would never again find work, and no one would sponsor their return to England. But he was wrong, because they did!
~~~~~le flashforward :3~~~~~
It was a short drive from the docks of London to gloomy dockside slums of Mayfair. They rode past gutter beggars and the dirtiest people and children they'd ever seen. It was a foggy, dirty place. When they arrived, it felt as if they might have travelled from one gloomy hell to another. The two men got out of the carriage with their bags. They waited until the carriage driver was gone before speaking freely.
"We made it." Daniel whispered, optimistic but pessimistic. He leaned in and kissed baron. "We're here."
"We're home." Alexander corrected.
Alexander and Alexander and Daniel joined hands when they were alone. They looked up at the tiny stone house. This was a building that had been lond abandoned, the baron noted. It had cracked windows and a dusty front door, which creaked as they opened it.
Alexander wiped his sooted hand on his coat as the two entered the musty front room.
"It's been sat here stagnant and still since I left London…" Daniel said sheepishly. He scratched the back of his neck nervously. The dirty, unkept state of the home clearly embaressed him.
"It is…perfect." Alexander assured him. "I can think of no better place to stay with my love than this quaint, snug edifice."
"Do you mean it, Alexander?"
The barron cupped Daniel's face between two hands. "Yes. Brennenburg was…too large, too grand, and it's maze-ness never ceased to annoy me. This will be a great improvement."
Daniel blushed and set his bags down in the hall.
"I got some vegetables and fish at the docks. I'll start preparing a stew."
Alexander was left alone in the entryway. He placed his own bags down and went into the main room to survey the rest of their new home.
There wasn't much in the living room. An old cupboard with a few dirtied dishes on it stood on one wall, and the other wall was bare except for a framed portrait of the Queen Victoria. A dusty sofa was in the middle of the room, facing the fireplace, as well as a…
"Daniel!" Alexander beckoned his companion. "Come here!"
Daniel emerged wearing an apron, smiling. "The stew is on, Alexander. What did you want?"
"Look there." The baroon pointed in the corner. There, a spiny little dead tree stood with withered, ash-colored branches. "What is that?"
Daniel's draw dropped. "Bloody hell! That's my old Christmas tree! The one I had here the last time I lived here. I must not have taken it down. Blimey, it's rather very much dead, isn't it?"
Indeed, the tree was a sad sight, thin and brittle-looking. Alexander pondered for a moment.
"We should decorate it."
"What, that?"
The baron shrugged. "It is Christmas, isn't it?"
Daniel simply did not have a response. For a minute his eyes even glowed up with a joyful readiness…then they enthusiasm withered once more.
"Decorate it with what?" he moaned. "We have bloody nothing!"
Alexander stepped over. He used his fengers to nudge Daniel's chin up. They kissed.
"We will find what we need."
The men set to work decorating the sad plant of branches. Daniel found a roll of twine in a cupboard and wound it into a long line of bows, which he draped on the sad grey twigs. Next he grabbed a handful of candles and perched them all about the tree and lit them. It was looking better already!
Alexander unpacked some of their boxes and found quite a few bottles of laudanum and had an idea.
"Hand me the twine, Daniel." He beheasted.
Daniel did so, and the baron tied the bottles to individual branches. In the candlelight, the bottles twinkled like radiant diamonds.
There, in the perfect darkness (WINK! ;D) the once-tragic looking tree was a gorgeous thing. Things really were the most beautiful in the dark, Daniel realized.
"We did it." Daniel breathed.
"No, Daniel." Alexander corrected. "We did it."
By now the stew was ready. The lovers sat on the rickety sofa and ate their Christmas Dinner. It was not an overly glitzy and opulent Christmas eve, but it was theirs. Daniel nuzzled his face into his baron's neck, and Alexander rubbed the boy's back. Suddenly, but surely…this was home now.
"Happy Christmas, Alexander."
"Yes. A happy Christmas to you as well, Daniel." Daniel's eyes closed and his head dropped. Sleepy Daniel was often the cutest Daniel, the baron mused.
"Alezanderr…" whispered Daniel, groggy.
"Hm?"
"Arya shhuure you like it here…?"
"Yes, my loved." Alexander kissed his head. "I feel so great to be rid of Brennenburg, and put that life behind me. It was very lucky that we found a benefactor."
"Mmhmmm…"
"Who are they, anyhow? You never said."
Daniel yawned. "I don't know myself…the letter did not say…it just had the money and a letter expressing a need for work. It was written in a fine hand. The paper was fine too, it looked…french…"
And with that, Daniel difted off to sleep.
Alexander stayed up a bit to look at the tree and finish his stew. When his own eyelids felt heavy, he got up to blow the candles out and lay next to Daniel…his Daniel.
It was a very happy Christmas indeed…
…Alexander…
…Alexander…
…Oh ho, Alexander…
"What?"
The baron looked about him. Vast blackness could be seen in every direction. Even above and below him. He was floating there, floating in a sea of nothing. Everything was gone…even…even…
"Daniel!?" He cried, panic sort of brewing. "Daniel, where are you!?"
"Oh ho ho, my dear friend…"
That familiar, accented voice came from behind. Alexander whipped around and froze with shock and who it came from. It couldn't be.
"A-Agrippa?"
"Ho ho, yes Alexander. You can faithfully perceive that it is I, no?"
Indeed, as hard as it was to believe, there Agrippa was! He looked just as Alexander remembered him—skeletal, bony, and underweight. He still spoke without a jaw.
"Being lifeless is rather uninteresting, my long-term comrade. Even still, I must input that purgatory is still much pleasanter than that horrible stronghold you had us all residing in. But oh ho! You agree, don't you? Why else would you move from there to your new infinitesimal, murky little English fleapit, ho hmm?"
The baron rolled his eyes. "What do you want, Agrippa?"
"Ho ho no, Alexander, old friend. I cannot stopover long, but I must forewarn you of a prodigious hazard. One that is nearer than you may have fathomed…"
"Oh, out with it, you old bag of bones."
"Ho ho no oh, in such a rush? I had hoped this would be a chummier reunion, old boy…do you ot wish to chat a bit?"
"God, even in death you're a long-winded fool." Alexander growled. "Tell me what you've come to warn me about, Agrippa. I have no patience for your long 'chats'."
Agrippa's bony fingers came up to stroke what was left of his chin.
"Ho, the Shadow, Alexander."
Alexander paused, then rained an eyebrtow. "The Shadow?"
"Oh ho, mm-hmm. Correct."
"You're mistaken, Agrippa. Daniel and I have already bested the Shadow. It is no more."
Agrippa's drooped jaw jiggled with amusement.
"Oh ho, are you sure about that, dear baron?"
"What do you mean?" Alexander tried to thrust his way towards his old companion, but could not move.
Agrippa only laughed harder at this. "Oh ho ho!"
Alexander seethed. "Agrippa, tell me what you—"
And then suddenly, the baron was falling…
"GaAAH!"
Alexander shot up from the couch, his throat ached and he struggled to catch his breathed. The old baron hutched over and closed his eyes.
A dream…it was all a dream…
When he rose his head, he was startled to find someone looking down at him. He flinched and flew back against the sofa before recognizing them.
"Daniel…"
Indeed, his lover had removed himself from the sofa and now stared down at Alexander from the shadows. The Englishman spoke in a clipped whisper.
"You were screaming. In your sleep."
"Oh…was I?" Alexander wiped his forehead, which was slick with sweat. "I had the strangest dream that—"
"You disturbed my rest."
Alexander did not know what to say. Daniel's words were icy, which he had never heard. The Englishman's voice held a certain…coldness and steeliness. He tried looking up into his eyes…those warm, relaxed orbs…to see a trace of Daniel's usual glow…but it was too dark to see.
"Let me light a candle…"
"No." Daniel snapped.
"I can't see you, Daniel. I wish to see—"
"Do not light it." Daniel cried once more. Alexander fell back, shocked. The words came out almost…as an order?
"D-Danel…?"
"Leave me."
The baron shot up, astounded by Daniel's strange and sudden change in attitude.
"Daniel, really, what is the matter with—"
He placed a hand on his love's shoulder, and Dinial…knocked it away!
"I bloody said leave me, Alexander. Honestly, can't you hear? I wish to be alone!"
The baron just stood there, mouth open, shocked. He stared at the back of Danie's head for an eternity.
"…Very vell, Daniel." He said at last, and hurried to leave the room.
What on earth had come over the Brit? Alexander puzzled over this as he walked to the kitchen. Perhaps he would make them some tea. Yes, some tea would surely calm the English Man's nerves…
A musical, rhythmic pattering on the door stopped the barun. A few moments later, he heard it again. A visitor? On Christmas morning? When they had only just arrived last night? Who could it be?
His curioustity boosted him to the front door, and he opened it.
Alexander did not know what he expected to see when he looked upon what was on the other side of the door, but whatever that expectation could have been was not what it turned out to be.
A young woman—no, a lady—in a very beautiful gown stood before him. Her eyes batted prettily and she stared at him with an imperturbable perspicacity. Her hands were elegantly gloved. She was very, very beautiful.
Just behind the beautiful lady stood a sheepish-looking maid, who let her lady lead. And lead she did!
"Bonjour!" The beautiful woman greeted, throwing herself into the house without invitation. Ah, she was french?
"…Good morning." Alexander responded.
The woman's voice was so soft and musical. "I do apologize for the intrusion. I would have sent word of my arrival sooner, but I was simply too giddy at the thought of paying a visit, I didn't think to! I understand the intellectual Daniel of Mayfair has only been in London a short while? Are you he?"
For the first time that he could remember, Alexander the baron of Brendenburg was speechless.
"Well…no…" said he as the pretty girl batted her eyelashes and waited. He could tell beneath her sweet appearance she was very urgent. "No. I am not he. I am Alexander, the…um…an associate of Daniel's."
"Oh? And where is he then?"
Just then, as if on cue, Daniel slumped into the entryway. He was still in just his ruffled nightshirt and did not seem to notice their company. He hung his head in his hand and shook it. Alexander thought his love looked a bit…lost.
"Alexander, forgive me, I don't know what came over me this—"
Daniel stopped when he laid eyes on the lady in front of him. The lady looked him up and down and grinned big.
"Ooh la la!" She cried and practically flung herself at him. She curled her gloved hands around his arm and purred. "Daniel of Mayfair. We meet at long last!"
"I…I…" Daniel spluddered.
"Ah…may I simply say, I have met many Museum Relic Hunters, and you are by far the handsomest."
"I…er…thank you."
Alexander watched hot red spread across Daniel's face. He coughed awkwardly and kissed the woman's hand. "And…you are?"
"Oh!" The woman drew back theatrically, and then giggled like a songbird. "How very silly and rude of me not to introduce myself. I am your bienfaitur! That's french for "benefactor"! I have funded your return to London, my dear sir. I am Mademoiselle Florbelle…but of course, you may simply call me…Justine."