A/N: Hi all!
Disclaimer: I do not own Trinity Blood.
"Miss… miss Iceheart…?"
Stella stayed as still as death, feeling that if she moved, she would loose the lunch she did not eat. The timid voice once again tried to get her attention before a snappish, all-too-familiar voice could be heard.
"For the sake of his Holiness, soldier. Iceheart, wake up!"
Stella groaned and rolled over on the cot, so her feet touched her floor. Her stomach churned, but she found that she could at least open her eyes. When she found that she could stand without swaying, she turned her attention to the two men in front of her cell.
Finley, the Chief Inquisitor soldier, was looking down his nose at her. Stella was sorely tempted to flash a tooth at him and snarl back, just to watch the look on his pompous face as he fell in fear and shock, but she kept her face an emotionless mask, reciting in her head the five rules of engagement her father had taught her and Demetry when they were quite young.
One: do not engage in an opponent until necessary.
"Iceheart, it is time for you to begin your trials as Lord Adeodatus…" Finley began a lengthy speech recalling the last meeting with the Adeodatus.
Two: watch and evaluate your opponent's movements, stance and fighting techniques.
Finley smiled and Stella imagined that he thought that his face was quite disarming. His teeth were far too big and smile too forced (and so unlike a certain priest she knew) to be anything close to charming.
Three: do not speak; it wastes energy and is a foolish technique to try and strike fear into your opponent.
Stella held out her arms. The nervous man that was quivering behind Finley was roughly pushed forward by his commander. Shaking, he clapped the special handcuffs on her. She wanted to offer comfort to him, tell him that he was doing fine, but Finley was just a few feet away and she did not wish to say anything in front of him. She stayed silent.
"Let's go." Finely's voice reverberated off the stone walls.
Stella girt her teeth, his voice annoying her.
Four: do not engage your opponent until he or she engages you.
Finley stepped into the cell. Stella noticed that he did not until she was properly shackled. He walked straight up to her. The audacity in that, a mere Terran thinking he may approach a healthy, adult Titan was astounding to Stella. It was like a zebra walking up to a sleeping lioness and smiling in her face.
When Stella did not move, Finely chuckled and patted her face with his mail-clothed hand. "See, soldier? She's not going to bite you."
Stella resisted the urge. The zebra was now nudging the lioness. She had broken chain mail before… with just her teeth.
Five: never doubt that an opponent can be a male, female or even a child.
The small, nervous soldier tugged on the chain that was attached to the handcuffs, causing Stella's arms to raise in a jerking motion. Stella mentally growled at his new-found arrogance to think that he, a weak little mite of a Terran could possibly do this to her if she did not want to be there. Silently she began making up an extremely long and loud speech to Abel that if he didn't have such a nice demeanor…
…and such endearing clumsiness…
… and a leg-melting smile…
… and gorgeous eyes…
Yeah, best keep your head out of those thoughts. Stella thought to herself. Endearing and leg melting and gorgeous, since when did she use those words? Good God, she was talking to herself now! She wondered briefly if she was going mad.
Well, there are far worse types of madness than this.
The problem was, she did not know what this was.
Alessandro nervously rubbed his small hands together. Catching himself, he forced his arms to hand by his sides. No matter what he did today, he would end up angering many powerful people. However, he believed he had made a good choice.
If Adeodatus was right, (and Alessandro had to have had a reason to place his trust in the man so quickly, though for the life of him he could not guess what) Alessandro could be putting his life at risk for putting Stella back where she could loose control. He could not risk his life, for there was no true favorite to win an election, and manipulative people could easily take the power for themselves.
However, many disapproved of Stella's imprisonment, including himself and even Francesco, who, by past behaviors, was more likely to rant and rave until Stella was clapped in chains in the darkest dungeon. Many people assured him that Stella was in complete control and they had never lied to him before.
He had to make a choice that would pacify everyone. Not only that, but because Adeodatus had announced his decree of three trials (Alessandro had yet to tell anyone that he had not issued such a decree) inside a church under his name, he would look the fool if he did not put her through three trials.
So his decision was the right one, then.
Right?
"Your Holiness?"
Alessandro turned to one of his bishops, a hooded man who fingered his beads nervously. "I'm coming," he said shortly.
If Abel was surprised at the number of people at Stella's hearing, then when he entered the church he was damn well near astounded. The pews were more packed today than they were on a regular church day.
In the front pews, he could see Demetry, Cardinal Kate, Cardinal Francesco, Seth, Virgil and Vanessa (though the last three and Kate were holograms). Taking up four pews behind them, were all the living AX members, many Inquisition guards (Abel recognized the loose-lipped sentry that had first guarded Stella's cell), and (Abel shivered and shook with anger his audacity) sitting right behind Demetry was Lord Adeodatus. Next to the Lord, Abel realized with a start, was Mau, the man who had told them what had happened the day Stella had killed her sister. The old-young man (for after his ordeal, no one could really tell what his age was) was sending venomous glares towards Adeodatus, seeming to not care whether the Lord was looking of not. Filling the side pews were assorted nuns, bishops and (surprisingly) men, women and children whose faces all held the wrinkles and wideness of the eyes that all who went through the same ordeal as Mau had.
There must have been over one hundred people there.
Abel moved to sit among his friends, but something moving caught his eye. In the corner, in the dark. He peered more closely, and from what he could tell, two men stood in the dark. Frowning slightly, Abel made his way over to them.
"Excuse me sirs? I think I see—"
He saw the flash a large fang and someone growled. He tensed as he looked into the faces of two vampires. Both were tall and uncommonly beautiful, as were all Methuselah, despite their bangs covering half their face. They also seemed so familiar. Before he had time to dwell on this, one of their arms moved. He got ready to move.
The other vampire reached out and grasped his companion's arm tightly, "Intiki."
Intiki relaxed his arm and took a step back, bowing his head as a sign of submission. The first one bowed his head to Abel.
"Killer of the Rosen Kruez."
It came back to Abel. The first time Stella had ever been in the Vatican, they had been attacked by these two Methuselah. Well, more like Abel had been attacked and Stella had saved him, convincing the vampires that they were stooping to the level of Terrans and that if they tried to hurt Abel they would die that night. The older one had stopped Intiki, who had tried to kill Stella, understanding her words. What in the hell were they doing there?
Abel was about to draw his gun from inside his cape when he realized that when the vampire had spoken, it had been with almost respect. He straightened out of his 'battle ready' pose, though he was ready to drop right back into it if needed, and inclined his head as well.
"You can call me Abel Nightroad," Abel said, sticking out his hand.
The Methuselah raised his visible eyebrow, "I wish to kill you."
Abel smiled nervously, "Ah yes… hence our little, ah last meeting." He mentally shook himself did not lower his hand, keeping the friendly smile on his face. "But you haven't tried it yet."
The Methuselah said slowly, "That is not why we came here today. You may call me Vitus." He grasped Abel's hand and shook it once, before dropping it hastily.
Abel nodded, "So why are you here?"
Vitus nodded towards the confessional, where Stella was probably being asked to recount her sins. "The young Titan female has gained the respect of many. Even now, word spreads among our kind like wildfire. She has changed the way many think, and many families that wre once torn between staying true to the Rosen Kruez and trying to get along with the Terrans are now mended. Through deeds done without thought, she has wrung many apologies from the mouths of the hard-headed." Vitus glanced sideways at Abel, "I still wish to kill you, but I shall listen to her words and not stoop to the level of Terrans."
They stood in silence for a few moments before Vitus added, "She was right, you know."
Abel nodded, "I know."
Vitus looked at Abel, "You are not talking about our first encounter, when I tried to kill you to avenge my brother."
Abel nodded, "I know."
A/N: So, good, bad? Surprised that many people came? Review!