Author's note: I am sorry for the very long hiatus. I was, frankly, not very motivated but... here I am.
Children. From nothing they came into this world and pulled you into the grip of their tiny hands. To be a parent... maybe you could never understand it before you had children of your own. Once, he'd thought he loved Valerie Siriana, the woman he thought he would spend his life with, thought she must be the love of his life – yet when his little morningstar came into the world, he learned what true love is. When they tied their souls together, when they truly became one – he learned humility before the stars and all that was holy. When she became the first and the last woman of the cosmos, the sun and the stars, the womb of the world and the threads of fate, the blood in his veins and the dark force around which all matter revolves... that's when he understood what it means to love.
It had taken him enough centuries to understand that sometimes you must act against the ones you love for their own benefit – had he not stopped her from walking the road of destruction, even if he'd done so at the cost of all the trust she'd held in him? Was it worth it? It must be. For centuries their old bond has laid dormant, not a single thought, not a single sensation getting through to him – a thousand stars between them. He always insisted it was physical distance that cut him off from her.
His thoughts were interrupted by a deep grumble, a guttural growl that held no menace. Demanding, the black beast nudged its head against the palm of his hand, resting idly on its forehead. Lost in his own musings, he had found himself in places he would never see again, with people who would never look at him the same way they used to. Gently, his left hand ran through the soft plumage that adorned the back of the drake's graceful neck like a colorful crest. A moment of peace with his secret favourite. The black scales of her body had warmed up in the afternoon sun, her head rested in his lap easily. Soon enough he would no longer be able to wrap both arms fully around her muzzle. Though he hated to think of it, Kei Ru was right – this soft purr when he pet her muzzle could turn into a snarl anytime, these teeth and claws were made to kill, not to play. Sooner or later, this enclosure would be too small, the other drakes too many rivals, the prey they could offer too easy – and then they would have a problem.
Even now, surely only the nobles and werewolves working at the facility for Endangered High Risk Species should handle them at all – capricious and intelligent. Indeed, like her namesake, he thought. One moment, she'd nudge his hand for a soft caress, the next moment she'd lunge to sink razor-sharp teeth into that very same hand. Maybe he should merely enjoy this rare moment of quiet before he was forced to release her into the wild.
Absent-mindedly, his hand ran through the black feathers, slick and iridescent in vibrant colors while his other hand gently stroked the bridge of its muzzle. Once more he'd loose her.
Heavy footsteps approached from behind and, for a few moments, neither he nor the drake reacted. Kei's presence and scent were familiar to them. His hands were in the pockets of his dark brown jacket – more of an utility than a necessity to them. "You two really got a connection," he remarked. The large drake shook its head and pulled away from Roctis, fluffing up its iridescent plumage in a display of what might be some kind of dominance – now, they were still acknowledged as the superiors. However, soon enough, once the drake had grown a little more... With a high-pitched shriek, Ignes pushed herself away off the ground, flapping her wings to carry her to the next tree. Razor-sharp claws sunk into the bark. From there, she climbed up on one of the nests they had installed as perches for their drakes.
Now that the spot next to the older noble was no longer occupied by a massive black drake, Kei sat next to him instead. "You know, I think releasing them into the wild is my favourite part of this job. Cuddling them when they're young is all cute... but letting them go... nature at its finest." Here, they got to see sights you no longer saw anywhere else in the universe – many species found their last refuge here, in these vast parks that tried to accommodate them as best as they could. Where humans had destroyed... they sought to preserve what little they could.
"Hey... Roctis... I know this isn't easy for you."
"There is no need for concern." He stared ahead, watched a Pheroicla hop through the grass, flapping its large soft ears along. Looking for nuts and berries, probably.
"What I just mean is... it's never easy, to let go of the reins and let nature take its course... but you know... life always finds a way."
"I know you think I am equating the drake to Ignes... but I don't. Your concern is appreciated, but misplaced." With a sigh, he got up from his spot, tired of sitting in the sun. "What's best for me is not necessarily what is best for her. I know." To keep her here... as company, as comfort... but whenever he saw those claws, whenever he saw those predatory eyes watching his movements too attentively during playtime, he remembered that this creature was not made to stay by his side. Live and let live... The confinement of being on the run was not the kind of life he'd wanted her to have... and so he had to give up on the trust she'd always placed in him, give up on centuries together... if only it meant that one day she would get the opportunity to live a normal life.
This was a certainty he must hold on to, the doubtless knowledge that he had done what must be best for her – at his own expense.
"Let's go. We should check on those Chelbons," he finally said and, for the first time in the past few days, the corners of his mouth pulled his lips into a weary smile which Kei returned in earnest. It was good to have someone who tried to understand.
You could not expect this corner of the Agora to have nice places – but some were just less filthy than others. Frankenstein had ordered an imitation of black tea, not quite as good as what they used to have back on earth, but good enough. Familiar enough for the man he once called Master. Judging by the way he carried himself, he was not all too settled in with everything just yet. A sugary Oscaayard infusion for him. Just the right thing when you did not sleep for three days and did not intend to do so in the coming three days either.
They chose a quiet corner in the back of the coffeeshop, dimly lit, the scent of sweat and cheap beverages clung to this place, but it was alright. Ah, how out of place he looked here. A bit lost, yet at the same time, not.
"I heard you turned into a criminal," he stated. Though an attempt at masking his disappointment has been made... in the end, it was impossible to miss.
"Always have been a bit of one, haven't I? That's just the bastard I am." He ran his index finger over the rim of his glass. More than one thousand and sixhundred years... He'd seen the rise and fall of empires during that time. And for the longest time... he had been searching for him. The contract... was it ever broken? Would he have felt, had he been dead? Frankenstein could not tell for certain.
"I understand that you're with Zarga and Urokai now?", he continued and watched Raizel take a sip of what was supposed to taste similar enough to tea. Apart from the oldest of nobles and werewolves, no one remembered the taste of Darjeeling and Earl Grey. Slowly, the Noblesse nodded. They were the ones who have taken him in, for now, though...
"I hoped to see you," he stated softly and his face took an expression only a select few ever got to see. A smile... not wide, not bright, no, that was not Raizel. It was subtle – you could almost miss it if you did not know what to look for. Right now, Frankenstein was not sure whether he wanted to see it or not.
"Well. You have seen me. So what now?"
Silence. Of course, silence. Frankenstein could see it in his eyes: Raizel had no answers for him. To see him... and then? Did he hope they would ride off in his spaceship, never to be seen again? Did he hope he would hand himself in to the authorities? Or maybe... maybe he thought they would be frozen in the moment of the reunion forever. Whatever would happen next... would come by itself. Everything would be easy, natural, as though nothing ever stood between them.
"I have been searching for you everywhere. I despaired. I raged. Sometimes I wanted to give up. And you never came. You never came. And so I mourned you." To Raizel, it has been but a long nap, however, to him... sixteen centuries … How could he possibly expect of him to be okay with this? "You cannot mourn as much as I mourned you and not be changed and burnt out by it."
Slowly, Raizel nodded. "I am sorry for the grief I caused you, Frankenstein." His voice held no anger, no true sorrow – just the hollow realization that nothing was left of the world and the people he once knew. He should not feel malicious joy – though it may not be his fault, it still was not something he could just brush aside. Frankenstein sighed and downed the rest of his brew in a single swing, throwing back his head inelegantly.
"I know you never meant to hurt me... and maybe it's none of your fault... but right now, whatever you were hoping for... the answer is No." The wounds he tried to hide have been cleaved open by his return... and now all he could do was retreat like a beaten dog until maybe he understood himself better. I am just confused. Like a girl not sure of what she was doing, except she knew exactly what she was about to do – the only question left unanswered would be 'why'. For the longest time, he thought he'd made peace with the loss of the one who changed his life forever... now, however, he sat before him and he saw: he built himself a house of cards blasted away by the return of the one whom he'd grieved so ardently.
"I respect that," Raizel said softly, crimson gaze lowered to his half-emptied 'tea'. "I am sorry things are the way they are."
"I am sorry too," Frankenstein admitted softly and, briefly, reached out for his old companion's hand. For a moment, his fingertips brushed against the back of Raizel's hand. "The universe is full of miracles. I hope you will learn to appreciate them."
Frankenstein rose with a heavy sigh. "If the stars are more than just suns, we will meet again. If not by the will of the stars, by what we once had."
"call me Jezebel, baby, but I'm still a queen ..." The blonde noble's sweet voice filled the room, drowned out the clangor of cuttlery and the whisper of some few conversations. This was not the kind of event Rael usually attended. Artists – poets, singers and the like. Such a terribly avant-garde gathering, overly sophisticated. A fundraiser for some social project. However, if Seira enjoyed it, he would try to enjoy it too. While most guests had only eyes for the noble lady on stage, Rael only had eyes for Seira – the way the soft reddish lights painted her face in new colors that complemented her eyes, the softness of her hair, her thoughtful expression. This music, this art, did not speak to him – but he enjoyed watching the way she listened to it. With her soul.
They applauded politely after the last song of the performance and, briefly, he turned his attention back to the stage to watch Karias hand the woman a bouquet of red roses. There he stood in his white suit, a red rose adorned his chest, there he stood where he belonged. Out there on a stage, in the bright lights. As an actor who had a story to tell, as a designer who had an idea how the world should dress... as host who knew how the evening should go.
"So... Seira..." An interlude of instrumental music. One of the rare occasions when you still got to hear real instruments. "... thank you for meeting me."
Miss Seira... May I hope you will answer my advances favourably one day? He'd asked her almost fivehundred years ago. With soft eyes, she'd looked at him and nodded. Then thank you for allowing me to hope. And so he'd hoped – he'd met a couple of girls. A werewolf some decades ago, a half noble threehundred years ago... yet a part of him always remembered the one whose whisper could silence the shouts of all women in the universe.
Miss Seira. Would you like to meet up with me soon? He'd asked her last month. Softly, she'd told him about the gala Karias had invited her to – she did not favour going to such occasions on her own. Not the kind of place or event he usually went to... but for her, he would try to enjoy it anyway. So he sat here at a table with her, delicate amuse-bouches on hand-painted porcelain plates in front of them. A fond smile bloomed on Seira's face, reached her gentle eyes. Never did she look more beautiful than when she smiled.
"Thank you for accompanying me," she finally replied after a few moments. A part of Rael had worried she might end up going out with Regis – however, it seemed like she considered him as a younger brother. That, he was grateful for. Would he be able to bear seeing her with someone else? He would have to, of course. Alas, this was... not the moment.
"This city is supposed to have a beautiful greenhouse," she continued. Rael had read up on this station before coming here and nodded. Rare plants, not only native species from this planet but also flowers from other planets and system.
"We could go there after the gala?", he suggested carefully and, once more, Seira nodded. He's been waiting for this moment for what felt like a thousand years – and now that it had come, he felt as though he held a butterfly in his hands, feared he might smother it in rashness and boldness.
Later that night, they entered the gardens of the park. Here, sheltered under a glass dome, they were alone at this time of the day cycle. An intense sweet scent of aelissaire blossoms made the air around them heavy and soft. With slow steps, Seira led the way, moving effortlessly in the elegant black dress she had chosen to wear for this occasion. Ah... so much time had passed and at the same time, almost none at all. By a small fountain of artificial stone, she stopped. The light of two moons fell through the glass dome above them, painted her white hair silver and red.
Rael stopped in front of her – though she did not seem to intend to say anything at all, he would not breach the serene silence between them. Their eyes met – and no matter how fast the universe was moving... to him, time stood still. Here, lost in her eyes – he dared to smile and, slowly, raised a hand to reach out and cup her cheek. Before his fingers reached the fine porcelain of her skin, she lifted her own hand and, softly, placed her fingers against his lower arm and pushed back his arm without force or insistence. Slowly, her fingers ran up to his wrist, lingered there for a moment – and with a smile that would have left the mysterious Mona Lisa fade into oblivion, she turned around, fingers brushing over her hand as she let go of him to slowly walk off towards the alcoves of roses and uprania.