AN (smcandy): Another thousand and one apologies again everyone or as my editor would say at this moment "readers are probably alternating between begging and threatening us with bodily harm". I hope everyone had a swell past few weeks since the last update. Here's part one and yes another split chapter that gonna be extremely long or long enough that it cannot be fit within just one page only.
(*) As always many special thanks to my editor and co-partner in helping finally get this story off the ground and back burner dragonwriter24cmf. So far we have been getting by with this fan fiction by bit by bit with story and with you guy the fans that love reading each new chapter that comes out. Thanks to everyone, I appreciate your support through this 100% everyone. Keep the constructive criticisms, outgoing comments and reviews coming in?
DISCLAIMER: All rights to Trinity Blood was created and © by late Yoshida Sunao, the anime directed by Tomohiro Hirata and produced by the studio GONZO, as well as a manga drawn by Yoshida Sunao's friend Kiyo Kyoujou. All © rights revered by their respective owners. I own nothing except © to this story, it's plot and it's OC's that will eventually show within later chapters.
Warning:This fan fiction is rated (M) AKA Lemon. This story is ABSOULTLY NOT suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 [So if you're under the age limit turn back now, come back when you old enough to read this. I'd rather not get flamed nor sued by parents whom are just looking for trouble in places their underage children should not be looking nor reading for that matter.
This story contains strong explicit adult themes and sexual ones such slight foreplay - as in hand sex, one-sided love, Attempted Rape, Explicit Sex or anything else mild to hard core kinky for that matter!, references to violence, and strong coarse language. If this disturbs you, do not read any further.
Notice: Trinity Blood War Continuum takes place one month after the events from the anime's finale episode 24 along with some elements, characters and things that will be used and taken from both manga's Rage against the Moons (RAM), Reborn on the Mars (ROM). In addition to some spoilers from stories untold notes left by Yoshida Sunao which he intended to finish off the manga series supposedly. Basically 50/50 will be used on both the anime and manga to those whom are more familiar with manga then others will see this implants as the story develops. Trinity Blood is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Roman Catholic Church/the Vatican is portrayed as a military and spiritual power. The series also strongly implies major and controversial changes in the Church of present reality, such as women being bishops, cardinals as well as romantic relationships and marriages between members of the clergy. If this disturbs you of form or shape of or on imagination then do not read this story.
Trinity Blood: War Continuum - Chapter Thirty-four: Part one –Flight and Sanctuary
Esther fell through light and darkness, and sensations she had no name for. Vertigo gripped her, turning her stomach end over end. The suit she wore protected her from losing consciousness, or at least, she thought it did, but she almost wished she could pass out. The dizzying, falling and flying sensation made her feel almost sick. She closed her eyes, praying silently.
Finally, the world seemed to stabilize. She felt something solid underfoot once more. She still had her eyes closed, but her ears told her that she was in an enclosed area, and she could tell there were intermittent bursts of light somewhere in front of her. She took a deep breath, willing the last of the nausea and dizziness to subside, then opened her eyes.
She was on a ship, in space. That much was apparent from the view-screen before her, the view of Earth, floating before her. The deck was darkened, with only dim lighting, but she recognized it. Her heart went to her throat. The ARK. She was, somehow on the ARK. But...
The floor under her knees wasn't dusty and scarred like it had been. She wasn't in a cylinder, simply curled in a corner of the room. But she was on the main deck, where she'd been when she'd been transported. But the glowing lights and panels indicated a fully functioning ship, not the near-derelict she'd been on before.
The thoughts passed through her mind in a matter of seconds. Then her gaze riveted on the view-screen, and the people standing before it.
There were at least half a dozen people standing on the deck. Three, dressed in simple uniforms, were standing at the consoles. Three more, dressed in far more elaborate attire, stood in the center of the room, in what was clearly the command center. Esther felt her breath freeze as she recognized silver hair, longer now. It looked completely wrong, against the backdrop of white and blue clothing. On either side, she saw gold and black, red trim and emerald green. The three Nightroads.
The image in the screen in front of them was vaguely familiar. After a moment, Esther recognized it. The Empire. But it looked different to her. The lights were wrong, the colors were wrong. But she didn't have time to really think about it before Cain spoke. "Is it ready?"
"Yes." That voice was Abel's cool and controlled. She recognized the tone, and a shiver went through her. That tone was the one she'd first heard when he'd destroyed the Star of Sorrow. The tone he used when he was acting as a military commander, or a soldier, instead of a priest. "It's already perfectly aligned. We're tracking on the target as we speak."
"Excellent." Cain's voice was soft, relaxed, and equally chilling. The Contra Mundi's tone.
Just then, the door shot open, and another figure entered the room. Esther swallowed hard, recognizing the simple white uniform, though it was longer than she remembered, and the long red hair flowing down the woman's back. Lilith.
This isn't...this isn't the time I left. It's not my original time, but it's not the time I left behind either. So when am I? And what is Abel doing? Esther swallowed again. Her stomach felt like it was filled with rocks, and suddenly, even with the independent air supply, her suit felt stifling. She detached the gloves, then reached up and yanked off the helmet, just in time to hear Lilith speak.
"What are the three of you doing now?" Her voice was sharp, with a note of urgency. "The entire Russian and Chinese coast is already in flames! America is destroyed! Has there not been enough death already?"
"It's nothing, my dear. Abel and I are simply cleaning up a few loose ends. After all, it would be problematic, if they managed to find that secret, don't you think. But one or two shots, and we'll have nothing to worry about. The genetic manipulations program will cease to exist, and one of the last things that troubled my dear brother will be destroyed." He turned back to the screen. "Whenever you're ready, Abel."
Esther felt as if the blood in her veins had turned to ice. No. She didn't believe it could be happening. Abel couldn't be about to do what it sounded like he was going to do.
"Abel! Don't do this!" Lilith's voice was sharp. "How can you?"
"How can you ask me that?" Abel's voice was soft, and far too controlled, reminiscent of the boy he'd been. A quieter echo of when he'd screamed 'What kind of future could we possibly have?' "I won't let another person share our fate, or worse." Then his head turned. "Fire."
The ship shuddered, and then two flaming balls, over three times the size of the shots Londinium had weathered from Kampfer's attack, streaked through the sky. Esther felt her heart in her throat, watching helplessly as the weapons shot toward Earth. She wasn't the best marksman, but she could see where they would hit. The heart of the Empire. Even as her head protested that there was no Empire yet, that the three siblings hadn't split up, and that no one she knew was down there...still, her heart was screaming that everyone she loved was about to die. She felt tears breaking from her eyes.
The spheres of light impacted the globe below. They were hardly the size of coins, but even from that distance, Esther could see the devastation, as a section of the surface disappeared in a haze of smoke and terrible flame. "No..." The word came out as barely a whisper.
"Target impact successful. Reporting a fifty kilometer destructive radius, with additional fall-out. Ground penetration for at least half a kilometer, my lord."
"That's fairly good. Still...there is the underground facility to worry about. What do you think, Abel?" Cain's voice was mild, conversational.
"The Eastern Lab wasn't reported to have much of an underground component. There shouldn't be many survivors. However..." Abel turned to the red haired woman on his left. "My information is second-hand. It would take a native to be sure."
Lilith's voice was cold, almost frozen, when she spoke. "You truly think I'll help you destroy my home, Abel?" Her slender form was stiffened in outrage, and despite the control to her voice, Esther could hear, through the pounding in her ears, the tints of anger, and hurt. The notes of betrayal, such as she'd heard in her own voice after the destruction of Saint Matthias, and the realization Dietrich was a traitor. "Abel, please...cease this madness. You cannot do this."
"You know why I must." The voice was still too calm, too collected. As if he were discussing why he needed to go buy more tea, or deliver a report.
"Ah, well, a second volley wouldn't hurt I suppose. Abel...why don't we make sure. Although, you might want to make sure the shots are off center this time. So we can get the maximum spread of damage." Cain gestured.
Esther's chest felt like it was about to explode. No. he can't. Surely he wouldn't...he wouldn't. The rare occasions Abel had used his powers, he was always careful to avoid innocents. The only time he'd ever violated that was when he'd lost his mind in Carthage. No. Father...Abel...please don't.
But the slender, silver-haired figure before her nodded. "Prepare a second round."
"Yes, my lord." One of the men standing at the panels began to tap out a sequence, and Esther felt the faint vibration, heard the faint hum of a massive amount of energy being transferred.
"Abel...please, don't do this." Lilith stepped forward, laying her hand on the silver-haired man's arm. "There are innocent people down there!"
"Those people have already participated in one near-genocide, in Armageddon. Would you want us to be next? Besides...you know what's down there." Abel's voice was sharp. "Do you really have to ask why we have to do this? Do you really want them to begin another Genetics program, only this time for soldiers to fight us?"
Lilith flinched at the sharp words. "Abel, you can't believe that..."
"I can." His voice was soft. Then he turned away from her. "Fire."
Two more shots streaked away from the ship. Esther watched, horrified, frozen in place, as they blasted into the planet's surface. Watched as a section of the screen turned black with smoke and fire.
Her heart was pounding, hopeless tears streaking her cheeks. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. She knew Abel had warned her, that he'd told her what he'd done. She remembered him telling her that he'd been the one who'd destroyed the world. And yet, as horrifying as hearing his confession had been, to actually see him doing it was a thousand times worse. "No..."
"Well, that should have taken care of that." Cain's soft voice caught her attention. "Now then, that just leaves the German lab, and the one in Londinium. So tell me, Abel, which would you like to take care of first? I suppose the German one is closer..."
The last of Esther's control over her emotions dissolved into panicked, grief-stricken hysteria. "No!"
She moved without conscious thought, leaping forward. She was, almost, aware of all of them turning to face her, expressions shocked. But all she could see was the silver-haired man. She crossed the deck in heartbeat, her hands clutching his uniform as she slammed into his chest. She was aware of the tears streaming down her face, the fabric under her fingers as she clutched him. "No! You can't do this!"
Abel stiffened as if she'd struck him. "You don't understand..."
"I don't care!" One hand balled into a fist, striking his chest. "You can't. You just...you can't do this. You, more than anyone else...Don't you see what you're doing? All this will do is cause more pain, more suffering! This is wrong!"
"Seth...please escort this hysterical young lady off the bridge." Cain's voice came from her side. He sounded vaguely annoyed. Abel hadn't moved, hadn't spoken a word to her beyond those original three.
She felt small, strong hands taking her arms, and clung tighter. "No! I'm not going to let you do this. Please...you can't...I won't let you. Don't you understand..." Her sobs choked her, cutting off her words, but she continued to cling to the figure before her, fighting the grip that tried to pull her away.
"Well then, if she won't go quietly, I suppose I'll have to take care of this." Cain's voice still sounded no more than mildly irritated.
"Cain..." Abel's voice. Then strong hands took her shoulders and nudged her backward, almost roughly.
"No! I won't leave! Not until you stop this!" It was Abel's hands on her shoulders, but not comforting as she felt he should have been. Instead, he was pushing her away. In its own way, that was far more terrible than the guns he'd fired on the planet.
"Cain! Abel! That's enough!" The smaller hands on her arm disappeared, and strong, but gentle hands pulled her away. She fought to hold on, but the owner of those hands was nowhere near as hesitant as the other two. Strong arms enfolded her, pulling her close. "Cain, I won't permit you to hurt her. She's obviously very distressed, hysterical."
She recognized that voice. Lilith's. Her tear-stained eyes opened just a fraction, to reveal white-clad arms pulling her back. "No. Please...let go of me. You can't..."
"Enough. You mustn't push any further." Lilith's voice was soft.
Cain was frowning at her. "You know, my dear, she does look oddly familiar." He moved forward with that terrifying speed she remembered, so that his hand tilted her face upward. "Hmm...and where are you from?"
"Albion." She choked, shocked. She'd thought he would remember. That Abel would remember. Or Lilith, or Seth. Had they all forgotten?
"Ah. Don't tell me. A spy, sent by the Terrans to upset my brother?"
"No. But I...I won't let you do this." She felt fresh hysterics bubbling below the surface.
Cain shrugged dismissing her as unimportant. "Well, it matters not." His gaze flicked upward to Lilith, still holding her. "As long as you've restrained her." He turned. "Abel...how long till we're in position for the other two labs?"
"Two to three hours for Germany. Longer for Albion. We'll have to correct our orbit for that." Abel had already turned back to the control console.
"Well, then, in the meantime...there should be some strategic points in the general territory." Cain drifted back to his place. "I assume you know where they are?"
"Of course." Abel's hands were dancing across the keyboard. "Istvan, Carthage, and Amsterdam. Istvan and Carthage are the closest." He turned to look at his brother. "You're thinking we should handle all of them now? That's going to be a drain on the ARK."
"Hmm. Well, it's not as if it matters." He gestured. "Soon, everything will be over anyway." He considered the glowing screen before him. "I think Istvan is our next best target. After all, Carthage has some valuable resources. We don't want to damage it too severely."
"I understand. Beginning calculations for optimum firing range and timing." Abel nodded, and his hands began working again, typing in a code she vaguely recognized.
They were going to bomb Istvan. Her home.
Esther felt frozen for a moment, too shocked to move. Then it sank in. Abel is...going to destroy my home.
A fresh wave of anguish and outrage swept over her. "NO! No, you can't!" She pulled broke free from Lilith's startled grip, and took a few running steps forward. "No!"
She slammed into Abel's back, striking him. Abel jerked, startled at the vehemence of her attack. Looking at his console, she could see the calculations already in place for the next assault. An assault on her home. "No. I won't...I won't let you do this."
She leapt past the startled man, slammed her hands down on the controls, her blurred vision seeking desperately for a kill switch. A shutoff code, anything. Her hands dug into the keys, wild lines of random numbers and letters flowing over the panel. I have to stop this. I have to stop them.
"That's enough!" Abel seized her from behind, pulling her away from the station. "Lilith!"
Esther fought him, even coherent words beyond her. She could hear herself crying out, screaming, knew she was flailing like a madwoman, but she couldn't bring herself under control. Then she felt one arm around her, and something cool touched her on the back of the neck, and everything went black.
She woke some time later to a semi-darkened room. She was lying on her back, on a firm, but soft bed of some sort, a blanket tucked over her.
The hysterical terror and pain that had gripped her had faded, but...Esther swallowed back a lump in her throat. Her mind kept replaying the image of Abel, standing in his white uniform with Cain. Calculating the trajectory. Calmly calling out the order to fire as if it meant nothing. Fresh tears stung her eyes, and she blinked furiously, trying to will them away.
Abel had warned her. Cain had warned her. That Abel had been the Enemy of the World, as much as Cain. But still...she hadn't quite believed it.
The memory of his words came back to her. "The one who destroyed cities, who ordered the guns of the ARK to fire...it was me. I destroyed this world." She remembered something else he'd said as well. "In one city, I took over seven million lives."
She'd known then, that he wasn't lying to her. But still, she hadn't been able to comprehend it. The man she knew, the gentle priest who would rather suffer debilitating wounds than lift a hand to harm someone...she couldn't reconcile him with those words. Even seeing him in a full rage, lost to the Crusnik, she couldn't picture him doing something like that.
She swallowed hard, suddenly realizing why it was so terrible. Not just what he'd done, but the fact that it had been Abel who did it. Not Abel in his Crusnik form, when battle madness could be partially to blame. But Abel, in his human form, had been the one who had given the order.
Esther put a hand over her eyes, feeling renewed tears course over her cheeks. For the thousands who had just perished. For the thousands who were injured, or living in fear. And for the silver-haired man who, nine centuries from now, would carry the burden of these deeds as scars ripped into his soul. "Father..."
"Are you awake?" The soft question startled her into jerking upright, adrenalin suddenly singing in her system, temporarily replacing despair.
Lilith was seated in a chair nearby, partially hidden in shadows. She was still wearing her simple uniform, a calf-length white shift, with buttons attaching the collar. Each shoulder was adorned with a united nations insignia, and there were dark green rank tabs on both sleeves at upper arm and just above the wrist. She was taller than Esther remembered, and she'd changed her hairstyle. The majority of it was pulled back into a single long ponytail, fastened near the crown of her head. Only two locks, one on either side of her face, were left free. But the dark skin was the same, and the gold eyes. And the compassion in her gaze.
Lilith studied her a long moment, then spoke gently. "Are you all right?"
"I...yes. I'm sorry." Esther reached up to touch the back of her neck.
"I knocked you out with a sedative. You were hysterical, and Cain was getting impatient. Not to mention Abel." Lilith spoke softly.
"Yes. I remember. I'm very sorry I caused you trouble." Esther flushed. "It's just...it's not..."
"Not what you expected to see. This isn't 3066, after all."
Esther blinked, her eyes open wide. "You..."
"I remember you. Esther Blanchett. Of course." Lilith smiled. "After all, we spent over two months rooming together. And, of course, knowing what I did about you...that would make you very hard to forget."
"I see." Esther swallowed back a lump in her throat, mingled hurt and relief. "It's just...the others..."
"Well, Seth was very young. It may take her some time to put the pieces together. As for Cain and Abel..." Lilith sighed. "Abel...well, I think he was too shocked. And besides...with Cain distracting him, he might not have thought of it right then. He can be absent-minded. As for Cain..."
"It happened, didn't it?" Esther felt the ice in her stomach, remembering what Abel had told her of his past. "Cain...the accident...the Crusnik..." Her stomach heaved, realizing that this too, was a consequence of her silence.
Lilith caught her shoulders as she dry-retched, holding her gently. The older woman waited until her shaking subsided, then left, and came back with a damp, clean cloth, which she wiped across Esther face. Once her face was clean, Lilith handed her a cup of water. "Here. Sip it slowly."
Esther took several sips, her mind roiling with emotion and conflicting thoughts.
After a few moments, Lilith spoke softly. "So...this was in your past?"
Esther took another sip, then managed a soft word. "Yes."
"I wondered. When you let it slip that you knew him...I'd wondered about the time difference. But the Crusnik...this is part of what you knew." Lilith spoke softly, her voice heavy.
"Yes. He...Father Nightroad told me." Esther shivered. "He told me...but I...I didn't believe him..." Tears were coursing down her cheeks again.
Lilith sighed. "I didn't think Abel could do this either. I knew he was angry, but..."
Esther swallowed, trying to slow and stop her tears. "You have to stop them. Please. You have to."
Lilith sighed again. "I wish I could. But I don't have the controls for the ARK, and I cannot fight them. I do not wish to fight Abel and Seth, whatever I think of Cain. And both of them will come to his defense."
"I know." Esther swallowed again, hard. She knew what she was asking. Lilith's leaving, opposing Cain and the others, would result in her death, and Abel's grief. Grief so terrible that he would weep at her tomb, nine centuries later. The memory of his tears, of his pain and sorrow, made her hesitate.
She remembered Abel, agonizing and tortured by guilt, as he confessed his past to her, told her what he'd done. She already knew what the memory of this day would do to him. What the memory of this war would do to him. Her emotions and thoughts wavered, caught between the pain she would cause Abel by changing his future, and the pain she would cause in maintaining it.
She thought of all the innocents who'd died in the attack she'd witnessed, the uncountable numbers more who would die, if she kept her peace. And all the people she knew and loved, who wouldn't even exist, if Cain continued uninterrupted.
"Esther?" She felt a hand on her shoulder, a gentle touch, and looked into Lilith's eyes.
She swallowed hard. "Please, you have to...to stop them. Please. If you don't...so many will die. And Father...Father will..." She choked on a renewed spell of tears, the lump in her throat making it impossible for her to speak.
Lilith's hand tightened on her shoulder, offering silent comfort and sympathy. But the older woman didn't say anything. She was just getting herself back under control when Lilith stiffened, and her hand tightened. The older woman pushed her shoulder lightly, forcing her back down onto the pillows. "Stay still. If anyone else enters, pretend to be asleep." Esther had no time to ask what was going on before she straightened and left the room, the door shutting behind her with a soft click.
Esther blinked, confused, but she curled herself into the blankets anyway, shutting her eyes and trying to force her breathing to be calm and even.
There was a soft, almost inaudible footstep in the corridor. Then a low, masculine voice spoke. "Lilith. How is she?" Esther stiffened. Abel's voice.
"She's asleep. Unconscious still." Lilith's voice was soft as well, but there was an edge of sharpness to it, a knife hidden in cloth.
"Hmmm...did you discover who she is?" It was another man, his voice was soft, and far, far too calm. Esther felt her stomach turn. Cain.
"One of our colonists, one of the group immune to the Bascillus, apparently. Her name is Esther." There was a short silence, then Lilith spoke again, and her voice was harder. "I told you, not everyone from Mars supports this destruction. Abel, did you really think she was a Terran spy sent to distract you? With a reaction like that?"
"She said she was from Albion." Abel's voice was still soft, but Esther thought she heard the faint note of uncertainty trembling in it.
"Not all the colonists cut themselves off from their birthplace as completely as you did, Abel. Don't you understand?" Lilith's voice softened just a fraction. "When you destroy places in this world, you destroy precious memories, and homes. Even for you, even if you don't want to admit it."
"Lilith..." There was a faint note of exhausted exasperation in the muffled voice. "I told you...you know better. Are you still going to insist on that, after everything?"
"Are you still going to insist that I am wrong, Abel? After everything?" Silence for a long moment. "Can you tell me it didn't bother you, when that young woman spoke to you? When she begged for you to stop?"
"Hmmm...well, Abel always does get flustered about things like that." Cain's faintly amused voice shattered the tension between the other two.
"Cain..." Lilith's voice was sharper.
"It's quite enough my dear, trying to upset Abel. Now then, I think my dear brother and I have business to attend to. After all, that young lady's intrusion rather disrupted things. So then...I trust you'll call us when she wakes?"
"If she's not still hysterical with grief and shock, perhaps." Lilith's voice had gone cool. "However...Cain." Her voice paused, an note of uncertainty. Then, softly, "Why? Why must you do this?"
"Hmmm. I already told you that my dear. In order for there to be peace, everything must be cleansed."
"You destroyed my home." There was true grief in that statement. The voice was still collected, but under the calm was hurt, and rage, and anguish. "You blasted it to rubble, with not even a chance to defend themselves. Why?"
"To fulfill what needs to be done." Cain's voice was still cool, distant. "Igne Natura Renovatur Integra, my dear."
"By flames the Earth will be reborn." Lilith's voice cracked, ever so slightly. "Cain...you can't be serious."
"Oh, but I am." A hint of calm amusement. Then there was a slight whisper of movement. "Come, Abel."
There was a faint click of shoes on metal, but only one. After a moment, Abel's voice spoke, soft but rough with uncertainty. "Lilith...I..."
"Abel...can you not see the madness this is?" Lilth's voice, once again calm, but with a note of pleading. "Please, you have to stop."
"I can't. You know I can't. After everything. Besides...Cain..."
"Then go with him. If you will not listen to me, then go with him, Abel." Lilith's voice was sharp with anger, and hurt. "Only remember...this world...is not your enemy. Someday, you'll realize that."
Silence for a long moment, then Abel's voice spoke softly. "I'm sorry." Esther heard another whisper of cloth and boots on steel, fading away quickly into the corridor.
Esther lay still, wondering if she should sit up or remain still. The door hissed open. Esther clenched her hands under the blanket, cracking her eyes open just the slightest bit. She relaxed when she saw a slender figure, who's long hair shone red.
Lilith stood in the doorway a moment, hesitating as if she was unsure about something. Then she moved forward and knelt by the bed, laying a gentle hand on Esther's shoulder. "Esther?"
Esther blinked her eyes open. She wondered if she ought to sit up, but Lilith's careful hand on her shoulder seemed to preclude that. In the dim light, the other woman looked tired, and sad. Their eyes met in shared distress, blue on gold, then Lilith sighed. "We need to get you off this ship. Cain wants to question you. Even if Abel and Seth believe the story I told to explain your presence...even if Cain himself does, he still wants to speak to you."
Esther felt a shiver run up her spine, remembering what had happened when she and Cain had spoken in her own time. She didn't want to even contemplate forging that strange, twisted bond between them again. She swallowed, knowing that this time, Abel wouldn't save her. "No."
"I know." Lilith's hand moved soothingly on her shoulder. She sighed again. "I can't recall if Cain was ever told the truth, or figured it out. But we can't risk him either discovering it, or remembering." She patted Esther's shoulder. "I have some things I need to attend to. Stay here, and rest as much as you can. If anyone else comes, pretend to be unconscious. I'll return as soon as I can."
Esther nodded against the blankets. Lilith stayed beside her for a moment longer, then rose to her feet and left the room. Esther heard the click as the door locked behind her.
Alone in the dark room, Esther took several deep breaths, to calm her racing heart and slow her breathing. As frightened and distressed as she was, she knew that panicking wasn't going to help matters. She swallowed, to get rid of the lingering ache in her throat, then concentrated on relaxing, soothing her nerves and releasing the tense muscles of her body. She felt herself begin to unwind, to relax. Eventually, she dropped off to sleep once more, dreaming of a silver-haired man, who wavered between darkness and light.
She woke to a gentle hand on her shoulder, shaking her lightly. Half-awake, she jerked away and nearly crashed into the wall, before she realized that it was Lilith standing over her. She stopped, and took a deep breath. "Sorry. You startled me."
Lilith smiled, but it was a sad, wistful smile. "It's all right. Abel and Seth have the same reflex." She held out a bundle of fabric. "Put this on. It's Terran clothing." Esther nodded, pulling on the long skirt, the tunic, the leggings and shoes.
"Thank you." She set the last article in place, smoothed the fabric, then looked up at her companion. "What now?"
"We'll have to hope the Terrans will give us a safe haven." Lilith sighed, and her eyes were distant, and sad. "I cannot continue to watch what Abel is doing. As little as I wish to fight them, what Cain is doing...this genocide is wrong. And Abel...he cannot be allowed to continue this path." Lilith sighed again, then shook off her thoughts. "Come with me."
Esther nodded and followed her into the corridor, both of them moving with quick, quiet strides. Normally, Esther would have been looking around, trying to map out their route, and their location, to guess their destination, but she couldn't seem to manage the concentration required. As they strode quickly through the corridors she was conscious only of the size of the place, the pounding of her heart, and the dryness of her mouth.
After several minutes, they emerged into a large, open bay. Esther recognized it at once. A docking bay for ships. One of the larger ships was open, and a small group of people waited near the open doorway. They were watching, clearly nervous. Esther saw them relax as Lilith came toward them. "Lady."
Lilith looked at the ship, that expression of mingled sadness and hope in her gaze. "Is everything ready?"
"Yes ma'am." One of the men, a dark-haired older individual, spoke up. "We're all set to go. Everyone who wants to get up is on board already."
"Good. Then we need to leave, before the others realize we're going, and where." Lilith turned back to Esther. "Can you fly a ship?"
Esther shook her head. "No."
"Very well. I suspect I'll still need your advice." Lilith nodded, and the small group boarded. Behind Esther, the hatch closed. She was surprised to see they were in a smaller loading dock, and that a small ship rested there. Even more surprising, she recognized it as the one she'd seen underground, in the catacombs. But she didn't have any time to think about it, as Lilith took her arm and escorted her to the flight deck.
There were people already in place on deck, and she saw the glowing consoles and panels, indicating that the ship was active. There was no hum of the engines yet, but then...they were still in an enclosed place.
Lilith reached the command deck, and spoke quickly to one of the technicians. "Initiate remote access for the bay doors. Start the pre-launch countdown." She turned back, her voice soft. "So...where do we go? I would have taken them to my home, but..."
Esther swallowed. She knew enough of history to know the Vatican wouldn't be safe. Then she remembered, what Virgil and Abel had once told her. "Albion. We can go to Albion." She met Lilith's eyes. "We can barter for sanctuary using our technology."
"It's a good idea." Lilith nodded to one of the other technicians. "Set course for Albion." She turned to another. "Plan for a relay message. When we're halfway there, I want to contact them."
"Yes ma'am." The man nodded, and turned back to his board.
Esther felt a subtle growing vibration as the ships engines came to life. Then, directly in front of her, a crack formed in the metal. With a low, rumbling vibration, two massive doors began to slide apart, opening the way.
"My lady, incoming message from the ARK command deck."
Lilith inclined her head slightly. The man clicked a switch, and the console went from red to green.
"Lilith! Lilith, what's going on?" The voice was Abel's, sharp with both worry and a tinge of anger. "What are you doing?"
"We are leaving, I and everyone else who cannot stomach your actions Abel." Lilith's voice was soft. "I told you...I will not help you destroy my home. Nor will I stand by and let you slaughter countless innocents."
"Lilith..." Abel's voice had sharpened still further.
"I'm sorry, Abel." Her voice was soft, sad. You leave me no choice." She paused a moment, then spoke in a firmer voice. "I've disabled your navigational thrusters, and your primary and major weapons systems. If you truly wish to continue the killing, Abel, then you must do it with your own two hands. If you still wish to pretend that you hate this world, then you must be willing to witness the consequences of your own actions, and the devastation you have caused."
"Lilith, wait!" Esther felt her heart crack as she recognized that tone. Abel had used it with her, once or twice, begging her to listen to him.
A sad smile crossed the other woman's lips. "I'm sorry, Abel. Goodbye. And Abel..." She hesitated a moment, then spoke softly. "Never forget." Then she gestured, and the line clicked closed. Her gaze transferred to the now open doors. "Launch the ship."
The rumbling vibrations grew louder, and then the ship lurched and began to glide forward, toward the opening doors. Esther swallowed. She'd been on ships plenty of times, but they'd always launched from the ground up. To see the multicolored orb hanging below her, to realize how far they had to go...her stomach did a slow flip. She grasped the nearest railing hard and swallowed again, willing her stomach to settle.
A loud, blaring klaxon sounded. Esther thought it sounded like an alarm of some sort. Then one of the men on the consoles spoke, his voice sharp with concern. "Main Command Deck is attempting an emergency shut-down of the launch pad! The authorization code is Lieutenant Colonel Nightroad's."
"Disregard." Lilith moved smoothly to the console, gesturing the man out of the way, and slipping a communications headset on. She began typing furiously, but her face was calm. "Engine room, begin launch acceleration."
There was a burst of static, a faint noise of surprise that Esther didn't quite catch the words to. But Lilith only nodded serenely. "I am aware of that. But it's our only choice, if the Cain and Abel attempt to stop us. Be prepared to initiate the launch on my command."
There was another burst of static, barely audible over the alarm. Lilith nodded again. Esther watched as she continued to tap keys, wondering what on Earth the older woman was doing. Then Lilith spoke. "Initiate."
The ship lurched forward, the rumble becoming a muted roar. She saw a wave of dull red-gold glowing on the bay that surrounded them, then the ship burst through the doors, and they were driving toward Earth. It didn't look like they were going too fast, but at the same time, the descent was terrifying. Esther fought vertigo. Then two of the figures seated at the forward consoles did something, and Lilith did something, and the view rotated around, changed, so that the lower half of the view port was a slowly expanding vista of the Earth, and the upper half was the star-studded sky. Esther felt herself relax and release the breath she'd been holding.
Lilith remained seated at her console for several minutes, then she rose gracefully, and gestured. "Esther, if you would accompany me, please."
"Of course." Esther nodded, rose from her seat, and followed Lilith out of the command deck.
The room the other woman led her to was a modest sized one, obviously meant as personal quarters. Lilith gestured her inside, then moved to a set of drawers, and removed a set of garments. Civilian garments, and too small for her. She held them out. "My followers and I have all elected to change out of our uniforms." A small smile creased her face. "There is no hiding what we are, but I hope to represent that we come in peace, and not as bearers of destruction. To that end, I've gotten you some clothing roughly approximate to Albion garb. I hope it fits properly."
Esther nodded. "I'm sure it will be just fine." she took the clothing, noting a shirt, skirt, leggings and light shoes, much like she'd worn for undercover operations in the AX, and later, when she'd slipped out as the queen. "Thank you."
Lilith sighed. "I only hope I've made the right decision." She turned. "I'll be in the room across the hall. Come knock when you're ready to speak with me."
Esther nodded, but she couldn't help hearing the sad note in Lilith's voice. Impulsively, she reached out and laid a hand on the other woman's arm. "I'm sure everything will turn out all right."
Lilith turned back, and offered her a small smile. "Thank you, Esther." Then she turned and left.
Esther stood staring at the door, then turned and began to strip off the uniform she'd worn from the past. She's removed the light garment, and turned to lay it to the side, when what she'd said hit her.
She'd told Lilith it would be all right, but...it wouldn't. Soon, the red-haired woman would die, at Cain's hand, and both brothers would be plunged into a kind of terrible, twisted madness. Abel had never told her how much time had passed between Lilith's defection and her murder, but she doubted it had been very long. He'd mentioned that he'd destroyed several cities, but it had only taken him about five minutes to wipe out two airships and a tank, and only ten or twenty for the Silent Noise to level Barcelona. She knew, from his words, and from the records she'd seen, that Lilith had arranged protection for her followers, joined the Vatican, restored at least Istvan and Carthage, before her death. Presumably that took longer, but she had no idea how long she had.
Esther swallowed hard, feeling a lump reforming in her throat. She'd come to like Lilith during their time in the Mars Colony Station. The woman she knew now was a little harder, with older, sadder eyes, but she'd still received nothing but kindness from her. And yet...by maintaining silence, she was sentencing her to certain death, probably within the next year or two.
Esther's hand crept upward, to the locket and ring on her chest. With a start, she realized that, in this time period, it was Lilith who wore that ring. She hadn't seen it, but then, she hadn't looked hard. And it was possible that Lilith, like herself, wore the ring on a chain under her clothing, rather than on her hand.
For a moment, Esther wavered, feeling an unexpected surge of jealousy. Then she shoved the thought away and turned back to the clothing she'd laid to the side. She slid the garments on, letting the familiar and simple task of dressing properly settle her raging emotions.
Finally, she was dressed. She took a moment to smooth her hair into place, smiling as she noted how long it had become. Long enough that she could tie it back, if she wanted to. But...she didn't. She remembered how Abel, the Abel of her time, had liked to stroke her hair. Besides, she'd never in her life worn it tied back, and she wasn't sure she could manage to get it back properly. So she settled for smoothing it back, ignoring the errant lock that flicked around her face, and went to speak to Lilith.
The door was still closed, but when she knocked politely, Lilith's voice bid her to enter. Esther pressed the panel to open the door, and stepped into the room. She had meant to ask what they were going to do, debated whether she should give Lilith hints, but at the sight of the figure standing before her, she froze, every thought but shock gone from her mind.
Gone was the white uniform of the colonists. Instead, Lilith had chosen to dress in one of the garments Esther had seen her wear in her time off. A sari, she had called it. A very short top, this one a dark hue, and a long skirt. The two joined by a long band of fabric that wrapped around her waist, then up over and around one shoulder. Gold bracelets, at least two per arm, dangled from her wrists, and she was wearing hoop earrings instead of the studs she'd worn as an officer of the colony. There was even a heavy gold necklace at her throat, and suspended from that, a long chain and cross, a cross Esther recognized.
Abel's cross. The cross he'd worn every day she'd known him. The golden crucifix that not even death, or a full transformation could make him relinquish. The cross he wore as both comfort, and reminder of the sins he still sought penance for, in her time. Even though he and Seth had both mentioned that he'd taken it from Lilith when he'd chosen to leave her side, the sight of it on someone else's person was enough to shock Esther.
More than that, the outfit Lilith had chosen was startlingly similar to the one she'd die in. The one Abel had buried her in. Despite everything she knew, on some level it hadn't really sunk in, that the young woman she'd shared a room with, and the woman who had helped her escape now, were the same woman, and the woman she had first seen lying in a coffin, silent in death, with Abel weeping by her side. Now, she could practically feel the reality of it hitting her like a hammer blow, crashing over her.
She stood, too stunned by all the sudden realizations to speak, until Lilith broke the silence. "It's not uniform, I'll grant, but I thought perhaps it was better not to approach the Earth governments as members of the colonists, not even ones who defected. It would, of course, be far too hard to prove." She sighed, her hand brushing across the skirt she wore. "I plan, actually, to present ourselves as refugees. Non-combatants fleeing after the home we knew was destroyed by this war." Sadness entered her eyes. "It is not...so far from the truth, is it? My home was destroyed, by the man I thought would understand better by now. And even those places which still stand, this war will warp all out of recognition, tearing apart good memories and soaking them in bloodshed."
She remembered how that felt. The destruction of Saint Matthias. When Dietrich had destroyed part of Istvan. The battles they had waged since then. But at least, she'd had her friends, her companions. The AX members, and later Ion and Astha, Seth and Virgil and Mary. People like the Pope, or Caterina. And, of course, Abel. Standing beside her even in his death, whispering encouragement in her heart. But Lilith had given up all those who had been her support, turning her back on them for the greater cause.
The realization prompted her to step forward and lay a hand gently on the other woman's arm. "I'm sorry. But...you needn't despair. I'm...I'm on your side." And it was true. As long as she could, she knew she'd help the other woman, support her in the trials to come.
Lilith smiled at her. "Thank you." Her gaze turned to the wall, a slight frown appearing. "Do you truly think there will be any welcome for us in Albion?"
Esther spoke softly. "I think...well, Albion has always been important, hasn't it? But in this war...there's no one to really help them. Everyone is having trouble. And the continent is being devastated, so they're more likely to want to take control, or use Albion as a special base or something. And I don't know how warm a welcome you'll receive, but I do know that you have something to trade with, at least." She gestured to the ship. "If I remember correctly, Armageddon destroyed a lot of technology. If you offer to trade what you know, for a place to live...I think it might work." Actually, she knew it would. She'd asked Virgil, back at the beginning of their relationship, and she still remembered how he'd explained their presence. Scientists, living underground because they wished only to be left alone. The Methuselah of Albion had traded their technology and skills for safety.
Lilith nodded, looking thoughtful. "That is true. And I had thought of it, but I'm not as versed in politics as Cain. Even Seth knows more." A rueful smile graced her lips. "Still, it is the best hope I have. However, eventually..." Her hands clenched. "Eventually...I will have to face the others. Eventually...Abel will come to Albion."
Esther nodded, trying hard to remember that they were talking about an Abel who was still in league with Cain. "I'm sure you'll work out what do about that situation by the time it occurs."
Lilith sighed. "I hope so."
The rest of the journey was mostly silent between them. Esther couldn't find anything she wanted to talk about, and Lilith seemed to feel the same way. Both of them were touched by the understanding that, the next time they saw Abel, he would be their enemy. It was a terrible feeling. More than that, Esther felt the weight of her past and Lilith's future hanging between them. Her temptation to speak too freely, and Lilith's own unspoken desire to know what lay ahead, if there was really any hope of salvation, for her world, or her people, or the people she was trying to protect now.
The silence was finally shattered by the crackle of the intercom mounted near the door. Lilith blinked, then rose and tapped a button. She blinked again, then spoke softly. "I'll be right there." She clicked the connection closed, then spoke to Esther. "We're approaching Albion airspace. The first warning calls have already been transmitted to us."
Esther nodded and rose from her own seat, where she'd dropped aimlessly as her thoughts wandered. "We should go then." A thought stopped her. "Ummm...I'm sorry. I don't mean to seem rude, intruding on you like this, and acting as if I want to take command. I apologize if I seem forward." She felt a faint blush staining her cheeks.
Lilith shook her head, a small smile on her face. "No. It's all right. I can lead, but I haven't much practice. That was for Abel and Cain. Besides... at this stage, having an Albion native who isn't Methuselah visibly on our side is a slight advantage, and I suspect we need all the help we can get." Esther nodded, and the two of them headed for the command deck.
The deck was buzzing with people when they arrived. Most of them were clustered around a single station, which Esther's hazy memories identified as the communications station. All words ended as Lilith and Esther entered the deck. Activity stopped for a moment, and then everyone moved to make way for the two women, bowing slightly as they did so. It was so eerily reminiscent of when she entered the Albion Council as queen that Esther had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from saying anything.
Lilith strode to the communications station at once. "Status?"
"We've been hailed twice, my lady." the young man looked up, a worried frown creasing his brow. "They've demanded to know our name and our business. The last hail threatened an attack if we didn't respond soon."
Lilith nodded. "Very well. Please, pull up the communications with the person who most recently contacted us."
The young man nodded, and moments later, a human face filled the screen, the eyes hard and wary. "This is the Albion Guard. Identify yourself, or be prepared to be fired upon."
"We are refugees." Lilith spoke calmly, her back straight and proud, though Esther could see the tension in her shoulders. "We've come to ask sanctuary of Albion."
"Sanctuary? Here? Why not the continent?" Open suspicion in the man's voice.
"Our home on the continent is destroyed, and cities continue to fall every minute. We hoped for better shelter here." Lilith paused. "If I may, we would like to be permitted to speak with your current ruler."
The man's lips thinned. "Of course you would." He snorted. "You think we of Albion are blind, or so gullible? I know the ship you ride is a twin to the ones that burn cities to the ground on the mainland. You're spies from those...those vampires."
"We are Methuselah, it is true." Lilith acknowledged that with a nod of her head. "However, I pledge my word we are refugees. We do not agree with the current actions of the leadership of our people, nor the majority who follow them. We seek sanctuary, and are willing to offer payment in return for a place to rest and hide."
"Likely story." There was no softening in the eyes. Not even a glimmer of interest at the mention of payment. They were losing the negotiation.
Esther reached out, touched Lilith's arm in a silent request. Lilith nodded, ever so slightly, and Esther stepped forward. "Sir."
"Yes." The man, commander in the guard if she remembered her rank markings correctly, stared at her. "You..."
"I'm from Albion, sir. And I am not a Methuselah. I accidentally wound up on one of their ships, trying to return home after I was kidnapped. This woman here took me under her wing, and protected me from the suspicion of their commander. She even left everything behind, to return me here. Please, I beg of you, listen to what she has to say." She gestured to Lilith. "I've been with these people, and I watched them depart their home. I swear to you, they have no intention of harming Albion. They truly only wish a place to be safe. And they have the means to help you! Please, listen to them!"
The man studied her a moment. "An impassioned argument, young lady. But how do we know you are not a traitor?"
Esther swallowed. "Please, allow me to come to the Palace. Alone. You can keep me bound, but you must allow me to speak with Her Majesty." She recalled that she'd heard the Methuselah had offered their services to a queen, not a king. "Please, let me speak to her. Let her be the judge of whether or not to speak to my companions."
The guard considered long and hard. Finally, he nodded curtly. "You alone."
Lilith spoke softly from Esther's side. "Every moment spent in orbit places my ship in danger. Is there somewhere we may land, at least? I pledge my word, no one save Esther shall disembark until we have the leave of your queen."
There was another long consideration. Then he spoke. "Very well. The hills outside Londinium, the capital. I'll be waiting with a full company. Any one save that child..." he jerked his head at Esther. "...any one save her who disembarks will be shot, and then we'll target that ship with everything we have. Or we'll call in the Vatican, and have the whole gang of you captured."
"Understood." Lilith inclined her head gracefully. "We will land within the hour."
The man gave her a curt nod, then the connection clicked dead.
Lilith stared at the screen, then nodded to one of the figures working at the navigation console. Esther felt the subtle change as the ship slipped out of it's previous path and into a new one. Then Lilith sighed. "Well, they are at least speaking to us. It's better than I'd hoped." She smiled. "Thank you Esther."
Esther shook her head. "I'm sure you would have convinced them on your own. I just helped speed it up a bit. That's all."
Lilith inclined her head, then turned back to the work of commanding their landing.
Thirty minutes later, they were settled on the ground. Esther swallowed hard, seeing the view in the port. These were the hills where she'd watched Abel battle Cain, in that first awful battle after his resurrection. When she'd known that the battle was bigger than she knew, and more terrible than she could even imagine. The thought that she was now living in it, tied by accident to the beginnings of the fate Abel had endured, made her stomach flip.
Lilith noticed her nerves, and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Esther, you don't need to do this."
Esther shook her head. "No. It's all right. I was just...thinking about something else for a moment." She shook away the unwanted images, of black and white figures, red and blue fire. "Have the guards arrived?" Lilith nodded, and Esther squared her shoulders. "Then I'd best be on my way."
Lilith nodded. "I wish you the best of luck, Lady Esther. And...thank you." She inclined her head. Esther met the nod with one of her own, then turned and strode out of the room.
The hatchway was open when she arrived, and she could see the guards in Albion red, gathered near the ramp. She paused a moment, to steady her breathing, and gather her focus, then stepped down the ramp, trying not to flinch as every man there leveled a gun at her. It was, after all, only what she'd expected.
She didn't have any of her weapons, but she submitted to a search, and to her hands being bound, noting that at least they were kind enough to bind her hands in front of her. Then they walked her a distance away, to a carriage, and handed her inside, three of the t men in with her, all armed. After a moment, she felt a jolt of a driver getting to the seat, and the carriage lurched into motion.
The ride was made in silence. Esther said nothing, not wanting to irritate her guards. She felt when they hit a road, as the uneven, dull thumping became slightly less uneven. Then the city, where the dull thunking was replaced by the clattering click-click-click of wheels on paving stones. Then, after what seemed an interminable amount of time, they pulled up, and the guards handed her out into the courtyard of Buckingham Palace.
Esther swallowed hard. It hadn't changed much from her current time to her proper one. She had to bite her lip, hard, to prevent from crying out in relief, or charging up the stairs to look for her comrades. She forced herself instead to look at the faces of the guards, reminding herself firmly that these weren't the people she knew. This wasn't her time, and she wasn't the queen here. Just a young woman, caught in the midst of a disaster.
Silently, the guards escorted her through the dark hallways, through corridors she could have walked blindfolded without missing a step. Finally, they reached a room she knew well. The audience hall. Not the formal, grand chambers, or the Great Hall, but the slightly informal quarters where the monarch gave private audiences, and discussed things too delicate to be dealt with in open court.
Esther swallowed hard as the guards escorted her in. In truth, she hadn't thought of what to say. Just getting this far had been hard enough, but now, to convince the queen of Albion, a woman she knew virtually nothing about, to agree to host a band of refugee Methuselah...if it hadn't been for her own life experiences, her friendship with Ion, and Astha, and Seth, she'd have said it was utterly ludicrous. She shook the thought away, and focused on the figure seated at the far end of the room.
The chair the queen sat in looked nothing like a throne, only a very well made armchair. Her clothing Esther recognized as casual court robes. The things she did office work in. The queen herself wasn't all that old, certainly no older than Caterina, possessed of bright blue eyes, alive with light and intelligence, auburn hair, and signs of weariness imprinted into the lines of her mouth and forehead.
It occurred to Esther, with another sense of shock, that this woman was, most likely, her ancestor. She swallowed hard, praying not to make any stupid mistakes while she was here.
The queen regarded her a moment, then gestured to her wrists. "Unbind her."
The guard stiffened. "Your Majesty..."
The queen snorted. "If she's weak enough to be held, I suspect you can stop her if she attacks me. And if she's capable of getting past all of you to murder me, then having her bound does us no good at all. Release her." She gestured again, and Esther saw the imperiousness of the gesture, the presence she hadn't quite learned how to project yet.
The guard nodded, then loosed her bonds. Esther rubbed her wrists a moment, then took two steps forward and dropped into a polite curtsey, her head bowed. "Thank you, Majesty, for your courtesy and your agreement to meet with me."
"Rise, child, and give me your name." Esther lifted her head, then rose as the queen gestured again. Blue eyes met hers, and the other woman nodded. "You've been taught manners, at least, and more than that if I'm not mistaken."
Esther nodded, carefully spinning little bits of truth into her story. "My name is Esther, Majesty. I was orphaned as a child, raised in the Church, Majesty. But I...I always wanted to travel, explore, see the world. Make a difference. I was...I was leaving the church and beginning some diplomatic training, when everything fell apart." She swallowed. Close to the truth, at least.
"I see. And now you come to my doorstep, with a ship full of Methuselah, who claim they are refugees, and you come forward to speak for them. Why?" Blue eyes caught and held hers again, alight with that regal presence. "Why speak for them? Why are they seeking sanctuary here? You say they offer to pay. How? I need no Methuselah money to mark me a traitor to the humans. I do not need the trouble of housing the enemy. I do not even know if my reign could survive such foolishness. So tell me, young woman. Put that diplomatic training of yours to use, and explain to me why I am listening to your words, why I should continue. Give me a reason to consider meeting this...red-haired commander of your companions."
Esther swallowed. This reminded her of the first time she'd had to give a speech to her people, convince them not to panic with Isaac raining fireballs on their heads. Or the first time she'd had to convince the Council to accept her alliance with Seth. She took a deep breath.
"Majesty. These people, they are indeed refugees. They only want a place to be safe. I...I was accidentally caught on board one of their ships, and their leader protected me, kept me from being hurt. I was very nearly attacked by their commander, but she kept me safe. That is why I will speak for them. But also...Majesty, I truly believe they want nothing to do with the violence the rest of their people have embraced."
The queen nodded. "And the payment they claim they can provide?"
Esther took another breath. "These men and women understand much of the technology that has been lost from the world. They also understand the weapons of the enemy. In return for safety, they can share that knowledge with you. I'm certain such information could be a powerful tool for Albion."
"Weapons and technology?" The queen frowned in consideration. "You say they are willing to supply us with those?"
"I believe so, Majesty."
The queen nodded. "Albion could use such an advantage. As it stands, we have no way to prevent ourselves from being annexed by another, larger country. But with a power like that...Albion's independence would be assured for a long time. And should we choose to sell it...so would the country's prosperity." She inclined her head. "A generous offer. However...my people would surely dethrone me if they discovered I had given Methuselah a home in the city. Even for so gracious an offer, I do not believe it is a wise move."
Esther swallowed. "The lady who leads them, Lilith Sahl, she mentioned there might be...well, an abandoned area, under the city."
"The old labs?" The queen raised one eyebrow, managing to make even that gesture look graceful and elegant. Her eyes went distant, considering. "An interesting proposition. No one has lived there for years, but...it does make an ideal hiding place." She sighed, and shook her head. "Unfortunately, I have only your word that they would be willing to accept such arrangements. And despite your politeness and apparent honesty, that is not enough. I do not know you. Nor do I know the people you represent, who might have duped you."
"Then please, agree to speak with the leaders of these people. I give you my word, they will not try to attack you. If you wish, I'm more than willing to be a hostage for their good behavior. I trust them."
The queen studied her for a moment, then nodded slowly and gestured to one of them guards by the wall. "Captain. Return to the Methuselah ship, and tell them they may bring their leader, and five others to this place, and I will speak with them. Warn them, however, that one breath of treachery, and their young red-haired speaker will be the first to die, followed by as many of them as I can manage."
"Yes, majesty." The man bowed, then disappeared.
The queen settled back into her chair, and met Esther's eyes. "I hope your friends are as trustworthy as you think." Esther could only manage a nod in reply.
An hour later, there was a knock at the door of the chamber. Esther had been all but pacing in frustration, relying on her AX training to keep a cool head, and the sound at the door made her want to faint with relief. Even more so, when the door opened to reveal Lilith, still dressed in her sari and jewelry, and five Methuselah following after her solemnly.
There was a moment of silence, two leaders looking each other over, measuring each other up. Then Lilith inclined her head and curtseyed slightly. "Your Majesty."
The queen returned the salutation with a very slight nod of her own. "Lady."
"Lilith Sahl." Lilith rose.
The queen regarded her a moment longer, then spoke. "Your young diplomat informs me you seek sanctuary, to be paid for in information and technology."
"She speaks the truth." Lilith nodded her affirmation as well.
"She says you know of the Underground, that place that has been disused for over fifty years. And you are willing to accept it as your home, to live in the shadows to avoid unrest among Albion's people." There was a faint challenge in that statement.
"That is correct. We desire neither conflict nor disruption. Only a safe haven." Lilith's voice was calm, but with a slight note of wariness.
"Perhaps. But I would ask why you know that place. And who you are running from. I am no fool, Lilith Sahl. Man, woman, group or individual...one seeks sanctuary because one expects to be hunted. Who do you flee from?"
Lilith sighed. "You know what we are, Your Majesty. We are those of the Methuselah who do not hold with the war that has begun between our two peoples, nor the slaughter of Terrans. Humans, as you say you are. But...there are few who would accept our word, and many who would seek our destruction simply for what we are. And since we have broken from our companions, it is highly possible that they may condemn us as well."
The queen nodded, slowly, thoughtfully. "A difficult position." She frowned looking past Lilith. "Albion too, is in a difficult position. Alone, we stand no chance against the enemy who has come, then enemy you have broken from. But to seek an alliance is to spell our doom as a free nation. We have neither capital nor trade nor power to offer. Your technology offers a solution. However...whatever I may think of it, it will take more than your word to convince my people."
Lilith nodded. "Understood. What would you suggest?"
Blue eyes met gold, strength matching serenity. "Will your people swear loyalty to Albion? To me, and to the throne I am bound to? Will you, Lilith Sahl?"
Sadness, and a kind of sorrow fell over Lilith's face. "I cannot. There are things I must do. The ones you call Enemy of the World must be faced. And truly...there is a chance one of them may realize...I truly do not believe this world is our enemy. It is my hope that I can bring them to realize this as well. Whether I succeed or not...it is my duty to face them, and that duty will most likely take me from Albion."
The queen nodded, a wry smile imprinting itself across her face. "If you truly intend to face them, and have the power and technology to do so, the Vatican will be summoning you within a fortnight."
"Precisely." Lilith sighed, sorrow once more ingraining itself across her features. "I do not wish to fight, however, I will not let this continue any longer. Not if I have the power to stop it."
"I see. It is an admirable sentiment. However, that still leaves the original question. If I accept your offer, and trade technology for safety, I need an oath of loyalty. If you cannot give it, then how can I ask my people to trust yours?"
"Majesty, Lady, if you will, I believe I have a solution."
Esther jumped. She'd been watching Lilith and the queen so intently, listening to their interaction and praying for the best, she'd forgotten Lilith's five companions. Then one of them stepped forward, and Esther suppressed another gasp.
The hair was darker, and cut shorter. The man wasn't quite as slender, and yet, his resemblance to Virgil Walsh was unmistakable. Esther had to swallow back her adviser's name, to keep from calling out. She could see Virgil and Vanessa both in the fine lines of his face, the set of his shoulders as he stepped forward. His eyes were Virgil's blue, intent and focused. The hair bespoke Vanessa, dark and thick, though much shorter than the young woman wore it.
The man stepped forward, placing himself between the two women, then dropped to one knee, bowing his head. Esther swallowed, recognizing the movements as those of the man who had sworn her his loyalty and his life, on the other side of nine hundred years. The smooth grace with which he knelt, the tilt of his head as he bowed, the way he lifted one hand to rest over his heart, all the mannerisms she'd come to know so well over the past year were there.
"Speak." The queen's voice was soft, but curious, rather than irritated at the interruption.
"Majesty, I am Alexander Walsh, chief technician and lieutenant of the Lady, Lilith Sahl." he raised his head, meeting the queen's eyes with his own. "Majesty, it is true that Lady Sahl cannot give you her pledge. She is needed elsewhere. However, my companions and I are the leaders among those who support her, and we have agreed. If you will accept my pledge, then they will give me theirs. We will pledge the loyalty of our people to you." He bowed his head further, past his upraised knee. "Majesty, I ask you to grant us shelter, in return for such technology, benefits and knowledge as we can provide you. In return, I offer you, and all your house, the support of me and mine, for as long as Albion stands. Provide sanctuary for my people, our people, and I pledge to you my loyalty, and my service, even unto my life, if it is demanded of me. My loyalty, and that of my heirs, and successors, for as long as Albion requires."
Lilith looked surprised, and faintly stricken. Esther understood why, remembering how it felt to have someone else take the burden for her. She knew well what would happen. The House of Manchester, bound to the fate of the throne, to the point that one descendant would rebel against another. But then...she remembered Virgil, her strong, wise adviser, and the warmth of the friendship they shared. Remembered too, the loving relationship he'd spoken of having with her grandmother, and her father. She moved forward, catching Lilith's eyes, and gave the tiniest of nods, trying to convey that everything would be all right. She wasn't sure if the other woman understood her message, but she saw Lilith relax slightly.
The queen was watching Alexander Walsh with interest, and obvious consideration. After a moment, she spoke again, her words slow and thoughtful. "An interesting proposal. However, words are simple. And I know well you are loyal to your Lady, if you followed her this far. You are an honorable man perhaps, but my Council and I would require a stronger oath than this. Have you a surety you can extend to me, beyond your word?"
The man kneeling on the floor looked up, equal consideration upon his face. Then he bowed his head once more. "Majesty, if you would have me walk unprotected in sunlight to prove my faith, then command it of me. I will walk into the dawn, and instruct my followers and kin to place no blame with you."
One corner of the queen's mouth compressed. "An earnest offer, and well meant. But it is hardly auspicious to begin a potential alliance by destroying one who offers you loyalty."
Alexander nodded. "Truth, Majesty." He seemed to consider a moment. "Among Methuselah, those who would bind themselves in an oath swear a blood bond." He met the queen's eyes. "To swear such a bond, I would ask you to permit me to take a small amount of your blood, or..." He extended his own hand, looking briefly at his wrist before returning her gaze to her. "Or, you may take mine. It permits a certain...connection. A bond between the two who undertake this oath. Among my people, such an oath is sacred, never to be broken or interfered with. And among those with my gifts..." He hesitated. "Granted this bond, I would always be aware of you and your kindred. Always at your side if needed. Your guard, and whatever else you might require." His head bowed again.
The queen looked thoughtful. "Interesting. And certainly, if this oath is as binding as you claim, then it would absolve all doubts. However, there is one more consideration." At her tone, Walsh looked up again. "You say you wish for secrecy, and safety. But if you bind yourself to me, you must interact with my court. And someone will eventually guess, or discover what you are. What will you do then?"
Walsh frowned in thought, then looked up. "Majesty, have you or your guards any silver that you could spare me?"
The queen's eyebrow rose, but after a moment, she reached up to undo a necklace and hand it to one of her guards. The man frowned, but brought it to the man who knelt upon the floor. Walsh took it with careful hands, then undid the clasp. "Thank you. If you have no objections, I require only a link or two."
The queen nodded, and watched with solemn, curious eyes as he gently pried two links away from the rest of the chain, then reset it and handed it back to the guard. Esther watched as he closed his hand around it. When he opened his hand, there was a slight dampness in his palm. Moving carefully, he lifted the links between two fingers and compressed them. The metal crumbled like paper after a fire. Esther blinked, shocked at the sudden brittleness of the silver. Then she remembered Virgil's acid and blinked again. She'd never thought about where he'd gotten the talent, but it was clear he'd inherited more than a position from the man now kneeling on the floor.
The queen's eyebrow rose again, but her voice was calm. "Interesting."
Walsh inclined his head. "A talent possessed by some of my kindred." He looked at the silver dust glittering in his palm. "Do you know of the affects of silver on my kind, Majesty?"
"No." The queen's voice sharpened with interest. "Tell me."
"It weakens us, deactivates those Bascillus that make us as we are. Like sunlight, which burns, it is one of our few vulnerabilities." He met her eyes then, very deliberately, raised his silver dusted hand to his mouth and licked the metal from his palm, swallowing as he did so.
The effect was almost instantaneous. Less than a minute later, he paled, falling forward to brace himself with suddenly trembling hands. His face twisted, brief pain and shock crossing his features, before he smoothed it away. Esther swallowed hard, seeing that look on his face, remembering how Virgil had once explained his ability to walk in sunlight. Wondering if the silver nitrate he took caused her adviser this much discomfort. He'd said it didn't, but then...she'd never seen him take it. It caused an ache in her heart, that he might bear such pain. And that this man had to suffer it, so his descendant would be by her side. A glance sideways gave her the impression Lilith was having much the same thoughts. The beautiful face was tense, and there was sorrow in the golden eyes.
One of the other men spoke his name softly, hoarse with shock, and started forward, but he held up a hand, shaking his head. After a moment, he raised his head once more, looking the queen in the eyes. "This too, Majesty, will I do as proof of my intentions. For my people's sake, and to lay your doubts to rest." He inclined his head. "The effects will wear off, perhaps in a few days. However...I am willing to do this as often as you require it of me."
"An earnest gesture." The queen rose, for the first time, and stepped slowly down from the throne. The guards tensed as she made her way to the figure crouched on the floor, but he made no move, other than to follow her with his eyes, and they remained where they were. "Very well. You've proven your point." Her eyes met Lilith's, and the red-haired woman nodded slightly, a silent gesture of approval. The queen returned her gaze to Walsh, and laid a hand on his shoulder. "I will grant your people sanctuary, and permission to establish yourselves in the Albion Underground, in return for the benefits of your advanced technological knowledge. And in in return, you shall serve me, my throne and my successors, Lord Walsh."
Alexander's eyes widened. "Majesty...I am no lord." His head bowed.
A small smile creased the queen's face. "To serve me, you at least must function within the court. And to do so, you must have a title and rank befitting such a place." She sighed. "Many old titles and positions were left vacant at the end of Armageddon. I will revive one for you."
Alexander inclined his head in a brief nod. "As you will, Majesty. Thank you."
"We will work out your formal introduction to Court and allegiance oath later, when I've had time to make arrangements. In the meantime, you may bring your people underground. I trust you will be discreet?"
"We will." Lilith spoke. "That I can promise." The queen turned to look at her, and Lilith bowed her head. "I know much of the Underground, including a few of the back entrances. I will be sure we do not disturb your people overmuch."
The queen nodded. "Very well. One more piece of business then." Moving casually, she withdrew a small, ornate dagger from her clothing. A quick movement left a narrow cut in her hand, across the palm. Esther swallowed, realizing then what she meant to do. To their credit, none of the Methuselah in the room, not even Alexander, so much as twitched. Neither did the guards, though one or two of them stiffened, and Esther heard at least one sharp exhalation of either surprise or disapproval. The queen watched the crimson liquid stain her palm, then extended her hand to the man who knelt before her. "I trust this is sufficient for the bond you spoke of?"
Alexander extended one hand, still shaking slightly, and took her wrist, looking up for permission. At her nod, he bent his head smoothly to her palm. Somehow, despite the silver that coursed through his blood and made him ill, he managed to make the gesture look graceful, reverent, more like a kiss than what it was. When he raised his head a moment later, both her palm and his face were clean, the only mark of what had passed between them the faint red line across the queen's hand. Then he spoke softly. "It is more than adequate, my queen." Esther watched as he turned the queen's hand over, and pressed a kiss to the back of it, a silent pledge of his fealty.
Even ill and weak as she knew he had to be, he made the gesture look graceful, elegant, everything a nobleman should appear to be. Esther found a small smile creasing her face, remembering Virgil. She'd wondered how he managed to look so collected and almost regal, even when facing down guns, attackers, and members of the Court out for blood. Clearly, however he'd been raised and taught, the mannerisms were also an inherited trait.
The queen smiled as well, then turned back to her throne. "Very well. Rise Lord Walsh. You and your companions should return to your people. You may begin moving into the Underground tomorrow. I will contact you when the preparations are made."
Alexander nodded. "Understood, Majesty." He inclined his head in a bow. "Thank you." Then he rose, staggering slightly as he gained his feet, clearly weakened.
Lilith stepped forward immediately, wrapping a gentle arm around his shoulders. "Thank you, Alexander." A small smile touched her face. "Lord Walsh." Her gaze transferred to the queen. "You as well, Majesty."
The queen nodded. "Fare you well, Lady Lilith. I look forward to this new association with you and your people."
Lilith nodded, then gestured to Esther. Then, with the two of them supporting the weakened Methuselah, and the other four lieutenants surrounding them like an honor guard, they left the audience chamber.
AN (smcandy): Ok as you seen Esther has seen and encountered per se two other semi important people from the past that will be mentioned again in TBWC. I'll give one guess at one of them, she's a minor character in the manga. Recalled what mentioned about a certain Albion queen from chapters 30 of volume 13 of the manga.
That much I'll leave you to ponder with I will not confirm the answers until the next chapter updates get finished. Post what think the answers are in your comment if you want but wither way neither me nor my editor will confirm or deny anything until the next update. Along with explanation will be made clear as to clear away any confusions some of you might have about these two other characters.
dragonwriter24cmf Author's Note: Why Alexander? I have no idea. This scene just sort of bounced into my head, while I was trying to make the transition from fleeing to Albion, to having sanctuary and giving Lilith freedom to fight. And Alexander...I blame the character. Totally. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this. Rest assured...Part Two is in the works.