Rough chapter, but I still enjoyed writing it. I hope that you will enjoy reading it. Again, review. Please?
Chapter 32
Sheeva, Joseph, and Kagure sat in silence while they ate their breakfast. No news had arrived as far as the Elder's decision. Then again, it had only been one night. Sheeva was just impatient, eager to get back home.
Joseph was mentally preparing himself to return their fallen teammates' items to their respective families. He was allowing Sheeva to go with him, in case he could not explain the situation out of nerves or grief. He supposed he should thank her for offering to help, though he really felt he should do it himself.
Either way, they'd planned out their day. First, to Kalas's apartment, where his girlfriend should still be. Next, to Artix's wife, on the south end of Raynak. Finally... Zakkari's family, on the west end of Raynak, towards the almost-slums of the city.
Joseph stared at his spoon as he held it in his hand. It was shaking. No... he was shaking.
Sheeva finished her meal, wiped her lips, and stood to go back to the room and get dressed, as she was still in the nightgown she'd been given. It was very difficult for Kagure and Joseph not to stare, though Kagure could get away with it a little more due to the damn mask he always wore.
Joseph averted his gaze to his goblet of juice, forced himself to pick it up, and downed it to distract himself. Kagure waited until Sheeva was well out of earshot.
"You were staring at her, weren't you?" He asked, smirking. Joseph managed to keep a straight face, and slowly shook his head no. He had a feeling that Kagure might rat on him if he said anything at all.
"She is a married woman." He replied. Kagure chuckled.
"Still... even if one is on a diet, that doesn't mean they can't look at the menu." Kagure mused, standing to leave as well. Joseph sighed, and pushed his plate away, appetite gone. He wasn't sure if he was disgusted with himself or if he was just... lonely. It'd been months since he'd been with a woman, and even longer still since he'd had a girlfriend that genuinely cared for and liked him.
He stood as well and left the dining hall, making his way to their room, able to find it a little bit easier.
Without knocking, he opened the door and stepped inside. He stopped as he looked up.
Sheeva had her pants on, and was working with the buckle of her belt, her back turned to him. That flawless, porcelain skin shone at him, a stark contrast with the black pants.
He immediately turned around, and cleared his throat to announce his presence, as he couldn't really open the door without making another sound. He heard her gasp, and imagined that she'd covered her breasts and turned around to look at whoever it was.
Damn his imagination.
"You could have knocked, you know!" She hissed at him. He didn't turn his head.
"I thought you would have been done, or have been changing in the bathroom. That's what it's there for, you know!" He snapped back at her. She scowled, unable to find a retort as she hastily latched on her bra. She grabbed her tank top and pulled it on with a quickness.
"I am decent now." She growled. Joseph sighed, and relaxed, turning to face her.
As she looked at his face, there was an angry glint in his eye, though it appeared to be more out of frustration than anything else. She writ it off as being frustrated about his task, not wanting to think that he may have been... attracted to her. She couldn't have that.
She grabbed Okami ni kama and strapped it to her right hip, then strapped Shinigami to her left. She threw her cloak around herself, threw her arms through the sleeves, and buckled the belt at the top to keep it around her shoulders easily.
"Are you ready to go?" She asked, trying to get out and away from the bedroom, the pressure getting to her. Joseph strode over to the dresser and grabbed his cowl, trying to get it on. His arm was giving him trouble today, and he winced as he tried to lift it. Some days, he had no problem. Others, he could barely lift his arm. Today happened to be one of those days, since he'd slept on his wounded shoulder.
Sheeva noticed, and sighed, taking pity. She walked up to him and helped him lift his arm into the shoulder strap that one of the house-elves had sewn into his cowl.
"Captain, you don't have–
–shut up. It is obviously paining you." She cut him off. She buckled the three buttons beneath his arm, giving it a little bit more support. She also helped him attach his sword on his right side so that he could easily reach over and grab the handle with his left, in case of an ambush.
"There. Now, let us go." She turned on her heel and walked out. Joseph forced himself out of his embarrassed state, and followed her.
She seemed to know where she was going as she led them through the east wing of the palace, through the main hall, and out the door. She stopped to look at the city from the highest point of Raynak, no doubt comparing it to how it had been when she'd left.
A lot had changed in her absence. More buildings to the east had been erected, as well as a few smaller plazas in each end of the city. Far off in the distance, around the perimeter of Raynak, a statue stood of Kagure, the most recent Senator. At least he was being honored.
Just beneath them rested the main plaza, with a large fountain smack-dab in the middle of it. Sheeva sighed as she stared at it, an almost sad expression in her face. It'd been the place where Tazaro and Sheeva had held their wedding; Kagure being the one to legally marry the two.
She walked over to the edge, and sat down, staring a little more.
"Raynak has changed immensely since I was last here... well, twelve years ago. I did not allow myself to look around much last time." She stated. Joseph shrugged, unsure of what changes she was talking about.
"I grew up in the slums, to the west. You can see the difference between the housing." He stated, pointing west. Sheeva looked, and sure enough, there was a vast difference. Many of the houses looked ancient, almost as if they were ruins. They seemed gray, almost dirty. Laundry hung on lines strewn between the houses, and some of them were so tightly packed together, you could jump from one roof to the next.
She looked east. These houses seemed well-cared for, clean and well-built. There was plenty of spacing between the houses, and even though laundry was hanging between houses, there seemed to be a line of divide between whose laundry was whose.
The fields beyond the city were a luscious green, waving at her once more.
"Despite the way it looks, Senator Bakhrieva has done very nicely in his time as senator. We have more jobs, and more money. We have more food available. There are a few more orphanages set up, because a lot of kids lost their parents in the wars. There are more schools, free of charge. Generally, people are happier, and better off." Joseph stated, feeling somewhat proud of his heritage now. Sheeva felt a smile crack on her face. She'd expected nothing less of Kagure.
"He really has grown up nicely, and held onto the values I taught him when he was young." She announced, standing again. She stepped onto the long bridge that led from the peak of the mountain to the north side of Raynak. She felt a little bit more at ease in exploring the city.
Upon reaching the ground, Sheeva looked around.
"Where to first? My orphanage is close-by, I wanted to say hello. Unless, you want to get delivering their things out of the way?" She asked Joseph. Joseph shook his head.
"We'll go in the order we decided. At any rate, I want to see Donna last. I want to make sure that everyone is there... I owe it to Zakkari. He was a good son, and a good brother." Joseph stated, trying not to tear up.
Sheeva nodded, understanding his point. She began to walk on, taking a good look around. She hadn't bared her wings, not wanting to cause a commotion, but she was still getting very strange looks by the people around. Some of them were downright shocked at the notion of a female warrior.
She ignored them as she wandered, finally stopping at a large, baby-blue building. The windows had been replaced, and the shutters refurbished. The roof had been patched, and the door rebuilt and repainted. She grinned. Kagure really had been taking care of the place.
She boldly opened the door and stepped in, holding it open for Joseph as well. He looked around, amazed. He'd only ever walked by it, but the inside looked just as nice as the outside.
The secretary looked up at them, and gave them a look, seeming to be cautious.
"Hello. Who is the manager of this orphanage?" Sheeva asked.
"Calli Oln." She replied. Sheeva smiled, beaming from ear to ear. She'd been one of the oldest orphans that Sheeva and Tazaro had watched over in their time.
"Please, may I speak to her?" She asked, cheerfully. The seretary stared at her for a minute, confused. Here was a woman that looked like she was an official, dressed to kill, yet she was thrilled to hear the boss's name.
"Who shall I say wants to meet her?" She asked, picking up a funnel-like instrument.
"Sheeva... Chorea." She stated, frowning at the use of the last name. She shook her head, clearing it.
"Miss Calli, there is a woman here to see you. Says her name is Sheeva Chorea." The woman said into the receiver. There was a moment of silence, and then an excited squeal from the opposite end of the funnel.
Sheeva turned to Joseph, asking what the funnel was for.
"It is so that they can talk to each other. Most of the new buildings have them. The older buildings... are working on it. Mostly, people just talk in person." He explained. Sheeva nodded. It was like an early telephone.
A brown-haired woman with teal eyes barreled down the stairs, stopping as she caught sight of Sheeva.
"Mom!" She barked, rushing to her. Joseph jumped out of the way as the woman barreled for Sheeva, throwing her arms around her in a big hug. Sheeva laughed, and hugged the woman back, patting her hair.
"It is good to see you, Calli, dear." She muttered. Joseph and the secretary caught glances, and Joseph shrugged. He didn't know what was going on, either, though he had a clue.
"I haven't seen you in twelve years! Where have you been? We'd thought you'd died!" She asked. Sheeva shook her head sadly.
"I... had to go somewhere, Calli." She replied, choosing her words carefully. She looked around again, trying to remember how it'd looked when she left.
Calli, assuming that she was looking for Kadie, sighed, and stepped away. She made a motion for them to follow her into an office. She stared at her desk for a minute, bracing herself.
"Kadie's not here. She was... kidnapped about a year after we stopped hearing from you." Calli muttered, ashamed. Sheeva softened, and set her hand on Calli's shoulder.
"I know." Sheeva started. Calli snapped her head up to look at Sheeva, confused.
"How..."
"A man that I was working with kidnapped her and brought her to me... and killed her." Sheeva replied, able to keep her composure. Perhaps, she was finally getting used to having to tell people about it. Calli, however, lost hers, and wiped at her eyes.
"We... we thought that was what had happened to you, and to Kadie." She admitted. Sheeva nodded. Joseph shifted around uncomfortably. Sheeva turned to him, nodded, and then turned back to Calli.
"I would stay longer, but there are some things that we must do... and then I have to go back home. I will visit more often, if I can. There are some things that we are dealing with that I cannot tell you yet, but in time, I may be able to." Sheeva said, turning to leave. Calli just stared at her, confused. Still, she nodded.
"Ok, mom. I'll leave it all to you." Calli whispered. Sheeva smiled, and turned back and pulled Calli into a hug.
"I am proud of what you have done, Calli. You are such a wonderful girl. Do not let anyone tell you different, ok?" Sheeva reminded her. Before Calli could respond, Sheeva broke away and left without another word. Joseph nodded at Calli, and left as well.
Once outside, Sheeva took a deep breath. That had been easier than she'd thought it would be.
"Are we done here?" Joseph asked, standing at her side. She nodded slowly.
"Yes. To Kalas's, correct?" She asked, getting them back on track. Joseph nodded, checking the name of the street that they were supposed to be on. Thankfully, Kalas's apartment was not too far off. Silently, they meandered, Sheeva studying the people on the street, and Joseph bracing himself.
Joseph stopped, looking up at what appeared to be an apartment complex, biting on his lip in nerves. He reached into the satchel and grabbed Kalas's headband and a small box holding the engagement ring that he'd been planning to propose to her with upon his return.
They walked up the rickety stairs, and Sheeva waited out of sight. Joseph nervously knocked on the door, listening.
A couple of giggles could be heard from the inside, and there was the sound of a chain sliding out of the lock. The door opened, and a short, blonde-haired woman with blue eyes opened the door, covered in a bathrobe. Her hair was askew, and Joseph could only guess that she'd been in the middle of what appeared to be lovemaking. He scowled.
"Yes? Who are you?" She asked, moving some of her hair out of her face.
"Emille Jayn?" He asked, hoping that she would not say yes. She nodded, suddenly turning fearful, her gut wrenching. He looked much like an officer.
"Yes?" She asked. Joseph's scowl grew, turning into more of a glare.
"I... worked with Kalas Kanites." He stated. She gasped, and looked at him with a pleading look in her eyes.
"Kalas? Is he alright? Where– She silenced as Joseph cut her off.
"He is dead. He... fought valiantly, for the woman that he loved, very much." He almost growled, with a foul taste in his mouth. He held up Kalas's headband, and handed the box to her, almost shoving them in her hands. She froze, staring down at them.
"Babe, who's at the door?" A man's voice called out from inside. Joseph glared at her, his eyes closing to slits. Sheeva arched an eyebrow. For a seemingly sexist man, he seemed to have some decent values.
"I can see that his efforts were wasted. Have a good evening." Joseph hissed, almost slamming the door and storming off in haste. He was livid, and he didn't think he could hold his temper in front of the distasteful woman. He spit at the ground, and in anger, punched the wall, making a dent and shattering a few bricks.
Sheeva said nothing, but watched him vent, interested. That had to hurt, learning that the man's woman had been seeing another. However, she supposed that it was better that he was dead, to spare him from the heartbreak.
Sheeva ignored the sounds of the woman and man fighting in the apartment, and set her hand on Joseph's arm. She was surprised to find that he was shaking in rage.
"Joseph, we must go. Someone will likely call authorities. We do not want to be here when that happens." She said softly. Joseph allowed her to lead him, unable to focus himself.
After walking about without direction, Joseph finally came to reality.
"That pisses me off. It's filth. It's sick! It just-It just–Fuck!" He finally growled. Sheeva crossed her arms.
"It is also not your concern. Other people's actions are never your responsibility. She was cheating. Kalas would have found out sooner or later, whether or not he had left to fight, or returned from the battle." She mused, parting a few more words of wisdom. Joseph looked at her. He didn't understand. Not his responsibility? Not his concern?
Sheeva saw that he didn't understand, and set the matter aside. It would be a lesson that he would hopefully learn later on in life.
"We should continue. Artix's house is not far off, is it?" She asked. Joseph shook his head.
"His house is on the south side of Raynak. We can get there by taking the bridge to the palace, and then the bridge to Southgate." He aswered.
"I think you need more time to vent. We will take the long route." She determined. Joseph couldn't argue with that.
The sun was high in the sky, beaming down on them with hot rays. Joseph shrugged off the top half of his cowl. Sheeva shrunk hers to pocket-size and stuffed it in her back pocket. Still, they had sweat dripping off of them by the time they reached Artix's house in the south.
"We'll take the long route", She says. "You need more time to vent", She says! It's fucking hot, Sheeva! Joseph growled at her in his head, wiping away the sweat off his head with the sleeve of his cowl. He knocked on the door, trying to make himself presentable. He fished around in the satchel for Artix's wedding band, and had it ready and in his hand.
A young girl opened the door, about seven or eight years old. She stared up at Joseph. Joseph stared down at her. Sheeva intervened, as Joseph probably wasn't in the best mood to talk to anyone at the moment.
"Hello, dear. May we talk to your mother?" Sheeva asked. The little girl nodded and took off, hair bouncing in pigtails. Sheeva's heart hurt, and she blinked a few times, trying to force herself not to think of Kadie.
A middle aged woman, smiling, walked up to them, her daughter pulling her along by her hand. The woman stopped, and chuckled, beckoning them in, offering them shelter from the heat.
Sheeva and Joseph stopped to take off their shoes in respect, then meandered in. A little boy was sitting on the floor, playing with toy soldiers. Joseph sighed; this would be difficult for him, too.
"Would you two like some water? You look parched! It's hot out, today, isn't it?" She asked, disappearing around the corner. They could hear the pulling of the lever, and the sound of rushing water into glasses. She came back around the corner, and handed them the glasses.
Sheeva looked for a place for them to sit, deciding that the table would be best–it was away from the two children.
"Miss Gilleppe, you may want to sit down. Preferably at the table." Sheeva started, encouraging Joseph to step forward. They shuffled to the table, Artix's wife sitting down at the head of the table, and Sheeva and Joseph next to her.
The woman now had a worried expression, and she looked back and forth between the both of them.
"Um..." Joseph began, unsure of how to say this. It would obviously devastate the woman. He held out his hand with the ring and chain, and she held out hers, wondering what it was that he was to give her. He ended up holding her hand for a bit before letting go.
She opened her hand and looked down in it, and then gave a choking sob. Her free hand moved to her mouth to cover it, and she clutched the ring in her hand, holding it to her chest in despair.
"Oh gods, no... No!" She cried, shaking. Sheeva nodded solemnly.
The woman looked up at them again.
"How did he...?" She asked, unable to say 'die'. Joseph opened his mouth, but Sheeva cut to the chase.
"He took a fatal attack that would have killed us. He was turned to stone. His body is... well-preserved. We will ensure that it is cared for, and well-kept. He may be gone in the physical, Miss Gilleppe, but his soul will shine on in the astral." Sheeva explained. She'd been through this before, personally, and countless times through her years on Earth.
"Can I see him? Can you bring him to me? Please?" Artix's wife begged, grabbing Sheeva's hand and gripping it tightly. Sheeva blinked, and thought for a minute. Now that there was a portal between Earth and Sferra, she might be able to do that. They had a lot to test, anyway.
"I will see if I can make arrangements." She replied, nodding for assurance. The woman gave a small smile, taking comfort in Sheeva's promise. Joseph kept quiet, honestly, thankful that Sheeva had taken this matter into her own hands. He wasn't sure if he could have done the same quite so tactfully.
Artix's daughter wandered in, and climbed onto the woman's lap. She then looked scared, and her eyes fluttered back and forth. Joseph assumed that she was thinking about how to afford their expenses, now that her husband was no longer with them.
"I have no doubt that Senator Bakhrieva will be willing to help you and your family pay for expenses. If you like, I can set you up with a meeting." He offered. The woman looked up, bashful.
"No, I couldn't possibly accept such a–
—ma'am, I raised Kagure since he was six years old. I can assure you that he will take good care of you and your family. Please, accept his help. Take it from me." Sheeva cut in, slightly annoyed by the woman's sense of modesty.
Slowly, the woman nodded. "If you insist, then... Thank you."
Joseph and Sheeva downed their glasses, thankful for the cool liquid.
"We must go. We have other belongings to return..." Sheeva stated, announcing their leave. Joseph gave a nod to the woman, and turned to leave, bracing himself for the next encounter. Sheeva paused just before leaving, and turned back.
"I will have Kagure send you a letter regarding your meeting."
The woman only nodded, still stunned by the upsetting news and the generous gesture.
Sheeva and Joseph stepped out, finding that it was substantially cooler than it had been. Clouds littered the sky, and it appeared as though it would begin to rain.
"I forgot how quickly Raynak's weather changes." Sheeva stated, trying to make small talk to ease Joseph's mind, which she could only imagine was racing. Joseph stuck his hands in his pockets, ignoring her as he walked on.
Sheeva gave up; he was being stubborn again. Still, she couldn't blame him.
The sky darkened as they walked to Zakkari's. The wind picked up, throwing dust, dirt, and leaves every which way. Then came the downpour, with no steady pickup. They were soaked to the bone in less than five minutes. The cobblestone roads were swamped with water, and the drains were beginning to overflow. Sheeva wondered if they still had the same sewer-system. The one years ago didn't work so well either during times of heavy rain.
She'd have to point that out to Kagure, but chances were, he already knew, and had a plan to fix it.
Joseph stopped at last, on the edge of the slums, staring up at a house that reminded Sheeva of The Burrow. Additions to the house jutted out like sore thumbs, being held up by pillars or by chains linked to nearby houses. The house seemed to be lit by candlelight, something that would be quite dangerous. There was a fire in the fireplace, evident by the pillar of smoke erupting from the chimney.
"Boys, wash up! Your supper is ready!" An older woman's voice called from inside while she rang a bell to catch their attention.
Joseph took a long, deep, breath, and walked up, staring at the ancient knocker on the door. Zakkari had crafted this particular one when they were kids. Donna'd been so proud of him. Joseph reached out a shaky hand and grasped the handle, raising it and letting it fall back, sounding out a dull thud.
Soon after, the door opened, and a tall, red-haired woman stared back down at them. Recognizing Joseph, she smiled, and pulled him inside with a hug. She held him at arms' distance, looking him over. She then turned to Sheeva.
"Don't be a stranger, you come on in, too!" She smiled. Sheeva nodded, and stepped inside, removing her cloak. Joseph untied the satchel and set it down on a table by the door.
"You two must be freezing, walking around in the rain! Joseph, dearie, how have you been?" She asked. Joseph gave a screwy face. Out of embarrassment or nerves, Sheeva wasn't sure. Donna reminded her much of Molly Weasley.
Sheeva looked at the kids sitting around the table, eating their dinner. She wondered how they could all squeeze into the tiny place, but at least they were being fed.
"Hi. Mom." Joseph stated, staring back at her, lost for words. Donna looked over Sheeva, and upon seeing the wedding band, flew into an ecstatic state.
"You brought home a woman! It's about damn time!" Donna called. Joseph turned bright red, and shook his head. Sheeva chuckled.
"No, she's not my..."
"I keep telling Joseph and Zakkari that they need to get on the bandwagon. I want to hold a grandchild in my arms someday before I die!" She stated, handing Sheeva a towel to dry her hair with. Joseph froze at the mention of Zakkari's name, and he felt his gut tighten.
"Where is Zakkari, Joseph, dearie?" She asked, checking out of the peephole in the door.
Joseph's head dropped in shame.
"He... Donna, Zakkari... is dead." He admitted. Sheeva crossed her arms and leaned against the wall, determined not to say anything. This was not her time to interfere.
Donna stopped, and stared at him. She shook her head in denial.
"This can't be true. Tell me, it's not true!" She pleaded, grabbing Joseph's shoulders and shaking him, as though shaking him would bring her oldest son back.
Joseph slowly nodded.
"It's true." He muttered. Donna shook her head, confused.
"I don't understand! He was such a sweet boy! Then... then you... You!" She slapped Joseph as hard as she could. Joseph did nothing to defend himself, but took it. Sheeva stood up, unsure of what to do.
"Don't, Captain." Joseph hissed. Sheeva dropped her head, and backed down.
Donna shook him again, pinning him against the wall, tears spilling from her eyes.
"You had to enlist! You just had to! You convinced him to do the same!" She yelled, slapping him again.
"It's your fault he's dead! Your fault! Gods damn you, Joseph, you killed my son!" She yelled, shaking him. Joseph stared up at her, his own tears threatening to fall.
"I... Only wanted to help, as your... son." He muttered. Sheeva didn't hear it, it seemed. Joseph was thankful for that.
Donna looked at him with a piercing glare, then pushed him towards the door.
"You... are no son of mine!" She hissed. Joseph kept his back to her, the pain evident on his face. Sheeva watched as he grabbed the door handle and pushed the door open, then stepped out and slammed it so hard that the entire foundation shook. A picture fell off of the shelf, and she caught it swiftly and put it back.
Donna fell to her knees, sobbing to herself. Sheeva glanced at the satchel on the table. She removed the pipe and set it carefully on the table so as not to disturb the contents inside.
"Zakkari fought valiantly, Mrs. Lotte. You should be proud, of both of your sons. Regardless of whether or not they are blood." Sheeva stated, grabbing her cloak and throwing it on, heading out the door and shutting it gently.
She looked for Joseph amid the pouring rain, and recognized his shadow, slumped over against a lamp-post. Calmly, she approached him, and set a hand on his shoulder in comfort.
They looked up as a teenaged girl called his name and ran up to them. Joseph stood, and wiped his eyes, not wanting her to know that he'd been crying. Not that anyone could tell, due to the heavy rainfall.
"Joseph, wait. Mom didn't mean that. She'd never say something like that, ever! You know that." The girl said, throwing her arms around him in a hug. He didn't return it.
"Sara, go back inside." He ordered. She shook her head.
"No, you're our brother! Come home, Joseph. Please! Mom's been... Dad left, Joseph! He left, because he couldn't take it anymore! Not making enough to support us all. He left us to starve!" She cried, still clinging to him. He shook his head and shoved her away, running away.
"Joseph! Joseph!" Sara called out, hoping that he'd turn back. He didn't.
Sheeva turned to Sara, and sighed.
"Sara, go back inside. Your family needs you." She told her, feeling awkward trying to give orders to someone she didn't know. Sara looked back at her.
"But, what about—
—I will watch over him. Now, go." She ordered once more. Sara nodded, and turned back around, shoulders slumped and head down in defeat.
Sheeva made her way back to the palace, hoping to find Joseph there. It was ten when she got back to their room, and to her dismay, he was not there. She shook her head, crossed her arms, and frowned.
It has been a hell of a day.
*sigh* So, it might seem that I have went off on a tangent with these last three chapters, but really, they are bringing some serious closure, as well as explaining a few things. That and, I'm having fun writing about this. I'll get back to Draco, Blaise, Severus, and Kathryn as soon as I finish wrapping things up.