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By: Kash |
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Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer:I don't own anyone...I have no money, don't sue me please. Most the characters belong to LKH and her publisher, the few who don't just come and haunt me from time to time. Note:This chapter is kinda filler...so sue me...I get a scene in my head and I have to write it...that's the way the cookie crumbles. I hope you enjoy it, and if you don't tell me what you didn't like so I can fix it or explain or whatnot. |
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"Its okay to cry Seri." A voice said interrupting her thoughts. Seri
hadn't heard Richard join her on the roof. She wasn't sure why he
had. "We heard you…I came to check." He offered as if reading her
mind.
She gave a small nod of her head. Of course they had heard her exchange with Fata. She should have known they would. They all had super hearing and she hadn't exactly been quiet at the end…cursing the Goddess and pleading. Next time she'd have to remember to bite her tongue. She gave a harsh laugh…she was not sure there would even be a next time. "Anita isn't crying." She finally replied after a lengthy silence, still gazing out over the city lights. She still was not ready to face anyone, even the ever so compassionate Ulfric. Richard stared at the taut angry line of her shoulders and shook his head. "You aren't Anita…" Nobody was Anita…and Seri was right, she wasn't crying. At the moment she was down stairs barking out orders. Lillian had been paged and was in route, but Anita had insisted they call Marianne as well. Lillian wasn't an expert on vampires but if Anita had anything to say about it they'd soon have someone who WAS an expert there to find out how to fix Asher…or if he could even be fixed. Richard didn't hold out much hope. He already smelled of death. Not of the undead but of approaching death. It wasn't a pleasant smell… especially when it came from sickness. He looked back at the woman standing silently by the balustrade and sighed. He didn't understand why she was so caught up in this. She hadn't really known Asher. She'd just been a bird…watching, not participating. Asher didn't even realize that she'd been at court with him. Love was built on common interests and time shared. You didn't just love someone and it worked out. He knew that…now better then ever. Seri had to know that as well. "No…I'm not Anita. If I were, we wouldn't even be in this situation. Anita would have found a way to kill the bitch centuries ago. She wouldn't have let Padma cage her, she would have fought." Seri replied bitterly. Goddess how she wished she WERE Anita…that she had that kind of courage and spirit. "Not everyone is like Anita. Not all battles are won with force. Right now we need to focus on healing Asher. Killing Fata won't save him." He replied stepping towards her. She spun around suddenly facing him. "No…killing her won't save him…nothing will. He's been poisoned. She fed him something…something silver. A girl. It was in her blood. He has a daughter now." She growled at him. "Fata said there wasn't a way to save him. She said she didn't care whether he lived or died. He was convenient, that's all…just convenient." Her eyes were wet with tears, his form a mere blur in the darkness. Richard froze looking at her. "How do you know that?" Seri grinned shaking her head. "She told me…well she implied it…and what she didn't imply I saw…I saw it. She was keeping him in a coffin with the girl so he'd make her a vampire." She looked away. "And now he's going to die. He's going to die!" She shook her head looking down at her feet. "He's going to die…and there's nothing we can do. Its too late." She closed her eyes, her face contorted in misery. "I never told him…" Richard nodded consolingly. "I know…but we have to hope." He didn't get any further before she turned on him. "NO! You don't know. You don't! Don't try and tell me what I should feel…and how I should act." Seri hissed at Richard backing away from him. Two hands came down firmly on her shoulders turning her around. She looked up into Jean-Claude's eyes…she could see the pain she felt mirrored in their depths. "I know ma rossignol, I know." He murmured pulling her close. She shook her head fighting back tears. "Don't Jean please don't." She begged trying to get away from him. She couldn't afford to remain in his arms…to feel the comfort he offered. She didn't deserve it, and she didn't want it. Jean-Claude caught her arms firmly in his hands holding her away from him and staring down into her eyes. Richard made a move towards them but halted in his tracks when Jean-Claude's gaze snapped up to meet his. "Leave us." Richard's teeth were set on edge by the sharp command. He wanted to reply with something scathing, but looking at the emotion on both their faces he decided that perhaps silence was his best option at the moment. The two stayed frozen in that position for a long time. Seri glaring up at Jean-Claude as he stared steadily down at her. Finally he broke the silence. "I love him too." He said softly. Seri stared at him as one tear slowly trailed down her cheek. "He's going to die." She said simply. Jean-Claude closed his eyes against the pain those words brought him. "Perhaps." He said. "Its silver." Seri replied shaking her head. He nodded. "Lillian is here, she says it is in his blood…but we can remove that ma rossignol…he might still be saved." Seri looked up at him studying his face. "Are you sure?" She asked carefully, holding the hope at bay. Jean-Claude took a long time before replying. "Non…Lillian has said it is a heavy metal…it will settle in his organs…we can not remove all of it." Seri hung her head. "So we can't…" Jean-Claude let go of her arm with one hand and tipped her chin up so he could catch her gaze again. "As long as there is time there is hope." He said before releasing her. She stepped away and watched him carefully. "Why are you being kind? You have been nice to me since the moment we met. I don't understand." Jean-Claude affected a disinterested look. "It costs me nothing to be kind." He gave an elegant roll of his shoulders. Seri shook her head. "No…but distrust would have been…more…expected. Why have you shared this search with me…let me help? You had no reason to trust me." He laughed. "Ma rossignol you are as easy to read as a child. Your face hides nothing." Seri frowned. "But that could be a well crafted act…you couldn't know." He let the teasing air fade away. "You love him…and you know the council. I could see the concern on your face. You would not betray him. I am no fool, I know love when I see it." Seri straightened her shoulders and met his gaze steadily. "Don't speak of love." Jean-Claude nodded. "As you will…you are foolish to doubt your own power though. Padma did not break you. You are here, and you are free. There is much to be said for that." Seri stared at him. He smiled and extended his hand. "Come Cherie, we must find a cure, else our amour will die." She looked down at his hand and then up into his eyes before placing her own in his. She hadn't given much thought to Jean-Claude's acceptance of her before…but perhaps he was right, perhaps she shouldn't doubt her own power. |
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