Lancaster's Inferno - Cocytus (Circle IX - the Traitors to Lords)

After all...it is the victors that are remembered long after the match is over, after the fans return to their homes and lives, and after the match itself, which is confined to the annals of history.

Those who are vanquished remain so in the memories of those who were there to see it.

For now, the only memory etched in Lancaster's mind was hearing the hand of the referee hit the mat three times.  The fans of the IWA jumping to their feet as the CAL World Tag Team Championship was lost from Lancaster and Seamus' grip, as it slipped from their hands so easily, without hesitation.  The gold has no bias, and cares not who wears it.

Now it was secure around the waists of Impact, and Big D...who himself has yet another championship strap to carry and care for, amongst the other two.

Lancaster and Finnegan, were left barren.

Their title reign, successful, memorable, a blessed occurrence.

Yet all too short for their liking.

Lancaster was right though, when he mentioned that at Shockwave, "we play the game of Fate, the game of History."

The game was played.  Admirably.

But was not enough.

Scene I: Shockwave arena, Orlando, FL - Sunday, June 8, 2003 - right after Shockwave

I sat there quietly, my head low, the cliche of a defeated man, backstage at Shockwave, long after the show had ended. Seamus had invited me out for a drink, but nothing in me cried out for it whatsoever.  I felt a shell of a man.

My wife, gone.

My son, away from me.

My name, trash, thanks to scandal.

My title, swept away.

My God...my God...still lost.

What more can be said though, about the match.  We fought, and fought well.  We lost.  C'est ca.

To home, now...and to return to fight another day.

Scene II: Apartments of the Lancaster's, London, England - Thursday, June 12, 2003

"Thank you for calling, Miss O'Donnell..."

"It's no problem Your Grace."

I greeted Kathy on the phone, the waitress in question in the scandal which had landed like a storm in Robert's life.  Bastard deserved every second of unflinching distress.  I felt I owed her so much, well, something at least, for clearing the air, for making sure that what I intend to do was in fact the right thing to do.  But...

There was a "but."

The press release from his Office planted some doubt in my mind...doubt about the veracity of Kathy's story, of just how far they went that one evening in Las Vegas.  The fact that there was even an evening though.

Robert had never lied to me.  Bend the truth? Yes.  But outright lie...no, the bastard hadn't done so.

As far as I knew.  This could be a first...

Nevertheless...for now.

"Now...I suppose you've read or heard about Robert's...Mr. Lancaster's press release..."

"Hmm, can't say that I have...care to give me a read of it?"

I realized that this royal smut was gold for the supermarket tabloid dailies...anything remotely linked to the Monarchy was, but over in the US, it likely...thankfully...did not generate as much interest, save for among wrestling mags and the Internet.

"No need to say what it's about."

"Nay, not at all Miss."

After a moment...

"Subsequent to and as a result of a story which appeared in a recent article in The Sun tabloid newspaper, the Office of His Grace Robert Lancaster II wishes to deny the contents and story of Miss Kathy O'Donnell as being incorrect and misleading.

His Grace denies any sexual intercourse which was alleged to have happened between himself and Miss O'Donnell, and dismisses these allegations as nothing but scandal mongering.

His Grace is considering his legal options at this time."

Heavy breathing was on the other end.

"Well...that..."

"That son of a bitch."

I could hardly debate that point.  On our wedding day, Robert had pledged that although I was the Lady, he the Duke, that I would forever be his Lord and master.  That was nothing more than bullshit now.

Much like the rest of my marriage.  I sighed and continued.

"Listen Miss O'Donnell...Kathy...I know more than anyone obviously about what he's capable of. I've lived through his adultery in the past, and this is just another instance.  But if there's one thing I've come to expect from Robert Lancaster it's that he values his truth and beliefs more than anything...even more so than me.  Still, I suppose you deny his denial."

She hesitated a bit.

"Of course...there's nay one shred of truth in what he said."

I shifted uncomfortably on my bed, where I was making the call from.

"I must confess Kathy...your report to the Sun went into more detail than we agreed."

"They offered more money."

"I already paid you ten thousand pounds.  How much more did you want," I retorted.

"I did ye the favour and don't you ferget it...Ma'am.  Ye wanted to see if he was a conniving lusty fucker willing to throw away his marriage, and I showed ye he was.  If ye don't like the results, ye shouldn't have asked me to do it.  Are we clear now?"

She was showing some Irish spunk.  I admired that.

"Alright...yes...thank you...you've done a great deal for both me, and Edward...thank you."

I hung up the phone and looked down at Edward who sat on my knee, and to the foot of the bed, where divorce papers lay strewn about.

I set him down on his back as he mumbled happily to himself, and picked up the papers.  I leaned over to the bedside table and picked up a pen.  The papers glared at me, called to me.

I answered the call and signed them.  There was only one last thing to do, send them over to Robert's barrister and get this over with.

I threw the papers to the side and picked up our...my baby boy and cuddled him close to me.

I won't let you grow up with a disgrace for a father.