I've had enough...
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| A History Lesson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The room was dark, lit only by a small grouping of candles on a table. The floor was cement and the surroundings were very early eighteenth century style. It was part of an old house that had been abandoned and forgotten. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Are you sure that it is her?" asked a low voiced woman covered in a dark gray cloak and hood. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A young girl bowed down on the floor before her, wearing a similar cloak, but her hood was thrown back to expose her straight pitch-black hair. She spoke in a smooth, silky, spine-chilling voice. "Yes, Beleger. I have tracked her for weeks, followed her every move, and she has just recently begun to blossom." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Good. And the boy?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He is with her. They are becoming very close. Should I deal with them?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Not yet. Let them grow closer -- to each other as well as their destinies -- then we shall deal with them accordingly. Our duty is important and precise. Do not forget our orders." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Yes, Beleger. I will not fail you." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Herbert, Aidan, and Corrine reached a small diner and sat at a corner table that was as private as they could get. "What is that thing?" asked Corinne pointing to the large copied book. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "It's a book I found a while ago. It has some very interesting things in it -- some deal with the same language that you spoke that night, and others deal with similar powers that you've been experiencing," Herbert whispered. "The original book has no other copies anywhere in the world. The best part is that just after I copied it, the book was taken by these strange women in old black capes who claimed they wanted it destroyed." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "So is it something revolutionary or dangerous or something?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "No," said Aidan. "It just seems to be filled with fairy tales and hocus pocus. Here, read some." He slid the book over on the table to her. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| She began flipping through it absentmindedly, but landed on the beginning to the story of forbidden love. She read aloud. "A young priestess by the name of Chilandrea of Caerphilda -- who was just seventeen -- was rumored to be the most powerful and beautiful of all priestesses before -- and apparently after -- her. The Divine Law had been in effect for over a hundred years-- What's the Divine Law?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "It's explained at the beginning of the book. All it says is that the only man allowed to touch a priestess was her husband and any other that dared to touch her was sentenced to death. Any priestess that allowed a man to touch her would be cast out, stripped of her powers, and never allowed to travel to the next life." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Oh, that's all, eh?" Corinne said sarcastically. She read on. "A knight from Wychdaerv seduced her and drove her to break the law over and over again. Finally, the knight was caught and beheaded in front of her, and she was banished and never seen again. ... That's it? But her story is much longer than that... I just know it is! Why isn't there any more written?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I think it was kept out by whoever wrote it," said Herbert. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Or she didn't live long enough to have done anything important but fall in love," countered Aidan. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "No. I know it was kept out," said Corinne. "It's just a feeling. She did more than this, she knew more people... she was like me." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Heh?" said Herbert. "How?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I bet you she was an outcast. She was the most powerful, the youngest... she had to feel a little out of place." She stared at the book and had a nagging urge to turn to the back of the book, but another urge fought against it. She usually went with her first instincts, but under recent circumstances had begun to think that she should think things through a little more. She closed the book and pushed it back to Herbert. "But what exactly does this have to do with me?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "These people knew how to do things like what you did earlier. They had special gifts that let them do and see things that no one else could. Maybe you are a descendant of one of them or something." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Yeah, right." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "But don't you think that anything's possible now? You just caused a tree to turn itself into a curly fry, and you don't think that something a little odd is happening to you?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Corinne gave them a skeptical glance. "I think I've had enough for one weekend. I wanna go home." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Herbert stayed back for a bit to wash up while Aidan walked Corinne to the truck. "Uh, Corinne, do you think that any of what Herbert says has any relevance to what's happening now?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I don't know anymore. I don't know what to believe anymore. I think I know what's real and then I start bending lamps and trees with my anger. Right now, almost anything's possible." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aidan hesitated in saying what he felt. He wasn't sure if she would take it, snuff it off, or just joke around as usual. "Corinne... I ... I'm afraid. From what Herbert says about these cloaked people, I wonder if they would think the same as he does -- that you're somehow linked to it all." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Why afraid? There isn't any possible way that I could have something to do with those people." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Well, they wanted the book destroyed, right? What would be in there that they would want kept from public knowledge? And if it was something they wanted kept as secret as possible, would you be a part of that?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You mean like they would want me... out of the picture?" Aidan nodded. "Oh... But why would you be afraid for me? I only torture you like a young boy does a crippled cat." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aidan bit his lip. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Ah," she said. "You think there might be something there, especially after what happened last night. I'm sorry I made you think I had feelings... I just like to toy with people. It usually stops by now, but you're..." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Persistent?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Yeah. I scare people, but you can't be frightened as easily." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Do you think there might be a reason for that?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What? You mean like a reason in that book?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "No! I mean... that maybe... there's a reason why I'm harder to scare than the others before me. Like I don't want to be scared away." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You're just hot for me. You get a feeling in your pants and you think it's love..." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "No. It's not in my pants." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Ew, then where do you keep it?" she joked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| He smiled. "You think you're so witty. Such confidence. You think I didn't notice the difference between last night and that day in the music room? I may be a little thick-headed, but not as much as you think." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I don't know what you're talking about," Corinne said, looking away. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Yes you do. You knew exactly what you were doing in the music room, but each time you've kissed me since then you seem to look like you didn't know what had come over you. Couldn't you just tell me why you keep 'losing control'?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "No. I can't tell you because I don't know why I keep doing it." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aidan took a step closer to her, leaning in to tempt her. "Couldn't you just admit that you have some small hint of an attraction to me?" he whispered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| His emerald green eyes gazed deeply into hers as chills shimmied up and down her spine. Her pulse pounded in her ears and she began to wonder why she was rebelling against him. She knew she rebelled against everyone in town, but he wasn't from this town -- wasn't even from this country -- and he was as stubborn as she was. What scared her was the fact that she could sense that he didn't want her the same way that Alex did. He seemed to want more than just sex, which was somewhat of a new idea to her. Alex was a boyfriend, but not much of a friend -- more like someone to satisfy those certain urges. And those urges were strong, but greatly satisfied by him. Aidan gave her new urges -- ones she didn't quite understand. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "How the hell do you do that?" she asked suddenly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Do what?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Completely fuck up my mind. You keep messing with my head! I absolutely hate you when you're not around, but then when you get here I can't seem to think straight! It's like whenever you look in my eyes, I just wanna jump you." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aidan's eyes went wide. "That wasn't exactly what I was expecting..." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I know it wasn't what you were expecting, but it's the truth. And it's the answer to your question. You freak me out." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Uh, I asked if you were attracted to me... not what happens when I'm around or not." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Well, fuck it! That was my answer so deal with it. And I'm losing control right now as it is, which I don't want to happen, so would you just leave it alone?" she huffed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aidan stared at her. "So... you can tell when you're losing control? So then why didn't you stop yourself the other times?" She mumbled something that he couldn't understand. "What was that?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I didn't want to!" she yelled, getting a little red in the face. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| He smiled. "Now I know that you do feel attracted to me. That was all I asked." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| She glared at him angrily. "You always fucking do that." She closed her eyes, heaved a sigh, and said, "Just get over here before I have to beat you senseless." She pulled him close and kissed him with as much passion as she had the night before. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aidan's mind soared with triumph. He was right. She did like him and now she was showing it... in public. He wondered if she realized that Herbert could step out and catch them any moment or that the whole town could see them. But then, he didn't care, so he didn't really care if she knew. He could feel her pulling his collar tightly towards her and her other hand was on his lower back, pressing his body against hers. He closed his eyes to enjoy the kiss, but he couldn't enjoy it for long. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| He heard Herbert step out behind them and say, "Oy, what's this?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Corinne instinctively pushed Aidan away and yelled, "What the hell are you trying to pull?" She even slapped him across the face. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aidan gaped in wonder. "What the hell? You just--" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I didn't do anything, you pig!" she cried, giving him an odd look. At first, he thought it was her going through her usual denial phase, but then saw that she didn't want Herbert to know. She was putting on an act. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Just get in the truck," he barked, holding his cheek that stung with pain. Aidan turned to get into the driver's seat and saw Herbert looking on with a raised eyebrow. "Don't ask." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| As he drove, Aidan was trying to decide which of them he wanted to speak with more, which would decide which one to drop off first. He wanted to talk to Herbert to explain what he'd walked in on, but he wanted to set things straight with Corinne -- which would be an interesting task to begin with. He rubbed his cheek in thought. He turned onto Corinne's street without thinking, realizing later that it was closer, and decided to visit her after he was finished talking to Herb. Pulling into her driveway, they saw Alex standing on the porch gawking at the tree with a cigarette dangling off his lip. "Dammit," murmured Corinne. "He's smoking again." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alex turned when he heard the car engine and his expression changed dramatically from wonder to anger. Corinne pushed open the door and hopped out as Alex bound toward it. He looked ready to kill. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I'll be right back," said Aidan. "I'd better 'apologize' for before." He jumped out of the truck and went chasing after her. "Corinne, I wanted to say I'm sorry for earlier." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| She turned to him, but quickly turned back to Alex who was squawking about her leaving without a word. "Alex, I'm sorry I didn't tell you. It was a bit of a last minute decision, Hon." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You leaving withese two is not what I want to know about, Cory. You shouldna be oot with two strange boys when I'm right here to please ya 'round the house." He glared at Aidan. "And you! I want ya off me property! Go on! Leave, and take that shite truck with ya!" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Corinne held up her hands in defense and spoke sweetly to Alex, like a mother to a stubborn child. "Shh, calm down, Al. Just let me speak a second with him and he'll be on his way." She pushed him back through the house door and shut it behind her. "Aidan... I'm sorry about the slap..." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "No, I get it. You didn't want Herbert to know." He sighed. "You know it hurt." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Sorry," she said with true sympathy. "I didn't really mean for it to hurt." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Speaking a little louder so that he was sure Herbert could hear him he said, "I'm sorry about being so forward with you. I had no right." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You can stop with the act. I think he got it when I hit you." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Yeah, well... I'm gonna go back to Herb's place to drop him off and maybe talk a while. Would you mind if I came back later?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Alex would kill you. He didn't like you at the match, and he certainly hates you now. He's very possessive. Doesn't like other guys eyeing his property, right?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "And you've been together for how long?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "About two years now," she said laughing. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "So, could we meet then?" he asked hopefully. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Her eyes began shifting around on the ground. She's nervous, thought Aidan. So she's actually considering cheating on Alex. "I'll take care of Alex," she said. "You just show up here around seven." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Right, I'll be here." Aidan grinned from ear to ear. He'd finally gotten to where he wanted to be. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Don't look to happy with yourself, now. Herbert won't know what to think if you go back grinning like an idiot after talking to me." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Right," he said, trying to wipe the grin of his face. He couldn't do it very well. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Oh, just go, you big wanker," she said, pushing him towards his truck. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aidan walked calmly back to the truck, but couldn't help letting a smile slip out every now and then. Before he left, he pulled out her bike and helmet and set it by the road, winking to her as he walked back to his door. He left without looking out the passenger window and drove on to Herbert's house. "What the hell was all that about at the pub?" asked Herbert as they pulled in. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What?" said Aidan, being very sly about it. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You know what I'm talking about, you git. Why did I find you two snogging when I stepped out of the pub?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aidan looked confused. "Snogging? What's that?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Herbert sighed aggravated. "Kissing like crazy." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Oh, that." Aidan got out of the truck and started walking back into Herbert's house without answering anymore. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Well?? Tell me what that was all about. Was it another one of her crazy mood swings like last night? Or was it you pulling the moves on her? All I know is that she obviously liked it." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "How can you tell that?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "She had her arm round your waist. I have eyes, y'know." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Just get inside and we'll talk." Aidan told him exactly what had happened. "But you can't let her know that you know. She doesn't want you to know that we're... snogging. Just let it lay low. I don't want to screw this up." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Why? She messed with you, so why can't you mess with her? Kiss her a little and then leave saying that you can't let her be unfaithful to Alex. Tell her that it just wouldn't be right, and that even though Alex is just one big bollock, that you couldn't do that to another man." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "No." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Why the hell not!?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Because I actually like her and don't give a shit what Alex does." Aidan checked his watch: six thirty-eight. It was getting late. He didn't want to be early for fear that Alex might see him, but he certainly wanted to be as punctual as possible so that he could get in as much time with Corinne. "Herbert, I'm sorry to cut this a bit short, but I have somewhere to be." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You're going to see her, aren't you? Once Alex finds out, you're not going to be identifiable without a DNA test." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Oh, just give it a rest. All you do is worry and warn. I'll see you in class tomorrow, alright?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
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| <<<- Previous | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| On to the next chapter! I've had enough... |
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