Book Two : The Dragaons Egg : Chapter VII : Deception : Draft

VII

Deception

Theodore

14^th April 1941

Theodore awoke as usual with a glass in his right hand and his face planted against the top of the mahogany writing desk, of which in the last few days since his arrival to London, he had found comfort. It had been a strange occurrence; to find himself back in his old Victorian house in Chelsea, London. It had been over a decade since he had last slept in the confines of his house and still he was re adjusting himself to the feel of the rooms and the feel of having a doppelganger wife, who seemed to be infatuated with him. The striking resemblance between Laura, a farmer’s daughter and Eveline in terms of looks was astonishing. Theodore had off course changed the colour of Laura’s eyes to a beautiful gold, and against his wishes wiped her memory, replacing it with his own catalogued memories of Eveline and so he had in essence his wife back. Yet she was different from the timid, patient and ever caring Eveline; Laura was out spoken, vivacious and full of life, which had been a shock to Theodore’s system. Believing herself to be his wife, she was brimming with romantic ideas and plans on how they- a young war time couple could seize the moment, with each day bringing its own tragedy due to the ever heightening air raids. Theodore had found the new lease of life in his own complicated life too much and had since their arrival, locked himself in the study, letting Laura and the housekeeper busy themselves with domestic affairs.

 He had not been idle with his time and had spent much of it writing countless streams of letters to contacts and in particular the headmaster of Ravinston, Alasdair. He knew that Eveline would be making her way to Anglesey and hoped that the headmaster would return his impatient note with speed, however he was still to receive any word from him on his wife’s whereabouts. His other letters of correspondence where to guardians who lived within the city of London; he had some days past written to them of the knights and had asked for them to keep their eyes alert for any peculiar sightings. Theodore had to know if the knights had followed himself and Laura south to London, he had to know that they had fallen for his bluff, least he would find himself in a never ending paradox. Yawning tightly, he sat up and painfully opened his eyes, a great stream of light pouring in through the great Georgian windows, highlighting the heavy dust that swirled about the room. An empty bottle of whiskey lay close to the heavy mountain of letters and maps. The air was filled with an alcoholic smell that was bitter and oaky, and to his surprise, the tips of his fingers where smudged with the stains of the alcohol and intense smell. Pushing the whiskey glass away from him, Theodore lifted his arms high into the air and stretched, feeling his whole body suddenly burst into life, feeling every ligament tense and relax and his heart thud heavily with anticipation. He could see in the reflection of the window, that his chin was now covered in fair hairs, indicating a need for him to shave- an activity he had misplaced within his mind recently. He had on him a once crisp white shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows; a pair of navy trousers, now creased and in need of ironing; a pair of once shiny black shoes and a grey and cream cardigan which hung over the back of his chair.

He couldn't hide in the study forever, at some point he would have to show his face and put up with Laura’s curious and intense nature, if only to get washed and newly dressed. Looking down at his golden wrist watch, Theodore saw that it was just about to strike nine in the morning and arose from his chair, leaving his table as it was and making for the door. The town house was quiet and with a prayer to Heiden, Theodore hoped that Laura was still in bed as he opened the door slowly, closing his eyes tightly as it made a sound. The hallway was indeed quiet, the beautiful morning light streaming through the glass stained front door, filling the cream painted hallway with soft colours. Across the hallway was the door to the reception room and to his right were the grand stairs that wound their way up to the first floor in an elegant curve. The walls were adorned with scenic water coloured paintings depicting the highlands of Scotland. Upon the wooden floor of the hallway, under the great door, Theodore spied a couple of letters and went to them immediately, picking them up in his hands and going through them with intense eyes. Two of the five stood out to Theodore and he quickly opened the first.

Cael,

I received your letter promptly and have set up a meeting for those of us in London. The meeting will take place as usual in St Pauls Cathedral at midnight, on the 16^th April. I hope you will come as I have important information in which to share with you.

Yours,

William Blake.

Theodore felt a shiver take over his body as he re-read the message for a second time. The new keeper of London had information concerning the whereabouts of the knights of Lagar. From the contents of the letter he could tell that the information William had was serious enough to call a meeting of the highest ranking guardians in London and this made Theodore feel nervous. Carefully, Theodore folded up the letter and placed it in his trouser pocket before opening the second.

My dear Theodore,

It is with great sadness that I must tell you that Mary has sadly passed away this morning.

Charles.

Theodore held still and bite down upon his lip. The letter didn’t look altogether correct and he wondered if the letter, the surface uneven and full, hide a message within. With quick thinking, Theodore took out a coin and began to scratch at the message, another message thus coming into the light. Blowing away the parts of parchment, Theodore read the letter in its entirety.

Cael,

I write to you of terrible news. Early upon the morning of the 11^th, Mary’s husband came to my home in a state of perplexed confusion and forced me to follow him back to his home. I knew not what I was to be met with, but when I entered the house, I found Mary upon the ground, shrivelled up into the foetal position, her eyes wide open with horror and her hands out stretched as though to ward something off her. I believe she has been murdered and not by just anyone, I believe this is the doing of magic, I believe she has been murdered by one of ‘them’. We cannot dispute the fact that they may have uncovered information of our plan and Eveline’s true whereabouts from Mary and so I must warn you to be vigilant and to stay in London. Do not make any hasty decisions until I write to you in the next coming days. I would council you not to return to Keswick for the funeral. You must keep up your apparel with Laura and try to live as normal a life as possible, do not keep yourself or Laura huddled up inside, the outside world must see you and be convinced of your marriage. People will talk of her unusual looks and rumours will spread. This is the only way in which to protect your wife.

Be safe. Be vigilant.

Charles.

Theodore crushed the letter in his hand and felt his body hunch over with grief. Mary had been such a kind hearted woman, especially towards him in the last month, to think that she had paid the ultimate price for his safety caused him to feel nausea and shamed. Every particle of his being wanted to run back to Keswick and find the murderer and make him pay, but he knew that Charles was right, he needed to stay in London and keep up his and Laura’s pretend marriage, at least for the next few days. Brushing his long golden hair away from his face, Theodore walked away from the door and made his way towards the stairs, ascending them heavily, his mind engrossed with anxious planning. As he opened the door to his room he was stunned to find Laura asleep within his bed. He knew not why he felt shock, for she had been sleeping in his bed since their arrival, thinking nothing of it as any wife would. Yet as he stood upon the threshold of the doorway, he found himself almost believing Eveline was lying before him, her face beautifully soft and peaceful, whilst her long, auburn locks were splayed across the Egyptian pillows haphazardly. She was lying upon her side, her face towards the large window, her right hand cupped under her cheek and a small smile lingering upon her lips. For a wild moment, Theodore tip toed across the room and stopped, bending down low so that his face came to her own. He had spent many of his nights dreaming of Eveline, dreams that seemed to hop from darkness to light. It seemed to strange to be looking upon her once more, so ethereal and untouched. But as he observed her further, he realised that her nose was too straight to be Eveline’s and that her brows were too thin and there was something about her smile that just didn’t seem to match Eveline’s. Still, deciding to feign denial, and in desperate need to pretend his true wife were here with him, he lifted a stray strand of auburn hair away from her face and leaned forward, kissing her lips lightly. Charles had strictly told him not to touch Laura at all, that it would be violating the terms agreed and Laura and Theodore knew that kissing her lips was wrong and that he was crossing a very dangerous line, but it was only a kiss and he found that he could not stop himself from entertaining the idea that he truly was kissing Eveline. How he had wished that his wife looked at him the way Laura had, how he wished that she had slept with a peaceful grace, no troubles upon her frown and her heart entirely his. As he leaned away from Laura and brought himself up to his full height, the rays of the sun suddenly dimmed and the deception fell away, only to reveal a deepening pain and hole within his own heart. She had left him for another and in their first and last night together, neither could summon up the love to consummate their marriage.

With tense fists, Theodore walked over to the large window and looked down into the private park below. Great clouds of smoke could be seen from across the city and fires still creating disruption from the bombing campaigns. Bags of sand lined the quiet roads and footpaths, physical signs of the current war. His mind consumed, Theodore had hardly noticed Laura as she yawned and awakened quietly behind him. With his eyes upon an old man, who was leaning against the railing of the park, two small arms suddenly entwined themselves around his waist and with a tremor, Theodore turned to look down into the face of Laura, who was smiling warmly.

“Morning husband,” she said with ease, her head now gently pressed against the firmness of his back. “I did not hear you enter.”

“I have only come to collect some clothes,” Theodore said coldly, wishing her arms would disentangle themselves from his waist.

“I am glad for you have not washed nor dressed in two days!” Laura said with a gay voice, as though she had completely neglected to process Theodore’s cool retort. “I shall have Helen prepare a bath for you and some breakfast.”

“Thank you,” Theodore returned with a wooden voice. With speed, he disentangled Laura’s arms from his body and quickly walked away.

“Have I done something wrong?” Laura said with an anxious tremor. Theodore stopped at the large, wooden cupboard and did not turn his eyes.

“No.”

“Then why do you flee from me every time we happen to meet or pass by one another?”

“I am not aware that I have been,” Theodore lied as he rummaged through his clothes.

“You spend all your time in the study and barely have time in which to spend with me, so I must have done something to put you in a mood?”

Theodore closed his eyes and sighed with impatience.

“I have been busy.”

“I think you are hiding away from me,” Laura said with defiance as she came to Theodore and placed a hand upon his upper arm. “I thought you loved me?”

“And I do,” Theodore said as he bite down on his lip.

“You could have fooled me,” Laura said with a slight smile, her eyes shining with tears.

“Eveline please, I am too busy for this conversation,” Theodore said as he rolled up a shirt, vest and tie under his arm and made for the door.

“Okay.”

Theodore could feel her eyes burning into his back as he walked away, closing the door behind him. When he locked himself in the bathroom, he dropped the items of clothing upon the floor and walked over to the mirror, carving his hands into the rim of the sink. Angry and frustrated, he lifted his blue eyes and looked into his reflection and saw not the man he was a year ago, but a broken man, whose life was quietly slipping away from him. Closing his eyes tightly once more, he felt the hot pricks of tears and fought the urge to cry, something he had never been easy with. It felt as though he were reaching out into the unknown, hoping that she would find him and place her hand within his own. But as he conjured the image of Eveline, so too the images of Galean emerged and as was now usual, images of them both together began to infiltrate his mind. Heated anger soared through is body and Theodore felt the sink begin to shake as his fingers tightened. He wished and hoped that Galean would pass away and that Eveline would know the pain of losing the one you love, he wished it so badly that when he opened his eyes he felt almost as though the devil was in possession of his soul. A terrible shadow passed over his eyes and Theodore felt a darkness which had been steadily consuming him, deepen as though a knife had been slowly edging its way deeper into his mind and soul. He couldn’t help the hatred he felt for his friend, couldn’t help the hatred he felt for being slighted and left behind and under all of his pretence, could not help but hate that he had been discarded as though he was nothing, as though he was just a pawn in Heiden’s messed up plan to get rid of him and ensure the prophecy of Galean and Eveline would come to pass. He felt violated and manipulated, everything he had worked for had amounted to nothing and now he felt himself fall into a frenzy of perplexed anger and could feel the connection between himself and Heiden crack.

And yet, he could not give up on Eveline, not whilst there was hope. He knew that his intentions were not pure, knew that they were grey and deceitful, but he could and would keep up the pretence of a mourning husband wishing to save his wife. In truth his plan was much more disconcerting than those around him had assumed. Yes he wanted his wife back, but if there was a way in which to travel back to Calhuni with Eveline then he would, not just to ensure she lived but to ensure that he could see to it that Galean did not survive. The longer she stayed here upon this earth the greater the chance of him perishing.  No he wasn’t the same Cael or Theodore, he had been forced to change in order to achieve his goal of obtaining Eveline and claiming her as his and no one else’s and anyone that got in the way would unfortunately have to be taken care of. Yes, Jophiel would be displeased with him, disgusted even, but if his own master cared not one wit for him and in truth wished him dead, then he would serve only his own interests. With each passing day, Theodore felt his connection with reality slip away, he knew that he was falling into a darkness he wasn’t sure he wanted to get out of and that frightened him.

*

The sixteenth of April came by quickly, much to Theodore’s relief. In the days since he had received his letter of invitation from William Blake, he and Laura had met only a few times, both greeting one another coldly. They had in the previous afternoons walked through the park together, each unable to conjure up a conversation. He had to do it as Charles had warned him in his letter, but as soon as they entered the town house, they went their separate ways, a fine reflection of the reality of the situation. Upon the evening of the sixteenth, Theodore waited patiently in his study, stabbing the fire with a poker until the house grew quiet. When he felt it was safe, he exited his study and made himself ready to go. He had called a cab and with one last lingering look, he was transported away from Chelsea and taken to St Pauls. Above him in the air he could see and hear the planes as they fell into a violent episode of attack, a great many fires once more plaguing the night sky. Quietly, Theodore slipped through the side entrance of St Pauls and entered the cathedral which had miraculously not been bombed into oblivion. Taking his hat off, he made his way up the nave of the church, seeing a dozen or so men at the altar, all involved in a deep discussion. Seeing his arrival, William Blake lifted a hand and the church fell silent as Theodore came to stand before them.

“Cael,” William said as he held out a hand. Without much thought, Theodore shook the new keeper’s hand.

“Thank you for your letter,” Theodore mentioned as he choose a seat within the large circle of men. He didn’t take off his long coat or gloves, the church freezing and dark but for a few candles that had been lit. He turned his gaze to the other men and noticed a few familiar faces. Oddly though he realised that they were trying desperately hard not to meet his gaze and wondered why, did they know of the prophecy? Had Heiden warned them against him? Theodore did not know, but he felt awkward and under scrutiny as he sat quietly, watching William prepare himself.

“I am glad that we have all met this night,” he began, standing in the centre of the circle, gowned in the usual keeper’s gown of deep red. William was a well-loved and respected angel and Theodore had served under him for a few years before the Great War and had enjoyed it immensely, William being a liberal leader who believed in unity and common ground. “We have all been tirelessly working around the clock to ensure the safety of those vulnerable not only to the effects of another war but to the darkening shadows that have fallen upon this city once more, shadows of a different nature.” Theodore could hear the faint groans coming from those beside him and frowned. “ We have been diligently keeping our eyes peeled for sight of the knights of Lagar, which we have been told have come to England this last month on a mission to find and kill Celestine. As to Celestine’s current whereabouts, we are unsure, however Cael, once my employee has been living in London this past week with a woman called Laura, who has taken on the identity of Celestine in order to bring the knights south, instead of them heading west to where we think she is headed, the island of Anglesey and the school of Ravinston. Cael maybe you would like to speak to the council?” William turned his dark green eyes to Theodore and motioned for him to stand up and come to the centre of the circle. Hesitant and aware of the gazes, Theodore smiled awkwardly and rose to his feet, coming to the centre of the circle. He took in a deep breath and looked into the faces of the men, one them he knew as John Anderson, 1^st Viscount Waverley and the Lord President of the Council. His hands kept safely within the confines of his coat pocket, he spoke aloud.

“I am sure that news and rumours of the last eleven months have reached your ears via varying sources,” he said with convicting eyes. “I am not here to re tell the terrible events that occurred but only to warn you. My wife has gone to the island of Anglesey in the hope of passing through the stones of Eisteddfod, in order to return to her own world. Unfortunately she is being followed by the four knights of Lagar and I am afraid that with them upon her tracks that she will not last long and that she will not make the stones in time. For that reason, myself and another guardian came up with a plan, some of you may not think ethical or indeed moral. We picked a young women by the name of Laura, who is alike my wife in looks and are using her as a diversion in the hope that the knights who we know to have travelled to Keswick, will have followed us south to London, thus giving Eveline enough time in which to make it to the school of Ravinston in which she can seek shelter until the time comes for her to pass through the stones and return to her birth land…”

“It is against the laws of guardians to use a vulnerable human in order to shield another,” a man by the name of James said aloud with dark eyes. “You must have the approval of the council before you make such a decision.”

“I understand but we had limited time and so we had to think on our feet,” Theodore argued in a kind manner, hoping to cover his irritation at the conservative views held by most of the out dated council.

“We have rules and regulations for a reason, no matter your position,” James went on, this time turning his eyes to the fellow men who simply nodded their heads in agreement. “This woman, Laura, did she consent to this plan you concocted before you took away her memories and turned her into an object of great desire by those who would wish her dead?”

“She understood the role she would play,” Theodore answered honestly, his hands shaking in his pockets.

“Did she understand the threat to her life?” another man asked. Theodore found the source of the question and frowned. Matthew Talbot was cunning and manipulative man, who had hated Theodore without question. Theodore knew that he would never win the support of Matthew Talbot, the man who greatly influenced the manner of the guardians and the running of the council.

“She knew that she would face danger, as to the type of danger, she is unaware,” Theodore said slowly, hearing a low mumble of discontent fill the cathedral.

“May I ask why it is that you kept such information from her?”

“We didn’t have much time in which to consult with all the regulations,” Theodore spat. “She understood the plan and accepted her role and so we took it from there.”

“And if she is hurt? Does she have a family? A husband and children?”

“She lives with her parents and has a young husband who is at war.”

“And you didn’t stop to think how this could affect them?”

Feeling the stress get to him, Theodore drew in a frustrated breathe.

“No.”

“Then we cannot condone your plan,” Matthew said with authority.

“Enough!” William announced loudly, getting to the floor once more and directing Theodore back to his seat. “It has been done and cannot now be undone. We must look forward and plan a way in which to ensure Eveline has enough time in which to make it to Ravinston, whilst also implementing a plan in which to protect Laura from these knights.”

“We cannot do that if we do not know the identity of the knights!” James said, his hands folded neatly upon his knees, his black hair finely swept to the side, revealing his large brown eyes, which were upon Theodore. “It is not only Cael and Laura that are at risk, it is the whole population of London. These are no shadows, these knights are so dark that even the Dark Lord revers them.”

“I understand,” William said as he raised a hand for silence. “As to the identity of the knights, we have already traced two of them, who we believe to be called Nacramos and Belzamon. Nacramos is known as the knight of lust and Belzamon the knight of greed. They have been spotted lurking near to your house Theodore, which is why I brought you here as soon as possible.”

“But Laura, she is at home alone,” Theodore said with urgency, suddenly feeling fear surge within him at the thought of losing Laura.

“Do not be frightened, she is safe,” William said with calm certainty. “I have guardians protecting your house whilst you are gone.”

“Great so we have two knights of Lagar in London!” Lord John intervened. “Does the prime minister know?”

“You will tell the prime minister, that is your job.” Matthew said with a hiss.

“The knights will not be focused on killing or harming anyone who is unrelated to Eveline or Cael,” William said with a wave of his hand. “They will be obsessed with trying to get to Cael and Laura.”

“So what do we do?” Theodore asked impatiently as he ran his gloved fingers through his hair.

“And where are the other two?” Matthew added with raised brows.

“To answer your question firstly Theodore, I would keep your daily activities the same, they cannot do you or Laura any danger not whilst you are protected,” William replied quickly. “And to answer your question Matthew, they could be anywhere. For all we know they could be awaiting confirmation that they have indeed found Eveline.”

“And if they have played us at our own game?” James enquired with folded arms. “What if they are keeping our eyes focused on Theodore and Laura whilst the other two are hunting down Eveline?”

“Eveline and her companions have taken a diversion themselves, an attempt to hide their own footprints,” William announced, his eyes suddenly falling to Theodore, who looked up at him in confusion.

“What do you mean?” he asked quietly.

“Eveline and her companions have changed course and are now under the protection of Merlin and the high druids of the Isle of Man.”

“Why haven’t I been told?”

“I am not entirely sure that I should have bequeathed this information to you, for the safety of Eveline and Laura,” William said with a pensive gaze. “That is all I can tell you. She is safe and they are very aware that the knights could be calling your bluff.”

“So I am stuck yes?” Theodore said thunderously, his blue eyes flashing.

“How so?” William returned with slight confusion. “You are safe and have diverted the eyes of two knights, I would say that your plan has worked out better than expected, wouldn’t you?”

“If you mean by keeping me away from me wife then yes,” Theodore said through gritted teeth. “But I would like to return to my wife before she goes through the stones.”

“That cannot be done,” James said with a hard gaze. “If you want Celestine to survive, you must stay in London so that she can go through the stones.”

“I will be going through them with her!” Theodore argued hotly.

“Cael you must understand the risk that you would pose by doing such a thing?” William tried to say with a kind look and an empathetic voice. “Surely her safety is your main priority?”

“Of course it is!” Theodore said as he got to his feet in frustration. “But I will not be left here to pine after my wife.”

“From what I hear, she left you to go back to Galean,” Matthew said with a hint of a smile.

“Believe what you will Matthew, she is not leaving me here.”

“Isn’t it true that you stabbed Galean? Leading to his imminent death?” James said, his eyes upon Matthew.

“Why is it that those who should be supporting me, are instead trying to isolate me?” Theodore said pitifully, his eyes burning with exhaustion. “I am an angel just like you and she is my wife. Why would you see us parted?” The cathedral became quiet as everyone sat silent, their eyes upon the ground in answer to Theodores question. “Let me guess, the prophecy right?”

“Cael listen…” William tried to alleviate the tension but failed miserably.

“Heiden has put you up to this hasn’t he?” Theodore cried out. “You think that because of some stupid prophecy that I pose a threat to the universe? Me?”

“Of course Heiden hasn’t put us up to anything of the sort,” William muttered, placing a firm hand upon Theodores shoulder. “Nobody is suggesting that you pose a threat to the universe.”

“You stabbed the heir to Meer, on purpose,” Matthew said with conviction. “He is a direct descendant of Gabriel, why would you do that?”

“He was trying to take my wife from me damn it!” Theodore said hotly, wishing he could silence Matthew once and for all.

“He didn’t have to try, she went to him freely.”

Theodore erupted and ran towards Matthew, taking him by the neck and throwing him to the ground. A great commotion broke out as the two fought like dogs, much to the disgust of the other members, including William.

“That is enough!” he yelled, taking Theodore by the collar and throwing him off Matthew. Theodore rolled over on the ground and got ready to pounce once more until he felt himself fall into a darkness, his head hitting the ground heavily. When he opened his eyes, he felt a heaviness about him. A hand was upon his arm, gently pulling him up from the ground.

“Cael, can you hear me?” William said with gentleness, bringing Theodore up onto his feet, holding his body for balance. Theodore looked into Williams eyes.

“I have given my life to the service of Heiden, why does he wish me dead?”

“He doesn’t Cael, you must believe me,” William said with ease as he brought Theodore over to a chair. Looking about, Theodore noticed that the members of the council were sitting quietly, their eyes drawn to their feet. “Heiden would never be so cruel. You are not to blame for the prophecy, neither are you to blame for the way your wife has treated you. You have lost much in the last year and so I understand your anger and need to find your wife and be with her.”

“Why does everyone hold me in contempt then, as though I were your enemy and not your ally?”

“We do not hold you in contempt Cael, we are all simply trying to hold onto the little control we have left,” William said as he knelt down before Theodore in a fatherly like manner. “Our guardians are stretched and nearly out of resources, so do not take our friends bad tempers too personally; they are a little confused.”

“Nothing is going as I had planned,” Theodore whispered under his breathe.

“We are here to help you if you will allow us?”

Theodore looked down into Williams eyes, he knew behind the kindness their lurked little truth to his words. He had known as soon as he had entered the cathedral that he was under scrutiny. If he were Heiden and he believed in the prophecy then he would withhold him from Eveline too, he would keep him from returning to Unas with her. But he was no enemy, despite his heightening hatred and depth of darkness. He wished no harm to Heiden nor any other guardian, he just wanted justice. He wanted his wife back and he wanted Heiden to take him seriously and to do away with the prophecy. He was no demon, nor shadow, he had spent his whole life serving Heiden and those dependant on him for aid. It seemed to him as though a web had been weaved about him and he was stuck- he couldn’t leave London to travel to Anglesey and nor would the guardians allow him to without a fight.

“Cael?”

“I will find her,” Theodore said under his breathe, his eyes directly upon William. “You cannot stop me from finding my wife. No one can, not you, not them and most certainly not Heiden. I am not a pawn to be discarded with, I am a living being with a free will and I will find my wife.” Shaking off Williams’s hand, Theodore got to his feet and walked away from the council, his footsteps echoing throughout the darkened cathedral as he walked down the nave and exited the church, slamming the door behind him. It didn’t take long for him to return to his house and when he did he stood upon the steps and scanned the immediate area, now knowing that Belzamon and Nacramos were close by. If he had to fight the universe in order to find Eveline before it was too late, then he would, no matter the cost. Turning, he entered the house and closed the door behind him, making sure to lock it tightly before taking off his hat, coat and gloves.

With anger still running hotly through his veins, Theodore entered his study and found a new bottle of whiskey and opened it quickly, bringing the bottle to his mouth and drinking heavily from its contents. With one wave of his hand he stroked the fire into life and fell into his leather chair and closed his eyes tightly. The bottle of whiskey between his legs, he held up his left hand and observed the gold band upon his fourth finger and twirled it about. Again he took another swig of whiskey, this time feeling his body hurriedly come to life with heat. His throat burned, his head swirled and his soul cried out. It did not take long for him to down the whole contents of the bottle and when he had finished he got to his feet, the room spinning and made for the door. With his vision blurred and his head spinning, he struggled for the stairs and with one foot in front of the other made his way upstairs, holding onto the bannister with all the strength he could muster. When he finally made it to the top he looked across at the door of his room and slowly made his way over, opening it quietly and entering, closing the door behind him. With uncorrelated hands, he took off his jacket and flung it to the ground, coming to sit on his side of the bed. His hands shaking slightly, he untied his shoes and discarded them upon the floor. Carefully he lifted the bed sheets and pulled them back, slipping his body into the bed silently. Laura was asleep peacefully, her face towards him.

“Eveline?” Theodore whispered drunkenly. With shaking fingers, he gently swept away the thick strands of hair from Laura’s face and simply gazed at her with longing. With a wave of exhaustion claiming his body, he leaned forward a kissed the tip of her nose before enfolding her into his arms and falling asleep, his troubles and fears slipping into an unknown world. “I will find you my love,” he said into Laura’s hair.



© Iseult O'Shea and OneCrown&TwoThrones, 2016. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Iseult O'Shea and OneCrown&TwoThrones with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.