Kiss the Darkness Ch. 08

He never thought he would ever be able to take a life but when it came to his and his grandmothers survival he found out quickly that he had the strength to do what he must, though it brought him no pleasure. He supposed that had be been allowed to befriend any of the village boys he might have learned something of combat, even if only in play. But his life had been so sheltered that he lacked a lot of the skills that other men his age had learned from childhood. A knowledge of fighting would serve him well now but he would have to rely on the things he did know. If he and his grandmother could make it to the woods he would be able to keep them safe for days.

He could live off the land and he knew how to stay hidden. He knew those woods better than anyone and he knew how to scavenge. The knowledge he had about herbs and healing that he'd learned from Anna would also aide him and his grandmother if they could escape. He could fish also. He was quite skilled at fishing, and he could cook if he had to. With all these things going around in his mind he realized that their best chance for survival would be to escape into the woods and try to wait it out. Ashia and her men could search for days but they would never find him. But that was the question now, how would he do it? How could he get his grandmother to the safety of the forest and allude his attackers without being captured?

Ashia maneuvered herself around enough to reach under her cape and take hold of her anelace, a short parrying sword that was kept at the small of her back, and quickly draw it out. When Alexander saw the blade in her hand he became worried and in a panic rushed her. He grabbed her arm and fought against her, trying to disarm her. Nan moved out of the way of the scuffle which allowed Ashia to free herself of the old woman. She pulled Alexander to the ground with her and managed to get on top of him, straddling him. She held her blade against his throat. The point bit into his skin and a small drop of blood trickled down his neck.

Alexander held her hands tightly in his grip and fought against her as she struggled to drive the blade further into his gullet. The muscles in his arms tensed as he strained to hold her at bay. Her strength was impressive, especially for a woman, but Alexander found a strength within himself that he didn't even realize he had. He used this new found power to all but throw her off of him and then scurry to his knees as he leaned against the well and panted heavily. He looked up in horror as Ashia once more came at him with her sword. 'This is it', he thought to himself. 'This is when I die'. But before Ashia could strike the fatal blow, Nan rose up behind her, striking her in the back of the head with a large rock.

Ashia yelped at the force of the blow and groaned as she fell backwards, her hands going to her wounded head.

With Ashia temporarily stunned, Alexander took his grandmother by the hand and started to lead her away. "Come." He said to her. "We haven't much time."

Nan moved slowly, her bones creaking as Alexander tried to guide her away. Ashia, seeing her captives moving away from her, crawled forward the short sword still in her hand, and she thrust it forward. Her strength wasn't where it should have been and the blow to head caused her to be dizzy and uncoordinated. She wasn't entirely sure that she'd even caused any damage until she heard the old woman cry out in pain then stumble to her knees.

Alexander wrapped his arms around the old woman and helped her back to her feet. "Are you alright?" He asked her.

Nan looked at him with tears in her eyes as she shook her head. She reached to her side and touched the spot where Ashia had thrust her sword and when she brought her hand up she and Alexander saw that it was covered it blood. Alexander's eyes filled with tears as he looked at the blood. "It will be alright." He told her. "Once we make it to the forest I can clean it and put some moss over the wound. I'm sure it's not that deep."

Nan smiled weakly and touched the side of his face as he began to sob. "There's so much I should have told you." She began to cry. "I shouldn't have kept the truth from you. Now, I fear it's too late."

"Don't talk that way." Alexander wiped at his eyes as he looked into her face and tried to force a smile. "This isn't the end. You have time enough to tell me all you wish. Just as soon as you're better." But even as he spoke the words, Alexander wasn't sure that even he believed them. He looked to the horde of warriors that were coming their way. Ashia was struggling to stand up and she glared at him with such menace that it sent chills racing down his spine. "They're almost here grandmother. We have to go. Lean on me if you're in pain but we have to hurry."

"I can't." Nan told him, her breathing coming in raspy breaths. "I'm old. You'll not be able to escape if you take me with you."

"I won't leave you behind." He wrapped his arms around her and attempted to help her but he didn't have the strength to carry her and she hadn't the strength to run.

"Go." She pleaded with him. "Save yourself. You can not save us both."

"I will not." Alexander began to cry harder as he pulled her along beside him. "I will not leave you, grandmother. Please don't ask that of me."

"It's the last thing I will ever ask of you." She cried softly. "My child. My son. Please do this one thing for me and save yourself. You are important Alexander, you must survive. Besides, I am not long for this world. My time is almost over."

"No!" Alexander wept uncontrollably. "No, it's not true. I can save you."

Nan shook her head. "No. Let me go, child. It's time." She touched his face one last time and smiled at him through her tears. "Remember me, Alexander. And never forget that I love you."

Alexander nodded as he helped her to sit on the ground, sensing that her strength was all but spent. "I'll never forget." He whispered. "I love you so much."

"Go now." She told him. "You're almost out of time."

He kissed the top of her head. Her hand slipped from his and she lay down against the dirt and grass and closed her eyes as her breathing became more shallow. "I love you." He whispered once more, then he turned and ran for the forest.

"Coward." Ashia hissed as she managed to pull herself to her feet. Her head was beginning to clear but the pain had not yet subsided. When the men had made it to her she sent a small group after Alexander and ordered the others to help her onto her horse. With a handful of the mercenaries, she rode to the hill top where they had made camp and watched as Alexander's world burned to Ash.

"What of the boy?" One of the men asked.

Ashia smiled. "The other's will catch him before he makes it to the forest. There is no escape for him now."

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Alexander leaned back against Christian's chest and Christian held him protectively against him. As Alexander finished his story Christian realized that he himself had tears in his eyes. It was just so unimaginable the things that Alexander had suffered. But what was most disturbing was the fact that he had a twin sister Christian knew nothing about. He just couldn't wrap his head around it. There were two living Draveil and it seemed that Alexander's sister was out for blood. What would King Guillame do if he discovered this? It was obvious that he would assume Alexander was conspiring with her to over throw the King. This revelation brought a whole new and potentially deadly problem to the couple. Where was Ashia now, and what was she planning?

"Why did you never tell me?" Christian asked him, his voice soft but non accusing. "Why did you never tell me that you had a sister?"

"I was scared." Alexander confessed. "Scared of what she might do. Scared of how you would react. I hold no loyalty to her but I know your father would never believe that."

"You're right about that." Christian sighed heavily. He leaned his head against the side of Alexander's head and let his fingers trail down along his arm. "My father can't know of this." He whispered.

"What if she comes here?" Alexander remembered the fear he felt that night but he also remembered the anger he felt. He would have killed Ashia had he half the chance. Part of that anger was directed at himself though. He hated himself for running and leaving his grandmother behind, and he had hated the King for ever putting him and his family in such a situation. If not for the King none of these things would ever have come to pass. Still, had he not been forced to flee his home, he never would have met Christian. That alone had helped to ease the anger he had for the King though he couldn't forget that Guillame had murdered his father in cold blood.

But Alexander knew that for the sake of his marriage, he had to find some way to make peace with the King. It was time for him to put the past behind him and focus on his future. Christian was his husband now and nothing was more important to him then Christian, and making him happy. Their life together was all that mattered to him now.

"If Ashia comes here looking to take her revenge on you she will meet the end of my sword." Christian narrowed his eyes as a deep anger started to grow inside of him. "You're a prince of Avimur now. Any act of violence against you is an act of treason. Not even my father can deny that. The punishment for treason is death and trust me, she should come here looking to harm you, I will see her hang."

"I suppose I should be glad for that but even after all she has done there is a part of me that still pities her. She is my sister yet she never received the kindness of a loving family the way I had. I wonder, if things had been different, would she still be so wicked or cruel?"

Christian looked down at Alexander and smiled sadly. "You've suffered much at her hands. You learned of the King's betrayal against your father. You watched your mother die from sickness, and you've been hidden away from the world for the whole of your life yet you, Alexander, are the very picture of kindness, generosity, and love. You do not wish to see the suffering of any living creature and when your hand is forced to act in self defense, you feel remorse for what you have done. You and your sister are of the same blood line but yet you are both so very different.

If things had been different. If she had been raised by your grandmother and you were the one cast away, I feel that you would turned out the same as you are now. When it comes down to it Alexander, we all have a choice. We chose to forgive and move on, or we chose to waste our lives in the pursuit of revenge. My father has chosen to embrace hatred, prejudice, and fear. Your sister is not much different from him I'm afraid. They've both allowed their hate and fear to rule them. You chose to let love and understanding dictate your actions and that's what sets you apart from them. But, Alexander, you need to release yourself of the guilt you feel for what happened to your grandmother, and for the life your sister has lived. You are not responsible for either."

"You say that I am not responsible and yet I feel the weight of this burden on my shoulders. I wish nothing more than to make things right but have no idea how to do it."

"As far as your sister is concerned, there is no way to make it right. She chose her path and she will one day face the consequences of her decisions. As for my father, I just hope that he can one day let his hatred go and see in you what I see. I know then he will have no choice but to accept you." Christian kissed the top of Alexanders head and Alexander smiled.

"The love I found in you is what has helped mold me into the person I am now. I don't think I would have survived without your love, Christian."

"And you will always have my love, of that I promise. I'll always be by your side Alexander. You mean more to me than anything. You mean more to me than my own life."

"And I feel the same of you." Alexander closed his eyes as he snuggled in close to Christian. Christian held him tight as they both drifted off to sleep.

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The next morning Christian had risen early. His father called for him to come to his chambers and so he dressed quickly and left. Alexander was still asleep but when Reece, the servant boy, came in with a tray of breakfast foods Alexander woke and became distressed when he didn't find Christian in the bed beside him.

"It's nothing to worry yourself about." Reece smiled as he sat the tray on the table at the foot of the bed. "The prince has gone to speak with the King. I'm sure he'll be around shortly."

"Thank you." Alexander smiled back at the boy and attempted to calm his nerves a bit.

Reece poured a goblet of wine and sat it on the table beside the food. He asked if there was anything else Alexander required but Alexander told him that he had all he needed and dismissed the boy.

It was a bit strange to have someone serving him but when Reece had asked if Alexander needed help dressing he nearly laughed. Did royals really allow their servants to dress them? He wondered. It seemed a bit silly to be perfectly honest. Alexander had been dressing himself since a very young age. Anna did most of the cooking though Nan and Alexander had helped at times, but never had he actually had the food served to him.

He grew up with everyone in the household doing their own parts to keep the farm running, and Alexander was no stranger to hard work. He knew that it was going to take some time for him to get used to life in the palace but he also didn't intend on becoming so complacent that he would allow others to do simple things like dressing him. Not when he was perfectly capable of dressing himself.

After covering himself with a robe from the closet, Alexander sat down at the table and began to eat. The breakfast wasn't as elaborate as the food served during dinner but it was more than he'd been used to getting at home. He had two large sausages, as well as sliced ham. Two boiled eggs, cheese, bread, and a selection of fresh fruits. A large pitcher of fresh water sat on the table next to the wine, and also a small cup of apple cider.

Alexander had little interest in the wine. He tasted it at dinner and found it to be too strong. The wine he'd tasted on the farm was weakened with water and it wasn't an everyday occurrence that they had wine. That type of drink was saved for special occasions and religious observance. Sage or rose water was the most common drink among commoners, and those who lived on farms were lucky enough to have milk for breakfast. What Alexander loved the most though was the apple cider. He knew that fall had come at last when he caught the scent of apple cider in the house.

Nan and Anna made a special batch of it each year and Alexander was always the first to taste it. He picked up the cup that was sitting before him and took a sip. It was good. Very good in fact. But it lacked something that only could be found in the cider that his grandmother had made. A tear slipped down his cheek as he thought about her. It had been painful bringing up the past but Christian deserved to know the truth. Alexander felt a tiny weight being lifted off his shoulders as he told the story. It was if the sharing of his nightmare had somehow lessened the burden of it. He no longer had to suffer in the darkness alone.

Alexander remained lost in thought as he ate. So many things had changed. Some good and others not so good. He loved Christian and he thanked the Gods for bringing him into his life, but he still missed his grandmother, Anna, and Malcolm. In time those wounds would heal, he supposed, but their memories would forever stay in his heart. He just wished that Nan could have seen him on his wedding day, and given her blessing to their marriage. That, above all else, was the one thing that he was missing.

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As Christian made his way down the corridor he was surprised to see Jivete walking towards him. She was near his rooms and quite far from the guest apartments. As she walked to him he bowed out of respect.

"My Lady." He greeted her.

"Sire." The lady gave a formal curtsy, bowing her head as she spoke. Her voice was soft, kind, and soothing. It gave Christian quite a relief to hear her seeming to be in good spirits. He was certain that she would have been seething with anger over what had happened the day before.

"To what do I owe the honor of your visit?" Christian asked her.

"I thought that we could speak for a while." She told him. A beautiful and very regal smile brightened her face. "There are matters that I felt we should discuss."

Christian sighed. "I understand how you must be feeling My lady, but please try and see things from my perspective. I am in love. I had to be true to my heart and do what I felt was right. It was only unfortunate that you were hurt in the process for that is something I never wanted."

"That is precisely what I wanted to speak with you about, My Lord." She took a step closer and touched the side of his arm. Her blue eyes glistened in the mid morning light as it spilled in through the many windows that lined one side of the corridor. She was truly lovely. Even Christian had to admit that. Had his heart not belonged to Alexander, he would have counted himself lucky to have wed such a beauty as Jivete, but he had to be true to his heart. He knew that he could never be happy in a loveless marriage, and he'd never be happy without Alexander in his life.

"I appreciate that you're upset My Lady, but perhaps another time. Alexander is waiting for me and I..."

" But, my Lord, can you not see how your marriage is hurting your family?" She moved closer still, her hand sliding up his arm until it rested on his shoulder. She locked eyes with him and Christian suddenly found himself enchanted with her beauty. Her soft, angelic voice, the golden ringlets of hair that framed her face. Even the touch of her hand against his arm made him feel enraptured. "The boy is not right for you. He is not who you weren't meant to marry. What can he offer your kingdom? Certainly not an heir. And what of the people? How can they ever accept a Draveil as their prince? Are you prepared to lose not only the love of your King, but also the love of your subjects?"

Christian tried to pull his gaze away from her but he found it difficult to move. "I...Alexander..." He stammered, trying to find the right words. Why was he suddenly so confused? He suddenly found it hard to concentrate on anything but the woman standing before him.

"You know that you made a mistake in wedding a demon." Jivete raised and eye brow as she stared deep into Christian's eyes.

Christian opened his mouth to speak but couldn't find the words that he wanted to say. His mind was in a fog and all he could hear were Jivete's words over and over again, ringing in his head. 'A mistake...mistake...mistake.'

"You made a mistake." She said again, softly and soothingly. "It's alright to admit it. Marrying Alexander was a mistake."

Christian nodded slowly though not entirely sure why he was agreeing with her. He opened his mouth once more and before he even knew what he was saying his heard his own voice repeat the words that Jivete had said. "Yes...a mistake."

"Excellent." Jivete smiled wickedly. "Then you know what you must do?"

Christian nodded again. "Yes..."

Jivete removed a jewel encrusted dagger from her bodice and thrust it into Christian's hand. "It's the only way to win back your father's trust and you know it. You must kill Alexander."

Christian looked down at the blade in his hand. "Kill..." Suddenly he shook his head and dropped the dagger to the ground. "No!" He breathed harshly. "I could never!" He looked up at Jivete and narrowed his eyes as he frowned. "What the hell are you?" He sneered.