The River 1.5
Despite my characters attempts to sidetrack me and make me write about anything not related to this part of their story, I actually got 1.5 written today. I wrestled and fought with this piece all day. It did NOT want to be written. I'll form my opinion on this tomorrow.
==
“Do you and Cerise truly believe you can escape our mother’s curse,” her voice almost seemed tender, “because you are Alúene? Adam’s blood is too weak to resist. One day, you will realize the impossibility of what you seek and return.”
“Shove off, Gabs,” Liam interrupted, trying to carry more of his own bulk, “Livy’s not damned like you,” his voice caught, “and me. Her blood gives her a choice. Despite your efforts to erase its influence, she’s still half-human.”
Gabriella’s eyes took on a dangerous shadow, that I’d seen too many times, at his final words. I bit down on my bottom lip, to try to block out the tide of the memories surging to the fore of my mind, the screams, the exhilaration, the terror, the pleasure, the chase, the taste.
“Stop it, Livy,” Liam’s voice low in my ear commanded. “Are you going to let her control you? That isn’t who you are anymore and I’d like to make it out of here in one piece preferably – so focus.”
Nodding wordless, the image of a man standing in the atrium of a monastery his wise face smiling with kindness swept aside the tempest threatening to drown me. I could hear Ivan’s gentle baritone as though he stood beside me now: "No one deserves grace, Olivia." His chuckle seemed to ring in my head, chasing away the shades that haunted me. "If we did, it wouldn’t be grace."
A sad smile played on my lips as I looked at the tattoo on the base of my wrist, hidden against Liam’s arm. I sighed. “I’m tired of this, Gabriella,” I said, meeting her colorless eyes with a new determination. “Did you just come here to monologue or is there a purpose to these theatrics?”
“You always were impatient, never taking the time to enjoy something fully, Olivia.” Pursing her lips, she pointed with the flat of the blade at the package in my hand. “Does anyone else know you located the Codex?”
“I told you before,” I snapped, my mask slipping, “the Vatican is ignorant of our true intent.”
“You’re wasting your time. It can’t be done, precious,” Gabrielle admonished as if she spoke to a child. “I made sure of that.”
This time the deep threatening rumble did not come from my throat, but from the man in my arms. “She was a child, Gabriella,” his voice never rising above a whisper, as his weight shifted forward to move toward her. I braced my right leg behind my left, restraining his advance.
“And I ensured she inherited her birthright,” Gabriella’s fury blazed through her poise, “immortality. Without me, Olivia would have died when Bloody Mary’s priests tried to burn her.” She laughed without any humor at the irony of the title history bestowed on the former queen.
A shudder ran through my body at the memory of the stench and the blistering of my flesh. Liam’s finger curled around my arm, squeezing uncomfortably. The slight pain banished the memories for now.
“Do you hate me that much, Gabriella?” I asked my voice raw with so many memories flaying my mind. “You come here, threatening the city under our protection, threatening the peace Cerise and I have worked for.” My voice gained strength with every word as my will resolved. “We just want to be left alone.”
Gabriella’s expression shifted from contempt to indulgent love, the way a proud parent looked when they discussed their child’s latest failed exploits. “Then give me the Codex and I give you my vow that I will leave this territory immediately,” her eyes flickered to the man who leaned on me for support, “with all that belongs to me.”
© 2008 Elizabeth Mock
==
“Do you and Cerise truly believe you can escape our mother’s curse,” her voice almost seemed tender, “because you are Alúene? Adam’s blood is too weak to resist. One day, you will realize the impossibility of what you seek and return.”
“Shove off, Gabs,” Liam interrupted, trying to carry more of his own bulk, “Livy’s not damned like you,” his voice caught, “and me. Her blood gives her a choice. Despite your efforts to erase its influence, she’s still half-human.”
Gabriella’s eyes took on a dangerous shadow, that I’d seen too many times, at his final words. I bit down on my bottom lip, to try to block out the tide of the memories surging to the fore of my mind, the screams, the exhilaration, the terror, the pleasure, the chase, the taste.
“Stop it, Livy,” Liam’s voice low in my ear commanded. “Are you going to let her control you? That isn’t who you are anymore and I’d like to make it out of here in one piece preferably – so focus.”
Nodding wordless, the image of a man standing in the atrium of a monastery his wise face smiling with kindness swept aside the tempest threatening to drown me. I could hear Ivan’s gentle baritone as though he stood beside me now: "No one deserves grace, Olivia." His chuckle seemed to ring in my head, chasing away the shades that haunted me. "If we did, it wouldn’t be grace."
A sad smile played on my lips as I looked at the tattoo on the base of my wrist, hidden against Liam’s arm. I sighed. “I’m tired of this, Gabriella,” I said, meeting her colorless eyes with a new determination. “Did you just come here to monologue or is there a purpose to these theatrics?”
“You always were impatient, never taking the time to enjoy something fully, Olivia.” Pursing her lips, she pointed with the flat of the blade at the package in my hand. “Does anyone else know you located the Codex?”
“I told you before,” I snapped, my mask slipping, “the Vatican is ignorant of our true intent.”
“You’re wasting your time. It can’t be done, precious,” Gabrielle admonished as if she spoke to a child. “I made sure of that.”
This time the deep threatening rumble did not come from my throat, but from the man in my arms. “She was a child, Gabriella,” his voice never rising above a whisper, as his weight shifted forward to move toward her. I braced my right leg behind my left, restraining his advance.
“And I ensured she inherited her birthright,” Gabriella’s fury blazed through her poise, “immortality. Without me, Olivia would have died when Bloody Mary’s priests tried to burn her.” She laughed without any humor at the irony of the title history bestowed on the former queen.
A shudder ran through my body at the memory of the stench and the blistering of my flesh. Liam’s finger curled around my arm, squeezing uncomfortably. The slight pain banished the memories for now.
“Do you hate me that much, Gabriella?” I asked my voice raw with so many memories flaying my mind. “You come here, threatening the city under our protection, threatening the peace Cerise and I have worked for.” My voice gained strength with every word as my will resolved. “We just want to be left alone.”
Gabriella’s expression shifted from contempt to indulgent love, the way a proud parent looked when they discussed their child’s latest failed exploits. “Then give me the Codex and I give you my vow that I will leave this territory immediately,” her eyes flickered to the man who leaned on me for support, “with all that belongs to me.”
© 2008 Elizabeth Mock
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