Author's Note: I apologize for the incredibly long siesta. It's been, what, almost six months? School and a new job caught up with me - but all is well now!
Chapter Six is going to be a real treat, so I want to make sure I've got it well typed before it gets up - hopefully before winter gets here, LOL!
Chapter Five – Uncertainty
Mark slowly opened his eyes and groaned as he was struck with a massive headache. The first rays of sunlight were filtering through the morning mist. It looked like a ghost world. He heard the distinct sound of metal sliding across metal, and looking around he was surprised to find Ferus not far away, his short sword drawn and ready. “Ferus?” he grunted, gingerly pushing himself up to his knees. Blinking, he realized that his tattooed arms were covered over in dried blood. Something caught the corner of his eye, and he turned to see the stinking carcass of a man who looked like he had been skinned alive. Mark fell back and pushed himself away quickly. “What - what the hell happened?!”
“You don’t remember?” Ferus asked, lowering his sword a little.
“No! God, who did this?” Mark said as he stood, taking another step away from the large, dark stain he had been lying in.
“You did.”
Mark stared in horror at the body, looking again at his blood-stained hands. He shook his head. “No… No, I couldn’t… I…”
“Caligo… tried to stop you.”
Mark’s face shot up, concerned from the tone of Ferus’s voice. “Tried?”
“I had to knock you out before you killed her,” he said calmly, although his gaze was hard and accusing.
“That’s a lie!” Mark shouted. “I would never harm her! Never!”
“Everyone saw it,” Ferus said. “You were going to kill her.”
Scowling, Mark began to walk toward the house. Ferus was before him in a second, his sword raised defensively.
“Let me pass,” Mark said coolly.
“I cannot.”
“I need to see her!”
“You are a danger to her and everyone else in that house.”
“I order you – “
“You are not the Lord of Darkness yet!” Ferus shouted. The two men glared at each other.
“You will not prevent me from going into my own home. I care about Caligo as much as you. No harm will come to her – “
“Those people in that house are my family,” Ferus said quietly, his face intense with emotion. “If you care about Caligo, then you will do as I ask and stay away.”
Staring at him, Mark’s anger began to fade as he thought of Caligo. He glanced at the body in the stained grass, and turned away from it as he lifted a hand to rub his face. Once more seeing the dried blood on his skin, he abandoned the attempt.
“Is she alright?” he asked, unable to look at the other man.
“Lea was trying to heal her when I left. She is the only one of us that has practiced healing successfully… Although her skills are not as advanced as Caligo’s, she at least managed to ease the pain… Caligo stopped screaming…”
Mark squeezed his eyes shut. “I didn’t do it,” he said firmly. “I could never hurt her…” Ferus said nothing, and they stood in silence for a long time. When Mark was finally able to look at him again, he sighed. “Could you at least bring a hose around and let me wash off the… the blood?” Ferus nodded, and they walked across the ghostly field toward the house, although he wouldn’t let Mark get too close. Wishing he had clean clothes, Mark washed away as much of the macabre he could before distancing himself from the house at Ferus’s request.
Eventually the mist lifted, and Mark sat in the wet grass and watched the sun rise, warming the earth. All he could see in his head was the skinned corpse in the grass, his imagination mapping out all the different ways Caligo might have suffered at his own hands. He tried desperately to remember what had happened. He could see the light coming from the woods, see Furor tackling Caligo to the ground, see her raise her sword to stop an ax, see her cry out as fiery ropes laced around her…
“My Lord?”
Mark jumped, turning his head to look at the young woman standing over him. She looked very tired and worried.
“Hello, Lea,” he said, remembering her name.
“My Lady has awakened,” she said softly. “She wishes to see you.”
Mark turned around further, looking at Ferus. He was standing by the back door, his arms crossed, his short sword tucked away where Mark could not see it. He looked as though he had just tasted something very bitter. Deciding that Ferus would not likely disobey Caligo’s wishes, Mark stood and brushed off his stained jeans as he followed Lea into the house. The Ministry was around him at once, and although he did not see their weapons drawn, he had the distinct feeling that they were all ready to pounce on him at the slightest hint of violence. He was led up the stairs to one of the spare bedrooms. Lea turned around at the door.
“Our Lady’s orders are to speak with him alone,” she said, staring down the men that had followed.
“I’m not sure that is a wise idea,” Fremo said, still watching Mark for any sign of attack.
“Mistress is very weak and distressed,” Dens added.
“Those are her orders. Believe me, my brothers, even in her current state it would not be wise to disobey.” Lea glared at them until they resentfully tracked back down the stairs, and then she opened the door. “I will be waiting outside, my Lady.”
“Thank you, Lea.”
Mark’s heart skipped a beat from the softness of Caligo’s voice, and stepped inside. It was dark, the curtains pulled across the windows to deny the morning sun. Without thinking of the consequence, he went to one of the windows and drew back the curtain only slightly, enough to see Caligo lying on the bed. She pulled the sheet up higher over her bare chest with a bandaged hand. Her hair was a mess. She looked pale and ill. Mark slowly dropped himself into the chair that was at her bedside.
“It’s not as bad as it looks,” she said quietly.
“Yes, it is,” he rasped over the lump that grew quickly in his throat. Blood was starting to seep through the bandage over her left shoulder. “Did I really…”
“It’s not your fault, Mark,” Caligo said softly. “You lost control. I expected it to happen sooner or later.”
“I could have killed you,” his whispered, his chest tight. “It would have been just as you said, with Ultor… I could have killed you!”
“It was foolish of me to intervene,” she said, looking at the blood stains on his clothes, knowing some of it was her own. “If I had stayed back, I believe you would have returned to your normal self.”
“You can’t be sure of that…”
“No, I can’t.”
He stared at her bandaged hand for a long time. “Swear to me, Caligo… Swear that if it ever happens again, you will stop me, no matter what it takes…”
“Mark…”
He shook his head. “I killed that man. I’m a murderer.”
“Murder had been done in your name, my Lord,” she said firmly. “Wars have been fought over you. Last night was no different than what has gone on for many years now.”
He looked away. “It shouldn’t be that way.”
“But it is,” she said resolutely. “You must accept it.”
“I cannot accept what I’ve done to you.” Tenderly, he took her hand, leaning close as he looked into her blue eyes once more. “How could I have done this to you, when you mean so much to me…”
“You were not yourself, Mark. For a moment, you were the Lord of Darkness, and a very confused and angry Lord at that.”
“I don’t want to be the Lord of Darkness if it means I cannot love you.”
Caligo’s gaze became hard, and she pulled her hand away. “Don’t say that,” she whispered, her voice trembling.
“I can’t help it,” he murmured. “I love you.”
“You must not say that!” she hissed. “It cannot be, don’t you understand?”
“No, I don’t understand,” he said forcefully, his eyes narrowing. “What’s so wrong about being together?”
She blinked back sudden tears. “I don’t love you,” she said compellingly. “I hate you!” she whispered.
Mark leaned back in his seat, stung by the hissing words.
“Everything that has happened to me, to my family, is because of you!” she continued. “I have seen things no person should have to endure because of you!” Her gaze was more harsh and cold than he had ever seen. “You don’t know what it was like. I was so young, and while my friends talked about boys and had their daddies buy them expensive dresses, I was burning my mother’s body, trying to keep my father from falling apart, washing blood off my hands from the battlefield… Do you think that for one moment there was someone there for me? And what do you think we’re going back to? Do you think that we could just return to Darkside and live happily ever after? There will be war and there will be more bloodshed. You must be prepared for that.” An ugly sneer came across her face. “Else, we could just sit up here on the surface and have a grand old time, and let them all kill each other. How does that sound?” And without waiting for an answer she rolled over, turning her back to him.
Mark stood, trembling with anger. How could she say such things? How could she act like he didn’t care what happened to her or her people? He knew she was right, that there would be war whenever they returned. But he just wanted to be there for her. He didn’t want her to be alone for the war to come this time.
He didn’t want to be alone.
“We are leaving tomorrow… You are going to take me to Darkside…”
“Fine.”
He stared at her dark hair spread against the pillow, wanting to reach out and touch it… But he turned away, and went to the door.
________________________________________
“We should not be doing this,” Ferus muttered as he handed his bag up to Susurrus in the van. It was still dark, the morning sun not even peeking above the horizon. They would need an early start – it would take a whole day to reach Death Valley.
“We’re all on your side if you decide to mutiny,” his friend replied, although they both knew he wasn’t serious. Caligo may have lost her mind, but they were still bound by honor to follow any order she might give, even if it was suicidal.
Caligo emerged from the house with Lea, one arm held gingerly to her chest as she limped to the van. Ferus tried to help her into the passenger seat, but she smacked his offered hand away. Lea handed their packs to Susurrus, smiling at his suggestive wink as he took them and stowed them away in the back. Ignoring Caligo’s sour mood, Ferus grinned at them both while Susurrus climbed out to give Lea a hand up.
“You’ve been flirting together the whole time we’ve been here,” he observed. Lea blushed while Dens and Fremo chuckled from the backseat.
“Am I doing a good job? She hasn’t responded to my attentions,” Susurrus teased.
“That’s not what we saw in Atlanta, is it, Fremo?” Dens said cheerfully.
“Not at all! I recall Lea responding quite forcefully, and Susurrus, ah, rose to the occasion, didn’t he, Dens?”
Susurrus leaned over the seat and began to beat them as the brothers laughed loudly. Ferus wrapped an arm around Fallo’s shoulders as he approached the van. “And this little one has barely relaxed at all! What happened to your eye, Fallo?” Ferus asked.
“Oh… from the fight…” he replied quietly.
“I don’t remember that.”
“Must’ve swollen up overnight,” Fallo explained, quickly climbing into the van.
When Mark approached them, a bag slung over his shoulder, the laughing stopped and the grins turned to solid, stony expressions. It was quiet for a long moment, and Caligo refused to turn and look at him.
“Ferus, why don’t you come ride with me?” Mark said suddenly, sounding friendly.
“Pardon me, my Lord,” Ferus said. “The others don’t know how to drive.”
“Oh.” He stood there uncomfortably for a moment. “Lea, how about you?”
Now Caligo turned and looked quickly between Lea and Mark. Lea looked at Susurrus, who stared back at her.
“Please, I hate riding alone, and it’s a long drive to Death Valley…”
After a moment, Lea nodded. “Of course, my Lord,” she said, and got out of the van.
“Call me Mark,” he said as they went to his truck. “You lead the way, Ferus!” he called back.
Ferus glanced cautiously at Caligo as he got behind the wheel. She sunk lower into her seat, her chin resting on her good arm as she stared blankly out the window. Susurrus had a similar expression on his face. Turning the key in the ignition, Ferus stopped himself from sighing. This was going to be a very long drive.
________________________________________
“For the sake of my ancestors, will you pull this damned contraption over!” Caligo yelled abruptly. They had just passed Flagstaff, Arizona, and had been traveling for over eighteen hours. Although they were in the middle of nowhere, Ferus pulled the van to the side of the road and Caligo jumped out, wincing on her injured leg. Mark pulled up behind them as Caligo began to limp away from the van toward the setting sun.
“Caligo!” Mark called as he got out of his truck.
When she didn’t respond, he slammed the door and ran toward her as the Ministry began to gather at the van. They recognized this agitated mood and knew well to leave her alone. As he watched Mark catch up to her, Ferus shook his head.
“Caligo!” Mark repeated, grasping her sleeve.
“Let go of me!” she hissed, ripping her arm away.
“Get back in the van.”
She spun toward him. “Are you
ordering me?” He reached out to touch her again and she stepped back. “You are
not the Lord of Darkness! You will
not order me around and expect me to do your bidding!”
“Caligo, even if I
was the Lord of Darkness, I don’t think you would do what I ask,” he said coolly.
Cracking an unexpected smile, Caligo quickly turned away from him and took a few steps before falling down. Mark was instantly at her side to help her, and this time she didn’t push him away, grasping her injured leg as pain washed over her. After a moment she looked up at him seriously.
“I am still very weak, Mark. I’m exhausted and hungry, and so is my Ministry.” They glanced back at the group behind them. “Believe me, we will need our strength to return to Darkside. I don’t think it will be pretty when we get there.”
Reluctantly, Mark nodded. He had been so absorbed in his own thoughts that he had barely said two words to Lea the whole trip. “Alright. We’ll stop for the night. I guess I’m just so used to the road…”
“Thank you,” she whispered. Suddenly he felt very guilty, and became tense against the insistent urge to hold her. “Please… Will you bring Lea to me?”
Mark narrowed his eyes at the soft, desperate tone of Caligo’s voice. Then he looked down at her leg, and saw blood. Turning around, he called for Lea, and the whole Ministry came with her. They were quick, and soon Caligo was back in the van while Mark led the way to find a motel for the night.
Even as she winced in pain, Caligo grinned. “This will buy us some time.”
“My Lady?” Ferus asked with interest.
“I want one of you to rip apart his engine tonight, and make sure no one sees you. Might as well kick ours while you’re at it. I’m not about to let him go back before he’s ready.”
There was a collective sigh of relief among her Ministry. Apparently Caligo had regained her determination.
“You don’t think he will suspect you?” Ferus asked suspiciously.
“Please, Ferus… I have him wrapped around my little finger.”
________________________________________
The next morning, there was thunderous pounding on her door. Caligo woke, but Lea was at the door before she could even turn to see what was the matter. Mark was standing in the hall. He was livid.
“Where is she?” he demanded.
“My Lady is still resting,” Lea said unafraid.
Without hesitation, Mark pushed open the door and let himself into the room. Caligo sat up, startled by the bang of the door against the wall. Although she was only in her underclothes, she did not blush when she saw Mark approach her bed. He placed his hands on either side of her on the bed, leaning down into her face, making her press back against her pillow. She glanced over his tattoos before deciding it would be wise to look up into his green eyes.
“Do I need to tell you what happened to my truck last night?” he said dangerously.
She shrugged. “Do you?”
“I should warn you I’m not a man to play games with.”
“I thought you liked this game.”
They didn’t move, one icy glare piercing the other. And abruptly his lips were firmly against hers, and Caligo froze in shock. When she couldn’t bring herself to respond, he pulled away. The anger that had been in his eyes was replaced with anguished disappointment.
“This is it, isn’t it? I’m just a stray animal, and you’re just here to catch me.”
“Mark…” But he had already turned away, and was walking out the door.
Lea respectfully excused herself, and Caligo was left alone to dress. Her thoughts were in turmoil. Had he really kissed her? Had she been half asleep and dreamed it? Her chest was tight and Caligo desperately fought the need for tears. She knew that there was no place with him in her future. When she returned to Darkside, she would leave him and join her father, wherever he may be, and never leave his side again. Fautor was all she had left. Besides, Mark – no, no, Lord Undertaker – would have his own agenda once he was returned. Caligo didn’t know what it would take to restore the magick of her world, but surely it wasn’t something that happened overnight. Women of the highest class, scarcely covered in silk and jewels of the richest colors, would throw themselves proudly at his feet, and he would never give this scarred soldier a second thought… Except maybe to offer her some ridiculously valuable treasure in gratitude… Perhaps she could convince her father to retire… Her steps were light and careful on her injured leg as she approached her Ministry, gathered outside the dingy motel.
“Where is he?” she asked Ferus. He nodded to the small diner across the street, and she nodded. “Pay for our room. I’m not sure if we will be here another night.”
“Yes, my Lady.”
As she crossed the street, she was thankful that her Ministry stayed behind. Obviously, they wanted no part in whatever business was going on between her and Mark. Approaching the tiny building, Caligo looked both ways down the highway. The motel and the diner must have been the only two structures for miles, with only red dirt and clops of foliage surrounding them. She limped through the door and over to the booth where Mark was sitting, thoroughly ignoring her as he looked at a menu. Gingerly sliding into the seat across from him, she didn’t smile when the waitress came to get her drink order. When the waitress returned with a glass of juice, she asked if they were ready.
“Could you give us a few more minutes?” Caligo said.
“I’m ready, actually,” Mark said, laying down the menu, giving her a bold look.
“No, you’re not ready,” she replied, knowing that they were talking about more than what he wanted to eat.
As they stared at each other, the confused waitress offered a polite smile. “I think I’ll just check on you in a minute,” she said, and walked away quickly.
Caligo took a quick drink, keeping her eyes on his. “I told my Ministry to tear apart your engine.”
“And the one in the van, I noticed,” he said coldly.
“We can fight for as long as you want, Mark. Even if you manage to make it to the boundary, and I still have doubts, do not assume that I am so humble that I will not pull out my sword.”
Mark leaned forward. “And how will you even know when I’m ready? You’ve never even seen the Lord of Darkness before.”
“I think I saw a glimpse of him,” Caligo said, motioning with her bandaged hand. He looked away for only a second. “I was chosen for a reason.”
“You know, I’ve been thinking, Caligo,” Mark began. “How would they even know who to send anyway? Do they send the bravest? Do they send the wisest? Do they send the most powerful? Or is it someone the Lord of Darkness has already chosen? What do you think that would mean, if I had chosen you to come to the surface, and instead found Ultor? Do you think maybe that is why I returned to the surface?”
Caligo leaned forward too. “Well,
my Lord , your disappointment upon discovering my brother had come instead of me is a pretty damn good reason to go and cast a curse of destruction upon your people, isn’t it? To throw your precious chosen one into a world of chaos and doubt. You know, the Lord of Darkness could have just as easily accepted Ultor, followed him into Darkside, and found me there.”
As he was about to answer, the windows in the diner shattered. Caligo felt a sliver cut into her face, and after a few seconds she looked over at Mark. There were two tiny cuts on his cheek.
“Are you alright?” he asked.
Caligo nodded, and looked out the broken window beside them. She stood immediately when she saw Furor staring grimly at them from across the road. His Ministry had encircled her own, ready to kill at the single motion from their master, like a pack of dogs. As the other people in the diner tried to understand what had happened, Caligo grabbed Mark’s arm and pulled him up, leading him through the kitchen in a rush to the back door.
