A Melody of Madness

With breakfast in hand, I made my way to Castor’s room. Not to play favorites, I’d also left one near where Aiden slept.

With a single push of hand to door, it had opened, revealing the obvious carnal debauchery which had taken place sometime during the night. He was asleep in a tangle of covers, the room overly hot and smelling.. sex, wine and oddly, chocolate cake. Steps stilled mid way through the room, the tray pushed to a table, this freeing me to open a window. "I see you've made yourself right at home." I was moving around the room, mostly to check for any dead females he might have left behind. "Who's the woman?" I had wanted to say whore, but had refrained.

Not that it would have mattered. He was out cold, dead to the world around him. Did men always sleep so soundly after sex? I wondered who I could ask. Pillow was pulled from the floor, one that had obviously fallen during the lover's tryst, this tossed at his head. Why I was suddenly feeling the sharp fangs of jealousy, I wasn't sure. "Castor, wake up, I brought you breakfast. It appears I missed the party."

When the pillow had hit him he jumped out of from the furs as if his couch was on fire, a blade in his hand. I stumbled backwards, chastising myself for not realizing he probably slept with steel. Moody gaze swept over me, recognition settling in, the knife set to the table before he turned into the bathroom.

I should probably have made my stay short, leave while I still had a strip of my pride left, but then, I was becoming a sucker for punishment. Especially his. I had watched him escape into the adjoining room, this giving me time to rearrange his breakfast and make it .. pretty. I’d even decorated his plate with a flower.

He returned, examining the food I had brought, then did the unexpected. He slapped me, hard enough to knock me to the floor. "Thank you for the breakfast it smells delicious."

My hand had immediately lifted to my face, doe like eyes looking up at him in bewilderment. Was that is way of thanking me? Someone needed a lesson in etiquette.

When he had helped me to rise, I pushed at his chest in an effort to back away. "Enjoy your breakfast." I turned, realizing I had made a mistake in coming. Maybe Aiden would be more susceptible to my charms.

But he wasn’t going to let me leave. "You disobeyed me, what did you think was going to happen?" I was dragged into the bathroom where he pressed a cool cloth against my cheek.

"Disobeyed you? But I only just got here. And if you don't want people to enter your room.. unannounced, perhaps you should lock the door. Or at least fully close it."

"You were told that for the remainder of the hand you were to strip down naked find yourself down on the floor as you were the other day. You did not do that. Do you feel that you do not have to listen to me? If that is true.. you are wrong. So when your cheek is cool. I will be in the other room eating the wonderful breakfast you prepared me, waiting for you to do what you are supposed to."

I continued to stand there, long after he had left me, the cloth still pressed to my cheek. Bastard! At last the cloth was slammed into the silk, inspecting the redness of my face. I turned away from the mirror and began unfastening the gown. Bare and open to his view, just as he commanded. Ihns later, I was even kneeling at his feet, the submissive deity that denied him nothing. Almost nothing.

"So what did you do after you left me, last night?"

I thought the better question would be, what did he do? "I went to my room and read. Alone." I bit my tongue, not wanting to give him the pleasure of gloating over the fact that I was.. if even the smallest amount, jealous.

"You belong to me. I don't need you to offer, I can just take you."

Things often get out of hand with us, and today would be no different. Even though I know he could take me, without my consent, I trust that he will not. But this time the game of wills was far too close. Today he seemed to be playing for keeps. When I disobeyed him again, I found madness in the man who I coveted, who coveted what I would not offer.

"I've decided that I am not going to keep my promise."

Words that made my blood run cold, and for an ihn, my heart ceased to beat.

"No, please." Whispered cry succumbed to a thousand pleading voices in my head, all calling out for retribution. I didn't move, I didn't dare, the misery of a million burning universes mine to bear. "Stop, you have to stop!" The melody of madness that played inside my head was deafening, so much so I covered my ears from outside sources. Warnings spiked and screamed, my eyes squeezing together so tightly, not even tears could find fault in which to slip free.

He laughed and pulled away while I laid there; half choked sobs heard. I was trying to pull away from him, confusion colliding with sense. "I.. I have to go." The stakes of the game had changed with one single move.

To my surprise he released me, telling me to get dressed and bring Helix to him. I do at times, hate the beast that resides in the shell of the man I admire.

Beyond the fragile layer of despair walked a woman on the edge.

I tried to tame the tangled mess of auburn with my fingers as I walked the hall to Helix’s room, hoping to hide the visible dullness of my appearance. One deep breath was inhaled before I knocked on his door.

"Castor is.. requesting your presence He's taken residence on the third floor." I had refrained from adding the entire third floor. All the better to trap his prey.

Honor and shame, two sides of the same coin, quickly learned and memorized. A maelstrom of material clashed and hissed as I turned back towards the steps, leading the way to the devil's own den. "You're finding your accommodations to you liking?" Small talk, I’ve always hated it.

A moment of repose, the affirmation of my current situation diluted with touchable fear. I stood at Castor’s door, knocking once before entering, then quickly stepping to the side once I’d crossed the threshold. My duty was now complete.

Castor turned to face us. "I waited for over 3 ehn.. I abhor waiting.. make that the last time I wait for you. I am in no mood for games so I am going to cut to the catch, hmm?" He spared me a look before attention refocused on Helix. "If you look down at the table beside your right hand you'll find a directive from the high initiate Malcolm Phelps to me. In that directive you will find a list of 25 Arian men who I am to capture and kill, each and every one of you bastard sons of Initiates and drag your carcasses to the Great wall where you are to be hung. They will call you traitors. Come here, Helix.. Stand at this window." He had even stepped aside to give the boy room. "If you look out to the East you be able to see the men there. Count them.. I am one short."

And so the ruse continued, ever diligent in the lies it produced. I had pushed the door closed shutting out the world, though not the window that would ultimately lead to it. I was unsure if I should stay or go, not wishing to raise his ire further by doing either without permission. So I simply stood, the curve of my back pushed against the wall behind me. The air was heavy with frisson, unclaimed emotions emanating from both men and I was finding uneasy rest in the mere task of breathing. There was a tightness in my chest at Phelp's name, the same man that had that had ordered me into question, a visible shadow crawling over my features when hearing the task at hand. Even I peered out the window, able to see only the silhouettes of the small gaunt frames from my point of vision. I would do well to remember the beast that had stepped aside, and oh, how I wanted too! But too, I knew that soon it wouldn't make any difference. How long did young Helix have to live?

"You make a strong point, but you could have killed me last night and those men out there have been rotting for... days? What is it you want me for? What job?"

I had to admire the boy. Though young in years, he learned quickly. I could see why Castor wanted him.

"Very Good Helix, Very good indeed.. Have a seat son. You as well Astraea." We all took a seat. "There are only two people who know the information I am going to give you. You will make the third.. I will skin you alive and feed you the flesh if you repeat it before my death. My name... is Kane Valerian. I am the third man to carry the name Castor Minos.. and you will be the fourth if I have my way."

Deviant disasters, those devils so divided in their deformation of another man's soul. The rapture of greed and power seeped beyond the hold of white robes, fealty offered to none. And they called me a witch. At least I didn't practice behind locked doors, hiding away from the bright light of justice. Carefully, I watched the boy's expression for signs of mutiny. It wasn't as if he had a choice. Or at least a good choice.

[scene in progress]