Indecipherable Looks

Epilogue

The Duke got up.

Even with that huge gash in his skull, blood oozing everywhere, he got up. Pools of red flowed from his mouth, eyes, and nose like an endless waterfall. He was a demon straight from hell, and when he lifted an oddly bent arm to point at her, Maxi knew she was going into that pit with him.

The ground shook violently beneath their feet, and she shuddered, involuntarily dropping the cane as goosebumps rose on her back. Maxi looked at Riftan, but his sights were set behind her, utter disbelief freezing him in place. Slowly, fear limiting her movements, she turned from her place on the floor. The sound of her heart beat echoed loudly in her ears.

The sight was harrowing; a dark pit of reds, blacks and purples, accompanied by a horrible stench that could only mean death and burning flesh. Screams of agony reached her ears the moment Maxi looked at it, dry heaving when she saw a grisly hand trying to claw its way out before being snatched back into the fire below.

She shrieked and tried to move back, but her legs would not work, and then suddenly two chains flew from the chaos below and strapped around her bony wrists. They immediately started to drag her towards the pit while she screamed bloody murder, tugging so hard against them that her skin tore and bled. But that was nothing compared to the pain she would surely endure once she was down there.

Maxi turned around in search of Riftan, but he was already running towards her, roaring and smashing his sword against the nearest chain. They both watched as the weapon crumbled into pieces, and then he was pulling on the metal himself, hands bleeding, pulling at her waist until she was at the edge.

She had to claw at his hands to get him to let go, lest he be dragged along. And she hated that would be his last memory of her, the last touch she gave him. But maybe it was fitting; she had caused him trouble from the beginning. It only made sense to end this way.

She screamed as she dropped into that eternal abyss, screamed as she saw him reach for her, getting further and further away until he was undeniably gone, screamed when she saw the ground coming up below her, the bodies writhing in neverending agony from their terrible fate, cried to get away when some reached their gnarled, burned hands to her so she could join them.

"Maxi, wake up!"

Everything was all black now, but she could see the light behind her eyelids. As the tension slowly left her, Maxi let her arms drop limply onto the bedspread. She thought sleep was supposed to be rejuvenating, while lately it'd been anything but.

She was scared to look around, but peeled her eyes open anyway at his coaxing. She could feel her heart beating erratically, cold sweat all over her body and face, not to mention she'd woken up crying with her throat sore, probably from screaming. The lamp on their bedside was lit, and Riftan was hovering above her with hands on her shaking shoulders, blatant worry in lines all over his face. With one shaky arm, she reached up to smooth some away as she caught her breath, finally able to speak.

"I'm sorry." He frowned, starting to help her sit up, propping pillows behind her back. She was glad for it, unable to trust her own body to hold her up.

"Don't say that. You know I never mind." When he leaned in to press warm kisses against her forehead, she knew it was true. The touch made her smile a little, even while she was still scared. Maxi found herself paranoid... when Riftan stepped away for only a moment to pour her a glass of water, she thought the floor might take the opportunity to swallow her whole.

But then he was back, making sure she drank and slipping back into bed with her. She welcomed the warm embrace, eagerly burrowing into his chest. Feeling his strong, dependent arms around her, Maxi wanted to fall back into a peaceful sleep with him- but fear kept her awake. She hated that after all this time, father still had a hold over her. It looked like even in death he was mocking her.

"Was it the same dream?" He spoke softly. Everything he did was soothing, but at the mention of it she bristled before relaxing again, trying to get closer to Riftan. He took that as a yes, kissing her on top of her head now, rubbing soothing circles into the skin under her nightgown as her heartrate finally decreased. She needed time to process everything, and he knowingly gave that to her, just being a steady rock for Maxi as they sat for awhile, holding tightly to each other.

The nightmares started not too long after the accident. Father was right about one thing: it really was easy to cause one.

Not that it wasn't completely nerve-wracking and didn't leave her questioning her own morals at times, even now, but Maxi did what she had to do. Riftan made it look more like the Duke had fallen before leaving town. He came alone, and he went alone- during which Maxi went back into her room and acted ignorant to everything. If those few servants suspected anything, they didn't speak up. In fact, hardly a soul glanced her way when the Duke was declared dead. No one was sad. Most people were indifferent, but there were some who praised God for good fortune.

They eloped before any of her nearest relatives could even begin to think of speaking for her. It was one of the greatest days of her life; she thought it would be her favorite day- but the more time she spent with Riftan, the more memories they made, and she could hardly choose between them. Still, when he pulled off her veil and kissed her in that wide open church, with the autumn sun shining upon them- it had to be way up there.

"That man will never hurt you again. If only I'd known, I would have done something, I would have taken you away from there!" His voice rose in anguish, and Maxi pulled back to look at his face. Clear guilt shone in his eyes when he looked at her, and she shook her head.

"You c-came back for me. That's all t-that matters now. I'm better." Riftan snorted as if his efforts didn't matter, but she thought of them all the time. She thought of the knight consumed by thoughts of a necklace, who paid poor farmers a large sum just for a tabby cat he disliked simply because he thought she might miss Daphne, who came all the way back just on the off chance she was being untruthful. That was the man she loved.

"I wasted time, and now you cry yourself awake." He avoided her gaze now, but she brought a hand to his cheek, drawing it back to her. There was certain regret and shame, a tiredness which he tried so hard to hide, but above all, that loving look which had first intrigued her.

"You w-were t-there at just the right time. It can't a-all be perfect, can it?" He searched her face for another moment before hanging his head, his arms tightening around her body. The way his hair dangled limply from his head seemed to mirror his body language. What could she do?

Well, words didn't seem to be working right now, so...

Maxi tried to make herself as big as possible, throwing her arms around him, just trying to hold Riftan like he did her. And then she pressed little kisses all over his face. He was laughing now, like he couldn't believe her.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Getting you to loosen up!" His head came up then, and Riftan raised an eyebrow. A hand crept under the blanket, wrapping around her thigh, and Maxi knew she was going completely red from it. She couldn't get used to that feeling.

"Loosen up, hm..." She pressed her lips together, looking away even as her own body wanted what he was quite willing to give her.

"That's n-not w-what-"

But Riftan laid her out on the soft bed, pressing against her, searching for the meaning in her words anyway. When he kissed her like that, held her and took Maxi to this feeling, this place beyond anything her imagination could procure, she felt such boundless happiness that she had become so enraptured by his look.