No Turning Back

Chapter Fourty-Six: Her

"I should've just shot jou in zhe face", Primis blurted out.

Richtofen sat back down before shooting Primis a look of shock. But instead of a sarcastic retort he chose to remain silent. There were far more pressing matters at hand - and he was far too intrigued by Primis' display. Richtofen's eyes lit up as he savoured every subtle indication in Primis' body language. These signs confirmed that his theory was indeed correct.

"Jou like her, ja?" Richtofen slithered deviously.

"Shut up! Jou know nozhing about love! I am nozhing like jou!" Primis snapped.

Richtofen immediately threw up his hands as Primis settled back against the sofa.

"Jou are manipulating her und I don't like it. I vill - reluctantly - keep mein promise to her but jou cannot treat her like zhis", Primis growled.

Richtofen tried to analyse what Primis was really talking about when he made these accusations. Of course, Richtofen knew he was a deeply manipulative man. But what Primis seemed not to realise was that none of Richtofen's ploys ever worked on her. And that was what added to his fascination with her.

But then he also thought a bit deeper about Primis' words. Seeing the man before him sitting there in defeat with slumped shoulders made him finally realise. The corners of his mouth curled with a delightful grin as everything made sense. Richtofen was not the only one who was weak to her. And Primis was feeling jealous upon Richtofen's return.

"I vill protect her from jou. Und I vill not allow jou to taint her", Primis finally spoke.

Richtofen found his attention back on Primis as he looked up.

"Vhat exactly do jou zhink vill happen? Jou can just distract her long enough to carry out jour Grand Scheme?" Primis hissed.

"She vill never find it in her heart to kill jou.... but I can. Und I vill break mein promise to her if her life is in danger", Primis added with a threat.

"Never forget zhis..." Primis whispered.

Richtofen smirked as he sat back against the sofa. He greatly enjoyed this display of weakness which only seemed to make him feel better about his own.

"Jou know, Edvard. Jou could join me. --Oh, I can only begin to imagine zhe fantastic vork ve could achieve!" Richtofen smiled longingly.

"Stay avay from her", Primis growled.

Richtofen frowned at Primis' refusal to even acknowledge his offer.

"Leave her out of jour games!" Primis added.

"She is not like us--", Primis began before Richtofen scoffed.

"She is naive", Primis raised his voice.

"Jou have not seen zhis side of her like I have. She puts her guard up around jou. But can jou ever imagine zhe peacefulness in her face as she sleeps -- nestled beside me?" Primis began.

Suddenly, something clicked within Richtofen's mind. Ever since that day at Kino, his mind had been haunted by sporadic dreams of her. At first they began as disconnected fragments. Mere shards of a dream he could never piece together. He would dream dreams about laying there by a roaring fire as she lay against his chest.

These dreams were so vivid they felt like memories. Everything was shown to him through his eyes. But now Richtofen realised that these dreams were never his to begin with. Primis' vivid description had finally connected the dots. His mind was intertwined with Primis'. Sharing the same space in the same universe had caused their memories to mingle as each took on the other's as their own.