Rituals, Regrets, and Really Dumb People

Chapter 3: Emotional Movies are Trite Trash, but I Kind of Want More, Part 1

"Baby, please don't do this."

I'd been begging to Meredith from our bedroom all the way down to the courtyard. I chased her after She tried to comfort me; it didn't work on me. My cultists and servants got to watch me begging and pleading with her, but they were smart about it and kept out of my affairs. She had her stuff packed—one bag of clothing and some other such—and was making her way to leave, but I didn't want that.

"Get the hel in there and leave me alone, Sanguine," she said before trying to talk to one of my cultists. She was looking for a driver.

"Baby, please. We just have that monster truck; it's for cult business only." Hope she didn't call my bluff.

"I'll walk then."

Damnit.

"Meredith, I didn't think you'd take the news like you have," I said. "I thought you, above any and all, would be the happiest for the news!"

She turned her head to look at me and gave me a soured face. "You thought wrong."

"I need some time to think, that's all!"

"Well, here's where I say we need time apart. I need to 'explore my options,' as they say."

My jaw dropped and I was left standing there in shock. I did not know how to react to such a comment. How heartless could she be? How heartless have I been? Punishment begets punishment.

She turned fully to face me and gave me a sad expression when she saw my reaction. She softened up, reached to my jaw and pushed my mouth shut for me. "Sanguine, look at you. You really are hurt by all of this, aren't you?"

"Yes," I said. "I don't want to let you go. I wanted to go through this with you. I thought—at least—I had you."

"Again, you thought wrong." She smacked me lightly, turned to the gate and began walking away once more. "What are you going to do, hold me against my will? If you were Sanguine, you would, but here you are, begging me instead."

I followed behind her, my pace matching her own in a rushed speed walk. "Doesn't that show that I care? That I want this to work out? I don't want to force you to love me, but for you to sincerely feel it in turn."

She laughed, her shoulders bouncing. "Yeah, well, that's not how it works. You talk like a boy. You're weak, you have no hold on me. I loved that about you, your ironclad control. It made my stomach flutter. Now you're like a simpering puppy. 'Please don't go, please don't go!' Well, stop me then."

I stopped at the gate as she continued to walk away. The Darkness and the Radiant suddenly teleported in on either side of me, watching Meredith walk away with her bag. I stood and watched her go away, watched her disappear into the rain, down to the village below. I stood there in my silence and I took in her words. I was conflicted about my feelings. Wasn't I doing right by giving her the choice? Then why was my stomach cramping?

"Let her go," He said, watching Meredith disappear into the distance.

"She isn't worth the chase," She said in turn.

"I'm mad," I said in frustration to the two, my hands held out and my fingers wanting to wrap around a neck, any neck. I wanted to strangle someone just to get this anger out of me. "I want to grab her again and keep her here, but it feels wrong."

"It is wrong," He said somberly.

"Yes, it is wrong," She chirped happily, encouraging it almost.

"I—don't want it to have to be this way. Why did that priestess have to curse me?" I asked, my frustration turned at my predicament. "I was a villain; my life was going good. At least I had Meredith!"