Another fanfic
I really can't believe I am posting this.. but please ignore.
This was written for wao_wao and kalen9. It stemmed from a very late night viewing of Kiss to The Flames, the kind which produces silly theories and half baked pairings.
Disclaimer: Um... I hold no responsibly over anyone that might hurt themselves after reading this crap.
Over history many battles, great and small, were fought for the love of a woman. Some disguised their intent with politics and hunger for power. Yet, it all boiled down to the simple fact it was for a sake of a woman. No matter how much Count Di Luna tried to justify it, he knew everything he had done had been for Leonora. And just as many men before him realized, it hadn't been worth it in the end.
He had everything... the Church and the lands surrounding him were under his rule. People respected him, adored him... but it brought him no sense of peace. The price he paid was too grand. The Count tried to forget Leonora and Manrico, but the guilt would seize him every time. He spent sleepless nights in the library trying to pinpoint the moment he went wrong. How could he have not known about him? Where did he go wrong with her?
This night was no different than any other night. The Count gave up any pretense of sleep and lit the candle by his bedside. He didn't bother to put on a robe as nobody would be awake. Not that he cared if his servents saw him in shirt sleeves. The library was a short walk from his bedroom in any case.
Once he reached his room he settled into the routine. Some sort of bottled spirits was procured and poured into a cup and set to one side. Tonight it was rum. The Count pulled out a book that contained all his father's written records of his brother's death and the old gypsy's supposed bewitchment. Di Luna didn't know what he expected, nothing of his father's handwriting would reveal more than what was written on the page. Not even Azucena would say anything of what truly came to pass. Not that it mattered. She somehow had escaped.
Frustrated yet again, Di Luna was ready to chuck the book out the window when he saw a shadow from the corner of his eye. He barely turned in time to grab the arm of his attacker. He disarmed the person quickly and then dragged him over to the fireplace. Surprise washed over him as he got a good look. It was a small gypsy girl. One that wasn't going to give up. Despite her slender build she was strong and fought against the Count's grasp. She kicked, screamed and scratched. Di Luna had to grab both her arms and pin them behind her back with one hand and hold her in a lock with the other to stop her from struggling. The girl was so slender that the Count's arms practically engulfed her. Di Luna couldn't help his bemusement.
"I should applaud you for being able to get this far, not many men survive past the gate," Di Luna hissed into the gypsy's ear.
"Being a woman has its perks," the gypsy girl replied and tried one last time to break free. Unsuccessful, she slumped against the count. "Just kill me already... I failed."
Di Luna raised a brow, "Failed..?" he said with confusion but it slowly dawned on him. "You are one of Manrico's band... aren't you?" At the mention of Manrico the gypsy girl started to flail again.
"You bastard! How dare you say his name! You deserve to rot for what you did to my family!" She started to kick and scream again but quickly dissolved into a fit of violent sobs. "You killed them all... Manrico... everyone and left us to fend alone..." She fell to the ground then. Di Luna had released her from the shock of the accusation.
He hadn't expected the extreme wave of guilt and pain that gripped his heart. It was one thing he blamed himself already... it was another to hear someone else remind him of how he had killed his brother. It didn't take him long to recover as at that moment his guards burst through the door. They filled the room and snatched up the girl at once. The guard captain waited for Di Luna to give his usual order. The Count didn't say a word. He just started at the gypsy girl.
If what she had said was right, he had just killed all the men of her band. Many of which were probably her relatives. His loss compared to hers was nothing. Di Luna never thought he'd feel pity for a wretched heathen like a gypsy. Then again he was no better himself.
"Just imprison her... she is from Manrico's band of gypsies. I can use her to find Azucena."
...To be continued.
This was written for wao_wao and kalen9. It stemmed from a very late night viewing of Kiss to The Flames, the kind which produces silly theories and half baked pairings.
Disclaimer: Um... I hold no responsibly over anyone that might hurt themselves after reading this crap.
Over history many battles, great and small, were fought for the love of a woman. Some disguised their intent with politics and hunger for power. Yet, it all boiled down to the simple fact it was for a sake of a woman. No matter how much Count Di Luna tried to justify it, he knew everything he had done had been for Leonora. And just as many men before him realized, it hadn't been worth it in the end.
He had everything... the Church and the lands surrounding him were under his rule. People respected him, adored him... but it brought him no sense of peace. The price he paid was too grand. The Count tried to forget Leonora and Manrico, but the guilt would seize him every time. He spent sleepless nights in the library trying to pinpoint the moment he went wrong. How could he have not known about him? Where did he go wrong with her?
This night was no different than any other night. The Count gave up any pretense of sleep and lit the candle by his bedside. He didn't bother to put on a robe as nobody would be awake. Not that he cared if his servents saw him in shirt sleeves. The library was a short walk from his bedroom in any case.
Once he reached his room he settled into the routine. Some sort of bottled spirits was procured and poured into a cup and set to one side. Tonight it was rum. The Count pulled out a book that contained all his father's written records of his brother's death and the old gypsy's supposed bewitchment. Di Luna didn't know what he expected, nothing of his father's handwriting would reveal more than what was written on the page. Not even Azucena would say anything of what truly came to pass. Not that it mattered. She somehow had escaped.
Frustrated yet again, Di Luna was ready to chuck the book out the window when he saw a shadow from the corner of his eye. He barely turned in time to grab the arm of his attacker. He disarmed the person quickly and then dragged him over to the fireplace. Surprise washed over him as he got a good look. It was a small gypsy girl. One that wasn't going to give up. Despite her slender build she was strong and fought against the Count's grasp. She kicked, screamed and scratched. Di Luna had to grab both her arms and pin them behind her back with one hand and hold her in a lock with the other to stop her from struggling. The girl was so slender that the Count's arms practically engulfed her. Di Luna couldn't help his bemusement.
"I should applaud you for being able to get this far, not many men survive past the gate," Di Luna hissed into the gypsy's ear.
"Being a woman has its perks," the gypsy girl replied and tried one last time to break free. Unsuccessful, she slumped against the count. "Just kill me already... I failed."
Di Luna raised a brow, "Failed..?" he said with confusion but it slowly dawned on him. "You are one of Manrico's band... aren't you?" At the mention of Manrico the gypsy girl started to flail again.
"You bastard! How dare you say his name! You deserve to rot for what you did to my family!" She started to kick and scream again but quickly dissolved into a fit of violent sobs. "You killed them all... Manrico... everyone and left us to fend alone..." She fell to the ground then. Di Luna had released her from the shock of the accusation.
He hadn't expected the extreme wave of guilt and pain that gripped his heart. It was one thing he blamed himself already... it was another to hear someone else remind him of how he had killed his brother. It didn't take him long to recover as at that moment his guards burst through the door. They filled the room and snatched up the girl at once. The guard captain waited for Di Luna to give his usual order. The Count didn't say a word. He just started at the gypsy girl.
If what she had said was right, he had just killed all the men of her band. Many of which were probably her relatives. His loss compared to hers was nothing. Di Luna never thought he'd feel pity for a wretched heathen like a gypsy. Then again he was no better himself.
"Just imprison her... she is from Manrico's band of gypsies. I can use her to find Azucena."
...To be continued.