Date: Tue, 8 Oct 1996 17:01:35 -0700 From: Bonnie F Rutledge This one's been brewing somewhere since "A more Permanent Hell". ********SPOILER****** *SPOILER* If you haven't seen this episode, or "Ashes to Ashes" you may not want to read further. Thanks to my Dad,the original Jaguar-man, who Beta-read this for me, and valiantly argued on the phone--"He wouldn't say that!" He will be getting that Lacroix for Pres. T-shirt he's been hinting for. Standard Disclaimers Apply: The Characters of "Forever Knight" were created by Parriott, Cohen, et al. ************************************************************************ Blindness: Forays into Divia's Diary (1/4) by Bonnie Rutledge "O loss of sight, of thee I most complain! Blind among enemies, O worse than chains, Dungeon, or beggary, or decrepit age! Light, the prime work of God, to me is extinct, And all her various objects of delight Annulled, which might in part my grief have eased. Inferior to the vilest now become Of man or worm; the vilest here excel me, They creep,yet see; I, dark in light, exposed To daily fraud, contempt, abuse and wrong, Within doors, or without, still as a fool, In power of others, never in my own; Scarce half I seem to live, dead more than half." --John Milton, "Samson Agonistes" Entry One: I begin this chronicle as a means to exercise my writing skills. My beloved Father has provided me with a tutor in recent months, an incredible gift considering my mother's station. Seline, as always, disapproves of such encouragement and blessings from my Father. I expect that she cannot help her envy. Seline has never had any education, and therefore realizes how ignorant she is compared to my Father and me. Is it any wonder that I despise Seline? This hatred cannot be unreasonable. After all, she always examines me as if I was an unpleasant spot. She stares accusingly at my every word and action! She laments constantly with her sour mouth that I could have been of more consequence had I been a son. But she is nothing but the illiterate matron of a whorehouse, and cannot begin to comprehend the bond that I share with my father. My father and I are very similar. We can both be cruel, yet we are reasonable and intelligent. These qualities have served my Father well as a general of the Roman army, bringing him fortune and accolades. They have also been an asset to me. Although I am the apple of my Father's eye, not everyone is as respectful as they ought to be while he is on campaign. A case in point concerns a gift from my Father: a fantastic silvery-white robe, embroidered with our family seal in scarlet thread. It was my favorite, and I wore it proudly and often. The scarlet emblem, of course, proved my Father's acknowledgment. Seline differed bitterly, asserting the marl signified nothing but that I was under his protection. I ignored her claims, for as I hae remarked, Seline is incapable of grasping the relationship between Father and me. One day I was wearing the robe while working on my letters by the fountain. Seline entered, and as the day was hot, she ordered two servants to fan her with palms. This apparently did not satisfy her, for after a while Seline ordered some wine to be brought to her immediately. A third attendant rushed to comply. In her haste returning, she caught a foot on the mosaic floor, sending an entire flask of wine soaring in my direction. Splashes soiled my beloved gown, the dark red stains tainting the white fabric until I could not recognize where the scarlet stitching began or ended. I was furious and screeched in rage, but Seline did nothing but admonish me for wearing my special robe too often. Then leaving the room, Seline left me alone with the fan-girls and the offending servant. Being reasonable like my Father, I realized that it was not the servant herself that was at fault, but her loathsome and clumsy foot. Thus reasoned, the path my punishment would take became clear. Assuming an implacable expression that I had witnessed my Father employ before, I turned to the fan-girls. "Hold her. Do not let her move. Do not let her speak." When they did not hurry to follow my commands, I raised my voice ever-so-slightly and hissed, "Do it!" This time , the fan-girls scrambled to obey, grasping the servant firmly by pulling her arms behind her, and smothering her mouth with a hand. I did not believe that this would entirely silence the maid, so I proceeded to rip the hem of my ruined gown into a winding, blotched strip. "Because of you," I whispered to her, "This cherished gift from my Father is ruined. Ruined! What do you have to say to that?" Her eyes were panicked above the hand that muffled the pleading protests coming from her mouth. The fan-girls, by this time, were studiously looking away from the proceedings. I laughed. "But you cannot speak with that hand over your mouth, can you? Nor with this, I imagine." With that, I took the blemished fragment of my once-prized garment, and used it to bind her mouth more effectively. I an not as strong as my Father, so at this point, I searched the room for a heavy, blunt object appropriate to my designs. I found a cane, apparently abandoned the evening before by some guest of the house. It was quite weighty, molded entirely out of gold, and I hefted it in my hands eagerly. "You should not look so worried," I reprimanded the girl, who now frantically struggled with her captors."I am going to help you. From now on, it will be necessary for you to heed with care where you place your feet." I swung the cane with all the strength and fury I had within me, crashing it forcefully into her right ankle. With satisfaction, I heard the crack of bone, and saw that her foot now skewered abnormally. She choked and sputtered, for in her attempt to scream the servant had half-swallowed the cloth in her mouth. I ripped the material from her jaws, the rest of the robe from my back, and threw the material upon the three, now sobbing, girls huddled on the floor. "Get her out of here! Burn the robe, it is of no use to me now!" I cried vehemently. "And if you ever, ever cross me again, I will cleave out your tongues in front of a mirror so that you can experience my bliss at your blood!" Thereafter, the servants of the house were docile and respectful towards me, especially the girl who destroyed my robe. She now treads carefully with a pronounced limp. The gown soon became unimportant compared to the next gift from my Father: and ivory cameo of my profile. I wear my prize constantly. This time, I heard no comments from Seline belittling my present. She seems to avoid me now whenever possible, which I find to be agreeable since her frowning face is so unpleasant. End of Entry One End of Part One of Four *********************************************************************** Send thoughts of aggressive, pleasant, and neutral types to: br1035@ix.netcom.com Parts 2-4 will be posted by Sunday My interpretation of the story behind "Forever Knight"'s favorite daughter continues. *****SPOILER***** SPOILER: If you haven't seen "A More Permanent Hell" or "Ashes to Ashes" you may not want to read this fanfic. Or you may. Your choice. Thanks again to my dad for Beta-reading.( "My, that Divia IS an audacious girl.") Thanks also to Kathryn Long, whose portrayal of Divia inspires imagination. Standard Disclaimers Apply: The characters of "Forever Knight" were created by Parriott, Cohen, et al. ************************************************************************ Blindness: Forays into Divia's Diary (2/4) by Bonnie Rutledge "One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters." -17th Century English Proverb Entry Two: Father has been visiting for some months now and has commissioned a local sculptor, the finest to be found in Pompeii, to create a statue in his honor. My excitement has grown daily, and tonight the house holds a feast for the unveiling. To my fury, Seline forbids that I attend the banquet directly. She intends for me to molder away in my chambers, omitted from the festivities, privy to not a single glimmer of commotion! I could not bear to be completely banished, so I pretended to acquiesce to Seline's decision. This submission was not meek, for that would certainly have aroused suspicion of my motives. No, my protests were loud and bitter, but I finally gave in, just as Seline wanted. Once enough time has passed for the affair to be well under way, I shall slip downstairs and find a locale fit for spying on the proceedings. End of Entry Two. *********************************** Entry Three: Such events that have occurred this night! I found an alcove in the shadows suitable for observing the entertainment. Surely it was the gratest feast Pompeii has ever seen! I beheld streams of wine, dozens of delicacies, passionate songs and dancing, all in testament to my Father's glory. After some hours, Father called for the crowd to be silent, and brought the attention of the gathering unto the local artist. The sculptor, cheeks reddened with his libation and the fascination of the crowd, fawned nearby. Father meditatively contemplated his audience, then began to deliver a majestic oratory. "My friends, we gather here to celebrate my fortune. This succulent bounty and company can only be testimony to my advantages compared to the bankers of Pompeii, our artist friend here.--Or even perhaps a Senator or two?" With each comment, Father stared in challenge at the subject, causing a few of his guests to whiten."I suppose many of you would insist that I was blessed by the gods, and therein lies your error. I insist that what I have, I took. My position in the Army, victories in battle, this house," This garnered a glance at Seline,"I took them all, and I shall keep them. Therefore, I find it fitting that I take my immortality, crafted by my expert sculptor, and let it stand to remind you of all I possess while I am away." With these words, Father removed the shroud that was draped over his image. He had truly been immortalized, the smooth marble honed perfectly to reveal his features. Exclamations of admiration and wonder filled the chamber. Acclaim favored the sculptor as well, since many guests sought to reap the benefits of his future work. Celebration flourished until morning, as the revelers began to deflate from their gluttony the night before. I was dozing myself, until I awoke at the sound of a slight commotion between my Father and the sculptor. The artist was reluctantly escorted past my hiding place, and towards my Father's rooms. Silently, I trailed after them, straining to overhear. "I gather from your success tonight," my Father commenced,"that you have received several lucrative offers for your talents." I risked a glance around the doorway, and spotted my Father and the sculptor poised before the hearthstone. The combination of the firelight and early morning sun illuminated Father, giving him a demonic appearance, whereas shadows seemed to blot out the artist's features. "Yes. Yes, General." The sculptor answered eagerly."Thanks to your patronage, I see many profitable projects in my future." Father laughed a short, soft, secretive laugh."Would you say the value of a work of art is enhanced by being unique?" The artist agreed, somewhat reluctantly, I suspected."I suppose this is true." "Exactly. The essence of an object is augmented because it is peerless and irreplaceable. That is why I do not believe that you will be seeing any profits in the future. My monument will be without equal." I heard some agitation, as if some struggle were taking place. Apparently it was not much of a contest, for soon I heard the artist begging for mercy. I had almost lost interest in him when I detected a sizzle-crack sound, followed by the scent of burning flesh. Unable to resist, I eyed the scene once more, only to discover that Father had gouged both of the sculptor's eyes with a hot poker! It was fantastic: the holow sockets were rimmed with blood, too quickly covered by the shaking hands of the artist. Sensing that Father intended to return to the banquet hall, I dashed back to my rooms to avoid discovery. I now commit these memories to scroll, treasuring the moment I witnessed Father destroy the man who had immortalized him in art and cast him into wretched blindness. These events I shall savor over the long months Father is away. End of Entry Three. End of Part Two of Four. ************************************************************************ Send coffee, Lacroix bottled water, flames,questions, and comments to: br1035@ix.netcom.com I've made two typos per segment so far, so don't be surprised if you see I've typed 'booty' instead of 'beauty'. I just hope I don't type 'Divia's Dairy". Moo! ******SPOILER****** SPOILER: This is the continuing saga of Divia, and if you don't know who that is because you haven't seen "A More Permanent Hell" or "Ashes to Ashes", you might not want to read further. Standard Disclaimers Apply: The characters of "Forever Knight" were created by Parriott, Cohen, et al. ************************************************************************ Blindness: Forays into Divia's Diary (3/4) by Bonnie Rutledge "Immortal mortals, mortal immortals, one living the other's death and dying the other's life."--Heraclitis Entry Four: Tumult has overtaken the house. Some months after Father left on his campaign to Gaul, one of the whores, Nevis, was found to be pregnant. The monster claims that Father is the sire, and Seline, fool that she is, accepts this declaration as the truth. No prostitute shall succeed in passing their mewling offspring off as my sibling. I, the daughter of a general, will suffer no such comparisons! I will deal with Nevis' interference soon, and with finality. End of Entry Four. ************************************** Entry Five: Viperous, I scuttle back and forth, no one appearing to note the danger. I found a healer in town who would provide me with a poison, one he promised would cause Nevis to miscarry with a mild dose. I find, however, that mildness does not become me, and I seek to intoxify Nevis until she is wracked with devilish spasms. Nevis exhibits even less alertness than Seline, so accessing her room should be simple. I expect little trouble contaminating her food. The results will be so worthwhile! End of Entry Five: *********************************** Entry Six: Blanched and smelling, Nevis died after nine days of poisoning. I disposed of the bottle as soon as I heard the announcement. Seline showed little care for her fate, and no one dared to express suspicion at Nevis' convenient demise. The tumult has passed with my Father unaware of any events associated with Nevis or her pregnancy. Too soon, there was another cause for alarm. Only days had passed since the death of Nevis, when I began to fall ill. Perhaps I was not as cautious as I ought to have been with the draught. Mere handling of the toxin seems to have made me ill, possibly aggravating another condition. Nevertheless, I have been weakened, confined to my bed with malaise for over a month. Even Seline has fretted somewhat and sent a messenger to Gaul to notify Father of my grave condition. End of Entry Six. ********************************* Entry Seven: I had been afflicted longer than I could register, when the healer who had supplied me with the poison came. After a brief introduction to Seline, she seemed overwhelmed at the visit and quickly escorted him to examine me. The healer wore a deep brown cloak, with a hood pulled up, hiding his features. He held a wooden staff, apparently a walking stick. This crutch and the cloak combined to give him an elderly appearance. I would not have recognized the healer, remembered him, had it not been for his voice, firm and melodious, as he instructed Seline,"You may leave us. Do not seek out your daughter until she is healed. She will come to you. Until then she is of no concern. Do not disturb us." At the time, I was surprised at her acquiescence. Though hostess of a brothel, she was often quick to sneer at what she deemed immorality. Once we were alone, the healer lowered his hood, revealing rich, golden embroidery opposite the homely exterior. He was not aged as I had suspected. His complexion and hair were dark, the angle of his jaw sharp, and his expression contemplative. He was contemplating me, and apparently was intrigued by what he saw. "I thought it interesting that someone so young would be seeking a poison so destructive, hence my willingness to give it to you," began the healer. "I certainly expected you to do something more imaginative with death than give it to yourself." Even in my condition, I had the spirit to scoff at that suggestion. "Hah! If you believe this infirmity was my intent, give me another bottle of the concoction! I shall show you what accidents can befall an imbecile such as yourself!" A sly smile blossomed on the healer's countenance. "So you did have a mischievous intent. I knew it! Who was the victim?" I glared at the man. "Why should I tell you anything?" His voice became hypnotic; his eyes were swirled and smoky. "Because you want to." At that moment I did. Eagerly, I related the whole of events concerning the demise of Nevis, fiendishly recalling each moment of suffering she endured. I also bemoaned my ensuing illness with great malcontent. When finished, the healer's gaze burned into me. I thought I detected desire and fascination in them, and unwillingly I shivered. The healer approached my bed, and enveloped my face in his hands. His eyes now appeared golden rather than brown. Softly, he murmured to me, each word echoing in my head a thousand times. "I have never seen evil so pure in someone so young. Look at me." I had tried to glance away, but at his command, I was desperate for his gaze again. "You will be dead within a week if I leave. The majority of destruction has taken place already." At this, I shook my head in distress. I could not die! "Do not fret, my awful child," he soothed. "I can make you immortal, just as I am. I want to grant you the power of death over anyone you choose, and for yourself, life eternal." A second passed. No more than that. Then a smile, full of welcome, victory, and joy spread across my face. "Yes!" I whispered. I felt the puncture of my throat, felt everything seep away, like water to dry earth. Then I felt the blood on my tongue. The world blossomed again, and I felt everything that was possible. Images flew through my mind, all of the healer. From when he experienced his own living death, to the taste of my diseased blood, I knew it all in that instant. But the details all flew away, and I was left with nothing save the ecstasy. As my awareness dimmed once more, a single thought seared my mind, paean and triumphant. Burn out his eyes...Burn out his eyes...Burn out his eyes... End of Entry Seven ************************************************************************ This is my favorite part of the four. Hope you enjoyed it. If you didn't spot any typos, send me a virtual cheer! (Oh yeah, and that word in the next to last sentence is really supposed to be 'paean', not 'pagan'.) Send comments, questions, and pumpkin seeds to: br1035@ix.netcom.com Last segment! Hope you enjoy! *******SPOILER******* SPOILER-- If you haven't seen "A More Permanent Hell" or "Ashes to Ashes", you might not want to read further. Standard Disclaimers Apply: The characters of the series "Forever Knight" were created by Parriott, Cohen, et al. ************************************************************************ Blindness: Forays into Divia's Diary (4/4) by Bonnie Rutledge "He that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death."--Hebrew Bible, Exodus 21:17 Entry Eight: Hunger awoke me. No longer in my rooms at Pompeii, I appeared to be in a temple, painted and golden. Three crypts occupied the floor, and the figures on the walls, part man, part animal, looked Egyptian. I spotted the healer's staff on the floor, but he was absent. My inspection was interrupted as the hunger clawed again at my viscera and my thoughts. I wanted blood. I needed it. The healer entered the temple chamber, and I gazed at him expectantly. "I crave more blood." He smiled at me, pleased. "Not even a question as to where we are? What has happened? Initiates are so often too disoriented to think of their appetites right away, despite the need. Usually there are questions." "Very well, two questions: Why did you bring me here? Why did we not stay at the house? There were plenty of victims, throats awaiting us. This place is vacant!" "I brought you to my birthplace for education, to my home. There is knowledge you need about your new state to protect yourself. I understand your cravings. I, myself, am weakened and famished from drinking your poisoned blood." This item aroused my interest. "My sickness was transferred to you?" The healer waved this thought away. "Only until I feed again and replenish. I spent the remainder of the night flying here. Yes, vampires have the ability to fly." He added at my amazement."Traveling right away was perhaps not the wisest course in my condition. We have been closeted here due to the daylight, but the sun has now set. You will find the sun is our greatest enemy--we are like fire and parchment. There are symbols that have power as well." He gestured to the center crypt."Such as this seal of the sun god, Re-Atum. Touch it, and your flesh will scorch. The healer continued in this vein for some time, but I grew restless. As he paused I suggested, "You look unwell. Let us feed and return to Pompeii. I have unfinished business there." The healer frowned at my idea. "You will not be returning to Pompeii. Do you not understand? I am Karah! Your master, your sire. Your mortal life is of no consequence anymore." "I must see my Father," I insisted. "Enough! I have been a vampire since before this valley was built. Thousands of years! I was among the first. The experiences I will show you shall eclipse any feelings you have toward your mortal family. They have no place in our world." I closed my eyes to blot out the sight of him. He was calling Father insignificant! I would not tolerate this absolutism. "Burn out his eyes..." my mind suddenly raged. The hunger was everywhere, intertwined with thoughts of Father and the burning, aching demand. Looking about again, I focused on the staff on the floor. Karah was oblivious. Consumed with his passionate speech, he raved on. "You will follow me. Our evil will become one force--I will guide you in all things." Karah had stormed about in his frenzy. I sidled next to him, noting just how different his complexion was now compared to the night before. Then, he had just been pale. Now his flesh was chalky and grey. I wondered just what effects my blood had caused to his tissues. In the end it did not matter. I knew that I would never tolerate domination. I would be reunited with my Father. Karah would be the insignificant one. Innocently placing a hand on his shoulder, I spoke softly to Karah. "You must be my true father. You granted me the power of death over anyone I chose, did you not?" He smiled and covered my hand with his own. "I did. The power of death and life eternal. Yours to choose." "Then I choose...you." I moved lightening-fast, empowered by my anger and hatred. He had gifted me with immortality, but he would not own me. With every shred of my newfound strength, I lunged forward, lancing him through the heart with his staff. Karah's eyes yellowed and bulged in surprise and disbelief. He flailed, grabbed at me, but my blow had been on target. He fell as smoke began to wisp from his body. Fevered and famished, I bent his head sideways to feed. He struggled, and I lost my hold. We rolled across the floor in combat, but the disease and the stake tooktheir toll on his power. My ferocity and hunger shadowed his protests. I gorged myself on his blood, noting its sour taste, so different from the night before. Again, the images and rhapsody took over, quenching my thirst. I felt the power of a five-thousand year old vampire soak into my every pore. When Karah's body was dry, I took no chances. Dragging him behind me and out into the night, I went in search of pure blood. I had to travel some ways before I found new victims to feast upon. By the time I returned to the temple of Re-Atum, the first traces of sunrise licked the sky. Dropping Karah's still silent form outside, I left him to be scorched by the rays while I slumbered within stone walls. The sunlight did not entirely decimate Karah's body, evidently a testament to his age. In case his destruction was not complete, I carefully placed his blackened husk in the tomb with the seal of the sun god. I have burnt out his eyes. He will never grant immortality again. End of Entry Eight. ********************************** Entry Nine: I have returned to Pompeii. Covering my absence was simple. I find that I can merely suggest my will and have it obeyed. As far as Seline is concerned, I rose from my sickbed the night after the healer took his leave. I realize she has her suspicions, but she dares not to question me to my face. I have been biding my time here, waiting for Father. Each night I suckle on the citizens wandering the alleys of Pompeii, reddening my lips on their flesh. This existence agrees with me; the power and delight I experience with each dusk is fantastic. Longingly, I await the moment when I can share this gift with Father. Seline shall decay and pass away; killing her directly is no longer worth the effort. Father and I shall be bonded eternally, reciprocal sires, equals. He has always been in my thoughts, but nothing will ever keep him from my sight or my touch again. End of Entry Nine. End of Part Four of Four. ************************************************************************ We all know what happens next: Divia doesn't exactly gets her heart's desire, but eventually she acquires some very cool black boots. Win some, lose some. I thought the quote I used at the beginning of this section was pretty symbolic of her fate. You might have also noticed that I made Divia's first kill her vampire sire, like I suggested was possible on spoilers. Some question how Divia could possibly do that physically, and I hope I provided a logical scheme of events. Send questions, comments, virtual copies of "Oedipus Rex" to: br1035@ix.netcom.com I'm starting work on another fanfic, one concerning the aftermath of "Last Knight" ( As if you haven't read enough of those already.) Keep aneye out for it. Send question comments