Carol Of The Bells

Graced a Rosy Briar

It was the end. Richarde sat dismally in his holding cell, his head in his hands. Where did he go wrong? Was God punishing him for something? He shook his head at the thought. It just didn't seem fair.

"Richarde!" A voice cut through his thoughts. He looked up to the small window in the door and found a pair of solid green eyes smiling at him.

"Koriandre!" He cried joyously. He heard some tinkering and the door opened. "How did you get in here? How did you get the key?"

"I dressed in my Releaser outfit, they where too afraid to stop me."

He smiled. "Finally that job of yours comes in handy."

She took his hand. "We must leave. They will become suspicious if we stay too long."

He nodded.

Outside, Garfield, Raven, and Victor waited. Richarde's belongings sat at their feet. Their faces were grim.

"Guys? What's going on? What's with the long face?"

Garfield step forward. "You and I have to leave."

"What?"

"Slaed is putting an act in place tomorrow. He calls it 'L'épuration de Paris'" Kori said sadly.

"The cleansing of Paris..."

"Precisely. He did not give me details but he said the streets would be rid of the filth that liters them...including the people."

"So he's pretty much clearing out all the homeless and street performers."

"What will he do with them?" Richarde asked.

"Knowing Slaed..." Victor spoke up, "nothing good."

"Then we need to warn the others!"

Raven touched his arm. "We'll handle that. You and Gar need to get out of the city immediately."

Richarde nodded in understanding. "Alright...Kori..." He turned to her with a hopeful smile. "Why don't you come with us? Be free from Slaed, and never have to use your powers again. I have plenty of money saved! W-we could get married, you and I, and go to Austria. We can spend our days basking in the sun in fields of Edelweiss. It looks like snow, and the whole countryside will look so pure. We can live in a villa on the river and-and Garfield and Raven and Victor can live with us! Like one big family! You'll never cry a tear of sorrow again! Please Kori...come with us."

Kori was overjoyed. He had just laid out the perfect life for her. Spending the rest of her days by his side, content and free. But the dream came crashing down as she looked over to Garfield. She had no doubt that Richarde would give her everything she ever wanted, but it wasn't right. He had spent his life saving money to travel the world. She couldn't take his dream away.

"I cannot." She said simply.

He was baffled, but wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. "But...I love you."

"But I do not love you." She lied.

He stared at her wide eyed as she stepped out of his embrace. "What? But-...I thought-..." His mind was reeling.

I do not love you...

Tears stung at his eyes and his heart caught in his throat. Ten years, ten years of pining after her. Ten years of watching, waiting, dreaming, longing...all shot to hell. A small moan made its way off his lips.

"Richarde...please do not cry..."

A silken tear slipped down his cheek. "But I love you," he whispered again. He felt weak, childish. His heart ached and groaned. He clenched his fists and shut his eyes tight to hold everything back.