Hidden mischief (book two of the mischief series) *completed*

Chapter 42: revealance

Celestes pov****

"If you would have wanted to kill me you would have done it a long time ago... You don't have the heart Arithen." He stopped and stared at me.

"There's something else isn't there?" He stared, his eyes void of all emotion. "You wanted me to only remember my parents death and seeing you. But you left out something else. Why? What was it?" Arithen made no motion to move but held his sword right at my belly. "Why do you continue to use my parents death as a distraction. As a way to force me to hate you?"

Arithen lowered his sword but continued to stare at me.

"That night in the alleyway.. With those men and a gun. You weren't with them were you? You weren't trying to kill me that day were you?"

Nothing. No sound, no movement, no slight flicker of emotion. Nothing.

I sat up weakly, ignoring the pain in my sides and struggling to calm my breathing."All my life, all my life you were forcing hatred into me. All my life you-you refused to kill me. But you also refused to leave me. You stayed in the shadows, watching me. Why?"

The wind blew around us, however he refused to budge. "What did I do that night that made you change your mind about killing me?"

Arithen sighed and then looked away. "You did the one thing only one person I knew died doing." He sat on the large stone as I relaxed and moved to stand next to him. " Saramina. That was her name. Hair golden like the sun, eyes wild like the sea, her beauty surpassed even that of the great Serena herself. She saw the monster I was but refused to scream and beg for mercy."

I smiled, "she was your lover." He chuckled, "love.... Such an odd emotion.. Full of pain and misery...her and a little jewel were my most prized possessions."

I blinked. So he had a kid.. Why then if he had a family why continue to hunt us down like prey?

"What happened?"

His grip tightened on the sword but he continued to look into the distance, "they found out. Roxanne had seen us together and tried to get me to kill them myself. Seeing as I wouldn't she did it herself. The girl was never seen again and Saramina was slain in front of him. And I did nothing but watch."

I bit my lip and dared to place my hand on his arm. Causing him to look at me, allowing me to see the hidden pain in him.

"What happened the day you killed my parents?"

It felt like ages before he responded, "I was enraged. Filled with loathing towards your mother. If she wouldn't have been born your aunts, my actual sisters. The ones born with erebos' blood just as I was, wouldn't have had the choice I never had. The privilege of choosing which side you were on wether it be a monster like me or human like them. After Saramina's and my daughter's death I went after your mother. That night you saw me kill them but you didn't run.. You didn't hide.. You hugged my leg and said 'I forgive you'. "

I blinked and looked down. Yes. He's right.. I said that. I also remember his expression when I said it. I remember seeing pain, remorse, hatred, and finally, hope.

"I'm so sorry..."

He chuckled, "I'm still going to kill you Celeste this changes nothing."

"That's not true. You won't kill me. You had thousands of chances but you never did. Instead you chose to protect me. You chose to keep me alive for one specific reason." Arithen laughed and grinned at me, "then do tell principessa! What reason did I let you live if not for the sheer delight of killing you much later after you've experienced life?"

"I look like her don't I?"

This caught him off guard and caused him to stare at me.

"What was her name?"

He made no motion to answer whatsoever. Instead he continued to stare. The sun was beginning to set, it's final rays shining through the field and on our skin. Light that shone in his eyes, allowing me to see something I hadn't noticed before.

A deep painful sadness engraved itself in them. I ignored my instinct of running and threw myself in a hug. I heard him gasp, but he did no motion to move me or hug me back. He then chuckled.

"Stay clear of red gems, and go south when the sun and the moon meet in either sunset or sunrise until you see a tear in the fabric of space. Cross it and there you'll find the eclipse's secret. If you obtain that then maybe, just maybe, you and your child will have a chance to live. Take the information I gave you and share it with no one." With that he stood up and I smirked. "How do I know I can trust you?"

He laughed, "don't. You'll live longer. " He looked at me and I smiled at him, "you said south am I right?"

He shook his head chuckling, "you're a stubborn one Celeste.."

I snorted, "please uncle! If you really had been watching me my whole life you would have...." I looked around and noticed he was nowhere to be seen, in his place rested a simple violet rose. "Or you could just leave me alone no biggie.." I sighed and picked up the rose. I smiled, he couldn't fool me. "You're not a monster you know... You're not like your sister. You felt love. You had mercy, compassion, you are not the monster you say you are. Saramina proved it and your daughter was living proof of it." I heard a chuckle, "I will keep your secret from my sister. No more and no less. I will not stop her if she finds you."

I smiled and smelled the rose. "By the way you never told me her name!"

Nothing.

No response. I huffed. Looks like I'm not going to be able to be fully friends with him yet. I walked over to where my horse was and mounted it. I'm planning on making this journey but I'll have to gather things and sneak out tonight. If news of this goes around then Ganon will have the security tripled and it will be harder for me to leave.

Wait...

Damn it he never told me how far south I needed to go...

I sighed. I'll let fate play itself and see how things work out tonight. I winced, I looked at my side and saw a small tear in my dress that was stained red. I don't remember Arithen stabbing me so I guessed it was when I fell off the horse.

"Come on rebel let's go back home.."

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A/n

Vaati: I fucking love you yes!

I didn't do this for you Vaati -_-

Vaati: I really like the song by the way. It makes the atmosphere sad.

What kind of-

Vaati: shhhh get working on the next chapter pronto I want to know what happens with her. By the way who's the voice in her mind?

Not telling

Vaati: damn