Doom Upon All The World

Chapter 22: Bellamy

Pierre is doing fine, thank the Maker.

Mythalus' healing is doing wonders for him.  But still,  he's yet to open his eyes.  They can only hope that he'll sleep through the awful day to come when the sunrises tomorrow.  In fact everyone seems to be doing rather well considering the circumstances.  All except Mythalus, what with all the yelling, screaming, chirping, shouting, and berating being thrust on him by Claude.  

"Honestly, you couldn't have done a better job of ensuring his health? You are his lover after all."  Bellamy shakes his head as Claude yells, for the hundredth time, at Mythalus.  

"Claude,"  The Fereldan chimes in, brushing back his golden curls as  he stands from the edge of the bed.  "I believe that's how they ended up in this position."  He chides her, knowing all too well that her wrath can be cruel and unjust at times.  "Mythalus doesn't need you pointing out that it was his ability in bed that put his lover here."  The elf only shakes his head though as his magic tingles over Pierre's skin.  

The Antivan lady scratches at the back of her neck and Bellamy notices a sudden difference in her posture.  There's something he's not seeing, something she's not letting them see.  There's a dark bruise on her chest, like she'd fallen onto the corner of a desk.  He quickly corrects himself, realizing that this is not the case.  He is no stranger to how those marks are made.  As his eyes roam over her, he notices that this is not the only such mark.  

Claude has been busy.  

"I didn't intend to hurt him."  Mythalus defends himself but it's not the heartfelt, sorrow-ridden guilt that they were expecting.  No, this is a defense of his character, of his magic, not his love for Pierre, of which he has none.  

Claude rolls her eyes as she stands over him, her arms crossed, watching him work angrily.  "Oh, no.  Not at all.  You just wanted to use him for your little experiment, to test your strength."  She snarls at him.  But the son of the Dread Wolf is no stranger to snarls and growls alike.  He is the master of them.  So when his lips curl back, exposing his bared, wicked white teeth,  no one is surprised that they're armed to spit venom.  

"You want to talk about using people, do you?"  His face is right in front of hers.  Bellamy can feel the tension rise in the room, feel the anger and mana seethe off of Mythalus, like it moves with his emotions.  "How about we talk about the purpose behind your use of a certain someone very close to all of us?  Hmm?  What would you say if we talked about the activities the two of you have been engaging in to distract your wounded spirit from Anthony's rejection?  What defense would you have if we discussed how fragile and dependent you are on all of us, on the idea of a perfect, united front, that you crumble when a boy shatters your naive, jealous little heart?"  His head tilts to the side as his words cut er deeper than ever before.  

Bellamy doesn't have the words to stop him from yelling at her, from hurting her more than she already is.  

Mythalus' snarl grows into a sinister grin and he goes back to tending to the Montilyet boy.  Claude is still as a post in stale air.  Even as tears fall down her cheeks and pain lances through her veins, she stands there. 

Bellamy can only watch her.  Watch her cry and disintegrate into this wounded bird that, deep down, he knows she's always been.  Ever since her parents died.  

A knock at the door disrupts her tears and she goes to it, wiping the moisture from her face and eyes, smiling like it never happened.  Her face changes as she opens the door.  Bellamy finds Kieran in the doorway and immediately he knows.  He can see the tension between them, in them.  He knows what they've been up to.  And though it hurts him more than he should admit,  he grins at their guardian.  

Bellamy grew up to be good friends with Kieran.  Being the eldest among the children, that happened naturally.  seeing his best friend look at Claude like, like... Maker, he doesn't even know.  He nods respectful and Kieran does the same with a smile and a wave to Mythalus, peeking briefly at Pierre.  

"Lady Montilyet, might I get a moment of your time?"  Claude smiles her best and looks at him sideways, still in the doorway.  Bellamy doesn't miss the desirous glance Kieran throws at her lean body.  Nor does he miss the suggestion in Claude's voice when she says,  "Just a moment of it?"  She hides it well but not near as well as she thinks.  

Kieran chuckles and Claude steps out the door, looking back at Bellamy only once as Kieran's hand goes to her elbow.  Bellamy takes a moment to digest it all.  "She's sleeping with him.  With Kieran."  His eyes go to Mythalus, realizing that that's what he meant.  Mythalus looks at him with narrowed eyes, like he's stupid.  "Yes, of course."  He says it like he can't believe he didn't know and goes back to healing Pierre, allowing Bellamy to wallow in thought of Claude and his best friend together, wrapped in one another's embrace.