Awakened

Alive

       Katerinia sat frozen in her spot. The piercing eyes staring into her soul. Her breath hitched. Had so forgotten to breathe? "Hello, love." He had a small smile on his face; dressed in modern wizard robes. She sucked in a deep breath and narrowing her eyes. 

     Katerinia stood up slowly, keeping her eyes on him. He should be dead, right? People can't come back from the dead. At least they're not supposed to. He did look older...had he died? And when?? Her hand reached behind her to the back pocket of her jeans, where her wand was and gripped the base. 

      "Oh don't be like that Katerinia. I must say, seeing you without all that dress certainly is a pleasant addition to this time," Stefan walked towards her and she took an equal amount of steps back. Her gaze still trained on him, and icy glare. "Katerinia, come here. I've missed you."

     She shook her head tightly, "No. H-how are you alive? You should be dead!" Katerinia blinked quickly, clenching her teeth together. Stefan chuckled and smirked. 

     "The same should remain true to you, my dear. Last I knew of you, you were locked in a tomb hidden within the castle. Here you are though. Scarlet hair and golden eyes trained on me. Appearing to want to kill," Stefan's voice was in the same tone he used to speak to her with. The same softness. Katerinia raised her wand and pointed it at him. A mirror scene of what had happened all those years ago with Katerinia on the opposite side. "Katerinia, what do you think you're doing."

       "You tried to kill me," Her voice was harsh and Stefan visibly flinched when she said that. "You stood in front of me, a month before we were set to wed, and attempted to murder me!" She yelled at him.

      "Katerinia-"

      "Don't! How are you alive?!" 

     Stefan swallowed and tilted his head at her then he sighed. Kicking his shoe into the dirt, "The Dark Lord raised me from the dead. I believe that I died by your cousin's hand. Edmund was always quick with wandwork," Stefan looked down, thinking about how it had happened. It was a year after everyone had been blaming him for the death of Katerinia and he welcomed the attack forted by her cousin. Understanding that he was angry. 

       Stefan sat in his chambers, head in his hands. Three days since he had found himself in the corridor with Katerinia on the ground in front of him. No heartbeat, no pulse. Her eyes closed and hair spread out underneath her. He hadn't left. Not when his brothers came to talk to him, not with his father. He knew he would have to get over it, rise up and wed another. Heirs to his name, even if he wasn't the head of the family. He just wanted to do that with Katerinia. 

      Images flashed through his head. The first time he saw her, small and six. Clinging to her father's robes as he spoke with the other founders. Katerinia hadn't said anything and had kept her distance from the other children. Stefan had sat with his brothers, not bothering to speak to anyone but them, however, Katerinia did catch his eye.

     Their first kiss, one out of anger when Stefan had heard her talking about the Prince she had met. The handsome one that was oh so kind. Katerinia had been walking back to her chambers when he kissed her. Pressing his lips to hers while gripping her waist. She seemed shocked and looked beyond confused when he pulled away. "Remember that next time you want to fawn over that prince."

        Her smile, so bright that it could practically light up a room. It wasn't even a huge smile, just one that she gave when she was slightly annoyed but she smiled anyway. Rolling her eyes as she did so.

      He couldn't get the image out of his head though. Her pale skin, her body laying on the stone, chest not rising, heart not beating. Her dead body. Looking just like all the others. The ones that had been killed by wizards practicing the dark arts.