Perhaps Melina could see the goodness in him, perhaps even Angela could as well, but he could not. No matter what, all he could see was the tyrant, the beast, the monster. No amount of goodness in him could compare to the evilness that had spewed from him over centuries and centuries. Her words were kind and generous, but truthfully he would need time. Time to get things sorted and pull himself together. How long it would take? Raeguel was unsure about it, and though he wanted to pull away from the abyss, he just kept feeling it pull him back in.

For a while he kept quiet, listening to her tale of how she and her family had operated before they came into the goddess’ stead. Still, compared to longevity of his crimes, theirs were minor as far as he was concerned. But he did see her point within the tale; people could indeed change as long as there was a reason to. There was no rhyme or reason for him spreading chaos and death to countless cities and counties, other than just because he could at the time. For her family, they likely needed to adapt to the change in their deity. For himself, the only things that kept him going were Lucian and Nerezza. If he didn’t have the two of them, then perhaps he would have been completely lost. “Perhaps one day I can come to peace with what I’ve done”, he spoke barely above a whisper. One could only wonder when such a day would truly arrive for him, if it ever did come during his lifetime. “I simply lived for the kill. Nothing had mattered anymore to me once I had lost my heart. My love had been taken and the council deemed the murderer, our own kin, a traitor and planned to exile him. It was a punishment that I didn’t feel was satisfying enough and so I killed him myself. The others sought to punish me and I killed them all, just like I had done with my human family.”

He glanced over to her with hardened eyes, “I pillaged and slaughtered everything in sight to fill my void. It brought comfort, as fleeing as it was, to me and I couldn’t stop it. I didn’t want to stop the killing. Because if I stopped, then I would feel the pain again.” He had wanted for it to all go away, he had no purpose, he had no one, and he was filled with anger and resentment. All of it pooled together and created the real Nemesis. Gods knew how much he abhorred that damning name now. His past would not escape him so easily and it left him with the very pain that he had once sought to relieve. Taking a brief look at the twins, he wondered if they would suffer the consequences for his actions, just as Melina had for her family’s. He looked over her mark before turning back to the children. “History is said to have a surprising way of repeating itself should one not learn from it. Have you learned anything from it since you came to understand this…curse of yours?” When she offered to give him a tour, he remained quiet, unsure if he wanted to reintegrate with society once more. Flashbacks of his sins played over and over in his head, cloud it from any signs of happiness for the time.

“I suppose later on I could. Just not much of a people person at the moment.” When he felt better, he would likely be interested in seeing this place at its fullest. He had visited the shrine only a few times, and that was mostly to see his children, so the change in scenery would sound refreshing. His eyes darted over the door where a child was, unsure of who she belonged to until she made it clear when she saw the twins in bed. He looked on with an lukewarm glance as the two girls went back and forth until he was addressed. He wasn’t as bothered as his companion was, they were merely words from a child, one with a sense of humor at that. When he was about to introduce himself, Iva had to run off just as a man came to get her. A part of him was amazed that she would still keep on having children, but then something struck at him. He had faintly recalled the scent of her husband in her chambers on the night they met, and yet ever since coming here, there was no trace whatsoever. It was quite odd to him, though he didn’t voice it. It was merely possible that he probably didn’t make it through the crossing over. “Yes, I imagine that with her new status, she is far busier than before. Her old position seemed taxing enough to begin with.”

Melina thought for a moment on everything he told her and she gave him a smile. "Maybe that's why you were given the twins. Lady Angela is not fate but perhaps it was designed long before you two even met. From what she told me  the twins pulled her out of a deep depression over Nathaniel."

Crossing her arms she thought on her curse and smiled. "Only that Lady Angela has stopped it from spreading. I seen once what it would do to those to stop practicing the rituals of a necromancer. My cousins once left before getting it contained. Turned into wights and their souls were damned. They came begging Lady Angela to fix them and to bring them back to life, sadly once you cross that path you can't undo it. They ended asking for their souls to be extinguished. I was very close to them growing up." She pushed her brown hair behind her ears and sighed.

"Well…" She thought on it. "I have an idea. The temple is large and I could detour us away from everyone. Show you around that way. Most of the time they are in the main part of the temple near Angela. Most of them have left for Arri at this point. I'm assigned to help you and the twins until you are comfortable." Melina gave him a smile. "It's rough on her sometimes. Being a single mother to all these children. It's odd that she's never kept a husband all these years but most men who seek her out are just interested in her bed. I was surprised to hear she was married to someone in the other world! Here we've watched her lose a lover then never take one up for years. There is the harem but she doesn't really connect with them. As fertility she needs sex a lot and that's all there is to it. She really isn't interested in too many men to really keep them around long. She is very… independent."

She took his hand and smiled. "I'll show you the private orchard no one should be in there. It is a place hardly anyone goes. I think you will find solace in the quietness there."

His mind wandered over to the twins; the two were as much different as they were alike. Lucian had always been the quiet and reserved one, as well as the favorite of his mother’s people (as much as he detested it) while Nerezza was more eccentric and outgoing one that found herself favoring his darker deeds. It was something he was not wishing for her to have picked up now that his eyes were wide open at the damage he had caused. The two were the only things in this world that made him stable; without them, he didn’t know how he would survive. “Yes, I familiar with the situation with him.” Her son was yet another life he had influence over, perhaps not directly but it was his reaction and his guiding words that assisted his sister in proving her right to rule by slaying him. Nathaniel had committed crimes against his clan, which lead to the fateful encounter in the first place. Had there been any other way to save him, he would have suggested that instead of rushing her into killing him. If only he would have broken away from his darkness sooner…

His own soul was blackened by his deeds, to the point where he felt like he was no better than Melina’s cousins. Perhaps a more fitting fate would have been for him to suffer the same transformation as they had. “I am sorry for your loss.” His response was simple and short, but there was nothing else more he could say. Raeguel had never been in that sort of situation before- he had used quite a bit of necromancy in his undead life before but he had never suffered through those sort of consequences before. Whatever they did, they must have performed something wrong or were not strong enough to perform the ritual right.

She seemed adamant in getting him out and about, and despite his discomfort in doing so, Raeguel folded his hand and gave in with a silent nod. At least most of the personnel would be gone already. “Yes, she was married there, though I suspect there were…problems between the two of them”, he said lightly, believing the case to be true since she had a brief tryst with him during the time they met. “Sounds to me that she’s afraid of getting close to anyone because of that…I know of that pain quite well. No one seems to fill the void left behind by the original owner of one’s heart, especially if they were parted solely by death.” Much of what the goddess was going, going through the motions and such was what he’d been through prior to coming here. There were one or two that desired his body and heart and was even close to possessing it; but he never fully gave in. There was no one like Andrea and likely there would never be such a person. It was far better to feel lust than love, there was less pain to feel from the former.

Letting her take his hand, he followed her lead towards the orchard. Whether it would actually help him remained to be seen, but eventually he had to get through this. Regardless of his misdeeds, he was one that adapted to his surroundings and beared through hardships. This was nothing different and if anything, he had to be there for the children. 

For  a few moments Melina thought and she was quiet. Was it her place? No Raeguel had the right to know. "I have a feeling that here it is deeper than her missing husband. My lady's ascension was violent. She was not always her cheerful self. According to my ancestor's journals she was always in mourning."

There was a calming to her when she finally got it out. As they walked the corridors she finally managed to opened the door to a circular courtyard. She had no way of knowing if this place was the heart of everything here. Trinkets hung off the tall trees here. They appeared to be gifts or things left by visitors. Things from gems to items that surely held nothing but sentimental value. 

"She was very young when she ascended. My age I think? She had a daughter named Lyre, only a few months old at that point, and her young husband. He was a soldier for the army of Arri. When she ascended she brought the whole cottage they were living in down. Crushed both her husband and child to death. I heard that's why she ascended to the power of death and decay first. It only took the peoples' voice and her heart to mend for the Voice to help her move on to her true nature."

Melina held his hand and smiled up at the trees. "Everyone comes here to leave a piece of themselves." The items glimmered in the sun. There were even a pair of sandals hanging down. Instruments, gems, books, the trees had many things that were valuable to the people who left them. 

Going to a small apple tree she picked one and offered it up to him. "This is your home now and I just hope we can help you and your children relax here."

He wondered just now long it would be until he was used to all of this. Raeguel had lived several lifetimes over back home, up to the point where he was sure he understood it. Or at least better than most had, but now? He didn't know the head from the tail of the coin called fate. The familiar faces were merely just that- faces that he could remember but there was no telling whether they were that person or not. Angela seemed to be about the same from what he could recall, but at the same time, there were holes missing from her tale that didn't seem to be filled by the information he knew.

They came unto the area Melina spoke of and he lifted his head enough to peek around for a bit. This knowledge speak of was new to him, but not completely unexpected. This dual path of lives intersecting each other only lead for him to remain confused. He took a few steps ahead, looking upon the hanging items as she talked. "I see. Such a traumatic experience it must have been. Shame that it had to happen", he sighed, taking hold of one of the branches and looked onto the gems. Heaven knew he couldn't imagine what he would do is something like that was to happen to his twins. He just about shuddered in even entertaining the thought enough to just be pondering the question. 

"Is there a reason why they do?", he turned enough to look at Melina and asked. "I can't fathom why they would do so. To be remembered by the world? To be immortalized in the eye of the goddess? Perhaps there's some more reasons, but those stick out to me the most." He shrugged it off for now came back to her side. His eyes looked from her to the apple and slowly took it from her hand. It had been ages since he could feed upon something that wasn't blood. Even now, he didn't require this sort of nourishment, but out of respect he took a big bite out of it and chewed. "As long as my children are safe and sound, I care little for my own state right now."

Melina felt terrible for spilling her goddess’s secrets but still her hazel eyes watched him as he spoke. She hid behind a tree and watched him almost with interest. It was weird how her heart pounded even though she hardly knew him. Perhaps that was the effect a vampire had on a human like herself. She seen him in thought and tilted her head. She knew he had to be thinking about the twins who were still laying in bed. It was an interesting thing.

Stepping out from the behind the tree she shyly took his hand and put it on the items. “Maybe it’s for good luck. Maybe it’s for the prospect of a good harvest or maybe they want an heir to their fortunes. Many people come here for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes my lady gives them a child that they thought they wanted and found out they did not. Some see her as a quest and she answers that by giving them literally what they asked for instead of what they intended.”

Tilting her head again she watched him eat the apple she had given him. A smile spread across her face as he spoke, “You are a good father Raeguel. They must really love you for that. I know from watching you and my lady that you are a good set of parents for both of them. It is very rare to see the father around here for his children. Aside from Iva’s I’m not sure if any of them really wanted children. Lady Iva’s father died shortly after she was born. Lady Angela was hurt greatly by him.” She thought about it for a moment.

“Will you come with me? My favorite spot in the whole temple is the bridge to Iva’s father’s grave.” While it was a sad thought that they would see the grave at least they could pay their respects and see the bridge. The courtyard was beautiful as well now that she thought about it. Blushing she realized she was still touching him and backed away. “My apologies if I stepped over any line.” She bowed softly to him. “I’m not use to being put in charge of care very often.”

“Luck, eh?” he pondered while retaining his attention upon the trinkets. Raeguel had never believed in luck before. It sounded more like a human belief but stranger things have happened- peasants seeming turned into tycoons the next day, great empires would crumble into nothingness, and magic itself coming from the most unlikely of things. Perhaps there was something about it that he couldn’t quite get a grasp over it. Her other hands seemed more logical and what he would expect from the denizens of the realm. “Sometimes I feel like the undying question of whether mortals serve the gods, or the gods serve the mortals will never end indeed." He poked at a child’s toy that hung high above him; while he no longer held the absolute need for a bloodlust, his thoughts of how the other mortals weren’t changed completely. More like he was more tolerant of them, but the selfishness and the disgust they stirred didn’t seem like it changed with him. “I suppose that helps to explain why there are so many of them here, even if they aren’t of her blood”, he responded with a disapproving shake of his head. “People merely want and want and give as little back as they can. It’s a sad truth I had to learn over my time. There are only a few in relation that aren’t like that. You, my dear are one of them.” He hadn’t forgotten what Melina had done for him and he would be eternally grateful to her.

As much as the higher powers could see, he did try to be a good father for Nerezza and Lucian. Even when he was doing all those cruel, sinister things back in the day, he would make sure that they were safe and sound and that no force, whether it be by man or god, would come to harm them. A soft sigh went out towards all those other children that were without a father here. “Shame, they do need a father figure in their lives. I’m sure that Angela does her best…but there’s really no substitute for having a man in their lives as well as a woman. A good one especially.” His own father wasn’t such a role model for him, but his uncle surely was- one that was long since dead like the rest of his human family. “Iva…”, he muttered, thinking back to the little troublemaker. “I suppose that she didn’t know about him, correct?”

Perhaps he was getting questioning about this place and what happened around here, but his curiosity was peaked. It was at least better than waddling in despair as he had. He nodded towards Melina’s request and looked slightly confused as she released him in embarrassment. Vampires weren’t exactly shy about physical contact with others, and surely the Rosenites took that belief to the next level and she had been living with them for long enough to see that. “It’s fine, I don’t believe you done such a thing. You have been most helpful and guiding in my time of darkness.” He allowed for a smile to come across his face, slowly ebbing himself away from the bleak and hopefully begin the process of removing himself from the depression and onward towards his new lease on life. “I wouldn’t worry too much about it, you been doing good so far. It’s hard to be a leader, believe me.” With that, he followed her lead towards the bridge and the child’s father's grave, the smile still remaining upon his face. A genuine one that hadn’t been seen since his own youth. 

“Lady Angela does do her best… Lord Drae also tries to fill in as a father for most of them. He is her lover. Lady Iva adores him. So we are appreciative of him here in the temple.” 

Her bare feet felt the marble beneath them. It was cool to the touch and most days it sent shivers up her spine but she was preoccupied with the man who was with her. Thinking what what he said she finally shook her head. “Iva knows, but only because he wanted her to. You can imagine the talks they had leading up to her birth. They were happy but there was also lingering sadness in the air. He wanted to Iva to know how much she was loved and to understand why he had to go so that she wouldn’t hold it against her mother. When she was born I was just learning to take over for my sister. I listened in to their conversation. He told her that Angela had to let him die so that people didn’t think she went back on her deal. Even as a kind goddess, a deal is a deal. He didn’t want people thinking Angela was weak because of her kind heart. Effectively dying so that Iva was safe.”

It still broke her heart to think of the little girl when it came to that decision. “Sometimes I don’t know if that was the right decision but Iva doesn’t understand it too much. Death is only imaginary to her and everyone is suppose to live forever, that’s what a child tends to believe in.” Moving on towards the bridge she merely blushed up at him and laughed. “I’m just not use to being close with anyone.” She was still young. “And I’m not as open as the Rosenites are, even if I was raised next to them.” She gave him her best smile though.

That smile he had made her feel good though and so she led him there while dodging where others might be. They got to the big mahogany doors and she pointed out the cycle of life and death on it. There was a large tree divided down the doors. With little effort she moved the, what should have been heavy, doors. Bright rainbow strands of light poured into the hallway. They walked out onto the stained glass bridge and she took her time pointing out the gorge below them. “Isn’t it beautiful?” She clung to his arm as she looked around.

It wasn’t too long of a bridge as they made it to the vast circular courtyard. The grass was soft beneath her feet. The statue of Iva’s father stood there in the center and behind him was a large red maple with giant purple lily like flowers. They were glowing now as the time of day changed. She was relaxed as she let go of him. “Angela made this place for Iva but all of us enjoy coming here to relax.” For a moment or two she was silent before she decided to bold. "We could come relax here whenever you would like too." She blushed again and laughed. "Or you can… I don't mean to be a bother."

He merely nodded, realizing his misunderstanding of the situation before having the grim truth revealed to him. A sacrifice unlike any he had heard about, one that seemed like it came out of a fairy tale read at night before tucking the little ones into bed. Many would claim to be willing to give their lives for another, but seldomly only a few truly meant it and fewer have done so. Raeguel had hoped that such a decision would never have to come and that he could enjoy the company of his children for as long as possible, but he wouldn’t hesitate if he had to and would make certain that their futures were secured.

“She is just a girl. Of course she wouldn’t understand it. Not many truly understand what the concept of death truly is. Words alone won’t do it, and seeing it can traumatize one’s mind. Especially children.”, he spoke after a long silence. Raeguel knew that even then, one had to experience it firsthand to truly know, and he had died twice in his entire lifespan. There was no comfort in the pit of darkness they would find themselves in, perhaps the only salvation was in that of any of the death deities and if they would find mercy within themselves to spare others of the dark. He had noticed Melina’s unease slowly wavering around his presence, even if she wasn’t one to be open around others often. He could relate on some levels, at least now he could. Nemesis, on the other hand, had used such to his advantage, often for devious and unsavory means. Just the thought of it was enough to stir a shudder from him in how he exploited his own body to achieve means. “It’s usually a loss of innocence when that mindset is broken. Just briefly meeting her, I’d say that it hasn’t just yet. Cherish it well for as long as possible, I’d suggest.” Perhaps he was a tad morbid and that his old persona hadn’t quite vanished from him. There were still ugly truths he had learned that couldn’t be shaken from him, even if he had changed his ways.

They made their way towards the bridge; the light that illuminate from the door opening caused him to place his arm to shield his eyes briefly before they ventured onward. The view was quite amazing as they crossed the bridge, his eyes venturing about with curiosity as they explored the new settings. Leave it to Angela to create an environment like this, he thought as they made their way over to the courtyard. “Hm, I see why.” Cupping his chin, he bore into the statue that he supposed was made for Iva’s father. His attention turned back to Melina while the young girl offered to be his company in these parts. “It’s no bother at all. I’m not a people person myself and I doubt that your lady or yourself would allow me to be a lonely, sulking stump while I’m here” Raeguel genuinely didn’t mind her presence, especially since their conversations went well and wasn’t one sided. He turned back to the statue and the tree, watching for the longest time as he tried to let the serenity take over.

–

It had been some time since he had the pleasure of seeking out Nerezza and Kaiser, to squash the rumors that had been going on with them in the center of it. With their engagement in the works, everything should have been peachy now, but his troublemaker of a daughter had pressed the situation between him and Melina and stirred the pot. Much to his dismay. While he wasn’t so keen in pursuing anything beyond that of friendship, a part of him wanted to at least see what could come with it. He had been in the kitchen, preparing a basket of food before venturing to see where Melina was. Bumping into Lucian, his son told him where she normally was and he allowed him to go tell her to meet with him while he headed towards the last place they had been at and started to prepare the setting for the picnic.    

Time had gone by and the girls had made it their missions to make fun of her. She was easy to embarrass and Angela had shooed them off on more than one occasion. The goddess knew that Melina, who had no experience with the men who ventured into the temple, had come to fancy the vampire staying with them.

Today she sat alone in the gardens, it was her one sanctuary.  She took a deep sigh as she moved her dark hair over her shoulder. She brought up a group of flowers and breathed in their heavenly scent. She felt very childish as she plucked at the petals on the flower. She was glad she did not have to hear the voices of the flowers. “Sorry you guys.” She was doing a teenager thing. “Tell him…” She pulled another petal off. “Don’t tell him.” 

She sat there even past the first flower, fighting with herself. Angela had told her that he might not be so open to hearing it though she wasn’t sure exactly how different he was now. When Lucian came to tell her where to meet Raeguel, she about jumped out of her skin. She held her chest and felt the forceful pound of her scared heart. “Please don’t sneak up on me.” She laughed nervously. Her body was coated in many petals of different flowers by this point.

“He wants to see me?” There was a light blush, gods she was so easy to mess with. “Please tell him I’ll be right there.” She was trying to measure her steps as not to appear so excited. The Rose children were already so giggly with her. Finding the vampire she peered around the corner with a blush on her. Spotting the picnic she almost voiced a squeak. “You wanted to see me Raeguel?”