Outraged Victoria pronounced “A scholar, what kind of prestigious school accepts girls, she must be one of these horrible suffragettes, father won’t approve.”
Edward defended his cause by saying “Victoria you saw her today, the way she gleamed beyond all others, yes she is astonishingly beautiful, but most importantly she is remarkably intelligent. My point is all you need to be aware is that she has no apparent knowledge of my admiration towards her. We are not partners for a trifling assignment, thus both valuing the importance of our report I ask thee to be reasonable tonight, for my sake.”
Victoria found his little monologue pathetic and continued her ranting on the importance of the feminine sex at home. “Edward besides bending to your command, I must insist that it is of the highest importance for a woman to respect the limits of her gender, anyhow keeping my lustful charm is a full time employment.”
“Victoria, how can a headless girl be attractive, just look at you, already an old maid!” Furious of Edward’s mockery she aimlessly attempted to hit him.
Dinner promptly arrived as it did daily, all sat at a solid dark oak table their guest Venus observed the over worked facial expressions of Edward’s father. Sweetly according to proper protocol she gave her thanks and tried to resume the conversation. “Mrs. Charleston, thank you so much for inviting me.”
“Oh dear, I thank you for coming, I am not going to let a lovely girl you slip away from my sons fingers, you know we mothers must shape our children by every means, even when it comes to conjugal matters.” replied Elian.
Edward wishing to change the conversation clarified his connection with Venus. “Mother I believe you have misunderstood our situation.”
“Edward please I know a boy in love when I see one.”
“Please I beg you to stop repeating that, I and Miss Venus are classmates if that’s how it is phrased.”
“To add to that Mrs. Charleston…” Venus said trying to calm down the obvious choked attitude of Elian she notified them of her prospect trip. “…as a matter a fact I would greatly appreciate it if your son could accompany me to Paris the upcoming week.”
“Pardon me but on what occasion?” interrupted Edward’s father.
“Well for this seasons assignment we must formulate a thesis within the next two months on the French revolution. Since London is so close to Paris it would be a pity not to ensure the utmost validity of our research which will enhance the outcome of this particular task, I’m surprised he hasn’t already mentioned to you its importance.” clarified Venus.
“Of course he has,” Edward’s father answered in a lying fashion “Edward would you please come with me to help me find my vintage cognac in the cavern to celebrate the event, pardon us.”
The Father got up slowly due to his generous proportions and made his way towards the library with his youngest son following him. The second he stood up all the eyes of the room immediately went to staring at their plates. The room became awfully quite since the only noises heard where those of forks scratching knifes. In the library his father sat at his desk, Edward closed the door behind him hoping that it cover up any possible scolding from his father.
“Have a seat!” commanded his father. “I would like you young man to tell me exactly what is going on between you and that insensible girl.”
Edward took a deep silent breath and finally answered his father after the old clock tick and tock pressured him to do so. “Miss Venus is a student at Oxford in the same department as I am; we were assigned as partners for an upcoming critical evaluation, as she said for a thesis on the French revolution. That is why she invited me to accompany her to meet a historian she is well acquainted with.”
Still doubtful of the rationality of the circumstances his father further questioned him “If that is actually the case, then why did your mother find you having tea with her.”
“I see it natural to get to know a person with whom you will work with.”
“I still believe otherwise, indeed she is fairly charming and oddly very well behaved for a woman of her genre, but I do not know if such an excursion would be advisable. We wouldn’t want you to end up like your brother dishonouring dozens of girls having me to handle the consequences.”
“Father, I am deeply disappointed in your opinion of me, as you said she is not a displeasing burden to bear, but the relation between me and my classmate is strictly based on educational purposes.” Clarified Mr. Charleston’s son.
“I am a man myself, and this category of inferiors merits only to be cast away in a harem to teach them a lesson of who is in command here.” said Edward’s father in an angered temper.
Shocked by his fathers over biased ideology Edward made up his mind and decided to contradict his father. “And what if I found her pleasing to the eyes, I am sure that I have the intelligence to not further shame your family honour. Father you will excuse me I must commence to pack for my excursion.”
“I haven’t authorised you yet.” almost screamed his father.
Edward ignored his father and left the room finding Venus at the entrance wishing farewell to his siblings and mother. Frederic fascinated by the creature questioned her.
“May I ask how you will be getting home at such a late hour of the night?”
“The weather is splendid at this time of the year, that is why I am walking home Frederic.” answered Venus.
“Oh, but a young lady like you walking alone at night would be unacceptable, I insist you allow us to take you home by carriage.” said Elian.
But Venus could not be persuaded “no need of bothering your horseman Mrs. Charleston my hotel is very near and I would be more that glad to walk. I thank you again for the enchanting dinner, fare well. Oh Edward I almost forgot, could you please come to the campuses library tomorrow at ten.” Venus smiled and walked away into the shadows of the night.
Chapter Three
Entering an atrium filled with books till they were out of sight Venus and Edward walked in having their eyes be drowned by the diversity of the sweet pieces of literature. Following the vertical outstretched of the sun light marks on the ground Edward curiously followed Venus. All of the sudden she turned around and uttered in a hushed voice “Close your eyes.” Edward obeyed; Venus gently grabbed his arm with both of her hands and dragged him through uncharted secret passages of the building. Edward felt the air grow cold as she took him down multiple staircases into the earth. After the creaking of a door she told him that “you may open your eyes now.” To his amazement the over empowering wealth of the room made him speechless for quite a while.
“Where are we, this chamber seems to date a centuries old?” he asked.
“This is my study.”
“This can’t be your study it’s a museum.”
“I have a passion for archeology, this room is unknown to many thus I ask you to not reveal its location to anyone.”
“I am honoured to have the chance of seeing it but why are you showing me a treasure which seem dear to your heart to me.”
“I like to know people I work with.” said Venus in a mocking voice.
“You heard that.”
“I heard the whole delighting conversation you had with your father; your door doesn’t really isolate sound very well if you would like to know.” Venus stated.
“You are indisposing me.”
“Do not worry I have complete faith in your preservation of family honour, I actually brought you here to show you something that would benefit our research. Could I still though have your word that this room shall never be revealed by you, I wouldn’t want the artifacts to be in any possible threat.”
“You have my word.”
Leaving Edward to admire the richness of the Greco roman medieval decorations she took the enflaming torch and headed to the other side of the room. You see here somewhere is the journal of Marie Antoinette the last queen of France; it is updated till her execution. Like I told you it would be a very useful resource for our paper.” She r
eached into an old chest covered with dust where out of nowhere a scorpion surfaced the piled papyrus of the boxes content and stabbed Venus’s index finger. Edward violently attacked the venomous creature to death, rushing immediately to Venus’s side after he won his battle with the miniature demon.
“Are you alright? We must get you to a doctor this instance” He asked in a rushed worried pace.
“What are you talking about I am not a victim of the now lifeless insect, now where did I put those manuscripts, I must of misplaced my Egyptian papyrus in the wrong case.” She added in a pacific tone as if nothing has happened.
“I could have sworn that he poisoned you, look you still have a mark.”
Troubled that her plague might worsen she rubbed it until it was barely visible as she spotted the journal and assured Edward that nothing happed. “No that was only a paper cut, oh there it is!”
They both sat on a roman couch and lit by numerous candles both took turns to read the delicate journal of the long dead queen. In a bewildered tone Edward asked her “how did you ever manage to purchase this?”
“I know many people.” Feeling the venom too strong to oppress she closed the book and said to Edward “You know, you should run along now and pack your luggage.
“I have one last question, what is the way out?”
Feeling the venom taking action she could not show him out to ensure the secrecy of the room thus instructed him of the way out and bade him farewell. The moment he surfaced back into the universities library the venom overcame her, the singletons curse may ensure never ending life but one is not spared the pain of death.
Chapter Four
Before boarding the ship Edward was wishing goodbye to his loved ones, as he kissed his eldest sister she reminded him “Don’t forget my wedding little brother.”
“Don’t worry; I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” He smiled and took his luggage as he mounted onto the steam ship. On the ferry the two were having great conversation more likely transforming into a competition of who travelled more, obviously the young man’s travels were nothing compared to Venus, Edward ended the game with “That would somehow explain all your antiquities.”
“Dear Edward, there is a lot you lack in your knowledge of me. Look, we can already see the boarders, these steamships are remarkable.” She said trying to abort the conversation.
“What do I not know of you?” he asked.
“Everything” she said, saying the truth never hurts, it would be impossible for a mortal to believe the madness she is living through.
Challenged Edward started listing what he knew of her. “I know you name is Miss Venus, I know you’re a very bright young woman.”
“Young woman, I’m certainly much older than you.”
“You’re not thirty, please don’t be.”
“I am not, I’m much more probably centuries more than you, it’s a complicated story.”
“Really, I won’t debate your intellectual capabilities but your physical appearance demonstrates otherwise.”
“You’ve never met someone a thousand years old, so how can you know how such a person looks like?”
“My intuition says that such a person would not look like you.”
“Interesting” Concluded Venus as the boat came ashore.
Approaching the land Venus’s footsteps felt heavier, her stomach also seemed to be starving thus she proposed that she preferred to eat before the long carriage ride to Paris. They walked into a beautiful village they found a restaurant covered with vine leafs and ordered their meal. Venus began the conversation with “Have you ever heard of the fictional island of Atlantis Edward?”
“Indeed I have such a beautiful story.”
“Story!” exclaimed Venus.
“Well it certainly untrue.” He firmly attested, they debated on the usage of the term fictitious. In less than in half an hour the server arrived serving them roasted lamb and carrots. They ate it, savouring the French captivating twist to cuisine.
“Isn’t this delicious?” Affirmed Venus, Edward nodded in agreement. A pain surged into her flesh, the torments of evil did not leave her thus she evaded telling “I have to go to the rest room, I’m not hungry anymore could you please order some tea.” Walking away her head seemed to be getting drowsier every second. Inside the washroom she locked the door, she then splashed her face with water but her blood seemed to be getting but warmer, she resented it boiling under her flesh. A vision came to he, she felt herself drowned into the depths of the seven seas, and even though her body was still in the cabinet her conscience was taken elsewhere. She saw the gates of the underworld and then all of the sudden someone knocked on the door.
“Is it for a long time, I have my little one who really needs to go.” said the woman. The human voice reincarnated Venus’s soul into her flesh; she walked out the door with a dead smile engraved on her face. Back at the table Edward got up and pulled out Venus’s chair, he noticed her lighted tone.
“Are you alright, you seem awfully pale. Here is your tea, by the way did you realise that tonight is a full moon. I’m not superstitious or anything but I would prefer if we made our way to Paris as soon as possible, the server never stops rubbernecking in this direction, his attitude is not exactly what I call heart warm.”
After a sip of her tea she repeated “A full moon”. Edward gave her a quire grimace, each full moon the nightmares of the underworld took life, they overtake her soul and returns her to her flesh at the sound of a human voice. The painful separation was more that she could bear but it was almost only there that she learnt the most truth of her past. Therefor she had no choice but to let herself affront the tormenting event.
In the carriage the two sat opposing to each other, they each had their own velvet bench. Edward yawned and leaned on the window to get some sleep. Before he fell asleep Venus mentioned “Don’t wake me up under any circumstances. I’m terrible exhausted.” Laying back on the cushions of her seat she gently closed her eyes. An immortals sleep is not necessary but she hoped that it would help her avoid the undesirable event, for she did not wish Edward to suspect anything paranormal of her character. But the force of the command overtook her once again. Falling deeply again into the seas to her death she arrived at the gates of the underworld where a man less gondola awaited her. It drove her to the devils home. Welcomed in by the dead lost souls she felt her roman toga take shape around her hips and shoulders, she despised the amount of flesh revealed by this sleeveless draped cloth, revealing her backs skin whiter then snow, but one was condemned to where the garments of the era in which their life ended in.
In the house of evil was regrouped the lost souls mingled with the non-hearted souls consumers of life. Venus quietly sat on one of the bright red couches when out of nowhere came Pluto. “Welcome my dear” his hands roughly made their way to Venus’s cheeks rubbing the smell of death on her face. “You grow prettier each occasion I get to see you.”
“I do not grow Pluto and wish to make this visit brief” Replied Venus clearly, purposely over enunciating the phrase.
“You know, I long for the time you will come down here perpetually we would have so much fun.”
“You disgust me, now can you tell me anything?”
“We since your little adventures are to my advantage, the more I tell you the more dangerous your situation will get, approaching our eternal reunion.”
“So you care for me king of the dead!”
Pluto smiled and said “You little goddess are searching for parents whom you don’t even come from, they may have brought you into this world but you are the daughter of the most divine creation ever existed. You cannot possibly be truly originated from pathetic mortals.”
“What’s your point?”
“I wish to make an agreement with you.”
“Don’t flatter yourself you perfectly know that I do not make agreements with anyone from the underworld.”
“Still wishing to save your soul, oh please, alright
then, if you continue your harmless quest and seek your last lover then you shall find the light. Or wasn’t he from the underworld?” Pluto said with the heart of a viper.
“May I ask why HIM?”
“Well he seemed to long for you so much and I found that keeping your desired information out of immediate grasp could possibly be entertaining.”
“Pluto, the last time I saw him was two hundred years ago, I’ve changed since then and do not intend of seeing him again.”
“Really I thought you were complaining how you couldn’t grow.”
“Count Dracula wasn’t as he is now, you blacked his heart.”
“Don’t accuse me of anything, besides you were the one severely in love.”
“Hypnotised” she corrected him.
“No that only works on mortals, beside he over took you too much I became jealous what else would you have me do, am I not the king of the dead?”
“You…”
“What my dear?”
The rocking of the carriage awoke Edward, left staring at the night he could only think of how he came to being there with her. As he thought of her he couldn’t help but observe the quite divinity of her charm. His eyes were so intensively fixed that he realised that she wasn’t breathing. He grasped her hand to discover that it was as cold as ice; her possible death brought him to panic as he called her to wake up. Feeling powerless he continued to call on her, his mortal voice awakened her, when out of nowhere she sat up and automatically accused him “Why did you wake me up?” he sat up properly onto his bench fixing her as if she was mad.
“What’s wrong with you, you were pulseless.” With his hand still on her arm he commented “Venus your skin is colder then ice, we should take you to a physician.”
“That’s unnecessary, anyhow you should get some sleep we have a long day awaiting us tomorrow, and we are seeing Mr. Dubois at Versailles.” Venus glared out the window as mist settled onto the darkened scenery. Edward followed her suggestion and finally fell asleep. Only howls screams could be heard at this time of the night keeping Venus vigilant throughout the ride.
The Tormented Goddess Page 2