Dies Irae

~~~ DIES IRAE ~~~

Septima Charta: Ebrietas


Aemilia was looking at the broad back of Daizus as he was carving something into the wood. It had been some good hours since she had come back and no word had been spoken since. She hated it, especially as his entire attitude seemed to point out that it was her fault. How could it possibly be her fault, after all he was the one to cut her hair in such a barbarian manner? It's true, she did say some nasty thing to him, but she was terribly upset at that point, who wouldn't have been?


Finally, deciding that she couldn't go on like that, she made up her mind to try the waters. She staggered to her feet, which had gone numb because she had been sitting cross-legged for a good period of time and went close to Daizho who was sitting in a small-chair, his back still on her.


If he had felt her move or not, it is impossible to say, as he just kept on working in a steady and calculated rhythm, although a more attentive watcher would have guessed the barely contained r inr in the tension of his entire body.


Aemilia bend down, looking over his shoulder to the oblong piece of wood he was carving with a small knife.


"Um" she started, her throat dry "what are you doing?"


He said nothing, not even acknowledging her. Still, Aemilia was not the one to give up at the first try and she shyly put her hand on his shoulder, gripping him lightly.


"I asked you…" she didn't have the time to complete her question as he turned nd and and, quicker than the eye, he grabbed her hand in a vice-like grip and pulled her down to the floor, pinning her there with his other hand.


"You are to speak only if you are spoken to, do you understand?" he barked.


Forgetting all about taking it easy, Aemilia growled back:


"Why you little…."


He moved her hand to her throat and started applying steady pressure to her windpipe, as he also crushed her hand in his grip.


"You were saying.." he warned in a deceptively calm voice, his eyes icy cold.


She started choking and, as the air supply was more and more scarce, she understood her biggest mistake: she had underestimated him, taking his naturally-gentle nature as a sign of weakness. The man currently killing her was like an emotional mirror, amplifying everything that he was presented with. If she showed a softer, milder side, he would reciprocate, and more amplify. However, when he was presented witdiffdifference and cruelty, he was more likely to react violently to it, although with her he seemed to have try his best to control his natural impulse to strike back.


She gave a muffled whimper as everything blurred and her last vision was his calm face, close to hers. Daizus' anger dissipated enough for him to realise what he was doing and let go of her throat at the last possible moment; Aemilia coughed violently as air filled her long-deprived lungs. She curled in into a foetal ball on the floor holding her sides as the violent shivers of her body slowly subsided. Lifting up her head, she met the steady look of the man whose coldness frightened her even more, so she stared crawling slowly towards a darkened corner, relieved that he made no move to stop her. Once she got there, she curled into a little ball, hugging her knees tightly to her chest and trying to make herself as little as possible. For the sake of Jove, she couldn't believe that some hours ago she had been the one in charge, pulling the strings, planning her magnificent escape and now….. now she was lurking in the dark, hurt scared and angry. She felt like screaming, like destroying something, preferably HIM!


Daizus sighed as he brushed a hand through his golden hair, as he met the gaze of the woman, who had been biting her lips so hard that she had drawn blood, not even realising that she had done so. Despite the hatred burning in her eyes, Daizus couldn't help from pitting her. He had been lenient towards her, although she had been the proverbial pain in the neck, but when she had insulted his country, his dead family and his tribe… he lost it.


Now, as he looked at her rocking slightly, her body clearefenefensive, he cursed his own weakness and her stubbornness. What he found most disturbing in this entire affair was the fact that she was, once again, afraid of him. He wanted her to be aware of him, but not frightened.


"Puella" he inquired gently, but she ignored him completely, still rocking, her head cradle in thin arms.


He crawled next to her, noticing that she was sobbing softly, as not to bticeticed. He put one large hand on her shaven head, and she looked up started and tried to shy away. His hand slid lower and held the back of her head firmly, yet gently as she clamped her own little hands against her forearms, trying to break his grip.


"No….let me alone….. please, just leave me!" she babbled, trying to stand up, her fright obvious. "Shh..calm down!" he whispered as soothingly as he could muster. "No, please, please just leave me!" she cried out, her efforts to escape of him, doubling. Seeing that the girl was on the verge of becoming hysterical, he decided to let her be for the moment. He listened for a moment her sigh of relief and lift up, heading for the table, having his mind set on the course of action. Moments later he came back with a large jug and two small ones.


Daizus crouched near the girl at an arm's distance and put down one of the small jugs, filling it with wine from the bigger one. He poured himself too, and started drinking slowly, his eyes still on the girl. Aemilia had her face hidden and seemed to have frozen in that position.


"Have a drink!" he invited in a calm voice.


She lifted her eyes to meet his, then glanced towards the jug laying next to her. Feeling her throat dry, she decided to accept his offered and carefully lift the pottery, preparing to take a sip. The smell however stopped her.


"It is wine." she stated blankly, pulling it back on the floor and glaring at Daizus with hatred. "You know I can't drink that!" What was he trying to do, humiliate her?


"Sure you can, what is the problem?" he inquired "Ah!" he remember "You are forbidden to drink wine in Rome, aren't you? Well, guess what?" he bent towards her, putting his own goblet to her mouth, ignoring the way she pulled back, away from his touch. "You aren't in Rome now!"


Still, uncertainty was written in her inky eyes.


"Come on" he baited "don't tell me you're afraid? Hmm? Too much for you to handle, little gi he he mocked.


She growled, practically ripping the goblet from his grip and drinking its entire content in big, sloppy gulps, rivulets of red wine spilling from the sides. After finishing it, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and gave an "aahh", and pushed the jug towards the man, silently asking for more.


Daizus chuckled and filled it again with wine, advising her to take it easier.


They both drank for a while in silence.


Every time he filled her cup, Daizus would move closer, so at that point they were sitting shoulder to shoulder. Aemilia, now thoroughly drunk, put her head on his shoulder and started giggling without any reason.


"Why are you laughing?" Daizus asked curiously. He himself was not entirely sober, but since he had had several encounters with Bachus' drink,was was a little more resistant.


"Oh" she waved her hand graciously, "Just thinking about my life! It's so funny, actually…."


"What's so funny?"


"When I was 10 I sneak out from the house and went to the harbour, because I wanted to be a pirate. I was trying to sneak out on a ship, that is. Of course, daddy found out and he was sooo pissed. Anyway, they told me that if I do it again, I would cast away all suitable husbands. Little did they know….", she chuckled, leaving the sentence unfinished.


"More…" she asked, reaching for the big jug. "No, that's enough!" Daizus shook his head, and grabbing her small hand into his bigger one. "You are going to be sick…. Already you've had too much!"


"I…I.. want more!" she cried out ."You've cut my hair, that is at least you could do!"


"Still upset about it? I told you it will grow."


"Yesss…" she hissed, turning around slightly and tracing the contours of his face with her slender fingers. She titled her head to the side, unaware of the coquetry of her gesture and watched him through half-lidded eyes. "But what am I to do 'till it grows? I shall be ugly, you said it yourself! ", her voice turned to a seductive whisper "And I do not wish to be ugly."


She moved her body slightly, throwing a leg over his then slowly crawled so she was straddling his hips. Her eyes were glazed, almost hypnotic. Daizus dared to make no move, lest she should be intimidated. This was the first time she touched him from her own initiative, and even if she was drunk, it was a progress.


Delicately, she tangled her fingers in his golden hair, massaging his scalp lightly. She felt tears welling in her eyes as she felt the thickness of his hair, and her hands fell limply on his shoulders.


"Why are so mean to me?" she asked in a small voice.


Daizus raised his arms and circled her waist and back pulling her tightly against him and kissed her hungrily. Aemilia hesitated for just a moment, before passionately kissing him back.


As they kissed, his hands moved to rub her sides and she giggled madly under the kiss as he reached a ticklish area. Breaking the contact, Daizus growled playfully and really started tickling her, but Aemilia was quick to fight back. They rolled on the floor laughing, both of them determined to gain the upper hand. As usual, Daizus won the game and, immobilising her started torturing the girl, despite her cries of help.


"Tell me your name…" he demanded "Tell me your name and I will stop…"


"No!" she managed to say between laughter. "Tell me!" he ruthlessly asked again. "Come on, don't be so stubborn, puella!"


"Bene, bene!" she finally gave up "I'll tell you! Just stop, I'll tell you!"


He bent and kissed her chin.


"I am waiting…"


"Aemilia." She stated simply.


"Aemilia…" he repeated, folding her in his arms and lifting them up.


The girl wound her legs around his waist as he moved them to the bed. Once they reached it, Daizus laid on it, with Aemilia on top. He started placing small kisses up and down her throat.


"Say my name…" he demanded, between kisses.


"Daizus" she whispered, her head hid in the crook of his neck.


"I will not be mean to you, if you are good to me." he promised. "If you don't fight me, I will spoil you rotten.", he added, feeling himself getting hard by any passing second.


He continued his caresses, until he realised that something was wrong. Laying on top of him, completely unaware of his current condition, Aemilia had fallen asleep.


Daizus swore softly.


~~~


Ebrietas, -atis = drunkness


Bene =ok