--Last Words

It was about an hour after Vor, Maseo, Sung and Sasha had left with Marcil driving that Marcil and Vor returned. The Children, or at least the ones in charge, were in a bit of chaos over the events of yesterday. So, Vor had made his excuses and gotten out of there.

Elizabeth was a little relieved the two had returned, as she had no way of knowing what would occur with the team members in the tunnels or Lily and Dr. Jackal, wherever they were being held.

Vor took to the library, Marcil left to return to headquarters. Elizabeth had Harold send a message to the Baron about their current guest in the cellar. She also had him send a message canceling any interviews for possible tutors for the children until further notice. Being the children had a nanny, the tutor could wait a little longer. There was just too much going on to do those interviews at the moment.

With Harold busy and anyone else who might try to stop her gone, Elizabeth made her way to the wooden door. IThe cellar was part of a wine cellar, but the section they had put William in didn’t have any wine bottles. Still, the cool, sort of musty dampness hit her noise the moment the door was opened.

For a split second she stopped, maybe this was a bad idea, she had put William behind her - still there were things she needed to say to him. Perhaps, things she needed to know.

The Eldren arrived at the bottom of the stairs, it was easy to spot the man chained to his chair. He was a mess. Bloody, and dirty, a stench of infection wafting over to Elizabeth. “You look horrible.” She spoke quietly.

“Lizzy, you came to see me. I’m honored.” William replied with no hint of sarcasm to his voice.

“One of the servants told me you refused food and water, and you have done nothing to heal yourself. Why?” Elizabeth asked as she moved closer to the other Eldren.

“What would be the point, Lizzy? I am dead no matter what happens, am I not?” William responded.

“Elizabeth was maybe a little too caring at times, it was a great asset but also an Achille's heel. She gently touched William, just long enough to heal the infection. “You really have no right to still call me Lizzy.”

William didn’t seem surprised that she helped him, even if just a little. He said nothing though..

She removed her hand from him and reinforced the chains with her magic. Then backed away from him, slightly and just looked at him. Here was a man she had once cared deeply about, she had believed everything he told her. She had thought he was a decent person, a decent Eldren. It had all been lies. She had wasted tears and anger on him. It all seemed so long ago now, now she felt very little towards him… still… “Why?” Was what came out of her mouth.

“Why? Why what?” William asked

“Why did you think it was okay to use people to hurt those children? What made you so incredibly awful?” Elizabeth asked. She knew he hadn’t always been how he became, how he was now so why was he like that?

She could see the shrug in his eyes, even if he physically couldn’t move enough to actually do one. “I don’t have an answer for you. I could give you a million excuses but I don’t have an answer.” William responded, and while he was being honest, Elizabeth could also tell he didn’t care that he was the way he was.

“Do you regret any of it?” Elizabeth asked. She wanted him to say he regretted hurting the orphans, or using children, or conning so many into thinking they were helping or maybe he regretted going against his own race or going against the ways of Merlin, something …anything.

“I regret one thing,” a small glimmer perhaps, but one that darkened upon his next words. “That I wasn’t able to court you, that would have certainly gotten me more money.”

Elizabeth took a breath. “That never would have happened. My parents and Mr. Sung never liked you. I completely understand why now.”

“Are you saying you have no more feelings for me?” William asked.

“Oh, I have feelings for you - disgust comes to mind,” Elizabeth responded. “I’m not a naive 16-year-old, any longer.”

“I noticed..” William said. “So, you got your answer, what else do you want?”

“I just want to say - goodbye.” Elizabeth turned on heel and left, up the stairs then closing and locking the door behind her.