The Tormented Goddess (7 page)

“Everything will be fine.” r
eplied Venus to Edward. The music shortly ended. Ready to begin the next dance, her head suddenly became
drowsy;
the people around her became a blur
.
She tried to postpone her curse and
excused
herself
rushed
off to the gardens. In the midst of the Charleston's floral maze she fell to the ground. Again she found herself at the gates of the underworld; in she entered where the demoniac lord of the underworld greeted her once more.

“My dear...” he exclaimed “... you have not followed my
advice
, finding your old lover is a command.”

“Why do you wish so much to torment me, besides once there what am I
supposed to
do?” a
sked Venus.

“You'll find out, do you wish to learn anything else?”

“Where will I find him?”

“The same place you left him.” The devil approached her uncomfortably close, his stench seemed only to intensify. “May I steal a kiss?” He approached even closer, desperately wishing to wake
up;
Venus's wish came to life, vanishing as dust she left Pluto falling in
mid-air
.

Her eyes opened with Edward shaking her to wake up. His face was drowned in fear, relieved he exclaimed “I thought I lost you!”

“Didn't I tell you that I can never
die?
”

“But Venus you were, dead.”
She sat up looking at the bouquet of roses thrown on
the ground. “Are you alright?” a
sked Edward.

“I'm fine, thank you.” As they both stood up to make their way inside a bright red autumn leaf fell onto the pond creating little wrinkles over the water.

With the wedding over meant the arrival of the examination, indeed this was the very day of their presentation. Edward had palpitations of nervousness, as for Venus she seemed very enthusiast to commence. Spectators came in including Mr. Charleston Edwards father, as well as the Universities director. The presentation began, the richness of the British vocabulary flowed loosely through the passionate lips of the orators, fascinating the public. The intensive performance eroded the notion of time, there presentation was already over. Receiving a great round of applause, the two thanked their guest and began the reception. Once Edwards father spotted his son amongst the crowd he came closer to congratulate him. “Congratulation...” he turned his head towards Venus “... My dear girl, I have to admit that I have miss evaluated you. Edward my boy you have made me very pleased, keep up the good work.” He checked the time and decided “I must make my way. Try to leave early my boy, the clouds are about to pour.”

“At this temperature father I wouldn't
be surprised that it'll snow.” a
dded his son.

“Precisely, well good day.” t
he moment his father made his way out the sky gave birth to its first snow flake.

C
hap
ter Nine

The rooftops were blackened by the cities smoking chimneys. The streets on
another
hand were covered with a heavenly coat of milk white snow. Sitting in front her roaring fireplace Venus drank from her newly brewed herbal tea. Skimming through the letters of her mail she found one sealed with a deep red Bordeaux wax, her name written in ancient Slav intrigued her on opening it. Reaching for the letter within the envelope fell
out
dried rose
petals
on her dress
;
she found an invitation for a Christmas Eve ballet performance. At the bottom of the oddly paragraphed writing was signed.

Sincerely yours,

Dracula

It was alr
eady the fifteenth of December,
leaving the university campus Edward ran again after Venus as he always
seems
to do.
“I just wanted to wish you a merry Christmas. What are you doing over the holidays?”

“I am continuing
my quest, off to Transylvania.” a
nswered Venus.

“You're leaving!” He exclaimed surprised.

“I am,” She confirmed.

“When are you coming back?” He asked eagerly hoping she would not be gone
too
long. His admiration towards her seemed to grow
constantly;
the idea of not having her near didn't please him.

“Never.” r
eplied Venus in a hushed tone.

“Seriously?
”
he asked.

“I don't know, ten years maybe.” Said Venus puzzled.

“Ten years, why didn't you tell me...” he spoke in a troubled voice “... I'll be old then.”

“It's my time Edward.”

“In the middle of the year, by god, no one I assure you can tell that you haven't changed. You said it
yourself
, it takes years before
someone
realises your condition.”

“Yes, but I have my reasons.” The snow began to fall, accelerating every second into a storm. “I finished my trimmest, thus have no more engagements here to withstand.”

“Couldn't you stay just a little while
longer?
”

“Edward
you’re
becoming
too
attached to me, you know that its more
than
unhealthy.” She took a long breath. “My ferry leaves tomorrow at nine o'clock. The storm is getting stronger, good bye Edward, I'll see you again one day.”

Heartbroken
Edward consciously kissed Venus's rosy cheek and ran off into the violent screaming winds. Venus ran her hand on her cheek as seeing Edward fade away in the distance.

Once arrived home Edward walked in a dark mood up to his dorm and fell unto his navy blue bed. All he seemed able to achieve was to stare out the window and gaze out at the storms mite. Frederick popped in his
brothers’
bedroom and admitted. “I never saw you in such a miserable mood, what's the matter?”

“Venus!”

“What with Venus?” a
sked Frederick.

“She's leaving.”

“So the academy finally realised how women are a threat to education!” He said in hope of cheering up his brother. Juliet came in the
room.

“Stop teasing him Frederick.” Ordered little Juliet. Board already, Frederick left the room leaving his youngest sibling with the task he obviously failed. “Are you sad Edward?” She asked.

“If that's how you call it?” He replied.

“You really like Venus, don't you? Why did she
leave?
”

“She has to finish her quest.”

“Her quest...” Wondered Juliet “... like the old legends of king Arthurs and the round table.”

“Hers is older Juliet, much older.”

“I don't understand.”

“She is leaving and never coming back.”

“Why, she seems such a nice girl?”

“Leaving doesn't interfere with her kindness, it's her destiny. You see, this quest is very import
ant for her.” c
oncluded Edward.

“I understand that, but Edward she is very important to you.”
f
inished little Juliet wisely.

The next morning stepping out of her carriage Venus finds Edward waiting for her leaning on boarding ramp, she gasped “What are you here?” She looked at the luggage beside him then stared into his eyes waiting for him to answer.

“Well you weren't going to expect me leaving you all the fun.” He replied with a dashing smile, he took
her luggage and bowed his head
and said courteously
“Ladies first.” Beneath the multiple layers of fur of her coat she turned pink. Even I this seemed as if it was the worst mistake of her life, the weakness she had excited her.

They had to catch the train in Paris, and boarded the marvellous one and
only;
Orient Express. A stewards approached taking all their luggage, one in particular was finely dressed and made it his duty to introduce the young guests to the
world’s
most luxurious train in the world.
“Welcome Madame, you have a reservation under which name?”

“
Venus
and my husband just added himself for the party.” She said shyly.

“Certainly Madame
, please follow Me.” i
nstructed the man.

Edward Whispered in Venus's ear “Since when am I your husband?”

“Edward...”
started Venus with a smile “...t
he train is full, besides they would never allow a young woman alone in the same compartment with another man who isn't a family relation or her husband.”

Once in their train suit the steward bowed and as he was about to leave he asked “Shall another bed be readied for sir?”

“O
b
viousl
y!” s
aid Venus in an arrogant voice, immediately realising how strange of a conduct it may have seemed she instantly corrected
herself
and added “Though that can be done during dinner, please have some tea sent.”

“Immediately.” t
he man finally left leaving them rest for the long voyage waiting ahead of them.

Seated upright on the cradled couches sipping tea in some beautiful porcelain cups Edward questioned Venus on the origin of the trip. Venus's had seemed to have made a grimace as questioning his questioning with “What have you heard of Transylvania?”

“They have lovely landscapes.”

“They do, but do you really believe that I would be going all the way over there in the middle of winter to go admire their scenery.”

“No, I don't presume that that would really be the nature of your excursion. So why are you going to Transylvania
Mrs. Charleston
!
”

“
You’re
not going to stop with that are you?”

“Wel
l the title is quite intriguing, s
uits you well.”

“Don't get too attached to it...” Started Venus
“... I imagine that you're not quite familiar with what I'm about to tell you. Long ago I met Vlad III Dracula. I actually fell in love of him for the first time, until I realised that he was trying to kill me intending to turn me into his procession.
”

“Alright then,
what was his terrible power?” q
uestioned Edward.

“You're like a kid, only interested in the nonsense.”

“I'm curious that's all.”

“He drinks a soul by their blood, the moment his sharp white fangs pierced through my skin I...” she took a pause “... it's difficult to explain, I did not die, but my condition degraded thus every full moon my soul would travel to the Underworld, leaving my body as lifeless as you found it.”

“I he tried to assassinate you Venus why in the world are you joining them for a Christmas toast.”

“When he drank from me I weakened him enormously almost to the point of death, he fears me and I see in him nothing but a monster.” As Venus spoke out she could not stop her heart from weeping for the love they once shared was greater than anything on could imagine, but that was the past. The betrayal felt wounded her humanity forever. “As for him I am not sure what he wants from me all I am aware of is that my path leads there.”
The train whistled, as entering the unexplored side of Europe, making it the only familiar sound to hold close to the heart.

One night Edward seemed unable to sleep, sitting on one of the lushes chairs he starred into the window, the train passed numerous fields all darkened by the night. In the distance he thought he began to see a shadow running in the field, it approached their wagon. He sat there waiting for his eyes to confirm his fear, as the shadow grew closer his heart beat speeded up. Was that Juliet he thought to have
recognised?
Something touched his back, which made him jump in fear, thankfully it was only Venus.
“You can't sleep?” she asked.

“Venus you scared me to death. I saw a shadow approaching our wagon.” He replied, immediately after Venus Closed the curtains, he could hear her speak in the dark.