Chapter CVII - An ode to Lord Death.

O, Lord Death!

Forgive me, master of fate,

of the maddening mysteries in the great beyond,

of the wicked and wise and worldly,

for I have sinned a great sin, I have committed a grave error!

You in all your infinite wisdom must have already felt it,

in your bones,

in your soul,

in your very purpose!

I abhor this fault in me, but believe that it is true,

that I would never consider this crime against nature a blessing!

No!

No!

No!

It is a curse like no other,

a devilish ploy by my enemies to make me suffer!

So please, Lord Death, I beg for your divine mercy,

cast me into the pits of your kingdom,

and make me your servant!

For my services are eternal,

For I am immortal!

- Simian, former Marquess of Aragon.

I heave the book shut with a satisfied sigh.

It was a thick thing, about the size of my torso in width and length and breadth. However, what was probably more of a headache was its weight.

"Oof!" I grunt, my twig-like arms were just barely enough to move the damn thing, not to mention lift it...

Its unwieldy nature aside, the book was definitely a rare find. Hidden amongst the sea of books in Professor's private library, it took me quite a bit to dig it out. Because fiction it may be, the exciting lives of Aragon and his family were a far cry from the dullness of my life; court intrigue, betrayals, tragedies, intricate schemes and dreams of power and conquest were only some of the many things this book had to offer. I could still recall it, after a day of torturous experimentation, I would dust myself off, take a cold shower and read until I couldn't see the words any longer.

Sadly, all good things must end, and with the advent of my sixteenth birthday tomorrow night, the book that singlehandedly kept me sane for the better part of my formative years will have to be closed...

"So. I'm assuming you've finally finished it?" I turn to my left. Sitting alone at the living room table, typing away on his laptop, was Connor. He was — in some ways — my opposite: where I was third to the youngest, he was third to the eldest. And while I was... unforthcoming at best, Connor had no qualms in voicing his opinion.

I let out a sound of affirmation, which he seemed to satisfy him as the hushed drone of his keyboard began once again.

"Took you long enough!" This time, the person speaking came from my right, and instead of the deeper, more dreary tone of my brother, her voice carried itself as one might expect from a comedian, someone who didn't take themselves too seriously, "Seriously, it's been six years, goddamit~!" She tittered from where she sat, a comfy armchair situated in one corner of the room.

Well... sit wasn't a very accurate description; it was more of her splaying her gangly arms and legs across the armchair while she pretended she was lying on a hammock in lieu of... you know, an armchair.

I roll my eyes at her assertion. The damn thing was the size of a dog! Of course it'd take me a long ass time to read it, not to mention the font size was created specifically to make people suffer. But before I could argue my case, Connor was already on the prowl, his impeccable defence at the ready:

"Don't lie to yourself, Abigail," He said in between sips of his mug, "You'd never finish it in the first place,"

"Hah! How'd you know?! I can read that book in my sleep and still finish it quicker than Ms-six-years over there!" Abby flailed her arms around wildly, thoroughly incensed, though if she was trying to prove a point or just performing a mating dance I couldn't possibly begin to guess...

"Oi! I am not doing a mating dance dammit!" Oops, did I say that out loud? Hehehe...

My brother intervened before we could go any further off the beaten path, steering the conversation back to the book, "Regardless, if you can't even finish reading the instructions to a cookbook, how could you ever hope to complete what she's reading?"

"W-W-What?! H-H-How did you—?!" Abby might as well have been frothing at the mouth with how riled up she was, "You promised to never tell! Liar, Liar!"

"At least I'm not a hypocrite," On the other hand, Connor was as cool as a cucumber, his bespectacled gaze never having left the dim glow of his screen, only occasionally pausing to ponder whatever conundrum he faced in his little world before he would carry on, tapping and tapping and tapping...

"..." I watch(with no small amount of amusement) as Abby picked herself up, her short, pixie-cut brown hair fixing itself while she adjusted her clothes-cum-underwear in an attempt to save some face.

"Where are you off too?" She nudges her chin at another corner of the room. My gaze follows.

Sitting off in their own little world, were Kim and Ghibb— oh, I really need to stop forgetting. Kim and Gin. The two were playing their personal version of tic-tac-toe...

With actual toes.

"Oi! Who the fuck gave them my chicken feet?!" She stormed off to the pair, "And at least have the goddamn decency to use the whole foot! Why I oughtta teach these two a little bit about respecting private property!"

I giggle.

"Not! Funny!"

I smirk and made to go after her. Who knows, something interesting could happen.

Suddenly, I hear a muffled groan from my right. I don't even need to turn to know it was Connor, and as per usual, he would be the first one to complain. Again, I want to grin in his direction, but a painfully loud screech from where Abby was soon caught my attention, quickly retaking the spotlight in my brain.

'Oh, this is going to be good!' I snickered inwardly, feet already moving towards my sister.

When I arrive, it was to the sounds of pained moans, along with a quiet, almost indiscernible laugh.

"Help," I whistle at the sight in front of me, "Please,"

Lying spread-eagled under a pair of Kim and Gin, with a miserable look etched onto her face, was my sister. She looked up at me with pleading in her eyes, as if begging me to get them off her.

"Hmm? What's that sister? Did you say something?" I lean in "innocently", pure schadenfreude spilling out from my tone like chemical waste would from a barrel.

"Help. Me—grhhk!?" Arms akimbo, I pretend not to hear her pleas, averting my eyes to the ones on top of her instead:

"Oh. I won..."

"What... no fair..."

"Wanna play again?"

"...Sure,"

My grin grew even wider(somehow wider than what it was before), as I watch Kim and Gin continue on with their previous game like nothing happened, expressions of nonchalance clearly illustrated onto their faces.

"Will you... help me... already?!" Abby growled through gritted teeth, and if I were a nicer person, I would've dropped the joke then and went to help her.

If I were a nicer person.

"I'm sorry dear sister of mine, but I only listen to those who beg," I try my hardest not to chortle. I fail. Subsequently, it leads to her blowing her top off.

"Goddamit Maya! Will you get your ass off your high horse and help a girl out?!"

"Nope! Not unless you beg,"

I could see it in her eyes, the emotions written on her face: Uncertainty, rage.

To beg or not to beg, that is the question of the day.

In the end, she steeled herself, and I knew what it meant.

She chose to beg. "M-My... umm... my dearest of dearest sister," She started, and oh how I wanted to burst out in guffaws at the anguish in her eyes.

She gulped. Second thoughts, I think, but it won't last long; for as dainty as the pair were, they put on a hefty amount of weight.

As if confirming my predictions, Abby continued, "W-Won't you accept this little one's cry for help?"

But I deny her, "Nuh-uh. I want you to beg even harder," I wanna see how far I could take this.

She groaned, though if it was from the weight or her embarrassment I couldn't tell, "Urgh... P-Please, show this pathetic one mercy and help h-her," ooh, she's reaching her limit now! But I think she can take one. more. push.

"HARDER!"

"F-Fine! Master, please grace this slave with your blessing and help m-me!" There. That should be enough. Any more and she'll snap.

So why don't we reel in the prey?

After all, she fell for this trick hook. line.

And sinker.

I creep closer to her looking straight down at her. Abby looked optimistic; that I'll help her, tell Kin and Gin to quit it, or maybe push them off forcefully.

I don't do any of that...

I shrug, placing my hands into my pocket, "Sorry, can't do anything 'bout it. Why don't you just wait a little while? They'll let you go eventually,"

And then...

"YOU MOTHERFUCKER!"

Anarchy.

Like a dam, my laughter breaks out of my throat violently, so much so it felt more accurate to describe it as roars instead.

Of course, none of this passes by my sister unnoticed, and she glares like the devil.

All, she finds out in a second or two, I absorb with nary a change to my expression.

Hmm... well, I do feel bad for her, so I might as well throw her a bone, "Kin!" I call. One head springs up, "Gin!" the other follows as well.

"Do you mind getting off of her?" They scowl, but after a moment of momentary reluctance, they nod and step off.

There. Happy now? I grumble to myself, not bothering to gauge her emotions as I head back to my previous spot. When I sit, I retake my book from the table and open it to the first page. If nothing else, maybe a reread of this would put my regrets of finishing it in the first place at ease...

Bang!

But before I could get a word in, the door crashes open, with Hastur and Tsuki stepping in. After giving them the cursory glance, everyone but me turns back to what they were doing.

I, on the other hand, keep my gaze trained on him, and I see it almost instantly: something's gone horribly wrong. Suddenly, I feel chills running down my spine, and gooseflesh on the back of my neck.

Hastur spoke at measured speeds, his voice neither high nor low. Monotonous. Emotionless. Dead.

"Our father has been murdered," He says tonelessly, and like magic, everyone's eyes turned to him. Kim stopped playing with Gin; Abigail straightened herself out, a grim expression now on her face; Connor paused his clicking and clacking to look up at Hastur, one eye raised; and me...

I set down my book to examine his face.

Nothing.

I purse my lips together. So he was, wasn't he?

Hmm, an ode to Lord Death indeed...