Chapter 67 - Sympathy for the devil

**Hopes pov**

“I’m having a hard time believing it..I can actually see you. And not only you, I see a young Mateivia, the similarity is striking” He gives a small sad smile before he goes on.
“She was the prettiest girl in the village, from the day she learned how to walk she made everybody fall in love with her. Me included. I always wanted to be near her but she always snuck away to the forest. I tried to follow her a few times, but she always disappeared. The day I found out she was given to me, that she would be my wife, was the happiest day of my human life. It may sound strange to your modern ears..but it was the way it was done back then. As you know, my happiness didn’t last long. Mateivia showed the villagers what she had been hiding in the woods for all those years.” His eyes are still on me but at the same time so far away, in another time, in distance memories.
“ I should have accepted it..moved on, found my self another girl..but I couldn’t, I guess I was not wired that way. I was young and angry and I tried to get rid of Mateus so many times..I tried to jump him in the dark, once I actually cracked his skull with a big rock..but Godsent as he was, he healed..I tried to poison him with every lethal herb known, but it did not take. My last chance was to turn the village against him. But they had already chosen him as a guardian, so instead they turned on me..so I fled..I assume you know the rest of the story?” His eyes are back in our time.
“ I do..one version of it. Luna provides me with all the memories going back to Aayla..Zandra has given me her story as well.” I look him hard in the eyes as I say her name.
“ Zandra..my Zandra..” I can see the love and longing in his face and Luna growls at the sight.
“ Your Zandra? After what you did to her? To her parents and her village?”
He sits quiet for a few minutes
“ Yes, I was a monster..every minute I spent in that cave with her made me so. I wanted to stop, so many times..When she was unconscious, I stared at her for hours, her weak and scarred body, bound and bloody, yet she was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen and I wanted to rip the heart out of my chest for what I did to her.
When I left her on the last day my heart and soul was as torn apart as her body..I returned to her village..her parents I had already killed but the rest of the villagers lived in ignorance of the carnage behind couples closed door and this made me furious. Didn’t they miss the young witch? The kind smiling girl who spread light whereever she went..Her parents? Did they mean so little? So I went on a rampage..I killed so many..women and children, the sick and the old..I drained them and left them for the crows to feast on..I gathered several men and young people and gave them a choice, they could die with their people, or they could follow me. Humans are predictable..they want to be heroes, strong and brave..but they always chose life. As soon as I felt the spell kick in, the cold stone forming around my heart, the pain went away..but the rage was still there..so I started to turn them and demanded their submission.” He take a pause and I notice his clenched fists.
“ So you started to paint the land in red..killing and turning village after village..”
“ I did..and I always found reasons to keep on going..fuel for my rage..first it was revenge on Mateivia and my so called people..then you showed up my dear Luna..the very offspring of the man who ruined my life..who took what was mine and send my life on the path to hell.” He dosen’t sound angry or bitter when he speak, its more a bittersweet theatrical tone, thinking of tragic memories.
“ So, is this what you wanted to talk to me about? Old memories?” I can feel Lunas irritation. Ambrogio gives me a weak smile.
“Well..no..but finally be able to see you brings them back..We are both creators of our respective strong species and we have it ingrained in our children to hate each other..Every time I come back, I long for the blood and the battles..the power of two armies that collides on the battlefields..but times have changed, our so called armies has grown and become independent..sure, my children would obey me no matter what, as I am sure yours would to.. most of them keeps the hate alive and fights and attacks on eachother goes on without you and me ordering them..but lately I’ve been told that not everyone is on board with that. Take Tony for an example, he wants us to co-exist..and look at me..I’m with a woman who is half wolf and half witch.” He chuckles a little.
“ Yes, about that..why?” I ask and watch him stand up, Luna immediately gets ready for an attack..but there is none. He drags his fingers through his hair and take a deep breath while looking out over the field against the river.
“I’ll admit..when I first met her I only saw Zandra and it stirred up a lot of memories and emotions. I figured out she was a descendant to Zandra...she owns a pub so I returned..I found myself enjoying her company, her easy way and the fact that she knew who I was and wasn’t afraid or repulsed.. it made me come back again..and our first kiss..well she taste like honey.” He turns back to me and I don’t know what to do. Do I say congratulations?..why is he speaking to me like we are old buddies? Telling me about honeytasting kisses with his girl..wait..
“ But you can only taste blood?..”
“ Yes..except when it comes to her..”
“ Mate..they gave her to you as a mate..” I whisper more to my self.
“ What are you talking about? Who gave her to me?” He has a frown on his face and I’m not sure how much I should tell him, somewhere deep down I feel an ounce of sympathy for him.
“ Do you remember the first time my blood hurt you?..On the battlefield when Zandra shot you.
“ I do..all to well..it was the first time I laid eyes on her since..since I did what I did..”
“ Do you remember feeling your shield around your heart weakened?”
“ Yes..”
“ Do you understand that Zandra wants you dead? Not only for what you did to her but also because she bound her self to you.”
“ I understand, the first reason is reason enough.” Pain flashes in his eyes.
“She saw your dream about that day, she figured it out..love weakens your shield..so she prayed, to Selene, to God and to the Triple Goddess..begging them to bring love in to your life..” I can almost feel the silence between us. Did I say too much? Did I betray Zandra? No, what’s done is done and if there was a new war, it would at least be based on honesty.
“ She wanted me weak..” He slowly nods
“ Or happy..either way..she wanted you to be able to die.”
“ You are taking a big risk, telling me this..how can you be sure I won’t rip her throat out as soon as we get back to the cave?”
I feel Luna pushing through to take over..Ambrogio sees it to.
“ The Gods have a weird sense of humor, giving a daughter of mine to you..maybe they are as tired of the wars as I am..as I belive you are. But I will tell you one thing, if you would hurt Zara fore the mere reason that the Gods put her on your path, I will rip you to pieces, limb by limb until your stonecoverd heart is beating alone in the dirt and there will be no recovering from that. I’m living my last life Ambrogio..I put a stop to Aaylas wish and I will die with Hope, but make no mistake, I'll take you with me if you force my hand” She keep herself at the surface, her power is radiating from me and even if he dosen’t have a wolf, I’m sure he can feel it to.
“ I would expect nothing less from you Luna..I understand the decision you’ve made, it’s been a long life..and returning is sometimes hard..but If I live to see the day, I will be sad to see you go..” We look at eachother without saying a word for a while before Luna nods and retreat, leaving me in charge once again.
“ Thank you Hope..for listening..and talking to me.. Peace between us may be an unattainable dream..but it is none the less a beautiful dream..” There it was again, the melancholy smile that made me feel something other than hatred and loathing for the man in front of me. We walk back to the cave in silence, both Callum and Zara was outside waiting for us when we got back. Ambrogio took Zara in his arms, giving her a deep kiss, probably starving for the taste of honey and I cant stop a little smile from playing on my lips as I wrap my arms around Callums waist.
“ Tony, we are leaving.” Ambrogio called in to the cave and a few seconds later Tony came out to join his father.
“Wait!!” Maya comes running out with Reece hot on her trail.
Ambrogio is looking at her with a curious but guarded expression on his face.
“ What about Fredrick?” She ask, I never before heard her voice so full of hate
“ What about him? How do you know him little wolf? Ambrogio ask
“ He killed me..”
“ You look very much alive for a dead person if that’s the case.” Zara say, trying to defend her man
Ambrogio frown and turn to me
“ I’m guessing this is your friend? The one Fredrick is being punished for killing?”
“ It is..I turned her in the last minute.”
“ I want his head!!!” Maya scream as Reece is trying to hold her back
Ambrogio’s face turns hard and cold and his voice is deep as he answers Maya.
“ Two of my children died under your..care..and you demand a third?” He takes a step closer to her and we all tense up.
“If you meet him in a battle or a fight, he is yours to kill. But dont you dare demand me to serve him up to you on a silverplate because if it is an eye for an eye you seek, then maybe you should offer up your own life for real..” Reece interrupt him with a roar and I stepped in between them before anything got worse.
“ Enough! All of you!..Maya, he is not wrong..two of his children died in our cells, one of them by my own hand.” I turn to Ambrogio
“ And you..Fredrick robbed her of her human life..maybe you of all people can relate?!” I stared at him and saw the change as he relaxed, nodded and took a step back to Zara.
“ As I said, Fredrick is being punished as we speak, the attacks was not on my orders.” We look at eachother in a silent understanding before they turned around and
disappeared in to the dark night.
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*Author Note: Thank you for reading!
This is my first book and English is not my native language so please leave a kind comment to point out mistakes. (spelling or grammar)
* Make sure to like and please comment on the chapter if you enjoyed it!