Donovan Finds Link's Body

*He made his way through the forest, walking in a slow but steady pace, unthinking as if driven by an unseen force. In his chest his heart lunged..stopped. He gasped for breath, catching a hand to a tree for support. He coughed and tried to catch his breath. He couldn't feel his heart, he put a fist to his chest and slumped to his knees, closing his eyes tight. He opened his twisted mouth for words, but he couldn't speak, couldn't breathe. It was as if his heart was burning. Then, it began to beat. Slow, painfully slow. A throb, but enough to live.* "Brother!" *He rasped, letting go of the tree and running, almost falling from weakness. He ran, ran so fast he felt he was flying. And indeed he was, his black wings guided him through the forest and he found himself nearing the Lake. There, in the distance, he could make out a dark figure and the smell of blood hit his nostrils. Link's blood.* "Brother, I'm coming!" *He swooped next to his brother's body then, falling to his knees and taking a hold of Link's shoulders.* "Brother!" *His dark blue pools studied his brother's face...blank...cold...yet warm.* "I'm too late..forgive me brother" *He could hardly see from the tears streaming down his face and he angrily wiped at his eyes. He pulled Link's head into his lap and brushed his fingers through his brother's dark and bloody hair, whimpering.* "It's okay brother...everything is alright now" *He then saw what had happened. Link killed himself, stabbed his own heart with a dagger. The dagger he kept in his boot. He shut his eyes tight, feeling his face warm with hot tears, he reopened them and looked down into his brother's face.* "Sleep now brother, sleep forever and find peace. For there was none for you here. I am sorry brother, sorry because I was the only one who truly loved you."

*He gripped his shoulders and hugged tight, burying his face into the side of Link's neck, shuddering as he cried. Memories flashed before his eyes then.* "God no...brother...you were my life!" *He was angry, so angry he felt he could kill. He lifted his face back up and stared once more into Link's, seeing and smelling his blood made him sick to his stomach, but he couldn't feel anything.* "I promise brother...I promise...to preserve your bloodline. Remember brother, remember I said that to you?" *He smiled, standing and carefully replacing Link's head back onto the soft earth.* "Ah yes brother, the world will see yet pain! your pain, I will make them see! Yes.." *He grinned, stooping down to remove the thick bands around his brother's wrists carefully, so carefully. He saw the scars there and touched them first with his fingertips before kissing them. Then he one by one, put the bands onto his own wrists, seeing his own scars brifely before covering them with the thick tightness of the bracelets. He liked the feeling, smiled wide and touched them each slowly, seeing the blood stains on them. He would never wash them. He studied his brother's body again for several long moments and stooped again, this time removing his brother's boots carefully.* "I will walk in the shoes you have walked brother...you will walk with me. Together we will walk...okay brother?" *He kicked off his own sneakers mindlessly, then sat, taking one boot and then the other, pulling them onto his feet, letting his foot slip into the cool tightness.* "Ah, perfect fit brother, thank you." *He adjusted them perfectly, then stood again, gazing down to Link.* "You are still beautiful brother...more beautiful now as you rest." *He closed Link's eyes carefully, then bent and kissed his lips. So cold, but warm. He stood and touched his mouth, shivering in the chilled air. He thought a moment of killing himself and finding his brother in hell..find him and save him. Bring him back. He shook his head then.*

"No...no never again brother. Never again will I ressurect you, only to cause you a slow painful death. It is better for you..yes..better for you. I always knew this..always knew you would die by your own hand. I had tried and stopped you countless times..but now...you are safe now brother. You can rest forever. I love you..goodbye my brother" *He then as carefully as he could reached down and with an arm under Link's knees and an arm around his waist, he picked him up and cradled him to his body.* "I will cleanse your body brother...so your soul may rest. Rest brother, please...forgive me." *He walked to the lake's edge, stopping a moment and nudging his cheek onto the top of Link's head.* "This is better...this is better brother." *He stepped into the water and waded through until he couldn't stand on his feet anymore, the water grew deeper and deeper. He let his arms relax and felt his brother's body float. He moved one hand over Link's closed eyes and the other onto his chest, pushing him down into the dark cold water.* "This is your grave brother, this lake. The lake you loved so much. This is where you will sleep." *He pushed and pushed his brother's body down until he was lost in the depths. He cried. He stood there for several painful moments, waiting.* "You won't be back brother...you won't be back." *He turned and made his way out of the lake, stopping by the edge and looking back to the spot he had lain his brother to rest. He smiled, wriggling his toes in the confines of the boots, clenching and unclenching his fists, feeling the bands. He smiled.* "They will think you have gone brother, forever. But I carry you with me..you are with me forever brother. I vowed I will protect you..I protect you still, even in death. What is death?" *He cocked his head to the side, looking out with blank blue pools. He then began to make his way to NightWolf Tavern, to preserve everything as it was. He would seek Vincente out, yes, his brother's son..his son...and together they will preserve the former glory of the clan. His brother's clan, his vision. The vision everyone destroyed. Donovan smiled into the dark, cold night.*