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"We Live In a World Where The Boogeymen Are Real."
"You say you want to be king? So, when I burn your kingdom down, I will make sure you're still chained to the throne." - Unknown.
Tarasov Prison wasn't the most welcoming place for ex-royal Moroi, not that Victor expected special treatment for his old status, he just assumed they would be perhaps a bit more tolerant to one who was once respected as him, but then again as one of the guardian's so kindly reminded him before entry, he had lost his respect and it was something he apparently couldn't win back after what he had done to the young Dragomir princess. Though Victor didn't let those words bother him, he didn't need respect to gain power eventually, he needed fear and control. Though of course there was little he could do about it while locked up in such a heavily guarded prison bathed in the rich warm caresses of sunlight. Tarasov Prison was inescapable, no one came in and no one came out without notice of it before hand.
A few days passed and slowly Victor was able to fall into a bit of routine, most of his days he would spend in his oddly bear cell with perhaps a book in his lap to pass the time. Though it was never a book he wished to read, they did not give him such a privilege of a choice, it was merely take what they gave you, and he did without complaint. Then later on in the week he would be escorted to his feedings, then quickly ushered back to his cell.
Tarasov wasn't a place for socializing and making friends, that was certain. So Victor played along with them, only speaking when spoken too. And when he was spoken to he was always painfully polite to those around him, though there was always a smugness to him. It amused him how they thought him to be such a dangerous creature, when just a few months prior they considered him royalty. It is indeed funny how these things change so quickly.
Then a few more weeks passed in a hazy blur, and if Victor recalled it was a Wednesday when he received the news of a visitor come to see him. He was indeed pleasantly surprised to hear that said visitor was his wife, he hadn't expect to see her much after this...he heard she was quite devastated over the death of their daughter and of course he didn't blame her. Victor would be lying if he said Natalie's death didn't bother him, because it did...it wracked him with guilt. He didn't mean for his daughter to die, yes he may have manipulated her into doing as he wished but he had to admit having her go Strigoi was too far, even if he had planned to restore her back to her normal Moroi form after they had successfully escaped the academy.
Time to seemed to go slower with each step Victor took towards the visiting room, he didn't know what state he would find his wife in. She had always been very tolerant to his darker side of things, it was something they could be open about with one another, something they both understood for his wife had a darker side to herself as well, which caused them to get along famously when together. Though Natalie had been their pride and joy, they had tried so hard for a child for so many years, they were almost lead to believe his wife was infertile. Though soon after Natalie was conceived Victor was diagnosed with Sandovsky's Syndrome, which was proved to be the reason why it was so hard to get his wife with child. So to them Natalie was their miracle, and she had made his wife so very happy. And now her happiness was gone.
Once they finally reached the visiting room Victor's jade green eyes shifted across the room as they fixed themselves on his distraught wife. She was lovely as ever of course, her long wavy black hair was pulled into a bun, and her jade green eyes were wet and red with tears. When her eyes finally connected with his, Victor could see she was less than happy to see him and he didn't blame her. If he was to be honest, such a reaction from his wife left him a little heartbroken, he was use to looks of such love each time they were together...but it seemed as if that was long gone now, for her at least.
"Irina, my darling." Victor said in a low tone as he strode towards the table she was seated at. "Victor." she said bitterly, her voice cracking ever so slightly.
As Victor pulled out a chair the best he could with cuffed hands, he slowly lowered himself into the white uncomfortable plastic seat across from his sweet wife, folding his hands on the table in front of him as he looked at her with such intensity it seemed as if he was to bore a hole right through her.
"You look lovely as usu-"
"Stop it, Victor." Irina said bitterly as she glared at her husband. "Stop trying to sugar coat everything with pleasantries, I'm done with playing." she whispered as she shook her head, a few stray hairs falling in her lovely pale face.
"Irina, my sweet." Victor said softly as he slowly reaching over towards her hand, causing the guardian's behind her to take a step forward. Victor found it ridiculous, he obviously wasn't going to harm his wife...he was merely trying to give her comfort as any husband should. But then again, why would they believe his intentions? He did have his daughter turn Strigoi. "Please, my darling. You must believe me, Natalie's death...was never intended."
"Then what was intended?" Irina snapped, moving her hands away from her husband's touch.
"To escape from the academy, of course." Victor said slowly, moving his hands away from his wife's. "You understood the importance of apprehending the princess, she was the only one who could heal me." he said in a stern tone, leaning back into his seat. "With my Sandovsky's Syndrome cured, our family could be thrown back into contention for the throne. Think of all the changes I could make as king, my love."
"A stupid throne isn't worth the life of our daughter, Victor." she growled, her full lips twitching up into a sneer which revealed her fangs. "You had promised me you wouldn't involve Natalie!" she snapped, her strained voice echoing through the visiting room.
"It was no fault of mine, Natalie wanted to assist me." Victor said quickly, ready to defend himself. "Her plans were brilliant, her aid moved me further in our plan. I would have been a fool not to take her advice." he said simply, as if he assumed she would merely take that for an answer.
Irina's full lips fell into a frown as she looked into the eyes of her husband, the eyes of a man she once loved dearly. Though Victor was that man no more, she hardly knew him anymore. The Victor she knew wouldn't have sacrificed the life of their daughter for something so selfish. The man staring back at her, was not her husband anymore.
"She was only a child, and you let her die." Irina whispered, tears spilling from her eyes and trickling down her porcelain cheek.
"As I have said before, her death was never intended. After I was freed, I was going to take her to Robert. He could have saved her, you witnessed him restore Moroi before, you know it can be done." Victor said in a low tone.
Victor held all his hope in Robert, he knew his brother would understand and ask no questions. He knew he would have restored Natalie without a second thought, because he held trust in Victor and his motives.
"You're a fool, Victor." she whispered, shaking her head the tears still fresh upon her cheeks. "You act like you have everything under control, when you don't! I thought you were a better man than this, but I was mistaken. You're not a man, you're a monster." she spat.
"The world cannot exist without monsters, Irina." Victor said coolly.
It would be a lie if Victor said his wife's harsh words did not hurt him, but he knew his wife would not listen to reason. He had gone too far this time, and his actions would lead him down a dark path in which his wife would not follow. She was right, he was a fool... he should have never involved Natalie in any of this. Irina was right about every thing. Though Victor could not bring himself to admit to that, what good would it do anyway? It wouldn't make her happy, nor would it make up for what he had done. So he denied her words, he knew their marriage was now too far gone to be fixed.
"I'm done, Victor." Irina said bitterly, standing to her feet as the chair scooted out behind her, its metal legs screeching against the floor.
Victor let out a sigh as he closed his eyes, he knew this would be the last time he ever saw her. He loved her deeply still despite her strong hatred for him. He would always love her, until his last breath in this world. She was the only woman that he loved. Though as she moved on with her life, her hate for him building, he would have the fond memories of their marriage and their life. Fond memories he will carry with him through his darkest of days. No matter how much he would change, his memories would not fade.
"I love you, Irina. Please do not forget that." Victor said softly, his features completely relaxed. "And I loved our Natalie as well, I always will."
Though before he could blink Irina's hand made contact with his face accompanied with a sharp stinging pain in his cheek. His cuffed hands slowly moved up to his cheek, as he placed his hand on the red mark now forming upon his flesh. He deserved that, but he made no comment. She could hit him all she liked if it made her feel better.
"I hate you." she growled, her delicate body shaking in anger. "I hate you! You are no husband of mine, you can stay here and rot for all I care." she snarled, turning sharply on her heel as she made her way towards the door.
Her words seemed to not have phased Victor as he watched her, though deep down his heart had slit in two completely. His wife, his Queen...wished for him to rot here in this prison. He never thought his marriage could turn into such a hateful thing, though here it was crumbling right before his very eyes and oddly he felt as if the wound would not sting for so long. Eventually, he will be free of this place, and she will crawl back to him. Its not like she could divorce him, what would entire Moroi society think? Royalty did not divorce, no matter the crime of the spouse. To divorce would be an embarrassment. So, he merely sat there and allowed her to leave without a care in the world. She belonged to him, whether she liked it or not.
As the white door swung shut, Victor slowly stood from his uncomfortable plastic chair, his cuffs clinking together as he moved. His jade green eyes then shifted over towards the guardians that were appointed to him, his lips forming a smug smile. "Shall you gentlemen escort me back to my cell? I would really like to continue with my reading." he said softly, as if what had just happened never occurred.
The two guardian's shared a questioning look, though they merely shook their heads and grabbed Victor by the arm to escort him back to his barren cell. As they made their way back to his lovely new room, his lips twitched up into a smirk. Deep down Victor knew a turn of events were to occur, he would not be staying here long. Sooner or later someone would come for him, may it be Robert or someone else. The Dashkov family had supporters around the globe, surely he wouldn't be left here to rot. He would soon be free, and he will take the throne just as he was meant to. Luckily Victor was a very patient man, he could wait. Very soon the world will see what a monster he could be when it came to the things he wanted, which he always received.
We live in a world where the Boogeymen are real.
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