World War: Menos Van

I sighed, rubbing by temples as I turned the corner, entering the kitchen to fetch some water. I hadn't slept. The nightmares of /him/ wouldn't allow it. My head was throbbing. Badely.
I closed my eyes, pained as I turned the last corner, past the files. Something was there that shouldn't have been though and I tripped over it, squeaking as I fell face first.

Adam jumped, falling back over her after fixing the file and grabbing a vegetable to make sure he wasn't caught. Adam hit his head on the cabinet hard enough that a loud crack could be heard, the back of his head bleeding and his vision filled with black spots. "ugh," he groaned, his stomach rolling.

It took me a moment to gather myself, a second crack sounding through the air as I collided with the floor. Well, if my head wasn't hurting before, it sure was now. I rolled over and stared up at the ceiling for a moment. "Why in the world are you on the ground?" I managed, checking my head to make sure it was still attached.

"I tripped," Adam murmured as he tried to blink away the pain, black spots, and sickness that was beginning to irritate him. The vegetable that he had grabbed, was now sitting beside him, the equivalent of a squash. He put his hand to the back of his head and felt something warm and sticky. He frowned and brought his hand forward. Upon seeing the blood, a continuous flood of curses came from his mouth.

I sat up and growled, irritated by him. "Enough with the language!" I winced, sitting up too fast. "Go clean yourself up," I mumbled, not in the best of moods. The lack of sleep, nightmares, lack of Hyrum, and Adams flirtations had gotten to me. I just wanted to crawl in a hole. I forced myself up, gathering the vegetables and bringing them to the sink to be washed.

Adam stood, swaying, his sight going black as he clutched the counter. "Stupid woman," he muttered under his breath as he fought to get his sight back. He made his way around the counter, continuing to mutter insults about her and her traitor husband. He made sure to say the traitors part loud enough for her to hear. The maid, Nukila, walked in and saw Adam and her eyes went wide. She quickly rushed to his side and helped him out the door to the wash rack so that she could clean him up.

I never made it to the sink, tears that I refused to let him see spilled forth and blocked out my vision. I fumbled to a chair, sitting down with my head in my hands. The nightmare flashed through my head along with the words Adam had just called me. A sob escaped me and I squeezed my eyes shut. Those two brothers. They offer me no peace.

Alex sat across from Hyrum in a game of cards, both looking bored out of their minds, eager to kill something. Wine sat beside them both, Meliah standing in the background with a blank, almost soulless expression while another woman sat on Hyrum's lap.
"So, when do you plan to kill the priestess?" Alex asked with a smirk.
"In a month or so," Hyrum replied, seemingly bored by the choice of conversation.
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"I...I can't believe her!" Adam continued to rant as Nukila tended his wounds, masking the hurt she felt. He seemed to talk about the master's wife constantly, and to her there seemed to be a certain longing in his voice, in his eyes that she would never be able to get from him. "I mean, she's got to know right? She's got to know that he's going to kill the priestess. We've got to do something! I've got to do something. I can't take this anymore! I can't sit here and do nothing."
"Shut up and sit still, you're making this difficult," was all Nukila offered in return.

I allowed the tears to fall for a few moments longer before quickly gathering myself and making my way to the sink. A steady throb was developing behind my eyes now, one that made me feel sick. But I forced myself to ignore it, slowly washing out the vegetables. We had maids to do this, i know. But I needed something to occupy myself. This was going to be a horrible week. I could feel it.

"I'm going to confront her," Adam said decidedly, giving a small nod. "She wouldn't betray her people knowingly...would she?" Again, Nukila was not paying attention. She had tuned him out after half an hour of his rantings.
Adam waited until she was finished and then stood, swaying slightly as he got light headed. This was going to be a long day of work. Nukila thought about protesting, but decided against it, knowing it wouldn't do any good. She watched him make his way back inside with a sad sigh and looked back at her hands.

Adam walked back into the kitchen and paused, seeing the tears and the look on her face. Guilt rushed in on him and he looked down at the ground, his head hanging slightly. "Capella...can...can I talk to you?" He asked quietly, the flame of his anger dying out as soon as he saw her.

I stiffened when he entered then tensed at his question. Talk to me? He wanted to talk to me? I dropped the vegetable angrily and turned on him, eyes blazing. "No. I think I got your message loud and clear. In fact, I think the whole house now knows your thoughts in regards to me. You're pissed at your lot. I get that. But I did NOT force you to kidnap me and it is not MY fault you are here. You and your brother-" I choked off, my knees going weak for a moment as the nightmare resurfaced. "Hyrum, hyrum is good to me, Adam. He loves me. Must you insist on destroying everything in my life? J-just leave me be." I gathered my skirts, leaving the food in the sink as I rushed to hurry past him.

Adam growled, his anger flaring up again. He grabbed her before she could move around him, his hands on her upper arms. "Capella! Listen to me," he gave her the slightest shake to break her from her hysteria. "If I wanted to ruin everything for you I wouldn't have brought you home, or at least as close to home as I could get you." He stared at her, his anger burning behind his eyes. "I'm glad you are happy, Capella. But he's no good! He's a traitor, Capella."

I gave a mocking laugh, tearing myself out of his arms. "Hyrum? A traitor? Are you seriously that bitter you have to tarnish a mans name with such wild accusations?" I glared at him, hurt spilling from me. "If you truly care about me then know this. A wife is tied to her husband. You continue with these false accusations and it is not just him that suffers, it is me. Chose your next words wisely, slave. I've had enough of your kind taking what I hold dear to me." My words were harsh, I knew that. But I had, had enough. I wouldn't take it anymore. No. He wouldn't take this from me too. I had to put my foot down. I had to protect myself.

Adam stared at her, hurt flashing across his face as his jaw tightened. His eyes stared into hers as he straightened himself to his full height, being at least a full head taller than her. It was a trait of the Tiran men to be anywhere from 6 feet to 7 feet. Adam stood at 6'4 while his brother stood at the full 7. His eyes turned into cold, unfeeling lead. "And I thought you were different," he scoffed. "Apparently, I was wrong. Methos are all spineless, weak beings to afraid to look and see the truth. Content to wallow in their pretend happiness and security. At least my people would turn in traitors that planned to kill their leader." His voice was just as emotionless as his eyes, and almost just as dark. He reached up and with a quick, effortless yank he broke the collar around his neck that signified he was a Methos slave. "And I am not your slave, Methos." He tossed the metal collar at her and turned, leaving the kitchen to go to his living quarters. If she wasn't going to do anything about the assassination, he was.

I watched him leave, chin held high until he passed out of sight. Then, as if something had pulled the plug that held in all my courage and tears, I crumbled to the ground. Takara, what had I done to deserve this?
Hyrum was not a traitor... right?

A wind blew through the open window, knocking the file to the ground again, a paper falling out that said Hyrum was to kill the priestess with Hyrum's signature in blood at the bottom.

Adam was slamming what little things he had in a small leather bag that he had snatched from the barn. Nukila stood watching him with her arms around her waist. "Will you be back?" she asked quietly, not liking the tension in the air that seemed to be following him.
"I do not know," Adam said with a sigh, his head hanging slightly as he stopped packing.

I managed a glance at the paper as it fell by my hands. More of his files. The ones he must have stolen. Maybe they would give me the proof I needed to clear his name. Hyrum was not a traitor. I picked it up but quickly dropped it again as it's meaning sank in. No... Hyrum? No. There must be a mistake. Please tell me there was a mistake! I stood, my legs shaking as I cradled the paper. I started walking numbly forward, trying to sort out my hazy thoughts.

Nukila's fingers wrapped around a needle that sat in her pocket. Her master had given it to her to keep the Tiran under control, he knew that he was going to be trouble. Out of loyalty to her master, she walked forward, her hands running seductively up his back. "Adam, don't leave me," she said quietly as she kissed his shoulder.
"I have to Nukila..." Adam said, not catching on. He had grown fond of her, though he didn't exactly love her. He enjoyed her company. He heard Nukila sigh and before he could stop her, the needle was in his neck. He felt his eyes go blurry and he collapsed to the ground. Nukila quickly disposed of the needle and ran out of his room crying hysterically. "Help me!" she screamed, putting on the perfect face of fear and worry. "Help! He-He just collapsed! I don't know what's wrong with him! Someone!"

I startled, glancing up at the familiar maid as she came screaming out. "Who? Are you okay?" I stopped her short, holding her firmly but kindly. "Nuukila, right? Are you okay?"

Nukila shook her head in frantic worry. "N-no. I-it's Adam," she said, the tears rushing down her face. "P-please. He just collapsed, I-I don't know what to do." She wrapped her arms around her middle, pleading in her eyes. She cared for Adam, she truly did. But she couldn't help the slight smug feeling inside her at being such a great actor.

I frowned, following her lead over to the form on the ground. "What happened?" I sighed, kneeling besides him and checking for a pulse. Good, at least he was still alive.

Nukila shook her head, her hand on her mouth. "I don't know. I saw he was mad and so I came to talk to him, see if I could help and I found him like this." She teared again. Adam's skin was covered with a sheen of sweat, burning with a strong fever. He looked pale, really pale.

I frowned, feeling his forehead then looking to her. "Well, don't just stand there, fetch a doctor!" I stood up, grabbing him by the feet and tugging on him, begging a very slow trip to his chambers. Great, just great. As if I didn't have enough going on. I continued to drag him, being as gentle as I could dragging someone three times my size throughout a house while in skirts. I huffed, finally depositing him on his bed, completely out of breath.

Nukila ran out of the room and started towards the town, but as soon as she was out of sight, she took refuge at another slave's house to "keep him company."

Adam groaned as he was shifted, his eyes opening slightly as he fought against the drug. "Nukila," he murmured, his fingers going to the small needle hole in his neck. He could barely form words, but he tried.

"She's off to get a doctor," I grumbled, sliding onto my bottom, head in hands. "Leave it to you to find trouble. You always find trouble, you and that mouth of yours." I scowled, fighting against the urge to pass out right then and there.