-- Title -- Underneath The Skin

-- Author -- Masked Mistake

=---//

~~ Chapter ~~ Three

~~ Title ~~ Pain, Love and Betrayel

===*I've noticed I spelled Cathedral wrong for the longest time. So it's changed now.*

"William, it's best to just ingore their plights of injustice," a young man with fair hair said.

William glanced up from his roses and smiled at his best friend, Thomas. "They are just trying to make this place something like the town. Something that is the same, rather than being it's own unique place and I don't mind their words. They do not hurt me, Thomas," William replied and turned back to his flowers.

"It's getting dark, shouldn't you go home?"

William stood up and brushed his black trousers off. "What home do I have to go back to?" He asked and looked at Thomas," Who would greet me at the door other than a stick?"

Thomas shrugged his shoulders and glanced at the cathedral. "This place....it's not natural," he murmered.

William chuckled. "It's because you don't understand it, Thomas. It is a place of peace, my sanctuary. My great grandparents built it long ago and I tend to it because this is all I have next to a penny for my thoughts."

"You don't make sense sometimes, William Canary, I just don't get how you can talk like you know much more than you should."

Thomas turned and walked away from the cathedral. William sighed outwards and mist billowed from his parted lips. "It's because I know less than I should, dear Thomas, less than I should."

The flowers opened and glowed brightly as the sun vanished and the moon rose in the night sky. William closed his eyes and walked up the steps of the cathedral. He opened the doors, stepped inside and closed them behind him. The candlelight flickered against the walls and William adjusted his black overcoat which covered his black, long sleeved shirt. He walked along the rows of seats and turned to the backdoor, which led to his hideaway. William stepped through the doorway and entered his room where he kept books, furnature and a bed which was against the far right corner of the room. He slipped into his comfortable chair and plucked a book from beneath a pile of papers. The book was of limbo, Hell and Heaven. He enjoyed reading these books and felt drawn somehow to it.

==-- Present --==

"Wake up," William said.

Natasha murmered in her sleep and turned over on the bench. She dropped off the side and opened her eyes. "Life sucks," she muttered and stood up.

She yawned loudly and stretched her limbs. She glanced at William who just stood there and watched her. "Would you like something, master?" She asked sarcastically.

"Your bruise is better now, isn't it?" William asked.

"Yeah, and thank you for the dead leg. I really appreciated it."

William shrugged. "We're going out to find him and I bet you that he's searching for you."

"Me? Why me? I have nothing to do with this."

"You have more to do with this than you know, Natasha."

Natasha blinked for a few moments and frowned. "When did you become so nice? Are you done pms'ing or something?"

"No, I just want to be in a good mood before I have to get serious. I've been training in Hell all these years for this day and I will not let you ruin it."

He turned away and motioned for Natasha. She reluctantly walked over to him and looked into his jade green eyes. "I am sorry, young human, to have been so violent. You just don't understand what I went through to get this far, to get justice against this bastard who ruined me. Who killed my life and my love. My love...it was this cathedral here that you see now in ruins," William said.

Natasha started and realized this place was ruined. The cathedral was now just ruins and the portrait that William destroyed had a pitchfork through the forehead. Natasha trembled and looked at William. She stared at him and realized he looked different. His eyes were transfixed on one goal: To kill this man who took everything from him and would stop at nothing to achieve that one goal.

"You want to be at peace," She whispered.

"Yes, that is all I ask. I am but a wandering nomad of mist to others, but you are one of the few to actually see me. You are one of those special humans who are in touch with their supernatural auras," William said and smiled. "You are a link to the past for the ghosts and ghouls. The wisps and wanderers. You are a special woman, Natasha. No one can take that away from you and now...I want you to help me track this man down."

Natasha swallowed hard as William leaned towards her, his breath cold on her parted lips and he closed his eyes. "This may be too much for you to handle, you know that. Time to go find him."

He placed a quick peck on her lips and exited the ruins with Natasha behind him. She was surprised at all of this and closed her eyes. How, she thought with a shudder in her stomach, how can this be happening? How can I be in- tune with ghosts when this world...this world is not with ghosts. It's reality! I want to wake up!

==-- Past --==

Thomas scanned his eyes over a young woman who stood with her hands together in front of the great cathedral and he swallowed hard. The young woman sighed loudly and closed her eyes as the wind picked up and tossled her waist long aubrun hair. The flowers danced on their stalks and her dress rippled. It was like a dream to Thomas and he glanced at William who walked over to the young woman. "You pray?" William asked.

The young woman turned to him and her eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, pardon. Do you mind me praying at a cathedral?" She asked.

"No, not at all. Go ahead."

Thomas's insides brewed with envy as William smiled at the young woman, who smiled back and took his arm. "This is a beautiful cathedral," she said and paused.

William sucked in a breath. "Oh, my name is William Canary. You are?"

"Natalie, that's all I want to say for now."

"Natalie, a beautiful name for a beautiful young woman."

Natalie blushed and smiled. "You are blunt, kind saint."

Thomas fumed with jealousy and he turned away to the forests. William smiled at Natalie. "Would you like to see the inside of this cathedral?"

Natalie glanced away from him and William followed her gaze to a man who stood in the midst of the flowers. She smiled at William and unlinked her arm. "I'd better not. Good day, William," she said hurridly and walked briskly towards the man.

The man glared at William and walked away with Natalie. William looked at the cathedral and breathed deeply. "Natalie," he whispered.

==-- Present --==

"Who's Natalie?"

William jerked back to reality and glanced at Natasha. "Oh, sorry. I was just thinking out loud," he said.

Natasha nodded and the two trecked through the forest. She watched as his eyes glazed.

"Was she someone you loved?" Natasha asked.

"Natalie? Oh, no. She wasn't someone I loved."

"Why then do your eyes flicker at the sound of her name and just now?"

"They do not. My eyes don't flicker and maybe it's because I'm getting ready for battle if needed be!"

Natasha smiled and took his arm, which surprised them both. She pulled back and blushed. "I'm sorry," she said.

"Natalie was someone I had met while tending to the glowing flowers. She...she looked a little like you and I think you reminded me of her," he replied and sighed," I don't know what I'm saying. Forget it."

"No no, tell me. Were you in love with her?"

"Yes."

They exited the forest and Natasha stepped around him. "Did she love you also?!"

"I don't know."

"How can you not know?"

William sighed and shook his head. "She was burned at the stake for suspected witch craft! Now leave it alone! Bloody hell..."

Natasha covered her mouth. "So she died without telling you.....that's sad."

William shrugged. "I don't know if it is sad or not. I think she was better off with Micheal than she was with me. She should have never became mixed up and we should have never...bah...the past is the past. Now, I need to be in the present-"

"No, tell me. You guys had a baby, didn't you?"

William blushed and hurried around her. "Let's keep our minds clear, Natasha."

"A love forbidden.....that is so romantic!" Natasha exclaimed teary-eye'd.

William whirled around. "A saint in love with a king's daughter. Yes, it was forbidden."

"You were in love with a princess!?"

"I should just stop talking. Now, come on! Let's find my prey."

Natasha smiled broadly. "My first impression of you was an asshole, now I see you as a hopeless...well..hopeful romantic! You loved a princess and you two had a baby!"

"Who said we had a baby!?"

William turned around in a huff and stalked down the road with Natasha at his heels. He closed his eyes and wished he had never said anything about Natalie.

====

to be continued...