In the cellar, in chains. Father opened the door, warm air pushed out with the smell of sweat and blood. It knocked me back it was so strong. I couldn’t see him at first. I looked to father. He must have read the question in my eyes because he just shook his head and said “He did this, himself”. With that he handed me the candle and walked off.

“Don’t” that one word hung in the air as heavy as the smell of his blood mixed with the earthy warm scent that is him. It took a second for my eyes to adjust. He was on his knees, bare still from the waist up. Bloody welps covered his arms, whipped, he had his self whipped. His hair hung around his face and shoulders, dirty and tangled. He was chained to the wall by the wrist, arms splayed out, looking all the more like a fallen angel.

“Kill Me” he whispered, his voice raw and thick, from his self tortured cries. I once again fell to my knees before this man. I placed my hand on his cheek and he shuddered. Tears began to flow from him again. My heart broke, it felt like someone was reaching in and twisting my heart. He began to sob. “Forgive Me, My soul” he sobbed harder now. My heart rejoiced, my soul, my love, my own heart.

“Please, let me unchain you. You did not know, Raven. You have carried your pain and anger for so long, as had I. Now you know. Please” I begged him. He didn’t try to stop me as I unchained him. He didn’t move at all. I crawled around and placed the candle on a crate and then I sat beside him and leaned my head on his shoulder. We cried, we cried for our lost son, for our lost daughter, for the world we almost destroyed, and for each other.

We fell asleep wrapped in each other. No words had been spoken, there was no need. I woke in the morning and he was gone.