Trinity Bloods (FanFic)

31† History's Mockery

They weren't too far into the years before Eden eyed the paintings covering the wall occasionally lingering at the artwork's signatures. Felix was the first to notice how increasingly interested Eden was in the paintings compared with how interested she was before.

Julia kept explaining the history of the paintings as they continued along the walls labeled by the years. Down one hallway the years changed and caught Esther's attention as she thought of the conversation with Abel before. The group moved along carefully and quietly letting Julia speak. On a few rare occasions Felix would speak up about the history of how he found certain paintings and other items being shown around the hallways.

The years labeled neared the turn of the 11th century with about a twenty year gap before it. Abel and Esther stepped to the side letting Eden take her time as some of the others in the group continued on. Eden became increasingly slower and took more time lingering along pictures before pausing at one. It read for the year 1020. She clenched her fists tightly along the scarf around her neck.

"That picture consists of the late Pope John XIX, Brother to the late Pope Benedict VIII and Count Alberic III of Tusculum. A family lineage of many holders of the Papal seat." Felix moved closer to Eden while holding his arms behind his back carefully. His eyes never left Eden as she stared at the boy in the picture with short red curls. Next to him were other family members as his cousins. Eden moved closer to the picture, her hands grasping the red rope. The red headed boy had a smug look painted on his face. She knew he was only eight in the picture. So close to the years she treasured when she was that age. The others in the picture didn't seem to smile as much compared to the red head. Dark eyes dug into the face of Count Alberic and Eden matched his scowl for a moment before Felix made his way closer to her. "Fascinating at how life-like they look for being so old."

Eden's eyes narrowed as she moved silently to the next pictures, unsure if he meant the paintings or herself. The characteristics of the same people now older as she inspected the painting again.

"And this was the first time that the late Pope Benedict IX took the seat in 1032. With him in the picture are his living relatives and a few workers. He's believed to be the youngest Pope in existence back in those days taking the seat at just twenty years of age. The next to hold the title for that would be our current Holiness. This next one as well showcases the same Pope, but he's older and surrounded by more workers." Felix kept pointing to other pictures with the red head, forever holding the same smug 'better than you' look wherever he was. "There are many stories circulating of his Papacy, but then again the late Holiness Benedict IX holds one of the widest ranges of traveling around the world. He had a lot to deal with as famine and diseases were wiping out crops, animals, and even people. It was by no means as bad as some other diseases in the past, but something that the times could not keep up on. His Late Eminence still took care of so much and was so young. His love for his church stands out with all the rest, showing he truly was a man of his actions."

The same dark eyes seemed to warm for a few seconds, the smile that could melt hearts did so once again. Eden looked at the year and had to catch her breath lost in thought. The tag year on the picture was 1034 and Eden thought of all the ways she was angry that only if he lived...

A few more paintings went on, Eden recognized the red haired pope as he stood next to another man and had Mother Maria at their side. She looked as if all life was squeezed out from her. "Ah, yes. This is one really odd painting. This is of again Benedict IX with Emperor Conrad II. This family had major pull around all of Europe, for this was shortly after he was forced out of Rome but had returned with the Emperor and essentially an army to let him back in. Amazing to think of how close to people of power and full control of most of the world they had to have been in order to do something like that. Those two had an odd connection to each other. Even in the next year, 1037, There was a revolt led by the Archbishop Ariber of Milan. Conrad II's son, King Henry III was sent to end it, but in February, the Emperor Conrad, the Elder, accused Aribert of forming a revolt against the Holy Roman Empire and was to be arrested. It took until May for them to capture Aribert, and Pope Benedict IX deposed Aribert from his archbishop position." The next picture was again not of a family portrait but of a transaction. Felix moved and pointed to it, now speaking a bit louder almost to get everyone's attention as he explained the picture. "This is a painting we believe to be as a thank you from Emperor Conrad II in the beginning of the year of 1039. Here you can see a row of the Nuns working alongside the Late Pope, with Mother Maria the one sitting in the chair in front of them holding a small jar in her lap. Standing next to her is His Holiness Benedict IX receiving a gift from Emperor Conrad II with his son, and last living child, Henry III, who is holding a box."