Seduced By An Entity Ch. 26
Date: 05.02.2010
Keywords: Ch., An, 26, Seduced, Entity, By,
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"The words are in Latin, but roughly translate into 'Holy Terror'," he responded from memory, as it was too dark to read them.
"It's so large," she commented.
He nodded his head in agreement. "It is a truly hideous weapon yet so brilliantly conceived that it leaves me in awe of the clever design and delicate workmanship."
Her questioning continued as she tried to mentally grasp its origin. "Who makes such things?"
Brother Wallace sighed. It was not on account of her questioning, although Juliette thought it to be and apologetically lowered her gaze.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."
He grasped her hand and gently squeezed it in a demonstration of reassurance. "No, that is not it at all. I still question my own ability to carry through with such a violent act. Every time I see this box my heart sinks to such great depths that it fills me with dread. Any others in the same vicinity are at equal risk, for the manuscript claims that a cloud of holy shards will envelop the immediate area.
"But as for your inquiry, I do not know. Their true origin is surrounded by great secrecy. Some claim they are a gift from the heavens, but I suspect that is not the case."
A look of growing fear appeared on Juliette's face. Her head nodded from side to side as tears spilled down her cheeks.
He became concerned. "Juliette, what is it?"
"We had to deceive merely to gain entrance to the town. How will we and the boys ever get into the castle with holy weapons of war?"
He could not bring himself to lie. He had the same concerns. But their unlikely paths crossed at a time that could not possibly have been coincidental. Some higher power had seen to it, as it also did when he was aided by a stranger in a distant land that supplied the very holy weapons they required. It was inconceivable to him that the same force that had gotten them so close to defeating evil would abandon them at this critical juncture.
"We will be shown a way," he replied.
He spoke the words with such unshakeable faith and conviction that her feeling of fear immediately lifted. A beaming smile formed on her face that he could almost see despite the veil of darkness that cloaked them. She leaned forward and hugged him tightly.
She whispered, "Thank you."
* * * * *
The eleventh and twelfth sons slowly advanced down a rutted road on horseback. They were in no rush to meet their fate. Drake was fully committed to the task he had sworn to complete, but the closer this day drew, Frederick appeared uncertain. His previous displays of unwavering, chest-pounding confidence had ceased altogether.
"What is death like?" Frederick asked.
"If you believe in what the church continually spouts, we'll be cast into a sea of flames and suffer for eternity," Drake replied. "I'd like to hope for a fate less chilling."
Frederick erupted in laughter. "A fate less chilling than being cast into a sea of flames?"
Drake saw the humor in his conflicting statements and joined in. The men stopped their animals and looked thoughtfully at one another after the laughter diminished.
"We must right this wrong," Drake reminded his younger sibling. "Can I still trust you?"
Frederick paused. "I am truly frightened, but you have my word as a man that I am as one with you in this cause."
Drake had no choice but to accept Frederick's sworn promise. After watering the horses at a flanking stream they approached their destination. A squad of soldiers suddenly appeared and challenged them. Drake moved his right hand closer to the handle of his sword as the demons' cautionary whispers sounded.
"Halt!" a voice exclaimed. "State your intentions."
Drake and Frederick shared a brief, uncertain gaze.
"We..." Drake began before trailing off.
"...are here to attend the wedding of our older brother," Frederick openly declared.
Drake was left shocked and speechless by the open revelation. That had never been the intended plan! They were supposed to enter the town with their identities hidden and find a way inside the castle walls. What would happen to them now?
The guard scoffed. "You lie! Such a thing is not possible! Turn around and ride back the way you came before I run you through with my sword!"
Thick tension filled the air. Three archers held their bows up, the tipped arrows threatening if the command to retreat was not obeyed. Despite the presence of such overwhelming force the two young men appeared hesitant to leave.
"Then so be it!" the guard angrily exclaimed as he drew his sword.
The Captain was on horseback inspecting the checkpoints as the two strangers approached. For some reason he waited to see who they were. When the stand-off appeared to be on the verge of escalation to violence, he made his presence known. His horse advanced from the shadow of a tree-line.
"Stand down!" he ordered, guiding his horse forward toward the unlikely visitors. "Brothers, you claim; your ages make such a truth unlikely."
"It is, I swear it on my father William's grave!" Frederick passionately declared.
The Captain had heard that name before in a similar context. He sensed they were all on the precipice of some dramatic event; something much more than a simple wedding. He couldn't guess as to what it was, but his gut told him these two were key players. He hoped that allowing them to enter would be a good thing, and not bad.
"I will introduce you to Lord Chadwick," the Captain warily decided. "Or, in your unique case, brother Chadwick." The statement drew laughter from the soldiers, who entertained no such possibility. "But beware that if you are not who you claim, there will be no pity taken on your behalf. Follow me, if you dare."
"We'll watch your tortured bodies swinging from the gallows by morning, you bloody fools!" one guard shouted as the trio rode off.
"And so evil continued to gather for the grand wedding celebration. Drake grew increasingly suspicious of Frederick's true motives, fearing his evil side was winning over the human sense of goodness and compassion. Great caution would have to be exercised, for Frederick had suddenly become a threat far greater than any other imagined."
"I have brought the one you spoke of," the Captain announced.
"Splendid!" a strange voice replied in a happy tone. "Take her down to Mary. She'll know what to do with her. I'm sure it will be a most enjoyable evening for me, although not quite as pleasant for her. But that matters little."
Her heart sank as he spoke the words, and she recalled the horrible visions in the Captain's eyes. Realizing that was probably to which he referred, Danielle broke down into tears. The Lord watched as she collapsed into a prone position, her body vibrating as she sobbed. His remark was intended to cause this, for the evil Lord Chadwick took pleasure in seeing the misery of his helpless female subjects displayed in this way. He observed the scene for several moments before signaling to the Captain, who led her away.
Sweat matted her black hair and rolled down her face as her body quickly overheated beneath the hood. Even the air was stifling and made breathing difficult. Danielle passed through more corridors, descended hard stone steps, and finally entered a chamber. She listened as the Captain retreated, closing and locking the heavy timber door through which they had entered. It was both scary and a relief as the metallic sound of the lock being engaged could be heard.
When the hood was removed she gulped in the fresh, cool air. Her sweat-soaked skin, hair, and clothes delighted in it. The salty wetness had seeped into her eyes, and she struggled to get her eyes to focus. She saw that the chamber was dark, and four torches hanging in iron holders dispersed a flickering yellow light.
A cool wet rag was applied to her face, and gratefully washed away the perspiration. When Danielle could focus she saw an attractive woman only a few years older than herself with warm, caring eyes and a comforting smile.
"I'm Mary," she announced in a soft, loving voice.
The fear in Danielle's heart weakened, and the tension in her body seemingly melted away just hearing those words and the way in which they were delivered. When arms embraced her shoulders and gave her a supportive hug, Danielle placed the side of her face on a shoulder and softly sobbed.
"What's going to happen to me?" Danielle asked, for the first time feeling she was with someone trustworthy.
"It's not as bad as your mind is thinking, I'm certain of that," Mary assured her. "I know the guards are frightening and rough, and I'm sure they took advantage of your helplessness on your way here, but everything will be just fine."
"Why am I here?"
Mary released a heavy sigh. "I'm not a proponent, mind you, but Lord Chadwick enjoys the simple pleasures in life from time to time. Virgins with pretty faces seem to please him to no end, and he sees no reason not to wield his power and take what he wants. And, this time, it's you he wants."
"What happens after?"
"Let's get those shackles off. I've prepared a wonderful bath, and there's a generous amount of ground wild flower soap to clean with."
Mary removed the pins, and the shackles with them. Danielle rubbed her raw wrists, glad to have regained some of her freedom. Mary helped her shed the wet, dirty clothing. Danielle felt awkward standing there naked, even though it was in the presence of another woman. Her embarrassment increased when Mary inexplicably shed her own clothes. The two women gazed at one another and enjoyed the natural beauty that was the cause for their unjustified abduction.
"Come, you'll feel much better in a nice hot tub."
The sweat that coated her body had dried and left behind an uncomfortable layer of salt on her skin. She was more than eager to have it removed. Mary reached down and took Danielle's right hand into her left and led her across the room and into an interconnecting chamber. It was smaller and seemed to have been built for the express purpose of bathing, although that seemed unlikely.
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Keywords: Ch., An, 26, Seduced, Entity, By,