Back to the start...
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| Foreboding Emotions | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| They continued sneaking around to see each other, but were a little more relaxed knowing that Horace would be quiet. Chilandrea was less eager to be with Alexander now that she knew what he wanted her to do when their love was discovered. She loved him as much as ever for caring so much for her future, but her mind kept drifting to the point when Molandra would see the truth. Chilandrea's nightmares were coming each night and seemed to be getting more realistic by the day. Her most recent was the one that made her feel most ill. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chilandrea stood in a foreign place looking out a small window at the snowy surroundings. Her face and body was littered with small scars and bruises but they seemed to be healing on their own. She wore a black gown that she didn't recognize, but held a deep green cloak tightly around her shoulders for warmth. She looked at her hand and stared at the small ankh on her finger. It held so much meaning for her now. A small knock on the door behind her signaled that a tiny man entered with some more blankets for the bed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I do apologize for the lack of firewood, milady," the man said in a quiet voice. "We weren't expecting any visitors." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "It's alright. Thank you for your kindness. I welcome it now more than ever in times like this." He bowed and began to exit when Chilandrea felt something that made her shake. "Oh no, no!" She turned to the window and stared out, recognizing all the snow, the room, the little man. "No! Not now!" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What is it, miss?" asked the man. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "We have to leave! Leave now!! Ale--" she tried to yell, but the door exploded cutting her off. She fell to the floor from the blast. Coughing from the dust, she stared up in horror. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Molandra entered the room holding Alexander -- his hands tied behind his back -- high in front of her by his collar. He looked battered as she dropped him to the floor in a heap. "Who would have guessed? A law breaking fiend like this brings the rumored Child Priestess here of all places." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The little man looked at Chilandrea with sudden recognition. "The Child Priestess," he whispered and bowed back into a corner. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alexander barely moved on the floor. Molandra stood above him like a hunter with her kill. "This man has confessed that he stole you away, forcing himself upon you and will die for it. Come Chilandrea, we will bring you back to the kingdom to discuss his death." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chilandrea stared at Alexander in horror. She knew that he would die, but to be treated so horribly beforehand? It was wrong. She didn't know if she could take seeing him this way. And how could she live with herself if she let him die a torturous death while she lived in luxury? She could hear his words in her head, telling her to lie for her own sake. "Don't make our love known," he said. "Our love is not worthy of your sacrifice. Stay alive." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Wait," she cried. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alexander looked up through his swollen eye. "No," he gasped, too low for Molandra to hear. "Don't..." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| And that was how it ended. She didn't understand how her dream self could recognize the surroundings if she herself didn't recognize them. But then again, it could have just been a silly dream spurred from her recent fear. Chilandrea didn't dare tell Alexander of her dreams; it would only worry him too much. He already believed that her first nightmare was rubbish, but the more realistic they become the more he would begin to trust in them. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| She woke early one morning without a nightmare, but instead an uneasy feeling in the back of her mind pushed her to get out of bed, dress, and go to her balcony window. Slipping on her robe, she saw Alexander asleep in her bed and smiled. She sat on the edge nearest him and stroked his long black hair away from his eyes. They opened, gazing up at her. He smiled mischievously, pulled her close and kissed her. She stood up and said, "It's not quite dawn yet. Go back to sleep." The balcony still beckoned her. The sky was a dull gray with early morning light, the sun not yet poking its head up over the horizon. The landscape was dark and unmoving, seeming so serene to her. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a small flickering light rise over the distant hill. Staring closer at it, she saw several more follow. Torches, she thought. Someone is coming here. And then it hit her: It's Merrick! He's here! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Alexander! Quick!" she cried running to him. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 'What? What?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Your brother! He's here! Just on the hill now, look!" He rose to see but she held him back so they wouldn't be able to see him from their place. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I thought you said he was supposed to arrive in a few days! What is he doing here now?" he asked, rushing to clothe himself. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| She leaned out and stared at them. "The last week of their trip has been non stop. They stop only for food or to rest the horses, and not for long. He wanted to be here as soon as possible, so he's run his servants ragged to do so." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He always was a barbarian," said Alexander in disgust. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You must return to your chambers quickly. Once Molandra knows that he's nearly here, she'll be knocking on my door to tell me. I'll see you as soon as I can." She kissed him and sent him on his way. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Not too soon after he'd made his way down the hall under the comfort of his invisibility, Chilandrea's prediction came true. Molandra appeared before her. She looked a little stunned to find her in just her robe. "I was expecting to find you sleeping, but that doesn't matter. I came to tell you--" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "That Lord Merrick has arrived. I know." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You always were a step ahead," Molandra said smiling. "He'll be wanting to meet you as soon as he gets here and washes up. Put on your best and we'll greet him as soon as he is ready." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| She vanished. Chilandrea was grateful for her instincts. If she had not trusted them, she and Alexander would have been caught. She also felt that her marriage was looming ever closer -- even closer than was planned. Does Merrick intend to hasten the wedding plans as he did his trip? She prayed that he wouldn't. Her time with Alexander was short to begin with and she didn't want to cut it even shorter. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Chilandrea quickly dressed, donning her darkest veil, and went to the great hall to find Horace and Alexander already there. "Good morning, Your Majesty," she said, "and you, Sir Alexander." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Good morning," they replied. Horace looked worried, but Alexander simply stared at her. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Has Lord Merrick actually reached the castle yet?" she asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Yes," said Horace. "He's just gone to freshen up before he meets you. He looked very weary from the journey." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I would assume so. He hasn't stopped since Glimdorn." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| They continued to attempt small talk while waiting for Merrick, and with Alexander and Chilandrea's minds both occupied with other things it was very difficult. Merrick soon arrived and Chilandrea was breath taken. Merrick and Alexander were nearly identical save Merrick's mustache. Molandra appeared in the hall and guided him to Chilandrea's side. Molandra couldn't have looked happier. "My dear Lord Merrick, may I present you with your bride -- High Priestess Chilandrea." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| His face was kind, smiling with a pride she'd never seen before. "Dear Lady, let me see your face." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Would you marry a woman without knowing her image?" she asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I beg your pardon?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Would you marry a woman simply because she is the most wonderful person and not because she was beautiful? Or if she were ugly would you pass her by?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I fear she is testing you, Lord," said Molandra with a disapproving glare towards Chilandrea. "She is very sensitive to her beauty because it seems to attract more men than she would like. She may seem a bit offensive at first, but you will learn to adapt to her ways as she will yours." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Ah, I see. My Lady," he said to Chilandrea, "I only ask to see you so that I may know what my bride looks like. I vow to marry you in any case, and I doubt that you could be ugly at all in my eyes." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| She heard Alexander scoff behind her. Apparently Alexander had heard Merrick say things like this to other women that had proven false. She agreed to show him, removing her veil and seeing the same reaction she'd seen with every other man before. His eyes lit up like a young boy seeing his first glimpse of wonderful treasures. She even saw the lust in his eyes, the lust she'd seen so many times before, yet his made her uneasy. It seemed too intense. He smiled sweetly at her, but the uneasy feeling only intensified. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The whole situation gave her a bad feeling. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| That evening after dinner, Chilandrea had asked Alexander to meet with her in secret in a corner of the castle that barely anyone ever saw -- the West wing. He agreed immediately, but she had to dash away for Merrick and Molandra were quickly approaching, engrossed in their own discussions of the wedding. "Chilandrea, dear," said Merrick. "I've just been told that I'm allowed to touch you before our wedding. May I ask a kiss?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "No, you may not." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Molandra frowned. "Why do you insist on being so difficult?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I simply want to keep the experience until we are married, would you not?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I see your point. Then I will kiss your hand." He took her hand and pressed it to his lips -- she could even feel a little of his tongue poke through. She was slightly appalled. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Chilandrea, Merrick is so insistent on marrying you, I've decided to push the ceremony date forward a few days. You'll be married the day after tomorrow. Isn't that wonderful?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. "The day after tomorrow? So soon?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I want to make you happy as soon as possible," he said with a tantalizing undertone. "Don't you think it's a fine idea? It wouldn't hurt anything to push it forward a bit." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "No, it's fantastic. I cannot wait." She glanced away and saw Alexander lingering close by listening to every word. He kept staring at Merrick with such disdain that Chilandrea became very nervous. Snapping her eyes back to Molandra and Merrick she said, "I would love to speak with you more, but I must sleep. Good night." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Good night," they both replied, and she hurried off to her room as quick as her feet would carry her. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Once there, she did not stay long. She teleported to a dark corner of the West wing and waited there for Alexander who didn't take long to catch up. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Chilandrea, why are we meeting here of all places?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Because no one will think to look here for us. No one ever comes down these halls anymore -- not even servants. This way we can talk." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "But why would you ask for this much secrecy?" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Because we can no longer risk spending the nights together. No matter how much we long to be in each other's arms, we must resist. Our entire affair will end tonight." She paused a moment as the idea sunk in. "Merrick and Molandra have pushed the wedding ahead to the day after tomorrow." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "WHAT?!" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I'm marrying him much sooner than any of us expected. I'm so sorry I got you into this. I never meant for us to... to fall so hard... We've become so attached now... I feel like I can never let you go!" Tears flowed freely down her cheeks. "I love you so much, Alexander. But please understand that it will be so much easier for us if we part now. If we do not see so much as a glimpse of each other after this moment, it will be easier for us to move on." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "But I don't want to move on. How could I get on with my life after loving a priestess? Nothing will ever be the same." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "That is why we will adjust faster if we say goodbye now." Her eyes pleaded to him in desperation. "Please... don't forget me." | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I could never forget you, Chilandrea. You will forever be my Child Priestess." He reached out to hold her, but as soon as he touched her she pushed away and vanished with a loud sob. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| On to the next chapter! Back to the start... |
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