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| Weakening Faith | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chilandrea had not shown herself out of her room for one week since Alexander had left for the battle and Horace was becoming very concerned. Even the people requesting her counsel had to go directly to her room because she just wouldn't leave but for meals. The wedding day drew nearer every second and Horace was worried that something would go horribly wrong in the days to come. Chilandrea would normally bare a frown in public, yet the one she bore recently was disturbingly haunted. She held a far off look in her eyes as if she were searching for something in the distant time. He wondered if it had something to do with Alexander and the battle against the mysterious army no one had seemed to hear of. He too was worried that Alexander would not survive, yet had no idea what was occupying Chilandrea's mind. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Horace continued to prepare for the wedding at Molandra's request, putting up flowers and ribbons in the great hall, collecting the chefs to cook the feast for after the wedding, getting servants together to set up the banquet hall, and gave them jobs to do during the ceremony and the receptions. Molandra seemed to be looking out for the well being of Chilandrea, her prot�g�, the girl who would one day replace her. Somehow, he couldn't get past the feeling that she was actually trying to do as much of Chilandrea's job as she could to ensure that she would do well and to keep her own reputation up to its standards. She was like a mother who wanted her child to grow up and have everything that she had dreamed for herself, not realizing that her dreams were not her child's dreams and that they would never be. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| He wondered of the Divine Law. Was it so unchangeable and unbreakable that even the All High Priestess could not bend the rule for a friend's happiness? Could she even try to change the law itself so that Chilandrea and the priestesses to follow with the same problem would not have to suffer? Chilandrea had once said that Molandra had looked after her like a mother would a daughter, for Chilandrea had not known her own mother and Molandra was as close as she would ever get to having one. Wouldn't a mother try to look out for her child's happiness? Wouldn't she strive to allow her child to marry the one she loves and loves her with the same passion? Molandra seemed to be thinking with a very narrow perspective and allowing only what she wanted. She continued through her routines with a cold twinkle in her gray lifeless eyes. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| He thought of how Alexander's confession of love came so soon before the mysterious army appeared on their border. Did one have anything to do with the other? Was Molandra out to prevent Alexander from destroying her dream for her 'child'? If so, would she go as far as killing him to keep Chilandrea away from temptation? He tried to keep these thoughts from his mind, yet every sullen look on Chilandrea's face and every cold stare from Molandra's affirmed them. His heart told him there was something wrong from the very beginning, and only now was he beginning to see it. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| He went to Chilandrea's chamber that night after Molandra had left. As she showed him in, he began. "Chilandrea, I would like to ask you something that may not seem as if it is any of my business, but this is the only time I saw fit for this kind of question." | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I'm sure. As you can tell, my days have been occupied by the preparation for my wedding. You may ask me." She sat in a chair close to her cauldron in the fireplace. It seemed as though she were preparing for something for that night. "Please, sit." | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A chair drew near him all on its own, and he knew that Chilandrea had summoned it. Sitting, he said, "I would like to know of your feelings for Alexander." | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Why do you ask that?" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I know that he has told you of his love for you and wondered if you reciprocated his feelings?" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I understand what you are asking me. I asked why you ask me that specifically." | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I noticed that the mysterious army on our borders happened to appear not too soon after he confessed that he loved you. Do you find this strange?" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Why should it be strange?" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I thought that maybe it was a plan to keep Alexander away from the wedding." | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "But who would conjure an army just to keep a man away from a ceremony? It's utterly preposterous!" Even though her mouth said this, her mind began to wander. Molandra seemed very intent on the wedding being sooner than later, even before Chilandrea had suggested it. She also had some obvious joy that he was not around to poke his nose where it didn't belong. But why would Molandra go so far as to create a war to draw him away? Why would she put so many innocent lives at risk? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I fear that his life may be in danger. Have you seen anything to affirm this?" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I understand that you are scared that this battle may be more deadly than the others before it, yet I can honestly say that you should not be afraid." | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You are sure that Alexander is not being put in a position like this just to allow the marriage to run smoothly?" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| She turned to face the prince with a serious look on her face. "I assure you. Do not be afraid for his life. The future has its path and will not shift from it." | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Before Alexander left, he told me that he would not be returning after the battle. Is there a reason why he said this?" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I am not sure why he would say such a thing." | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He wouldn't be leaving because you told him that something could possibly be between you?" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I do not wish to discuss this," she said sternly. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Horace rose to leave, but paused. "You never answered me about your feelings. If you do love him, I would not let anyone know. You both can trust me. I would rather die than tell my friend's secrets to someone who could ruin his life." | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chilandrea stared at him. "I did not reply for a reason. I keep my own feelings secret from everyone except those who need to know. You are not one of those people. I will not confirm that I have feelings for him." | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I see. Then that is all I asked. Good evening, Priestess." | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| He reached the door and heard her say one more thing as he left. "I will not deny it, either." | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chilandrea turned back to her cauldron. She remembered the things that Molandra had told her during her training as a priestess. "There are two practices that can severely weaken us if we are not strong enough. One is teleportation, as most of you know. It can drain us of most of our strength to teleport over large distances and we do not use it often when walking or other slower transportation can be just as useful. The other is astral projection. This is when one projects her image in a place when she does not have the strength to teleport. Yet, if you project for a long length of time, it can severely injure you to the point of even death. You must be wise in how you use your power." | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| This was very true. Even with all the power she possessed, teleportation was quite stressful. She looked into the waters of her cauldron and saw the image of Alexander floating in them. He was readying his troops for the morning battle. Thinking of all the things Horace had brought to mind, she remembered what Alexander had said in her vision. "For shame! Dishonor on us all!" Why had he said that? Would he die for Molandra's benefit? Was this army that no one had heard of an illusion Molandra had conjured to prevent Alexander from clouding Chilandrea's mind further? And where was the other army in her vision? Could it be that Alexander's army had not struck one single blow during battle? It couldn't be! His army was too strong to be slaughtered as she had seen. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Yet she felt she couldn't take the chance. Alexander's life was in danger and she couldn't let it slip through her fingers. She made up her mind. The only way to save him was to astral project herself onto the field in front of the opposing army and frighten them all away. She must be careful to not let Alexander's army see her image, but that would be a difficult task.� She needed to make herself large enough to scare these men, yet make herself transparent enough to seem invisible to Alexander. She would plan throughout the night to take action in the morning. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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