Consciousness slowly returns and Amalia's eyes open. She stares unseeing to the ceiling above, letting her senses fully awaken. She turns her head, looking at the white body lying next to her. She reaches out a hand and slowly caresses the dead skin, now so like her own.
As she looks into Katerina's face, again she sees herself lying before her. Now the semblance is even more striking, and Amalia's limbs tremble as she kneels beside the body.
"I will take care of you," she promises, leaning in to press a slow, lingering kiss upon Katerina's lips.
Amalia rises, unmindful of the bones being crushed beneath her feet as she walks from the tomb. She pushes the stone door closed behind her, its weight nothing to her strength.
She walks back through the maze of corridors, eyes easily picking out small details in the walls and floor that will lead her back to her manor house above. She is nearing her destination when she hears a rustling behind one of the doors. She stops, instantly alert.
A low hiss escapes between her lips as she pads silently to the doorway, her long black hair drifting loose about her body like a shroud.
The rustling sounds again, and Amalia feels a burning rage begin to build up in her. The cool detachment that has been her shield this past decade slips away, having been cracked open the day before, and weakened with every word Menthu spoke.
Balling her hand into a fist, she punches through the locked door, unmindful of the pain, and leaps into the room, crouching low, eyes darting into the darkness.
It takes her a moment to realize what she is seeing. Her Ushabti mill about the room, looking lost and confused.
Amalia stands, immediately calm as she realizes what has happened. "No one has come to let you out, have they?" She says out loud.
These creatures.. creations of hers, are let out only at night, when the majority of the household is sleeping, and only those that may be trusted to keep their existance a secret know of them. Obviously their keeper must have been slain as well, or they would have been allowed back into the house as soon as the sun set to go about their duties.
One by one, Amalia gives new instructions to the soulless and leads them from the room.
As she reaches the stairs leading up to her manor, she pushes open the door and looks in silence at the ruin her house has become. Her heightened sense of smell quickly picks up the scent of death throughout the whole house. Menthu must have gone through each room looking for souls to feed him while he awaited her return. Amalia shakes her head, realizing how much has been lost with the death of all her retainers, assistants, and even her two childer.
It quickly becomes apparent that any she keeps near her are in danger of feeding her Master's hunger. Her Ushabti were spared only because they had no souls to satiate him. Though she cannot feel his presence in her mind now, she knows that eventually he will return.
Her thoughts turn again to Katerina, and dispair wells up until she feels she is choking on it. If he will so callously kill his most favored servant, what chance does she have? Or Dominic? She has doomed herself, and realizes it now more surely than ever before.
Despondant, she walks to a window and stares outside to the city. A cold breeze seeps in through the broken glass, running slowly over her flesh like the hands of a lover. Memories from the night before crash around her and she sinks to her knees, unmindful of the glass cutting into her bare skin.
"Menthu destroyed Katerina, he will destroy me eventually," Amalia thinks to herself, running her fingers over her collarbone. "All of this has been for naught."
She thinks how easy it would be to walk out into the sunlight and end this all, then she would finally be free. The idea grows more and more appealing to Amalia, until she can think of nothing else.
Then a memory flashes into her mind. Of Those Beyond, waiting for her. If she killed herself, she would surely be damned, moreso than she already is. At the thought, she lets out a shriek, covering her head with her hands and cowering upon the ground, trying to sink into the floor itself, feeling so exposed and vulnerable, she expects Those Beyond to swoop down upon her at any moment and visit their torments upon her.
The glass upon the stone floor lascerates her flesh, cutting deep until pools of her blood coat the ground, covering her naked flesh with smears of crimson, but she is unheeding of the pain or what is happening to her as the frenzy to escape the view of Those Beyond takes her over.
Shrieking and clawing at the ground, her frenzy grows more fierce as she sees no way out from the trap between Menthu and the Others. A trap she herself has walked into, eyes wide open. Rational thought flees her mind and she is an animal, seeking only to flee.
Madara-- after spending the rest of the previous night in the city library studying all she can on the path of Chivelry-- is feeling motivated, replenished, and excited to speak with Amalia. There's some apprehension in her breast-- Amalia left so abruptly, and just as Florentia was offering to spare with her. Did she say something to Florentia that offended Amalia?? She wracks her brain over and over again, but can't think of a thing. No matter-- she's confident that everything will be cleared up momentarily, she thinks as she rides the rest of the way to Amalia's manor. Besides, she gave Amalia the night and day to cool off and see to her haven. Yes, everything will be all right.
As Madara rides up to the front of the manor, she can feel that something...is definitely different. Her eyebrows lower-- are those Amalia's ghouls? They seem to be repairing the front doors-- what happened to the front doors? Madara quickly ties Nanesti to a post, pats her head, and walks quickly and purposefully to the front doors of the manor. She opens her mouth to ask one of the ghouls what has happened, when she suddenly stops and looks curiously at the...creatures before her. They're definitely not ghouls...Madara looks closer. Hmmm! Could Amalia have been working on more of her creations? They definitely seem to exhibit the same features as Vashira, except that these are human in shape, and have rocks for eyes...a simple unopening line for a mouth. But they have strength and seem more durable than poor velvet Vashira! Madara reaches out to touch one, and it just continues on with its task. "What happened here?" she asks, but the creations just keep repairing.
Then Madara catches a whiff of something, and she instantly sends her magnified senses out. Blood...oh god, BLOOD!! And lots of it!! "What has that bitch Katerina done???" she thinks to herself, drawing her sword and quickly entering the manor. As she enters within, the stench of blood is everywhere, and Madara unconsciously puts her free hand to her nose, closing her eyes. The manor isn't lit-- pitch blackness is all around-- but with Madara's heightened senses, she can see her way around. She begins to steps forward carefully, scanning all around her. Then with dread she finds that she can pick out individual blood-scents, and-- with her heart crying out not to-- she begins to sniff the air. Many, many dead...some scents she recognizes from ghouls she's spoken with...is that...one of Amalia's Childer?? Madara feels emotion rise up in her throat, and she hurries forward, heedless of danger.
And then she smells what she'd been dreading-- Amalia's blood!!! Fresher than the rest!! She starts running through the manor, making a low moaning-sound in the back of her throat-- tracking Amalia by her scent, until at last she sees something with luminescent skin moving frantically in the dark...near the door that leads down to Amalia's crypt...and it HAS to be...it...
Madara lets out a strangled cry and drops her sword, falling to her knees beside Amalia and throwing her arms around her. "Amalia!!! What has happened?? Oh my god!! Amalia!!" she struggles with the wild and panicking Amalia while tears of blood streak down her own cheeks.
"No!" Amalia shrieks, writhing in Madara's grasp. Her body is slippery with blood and she quickly escapes. "NO!" She shrieks again, her hands curled into claws as she tries to dig into the stone, to no avail. Her fingernails have been torn from her fingers, and glass is still embedded into Amalia's skin. She wails now, voice becoming hoarse from her uninterrupted screams.
"You must leave! They are coming! They will be here soon! GO!!" Amalia's eyes are wild and feral as she tries to push Madara away before resuming her desparate attempt to disappear into the stone.
Madara is completely thrown off-guard by Amalia's horrifically changed demeanor...and especially as she starts taking note of the extent of Amalia's injuries, which seem to be mostly self-inflicted! Amalia's panic starts to transfer over to Madara. "Who's coming??" she hisses in fear, and knows she has to get Amalia out of here!! Amalia's skin so slick with blood-- how can she move her?? As the panic sets in, Madara's thoughts merge into one single obsession: she has to get Amalia out of here!! She quickly takes the cloak off her back and throws it over Amalia, and then-- understanding the nature of a panicked creature-- she throws her arms around Amalia's middle and picks her off the ground.
"Do not struggle, my dear love-- I have you now and NO one will take you from me!! Calm, Amalia-- it is your Madara with you now! Calm, my love..." Madara repeats in a murmur just loud enough that Amalia could hear her as she tries to stand and lift Amalia the way a mother might carry her baby. Madara doesn't know long the eye of her mental hurricane will stay with her before the panic breaks, so I knows she has to get Amalia away as quickly as possible... but Amalia is so strong, and...so afraid!! Madara struggles again with the clawing and writhing Amalia.
Amalia's shrieks are muffled beneath the cloak but still she struggles to get away. Madara's iron hard grip is firm, and finally Amalia realizes the futility of her fight. The soothing voice of her lover eventually penetrates the frenzied haze that has blanketed Amalia's rational thought.
Sobbing now, Amalia stops fighting and hangs limply in Madara's arms, clutching at her with her remaining strength. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she cries over and over, gasping as her tortured body spasms involuntarily.
Madara exhales in relief as she feels Amalia come back to her, grabs her sword off the ground and puts it back in her hilt with one arm as she clutches Amalia with the other. Then-- holding Amalia in both arms now-- she runs back through the manor, teeth gritted in determination-- lunging through doorways, heedless of the crunching glass beneath her boots. She finally breaks out of the front door, bumping one of the creations out of the way but not noticing as she bolts for Nanesti. Madara lifts Amalia up on Nanesti's back, and then jumps up behind her, wrapping her arms around Amalia and holding the reigns in her hands. She squeezes's Nanesti sides with her thighs, and the flesh-crafted ghoul-horse leaps forward, carrying its frightened riders off into the night.
When they're clear of the manor, the panic finally sets into Madara like a vice, and she begins sobbing as she holds Amalia tighter and urges Nanesti on faster and faster-- trees streaking past them. Between sobs Madara moans, "what...what happened, Amalia?? Who...did this...to you??"
Amalia pulls Madara's cloak tightly against her body, more for comfort of its closeness than for any protection against the cold night air, which feels warm in comparison to the chill of her flesh. She leans against Madara, feeling the need for a mothering figure to take away all the pain and rage and hopeless futility that still looms like a giant in her mind. She closes her eyes, feeling the motion of the horse beneath her thighs and the hard lines of Madara's muscled figure against her back, a soothing counterpoint to the jagged wounds and tears across the front of her body.
Amalia mutters something too low for Madara to hear over the pounding of her horse's hooves, and refuses to speak again. Finally the horse slows, it's great chest heaving as it gasps for air, unused to such harsh punishment from it's mistress. When the horse stops, head hanging low, Amalia slips from it's back and sinks to the ground, covering her face with her hands.
Her shoulders shake with silent sobs, and she seems not to feel when Madara puts a hesitant, fearful hand on her shoulder. Finally she turns, face red-streaked from her wounds and the new tears that glisten upon her skin. She looks up at Madara mutely, then finally croaks out a name. "Soreaxe." She says, her eyes lighting with a furious, mind-consuming rage.
"It is he that has done this to me! To all of us! Were it not for him, everything would be different!" She screams, her figure alien and strange as it is consumed by emotion, something Madara has never seen in her before. Or, has she? Something flashes in her memory but then it is gone, buried deep in her mind.
"Our whole land rests upon the back of a demon, he is all around us! We can never escape it!" Amalia screams, unable to control this outburst of emotion now that it has finally broken free after so long.
Madara stares at Amalia, feeling like the world has slipped sideways and everything she thought she understood is alien. "Do you mean that Soreaxe did this to you?? That he finally got his wish...and is a demon now? Joined the demons he consorted with??" Madara takes a step towards Amalia and reaches out her hand, but holds her hand in the air for a moment as her eyes cloud over in thought. "How long has he been tormenting you, Amalia? And WHY? What does he want with you, my love??" Madara's eyes focus on Amalia's form, and she finally rushes forward and begins wiping the blood away, starting with Amalia's face. "Oh my beauty...what have you done to yourself?? I must help you-- you have lost so much blood!"
Madara examines Amalia's fingertips and gasps in horror, putting them to her lips and kissing them. Then she starts to peel away the cloak, which has started to stick to the rapidly-drying blood that covers Amalia's body, and gasps. "Why?? Why?? Oh Amalia..." She takes a corner of the cloak and begins wiping the blood away from every wound in Amalia's body-- inspecting the cuts, and feeling sorrow well up unside of here where once rage would have reigned. "Do not worry...I can repair this..." Madara's head is bent down over Amalia's body, and then she brings her head up and pulls the collar of her shirt to one side. "Take my blood, my love. Take everything you need-- it is yours." Madara tilts her head, and watches Amalia with pleading eyes.
Amalia moans, a low, feral sound, as Madara exposes her neck. She barely holds herself in check as she pulls Madara down to her and fastens her mouth on Madara's throat. The blood runs hot and thick into Amalia's mouth, and instantly the swoon takes her over.
Amalia continues to feed on Madara, gaining strength and clarity with each swallow of the potent vitate, shaking off the frenzied haze that has blanketed her almost since her awakening at dusk.
Finally Amalia breaks free, slowly licking the blood from her swollen lips. She looks down at Madara, laying so pliant and submissive on the ground and lets out another moan. "Aaaaah...what have I done!" She murmers and sinks down to the ground with Madara, running her hands through the other woman's hair and pulling her closer to kiss her.
"Forgive me," she whispers, kissing Madara hard on the mouth to stop any further questions, running her hands over Madara's face and neck, down to her blouse. She moans again, clenching her hands into fists to stop herself from going any further.
She takes a shaking breath and turns away from Madara, trying to get herself under control. "Please, forgive me.. I have put you in great danger."
Madara half-lays on the ground in a swoon of ecstasy, but when Amalia stops her loving attentions a sudden ache flares in her chest, and she opens her eyes. "Oh Amalia, why are you stopping??" she moans breathily. Then she sees the look on Amalia's face and Amalia's words register in her mind. She sits the rest of the way up weakly. "What do you mean-- I am used to being in great danger. If this is something that threatens you, then I gladly stand in its way!" Madara takes Amalia's hands tightly in her own. "What is it, Amalia! Please tell me! If it's Soreaxe...well...why does Katerina not rid you of his presence!" Madara spits out Katerina's name as if she never wanted to speak it.
"Katerina is dead," Amalia says the phrase like a curse. "Slain by the same creature that killed my household." She looks away, jaw clenching as she fights for control of her temper again. When she finally judges herself able to speak, she turns back to Madara. "Whatever killed my ghouls, my retainers..my childer... ate their souls. There is nothing left to tell me what happened."
"Soreaxe...Soreaxe was the one who brought Kupala's attention upon us!" Amalia cries. "Were it not for him, none of this would have happened! Soreaxe is slain, dead by our hands twice over, but his legacy will live on here forever.." Amalia leaps to her feet and begins to pace, looking like some sort of caged animal.
"You do not understand.. you could not..." she paces, muttering to herself and shaking her head. "And Dominic.. for him I have lost my soul!" Amalia vents her anger and pain to the forest, seeming to have forgotten Madara's presence for the moment.
"Were it not for him, I would never have called IT's attention to me! Were it not for him, I would still be free!!" Amalia cries. "Stop it! Stop it! I cannot stand your cries any longer!"
Madara watches in shocked horror as Amalia begins to claw at her own chest. Even without her fingernails, she manages to dig through her skin, and even bone, to pull out a small black stone that seems to absorb the light around it.
As Amalia pulls the stone from her chest, suddenly Madara is beset by a memory buried deep within her mind. Amalia, looking hurried and frantic, looking over her shoulder at every turn. Begging Madara to hide the stone inside her chest, that it might be safe from anything that would come looking for it. "Tis Dominic's soul," she whispers, her voice catching with fear of some unknown persuer. "Stolen from the grasp of Kupala himself. Please, hide him for me, hide him Inside me, You are the only one I may trust. One day I may discover a way to free him, but until then he must be kept safe. A geas prevents me from speaking of it any further, please, do this for me." A flash and the vision/memory ends, leaving Madara looking speechless at Amalia.
Amalia holds the dripping stone before her, then closes her eyes as tears leak from beneath her lids. "I cannot do this anymore! Your screams, your cries, I have done all that I can! I can do no more! I cannot take this! I have given my soul, you have no right to ask for anything else!!!!! " With one final shriek, she hurls the stone away into the blackness of the forest.
Madara stares at Amalia in horror as she watches all of this. What CAN she say?? Katerina dead? A demon killing everything in Amalia's household? Amalia...sold her soul to a demon to get Dominic's back from the Kupala?? Madara feels numb and disoriented as she tries to comprehend this! Memories of Amalia in Jacques carriage...of Amalia's screams and how she acted so secretively during the journey...of how she swore to Madara that should WOULD bring Dominic back...
Madara looks out at the forest to where Amalia threw the stone, and back at Amalia slowly. Then she starts to jog over in the direction of the stone-- using her heightened senses to sniff out Amalia's blood-- and she finds the stone quickly. She bends over and grabs it up, clutching it in her hand, and then straightens and runs back over to Amalia.
"What have you done, Amalia?? Who is this demon you have made a pact with?? Surely there is a way to release you from its hold-- the way the Prince was able to release our farmlands from the demon who polluted them?" Madara takes Amalia in her arms. "Oh Amalia-- I understand, I do! I would do anything to have my poor, dead Childer back with me!" Madara pulls away and holds Amalia's arms in her hands. "He meant so much to you..." then she drops the hand holding the crystal, opens it, and looks at it intently.
"If there is one thing I know, it is that Dominic must be released-- my poor Tavia, flesh-crafted into a stool, went insane in his motionless prison! Do not throw the crystal away-- you will be condemning Dominic to a horrible existence trapped within...for anyone to find him!! Amalia-- how do I destroy this! I will do it, myself!!" Madara draws her sword, places the crystal on a tree-stump, and raises the sword above her head, waiting for Amalia's instruction.
Amalia's breath comes out a half-sob. "I don't know!! I don't know!! T..try to smash it!" She manages, wrapping her arms tightly around herself, unable to take her eyes from the gem.
As Madara stands with the sword raised still, Amalia begins to speak. "I should never have gone after Kupala. Now he seeks me, hunts me still.. my soul was sold the moment I laid eyes on Him." Amalia finally raises her gaze to stare into Madara's. "He will never stop, never give up. Everything I touch dies. The price I pay for stealing a soul from his grasp."
Madara listens to Amalia's words with her sword raised above her head-- her grip tightening as she hears of Kupala's vengeance-- and finally she lets out a shriek of determination and brings the sword down as hard as she can onto the little black stone that holds the very soul of another...a beloved Childe...and hopes that her shriek will bring her will like a prayer to whatever god may be watching.
The blow that fell would have shattered a mountain. The black crystal that had held the sould of Amalia's childe for so long shattered into a thousand pieces. A black smoke started to waft up into the air, and a faint moan of pain and anguish could be heard as the smoke faded into nothing.
Amalia convulses and falls to her knees, hands reaching up pleadingly as the smoke dissipates into the air. "Please, God, spare him! He has been innocent in all of this!" Amalia pleads, though she does not really believe anything benevolent could be listening.
Amalia convulses again, then hunches over as her stomach clenches and she vomits blood upon the dry grass. "Forgive me.." she manages, so exhausted now it is all she can do to remain on her knees.
Sensation begins to return to Madara's hands after they were numbed by the incredible blow she dealt. She watches Amalia's physical reactions to what just happened, and a tear runs down her cheek. She puts her sword back in its scabbard and falls to her knees at Amalia's side, wrapping her arms around Amalia. "You did the right thing, my love-- his soul will now go to wherever it was meant to go, and if Sister Florentia's god does exists, our combined prayers should take him to heaven!"
Madara holds Amalia, rocking her back and forth in her arms like a hurt child. Then the iciness of Amalia's skin starts to seep through Madara's clothing, and she becomes aware that Amalia is still naked. "My cloak..." she whispers, and jumps up and walks over to retrieve it. Returning, she wraps Amalia up in it-- making sure there is no exposed flesh-- and then resumes her place on the ground with Amalia in her arms. "You are tired...you must rest a bit before we decide what to do about Kupala. No-- " Madara says quickly as Amalia's head turns up to protest. "We will deal with him together. I do not care what happens to me, as long as your soul is free again and you are safe." Madara looks around. "We are not far from the clearing I told you about-- I do not want to return to either of our manors tonight. Come, my precious, and I will take you there." Madara stands and holds out her hands to Amalia to help her to her feet.
Too tired to fight anymore, Amalia takes Madara's hands and allows herself to be helped to her feet.
"Madara, I fear for you," she whispers through her torn throat. "Please.. if you love me you will go. Kupala will stop at nothing to destroy everything I care about. You are in danger here. Please." She looks at Madara with large, luminous eyes, pleading without words that Madara will heed her warning and go.
Madara smiles a sad smile at Amalia with intense eyes, and wordlessly puts her arm around her and leads her back to the patiently-waiting Nanesti. "Climb up-- I will help you," Madara says softly, and assists Amalia with climbing onto Nanesti's back, and then jumps up behind her. She nudges Nanesti forward, and the horse complies eagerly, it seems.
The ride through the forest is silent-- Madara looking up at the stars and feeling like she's noticing them for the first time...their sharp brightness, and the way the clouds seem to glow under the full moon's radiance. At last they reach the clearing, and Madara sighs contentedly. She jumps down, and reaches up to help Amalia lower herself to the ground. Then she wraps Nanesti's reigns around the low-hanging branch of one of the trees, and turns to take Amalia's hand.
Madara leads Amalia into the clearing, and it is just as luminescent as she'd described to Amalia before Amalia's departure for Germany. Everything seems still in the clearing-- even the chirping of the crickets seems hushed. Madara brings Amalia to the very center and stops-- the moon making Amalia's white skin glow, and her hair shine. Madara gently opens the cloak and removes it from Amalia's shoulders. Her breath catches in her throat as she beholds the lovely alabaster perfection of Amalia's body-- the moonbeams seeming to turn her into a flawless statue. Madara drops the cloak from nerveless fingers, and goes down on one knee before Amalia. She can't seem to take her eyes from Amalia's face, but at last she bows her head-- putting her hand on the hilt of her sword. "I swear to love, protect, and honor you-- my love and my lady-- in the face of any danger." she says in a strong yet reverent voice.
Amalia's face reflects the moonlight, and her expression once more is the calm, detached visage that Madara knows so well. The ride to this glade has given her time to think, and raise again the barriers that have kept the insanity in check. The base emotions so recently tormenting her no longer run rampant through her mind, clouding her vision and her judgment.
She looks down at Madara, so pure and beautiful, kneeling before her. She feels her resolve begin to weaken, and after the events of the past 24 hours, she has lost the will to keep fighting it. Everything she has depended upon for the past decade of her existance has been wiped clean, and now she has nothing left. So be it. She realizes the price Menthu will exact, but until that day comes, all she can do is fight to survive. If she spurns Madara now, her last days on Earth will be filled with loneliness and pain, and with her visions of what will become her when she finally succumbs to Final Death, she needs something to give her the will to fight. If Madara had not come for her today, she might still be raving upon the floor, and then she truely would have been taken by the sun.
Amalia reaches out and touches Madara's forehead with her ruined hands, feeling an intense burning on the tips of her fingers where it meets Madara's skin. As she does so, she concentrates on the blood flowing through her own body, sending it to her numerous wounds, healing the rents in her skin and the tears in her flesh. Her fingernails grow back, and her skin smooths over as if nothing had ever happened. Even the dried blood flakes off to fall silently to the forest floor.
Amalia stares at Madara, knowing full well that she is condemning them both, but unable to stop herself. "Madara, rise. As you are now my protector, I shall be yours, and together we shall face anything that may confront us." She cups Madara's chin in her hands and steps forward until she is pressed full length against her. Slowly, she kisses Madara, at first softly, then with growing urgency as she finally allows herself to fully acknowledge the love burning hotly in her chest.
Madara crushes Amalia to her chest with desperate passion-- so ecstatic to finally have Amalia accept her help...her partnership in the problem of the demon...her love!! She returns Amalia's kisses with equal frenzy and desire, and before long she is standing as naked as Amalia-- the moon turning her hair platinum and caressing her skin with its light. She presses herself against Amalia-- almost as if she wants to meld into Amalia's very flesh-- and finally pulls them both down to the soft grass where their sighs and moans float on the warm, gentle breeze.
Afterwards...
Amalia lies with her head pillowed on Madara's shoulder, her arm around Madara's waist, nestling against her for warmth.
"We should find shelter, love." Amalia murmers, hugging Madara tighter. "The sun will be up soon."
The two lie like that for several moments more, both loath to move and break the spell surrounding them. Finally Amalia slowly rises and offers her hand to Madara.
"Thank you again. Today you saved me. I am in your debt." She reaches forward and smooths the touseled hair back from Madara's face, kissing her forehead. "I know I'm not good about expressing myself.. but know that I do love you. And I shall protect you as best I can." Amalia looks away for a moment then bends to help Madara retrieve her clothing.
"Would you mind, if I stayed with you today? My servants will be a time repairing my home.." Amalia asks hesitantly, still unused to showing such vulnerability to anyone.
Madara holds the pile of clothing and smiles jubilantly at Amalia. "I was hoping you would ask that, my beauty! I would be honored to have you in my home! I think Vashira would be happy to see you...if only in her special way! Yes, come!" Madara quickly puts her clothing on, and straps her scabbord in place. Then she finds her cloak and wraps it around Amalia again, kissing her cheek and moving to nibble her ear a little. She grins and takes Amalia's hand, leading her back to Nanesti where they quickly mount and ride off through the forest.
They're able to make it to Madara's manor in the woods before the sun peeks over the mountains. One of Madara's ghouls leads Nanesti off to the stables to be cared for, and Madara takes Amalia's hand again and leads her quickly into the large, soot-bricked home with vines seeming to engulf the outside. Once inside, more ghouls run up to Madara and Amalia's sides-- asking what they need, telling Amalia what an honor it is to have her visit as they so rarely get visitors, and taking in her state of dress. Madara reddens and smiles.
"Amalia's had an...intruder in her home. There is much damage to the interior, so she will be staying with us until it can be repaired. She was harmed in the incident, and her dress was in no state to be seen in-- if one of you could draw her a hot bath...VERY hot...and I will see to finding her a suitable gown to rest in for the day?" The ghouls nod excitedly and run off to perform their various assigned tasks. Madara laughs a quiet laugh, and leads Amalia up the stairs and into a dark, ornately-decorated bedroom with beautiful wine-colors draperies that cover a very long window in the vaulted room, and a large, plush-looking bed fitted with a puffy wine-colored silk bedspread and the softed matching pillows Amalia has ever seen. Madara drops Amalia's hand and hurries over to the armoire where she produces a soft, elegant, crimson bathrobe and hands it to Amalia while removing the blood-stained cloak. "They will be in to call you to your bath in a few moments, my darling! Then you can warm your chilled flesh!" Madara seems just as ecstatic about having Amalia as her guest as the ghouls do!
Amalia gratefully takes the robe, and when the bath is drawn sinks slowly beneath the steaming water, sighing with relief. She leans back against the porcelain, closing her eyes as the servants begin to brush and oil her hair. All the things she must do start to clamor about in her mind, keeping her from truly relaxing.
She opens her eyes and looks over at Madara. "Do you think that one of your ghouls would send a message for me? I have no one left to go about during the day on errands.." She says with much frustration in her voice.
Madara is sitting on a chair that she's turned around backwards so that her arms are crossed resting on the back with each leg on either side. "Of course, of course-- let me think who is handy..." Suddenly a large man walks into the room. He is about 6'3" and well-muscled...probably flesh-crafted. His hair is long and dirty blonde with bits of twigs and leaves sticking out of it in places, and he wears a beard. His eyes are sharp and green. He sees Madara and bows before her, taking one of her hands and holding it tight.
"My mistress-- I heard what happened on the way to Klausenberg...please forgive me! Most of my men have been assigned to guarding the city instead of the outlying area the way were always did before-- there just weren't enough of us to go that far out or we would've known of the pigs lurking there!" When the man spits out the word "pigs," drops of saliva arch in the air with the force of his anger. "Where is Sarad-- no one will tell me nothing when I ask them!"
Madara quickly rises, taking both of the man's hands and squeezing them. "Veni, my Childe, I understand-- it was not your fault! We are so short of men right now-- I was a fool to think our small group could make it to Klausenberg unharmed. Veni..." Madara moves her hands up to hold Veni's shoulders and her eyes grow soft. "Sarad...was killed." Veni's eyes grow huge and his shoulders slump. Then suddenly he raises his face to the ceiling and howls a dreadful howl of pain and sorrow. Sarad had been Veni's childhood friend...Madara begins to cry softly, and then she, too, lets out a howl of pain. The ghouls in the room all stop what they're doing and dab at their eyes, sniffling. The group vents their sadness together for a time, and then Veni begins to take in his surroundings, seeing Amalia as he peeks over the top of Madara's head.
"My lady," he says bowing before Amalia in the bathtub. "I apologize for interrupting so rudely, I didn't see you there." Madara turns and gives a little smile to Amalia. "I apologize, as well, my darling-- it was so good to see my Childe again that I grew forgetful!" Madara turns and escorts Veni out quickly, and Amalia can hear Madara ask him something about a ghoul. Soon Madara appears back in the bathroom and quickly walks over to kneel beside the tub.
"Do not worry-- Veni is...very comfortable with nudity. The three of us used to run through the woods at night hunting...well, nude. It is just plain easier. Like I told you earlier, I think he is more animal than man!" Madara's eyes grow sad as a picture of she, Veni, and Sarad squatting around a kill and feeding together flashes through her mind. She clears her throat and smiles at Amalia. "In any case, he has a pair of his ghouls awaiting your command downstairs whenever you are ready." Madara takes a sponge from one of the ghouls and squeezes the water over Amalia's shoulders. "Feeling better, my beauty?"
Amalia reaches up and grasps Madara's hand, bringing it to her lips. "I'm so sorry about Sarad," she says, looking up at Madara with an anguished expression. "I didn't get a chance to tell you...I'm so sorry. Your pain is mine, please.. if you wish to talk to me about him, I am here to listen."
"Aah Amalia...I do not wish to burden you with more sadnes, but it might do me good to speak of...Sarad. I do not think I will be able to mention his name in front of Veni again." Madara leans her side against the tub and puts her head on Amalia's shoulder-- a piece of her blonde hair falls and floats on the water, contrasting against Amalia's black hair. "Sarad was a very smart man-- if anyone in the village harrassed Veni for his brutishness, Sarad would give them a tongue-lashing they would never forget! They were both very skilled hunters and rangers, and very close." Madara peeks at Amalia out of the corner of her eye. "VERY close..." Then Madara settles back down.
"After I Embraced Sarad, I made him captain of the guard, and our city prospered for 10 years. He and the Prince, both, repeatedly tried to convince me to embrace Veni until I finally gave in. Now I am relieved that I did! Veni continues to be in charge of the city's perimeter...I am sure that he and the Gangrel mercenary would get along well," Madara says with a chuckle. Then her face goes wistful. "Poor, dear Sarad...what am I going to do without your help?" Madara lets out a sigh. "His ghouls still run the jails...I suppose I will have to start supplying them with blood now as Veni has so many ghouls already...oh Amalia, I feel so overwhelmed!" Madara finds Amalia's hand again and holds it tight, closing her eyes.
Amalia squeezes Madara's hand. "If you like, I can show you how to brew a drink with your blood, that will increase it's volume four-fold. Then you can still keep Sarad's ghouls fed without overtaxing yourself..It should take a month for the first batch to finish, if you wish to try that."
"Don't worry my love, I am here to help you, don't be overwhelmed.. we can figure everything out together." Amalia smiles. "I can lend some of my blood as well, though I think after what happened to my home, I am not going to keep any live servants around anymore. I will be quite busy for a few days, crafting new servants. I need to learn how to make warriors.." Amalia sighs, thinking of all the tedious work ahead of her.
Madara brings her head up. "That brew sounds like a god-send-- I would be forever grateful if you would show me how to make it!" Madara says in an eager voice, starting to sound more cheerful. "Oh and could I watch you craft your new servants?? Maybe even just one?" Madara laughs, sitting up and crossing her legs. "Ah look at me-- I do not want to distract you, my darling! I do need to speak with the Prince soon, and find out if our new 'guests' will be attending the ball..."
Madara's eyes cloud over for a second, and then suddenly turn sparkly as she fastens them on Amalia's face. "Oh Amalia! Wait until you see the dresses-- they are done! A jeweler was in the shop when I picked them up, and he was so fascinated by the matching dresses-- one black and one white-- that he offered two matching sets of jewelry for us to wear if we will spread his name around at the ball! My set is all diamonds and pearls, and your set is all obsidian and onyx!!" Madara lets out a little squeal of excitement. "It will be such a challenge to dress Romaine, and to make sure that the Gangrel and his lot look presentable! Aaah...so much to do, so much to do!" Madara gets back up on her knees again and grasps Amalia's hands. "How do our balls and costumers rate with those you saw at the ball in Germany?? Would we be laughed out of town, or do we stand a chance with the Toreador??" Madara looks intently at Amalia, waiting with barely-surpressed eagerness for her answers.
Amalia chuckles. "Of course the ball will be fantastic, Madara. Your parties always are! You have nothing to fear in that respect. I cannot wait to see the dress..and the jewelry.. you spoil me!"
Amalia spends more time chatting idly with Madara, until her eyes begin to droop with weariness. Reluctantly leaving the heat of the bath, she wraps herself in the soft bathrobe and asks Madara where they will be sleeping?
Madara smiles, puts her arm around Amalia, and leads her back into the lavish, yet comfortable-looking bedroom she'd brought her to earlier. "This is my bedroom-- secure from sunlight, and more comfortable than the box of dirt I used to use!" She laughs and leads Amalia over to the bed, pulling the plush covers back. She quickly undresses-- throwing her clothes over the backs of chairs and onto couches-- and then gets into one side of the bed. "I have nightgowns...somewhere...if you prefer to sleep clothed. I am sure my ghouls will know where they are kept as I have never worn one. What would you prefer, darling?" Madara asks, anxious to make Amalia feel comfortable, as she reaches for a large tassle hanging from the ceiling that will call one of the servants to her.
"It doesn't matter to me.." Amalia replies absently, going over to the window to see what is behind the curtains, reassuring herself that there is more protecting them from the sun than a layer of cloth.
She turns back to Madara and smiles then disrobes and climbs into the bed with her. It feels strange, to sleep in such an open place, but Amalia is so exhausted that it is not long before she sinks into slumber.
Her dreams are wracked with nightmares, running from an unseen, unstoppable force that knows her every move before she herself does.
When the sun finally sinks below the horizon, Amalia's eyes fly open and she shudders. The fear does not fade with awakening, it merely settles deep in Amalia's bones as a distant ache that she cannot ignore.
She turns, watching Madara still sleeping peacefully beside her. She leans over and softly kisses her forehead, then slips from the bed. She dresses quickly, then pens a quick note to tell Madara she must meet with one of her craftsman retainers before the night grows too late, and that she will return before the sun rises.
Madara awakens feeling contented, and stretches languidly-- excited that Amalia will be staying at her home for a time. Then she opens her eyes and looks next to her and her stomach tightens in worry. She jumps out of bed and is about to run from the room when she notices the note with her name on in sitting on the dressing table. She opens it quickly, reads it, and lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Be safe, my love...I will see you before morning..." she says quietly to the empty room.
Madara is soon dressed and rushes out of her room, feeling very hungry, when she notices Veni sitting slumped against the wall. She hurries over and crouches next to him, noticing that he's asleep. "Veni...VENI!" she says softly and then louder, shaking him a little. He opens his eyes and then quickly jumps to his feet-- Madara straightening next to him. "What have you been doing out here??" Madara asks incredulously.
"I...I am sorry, mistress, I...did not want to sleep in my usual place last night. I thought I would let my useless sack of flesh guard your door, but I fell asleep. Can't even guard someone's door..." Veni mumbles angrily.
Madara shakes her head. "Veni, I will not have you wallowing around making light of yourself, and I certainly do not want you guarding my room-- do I make myself clear? You have other work to be done and are needed more there than here." Madara says in a firm voice.
Veni's eyes seem to clear and he bows at the waist. "Yes mistress, I won't let it happen again."
"Good Veni, good. We have much to do-- the Prince has hired a band of about a hundred mercenaries, Jurgen is on his way, and the ball is coming up quickly! I am on my way to see the Prince right now to find out about our guests..." Madara looks Veni over for a moment. He looks so miserable! He would find peace in the path of Chivelry! She's about to open her mouth to tell him of the truth she'd discovered from Sister Florentia when she decides to give Veni his space for at least tonight out of respect-- besides, there's so much to get done! She smiles at him, thinking of how HAPPY he'll be once she gets the chance to sit down and talk with him about this!
"Anyhow, I am quite busy at the moment..." Madara puts her hand on his arm, "...but I will speak with you later." She looks at him for a moment, and then turns to stare down the hall. "I need to eat...who's turn is it tonight..." she asks herself.
Veni leaps in front of her energetically and rips the top of his tunic open. "Take my blood, mistress! It's the least I can do after what I let happen! Please? Sarad would have...wanted you to..." Veni looks at her so pleadingly that she finally nods, kneels on the floor with him-- cradling him in her arms soothingly-- and feeds from her last living Childe.
An hour later...
Madara passes down the familiar corridors of the castle silently and cloaked in shadows...following the Prince's scent...up to his chambers. "Still in bed??" she thinks to herself incredulously. The Prince hadn't been sleeping well for quite a while, and she almost never found him in his chambers these days when she went on duty. She knocks on the door quickly and waits with her hands clasped behind her back.
The door opens and a beautiful woman walks out smiling. Madara can see the prince inside pouring a glass of vitae, his long robe draging upon the ground.
"Come in Madara, I have been expecting you." He closes the door and sits.
Madara watches the woman walk out with her mouth hanging open in surprise, and then stares at the Prince in surprise. After a second her head clears, and she enters the room, closing the doors behind her. She turns around to ask the Prince if he's feeling better, and her face reddens when she sees how he's sitting...and with his robe wide open! She quickly shifts her eyes up to take in the stonework of the ceiling.
"I understand the meeting with the Gangrel went well, and we now have at least 100 hired mercenaries at our disposal." she says as a stated question, leaving room for correction, and keeping her eyes firmly glued to the ceiling.
"Oh yes, we now have them in our employ. I will try to use them for the slaying of Rustovitch." He sips his drink and closes his robe.
"Tell me Madara, what did Amalia say of Katrina? I have not heard from her."
Madara glances down, breathes a sigh of relief when she sees that the Prince has covered himself, and begins to pace. How can she answer this one?? Madara thinks for a time, and then answers. "It seems that Katerina was involved with the Kupala, after all. She angered him somehow, and he came looking for her. He found her in Amalia's manor...probably waiting for her to get home..." Madara says bitterly, and then clears her throat. "He tore Amalia's place up-- killing all her childer, ghouls, and servants-- looking for Katerina. When at last he found her, he...killed her. Swallowed her soul, the gods willing." Madara states in an emotionless voice, watching the Prince.
The prince stands and begins to lay out his clothes for the day.
"Hmmm I knew there was something that happened to her, she began to slip my mind. Now I know why."
"Something must be done about this demon, but what?"
"I KNEW it!" Madara says taking a step forward. "She was controlling you somehow, wasn't she! I saw her offer you her blood, the arrogant witch! Then it could have been YOU who inadvertently brought the Kupala back into our city! No wonder it appeared that she resolved the crop-situation!" Madara stands with her fists on her hips, glaring at the Prince.
The Prince looks at Madara an angry glare in his eyes.
"Calm yourself, Madara. I was tricked, we all were! She tricked us into believing she was here to help. Now that she is gone her influence upon us is as well. Now we can truly begin to solve our problems." he says as he shucks his robe and begins to dress.
Madara folds her arms, ignoring the Prince's state of undress. "It seems I was the only one who was NOT tricked, my Lord!" Suddenly Madara feels that familiar battle of wills within her mind, but struggle as she does to keep control of her thoughts and words, that alien presence wrests it from her and takes control.
"It is because you think with your loins and not with your head TOO much, me thinks!" Madara strides up to him, removes her glove, and smacks Reynold's face with it. "Jumping from one bed to another, you do not care as long as it meets your needs-- both physically AND ambitiously! You would take a crown, and right after enter into a pact with a witch-whore by sleeping your way in! What did you want from today's most recent slut, hmm?" Madara asks, poking her finger into the Prince's chest angrily.
The Prince's face turns a deep red, "What I do in my bed does not concern you, Madara. I admitted that I was tricked. She even tricked your former prince into her bed. And the woman who left here was one of my vassals. Is that a problem?" he says hands on his hips. "I needed to feed, now if the inquisitor is done may I ask for the report on the soldiers?"
Madara's cheeks redden as memories of Katerina's love-making flash through her mind. It is too much for her to handle-- she is able to throw the alien-presence back into a dark recess of her thoughts and regains herself. The Prince sees her eyes cloud over for a moment, and then become clear again. Madara puts a hand to her forehead.
"Forgive me, my Prince. I have these...spells that come over me from time to time. I was not myself. Of course everyones' love-lives are their own business. I...think I meant to imply that you...walk a dangerous line, and my top concern is your safety." Madara tries desperately to soothe over her Prince's anger. "The soldiers...we have approximately 200 left to guard the city-- over 300 now, if you include the mercenaries. All garrisons have been reduced to minimal numbers, and from here on out all soldiers will sleep in either the barracks in the city, or in their own homes."
"Excellent, I do not want a repeat of the slaughtering of our garrisons, Madara. The Tzimisce know we are weak, and I fear that perhaps they will move far quicker than they had planned. I pray that Lord Jurgen and his Tremere allies will arrive soon. Perhaps the Tremere will know of a way to disable this demon."
Madara nods. "That is a good idea, my Lord. Jurgen and his Tremere will have to rid the land of the Kupala if they wish to dominate it-- it will be everyones' personal concern, not just ours. I will take charge of placing the mercenaries at their new posts-- I will split them up amoungst our own men so that there is a 2 to 1 ratio...to prevent any...incidences."
A twinkle returns to Madara's eyes. "Will the Gangrel and his top men be joining us at the ball?" Madara clutches her hands together. "I heard Jurgen has also allied with the Toreador of France! Do you think he will have any with him when he arrives? Perhaps they will also be here in time for the ball!"
"Yes Gregor will be joining us, although I am not sure if the Toreador will be here in the city. It is however a distinct possiblility. Madara what can you tell me of our newcomer, Romaine?"
Madara's mind is in a whirl as she contemplates French Toreador possibly being at her ball!...and then realizes the Prince has asked her a question. "Romaine??" Madara thinks. "She is a confusing one. Sometimes she behaves like a proper young lady, but other times she has this...other personae. Still harmless enough, but I think she carries around a darker, more worldly side that she tries to cover up. She is very helpful, kind, and friendly-- I believe we have successfully intimidated the poor dear into near paranoia! I try my best to calm and comfort her-- I will try harder. She is a very young Cainite, so we must be good examples to her."
Madara looks at the Prince for a moment. My Prince, do you believe in a God?"
"I see. Perhaps I should see her tonight and speak with her." He says as he finishes dressing. "God? Yes I am Christian, however I do not have the great faith our dear sister has."
Madara nods. "Not many of us do. If there IS a god, may he watch over our kingdom and protect it. And my Prince-- may you always find peace in your heart." Madara says sincerely. "The good Sister helped Romaine find peace last night-- yes, please go speak with Romaine. I think it would help her to feel more welcomed into the kingdom...it would be a great honor for her." Madara pauses. "Is there anything else, my Prince? If not, I will see to the placement of the mercenaries."
"No, go and see to the mercenaries. Oh yes-- if you see Romaine send her to me." he says as he sits back down.
Madara bows at the waist, turns and leaves the room-- closing the door behind her. Looking both ways she sees no one, and so wraps the shadows around herself like a comforter while continuing to walk. It's a habit for her to walk invisibly now-- you never know what crime you can catch when accidentally sneaking up on someone!
Finally she reaches the chambers Romaine was recently given-- hoping she'll find her at home. She knocks firmly, and then drops the shadows to suddenly appear in the hallway.
As Madara knocks on the door, Romaine approaches her new chanbers, her rags dirtier and smellier than you've ever seen her before. Her beautiful face is marred by mud and muck. Wood shavings are clinging to her rags like little tan leaves, about to fall off as if in the autumn. She looks exhausted, and, as she goes to open her door, doesn't really register Madara is at her chambers.
Then, she looks at Madara, a quizzical look on her face. She nods, as if understanding who Madara is finally and then says "Thanks for giving me the chest." Before she opens the door and goes inside.
Madara looks at Romaine in concern and follows her into her chambers. "You are welcome...Romaine-- are you all right?" she asks, looking at her in concern. "I am here to take you to see the Prince right away, but you certainly cannot go looking like that! What have you been doing?"
Romaine looks at Madara with a little confusion, then smiles, a devilish twinkle in her eye. "I thought I'd make bygones be bygones with Florentia and make her a dress, which is why I needed the chest." She goes into her chanbers, and undresses before Madara, not bothering about her nudity. "So, the Prince wants to see me," she enquires, and looks at Madara, her smile having turned a tad more devilish. "He's able to get it up for me has he?" then laughs.
She goes to a basin nearby and pours water into it, and washes her face, making her look a little cleaner. Then goes through the various piles of clothing on the floor, finally pulling on some common brown dress, her hair still dripping wet from her washing. "Will this do?"
Madara's mouth opens in shock as the sweet little Romaine suddenly seems...well, like a completely different person! A person who's not as innocent as Madara thought! "Hmmm...perhaps the Prince has met his match at last with this one," Madara thinks, scrutenizing Romaine as she turns around. Madara quickly walks forward, grabbing a towel as she advances. She grabs Romaine's shoulders and turns her around, roughly toweling her hair dry.
"I suppose it will have to do, but I will not let you get away with looking like this at the ball. Especially if you are going to be the special entertainment. We will most likely have important guests there, and you will be reflecting on my reputation, Romaine. Remember that." Madara turns Romaine back around, tabs the towel in water, and scrubs Romaine's face, neck, and arms with the towel until she's as clean as she's going to get. Finally, she finds a comb of some sort and tries to drag it through Romaine's hair. By the time she's done, most of the tines have broken off the comb, but Madara steps back and nods.
"All right, Romaine. Come with me." Madara walks to the door, opens it, and waits for Romaine to follow.
"Thank you," says Romaine, following Madara through the hallways. "Will Florentia be at the ball? And, why does the Prince want to see me? Too many questions for a simple soul." as she shakes her head, almost as if trying to clear it of something.
"I HOPE the Sister will be there-- surely even she can see the virtue in relaxing and socializing with her fellow Cainites and nobility...especially when she is already appropriately dressed as she is." Madara grins-- still entertained by her own joke-- as flashes of the glory that the ball will be run through her mind.
"As for the Prince..." Madara stops in front of a pair of huge double doors and holds out her arm. "...we have arrived. I believe that he wishes to see you because he has not had the chance to speak with our newest Primogen due to recent tragic events, and he thought that quite unseemly." Madara knocks on the doors, turns and straightens Romaine's shoulders-- forcing her to stand up straight and tall-- and then faces the doors again.
The door opens and the prince stands there smiling.
"Ah Madara thank you. I had hoped you would arrive soon. Please Romaine, enter and be welcome-- we have much discuss. Madara when you are done with the mercenaries see to the guards and make sure the citizens' brigade is doing their part."
Madara bows her head respectfully. "I will, my Lord." Then she smiles a little smile at both the Prince and Romaine. "Enjoy your...talk." Madara walks over to the doors, bows again, and turns and leaves-- shutting the doors behind her.