Madara leaves the ball soon after her final words with Giacova. When Gia finally gets back to the manor after the last guest has been thanked for coming, she hears Madara call to her from the darkened sitting room near the front door and goes to her. Madara looks very different...she seems to be in a dark mood.
"Madara! You left so early? I hope you were pleased with the ball! Everyone said it was a great success! Oh, I'm EVER so happy! Perhaps I will become sought-after for my hosting skills now and lead a life of my-"
"Gia, can you possibly be silent for one minute?" Madara asks testily. Gia looks surprised, and then hurt. "All right Madara. I will be silent." Gia answers in a pouty tone.
"I have come upon a decision, Gia, and I know you will want to help. You will tell no one-- not even the ghouls. Do you understand?"
"I understand, Madara," Gia says quietly and attentively.
"We are going to get the prince away from Michael once and for all." Gia's mouth drops open, and then she's nodding enthusiastically and whispering, "Yes oh yes! Oh thank you Madara! I KNEW you had not abandoned our mistress! Perhaps we will not need Lord Antoine's help now! Shall I write to him right away and tell him not to come after all?" Gia makes to stand and go to the writing desk, but Madara grabs her arm.
"Antoine? What are you talking about? He is coming here??" Madara looks upset again.
"Why yes..." Gia looks uncertain now. "When you said you were not strong enough to rescue our prince and lady, I decided to be of some help and write to Antoine to come rescue our mistress as a surprise!"
"You FOOL! He must think us completely incompetant now! Do you not realize that his coming would bring only tragedy? If he were to oppose a fellow Toreador...he would probably turn into Michael's slave after setting eyes on him, as well!"
Gia begins to sniffle, gets out her hanky, and then starts crying into it. "Gia, stop this childishness right now!" Madara shakes her in frustration, and then stops and changes her voice to a more soothing tone, moving her chair closer to Gia's. "Gia, please stop crying. We need to be very strong now. Show me you can be strong?" Gia nods, sniffles her last sniffle, and puts the handkerchief away.
"I will be strong, Madara."
"All right then. Here is the plan so listen carefully. Let me look at your face...almost perfect, just a few more touches. How is your singing voice?"
"Not nearly as good as my lady's, but much better than most."
"Let me hear you sing something." Madara motions for Gia to stand and she does. Gia sings in a very clear, angelic voice...very beautiful. Not as good as Giacova, but still very pleasing and soothing. Madara nods and stands next to her. "That was very good...very good. Now please remove all your clothing."
"What? But why?" Gia clutches her shawl around her shoulder.
"Do not be a prude, Gia, I need to make sure your entire body is sculpted to perfection...as in an exact match with your lady's. Do you understand?" Gia looks at her in confusion for a moment, and Madara sighs. "We are going to take you to the cathedral and switch you for Giacova." Gia's eyes light up as she understands her part of the plan, and she quickly disrobes. Madara looks over her body-- she did a good job last time and there isn't much to fix. The face, however, has taken on enough of Gia's personality that it will need some adjustments. Madara spends the next hours until dawn carefully making the minute adjustments to Gia's face so that it looks exactly the same as Giacova's. The likeness is so identical that it's eerie! Madara tells her to go to bed, but be ready for a long week of training ahead.
After Gia goes to her room, Madara quickly pens a letter to Antoine telling him not to trouble himself with coming-- that they have changed their minds and will take care of the problem themselves.
Madara approaches one of Giacova's oldest ghouls-- her seneschel-- and asks him to ride Giacova's ghoul-horse Nanesti as fast as he can to find or intercept Antoine. She tells him about Gia's hasty mistake in asking him for help, puts fear into him about what would happen if Antoine came, and sends him on his way with her letter. The seneschel has been a loyal servant to Giacova and Antoine, both, since their days roaming France before even arriving in Petrin, and he leaves the minute he's ready.
For the next week Madara is extremely busy. She found the best voice teacher in the city, and every night she brings him to Gia for final lessons, polishing, advice, and smoothing out of the voice. On the last day she stays for the lesson and is pleased by Gia's progress...however, it's too dangerous for the teacher to remain alive, so after she excuses Gia, she kills the teacher.
Madara instructs her two personal ghouls-- Sarad and Veni-- in her plan, and the three of them run through it over and over until they have everything down perfectly. Then they add Gia to the mix until she knows exactly the cue to wait for and where she will go. There are a few...minor...details that they don't tell Gia, of course. Madara thinks about Giacova's refusal to leave Michael...her apathy towards Madara...Michael's selfishness...they had all served to make something in Madara snap, and a decision had come to her mind with the clarity of a bell ringing. If Giacova wouldn't leave Michael, Madara would take her...forever.
The night after the ball-- after Gia's voice lesson-- Madara went to Myca.
"Myca, how much longer will Gesu be in his bloodfast?"
"Gesu is often in his fast for months, even years at a time.
Madara quickly begs Myca's forgiveness if her next words are out of line, and promises to never bring these thoughts up again, but tells him that she believes that she and Myca must detroy Gesu-- that the vision of Gesu's insane destruction was given to her from the higher power as a quest for her to choose to undertake, and in choosing, to save many lives. She watches Myca in trepidation.
Myca shuts the door and explains that Gesu's destruction may be the only way to save Constantanople. But he can have no direct part in it. For, though Gesu is surely mad, he is still loved and respected by the Obertus. Whoever destroys Gesu will probably have to flee the city. But, if she has the courage to attempt it, perhaps he can help her.
Madara nods eagerly. "I will do it, Myca, and I am humbly grateful for your offer of assistance, and I will leave the city immediately afterwards...I believe my time here is coming to a close, in any case. If all goes well this week, I will be stronger and more able to complete the task that the higher power has layed before me. I propose that this thing be done in 6 days-- is that acceptable to you?" Madara's eyes are glowing with excitement, and she seems...different to Myca. Not as nervous-- more self-confident.
Myca smiles. "Excellent."
"I will be coming here in haste on that day, so perhaps we should quickly decide a few of the details. Would you like me to come to your chambers, or meet somewhere else...maybe in front of the room where Gesu is being held? Are there any Obertus who keep watch that we would need to distract?"
"He often has several ghouls watching over him, and recording everything he speaks. But I may be able to draw off most of them. You must give me some notice though, so appear here at my quarters on that night."
Madara nods. "All right, in 6 days-- probably a couple of hours after sunset-- I will be at your chambers." Madara leans in a little. "We will do this...we will change the future and save Constantinople from being ravaged by a madman. Thank you for all your help, Myca." Madara looks at him for a moment as if she's trying to memorize his features, and then bows her head and departs.
Madara's week progresses successfully-- Gia's lessons (after each lesson Madara has offered Gia a glass of her own blood to wet her throat in an attempt to make Gia blood-bound to her), and the practice-sessions with Madara's two new ghouls, later to include Gia. At one point Gia asked Madara what was to become of her once she had taken Giacova's place (Madara had been wondering how long it would take Gia's simple mind to think of that quandry!), and Madara had used her Awe-inspiring gifts to assure her that someone would come for her once Giacova was safely away, and Gia looked relieved. Madara made sure that the ghouls were kept in the dark about all of these plans.
The night of the event, Madara is woken immediately after sunset by her ghouls. She grabs her few belongings, speaks to her raven Zaran and 2 dogs Miskos and Davra in their tongues, and the animals go off to hide in the woods. She and her ghouls walk out to where the carriages are kept. In the back is an ordinary, non-descript carriage like the hundreds of others that rattle around the city. But this carriage had been modified a bit...nothing that anyone would notice unless it was pointed out to them. The carriage has been sound-proofed from the inside, and there are iron bars on the outside along the top that can swing down and be locked into place over the windows and doors. Also, there are two horses pulling the carriage and one horse being lead by a rope from behind it-- all three have been ghouled by Madara and can run and move much faster than the fastest of normal horses.
Inside the carriage are boxes containing some of the things Giacova left behind in the manor. Within the hour Gia is also ready, and gets into the carriage with Madara. Sarad sits up top to drive the carriage, and Veni hangs on the back to watch the third horse and act as footman. Madara checks to make sure that everything is ready-- giving the manor a final glance-- and then gives the word for the carriage to depart.
After a short ride, the carriage pulls up to the Hagia Sofia-- it is Madara's normal visiting-time to see Giacova. She enters the cathedral, asks for Giacova, and waits for her to come.
Giacova shows up, smiles and thanks Madara again for the party.
Madara bows her head and smiles. "You are welcome, Giacova." Madara pauses for a moment and then begins speaking again. "I have come to tell you that I have decided to leave the city and return home. I have learned much from the Obertus, and found my own kind of peace and acceptance with being a Cainite at last...much as you have found here with Michael."
Giacova looks at her in surprise, but then nods in understanding. "I am so happy for you, Madara! I will miss our visits, but we must all follow our hearts. Please tell the others about how happy I am here!" Giacova looks at her questioningly, and Madara smiles a small smile and nods. "So you are leaving soon then?"
"Tonight, in fact, Giacova. I am making my rounds to say good-bye to those who have meant the most to me here...in fact, I told the Obertus that I would be by in 15 minutes-- I am running so late tonight with all the things I had to settle first!" Madara motions for Giacova to follow her to the door. "Since you will not be returning to the manor and your ghouls have been turned over to Gia, I thought this would be your best chance to have your most precious items returned to you. I have boxes in my carriage for you to go through-- remember that exquisite sapphire and ruby necklace with matching earrings?"
Giacova's eyes begin to sparkle eagerly. "Oh Madara-- I had nearly forgotten about my jewelry and things! Thank you so much for bringing them by! I am sure that Michael can provide me with clothing much finer than what I left behind, but he will be hard-pressed to find something so breath-taking as that jewelry-set! Oh I cannot wait to sing for him while wearing them!"
Madara's smile starts becoming forced as she listens to Giacova's excited tirade, and at one point she has to close her eyes for a couple of seconds to re-center her emotions.
"Oh I am sorry, Madara! Here I am holding you up with my silly prattle! Let me come help you bring the boxes in to save you some time."
Madara can't believe her luck-- this is going much better than she had planned. "Wait here for one moment, Giacova, and I will have the driver bring the carriage around." Madara walks out of the church a few feet, and the ghouls immediately look in her direction. She nods her head quickly and gestures for Gia to come. Gia runs quickly and silently from behind the carriage until she's touching the cathedral wall. She is wearing a black cloak, and crouches down in the bushes, covering herself entirely with the cloak. The carriage circles around and drives up closer to where Madara is standing. The "footman" unties the horse from the back and mounts up.
Madara turns to Giacova. "All right, my lady, the carriage has arrived!" Madara seems more cheerful now. "I am sure the Obertus can wait for a few moments longer, especially considering that this will be the last time I see you! Come-- the night is chilly! Let us sit in the carriage and go through the boxes there. That way you will not have to trouble yourself with the things you do not wish to keep, and I will give those items to the poor on my way through the city."
"Ah Madara! You have always been so thoughtful and taken care of me so well! Let us go through the boxes and remember old times together." Giacova takes Madara's hand as they walk to the carriage, and Madara has to stifle a sob-- pretending to have something caught in her throat.
The "driver" jumps down and bows before the women with a big smile. "Evening ladies," he says and opens the door for them. Giacova smiles and bows her head to him, and Madara gives a bitter smirk and nods. Giacova enters the carriage first, followed by Madara. Sarad shuts the door and waits for one minute, and then begins his work. He grabs the iron bars and swings them down, locking them over the windows and doors as quickly as he can, all the way around the carriage.
Inside the carriage, Madara shows Giacova the box with the jewelry in it, and Giacova is so enraptured by their forgotten beauty that she doesn't notice the soft clanks and snaps coming from outside for a few moments. "Giacova-- what is that driver doing out there?"
"Oh nevermind him-- he is always tinkering with things...you know men. Look here-- at the bottom of the box! That is where I put the set you have been so excited to see." Giacova quickly pushes the other jewels aside until she pulls out the velvet board that the sapphire/ruby set is fastened to and exhales with pleasure. "Here-- let me see them on you, Giacova! I believe I know where I packed one of your mirrors." Madara takes the cardboard and pulls the earrings off, handing them to Giacova who takes off the ones she's wearing and puts on the new ones. "Let me help you with the clasp," Madara says taking the necklace and placing it around Giacova's neck. Giacova lifts her hair and tilts her head to help Madara. Madara leans in close and mutters about the clasp sticking.
Just as the clasp locks into place, Madara activates her Celerity and lunges forward so quickly that Giacova has no idea what has happened until Madara has already sunk her eager fangs into Giacova's neck and begins sucking. Giacova gasps and tries to lurch up, but her puny strength (1 dot) is no match for Madara's hardened muscles (4 dots+Potence 2), and all she can do is flail against her former ghoul, rasping for her to stop.
Madara stops sucking for a moment and lifts her lips-- Giacova pinned down to where she can't move. Licking the blood from her fangs, she speaks softly to Giacova. "Aah Giacova...how could I leave you forever without enjoying you one last time? You always got such pleasure from this, did you not? Why do you struggle so? All the men and women that have come and gone from your chambers and I always thought you would come back to me in the end...the secrets we shared, the love we shared. Why, Giacova? You know how lost and miserable I was without you? Do you think it is any different for me now? Hundreds of years have not changed what I felt for you, yet you trust that you can find that same unconditional love in that...that bastard Michael!? I was a body to hold and love and soothe you, and you reject me for a sheet of glass? He has many other muses, yet I offer you faithfulness and fidelity and you STILL choose him!" Madara's voice is getting gradually louder and louder.
"Madara...god...please...please stop...please be calm..."
"I gave you the choice to leave him, and you made me look like a fool! You threw me away like I was nothing to you! Even if I believed you wanted to leave-- to go away with me now-- I see inside your heart, Giacova. You will leave me again...your actions have proven that to me." Giacova whimpers in terror and tries to wriggle out of Madara's grasp, but it's like a baby struggling against a giant. "Look at me! Am I not the most beautiful woman you have ever seen?? I made myself beautiful to please you! YOU! You took my heart and crushed it, Giacova! I saw how you looked at Michael, and you have never looked at me that way! I hate you, Giacova. I HATE you! You ARE leaving Michael, by the way. Oh yes, he cannot have you any longer. But I am afraid that I do not want you, either. You will pay back the hurt you have given me with your blood, my mistress!" And with that, Madara plunges her fangs back into Giacova's neck with such force that Giacova falls to the side and Madara crouches over her to finish sucking the blood from her body...careful not to spill a drop on Giacova's dress.
As the last of Giacova's life blood floods down Madara's throat, a rush of exhileration courses through her body. Pleasure like she has never known seizes her and Madara struggles to finish her work. Finally, she feels Giacova's very life enter into her own body.
The feeling of Power is overwelming! Then the memories strike her. The fragments of Giacova's entire life flash through Madara's mind. Her early days singing, the time she went into the church and sang. She remembers clearly when Giacova was caught by the bishop, and she remembers her excommunication. And above all, she feels Giacova's love for Madara. Love, and an overwelming sense of betrayal in those last few minutes.
Madara realizes for the first time, Giacova was truly happy. She is overcome by sorrow as she realizes, Giacova had been happy, and she had taken that all away. Giacova had never meant to hurt Madara, but for the first time in her life, had found some peace. She had hoped that Madara would be able to understand and, perhaps, eventually come to join her in her happiness. Giacova HAD loved Madara, and she HAD been happy....and oh the betrayal and sorrow she felt when Madara betrayed her.....and somewhere...in the back of Madara's mind, she can hear Soraxe laughing.....
The ghouls Veni and Sarad watch the carriage in silence. They see it jolt once, and then another 5 minutes go by before they hear the sliding-sound they've been waiting for. Madara slides open a panel at the bottom of the door and hands out the dress, clothing, and jewelry that Giacova was wearing. Veni takes the items and rides casually past the place where Gia is crouched, drops them near her, and continues riding. Gia snatches up the items and throws off the black cloak-- goosebumps prickling across her naked flesh-- and quickly puts them on. Madara is a skilled craftsman, Gia thinks, for everything fits perfectly. She stands and smoothes her clothing down, tosses the cloak towards the carriage, and then walks confidentally and non-chalantly into the cathedral. Sarad grabs the cloak and hands it through to Madara, and then jumps up and takes the reigns, driving the carriage down the street.
They make a few turns until they are far from the cathedral, and continue driving until they reach the graveyard. Veni approaches the carriage on horse from the opposite direction, and as he passes the carriage, he reaches down and takes the cloak carefully from Madara's hands reaching through the opening. The cloak contains Giacova's ashes and bones-- the bones also rapidly decomposing-- as well as the sapphire and ruby earrings and necklace. The carriage picks up speed again and moves on to a church that collects alms for the poor. Sarad gets down and unlocks the carriage, and Madara steps shakily down. She has a look of confusion and despair on her face, but when Sarad asks her about it, she tells him to just leave her be...it must be the effects of what she has just done. The two carry the boxes of clothing and furs and shoes and make their donation-- much to the grateful astonishment of the priests there-- and then return to the carriage. Meanwhile, Veni deposits the cloak and its contents into a shallow grave that he dug the night before and covered with leaves...the grave being about 4 feet above the current occupant's! After covering it over with dirt, he jumps back on his horse and rides to the next meeting place.
The carriage pulls into a carriage-maker's yard, and Madara and Sarad quickly unhook the 2 remaining horses from it and begin to load them with their possessions-- including bags of earth from Petrin, and the rest of Giacova's jewelry, money, and silver toiletries. Madara stares at the jewelry in the midst of loading it into bags-- clenching sparling jems in her fists. As her red blood-tears fall, they turn the diamonds into rubies. She finally finishes loading her horse as Sarad is checking the inside of the carriage over carefully, finding no blood, ashes, bones, or gore. Everthing is going off without a hitch. Madara wonders for a second how Gia will like being Michael's permanant muse of music and smiles a cold smile. Foolish, foolish...beautiful Giacova for choosing such a stupid girl to be her decoy! Madara, herself, had volunteered for the job, but was-- as she had always felt-- rejected, although now she understood but too late. The three left the carriage in the yard where they had found it the week before, minus the "adjustments", and rode away quickly back into the city.
They ride up to the Obertus estates, and Madara quickly jumps down and goes in. Sarad takes up her horse's reigns, and he and Veni ride back to the stables where they dismount and begin double-checking the straps, saddles, packs, and then start brushing the horses as their wait begins.
Madara ties back her hair as she walks quickly to Myca's chambers, getting a hold of herself. She has barely had time to stop and catch her breath, and the new power coursing through her veins brings nothing but sorrow for her now. At least she got to Giacova before someone less-worthy did. She knew SOMEONE would eventually destroy Giacova sooner or later because of her nearness and dedication to Michael. Madara feels a little better after coming up with this logic. She stops at Myca's door and knocks quietly.
Myca meets Madara and leads her down to the cell where Gesu lies. Madara obfuscates and conceals herself in the dark as Myca leads out all but one of the ghouls-- the one who records Gesu's words. Madara re-appears, uses Mask of a Thousand Faces to change her appearance to that of one of the other Obertus, and enters the room quickly, shutting the door behind her. She approaches the ghoul, who is too consumed with his task to notice her.
"Aaah, as hard at work as ever, my friend! Well, let us see what messages our lord Gesu has for us." Madara motions for the ghoul to show her what he's been writing, and she leans over and reads. The notes indicate that Gesu has been talking about a coming storm from the west. The notes are very vague about it, but they also indicate that Gesu thinks it can be stopped with a combination of faith, courage, and "the divinity within." Madara's eyebrows crinkle as she reads this. A "storm from the west?" The rest of Gesu's revelations sound like the others he's given-- faith, courage, the divinity within. She looks over at Gesu's body slumped in the cage...she can't help but let her eyes travel down to his chest, and wonder if that face is really there. But there's no time for that-- she must be quick.
"You have been working ceaselessly, and I think that you need a bit of a rest," Madara tells the ghoul while lifting her sword towards the ceiling and bringing the hilt down on the back of his head. His body tilts and falls to the floor. "Too much death will befall the city tonight...a faithful ghoul of the Obertus should be spared," she thinks to herself, feeling a depression setting in. She searches the ghoul's body and finds the keys to the cage quickly. She next sprints over to the lever on the wall and pulls it, lowering Gesu's cage gently to the floor. She hurries over to the cage, unlocks the door, and moves in until she's standing over Gesu's motionless form.
Madara reaches under her cloak and brings out a wooden stake with a wickedly sharp point. She has no idea of Gesu's strength-- fasting or not-- and doesn't want to take any chances that he'll miraculously leap up and overpower her. She lifts the stake in both hands, and slams it hard into Gesu's heart. His eyes flutter and a weak groan echoes quietly in the back of his parched throat. She looks at Gesu with regret and whispers, "Forgive me, my lord, but the divinity within compels me to do this." She gets down on her knees and bends over the leader of the Obertus-- a pang of unease going through her as she hovers over his chest and again wonders if that face is there under his clothing-- presses her lips and teeth against his throat, and begins sucking.
There isn't much vitae to take-- barely a dribble. Gesus's hands try to lift up, but where there was barely any strength before there is none now, and he has no choice but to surrender his soul to this woman...this student. Madara finds no pleasure in this act at all. Gesu is helpless and weak. The only thing that drives her on is her vision of him in full-strength, rampaging through the city and drinking of everyone who stumbles across his path. Madara hopes the higher power is pleased with her for accepting the quest they layed before her.
At last Madara feels her body warming and tingling as it did when she made Giacova a part of her...but then the energy and power suddenly gush into her as if a damn has broken, and she falls back against the bars of the cage, gasping and disoriented. Madara watches as Gesu's body turns to dust, and his memories flood through her. She sees through his eyes, know what he knows. She remembers now clearly, the Immaculate Union, when Gesu embraced, and then joined with the woman Lilian. Madara remembers briefly the look on her brother Symeon's face as he first saw the face of his beloved, looking back at him from your very body.
And above it all, she sees fire engulfing the city of Constantinople. She sees a huge army standing outside the city, pouring in through ruined gates. And there, she sees the Hagia Sophia, doors wide open, and a golden skinned man, standing over the body of the prostrate Michael, laughing. Madara sees the oppertunity to strike at the golden skinned man from behind, just as Gesu had. She moves forward, claws extending from her hands. She strikes, and feels her own claws shatter against the golden skinned mans back. She writhes in the unexpected pain, as the golden skinned man slowly turns on her, laughing.
The golden skinned man speaks. "A pity you lack the years to match your blood..." He laughs as he strikes Madara/Gesu down.
Madara is suddenly shaken from her reverie. Myca is standing over her, looking at the pile of dust that was once Gesu.
"I see that it is done. Excellent, but now you must flee the city. Already they come for you." Myca helps her to her feet, and watches as she flees down the hallway.
His smile widens as she runs around the corner, and mumbles quietly, "How easily the young are fooled."
Madara rushes from the building Obfuscated and back to the stables and the awaiting ghouls-- as planned-- but she's confused. Who is this golden man? He is obviously a threat to the city, and Gesu saw himself fighting him...the golden man telling her that if she had the years earned to match her generation that she would be more of a match for him, meaning Gesu could have fought him but she, Madara, won't know how to fight him. Thoughts spin through Madara's head as she stands in the stable-- her ghouls as yet unaware of her presence-- and she feels like weeping. She has trusted the visions given to her in the blood-fast...WHO gave her the visions, though? Did the higher power give them to both she and Gesu? And if so, why wouldn't they want to preserve Gesu by warning him about the future so he could take the necessary precautions not to destroy the city? In Gesu's vision it was the golden man-- not Gesu-- who was standing over Michael's body! Madara stops running, holds her head, and falls to her knees. What has she done?? She lets the shadows fall from her, and Veni and Sarad see her and rush to her side.
"My lady, are you harmed? What has happened?" together they help her to her feet and hold her up.
"I...I think I made a terrible mistake, but I am not sure. I know we need to leave Constantinople, but at the same time I am afraid that I may hold the city's only chance of saving itself. I need to think on this more-- let us ride outside the city into the forest where my pets are waiting and I will decide what to do there."
The three mount up, the horses activate their celerity, Madara changes her appearance to look like a man, and they fly off into the night.