The final harmonies of the hymn echoed through the pews and among the numerous attendants. The Mass is in full swing now and I can feel like I'm part of something greater than myself as people from all origins unite for a purpose.
I took a deep breath. The church smelled like dust and incense, with a unique mix of perfume and sweat brought in by humans.
The morning sun kissed the little exposed skin I had. After all, I was wearing my best clothes.
Vanity may be a sin, but I really like the blue dress I'm wearing. It suits me very well. Dad was standing next to me, and I could feel him looking at the others, as if he was guarding me.
The young man who stares will be noticed and he will tell me. Anyone who stares for too long will be reprimanded later.
A smiling old man wearing the black cassocks of a Catholic priest walked up to us. His genuine smile put my mood at ease.
Father Armand's sermons were always so wise and pertinent, much better than those of the Mobile pastor. That guy was so annoying, always yelling about eternal curses and witches.
"Welcome everyone, and welcome to Mass. I'm so happy to see you all today. Easter is coming and I was preparing to deliver a sermon on the dangers of overeating and overindulgence. Alas, yesterday I received a message from Mrs. Cantrell A meatloaf, you all know how much I hate hypocrisy!”
I laughed, as did most of the people there.
"So, I'm afraid I'm going to turn to something less pleasant. It has come to my attention that there has been some conflict between members of Mr. Sutton's parish. On religious matters."
The atmosphere turned grim.
"Why, I can't blame you for your confusion. I remember myself as a loyal subject of King Louis XV, going out to hunt a nasty goldfish, and when I came back, I was Spanish!"
We laughed again and the old priest played with us like fiddles. I don't really mind; he's a nice guy.
"I'm going to make tea, I'm French again, thank you!"
The Spaniards in the congregation laughed even harder, probably because Father Armand's pronunciation was so unpleasant.
"Now we have been sold to the United States of America by Napoleon himself. Why, no wonder we are all at a loss. I now own more flags than shirts and I have considered changing one of them into the other. Haha. Yeah. So. , our parish now has a significant number of Protestants.”
When it comes to those pagans, many people complain.
"But let me ask you this question. When Jesus argued with the Pharisees or the Sadducees, did he hit them in the face? Did he throw manure on their women?"
Their complaints disappeared immediately, and many people's faces turned red with embarrassment.
No, he didn't, because he knew that all people should have the opportunity to hear the Word of God. We all must remember that we are Christians not because of who we oppose, but because of whom we love. I don't want to go on like this anymore.
Instead, you are to love your neighbor as the Bible commands, because Protestants are not your enemies, just people who follow a different path. No, the real enemies are devil worshiping sluts like Ariana. "
"……What! ?"
"You writhed under the wild beast like a wanton whore. He took you there that first night and you enjoyed it. Neither Sodom nor Gomorrah had seen such shameful fornication!"
"What?! No! You're wrong. Dad! Tell them!"
"I should have drowned you the day you were born. Look what you've become. You can't even stand here."
Smoke billowed from my now blood-stained robe, which soon caught fire. I tried to run away but I was blind. I fell on the wooden bench and bruised my hand. It hurts so much. I was rolling on the ground, screaming in agony. Murmurs of rage surrounded me as the congregation watched me die.
"Here, Kate, this should help."
Father Armand poured water on me, but the fire could not be put out. I disappeared in a flash of blue light and a piercing scream.
I opened my eyes and saw green sheets and a bedpost made of mahogany that I had never seen before. Another day, another room, and I remember this is not home. I was, at best, an unwilling guest in a gilded cage.
I'm still reflecting on that moment. I only had a few minutes of clarity and calm before it came.
Thirsty.
I don’t quite understand the pain. I feel like every time I'm told more, the ideas flow through my mind like a sieve.
Jimena told me that when I see him again tomorrow everything will be clear, and I really hope so. It is unhealthy to remain in this fugue state for an extended period of time.
As longing grew within me, I experienced a new morning ritual. This is a strange thing. Thirst is not limited to the throat and mouth.
It dug its greedy claws into my chest, my belly, and my mind. Every train of thought was disrupted, and whenever I lost focus, my feet would lead me to the door.
No, this cannot last.
I found another gray set, the same as yesterday. It’s very tight around the hips, I suspect I’m wearing Jime
Spare set for a.
As soon as I finished speaking, someone knocked on my door.
When I opened it, I paused. What if instead of being my temporary mentor, it was the Lancaster Vixen and her lackeys?
They promised to let me go. Nor do they move me as much as what they say, nor are they the only ones who would hurt me.
Just then, I noticed a tiny glass window in the doorway, no bigger than a thumbnail. I looked and lo! I could clearly see who was outside!
It must have been some kind of magnifying glass, or a short telescope. I always thought having running water in every room was a luxury, until now. I wouldn't be surprised if their toilets were studded with diamonds. Speaking of toilets, why don’t I have… hmm?
What am I thinking?
Another knock on the door, this time more urgent, woke me up from my reverie. I opened it and asked Jime
a Say hello.
"Forgive me, my dear friend, but I am still as confused as ever, and I wish you had brought me something to drink. I am so thirsty!"
"Have a good day too, Ariana," she replied with a smile, "This is Ricardo, another servant of the Cadiz family." She said, I had not noticed the other man until now.
He was well dressed but serious. He was tall, with brown eyes and curly brown hair, and he looked at me unkindly. I greeted him politely and he said hello politely.
“Bye seño
ita. "
Jimena then asked me to let them both in, which I guess was acceptable since Jimena could be considered a guardian.
More meditation followed, and when we left, Ricardo stayed. I felt refreshed and the craving released its hold on me.
"Lord Silen invites you to see him. He is the leader of the Cadiz tribe. We should go to see him now."
"What? Jimena, you must be kidding! This dress..."
I dare not criticize too much since she gave it to me so graciously, however, the pants are indecent, especially those with, well, very tight hips.
Jime
a noticed my discomfort and smiled knowingly while addressing my concerns.
"Don't worry, young man. Gray is the color of the Order of Chivalry, and wearing it distances you from the court. You claim neutrality and impartiality, which only helps you."
I thought about her words in silence.
"You surprised me, Jimena, that was a thoughtful statement."
"Well, I'm not that blind to the vicissitudes of politics. I usually ignore them. Recent events have forced me to reevaluate my priorities."
I suspect it has something to do with her falling out of favor and cleverly restraining herself from asking. Soon we reached the edge of many apartments and came to another set of doors.
Each floor appears to contain a square, independent living area, surrounded on each side by waiting rooms where visitors can gather.
"How many floors does this building have?" "Why are there no windows?" I asked.
"If you count the basement as one floor, there are only five floors. In other words, you only saw one side of the fortress. There are many places on this floor that you have no chance to visit. As for the lack of windows, that is for safety reasons. "
"Um."
"You can……"
"Yes, yes, I will understand sooner or later."
"One more night and everything will be clear."
She opened the door to a large boudoir. Comfortable seats were clustered together in small groups, with other well-dressed people mingling.
We ignored them and walked to the other door. Jimena knocked on the door and walked in without waiting for an answer.
We entered a small front room. The furniture and decor are all baroque, like everything I've seen since leaving the dungeon.
This place is designed to be lived in, not lived in. The oak chest in the corner convinced me that the only inhabitant of the place was as much a guest as I was, willing though he might be.
A man sat at a desk facing the entrance. He calmly put down his pen and stood up to welcome us.
There was no doubt that he was on the same level as Mrs. Moore. His aura oppressed my soul, and while it lacked maturity, it had a solid feel that reflected his physique.
The leader of the Cadiz clan had cornflower blue eyes, like mine, and curly black hair that fell to his muscular shoulders.
His facial features are masculine and elegant, complemented by a mischievous beard and mustache.
Gee, he must have stepped out of some pirate story, ready to rob and rape! However, I was pleased to see that his gaze was thoughtful rather than overly hostile. As soon as he reached us, I saluted, partly to hide my surprise.
This man is insanely muscular! I believe Ogodei has nothing on him and he can bend metal with his bare hands. Are all members of the Cadiz family so focused on physical fitness?
"Rise".
I did so, remaining silent as the man took my measurements.
"Greetings from Ariana. I am Lord Silen of the Cadiz family. Welcome to my humble residence."
"It is my pleasure, Lord Silen."
The man turned to Ximena with a wry smile.
"Just like you said, squire."
In his mouth, the title of squire became a compliment to past achievements rather than an insult. I could tell Jimena was grateful.
"Tell me, Ariana, has my quartermaster explained the situation to you?"
"She told me about the imperial meeting and the sudden arrival of the master."
"I see. Has she explained your role in this?"
"My role?"
Lord Silen just chuckled.
"Just as our Ximena expected. I bet her first reaction was to thrust the sword into your hand."
Jimena hissed playfully and crossed her arms at his mocking rebuke.
"Lord Nirari always kept his word and followed some rules consistently, but he was quite notorious for other things."
"You make it sound like he committed an atrocity, but I believe I heard about it on the news because he looks to be in his early forties!"
Before he continued, Duke Theron's eyes flickered to Ximena.
“You’d be surprised, little Ariana. He’s a lot older than he looks, and he’s traveled all over the mill over the years.
I think you have realized that our world is different from the world. The torture was kept secret, and he had earned quite a reputation in our society, which made his visit even more unusual.
The land is remote. We sojourners here have not come, but we have been sent. For a person of his status to appear here and make his existence known to everyone, he must have some purpose.
The secret meeting began three days ago and is scheduled to end tomorrow. Yes, I know Lord Nirari's promise. I guarantee you that no baby bird will leave without the blessing of its owner. You can safely look forward to the ceremony. "
I wasn't worried, but I certainly am now!
"What happens if I don't do this?"
Lord Theron seemed at a loss, so Ximena took my hand and continued to comfort me.
"Eventually, the stress in the fledgling bird's mind becomes too much and they revert to drone state. But rest assured, unless there is a major catastrophe, that's certainly not going to happen."
"Yes, Ariana, everything will be fine. I shouldn't even mention it. Let's focus on the subject, if you like, and why you're here.
"You see, Lord Nillary requested our entertainment, which we granted. The next night he spent a long time with Mrs. Moore, whom we suspected to be the cause of his presence or, rather, her property.
"Mrs. Moore managed a local ship, the Lancaster, and as far as we know she was the only one capable of providing him with passage back to the Middle East, or wherever he wanted to go."
"Can't he arm his own ship? A man of his stature cannot be without money, right?"
"That's not the problem. Transporting us over long distances requires special logistics. It's easier and safer to come to an agreement with Mrs. Moore than to open the way yourself."
"I have a lot of questions..."
"I know," he said with a smile, "I'm sorry. As I said, Lord Nirari is our guest so he won't force Mrs. Moore to serve him, so he needs leverage. You."
"I?"
"Yes. As the only person who could help him, Mrs. Moore had a monopoly and she found herself under no obligation to hasten the discussion. Quite the opposite. Lord Nirari was thought to be wealthy. Very, very wealthy. She could use that to her advantage. status, that’s what you do.”
"I do not understand."
"Do you know of your master's other prions?"
"Everyone thinks I'm a raving lunatic who can barely speak?"
Two Cádizians chuckled at my angry face. Ah, but it's nice to have polite companions, although I wouldn't consider Lord Theron a friend.
"So. Galactus, well, there have been quite a few prions in the past. He didn't care much about them, and more often just used them as tools."
They are not me. Once we become acquainted, my master will have no choice but to see that I am the one who should run for him.
When necessary, he grooms them into psychopathic lunatics and then releases them. They destroyed the entire parish before being stopped. "
"W...what?!"
No, they must be wrong. This is nonsense! It is absolutely impossible for a man to do it, I may have heard, it is absolutely impossible for him to do it.
What am I thinking?
I blinked. Ximena gestured to Lord Theron, and he smiled apologetically at me.
"Forgive me, I forgot myself. I just want to say that you are the sword of Damocles hanging over Mrs. Moore's head, so stop it."
"I do not know what to do?"
Ximena held my hand tightly. I had forgotten how cool and soft they are.
"Believe me, he's telling the truth."
I am the Sword of Damocles hanging over Mrs. Moore's head.
"I see."
"Very well. Lord Nirari is using your presence as motivation to advance negotiations. He is under no obligation to limit the damage you can cause based on his own twisted sense of honor."
Lord Silen leaned back in his chair and stretched out his hands.
"The impact on you is twofold. First, you will be closely monitored here, and most opinions will be, hostile. The second thing is that if everything goes according to our vision, you will have no choice but to let Ren Lan It’s at the mercy of the Custer family.”
"What, this is terrible!" They hate me! Can you...I'm sorry to ask you, can you do something?"
"Alas, no. We have no reasonable way to claim your compensation. The best outcome for you is to serve them."
"Best possible outcome?! You must be kidding, or you underestimated their contempt! They attacked me mercilessly, without any provocation! I would be a fool if I let them have their way!" I replied in frustration.
"This is a test of your character. Mersin and Lambert are Mrs. Moore's only competent subordinates and they were sent to evaluate you while the others were stalling Ximena.
Thank god they were bad and she saw right through their attempts at embarrassment. They see you for a short period of time, which should work to your advantage. Melusin will keep you alive out of curiosity, if for no other reason. "
They gave me a few seconds to collect my thoughts.
"Then my master will not take me with him?"
"No chance, although I know you'll try anyway. If you want to survive, you're going to have to plan accordingly, and I know how. Tell me, Ariana, what exactly do you want?"
I wish this had never happened, but I know that's wishful thinking. Ximena told me to trust her and that there was no cure for this disease. So, what I want most is...
“I wanted to go home, to my friends and family. I wanted to walk in the morning light along the sugar cane fields with pets I didn’t remember.
I wanted to open a winery and bring wealth to my family. I wanted to catch an egret in one go and grill its meat over charcoal.
I just want this madness to stop. "
I was on the verge of tears again, and I refused to cry in front of the leader of the Cadiz tribe. My passionate speech only served to scare my hosts into silence. I hope they don't think I'm complaining and pathetic, but I comfort myself that I definitely have a reason to be a little dramatic!
Some unspoken information passed between them until Lord Theron finally turned his attention to our conversation.
"If returning home is your greatest wish, we will do our best to give you that opportunity. It will be a difficult task, however, you need to make it worth our time."
"You are so mercenary!" I replied in shock.
"I have obligations to my tribe, one of which is to protect my tribe members and make sure resources are fully utilized. You're asking me to risk people and money to save a stranger."
"I thought I was asking a personal request."
"Ariana, the two of us are not enough. I'm sorry."
I put my head in my hands and tried to accept my situation. Finally, I calmed down and asked God about His terms.
"Great, so what do you want me to do?"
While you're with them, look for information about their business activities. Listings, deeds and titles, we can make use of this information. "
"You want me to be a spy for you?!"
"Yes. I assure you, those bastards do not deserve your loyalty."
"It's not like that!" Surveillance is so..."
"Hate?"
"Exactly."
"Believe me, after tomorrow, you will change your mind about this matter."
"Well, I'll do my best, although I'm afraid you might be overestimating me."
After exchanging pleasantries, Ximena and I left the Cadiz enclave, where she dragged me to her testing grounds and taught me basic fencing techniques, including posture and how to hold the sword.
I managed to learn something before going to bed.
