“It is thus decreed: any man, woman, or child who dares disputes or doubts the word of our saviors shall thus be restrained in the stocks, publicly flogged, or even executed, should their trespass deem it worthy of such a fate. Ye have all been informed.”
An elderly man, wearing a pure white robe and a garishly long mitre addressed the large crowd of people, having been escorted by members of the Papal Guard to the town square. As silence ensued, the man prayed a small prayer, looking up to the sky. “May the goddess Seraphina continue to bless our holy nation, and bring victory to our saviors forevermore.”
With that, the man turned and stepped down from the hastily constructed wooden stage, the boards creaking with every step as his frail body delicately descended the steps. The man was escorted away by the papal guard, donning gaudy armor and swords with precious jewels encrusted on their hilts. Upon being out of sight, the captain of the city guard thunderously roared to the crowd, “Disperse! Resume your tasks for the morn!”
Thousands of bodies moved instantly, scurrying away from the city center, desperate to resume the monotonous routine they’ve become accustomed to, not daring to even pass a glance at any of the guards. Even the children, usually giddily laughing and running around playing, were melancholic and subdued, following their parents.
At the top of the largest hill within the walled city stood an excessively large castle, made to show opulence rather than practicality, with two large spires dominating the landscape. At the tallest spire stood a middle-aged man, with a sharp, white beard that blended with his pale skin. His sky blue eyes scanned the city below, watching the people as they all rushed back to their daily lives. “I assume they’ve been informed of my decision, correct?” He spoke to a young man with short auburn hair, wearing a roughly made tunic and boots that were a size too small, standing behind him, yet not bothering to turn to look at the servant.
The man nodded. “Yes, it is as you have surmised, Cadoc. The pope was scheduled to issue the holy decree mere moments ago.”
Cadoc smiled to himself as he nodded. “Good…that should start ushering in some much needed stability in these turbulent times. We can’t perform the tasks the goddess herself has ordained for us to complete with the populace constantly bickering about trivialities. They may consider the methods tyrannical, but it’s for their own benefit.”
“It is as you say.”
A knock on the door interrupted the two as the servant rushed to the door and opened it, revealing a young woman, no older than nineteen, with eyes and skin resembling her father’s, her blonde hair freely flowing to the middle of her back. “Ah, Miss Elara, how can I assist you?” 21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIrPdDn1Qo1
“Is my father present? There is a matter of great import that I wish to discuss.”
The servant nodded and moved aside, allowing Elara to enter. “Father, I need to speak with you concerning my upcoming wedding.”
Cadoc turned and looked at his youngest daughter, nodding. “What is it? I distinctly remember informing Aveline that she’s to ensure that all your requests concerning your wedding are to be fulfilled to the letter.”
“I am well aware, Father, and Aveline has performed admirably. What I need to discuss with you is the location of the ceremony: the one choice you made for me.”
“It’s been a tradition for millenia, Elara, for members of our family to be wed in that very cathedral. Your grandfather, great grandfather, and every one of your blessed ancestors were wed there, even your brother, and soon, you as well. I will not hear of any talk otherwise.”
“Father, please just at least consider my entreaty! Osric and I desire to make you proud of the wedding, proud of us both. However, we both desire also to be wed in a much smaller and less public affair, with close family and relatives, along with our most trusted companions. Naturally, that would include the pope, considering both Osric’s recent promotion to a captain of the Papal Guard and my lineage.”
Cadoc merely turned around. “Unless I’m losing my mental acuity, I distinctly remember just now informing you that I refuse to hear any talk about changing the location of the wedding. I will not let a tradition that has stood for millenia be broken based on a young woman’s folly.”
Elara’s face reddened with anger before she swiftly spun around and stormed out of the room, but not before giving a polite curtsy to the servant. As he closed the door shut behind her, Cadoc shook his head. “That daughter of mine, always with her heart set on things that won’t do her any good. She agreed to that one condition in exchange for having whatever else she wanted, no matter the expense. Yet here she is, on a whim, trying to renege on the deal. Apparently I didn’t raise her as well as I thought I did. No matter. She’ll have several weeks to reconsider before I next speak with her.”
The servant merely nodded, not wanting to upset him as he watched Cadoc. “Sir, if I may, your audience with his majesty is fast approaching. It may be wise to consider dressing thyself for the occasion.”
Cadoc nodded at the servant. “My gratitude for bringing the audience to my remembrance. His majesty should have by now made his decision. Prepare my bath, and once you’ve drawn the water, prepare for me a fresh set of clothing.”
21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1DIU9y5VBJ
Elara briskly walked through the rose garden, using a path she knew quite well thanks to the number of times she’s walked it since she was a toddler. “Father…always needlessly obstinate when traditions are the topic of discussion…” She muttered under her breath as she soon reached a small clearing in the garden, where two men were conversing. Upon noticing her, the two of them stopped speaking and smiled. A tall man with perfectly toned muscles, glistening platinum blonde hair, and captivating blue eyes jogged up to her, throwing his arms open and drawing her into a tight embrace.
“Elara, my love, were you able to speak with your father? Has he given his blessing to change our arrangement?”
Elara leaned back, looking into Osric’s eyes. “Alas…my father…his obstinance knows no bounds. He refused to even entertain what I had to say.”
Osric sighed. “It is alright. We shall make do with the plans we had previously. Our love shall make any location magical.”
“Oh…Osric…”
A soft clearing of the throat brought the two back to reality as a man resembling Elara walked up to them. “You wound me, Elara, for not even acknowledging my existence not only now, but for the past several days.”
Elara chuckled as she walked over to the man and hugged him. “My apologies, my dear brother. My mind has been…preoccupied these past several days.” Breaking the hug, she stepped back.
“If I may, what were you two discussing?”
Osric sighed. “Valen here was informing me of a task your father sprung upon him last evening. He’s to be sent across the country to investigate some reports of heretical teachings spreading amongst the peasants of the villages.”
Valen nodded. “It is as Osric said: I’m to investigate and purge any and all heretical teachings.”
Elara sighed. “I can scarcely imagine Adelade’s reaction to the news…”
Laughing, Valen shook his head. “She is quite incensed that I am to be gone for another six weeks at the earliest were I to be on my own, especially when she is heavily with child.”
“She’s about six months along, is she not?” Oscric asked, looking at Valen.
Nodding, Valen smiled. “Yes she is. I should be back by the time my child is born, and thankfully, with the help of my darling sister, I should get home even earlier.”
Elara gave her brother a questioning look. “Oh? How could I be of assistance when we are several days apart?”
Valen laughed. “I am surprised father didn’t speak to you about this when you met with him, but you’ve been given the task to assist me in my investigation. In fact, I was just apologizing to Osric here for taking his fiancé away from him.”
Osric sighed. “It wounds me to be apart from Elara for so long, but my duties as captain of the Papal Guard will keep me busy these next several weeks. Elara, my darling, I will miss you while you’re gone.”
Elara gave Osric a sympathetic look before leaning in and hugging him once more. “You will be in my thoughts every day until I return. I’ll work with my brother to purge the heretics amongst the peasantry swiftly and return to your side.”
“I will look forward to the day of our reunion.”
Osric tilted back, tilted Elara’s head up, and leaned in for a tender kiss. Once parted, Osric stood back. “It is time I make my leave. Elara, Valen, I wish you a most successful journey and eagerly await your return.”
Giving one last fleeting glance at Elara, Osric walked away through another path amongst the rose garden. Valen glanced at Elara. “You should make preparations for the journey. I leave just after lunch, so that should give you a few hours to pack. I’ll see you at lunch, Elara.”
21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFlHxT7tjuC
“This way! I saw him fleeing in this direction!” A knight shouted to his companions as a man with disheveled black hair, brown eyes, and dirtied ivory-colored skin sprinted through a wheat field, jumping over wooden fences and dodging traps designed for wild animals as he tried to put a considerable distance between him and his pursuers. Once he had exited the field and onto a well-used dirt road, he sprinted down the path before spotting a patch of forest. Entering into the expanse of tall trees and thick vegetation, he sat down, trying to control his breathing despite the desire to pant heavily.
He could hear the clanging of metal as the knights charged blindly down the road, knowing that if any knight came to check the patch of forest, he’d be easily discovered and overwhelmed. As luck would have it, the knights continued their blind charge, barking random and sometimes conflicting orders to each other, before they were soon out of sight. Finally letting out a deep exhale, the man began breathing quickly, trying to calm himself down after such a close call.
“All that for just one piece of fruit?” He asked himself as he took a look at the green apple in his hand, taking a bit from it. His mouth puckered slightly from the sudden sour taste, but the sweetness began to replace the sour, his body relaxing before taking another bite. “Mhmm…the ones grown on farms are indeed much sweeter than their wild cousins.” He said to himself as he quickly polished off his meager breakfast. After several more minutes of waiting, not seeing or hearing any of his pursuers, the man stood up from the patch he was sitting on and walked back out to the road, stretching.
“I should probably get a move on. No guarantees that I won’t be recognized if I stay here.” Going in the opposite direction from where the knights had run off to, the man hummed a small tune to himself, despite the circumstances he found himself in. Looking up at the rising sun, he grinned to himself as he pondered just where exactly he should go.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu0WeKKFC8X
