Blood Price (Noble of Blood Book 1) (9 page)

Josaleene rubbed her eyes.  She knew the Patriarch was a powerful person, but she had no idea what he was capable of.  It really was no wonder he kept the histories hidden.  It seems they had to deal with an incredible amount of fear from the humans then.  The Patriarch ruled out of respect and power now, never fear.

Her back ached like fire, she suddenly realized.  She needed to get out for a walk.  She had been shut up in hers and Dartein's rooms for almost three weeks, and desperately needed to get out.

Opening up her door, she got the attention of the guard that was standing duty today.  Oddly, she didn't recognize the man.

"Please go and fetch Victor here to me, I require his assistance."

The guard bowed and walked away down the hall.  She turned back to her room, shutting the door behind her.  Forgetting where she put her slippers, she dug through the chest at the end of her bed.  Not finding them there she moved on to dig through the large oak closet in the back corner of the room.

A knock at her door found her piled ankle deep in blankets and linens still searching for her shoes.

"Do come in!"  She yelled.   Mired as she was it would be a moment before she could get to the door herself.

"I'm back here just trying to find my blasted slippers.  I dread being so forgetful lately."

"I believe these are what you are looking for."

Josaleene whipped her head around at the unexpected voice.

Juron.  He was walking towards her holding out her slippers in front of him.

How did he get in her room?  Why did she send her only guard away?  What could he possibly want?  She had to stall him long enough for Victor to get here.

"Well Juron, how nice of you to end my frantic search.  I appreciate your help."  Keeping her voice light she reached out for her shoes, disentangling herself from the mess at her feet.

As she turned to reach towards Juron she noticed Cece standing near the door.  It was closed behind her.

"Cece, how nice of you two to visit.  Is there something I can do for you?"  Josee was now more than a bit worried. Where was Victor?

"Yes there is, Princess.  I am so glad you asked, I was hoping I would not have to beg it of you.  But Juron, sweet boy that he is, was very insistent we come ask anyway."  Cece smiled sweetly, reaching out to pull one of the baby blankets off a nearby stool.  She unfolded it and held it against her cheek. 

Josaleene moved forward to walk towards the woman holding one her precious babies' possessions.  It made her skin crawl to see that disgusting woman touching it.

Just as she went to pass by Juron he reached out and grabbed her around the chest with his right hand and covered her mouth with his left.  Pulling her close against him, he held her there tightly.

"Shhh now Josee, sweet Josee."  He whispered in her ear “You just have something that we want.  We will be quick, I promise."  His last word came out like a hiss.

Walking towards her, Cece had a dangerous glint in her eye.  She produced a small surgeon’s blade from her belt.  Flashing it in Josaleene's face, she smiled like she was presenting her with a gift.

Mad Bitch!

"Since they all expect you to die producing that baby, we will just make it happen sooner."

Josee clawed at Juron's arm and hand, her cries muffled.  How had Cece known about her foretold death?  She watched as Cece moved closer to her and began to panic.  Twisting her body she tried to break free.

Juron tightened his hold on her.  "Be still and we will make this quick, keep squirming and I will make it hurt worse.

She opened her mouth and bit Juron's middle finger.  He grunted and shoved his fingers in her mouth to gag her. 

"Hold her still Juron, I don't want to cut the baby."  Cece said.

He adjusted his arm to hold her arms down as well as he could.  Cece quickly reached out and sliced through Josee's gown to bare her swollen stomach.  At the height of panic Josee leaned back into Juron and kicked out at Cece, landing a blow into her side.

Shrieking, Cece launched at Josee swinging wildly at her stomach.

"Cece, calm down!"  Yelled Juron.

"That Bitch kicked me, Juron!  I'm gonna kill her!"

Cece pulled her arm back ready to take a wild swing.  Her arm came down and around in what seemed like slow motion.  Even so, Josaleene barely had time to register what was happening.  She expected pain and blood, but all she saw was shock on the other woman’s face.

"What the bloody hell!?  I cut her, I swear I did.  But she is not even scratched!"  Said Cece.

"Well you probably missed, give me the knife and you hold her arms"

At that moment Josaleene knew that they could not hurt her.  Her child protected her.  She knew the blade had brushed her skin but had not cut.

Josaleene stopped squirming and pinned a dangerous glare at Cece.

"I am not coming near her, she is staring at me like a rabid dog, Juron."

Josaleene's body shook.  It took the couple a moment to register that she was laughing.

"Do not laugh at me!"  Shrieked Cece. 

And in that moment several things happened. 

Cece launched herself at Josaleene's face.

Juron's grip on her arms slipped slightly.

Victor opened the chamber door.

Noticing only the first two things, Josaleene brought her hands up and pointed her palms toward Cece.  There was intense heat, another shriek and then she realized she could see Victor by the door.  Cece had blocked her view before.

And now Cece was a pile of ash on the floor.

Juron's state of shock lasted only so long before he realized he was in big trouble.  Tightening his hold around her body, he watched as the burly guard ran towards them.

Josaleene closed her eyes and concentrated.  Her body super-heated like a furnace.  She could feel the inferno burning inside her, screaming for release.  Feeling it reach a boiling point she pushed the heat away from her. 

Another shriek followed by silence.  She wasn't being held anymore.  Opening her eyes she saw another pile of ash at her feet, and Victor on his backside halfway across the room.

"Princess!  Are you OK?  How did they get in here?  What did you do?"  Scrambling back up, he walked towards her slowly until he noticed her start to sag.   He ran the rest of the way to catch her as she fell unconscious to the ground.

----

The Patriarch and his guards ran from the Library where he was summoned all the way to his son's chambers. 

As they neared the room he could smell burnt flesh.

Coming through the door way he saw Victor holding an unconscious Josaleene towards the back of the room.  The foot of the bed as well as the draperies hanging from it were all incinerated.  The walls close by were blackened.

Coming to a stop in front of the guard and his son's Chosen, he stooped down to take a closer look.

"What happened, I heard there were intruders?"  He looked closely at the guard, whose face, arms and hands were very red.  Burns?

"There were, Sir.  You are standing in them."  Victor looked down at the pile of ashes that were underneath the Patriarchs feet.

Standing up straight he leveled his gaze on the sleeping woman.  He had listened to his son’s report of what had happened in the woods.  He knew what was explained to him, but seeing the aftermath of what seemed to be the same thing... he was stunned.  There should not be any way this woman could do this.

"Did you see what happened?"  He asked Victor.

"Well I saw the other woman disintegrate into ash.   Then I saw Juron had a hold of the Princess and I started to run towards them."

"Juron?"  Mortul was startled that it was one of their own.

"Yes, Patriarch. It was definitely him."

"Alright then, go on."

"Well I ran towards them to get her free from him when she closed her eyes and, well, exploded into flame."  Victor shook his head, trying to reconcile what he had seen.

"Well.  I guess that explains the ashes, and the rest of the room."

"It was intense, Sir.  When she exploded it knocked me backwards across the room.  Then she passed out."  Victor stood up, picking up Josaleene in his arms.  "I am going to take her to a guest chamber where she can be comfortable, if I may Sir."

"Yes, please do.  And then please tend to yourself, you may need treatment for those burns."  He turned to the guards that had followed him.  "Please get the staff in here to clean up this mess."  He gestured towards the piles of ash.  He was going to have to do some explaining to the Council.  Hopefully his son would be back soon.

Running his hand through his hair, he turned and left the room.  Victor and Josaleene's unconscious self exiting behind him.

Mid-Spring - Noble Year 1

With the war ended and winter thaw upon us, the task has fallen to this settlement to clean up the battlefield around us and give the dead proper passing rites.  The Warlocks believe that the dead should be burned to release any magic that may have been left behind.  Their intention is to never have to resort to such nasty and dark measures again, and want no trace of it left.

With much the same train of thought they have decided to forever seal off the vault that contains their chambers.  Our town leader has been entrusted with the knowledge of how to unearth the vault in case of 'great and dire' need only.  Mordred was instructed to pass the secret only to her heirs or successors and to no one else.  She has been tasked with keeping this outpost alive and thriving, as not only a beacon of hope... but also as a watch tower.  If ever the Enemy shall arise again we will dispatch the hawks to carry the warnings to others.

----

It was near dawn and they had been pushing hard through the night to make as much ground as possible.  They hadn't encountered any trouble along the way so far and Dartein hoped that they weren't pushing their luck.  The last few miles had been open ground, nothing but flat terrain sloping ever slightly upward.  The openness had been a boon since the moon had been waning.

As they came over the rise they spotted buildings.  It was not inhabited, though.  Even in the dark they could tell the buildings were merely ghosts of their formers selves.  As they rode into the area they saw the structures used to be structures of dense stone.  The foundations were still present, though they had been cracked and broken and grown over with slick mosses.

Nature had not fully taken the place over even if the area seemed an ancient ruin.  There were tufts of weeds here and there but otherwise the ground was rocky and did not allow much to grow.  There were about 40 or so mostly collapsed structures.  Dartein halfheartedly counted as they rode through.  Just when they reached the back side of the old village he spied what used to be an old two story building, the 2nd story mostly gone but the first floor was boarded up tight and there was a small drift of smoke blowing out of the stack in the corner.

"How could anyone live here?  There is no game and you could not grow anything in this ground." Dartein spoke lightly.

"This place spooks me.  Let us go in and see what is here so we can keep moving."

"I think we have arrived, Anton.  I just feel it, this is where we find our answers."  Moving towards the door of the beaten up house Dartein felt a small vibration in the air.  Startled he stepped back and re-examined the structure.  It smelled old but not rotten.  There were no goblins here.

Just as he was re-gathering the courage to move towards the door again, the door swung open and an older lady looked out at them.  She was dressed in loose robes with her black curly hair tied up in an old silken cloth.  Her hands clutched an old walking stick with a striking hawk carved at the top, and Dartein noticed her nails were painted blood red.

"Well about time you arrived.  I had hoped to have a full moon to do this by.  Good thing you lads can see in the dark."  Her voice was strong even if she appeared old.

She moved out of the building, turning to close the door behind her.  She turned back to them and clucked her tongue.

"Well let me show you what you are looking for."  She moved off at a brisk walk, moving south and away from the buildings.

Dartein and Anton were stunned for a moment, then had to trot to catch up with the quick moving old woman.

"I have not seen a living creature for many, many miles.  How is it that you are expecting us?"  Dartein sensed no danger from this woman yet he was wary.

"There has always been someone waiting here for this moment for hundreds of years.  We were tasked with the guarding of the vault by your creators.  This outpost was to serve two fold; one as a hiding place for the vault that keeps the answers you seek and two to provide a warning if we were to ever see the Enemy rise again."

"So you know that we are --” Dartein began.

"Kin of the Warlocks, yes.  Mighty powerful creatures they were, the world would have ended if not for their sacrifices."  The old lady stopped abruptly.  "Here.  Here is what you seek."

She began to scratch at the ground with her walking stick as they watched.  She scrape, scrape, scraped back and forth rapidly, slowly revealing a smooth stone face.  She continued to scrape at the ground until she uncovered a small 3 foot by 3 foot area.  She knelt down and dusted at the stone with her hand until she uncovered 5 stones.  Rubbing at each one with her thumb she revealed them to be red jewels.

"I believe you know what those are, young man."  She eyed Dartein from her spot on the ground.

Dartein could not believe what he saw.  He knelt down next to the woman.  There in the middle of the stone were the same five jewels as were on the Slumber Chamber back in the Palace, in the same crescent - curving type pattern.

"Unless you have one of the Originals blood with you, you will not be able to open this lid.  I am sorry to only show you how close you came for nothing."  She stood up quickly, surprisingly nimble for one her age.

Dartein reached out and spread out the fingers on his right hand.  Each fingertip aligned with the 5 stones perfectly.  He touched his fingers to each stone.  He was not quite surprised when the jewels flashed red once and the stone beneath began to rumble.  The stone moved to the side, into the earth.

"Well that changes things then."  She said.  "But it does not change much.  Go on down and learn about your past, boy." 

Seeing the top few steps that led down into the darkness, Dartein started towards the hole.  Stepping down into the near darkness he could just see holders on the walls with torches in them.  Taking a flint out of his pocket he lit two of the torches and handed one up to Anton.  Continuing down with Anton right behind him, he heard the old lady speak once more.

"Tell Mortul what you found here, and tell him Mordred kept her promise."

Dartein and Anton looked back up but she was gone.