RMW
Chapter Twenty Three
Ashes and Dust
~SV~
Blackstone Castle, Dawn’s Twilight, 677, 28th, October
The Dark Princess’s eyes glow blue as she describes the childhood horror she has just re-lived, to Grekan, “I recall the rage in Father’s eyes as he flies up pulling me into his arms. He carries me back toward the North Gate, as I tell him of Mother’s betrayal. His nod tells me he already knows. Father brings his mist around us, to protect his skin from burning, as we leave the Black Forest’s shade.”
Sidonia adds, “Once through the gate, he blurs us into the Castle. I want him to punish Samala; he only assigns her some guards. It is the first time she had tried to kill me.” Grekan groans, “How horrible!” She muses, “I now believe the yellow glow the Wolves’ had, means they were shapeshifters. I recall feeling proud that he is the most powerful and deadliest Father that this world will ever know. Foolishly I felt safe and protected by him.”
Shuddering, Grekan is only glad that her dream-vision of this horror has kept her from hearing Donatello’s fate. He is certain Sidonia would have sacrificed herself to save her guard. The dark girl sighs, “It is then that I knew I needed Father to be a vicious killer, in order to save my life.” Grekan feels guilt, regretting that Sidonia will find out, and still fears what she will do.
Solemnly, the Dark Princess adds, “I see now, no one will always be here when I need it. No father can always be at my side to kill my foes. I know that I must actively seek these ways, so I can learn to increase my own abilities, in order to protect myself!”
~*~
Garden Gate, Dawn’s Twilight, 677, 28th, October
Donatello’s Shade comes free, and he now sees his Death Door. He moves toward it wanting peace, as he feels his failures; at the last moment he stops, when Kolo announces, “Any who help Sidonia will get the same death!” It causes Donatello to turn from Death’s Door, wanting to attack Kolo; however, he can only go to the shadows. He tries to yell his fury, yet cannot even speak.
Grunt tries the gate, finding it locked on this side. He brings out his knife, to release the corpse. Donatello starts to feel his Death Doors pull, and willingly goes toward it. Kolo orders, “No! You will all leave him there. It is a warning to any foolish enough to even think of defending Sidonia.” Kolo’s vow causes Donatello to stay, he has unfinished business, his Death Door vanishes. Donatello is unnoticed, his Shade’s mist is so slight, not even Kolo sees him.
Kolo points at Grunt, “Carry me to the rowboat, I am going home.” Whitey holds the rowboat, as Grunt gets in, and sets the Evil One on a bench. Kolo looks at the place where his twin sister sat when she brought him here. The Guards wait on the pier, as Kolo whimpers with guilt, “I punished him, Lola.” It fails to feel like he did enough. He looks at the twilight before the dawn fearing it.
The Evil One sobs with guilt and loss, “I promise, dear sister. No matter what it takes or how long, I will find a way to get you back! And, I will make them all pay for this treachery.” Kolo has no idea what he can do for Lola, but does not want to leave without her. Desperate, he turns pointing at Whitey, “You take these Guards, get torches; then sweep up my sister’s ‘Ashes and Dust’.”
Kolo watches the sky, it is now a royal blue; feeling reckless, the Evil One dares the dawn and river, for the hope of Lola’s return. Grunt stands; fearfully, the Evil One says, “No. You stay here and guard me.” Kolo feels it is a timely inspiration, as he intends to do more than just bury them. With a dark glee Kolo demands of Whitey, “Make sure you get every piece and bring all of her to me.”
The guards now kneel with torches where the sword ended Lola. Whitey takes off his cloak, to place what they gather of Lola’s essence and remains within it. When there is no more sight of her ash or dust, Whitey folds his cape carefully over Lola’s remains. They now return to their Master, who waits at the wharf.
Whitey gets in handing his cloak with Lola’s ashes, to his Master. Kolo cringes with fear as the boat rocks and the threat of the river is too near. Whitey proudly tells the Evil One, “I put every piece we could find in my cloak, Master.” Grasping his sister’s remains, Kolo chokes, “I appreciate you bringing her to me.”
~*~
The Oracle states, “I sense the vision was telling me to learn defensive magic; they would have taught it to me this year, had I stayed in school. I admit Romina’s clan offered to teach me, yet I avoided it. I feared it would cause me to become evil and do all that Samala claimed I would do; harming her and killing my brothers.” With a sad tone Sidonia adds, “I see it is beyond my control, to keep evil away. It does not save me to not learn to defend myself.”
Princess Sidonia fumes, “It only allows him to make me his victim-.” The Oracle groans as a vision cuts in; “-It is a trap! Lola possessed Jillian.” Shocked, Grekan asks, “The Old Crone from the bookshop?” Nodding, Sidonia gasps in disbelief, “Donatello has my father’s Black Dragon Sword. He has destroyed Lola with it!”
Glowering, Grekan nods, “Good.” Sidonia tells him, “Oh no! Kolo is alive! He is burning Donatello’s back. The guards threw a net over him and one has stabbed him with an iron dagger, he cannot mist away!” The Scribe sobs with guilt, “Stop.” Caught in the horror, the dark girl says, “They bound him with rope overpowering him.” Grekan groans, “Say no more; I was too afraid to go help him.”
The Dark Princess says, “They are tying him to the gate.” The Librarian moans, as she screams, “Oh, no! Kolo is killing him in the cruelest way possible, burning him to death!” She is startled at the Dragon’s cry over Donatello’s death. The Dark Princess weeps, “Fate should have let me see this! I wasted my gift on attempts to find an escape. I should have looked for this and prevented it all!”
~*~
Kolo holds Lola’s ‘Ashes and Dust’ possessively and suddenly breaks down weeping. He sees their expression of mockery and disapproval. Quieting his sobs, Kolo spits furiously, “I do not need you pathetic smelly turds pitying me, nor your smirking looks. I am still more powerful than any of you are, and can kill you anytime! Now get in the boat and row me back up the river.”
Grunt and Whitey are in, the closest two step on and sit; then the next two. With nowhere left to sit, the compelled Squat gets in. The boat sinks dangerously low into the river, threatening to sink them. Kolo panics, shoving Squat off balance so that he falls backwards into the river. Squat comes back up with the water to his chest, yet grabs hold of the boat, intending to board it.
As Squat tries to climb in, Kolo grasps his arm, biting into his wrist, drinking while Squat screams. The Evil One drains Squat’s blood; his victim’s head sinks underwater drowning him. Finished, his Master lets go of Squat, leaving the dead guard to rot in the river. Kolo yells at his horrified captives, “He almost sunk us. The next one to climb in will die with him!” He huffs at their stupidity.
Then Kolo mocks them, “It only holds seven where were you all going to sit?” the Evil One answers himself, “Stacked on their laps.” He giggles, not caring that it is his fault, for not choosing who gets in. Sobering as he sees the folded cape in his lap, Kolo commands those left on the pier, “I want all of you to watch for Sidonia to come out of her room.” Furlif asks, “Then what?”
Kolo rolls his eyes, “Grab her, and sneak her out of the Castle. Use this gate so the others do not see. Go west and behind the Castle to the north. Bring her through the forest to the last home on the north end of the village.” Kolo gasps with weakness and pain, as he finishes, “Do not harm Sidonia, so I can question her!”
The men nod and disperse. Those in the boat now row the Evil One up stream; they nearly pass Black Forest Kill before Kolo sees it. They stop where Lola previously left the rowboat. Whitey lifts Kolo out. Grunt and Patch pull the skiff up into the reeds of the bank and all follow Whitey, as he goes toward his Master’s cottage.
~*~
The Oracle sees that the Dragon is turning to look at her, as if he knows she is there, in the vision. It startles Sidonia, for he should not be capable of it, she gasps, “This is not possible!” Yet, the Dragon now whispers to her, “Do not forget to take me with you, Princess.” The Scribe moans, “I am sorry! Donatello told me to stay. I feared leaving you vulnerable, and I have no skill to save him?”
The Princess sobs, “Kolo left Donatello upon the garden gate as a message to any foolish enough to help me!” Grekan holds her as they cry; he sniffles, “Do we still fear saying his name?” Sidonia does not reply, thinking of what the Dragon said. Grekan mumbles, “I guess there is no point, Kolo already came; and, he cannot enter the barrier, so we are still safe until nightfall.”
The Librarian adds, “I could see the flames from this window seat and feared it was something like that. I warned Donatello not to go. I told him I had a bad feeling.” She moans at this tragedy, “I am now responsible for Donatello’s death as well, and I know he was innocent. The fiend has left; regrettably he vows to kill all of us for what happened to Lola.” Grekan says, “I am still glad she is gone.”
Sidonia replies, “Kolo had them gather her ashes. I sense he will try to bring her back.” The Clerk admits, “I was wrong to put off leaving, we cannot stay. When it is lighter, we can consider how we escape the Castle! We should rest, while waiting for sunrise.” She nods, as silent tears flow down her cheeks. She says in a terrified tone, “The vision is coming again, I am dizzy. Stop showing me!”
The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
The Dark Princess falls back onto her bed; this causes Grekan to cry out and rush to her, afraid that Sidonia is dead.
~*~
Kolo groans, “Graceful steps, if you do not mind, I am not a sack of rocks.” Whitey immediately slows, “Sorry, Master. I fear the sunrise.” Kolo fumes, “It is over an hour away.” The Evil One sees his neighbor’s home, and wonders what happened to Jillian. He is unconcerned for her and chuckles at the thought of his last sight of her laying in the dirt at Anthony’s Front Gate.
Once inside his cottage, Kolo gets a drink of liquor. He leaves all but one guard in the parlor as he orders the stocky one to carry him into his darkened room. Once there with the door closed, he bites him, drinking his blood until the guard falls down dead. Closing the heavy curtains around his bed, he climbs in and gently holds the cloak of ashes. Kolo weeps over the loss of his twin.
In his hopeless state Kolo has no clue of what happened to Lola, or if it is possible to find out, and bring her back. He fears she was already sentenced and is now in the prison realm. The Evil One doubts he can get her back from Nifl. The loneliness overwhelms Kolo, to where he wishes to hear his twin. He gets a sad smirk thinking of Lola’s clever jests, even desiring her cutting mockery.
The Evil One would accept it all over this lonely silence. He feels uncommonly weak and is uncertain he will even survive the day. Kolo thinks he might not care if this were to be his end as well. It is far too bleak without Lola. Kolo would rather be with his twin, even if it is in Nifl. Finally, too exhausted to cry any further, the Evil One falls into a dead sleep, holding what is left of Lola.
~*~
The Clerk now sees that Sidonia’s chest rises and falls, and he says with relief, “She has only fainted from the strain of it all.” Covering her, Grekan sighs, “The Evil One must go and hide before sunrise; then we can safely leave, and find shelter before dark.” He bolts the shutters and lays down on her window seat; it takes a while until Grekan is in a deep sleep and then he begins to lightly snore.
The dark girl sits up looking over at him; she thinks, ‘Forgive me, dear friend, I cannot let you die too.’ Sidonia feels only slightly bad for tricking him, to save him. The Dark Princess knows what she must do and she gets up. Tears fall as she dresses in her plainest outfit, yet worries the cloth of the cloak and dress are noticeably finer than most can afford. She is tempted to switch with a maid’s clothes. It is too risky, if the maids or the guards see her.
The threat of the guards taking her to Kolo is too great and deadly to attempt it. Fear causes her to shiver, as she ties the black cloak over her gray dress. Pulling two letters from her desk, she puts them in Grekan’s pocket, one for him and the other for her father. They are her attempt to apologize. She sees he has both of her silver keys, taking the one on the chain; she puts the silver key in the lock.
Sidonia shrinks the knob, removing it from her bedroom door. She also shrinks her furniture placing it all inside the trunk, and then reduces the trunk. She puts Viktor’s books in her school bag. Now the only thing not in Sidonia’s hand is Grekan, the wastebasket, and her book bag. She places the reduced trunk, as a rune, on her arm. Carrying her bookbag, she thinks of the books.
The Dark Princess knows her story is a thinly disguised confession, they deserve to know why this all happened. Sidonia goes to the wall and opens the secret panel, exiting her bedroom. She gives her friend and room a final glance, then closes the panel and walks within the hidden passageway, toward her brother’s room.
~*~
Dark Elf Kingdom, Dawn’s Twilight, 677, 28th, October
Anthony, Edmund, and Ormando, arrive in their quarters. Bringing a small black stone with purple hues from his pocket, Anthony rolls it between his fingers. Ormando sighs, seeing his challenge, and gets his red stone out, saying, “You both appear to have stories to tell. I only heard useless gossip.”
Laying on the couch, his brother smirks, “Too bad. Odd, the staff usually has the most useful gossip.” Edmund flings his gray stone up as close to the ceiling as he can without hitting it. The light catches the gold specks in it, as Ormando groans, “Well, I was repeatedly told that the Princess is a spoilt, willful child; due to her parents not being able to have more.”
Agreeing, Earl Edmund Trulov smirks, “Yes. Sidonia already told us that much. Well, I discovered Prince Alrod is using a crystal to hide himself, as he creeps around Haldir’s Castle.” Impressed by his revelation, Ormando throws the red stone to Edmund. His younger brother catches the stone with his left hand and begins tossing it, as well as his own with his right.
Edmund adds, “I shadowed Prince Alrod as he snuck into the Princess’s room. Turns out Alrod is no longer welcome in Princess Alnesa’s arms.” Earl Ormando Trulov snorts, “Imagine that.” Edmund sneers, “They were arguing so loudly that her guard tried to enter her room. Prince Alrod’s crystal was drained and he found himself trapped.” Ormando admits, “I am shocked he dared.”
Anthony sighs, “The naïve impulsiveness of youth.” Edmund adds, “The Prince was urging Alnesa to intercede and save him from her father. He fears her father plans to kill him-.” His brother cuts in, “With good reason and I hate to admit he is very close to deserving it.” Anthony groans, shaking his head at this dire situation.
~*~
Sidonia opens the secret door and enters Viktor’s room; she is glad when she sees his bed is empty. The Oracle confirms her guess, as her gift shows he is asleep in his hidden bedroom. She takes the new books from her bag, putting them with the others. Tempted to bring him, she believes Viktor is safer here and is unsure when she can return. In Anthony’s den, she drinks a blood mix.
The Princess is relieved when she feels it strengthening her. At the hearth, she places a finger in the mouth of the left gargoyle and pushes the lever to release the panel in the wall, then pulls it open. It reveals a hidden staircase; she lights a candle rather than draining her powers and enters, closing the panel behind her. She descends the stairs, opening a concealed door and goes in.
Coming out into a hidden hallway, as the Princess walks, she whispers, “Sorry Donatello.” The dark girl opens a hidden door as she confesses, “I suspect these secret passageways are how I left my room.” In the kitchen, Sidonia fills her school book bag with wine, fruit, bread, and cheese. She leaves through the hidden door. The dark girl has a tightness of fear in her chest, at her intentions.
It is her belief that she is drawing the Evil One away from Prince Viktor and the Castle. Nevertheless, Sidonia knows her actions are spineless, as she flees the danger of compelled guards while leaving everyone else behind with Kolo’s threat of death.
~*~
Edmund goes on, “Alrod failed to get Alnesa to plead for him. I guess she had expected the Prince to profess his undying love so eloquently that her father forgives them, or at least insists on a duel to repair her reputation.” Anthony says, “Instead, he does not admit he pursued her, nor even tried to defend her honor.” Ormando offers, “He is just a foolish kid and so is she.”
Earl Edmund Trulov says, “Alnesa gladly opened her door, offering him up to her father and guards. I snatched him while her back was turned, and tossed him into his own room with a warning. Then his mother wanders in looking like she had a roll in the hay.” Ormando asks, “Really?” Nodding, Edmund muses, “I wonder who gave her that glow. I saw Haldir arriving and went back.”
Edmund adds, “He only threatened the Prince. Clearly, he was not completely fooled by Alrod’s disappearing act, yet Haldir was unsure enough, or I would have needed to keep him from executing the Prince.” Ormando asks Anthony, “Well?” The High Lord has a sly smile, as he softly says, in a little bit of a wicked tone, “I will start by admitting that I know Queen Vanna… rather well.”
~*~
Samala’s Old Cottage, Near Dawn, 677, 28th, October
Kolo wakes from the nightmare of reliving his sister’s demise, refreshing his guilt at pushing her to get his revenge, at her expense. It is a rare event to dream. Also unusual is his sleeping less than an hour and waking so near dawn, rather than staying in his death-like slumber until nightfall. Limping over to open his bedroom door, the Evil One demands, “What is your name, white hair?” The guard answers, “They just call me Whitey, Master.”
Raising his eyebrows, Kolo smirks, “I see why. Take a horse and go south. The road out front leads to the Castle’s Front Gate. Find out why they failed to bring Sidonia to me! Bring a few guards back.” Patch, Andre, Grunt, and Ed are nervous as Kolo eyes the last four, feeling thirsty and weak he says, “Wheat hair, follow me.” In his bedroom, Kolo orders Ed, “Be silent.”
The Evil One drains him, letting his victim fall to the floor. He brings Lola’s ashes with him into the parlor. Kolo commands, “You two, go take the dead men from my room into the forest. And you, go get my carriage from the stable.” Grunt stops to argue, “So soon? I thought you must wait until dark before going, and it is nearly sunrise!” Kolo scoffs, “I know when the deadly sun rises!”
Calming slightly, he adds, “I will risk it to get out of this grim nightmare. I must get Lola back!” Patch gets the carriage, as Andre and Grunt grab the dead guards. They leave the two bodies in the forest, by Thomas’s and Todd’s corpses. Andre sits up with Patch as Grunt gets in the coach, Kolo says, “First go to the Castle.”
~*~
Sidonia goes to a spiral staircase descending it until she is below ground. She pushes a knot in the wooden wall support, causing a doorway to open. It reveals a tunnel with mystical stones, which let off a warm glow, showing her the way. She blows out her candle, and exits the Castle completely unseen by others, as she goes into the underground tunnel. The dark girl heads east down the secret underground passageway, going toward the Black Forest Village.
Half way in, the Princess stops at the south wall. She twists a stone near her foot, opening another hidden door, entering she closes it behind her. This longer tunnel goes south under the garden. Coming into a cave-like room, she looks for the next latch; it is a challenge to find. Finding the rune mark, Princess Sidonia touches it revealing the last hidden stairway. The dark girl closes the door.
As the Dark Princess climbs, her guilt makes Sidonia confess, as if her guard could hear her, “I do trust you Donatello, enough to let you drink from me. Please understand that if you asked how I left, it would reveal these passageways. If the Evil One had drank from you, he would know some of my secrets too.” She sighs, “It was about Kolo knowing, not you. Viktor and everyone inside the Castle would be in more danger, if he learned of it.”
Sidonia groans, “Still, I never meant for you to die.” Opening the hatch above her, the girl comes up into a hidden room.
~*~
Grunt asks, “Why are we going to the Castle?” Kolo replies, “I want to know why Whitey failed to bring Sidonia yet. None of this would have happened if she found and gave me the book! I could compel her and she would go on living.” Chuckling, the Evil One admits, “Well, I will take her eventually. I am just anxious to leave here.” Patch stops Kolo’s carriage east of the Front Gate. Whitey sees and brings three guards over to the carriage. His Master fearfully asks, “Is there any word of Anthony’s return?” The guards all shake their heads. The Evil One motions the three guards into his carriage, asking Whitey, “Sidonia?” He says, “No, I have a guard watching for her; she still has not left the Royal Quarters.”
Frowning, Kolo questions, “How do you know that Sidonia is even there?” They all shrug, causing the Evil One to roll his eyes, he orders Whitey, “Have someone look in her room and post men around the four sides of the Castle, so she cannot leave.” Whitey runs off to comply. Kolo then attacks and drinks from a guard while he waits. Whitey sends Peck rushing back to their Master’s carriage.
Peck tells Kolo, “We cannot enter the Royal Quarters, the outer door is locked.” Kolo states, “Someone can open it.” Peck replies, “I guess a maid must have keys to clean their rooms, I will see.” Kolo nods, Peck runs off to find out.
~RMW~