"The whole city of Salily has converted over to our faith, and the surrounding towns are starting to follow. I have sent more than one band of missionaries into the Great Tomb of Neolith; in fact, I've sent five bands. None of them have returned, I fear they may have joined the Holy light."
"It is a noble sacrifice they have made. Did they have families?" Grand Minister Lucius asked bitterly. Everyone knew missionary quests were the riskiest for the Faith.
"No. All orphans to the Faith, but they will, never the less, be missed." Archbishop Ava spoke sadly.
"Well the Great Tomb of Neolith seems to be difficult; however, what does everyone think of what his Grace announced regard the Great Tomb?" Grand Minister queried the council.
"Well, it only goes without saying that the Great Tomb is up to something, being so quiet and all." Archbishop Murphy spoke. Murphy was the Archbishop of the city closest to The Nation of Borda, but below it laid the City of Salily, closest to The Great Tomb of Neolith.
"While I wonder, if that may be true, this has me all the more worried. Were did my Missionaries go? Is the Great Tomb holding them, then?" Archbishop proposed.
"If We are to follow his Grace's Logic, then it really depends on which faction or factions got a hold of the missionaries first. If the current rulers of the Great Tomb acquired them, then it goes without saying that if they want us as allies, they remain alive." The usually quite Archbishop Melinda spoke up. Melinda was rare among the Archbishops as still being an almost full Zombie. Her hands, however like Consort Leslie's, were pure ivory bones. This should that she carried out her faithful duties. Melinda could be considered a looker among undead. She still had a head of blond hair, pale blue eyes, and a roman face.
Grand Minister Lucius spoke up at this point, "Alright, time is running a little long, even for us. Let us get an update from Archbishop Murphy and Archbishop Lukas."
A pause, and then with a forced cough, Archbishop Murphy gave his report. "I don't mean to be a braggart, but Borda's faithful are surely in our hands."
A sound of clattering bones resounded! A macabre version of clapping.
"Yes, yes... We have pushed the Temple of Three Gods to the breaking point in Borda. Our membership is at an all-time high there, as well, and it is likely the first recruits for Templar there will be ready to study here in Saigunrai by years end." Archbishop Murphy recounted, with a proud voice.
"Fantastic, Archbishop Murphy. His Grace will know of this in my next report. I am sure he will be greatly pleased." Grand Minister Lucius spoke. This filled Archbishop Murphy with even more zeal.
"We will have those heretics in the lands of Borda converted or destroyed before the end of the next year." Archbishop Murphy performed the Deagoth's pious hand seal. A movement used for salute by the clergymen of the Faith.
"Alright. Lastly, Archbishop Lukas. How goes our endeavors in the Republic of Stonedge." Grand Minister Lucius inquired.
"It's alright... Stonedge believes in money more than anything else, so I am finding it hard to make headway." Archbishop Lukas said bitterly.
"Money?" Archbishop Edward asked in confusion. "Is that a religion now?"
"I'm afraid, so."
"Yeah, let Money bring you power, or glory....pfft."
"I'm sure it will keep those grubbers warm at night."
"Enough." Grand Minister spoke solemnly. "Never underestimate the power of Money. Greed can bring down gods, and force devils to push the mills."
Silence took hold of the chamber. Soon, after a long pause, a question broke this thought-provoking atmosphere. "How long before The Holy Witch King is going to hold court again. I simply can't wait for him to start fixing up the Officials." Asked Archbishop Ava, tilting her head to the side cutely.
Lucius took out his timepiece and measured the time. After a few moments, "We should be holding court in about two weeks. In fact, let's go ahead an call it for this meeting. Everyone gatherer your most devoted followers and have them take their places in the stands of the court. We will get to witness his Grace's plan and action."
All the Archbishops made the hand seal of Deagoth, and slowly departed the Faithful's sanctum.
*******
"Dear..."
"Uhhh."
"Wake up, Dear."
A gentle pressure was felt on Jack's skull. Jack's vision came back just in time to see Leslie pull her face back from his.
"Ah, how long did We sleep?" Jack asked much more relaxed than he was previously.
"Oh, about a week or so." Leslie guessed at the time, though she was right.
[A week?! I just laid down, and a week disappeared!!] Jack was shocked at the passage of time.
Leslie was sitting next to a large basin of water, by the table and chairs. Just like Jack's last bath. As she was getting the towels ready, she looked up to Jack, "Come now. I've drawn your bath."
Jack remembered last time, so this was not going to be a pleasant experience. Leslie, however, was counting off everything she was doing as "Ah, my first time waking up my Dear, as his Consort. My first time drawing bath water as my Dear's Consort...."
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"I'm up, I'm up." Jack got up and stepped directly into the basin, as the water started to come to a rolling boil... "Holy water, again... sigh."
Leslie cleaned Jack, per the course; however, this time there seemed to be a bit more love with her care. Jack was immersed in thought, as he tried not to think about how he now knew what it felt like to be a lobster from his last life.
[I need to visit my study, today. I really need to get some information, and I need to get stronger. While some of those Officials are okay people... I have a strong feeling those Officials of Undeath, are eyeing my throne... And you know what, I'm going to change my Title to Lich King. The Holy Lich King... Sounds so much better!] Jack inwardly thought.
"Alright, my Dear. Stand up for me." Leslie lovingly spoke.
Jack rose, while Leslie wiped him down. "I'm thinking of visiting my study today. What's on your agenda, for today?"
Leslie paused, and blinked at Jack, still holding the towel where she was wiping down his rib cage. Leslie's eyes teared up, at the corners.
Startled Jack asked, "What's wrong?" as he reached out to hold onto the shoulders of Leslie. Jack really couldn't take a woman crying.
Leslie sighed, and placed her left hand over Jack's right hand on her shoulder, she was still holding his towel in her right hand. "This... I know I am your consort now, it just feels surreal."
Jack spoke caringly, "I know how you feel. Ever since my re-awakening, everything feels like a dream. It scares me, honestly." Leaving Leslie's caress he made his way to his side table and donned his robes.
Leslie approached Jack with her hands folded in prayer to her chest, and looked up into his gold wisp eyes, wondering what could make her Grace be afraid.
Jack turned and asked jokingly, "Can you guess my fear?"
Leslie stood there puzzling over what could bother The Holy Witch King. Replaying everything they had ever said or talked about, and the last few conversations over in her mind, in perfect memory.
Soon she shook her head and looked back to Jack. "That I will actually wake up, and everything, including you, is just a dream."
"Oh, Jack." Leslie dived into Jack's robes and cuddled up to his bones like a cat. Jack found that she was really light to pick up, much to his surprise. Leslie's mind was a full color of pink, and a feeling of warmth enveloped her body. She had been cold for a long, very long time. Only when she accepted her Grace's offer to be his consort did she start to feel a bit warm, but now it felt like she was residing by a warm fireplace.
Jack stood there while holding up Leslie who was cuddled up in his robes like a cat. He was wondering if she was, indeed, part cat? Now with her like this, he didn't want to put her down. He too felt very warm. The first time he felt warm since he re-awoke, even then nap he had was not this warm. He felt too lazy to put Leslie down. So he walked back over to his evening tomb and laid Leslie down.
Leslie, "MMMmmm."
Jack crawled over to his side of the tomb, with a rattle of his bones. He then proceeded to be the big spoon, while Leslie was the small spoon. Again, sleep took them both.
This was not hibernation or a suspended state. This was true sleep; sleep for the soul. Something only reserved for undead who had love for each other. Commonly between Lovers, but not limited to them, as well. This could be family love, love from friendship, or romantic love.
*******
Fresh out of the Faith's Sanctum, Grand Minister Lucius was approaching his own study within the palace. He had been contemplating how to break the Marquis Mark situation to his Grace. He was sure he already knew, but he may need additional details to fill in the blanks.
Upon his approach, Lucius had seen his Hand Servant Shane. "Good day, Shane." Grand Minister Lucius greeted Shane as he came closer. Shane had been Lucius' hand servant for the last fifteen hundred years and had grown quite close.
"Morning, sir." Hand Servant Shane opened Lucius' door to his study. As Lucius made his way to his desk, he asked Shane to bring him a censer of Holy dust. "Right away, sir." Shane walked to the side of the room and opened the cabinet to fetch the wares.
Censers to undead where a type of recreational smoking. They would set up the Censers to slowly burn whatever herb or incense. Much of the Undead nations had different products for different undead, such as Stonedge's Doom Dust. Made from Doomshrooms of the finest grade, undead in the area of the smoke would absorb the smoke into their bones and soul. Yes, these were soul drugs. Doom Dust would cause its users to have hallucinations, a loss of self, and a feeling of one with existence.
Doom Dust was one of the hardest, and most abused incense to burn. Holy dust though was of a different nature, but similar purpose. Holy dust was created by drawing Holy power into a type of made crystal. These crystals were able to hold the Holy power. After an aging period, the Holy power would integrate into the crystal, and then could be ground down into a powdered dust. It could then be burned and produce a soul drug. The effects of this soul drug were to focus the mind and slow down the concept of time. It also produced a slight buzz, as well. Very enjoyable, to those that did work.
Shane brought over the censer and lit the burner. Soon after, white wispy smoke started to drift out of the censer. As it was drifting out, it drifted straight to Lucius. It should be known that those that were infused with Holy power attracted Holy dust, otherwise Holy dust would just diffuse out into the room.
"Ah, that helps so much Shane. Thank you." Lucius looked from his desk to Shane, who stood by tentatively. Lucius worked on a stack of paperwork on his desk, signing, and stamping his wax seal on various documents. Before long Lucius stretched his bones, a cracking of spine joints echoed in the small study.
"Oh, yes. Has his Grace retired to his chambers, yet?" Grand Minister Lucius asked Shane.
"Ah... According to the palace handmaidens, he retired to his chamber soon as court was over."
"Ah, so he took a rest before going to his study. That's just as well, I will go await his exit then." Lucius stood up preparing to visit the waiting area outside The Holy Witch King's study.
"No sir, I mean... He retired to his chamber, and hasn't come out, as of yet." Shane said awkwardly. The gossip mill had been in full swing. These maidens saw the new consort pulled into The Holy Witch Kings chambers. Since then, none of the handmaidens had seen them leave the room. A king with his new consort. It didn't take imagination to guess what these two were up too.
Lucius looked to the wall and found the chronometer. SHOCKED! This could be the only emotion that Lucius could feel at the moment, it had been two and a half weeks since court adjourned! "His Grace has been favoring his consort for over two weeks!?" If Lucius had lungs, he would have hyperventilated!
Quickly, Lucius left behind his study, making a path to The Holy Witch King's chamber. This was located on the other side of the palace from his chambers. Twists and turns, he kept thinking, "I know his Grace has been celibate his whole life, but I never thought he would fall into this kind of quagmire! If I don't pull him out, his Grace may fall into debauchery!"
Grand Minister Lucius, finally, made it to his Grace's chambers. After several unanswered knocks on the door, Lucius couldn't take it any longer! At seeing Grand Minister Lucius next action, the palace servants took a safe distance away from the front of the chamber to watch the action. They had to take care of when to leave, for there was a difference between gossip and things one shouldn't know. Lucius took out his Holy tome of Deagoth into his left hand, and with Holy light infusing into its pages drew it into his right hand.
"HA!"
Lucius stroke out with his right palm into a skill known as Hand of Smite. A low-level Holy palm technique. The Door to The Holy Witch King's Chamber burst into pieces, and the pieces that had some size flew into the interior of the room.
Grand Minister Lucius quickly stepped over broken pieces in the room, as he walked inside the chamber.