Chapter 15

"The law of love overcomes the fear of facing death.

That is the Order that is right; that is the Precept laid down by God Himself."

~

Lady Minerva's Chambers,

The Physician's Wing of the Imperial Castle,

Kingdom of Tristendyre,

The first Phriday of the Second month,

XXI Year of Regency

"Ah, Crescence, my dear, do step inside", Lady Minerva invited.

The damsel seemed to be breathless, bearing the appearance of a frenzied woman, countenance frayed and veiled in mute and disturbed contemplation.

"I found Imogen in her containment, just as I had perceived", she mentioned, her voice being air exhaled.

The Physician rose to seat the child by and provide her thirst with water. "Soft, darling, do abide a few moments longer. Tell me, what transpired? Were you granted conversation?"

The damsel nodded as she swallowed the drink. "She dearly wished to see you and for the conveyance of the message that she loves you."

Lady Minerva's eyes glazed with tears as she listened. "I offered consolation that we would save her, but I know not how", proceeded the young maiden.

Minerva waited as she watched the girl foregather her warring thoughts. It appeared as if a grand deal of happening had met her apprehension and the child needed to dispose them into perspective.

After a few moments had lapsed, Crescence began speech: "Imogen spoke various things. There was an old man as well who seemed near to the end of his time, but Imogen said someone had not made his arrival."

The Chief Physician paid undue attention, for this was chance that promised Imogen's survival. Per-haps, Death truly had not come in grave and breath-claiming visitation.

The dark-haired damsel continued speaking, "I assume she was petrified, for her very sleep seems to be plagued by nightmares of the awaiting Noyade."

Lady Minerva nodded. It was a sensation most justified, but the speech of such happenings that overshadowed the hope of the present made the event's execution feel more likely. "She even made mention of the script on the Pillory in her dreams", said the young girl.

The elderly woman nodded slowly, her mind rewinding to the earlier scenes of the fateful day. Harking back to the cold feeling of rain and the chills that had encompassed her at the sight of her dear child's execution procession, the fissured pillory and the writing inscribed against the stone, the Lady's thoughts were a fresh and thespian representation of all the events in chronology.

Just then, in a momentary pang of perception, the Physician's eyes widened and she clasped Crescence's hands in feverish delight.

"The Regent pledged a guerdon to any that deciphered the theme lying dormant behind the words! Crescence, my dear, if I could construe the intent of the message left by Jehu, it would play to our merit! We could procure her release before all the congregations of people as the said reward", said the Lady, overthrown by a fit of joy.

"But we need to acquire the script from Hazenvale and it is a long journey hereforth. Do we possess sufficient time to obtain the words and further interpret?" asked the young girl and Lady Minerva remitted to downcast demeanour.

She rose from her seat and strode with purpose, "I will send for a person to trace the writings to parchment and bring them hither. If hope sustains, we will triumph."

"M'lady", Crescence interrupted the excitement hesitantly. "When I departed the cell, I saw the Regent and his Eccleissor walk therein. There is risk that she may already have been taken to the Cliffs of Shillingston by now."

Dread threw its curtains of darkness over the women, growing with the shrouding of rain outside. "I am truly thankful that, for the least part, you have safely escaped their eyes, dear one. It would have been an ugly affair had they sighted you thereby."

Crescence agreed as she seemed to be lost in a tempestuous sea of ponderings. The tension of her deepest thoughts was evident from the conflicted expression of her temper.

"What bothers your ambience, my girl?" asked the Lady and the maiden falteringly and hesitantly began to pour the contents of the conversation she had overheard from the darkness of the dungeons.

As she listened, Lady Minerva felt a frightful shard of shock stab her heart. She had not expected that they had secretively killed Jehu.

Further, all her life's span, in fact, in all the periods of the subjects to the Arch-Eccleissors' reigns, the people had faithfully believed that the chosen prophets of the Zephanian Clan were vested with the oracular power of foreseeing dragon raids.

Devland Zephaniah appeared not to have differed from those elect forefathers, but with this freshly unearthed information, Lady Minerva felt a dark sensation apprehend her.

Had the entire tribe deceived the people through their generations of vatic propaganda? Had the unease in the counterfeit of power compelled Devland to hunger for Jehu's execution and blood?

After all, the young lad had acquired respect in the hearts of people for possessing the powers of Blessing homes at invitation and removing darkness.

It could not have been long before Jehu would have amassed adequate force to overthrow the very Rule or become an Arch-Eccleissor, for his powers were more effectual than the Arch-Eccleissor's pretentious ability of foresight.

A most part of the incidents with dragons not arriving as predicted seemed to align with her fair judgement. It appeared to be impartial truth that this man possessed not the ability to foresee Dragons' arrivals, but rather to summon the beasts to enter the land; thus, when he claimed to predict an imminent beast-forage this month, the dragons had not arrived at invitation since thunderstorms always prevented their journey through the skies.

However, she knew that Jehu's execution had been announced to be staged about a fortnight before. It was not discernible how the dragons had not arrived at St. Erdengaur then.

Thus, the rationale behind the Dragons' lack of coherence in arrival did not piece together in her conception, but the fact that these men summoned them was established.

She remembered words from him under the name of Nathan, the vigilante's last article. Lady Minerva hurried to the safe where she had stashed reams of paper. There were various things saved in the said safe, such as untethered keys, brooches, souvenirs and a mysterious locked chest bearing an important object.

Finding the document sought, she skimmed though the initial lines regarding the Queen's life and the part hunted for awaited her perusal.

"Further, this information imparted is of supreme importance, for once the reign of regency is overthrown, the Dragon Raids to our land may possibly end. Bear this: that freedom is what we truly covet; and that is freedom from the throne and not the beasts, their weapon.

It is imperative to be vigilant at the face of dangerous truth, for I deeply do believe that the forage of the dragons has largely to do with the regents. If my imposing of this information upon you invokes fear, you have my apologies, but this, despite the potential danger of holding such knowledge, may provide us with much greater hope for a future void of untimely dragon visits and death."

As the woman read the lines, she wondered: by what curious means did the Zephanian prophets truly provoke the Beasts to come?

The only true warrior of legends was Jael Zephaniah and her lineage had begun to conceive prophets who foresaw Dragon raids there-forth. As she was amidst these considerations, Lady Minerva heard Crescence heave a gasp.

Leaving the document by, the Physician shifted her attendance to the maiden's side for the dark-haired young lady seemed to be shivering. The rains were brewing mightier and the weight of fear thrust the damsel greatly.

Draping a warm blanket over her shoulders, the Lady tended to her with hot beverages and a fresh change of garments from Imogen's wardrobe.

It was heartrending to see the girl attired in her erstwhile apprentice's apparel, but there was no time for such trivial misgivings; not at the face of unjust and immediate consequence.

"I fear for my safety. Possession of this information is at the price of my very breath", said the girl and Lady Minerva graced her with a warm embrace.

"My voice and words will not countenance your title to the source of this truth. Abide in your trust upon me, and rest, dear. I will take matters into custody", said Lady Minerva, with a feigned smile of comfort.

Just then, a knock rapped against the door and the Physician arose to attend.

~