Chapter 7: The Baroness of Vertus

During the two years I spent under Lord Lindor… I committed…. many atrocities.

Robbery, kidnappings, arson… whatever was necessary in my quest to gain wealth and power…

There came a point in this frenzy where I looked at myself in the mirror, unsure if I was still human, or a man possessed by the devil.

A man I robbed on a cold winter night once called me a just that

"You great evil!" he said "How can you rob a man during these harsh times of winter!"

I said to the man, "Am I truly a great evil? After all, I left you your jacket to protect you from the cold. Surely I'm at least somewhat humane?"

"You call that humanity! You evil spirit!" He screamed, throwing his wallet at me

"Your right...." I said to him, "What was I thinking? I'll take everything! Including the clothes in your back!…. Now!"

Ever since that day, I knew I was no devil. Not because I had originally left the man in his clothes, but because the real devil inside of me was screaming the entire time "Kill this man! How dare he talk with such brazen obloquy! Rip his tongue from his mouth, and force hot coal down his throat! Let that be a comfort to warm him through these, cold winter days!"

Sometimes, the eyes of a great beast reflect a man's true nature, better than a mirror can. A mirror merely shows you what you are, but the beast… he shows you what you have yet to become.

-The Dark Prince

December 27th 1612

"A ta Sante!" A bar full of drunken men toasted.

As their overfilled glasses of beer spilled over from the toast, a crowd of women danced throughout the bar, saturating the men's eyes with lust. In the back of the bar, a group of men played on pipes and flutes, filling the room with nostalgic French melodies. As the men stomped their feet in rhythm with the beautiful tunes, Lindor approached the group, swinging his hands from left to right, pretending to be their conductor.

"Haha! What a night!" The men jubilantly yelled

"You said it!"

"Where's the birthday boy?" One of them asked.

Outside on the veranda of the bar, Prince was alone, looking out towards the town square. The scene where his mother was brutally killed.

"Hello mother… It's been two years since the last December 28th… Since my last birthday... I wondered if I could celebrate such a horrible day."

"Was it such a horrible day? After all that's the day we became friends, good boy" Pedro said

"As I said, a horrible day" Prince said returning to his prayer.

"I am going to force myself to enjoy this day, not because I'm glad I was born into this wretched world, but because it could be my last day… Experience at the cruel hands of fate has taught me that."

"Yes yes… Now lets not die a virgin tonight shall we!" Pedro said.

"Tsk what is it to you!" Prince said

"Heheheh we are connected my boy! Your pain is my pain...Your hornyness is mine as well…" Pedro laughed

"Don't get your hopes up" Prince said. "I already have one voice whispering in my ear... I don't need a woman to add to that noise."

Prince re-entered the bar, welcomed by an entourage of his comrades raising their glasses.

"It's the birthday boy!"

"The boy with red eyes! The one they call the devil himself!"

"The Dark Prince has returned!"

"You have done well Prince" Pedro said. "None of them know your true identity, now that you can retain the dark form it's as if you've become a new person!"

"You say that now, but getting to that point was hell thanks to you! Prince said

As he approached the bar a man shoved a drink into his hand. Standing in the center of the men Lindor made a toast.

"I would like to propose a toast to the man known only as the Dark Prince!" Lindor said, raising his glass.

"Ever since the day I found him with a sword sticking out of his gut, he's been an amazing addition to our group." Lindor said, spreading his arms.

"He has fought, bled and deceived for us, and today marks not one but two celebrations!"

"Not only is today the Prince's birthday but it is also the day I have been formally invited to the new year's ball by the Duke of Champagne!"

"What an honor sir!"

"That's amazing!"

"We have become notorious all across France, and now we are starting to receive favors from the monarchy! We are on our way to becoming the most formidable gang of thieves France has ever seen! All of this is thanks to Prince and for this I make a toast!

"A ta Sante!" Lindor said

"A ta Sante!" the bar screamed

After making his toast Lindor approached Prince with several women on his arms.

"Go ahead, take your pick," He said, showing off the women behind him... "These are the finest women this side of France has to offer"

Prince sat silently, looking among the women for a suitable match.

"Who will it be? Shall it be Sandra?" Lindor said, raising his eyebrows.

"How bout it... My dark prince?" an incredibly busty woman said, batting her eyes. She had a well-developed chest that was large and plump, bursting out of the skimpy tank top she was wearing. Through the thin linen cloth, Prince could see the tender outlining of her nipples penetrating through their surface.

"OOOOOOHHH MYYYY DAYSS!!!!" Pedro screamed inside of Prince's head "The women of this time are amazing! Yes Yes I'll have her I'll have her!!!!!"

"Or maybe… Veronica?" Lindor said laughing

A woman walked up to Prince, gently rubbing the side of his chest. Raising one of her legs, she pressed herself close to Prince, bringing her inches from his face. The sweet smell of a vanilla fragrance began to overwhelm Prince.

"Such an attractive young man…" She said licking her lips "I'll see to it, your every whim is satisfied."

Veronica had beautiful caramel skin that was as rich and smooth as honey pouring out from a glass. Her body was thick, but in all the right places, evenly distributing itself across her honey coated body that yearned to be tasted, savored, and enjoyed.

"YES! I will have her as well! What are you waiting for boy! Say something!!" Pedro yelled

Prince wasn't even the slightest aroused by the women, utterly unresponsive to their voluptuous attempts.

"This boy…" Lindor thought "His innocence has been destroyed… There is more to him than just the day of his mother's execution…"

"How about…. Tiffany?" Lindor said scratching his head "I heard she gives great falacio"

"I'll pleasure you, sucking hard and strong, until you explode a river of children into the back of my throat! And even then… I won't stop! I won't stop even to spit! I'll just keep going! I'll keep sucking until your legs go weak, until your body goes numb, until your very soul leaves from the tip of your hard cock!" Tiffany said

"YESSS!!!! Suckkkk meeee!!! SUCKKK MEEE!!!!" Pedro screamed

Prince closed his eyes briefly, as he was hit by the haunting memories of his past.

"Prince…" Richard said moving as slowly as possible "Listen to me…"

"Prince!!!!!" Zoe yelled. She spun around as tears rolled down her face. The drool from the heinous act she had performed, still dripping from her lips.

.

"I'm not interested… In any of them" Prince said, taking a sip of his drink… "Tell me… more about this ball."

"WHATTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!" Pedro screamed. "I have waited 200 years for this! Do you know how bad blue balls hurt after 200 years!!!!" Pedro screamed

"This one is cold" Veronica said running her fingers through his hair. "I'm sure any women would kill for his warmth"

"I agree Veronica, " Sandra said, bouncing her extremely large breasts. "I wonder what face he makes.... When he finishes-"

"That... will be all ladies" Lindor said, shooing them away. "Now about that ball, it is three days from now, and I am allowed one guest." Lindor said "Would you like to accompany me?"

"It would be my pleasure" Prince said, taking another sip of his wine.

"Very well but you cannot come as you are! Those red eyes and black hair will attract too much attention!"

"You want me to come as my normal form? After all we did to master the form of the Dark Prince?" Prince asked

"Yes, but you will not be Prince, Prince de Nuir, or the Dark Prince or anything extravagant like that! You will go as my nephew Lint!" Lindor said rubbing his head.

"The last uncle who rubbed my head has a fate even the devil would be afraid of." Prince said. "Are you sure you want to join his ranks?"

"Shut up and drink!" Lindor said shoving a bear down Prince's throat. "I saved you when you had a talking sword coming out of your belly! I'll be damned if I can't pat you on the head!"

December 31st 1612

Prince and Lindor arrived outside of Château de Villandry, a great castle in Champaign.

"Names please" A knight holding a lance in his hand demanded.

"Lord Lindor of Reims," Lindor said confidently. "I am attending with my nephew Lint" He said, pointing to Prince.

"Very well! Please proceed" The knight said opening the gate.

"What… what is this place?" Prince said. His eyes grew wide as he entered the castle grounds.

The walkway split at a fork into four directions, each leading to a specially decorated type of garden.

To the left was a sun garden. Although the hour was late, the last rays of the sun brightly illuminated a yellow brick path full of beautiful plants.

To the left was a water garden. A large pool of water, with a humongous statue of cherubim erected in the center.

To the north was a vegetable garden, neatly arranged by color. From red tomatoes growing on one side, to the eggplants far on the other end. The vegetables formed a rainbow from one patch to another.

Finally, at the end leading into the palace, was an ornament garden. A garden of neatly cut shrubs fashioned into various art forms.

Walking under a neatly cut arrangement of decorated Christmas ornaments. The two gentlemen entered the party.

"Good day good day and who might you two gentleman be?" A man and his wife asked. They were the first group of people at the entrance, next to a stairwell that went to a lower floor.

"I am Lindor, one of the Lords of Rein. And this. Is my nephew Lint" Lindor said graciously

"I see, my name is Thomas Champony, I am a Lord of Laon this is my wife Cynthia, What brings you here?" Thomas asked

Before Lord Lindor could answer, a servant came to him, immediately calling for his attention.

"Lord Lindor," The servant said. "The master has requested your presence if you would"

"I'm sorry but you must excuse me Lord Champony, Well then Lint, be sure to tell them about how amazing our little property in Rein is!" Lindor said placing his hand on Prince's shoulder

"Stay put and don't do anything stupid…" He whispered into Prince's ear.

"So do tell us what it's like to be under the Duke of Rein! I heard he is an amazing polo player!" Lord Champony remarked

"Sure is…" Prince said

"Lindor... what is the real reason you brought me here…" Prince thought.

Lindor followed the servant to a private study below the floors of the main castle. 8 men were crowded around a table deliberating. Drinking their beers beside a fireplace, the men quietly whispered among the shadows.

"How should we deal with this?" One man said

"The man cannot be allowed to live for this treachery!" Another interjected

"Defecting to England… is unforgivable!" Another one said

"Duke, what shall we do? Shall we report this to the king?" A man sitting next to the duke asked

"We will do nothing of the sort." The Duke said stretching his arms. "The man standing in that doorway there. He shall be the answer to our problems" He said pointing to Lindor

"Gentlemen," Lindor said, taking a bow. "The Den of Wolves… is at your service."

"Well we have gnawed your ear quite enough!" Lord Champony laughed. "Do enjoy yourself out there!" He said walking away with his wife in hand.

Prince looked around the Castle of guests, unsure of what to do.

"Prince! Don't just stand there… Let's go talk to some women!" Pedro barked like a wild dog.

"Hmph, and why would I waste my time doing that?" Prince said. "You think I want to give you that satisfaction?"

"You Bastard!" Pedro screamed.

"Tsk, Im just going to go get some wine" Prince said walking into the ballroom.

"Who… Who is that?" The woman of the ballroom said eyeing Prince as he approached the wine.

"He's so handsome," One of them said.

"Yes quite! He seems so regal, almost like a Prince!"

Before Prince could reach the wine he was approached by nearly a dozen women.

""Hello who might you be?" A woman said

"Are you with the royal family?" Another asked

"Here's a glass of wine… don't tire yourself walking over there" another said.

"I… I don't get it" Prince said. "Women never paid me any attention before when I was a prince… and now... there are so many crowded around me it's pissing me off!"

"If you would all please excuse me!" Prince said shoving his way through the girls. "I would like some wine"

"Well Hello" A woman in red said, walking up to Prince. "Aren't you a charming young man?" she said, approaching him.

"Ba...Ba...Baroness Alicia!" the girls speaking to Prince said, taking a bow.

From her heels, to her dress, and even the hat she wore on her head, the Baroness was enveloped in red. Her velvet hair was rich and lustful curling at the tips around her shoulders.

"Just like… Zoe…" Prince thought

Her clothes were extremely tight, showing off her figure that put every girl in the ball to shame. Her breasts were bigger than Sandra's from earlier, and her waste was thinner than Veronica's. She was much older in her years than the other girls, maybe in her late 20's, but that made her all the more appealing to the eye. She had the appearance of a woman, who could tend to all of men's desires, physical, mental, and spiritual. In fact just being in her presence was usually a big enough blessing to put most men into a silent prayer?

"OOHHH MYY GOOOODDD!!" Pedro screamed

"PPRRRRINNNNCCCEEEEE WEEEE MUSTT NOT LETT TTHISSS FISH BACKK INTO THE OCEEEAANNNNN!!!!" Pedro screamed. "WE CANNOT SAIL UNDER THESE CONDITIIIOONNSS!!!"

Seeing his chance to talk to her, a well-dressed man approached with a bouquet of flowers.

"Hello Baroness Alicia I am Duke William of Valois, might I say you look extravagant tonight in that red dress, if you would care to join me for a dan-"

"Boy!" The Baroness said to Prince, completely ignoring the other man... "What is your name?"

"Lint, nephew of Lord Lindor of Reins" Prince said.

"You're a devilishly handsome boy, would you care to dance?" Baroness said grabbing Princes hand.

"Not interested' Prince said letting go of her hand. "What I would love is to finally get some wine" Prince said walking over to the wine.

"WE CANNOT SAIL UNDER THESE CONDITIIIOONNSS!!!" Pedro yelled

"Shut up before I blow you out of the water!" Prince yelled in his head. "Aren't you supposed to be the Pedro the cruel? You can't handle a little self-control?"

"Every man has a weakness…" Pedro said. Im a cruel tyrant… not God…"

"Madam…" A girl said approaching the Baroness.

"Out of my way!" She said pushing young girl aside,

"Just who do you think you are!" The Baroness said strutting over to Prince.

Grabbing him by the arm the baroness spun Prince around nearly spilling his drink.

"There's isn't a man alive who would pass up the chance to dance with me!" She yelled.

Prince raised his glass to his lips taking a sip. Closing his eyes he marveled at the brilliance of its flavor.

"Well! What do you have to say for yourself?" The baroness said.

She was beautiful no doubt. Prince couldn't ignore that. But no matter how hard he looked, he couldn't find any part of her he wanted, he couldn't feel any part of him that yearned for her… No, not the way he had yearned for….

"Look into these eyes of mine" Prince said bringing himself close

"Tell me... do I look alive to you?"

Baroness Alicia took a step back, impaled by the coldness of Princes words. Letting out a gasp she placed her hand on her chest.

"I… apologize, I need to get some air,'' Prince said walking outside.

"Bonjure! Have any of you seen my nephew Lint?" Lindor said to a group of girls around the wine table.

"He stepped outside about a half hour ago and no one has seen him since." One girl said.

"I bet he went home with that whore!" A young girl said crying.

"Betty! That's no way to talk about the baroness!" A girl said

"WHHHHHHHAAATTT!!!!!!" Lindor yelled filling the hall with his voice

"Why is it that every time I look into a woman's eyes… I see her… even after two years…. I still can't" Prince Thought.

"What are you doing out here in the cold?" Alicia asked she joined him, shivering in the cold winter night, eagerly looking into Prince's eyes for some type of emotion. Now facing one another, the two shined in the moonlight, standing on a veranda of the castle that overlooked the gardens.

"Didn't I tell you… we undead can't feel the temperature" Prince said letting out a cold chuckle.

"Well then maybe this will help"

Walking up to Prince, Alicia threw her hands around him smothering him in her grasp

"Hey what are you doing?" Prince said. "Let go!"

"Not a chance!" Alicia said" I won't let go until you tell me!"

"Tell you what?"

"Tell me… what happened to turn such a beautiful young heart cold." She said squeezing him tighter

"What… What are you talking about" Prince said hesitating

"You can fool everyone out here but not me… tell me what happened…" Alicia said cuddling him, as a stern wisdom became present in her voice.

"Listen woman!" Prince yelled. "Just because you have a title doesn't mean you can do whatever-"

"It hurts doesn't it?" She said.

There was a brief silence, and for a moment, Prince could hear the gaudy cheers from the partygoers in the ballroom. All of a sudden a warmth began to seep into him from the woman's embrace. The ice in Princes heart, in just seconds, this woman had managed to melt its outer wall.

"I can see it in your eyes… Every time you look at a woman… it hurts." Alicia said, pushing her head into his chest.

"I wonder Zoe… when I've lost everything... will you still love me then?"

As Prince's eyes got cloudy he stopped fighting the woman's grasp, letting his body go limp.

"It...Used to hurt…." Prince said "But now… I don't feel anything… anything at all…."

"What about this… can you feel these?" she said placing his hand on her breasts

"What, what are you doing!" Prince yelled blushing

"You're blushing! I thought you couldn't feel anything… Am I getting your blood boiling?" The woman said placing her hands on Prince's crouch

Prince winced, pulling back from the woman. He struggled to regain his cold appearance as his face became as red as the baronesses dress.

"Has a woman never touched you there before?" She asked giggling

Prince grew cold again

"I see... that's the reason... a woman played with your emotions didn't she...Well I have no intentions of doing that" She said rubbing his leg.

"What… what are your intentions" Prince asked

"Come with me!" She said dragging him away

"Where are we going?" Prince asked

"Back to my residence, I'm going to give you everything that woman couldn't! After today you will forget her name forever!"

"He left with the Baroness!!" This is dilemma indeed!" Lindor said

"Lord Lindor?" The duke said coming unto the room. "Where's your boy?"

"He left… with a woman… I'll make sure he sees to your request tomorrow!" Lindor said

"Very well, don't make me wait too long Lindor"

"Prince… of all the woman you could have slept with… It had to be this one… I brought you here to assassinate a man, to plunge cold steel into his heart… And now..." Lindor began

"You're going home to plunge into his wife?"