CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO-THIRTY-FOUR

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Gabrelle felt the stress knot at the base of her neck and run through the sides of her face. Her head was banging hard as though a builder had started the foundation of a house. It would be many days before Count Samsidion had left to inform his mother and his brother about their upcoming nuptials. She knew already that it was not going to go very well. She wondered if he was strong enough to stand up to Countess Arabella. She was hanging clothes when she heard the whipping hooves of his horse approach. Savior, his beloved horse of caramel coat was looking worse for wear. Her breathing was steady, but the weight of a heavy stone allowed for her shoulders to sag. He waived at her but there was no enthusiasm, and she understood the inevitable. His mother had turned them down.

"Happy day beautiful damsel." He was beaming but Gabrelle knew him well enough to understand the sadness at the back of his eye. He headed for the home, and she followed him. She had heard the people in the town snickering behind her when she went into town for supplies. They were calling her a charlatan because it was no secret that Samsidion was a Count. Samsidion had urged her to ignore the gossip mongers, but Gabrelle had been full of shame. It was only this act that had encouraged her that a marriage with Samsidion would restore her dignity. As she got into the home, Samsidion took out a cup up whiskey barrel and topped it with water that she stored in the home.

"Let me get this to Savior and then we shall talk." She nodded but the stench of eagerness targeted her. She already knew the outcome of his talks, but she needed to hear from him about the move forward. In a matter of minutes Samsidion was back and without hesitation he pulled her into his arms and went in for a long kiss. Gabrelle was tense and he felt her drawing away. He did not immediately let her go and stroked her hair with loving hands. Eventually Gabrelle could no longer hold back, and she released herself from his embrace.

"The countess did not give her blessings." It was a matter-of-fact statement, and she knew what his reply would be. His entire mood was strewn into a river that had a debris of rubbish. He also stiffened and his smile vanished.

"I tried my best." He threaded his finger through his dark hair and if Gabrelle had not known that he was undead she would have actually thought that he was having a major headache attack him. His lips thinned to razor wire thickness. "The woman is so stubborn and unappreciative." It was information that Gabrelle already knew but she remained quiet. It would be of no use bad mouthing a woman that did not deserve any of her attention. Gabrelle was a woman that knew doing what was right would be beneficial to her mental stability. She did not need to ask Samsidion anything else.

"You wrong you know." He piled on her overcrowded thoughts to add to her stress. Then she gathered her wit and understood him to perfection.

"I thought that you had stopped reading my thoughts." She felt tweaked with annoyance, but she knew that the direction of her anger was pointed out at his mother.

He grimaced. "I cannot just switch it off but sometimes I just ignore it." He did not need to explain and now Gabrelle was annoyed with herself. "I am not walking away from this, from us, Elle." He was so positive and certain of his decision, but Gabrelle could see doom before it approached. "I will not allow Mother to dictate my life." There was going hell to be paid for this and Gabrelle knew that the countess would lash out at her. After all she was the reason that Count Samsidion was acting out and opposing her.

It was time for her to place her feet firmly on the ground. There was no walking with feet on water and her head in the clouds. "This is over Count Samsidion." She spoke quietly but her voice was matted with emotions of hurt. There was no other way out.

"Elle," he was willing to oppose her, but she knew better to be convinced and seduced by him again. "No Samsidion, I cannot listen anymore. This has to stop now." She lifted her chin in defiance. "I will pack up and move where people don't know me and won`t point any fingers, laughing behind my back." She was determined and Samsidion was struck by the fact the fight in his precious Elle had been snuffed out. He had to take the proverbial bull by the horn and grab her hard.

"Come with me." He was pulling her. "We will find a justice of peace immediately and I will marry you today itself." Gabrelle was arguing; more mumbling of protestation but the Count pulled her toward Savior, mounted her on and jumped in behind her before pelting towards the modest town. Once he had reached it did not take him long to find the modest courthouse. Being a Count got him certain privileges and before they knew it Gabrelle had become Count Samsidion`s bride. As she lay next to her new husband that night, she ought to have been braising in the joys of marriage, but Gabrelle was stewing in a gravy of fear. She knew that the countess would not be able to forget this betrayal. Samsidion was in a blaze of happiness and that is how they had spent the next couple of weeks. Count Samsidion had tried to convince her to ride with him to the castle, but she had politely refused. She did not want him to sever his ties with his family, but she also did not want to face the countess when the news of their marriage was announced. It would be a passing of a week when on a muddy afternoon of rain there was a tap on the door. Excited she ran only to be greeted by the clergyman and lawman. For Gabrelle St. James, the newly wedded Countess of Nottingham it was game over.

BOOK TWO – COUNT SAMSIDION

CHAPTER THIRTY -THREE

Count Samsidion was over excited to reach his new bride with the unexpected, good news that he had just received. While his brother Count Thaneus was over excited about his recent marriage, his mother needed extra coercing and after molly coddling her for over one week, she finally agreed to welcome Gabrelle as her new daughter in law and the new Countess of Nottingham. He had left the castle with the carriage this time so that his new bride shall travel in comfort. As he reached nearer to Gabrelle`s home he saw a tiny commotion taking place. Instincts told him to park off the carriage and he asked his horseman to wait for him. Count Samsidion was no coward, but he was no one's fool as well. As he got closer, his wife was being taken away, her hands and feet restrained by ropes. He was sprinting away when Gabrelle caught his attention. Her face was tear streaked but even then, she tried to protect him. Giving him the signal with the motion of rolling eyes and whipping her head from side to side she signaled him to stay away. Count Samsidion wanted to charge forward and fight for her, but he knew that she was adamant that he should not. He stepped back, still within earshot. Then he heard a scream. It was a deputy addressing the clergyman.

"Sir," he was waving something frantically in the air. "I have got the proof that indeed this woman is a witch." Count Samsidion bit hard on his knuckles as to stop him from screaming. "She has helped revive evil in the world." The deputy went on and on describing Gabrelle in all sorts of atrocities. Count Samsidion was alone in this neck of the woods. He would need to go back and together with his family they would need to find a solution and being Gabrelle back home. Firstly, he would need to see Heidi. It did not take his driver long to find Heidi`s home and when he did her parents were very reluctant to allow him to speak to their daughter. Samsidion had to turn on his charms and eventually his persistence wore them down.

"You should not be here Count Samsidion." Heidi looked fallen from grace as the guilt pounded her so that she had no eyes to face him. "The priest had warned all the neighbors that if we alerted Gabrelle that they were coming then we would all be charged with treason." Her eyes were still buried in the ground and her stubby finger wriggled nervously as they knotted each other. "You should leave before you get my family in trouble."

Count Samsidion looked around their cottage. It was modest but slightly an upgrade from Gabrelle. "Please just help me understand why they have taken my wife."

Heidi slid her forefinger over her nose. She was sniffing. "It`s because of you she faces this predicament. It is rumored that she practiced witchcraft. Her trial is set for tomorrow." Heidi leaned forward and gave Count Samsidion a light push towards the door. "You must leave now because you can get me, and my family hung. I don't have any more information." He knew there was nothing more that he could do, and he got into his carriage and headed for home. While it got dark and the lanterns hanging at the side of the carriage did nothing to improve the journey, he told the driver to park off for the night. He saw better at night, and he moved faster. He started sprinting in the dark and eventually it did not take him long to reach the castle. Thankfully his mother and brother were sitting in the parlor over a sherry and well Thaneus was just plain idle.

His mother seemed shocked and then grew excited. "You are back so soon my boy." Her eyes flew pass him. "Where is your bride?" It was at this time that Count Samsidion fell on his knees and held his hands over his head and allowed for a guttural cry to exhaled. It was Thaneus that woke up from his seat with lightning speed and reached to his brother`s aid.

"Dear child," The Countess stood up and followed her youngest son. "Whatever might be the problem that reduces you to this state." Thaneus helped him to a nearby seat but Count Samsidion was utterly devastated.

"It`s Gabrelle." He eventually summoned up the courage to offload his burden. "She has been taken."

The countess cupped her mouth with her hands in shock. "Taken? Taken where?"

Samsidion was tongue tied; so blocked and emotionally drained. He just shook his head, weary that he had no words that would corroborate his statement.

"Take your time brother." Thaneus displayed emotions of genuine concern. He placed his hands on his older brother`s shoulder and squeezed it and in return Count Samsidion pressed his hand in appreciation.

"Gabrelle was taken by the deputy and jailed." He blurted it out and a heavy silence followed his announcement. It would take many minutes before Thaneus exploded.

"What?" His eyes flew to their mother and eventually rested on his older brother. "What is the meaning of this, brother." The tension was stone hard in the air and then Count Samsidion narrated the story to them.

"This is my fault," he declared. "If I was not selfish to enjoy both day and night, my Elle would have been fine." Culpability was storming him and pounding him into admission. "I am the sinner against the church." Count Samsidion cared less that even his brother was just much to be blamed.

Count Thaneus raked his hair with his fingers and kneeled before his elder brother. "It is not only you big brother." Regret was a volatile emotion that was a plague for them. "If we did not make her find her grandmother`s book them she would have still been a simpleton that brewed potions for aches and pains."

The countess stood up. "Do not get ahead of yourselves, boys. Eventually the child had made up her mind to help you two because she had set her designs on Samsidion and she knew she would be well rewarded for her services."

Samsidion could hardly believe his ear and he stood up abruptly. "You do not know anything about her mother." His words were twisted with hatred. "You speak ill of her even though she faces these troubles because of us." He spat out at her, but no saliva came out. "Do you never see the good in others mother? Are you always this selfish?" Samsidion was on a war path, and he was not going to allow his mother to defame his wife in this matter. "She is the love of my life. She is my wife."

Thaneus took the opportunity to face his mother too. "Samsidion is right mother. We need to help get Lady Gabrelle out of this mess that we put her into." The countess allowed herself a haughty pout. She was not about to step in and salvage a damage that miraculously found a solution.

She flung her hands in the air. "If she faces charges of witchcraft then there is nothing that we can do for her." She faked a helpless look. "Aristocracy takes a back seat to the clergy as far as the law goes these days."

Samsidion began to pace. "How will I live with myself if my wife is hung because of me."

Thaneus looked helplessly. "In a case of witchcraft, the condemned is kept in a jail that is housed in the basement of the church. No one can get into it."

"It is said that it is the church that decides the punishment of the accused." It was the countess that allowed herself the luxury of providing that statement. "It is a hopeless situation."

"I need to try." Count Samsidion was chanting. "Perhaps if I spoke to the priest."

"NO!" Both Thaneus and his mother shouted out together.

It was Thaneus that offered the explanation. "They would want to learn of our involvement in this. When you married the Lady Gabrelle did you tell them of your title."

Samsidion was shaking his head. "Elle did not want me announcing that I was of nobility." He shook his head. "She said that she did not want anyone looking at her differently." He went and sat down, slumping over and rocking his body. "She is a decent, good and kind woman. We have to help her." He squatted before Samsidion.

The countess took the opportunity of point out the facts. "The truth of this matter is that we cannot be part of this. If we step in to help the child, then both you and your brother should consider yourself dead." His mother became hard. "It is a good thing that she wanted to keep her marriage to a Count secretive. She might as well predict that this was coming, and she was saving you Samsidion."

If Samsidion had a heart, he would be bawling his eyes. Sometimes his mother gave out cruelty as though she was consumed by it. He wanted to lash out to her, lambast her for being so insensitive but that would help nothing to make her into a better person. His thoughts were loud, and he watched Thaneus face. He too agreed with his elder brother but remained faithful to silence.

"I have to fix this." Samsidion spoke up. "I cannot allow for an innocent to be punished for something that I am gaining upon."

"Big brother." Thaneus spoke but zipped his words away. It was not his place to show any pounds of selfishness. Eventually he eased into a comfortable mode of speech. "You are right, and I will help in any way that I can."

It would be the countess that would play devil`s advocate. That vocation she never missed and chose to explode. "Are you two out of your minds?" She was quivering with bitterness. "For the love of God Samsidion." She was blazing and her words were flying off her mouth without any thought. "Are you truly going to sacrifice yourself for that girl?"

Count Samsidion felt that he had died all over again. "Yes, mother that would be correct. I cannot let her be punished so that I can exist." He was astounded at her careless attitude. "It would be the right thing to do."

She moved forward to face him. Her eyes strained into his and while he was drenched in compassion, she was strangulated with hate. "If you do not care about yourself, at least think about your little brother. If you go down so will her and just for the hell of this world the girl will not be spared to." Samsidion felt his knee buckle in weakness. He slumped onto a nearby seat. His mother was right of course.

"I do not care about my existence." Count Thaneus had spoken; courageous words fell off like confetti on a happy occasion. He turned to address his mother. "Big brother is right. We have to do right by Lady Gabrelle."

"You will all be slain like savages." The countess made sense. It was just a pity that her way of thinking was bound by selfish innuendos. "All three of you." She pointed her finger at them.

Samsidion was beside himself. It was a rift between his conscience and his family. His mind screamed for him to save her, but his legs prevented the move. His mother as per usual was right. He had to think before he acted. He made a bold decision.

"I have to see her." His declaration got 2 pairs of similar eyes staring back at him. He shrugged, "I just have to talk to her. I cannot just leave her there." The anguish was patented in him.

It was the countess that offered a solution. "Perhaps I can go and visit her." Count Samsidion`s mind was racing. That was a bad idea waiting to explode into an inferno. His mother`s suggestion flabbergasted him but then an idea lit up his train of thoughts.

"I shall accompany you." He was bold and the countess gave him a look that said that was not possible.

"That is not possible."

"I shall go incognito." He was not thinking straight but for now that wall that he had. Samsidion knew that his thinking was being squashed by his fragile emotions, but no one could understand the turmoil his being was undergoing.

"No mother," He was defiant, and he had made up his mind. A plan was formulating and circling his head. He would go and see her in the morning. Come hell or high water, he would save his wife from this dreadful demise. He was highly strung and Count Samsidion understood that arguing a case before his mother was futile. He would need to have a clear mind and not any distractions. He took his leave but the countess Arabella just could not help herself.

"Do not do anything rash, son." It was only then that Count Samsidion saw the hardness in her. While she projected maternal manners the mean streak in her came out when it was adaptable to her arguments. In the end she always won. Not this time mother, he found himself fuming as he tore open the door and flew into the wild. Count Samsidion was streaming in both fear and anger. This was not right. Her face flashed before him and he ached in a heart that was already stone. As a new husband, he had already failed her. His beloved Gabrelle and the thoughts that are probably racing her mind. When his mind surfaced to old memories, he had remembered that she was afraid and adamant. "I am not a witch." She had defiantly announced but his mother had been insistent and he had supported that poor decision. All so that he could get to walk in the sun. If tears could manifest, then Count Samsidion knew that buckets would be full. He had one trustworthy friend and he needed to go and see her immediately. It was luck that he found her alone as he climbed up to her window and fell into her room. She opened her eyes in shock and jumped off her bed. When she saw who her intruder was, her eyes of emeralds grew in sheer delight.

"Why Count Samsidion," she was beaming her delight with open wonderment.

Count Samsidion did not return her smile; instead, he was drenched in sadness.

"Lady Sienna." He was humble as he searched her face. Sienna Montgomery was no lady, but she loved the fact that the illustrious Count treated her with respect. She was also one of the few people that was privy to his secret. From time to time, he fed on her, carefully not taking too much in case she would pass. In return he paid her handsomely in silver. Today he did not look as though he was in need of sustenance, but she removed her night dress and moved to him, throwing back her reddish curls and bending her neck backwards so that he may enjoy digging into her milky flesh.

"Not tonight." He was abrupt but she understood that something was ailing him to an intense botheration. She removed the rest of her clothing and as the moonlight grazed into the room, her perfect body of milky flesh gleamed with enticement. Count Samsidion was no stranger to the Mistress Montgomery`s body but ever since he had met Gabrelle there was no other woman that had aroused him. He walked pass her, picked up the gossamer fabric and handed it to her. She blinked at his unexpected rejected; grappled with hurt but maintained her composition. There would be no need for her to upset an apple cart that gave her good innings.

"The Count does not wish for a taste." She spoke in two ways. The offer of her blood and the surrender of her body.

He took a moment before he replied in the kindest way that he could. "I promised my wife that I can never lay with another woman but her."

Sienna was startled. "Your wife!" She spluttered. "You never told me that you were married."

He composed himself. "Just of recent my dear but I have come to take your help." He stiffened, unsure as to how he could broach the subject to her, but he needed to do what he could. In a few minutes he narrated his plan to her and was grateful when she agreed to his biding. Before the night was over Count Samsidion gave in to his craving and bit into the Mistress Montgomery`s neck, enjoying every drop of her warm and delicious blood.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

The little town known as Howik had awaken to sunlight that was dripping with citrus sweetness. There was a buzz as well as a scary excitement of the case that would be presented about the witch. Two ladies threaded into the crowd and mixed in so that they would not be recognized as the impostors that they were. "Lady" Sienna wadded through as though she was aristocracy and her lady in waiting followed meekly. She got to the entrance of the church and pushed open the door with confidence. Luckily a priest stepped forward in greeting.

"My Lady." He bowed and Sienna thought just how gullible the fool was.

"I wish to see the priest in command." She wore the spirit of a true lady that inspired gentile behavioral offerings.

He hesitated but then decided to accommodate her. "That would be my Lady. To what do I owe the honor of this visit."

Count Samsidion had warned Sienna never to stand on ceremony and to make her case solid and steadfast. That was exactly what she was going to do.

"I request an audience with the so-called witch." She never faltered and she took a pause for him to understand her. "Of course, I would be happy to be a generous benefactor to this prestigious establishment of God." She congratulated herself on being so mellifluous and convincing.

"That would be not possible." The priest had spoken but Sienna was no one`s fool. He was not completely honest with his decision, and she knew that the wealth in gold will steer him to her direction. She opened her purse that was stitched with silk cloth and pulled out two gold coins that the Count had so generously given her.

"Perhaps these may help in the improvement of your beautiful church." She actually wanted to say that perhaps it will help in his betterment. He wanted to take it. Of that she was certain, but the hesitation was there.

"Well," The priest was salivating and in any second, he would start drooling. "I am not allowed to indulge." His old face seemed to rejuvenate, and his milky eyes started to dazzle. He smoothed out his brown robe and tightened the white material woven sash. Definitely drooling.

"Well," he cleared his throat. "Maybe just for a moment. If you can be quick, then I will allow you for a donation that is." Greed was climbing out of his hands and his stubby fingers were glad to reach and take the coins.

Sienna smiled sweetly and whispered. "I will be only a few minutes." He led the way and she followed with her lady in waiting right on her heel. She could only imagine how the priest would react if he knew what kind of "lady" that she was. She grinned. He would deserve the burning fires of hell for being the greedy scum that he was. Talk about displaying double standards. She will not say anything and as they went further down into the dungeons the scent of urine assaulted her nose, almost to a point of retching. It was dark, dreary all except the tiny light that the lamp provided. When they reached the room, the priest opened it.

"You will give us privacy." She did not mince her words; instead, she punched it on forthright with a tone of malice lacing it. He lit up two more lamps and handed her one.

"Do not be too long." His caution was braced on stone hardness and now that he held the two coins in his hand etiquette was lost. He walked away and Sienna and her lady in waiting walked in leaving the door slightly ajar.

"Lady Gabrelle," she whispered as she shone the light on Gabrelle`s face. Gabrelle was dirt stricken, her frock was torn all over and her face tear streaked. It was then the lady in waiting pulled up her veil to reveal Count Samsidion elevated to a disguise.

"Elle," he cried softly, and Gabrelle recognized his voice and ran into his arms. She was sobbing in conflagrant display without any care. "Elle," he spoke again. "We don't have much time. I am prepared to exchange places with you." She was shaking her head, dismissing his words because she knew while honorable, he was, he would never beat the system.

She shook her head again; defiance was shattering out of her body movements. She was still streaming tears but tried to bring herself to equal ground. "You cannot." She wiped her tears with the back of her hand. "They will kill us both. You need to save yourself."

Count Samsidion was at a crossroad. "It is okay, and I want to die with you." He found the braveness in his outpour was genuine. "I cannot live without you Gabrelle."

Her lovely eyes rounded as she searched his face. "But you must Samsidion. I brought you to day life so that you can live and enjoy the sunlight." She was so polished in her extreme train of thought that Samsidion almost cried over her decorousness.

He became harsh. "I do not wish to live in this world that does not have you in it. I am prepared to die with you."

Tears poured down her eyes but there was no sobbing. "I will not have you sacrifice your life, nor will I tolerate you robbing our brother of his." She touched his face and grazed his smooth skin with her fingertips. "It`s too late for me Samsidion. My fate is already written." She shrugged. "You still have much to see." Her argument was a waste of words because it was feeble. The tawdry priest came back and admonished them that time was up. Gabrelle managed to extract a promise from Samsidion that he would keep away. Her last whisper was, "I love you, my Count." As the Lady Sienna and her lady in waiting left, the priest peered in the cell. He was satisfied that the witch was intact, and he tapped the coins that were seated safely in his pocket.