Among The Sheep...
Auvergne, FranceMarch 1179 Cold, damp moss lay beneath Liana's cheek. Her nostrils twitched and agony immediately possessed her broken frame. "I'm afraid," she whispered to no one. Half awake, she opened her swollen eyes and saw not the black earth beneath her, but the black spirit lying inside. "I'm afraid," Liana repeated listlessly through torn lips, too tired to know one desperation from another. Her bloodied fingers curved as if to claw away at the images in her traumatized mind---or place them somewhere far more comforting.
"The world means nothing. It exists for us. It exists because of us." "I don't understand." Liana stuffed tiny fingers in her mouth and watched the sleeping woman warily. The exquisite face remained smooth. No movement rose to betray her living thoughts. Ebony hair draped the luxurious bed, falling like cobwebs to the stone floor like it always had. However, immense rage consumed the monstrous will beneath. "Don't be stupid, Liana!" it snarled in hatred. "You know what to do!" "No, I don't." Fat tears made the little girl's world warble and shake. "I don't know how..." Liana wanted to run away. She wanted to take her sleeping brother's hand and flee. Her green gaze slid to the door. Instead of granting freedom, the iridescent barrier mocked her. "Cristophe, brother, wake up. Please." Low laughter hummed with beautiful menace. Liana startled "You don't need him. Cristophe is as good as dead for all the help he can give you." Liana's gaze skittered to the fair-hair boy sleeping in a forgotten corner. "He's not dead." Although shaky, her voice held an undeniable note of mutiny. "I know what you want. Just do it." Liana shook her head frantically. She started singing, desperately trying to drown out the voice in her mind. "He can never wake. He can only dream and as long as he dreams, the door will never open. We'll be trapped here, Liana. Forever. Do you want to live forever in this room?" Liana rocked back and forth. Betrayal linked arms with her. She wanted to see what lay beyond this pile of stone. She did NOT want to rot away in this prison. The woman's body seemed to gleam with triumph. "You want to see the world? Well then, Daughter, destroy it all. Destroy it all and be free."
Blood pooled in her mouth, making swallowing a torturous function. Mud flaked from Liana's broken nose, speckling the ground. Vivid images of recent destruction mapped their presence in Liana's mind, effectively overlapping with the past. The ground grew red with phantom blood. "No..." Terrible cries of suffering echoed in Liana's ears, loudly proclaiming her no different than the demon who spawned her. Mangled bodies littered her clouded sight, making Liana remember the price of freedom. "I did what I had to. I'm not like her. I'm not like her. I'm not like Hel---" Liana's parched throat closed up. The past remained lodged in her thoughts like a parasite. However, it receded when faced with the present agony lashing away at Liana's flesh. She shifted and violent spasms shook her. Her lips quivered with hideous delight. She eagerly welcomed the pain, knowing it would summon something stronger than guilt or fear. Self-preservation. I can't stay here much longer but... Without looking down, she knew blood continued to soak her already waterlogged dress. Stupid. Not gone more than a day and this is what I let happen to me. Liana's chaotic trip down the river ended when she had impaled herself on a submerged tree. Its wicked branches had sunk deeply into Liana's chest, stomach, arm, and thighs. Although she had eventually managed to free herself, torn muscle and ligaments lamented the brutal method. My leg is broken. So is my arm. And my face. I'm losing blood fast and there's no one in sight to give me more. Involuntary shudders continued to torture her. Liana pushed past the anguish churning madly about the edges of consciousness. She crawled forward, leaving a trail of scarlet mud in her wake. However, Liana only managed to drag herself an insignificant distance before collapsing. "Oh, damn..." Liana gritted her teeth in frustration. It was too early to panic and far too early to stop. She may have temporarily thrown the Trackers off her trail by jumping in the river, but they would've discovered that amateur ruse by now. Filthy Trackers. Would that they stayed rotted in the ground instead of looking for me. The Trackers would destroy anything in their path searching for her, but Liana didn't fear physical retribution. Those half-dead shadows didn't have the power to hurt their prize. However, they would inform the one person who did. Cristophe. Her brother would find her. It was only a question of time. However, what happened next was entirely up to obliterating chance. Cristophe, you won't understand. And because you don't... Unholy destruction shot across her sight. Never had she fought her brother. Never. But now... Damn the Court for tricking him so well! Her guardians until yesterday, the Court still held her brother tightly within its corrupt grasp. Cristophe fervently believed in their public convictions, never looking through the surface humility to see its private deceit. Cristophe saw the Court as their saviors, sent down from God himself to free them from the vile creature known as Hel. And Mother. Duty bound to a code she could never accept, Cristophe would never let their familial bond interrupt his honor. The pain of her own brother hunting her down was almost too much to bear. I can't think about it right now. Liana dug the fingers of her good arm into the soft ground and pulled herself forward. Every limb throbbed in agony. Pebbles and twigs scraped her clammy skin but Liana kept going. I can never go back to Court. I have to keep moving. Wheezing, struggling in a pitiful showing of single-minded obsession, Liana cleared the bank. Beads of sweat stung her eyes. She blinked quickly and ragged pants filled her bloodied ears. I will not fail. I will not! Suddenly an angel's song courted her earthly suffering. Liana froze, suspended between fear and enchantment. Beautiful and haunting, the siren melody dulled her pain. She held still, not for cunning, but a crazed curiosity to know the creator.
"My days mean nothing against myself
I cry out for salvation
Mayhap one day the Lord will hear my fear..."
"I bask in humbleness
Throw ashes in my hair
Mayhap one day the Lord will see my purity..."
"I wait in misery
My solitude is my downfall
Mayhap one day the Lord will feel my devotion..."
"I pray for understanding---"
The song died in mid-verse. Soft footfalls approached. "My God, what happened?" The horrified whisper belonged to its owner, obviously never meant to fulfill its function as a question. Liana's eyes fluttered open. What she saw filled her weary heart with joy. An angel. The pungent scent of male human sweat filtered through her weak senses. Weary lids slid closed in disappointment. Maybe not an angel then. Apparently, Death isn't ready for one like me. Irrational fury took hold of her, much like the kind that destroyed half a castle and a small village the day before. It may not want me, but Death will be ready for this one. The stranger crouched beside her motionless body, never realizing Liana's homicidal intent. Rough fingers touched her shoulder. Liana could feel his hesitation. Fear drenched the air, but surprisingly it wasn't because of her. Rather it was for her. Why do you care? Curiosity salted her instinct. Liana remained still and waited. "Is she dead?" Twigs snapped as he shifted his footing. He carefully lifted Liana's sodden hair away from her face. The quick inhale of breath told Liana how horrible a countenance she presented. "What or who did this to you?" My stupidity. He gently touched her grotesquely swollen cheek. When she didn't stir, the man let out a muffled whine. "Mama, what should I do? I can't fix her but..." But what? "But if I can't fix her, I won't leave her to die alone." Liana's eyes slid open. Gray orbs slick with tears met hers. "Can you hear me?" "You can fix me." He leaned closer. "What?" "You can fix me." Liana lunged for his throat. The poor man screamed and tried to stumble away from the broken mess of a woman. He failed. Even in her miserable state, Liana had more than enough strength to keep him trapped within her greedy arms. She sank her blood teeth deep within his neck. He struggled, whimpering and crying for mercy. Liana shook him once in an attempt to silence him. The man whined, a high-pitched ugly thing, before falling unconscious. Liana sucked deep, tasting and relishing his essence with gluttonous glee. His stench no longer was repellant. Instead, it wafted beneath her nose with a curious mixture of innocence and promise. Liana's face repaired itself. The time between ruin and perfection lasted less than a mortal's moment. Yet, the rigor of undergoing transformation wore Liana down. Her eyes drifted shut. Her mouth slowed its deadly languor. The thought of finishing her meal plied the vampiress with delicate fingers, massaging both her ruthlessness and conscience. Liana remembered his beautiful song. She recalled the genuine worry gnawing away at his fine silver gaze. He was worried about me. He had no reason to care, no reason to stop, but he did. He did. Liana's smooth brow betrayed her patrimony by furrowing in a human manner. She released her prey with a small gasp. He rolled off her body without a sound. Sitting up, she studied his complexion with a keen eye. He was deathly pale, lips colorless, barely trembling with breath. Despite his poor condition, Liana knew he was going to survive this encounter. Thank you, Sir. You've done much good this day. Her blood teeth receded. If she smiled all anyone would see was a normal human smile. Her father's blood was instrumental to keeping a mortal façade. Neither she nor Cristophe suffered from outward signs of vampirism. Liana knew of other weaker vampire lines that were forced to remain out of the light for fear of instant death. They also needed to feed continuously unlike Liana. Thanks to the Samaritan I won't have to have a bloodletting for at least another month. Good. It gives me to time to figure out this mess. Liana looked about her in grim study, wondering if the Trackers were on the wood's edge yet. I don't have time for this. Her gaze dropped back to the man sprawled next to her before flitting away. If I leave him like this then I will be no better than my mother. I kill only when needed, not for ambition. He tried to help me and help me he did. He deserves more than to be abandoned in the woods like an animal. She bit her lip and whipped her head about. Penetrating the green shadows with her burning gaze, Liana forced her mind to clear itself of panic and fear. The Trackers are not going to win today. Neither is the Court. Decision made, she settled back on the poor creature who had nearly given his life to her. Once he woke he'd have memories of what transpired between them. Liana shook her head. That would never do. Although she obviously didn't agree with the Court, she did believe in keeping humanity relatively ignorant. They're too simple to be complicated unnecessarily. Placing a white hand upon his brow, Liana allowed a tiny portion of her power to pool in the fingertips. She reached into his mind, respectful of not viewing anything beyond the past moments spent in her dubious company. When you awaken you will do as I say. You won't remember me but you will obey my commands. Liana waited for him to stir, unsure of how much longer it would take. Her moody stare flickered with annoyance. Obviously, being bound so soon by a Samaritan act was not what she had intended when she escaped from Court. This world is not quite what I expected. I don't know if that angers me or not. Liana understood she was somewhere in France but was unsure of exactly what year. Dread yawned widely in her gut as she quickly came to realize she was several centuries off from her intended target. What Liana lacked in knowledge she fostered in uncanny detail---which only added to her fear. She studied her clothing for the first time with an apprising stare. A voluminous kirtle fitted her form from arm to waist. Its color reminded Liana of a bruise. The chemise underneath had dried stiffly and scratched at her skin. Her shoes, a victim to the river, had been made of leather---she was sure of it. She touched a hand to her hair. The waterlogged locks still held onto their plated style. To regular eyes, Liana appeared as a noblewoman or the daughter of a merchant. In a word---rich. In another word---helpless. Of all the times to land in, why couldn't I have come several centuries closer to what I wanted? I'll draw too much attention to myself like this. People will expect me to be married, pregnant, and hidden away in some fortress. Not wandering about in a forest chaperoned only by the wind. Liana shot a glance to the fallen man, ensuring he was still unconscious, before groaning in dismay. Granted, she hadn't really had much time to plot before escaping the Court, but now that she was in this time, Liana had no real idea of what she was going to do or how she was going to hide. Tears helplessly welled up in her eyes. She snorted with anger and impatiently wiped them away. Crying over her circumstances wouldn't make them disappear or make her assimilation into this time any easier. Liana blew out a cleansing breath, folded her hands, and waited. She waited for the Trackers. She waited for the Samaritan to awaken. She waited for her life to begin. If the Trackers came they'd crowd her, trying to enter her mind so they could force her through the portal. Failing that, they'd bring Cristophe who could pull her through to the Court's dimension where she'd be imprisoned without respite. All the niceties they'd given Liana in an attempt to keep her placated would surely be withdrawn. The Court might seal her, exactly how they did to her mother---the mythical Hel. Cristophe would pray for me, plead my case to the Elders, but he'd never lift a finger to free me. I'd be imprisoned in my own mind for however long they see fit to keep me. She thought of the poor human still incapacitated by her side. The Trackers might very well kill him rather than have him carry tales of shades, portals, and a woman who had the ability to hold a grown man down for his blood. I cannot let them hurt him. I won't carry the sin of his murder on my shoulders. I'd prefer not to send this forest into Hell but I'll do it if I have no other choice. Liana glanced up at the sky, seeing the overcast weather as a portent of days to come. But if I do that he'll die. If I let the Trackers at him he'll die as well. If he walks out of here he'll eventually die. Either way he dies. Does it really matter how? Perhaps I'm over thinking this issue. A weak cough rent the air. The man moaned. He rolled his large body from side to side, reminding Liana of an infant learning to crawl. Once he sat up, she watched his lax face tighten with confusion. She stood and beckoned for him to stand as well. Still on the edge of a waking dream, the man obeyed, albeit clumsily. Liana bade him to follow her. Once she led him a hundred paces away from the riverbank, she scanned their surroundings one more time. No Trackers. Satisfied from her reprieve, Liana spoke in a soft, compelling tone. "You will remember nothing from the time you saw me until now. You will go home and leave this place. Do you understand?" "Yes." His speaking voice was as lovely as his singing. Liana experienced a tiny sliver of regret at not having the chance to finish listening to his song. "You will awaken once you reach the spot you were before you walked to riverbank. I want you to go now." "Yes." Liana waited for him to turn around. He walked with lethargy, heavily muscled thighs stomping away without care for the brush or path. She let out a sigh of relief once he was gone from her sight. One problem solved. Now onto another. Liana returned to the riverbank. Eying the ground, she saw several areas where her blood and fluids had stained the rocks, dirt, and vegetation. She had to erase all traces of her presence before leaving. Liana held her hand out. Energy skimmed down her arm and burned brightly in her palm. Blood droplets beaded on the ground before levitating into the air. They hovered lazily before flying to her hand. The white ball of energy quickly burned crimson. Once every bit of evidence was collected, the bloodied orb sank back into Liana's body. She nodded in satisfaction, shook her skirts out, and turned about. Her feet were bare and unfortunately conjuring was beyond her capabilities, but she needed to find the nearest lord's castle. Liana had enough knowledge of how things were done in this approximate time and she knew she'd need human protection if she were going to blend into the populace. Once before the lord she'd plead for assistance. She'd conjure some tale of being attacked by robbers, left for dead---violation a given but never spoken---and then she'd cry prettily. Given her beauty, clothing, and delicate demeanor it'd go very far to convince him of her noble status. From here, the human lord would feel honor-bound to give aid. If not, Liana would be sure to persuade him to listen to reason and give her what she needed---information. Afterwards, I can take all the gold, horses, men, and supplies I need. The Court won't think I'm bold enough to hide in plain sight of man. They're expecting me to run far away, hide myself where none can see me, all because they assume I'd be too scared to do otherwise. Fools. Liana scented the air, looking to find the nearest concentration of humans when she scented the familiar again. Moments later the Samaritan crossed her path. Again. "My lady!" He blinked curiously. "What are doing in these woods? It is far from the road and filled with dangerous creatures for the unwary. Are you lost?" Liana resisted the urge to snort. Was she lost? What did he think? However, this disobedient man who should've done exactly what he was told might come into further use. After all, she needed to see the lord quickly before nightfall and before the Trackers came upon them. "Yes." She smiled shyly. "I don't know where I am." His face flooded with color. He dropped his gaze and stumbled over his words. "This is the province of Duc La Tour." "Oh?" Liana's mind whirred with the implications. The name meant nothing to her but the title was good. It meant power. "Is he far from here?" "Duc La Tour?" "Yes." He rubbed the back of his neck, unease clearly resonating in every part of his posture. "Not too far for one like me, my lady." Liana ducked her head to further his implication of her supposed weakness. "Will you take me there?" "To the Duc?" She resisted the urge to force herself into his mind. His stupidity truly tested the limits of her patience. "Yes." The youth shifted from one foot to another. Fear clogged his pores and overshadowed the musky sweat odor. Liana noted his obvious discomfort with an assessing, yet discreet, eye. He looked at her and inhaled deeply. "I can do it, my lady." "Thank you." Liana wondered at why he didn't question her further. Surely he had curiosity over why a well-dressed lady was wandering about in the woods. Superstition had to play a part in his daily beliefs. But he just accepted my excuse of being lost. He hasn't asked where my retinue is...nothing. She cut him an accessing gaze. Perhaps, he wasn't stupid at all but a rather clever human trying to lure her to a bloody end. She grinned, lips cunning and eyes burning with promised vengeance. Play me dirty and see just exactly you reap. Liana followed him at his urging. She studied his broad back, noting the play of muscles beneath the rough fabric. The cut of his clothes proved his peasant status. However, his height and features spoke of a different story. The face, while not the angular angles of pure aristocracy, did have a certain fragility. He really was quite pleasing to the eyes, at least hers. His build bespoke of powerful lineage, that of generations of men used to war. His muscles were taut but lacking size. Liana sniffed. He didn't eat meat very often, if ever. His diet kept him smaller than his lineage demanded. Why? What were you doing out here? She trailed the Samaritan at a respectful distance. Liana could force him into another waking dream, ferret out all the information she needed, and then dump him in the forest. I do that and then it'll take longer for me to find any other possible enemies. No, let him keep to this. If he's innocent then there's nothing more to fear. If he's not then my appetite will be sated for quite some time. He looked his shoulder and gave her another scraping bow. "It will take some time to reach the Duc's castle, my lady. Your feet will hurt from the walk." Liana expected him to offer to carry her, a favor she'd accept, if only to continue her charade of weak femininity and to get to the Duc that much faster. She couldn't resist looking over shoulder, eyes seeking the shadows to see if the damnable Trackers were poised to rush them. Nothing. "My lady?" "Yes?" she answered gently, ready to protest over his generous offer. He asked nothing of the sort. Instead, he asked the one question she never expected. "Why are you running?" Liana glanced at the awkward man-child sharply. Her melodic voice held the ferocity of a wolf. "Why do you ask?" He ducked his head in apology. "I meant no disrespect, my lady. Forgive me." She felt something hot slither about the bowels of her suspicion. It was guilt. Looking away from him, Liana murmured stiffly, "I'm your equal. There's no need to give me an honorific." "My equal?" She heard the hope spring forth from his well of loneliness. "Yes." "Then may I ask..." His voice trailed off when she met his clouded gaze squarely. Liana expected him to fall beneath his discomfort and cowardice. Instead he surprised her. He cleared his throat and finished his query. "May I ask your name?" "Liana." She raised her chin in perfect challenge. "My name is Liana and I mean nothing to no one and that's why I ran away." She immediately closed her eyes and cursed herself. Why did she tell him anything close to resembling the truth? I can clear it out of his mind but why did I even bother to answer him at all? Liana drew herself up. "How did you know I was running?" He dropped his gaze. "I just...I just knew." "Is it that obvious?" "No!" he rushed to assure her. "Then how did you know?" The young man hemmed and hawed, extremely uncomfortable to answer yet obviously trying to find the courage to reply. Liana wondered again if his reticence was an act designed to lure her into comfort. He answered just as she was a hairsbreadth from grabbing him by the throat. "You have the look of someone who has reached her limit. You're like a wounded bird needing to fly." Liana was surprised by his perceptiveness. "What is your name?" He startled. His liquid gaze met hers shyly before darting away. "Laurent." "Laurent." She tested it slowly. "Laurent?" "Yes, my lady?" She thought of admonishing the use of that title but changed her mind. Her request for him to address her by first name was hasty and much better forgotten. "Who are your people?" He drew inside himself. The gentle smile died, leaving Laurent as stark as the trees surrounding them. "I am alone." "Alone? Completely?" "Yes." Pain oozed from his emotional skin, blinding to Liana's perceptive mind. "My mother died." Liana's throat knotted in empathy. "I'm sorry." He jerked his chin in acknowledgment. Liana's vivid irises dulled. She intimately knew the feeling of grief for a fallen mother. Unlike Laurent, she mourned for what never was while he obviously mourned for something very real. "Laurent?" "My lady?" She pushed by his despondency. "Would you forgive my intrusion if I stayed with you tonight?" Laurent jerked away as if slapped. "You cannot!" "Why?" Liana belatedly reminded herself of the required decorum for her supposed station. "It would not be seemly for you to stay with me, my lady. I am not fit to speak to you much less accompany you anywhere." "You're speaking to me now." Laurent backed away, much like a frightened animal. "Am I offending you, my lady?" "No." Liana's stomach coiled with pity for him. While suspicion still remained, she couldn't deny the very true fear roiling off him in nauseating waves. Laurent's abject distress affected her. His outward demeanor reflected what she had suffered for years at the hands of her mother. Did I look this pitiful while I begged? Liana's white brow dampened as well as her palms and feet. She forced herself to continue. "Laurent, I'm lost. I don't know where I am other than I traveled very far. You are the only person I know in the whole world now." Laurent lost some of his anxiety. He answered in a low, trembling voice, "You are the first person I've spoken to in a long time. That is why my tongue is too loose. Forgive me." Liana swallowed down her questions. She wouldn't continue to probe at his very obvious wounds just for the sake of her curiosity. She also wouldn't invade his thoughts. That violation just couldn't ever be forgiven. Although Liana was guilty of many sins, that was one she would never willingly commit. TBC...