Chapter 14 - Maiden and the Manor

"When we crossed the creek, we decided to tie the horses near the bridge, afraid to warn of our presence with the trample of horses. We made our way down the bricked path, from the old bridge to the mansion, with the torches in hand.

The cold fog emanated from the ground, and we discovered that the place looked prosperous and well kept. If by day it seemed lively and welcoming, we had no way of knowing, for under the nightly shadows it seemed the most inhospitable and ghoulish place. If we had no duty to find our fellow and alert the Flemish entourage, we would not be behaving like thieves in the night, walking cautiously around the impressive manor. There was no sign of fire, or lit torches around the house. In our defense, we were suspicious that a vile plan could endanger the lives of the bride's retinue. Also our friend was missing after coming to this location.

The first thing I saw, and had to cover my mouth to prevent a scream from sprouting from my lips, was the glimpse of a body reclining on the edge of a well, the legs in a strange and twisted position!" Alexa rubbed her eyes with her wrists, drying the moisture from them, "by coming closer it was possible to confirm what was obvious from afar: that person was no longer among the living. He was one of the guards in Holstein's uniform. His livid face still showed the horror of his horrible death, and there were traces of bloody foam on his mouth and chin. The eyes of that poor soul were still squinted in pain, and Master Locke said to me,

"Lady Saskia, this poor warrior has died poisoned! He was certainly induced to ingest some, and dined and drank happily earlier this night, without expecting that this would be his last meal…! A plan to get rid of this entourage is at work! Our friend is in danger!

I shivered and cried, taken by sudden terror!"

°°°

"What a bitch! What did he think? What would drink water and survive?" Muttered Locke impatiently, pushing the corpse with his boot. Lex tugged his arm, annoyed at the lack of respect toward a deceased one,

"Don't do it!"

"Looks like he's looking for his own way to hell!"

The maiden just shook her head in disgust, figuring Locke was very upset and at worst of his humor, but that still didn't give him the right to mock the dead.

"Listen, Little Bougie, this has more to do with some living trying to get rid of the ugly Lady and their friends. Just a few leagues from the Holstein border, to make things a bit more interesting. Let's find the living, because they killed Iain."

The mercenary's logic made perfect sense, and Alexa shook her head in agreement when they heard some screams, followed by loud, hollow thuds. They came from the opposite side of the manor.

"People are locked inside the house," Locke noted.

"Look!" Alexa noticed the movement before him, and soon noticed a cart coming out of the stables. The warrior did not wait, and stooping a little, advancing quickly in the same direction. The maiden followed him as best she could, but the clothes she wore did not allow as much agility as she was most used to. The maiden stumbled a few times until she managed to discover how to run with a dress, as Locke swiftly reached the wagon and leaped at it. Seeing that there was not much to do about it, and trusting that the warrior would beat the wrongdoers deservedly, Alexa proceeded to the main door, which was being ravaged from within by people desperate to escape.

°°°

"Crying and screaming mingled in complete cacophony. People inside the house were in complete panic and their words were ininteligible to me. When I arrived at the main door, I found signs of fighting and a lot of blood, and two warriors dead…! Please don't make me describe the horror of this vision!"

The men nodded to her request, and she continued,

"Well, the massive wooden door lived up to the size and stature of the house, and there was no way for those people to break in without a battering ram and coordination, as a heavy lock had been set, and chain perhaps as thick as my wrists kept it sealed. Alone, I couldn't do anything either.

So taking a helmet that I found lying down, I knocked back on the door to get their attention, and shouted that I would seek help, that they had to stay calm, because there was no use keep doing that!"

"And that worked?" asked the priest. Alexa put some thought on it, and replied,

"I think, only partially. Because a man's voice answered, asking me to help them, for God's sake. But I think other people were overwhelmed with terror and unable to understand.

"So?" This time it was the Captain who questioned her.

"I was scared, but I needed to help those people. I said I would look for an easier way out. I even thought of fetching the horses to help break down the door, but it seemed like a quite Herculean task to me. It had to be otherwise. "

°°°

While trying to communicate with the crying hysterical people of the Flemish entourage, without much success, the maiden looked here and there near the dead guards, thinking of perhaps finding something that might help. She felt rather than saw the presence looming behind her, and instead of turning to face whatever it was, the maiden slid to one side in time to avoid having her head crushed by a spiked mace.

She leaped behind the bushes surrounding the mansion's entrance, and turned in time to see the mace rising again, and the heavy bulk of a huge man wearing an executioner-like leather mask, moving in her direction.

She thrust the torch into his face, which flinched in fright trying to chase away the flames.

Alexa didn't afford to scream, and spared her breath to grab her skirts and lift them as high as she could, and run at top speed, figuring only speed could be an advantage against such a strong man. This man was not a ghost, but a fleshed person. Just the kind of enemy Alexa didn't have many weapons to fight against.

At least everything she learned from her brother Narses and also from Locke was of use to her now! She went around the house, looking for somewhere to hide, knowing she could hardly handle this giant man with her little strength and size. At least she'd have to hide until Locke came to her rescue...again.

Sneaking through the wall of the mansion, her would hand feel the way as the maiden sought to remain hidden in the darkness, since as, like most humans, the 'executioner' could not see her in the dark. Her hand reached and touched the rough wooden surface of a door...

That opened shortly after she withdrew her hand, with a slight creak.

The maiden sensed that the supernatural was acting, but she could not know whether to help her or to lure her to death.

But Alexa had no choice but to enter.