CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Never in his life did Count Samsidion feel this hollow literally and figuratively. He had waited for the trial and even though he knew that the outcome would serve a sentence of death, he was hopeful. The ignorance of people shall damn the world. He thanked the Lady Sienna and handsomely rewarded her. She made her way back home but for him, he needed to be there. Nothing would ever pain this bad for him. Gabrelle St James would be sentenced to her death to which he assumed would be a hanging. Terror shredded him to pieces and his conscious plagued him. If he could trade places with her then he would. Count Samsidion was beside himself with worry. The trial was held under closed rooms, and this irritated him. Surely, she deserved a fair trial. But he knew that no one would stand up for her and he had promised her under duress that he would not try to interfere. Even in the end his Elle was true to the good person that she was. His life would serve no purpose now. Even death for him would waive a wand of kindness. He stuck around not in the town, but he perforated the parameters. It would take many hours before any news would be available, but he waited. If he had a heart, it would have given up by now, but rage had already started to simmer inside of him. In the next moments the verdict had been delivered. His hearing was on point and even within the span of miles he could hear clearly. She was found guilty of witchcraft and the following day her punishment would be metered out by death. Count Samsidion sunk to the ground, his knee banging hard on the cake dried ground. His cry came deep from his gut, but the frustration came about when no tears would come. It was getting late, and he prepared to travel when it was dark. He would easily maneuver himself in flight at the speed of lightning. As soon as the sun had gone completely, Count Samsidion made his way home. It was no surprise that his mother and brother were pacing the hallway awaiting his return.
"Are you out of your mind?" That would be the countess thundering in her volatile booming voice. "When I specifically asked you not to go back because there is nothing that we could do for her you still went." Her accusatory glare would be enough to make any grown man shiver in his boots, but Samsidion was clearly not in the mood for her ranting.
"Not now mother!" His adamance was there along with the fatigue in his voice. Even then the countess would not back off. "What is it with you and that witch?"
The fumes of annoyance bolted out of Samsidion. "That WITCH!" His bellow had so much confidence that even thunder would fall to suicide next to him. "That witch mother," he indented emphasis on the word mother, a clear warning sign that he was tolerant over her poor choice of words because of their relationship. Before Samsidion could conclude his statement, Count Thaneus bit in, slicing a sutured wound.
"You will be wise to choose your words carefully mother." Thaneus was poised in argument, but the stalling anger hovered impatiently. "Do not forget that the Lady Gabrelle is not only your daughter in law, but she was instrumental in getting me and my brother on an upgraded state of life."
If anything, Thaneus words should have seeped some wisdom, but it was clear from the countess`s facial expression she had no empathy whatsoever.
"I actually regret my part in bringing Lady Gabrelle here." Thaneus fell from gaze; evidence that he felt the pain of what Gabrelle was suffering. "We have been selfish, and this cannot be rectified. Others of our kind will be hunted like animals to the slaughter."
Samsidion was pained but he nodded. "The place that they have cannot be infiltrated because they spoke about moving her." Samsidion drowned in thought. "We cannot go on a man hunt because it is not what we represent." He rubbed his eyebrows even though he felt no physical pain. It was a force of habit that allowed him to mimic his actions when he was still human. "Elle will not condone any killing. I cannot break my word to her."
"The matter is settled then." The countess, a pillar of non-virtue was ever ready to close the matter.
This time Count Thaneus took the lead. "Can you be this cold mother?" It was a rhetoric sneer coming out of him and he could not help but snidely add. "Here I was thinking that it is just me and my brother that are dead and void of emotions." With that he strode angrily and hastily towards the long staircase.
The countess knew that her children were upset with her but whatever she did was for the betterment of them. She tried once more to comfort her elder child. "Please try to understand me my son." It was a new wave of toning. Almost a gentile tone that could blindsight even the strongest. "There is nothing that we can do for the girl."
"That girl is my wife mother." Even Count Samsidion had consoled his tone to a lighter volume. "There must be something that I can do to save her." Even as he said, a plan was already beginning to operate within him.
The older woman just shrugged. Even she knew when to quit when she was beaten. "I can see that nothing I would say to change your mind." She started to take her leave when she abruptly stopped and turned around. "Remember Samsidion," Her eyes bored into his inflamed ones. "If your undertaking turns upon the grains of sour salt, then to save one life you would be destroying many." With that she swept away in her overflowing but elegant garment.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
The night had been far too long for Samsidion. He roamed the forest to free himself of the heavy burden that dragged his entire body down. His mind consumed Gabrelle wholly. How could he just walk away? His life would never be the same. He got back into her hometown. The rumor that was spreading about the tiny city was that the Witch Gabrelle was to be executed in a week. That gave him plenty time to get his plan into motion. The only concern now was to find out where they were moving her to. He would have to move in the darkness of the night when he was at his strongest. He stood at a distant tree, sizing up the parameter and mentally deciphering his moves. He would have to break her out of her entrapment. The unfortunate disposition would be that he would have to take casualties. Samsidion groomed his mind to find the strength to believe that it would be a life for a life. He did not hear someone walk behind him, but it was touch on his shoulder that gave him a skittish friend.
"It is only me brother." Thaneus whispered and Samsidion turned around to face him. Thaneus read his brother`s mind. "Did you honestly think that I would sit this one out without you." Force of habit he squeezed his brother`s shoulder in solidarity. "Do we have a plan?"
Samsidion was unsure as to the answer he could give but he knew that he could trust his little brother. "We will have to break her out. Unfortunately, that would mean…" He left the rest of his sentence to hang.
Thaneus shook his head. "Say no more brother. We have to do what we need to do." It was painful for the both of them but monsters they were not. In this case it was Gabrelle`s life that was in question.
"They have moved her from the place of worship." Samsidion was filling his brother in. "Her execution is already set to take place in a week from now. "For now, I have no idea where she is being kept."
"I suppose a coin here and there would get us the answers we need."
Samsidion shook his head in agreement. "We need to be careful. If we encounter a fanatic that might just be the end of us." Samsidion knew that that he needed to be honest with his brother. "We cannot disclose this to anyone, and we cannot bring in a third person. Discretion is of the utmost importance."
Count Thaneus agreed by shaking his head. They stood and watched the sun tidy down and once night had greeted them, they took off for the castle. Samsidion hated bringing in his brother. A thousand things could go wrong. It would be unfair for him to die as well.
"Brother," Samsidion broke the silence as they reached the castle steps. "I need to do this as soon as possible and we need to start preparatory work first thing in the morning."
It did not take much for Thaneus to agree. "I agree. Discretion and efficiency are a must."
Samsidion was hesitating and Thaneus picked up on it. "What is it brother?" Thaneus eyes set ablaze as though dark coal had lit up in fire.
"There is still time for you to pull out of this mission." It hurt Samsidion to tell him this, but it was so richly needed.
"That would be the bloody day." Samsidion gave him a weak smile. He knew his brother well. Count Thaneus was a daredevil and he never backed down from a channel. For the first time in days, Count Samsidion felt as though there just might be a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
The next morning brought a ray of expressive and hopeful sunlight. Both brothers convened at the bottom of the house in a secret room that very few people knew about. They had a solid plan verbally, but it was the execution that would be the challenge that they would need to conquer. It made no sense to go back. Instead, Count Samsidion sent a little vampire boy to go and do some snooping. One thing that he realized that this was going to be an extremely long week. He took to the parlor with a book, but the words did not register with his eyes. His mind was clouded upon his wife and the more that he thought about it, the more aggravated he became. He knew that built for speed he could make a run with Gabrelle but that would mean they would have to disappear. His mother and brother too would have to abdicate their positions in order to survive. This was not going to go down with mother. Sacrifices would have to be made. He would have to ask his mother to gather some of her valuable possessions and a day or two before Gabrelle`s execution his mother would have to make her journey down south to her parents' ancestral home. They won't go looking for her there. Samsidion`s confidence began to grow. The more he thought about his plan of action, he knew that he would not fail. His conviction made him leap in bounds of strength. There was nothing he would not do for Gabrelle. He straightened himself and just settled back into the book when there a hard insistent knock on the door. He would leave it to the servants to get. He needed no distractions. It would be a few minutes when the butler came to fetch him, saying that there was someone to see him.
"Send him in." Count Samsidion did not mean for that to come out abruptly, but it did.
Vincent Salien ushered into the room by the butler was all flusters. He was just a lad of twelve years but with the wit of an old man. He had sandy brown hair and eyes that gave any emerald competition. Today he was all hasty and Samsidion go into panic mode. He had sent Vincent to Gabrelle`s town to do a little sleuthing.
Once the butler was out of ear shot Count Samsidion questioned the lad. "What news do you bring for me?"
"Count Samsidion." He paused. Lucky for Vincent, he was half vampire from his father and his mother was witch. He could exist in both daylight and night. Samsidion raised his eyebrows. A silent nudge for the young lad to speak up.
"I am a bearer of bad news Count." He was genuinely sad. "The Lady Gabrelle…" He could not go on and Count Samsidion unthinkingly grabbed him by his frilly shirt.
"Go on." He was growling in frustration.
The lad was still, almost afraid to spill his news, but he knew that he needed to. It was a matter of urgency. "Lady Gabrelle is to be executed today." He was still afraid and Count Samsidion knew that there was more bad news.
"Spill it all."
"She will not die by hanging but she is being taken to the main field to be burnt at the stake."
A rasping cry drained out of Count Samsidion`s throat. It was too late to save her. He fell to his knees and both his hands cupped his face. He was broken and he had failed her. The woman that had given him a new life had sacrificed hers for him. Promptly he got up and ran out of the parlor. Light darkness had arrived, and motivation enable him to sprint into the thicket of the forest. He was afraid, petrified and viscous in self-pity. When he had coagulated in a well-maintained plan; something had intervened to stop him in his tracks. At the speed that he ran he had reached the fields of haven just in time to see Gabrelle being tied to a stack of woods. There was no way he would get in there to remove her without being captured. He bit hard on his knuckles. It was over and as he was helpless. He watched her from a distance, pained her face was crumbling at the heinous crime that was about to execute these people had no mercy. He moved closer. She could not see him, but he saw her, and the agony of her fate tore at him. Samsidion felt like joining her, but the consequences of his actions would reflect on his family and the few of his vampire friends. The tawdry horrid, puny priest had glee on his face as he took the burning torch. Gabrelle screamed, piercing Samsidion in his chest. If he was not dead already this would have surely done him in. No tear would fall but he cried as he watched his beloved screaming for mercy. The fire had lapped upon her skirts, and it was rising rapidly. The crowd that was compelled to gather watched in pain. The clergy were smiling with glee and Samsidion was crushed in pain. This was the woman he had sworn to protect and love forever but he had failed her. It was at that moment he scanned the crowd and thanks to his photographic memory each one of those sinners will pay with their lives. As the flames crept, he could have sworn that Gabrelle looked into his direction and smiled until her heart stopped and she was dead to the world.
CHAPTER THIRTY -SEVEN
ATHENA
I spluttered as I felt a whirl of smoke curl around my nose. I was suffocating, the burning of flesh was scalding my organs as the intensified pain grappled my being. As my soul lashed out to let go of my body, it seemed that time was stalling. Not yet was the wicked chant that I heard. It was then the pain stopped and the white light appeared. What was going on? I coughed so hard as the Count narrated the story of Gabrelle St. James to me. It was as though her skin covered mine. I felt transported into the journey to live her life as me. The heinous crime that had ascended over her. The melting bones of pain that became her ending. I belonged to the feel of that hateful crime. I was swooning and as I was about to collapse Count Samsidion came to my aid in a flash. I did not fear him as the blood sucking vampire that he was instead I felt comfortable and at ease as he held me so lovingly.
"Lady Athena, lady Athena." He was shaking me with a roughness that still mimicked a loving scene. My eyes flew wide open, and my eyes heartily clashed with his. They were not flooded and bathed in blood red; instead, dark gleam of coals glittered with concern. "What just happened?" He was gleaming with concern and radically anxious that I had collapsed. My mind was no longer clear of flowing thoughts. I was confused and muddled. Everything was surreal and before I admitted to him that something was metamorphic about the story that he told and the plagues of my dreams, I needed to take time to gather my thoughts and put them in perspective. "Lady Athena." He nudged me once more. The bear in the man was dead and he carved into the formation of a gentle being.
I sat up, "Yes what happened?" Oh, dear God, why was I stumbling. I knew what was happening, I just needed to find an order to formulate a solid explanation. "Gabrelle?" I knew the ending. I had relived it. I was not sure as to how I was privy to complete the story of the ending, but it was alive and convincing. I had to find quick composition. Too many images were planting memories inside of me.
"Poor Gabrelle," I murmured. My body shuddered and the vampire looked at me bathed in confusion. He was pained and I suddenly felt his ache seep into me. She was no ordinary person to him. She was someone special. "I tremor to think of the injustice to fools." She was just rambling out aloud but Count Samsidion was paying very close attention to her.
"You look like her. Perhaps think like her," he was staring hard, and his voice was ground too gruff. "You dress differently." It was a haphazard finish, but he did not want to delve too much.
"When was she taken away?" I did not want to delve too much but curiosity had a weird habit of eating away.
He was hesitant but just shrugged his shoulders. "A while." I could tell that when he narrated the story, it had taken a toll on him. I just felt so connected to Gabrelle and not just because I resembled. It was hard to place my finger on it and I decided to just tuck it aside. I needed to return home. My parents were probably frantic. Suddenly I was open to the possibility that I had changed. The wild overanxious me that wanted to always reach for a blade to cut my wrists was gone. I felt calm and collected. It was the story that the Count had related had hashed dreams from within my memory. I had seen myself roasting in fire, but it was the Lady Gabrelle that plagued my dreams. I was meant to be here. The only thing that confused me was what was the reason. My eyes scrambled around the room. It was the same parlor that he had spoken about in his story. I wanted to ask so many questions, but the Count had retreated to the window. He looked out into the mist of the atmosphere lost in his own thoughts. There must be a reason that my grandmother transported me right here in this century to this particular Count.
I decided that I should take a chance on the Count and confess lightly. "Count Samsidion," I commanded his attention by calling out his name. He turned and looked at me. "I have dreamt about the Lady Gabrelle." He gave me an unbelievable look and I wanted to tell him that he was a pestilence in my dreams too, but I held back. "The story that you have relayed to me I have seen in my dreams that drove me to terror many a times." I knew that I was giving away too much but suddenly it felt so much better to speak about it to someone that understands the pangs of a murder. He remained quiet. "There has got to be a reason that I was sent here to you and now that you have trusted me with your secret, I do know that I need to be here."
He was pensive and he stared at me deeply. I was caught in his trap and damn he was fine piece of man. It was understandable that Lady Gabrelle could be so smitten that she would sacrifice her life for him. Then again that was true love.
"We should try and find a way for you to go back to your place." He was abrupt. When he looked at me, I was quite sure that he was seeing Gabrelle. I ached for the both of them. Their love affair had just begun only to be squashed by ignorance.
I did not like his suggestion and I became vocal about it. "There is no hurry for me to leave just yet." I had declared easily and made my mark efficiently. A fury bolted out of his eyes to reveal the blood red of his retina.
"You are not safe here." He barked out harshly, but I was no longer afraid of him. Instead, when I stood next to him, I felt his web of protection encase me. Even now as he spoke, he was still protecting me from the dread of society. "You need to leave immediately." His adamance was disdaining but I was no longer an ordinary girl. For crying out aloud, I was just a simpleton that dabbled in ordinary tarot reading and here I was doing the unbelievable. I had just time travelled. Surely it was not for nothing. Grandmother obviously sent me to the Count because he needed my help. The big question would be how I would break the question to him without hurting his aristocratic pride.
"I do not have aristocratic pride." He spoke out boldly and I almost jumped out of skin. What the hell? Did I speak out aloud? I could not have had spoken and not heard myself. He then grinned at me. His teeth, pearly white and his lips grand and kissable. Then reality dawned upon me.
"The Count can read minds." I had seen this on some of the movies about vamps that I had watched. At that time, I had thought it to be a silly myth but here now I was facing a reality that emblazoned with a wonder that very few people would get to see. I needed to guard my thoughts better.
"I shall prepare a carriage to take you to your home." Clearly, he was bored on reading my thoughts and locked on the same old train of thought that he had.
I would have to stick to my guns. "With all due respect Count Samsidion, your carriage can never take me to the home that I belong to."
"Nonsense my dear." He was smug. "We own the best fleet of carriages this side of the world could see."
I was lucky enough to have a new idea. "You spoke much about your brother." She paused. "Count Thaneus, you said." I waited.
He only nodded and then I proceeded. "Where is he and where is your mother?" It was good plan to encumbrance him with talk about his family so that he could deviate from his doggedness that she should go home.
He gave me a tired look and while the material I had gathered from movies where limited, I knew well enough that vamps did not get tired. He was just so used to keeping up pretenses in public that he felt it necessary to try and fool me as well.
"Mother has seen her last light just a wee months ago and my brother has moved north in pursuit of a lady love."
I just smiled sweetly at him. Now I was convinced that I wanted to stay here and to the best of my ability help the Count in the hellion ambush that was bothering him.
"About your departure?"
I was clearly running out of options now, but I still could stall him for a few more hours. How could I tell him that the very lake that he saved me from would be my ride home. The man would think that I was a raving lunatic.
"I would think that it would be the polite thing to do is offer me a good dinner before I leave in the morning for home." And just like that I bought myself some time. Count Samsidion seemed to be distracted and he just looked at me with an empty expression.
He nodded, "Of course. I will get cook to prepare right away." He left without even giving me a glance. There was something definitely going on in his mind and I was quite that my untimely visit into this forsaken century was that very reason. I also knew that me being the doppelganger of his beloved wife made his a trite uncomfortable; hence the haste in getting me right back to my home. I have to admit that I can understand what my ancestor saw in the count. He had this magnificent aura that kept me mesmerized. A woman can drown into his darkness. Sure, enough in my world some women craved the bad boy image, but the Count was just not a bad boy. He was the real deal. I shuddered when I thought of his wife being burnt at the stake. Wearing his coat of emotions, I felt him being torn with guilt. Deep down he was a good man and it as per circumstances that he ended up in this disposition. I made an instant decision. I needed to sit down the Count and explain to him who I was and where I came from. It would not be easy. Hell, even I am griping to terms that I have literally fallen from a modern century into this backward century of evil intents. Someone please pinch me quick. It would be a proper hour as I dozed off on the divan in the parlor when I was awakened by Count Samsidion informing me that dinner was being served. I was quick on my thought feet and asked him politely.
"I know you guys don't eat food but please join me at the dining table for some excellent conversation."
"Guys?" There it was again; a language that could never be woven into a past. "Never you mind." I grinned, grateful that the Count was beginning to see things my way.
Dinner was not modest. An entire suckling pig was prepared and laid on a platter on the table. If I was not so hungry, I was going to have been disgusted by the sight of its eyes staring at me. Nevertheless, the taste was something truly extraordinary. I was guessing that this century cooks did not have the plethora of spices that we had but dang this was some kind of awesome meal. The vegetables were obviously fresh, and a boat of gravy was something spectacular. The buttery mash potatoes were my favorite, and I lost no time in stuffing my face. The Count eyed me not with disgust per say but he was amazed that I had eaten so well. He offered me wine to which I hastily declined. In past experiences alcohol and I never melded well enough. I opted to drink cool water that was served in a beautifully silver cup.
"I want to help you with whatever ails you." I spoke up clear and concise. He said nothing but I seemed to have grown a strongly structured renewed spine. "It is obvious that I was brought here to be of some kind of service to you."
He eyed me with suspicion. "There is nothing that you can do that would be service to me." He seemed to get angry at my suggestion.
Well, I was not having any of his pomposity. "Why are you being so stubborn and fighting me on this?" I asked as I felt frills of anger starting to bite into me. He said nothing. I think he was secretly fuming but he was too polite to say anything. "Well!" Truly I was baiting him. He stood up.
"Did you not hear clearly the story that I told you about my wife?" He was hissing at me, and I knew that I had a better chance with a rattle snake than the Count. "I told you as a warning. You are a witch am I right?"
I bit my lip so hard and shoot a smidge of blood could be tasted. I was panicked as I hoped that it would not attract the Count`s attention. It was my turn to give him a few lessons. "If only you would listen to me." I grated out. "And just for the record I am not a witch. I am a bloody healer." He was holding a glass in his hand, and he held it so tightly that it shattered.
"What did you say." There was no animosity, just a whisper. He had calmed down in temperament.
"I am a healer." I gave him the short version.
"Who sent you?" He demanded and he was faced with compulsion of loss.
"I was sincere and clear enough Count Samsidion. I was summoned here to help you. I come for the year in 2021."
"That is utter rubbish."
I had to beat the time and think fast.
"I tell you the truth. I think Gabrelle St. James was a great aunt of mine."
"That can never be true because my Elle had no living relatives."
Now I was in a cul-de-sac, and I had no other explanation.