It was sunset in the castle drawing room. Resting on a table in the center of the room was a crystal ball.
Tilda and Felux stood by the door while Pamtha sat on the couch across from Cosaria and Marley.
Delrik stood behind Cosaria like an eagle protector. He was clenching his fist while sizing up the old woman. He thought, I don't entirely trust this woman but I can't have her killed. Cosaria wouldn't approve. I could have it done when she leaves the Dutchy. Though perhaps she will be useful in negotiations with the church. She hasn't yet proven herself one way or another.
Pamtha addressed Cosaria, saying, "Your power, my dear, should it be even a fraction of your mother's, could rival even the Grand Bishop himself. It's truly a shame she died in childbirth."
Cosaria said, "But she didn't die in childbirth."
Pamtha nodded, saying, "So mysterious, her disappearance and all."
So far, she's only proven that she's crazy, Delrik thought.
"Anyhoo, let's begin," Pamtha said as she brought out a giant knife and started sharpening it. "Those priests at the church have been up in arms about me performing the test correctly. They wanted me to use their 'new method'. 'It's faster,' they say, 'it's not as messy,' they say."
Everyone progressively got more and more apprehensive with each stoke of Pamtha's knife sharpening.
Wide eyed Marley put her hand over Cosaria, who was trembling.
Pamtha pointed the knife at Cosaria, saying, "Poppycock! Their new methods can barely test the potency of holy water."
Delrik put his hand on the hilt of his sword.
Pamtha said, "You can't find a decent priest now a days. Seredith, that's your mother Cosaria, she never trusted the church. Well, she did until she didn't."
A thwang came from the knife as Pamtha flicked it.
Pamtha said, "Their new wave priestism is really going to be the death of me. Let's hope that's not a prophecy. Ho ho ho ho ho!"
When she finished laughing, (and ignoring that nobody else was laughing) Pamtha said, "Now, give me your hand."
Cosaria was pale white.
Everyone else wore varied shades of worried. From wide eyes and deep frowns to stiff shoulders and dry throats, no one knew quite what to expect. Marley shook her head and looked away as Cosaria reached out her hand.
Like a viper striking, Pamtha grabbed the hand and barely pricked the finger, drawing a small bead of red blood. Then Pamtha placed the bloody finger over the crystal ball. The red drop oozed into the crystal ball and streaked throughout the inside.
Pamtha continued her rant, "The blood must be fresh, don't you see. Now repeat after me. Verum ostende nobis."
Cosaria repeated, "Verum ostende nobis."
Pamtha said, "Potestas intus."
"Potestas intus."
Pamtha said, "Potentia circum."
"Potentia circum."
Pamtha said, "Omni virtute."
"Omni virtute."
When Cosaria said the final words, the blood within the crystal ball swirled and darkened till the ball turned black.
Gasping, Marley said, "What happened?"
Pamtha said, "Yes. That's normal. Yes. Not a worry. This is what happens. Usually. I think… Now we wait. We should have the results soon. A few minutes. A couple hours. Multiple days."
Delrik said, "Which is it?"
"Soon."
"Why do I even ask?"
"I don't know. You never listen anyway. It is a conundrum, isn't it?"
Tilda grabbed some bandages and began to wrap the small prick on Cosaria's finger. She asked, "How do the other church priests go about the testing?"
Pamtha said, "Ridiculous I say. They have a silly chant they perform while shaking a stick with jangly bells. Ridiculous. Fools, complete fools."
Standing, Delrik said, "If that is all, then I will retire to my room for the night."
Pamtha said, "Yes, very good. You are excused."
Delrik's lip was raised in disgust. Before he could say a backbiting retort, Felux put a hand on Delrik's shoulder.
Felux said, "Don't mind her."
Then Felux and Delrik left the room. As they did, Bess entered soundlessly and started to clean the room, as it was one of her chores. She would have gone unnoticed if Tilda didn't wave hello.
Pamtha whispered to Marley, saying, "I feel so powerful being in a Duke's home, perhaps it's getting to my head. Now…" Pamtha reached into her pocket and pulled out a deck of face cards. She said, "Who's ready to gamble?"
Tilda turned away, saying, "Hard pass."
Marley said, "Oh, that's… no thanks."
Cosaria said, "I don't know how."
Pamtha complained, "You lot are no fun."
Bess cleared her throat and said, "I know a few people."
"Despicable! How could you assume a priestess to gamble!" Pamtha said. Then she whispered, "Now gather them up, so I can clean them out."
༻✧༺
After a late night of cards, Pamtha lay asleep on her bed in a guest room, snoring loudly. Beside her, on the bedstand table, a small light began to shine from within the black of the crystal ball. Slowly it grew brighter and brighter until it was bursting and cracking with light. The light illuminated the entire room.
Startled by the cracking of the crystal, Pamtha fell off the bed. She glanced up and stared at the ball.
"Incredible! This is… this must mean…"
༻✧༺
It was the usual nightly ritual; Cosaria was in Delrik's room, a glowing hand placed upon his bare chest. After the glowing stopped, she removed her hand and said, "Just a few more times and I think you'll be healed."
The thought brought a pang of hurt to Delrik's heart. He took her hand in his and sat down on his bed, looking at the ground. There was so much he wanted to say, yet fear unlike anything he had ever felt was filling his soul.
He looked up to her, into those starry eyes of hers. He wanted to protect her, comfort her, kiss her. He said, "I-"
The door slammed open as Pamtha barged in.
Cosaria gasped and threw a blanket over Delrik. He fell off the bed covered in sheets. From the door, Pamtha held out the cracked glowing crystal, which had dulled in light.
Pamtha said, "Urgency!"
Delrik popped up, his torso (and more importantly, his curse) covered in blankets. Both Delrik and Cosaria had a slightly terrified, mostly surprised expression. As Cosaria's wide eyes glanced at Pamtha, Pamtha tilted her head curiously.
Pamtha said, "What is this? This isn't explicit at all! Why is he still wearing pants?"
"Did you see anything, you doltish woman?" Delrik barked. If she had seen his curse… well, he didn't know what he would do. He would have to find a way to kill her.
"What was there to see? You two weren't doing anything."
Cosaria said, "Pamtha, why wouldn't he be wearing pants?"
Pamtha said, "What an odd question."
Delrik looked away embarrassed as he said, "She doesn't know much about… the ways between men and woman."
"Oh, Cosaria dear, we need to have a talk."
"You said there was something urgent," Delrik reminded her.
"Oh, yes. This!" Pamtha showed the glowing cracked crystal, saying, "Behold!"
Inside the crystal was an image of a statue winged woman clothed in white.
Cosaria said, "What does it mean?"
Pamtha said, "You, my dear Cosaria, have been chosen of the skies. When the rabbit touches the stars, the truth shall reveal itself. The waiting is over. The prophecies, the bushes to trees. The lettuce is shredded!"
Having no comprehension of what she was saying, Delrik and Cosaria just blinked.
Pamtha sighed and said, "My dear Cosaria. You are the divine maiden."
༻✧༺
It was later that night when Delrik called an emergency meeting. In attendance was Felux, Tilda, Cosaria, Pamtha and Delrik. They were still in their sleeping attire and Pamtha was the only one sitting comfortably on the couch.
As Delrik leaned against the window, Felux yawned. The yawn triggered a yawn in Tilda and she glared at Felux for passing it onto her. Cosaria stood beside Tilda, looking for comfort.
Tilda said, "You know, I wish I could say I'm surprised that Cosaria is the divine maiden, but I'm not."
Cosaria said, "How?"
"I guess it just makes sense. I had a feeling that if anyone were to be the divine maiden, it would be Lady Cosaria. I just, in the weirdest of ways, kind of already knew."
Delrik said, "In the same way, I wouldn't be surprised if Lord Grysle already knows."
Felux asked, "What's to be done? Increase security?"
Delrik said, "That won't be enough. We must secure Cosaria's safety at all costs." Suddenly, that job became much harder with discovering her new position as divine maiden. She was ten times more valuable to outside sources with such a title.
Pamtha said, "Oh, don't be so dramatic. I mean, please, what can you even do?"
Delrik said, "I will use every resource at my disposal to keep Cosaria safe."
Pamtha said, "I'm referring to the panther."
Delrik said, "What are you talking about?"
"THE panther. Really, Delrik deary, do you ever listen?"
"Do you ever speak clearly!?"
Cosaria said, "Oh no. I think we should all take a few deep breathes…"
"This woman is an insane witch! She barged into my private chambers hoping to…" Delrik turned to Pamtha, asking, "What were you hoping to find?"
"Babymaking."
Delrik charged at Pamtha but Felux held him back.
Felux said, "That'd have been my fault. I let her past the door fer her sayin it was urgent."
Tilda stood next to Pamtha, glaring at Delrik. She said, "And it was urgent."
Delrik was is a fury. He said, "She's a liability that needs to be eliminated."
Cosaria gasped, saying, "Delrik!"
Felux said, "We're needin her to fool the church."
With clenched fists, Delrik said, "I don't trust her to fool a paper bag."
"Lord Delrik," Tilda said, "Calm yourself down. Do you need to go take a walk before you can come back and have an adult conversation?"
Delrik's jaw dropped.
"Do you?" Tilda demanded.
"No." Delrik relaxed his fist.
"Good. Now you're not going to like it, but we're stuck with Pamtha. We've already passed the point of no return. We can't kill her, or the church and the king will come down on us. Like it or not, we have to trust her, not because we want to, but because we don't have another choice at this point."
Delrik said, "But if she fails…"
Tilda said, "Then we'll have to do something to make sure she succeeds."
"Please Delrik." With her big puppy dog eyes, moving closer to Delrik, Cosaria said, "Pamtha is like family."
Delrik sighed, saying, "Indeed. It will be as you wish. For you Cosaria, I would anything."
Pamtha mumbled, "You'd be surprised but I am quite well respected among the clergy."
"Indeed." Delrik said, "I'd be very surprised."
Felux said, "I'd believe it. That church's strange."
Delrik said, "I've decided. Tilda, you'll go with the priestess back to the church. Make sure she convinces them that Cosaria holds no divine power."
Tilda said, "You expect me to make this right?"
"That is what you were offering, wasn't it?"
No. That wasn't what Tilda was offering.
"…Sure. Yeah."
Delrik said, "Cosaria's safety is top priority. For now, I believe it to be in our best interest to arrange for her to barricade at the castle under extra protection. We'll have to enforce special protocol and extra limitations. Felux?"
"Aye, it'll be done."
Cosaria said, "But Tilda, will you be alright?"
"I'll be alright my lady. I can take care of myself. I'll only be gone for a few days. A week at most. Besides, it's not like I'm a target."
"But… how will I…? No. I must go without you at times. It must be so. I can survive it." Cosaria held Tilda's hand and said, "But, won't you promise me you'll be safe?"
Tilda wanted to be proud of Cosaria's new found independence. Instead, she internally cringed. She said, "I'll do my best."
Cosaria hugged Tilda.
Pamtha said, "Where's my squeezes?"
Cosaria hugged Pamtha, as Pamtha whispered, "I'll keep the girl safe."
Cosaria said, "Thank you, Pamtha."
Pamtha said, "Now, you all let me walk Cosaria back to her room. I have things I absolutely must discuss with her. Private, priestly things, you know. Things involving mothers."
Delrik nodded. He thought, It's only natural they'd share a special bond of kinship. She was friends with Cosaria's mother.
The two divine ladies exited with Pamtha escorting Cosaria.
Tilda asked Delrik, "Anything else?"
Delrik said, "Don't fail me."
Tilda said, "Same goes to you."
Delrik felt like he and Tilda were united in purpose. He said, "I must admit. I find comfort that we share a fondness for Cosaria."
Tilda frowned. She said, "I don't."
Felux said, "I'll escort Tilda home."
༻✧༺
Felux and Tilda held hands, walking down the hallway.
Tilda complained, "That stuck up brat things he can order anyone and everyone around."
Felux said, "That'd be his job as Duke."
Tilda sighed. "That's the problem."
"Him being Duke?"
"No, I'm the problem. I think I've started to see Lord Delrik like my little brother."
"That's bad?"
"Very bad. He's a Duke. I can't be treating a Duke like family."
"Why's that?"
"Our statuses are so different. We're from different worlds."
"Only cause you're sayin so."
Tilda broke her hand from his grip and faced him, saying, "It's how it is."
Felux said, "Maybe I'm not understandin. Yer saying yer from different worlds, but you both live in the castle. You say yer statuses're too different, but yer both human. From what I can tell, ye think you need to do what everyone's done to him since he's been young."
"What's that?"
"Treatin him like he's more than a human."
Tilda's eyes widened.
Felux continued, "Delrik's not had much of what I'd consider family. Aye, he'd a mother and father, but honesty and trust? Naw. Maybe you fillin the sister role woulnd't be bad fer a loner like him. He could use more people like that."
Tilda pushed Felux, saying, "When did you get so wise?"
"I've always been wise. That'd be why you like me so much."
Tilda smiled. "You're not wrong."
༻✧༺
In the hallway, Marley knocked on the door, calling, "Lady Cosaria? Is everything alright?"
Marley opened the door to find Cosaria sitting on her couch, her head in her hands.
Marley sat next to her and asked, "Oh man, are you alright?"
Cosaria looked up, her face was flushed and red with embarrassment.
Marley asked, "What happened?"
Cosaria said, "Pamtha gave me…"
Blushing hearts bloomed inside of Cosaria's thoughts as she said, "The talk."
"What talk?"
"The talk." -Blooming hearts.
"Oh man, you don't mean…"
Hearts bloomed inside of Marley's thoughts as she said, "The talk."
Cosaria said, "Have you already had…" -Blooming hearts- "The talk?"
Marley said, "Oh yah, I've got five older sisters. That stuff is commonplace conversation in my family."
Cosaria buried her head in her knees. She mumbled, "I had no idea. I'm so embarrassed."
I wish Tilda were here. She would know what to say, Marley thought. She said, "Don't worry, my lady, it's all perfectly normal."
"It is?"
"Absolutely," Marley said. She thought, At least, that's what my sisters say when I get embarrassed.
Cosaria covered her face with her hands, saying, "How am I ever going to face Delrik again?"
"Uh… uh… maybe, just be normal?"
"How can I?" Cosaria flopped over.
Marley hugged Cosaria, saying, "It's going to be okay my lady!"
Needless to say, it was a very dramatic night.