As he slowly entered the pavilion, Mary found herself stricken by his
expression; his luminous energy seemed to have momentarily vanished,
replaced by weariness and profound melancholy. She felt an odd pang within
her heart as her eyes met his, feeling his anguish and despair as if the
emotions were her own. Instinctively her arm extended towards him, and her
stomach twisted curiously as a small smile danced across his lips,
revealing a trace of the bright, benevolent confidence that Mary so
admired. Gently taking his hand within her own, she drew him down beside
her upon the silken cushions as her free hand rose to stroke his matted
hair. His eyes fluttered shut with contentment, and a deeply tender
feeling pervaded her senses as she lowered his head to her lap, her finger
lightly tracing his cheekbone as she hummed a soothing melody. "Mary..." he
whispered blissfully, his countenance adopting a state of complete
serenity. "Shh...you must sleep now," was her hushed reply, and as she
watched him lapse into a deep slumber, she felt hot tears prick her eyes.
She wept silently as she softly cupped his flushed cheek in her hand,
admiring his peaceful beauty. To Mary, he always seemed to exude goodness
like an aura, and a golden luminance accompanied him everywhere. His
kindness and wisdom had earned her love from their very first acquaintance,
and in the time since her adoration of him had evolved to such a level that
she knew that she would follow him anywhere and do whatever he may ask of
her. But for all his virtue and wonder, he provided Mary with no end of
confusion and fear; how could she love a man whose existence was more
valuable than that of any mere mortal? She knew that he had a great
destiny to be fulfilled: for a life of this magnitude, where was there a
place for one so soiled and corrupted as herself?
He stirred in his sleep, and she reached for the woolen blanket beside her, carefully arranging the fabric over his slumbering form. Her hands lingered at his torso for a moment, and an overwhelming sensation of longing engulfed her as she ran her palms across his chest and shoulders. Without a full awareness of her actions, she lowered her face to his, her lips softly pressing against his own. Her heart beat frantically as she felt his mouth move beneath hers; she had awakened him.....when he realized what she had done, he would surely despise her. So lost was she in her fear and shame that several moments passed before she realized that her lips were still upon his....and he was not drawing away. Her skin tingled with ecstasy as he gently ran his tongue across her lower lip, his hand rising to trace her jawbone. In spite of the provocative quality of her occupation, Mary felt that she had never experienced such intimacy as that which was provided by this chaste, innocent caress. However, her elation soon faded as a cold shiver crept up her spine: something was terribly wrong. Glancing upwards, she felt her breath catch in her throat as her gaze met a pair of obsidian eyes that gleamed with bitter malice. Her posture shot upright as she held Judas's stare, her stomach lurching with icy fear as she noted the deep hatred etched upon each facial feature. Judas finally diverted his attention from Mary as Jesus lifted his head from her lap, his blue eyes meeting Judas's black ones with incredible intensity. Judas's lips twisted into a cruel smile as he strode across the chamber, seating himself beside Mary and placing his hand upon her upper thigh. "Well, what have we here?" he queried wickedly, stroking her leg suggestively as he cocked one eyebrow towards Jesus. Fury flashed within Mary as she slapped her hand upon Judas's, sinking her nails into his flesh. Leaping into a standing position, Judas glowered at Mary with unbridled loathing before hissing towards Jesus, "I warned you.....I warned you." Pivoting on his heel, Judas stalked out of the room, but his presence and words hung in the air like a foul stench. Suddenly, Mary felt as if she was every bit the wanton harlot that Judas had always insisted that she was, and she found herself backing towards the doorway, not wishing to taint this precious, pure man with her innate evil. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but before any words could leave his lips, Mary turned and fled, running desperately through the darkness as tears scalded her cheeks. When she considered the distance between herself and Jesus' chamber sufficiently large, she ceased her frantic flight, drying her tears with her mantle and struggling to regain breath. No sooner had she begun this process that she felt a powerful hand upon her shoulder, pinning her roughly against the wall of the corridor. Despite the distinct lack of light, Mary could recognize Judas's features, and panic seized her being as she struggled to escape his vice-like hold. However, her efforts were to no avail; she could not hope to overpower him. Judas drew his face towards her ear, whispering in an angry, harsh manner: "Do you know what you have done? You have destroyed him, you filthy wench! You have been nothing but a curse to us since you arrived...nothing but a curse..."
Mary cried out quietly as she felt his lips upon her neck, sucking and biting cruelly and relentlessly. "What then, is the whore now at liberty to pick and choose her patrons?" Judas hissed maliciously, his hands moving rapidly over her frame as he viciously pressed the length of his body against her. Just when Mary felt that she would vomit from terror and desperation, Judas stepped away from her, his head lowered as he took several backward paces. Her eyes now well-adjusted to the darkness, Mary could clearly view his expression, and she found herself frightened and puzzled by the cold determination she observed therein. Somehow she knew that his rage was no longer directed towards her, and as he slowly approached the pavilion's exit, she felt herself seized by a horrible sense of foreboding. Although she knew not what he planned, Mary could not shake the suspicion that Judas's actions that night would bear terrible repercussions. "Judas," she breathed, "where are you going?" Ignoring her query, Judas turned his back to her and ran out into the night, his form soon disappearing from view. Mary felt herself sink down to the parapets, her head dropping into her hands as she wept with utter anguish, knowing somewhere within her soul that the events of this night would lead to pain and torment beyond bearing.......not just for her, not just for him....but for them all.
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He stirred in his sleep, and she reached for the woolen blanket beside her, carefully arranging the fabric over his slumbering form. Her hands lingered at his torso for a moment, and an overwhelming sensation of longing engulfed her as she ran her palms across his chest and shoulders. Without a full awareness of her actions, she lowered her face to his, her lips softly pressing against his own. Her heart beat frantically as she felt his mouth move beneath hers; she had awakened him.....when he realized what she had done, he would surely despise her. So lost was she in her fear and shame that several moments passed before she realized that her lips were still upon his....and he was not drawing away. Her skin tingled with ecstasy as he gently ran his tongue across her lower lip, his hand rising to trace her jawbone. In spite of the provocative quality of her occupation, Mary felt that she had never experienced such intimacy as that which was provided by this chaste, innocent caress. However, her elation soon faded as a cold shiver crept up her spine: something was terribly wrong. Glancing upwards, she felt her breath catch in her throat as her gaze met a pair of obsidian eyes that gleamed with bitter malice. Her posture shot upright as she held Judas's stare, her stomach lurching with icy fear as she noted the deep hatred etched upon each facial feature. Judas finally diverted his attention from Mary as Jesus lifted his head from her lap, his blue eyes meeting Judas's black ones with incredible intensity. Judas's lips twisted into a cruel smile as he strode across the chamber, seating himself beside Mary and placing his hand upon her upper thigh. "Well, what have we here?" he queried wickedly, stroking her leg suggestively as he cocked one eyebrow towards Jesus. Fury flashed within Mary as she slapped her hand upon Judas's, sinking her nails into his flesh. Leaping into a standing position, Judas glowered at Mary with unbridled loathing before hissing towards Jesus, "I warned you.....I warned you." Pivoting on his heel, Judas stalked out of the room, but his presence and words hung in the air like a foul stench. Suddenly, Mary felt as if she was every bit the wanton harlot that Judas had always insisted that she was, and she found herself backing towards the doorway, not wishing to taint this precious, pure man with her innate evil. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but before any words could leave his lips, Mary turned and fled, running desperately through the darkness as tears scalded her cheeks. When she considered the distance between herself and Jesus' chamber sufficiently large, she ceased her frantic flight, drying her tears with her mantle and struggling to regain breath. No sooner had she begun this process that she felt a powerful hand upon her shoulder, pinning her roughly against the wall of the corridor. Despite the distinct lack of light, Mary could recognize Judas's features, and panic seized her being as she struggled to escape his vice-like hold. However, her efforts were to no avail; she could not hope to overpower him. Judas drew his face towards her ear, whispering in an angry, harsh manner: "Do you know what you have done? You have destroyed him, you filthy wench! You have been nothing but a curse to us since you arrived...nothing but a curse..."
Mary cried out quietly as she felt his lips upon her neck, sucking and biting cruelly and relentlessly. "What then, is the whore now at liberty to pick and choose her patrons?" Judas hissed maliciously, his hands moving rapidly over her frame as he viciously pressed the length of his body against her. Just when Mary felt that she would vomit from terror and desperation, Judas stepped away from her, his head lowered as he took several backward paces. Her eyes now well-adjusted to the darkness, Mary could clearly view his expression, and she found herself frightened and puzzled by the cold determination she observed therein. Somehow she knew that his rage was no longer directed towards her, and as he slowly approached the pavilion's exit, she felt herself seized by a horrible sense of foreboding. Although she knew not what he planned, Mary could not shake the suspicion that Judas's actions that night would bear terrible repercussions. "Judas," she breathed, "where are you going?" Ignoring her query, Judas turned his back to her and ran out into the night, his form soon disappearing from view. Mary felt herself sink down to the parapets, her head dropping into her hands as she wept with utter anguish, knowing somewhere within her soul that the events of this night would lead to pain and torment beyond bearing.......not just for her, not just for him....but for them all.
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