Chapter Three: The Fortress
Slowly the thinning, multi-hued greenery gave way to a smooth, broad, stone path leading to a pale fortress the facing wall embedded with a pair of large heavy iron-clad doors. Upon seeing their approach the large number of fierce looking warriors guarding the gate snapped to attention, racing to open the pathway. Fear and adoration gleamed in their faces as they knelt while Marag and the others passed and to Marguerite the sound of the door booming shut was very final. To her great surprise the imposing gateway yielded to a spacious courtyard where numerous captive birds and exotic flowers created a riot of colour, the slowly gathering dusk barely muting its beauty.
"I'm sure you're tired and in need of food and rest. My servants will see to your needs" stated Marag with a soft smile, motioning to three figures on the right.
"That's very generous of you but, what of my friend Lord Roxton?" Marguerite asked, straining to sound aloof and appreciative. She had lost sight of him after entering the doors and saw only the ever-present and far too populous guards about them.
"He is being cared for. You may visit him later. We shall speak more in the morning." With that she swept from the room followed by her silent, cowled companions.
The trio of female servants led Marguerite to a sumptuous suite, near decadent with silks and cushions, where she bathed in warm, scented water and was provided with a luxurious bed. But, though exhausted, sleep eluded her. Thoughts chased each other, round and round in a blur, and finally dreams brought images of Roxton falling, over and over; the night did not pass well.
Late the next morning, dressed in a soft, flowing gown, Marguerite was escorted to an equally comfortable, curtained room containing a table laden with food. But she could not eat. Slowly she walked around the room her fingers delicately tracing over the walls, everywhere she looked there was wealth. The appointments were silver, the walls inlaid with semiprecious stones, not terribly valuable perhaps, she had difficulty assessing them without her equipment, but they seemed to be of gemstone quality. Now if she could only get some of them loose . . .
"Well, I see that you still have your priorities intact" rumbled a familiar tenor from the back of the room.
"John, are you okay?" wide-eyed Marguerite quickly crossed to where he sat.
"I've been better, but a bit more rest and I'll be fine " Roxton carefully replied taking in her too pale face and smudges beneath her eyes. "I must say, I prefer your accommodation to mine, it was, shall we say, more Spartan. As I seem to have missed some of the excitement, would you mind telling me where we are and why, exactly, we're here."
"How much do you remember?" she asked sitting next to him.
"Well pretty much everything, except for when I blacked out"
"John, you didn't just black out."
"What do you mean?"
"Look, I made a deal . . . "
"I knew it!"
"Would you please listen! You . . . when you fell . . . " Marguerites voice began to tremble and her eyes brightened with tears, as she unconsciously leaned forward to place her hand on his chest to feel his heartbeat. Silently, Roxton gathered her hand within his own and pulled her tight against him, gently caressing her hair. Remembering the shock of when she'd nearly lost him and the solace of his arms were overwhelming, if she let it, in this simple act of comfort she was lost. But, there were things she still had to do, places to be, so not now, not yet. Summoning her willpower she pulled back. "Anyway, I agreed to go along with them if they saved you."
"What!"
"Well, 'Thanks' would be nice" answered Marguerite, pulling herself together.
"Who . . . ?"
Their conversation was interrupted by the ring of booted feet on the stone floor.
"The Lady requests your presence. The one only, not him, he wait" the guard rasped gesturing toward Roxton. "Now wait just a minute . . . " alarmed Roxton rose to his feet.
"It's okay, really, I'll be fine" Marguerite hastened. "Lead the way" and with a last quick glance at Roxton she left the room.
Even by Marguerites standards, Marag's chamber was magnificent. The walls of translucent quartz practically glowed, writhing with heavy veins of gold, while a large central dias was arrayed with a hoard of minerals and crystals of all shapes, sizes and colours. The reflection of the firelight arcing within their facets was dazzling.
Marag stood by a birdcage holding a canary in the corner while her cowled companions, their faces in shadow, stood silently by the back wall.
"Ah, my child, glad that you could join us would you like to take a seat?"
"I prefer to stand thank-you." Marguerite noted that there were no other exit doors save the one which she had just come through.
"As you wish. You have arrived at a most auspicious time, the local peoples have arrived to give us their offerings" smiled Morag.
"Offerings?" Marguerite's face brightened as she saw about a dozen figures clad in rough-woven robes, faces hidden, approach carrying heavy ironbound boxes "What sort of offerings?"
"You shall see."
One by one, with conscious ceremony, they came slowly forward, bowed, placed their gift at the foot of the dias, and retreated. Graciously, Marag acknowledged each until they were again alone.
"You may take what you wish."
Unable to resist Marguerite stepped before the nearest of the boxes and opened it to reveal a magnificent necklace of rare pink topaz. Taking it out of its box she held it so the jewels caught the light, "My, my this is most impressive." She had never seen stones of such size and quality, except perhaps when she had been in Russia. These were prizes indeed, and this was just the first box!
Smiling slowly Marag broke Marguerites concentration "This is but a trifle compared with what we have to offer."
Tearing her attention from the stones Marguerite turned to face her, striving to sound cordial, "And what might that be? You mentioned an explanation."
"Of course." Crossing over to the dias Marag reverently picked up an odd, dull black crystal, somewhat smaller than the rest. "Do you know what this is?"
"A bit off topic," Marguerite replied peering closely at the stone, "but, I don't really recognise it, some sort of meteoric material perhaps."
"Very good, it is not much to look at, but yet . . . " with great care Marag placed it within her hand.
Marguerite gasped as she felt an instant shock, she could feel heat and it seemed to pulse with a pulling energy; a flush rose in her face and neck. Repulsed she hurriedly handed it back "What is that!"
"That, my child, is why we brought you here" Marag chuckled, replacing the stone and moving over to the birdcage. "The world , indeed the universe, is ruled by harmony, and by that I mean a harmony of energy, all around us. Forces which shape and direct every aspect of our being." Carefully removing the tame bird from its confines Marag walked over to Marguerite. "My mind and those of my companions are bonded as one with the rhythm of the universe, alone we are strong but together much more so. When we choose, we are able to harness this energy and bend it to our will. A bit of an over-simplification perhaps, but that will suffice for now."
"That's fascinating, but what does this have to do with me?" asked Marguerite with a shake of her head.
Pacing, Marag gently petted the tiny bird. "You see, together, my companions and I are able to temporarily alter local energy flows on a very small level. For instance, changing the pull of the earth to draw rapidly moving objects toward it, changing the pattern of the weather for crops, or repelling predators. It's why we received those offerings today, we protect the people from harm and they, in turn, thank us."
"How very good of you."
"Yes. The stones can focus and amplify our abilities, each to a different extent. But this one, this stone is old, far older than this planet, from beyond the rim of the universe, it still echoes the vibration from the dawn of time and it shall serve as our pathway to the energy of the infinite." Her fanatical devotion was reflected in her enraptured eyes. "However, we have not yet fully succeeding in harnessing this ones power because we have lacked one final note, if you will."
"Go on, I'm listening."
"You are very special Marguerite. We have been able to sense you for some time, but it is only now that we have been able to track you down. Once your mind is blended permanently with ours, we will be complete!" Fervour gripped her being , "There is much which we can offer you, all the comforts of our home, a way off of the plateaus for you and your friend... and more. Think of the possibilities, my child, these baubles are but nothing! We know well of the world outside, you could have everything your heart desires!"
"But I am curious what, do you get?"
"I am disappointed, for such a mind to think so small." Marag moved to stand back in front of her a hint of madness twisting at her face "We will control everything, everywhere, we will rule the world and become their new gods!"
"And if I don't agree?"
"That would be regrettable, it is better if the mind is willing" sighed Marag as calmness returned, the guise of serenity again cloaking her features. "You would be difficult to replace but, what we give, we can also take away."
With that Marag glanced upon the bird nestled in her palm. To her horror Marguerite saw it fall over and die in a method all too familiar.
"I thought that you needed the others to do that!" she exclaimed.
"Small creature, small life force, I can easily manage such on my own. Sometimes examples must be made. The Lord John Roxton is a very handsome man and a fine companion for you, sadly, should you decline our offer, we could not allow either of you to continue. I promise, you will feel no pain but, there would be no coming back. The confluences of energy will peak at moon-rise tonight. You have until then to decide."
In a trance Marguerite was led back, everything looked the same, it was the same, but somehow all had changed. Infinite power, infinite wealth these were no small things to dismiss out of hand, they were more than she had ever dreamed of. To be able to do anything, be anything, have whatever she wished, whenever she wished, never again to have to jump at shadows or answer to anybody! So Morag was a little unstable, most brilliant people were, it might make her easier to manipulate. Even if this ultimate power was so much zealous babble, she could do amazing things and those abilities could come in very handy, besides she didn't want John to get hurt again. At that thought she paused, what of Roxton and the others, she would most certainly be able to help them, but at what cost, what did she mean by permanently blended?
Bored and worried, Roxton had waited. He had learned that there were two guards posted at the only door at all times, regular patrols of at least four passed down the hallway at roughly ten minute intervals, that the little green crunchy things in the thoughtfully provided buffet were to be avoided and that he really didn't care much for the gaudy draperies. It was with great relief that he saw Marguerites form in the doorway but if she'd been pale before, she was practically ghostly now, ignoring his bodies protests he stood before her. Vaguely Marguerite realized that she'd reached the curtained room.
"Are you all right?"
"Yes, fine, fine, never better and you?"
"Uh, huh, I think that you had better sit down."
"Sure why not." Distractedly Marguerite allowed herself to be led to a chair while Roxton positioned himself beside her.
"We might not have much time. Tell me what happened."
"It seems that they want me for my mind."
"Well, I'm sure that's a first," Roxton chuckled but caught himself when he saw Marguerite's glare, "Sorry, go on."
"Well, Marag...."
"Who?"
Irritation snapped her out of her fog "Don't you know anything?"
"Well in this case, quite frankly, no. The walls are more talkative than the people."
Briefly Marguerite summarized what had happened, disbelief growing in Roxton's face as he listened. Roxton knew that he'd been hurt, but killed? The thought shook him, but now was not the time to dwell on it.
"....let's see become a god or worm food? Hmmmm.... decisions, decisions."
"And you believed her?"
"You died! That storm! We have both seen what she and her merry little band can do. I thought it wise not to call her crazy at the time."
"Point taken. Well at least we have until tonight. Challenger and the others must be looking for us by now, we left a trail a mile wide. There are plenty of guards and we've got no weapons, but we'll think of something." Marguerite noticed how stiffly Roxton got up to wander about the room.
"Are you feeling any better?"
"Fine, considering!" Boots echoed within the corridor. "It sounds like they're coming to take me back" he sighed recalling his barren cell. "I wonder if they'd let me take a few cushions along."
"The mighty hunter Lord John Roxton needs a pillow to sleep...." Marguerite mockingly began, but worry and fear drowned out her usual bravado. As the guards came Roxton gently reached out to caress her face and left.
