The Mouth Of The Wicked And The Deceitful Are Opened Against Me: They Have Spoken Against Me With A Lying Tongue.

AN: Hey, guys and gals, sorry about this update being a little late. My sister and her kids came over to visit yesterday just as I was sitting down to write, and so that delayed things a bit. Okay, now that the apologies are out of the way, unto the new chapter. Oh, one more thing first, (just FYI) I believe this chapter follows the Biblical story more closely than any which have proceeded it. I'm not quite sure how you all feel about that. But the ground work is set and it's time to start getting into the meat and bones of the story of Esther. Hope you all continue to enjoy. ;)

A Copy of Edward's Order To Kill The Christians:

King Vlad Dracula sends the following order to the governors of the 127 provinces, from the Emerald Isles to the Holdings of the Czars:

Your King has become the ruler of many nations and has forged the most powerful kingdom in the world, yet he has not abused his authority. Instead, in fairness and kindness, he has passed only those laws and edicts which have helped to ensure that his people will live in security, that his kingdom will be civilized, that travel from one end of it to the other will be safe, and that the law and order which everyone wants will be maintained.

The Grand Vizier has, however, uncovered something most disturbing. Edward Cullen is famous among us for his sound judgment, and he has proved himself by his constant good will and unfailing loyalty - so much so that even though he is of another race and breed, the King has named him his most trusted advisor and appointed him second in the kingdom. So we know that his testimony is true, further it has been established by several reports and even the confession of a criminal directly involved. There are a people, a hostile people, living among us.

Under the guise of peace they have infiltrated our communities, our places of business, and even some levels of our government. Yet, these people harbor evil intensions towards us. They keep their own laws and customs - contrary to those created to protect our safety and stability - and secretly plot the downfall of the kingdom and the destruction of our way of life. So it has been impossible for us to unify the administration of the kingdom and insure the security and stability we all desire. Therefore these people must be destroyed. They must be cut out like the cancerous infection they are.

To this end Grand Vizier Edward has been placed in charge of this matter and has suggested that the citizens of this great nation demonstrate their loyalty to King and country by destroying this subversive people utterly. On the fourteenth day of the twelfth month of this year - the month of December - the King's protection shall be removed from the Christians living in his kingdom. During that day, they may be hunted, slain, whatever, without fear of recompense from the law. And your King and his Grand Vizier implore you - the good, loyal, citizens of this great nation - to take full advantage of this opportunity to rid us of a deceptive and subversive people. And in return for this demonstration of your loyalty and patriotism, you shall reap all the spoils of war that you are able to take from their households and belongings. In this way, these hostile, subversive people will be purged from our land and then our Kingdom will be stable and secure for the future.

Integra could hardly believe it. She knew that that elitist prick of a grand vizier hated her because she refused to bow down to him. And she knew that he had no great love or respect for Christians in general. But she never thought he'd do... this. She never thought that he'd enact a plot to murder not only her but her entire people.

And she certainly never thought that he'd be able to convince the King to suspend the laws of the land - even temporarily - to permit such a slaughter of his own citizens. But now... in just over two weeks there would not be a single Christian left alive in all of Vlad's kingdom, not if Edward had his way anyway. How could their loyalty even be in question in the first place? Had she not - twice - discovered and reported on plots against the King? What had the Grand Vizier done to so turn the King's heart against her and her people? What did the King think? Did he even know who he was condemning to death? Did he know how many of the people close to him were Christians? A gate keeper who'd twice saved him from the plotting of real subversive forces? His own Queen? How could he condone such an edict?

In sorrow and grief Integra's head fell to the desk in front of her. She wept bitterly, soaking the dreaded edict with her tears. She wept for herself, for her people, but most of all she wept for her daughter. Then her mouth opened and slowly a whisper of a prayer began to flow from her heart.

"Lord, Lord Jesus, You are the King who rules everything. The universe itself is under Your control. No one can stop You when You desire to do something, and no one can stand against You when You have set Your heart upon something. You made Heaven and Earth and every wonderful thing under Heaven. You even made the darkness for the day of evil. There is nothing in this world, nor any other, that You have not made, nor anything which is not under Your authority. No one who stands against You can prosper, oh Lord.

"And You know everything. You know that when I refused to bow down before that man, I never imagined anything like this could come of it. But, even if I'd known, I still would've refused - not out of arrogance, or self righteousness. Oh, Lord, forgive me, perhaps I was arrogant, perhaps even self righteous that first day in the King's courtyard. Forgive me of my pride, please, oh Lord. But now... now I cry before You, humbled and without any guile. Yet, even if that man entered now and promised to repeal the edict if I bowed down before him, You know that I would still refuse - not out of pride, for grief has driven all my pride from me, but out of obedience to You, Lord God. Dear Lord, I would kiss the man's feet, but I would not bow down before him. For You alone are worthy of praise and worship, and I will honor no one else as much as I honor you, my God. For you alone are worthy.

"Dear Lord, please do not let my people... Your people suffer for me, for the sin of my pride or the determination I have to be faithful to You. Lord, as You spared us once before from eternal damnation, I'm asking You... I'm begging You, please spare us from this edict. Open up a way for us to escape out of the hands of those who hunger for our blood. Please, Lord, do not forget the people You have saved and called by Your name - the very people You died for once before. Hear my prayer, oh Lord. Have mercy on Your people. Turn our sorrow into joy so that we might live to praise Your name and sing of Your glory and mercy. Do not let the evil ones destroy those who follow You."

Integra finished her prayer, and all was quiet, save for the slight sound of her continued weeping. And then a thought came to her, like a light from above. Perhaps the King didn't know who he was condemning to death. She had only ever met him once, and the topic of that meeting had never strayed to her religious beliefs. Likewise, as far as she knew, her daughter had never discussed her own beliefs with the King during their brief encounters. The Grand Vizier, on the other hand, had the King's ear almost every day. How easy would it be for him to plant seeds of evil in the King's mind, lies, venomous deceptions. And with no other voice to counter them, how easily they would take root. Perhaps, just maybe, this edict passed through the King simply by virtue of ignorance, and not any malicious intent. If someone could but reach the King; if someone could but plead their cause, perhaps - just maybe - they might all be saved.

Integra smiled in joy. Then looked up to heaven. She closed her eyes and thanked the Lord for lighting her path and showing her what might be done to save them all. Then she snatched up the edict, grabbed her coat, and raced out the door.

Integra was headed towards the palace, but not to see the King. She knew he'd never listen to her if she burst in on him without an appointment, and she didn't have the time to go through official channels. It could take months to get an appointment to see the King, and even those who had appointments already were being postponed so that the King would have more time to plan his next offensive against the Chinese. No, going to the King would only result in her dying before she got to plead her cause... or worse, her own breach of the law being taken as further proof of Christian treachery. No, the King would need reason to extend favor and spare the life of one who came to him unbidden. He would need to know and care about the person. And so Integra ran to the palace, not to see the King, but to meet with her own daughter, the Queen.

Integra's face was flush and she was quite out of breath by the time she reached Seras's chamber, and her daughter's expression upon seeing her revealed both surprise and concern. She knew instantly that something was wrong but had no idea what. "What is it?" Seras all but gasped.

Integra huffed a few times to restore much needed oxygen to her blood before replying. "Have you seen this?" she asked as she held the leaflet containing the dreaded edict out to her daughter.

"I... no, what is it?" Seras responded sounding a bit confused by the urgency with which her mother regarded the small scrap of paper. Then she started to read and her already pale, vampiric skin, turned ghostly white. "They... they can't!" she exclaimed in a torrent of emotions, not the least of which being fear and betrayal.

"They already have."

"I... I'll hide you in the palace, give you some of my old bride's clothes. And you can stay in the women's section. The King has so many 'brides' already, I doubt anyone would notice one more. Well, Walter might, but he's a good man. I think we can trust him to keep the secret."

Integra smiled at her daughter. "Thank you for the offer, but I will not abandon my people... our people. If they are to die, then I shall die alongside them. But I think there's a way for us all to yet avoid that fate."

"What? how?" Seras asked anxiously. "The edict is already passed; what can be done about it now?"

"It's obvious from the wording that Edward has been the driving force behind this edict. The King's heart may yet be turned - if someone he trusts were to plead our cause before him."

Seras just stared for several seconds, wondering who her mother could possibly have in mind for the position of this Champion of the Christians. Who within their community might have a high enough standing to appeal to the King and turn his heart from this senseless slaughter? And then a thought struck her. "Dear Lord! You can't mean me!"

"You are the Queen, are you not? Who better to plead our cause before the King? Surly you must have his favor for him to appoint you to such a position. Go to him. Reveal to him that you are a Christian, and plead our cause."

Seras just shook her head. "Maybe once I had his favor - even still it's beyond me what I did to get it... or lose it. I have no idea how that man's twisted mind works. But whatever favor I had, I've lost. I've only seen him once since his return, nearly a month ago. And during that meeting, he made his disdain for me quite clear."

"You must be exaggerating," Integra replied. "You are still the Queen."

"I don't know why. That man... he must hate me."

"You must go to him," Integra insisted.

"Mum, I-I can't; if I go to him, he'll have me killed," Seras replied, tears in her eyes.

Integra pulled her daughter to her and wrapped a comforting arm around her. "My dear child, do you think that the Lord has saved you without reason? Do you think He spared you from the destruction of your home as an infant and from what should've been your death in an old cathedral three months ago without cause? Do you think He guided you to the position of Queen on a whim? Can you not see that He has planned it all from the beginning, that he has brought you here so that you might be the voice that speaks for His people. Can you not see God's hand in your life? He saved you from death twice and lifted you to a station far above our breeding. Do you think He would do all that, just to abandon you before the King? I think not. Don't you see; you must do this."

"Mum, I-I-" Seras stuttered.

And Integra gently rubbed her back, just as she'd done many years before, when Seras was just a baby in her arms. "You must do it, Seras. It's the purpose the Lord has groomed you for and called you to. If you don't fulfill it... Well, I have faith that the Lord will find some other means to deliver his people, but you will have failed to answer Him when he called for you. And who's displeasure is the more fearful, that of an Earthly king... or that of God - the King of all creation?"

Seras gulped. She tried to open her eyes but did not have the will to do so. "Send a message to the leaders of the Christian Churches throughout the kingdom. Have them tell all of our people to fast for three days - I will fast as well - and pray. And at the end of those three days, I shall go to the king. And if I perish... I perish."

Well, hope you all enjoyed the new chapter. Next one will - hopefully - be up on time. And we should get to see Seras going to the King... as well as a funny, little bit of irony regarding Integra and Edward. ;)

Have a good day, and God bless.

Metropolis Kid.

To Larisa: I'm very pleased to hear that you enjoyed the last chapter so much, and didn't mind the 'time jump' too terribly. :D Thanks for the review, and I hope you had as much fun with this update as the last. ;) I do want to write that companion piece - detailing Seras's adjustment to her position as No-Life Queen - and I'm hopeful I'll be able to start it shortly after this fic concludes... assuming my courses continue to cooperate. :/ Anyway, I'm very pleased that you're still enjoying this story so much... and it's nice to see you having the intended reaction to the Grand Vizier. ;) Hope you continue to enjoy.

To Wolfie: Yeah, poor Seras was only trying to do something nice. It's too bad that Vlad reacted like he did instead of waiting, cooling off and looking at the situation more objectively. But then I think we can all be accused of behaving like that from time to time, reacting aggressively - from a position of hurt - without getting all the facts. And Vlad does seem to have temper on him, which I think would make him even more susceptible to such a reaction. Well, thanks for the review, and I hope you continue to enjoy. ;)