Natura nihil frustra facit
Translation: Nature does nothing in vain.
The Iron Knight armor was all laid out on the floor. While the giant and Mackie were busy ooing and ahhing over each piece, Tony looked out of the room's window, thinking about what the High Priest had said in the Audo.
No one can meet the Great One yet, he has other commitments tonight, the night of the Full Moon, when we know that something bad always happens on such nights. And Pepper... she has been chosen for a higher purpose. Something is going to happen to Pepper tonight. And at the Lacus. I can feel it in my bones.
The Dragon was huffing gently, deep in thought as well. Are we sure of the time and the p\lace? Place yes, time no.
Time, why... the moon will be visible in the sky by evening.
No Anthony, the Dragon chided him gently. It is summer, the days are longer and the nights are shorter. So the moon will be visible late and we do not know when that is.
Tony ran his fingers through his hair with frustration. Suppose we are wrong, suppose we go to the Lacus Norturana and she's not there? Suppose... I am too late?
Just then a knock sounded on the door and Tony whispered at Mackie, "Quick, cover my armor with a sheet!'
He did so and Le Loup opened the door slightly. He closed it then and came towards Tony, holding out a small note. "My Lord, a servant dropped this off."
Tony opened it. In a lovely cursive script, the following was written: I know something about our mutual friend and the special occasion tonight. The head of the powerful people lies. Someone will arrive tonight at the place we spoke off, at the eleventh hour, when the moon is high in the sky. Our mutual friend will be taken there. YOU should go there.
It was simply signed "M".
Tony read the note out loud and Le Loup asked curiously, "Do you understand what it says?"
He nodded grimly. "It will happen tonight at 11. The Celestial Beast will be here. And Pepper will be taken to it." He tightened his jaw so hard, that Le Loup took a cautious step back. "And I am going to finish it off. Let us plan our attack now."
The hours passed for Pepper in a series of flashes. She regained some semblance of consciousness in these flashes but what she experienced, did not seem real to her. Rather they seemed to be dreams with a twinge of reality.
In her first flash of consciousness, she found herself sitting in the stone bath tub, a sparrow running a sponge over her breasts. She stared weakly at the sparrow, who had tilted its head at her curiously.
"Please let me out of here..." she whispered but the sparrow only chirped loudly at her. Her head fell forward into the water and she felt as if her lungs would burst in the cold water but then her head was pulled out and she took a deep breath and looked up, only to find a sea of sparrows looking at her accusingly.
"Let me out!" she yelled and then she was sprayed with the Moonflower again. So again, the room swirled and she closed her eyes.
Tony and company were sitting around the pieces of armor, artfully arranged to serve as different locations of the Palace.
Tony jabbed a hand at his gauntlet. "This is Lacus Norturona, the area in which the Celestial Beast is expected to make an appearance. Pepper will be here as well."
He pointed at his chest piece, in the center of the arrangement. "This is the Palace. Where we have the Chonsario and the priests. Now I know the priests will accompany Pepper. I am not sure about the horsemen. But we need to separate them. We cannot take all on at once."
He pointed at his leg shin guard. "This is the town or the city. The horsemen will definitely be at the gates. At least some of them will be. And they patrol the grounds as well."
Tony looked at Le Loup inquiringly. "Now what about King John's Knights? When are they expected?"
Le Loup said in a worried voice, "I should have heard from them by now. When I received the last message, they were onboard a ship to come to Loros."
Tony mused for a minute, then he said, "What about Hereald?"
Le Loup brightened up. "Now there's a soldier to be reckoned with. He is at the inn near Loros, the one where we stayed. So he's right here on time. Not only that, he's brought a small force of 15 to 20 men. He said they were ready to teach the Chonsario a lesson."
Tony smiled, pleased with Happy's support. "Great, so if Happy storms the gate with his force..."
Mackie chimed in, "We can handle the inside of the castle, guvnor! We can sneak around and polish off these foolish horsemen."
Le Loup nodded. "The four of us should be able to handle the few horsemen inside the castle. Then we can attack the ones on patrol and join forces with Happy."
The Giant added, "I can get a few of the lads from The Slutty Spoon to join us. They are anxious to get their hands on the Chonsario... as am I." He cracked his knuckles menacingly.
Tony cleared his throat, confused. "How are they five of us? You, Mackie and the Giant, that's three."
Le Loup said "The Giant eats enough for two men and certainly, is large enough for two men, so" he shrugged, "I count him twice. And you also, my lord, won't you fight with us?"
Tony shook his head. "I will be with Pepper. She cannot handle the Beast on her own. Besides, those priest bastards keep drugging her. I need to support her."
Le Loup nodded. "Agreed and I can help here. If we can keep an eye on the priests, when they leave with Pepper, we will wait for a little while and then cause a tiny 'distraction' to get some of them to come back to the Palace. That should lessen your load, my lord."
Tony said, "Good plan" and Mackie asked "What sort of distraction?". Le Loup replied, "It shall be inspired. The likes of which have never been seen before."
Tony rubbed his hands together. "I'm going to decide on my armor. Where are you going, Le Loup?" as the scoutmaster had stood up. He answered, "I think I will ride to the inn to find out where King John's knights are. I shall return in two hours."
He departed as Tony and the giant and Mackie, started to hotly debate on which piece of armor was most needed.
In the next flash, Pepper heard the frogs, how do I know they are the frogs, arguing with each other, over something. She opened one eye cautiously. I was right, they are the frogs, why are they fighting? "Oi," she said startling the frogs, "go somewhere else and shout!" They looked at her and damn it, they are giggling at me again!
She felt blood rush to her head with rage and she tried to stand up, only to pushed back down by a frog. She was lying on something soft. She could only blink weakly at the frogs as they placed different colors against her and shouted at each other. "Black!" "White!" "Red!" "No, the green!" "No, I want the red!" She closed her eyes again. I prefer blue... if it matters to anyone.
The next time, she was conscious. At least she felt she was conscious. She was sitting at a table, surrounded by whiteness and a sparrow was holding a spoon to her mouth, urging her to open it. She stared at the offered item. It was a piece of carrot. She took a bite gingerly.
Yes, it is definitely a carrot. She started to eat what was being offered. Carrot again, bean, potato... turnip? Grape. The food felt so good to her, it was warm and she could feel her senses coming back to her. What time is it? She bit her lip as she realized she had said that out loud and the sparrow was looking at her alertly. It chirped and she groaned loudly as a damn frog came into view.
I know this damn frog, the one with the tattoo on its chest. The frog held a glass and offered it to her. Wait, I know what's in it! That damn liquid! No way, I am not going under again! She stood up and knocked the glass away only to gasp as the frog caught her by the chin and sat her back down.
Why don't I have any strength! The frog then pinched her nose hard such that Pepper gasped and he shoved a spoonful of the liquid in her mouth. It lay on her tongue, thick and syrupy. He tilted her head back and she had to swallow or choke. Then he brought one more spoon and she opened her mouth, too weak to object. The blackness is there on the edges of my vision. Let me be swallowed by it, please.
After an hour of arguing, it was down to a few pieces of armor. Stealth and agility were needed here. Tony was going to spend some time on the ground and he needed to be flexible. So wearing the entire suit of armor, was not possible.
Tony went over the pieces loudly. "So I need my chest piece because I need to protect my chest definitely. And it controls my fire."
The giant and Mackie nodded.
"I need my gauntlets for blasting fire bombs." He paused to enjoy the look of amazement on their faces. "Yes, gentlemen, I can shoot fire from my hands. Demonstrations later..." as he saw Mackie open his mouth to ask for one.
"No greaves, no shin guards, no helmet, too heavy and unnecessary. Hmmmm... so what can I wear on my arms and legs?"
The giant murmured, "Chain mail chausses for the legs. Arms..." he shrugged, "You will have to go without, My Lord."
"Yes, now for weapons... my curved sword, of course." He unsheathed it and admired it lovingly. "Then my dagger." His avid audience oooed at the sight of the dagger. "And finally, a new weapon, one for long distance stealth damage, given to me by Le Loup." He raised a deadly black crossbow with enhanced sights.
"Now, I am going to take a small shield, preferably kite and a short sword for Pepper, to use. What? Why are you looking at me like that?" He asked Mackie, who was giving him a look of deep skepticism.
Mackie said, "This lady, this ... Pepper, who you are meeting at the Lacus, she is going to fight? By your side? I'd need to see it to believe it." He snorted, then stopped at the look in Tony's eyes.
"Mackie, pray you are not on the receiving end of Pepper's sword. She has a mean slicing blow and she knows how to hit a man where it hurts. Now... let us go for some vitals."
It was a beautiful spring day. Pepper smiled as her attendants put the finishing touches on her outfit. The perfect day for a wedding. My wedding. Her hair was brushed and left open. A garland of flowers was placed on her head like a crown. Her red dress twirled beautifully about her.
She stepped onto the field of grass towards the altar. A flute started to play and she looked to her left and right, at the familiar faces of family and friends. Then she stopped abruptly as she saw the vicar smiled at her evilly. It was a huge toad. A large black bat stood next to the groom, as the best man, wings extended, blood dripping from its jaws.
"Tony," she cried out, "Tony, what is this? Where are you?"
The bat bared its fangs at her and turned the man sitting in the first chair, right next to the altar. Pepper gasped loudly. She began to cry as she saw it was the mottled grey corpse of Tony, dressed in his armor. There was a giant hole in his chest where the arc used to be, teeming with squirming white maggots. His flesh was peeling off his bones and Pepper cried out his name again.
"But wait, who is the groom!? Who are you?" She yelled at the tall figure, standing at the altar, head covered in a black hood. It turned and extended a skeletal hand to her tenderly and she screamed and screamed as she looked into a silvery orb-like face, with no eyes, only pointed teeth and tentacles crammed in a fearful, gaping maw.
Tony, Mackie and the giant were lazily sitting in their room, trying not to doze off. Suddenly Le Loup burst in, alert and clutching a missive.
Before Tony could ask, he said excitedly, "King John's elite guard come by sea! That is why they took so much time to reach here. They will be here by nightfall. And and... they have the greatest element of surprise, since they will dock behind the castle."
Tony smiled. The pieces are falling into place. Now all I need is the full moon.
Pepper woke up, sweating heavily, heart beating painfully. She was lying down on something hard and cold. She was surrounded by darkness. She tried to sit up but belatedly realized she was strapped down very securely, to whatever she was lying on.
There were buckles fastened tightly at her wrists, thighs and ankles and a giant strap lay across her chest. She swallowed deeply, trying to moisten her parched throat. It felt so dry and scratchy.
Her eyes had not adjusted to the darkness. In fact, her vision was blurry and she could dimly make out dark forms wafting, floating ghostly in the darkness. She moved her head from side to side, trying to shake the blurriness away and then suddenly, she felt a heavy hand on her head, forcing her to hold her still. She shrieked and a disembodied voice giggled above her, in the darkness.
"You! You... damn priest!" she yelled, recognizing the giggle.
The voice, Rana, spoke, now somewhere around her feet, "Virginia, did you have a bad dream? You screamed in the middle."
Pepper tried to lift her head to look at the priest, wherever he was, in the darkness. She couldn't see anything. "This all feels like a bad dream! What did you do to me, you... you toad!"
The voice said, somehow near her right arm, "You just had a little nectar of the Moonflower." It giggled, now at her feet. "Well, maybe more than a little."
The voice moved about in the darkness, confusing Pepper, who was trying to track it. But I cannot see a darned thing!
It continued in a patronizing tone, "First a little spray, then a glassful, then a bowlful. But don't worry, Virginia..." now there was a hand on her head patting her, while the voice came from far away. "Now, no more nectar. Do not worry," it whispered soothingly. "No more nectar at all. Nothing but the best for you."
The thought of no nectar comforted her and she lowered her head back down, her neck paining from the effort of holding it up. The voice had gone away. She closed her eyes, bone tired. She tried to sleep.
Somewhere from the darkness, the guttural voice muttered "Who is Tony?" and she opened her eyes with shock.
"Virginia, you need to relax, it is only me. Now hold still or this will hurt you."
She still couldn't see anything but she felt the strap on her right hand loosened and her hand was pushed off the edge of what she was lying on. A string was tied tightly around her right arm, above her elbow and she felt fingers probe the crook of her arm gently.
"Why are you looking for a vein?" she asked suddenly and the voice giggled in the darkness.
"Smart as a tack, you are. You need to relax, Virginia, I am just trying to help you do that." Then she felt a prick on her arm and then pressure. "What did you inject me with?" she whispered as her hand was lifted and strapped tightly to the surface again.
"Nothing, you need to concern yourself with." The voice came, somewhere near her head. "Just relax."
Then she felt the strap on her left arm loosened and she tried to raise her left hand and swat whoever it was away, but she could not lift her arm. Again the string was tied, again she was pricked and then strapped back again.
Now she felt a curious tingling sensation in her toes and a warmth flood her veins. She arched against the central strap, raising her torso, feeling the heat flow in a rush to her chest and her neck and her brain.
Pepper cried out, "What was that for? What are you doing to me!?"
The voice said soothingly, "You needed it, Virginia. You are too nervous, my dear."
She grumbled at the darkness, "Could you be any more vague?" and as the voice giggled, she arched upwards again, feeling the heat flow down to her toes, horribly hot.
She gasped with shock as a candle lit up suddenly above her, and Rana's broad face appeared upside down in the shadows, illuminated ominously by the candlelight. The milky white eyes glowed at her and he said, "The hour of the full moon is nearly upon us, Virginia. Forget about Tony. He cannot stop your destiny. No one can."
Pepper irrationally wanted to argue. She said bitingly, "This is not my destiny. This is not my fate. I control my destiny and I will get out of this somehow." And Tony will be there... she ended in her mind.
Then she remembered the dream. Tony's body, the arc black and empty... the gaping maw of teeth and tentacles...
She shivered uncontrollably. Rana's face still loomed over her. "Stubborn child." He placed a cloth over her mouth and pulled it tight between her teeth, pushing back her tongue. "You are determined to have the last word, Virginia. But enough arguing. Now you need to be silent." He pulled the ends of the cloth firmly behind her head and tied them together in a tight knot. He blindfolded her as well.
Rana disappeared and Pepper was starting to relax, when she felt a cloth being draped over her face. Then she felt the fine mist of the Moonflower, being sprayed liberally on the cloth. It seeped through the cloth, through the gag, filling her mouth with the taste of the flower.
As the drowsy, numbing effect of the flower began to take over her mind, she heard the High Priest whisper softly in her ear, "Sleep now, Virginia. When you wake up next, you will be with the Great One. And together, you will bring about the beginning of the end."
And once again, she fell helplessly into the darkness.
