"Woman wailing for her demon-lover"
~Kubla Khan by S.T. Coleridge~
Little did Carolyn know how much she would come to depend upon these particular Necromongers and the Elemental. She quickly discovered that these soldiers the Purifier had assigned to her were in fact converted Furyans all bearing the Furyan Mark. Once she knew this she trusted them as much as she could possibly trust anyone in this place. She quickly came to depend upon Aereon to look after the girls and the soldiers to keep them safe.
The Lord Marshal had begun to request her presence on a daily basis. She was told in vivid detail what would happen to her daughters once he had proof that Riddick was dead, regardless of who their father was. The Lord Marshal, himself, gave her extensive tours as he personally explained the purification process she would be put through. He also implied that he was looking forward to having her in his bed for something other than the beatings he was inflicting on her now. She had to fight the nausea every time she was in his presence and on more than one occasion, after a more intense visual or physical demonstration, she would have collapsed on the way back to her quarters had one of her escorts not held her up. She slowly began to abandon all hope of getting off this ship alive with her children.
One of her Necro/Furyan soldiers was with her at all times. What one knew they all knew. Though converted Necromongers, they still remembered their ancestry and had banded together to ensure that the Furyan child would survive. The Lord Marshal would kill them if he discovered their plans but the Purifier had put his trust in them. They also adopted Dame Riddick as their own. They protected her as much as they could, which even they had to admit was not much, but no suspicion could be turned on them or all would be lost. It was getting harder to do though as they saw the things that the Lord Marshal was doing to their Mistress. They had already decided to act if things didn't change soon.
It had been over a month since Vaako and the Purifier had left to find Riddick and Carolyn was fairly certain that she was pregnant. She just hoped something would happen before the Lord Marshal found out and he would find out, sooner rather than later. He seemed to find perverse pleasure in their little weekly torture sessions. Tying her face down spread eagle on his bed he would rip her the back of her dress open and proceed to whip her back till it was bruised and bloody. Carolyn shuddered to think what he would do if he was actually pissed.
Kilo knocked on the door and awaited permission to enter. "Dame Riddick," he nodded as she answered the door.
"Kilo, please come in," she smiled at him. "So, what does The Lord Marshal have planned today?"
"Commander Vaako has returned. The Lord Marshal has requested that you and the Elemental attend a brief ceremony."
Carolyn paled and sat down. "Any word on Riddick or the Purifier?"
"None that we've heard. No."
Carolyn numbly nodded "Who's here to stay with the children?"
"Butcher will be with them. He will let no harm come to them."
"I know Kilo. I don't know how I can ever thank all of you for watching over them."
"It is an honor Mistress. Now we must go before the Lord Marshall becomes impatient"
"Yes, just let me tell the children we're going."
Kilo, Sulaco, Prowse and Chode escorted them to the Basilica throne area. Butcher stayed in the room with Ziza and Rory while Kestrel stood guard outside the door. The children had quickly grown used to the six men's presence, especially Rory who Carolyn suspected felt a familial bond with them, but would howl with defiance should anyone else approach them. She had heard the term "ferocious little breeders" more than once in conjunction with her daughters.
Carolyn had strangely found herself trusting Aereon more as well. The older woman made a good sounding board and usually gave sound advice. She was also incredibly patient for being locked up in quarters with two small children. She had won them over from the first day. No one could play hide and seek like an air elemental. Carolyn had laughed till she was in tears the first time she had watched them.
As they made their way across the Basilica, Aereon gave the young woman a warning and a reminder. "The Lord Marshall has something planned and I don't expect it will bode well for us. No matter what is said or revealed stay silent. He wants to break you and when he does you're his." Carolyn nodded but stayed silent mulling her words over.
"Excellent" the Lord Marshal proclaimed as they were escorted in. Carolyn's
Necro/Furyans formed a tight half circle around her and the Elemental. Dame Vaako was there and looking entirely too intent in Dame Riddick's direction as far as they were concerned. She had made sure to drop by several times a week to do nothing more than torment Carolyn about Riddick. Dame Vaako still wasn't entirely sure why the Lord Marshal had insisted that the Breeder and Elemental be there but knew all would be reveled in time. She also took great interest in the stare down that Vaako was having with the breeder. Aereon, upon realizing what was happening wrapped her arm around Carolyn's waist and scooted up close drawing her attention away from the commander.
The Lord Marshal then bid Vaako to step forward, which he did, dropping to one knee. Carolyn bit back a gasp as she listened to the Lord Marshal speak about how he had lost a Purifier but gained a First among commanders. If it were not for the Purifier and his men Carolyn would have given up a long time ago and she mourned his loss. Zylaw then went on to extol Vaako's virtues and perseverance in doing a job he thought was beneath him by going after Riddick and eliminating him. The Lord Marshal looked directly at her as he made this pronouncement. She could hear the note of triumph in his voice. Shocked, Carolyn stood stunned watching the rest of the proceeding confirming Vaakos promotion to the rank of Commander General. After the Lord Marshal had left, Vaako stood turning to look in Carolyn's direction but she didn't see him. She had collapsed and was being picked up by one of the soldiers surrounding her. Vaako's doubts about Riddicks true demise plagued him as he watched her guards carry her away while Dame Vaako tried valiantly to reassure him.
Carolyn was taken back to her quarters, Chode carrying his mistress to her room. Sobbing hysterically she curled up in the safety of her bed. By the time Vaako entered her room later she had cried herself to sleep. He could not understand what connection she could possibly have with that man. She claimed the children weren't his and he had never actually seen them together. He only had the Elementals word that she belonged to Riddick. He pulled up a chair next to her bed and sat. It was many hours before he left.