Chap 23
SMASH!
The sound of breaking glass rung out through the halls of the Castle Boursheid, making the inhabitants jump and quiver; all except one; the one who threw the empty bottle of whiskey angrily into the fireplace.
Montague stood at the mouth of the inferno, the remaining spirits flaming up in the hearth. The warmth of the fire did not warm his dark soul. It only reminded him of the burning disappointment eating a hole in his craw. He stood hunched over, a fuming heap of taut, angry flesh, his grip on the mantle so hard; it almost left a mark in the old stone.
He held the letter with distain before propelling it into the fire. In this letter, his father, the King of the Netherlands, the sovereign overseeing Luxembourg, had informed him that Montague's petitions to become Duke were denied. He had appointed someone else to replace the ailing duke.
Why did he not choose me? Why? All I ever wanted to do was please the man but he never trusted me! He would not even give me the governance of this small, putrid country. He always hated me, favoring that illegitimate bitch from that little gypsy concubine of his. That is it! I have had enough of playing by his rules, or anyone's rules, for that matter..
Montague grabbed at one of his many swords and lashed it against the stone fireplace with great fury and strength, causing sparks to fly with his rage. He collapsed on the floor.
His ebony hair was unkempt, his robes soiled, his devilish blue eyes rimmed with red, painted that way by the many bottles of spirits he drank furiously, trying to numb his hatred and discontent.
He had not exited his room in the last week, except to rant and complain loudly in the dark stone halls of the castle, demanding that he be listened to and obeyed without question, viciously beating anyone who ventured too close. He laughed like a fiend to himself, amused as they scurried away from him like mice.
I wonder if I killed that last one. I had to stop him from screaming. The idiot was hurting my ears with his caterwauling.
He looked at his hand and noted the dried blood splashed against his raw knuckles, and looked at the dark red stain running down his arm with satisfaction.
It will take a river of this red substance to quench my thirst for revenge. Speaking of thirst…
"Sedrick! Sedrick, you infernal fool! Where is the drink I demanded!" he screamed at the top of his lungs.
Sedrick, the chief servant at the castle, stopped in his tracks and turned around to look with hatred towards the bedroom of the self proclaimed leader, the Prince.
"Coming, Sire." He shouted back.
You have no more royalty in you than the louses that lurk in your bed, you vile man. Nothing like your predecessors, he thought bitterly.
Sedrick let his mind wander back to the pleasant days when this castle was occupied by the last true Marquis of The Ardennes. He and his family had been in the service of the royals that had graced these walls for years, and there was much mutual respect and adoration between master and servant. Even though Sedrick was a decorated soldier who was released from his servitude by the last Marquis, he returned to his post out of respect and a sense of fealty. This was the place he was born, where he met his wife and had his son. Alas, the old Marquis eventually died and the King of the Netherlands sent his son to take over the rule. This prince was the worst thing that ever happened to Castle Bourshied and its residents. Montague's questionable dealings and alliances with mercenaries and gypsies soon made the place unlivable.
Heavily, Sedrick plodded up the stone stairs and walked to the door, stopping to glare at the two mercenary bodyguards, large men with decrepit souls that followed Montague everywhere. Even their brutality held no candle to that of their employer. Montague no longer trusted Sedrick, so he hired these monsters to keep him safe even within his own dwelling.
You are imprisoned even within your own house, you evil creature.
Sedrick threw open the door and walked in to face the beast with all of his remaining dignity.
"You called for me?" Sedrick said, noting the horrible state of the room and its inhabitant.
Pity, you have not drunk yourself to death yet.
Montague looked at the servant and thought for a second that he could release his rage on the pompous appearing ass before him, but he held back. Sedrick was a large, strong man well versed in hand to hand combat, with or without arms. Montague would be no match for him in his inebriated state; even that his dulled mind could figure.
The only reason Sedrick served him was because he held the lives of his wife and child in his grasp. Montague threatened that he would have his cute little boy's head delivered to his room if there was one false move by Sedrick. Montague would not release Sedrick from his responsibilities of running the castle. He was too knowledgeable of its workings, and the other servants here respected and obeyed him.
No, he is too necessary now. Later, I will make him an example.
"You have let me run out of drink!" Montague said, stumbling over the empty bottles.
"I am sorry sire, but you are drinking like a man parched. It is difficult to keep up with your consumption," said Sedrick, wondering if he should poison a bottle and get it over with. No, the suspicious man had his bodyguards taste and drink anything before him, just for that reason. "I will fetch more. Is there anything else?" He said, barely waiting for the answer.
"Oh yes, I almost forgot. Bring me a woman, a woman with fair hair and hazel eyes, and make sure she has breasts this time. The last one was way too flat." Montague fell back in his bed and rubbed at his loins. "I feel the need for some release tonight."
Sedrick shuddered. This was the most hated of his duties, and Montague knew it very well. He glared at the Prince with abhorrence as he recalled the state of the last woman, the unfortunate whore he led like a lamb to these horrible bedchambers. The last in a long line of women the molesting Prince used to feed his insatiable thirst for sex and sadism. When he was done with her he threw her violently out of the room. She was beaten badly, her small breasts bitten and scraped by this vile creature.
Guilt ridden, Sedrick had taken the wailing woman to his room and let her clean herself before taking her back home. The poor woman fainted, and he nearly vomited at the sight of the blood that streamed down her legs. Montague had tortured her.
"The whore houses will no longer grant me access. You mistreat their women so much so that they do not care how generous you are. They lose money on wenches that are unable to work for a month after being with you." Sedrick spat, crossing his arms and pacing. Montegue looked back at Sedrick with an evil grin. He was proud of his treatment of women.
"Fine. I will not maim the next one, I promise. I will treat her with the kindness I reserve for my dear, unloving Elaine." he said, his face twisting horribly thinking of his unreachable beauty.
I have shown Elaine all of my charm and she still refuses to be with me. She will one day, I swear it. Even if it is against her will! But no, I do not want her to fight me. I want her to give her body to me without a fight so that she can experience all that she has been missing. Now how will I finagle that?
Sedrick stood quietly, looking at the devious man's mind work. He feared for the safety of this woman, this Elaine, even though he did not know her. The Prince had decided that she was to be with him; that Elaine was destined to be his wife. It was Sedrick's understanding was that this woman, a friend of Montague's sister, Angelique, was a beautiful and compassionate lady, an angel in comparison to this devil.
May God have mercy on this woman Elaine; keep her safe and far away from this brute. I do not know if I will be able to protect her from his lust. I could not even protect my own wife and child from his savagery.
"Well, what are you waiting for, boy? Fetch my drink and my woman. On my word, I will not harm this one," Montague said, smiling with evil.
Your word. What good is that? Sedrick thought.
"I will try," Sedrick said, turning to leave.
"You had better try hard. If you are not successful, I will gladly have your wife in her stead tonight." Montague snickered as he saw Sedrick freeze mid stride. The look of hatred Sedrick shot him warmed his heart
Some day, Montague, some day.
Later that night, Sedrick sat up in his bed, rocking and holding his hands to his ears. He was unable to sleep. The screams from the woman who was now imprisoned in the beast's den echoed through the dark halls of the castle.
So much for your word…
He was hoping that the screams were feigned ecstasy, but he knew better. The man who held him taut on his leash was indeed, pure evil…