The Light touches us even down here
By ComicsFan7314
Chapter 4: Memories, Confessions and Predictions
Junia groggily awoke, wiping away a thin trail of saliva from her mouth with her hand. Her back ached. While her cot at the bunkhouse wasn't the most comfortable in the world, it still beat the creaky, wooden chair she spent the night on.
The vestal turned to face towards the sanatorium window and peeked through the thick fabric curtains. It was dawn, but the sun had yet to rise. Back when she was at St. Martha's, she would often try to get an early start on her chores when she couldn't sleep. At the Hamlet, however, it was far too dangerous to be out before sunrise. Unholy terrors and savage brigands prowled the dark.
Junia sighed before turning her head back again, she relit the small bedside candle and glanced at her lover Reynauld, who was gently snoozing on hospital cot. She sat and smiled, watching the contractions of his breathing going up and down, studying his body as if it were a sacred tome.
She frowned upon taking a closer look at Reynauld's body, he was definitely showing the toll years of stress and combat had taken on him. Wrinkles had started to form around his eyes and his normally mousey brown hair was graying.
Moving her gaze to his torso, the vestal noted the numerous scars the knight bore, most in various stages of healing. From her experience in the field healing her teammates, Junia could just about tell the difference between the types of scars and the creatures that created them. Thin long scars were from cultists, brigand cutthroats or those horrible fishmen, while deep, frenzied gashes were caused by ghouls. Still, Reynauld wore his scars well and never complained when he got injured.
The candlelight accentuated Reynauld's features, especially his well-toned chest and abs that might have well been sculpted by the gods themselves. The mere sign of the crusader's stunning body sent yet another pang of lust through the vestal's body. She thought about what it would be like to lie on that strong chest, holding each other tightly, basking in the afterglow of sex, sweat glistening off their naked bodies…
Lust soon gave way to disappointment however, when Junia remembered what Reynauld had said about his past.
Why does he have to be married? Junia thought to herself. We could be so happy together…I could give up my vows…We could live together… But that stupid bitch had to go and ruin everything!
The vestal's emotions quickly turned to envy and anger as she thought about Reynauld's wife. Reynauld is the greatest man I have ever met, any woman who decided to just leave him is either crazy or the most ungrateful woman to ever live!
But then again…Reynauld said she thought he was dead. Junia calmed down a bit. Maybe she didn't leave him, and it was a misunderstanding like Reynauld said. Still, the vestal had her doubts that the crusader was telling the whole truth about his past.
Golden rays of sunlight poured through the sanatorium windows, rousing the crusader from his slumber. Reynauld moaned quietly and stretched a bit as he awoke. The first thing that Reynauld saw when he opened his eyes was his forbidden love, Junia, approaching him with a wooden bowl filled with porridge.
"Oh! You're awake! Look, I made you breakfast!" Junia said cheerfully as she showed Reynauld the contents of the bowl.
"I don't deserve you, dear." Reynauld chuckled lightly.
"Aww, you're too kind my love!" Junia replied sweetly, secretly overjoyed that such a simple thing such as making him porridge, pleased Reynauld. "Eat up dear, it's important that you keep your strength up so you can heal."
The pair traded loving glances at each other as Reynauld ate, neither wanting to the moment to end. However, their time together was cut short when the clanging of church bells resonated from the town square.
"How I wish this moment could last forever my knight!" Junia sadly remarked. "But I have to attend Mass now."
"Farewell my love." replied Reynauld. "My only wish is that you would pray on my behalf."
"Of course, I will! And I will see what I can do to get one of the priests to hold a service here at the sanatorium."
"That sounds wonderful dear."
"I must be off now, Reynauld, I do not wish to be late."
The vestal got up out of her seat and headed for the door, yet when she arrived at the threshold of the sanatorium, she found herself standing completely still, it was as if she was physically unable to move. She did not want to go.
Junia turned only to see an incredibly sad looking Reynauld laying on the hospital bed. He didn't want her to go either. But ultimately, she made a commitment as a servant of the Light and was obliged to attend Mass, so the only thing the vestal could do was lower her gaze and head out the door.
The streets of the hamlet were relatively quiet, save for the brays, clucks and moos of livestock. The only people Junia saw out and about were going to one of two places. Those who actually cared about saving their souls from eternal damnation were hurriedly making their way towards the abbey while those who didn't were getting an early start of a day of drinking at the tavern.
The vestal, not wanting to tarry any longer, quickly made her way across the muddy, dung-covered high street and ascended the steps to the abbey, her modest brown habit lightly fluttering in the breeze.
On her way to the abbey, she stopped by the town graveyard, giving light respects to the heroes who gave their lives in the fight against the corrupting evil that plagued the former manor. While she was there, a most curious observation peaked Junia's interest. Each of the grave was marked with a lily flower in front of the headstone. She found the sight quite odd; no one seem to have planted them and they were the only plant life untouched by the surrounding chaos. In the Church of the Light, lilies are associated the Holy Mother and the resurrection of the Holy One. It is also said lilies represent the souls of the departed regaining their innocence. Perhaps the flowers are the souls of the warriors, shining from beyond the grave. Junia mused. What a ridiculous thought. she thought, reprimanding herself before continuing on her way.
The town abbey had seen better days. The roof of the building had caved in, and the resulting hole had been haphazardly repaired with plywood panels that didn't do much, especially when it rained. Most of the stained-glass windows were smashed or had large pieces missing. Many of the pews inside were falling apart and the floor was cracked and strewn with dirt.
Junia opened the towering cedar doors and entered the dilapidated chapel before quickly taking a place in one of the pews. The vestal looked around the room and saw some familiar faces.
Baldwin, the leper, was sitting by himself since no other soul wished to sit next to him out of fear of catching his condition. Junia thought this wasn't fair. Like Reynauld, the vestal respected Baldwin. He was a more than capable fighter in the field and he was always polite and respectful in his interactions with her, often offering sage advice or quoting a bit of poetry. Sure, the man is dying of a terminal disease, but that doesn't mean that he deserves to be alienated, well, like a leper.
On the upper level of the cathedral, sitting behind an iron gate that was usually reserved for the cloistered clergy, with his scarred back facing the altar, was Damian the flagellant. Like Junia, Reynauld and Baldwin, Damian was a follower of the Light, albeit a very radical sect that believed that the only way to achieve salvation was through mortification of the flesh. The Church demands its devotees show at least some form of self-sacrifice whether it be through donations of one's wealth or crops, taking a vow of chastity as Junia did (though given recent events, she wasn't exactly doing a great job of keeping said vow), fighting in a holy war like Reynauld or as Damian chose, through blood.
Junia personally did not have a problem with flagellation, she herself had engaged in it on occasion, visiting the penance hall when her stress became too much to bear or when she acted on her desires, but with Damian it was different. It seemed like he enjoyed the pain he was inflicting on himself.
Junia heard horror stories from the other adventurers unlucky enough to journey with him. They stated that while he was a strong ally against the darkness, he seemed more concerned with hitting himself rather than the enemy and when the stress of battle got to him, rather than show bravery or go mad, he would instead descend into a passioned, masochistic frenzy, whipping himself, foes and his own teammates with wild abandon.
The flagellant may be a valuable asset to their cause, but frankly, he scared Junia. She was glad that they had never met and hoped they never would, though she knew that Reynauld would protect her if Damian ever tried anything.
Once everyone was inside and seated, the organist started to play "We are the Flame" as the priest began the procession towards the altar.
Leading the procession was Father Lucian, the abbot. During her time at the hamlet, Junia had come to know Lucian as a mild-mannered yet pious man, who wanted only wanted the best for his community though, like herself, he was not without his vices. There were a couple times Mass had to be suspended due to his "prayer sessions" in the sacramental wine cellar. Still, the vestal found him to be a nice and respectful member of the cloth.
Father Lucian, his deacon, and one of the acolytes bowed in front of the altar before taking their place behind it. The humble priest cleared his throat. "Before we begin everyone, I would like to welcome a very important guest to our humble congregation."
"No. It couldn't be. It mustn't be!"
"I am delighted to introduce Bishop Cuthbert to the hamlet."
It was Bishop Cuthbert. The same fat bastard that reprimanded Junia back at St. Martha's and the main reason she was trapped in this hellhole of a hamlet. "Why in the name of the Light is he here?!"
"Good morrow, all." Cuthbert said in a booming baritone.
"He was sent here by the Church to help assist in the fight against the darkness and to rid our fair community of heresy and sin."
"That's right. I believe the best way to combat the ills of this community is through faith. I expect all of you to be on your best moral behavior while I am here."
"Now then…" Lucian spoke up. "Let's commence forth with Mass for today!"
Mass started off with a small prayer before following it up with a hymn, all the other parishioners were praising the Light and the joy it brought to their lives, Junia would normally be joining them in their worship, but today she was silent.
She couldn't believe it with her own two eyes. Bishop Cuthbert, whom she hadn't seen in forever was now standing before her. "I wonder if he remembers me." The vestal lifted her gaze from the floor and stared at the bishop. The years had not been kind. He was already a hulking figure when they first met at St. Martha's but now, he was even more corpulent! If lust was Junia's capital sin, then surely gluttony was his. Cuthbert lifted his view from the hymnal he was reading and looked directly at Junia, a cold glare in his eyes. Frightened by this, Junia averted her gaze back down to the floor.
He is even more intense than before! Junia thought to herself. If there one thing Cuthbert was known for beyond his great weight, it was his near-fanatical devotion to stomping out any and all perceived heresy or sin in a way that could be described as heavy-handed at best and down-right torture at worst. The vestal recalled a time when he had four village women accused of witchcraft burned at the stake with zero evidence to show for it, only rumors and hearsay. Then there was the incident where he convinced a magistrate to lock up a woman who recently lost her husband and take away her children, all for stealing a loaf of bread. Then of course there Junia's own case.
It all started with that book. That damned book. She remembered it as if it were yesterday. It was after nightfall when she knew all the other sisters at St. Martha's were asleep. Junia had just finished with her nightly prayers and was now lying in her bed, quietly waiting until Sister Annabelle had finished her rounds in the hall. Once she was sure Annabelle had returned to her chambers, Junia relit her bedside candle on her nightstand and flipped over her pillow and took out a small hardcover book. It was one of those silly romance novellas written by some second-rate bard, yet the young vestal found the story captivating. Secular books were prohibited at the convent, but Junia managed to smuggle it in from outside.
Junia opened the book to where she left off. "And so, the great evil was vanished, and the two lovers were finally together again. Their passions swelled and their emotions became too much for them to contain." The vestal's face turned pink as she read the passage.
"Oh, take me now, brave hero! Make me your woman!" cried the princess. "Of course, my dear, let us consummate our love!" Junia bit her lip in stifled desire. The youthful priestess had only just entered the turbulent throws of womanhood and like the two lovers in the story, she had secret desires that she couldn't keep secret. She wanted, no, needed, someone to love in her life. The vestal thought of about what her ideal man would be like. He would be handsome of course. She was partial to knights, so that would be nice. He would be brave and protect her from danger, He would be strong with built muscles…Junia's hand had subconsciously drifted to her waist. H-He would kiss her passionately just like in her book a-and he would use her in all the ways she secretly desired…
Junia couldn't control herself any longer, she knew that what she was doing was a sin, but it was too tempting. Her desires were screaming out to be sated. She could only hope that the Light would forgive her actions. The vestal moved her undergarments aside and without hesitation, plunged two of her fingers into her wet, needing, pussy.
"Nggh!" Junia moaned as she slowly moved her digits in and out of her vagina. The image of her ideal lover burning in her mind and between her thighs.
It didn't take long for the vestal to reach her climax, given her already flustered state. She suppressed a moan of pleasure as she came, as she didn't not want to alert the other sisters to what she was doing. Her knees buckled under her cascading orgasm. The vestal lay there, panted heavily before noticing something wet, warm and sticky on her bed. Her sheets were soaked. Junia did not think much of it, laundry day was three days away, her mess would dry by then, all she had to do would be to hide the ruined sheets until then and just replace them with fresh ones.
The vestal took the sheets and crumpled them before leaving them on the side of her bed. She then blew out her candle and went to sleep, sweetly dreaming of her perfect man.
Junia awoke to the sound of church bells as she did every morning, after a quick morning service, she was given her first task of the day, gathering firewood for the ceremonial hearth. She worked up a sweat chopping the wood, though not as much of a sweat as she did last night. The vestal carried the heavy logs into the temple's chamber, setting them down near the hearth. While there, she noticed something, it was one of the stained-glass windows, specifically the one depicting the story of the First Man and First Woman. The nun had seen the window many times and never paid it much mind before, but after last night, the window definitely piqued her interest.
She knew the story behind the window well. The First Man and Woman were the original humans created by the Almighty One and lived in Paradise before disobeying him by being tempted by the Darkness. Junia focused on the beauty and craftsmanship of window before finally admitted to herself what she was actually looking at: their chests.
Whoever created the window deserved a raise because they perfectly crafted the Original Couple in all their glory. The vestal stared at the First Man's abs, noting how realistic they looked, before quickly shifting her focus on the First's Woman's bountiful breasts. Junia was fairly certain she was straight, but she could still appreciate a beautiful woman's body. The image reminded her so much of her book that she got all hot and bothered again. The vestal imagined herself as and her dream lover as the couple She lustfully bit her finger, again thinking about what it would be like in that situation, as her other hand moved towards her crotch.
As Junia was lost in her dirty thoughts, the abbot of St. Martha's, Father Braudel, entered the temple's main chamber, look none too pleased with the vestal.
"JUNIA!" shouted Braudel, snapping the priestess out of her daydream.
"Father Braudel!" exclaimed Junia, shocked. "I…"
"Sister Joanna said she found soiled sheets and a contraband book in your chambers! Care to explain?"
It was just then that Junia realized laundry day was that day.
Junia quietly sobbed as Braudel, Cuthbert and the other sisters debated what her punishment would be. Joanna had brought out the dirty sheets and romance book as evidence. If there was one thing the vestal could be thankful about at a time like this, was that they didn't find her secret diary where she kept her darkest, most forbidden desires.
Her "trial" was little more than a witch hunt. It mostly consisted of Braudel verbally abusing the guilty vestal with the other sisters chiming in with accusations and character assassinations while the bishop sat quietly, thinking of a proper punishment for the unchaste sister. After hearing the arguments, Cuthbert decided to sleep on how Junia should pay for her sins, though he did say she should be isolated from the rest of congregation, not allowed to attend service and not allowed to accept communion.
After three days of being locked in her chambers and subsisting on nothing but stale bread and water, Junia was finally given the verdict on what punishment her punishment would be. Cuthbert had told her that there was a manor not that far from the abbey that needed soldiers to fight against an infection of the darkness that overrun the place. Her bags were already packed, and the carriage was waiting outside the abbey as they spoke.
"Please don't send me send away, Bishop Cuthbert!" begged Junia. "I didn't do those things that the others told you about, I'm a good vestal who keeps her vows!"
"You are being dishonest with me, Junia." Cuthbert said with menace in his voice. "There is no point in lying sister, it is best that you come clean, lest you die on your journey of redemption without repenting your sins."
It was a death sentence. He expected her to die. That was her punishment for the minor sin of acting upon lustful thoughts: To die in some pit after having her entrails ripped out by an otherworldly terror.
Junia left her daydream and refocused her gaze on Cuthbert, staring at him intensely. Her face was emotionless but behind her calm façade, the vestal had nothing but pure hatred and contempt for the man.
When it was time to receive communion, both Lucian and Cuthbert handed it out to their parishioners, who formed two separate lines in front of the two holy men. The vestal naturally chose Lucian's line, continuing to stare intensely at the bishop as she slowly moved up the line. When she finally received her sacrament, Junia did not look at Lucian, as she was busy side-eyeing the fat bishop next to him before quickly retaking her place in the pew. The priest found this odd. Junia was always a faithful member of his congregation and would take part in the communion ceremony with great enthusiasm but today she seemed like something was troubling her. Lucian did not like being nosy, but he regarded his flock as his children so when one of them was having issues, it affected him greatly.
After communion, Lucian gave the crowd another blessing and dismissing the congregation. Before anyone left however, the priest announced that he would be accepting confessions after mass. Junia slunk deep into the pew. She had forgotten that today was Sunday, the day she always went to confession. If she ducked out all of a sudden, Father Lucian would know something was up and she definitely did not want him to get involved in the situation between her and Reynauld. Seeing no better alternative, she gulped hard and quickly got into the line that had formed near the confession booth.
Junia entered the confessional and knelt down in front of the wall that separated the booth's two sides. Behind a lattice screen she heard a sliding noise followed Lucian's voice. "Yes, my child?" asked the priest.
"Forgive me father, for I have sinned. It has been a week since my last confession."
Lucian already knew that the person behind the screen was Junia. Not only did he recognize her voice, but she was also one of the very few people in the hamlet who attended confession regularly. "Go ahead, my child." He said calmly.
Junia froze. She had grievously sinned against the Light over the week. From breaking her vows as a vestal and simultaneously committing adultery by entering a forbidden relationship with Reynauld to acting upon her sexual desires for the knight, the weight of her mortal sins was eating away at the back of the nun's mind, but she couldn't just tell Lucian that! The supposed sanctity of the confession booth was a lot tenuous then the priests would like to admit. One only had to exploit the priest's weaknesses to get them to divulge any secrets they want, whether it be wine, young boys or what have you. Lucian's vice was drink, all Cuthbert would have to do get him all soused up and well…as they say in vino veritas.
If she told Lucian the truth of her sins, Junia might as well have considered herself and Reynauld dead. She thought about the possible consequences if word got out. The church punished both adultery and the breaking of sacred vows very severely. If they got caught, Junia risked being stripped of her position as a vestal. Reynauld, his status as a defender of the faith. They would be tortured into confessing their sins, paraded naked in the street as their former friends shame them and jeer at the humiliated lovers before finally meeting their collective demise at the end of a stake, impaled and left to die under the baking sun, their corpses nothing more than a feast for the crows and maggots, their souls condemned to dwell in eternal darkness. No, she had to lie. For her own sake. For Reynauld's sake. Even if it meant going against what the Light stood for.
"Um…my child, aren't you going to confess?" Lucian interjected. "Oh, right. My apologies, father." responded Junia, shaken out of her morbid train of thought.
She went on listing her transgressions against the Light. It was very minor offences, a jealous look here, a swear word there. She did not dare mention the vast array of mortal sins she committed during the week.
Lucian sat on the other side of the booth, patiently listen to all of the vestal's sins, yet he couldn't help but feel that she was leaving something out. All of Junia's faults seemed trivial, clinical even, as if deliberately so. There had to have been something of more substance that she was leaving out. She did seem distracted during Mass…perhaps it had something to do with the arrival of Bishop Cuthbert? Lucian made a mental note to keep a close eye on the vestal for the foreseeable future.
"I absolve your sins in the name of the Light. Five Holy Mothers and you are on your way to redemption."
"Thank you, Father." said Junia, still unsure if the priest suspected anything. She returned to the main chamber and quickly said her prayers before leaving the abbey. Lucian watched the vestal as she left. He sighed and turned back towards the altar. Junia was definitely hiding something, he would not force her to give up her secrets, doing so might cause her to shut down and hold on to them even harder. No, she will give them up willingly, for as the Holy Word says, "What occurs in the dark, comes out in the Light."
When Junia exited the abbey, she had every intention of simply returning to the sanatorium and continuing her care for Reynauld but after finding out that Cuthbert was here at the hamlet, she felt it was best if they are not seen together, if the bishop or anyone else realized what was going on between them, well, she did not want to think about that. Just as she was about head to the barracks, a most peculiar advertisement caught her eye.
On the back of a coach wagon, on a purple background, in bold yellow letters were the words "Lady Nasrin-Expert Fortune Teller." accompanying the heading was a logo of a woman in exotic dress staring into a crystal ball. In smaller lettering were the words "Palmistry" "Cartomancy" "Scrying" "Predict the Future" "Find love, wealth, power and more!" "Magic oddities from all corners of the world!" It was a nomad wagon.
Junia knew little of the nomads. She had heard of them but had never interacted with their kind. All she knew was that was that they did not follow the Light and instead they followed their own ceremonies and traditions, as such, they were not looked fondly by the general public, they were often forced into ghettos, faced heavy discrimination or were even killed in pogroms. Because of this, most nomads resorted to crime, fortune telling or charlatanry to make living, which didn't exactly help race relations.
The vestal anxiously pondered the possible consequences of participating in such an activity. "On one hand, it goes against the Light, and I have transgressed against it enough already." she thought to herself. "But on the other, that crystal ball from the ruins…It foretold of something between Reynauld and I. I need to know more about what I saw." After debating it some more in her head, she finally decided to pay this Lady Nasrin a visit, but first she had to make sure nobody would know it was her. Returning to her bunk, she quickly changed from her vestal robes into some spare peasant clothes she found in the laundry.
Once outside again, Junia made her way back to the wagon, but before she entered, she looked around nervously to see if anyone was watching her. Once she was certain, she opened the wagon's door and crossed the threshold to her future.
As she entered the wagon, the vestal was immediately blasted with the overwhelming smell of sandalwood and myrrh, which not only assaulted her nose but also stung her eyes. The interior of the wagon was ornately decorated with purple silk curtains and mahogany paneling. Behind the counter, stood a young woman with an olive complexion and long, curly, jet black hair. She was wearing traditional nomad garb with gold hoop earrings and had a small mole on her left cheek. Behind her was a wide variety of charms and fetishes from far-flung places unknown.
"Good afternoon, madam!" the strange woman greeted. "Tell me, you look like a woman who knows what she wants, so what will it be, an Incan sun medallion, perhaps a jade dragon statue from the Far East or how about the finest spices from Ceylon?"
"Uh, are you Lady Nasrin?" asked Junia.
"Oh, my apologies. No, I am Beulah. Lady Nasrin is my mother. She does the fortune-telling while I handle the trading. I can bring you to her if you wish."
"I would like that. Thank you." Junia replied.
Beulah directed Junia to a room in the back of the carriage that was hidden by a beaded curtain. Behind said curtain sat an older woman who look almost identical to Beulah though her hair was gray, and her face was covered in wrinkles. On the table in front of her, sat a crystal ball on top of a tablecloth covered in various astrological signs.
"Ah, a new customer, come in, come in!" the elder woman greeted, waving the vestal into the room. "Thank you, Beulah, I'll take it from here." With this, Beulah left the two women and returned to her post in the front.
"Come, have a seat, miss Junia." Nasrin said.
"Wait, How did you know my name?!" Junia exclaimed, shocked and a little scared that Lady Nasrin somehow knew who she was without saying her name.
"I'm a psychic, deary, what did you expect? Now how can I help you, not that I don't already know." Nasrin chuckled lightly.
"Well, as you probably know, I'm one of the warriors sent here to fight against the darkness and while on a journey in the ruins, I came across a crystal ball in the Ancestor's former chambers and when I picked it up, I swear I saw the future for me and my boyf-" Junia cut herself off before she divulged too much. "um, my friend."
"Hmm, let's what we can find." said Nasrin, gazing into her crystal ball. "I see…I see…I see a happy couple standing in front of a house."
"That exactly what I saw!" blurted Junia.
"I also see children. A boy and a girl to be exact." said the fortune teller.
"Really?" inquired Junia, blushing at the thought of starting a family with Reynauld.
"However, I also see death. This hypothetical happy ending is not meant to be." Nasrin grimly remarked.
"What! That can't be right! Check again!" cried Junia, in denial.
"Hmm, perhaps some tarot cards will give you a more agreeable answer." Lady Nasrin said as she pulled out a deck and placed it on the table. "Take three cards but let fate guide your choices."
Without looking at them, Junia selected three random cards from pile. The first card was of a woman in religious garb sitting on a throne between two pillars labeled B and J, the card was upside down. The second card featured a tower being struck by lightning and two people leaping from the building to their death below, this card was upright. The third depicted a naked couple with an angel hovering over them, like the first, this card was reversed.
"Oh dear…" Nasrin said. "This says that a relationship you are a part of, will end in a great disaster."
"No, no! This can't be right!" Junia exclaimed. "It can't be true! There must be something you are doing wrong!"
"Young lady, I have been doing this for over thirty years, when the ancestor was still alive, he would come to me for advice, so I think I know what I am doing!" Nasrin grumbled, growing annoyed with the vestal. "I can only show you the possible future, I cannot however, change it. Only your actions can affect your fate."
"Some psychic you are!" Junia shouted, storming out of the telling room in a fury.
Lady Nasrin frowned as she watched the vestal leave in a huff. Once she was alone again, the elderly fortune teller got up from her seat and poured herself a cup of chamomile tea from a pot that was sitting on a side-table. "What a troublesome girl." she thought to herself.
After leaving the telling room, Junia found herself back in the main area of the wagon, still steaming over her unfortunate fortune when she came across Beulah haggling with a familiar blond woman in a tall hat.
"The best I can do is seven hundred fifty gold." stated Beulah, referring to the tentacle idol on the counter.
"No way, I found this in the ruins. Do you know how much trouble I had to go through to keep it in good condition? It's at least worth a thousand." Audrey bargained.
"I'm afraid these just don't go for much. Nine hundred, no more." Beulah said, making her final offer.
"Ugh, fine. Guess I can't complain." the graverobber griped, disappointed that she wouldn't be getting as much money as she expected.
As Beulah counted up her gold, Audrey noticed the vestal standing not far from her. She did not recognize Junia at first since she was not wearing her usual robes.
"Oh, it's you." Audrey snarled, narrowing her eyes at the vestal. "What do you want?"
"Uh, I was just leaving." Junia nervously mumbled, hoping to avoid conflict with the blond woman.
"No, you aren't!" Audrey shouted as she moved to block the door with her body. "You're not leaving until we talk about what is going on between you and Dismas!"
"Dismas and I?" Junia thought to herself, confused about what Audrey was saying. "I don't know what you are talking about, Audrey. There is nothing going between me and Dismas."
"LIAR!" screamed Audrey. "I've seen the way you look at him!"
"HEY!" shout Beulah, interrupting the conversation. "No fighting in the wagon! If you are going to do so, take it outside."
Audrey removed herself from the exit and quickly grabbed her gold from off the counter while Junia rushed outside. Once she retrieved her wealth, the graverobber joined the vestal outside so she could continue their little "chat".
"I really don't know what you are referring to, Audrey." pleaded Junia. "Dismas and I are just friends."
"Stop lying. I know all about your feelings for him, bitch!" Audrey spat, flecks of her saliva landing on the vestal's face. "I saw that slick little smile you gave him at the sanatorium, whore!
"He was just comforting me because I was so worried for Reynauld." explained Junia.
"Oh, really? Then how come you had a "private conversation" with him back in ruins? Harlot!" Audrey shrieked.
"Again, we were just talking about Reynauld. Nothing happened between us." explained Junia.
"What about Reynauld, you treacherous snake?" asked Audrey.
"That Dismas knew that Reynauld and I are a couple."
It was in that moment, Audrey finally put two and two together and felt like the biggest ass in the world. All she could muster as a response was "Oh..." After a few moments of silence, she gave a response with more substance. "I'm…so sorry Junia, I had no idea about you and Reynauld."
"I honestly shouldn't have told you, what I have with Reynauld is true love, but word cannot get out about us or else our lives will be ruined." begged Junia.
"I understand. Don't worry Junia. I will keep quiet about this, and I apologize for calling you those awful names." said the blond woman.
"Thank you, Audrey. I hope we can put this ugliness behind us and continue to be friends." said the vestal.
Audrey nodded "Agreed."
"So…You and Dismas." Junia said, flashing the graverobber a quick smile.
"Yeah, there is just something about him, his stubble, his sarcastic sense of humor, the way he wears his bandana…" Audrey gushed about the highwayman. "And Reynauld? What about him made you fall for him?" she asked.
"Well, he is handsome, he is devoted to the Light, he always shows bravery in battle, and he loves me back, what isn't there to like?" giggled Junia.
Cuthbert sat on the steps of the abbey, wiping beads of sweat from his brow. "Gods, it's so hot here." he thought to himself, grumbling as he did so. "What did I do wrong to end up in a backwater like this?" He hated the hamlet. The buildings were barely standing, the air stank like manure, but the worst aspect of the place was the people; they were nothing but sinners and heretics. Gambling, drunkenness and fornication seemed rampant in the village. The bishop had heard about the actions of the ancestor and thought that the wickedness must have rubbed off onto the community. Now that he was here, Cuthbert was determined to put an end to the immorality of the hamlet and turn it's denizens towards the light once again.
Scanning the area, he noticed two women having a conversation, he couldn't make what they were saying, but one of them look recognizable, she was fair complexed with long flowing brunette hair. Suddenly he remembered that he saw her during Mass, but his recollection of the woman went back even further, he had known her from St. Martha's. He recalled that her name was Junia, a sinful little vestal. He banished her from the abbey for acting upon lustful desire and he expected her to die here, yet she was still alive. Cuthbert frowned. "Why isn't she dead?" the bishop fumed. "No matter I suppose, but I'll be sure to keep a very close eye on her." he thought as a sinister smirk crept upon his face.
Reynauld slowly made his way towards the bunkhouse, his stitches still hurt a bit. Paracelsus and Bridgette gave him the okay to check himself out after a quick examination. He expected Junia to come back to him at the sanatorium immediately after Mass, but she didn't show up, which worried the knight. "I hope she isn't any sort of trouble" he thought to himself.
There is a lot one can tell about a person just by looking at their bed and the heroes' bunks were no different. For example, Dismas' bunk was haphazardly made with the blanket being wrinkled and hidden bottles of booze under his pillow. Junia's bunk in contrast, was neat and tidy with religious icons hanging from the headboard. Baldwin's bunk was spartan and unfurnished, befitting an ascetic such as him.
As for Reynauld, his bed was well-maintained and was decorated with symbols of the Light, prayer scrolls and medals from his time in the military. On the side of his pillow sat a small, silver locket. Upon picking it up, the crusader opened it to reveal a portrait miniature of his wife and son. Seeing their portraits felt bittersweet. He still loved them both dearly, but ever since he started his new life with Junia, the affection he had for them seemed to be fading by the day. "I wonder if I should have a portrait made for Junia?". Reynauld noticed a slip of paper near to where the locket was, it read:
"Meet me outside of the abbey at sunset – J". The crusader's face lit up. Junia was alive and well. But what so important that they had to meet in private? There was only one way to find out.
The sun was setting as the knight as arrived at the abbey, its steeple cast a long shadow as twilight fell upon the hamlet. He was greeted by Junia, standing near the cemetery gate, sporting a wide frown on her face.
"What's wrong my love?" inquired Reynauld, worried.
"Reynauld, there is something important I need to tell you about. Do you remember that I told you that I was sent to the Hamlet as a punishment? Well, the man who sent me is here now." Junia explained.
"So, what do we do?" asked the knight.
"It is best that we are not seen together outside of expeditions. Our secret is already crumbling." said Junia.
"Really? Who else besides us and Dismas knows?"
"Audrey. I told her." Junia confessed.
"Why would you tell her? We can't risk anymore people knowing about us!" Reynauld asked incredulously.
"She thought I was interested in Dismas. She was very angry with me, but when I told her we are together, she calmed down a bit." the vestal explained.
"Seriously, you and Dismas?" chuckled Reynauld.
"I know. I don't have a problem with Dismas, but he is not my type. I've only ever had eyes for you, my knight!" raved Junia.
"And you are the only woman for me, my love!" replied Junia.
The two embraced and shared a kiss, holding it for a while. The vestal then turned to face away from her lover. "Reynauld, there is something else I need to tell you." Junia said with shame in her voice.
"What is it, my sweet?" asked Reynauld.
"The reason I didn't come back to see you right away was that I went to go the fortune teller that lives in the nomad wagon." admitted Junia.
"You shouldn't be messing around with that stuff, Junia." the knight scolded. "It's too dangerous and against the Light."
"I know but during our expedition in the ruins, I came across a crystal ball and I swear I saw the future. Our future. Together." said the vestal. "It was of us, in front of a house…with children."
"Are you saying we are destined to be married and have kids?" inquired Reynauld, losing his normally stoic composure.
"Well, when I went to the psychic, she said that this vision will not come to fruition and that a great tragedy will end our relationship. I don't want to lose you, my knight!" Junia said, cupping her hands and beginning to cry.
The crusader held the vestal closely, trying to comfort the distraught woman. "Shhh…Shhh…It's okay, Junia. You know how much love you dear, I will never let anything come between us, not this bishop, not some unforeseen catastrophe and especially not some otherworldly horror or barbaric cutthroat. You are a part of me now, as such, I will guard your life as if it were my own."
"Do you mean that, Reynauld?" asked Junia, her eyes still tearful.
"I do my love. Forever and always."
The two kissed one again however what they did not know was that someone was watching them. Father Lucian was spying on the couple from the abbey's belltower, the look on his face was closer to that of disappointment rather than anger. "So, this is what she was hiding."
Author's note: Hello everyone. I am so sorry this took so long. I've been working on this chapter since January but in back in March my PSU died and decided to take my hard drive with it, deleting my original draft. The first draft was not that different from the final product, but it had a scene where Junia converses with Baldwin outside the abbey. I hope you guys don't me adding original characters like Cuthbert, Lucian and Nasrin to the story, but I thought it might help flesh out the narrative since DD does not have much in the way of character story. I am thinking that the next possible chapter will be the siren fight with some eventual smut after. As always comments, suggestions and constructive criticism is always welcome.