Ramon placed his glass carefully upon the table. He willed himself to appear reserved, while inside bursting with curiosity.
"A…cah-dough?"
Gail inhaled in preparation for a lot of explaining. "Believe it or not, yours isn't the FIRST parasite worshiping village I've been forced into assimilation with."
He squinted, a moment passing to process, "Then you mean to tell me that the reason that the plaga could not make residence within YOU is because you are heretofore…occupied?"
"Pretty much," she leaned forward to rest her arms on the table, "They're surgically implanted at full size. Wherever there's room for it." She traced a finger from the center of her ribcage and down over the left side of her stomach along the scar that was hidden beneath her bodice, "I'd imagine a tiny little egg wouldn't be much of a match for a fully realized cadou if it decided it wasn't up for sharing a host. It fuses with its host so completely it alters its DNA. Under a microscope, I wouldn't even look human anymore."
"I see…and Lord Saddler took advantage of the opportunity to attempt merging both parasites within one body," Ramon shifted back in his chair, "Ingenious."
"The only thing I'm still stumped on is how he knew I even existed." Her fingers slid over the condensation on her glass, "My own family doesn't even know what I am. Other than eight…maybe nine people from the village, no one knows."
"And what would stop one of them from opening their mouths?"
"Their hearts being ripped out, for one," she tapped her glass, "If they had found me, I'd have been taken back to the village. Probably to be killed, tortured, or experimented on, so this is preferable."
Ramon nursed his wine in thought before narrowed eyes questioned her again, "However…that does not explain your curious ability to sense Lord Saddler as if you were one of us."
"Oh, I've been able to sense EVERYONE'S plaga since then," Gail picked up her glass with a flippant shrug, and Ramon gave a perturbed leer. "Yours and Saddler's are easy to recognize. I can even tell Pesanta and Isidro's apart now."
Ramon released something between an exhale and a growl, "Well, isn't that a convenient development… That, yet again, you have seen fit to keep me in the dark about. Care to enlighten how this occurred?"
A toothy grin answered his irritation, "Just one plaga injected into someone with DNA as unstable as mine was bound to cause side effects. Ya'll tried it five times." She sipped her drink. "The other cadou carriers were all different. The outcome depends on a lot of things: the carrier, their living space, things they're exposed to. It gets complicated. YOU'VE seen how spontaneous evolution works… MESSY!"
"Spontaneous evolution?" Ramon's brow twitched with realization, "Then, are those in possession of a cadou also capable of…an ascension, of sorts."
Gail tilted her head, "Ascension?"
"An ultimate transformation. It can be induced in the lower among the plagas through the divine chantings of a Crimson Priest. It is the sacred rite and eventual fate of every follower from the lowest commoner to Lord Saddler himself."
"You talkin' about the exploding head guys back at the lab?" She leaned forward with a look of clear disgust, "THAT'S what you've got to look forward to?!"
Ramon gave a disparaging chuckled, "A divine being is not beholden to the fears or…aesthetic preferences of mortals. But trust that MY ascension will be greater than some lowly Ganado experiment from the lab."
Gail's brow was high on her forehead, and she pursed her lips with wide eyes behind her glass, "Congrats, I guess… Suppose I should be grateful a cadou transformation isn't permanent."
"Then you are capable of reverting forms at will?"
She gave a sarcastic breath of laughter, "Me PERSONALLY? I have no idea if I can even do it the FIRST time. I never got that far, and I think I'd rather not try to if I can help it."
Ramon steepled his fingers, brow knitting in silence for a moment before his gaze darted back to her, "This…other religious community. Where is it? How did you come by it?"
"Middle-of-nowhere, Romania. Woulda been a couple hundred miles from Brașov, probably; it doesn't have a name. Spent about seven years of my life there. Seven FORMATIVE years, unfortunately. I was five when my parents and I went hiking and must have veered off on the wrong trail, so I don't remember much. All I DO remember is that we were chased. By lycans, I'm sure."
"Lycans?" Ramon gave her a look of disbelief, "As in lycanthropy?"
"That's what they called the ones whose psyche couldn't quite endure the procedure. Sort of a more feral version of your Ganados. It's DEFINITELY a fitting name, trust me." She was now sitting sideways at the table, the arm with her glass resting next her plate. "Whatever happened in those first few hours must have been traumatic enough for my brain to block out. Suffice to say, my parents didn't make it, and I was found and taken in by someone in the village. My first clear memory would have been weeks later after the procedure when I was tested for the first time. But like I said, she was never able to induce a transformation."
"She?"
"Miranda." She glanced toward him as she tapped the edge of her glass, and even as subtle as the twitch in her features was, Ramon sensed her EMENCE hatred in that name. "They called her "Mother" Miranda. Worshipped her, prayed to her… Like a god…or some kind of holy messenger, I guess. You're familiar with the narrative."
Ramon shifted in his seat, "And this Mother Miranda is the lead carrier of the cadou?"
"Not exactly. Her abilities come from the megamycete. The Black God, she called it, a fungal colony with roots that stretch throughout the entire village. The cadous are pieces taken from it and altered. It's a whole process."
Ramon stared at his long abandoned plate. Could there be another organism capable of the same power as the plaga? He had never questioned his belief that something with that kind of power must come from a god. Could it, perhaps, all be a part of the same divine plan?
But if that were the case, why would Lord Saddler have decided on killing Gail? Under those circumstances, would Gail not have been saved already? Lord Saddler knew all that Gail had just told him, didn't he? He had to. Could this other organism, then…be a threat? A Lucifer to Los Illuminados' Michael?
"I can tell you more if you've got questions." He just barely registered what Gail was saying as his brain was racked for answers. "For now, I wouldn't mind taking a walk in the garden," she stretched her arms behind her head with a yawn, "It would be good to get acquainted with the puppies so they don't bite me again."
After a period of silence, Ramon's stare finally focused on her, and he nodded, interrupted by a yawn of his own, "Of course…perhaps a stroll in the garden would serve us well."
He waved to his Verdugos to accompany them as he stood, hoping to seem unfazed, but now overflowing with more questions. Questions that he knew would be much harder to answer as Gail wouldn't have them.
Lord Saddler would know. He knew of this other supernatural organism. Yes. He would have the answers.
He let this comfort him before realizing that in his haze, they had already come through his room and were now on the veranda above the courtyard.
Gail inhaled the fresh air as they descended the steps to the grassy terrain below. "God, I love summer nights!" She looked to the sky, "Fewer and fewer places you can still see the stars like this."
Ramon followed her gaze, allowing himself reprieve from his stressful thoughts to admire the night sky as well. "Venus is bright tonight."
"Huh?" She glanced around to find what he was seeing, "Where?"
"There," he pointed, "The brightest one."
He was acutely aware of her closeness as she leaned closer to follow her gaze up his arm to where he pointed. "That's Venus?! Holy shit! I always thought the North Star was suppose to be the brightest. Polaris?"
"Polaris is the LARGEST star in the sky. Sirius is the brightest STAR, but Venus is the brightest celestial body other than the moon."
"And you said you weren't as scientifically minded as me. You're schooling me in astronomy!"
He adjusted his hat, "Isidro was quite knowledgeable about the night sky. I learned a lot from him."
"No kiddin'?!" Gail slipped her hands into her coat pockets as they continued into a corridor formed by two hedges. The air was rather chill for a summer night. "Was Isidro an astronomer?"
"He was a man of science. Though, he began as a lowly manservant, my grandmother noticed his competence in MANY things and appointed him the castle butler. He was one of very few who cared much at all for me…perhaps through pity…but after the passing of my grandmother, it became apparent that his loyalties lied with me as opposed to my father. I had long recognized his proclivity for knowledge of the natural world, and after ridding the castellany of my father, I made him my researcher."
"Hm!" She shrugged, "Guess it goes to show talent can come from anywhere. Ya know…almost everything I know about engineering, I learned from-"
Gail jumped at the loud howl that emanated from the corner just ahead. That howl was joined by several others around them in various parts of the garden labyrinth.
"Don't worry," Ramon smiled, "They're merely saying hello."
She gave a light chuckle before the nearest wolf rounded the corner ahead of them, tail wagging and trotting up happily. The mannerisms clashed strangely with the absurdly massive teeth that created an overbite and couldn't even BEGIN to be covered by its upper lip.
"Arturo!" Ramon knelt, and the large canine was at right about eye level with him.
Gail grinned as Arturo greeted his little master, Ramon's fingers buried in the magnificent beast's mane. He laughed as it lapped at his cheek with a freakishly long tongue. She heard rustling from behind her as another wolf came bounding toward them, ignoring her, and joining the other to greet Ramon.
"Azùcar! ¡Hola mis queridos!" His hat fell to the ground as he buried his face in fur, arms hugging the necks of the two animals.
Ramon finally turned to Gail, beckoning with a hand, "Come! They are quite docile when I am here."
She sat on her knees next to him, slightly taller then the massive creatures, but they appeared no less intimidating. "Those are SOME chompers! I'm lucky I didn't get a chunk taken out of my calf!" She chuckled, cautiously giving Azùcar's head a scratch, "Not that I couldn't have grown it back, but I'd'a been out of commission for a good while longer."
"They're incredible creatures!" Ramon scratched Arturo's fluffy cheeks, "They've been some of my closest comrades since I was a boy," he turned to Gail, "I suppose misunderstood creatures recognize each other."
She smiled warmly, "They often do."
He caught her gaze and felt his face grow hot. In these past days, he had come to the begrudging conclusion that he was undeniably and irrevocably attracted to her. He had even allowed himself in more than one moment of weakness to consider a future attempt at courting her. But he was good at burying such feelings, and that's what he did. Even if by some miracle she reciprocated, it would only serve to complicate things. Lord Saddler had barely let him keep her; he certainly wouldn't approve of such a relationship with an outsider.
"I have snakes at home."
Ramon was shaken again from his nagging thoughts. "Ah. So you weren't lying when you said you liked snakes."
"I would never lie about snakes," she mocked seriousness, "You've seen my tattoo. That's my carpet python, Beans. I've had him since I left mom and dad's. Mom would never let me have one as a kid. She HATES snakes."
Ramon stood and led them around the next corner, the wolves running ahead of them, "I've had a fascination with animals of all kinds since before I can remember. Once when I was young, I hid a collection of toads in my chamberpot."
Gail erupted in laughter, "Oh my GOD! I hope you didn't forget and try to use it!"
"Oh, Pesanta found them LONG before that could happen. She was quite cross with me…" The smirk on his face made it clear that he was not at all sorry.
"I used to catch all kinds of little animals too. I'd bring them in, keep em in a little box for a bit… But, I learned pretty quickly it was best to let them go."
Ramon's fingers clenched loosely in Arturo's fur, who had circled back to walk next to him. Gail noticed the troubled look cross his features again, and after waiting several seconds, she had just opened her mouth to say something when Ramon finally spoke.
"You should retire for the night. It has been a long day, and I do have business to tend to."
Gail's brow twitched slightly at the sudden change in tone, but she didn't argue. "Okay…" she nodded, "I guess I'll, uh…I'll see ya tomorrow."
Ramon felt a pang of guilt for sounding so dismissive, and he looked to her with a gentle smile, "Yes, mi querida. I look forward to it."
The smile she returned left him with the most bittersweet ache in his chest as he watched her round the corner from where they had come. He wasn't certain how long he might have stood there to agonize over all of his new worries had Gail not called from a couple of hedges over.
"Hey, uh, Ramon?"
"Yes?"
"I don't know where I'm going."
He gave a start before running in her direction.
~*~*~*~
Finally back in her room, Gail removed her bodice and skirts, lying them neatly folded on one of the chests of drawers. She knew that something about what she had told Ramon had really bothered him, and she hoped it hadn't changed her standing with him.
She settled herself into her pallet before almost immediately scrambling to get up with a loud yelp as a sharp sting shot through her foot. It took her a moment to steady herself, throbbing pain pulsing at her heal.
"The FUCK?!" She grabbed the sheets and ripped the blanket away. Coiling around itself in agitation was a mid-sized snake. "Dammit! What are YOU doing here?!"
The snake prepared to strike again if need be with a warning hiss, and Gail spotted a short two-by-four propped against the opposite wall. With some persistence, she was able to use it to coax the reptile to exit the door and slither outside. That would just have to be someone else's problem. Good thing no one in this castle would be extremely susceptible to a snake bite. Though she did hope it wasn't EXTREMELY venomous. That would still be a bitch to recover from.
The bleeding stopped quickly, but it left her feeling feverish. She plopped back into bed. Nothing to do except sleep it off.
This didn't come easy, though, as her fevered state made for a restless night. She slipped in and out of consciousness, each time, dozing off to a new bewildering dream about snakes.
Spanish translation:
¡Hola mis queridos! - Hello, my dears!
