Authors: Devin Morgan
“Brother.” Richard stood to embrace him. Aris stooped to kiss Gabriela on her cheek. “Sarah will join us in a moment. She spent the early morning with Jane Howard and she wanted to freshen up before she saw you.”
Aris paced in front of the fireplace. “She must be frightened to meet with the Council.”
“Relax and sit down. She is fine. She is actually looking forward to it. She and Jane have made such a hit, she wants to meet as many Immortals as she can. She is an amazing woman, Aris.”
“I know.” He sat next to Gabriela on the sofa. Leaning forward, his elbows resting on his knees, he turned to face Richard as he spoke. “But how can she not be afraid? Landing in a city made solely of blood drinkers. Attending a meeting of the Grand Council without any of us with her. Standing alone before thirteen Immortals she has
never seen before. She is amazing, but she is not a super woman. How can she not be afraid?”
Gabriela responded. “I asked her just that when we arrived. She said she feels more safe here than she felt on the streets of Chicago. I really have no understanding of it yet she seems to fit here. And she knows it too.”
“She fits in her world above ground. She is a human taking a vacation in a different reality. To live here permanently, to become one of us? Sarah is not ready and probably never will be.” There was sadness in Aris' voice as he spoke.
As Richard stood to respond, the bedroom door opened. Sarah joined them smiling. “I feel like I've got bats in my stomach, I'm so excited.” She recognized her friends' concern. “Please, don't worry about me. I don't even need you to sit in the meeting with me. I'll be fine alone. In fact, I prefer meeting the Council alone.” She turned toward the door, leading the other three, who followed just steps behind her. “Let's get going.”
They left her rooms, walking silently through the corridors. The Immortals were silent out of concern. Sarah was silent to keep from babbling maniacally about nothing. When they reached the tall carved double doors leading into the Audience Chamber, the three vampires embraced her, then watched as the guards swung open the huge doors and their human friend stepped inside.
Aris stood silent for a moment before he turned to his friends. Gabriela could see the concern in his eyes and she reached to embrace him. “Come, let us go to the Sanquinaria for a drink. She will be fine.”
“I know, I know. I just am concerned for her in there alone.”
“That is how she wished it to be. Come. Standing here is no help to either Sarah or to you.”
Aris nodded in agreement and the three Immortals walked slowly down the corridor toward the blood bar.
S
he entered the huge room barren except for a tapestry hanging on the wall and a long table with thirteen chairs gathered around it; the largest situated at one end, the other twelve spaced six to a side. The men and women seated around the table all wore long black robes over their modern clothing. All thirteen in the room were very aware of Sarah's mortality and very careful to sit quietly, not wanting to frighten her.
A tall Immortal rose from the end chair and extended his hand in greeting. “Hello Sarah, I am Bartholomew.” He motioned to a guard to bring another seat to be placed beside his. “Please, be comfortable. We are very grateful you have come to us and we understand how difficult all this must be for you.”
As she sat, the guard placed a water carafe and glass on the table in front of her. She smiled. “It's not so difficult as it is unnerving, but I am glad to help in any way that I can.”
He introduced each of the members of the Council to their guest. Larence was a scientist aiding the Master Keeper of Records, Chanelle was a perfect Snow White look-alike with pure alabaster skin and raven black hair. Brilliant red curls cascading down her back and one long earring dangling to her collar bone gave the one named Adelaide the appearance of a free-spirited artist, yet she was second
in command of the Council. Bartholomew continued introductions around the table until each member was presented and welcomed Sarah.
At last he sat next to her. “If it pleases you, Sarah, what can you tell us of the Spanish coven and its rulers?”
Sarah explained all she knew about the Spanish castle and the surrounding terrain. They asked questions about the Spanish army and their weapons. She had no information about the troops, but she shared all she had heard of the conversation between King DeMarco and Queen Mariska and anything else she could remember she thought might help the Immortals. When the interview was finished, she wished she could have told them more, yet they thanked her, telling her she had been a great service to them.
Bartholomew rose and told the guard to show Sarah to Queen Akira's chambers. Sarah's heart began to race. Even though her interview with the Council had been comfortable and without incident, she became anxious as she anticipated standing before the Queen of the Immortals.
T
he guard ushered Sarah down a long hall and into a magnificent antechamber where she waited to meet Queen Akira. The walls were covered in cream-colored velvet and there were many high-backed comfortable leather chairs scattered around the room. The lighting globes glowed softly, casting a warm light on the silver tea service resting on the table near her chair. Her meeting with the High Council had gone smoothly, yet she couldn't control her uneasy feeling as she anticipated her audience with the Queen.
She had been nervous before meeting the Council, however, she had no fear of them. As she waited for their monarch it was quite a different story. An alien. An ancient being from another planet. As she entered the ante-chamber, the guard spoke softly as he showed her to a seat. “Fear not, the Queen is kind and fair-minded.” Sarah smiled a tentative smile at him as he left the room. Yet as she waited alone to meet the Queen her stomach was tied in knots and the palms of her hands were wet with perspiration.
The sound of an opening door startled her as Sebastian entered the chamber. He greeted her warmly and she was grateful to see a friendly face.
“Her Majesty is ready to see you now.”
Sarah rose; she felt light-headed and dizzy. Smoothing her suit
skirt, she took just a moment to compose herself before she followed him into the royal audience chamber.
No Immortal light illuminated this room. Instead, candles by the hundreds cast dancing shadows on the strange being seated on the majestic throne before her. A second unoccupied seat was positioned near the alien monarch.
“Welcome.” The voice of the Queen was soft yet commanding as she rose from her chair and glided across the floor toward the human woman. Sarah could see her legs bend and stretch as she stepped forward, but her gait was so smooth, she appeared to roll across the marble on wheels. Sarah had been afraid of what an alien would look like, but Akira was not frightening; she was beautiful. Her long silver hair reached almost to her knees, glistening as the candle light shimmered on its thick strands. She was tall and lean and her rich purple velvet robes rippled softly as she reached to touch Sarah's shoulder. Her touch was light, but without warmth or chill, as if she were an inanimate object moving through her inhuman world.
“And so you have come to our kingdom.” Sarah was captivated by her strange unblinking eyes. “You are the first human to see our way of life who has no desire to become an Immortal.” Her voice was as melodious as the voices of all who lived in the Catacombs, yet her demeanor was cool, aloof as would be expected of any Queen. “We appreciate the courage you show in coming below ground.”
“I am grateful that you have allowed me to be here, your Majesty.”
“You are here and under our protection for as long as necessary to keep you safe from harm. You are free to move about the Catacombs as you wish. I understand Jane will be attending to your needs. Ask for her guidance at any time.”
Sarah wasn't sure what to expect of her audience, but she didn't think it would end so abruptly. She was startled by the sound of the great door opening as Sebastian entered the chamber.
The Queen spoke her last words. “Sarah, please enjoy the delights
of the Catacombs and I know I need not caution you about revealing our presence to those above ground.” Her beautiful mouth was stern as the alien female lowered herself silently onto her throne and watched as Sebastian ushered Sarah from the chamber.
S
itting on a cold rock ledge in the heart of a frozen cave, Mariska and Esteban spoke in soft whispers so as not to be heard by the others who were standing nearby.
“The troops are coming along although the training is slow and treacherous in this deep snow.”
Her forehead wrinkling in a scowl and her lips pulled tightly across her teeth, Mariska spoke angrily to her general. “I do not want to hear of your problems. We must pull this army together to march on London. It was your choice to bring them to this hell hole, now handle it.”
“My Queen, it is not an easy task to hide a thousand soldiers.” He was silent, looking for the words to tell the furious woman beside him his true thoughts.
“Well, what is it? Speak up.”
“We know there are over two thousand Immortals. Our thousand soldiers will not be enough to defeat them even if we could surprise them. A thousand undead marching on London would be a death sentence to our cause.”
Jumping to her feet, she stooped so her face was directly in front of his. Menacingly she asked, “What are you saying?”
“Within days DeMarco will leave for London. His troops are loyal
to him and will fight to extinction. I have heard dissension among our people. My fear is some will flee. There are even rumors of some wishing to return to the King. Can you not put your anger aside and rejoin him in order to complete our task? To win this war?”
The sound of her hand slapping his face echoed throughout the cave. “How dare you. Now get back to work. Do your job or you will be the one who is made extinct.” She spun on her heel and walked away.
S
arah and Jane sat before the dancing fire as she waited for Aris to call for her. He was taking her on her first excursion into the center of the Immortal's underground city. Hawke lay sleeping, curled on a Persian rug close to the warmth of the blaze. At intervals he would raise his head as if he were checking on Jane to make sure she was safe with the human woman.
“You must have so many questions about our society.” Jane smiled sweetly as she spoke. “Please ask anything. I will do my best to help you understand our way of life.”
“Really, I'm so overwhelmed right now I don't even know what I don't know. I'm not sure where to begin.” Sarah laughed at her own confused answer. “Why don't you tell me more about you? I am fascinated by your human life in the court of Elizabeth I.”
The Immortal vampire sat silently gazing into her distant past.
After a moment, Sarah spoke again. “Does it pain you to speak of it?”
Brought back into the present, Jane answered. “No. My life at the royal court brought me a great deal of joy as well as a garden of sorrow. I am just not sure where to begin.”
“Were you born into court life?”
“Most of my family held positions at the royal court throughout
the reign of all the Tudor kings and queens. I was born in the year 1571 twelve years after Elizabeth came to the throne.”
“Will you tell me about your life in the palace?”
“As a child, I was raised as all females were. I was schooled in language, music, embroidery and dance, destined to be a perfect courtier.” She was silent for a moment, pensive, thinking of what might have been. Sarah waited without question.
“I was twelve years of age before I was ever brought before the Queen. I remember the awe I felt at seeing her glorious jeweled golden gown. Bright copper curls were piled high on her head and her fingers were heavy with precious stones. She absolutely glowed in the light of the candles.
“When it was time for me to be presented, I could hardly breathe. I made my very best curtsy and she laughed as she took my hand to raise me. When I lifted my gaze to hers, her eyes were such a dark brown they appeared black and they danced with delight. I remember distinctly, she said I was a lovely child. She promised when I was of a more suitable age, she would call me to be one of her maids-in-waiting.
“I could barely contain myself. It was the sole desire of every maiden in the royal house to wait on the Queen. And I had been chosen. I have no memory of the rest of that evening, my mind so lost in the great opportunity that was laid before me. My family was infinitely proud of my achievement. I was granted a new wardrobe and the very first horse I was to ever own. He was snow white with a mane thicker and a tail longer than any stallion I had ever seen. He became my constant companion when I was able to escape my lessons.” Jane laughed as she remembered her human life.
A quiet rap on the door interrupted the two women.
“Come in.” Sarah rose as Aris stepped into the room. Without thinking, she moved into his open arms, his soft lips covering hers, her body pressing hungrily into his. Jane rose, motioning Hawke
from his sleeping place. She moved as silently as she could, but they still heard her. Sarah turned toward her smiling shyly.