NIGHTS OF HALLOW

The sound of the running hooves of the horses and the carriage wheels echoed as it made a stop at the entrance of the castle’s double doors.

The Coachman was quick to jump down from the driver’s seat to open the carriage doors. Behind the Coachman was Emily who stopped beside him ready to assist Perdita.

Sthena was the first to step down from the carriage as he held out his hand to assist Perdita, his hand gently and protectively wrapped around hers to make sure she didn’t trip.

The Coachman and Emily bowed as the duo walked past them and into the castle building hand in hand.

”Milord,” Daemon appeared from behind the double doors of the castle’s entrance having heard the sound of the carriage wheels earlier. He bowed towards Perdita in greeting who also politely acknowledged with one of her own.

”Any problem, Dae. Your face speaks urgency,” Sthena stared briefly at Daemon while he maintained gentle strides to keep up with Perdita’s steps.

”There is, Milord,” Daemon replied, walking a step behind the king. He informed, ”The Head churchmember, Donovan arrived at the castle with churchman Theodore and churchwoman Aurora requesting to see you.”

”More like demanding to see me,” Sthena’s steps came to a halt, his thin brows furrowed in annoyance that made his lips press into a thin line. ”How convenient of them to make an appointment without my consent. Makes me wonder who is turning more audacious. The king or his subjugates?”

”I duly informed and asked that they leave and come another day, but they refused and insisted they see you saying an urgent case needed to be discussed.” Daemon as he spoke pushed his spectacle which hung on the bridge of his nose upwards.

Perdita on the side listened as the men spoke, her gaze following the movement of Daemon’s hand noting how he had resumed wearing his glasses like he did when she first saw him in the village of Woodbridge. She then turned to Sthena, excusing herself with a bow,

”I shall take my leave and retire to my Chambers, Sthena, as you have urgent matters to attend to.”

Sthena’s attention shifted back to the lady whose hand he held. He didn’t let go as Perdita tugged to free her arm, instead, he held her hand securely to stop her from moving to say, ”Wait,”

Perdita stared back at him in question wondering why he asked her to wait. To her surprise and Daemon’s whose gaze was on them, Sthena leaned in and kissed the cheeks of Perdita. ”Make sure to serve her something to eat.” He said to Emily who bowed and ”you also,” to Perdita he said, ”Get some rest. I’ll see you later tonight.”

Perdita blinked, her mouth slightly agape having not expected that move from Sthena. To hide her flushed face, she nodded barely audibly muttering a yes as she quickly dashed from there, Emily hot on the trail behind her.

”Where are the church members?” Sthena quizzed, turning to Daemon. The smile that had been on his face was quickly replaced by a serious expression.

Daemon cleared his throat, unfazed by what had transpired between the shameless king and the green-eyed lady. ”They are in the courtroom, Milord,” He replied, stepping aside to let the king walk through.

Shortly after, Sthena and the Daemon arrived in the courtroom where the church sat on their various chairs. On seeing the King and his chief Advisor arrive, they all rose to their feet, heads bowed deeply at the king. ”Greetings, Your Majesty,” they chorused.

A wave of the hand from Sthena as he made himself comfortable on his seat had the church members resume sitting on their respective chairs.

”If I hadn’t known better, I would say that I now take orders from the church,” Sthena began, his voice calm but the look on his face quite the opposite. ”What is it you have come to disturb my peace with, Headchurch Donovan?”

Being called upon, Donovan sat upright, his hand clasped respectfully in front of him, further inclining his head in a slight bow before speaking, ”Our deepest apology, Your Majesty that we have come without prior appointment and approval from you. It is surely our undoing.”

”Save my ears the stress of listening to your disturbing lullaby and get on with the issue already, Donovan,” Sthena interjected, his index finger tapping on the armrest impatiently.

Sthena’s remark didn’t faze Donovan as he was used to his remarks which he would also never take lightly as it was the famous pureblooded vampire king was in the picture. He went on to speak, ”Your Majesty, we have brought with us an urgent matter which needs your insight and also we want to hear what you have to say concerning it.”

Sthena kept mute, refusing to voice another question about what Donovan was talking about. He allowed him to speak while beneath the surface he wanted to get the meeting done with.

”Your majesty,” Donovan continued, ”It is about the recent kill in Blackfang town which had brought so many reports from the inhabitants of the town to my table. They all demand for an action to be taken on the supposed killer. That is what we have come to discuss what shall be followed after with you.”

”As the church and also as the head of the church members, what have you done concerning the recent killing? It has been weeks since that killing happened, but yet, it is only now you have come to talk to me about it?”

”I fully take all accountability for the mishap, Your Majesty. Other cases took the time to conduct a proper investigation, however, I have designated members of the church to take a proper investigation on the matter.”

”Incompetent,” Sthena scoffed, rolling his eyes. ”Those are the things you should have done and also told those making complaints about the killing. What I should see is the parchment of your report and not your faces I don’t fancy seeing.”

”Yes, Your Majesty, but then, you announced a gathering that’d be held to address the people so they can be assured of their safety, that was why we came to hear from you and what you have to say.”

”My order doesn’t stop you from telling them that a proper investigation is being carried out. This rather shows the church as being—” He left his words hanging, allowing them to fill in the gap with whatever word they chose to call themselves. Meanwhile, in the king’s mind, the word which was left hanging was dimwits.

”There is another thing, Your Majesty,” Donovan voiced out just as Sthena was about to dismiss them. He declared, ”A report came to the church’s notice saying that the castle had turned into a ground for hurdling people. Both criminals and innocent ones.”

”Oh, that?” Sthena casually gestured in the direction where he supposedly hurdled people which the dungeon. ”Perhaps, it could be a false claim or otherwise. But then, if you and the person who filed the report want a quick trip or perhaps a longer one to the dungeon to confirm you just know what to do. Just one mishap from any of you will buy you the ticket to go there. What do you say? I am a generous king after all.”

Donovan stared at the king though not straight at his face, the king’s remarks setting off the gentle screws in his head. He wondered how those people who stayed around the king survived without having a problem in their heads. He knew exactly what the King was implying while using a trip to the dungeon to mask his words. A day would come when the veil shall be removed inside the castle. And he couldn’t wait for that day to happen.

”We have heard what you said, Your Majesty. We appreciate your time spent giving us a listening ear. We shall be on our way now,”

”Daemon, see the church members out lest they miss their way to the darker side of the castle,” Sthena smiled rather unsettling to take casually. Rising to his feet, the church members bowed deeply at him as he walked out of the courtroom, his shoes sharply clicking on the hard floor.

”What is it that you wanted to tell me, Daemon?” Sthena probed as soon Daemon joined him in the study room where he had a parchment in front of him, a quill in hand, and ink which he dipped into to write on the parchment. ”I believe the church members didn’t just come here to know what they should do about the murder in Blackfang town.”

”Your impute is right, Milord,” Daemon replied, walking around to settle into the chair separating him from the King. ”I had discovered prior to their visit just in the early hours of the morning that they had started investigations and had also covered a considerable loophole in tracking the killer.”

”I know they have started investigations. Donovan would die if he didn’t know how such an unusual death happened. However, what I know he would die from is him trying to use this case to bring up something that might pull him into the dark corners of a casket.”

Daemon adjusted his spectacle, clearing his throat in the process with a subtle smile on his face at the King’s words knowing the king was referring to Donovan’s question about those hurdled inside the castle. ”What you don’t know of yet, Milord, is that they somehow discovered where this person who committed the offense is.”

”Did they now?” Sthena nodded, impressed by the smart move of the church members. They came looking like puppies while also fishing for answers from his mouth meanwhile, they were already on the verge of getting the culprit.

Sthena put aside the quill while letting the parchment dry before he rolled it and gave it to Daemon saying, ”You know what to do. Make sure this gets to Prime Minister Elliot.”

”Yes, Milord,” Daemon bowed, taking the parchment with him. He heard Sthena say as he was about to leave the study room, ”It is one thing letting the church members crack the nine levels of this case, and it is another thing letting them finish everything up though I doubt they would find the real culprit. We must get to this place before they do. This case is more than what there is to the surface.”

”They prepare to go tomorrow, Milord, we should if we must intervene, head to the location today.”

”Then prepare yourself, tonight, we shall pay a surprise visit to our famous head cutter.” Sthena smiled, his fangs coming into view as he did while his nails elongated, sharp and glistening under his stare eager to paint them red.