Chapter nineteen.

Lord Lucaí.

The time was soon, I was finally taking Sobêiski down and there was no way anyone could stop me. I had played my cards right and everything had emerged according to my direct anticipation- well except, I hadn't gotten the emerald yet but, I had that all covered.

I shrugged into my final robe, tapped my usual breast plate over my shoulder ephod straps and examined myself in the mirror with a knowing smirk.

"My Lord, the breast plate has been delivered to Lord Sobêiski." Charlen divulged as I laid my hair back with a small comb.

I caught his gaze from the mirror as my smile widened. I swiveled to face him, motioning him closer to me with a wave of my hand.

"I'm assuming that lady Manøvie has arrived?" I asked with a raised eyebrow

"Yes,My Lord. Spariús showed her to her seat at the front as you ordered,"

"Ah,perfect!" I bobbed my head in content.

All was in place. Now, I'd wait for the right moment to come before I struck my myopic prey right between the eyes.

"I hope everything else at the Temple is fully prepared,"

"Yes, all is at hand and as we speak Edmonton and his brother are on their way here so Spariús and I will return and wait for your cue when you all come to the Temple square," Charlen added

After I exposed Sobêiski and Manøvie,the elders will obviously demand the matter be resolved immediately. As of his act of betrayal, he will be guillotined infront of the whole village at the Temple square.

This brings me to the part where I will get the final stone for my breast plate. I'd have worn it, but part me was led by intuition not to because Manøvie will fight for Sobêiski and somewhat oppose his death and that's when I'll strick her.

After donning my cap, I sat and waited for my signal to come out in objection to the ceremony. I slowly swayed my head at the ringing melodies wafting from the open compound on the other side of this room.

Spariús and Charlen left immediately Edmonton and his brother arrived at the manor house, one of them eavesdropping at the perpetuating event as the wait went on.

"My Lord, the sprinkling has been done!" Cyprus ran in frantically

I jumped from my seat, arranging my garments and looking at myself at the mirror quickly before stepping out of the small door at the side of the main entrance with the two brothers at my tail.

"We now consecrate our very own, Levi Maritús Sobêiski as Lord and guide of Modëus. As we place this signet of power into his hand, we trust him to protect and serve us and appease the goddess with a whole heart....

"Stop! Just stop this right now!!" I snapped from the back, earning baffled gasps from the audience as I advanced towards the expensively adorned gazebo.

"Lord Lucaí, what is the meaning of this?" the eldest priest, Levi Maritús Thesårus snapped in frenzy as I stood below them.

"You can not make him High priest!" I pointed at Sobêiski who stood amidst the elders, unshaken

"And why not?"

"Sobêiski here is a traitor!" I announced,staring back at the surprised people who shared murmurs amongst themselves

"Lucaí! How dare you? First you're late for the ceremony and now you're bringing up false allegations!" Malachi snarled at me, visibly irritated by my words.

He clearly knew nothing!

"This is no allegation,Malachi
because Sobêiski has been emotionally involved with the lady Manøvie," I declared with high sanguine, throwing my finger at her directly.

She sat there, undeniably pervaded by shambles of trepidation. But phases of surprise didn't lurk in her aspect at my exposure then I saw Dihané grabbing her hand to pacify her.

She must have known before. Dihané must have told her about my knowledge of their hidden relationship. Nevertheless, I didn't care. Good, they both knew this was coming.

"Nonsense!" Lord Thesårus clamoured in argument "Lucaí this is outrageous, how can you say such things?"

"What I say is true, why don't you ask him- ask him!!" I pressed him further, shoving their regard to the silent Sobêiski. Malachi turned to him, his face wholly pinched together in fury as he asked the question.

"Sobêiski, is what Lord Lucaí says true?"

His void gaze slithered over to Manøvie, who sat transfixed and speechless; their eyes silently faded into each other more and I knew for a fact that Sobêiski was not going to deny his affection for the volcano exit.

"Yes, it is. I'm in love with Manøvie. I won't deny it!" he concurred with my so called allegation.

It took me everything not to jump around gleefully at his acceptance. He was going down for sure and when he did, the elders would not have any other choice but crown me again,since I would be the only available studied priest in the lineage of the first born daughter.

The lead priests buried their faces behind their palms in shame and disappointment. I climbed onto the gazebo with them and faced the still rattled people.

"This, people of Modëus is an act of treachery against our laws. And according to the decrees laid out by our fore leaders and ancestors, Levi Maritús Sobêiski will be executed for his crimes,"

"No!!!" Dihané cried out, raising from her seat and approaching the ordination place, tears already steered in her eyes "You can't do this!!"

"Actually, Dihané your son did break the law so he must be put to death," Malachi said sadly, calling for the manor guards with a slight wiggle of his fingers.

LeoNaidus stood at the back, his knuckles stuck to his face as he paced back and forth. He had known about his student and the volcano creature but had failed to warn him; this- Sobêiski's death, was on his head as well!

"No, he can't be executed because he is Lucaí's son!!" she cried, pushing one of the guards and pointing at me "He and I were inlove right before he was selected for the role and I got pregnant right after. He too went against the law!!!"

"What?!!" Her once silent son spurted with a sheer grimace of disgust on his pale face. Dihané caught his gaze and mouthed an apology to him but he was too angry to consider it as he averted her and clenched his fists.

Urgh,Dihané!! I knew she would bring this up, luckily I was way ahead of her.

I let the startled audience recover from their convulsions of shock and disbelief before I spoke up in my defense.

"That was a long time ago,Dihané. It's too late for you to condemn me now," I told her with a smug smirk "Take him away," I precept, giving the guards the warrant to arrest Sobêiski.

"No!!!" Manøvie ran to him, trying so hard to pry the armed men off her beloved.

Urgh! I rolled my eyes in complete boredom and lunged at her, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her to me.

"There's nothing you can do for him, Manøvie. You can't save him,"

"Let go!!" She snatched her hand away, the shawl upon her shoulders falling to the ground but she didn't take heed of it. "You have no heart, to do this to your own flesh and blood over something so useless! You don't even deserve to live-you should be the one dying in Sobêiski's place!!"

Her voice snapped through gritted teeth, her eyes glinting a thick green as small tears smudged her crimson cheeks. Manøvie sniffed and flounced away from me, holding her face in tears as she superseded the crowd.

"My lord, your carriage awaits you," Cyprus came to my side.

I broke my gaze from her lingering figure and took the other direction, where the two brothers led. I emerged in through the small door and sighed into my seat.

The ride back to the main square of the village was fast, all the other people were there. Standing around the colossal podium where the excessively primped throne chair was being hauled out and placed to the ground, it's position being replaced by the guillotine.

Edmonton and Cyprus made way for me through the squeezed crowd upto the wood stairs that led to the top. Sobêiski was stood in front of the killing machine, his gold ephod robe stripped from him and placed aside.

Edmonton lifted the incomplete breast plate and adhered it back to his chest, making sure it was fully firm then left his side.

Just perfect!

"My dear people," I started, gaining all their attention   "I know this must be onerous to apprehend but look at it as a way of justice for what we believe in- what I believe in!

And as I High priest of Modëus, I know what is best for our village because I am what is best for all of us. With me in lead, nothing like this treacherous demeanor will ever seen in our village.

Don't look at this, as an act of jealousy but an act of doing what's right. Which is putting Sobêiski to death for deliberately defying the clear laws of Modëus.He was visibly incompetent to take on such a duty which required mutual respect and care for those to be led,

Proceed with the execution,"

Sobêiski was brought to his knees, head laid perfectly beneath the teeth of the head ripper with his hands tied to his back. I quickly searched through the crowd, looking for and instantly locating Manøvie's distinct green eyes.

I calmly flouted at her, mocking her with the feeling of being unable to save him.

I knew she would jump out of the silent spectators to defend him from my wrath, she just needed alittle push to the wrong direction.

I rose my hand in cue for the guillotine line to be released,keeping it still in the air and savoring the fear,anger and anguish in her eyes. I gave one last raise, signaling for it to be let down.

"Stop!!" She erupted coldly

There we are...right into the Lion's trap!

"What are you doing?" Dihané tried to pull her back but she shoved her off, walking towards the small steps- holding the folds of her skirt up as she climbed to where I was.

"Well... well, we have the other lover,"

"Lord Lucaí," she started simply "You're so selfish and cruel, you talk about justice but you aren't just. These laws, aren't just!

You can't forbid someone from having a family of their own and tying them to a dimensional being that does not even exist!" She snapped, facing the elders and pointing towards the mountain

"What in the name of all that is unholy are you talking about, young woman?" Thesårus stood up, his face growing red with anger

"Härshänoäh is not real!" She announced again, everyone gasping and whispering to themselves.

Well, I didn't expect that- at all!! Was she crazy? At least I'd now put both of them to death.

"I went to that mountain, there was no one. No goddess any where it was just nature being nature!"

"That cannot be true!" Malachi sparred

"What she speaks is the truth, I was with her at the volcano." the son of Sovæ supported her protest

"Tõrontõ!!" His father slapped the back of his palm against his chest to quiet him and he shrugged.

"Isn't this a big coincidence," I interrupted "Lady Manøvie has just violated our cultures and traditions by rendering the goddess, Härshänoäh non existent! She must be punished as well!" I suggested to the crowd and they all roared in anger.

Two other guards came forth, taking her on each side. She begun to writhe and fight them off.

"No!!" she cried out

Suddenly, there was a loud rumble of thunder that shook the earth from the volcano, across the water to the land in spasmed qualms.

Manøvie broke free from the guards, her green flare swiftly embodying her and glistening all over her skin like protective armor.

That was just what I needed. I shot my gaze to Edmonton, giving him a thumps up. He ran away from the crowd, towards the Temple doors and in.

This was it, the moment I had been anxiously awaiting- my acute acumen had dearly paid off but if for some reason I didn't succeed, at least I'd kill Sobêiski because he was not going to survive the lightning to follow on.

Manøvie turned to face me, waving her hands open to awaken her powers even more. She rose from her feet into the air, snapping the guard who held Sobêiski captive off and freeing him from his chains.

Tõrontõ hurriedly pulled his father away from whence he knelt to safety as Manøvie continued to glow. I could see her vitality fill her to the brim as she touched the climax of her Majesty.

Now was the time to harvest the emerald stone from her.

"NOW!!" I clamoured

The clouds grew closer to each other, giving me the hint that my minions had apprehended my cue. The bright sparks of lightning slapped the ground, in search of the the other stones clipped to the golden plate.

The lightning would now locate them and feel the absence of one- the emerald stone lingering just within its reach so it would strike her and draw all the contents of the stone from her into the empty cell on the plate. That's how I'd get that missing gem and if I failed, Sobêiski wasn't surviving the heat so it was a definite win win for me.

That's why I didn't wear the breast plate in the first plate. Hope you get it now.

The volcano at the far end started to glow a thick saffron and green that blanketed the air as the lines of light escalated dangerously. The people screamed in fear, running away to take shelter where ever they could.

"Sobêiski!!!" Manøvie yowled when the spark of lightning touched his raw skin, thrusting him to the ground as it's fangs multiplied against the three stones

She fell to his side on her knees, bringing his stun figure on her lap just in time to be caught by the another string that wafted her in the air.

I sat on the ground, watching as her green light surrounding her body intermingled with the alabaster light, sizzling and oozing into the empty cell on the gold plate.

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