Heretic Ch. 01

After she lit one of her candles and placed it in the lantern, Maelice belted on her sword and strode out into the dormitory hall. The candlelight pushed back the darkness, but sharp shadows had Maelice swinging her eyes into every nook and cranny as she made her way to the stairs to the cloister. The abbey was quiet as a tomb, and after the dreams and the encounters she'd had in the forest, the warrior was on edge. Her fingers danced along the hilt of her blade as she descended down into the cloister.

Even in the darkness the central garden was peaceful. Beautiful even. The whispering wind descending downwards swirled along the cloister's covered walkway. It was calming as it caressed Maelice's sweat slick skin. She moved along the cells of the western range, her lantern light played along the open doors and into the empty rooms.

Finally she came upon the closed door. The patient's cell. Locked of course, and Maelice had no real intention of going inside; but the woman kept within made her curious. Somehow Maelice had the idea that the woman had answers.

Lantern light flickered across the door, and cast sharp shadows from the latch and the small grooves along its surface. Maelice frowned, then laid her fingertips against the wood.

"Such darkness in you. You fear it, collar it. Interesting," a muffled voice, deep and feminine said from the other side. Maelice took a step back, eyes wide. "Of course. The strength you could have if you only embraced it."

Maelice shook her head, and stepped back until she felt the stone fence separating walkway from garden hit her back. There was soft laughter from beyond that door, and Maelice felt a shiver run up her spine. A far too pleasant shiver.

"So quiet out there, peering in. I can sense your desire. Oh, what was her name? The one that made you feel... lust," the patient said, and Maelice turned away, and quickly walked around the cloister. Away from whatever that had just been.

"I shall wait for your return."

Maelice ignored it, hoped it was just vestiges of the nightmare. Just remnants of whatever unholy fiend had ran its essence through her mind. Memories she wanted to leave behind pushed through the veil the nightmare had settled on her. Olive skin and soft lips. Torn flesh and raw muscle.

"God in heaven. Please give me the strength," Maelice whispered to herself as she reached the far corner of the cloister. Light caught her eyes then, and the warrior looked up.

It was a soft glow, coming from the church. Straightening herself, hand resting at the hilt of her sword, Maelice moved towards it. A goal, something to focus upon.

She held the lantern high as she passed by the night stairs. Muffled sounds came down them, and Maelice looked upwards for just a moment. There were a few upstairs struggling to sleep it seemed. But who was in the church? She could hear a voice coming within.

Her boots tapped on the marble floors as Maelice entered, and curved around to the southern transept. There, kneelt before the altar of the Virgin Mary, was Elke. Her head bowed as she prayed, her words too quiet to make out, but Maelice could hear the pain in them.

The sound of boots pulled Elke's eyes up; red and puffy from crying.

"Sister Maelice! I'm sorry, I'll-" Elke started but was quieted by a raised hand.

"Finish your prayer. We can speak after, in the cloister," Maelice said, and Elke nodded, seemingly thankful as she turned back to the altar to finish her words.

Maelice made her way back to the cloister and found a bench in the garden. She set the lantern down beside her and simply enjoyed the breeze as she watched that locked door. The one with the patient. A patient she was sure had far more to do with this puzzle than Emilie was letting on. Which only made her grow more concerned.

Soon though the soft shuffle of shoes reached her ears. Maelice looked towards the door to the church to see Elke walking towards her. The girl looked bashful, even as she sat down beside Maelice. She looked exhausted, more so now in the lantern light than earlier today. She glanced up towards the very same door that Maelice had been watching.

"I thought the sisters were all supposed to be sleeping," Maelice said. Elke blushed, and looked away.

"Sleep has been difficult these past weeks. There have been nightmares. Vile nightmares. And the other sisters well..." Elke trailed off and looked up at Maelice briefly. She sighed. "The other sisters don't sleep too well either."

"Nightmares as well?" Maelice asked, and Elke shook her head.

"Once. Some time ago. These days, it is quite some time before they manage to fall asleep while I lay there staring at the ceiling. The nightmares have left them, but still plague me," Elke said, and Maelice wrapped an arm around her.

Elke tensed, but soon found herself relaxing as she leaned against the warrior. She closed her eyes and breathed in, taking comfort from Maelice's presence.

"I've suffered the same thing. Foul nightmares, images from the Crusade. Do you know why the others don't anymore?" Maelice asked, gently rubbing the girl's shoulder.

"Because of her. I fear for my soul... and yours... that the dreams might be enough invite temptation," Elke said as she pointed at the door.

"Why not the others?" Maelice asked, looking once again at the door. She was certainly tempted to find the key and get a look inside at this strange patient.

"Because. They've bowed to temptation. They've listened to the poison words. All of them," Elke said softly as she clutched at Maelice. The fear in her voice was clear, and Maelice frowned.

"Why tell me?" Maelice asked.

"Because you've not heard her yet. And I am not sure how long before I too bow to her words," Elke said.

"What of the Mother Superior?" Maelice had a feeling she knew the answer to this question already.

"It was she who brought this upon us. It was she, who did not banish that creature but welcomed her words," Elke spat.

Footsteps caught Maelice's attention, and Elke shot up. She looked back, eyes wide, and Maelice saw a light coming from the night stairs. Opening the lantern, Maelice reached in and snuffed the light. Elke could not be caught awake, and Maelice was curious to see who else was breaking curfew.

"Come with me. We'll hide in the bushes there," Maelice whispered and pointed to the corner of the garden. Elke just nodded, before she took Maelice's hand.

The two of them moved quickly through the garden, and together slipped into the bushes. Crouched down, Maelice pressed a finger to her own lips with a soft 'shhh' sound to calm Elke. The young woman nodded, before she looked through the foliage.

The light grew brighter as footsteps carried the source down from the sister's dormitory. Eventually, Rochelle came into view, the crossbow still on her back. She looked around, a frown creasing her brow as she sniffed at the air.

The snuffed candle, Maelice thought to herself. Rochelle held one of her own, shielding the flame with one hand.

"Hello?" Rochelle asked into the darkness, but neither Maelice or Elke answered. They watched instead from the bushes. Elke was stiff, nervous. Maelice was tensed like a spring.

When no answer came, Rochelle walked along the walkway to the locked cell. She produced a key tucked into the belt of her habit and opened the door. Maelice shifted, but only saw a flickering shadow inside the cell. A vague feminine shape, but with lumps at the shoulders.

"Mistress. I have come as you requested," Rochelle said before she stepped inside and closed the door, and all sound from within was snuffed out. Maelice frowned, tempted to go over an investigate. But after the last time she had been near that door, she knew she'd be caught. Instead she turned to Elke.

"Get to bed. Try and get some sleep. I must do the same," Maelice said before she stepped from the bush. Elke followed, and grasped the warrior's hand.

"Be careful who you trust Sister Maelice. Even me. Even yourself," she said, before she let go of Maelice's hand and crossed herself.

She scurried quickly, soon vanishing up the night stairs. Maelice watched her go before she collected her lantern. She glanced once more at the closed door and took a few steps towards it before she stopped.

That shiver, the all too pleasant one coursed up her spine again. She had heard Rochelle, the word she chose to address the woman within. The name Safina brushed across her memories, and Maelice turned her eyes from the door. The whispered sensation of soft lips across her shoulder blades reminding her of her own sins. She had no place to judge Rochelle's lust.

Is that what Elke spoke of? Or was there something more? And what of Emilie?

Maelice did not like the cracks in her trust of the Abbess, but they were there all the same. Maelice made her way to the stairs that would take her to her own cell. She paused on the bottom step, and tilted her head. The distinct sound of a woman's moan reached her ears. The kind of moan she'd made those years before. The kind that you tried to hide from prying ears, but passion made you sing anyway.

Maelice sighed. Was it Dogma that had Elke afraid, or something worse. Tomorrow, Maelice had questions that hopefully could be answered. She started up the stairs again and went to her cell. And prayed the nightmares stayed away.

She was wrong.