[xtremelady]

Having no recourse but to move forward, and to face head on whatever Lady Farthal thought to throw at her, Sharisze’s eyes were defiant as she crossed the distance separating them. Standing before the older woman, she inclined her head respectfully. Lady Farthal’s icy cold eyes cut into her briefly before she, too, returned the formal greeting and bowed her head.

“Thank you for agreeing to this meeting, “Lady Farthal said with a satisfied smile.

Not sure how to respond, Sharisze merely nodded. Unable to help herself, her eyes drifted with curiosity to the dozen or so sealed tombs. The partial glass casing, giving a clear view of the man’s face and torso, took Sharisze by surprise. Slumber Isle, steeped in myth and mystery due to being off limits to all but the family entrusted to its protection.

No cameras or recording equipment were allowed on the sacred isle. All accounts regarding the temple and the dark lords contained within gave but a vague picture of personal impressions, and these were usually relayed second hand.

Originally the Langtons had been the entrusted keepers. This honour had been passed across by Celsey’s granddaughter Anna, for some reason that had never really made sense to her. Anna had also been the last Langton to serve in higher senate. She also was the only senator to resign from office after serving only a two year term. No scandal had resulted, however, making the circumstances surrounding Anna’s decisions seem even stranger.

Sharisze pulled her gaze back to Lady Farthal, and tried not to wonder which one was Andraous.

Farthal, having caught her brief curiosity towards the encased Lords, said. “Please do have a look, they are quite fascinating specimens.”

The Lady moved across to the closest one and Sharisze felt compelled to follow. The glass revealed the man from head to half way down his unclothed torso. His face was fearsome, with a deep ugly scar that went from just above the nose, across his cheek to finish at his neck. There were other deep scars crisscrossing his thick muscular chest also. These merely enhanced the short stocky war lord's less than attractive appearance. He hardly seemed human, reminding Sharisze of how far they had evolved as a species since the time of these primitive men reigned supreme. She shuddered despite the warm dancing rays of light upon her skin. The evil emanating in this sacred place would have been overwhelming were it not offset by the temples beautiful soothing effect.

“Ugly devil, isn’t he?” remarked Lady Farthal.

“Indeed,” Sharisze agreed her mouth suddenly dry. The plaque on the top said Godlyn, and now wondered which one contained Andraous. “Are they all like Godlyn?”

Lady Farthals eyes bored into her briefly before turning to scan the others. “Most of them - but not all. Two are barely teens, then there’s Andraous – now he is... although not what I would term attractive as such, but, well, see for yourself.”

Sharisze followed as Lady Farthal walked over to the one situated on there far right side. Her eyes lit on the body of Andraous. The first thing which struck her was none of the forms in which he’d appeared to her was his own. He had taken on those of modern men. His true form, however, was a startling contrast to the pampered men of their society who knew nothing of hardship. Andraous would stand out as a stark contrast and draw the attention of all due to this difference. Like Godlyn he had a good many scars, except, whilst the other had been an incredibly ugly beast, Andraous was not. Andraous was longer of limb; his muscle tone evenly distributed displaying not one ounce of flab. His face although not exactly handsome, could not be deemed repugnant either. Rather the high check bone structure, strong jaw and full lips gave him a raw masculine appearance. His face contained no softness; instead there was an unyielding quality to him. An arrogant, undomesticated quality which was both hard to ignore and to tear her gaze from. She wished his eyes were open that she could see their colour.

“This one is a troublesome devil, still able to cause damage and turmoil.” Lady Farthal said with a sigh.

Sharisze’s head shot up. The Lady’s words indicated she knew this Dark Lord’s consciousness was not trapped as the others were. What interested Sharisze was how she knew this, and of what trouble she referred to. “What do you mean - still able?”

“He was the last lord to be put into stasis; he was no fool and to do so Celesy needed to use trickery. Quite simply Celesy used the bait of peace talks to lure him here. Andraous felt deeply betrayed and as he was encased cursed both her and her heirs.” Lady Farthal replied gravely.

“He cursed my family?” asked Sharisze. A deep frown marred her features, as she attempted to get her head around this surprising development.

“At the time, nobody took it seriously; after all, curses were deemed a myth. In truth, the energy he raised served to connect him to Langton females, transcending the prison in which his body is placed,” lady Farthal confided. “This is the reason we can not allow you to progress to higher senate. I had hoped it would not come to this, but you left us with little choice but to tell you.”

Sharisze shook her head in denial, unable to accept what Farthal was saying. “I would like to know what you are basing your analyses on. No respectable woman would put faith in curses; they are a myth.”

“I agree – yet I would have you know and understand that this dark lord, by whatever process used, has become irrevocably linked to each Langton heir. Andraous is able to mind link to the females of your family. To be seen by them, and regrettably slip unbidden inside. He is able to place thoughts and ideas in their minds that they consider their own.”

Sharisze recoiled as if physically slapped. “Every creditor chid is taught to protect their mind and thoughts – even males are able to, so truthfully I see little sense in your words.”

Lady Farthal sighed. “You will understand after you read Anna’s diary. She was the first to discover the truth. The haunting by such an evil being nearly drove her mad. The thoughts and ideas planted in her head unravelled her, and she very nearly set all the war lords free. Lucky she managed to fight against the possession, but consequentially knew her position both in senate and as protector of Slumber Isle had become compromised.”

“Why wasn’t I told? Why isn’t this known?” Sharisze demanded, half sceptical, half terrified that Farthal wasn’t spinning her a story.

“The inner senate, in reverence of the Langton name and the Celesy legend, sought to protect the knowledge. It was deemed that as long as a Langton gained no political sway over creditor, there was no reason for anyone to know. Each Langton heir was offered an alternative lucrative career based on their own particular interests. An offer none could refuse,” Farthal sent her a hard look. “Except for you that is.”

Sharisze vividly remember the offer she had received just after leaving college. The position of marketing executive for the biggest advertising firm on Creditor had been difficult for her to turn down. The pay offered had been three times as much as her current in lower senate, but her dreams lay in politics. Fear clenched at her insides. She felt her knees wobble alarmingly ,and only her indomitable strength of will kept her horizontal; that, together with a determination to keep fighting.

“I am not Anna!” she reminded Farthal. “There is no reason to believe I will succumb as she did.”

“Lanna, she must have been six years old at the time came into my office. Your file was open on my desk and the moment she saw you said ‘mommy that girl will be a legend,’ at the time I paid those words little attention. They, however, have come back to haunt me quite a bit since, especially with you and Lanna being such great friends. So please believe me when I say it gives me no pleasure to dash your dreams in this way.”

It did not escape her notice that Farthal had skirted around her stated fact. The one thing Sharisze had learned in lower senate was there was always a loop hole, a way around everything. Sharisze swallowed her hurt and rising anger, knowing to dissolve into either would not aid her in fighting against this new obstacle. What she needed to do was learn all she could, then find a way to proceed.

Sharisze hid her inner conflicting emotion, and sent the other woman a frosty look. “You mentioned a diary?”

“Over there on the stand.” Lady Farthal’s hand pointed to a stand at the far right of the room with a book lying on top.

Tensely, Sharisze crossed the distance. Her fingers ran across the crinkled leather bound cover. the smell and appearance depicted its age. Very carefully, with great respect of the ancient diary she opened it. The penned, very flowery style of the writing made it hard to read at first, but by the third page had adjusted sufficiently to be able to read with relative ease. The halting sentences gave Sharisze a connection to the strong voice of the one who had written this.

Between the lines she picked up Anna’s torment, as she described her reasons for the decisions she’d made. The description of the horrific visions inflicted by the unsubstantial warlord who haunted her, did not set her on edge half as much as Anna’s state of mind. Her obvious distress over what was happening to her and inability to stop it. All this accentuated by the disjointed wording and emotional pain clearly defined with every word.

Andraous, the spirit who gave her such great mind sex, had done this to Anna. Sharisze’s hands shook slightly with this knowledge and she felt physically sick. Had she had any inkling of what the spirit put her ancestor through would never have entertained him.

Andraous had not wanted her to meet Lady Farthal, and now no illusions remained as to why. Angrily she turned towards Farthal, her eyes glittering with condemnation. “Why did you not explain this before? Why wait till I believed I would achieve my ambition?”

“Sometimes ignorance is bliss, and no one wanted to hurt you, Sharisze – your ancestor is the most revered woman on creditor.”

Sharisze did not want the sympathy she saw in Lady Farthal's face and lashed out furiously. “I will fight this; the people will question this as much as I!”

Farthal frowned. “We are not going to make this public, never was this our intention. If you can enter the pool of truth and give your sworn oath that you will be capable of doing your duty without in anyway compromising security or jeopardising it – then we will accept you.”

Could she? Inwardly she weighed the truth of this statement, realising the trap Farthal had set for her. With all these new insights, Sharisze realised that she could not pass the ritual of giving oath in the pool of truth. The realisation was a shocking one.

Dizziness assailed her, causing a lightheaded feeling as blackness swirled around her, threatening to overwhelm. Sharisze fought against fainting. Her eyes, now wild and glittering with unshed tears, surveyed Farthal. “I can’t think straight right now; if there is nothing more you want to share with me, I shall take my leave.”

Lady Farthal's features betrayed her regret. “I did not want to do this to you, Sharsize. I wish things were not as they are. Under different circumstances, you would have made a great higher senator.”

Sharisze could take no comfort from the Lady’s heartfelt words. Barely managing to incline her head in acknowledgement before acting on her need to escape, and quickly in a half run made her way to the exit.

[Vorcla]

Intriguing, Claire. I'm curious to see where this is going. I'm rooting for Sharize. Nice work.

[RENA HANDS]

I think

(temple’s)…not offset by the temple’s beautiful soothing effect. ?

Another possessive…Lady (Farthal’s) eyes bored

Is there another word you could replace with ‘scar?’

I think…(Lady) Farthal confided.

Did you mean…

Every creditor (child) is taught to protect their mind and thoughts

I would say...(Lady) Farthal wasn’t spinning her a story. Only because she is a higher status than Sharisze. (Just my thoughts of course, accept it or reject it.)

You have a comma error here…

wobble alarmingly, and only her

Consider seriously Lady Farthal in other areas where you only have Farthal.

I think you are missing ‘she,’ here…she must have been six years old at the time (when she) came into my office. ? (I added ‘when’ too.)

Did you want a comma or a new sentence here…bound cover(,).? The smell and appearance depicted its age. (In the original ‘the’ is not capitalized.)

I think you could add a bit more detail/imagery/expression of emotions with the read of Anna’s diary.

I would, am suggesting the capitalization of Creditor throughout this write.

I cannot believe you didn’t inform about this posted chapter. Shame on you (lol). Anyway, a very entertaining write, though it seemed a bit awkward to me in some areas (take a look at some your actions then the following speech.) This story still excites this reader. I will rate 3/5!