Fifteen Eternal Candles (Chapter 1, Scene 7)

Author's Note: I had to do a bit of tinkering with this one, but at last I like the scene to post it. More dialog driven then normal its a good scene that finally reveals the purpose of the previous six scenes in this chapter. So for anyone picking on aspects of short scenes or Avalon's lack of reading time, you'll get your answer here. Out of like 10k words (in this chapter) we are at the 7500 mark.

As described before, FEC has large chapters that each are specifically broken down on different levels and much like a story, the climax or purpose of a chapter comes at the very end of the chapter like this.

All in all, I hope everyone enjoys this piece! Also the 8th and final scene of chapter 1 takes place once more with Bruno Weiste back at Pencharmer's manor for dinner. The rest of this complex chapter will be revealed there.

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Victoria lead Avalon down the streets and up the hills on a different road towards a watchtower overlooking the entire town. Stopping to gaze out at the top of the hill, she sat down on a large boulder and let out a soft sigh as she took in the scenery.

Beautiful lines of houses without a true pattern or layout winded through the plains and hills of the rough landscape. Vast stretches of farmland lay to the south on the top of the high unnaturally carved cliffs. Tiny ships lay at the river's edge, that was far below them, “Avalon, do you want to stay with us until your memory returns?”

“Of course. Do you want me to leave?”

“Do not even ask such nonsense, but you should know,” Victoria clenched her fists, “Avalon, something is terribly wrong.”

Avalon moved over to Victoria and sat by her side, he laced his hand with hers and leaned against her. Sharing a brief moment of weakness, Victoria gently rested her head against his. Avalon softly asked, “How do you know?”

“He is a soldier... no... more of a rogue mercenary. If he really knows my father, he must be bringing a proposition or worse... ” Victoria went silent and shook her head, “Avalon, he thought you were one of my father's guards.”

“Guards? You mean-”

Victoria spoke softly, “The Divine Executors. Eight powerful guardians of the ruling house of each nation. They use divine power from the Goddess to ensure order and maintain the sanctity and preservation of the entire nation. Each one stronger then a hundred men, they are the tools through which my father rules. I am not lying Avalon. Please believe me. This is a secret that is guarded so closely that no one knows of it outside of the immediate family.”

“Why do you trust me with your secrets?” asked Avalon.

“You have already been saved by them. Morgan was the one who pulled you from the water. Do you remember?”

Staring out over the horizon to a small line of ships at the mouth of the river, Avalon said, “No. Nothing reminds me of anything.”

“To be perfectly honest, I dragged you out here in hopes of your memory returning, but it seems as if drastic measures must be taken. Something which I am afraid must be tested. A test for a witch.”

Avalon's eyes widened and slowly repeated as if in a trance, “Witch....”

Turning to look at Avalon as he started to break out in a cold sweat, Victoria bit her lip and asked, “Are you a witch, Avalon?”

“Chosen by the Goddess, divine power-”

More sternly, Victoria repeated, “Are you a witch?”

“No. It is accursed witchcraft that strips away humanity,” Avalon replied, still entranced.

Victoria stood up and jumped off the rock, looking towards another large manor behind them that hid behind a veil of trees and brush, “After a quick test by the high priest you will be allowed to stay with us for as long you wish. That is-”

“Easy,” finished Avalon, jumping off the rock to face Victoria. “The word witch is painful, but a part of me knows I am not one. What separates the Divine Executors from witches?”

As if repeating by rote, Victoria said, “Permission and power is both bestowed by the Goddess's highest servant through a blood pact. To serve as both protector of the ruling house and executor of the unholy witches within thy nation. A sacred order of paladins. If you are trying to hide the truth, please run. I wouldn't be able to stand your execution.”

Wrapping his arms around her waist, Avalon shook his head, “I'm not a witch. Don't say things like that.”

Blushing bright red, Victoria turned away and broke form his soft embrace. Feinting anger she said with a grin, “Don't touch me like that. What you do with those hands could kill you as well.”

Victoria and Avalon started to walk down the forgotten trail towards the manor. The peaceful forest enveloped them on a winding trail around large oaks and maple trees. Deer freely roamed throughout the forest, scrounging for berries and fruit. Birds sang various songs from the trees tops, the cries of their hungry children rang out from time to time. A fox dashed in front of Victoria before fleeing into the bushes, making Victoria scream out of surprise, “Red devil!”

Picking up a rock, she threw it into the bushes, making the fox dart out deeper into the forest. Readying another rock, Avalon shook his head and said, “Its already gone.”

Victoria stuck out her tongue, dropping the rock to the ground again, “I scared it away.”

“That face of yours will scare anyone away,” said Avalon until a sudden swift punch to his stomach knocked the wind from him, “Ugh! That hurt!”

Stomping off with her chest puffed out somewhat akin to a gorilla. Punching a tree hard enough to strip the bark off, she growled, “Jackass! All men think they are comedians, especially when its not funny!”

“So quick to anger...how can anyone expect her to rule?” Avalon thought out loud, holding his stomach and following her towards the manor.

The old manor made of stone and brick was covered with ivy and trees tore up the walkway with their roots. Nature was reclaiming the old manor and concealing it within the thickening forest. Approaching moss and covered ivy stairs, Victoria said to Avalon, “The high priest lives here, formality is enforced. Strictest of code and speech, just as in church.”

Avalon nodded softly as Victoria banged the brass knocker twice. The doors slowly opened to reveal a kindly old priest black vestments. Completely bald and withered by age, the man moved slowly back as he beckoned them in, “Please come in Lady Pencharmer. Excuse my use of a first name, but Sir Avalon, please come in.”

Slowly the two crossed the threshold into the manor and gazed up at the towering ceiling with large glass panels illuminating a wide hallway floor made of purest white marble. The marble floor was scarred with deep cuts and holes in some places, across the stone walls lay scorches and deep cracks. Signs of conflict filled the manor, even the glass ceiling was out of place as stone archways and support beams lead to nothing. The old priest showed them into a small waiting room and excused himself with, “Father Ealdmund will arrive momentarily.”

Taking a wooden chair that lined against the whitewashed wall in the empty room, Avalon said, “What happened in here?”

Victoria leaned back against the wall, giving a soft sigh she said, “This was the last battleground of Blackfall Three hundred years ago, a small force from Narani trapped King Sigric within these walls in a siege lasting for over a week. They broke through the door and the Sigric appeared before the invaders with a proposition of peace, but in defiance of the rules of warfare they attacked him. What was to be a sure loss turned into the decisive battle, the high priest unsheathed his sword and ended the battle singlehandedly. My father's family took over and constructed the new manor upon the cliffs, but this was the first-”

“Did they break through the ceiling with explosives?” Avalon asked.

“Rammed it open with a battering ram they made, but this battle was between mortals and-” Victoria cut off as soft footsteps echoed in the hallway, coming closer towards them.

A pale faced man dressed in pure white robes entered the room with a soft smile upon his face. His pale white eyes gazed at Victoria and Avalon as he softly said, “Lady Pencharmer so good to see you again.”

Victoria stood up straight and bowed to the man, “It is a honor and a privilege to see you again, Count Fahd.”

Avalon gasped as he saw Count Fahd eyes focus onto him, his body becoming tense as Fahd's eyes entrapped him, barely able to say, “It is an honor to meet you, Count Fahd.”

Count Fahd grinned and shot a glance at Victoria, “Oho, has the Lady Pencharmer regaled you with stories of me? Perhaps it is fear of the test? I assure you, no need to be afraid, Master Avalon.”

Victoria bowed her head and put both hands together in apology, “I'm sorry. Forgive me!”

Count Fahd chuckled heartily, “High hopes for Master Avalon, but do be more careful in introductions and conversing in these matters. The Goddess is particularly vengeful if word spreads of our deeds and power is truly realized...”

“So you are the true ruler?” Avalon asked, looking up at that appeared to be still a child like him when compared to Lord Pencharmer.

Count Fahd nodded softly, “As a servant of the goddess, order was sanctioned for my role as advisor and spiritual leader. Ruling is delicate matter that is more of nudging in the proper course with a deft hand. Writing the pages of history is an affair of mortals, only rarely does the divine will act upon the Pencharmer house.”

“Just how old are you?” Avalon asked skeptically.

Count Fahd stood up straight and became lost in thought, “That is a very good question. It must be around eight hundred years by now. How fleeting time is when you are at work.”

Victoria added, “So lonely, outliving anyone who you fall in love with-”

“That is why we are forbidden to have such affairs, my dear. Though even still, attachment comes and it is the realization of that grim reality that is most damaging.” He looked up at Avalon, “Enough of the dreary stuff, shall we conduct the test? I assume you have the pendant, Lady Pencharmer.”

Fahd reached out his hand and Victoria took it off the pendant. Perplexed, she asked, “What does that do?”

Count Fahd held the stone in his hand and eyed Victoria, his voice shaky, “Nothing. Nothing. Forget it.”

The sudden realization shot through Avalon as Count Fahd stared at Victoria. Without hesitating he got up from the chair and said, “I was the one who broke it....I am..”

Count Fahd gave a great sigh and shook his head, “Fate is a cruel mistress, but by the laws of the Goddess, a witch cannot be allowed to live.”

His left hand drifted towards his waist, from concealed within the robes he grabbed hold and pulled a bright blue sword from its sheath. The blade had thousands of rippled layers across the blade, made of Damascus steel it cut through the silk robe as he drew it from the hidden scabbard. As he drew the blade he pointed it at Victoria and said, “This is not the real blade you saw before, but this will have to do.”

Victoria moved back into a corner as Count Fahd extended the sword towards her, Avalon stood in disbelief and shouted, “I'm the one you want.”

Fahd turned his head towards Avalon, “Very well, but the law is the law.”

Count Fahd raised the blade higher towards Victoria's neck and frowned, “Your father planned for everything except this. While the stone is ancient, it has become a tool to hide behind. If it had shone then you would have been saved, but even your father could not fool...Impossible.”

Count Fahd looked at the pendant that still did not shine, slowly he lowered his sword and bit his lip, “It is not a fake, but it does not glow...”

“I broke it,” Avalon struggled to say under the crushing wind that pinned them to the walls, “Victoria had nothing to do with it.”

Sheathing his Count Fahd sword, he embarrassingly handed back the pendant, “Fate has saved you and even though I can tell, you used no power to strike back. Without such proof of the stone you are in fact safe, Lord Pencharmer has indeed predicted my movements all too well.”

Victoria took back the pendant and put it around her neck, visibly shaken she replied, “Then we are witches...it glowed until...”

Count Fahd raised his hand and shook his head, “Please, do not give me reason to take action. Without the evidence, your ignorance protects you. It seems as if your father has manipulated me at long last, a fitting victory indeed.”

“So you are not going to kill us?” Avalon asked weakly.

Count Fahd shook his head and smiled warmly even though his lamenting, “It cannot be helped. One who cannot be proven cannot be caught. It appears that this pendant is indeed broken, it does not respond to my touch. It seems as if I can pass on something of worth during my absence...”

Victoria moved closer to Avalon as Count Fahd turned around and crossed the threshold. Both exchanging nervous looks, Victoria said softly, “Father played us both, that is unforgivable.”

“At what point did manipulating me become acceptable?” Avalon replied, only to receive an elbow to his rib cage.

Victoria growled, “It was for your own good!”

“So was your father's! Look where they got us!” Avalon growled back louder.

Count Fahd turned down the corridor into a large open study as he said, “Squabble later, this is the last favor I can ever give.”

The large restored study was adorned with red wallpaper with gold leaves, beautiful cherry desk and chair sat in the middle of the room, in front of an old fireplace. Over the mantle were two sheathed short swords. Count Fahd walked over to the fireplace and pulled one of the identical blades from the wall mount, “This blade shall be the symbol in which Avalon shall take up the role of a Divine Executor, but not perform their duties.”

As Count Fahd presented the blade in its sheath to Avalon he accepted the sword, feeling its weight he said, “Thank you, I swear this blade will give me the strength to protect Victoria should anyone try to hurt her again.”

“That blade is dangerous, never draw it without purpose and resolve,” Fahd warned Avalon as he took his hands from the blade, “Lady Pencharmer, I regret that I cannot pass on a proper weapon, but I extend the use of this sword to you, if you wish to accept it. Your rank however prevents you from taking up this blade and wielding it as long as you are heiress to Blackfall.”

Victoria shook her head, “It is just as you say. I cannot accept that blade.”

“Again, please excuse the harsh reality of the test, you passed even if the signs where doubtful. Consider this a benevolent loophole.” said Count Fahd as he took his seat, “Oh, and Lady Pencharmer, word has already reached me through Mrs. Morgan. You are to dance at the festival?”

“Yes, she's delivering the dress to the house tonight.”

Count Fahd dipped his quill in a bottle of ink and started to write on a piece of paper, “Wonderful, it will be a pleasure to see you perform. I look forward to it.”

Victoria bowed her head and replied, “Thank you, I will do my best.”