Chapter 145: Baths, Blessings, and a Very Suspicious Sneeze
The walls of the Church’s greatest cathedral echo with the clack of heels on stone as the Sisters of Mercy march side by side down its halls. Maiden Mother Melissa shuffles along behind them like a woman still not entirely convinced she isn’t dreaming.
"What, exactly," she asks, "are your plans for the Prince?"
"We wish to meet him," Hela says. "As soon as possible."
"Of course, that goes without saying. But what do you plan to do with him?" Melissa presses.
Hela goes quiet, smirking.
Bela and Nela trade a naughty glance before Nela promptly dissolves into giggles.
"We wish," Hela finally says, "to bring him to enlightenment."
Nela bites back a snicker. "I’m hoping he enlightens me."
"From the prayers we’ve seen," Bela adds, "he could enlighten all three of us at the same time."
Melissa’s mouth falls open. "Are you... it sounds like you’re talking about..."
"A sacred duty," Hela cuts in smoothly. "The Prince shows great promise, but we don’t yet know if his heart is pure. We must test his resolve. And, if he passes, he will prove himself worthy of receiving our blessing."
Melissa gasps. "He will prove worthy! I know he will. He’s a miracle! Destined to save our kingdom from the curse... surely he sent by the Great Mother herself to redeem her people?"
Hela’s lip catches between her teeth while Bela and Nela wince in unison. Hela swiftly changes the subject. "What’s the current state of the curse?"
"Devastating!" Melissa’s says, her face crumplingly into an expression of defeat. "We’ve lost scores of men these past two decades. Women outnumber them nearly twenty to one now. And the men who remain are broken, depressed, barely seen outside their own homes. If it the curse isn’t stopped soon, this generation may be the last one this kingdom ever raises."
"That bad?" Nela asks worriedly.
Melissa curses the Demon Queen’s name, then grips Hela’s gown, stopping her mid-stride, and drops to her knees, eyes already wet. "Please..." she begs, "Please tell me the Great Mother will save us. Save her people."
Hela stares down at her, wordless for a long moment before she gently helps Melissa up.
"Our mother," she smiles, "has sent the Prince for a reason." she says quietly.
Melissa smiles through her tears.
"Which is exactly why we need to reach him as soon as possible." Bela adds.
"He’s in the Dwarven Kingdom. A week by carriage." Melissa responds.
Bela and Nela groan in unison, "We don’t have that kind of time!"
Melissa grins. "We have a teleportation network. We can send you to our church there within seconds. But, it will take a few hours to prepare the glyphs."
"Perfect!" Hela replies.
Melissa claps her hands and two young acolytes, sanding along the hallway hop to attention. " Prepare my personal bath, and the finest meal the kitchens can produce."
The two acolytes instantly burst into motion and sprint off.
"Why you wait," Melissa smiles, a hint of pride in her lips,"the Church will provide nothing but the best."
All three grin with anticipation.
A while later, the Sisters of Mercy laze in a ridiculously large steaming bath carved from pale marble, water scented with rose petals as well as something smelling minting and expensive.
Hela leans back against the rim of the tub, steam rolling off her ample bosom in slow, curling ribbons.
"I’d forgotten how much I miss mortal pleasures like this." she moans, "The heat. The scent. The absolutely shameless amount of bubbles."
Bela floats numbly in the center, heat-drunk, mumbling something vaguely agreeable.
Nela bursts up through the surface, curls swishing, splashing both her protesting sisters. "I feel sorry for them, honestly," she says. "The mortals. We should help them. Lift the curse."
"Absolutely not!" Hela replies, wiping water from her face. "We’re already in enough trouble the moment Mother finds out we’re down here. That curse is hers. We don’t touch it."
"Agreed!" Bela says. "We’re here for a taste of Pip, nothing more. We can’t get sidetracked. We’ve got days at best before Mother notices we’re gone."
Nela sighs and sinks back under the water.
Hela waves a hand lazily over her head, and a dozen swords of shimmering light bloom into being above her, drifting in a slow, lazy circle as she twirls one finger.
"Pity, though." she sighs, "Since we’re down here anyway, I wouldn’t mind having a little fun."
Bela scoffs, flipping into her stomach. "Who could even give you a fight worth the effort?"
"Only the Demon Queen has that kind of power in this world." Nela says with a gasp as she pops back up.
Hela’s grin widens, slow and delighted, like a woman who’s just been handed a very good excuse to misbehave.
"We are not picking a fight with the Demon Queen!" Bela says immediately, sensing exactly where this is headed.
"Who said anything about a fight?" Hela retorts.
"Your face said it! Your face is currently saying an enormous amount." Bela scowls.
Nela snorts water out of her nose as she laughes, and Hela finally lets the swords of light wink out of existence with an idle flick of her wrist.
"We’re going to end up in the soul pits." Bela groans. " Once Mother finds out about this."
"Exactly," Nela says, "So we should enjoy this while it lasts."
"Thoroughly." Hela adds with a grin.
Meanwhile, In the obsidian towers of her fortress, deep in the Demon Lands, Vexena, the Crimson Woe herself, suddenly sneezes without warning.
Maribelle, standing beside her, produces a handkerchief on instinct.
"I’m fine." Vexena says as she waves it off, wrinkling her nose. "Someone’s gossiping about me."
Eris, on the opposite side of her throne, stands around with visible discomfortable.
"Are you seriously," she finally asks, unable to hold her frustration back, "going to let Syraleth run her plans completely unchecked? Her army stands ready to deploy."
Vexena sighs. "I have no choice. She’s a demon of greed... she can’t help herself. She’ll slip up soon enough. And when she does, I’ll destroy her for good." She glances between Eris and Maribelle. "We wait. However frustrating that is."
Eris mutters something under her breath about needing to punch something, preferably soon, before storming off toward the training yard.
Vexena sighs as Maribelle looks on, visibly restraining herself.
"Go on," Vexena says, "Looks like you both need to punch something."
Maribelle grins, gives Vexena an appreciative bow and quickly runs after Eris.
The Demon Queen smiles fondly as the two women disappear out of her throne room, while she dealt with a lingering itch troubling her nose.