Constanza let Melisandre in, then rapidly closed and locked the door of the captain's cabin behind her. She turned around to face her friend and leaned back against the door. The strain of the last few weeks had left her pale and drawn, although a certain weight seemed to have been taken off her shoulders.
"It never stops, does it?" she sighed.
She pushed herself off the door and walked through the cabin to a chair. She removed her sword and placed it on the table -- automatically keeping it well at hand, a new habit -- before plopping herself in the chair.
"All right, Meli, you say we should go back to Castille right now. You know we will probably be seized immediately by the Inquisition. What is on your mind?"
How to begin? It wouldn't do to have their conversation overheard and repeated. Melisandre's reply was spoken in Vodacci as few on board could speak it, and Constanza was one of those few. "Esteban Verdugo is the fourth prophet. He must die so that Theah will survive, and our time is short. It won't be long until others start to proclaim him and then we are all lost. Even Allende." Harsh words, bluntly spoken. She'd not meant to sound so cold but the ice that flowed in her veins since hearing those same words had given her a chill that could not be shaken. Had she herself not saved the Cardinal back at La Ultima Muralla... She turned abruptly as tears filled her eyes unbidden. Her voice trembled slightly, "Believe me when I tell you that were it up to me, I'd exit the ship in Villanova lands, bid you a good journey to the Mirror Sea to join your Captain, and seek out Sebastiano to renew our acquaintance. But if Verdugo is not stopped then hundreds will die. At that point, I'd have to release..." A sharp intake of breath.
She'd almost spoken of the White Plague. The Daughters awaited her own decision to release it and purge Theah of its sorcerous heritage. If she couldn't eliminate the fourth prophet and the Syrneth invasion was imminent, she'd have no choice but to agree to the release of the silent, deadly assasin. She turned back to Constanza, once more in control, her expression schooled. "Whether you join me or not, I must return and stop this. My life is worth nothing compared to the survival of Castille."
"But..." Constanza's voice momentarily trailed off in a sharp intake of breath. "Are you saying you think is really is the Fourth Prophet, sent to spread the word and will of Theus? If that was true, it would be sin and heresy to oppose him... But, oh! How could Theus possibly choose this man as his Prophet?" Anguish laced her voice, and her hands tightened into fists before she forced herself to open them again.
"Is this a new vision, did you see this in your strange journey between the Island of the Fifth Switch and Caligari Island?"
Melisandre sighed, pulling the combs from her hair and shaking it free. "He's not the true fourth prophet, that was misspoken upon my part. He's a false prophet seeking power under the veil of Theus' name. He already controls Castille with King Sandoval as a figurehead. To him it is but a small step to attempt to control all of Theah and be ruler of the world, usurping Theus and all that he stands for. The taste of power has corrupted him and I cannot believe that he follows Theus when I think of the things he's been responsible for."
Constanza pursed her lips and frowned in concentration, weighing Melisandre's words. "I think it is slightly more than that," she said slowly. "I too have met the man; I think he truly believes he is doing Theus's work when he burns those poor people. I don't think he wants power for himself, but for what he believes to be his duty."
Melisandre seated herself opposite Constanza and folded her hands in her lap. "As to my journey from the Isle of the Fifth Switch, it was very strange. I called out for help and was answered, whisked off to Bryn Bresail as I felt the island sink beneath me. During my time there I came to know beyond a doubt that Verdugo will attempt to be proclaimed the fourth prophet. The wheels are in motion but can be stopped. There is some time to work with but to sail off to Cabora and then back to Castille... I'm afraid I'd not have that much time. It would take weeks if not months, depending on the weather and if the Queen of the Sea wishes to delay us for her own amusement."
Constanza shivered involuntarily, remembering the awful promise extracted from Lucas by Meryth. From Lucas, or from the Sidhe impersonating him... Binding him all the same.
Melisandre's hand found her pendant, unconsciously carressing its smooth surface. "We've spoken of your Aunt and I know that too is pressing upon you. I can't imagine what she's going through, separated so long from home and family. Captivity is not pleasant, even if one is in a golden cage. I believe we are close to where she is held captive? And I can't say it wouldn't please me to travel to the lands held by Villanova, but I don't know if I'm the one to make that decision. I suppose it's a question of the heart versus duty and I can't guarantee I'd choose well. I'd understand if you wished to liberate your Aunt. Her position being what it is, perhaps she could help us in setting Verdugo back in his proper place?"
Constanza noded, her eyes fixed on some point in the distance. "Aye, it has been too long since poor Aunt Lucia was captured. I don't know how to convince Prince Villanova to release her, but perhaps he will be well disposed towards us for incommodating his rival Prince Caligari. I think we could hardly have made Caligari more angry..."
She returned her gaze to Meli's face and gave her a lopsided grin. "I hope I did not make a horrible mistake there, in view of your recent visions. But it seemed someone or other would activate that accursed Switch and raise Cabora. Mumblety Peg here --" she jabbed her thumb in the direction of the partly disassembled construct, "tells me that, just as the seven Guides were imprinted by the candidates they were supposed to help, taking on their outlook and ideals, the rest of his mechanical race was to be molded after whoever activated the Switch. I am not enthusiastic about a race of automata pouring over Theah, and I don't wish to overstate my own qualities, but frankly I'd rather I be the one to imprint them than Reis, Khereid-Din or Vincenzo Caligari!"
"Hear, hear! I completely agree. You may have a few faults, like dressing in a completely improper manner, but I prefer clockwork women dressed in trousers to clockwork men with scythes!" The merry grin was reminiscent of their university days, as Melisandre ducked a thrown pillow.
"Humpf! Completely improper? You haven't seen your own double yet! She does more with less, I assure you!"
"You're joking! You can't mean...." Melisandre's cheeks colored in embarrassment. "Please tell me she's not... I mean... in front of Lucas? Is she mad? That man is on a short leash. It would be like setting dinner in front of a starving man and telling him not to eat!" She kicked the small footstool in frustration. "That woman is going to pay if I ever catch her!"
Constanza shrugged. "Well, in La Reina del Mar she didn't show much interest in him, and in Freiburg he was the one with other interests -- interests that somehow got him in contact with a poisoned blade, I noticed."
Melisandre sighed in relief, slightly embarrassed at her outburst. She comforted herself with the fact that Lucas had shown very little interest since she'd joined him as a traveling companion.
Constanza waved her hand as if to toss the matter aside, since it was unlikely to be resolved for the moment. "Very well, it sounds like we should stop in Dionna, then hurry back to Castille and meet whatever trouble our last visit brewed. The Inquisition is sure to be waiting for us with torches. You do realize we have most likely been excommunicated for spiriting Juan away -- and then he goes and disappears again! But Lucas was all for returning to Castille when we spoke earlier, and I'm sure he would be equally eager to free his mother from Villanova's clutches."
She brightened for a second. "Oh, how happy Uncle Andrès would be to see Aunt Lucia again! He doesn't know what befell her, you see." Her elated smile turned into a smirk, and she added: "I'm sure this would be enough to get Lucas off the hook for his lack of letters and visits."
Melisandre giggled and tucked her feet up in the chair, tucking the once thrown pillow behind her back. "Well, I'm sure I'd be happy either way. Delaying my trip back to Castille will give me more time to plan what needs to be done, but if we are unable to turn the ship back towards Vodacce, then I'll know it's Theus' way of telling me to get on with it." She withdrew a piece of blood red silk from her bodice, smoothed it over her lap, folded it carefully, and tucked it gently back into its resting place. "And if we find ourselves in Villanova's lands, then I know that I do indeed have some time." She grinned. "As Papa always says, Theus provides the opportunity for those who would seize it."
Constanza glanced at her friend, but refrained from commenting. The last few things she had heard about Don Tobias Senalda de Ramirez had made her very curious and somewhat doubtful about the gentleman, but it would hardly be polite to mention it to his daughter.
Then footsteps thudded softly on the deck past her cabin door, punctuated by a softer thud like that of a walking stick. Constanza's face became sombre. "Ferdinand is pacing again, and still carrying that damned thing. I fear we have to do something about it quickly, or we will all pay the consequences. Do you think you could brew a sleeping draught for him, something strong enough that we can pry this dangerous artefact from him while he is unconscious? I do not fancy repeating the fight we had against Reis, especially facing a friend."
Melisandre sighed, picking idly at a stray thread on the hem of her gown. "I'm afraid that I'm not able to make something that strong. And I find it most troubling that he's picked that evil thing up." She glanced up, meeting Constanza's eyes. "I don't care to try and take it from him by force considering what happened to Reis when he fell. The man just disappeared, as if he'd never existed." She shivered slightly as thoughts of Reis dissolving at Constanza's feet as an exhausted Constanza held the crystal sword aloft ran through her mind. They had won the day, barely. Her eyes strayed unwillingly to the sword. It gave her a most uncomfortable feeling, sleeping in the same room with it, but Constanza insisted upon having it close to hand.
