Sins of Our Fathers [Complete]--Editing

Chapter 45

Chapter 45 

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Night. 

Darkness void of the sun, only being broken by the faint glitter of stars. 

The Second stands by the Fire place of the library. He stares blankly into the flames, pondering about nothing. 

His master's wife sleeps peacefully in the chair beside him, her beautiful face illuminated by the inferno's orange glow.

That's when it happens.

With out warning or cause,  the winds slip into the house. Windows and doors are opened by an unseen hand, and candles burn out all over the palace. All save the fireplaces.

The winds creep into the library and upon entering wisp together to form the shapes of three women. Their bodies are made of wind, but their eyes and lips seem to be made of stars, twinkling in the dim glow of the fire light.

They go about the room as if searching for something. What they want is not here. They pass The Second as if he and his companion weren't even there. They seem to float out of the door and spread to the other parts of the palace.

In about a hour's time, who should walk through the door way, but the youngest son.

"You." 

"I am here. Forgive me for the delay, there were things that had to be put in order."

The younger man held a candelabra in his hand, with all the candles lit.

"What is happening here?" 

"The palace is under a spell you could say." 

"Really?" 

"Come and I will show you."

The Second scooped up his master's wife into his arms and followed.

All throughout the halls were the sleeping bodies of hunters and Snakemen alike. Everyone seemed to be frozen in what ever it was they were doing before the spell was cast. 

Night Watchmen, were slumped at their posts, there was even a hunter snoring, into what looked like a chamber pot.

Then they came to Leonardo's room. 

He was slumped over in a chair that sat in front of a fireplace that had been snuffed out.

"It was almost too late. I had to put out the fire with water. Thank God the winds entered in time."

"What were those things?" 

"Those women are the three winds. They sometimes call themselves the fates, but that is not true. The fates are their sisters." 

"What of the fire places? Why didn't they go near those."

They exited the room and slowly made their way to secret passage in the study. 

"When lit, fireplaces become home to the fire spirits. Most if their kind are trapped in logs or in flint or other things. When the flint is struck and one is freed it ignites all the rest of their bother's and sisters in the logs of the fireplaces."

"What of the winds?"

"I'm getting to that. The fire spirits are cousins of both the winds and the fates. However, due to their explosive nature the fire spirits assume that the fates are responsible for trapping them, and since the winds look exactly like the fates, the fire spirits take it out on them by trying to eat them should they get too near."