Dear Ms Lady Demigod: Twelve Days To Doom

4 8 The Price Of Love

"Princess," Annelece, with the body of an anorexic, and merely a layer of skin covering his bones, walked towards her, with his beard reaching till his stomach, his tattered clothes.
"Annelece...Is what she said true?" Adelaida asked.
"Why would a keeper of death lie to you about killing someone?" Vierne intervened.

"You killed him?"
"I did," Lict accepted as he came forward.
"Music? Why?!" Adelaida asked as she clenched his bloody garments.
"Because he dared try and violate my lady,"
"My lady?" Nataniel looked at Vierne.
Adelaida looked down in shame, "I never thought of uncle to be someone like that,"

"But that's how he was, apparently," Vierne said.
"He lied to you about everything, princess," Annelece said, "Your brother's death was not because of some disease, but poison, that your uncle fed him,"
"Not because of the sickness you passed?"
"Sickness? But I have none, princess. Is that the reason he gave you for having me locked up?"
"Yes. That you are sick and if I meet you, I'll become sick too,"

"If anything, I went deaf because he physically traumatised my ears with needles-"
She pressed her fingers over his lips, "Don't speak any further. After all these years, I find out that my uncle was not what he seemed, while I, oblivious, loved him still. I pity me..."

"Hang on, your lady, Music?" Nataniel was still stuck on that, ignoring everything else they said, "You mean your contracted demigod? Because I seem to recognise that spear and that armour now,"
"You are right. This is," Lict smiled, "Gatekeeper Vierne Obolensky,"
All of them got on their knees, "I never thought I'd meet one in a lifetime," Adelaida looked up at Vierne, "What good have I done to deserve this?"
"Have a companion like Annelece. He worshipped me for nine years,"

Adelaida smiled at Annelece, "Well, I'm sincerely grateful to him,"
"I'm hoping you to take over Alkinshime, as you rightfully should," Annelece smiled.
"Take over Alkinshime? Who are you, the princess?" Nataniel chuckled as he asked Adelaida.
"Erm, well, I serve the princess. So, this is just a message for her,"
"What?" Annelece laughed and Adelaida shushed him.

"Oh," Nataniel looked surprised, "I see,"
"Wait-Lady, your blight?" Annelece looked at Vierne's neck, "...It's gone,"

"I'm a gatekeeper. A blight alone can't kill me. Well, until it gets pretty bad, which is highly unlikely,"
"Milady, we must leave. The purgatory is waiting for you. It is not safe to leave it abandoned for this long," Lict interrupted.
"You are right, Lict,"

"You're going to leave, my lady?" Annelece asked while Lict made a golden portal to the purgatory. Vierne smiled, "I certainly am. But...Just because you can't see me, doesn't mean I won't be with you,"
"Milady," Lict called out and Vierne turned back.

Jevelene looked at Vierne leave, "Lady Gatekeeper,"
"Yes?"
"Do I have a Sila?" She asked.
Vierne looked at her for a while, then smiled, "Everyone has a sila. All you need to do is find what it is,"

With an answer as vague as that, she walked into the portal and Lict cast a spell on the ballroom, lighting it golden, "Get an exorcist to cleanse this place," He stood at the portal's mouth,

"Music!" Ariel yelled and Lict turned to look at him. Ariel took a deep breath, "Thank you..."
Lict smiled, "Take good care of your legs, Ajax" He jumped into the portal.
"WAIT- I KNEW IT! YOU HEALED ME!"
But they were gone and the portal closed into a heap of dust, disappearing as it fell on the ground, leaving the room darker than before.

"...I heard you guys worship Music?" Ariel asked Adelaida.
"We do, Alkinshime is called the kingdom of Music, after all,"
"Yeah, add me to the cult,"
Jevelene giggled, "He's head over heels,"
"He's blagging it," Nataniel laughed and Adelaida looked at him.