Siblings who nearly die together, stay together (cult of the Lamb x reader)

Chapter 17: The Third Bishop

You and Lambert are in the temple, you were helping him dry off from your accidental water assault, you had a towel wrapped around your shoulders to absorb the last bit of moisture that clung in your (w/c) wool, it also helped with how cold the water was.

Trying to help your 'nice' brother get dry before the sermon was proving to be difficult, the water really soaked him well.

"Lambert, you need to take your fleece off if you want to be dry" he was relucent at first but did what you commanded, he continued to dry himself off and just as you were about to continue to dry his head a sight made you freeze, the fleece was hiding something that felt so long ago now, the white wool around his neck was choppy showing his skin, a jagged line running all around his neck, it looked deep and would never heal. The thought of the execution day flashed in your mind, the executioner's sharp axe dripping blood, Lambert's body lying lifelessly on the cold stone and his head rolling away from his then corpse.

You quickly cover his head along with his neck with a towel, your shaky paws were noticed right away.

"You alright (Y/N)? I feel you shaking" Lambert asked tilting his head slightly towards you.

"Hmm? Um...I'm fine, still cold is all" Your body decides to give you a cold shiver down your back as if to help prove your point, you grab the corners of your towel to readiest it to keep it from slipping off, Lambert accepts the answer and finishes off removing the water from his wool.

When it was all done, he gave you the towels to store away, your eyes continued to linger on the scar on his neck only for it to be covered back with the fleece, which caused you to snap out of your trance.

"Are you ready for the sermon?" You place the used towels to the side for the meantime and give him a nod, you grab hold of the rope that is connected to a bell and begin to ring. The temple filled up with Followers, you saw a few creatures that you are yet to be acquainted with and the ones that are still feeling poorly did not attend this sermon. you made a mental note to check on them afterwards.

"I am aware that not all are able to attend this sermon due to the heinous action that Bishop Kallamar has bestowed upon us, his curse of pestilence will not go unpunished".

Lambert held onto the sides of the lectern tightly in anger, he then took a deep breath to calm down.

"Tonight, it will end, the sickness that spreads will be no more, Anchordeep will be rid of Kallamar's cowardice".

You do not know if the Followers heard it, but the rage that laced his words did scare you slightly. Existing the temple with Lambert and you see that night was close.

"Lambert?"

"What is it?" He smiles, his cheerful demeanour back to normal, you guess the anger in his voice during the sermon was a mistake.

"Don't let your emotions take over you when you fight Bishop Kallamar" You leave to look after the rest of the sick Followers the best you can without any camellia flowers before returning to your tent for the night.

The night's dream was infested with the execution day, in your nightmare Lambert's death repeated over and over as if he was being brought back to life to kill him again just to torture you, it made you feel useless, that is until the executioner kicked his headless body to the side to make space for you, they pushed you down roughly, the iron smell was strong but you where to consumed by fear to care, the air in your lungs escape when the axe came swinging down.

Before it makes contact with your neck you jolt awake, you lay there panting, trying to calm yourself, after some time you eventually do. You leave the comfort of your tent and do your daily routine, you get to know the new Followers and a few that are where ill are doing much better, you tend to the farm and the new garden.

You hear a commotion near the podium and see that it is beginning to glow, signifying that Lambert is on his way back to the cult, you decide to wait at the back of the crowd not wanting to see the thorned heart, as the Followers leave you finally got a good look at Lambert, he was a complete mess, helping him dry off the day before was pointless as he is drenched, he has cuts everywhere and his wool is charred in a few places.

"Lambert, what happened out there?!" You rush to his side to have a look over and resist the urge to cuss him out.

"My emotions took over me" He gave a chuckle showing that he had no serious injury or pain. This annoyed you.

"You are such an idiot, I ask you to do one thing and you can't even do that!"

"Maybe you need to stop asking me to do things that are difficult".

The both of you bicker a bit more, and at some point, you hear one of the new Followers, a duck named Filina, ask.

"Are they always like this?"

Namar responds, "Our great Leader and (Y/N) are siblings, it's normal".

You got Lambert to the temple so he can do his victory sermon, but first, you help him look presentable, you first throw a towel in his face to dry up, you ignore the cuts for now letting them heal on their own, then you got a pair of shears.

"I don't trust you with those shears, I feel like you will make me look stupid".

"First, you look stupid without me doing anything, second, I don't want to smell burnt wool every time I'm near you" You snip away the burnt wool, thanks to how fluffy he is, not much changed.

As you clean up the clumps of wool, you talk to Lambert. "Only one Bishop left, Bishop Shamura, Bishop of War" Lambert did not say anything "You're going to Silk Cradle next, Bishop Shamura is the eldest, they might be stronger than the other Bishops".

"The fight is nearly over".

"What do you think The One Who Waits will do when he's free?" the question was heavy in your mind.

"I don't know".

The answer made you nervous, not wanting to think about it anymore you make your way to the bell, "Are you ready for the sermon?" Lambert stood in front of the lectern ready. The Followers come in at the sound of the bell.

"Three of the four Bishops are defeated, only one is left that guards the chain that holds The One Who Waits. Bishop Shamura will join the others and the one below shall be free, but let us celebrate today's victory, the downfall of Kallamar!"

The bonfire ritual was in full swing, but this time you did not look at the happy dancing Followers, your wrists started to feel heavy, to not cause any worry you took a sneak peek at your wrists, the metal cuffs along with the left-over chain reflect the large fire, you have almost forgot that you still have them on, when thinking of The One Who Waits, the cuffs seem more heavy than before.