The Jezebels of Bedlam.

Chapter 31 - Trust.

It was still early. The sun peaked seductively over the horizon with the promise of a bright day. They needed to get moving before it became too hot. The Domina, Libuse, wanted them back in Tweldor as soon as possible, but Rosemonde had to recover her memories first. She appeared to trust both Ben and Liam. So far, so good, but what would happen once she realised what they were?

Liam had brought bacon and eggs and they all enjoyed a hearty breakfast. "Ah, I live for the pig!" Liam reached for the last rasher of bacon in the frying pan. Turning to Rosemonde he asked, "You're not Jewish, are you?"

"Bit late to be worrying about that now, considering." She laughed. " But I don't think so, I seem to remember loving bacon too."

"Well, we do need to work on your memories," he said.

"I don't really want to remember," Rosemonde said quietly.

"We get that lass, but we can't help you unless you remember your life. You need to be able to recall it all accurately so that we know exactly how to help you," Ben said gently.

"That's not all," Liam tried his best to clarify. "We're taking you somewhere hidden, to protect you, but getting there can be difficult; especially if there has been a trauma to your psyche. Our Domina has agreed to grant you access to the citadel only if you recover your memories."

"Domina is Latin for mistress, isn't it? But in the context of a female master rather than a lover. So, what is this woman to you both?" Rosemonde crossed her arms in a protective gesture. "Where is it you want to take me exactly, some kind of cult headquarters?"

"You know Latin? That's great! Do you remember what you studied at university?" Ben deflected.

"I don't know how I knew that. Can you just answer my question, please? This is all beginning to sound a little strange." Rosemonde felt uneasy. She was in the bush with two men she did not know, who were both going to take her to an unknown location. How sensible was that, really?

"Well it's going to get a whole lot stranger," Liam said. "The Dominus or in this case Domina is elected once every one hundred years to lead and protect our kind."

"Your kind?" Rosemonde shook her head. She was completely lost. Did he say every one hundred years? When Ben moved to stand behind her, holding her in an iron grip, she cried out, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING? LET ME GO!"

"Just a precaution, Rosemonde." Ben tried to calm her. "Some people have gone into shock when we've shown them. I'm going to hold you while Liam transforms, in case you faint again."

"Again? Have I fainted before? You seem to know all about me." She began to panic when Liam shed his clothing. Was she about to be raped by both these men? "What do you mean while Liam transforms? Transforms how?" Her heart beat faster and she began to sweat and struggle against Ben but he held her securely.

"Do it now, mate!" Ben instructed. "While I've still got a grip on her."

Liam was gone and the lovable Shep stood in his place. Rosemonde stopped struggling and Ben let her go. She stared open-mouthed. Shep stared back giving her an apparent doggie smile, which made her laugh. Remarkably, she was not afraid.

"Liam Shepherd. Shep. How-how?" she whispered.

"It's a very long and complex tale, which we don't have time for right now. Once we get you to the citadel, the Domina will tell you everything," Ben explained. "Now the most important thing is for you to remember your story. We have the means to help you do that and we need you to do it now. I ask that you trust us. Can you do that?"

"You've been nothing but kind to me. Yes, I trust you, both of you," Rosemonde replied.

"Good." Ben handed her the jar. "Go inside the tent, strip off and smear this ointment all over your arms, legs and torso. We'll be in shortly."

"You're coming in? B-both of you?"

"Rosemonde, retrieving your memories this quickly will involve magic and it can be dangerous. You can cover yourself once you've applied the ointment, but we can't let you do the retrieval alone. You just said you trusted us," Ben admonished. Rosemonde swallowed. She took a deep breath and nodded before taking the jar from him. Ben breathed a sigh of relief. "Liam will give you more detailed instructions on how to apply this muck, okay?"

☆☆☆☆☆

Rosemonde applied the thick herbal grease that was contained in the jar to her arms, legs and torso. As Liam had instructed her, she was careful not to touch her eyes, nose, mouth or private parts. When she was done, she covered herself and called out to Liam and Ben to enter the tent. It did not take long for Rosemonde to begin to feel the effects of the ointment. She became flushed, so hot that she thought her body would burst into flames.

"I'M ON FIRE! NOOOO, MAKE IT STOP!" she cried out.

Liam, back in human form, took both her hands in his as she screamed. "This herbal mix is a little different from that which is traditionally used. It is so you will remember more quickly," he disclosed. "The sensory overload will be uncomfortable at first, but please be assured that you are safe and cannot come to any physical harm. Eventually, you will feel nothing at all. You will be numb and this will help you sleep. Reach out and let sleep take you. Do not fight it. You will dream and your dreams will be real memories. You will learn truths and you will heal. You are in a safe place. Trust and dream, Rosemonde. Go with it, don't fight! Please."

Rosemonde screamed again before passing out.

"Are you sure about this?" Ben asked Liam.

"Libuse is sure," Liam answered earnestly. When he released Rosemonde's hands, she whimpered softly and her chest rose and fell lightly. Finally, she was resting in peaceful slumber. "She looks comfortable now. When she wakes up Libuse said we'll be ready to leave."

"It can't be that simple." Ben remained sceptical. "We're playing with this girl's mental health. I don't like it!"

"Once we get her to Tweldor, she will get the help she needs."

"We don't know why they want her so badly. What if this process triggers something so horrendous..." Ben didn't finish. He didn't have to. They had both seen enough to know what was at stake.

Liam sighed. "Yeah, I know...but look at what she has already seen! We need to trust our Domina. It's time for Rosemonde to remember all of it, not just what has happened recently."

Ben did trust Libuse, with his life; but he had never been asked to do anything like this before. He found it unsettling. "Do you get the feeling that this girl will end up helping us just as much, if not more than we've helped her?" he asked.

"I do." Liam smiled at Rosemonde's sleeping form. Removing a wayward tendril of hair from her face, he kissed her cheek tenderly. "Watch over her Ben. I'll fetch some water. She's going to be seriously thirsty when she wakes."