Turning Saints To Sinners

Chapter 52: A New Ruler

Mary stared into the blackness that was outside. She had gotten up roughly forty minutes ago to find herself alone in her bed. A nightmare had shaken her awake. 

She carefully slid off the window ledge and into a cozy seat by the fire. Bailey, curled underneath the coffee table, grumbled and grunted in her sleep. Mary opened a book of her favorite horror tales and began to read. 

Half way through The Dreams In A Witch House by H. P. Lovecraft, Mary began to get tired. She wondered how long Zelda would be.

Setting the book down, Mary quietly bent over to pick up Bailey and carry her to the bedroom. 

-

"I don't understand?" 

The shadow laughed; deep and sultry. 

"What do you not understand, my dear witch?" Zelda stared at the shadow. Disbelief covered her aged features. 

"You say you are the queen of hell but I don't believe our Dark Lord has married?" The shadowy figure made a sound of distaste. 

"He hasn't." 

Zelda almost laughed. "Why are you wasting my time?" 

"You are wasting mine." Zelda furrowed her brows, tilting her head to the side. She resembled a child who had just overheard a conversation they don't quite understand. 

"How so?" 

The shadow danced along the wall, blowing out the candles as she crossed over the flame. 

"Let me tell you my tale, Zelda Spellman and then you can enlighten me of your… worries." Zelda nodded, sitting down at a pew. 

"Go on then." 

The shadow chuckled. "I'm a very important woman, Zelda Spellman. Perhaps you heard of me as a child? Well, my whole life I've been lied to by men. I've been cheated and hurt. By my first husband and then Satan. I was pushed around. I let myself be pushed around because I believed that one day I would sit at a thrown by Satan's side. Now I've lead myself to believe that was never to happen. I can tell you've figured out who I am by now." Indeed she had, "Whilst you were held under boiling water, praying to Satan you'd be found, I was cutting his throat in the middle of the night." Zelda held in a gasp, knowing it would be too dramatic and inappropriate, "You see, Zelda, I took his throne and crown. I'll take his church and his followers. His most devoted will fall to my feet and if they refuse I will not hesitate to have them parish in hell's flames." Zelda nervously crossed her legs, "Tonight is an important night. You thought you were coming here to talk to Satan but in reality I gave you that urge." Zelda furrowed her brows. 

"What?"

"I made you come here. I needed to see you. I've always...admired you, Zelda. You are a strong woman. But obedient. You let that misogynist weasel push you around for too long until that night you visited his office. Now that was empowering. You got what you wanted. Backlash happened involving him and the mortal man. They tried to bring you down. He tried to crack you and you fought back. That was incredible. You say you are losing your faith but really you are becoming more powerful than it. You are rising to the top, leaving behind the ways taught you. The ways where you bowed to men who only wanted to steal your power. You did something I'm very proud of, Zelda." 

"And what was that?" Zelda nervously laughed. 

"You fell in love… and fought for it." 

-

Mary wanted to cry. She missed Zelda and was beginning to feel very lonely. Bailey curled up at the foot of the bed, like usual. A pillow lay in Mary's arms as she began to cry. It was a stupid thing to cry over. But she had almost had her love taken from her and now that love was out wandering around, helplessly. 

Mary slowly sat up, taking her glasses off and rubbing her eyes with her middle knuckle. 

"Come back, Zee." She quickly whispered to herself before setting her glasses down on the night table and closing her eyes. 

-

Zelda bowed her head at the shadow. She heard a tsk, immediately bringing her head back up. 

"No bowing… for anyone. We will never have to bow again, my dear witch. No one will." Zelda straightened up, a bit embarrassed. 

"Why did you want to speak to me?" Lilith laughed. 

"Because, Zelda! Can't you see! I want you as my High Priestess!" Zelda felt a tear sting her left eye. She ignored it. 

"What? Why?" 

"Were you not listening to anything I had just said?" Zelda hesitated, opening her mouth a few times. 
"Please be my High Priestess… you are too perfect for the job for me to just walk away with a 'no'." Zelda sighed. She slowly nodded. She had no clue if Lilith was smiling but she sensed she was. 
"We'll meet tomorrow… at eleven sharp." 

"Night?" Lilith nodded. 

"Now run home to your woman. She awaits...crying for you." Zelda raised a brow and stood. 

"Thank you...for the honor of being your High Priestess." Lilith nodded, watching Zelda walk out. 

Zelda immediately burst into tears the second she left the church. Her worries weren't really answered but she didn't care right now. She needed to tell Mary everything that had just happened. 

Sorry it's been so long but I was supposed to write this weekend but my birthday was on the 5th and everything got too busy. I'm hoping this fic will end soon but not too soon. Thank you all for being patient with me.

Also fun fact: Dreams In A Witch House, ep 5, was named after that H. P Lovecraft story. It's a good read and one of my favorite horror tales. I feel like Mary is a big fan of reading horror tales, considering she loves horror movies.