Freya Hale only wanted to have a normal life. Everyone had always said that there was something different about her. It only took someone special for her to realize that they were all right.
"Oh yeah come on in. No knocking necessary." I mumble as Sabrina and Nick come rushing into our room. I put down the robe I'm folding and turn my attention to them. They look around the room and that's when I notice the beat up little book in Sabrina's hands.
"Is that?" "My dad's manifesto? It sure is. Nick went down to the bottom of the ocean to get it for me." Sabrina says beaming. "I fought off a giant squid for it." Nick says shrugging his shoulders. "How brave. Ambrose should be home-" Ambrose strolls through the door "-right now I guess."
"Ambrose, look! It's the manifesto. In it he lists his five basic laws. Prepare yourself, they're shocking. First, as mortals are the God-spawn of the Earth so witches are the hell-spawn. They share a common home and destiny." Sabrina says. "Second, not only may witch-kind lay with, love with, and live amongst the mortals, it is their sacred prerogative." Nick reads off. Sabrina hands the next page to me.
"Third. As Lilith was the mother of demons, so all witches must be revered as the matriarchs of the Church of Night. Well I like the sound of that." I say. "Fourth. Magic is the Dark Lord's gift to witches. It can and should be use for pleasure, for gain, and to satiate the senses." Nick reads. "And fifth, only the true union of mortals and their witch brethren will bring the Era of the Morningstar." Sabrina finishes. "And get this, it's signed off by and partially credited to-" "Damien Hale." I read. My eyes start to water. Good job dad, I knew you were a good person.
"Bloody Hell." Ambrose says as he sits down on our bed. "Me and Freya's parents were flying to meet with the Anti-Pope to present these tenets in the hopes of reforming the Church of Night." Sabrina explains. "We think Father Blackwood murdered them before they could do that." Nick adds. Ambrose puts his hand under his chin in thought.
"I believe it. Cousin, we're in the middle of an uncanny confluence. Earlier tonight, at a meeting with the Judas Society, I heard for the first time, Blackwood's tenets. His is a regressive and misogynistic reformation." Ambrose explains. I throw my arms up. "Misogynistic? Who would've guessed. Oh wait- I fucking did." I say.
"Back to the old old ways. And tomorrow, in a private audience with the Anti-Pope, he plans to present his manifesto to Out Unholiness." Ambrose finishes. "Ambrose, we need to stop Blackwood." Sabrina says. "Yeah, but how?" I ask.
"As luck would have it, I will be stationed outside of Blackwood's office during the meeting. Part of my duties as an official guard." Ambrose says. "Perfect." I say with a smirk. "If Freya and I can get in there and present our Father's doctrine as an alternative to Blackwood's-" "We could derail the High Priest's efforts to regress the Church of Night." I say.
"And Satan willing, the wedding itself!" Sabrina adds. Ambrose looks at Sabrina, then Nick, then me. And he gets the biggest smirk on his face.
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Freya
Everyone is gathered in the hall of the Academy awaiting the arrival of the Anti-Pope. I'm standing between Ambrose and Sabrina, nervously fiddling with the ring that Ambrose gave me. Ambrose grabs my hand to try to calm me down. Instead my other hand goes to trying to straighten out my skirt. Nervous habit I guess.
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The main doors to the Academy open and the Anti-Pope is escorted in my Father Blackwood and a couple other members of the Judas Society. Father Blackwood walks around the room of students, pointing out some of the students.
"An this is Nicholas Scratch, Your Eminence. A Very fine and promising warlock." Father Blackwood explains as Nick bows. "It pleases me, Faustus, to see such firm and potent youths among our dark ranks." The Anti-Pope says. I close my eyes and pray to both the Dark Lord and my parents that the Anti-Pope stops in front of Sabrina and I. When I open my eyes, the Anti-Pope is looking back at me.
"And who are these little birds?" The Anti-Pope asks Father Blackwood. Blackwood goes to move the Anti-Pope along but Sabrina and I jump on this opportunity. "Sabrina Spellman." "Freya Hale." "Your disgrace." We both say as we bow. "Spellman? Hale?" The Anti-Pope looks between us. "Children." He says putting a hand on our shoulders. "Sabrina, your father was a great, learned High Priest. Freya, your father was a terrifyingly skilled warlock." We both bow our heads in thanks.
"With your permission, Father of Fathers, my boys and I would like to give you a tour of the academy. This way." Father Blackwood says, bringing the attention away from us. Ambrose gives me a quick wink before heading off with the other members of the Judas Society.
"Step one. Complete." Sabrina whispers next to me. "Onto step two." I say before turning on my heel towards the dorms.
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Freya
"And don't you worry, you've got this." Ambrose whispers. He gives me a quick kiss before standing back. "Ready?" Sabrina asks. "As I'll ever be. You?" I ask. She nods. Sabrina takes a deep breath before throwing open the doors to Blackwood's office.
"Father Blackwood." Sabrina calls out. "Father of Fathers." I address with a bow. "Forgive me Father Blackwood. There was no stopping them. I was rather distracted by...." Ambrose looks in my direction. "Ah! Miss Spellman! Miss Hale! It's wonderful that we should meet again." The Anti-Pope says. Ambrose ducks out of the room and closes the doors behind him.
"What can we do for you girls?" Father Blackwood asks between gritted teeth. Oh how I love to anger this man. "As we were preparing for your visit, your unholiness, I was going through my late father's belongings and I found a copy of his manifesto that he was planning to give you." Sabrina says offering the Anti-Pope the manifesto. I can see Blackwood's eyes widen.
"Impossible." Blackwood says. "Why would that be impossible, Father Blackwood?" I ask innocently. He stares at my blankly. "As you look towards the future of the Churches of Darkness, I thought you would appreciate our father's ideas and ideologies." Sabrina says with a smile.
"Your Unholy Eminence, please forgive these girls for their insolence." "Please, your Unholiness, will you read our father's words?" I ask with an sweet smile and wide eyes. A trick I learned from watching Winter. "I will retire to my chambers and entertain both doctrines." The Anti-Pope says as he rises from his chair.
"The Dark Lord will reveal which one, if any, will be worthy enough to put before the council." The Anti-Pope explains before exiting the room. We all bow. Once he leaves, we all stand up straight and are met with the icy glare of Father Blackwood.
"Have a good night, Father Blackwood." I say with a sickly sweet tone. Sabrina and I quickly exit the room. Once we close the doors, Ambrose runs up behind me and gives me a hug.
"I'm not saying that I was listening but I am saying that you two absolutely crushed it in there." He says as he kisses my shoulder. "Let's just hope it was enough." Sabrina says. I give her a quick side hug and we go back to the Spellman household for the night.
