Wholly Undead 10 Responsibilities

Leslie's hand maidens began to strip Jack's Regalia from his form. One should know that his Regalia was only for Official business. How cumbersome would it be to walk around in full armor all the time?

By now, Leslie had actually shook Jack's hand off, and walked to one side, her back facing him.

[What's wrong with her...? Is she upset with my announcement?] Jack thought, while observing Leslie.

After the Hand Maidens had stripped Jack, they brought him a clean set of robes, and a new pair of shoes. Jack was dressed, and walked behind Leslie. The Hand Maidens took note, and made themselves scarce. None of them wished to be present while these two were talking. They were Hand Maidens, how did they not know what happened in the Court. Their eyes were big, and their ears even bigger!

Jack placed his hands on Leslie's shoulders, in the same way he had done before he had gone to court.

Leslie made no reaction...

"Leslie, dear... What's wrong. Is this not what you wanted?" Jack tried to soothe his, now, consort.

"Why didn't you consult me..." Leslie asked emotionlessly, ignoring the fact that The Holy Witch King just called her dear.

"I asked you, before We went out." Jack replied, baffled by why she was acting like this.

"No.... You asked if I would be loyal. I've always been. You asked if I would be on your side, if the world is against you. I've always been. You didn't ask me to be your consort, or even your maid. You just decided that on your own, and now look what you have done." Leslie berated Jack! This was the first time she had ever questioned The Holy Witch King!

"You've been with me for this long, and you never had a proper Title. I fixed that, today." Jack helpless replied, failing to understand what he did wrong.

Leslie had turned now, and was staring into those gold wisps that Jack had for eyes.

"Fixed? You had me sit by your side on your Throne like I was a trophy! Do I not have a place in your heart? If I did, then why didn't you leave even a shred of my respect... You didn't even ask me if I wanted to be your consort. You just TOLD EVERYONE I was... What face do I have left in this kingdom" She said as she was hitting jack's rib cage.

While Jack didn't feel any pain from this, he was floored by it. He had made a mistake... He really made a mistake. He was totally counting on Leslie to fan girl out and her to be happily ever after; he really had no clue this would be her reaction.

Jack had just been standing there letting her hit him, soon though he brought his arms to wrap around Leslie, pulling her into his embrace, as she struggled. His lower jaw resting on top of her head.

"Leslie... I'm sorry." Jack said.

Leslie stopped struggling. She was slightly moved. The Holy Witch King never said sorry, mostly it was because he never made a mistake, but even if he had, he would fix it. While fixed, he wouldn't apologize for it.

"I thought this is what you wanted. You wanted a place in my heart, you have it. You needed a proper Title, I gave it." Jack said from his heart.

Leslie could hear his heartfelt words, but another thought crossed her mind, as she struggled free of his embrace. She looked back up at him fiercely!

"Before anything, I want to know about War Marshall Verruca!" Leslie shrieked.

"War Marshal Verruca? What about her?" Jack asked bewildered.

"You take me for a fool? I seen that look on her face! I know what that look means. How long have you and her been a thing?!" Leslie started in.

Jack backed up a few paces. "I... Wha... I don..." Jack's mind was thrown into chaos.

"How did you keep this a secret from the kingdom, Grand Minister Lucius....., Me?"

Thinking quickly, Jack decided to throw his "get out of jail free" pass.

"I don't remember her. I only seen her again today. If I had something going with War Marshal Verruca, then I didn't know either." Jack said resolutely thankfully, this was the truth.

Leslie was dumbfounded. That's right, he had amnesia.

Jack watch Leslie's blank expression, and pressed on, "I only remember you, Leslie. Only you." Jack again walked to her and pulled her back into his embrace.

This time she didn't struggle. Jack cuddled her into his hard bony body. Jack enjoyed the sensation of the springiness of her flesh, and lamented he couldn't do... that... with Leslie. [Am I necrophile?] Jack's mind had a disturbing thought.

What Jack didn't know was his corporal container influenced his desires just as much as his soul did. While being a human male and lusting after an undead female was exactly necrophilia, but being undead and lusting after one of the same race... This was normal. While Jack's aesthetic sense was still strongly related to humans from his time being alive, it was distorted by his new situation.

They stood cuddling each other for a long time. After this period, Leslie spoke up in a mosquito like voice, "I accept."

If not for Jack's impressive hearing, he wouldn't have been able to detect this acceptance. Jack internally sighed. [I can take it that she is now officially my consort.]

"Leslie..."

"Mmmm?"

"What am I going to do about War Marshal Verruca...?"

"What are you asking me for?" Leslie asked slightly irritated... Her love had no concept of time and place in love, totally ruining her good mood she had just got, after much trial.

"Leslie, please know I trust you the most. I would of never of made you my consort, if I didn't. I don't know how to face War Marshal Verruca, if I really did have something going on with her." Jack said with a slight helplessness in his voice.

"The mighty Holy Witch King, doesn't know how to solve a problem? If someone heard this, it would become a laughing stock, dear." Leslie joked.

Jack let go of Leslie, and took her hand. He started walking out into the hall, and was making his way to his room by memory. Jack walked these halls once, and remembered the passages. Most undead in the palace would have to have a guide for at least a year to learn where they were in the maze like corridors.

Leslie simply thought that her love remembered the way, to his chambers.

Jack made it to his chamber, and opened the door, pulling in Leslie.

[I would of came in, why is my love so forceful today? could it be he wants to do.... that?] Leslie had a interesting thought.

Jack took off his robes and placed them to the side of his evening tomb. He turned to Leslie, as he spoke, "I'm tired, and I want a nap. Lay down with me." Jack extended his right hand to, once again, hold Leslie's.

[OH MY, OH MY, OH MY! So quick! My love doesn't want to wait for Our wedding?!] Leslie was in full panic mode, she wasn't prepared for this. She still needed to cleanse her body, refresh her mind, and refocus her soul!

If Leslie could blush, she would of long been a radiant red.

Jack was observing Leslie's reaction as it was continuously changing from shock to joy to fear to concern to contemplation. [Why is she having such reactions... I just want to snuggle while taking a nap...] Jack bitterly sighed inwardly. If Jack could do more, he would have already tasted those AV actress expressions Leslie had earlier!

"...I don't mind... Just... I need a shower and to meditate, first..." Leslie's tiny voice had finally escaped from between her lips.

[Why does this sound a lot like preparations to bone?] Jack was confused... He just wanted to take a nap, while holding on to a beauty. There had to be some sort of pleasure he could gain from having one!

"Ummm... Go ahead, I'll wait for you here?" Jack said, questioningly.

Jack let go of Leslie's hand, as she turned and darted out of the room, quick as a mouse. He then sat on the side of his evening tomb, and looked at the door she just left...

[I don't get this...] Jack pondered over Leslie's reaction. Finally, he shook his head and tossed his thoughts to the side. Laying down in his evening tomb. He shut his eye sight off. The gold wisps dissipated, leaving behind the dark hollows of his eye sockets.

*******

War Marshall Verruca walked the palace unhindered. It had always been that way, as the most decorated War Marshall she had permissions unlimited in comparison to her follow War Marshals. Verruca had now dressed down to her Templar fatigues. Light gray colored vestment tucked into a long dress skirt that had slits on both sides from Hip to foot, much like a qipao dress.

She followed the winding corridors, and soon she could no longer feel the eyes of the servants. Two more twists later, and she opened a door and walked into the room.

Within the lightly adorned room, held an evening tomb where a ivory skeleton with golden holy words inlaid on every bone laid quietly. Verruca walked over and with her huge frame sat on the side of the tomb.

She placed her large hand over the skeleton's right hand. Her hand clearly dwarfed the skeleton's right hand.

Jack felt something press on his hand. His vision came back to him, in his eye sockets flickered into existence two gold wisps, as he looked up into the girly face of Verruca. Without her heavy Templar plate armor, she looked very much like the she-hulk, that Jack remembered from his past life.

"..." Jack was speechless.

"..." Verruca stared back into Jack's eyes with a slight smile.

After a long, and what felt awkward to Jack, pause, Verruca spoke, "How badly are you hurt?"

[What does this mean? Does she mean from where I was entombed.... That must be it.] Jack was quickly processing.

"I've lost most of my cultivation, and almost all of my memories." Jack spoke, slightly bitter. This bitterness was not insincere. He really wished he would of known all that the previous Witch King knew. This would make his unlife so much easier.

"Sigh....." Verruca let out a depressing sigh. "Do you remember me? about Us? about the future?" she asked.

This time jack couldn't lie like he did with Leslie. This pained him greatly, for some odd reason, unknown to him....

"No... I don't remember."

Verruca smiled, and patted Jack's hand.

"Verruca?"

"Yes?"

"Were We....? A thing?"

"What kind of thing?" she asked.

"A couple?"

"No. We were never a couple."

"Why did you just lie to me?" Jack asked.

Verruca was shocked, but soon her expression changed back to a smile, "Even with amnesia, you're still the Holy Witch King, huh?"

Jack sat up, and slide back to look clearly into Verruca's eyes while taking in her massive form. Even with how big and bulky she was, she was still a very feminine form, like an amazon. Jack wasn't really into muscular women, but he had a fine appreciation for them.

Jack thought over his conversations he had for the last few days, and a name surfaced in his mind, and couldn't help but speak it.

"Julia." Jack watched for Verruca's reaction.

As predicted her smile froze on her face, and a gold tear at the corner of her eye started to form. She thought with his memory loss, she could bury her feelings, and let him move on with Leslie. His new consort.

Jack paused, and said "Julia Verruca."

Verruca leaned forward and her head hung down, weeping large gold tears. [Ack! Don't cry-Don't cry-Don't cry!] Jack was chanting in his mind. He really hated to see a woman cry. It could be said that this was an irrational weakness he possessed.

Jack leaned forward, and caressed Verruca's face, as she turned her head not allowing Jack to do so.

With a quivering voice, "You lied. You said you didn't know!"

"I only remembered the name... I'm sorry." Jack scooted forward while being cross legged on his tomb, and again attempted to caress Verruca's face. This time she didn't resist him, as she turned to look back at him.

"Verruca. I'm sorry. I am so very sorry." Jack hung his head. He might not of failed this woman, but the last Holy Witch King did, and Jack finally realized that if he was going to assume responsibility for his kingdom, he would do so for all of The Holy Witch King's unlife and mistakes.

Verruca continued to cry. She placed her hand over Jack's as he continued to caress her face. She was moved. She knew that The Holy Witch King did not say sorry, but he was saying it to her.

"Verruca, I have.... taken responsibility for Leslie, and.... I need to take responsibility for you as well." Jack said as he felt the pressure on his hand.

"Responsibility... You said something like that all those years ago. You told me that the kingdom was your responsibility, and you could not take on the burden of a wife. What changed?"

Chapter end