Wholly Undead 62 A Prophecy Overheard

"Lady Jade, we assume that His Grace is with you currently?" A large heavily clad undead knight was at the door. He was flanked by another that looked just like him, but was a lady.

"Yes, he is." Jade turned to look at Jack. Of course, he heard, as he rose and walked to the door as well.

Jack left the room, and sized up the two knights. They were as tall as Verruca, and just as large. They reminded him of the guards the City had out for when he arrived, but their armor was different. These two massive juggernauts clad in heavy plate carried shield and flails on their backs. Their Armor was Black with light gold trim. They had their helms attached to their waists, so as to show their faces. The male undead had clean cut short hair, and a natural face. The female undead had long hair, with the left side of her head shaved, as the hair flowed over to her right. An interesting haircut.

Without being asked, the two dropped to their knee. The male knight spoke up, "We were sent by the Grand Minister to escort you to the Grand Cathedral."

"Of course. Please rise." Jack replied, as the two rose to stand. "What do I call you two?"

The male replied, His Grace may call me Templar Robert." The female replied, "His Grace may call me Templar Grace."

Jack nodded. These two must be the Holy Dead Templar's that Leslie had one time spoke of... These were the personal army of The Holy Witch King. This did not include the Holy Sentinels the personal 'out-of-sight' bodyguards of his Grace. It could be thought of that the Holy Dead Templars as the Shield and Hammer that the enemy could see, while the Holy Sentinels were the blades that would remain unseen.

"Templar Grace, please go with Jade to retrieve her Ladies. Meet up with Us at the Grand Cathedral." Jack asked with authority.

"Your will be done." The Templar preformed a Deagoth salute, and looked to Jade.

Jade was slightly startled. She had seen the priests, and even the undead-at-arms' way of interacting with the Witch king, but this was the first time seeing military personnel. It served to remind her that the Witch King wasn't like everyone else, even the Holy Palace didn't give her such a feeling, as these two undead. She felt like she was learning that the Witch King was more than just a name, which had always been too lofty for her to really understand.

"Ah, yes. Come with me, if you can." Jade walked to the ladies' rooms. Templar Grace followed.

Jack watched as the two disappeared around the corner. Jack thought to himself... He needed to look the part, as the glanced down at his simple robes.

[I need to change, but I can't just ask Leslie... She's kind of dealing with things at the moment... But who do I tell to get changed?] Jack wondered to himself.

[Well... I'm not a kid... I can dress myself.]

"Come. I need to wear my royal garbs for such an occasion." Jack started toward his wardrobe room, with the Templar in toe.

*******

Leslie was in her room, with her head in her hands. She was absolutely crushed. She had never felt so crushed in her life. This paled in comparison to being banished by the clan. She didn't live in the clan grounds back then, so it was more of just leaving the mine's housing district. She hated leaving her parents at the time, but again time smoothed that. She always thought she could get those times back, but now... It seemed to her that her younger life was a lie.

These last few days were some of the best days of her whole unlife. She had finally gained the favor of her love. She had a long-time crush on the Witch King, and then he finally showed interest. At that point, after more interaction on a personal basis... She fell in love... Actual love. She knew the difference of what she felt before and what she felt now.

The problem is now that she felt that if she could have mistaken her father for a family man, a villain maybe, but a family man never the less... Then what was Jack?

[I don't know... I just don't know! Am I just a tool to be discarded? But... But he didn't know I was the Shadow of Deagoth... or did he? I didn't ask him if he knew! I SHOULD HAVE ASKED!] Leslie was going over and over all the interaction she had with Jack, as of late.

Unknown to Jack... Unknown to anyone currently among anyone, Leslie had a special gift. One that the first Holy Witch King took interest in, and the reason she became the Shadow of Deagoth. Leslie was a lie detector.

[He said he loved me. Was he telling the truth, or did I just believe him??? I wanted to believe him. So, I'm not sure... I wasn't exactly paying attention. Should I just ask him again?]

One of the reasons why Leslie was obsessively inquisitive was due to her ability. She had made it such a habit to tell if someone was lying. She really hated liars. She could only tell if someone was lying, if she paid attention. This was a conscious effort, not passive. If Leslie wasn't trying, then she didn't know.

Leslie listened to her mother, and it might have been wrong of her... But she did check to make sure her mother was telling her the truth. Everything her mother said was true, as far as she knew. One of the things about Leslie's ability was to discern truth, not fact. If someone believed something to be true and said it, then it was a lie to them, even if what they thought was true was actually false.

Leslie hoped through most of the story that her mother understood wrong, until she quoted her father... This was the breaking point. Now broken, Leslie felt paranoid.

After a while of going around in circles within her mind, Leslie came to a stop, [Where is Jack? Why didn't he come to comfort me? Why isn't he here now...? Did he decide to visit Verruca? Emily? If he takes a second consort... I'll just be one of many... He even asked me the night we.... the night we did 'that.']

She couldn't help it. Leslie wanted to know what Jack was doing, and so she decided to do what she always did when she wanted to know something. She laid back into her evening tomb, and fold her hands across her belly. With a few shakes of her shoulders, the Banshee form of Leslie tore from her corporal container. This process always contained a bit of pain, but Leslie had grown numb to it for the most part.

Now as a ghostly apparition, Leslie looked over her form laying within her evening tomb, after which she decided to look for Jack.

Leslie wondered the bone-inlaid halls of the Holy Palace, unseen by anyone. The Holy Sentinels were aware of a ghastly presence within the Palace, but were informed many years ago that it was the Shadow of Deagoth, to not be alarmed. They were only one of two forces that knew of the Shadow of Deagoth, them, and the force controlled by the Shadow of Deagoth, the Umbra Presence.

Leslie's invisible ghostly form drifted into the room of Emily. She observed the odd little princess ambassador. There was no Jack here, but she remained to take note while she happened to be in the area.

Emily was coloring in a book, as she would sign to herself on occasion. Leslie had to admit... Emily certainly acted like she was depressed.

[Was Jack, right? Why does this spoiled little thing act so...?] Leslie thought, as she seen Emily occasionally look out the window.

Just as Leslie was going to depart the room, she overheard Emily speak out loud, as she began to sing.

"Sigh...

Behold in the sky,

A pillar,

A pyre,

A fire it lights,

The dead's last rites,

terrifies it's enemies,

but with hatred to end from age old centuries,

to be wed to the one that would become the Lich King,

A child bride must be made as an offering,

To the new god of the undead for worshipping.

Only when the God-King places a wedding ring on the child bride,

Can she obtain her new form's pride,

A new queen is born and the road is paved,

and only then will Neolith be saved."

Leslie was caught off-guard by this...

[Child bride made to be given to the Lich King? New god of the Undead? Is this a prophecy?] Leslie pondered, while she turned back to stare deeply at the tiny ambassador.

"Why do all these spider-forsaken prophecies have to rhyme and be so cryptic... Sigh... More like the mad king..."

[Cryptic...?!] This was anything but cryptic! The only question Leslie had left was... When was this prophecy made? She left the room in the same way she entered... Without a sound or trace.

[I need to send more agents to Neolith. We need more information on this prophecy. So convenient of the little princess to sing along while she doddles in her coloring books.] Leslie thought.

This was a good thing for Leslie. She needed something to slightly distract her from her paranoia... But don't think for a moment that she didn't catch the fact that the little princess ambassador needed to marry Jack....

Leslie again searched the Holy Palace over, and did not find Verruca. Leslie received information that The Holy Witch King went to go get dressed in his Royal Garbs, and so she floated over.

She poped into the familiar room. Jack was standing in the middle, as her hand maidens were dressing him.

Jack remained in place while the hand maidens dressed him, [How do these hand maidens know I was coming to get dressed? Do they stay here in case I show up?] Jack thought.

The maidens brought his Femur Ferula, and He took it up, as everyone dismissed themselves, but the Templar.

Jack looked into the mirror as he observed himself. In the corner of the room wide mirror, Jack's vision picked up a certain floating apparition.

Chapter end