Chapter 4: I Think Someone's Onto Us
"Sire, I am uneasy over this… sinner, Forsythe, I sense something off about him," Ichabod said, attending to TSOI. He was his right-hand man, second only to TSOI in the tier of sinners.
TSOI sighed, and when he spoke, the voice was deep. Filled with authority. "I sense a strong will. I sense his drive. A very deep hatred and vengeance so dark his soul drowns in it. I sense his sin. So much, it is as though; sin drips off him. However, I have no misgivings over him."
"This drive you speak of, what is it gearing towards?" He walked away from the throne, towards a large window to the side. "Is it to our benefit? Or perhaps, he looked back at the throne, "There is something more to this merchant, he rolled his eyes, "than he lets on."
"Which family has taken him in?"
"You haven't heard yet? Pardon me, sire, the news did cause a bit of a stir. You see, Lord Forsythe turned down every family in Sodom and has settled down in Gomorrah. And as if that insult were not enough, he's said to be planning to reenter Sodom's tier, with the whole of Gomorrah as one registered family." He enunciated every word, in a despicable tone. As if that would make it seem all the more terrible.
"And what does the union in Sodom think of this?"
"There's no way they're going to let him walk all over them twice my lord."
"Warn them. I do not want any… interference with his progress. Watch him and report everything to me. I want to know, just how far his drive will take him."
"As you wish, my lord." He frowned, took the form of a raven, and was gone.
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The attitude of sinners in Gomorrah had changed after the short battle and they'd granted Rafael, as well as his crew the best lodging possible, a log house at one end of the city. The remaining carriage was offloaded and they settled in.
After the battle, Rafael had spoken to the sinners, convincing them that their worthless lives could actually have meaning, and just as they'd planned, the people had begun to look on to him as some sort of leader. Mycroft however had other concerns.
"Rafael." He started, breathing deeply. "I know you'll say this is what we wanted. Even so, I think we've could've gotten something better at Sodom. I mean look at these people. They're nothing compared to the sinners we've faced previously. I can't even call them sinners, more like bad people." He exhaled; his chest felt a bit lighter now.
Rafael had been watching them from a window in his room. Now he turned and looked at Mycroft. "I thought that too. When we got here and lost almost everything at once.
"But look around you. This place has its advantages. For one, we won't have much contact with the more dangerous sinners and we could build something here.
"Back in Sodom, I'm sure they would have a lot of rules and you, my friend, he swung an arm across Mycroft's shoulders, "are not one for that.
"On the other hand, you have Gomorrah. Here you get to say what goes and what doesn't. This is even more control than I had planned. Yes, there's a lot of work to be done but we've got the people for it." He looked outwards, "Where's Fairchild?"
"He's locked himself in for a while now, I guess he's still unpacking. He's got a lot there."
Rafael nodded, "I'll be with him if you need me." he patted Mycroft on the back and walked past.
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"I think someone's on to us," Rafael said, after he'd closed the door and leaned against it. Fairchild squinted at him, just to make sure he'd heard correctly. Rafael breathed deeply.
"Yes, some castle maiden saw Fus this morning. I was careless, he moved away from the door, "I left it right there on the bed, under the covers though but that doesn't make any difference now does it?"
Fairchild got up to an erect position, "What do you plan now?"
"To find her. I need your help."
"I have just the thing for that." He dug around the mess, till he found the object of interest. A funny-looking helmet, its visor was still in place.
"What's that supposed to be?"
"Long story, you put it on and try to picture the girl, I'll find her."
Rafael shrugged and perched at the edge of a seat, one of the few surfaces that weren't clustered. Fairchild put the helmet over his head and placed both hands on it, muttering a few words, the helmet was giving off a bright light.
Just then, Medea walked in, pausing at the sight. "I'll come back." She offered, backing away.
Picturing the girl wasn't that hard for Rafael, she'd left an impression on him. Once he did, Fairchild was able to access it through the helmet and he pinpointed her exact location, and some other information, just in case.
Rafael then slipped away, with Fairchild to cover for him, and went back into Rothgard.
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Myra kept thinking about what she'd seen. What did it mean? She'd seen the cross on that blade. Surely it was a sacrament but all of that was destroyed during the scourge. How was it that this sinner possessed this one and what was he planning to do with it? After all, sinners could not wield sacraments.
"Penny for your thoughts.
Myra looked up and almost jumped out of her skin. Rafael had easily settled into stride with her. His common clothes were back, replacing the normal black sultan.
Even so, that did little to take the fear out of her eyes. "I come in peace." He added, remembering how Fairchild had advised him on a subtler approach, at least till he'd discovered the other people whom she'd confided in.
"I haven't told anyone." She confessed breathlessly. They were on a lonely stretch of road which led to her home. Rafael smiled, so she was straight to the point.
"Why not?" He probed further.
"I don't know what to make of it just yet. I've been thinking about it and I still can't find an answer as to how you could have Elysha's blade in your possession." She gushed, her curiosity getting the best of her.
Rafael looked about. "Come with me, he urged, "I have all the answers. She hesitated, watching the outstretched arm with mixed feelings.
He felt a slight tug within, he was going to make a huge gamble right now, his company came to mind. Regardless, he just felt oddly comfortable with her. "If I planned to endanger you, I'd have done it already." He remarked, watching her expression closely.
"Not before you confirmed I hadn't told anyone else."
He chuckled, "Why then did you reveal that much so soon?"
"I needed to reduce my inevitable sentence. So, what's it going to be? I doubt you'd get your hands dirty, milord, so call your men out of their hiding places."
"You're smarter than you let on. However, there are no men to call off." He walked over to the other side of the road where the water babbled as the river flowed past, when he looked at her, the smile was enigmatic but he stroked the nape of his neck, leaned back, and looked up.
She felt this one was different.
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They sat on a ledge overlooking most of the kingdom. He was hunched, while she sat upright, each not yet fully relaxed with the other.
"I'm not a sinner." He confessed and looked at her, she had a twist to her mouth and he chuckled. "I have my ways about sin. I can't explain that part just yet. I promised you answers. And I just gave it to you. I know I'm just confirming something you already thought of."
She noticed he had maintained eye contact all through. Even so, he'd been treated as a sinner all through his stay in the kingdom. He'd even been allowed passage into Sodom. A feat possible, only for sinners.
"Why did you tell me this? We barely know each other and this could bring your whole world crashing down if it were true. I daresay it's a ploy to confuse me." She glanced sideways.
Rafael got up and dusted his clothes. "Why did I tell you?" He tilted his head and looked at the bright sky, painted in shades of blue and white. Then he chuckled, "That, he looked at her, "is a question to which I have no answer. Even so, I trust that you'll keep this between us, Myra" he said.
She gasped, turning to him but he was gone from sight.
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When Rafael returned to Gomorrah, they seemed to be in a festive mood.
His speech seemed to have brought back a glimmer of hope in their faces and now they were preparing an actual welcome party for him.
He turned the corner to the log house and noticed the towering sinner slinking away from the activities.
Rafael followed him till he got to a decrepit building, glanced sideways, and went in. Then he revealed himself and went up the steps, the last one had a loose board and creaked as he stepped on it. He heard a crash, a chair creaked and the man's feet thudded against the floors, he bellowed.
"Who goes?!"
"Lord Forsythe."
There was a slight hesitation but the voice came again. "Yer following me?
"What more yer want? Yer already took it all."
Rafael sighed and looked around. He had no choice. He kicked the door in and followed. The man stood there, his shoulders slumped, his arm still hung from the sling Fairchild had made for him. He still towered but this was a shadow of his former self.
"I come in peace." He glanced at the man's narrowing eyes then around the room. It was in complete disarray. Some floorboards were loose, the walls were peeling, some portions of the roof had caved in and the only chair was by the wall, an ancient table before it.
"Aye sir, laugh all you want now, lord Forsythe." He spat. "Just finish me off quickly."
Rafael looked at him, his hate flashed across his face but he smiled then, a tight-lipped one, just in case the man had seen it but he wasn't looking, his head was bent and he awaited the final blow.
Rafael walked over to him; one arm raised. Sin engulfed that arm and he gripped his right shoulder, the bandaged arm. The sinner roared in agony but didn't move away. The bandages fell apart and his injury was gone. He gasped.
Rafael's hand remained there. Slowly sin flowed from that spot, engulfing that arm. "Henceforth, you shall be my arm. The force of Gomorrah. In your hands, I place the protection of this city. The sinners from Sodom and other inner circles will surely try to oppose us. However, I trust that you will not let anyone overrun your city." He declared, shocking the sinner.
The man fell to one knee, his head still bowed. Rafael smiled and left him there, in a pool of his own emotions.
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"Where've you been?"
Rafael paused; he'd managed to slip in unnoticed, trying to put off a confrontation with her for as long as possible. Medea however, had other plans.
He exhaled deeply, his shoulders slumping slightly. Then he looked about him, her belongings were here too.
She noticed this and remarked, tossing a look about. "The women here took it upon themselves to put my things down. They declared that a lady's place is next to her lord and so, here we are." She exhaled, parting her lips slightly.
"Right. And when was this?"
"When you were out and about." She paused, her eyes narrowing. "Are you keeping something from me?" She asked.
Rafael stuttered, "N-no, of course not." She arched an eyebrow and he closed the door, turning its key in the lock.
"What are you planning?" She tilted her head to one side.
"Nothing." He whispered, coming to sit by her on the bed.
"Rafael, are you trying to distract me?" One long, dark eyebrow arched as though it wanted an answer too.
"N-no, of course not." He drew closer, a stray arm traced her jawline, then her collar bone, she tilted her head, moving her dark hair out of the way.
He looked at her again, this time his expression was daring, as though they were children who would misbehave. He moved in and it began, the couple falling back on the mattress. Just then, the doorknob moved and they heard Mycroft's voice as his shoulder bumped against the wood.
"Rafael I-" he let go, realizing the door was locked. "I'll come back." He said, walking past. However, he backtracked and from within, they heard a light rap as though he'd used an arrow this time. "It better be a boy." He remarked.
"Go away!" Rafael groaned, sitting up. Mycroft had completely ruined the mood and his laughter showed he was aware. He made to stand but Medea took hold of his arm.
"You're not gonna let that put you off, are you?" She looked at him through those long lashes.
"I'd be damned if it did." He winked and let her pull him back down.
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