The Dragons Egg : XII : The Sacrifice : Theodore : Preview

XII

The Sacrifice

Theodore

“Teddy! What a surprise!” Laura gushed, her golden eyes high and her cheeks a faint color of pink. She had on her, her best dress which was of a deep green and had her thick auburn hair pinned back neatly. A primly dressed doorman opened the passengers door and helped Laura out whilst Theodore watched on, his illustrious smile fading quickly as he sat out of view. He had ensured that he would give Laura a day of which she would never forget and yet it was fruitless and he was a coward. As he leapt out of the car before the grand Savoy hotel, he looked down at his wrist and felt a slight ache. “Teddy?” Laura whispered as she took his hand within her own and looked up into his troubled face. “What is the matter?”

“Nothing darling, I have just realized that I forgot to turn off the lamp in my study,” Theodore lied outright as he led his fake wife into the hotel. Outside great piles of sand bags were neatly stacked against the glass panes and the rolling doors. When they entered the hotel Theodore wasn't surprised to see it quiet thin upon the ground, with only staff members in attendance.

“I’m sure the house will stand the test of time despite your lamp being on,” Laura said with a hearty smile as she tightened her grip on Theodore, her young face bedazzled and innocent. She had taken his conversation with Gabriel badly and had barely talked to him since his return from the graveyard, but when he told of her of his surprise she had combusted into life as though all of their troubles had simply wafted away into nothing. A female waitress led the couple into the Thames Foyer for their afternoon tea, allowing them to choose where to sit. Having chosen a table which looked out over the Covent gardens, the female waitress handed both Laura and Theodore a menu and took for their beverages before leaving them alone.

“Your dress is very fetching,” Theodore said truthfully as he looked over at his young doppelganger wife, forgetting the errors of his ways for a moment as he truly digested how beautiful Laura looked as she took off her velvet hat and lay it upon the table thus proceeding to take off her gloves. Laura raised her eyes to Theodore.

“It is my Sunday best,” she smiled merrily. “How empty it is.”

“We are in the midst of a war darling,” Theodore returned as he scanned the menu in his hand.

“I know,” Laura said with a sigh. “It feels almost sinful to being sitting here having afternoon tea whilst so many men are in this very moment sacrificing their lives so that great institutions and hotels like this may survive.”

Theodore felt the pinch as she spoke and could feel beads of sweat forming upon his brow.

“It would be sinful if we were to dine like this every day, but since we do not, I think they may be understanding,” Theodore returned as he laid his free hand over her own. “Now have you decided upon anything to eat?”

“I think I will have the smoked salmon,” Laura said as she furrowed her arched brows with concentration. “What about you?”

“I think that I may have the same,” Theodore said as he waved the waitress over with a flick of his hand. When they had ordered, Theodore relaxed back into his chair and simply observed the young lady, whose curious eyes darted about the regal room. He hated himself and he knew that his decision to hand the young Laura over to Lagmar would haunt him for the rest of his days and he knew that once the other guardians found out about his evil intent that he would soon be the hunted. Yet even if he could take back his offer, he knew now that such a hope was already dashed with the mark of the devil himself upon his skin.

“You have been so quiet lately, is something bothering you?” Laura asked as she leaned forward and searched Theodore’s troubled eyes.

“I have had a troubled mind, but nothing out of the ordinary,” Theodore said as he ran his fingers through his hair anxiously.

“No one will tell me why it is we are being pursued by these knights…”

“You are the granddaughter of our God Heiden, you will always be pursued and hunted like prey,” Theodore said calmly. “They will never stop looking for you.”

“But how am I to protect myself?” Laura said with a trembling bottom lip.

“I am here to protect you,” Theodore said with a scowl as he took her hand and kissed her fingers roughly, his eyes on her. “Remember that.”

“I know but…” Laura turned her head away from her husband.

“But what?” Theodore asked intensely.

“It’s nothing,” Laura said with a frustrated look.

“It’s not nothing, something bothers you,” Theodore said plainly. “Tell me what it is?”

“You seem so very Jekyll and Hyde at the minute,” Laura said shyly. “One day you’re beside me and protective as a husband should be but then there are days when you cannot even look me in the eye or bare to be around me. Why do I feel that there is something greater to your troubles than what you have spoken of?”

“Animals of prey are nervous creatures, forever looking over their shoulders, wondering what is behind,” Theodore said with a serious gaze. “It is not unusual that you feel anxious about me and about yourself. But we are here and so push your worries aside and enjoy the afternoon.”

“You are right, I worry too much,” Laura said with a small laugh as the waitress returned to their table with their food. “I shall set asides my worries for today and concentrate on you and I.”

“Good,” Theodore smiled.

The afternoon passed happily between Theodore and Laura and when they had finished their tea, they both spent time within Covent Gardens, talking and basking in the summer air, the smell of the newly blossomed flowers filling his senses. Yet the events of the night held heavy over him and when their conversation dimmed, he thought only of his real wife and the anger she had left behind, the betrayal of their marriage and Galean’s against him. With each step taken about the gardens, he realized that it should have been a step taken with Eveline. As the inner turmoil of his soul raged within he found himself captivated by the beauty of his lookalike wife. She found beauty in almost everything, and he had realized since their first meeting, had a vision of the world that not many shared, she was filled with optimism and faith and he found himself darkened and tainted further in her presence. When at last they made their way home, he began to feel the anxiety of the nights events sharpen and took to his study for the evening whilst Laura went to her room for a half hours sleep. As he rolled the golden band of his wedding ring over his fingers, his eyes upon the small fire, he wondered to himself how it he would manage to lure Laura to the cemetery.

“Being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart,” Theodore whispered to the flames, his eyes wide and unblinking.

“Although you wash yourself with lye and use much soap. The stain of your iniquity is before Me,” a hideous and crisp voice whispered from behind. Theodore’s body froze as the light within the study drained away into shadow. He sat still within his chair and caught sight of the shadow upon the wall. Upon the floor he could feel the slither of the snake Nagtium as he crawled upon the floor hissing. “Has your conscience suddenly awoken angel now that you have fallen?”

“Go away shadow!” Theodore cried out pitifully, his hands grappling to the arms of his chair.

“How can I flee from you, when you and I are one,” replied Lagar, the hint of a laugh upon his words. “I tasted your blood and now you belong to me.”

“I belong to no one,” Theodore said with disgust.

“Let go of your virtuous robes and wings of light, you are my child now, your God has forsaken you, the universe has forsaken you,” Lagar said darkly, his form moving upon the wall. About his feet, Nagtium came and slowly he made his way up the chair, covering Theodore’s shaking arm, until he curled himself about his throat. “Oh, I have been waiting for you patiently within the shadows of your soul. Such great things we will achieve, such greatness we will have!” Theodore held himself still as the icy cold breathe of Lagar clung to his skin like a sickness. “If you hand her over to me, I will gladly give you the blade in which to kill your enemy…you can watch him cry out for mercy as I take away the light of Celestine!”

“He is mine!” Theodore said darkly, his anger and bitterness surprising him as Nagtium hissed into his ear. “I belong to no God, I sicken of the light and I sicken of life.”

“Then join me and stand by my side and help me to overthrow your God and claim what is rightfully ours!” Lagar said sweetly, his hands upon the back of Theodore’s chair. “And so we shall cast the angels down from their seats of light and banish them to the fires of Hell!”

Theodore let out a small breath, yes the world and all those who fought for the light had forsaken him, they had forsaken him to the point of wishing him dead and God…he had betrayed him to the shadows, betrayed him to the darkness and he would pay.

“The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was filled with wonder and followed the beast. People worshipped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshipped the beast and asked, “Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?”......” Lagar whispered into Theodore’s ear. “The creatures of the darkness shall come forth into the light and be not afraid, for I will give unto them great power and great dominion over the light and you my child…, you will lead them to victory and thus the great prophecy of our time will be concluded.”

Theodore closed his eyes and remembered why it was that he had handed over Laura, he was not yet without hope, not yet without redemption. He would out smart them all, including his new master.

“When the horns of eternity herald out across the universe, you shall arise and bask at the foot of my throne,” Lagar went on before he lifted his hands way from Theodore’s chair. “I shall be waiting,” he whispered into the darkness as Nagtium slipped away from Theodore’s body into the shadows. His words echoed about the room as the light began to fill the darkness once more. Theodore sat forward and turned about to find Lagar and Nagtium gone. His hands trembling and the scar upon his wrist burning, he stood up and made for the window and looked out onto the street, the knights stood upon the path looking up at the house as though in waiting for the hours to come. His heart racing, Theodore returned to his chair and sat down once more, his eyes upon the clock.

*

The clock struck eleven and Theodore arose from his study chair and made for Laura’s room quietly, his hands cold and his heart quietly beating. He felt every fibre of time as he made his way from his study up the staircase, down the corridor and to his wives room. For a moment, he stood in the darkness before her door and let out a breath before turning the handle about and entering. He was dressed and ready for the journey ahead and as he came to Laura’s bed he sat down to her side and gently lolled her out of her sleep.

“Teddy? What is it?” Laura said with stressed eyes.

“We must evacuate the street darling,” Theodore lied as he caught her hand within his own.

“But there are no sirens?” Laura said sleepily as she pushed herself up and lay back against the board of the bed.

“I was sent a message, we are to evacuate immediately and make for a shelter,” Theodore pressed as Laura rubbed her eyes lazily.

“Are you quite sure?”

“Quite, now hurry and get dressed and meet me down by the front door in ten minutes,” Theodore ordered Laura as he brought himself to his feet and gazed down into her golden eyes and gulped deeply.

“Theodore, is everything alright?” Laura asked as she slipped out of her bed and placed her bare feet into her slippers.

“I am a little worried as to our safety, that is all,” Theodore returned as he kissed Laura upon the forehead. “Now hurry.” Without a second glance, Theodore turned on his feet and left the room, making his way downstairs, each creak causing him to feel nauseous. Coming to stand before the large Georgian door, Theodore turned to the circular mirror and looked into his reflection. What he saw before him was a man who had been damned a long time ago, with his vision blinded by an illusion. Now stood the true essence of Cael, his eyes filled with intent and determination. He would find Eveline and he would kill the man who tore them apart, and he would stand beside her when she was crowned Queen and rule alongside her. He would not fall for Lagar’s deceitful words of promise; true power lay not within his realm but the realm of Heiden, who had greatly underestimated his intelligence and strength.

“Theodore?” came a soft call from behind. Theodore watched as Laura came to stand behind him, her beautiful face still draped with slumber and her large eyes confused. “I am ready now.” Theodore turned to her and took her face within the palms of his hands.

“Good, let us go now,” he said gently, planting a soft kiss upon her cheek. Quietly he helped Laura into her coat, and watched as she put on her hat, gloves and scarf. With ease he opened the large door and stepped outside, his eyes upon the knights who stood too close.

“Should we not use the back door?” Laura whispered, her hand tightening within Theodore’s. “They scare me.”

“They cannot touch you, not when you are with me,” Theodore said boldly as he led her down the steps and towards their car. Without further conversation, he opened her door and helped her in to the passenger’s seat and closed it gently, before rounding the back of the car and coming to his own door. He stood before the knights.

“Quocumque perrexeris, sequemur (Where you go, we shall follow),” spoke the knight who stood to the right. Theodore simply nodded his head before turning away from the knights and entering his side of the car.

“Something doesn't feel right Teddy,” Laura whispered as she muddled with her clutch bag, her eyes upon Theodore and her brows tense.

“Do not worry, you will be fine,” Theodore lied as he roared the car into life and hastily sped off in the direction of St Barnes Cemetery.







© Iseult O'Shea and OneCrown&TwoThrones, 2016. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Iseult O'Shea and OneCrown&TwoThrones with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.