The Curse of the Red Death | Hiatus

14 | Jane's Proposal

 Returning to the city brought on a wave of mixed emotions and Jane didn't want to face any of them, so she buried them down deep. She needed to be strong for Andwen and her family. That was the only way she was going to survive this. It only took them a week to get Andwen settled in his apartment and at his new job with Jane's family. It was an adjustment for them all, but Merle welcomed having a new person to take care of now that her children were out of the house. Jane thought Andwen liked being taken care of by a motherly figure, though she knew he would never admit it.

Within the next week, Jane returned to post. Bittersweet feelings bubbled in her chest as she walked the same halls she had passed through with Kymil. Her fingers felt numb to the touch like they weren't her own. She squeezed her hands into fists. Sometimes, it didn't really feel like it had happened. Many times, someone had rounded a corner, or she caught a glimpse of someone out of the corner of her eye, and her mind betrayed her, tricking her into thinking it was Kymil. This was the cost of getting involved with someone you worked with. It tainted the walls, the floor, and the very air she breathed.

But this was her job, these were her men, and she refused to be forced out of it by a ghost. A sprout of an idea had begun to unfurl in the dark recesses of her mind, forcing its shoot toward the light of her consciousness. It was a stupid idea. She'd probably die doing it. But how many more would die if she didn't? She wasn't sure she was prepared for such a task. How would she even prepare? Was she dignified enough to go on such a journey?

Jane hadn't come this far in her life as a soldier to be stopped now by a series of what-ifs. It was going into a need that burned her heart more and more every day. She needed answers. Closure. She knew what had transpired back in Rosehaven. She knew how they had contracted the illness. There were still answers she did not have and she needed them.

She requested an audience with the king and queen. They were the only ones who could grant her this wish. It was the appointed day. Jane stood in the cathedral of the One. Light poured in through stained glass and mottled the floor in a rainbow of colors that washed over her face. She kneeled in front of the altar, a giant carving of a vague lion-esque form reaching down from the heavens to touch a single claw to a stone table. Bowing her head, she closed her eyes and whispered a silent prayer to the One who had guided her this far.

"If it is in your will, guide me down this path and be a lamp unto my feet. Send me signs so I may know I am on the right path. Correct me when I am wrong. Guide my tongue. Let this be done in Your glory. Amen."

Rising to her feet, she pressed two fingers to her lips and then lifted it in a salute to the altar. Turning, Jane made her way to the throne room. Upon entering through the open double doors, Jane sucked in a deep breath.

The king was nowhere in sight. Queen Ammit stood like a pillar of grace near one of the many windows. Sunlight bathed her dark skin in a warm golden light. She was beautiful and Jane was struck by how homely she must look in comparison. Nevertheless, she approached Queen Ammit until her presence was noticed and then she bowed deeply.

"Your Highness." Jane kept her gaze on the floor.

"At ease, soldier." Queen Ammit smiled graciously at Jane, turning to give her full attention. "My apologies that my husband could not join us, but there are other matters he must attend to. You wished to speak with us?"

"Yes, my queen." It was now or never. She had prepared this speech the entire week. "I stand before you not just as a soldier, but as a humble servant devoted to safeguarding the realm and its people. I know I am not a high-ranking soldier nor have I made a name for myself among the ranks, however I feel this is my duty. The shadows of uncertainty loom over us, threatening the very fabric of our existence. The country has been ailing from this disease for nearly two years, and as far as I can tell, very little is being done to prevent it. I come to you not with a plea for safety, but with a fervent request born of duty and unwavering commitment. Our kingdom faces an enigmatic peril, an unknown disease that haunts the land, leaving devastation in its wake. As a soldier sworn to protect this realm, I cannot remain idle while this threat lingers unchecked. Your Majesty, I humbly request the honor and the responsibility to embark on a solitary mission. Let me venture forth, alone but resolute, to seek the source of this affliction that plagues our people. With your blessing, I will journey into the unknown, unravel the mysteries that elude us, and confront this unseen adversary that preys upon the innocent."