(Book 1) The malediction of the Undertaker

Chapter 17: Don't let me down

The next morning, Taker got up early for Pete's funeral ceremony, he feels he has dead people every day, bad news rolling in. In a few days, he loses half of his fortresses, full of soldiers, Pete, who's next? He looks to his right and sees Pat and his men following him to pay their respects. Pete's body is lying on a raft as everyone stands in a circle and Taker stands in the middle. He looks around and immediately realizes that his mother hasn't come, it's not like her not to come. He frowned then began his speech.

"Today we are going to burn another soldier, a friend, a brother. Pete. Pete, since his twenties he served me, he was a soldier who had courage and cold blood, he could be seriously injured and continue to fight for my honor. Pete had no wife or children but chose to make the honor of fighting for my honor a priority. Today the spirits decided when was the time to leave se beat in the sky in honor of the Calaways with the others. We will meet again soon, my friend." he said before pushing the raft into the water.

Everyone drops to their knees when Taker does so first, watching his friend's raft come out in the middle of the lake. The archers are ready to shoot the arrows on fire but Taker has not yet raised his hand for them to shoot because he is not yet ready to do so. He looks at the raft, tears come to his eyes without anyone realizing it. He remembers the precious moments he spent with his friend, the nights at the bars, the nights running and laughing. He should have gone instead, Pete should never have died. I can't do this. Taker thought as someone knelt right next to Taker, Taker looked at his side and his ally Pat, gave him an encouraging smile, knowing that losing a comrade. Taker's hand goes up and the archers fire the flaming arrows which land on Pete's raft.

~!~

The ceremony over, everyone left except Taker who is still watching the lake, the rafts and the body have burned, nothing left. "He was a close friend of yours, right?" said Pat, who was behind Taker, hands behind him, looking at him. Taker turns around enough to look at him, then turns his attention back to the lake. "Pete was the best soldier I ever had, matter of discretion he was the best." He says as Pat walks over to him and stands beside him. "I should have looked for him.." He said lowering his head regretting that he didn't think he might be in danger or whatever. Pat looks at him then looks at the horizon. "If you had gone looking for him, it would have been the same...he would have been already dead.." Pat said trying to reassure him then looking at him. "Besides, dying fighting for someone you honor is the greatest pride." He added, Taker looks at him thinking that his ally is right then stayed a few minutes with Pat in front of the lake before leaving.

~!~

Pat and Taker return to the fortress, Taker asks one of his soldiers if they haven't seen his mother but no, he decides to go see her upstairs in the castle. "Mom, it's me!" Screamed enough for her to hear but no response. He slowly opened the door seeing his mother with her eyes closed, the stress mounting when she didn't wake up. He removes his hood from his big black dress which was on his head and goes to her bedside. "Mom?" he called her again, Betty frowned then rubbed her eye, she finally opened her eyes and looked at her son. "Hello my dear" She said in a weak voice smiling at her son, Taker takes his mother's hand, frowns when he feels her cold hand. No..not you.. Thought Taker..Betty's hand rests on Taker's cheek, reassuring him when she saw a twinkle of concern in her son's eyes. "I'll be fine my dear." She reassured, Taker has already lost too many men, he has just lost one of his dear friend and soon his mother, he will not be able to bear the death of his mother if she dies.

~!~

Taker comes out of his mother's room to let her rest, hoping that she will be better. He heads to the dungeon to see the prisoners if they decide to talk, he could hear the prisoners' cries of pain from the stairs. He opened the door and saw the three prisoners bleeding, tired. "Nothing new?" He asked his soldier who has the whip but. "No majesty, they still don't want to talk." Said the soldier, Taker patted him on the shoulder before walking towards the prisoners who were hanging from a rope. "You still don't want to talk?" He asked the prisoners who were grimacing in pain, Taker had put his black hood back on his head, his cold menacing eyes looking at his prisoners who did not answer his question then punched a prisoner in the face before forcing him to look at him slapping to keep him awake. "I'm not in the mood today! Either you tell me what I want or you're going to meet a slow and painful death." Threatened Taker, looking one of the prisoners in the eye.

The prisoner breathes heavily, tired of this torture, spits and drools blood looking at Taker who is going to leave. "Go die" Said one of the prisoners still looking at Taker who stopped short then turned around with dangerous eyes craving blood suddenly. He walks towards him, takes an ax that was hanging from his belt and then cuts his abdomen, not deep enough for him to suffer even more. The prisoner cries out in pain as Taker puts his mouth to his ears smiling, loving to hear his prisoner's cries of pain. "The spirit of death is in the air. Prepare yourself." He said before laughing mischievously before leaving.

~!~

Betty is in her bed, tired, coughing, the disease worsens her state of health so quickly that she can no longer get up. She decided to take a paper and a pencil to write a letter to her son just in case. "My son, if you are reading this letter, it means that illness has taken me. Don't worry, I am better off where I am, don't feel guilty for my death. I remember when I I carried in my belly, I remember the first smile I had from you, your first steps. You were a wonderful child and you grew into an adult, a very handsome man who has his own principles. My only regret is that i couldn't protect you from your father but i know you will find a way for your curse.you are not a monster, you are a Calaway and you always will be, my dear.

PS: bury me next to my family in Stanmore Hill, please darling. I don't want a ceremony.

I love you my son. I will watch over you."