Stone Cold

Chapter 22

With a sudden movement, her naked legs pushed the duvet off of her small frame. Pale hands scrunched ink black sheets in a deathly grip. She furrowed her eyebrows, creasing her forehead with parallel lines. Her soft breasts heaved up and down in an irregular manner as hitched breaths escaped her parted lips. Raven locks, sprawed over the silk pillow, guarded her face, while her head thrashed side to side.

Soft murmuring registered in her mind in the form of a jumbled mess. She strained her ears unconsciously, trying to hear the spoken words clearly.

"Milord, Father Gabriel seeks permission to meet you." The man sounded like Henry, but with a thicker British accent.

"Is he alone?" Ares' voice resonated inside her skull.

"No," There was a silence for some seconds, "He has a kid wrapped in a blanket along with him."

"Send him inside."

She could feel Henry retreating as his footsteps faded away with every tapping sound. Somewhere in the background a door rotated around its hinges with a hushed creak.

'What's happening?' She tried forcing her heavy eyelids apart, getting successful after many attempts.

Her eyes opened to reveal a man with salt and pepper hair and stormy eyes—identical to hers. Abandoning his clerical attire, he was dressed in a loose overrobe that reached his ankles, giving a subtle peek of the hose beneath it. In his hands, he held a small bundle, wrapped securely with a blanket, hiding it from the prying eyes.

"Milord..." The man whispered kneeling before her—Ares.

She watched through Ares' eyes as the man carefully unwrapped the bundle unveiling a small baby. The sickly pale baby could easily be mistaken for dead if it wasn't sucking on its purple lips in sleep.

"This is my... daughter. She has been sick for days. I tried treating her with herbs but nothing worked. I'm afraid this malady will take away my baby's life if she doesn't get treatment on time. I cannot take her to town on my own. She's an abomination for them. They would kill her!" Fat tears rolled down his cheeks soaking his thick beard.

"So the Abbot has an illegitimate child?" Ares' stern reply sent a chill down her spine.

She felt him cross one leg over the other as he leaned back on his throne. "Tell me, Father Gabriel, why should I help you? Weren't you the most zealous one at leading protests against my reign? Questioning my heritage and intentions? Now you want me to cover up for your sins?"

The man held his daughter with one arm as he tried grabbing Ares' legs with the other. Henry moved in front of Ares, blocking the man's path.

"Know your limits, Father." Henry held the man back as his pleadings became hysterical.

The man held Henry's legs sobbing uncontrollably, "Save my daughter, Milord. Please, save her," His grip on Henry's legs loosened as he brought the baby closer to his chest. "I will do anything you ask of me. Anything!"

Ares lifted an eyebrow, "Anthing?"

The Abbot nodded his head in surrender clutching the child to himself.

"Bring the child to me, Henry." Henry bent forwards to take the child away from the man. The Abbot reluctantly let go of the bundle.

"Go. You shall have your daughter handed over to you tomorrow morning. In a healthy condition." She saw Ares' opening his arms to hold the child.

Knock

Knock

Knock

Constant knocks woke her up from her slumber. She rubbed her eyes taking in the dark interior of the room. A feeling of déjà vu washed over her as she found herself in the familiar bed.