War of Shadows, part twelve

Forever ago during the height of the Roman Empire, Esmeralda von Krauss dances down the road in a white dress that is a little less conservative in nature than what historians might report. She walks up to a rather large manor. It appears to be the residence of a Roman Senator. She uses the door knocker to signal that she is at the door and waits. A manservant answers the door, looking at Esmeralda in distrust.

Manservant: We did not expect Lady Caia Ulthia to visit on this day. Does the master know that you are coming?

Esmeralda (because that’s what we know her as) blows up, messing a blonde curl or two.

Esmeralda von Krauss: Is Senator Philocrates Lunianus in or not? And…is his wife home?

The manservant rolls his eyes and opens the door more to allow her in.

Manservant: The wife is away on a shopping trip. She should be back in a few days.

Esmeralda’s grin becomes predatory.

Esmeralda von Krauss: Another journey to Gaul?

Manservant: Indeed.

Esmeralda von Krauss: Then, take me to see the Senator, dahling. Mustn’t keep him waiting.

The manservant doesn’t look very amused.

Manservant: I shall go announce your arrival. Stay here.

Esmeralda nods, absently caressing a noticeable baby bump while the manservant leaves the room. It isn’t long before the Senator himself comes down the stairs with a wide smile. Esmeralda brightens when she sees him for she is not Esmeralda von Krauss here. She is Caia Ultia the Merciless, an Etruscan coutier/assassin. Philocrates has used her on a number of missions in taking down political enemies within the empire that threaten his power base.

Esmeralda von Krauss: We have much to talk about, Senator.

Philocrates Lunianus: Let’s go back out to the garden to talk. It’s such a nice day.

Esmeralda von Krauss: That’s agreeable, Senator.

Esmeralda does not notice that the Senator has taken notice of the baby bump. His comforting smile fades to a scowl as he turns his back to her. They walk into the outside garden, the fresh air teasing at Esmeralda’s dress and the Senator’s toga.

Philocrates Lunianus: What do you have to tell me, Caia?

Esmeralda places both hands onto the baby bump with a gleeful smile.

Esmeralda von Krauss: I am with child! Isn’t it glorious? You can finally leave that hag of a wife and be with me. I hold thy heir within me!

Philocrates’ eyes narrow.

Philocrates Lunianus: How do I know that the father isn’t any one of slain enemies?

Esmeralda von Krauss: They were never brought to completion before they were slain by my hand! I have only ever brought you to completion while your wife was away on shopping trips. This is your child! What do you intend to do about it?

Philocrates sighs, walking away from Esmeralda.

Philocrates Lunianus: I will never leave my wife. You have a bastard in your belly, woman. I am not without my mercies though. I will give you a monthly allowance to live upon and raise my child in never knowing me. You must live in secret and never let anyone know this is my child or it will ruin my wedding!

Esmeralda puts a hand on his shoulder to try to spin him around, but it fails to do so.

Esmeralda von Krauss: My child is the child of a Senator and as thus will have certain rights given to him as is his station in life! You will not ruin our lives just so you can keep up the ruse with your hag!

Philocrates spins around with sword in hand. He runs Esmeralda through just below the navel with a look of such cruelty.

Philocrates Lunianus: Now there is no child to barter over…

Esmeralda eyes are wide in shock, pain, and betrayal. She didn’t even think to react to preserve herself or her child growing within her. Philocrates rips the blade out so that a spray of blood comes out both wounds in her body. She falls onto her back, blood quickly forming a pool around her. Philocrates throws the sword down and claps his hands. His manservant is quick to appear.

Philocrates Lunianus: Get this mess cleaned up. My sword and the ground should be clean.

Manservant: And the whore-assassin?

Philocrates Lunianus: Throw her in the alley behind the house with the rest of the garbage.

The Senator goes back into the manor while the manservant begins to drag Esmeralda away to the alley behind the manor where garbage is placed for collections.

Esmeralda wakes up and begins to scream, blood and water pouring from the bottom of her dress. It’s too soon for actual birth since she is only months along, but the damage done has brought this about.

People rush to her side, one of them being a midwife. She helps Esmeralda pass the baby, who does not cry. Esmeralda lay dying in the alleyway, but her baby does not cry. She does cry.

Esmeralda von Krauss: My baby…let me see my baby.

The midwife looks at her with sad eyes before passing the baby to her waiting arms. There is a reason the baby does not cry because it has been slain in the womb.

Esmeralda lays on the street, bleeding from her sword wound and her broken heart. She reaches for the midwife.

Esmeralda von Krauss: I pray thee, end me. Let me join my child in Elysium. It is all I want now. To be with my child.

Midwife: Your child is fine. She will wait for you in Elysium until it is the time for you to arrive. What you want is revenge. Revenge upon the man who did this to you. I can heal the wound, but the damage will not all go away. The scarring left behind will prevent you from ever having a baby again.

Esmeralda closes her eyes to squeeze out the tears. She wipes at her eyes and when her vision is clear again, she is angry. Angry beyond anything that could be imagined.

Esmeralda von Krauss: Do it. I will have my vengeance.

The midwife, whom we are pretty sure is a witch, lays her hands on Esmeralda’s midsection and begins speaking in an unknown language. People gawking at the scene begin whispering that she is a witch when her hands begin to glow and the wound begins to seal up.

The midwife stands back after finishing and motions to Esmeralda and to the air.

Midwife: Arise. Arise, Caia Ulthia the Merciless. Your mission stands clear before you.

Present Day
Esmeralda von Krauss lays on the cold floor of the warehouse. If it were any other sword, she would be healed by now via her connection with the Kharnival. The sword that Alexis used was different. Esmeralda is gravely wounded…dying.

She closes her eyes. Now, for certain she will never have a child of her own to raise. Now she will never be a mother to a little flock. She breathes in deep, wincing from the wound in her midsection, and lets out a long sigh that seems to strip much of the fight from her. It brings acceptance. Armand will never know that she hired the maiden to seduce him. Perhaps it is for the better…

“You should have had better back up.”

Esmeralda opens her eyes with a smile to see D standing above her. He has his own silver blade in his hand, the mark of a Judge and their Handlers.

Esmeralda von Krauss: You have come back to end me, dahling? This is your ticket to freedom for you and your lover. Kill me…

D kneels down by Esmeralda with a bottle of rum and a shot glass from the limo. He takes one of the Egyptian cigarettes from Esmeralda’s case. He cuts his own hand with the silver blade and uses the blood to draw a symbol on the floor. He sets a shot of rum, the imported cigarette, and a lighter onto the symbol before he begins chanting.

D: Oh grand papa Legba ! Notre besoin est désespéré. Ne viendrez-vous pas à nous en cette grande heure de besoin?

Nothing happens, D looks down at the sampling in despair.

D: I do this not for you, but for Justice.

D: Papa Legba, s'il vous plaît, venez aider votre très honoré serviteur. J'ai du rhum ! J'ai du tabac d'un pays étranger!

A wrinkled hand that’s as black as coal, reaches down to pick up the shot of rum first. He is a tall albeit old man with a cane, black suit, black straw hat rimmed with skulls, white face paint, and an x on his forehead.

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He holds the rum and sniffs at it for a moment before he quafs it down with a smile.

Papa Legba: You found de good stuff, mon. Let’s see how this cigarette is. I am unimpressed.

He picks up the cigarette and lighter, lighting up the cigarette. He smiles with the first drag, sending a stream of rich smoke wafting through the air.

Papa Legba: It’s sweet like a great cigar. Very well, D. You have my attention. What do you need from me?

D motions to Esmeralda lying on the floor, nearly dead from blood loss. Papa Legba raises his eyebrows, looking back at D.

Papa Legba: ‘Tis you sworn enemy? Why would you want me to save her when you could just let me have her mon? You would not have to deal with her ever again.

D sighs, wondering much of the same thing. He could end it here and now. He could go on to have quiet life, raise a family. Be someone.

But he’d know.

He’d know that he allowed unspeakable crimes to be committed, could he live with that?

Cursing under his breath, he looks down for just a moment before casting his steel blue eyes back to the ancient force.

D: I do not believe that this Red Thirst will stop with Esmeralda. They will hunt down all of the members of Justice, which includes me and my…Please, help her. Save her!

Papa Legba sets his hat back on his head and looks down at Esmeralda von Krauss then back at D as he smokes the Egyptian cigarette.

Papa Legba: You know that one has to cross with me in time. If not Esmeralda tonight, it will be someone close to you. Do you still want?

D stands with his hands clenched, blood dripping to the floor from the cut hand.

D: Then, take me. Take me in her place.

Taking another deep drag off the Egyptian cigarette, Papa Legba let’s put a deep laugh.

Papa Legba: Oh ho ho! I do not want you, D. In truth, I do not know whom I will take that is close to you yet, but you will know when they are gone that our deal has been satisfied. Now, you want?

D grits his teeth. He does not want to do this with all of his being. She deserved to die, Esmeralda had earned a death many times over, but not tonight.

His brain fires a million possible outcomes, knowing what he’ll lose. The irony causes him to chuckle.

What other choice was there?

D: I…I accept.

Papa Legba: Good!

He turns and flicks ashes onto the bloodied form of Esmeralda.

Papa Legba: I will not have you for mine tonight, ancient gatekeeper. Wake up!

He nudges her with a boot and her eyes jolt open as her wound seals away as if it was never there. She sits up and looks at herself.

Esmeralda von Krauss: I feel healthy and powerful. Why?

D: You have Papa Legba to thank for that.

Esmeralda’s hand reaches down to her thigh for her upholstery needles, but stops just short of grabbing one. She looks at the lwa.

Esmeralda von Krauss: You helped me? Even as my husband and I imprisoned many of your brother and sister lwas who were out of control?

Papa Legba leans down so he can be close to Esmeralda’s face.

Papa Legba: You captured them, because I allowed it. No other reason. Rise, child. You have much work to do before you can join me in the afterlife!

The King of the Vodou Spirits turns to look at D with a smile.

Papa Legba: We will be seeing you again, my friend.

With that, Papa Legba is gone and D is alone with Esmeralda. D’s next words are tinged with a deep bitterness.

D: You are welcome…

Esmeralda sits up, feeling the hole in her dress where the blade had gone through. The skin feels whole and healthy. She stands up, grabbing her pack of cigarettes, lighter, and her foot long holder so she can light up a cigarette.

Esmeralda von Krauss: I was ambushed by Alexis Logan herself. She will not get away with this again. Let us go to the hotel to make sure my other Judges are safe. She is intent on destroying them all for the death of her sister.

D nods, his thoughts his own as he follows her out to the waiting limo to head to the hotel.

We cut to the hotel where Esmeralda von Krauss is in a bathtub. Bubbles cover her naughty bits, leaving her arms, legs, shoulders, and a fair amount of cleavage out. She smiles as she has one of those bathtub tables that has her deep red foot long cigarette holder, her gold case with a pack of Egyptian cigarettes, a glass and a bottle of the most expensive rum in the world.

She takes a sip of the glass of rum and puts it back.

Esmeralda von Krauss: Aaaahh, Jester Lebeau. It is so good that you think that you are the end all, be all of violence. You know how many people claim to be whatever of Hardcore? It’s just that there’s a dime a dozen for you people who just want to make someone bleed. So you have told your manager that you no longer need him and he’s throwing a fit? I guess I don’t need my twisted little clown twins at ringside either. Not. I will have my people at ringside just in case someone from the outside of the ring dares to do something stupid.

You’re not going to list all that you have won in your career. I would imagine it more than me since I have only won a plate in REIGN. It's my out of the ring accomplishments that should leave you wondering what the heck you have gotten yourself into. I am no woman to play with. Sure, sneak into my hotel here and bg whatever you want to show whatever little bits of me that you need to see fit.

Think that will help you win the match against me? No, invading my privacy would just make me angry. You would look back to all of those times where you almost bled out and think that those were the easy days. Naturally, they were your easy days. Facing me is facing something different. I don’t fight to just hurt you. I also fight to defeat you. Sometimes, I might fight to kill you in a move that will be called an accidental death. Do you know what treatment that you will get in the ring? Not I. That treatment will be up to you. If you come at me easy, I’ll take it easy. We’ll have a great match. You try to bleed me and injure me, I will deal out the same. I was born into being courtier and assassin. I know more ways to leave you dead within thirty seconds than you do to defeat me. Now, I understand that I will be looked down upon if you die in the ring so let’s try to avoid that conclusion, dahling.

Esmeralda dries her hand on a towel on the little table and gets her Egyptian cigarette and holder so that she can light up the cigarette. She takes a drag from it and blows the smoke into the air with a smile.

Esmeralda von Krauss: So you don’t care who I am and no matter what condition you are in after this match, you will have the energy to do what to my husband? Have sexual intercourse with him? I think he would sooner shoot you in the face with a gun. Not the fun one that you might be imagining right now, you sick monster.

You know that you are in the first round and that you will have to defeat e to get to the match with the X*Crown on the line.

Esmeralda flicks ashes onto the floor by the tub.

Esmeralda von Krauss: You’re not going to make it by me before you even get into the XCrown match. UP Wrestling will be left in the dust by REIGN. It’s pretty simple. The roster with the biggest bunch of bumbling buffoons doesn’t always make them into the winner. I will win the XCrown where my husband had failed last year to attain the title or even denied a simple rematch by the base coward who held it at the time.

And when I claim the title from Misha Constatine’s cold, maimed hands…I will celebrate the ascension of REIGN and (She takes on a predatory grin) the devastation of Fireside.