Chapter 7: The Beheaded Saint
"Liliana, where is that wood you promised me? The workers need it to continue rebuilding our village." The village elder asked.
"I'm going out to go fetch some now?" Liliana responded with angst. The girl was frustrated, having her new friend just leave her... Her thoughts consisted of nothing but the Prince. To have someone leave her side, after what they been through, took something away from the girl. She had not wielded her sword since returning to her battered home, which she is helping rebuild. Hopefully one day the village will rise from it's ashes and return to its state of once greatness.
She had left the village, searching the surrounding forests for easy obtainable wood and other usable supplies. Liliana had wandered into an area of thick forestry, where beetles and flies were becoming agitated by her very presence. She continued through the thick shrubbery and trees, only to come across an open area. A man and a woman were holding hands, while a tall but round priest stood in between them. Liliana easily noticed the wedding ritual being performed. The trio did not notice Liliana at first, but they quickly spotted her bright red hair flowing amongst the lush greens surrounding them.
The priest broke his wedding ritual and confronted Liliana, "Who are you," The man hastily asked? "Were you followed? Did you see anybody back on the road?" The man was clearly worried.
"My name is Liliana, and no one was following me." The girl responded.
The round man let out a sigh of relief, and walked back to the man and woman. "One moment, we're almost finished here. The priest had continued the wedding, while Liliana waited back, curiously.
After a while, the man finally finished. "Man and Wife, you are now one." The couple kissed one another and left the priest's presence. The priest approached Liliana once more, "So what is your name?"
"Liliana...."
"I can tell you're from Tzaria, your long red hair really separates you."
"Why are you doing this out here in the thick forests, why not at a Hall of Praise."
"Marriage isn't what it used to be, people now use it to escape the firm grasps of the emperors and kings. If a man is married, then he does not have to fight for the emperor in battle. See, I come from Rome, the city of once greatness. Now its just a place for lies, murder, and war. I try to let people remember that love is still available for anyone that needs it."
Liliana looked at the man with intrigue and skepticism.
"I recently loss someone that I cared about, and i never got too tell him how I felt. Now I'm just alone. Looking for a new path."
She and the man made their way back through the thick forestry. "You know its not too late to tell that person how you feel." The man said with a smile. He pulled out a piece of parchment, "You tell me what you're feeling and I'l give it to whomever you desire."
"Really? That would be very kind of you." Liliana replied with a bright smile. "Are you ever gonna tell me your name..."
"Well, the masses call me Saint Valentine, but you can call me Valentine."
"Thank you Valentine, I would love if you could come to my village before you continued on."
"That would be lovely... Now you tell me all you want to say about that special someone, and I'll just compose the letter as we walk."
The girl accepted his request and filled the roads and his parchment with her feelings and emotions. By the time they returned to Tzaria, the parchment was filled. "Now just tell me who this note is for and I will be set."
"SAINT VALENTINE, BY THE ORDER OF THE EMPEROR, YOU HAVE BEEN ISSUED THE PENALTY OF DEATH." A group of men yelled at the priest. "The group of soldiers grabbed the priest by his white garments and dragged him into the village. "You have been charged with illegally marrying man and wife."
Liliana ran behind the group of men dragging the priest by his throat. His squirming feet left despairing marks in the ground. The men picked him up and put him on his knees. One man grabbed a nearby wooden board, they rested the priest's head on top of the board. One soldier unsheathed his sword, Liliana charged the group of soldiers, but was instantly thrown to her ground, all she could do was watch.
The soldier raised the sword high above his head, and swiftly thrusting it downward until the priest's head was no longer assembled with his body. There was warm blood everywhere. The head landed right at the foot of Liliana. The face still showed one last expression..... just a faint smile.
The group of soldiers lit torches and burned the body, along with the piece of parchment....
After a while, the man finally finished. "Man and Wife, you are now one." The couple kissed one another and left the priest's presence. The priest approached Liliana once more, "So what is your name?"
"Liliana...."
"I can tell you're from Tzaria, your long red hair really separates you."
"Why are you doing this out here in the thick forests, why not at a Hall of Praise."
"Marriage isn't what it used to be, people now use it to escape the firm grasps of the emperors and kings. If a man is married, then he does not have to fight for the emperor in battle. See, I come from Rome, the city of once greatness. Now its just a place for lies, murder, and war. I try to let people remember that love is still available for anyone that needs it."
Liliana looked at the man with intrigue and skepticism.
"I recently loss someone that I cared about, and i never got too tell him how I felt. Now I'm just alone. Looking for a new path."
She and the man made their way back through the thick forestry. "You know its not too late to tell that person how you feel." The man said with a smile. He pulled out a piece of parchment, "You tell me what you're feeling and I'l give it to whomever you desire."
"Really? That would be very kind of you." Liliana replied with a bright smile. "Are you ever gonna tell me your name..."
"Well, the masses call me Saint Valentine, but you can call me Valentine."
"Thank you Valentine, I would love if you could come to my village before you continued on."
"That would be lovely... Now you tell me all you want to say about that special someone, and I'll just compose the letter as we walk."
The girl accepted his request and filled the roads and his parchment with her feelings and emotions. By the time they returned to Tzaria, the parchment was filled. "Now just tell me who this note is for and I will be set."
"SAINT VALENTINE, BY THE ORDER OF THE EMPEROR, YOU HAVE BEEN ISSUED THE PENALTY OF DEATH." A group of men yelled at the priest. "The group of soldiers grabbed the priest by his white garments and dragged him into the village. "You have been charged with illegally marrying man and wife."
Liliana ran behind the group of men dragging the priest by his throat. His squirming feet left despairing marks in the ground. The men picked him up and put him on his knees. One man grabbed a nearby wooden board, they rested the priest's head on top of the board. One soldier unsheathed his sword, Liliana charged the group of soldiers, but was instantly thrown to her ground, all she could do was watch.
The soldier raised the sword high above his head, and swiftly thrusting it downward until the priest's head was no longer assembled with his body. There was warm blood everywhere. The head landed right at the foot of Liliana. The face still showed one last expression..... just a faint smile.
The group of soldiers lit torches and burned the body, along with the piece of parchment....
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