LOVER'S TWILIGHT Round 4, Part Two

The Bishop rode ahead of his entourage of loyal soldiers, his brow creased with annoyance. It had been well over a day since he'd dispatched the Wolf Killer to find his Prince and put an end to the vermin who had stolen his affection.

"That damned Wolf Killer! He'd had better succeed in his mission, otherwise I'll have him hanging by his balls in the deepest dungeon!" the Bishop snarled in a most un-Christian like rage.

Merwyn, his guardsman, couldn't help suppress a snicker at the image of the foul Wolf Killer being punished in such a manner. However, he smiled benignly back at the Bishop when his lord turned angrily to him.

"Has no word come from the hunter even yet?"

"No, my lord," Merwyn responded soberly. "He has not returned, and no messenger has arrived with news. The hunter is skilled, I'll grant him that, he has never encountered a wolf that he could not kill. He will achieve in his mission, I am sure, we have often wondered if he consorts with wolves himself, he certainly knows their ways, and smells like one to boot!"

The Bishop glowered at him. "If you speak in this foul manner to me again, your head will adorn a spike in the village square!"

"Yes, my lord," Merwyn responded contritely.

They approached the church where the Bishop was to perform his mass. The villagers were already gathered in the church yard, waiting with expectant faces to see his lordship and his entourage. They had been goaded into obedience by the fierce Bishop and his men, but it was just as good as loyalty as far as the Bishop was concerned.

In the crowd was a short man with an unshaven face and spectacles. Malvin had ridden into the village to see the Bishop and was hiding in the crowd, hoping the man wouldn't notice him. He had heard that the Bishop still sought the prince and his friend, Captain Skinner, and he wanted to gather as much information on their enemy as possible in order to help them, if he could.

He and his two friends had been checking through the book of spells, day and night, trying to find an antidote for the prince and the captain's predicament to no avail. Malvin couldn't help muttering under his breath, cursing the day the evil Bishop had turned his sights upon the gorgeous prince.

"Gentlefolk," the Bishop addressed the crowd in his customarily oily manner, "You honor me with your presence just as you honor our Lord, Jesus Christ, who died for our sins. He who takes pity upon us and forgives our most dire transgressions. Let us pray..."

As the village folk joined the Bishop in prayer, Malvin snorted in disgust. "Forgives our transgressions, my ass! You hope he forgives your transgression, Bishop Spender, otherwise you'll be frying a long time in hell!"

A man with flowing blond hair appeared at his elbow. "Malvin, what are you doing here? I thought you were afraid of Bishop Spender!"

"I'm trying to help Captain Skinner and the lovely Prince Mulder," Malvin hissed back. "It's true that if they can get the prince back on the throne, we shall have a much easier time of it."

Rollo squinted into the crowd. "Well, I don't know what you can do, that man is guarded by a battalion. Perhaps we can find a weakness-"

"This is an information-gathering mission, Rollo! I'm no swordsman and neither are you, I warrant! Just keep your mouth shut and listen," Malvin snapped.

Suddenly Malvin got the feeling that they were being watched. He turned and saw a handsome, red-haired gentleman in a long cloak, as if he were a member of the holy orders, leaning against a stone wall and gazing at them intently. The hair on the back of Malvin's neck stood on end. Could this man be a spy for the Bishop?

As the man moved forward, Malvin found it difficult to breathe. He grabbed Rollo's arm, feeling faint, who turned in surprise to face the mysterious man approaching them.

Before Rollo could get his words out, the man addressed them. "Good day, Malvin! I am surprised to see you in these parts, it is no place for close friends of the good captain."

"Who are you?" Malvin managed to choke out. Rollo looked frantically over at the Bishop's soldiers, wondering when they would be surrounded and arrested.

"I am Christian Saint George, one of Captain Skinner's loyal soldiers. After the damned Spaniard took the good captain's place, I deserted the Bishop's guard, along with several other soldiers loyal to Captain Skinner. We had no desire to be flogged to death as traitors."

Malvin looked askance at the crowd in front of the church. "Let us go somewhere where we can speak in peace."

The three men walked away from the village square, far from the crowd, passing a tavern and inn. They then turned up a winding, narrow alleyway where they could meet in private. Most of the villagers were attending the Bishop's mass, so it was not too difficult to find a deserted location.

After looking around to make sure they were alone, Christian addressed the three men. "There is a faction within the Bishop's army that is most sympathetic to the prince and Captain Skinner. They despise the Bishop, and they would do all in their power to unseat him and place the good Prince Mulder in his stead."

Rollo and Malvin looked at each other, startled. "This is a most welcome development!" whispered Malvin to Rollo. "In order to succeed, they both need the might of the army behind them."

"If the Bishop falls, the others will join. It is only the fear he engenders that keeps the evil tyrant in power."

Malvin shook his head. "The curse must be lifted in order for the Bishop to be defeated."

"That much is certain," Christian agreed. "You are a healer. Can you tell us how to counteract this wretched spell?"

"I wish I knew, friend," sighed Malvin. "If I did, it would behoove me to employ this skill forthwith."

Rollo thought for a moment. "I have been researching this sort of spell. It is a spell to hinder the two from conjoining. One is a hawk while the other is a man, one is a wolf while the other is a man, and so on. If there was a way to prolong the period when the two of them are both men, perhaps this spell would be broken."

Christian shook his head sorrowfully. "And how do you propose to do that, my good man?"

"I don't know! But there must be a way...there has to be! All spells can be cast, and all spells can be broken!" Rollo said vehemently.

"I certainly hope so. The men cannot follow a hawk prince and a wolf captain, that much is certain! You'd better go back to your books, as the future of Aquila depends upon it."

Malvin spoke. "If such a thing were indeed to occur, Master Saint George, may we depend upon your assistance and that of your friends?"

Christian's handsome visage lit up with a brilliant smile. "My good man, you have my word upon it!"

****

Captain Skinner rode with Alex through the forest that surrounded the village of Aquila. He was eager to arrive at their destination so he could put an end to the Bishop, the blight of his and Fox's love from the beginning.

The ride wasn't easy on Alex, who was still sore from his violation at the hands of the Wolf Hunter. His wounds had been tended to as best as he could manage. However, the wounds branded upon his soul weren't so easily mended. When Walter reached for him, he shied away.

Walter sighed. "Alex, I was just wondering how you were feeling!"

"I don't want to be touched, my lord. I thought you understood that," he responded coldly.

They rode in silence. Alex could see Fox overhead. His wing was partially mended but he still flew with difficulty. Two wounded creatures, he thought with despair. He wondered how it would all end.

"My lord, where do you propose to kill the Bishop?"

Walter snorted. "During his mass. He is no longer aligned with the Church. We need not fear their wrath."

Alex couldn't help shuddering. "It is still His Holy House, my lord. You cannot mean to commit murder in His House!"

Walter looked at him. "Do you fear for my immortal soul, Alex?" he asked dryly.

"I fear for all our souls, my lord," he responded lamely.

Walter shook his head. "Do not be afraid, sweet one. I will wait until the mass is ended and then kill the Bishop as he comes out. Though for the life of me, I cannot imagine that sorcerer conducting any mass other than a black mass! We may see demons and the hounds of hell come roaring out as the doors of the cathedral swing open."

The two men could see the village of Aquila down in the valley. Alex tugged on the reins to stop Goliath, and they both gazed down upon the village in a tense silence. The hawk flew down with a loud shriek to land upon Walter's shoulder.

Walter took him upon his wrist. "There is your kingdom, my love. It is yours by right. We left in disgrace but will return in triumph. We will be returning to an Aquila far different from the one which exiled us."

"I hope you are right, my lord!"

"I am right. And my dearest Fox knows that this is the only recourse. If we die by the Bishop's hand, the death would be far sweeter than the living hell he has impressed upon us. We would die together, since we cannot live together, and we will be together for all eternity." Walter responded gravely.

Tears sprang to Alex's eyes. Despite his rejection of the captain since his heinous rape, he could not imagine continuing his life without him and the prince. "We'll succeed, my lord, have no fear," he said firmly, trying to convince himself as well.

Walter smiled fondly at Alex after hearing his declaration. "That is good, sweet Alex! For love and honor, then?"

"For love and honor, my lord!"

Walter chuckled but in the next minute turned his eyes back to the hawk prince upon hearing his loud shriek. Suddenly the sky had grown dark, and Walter looked up into the sky, startled, certain that he would find that a large cloud covered the sun. As the day turned darker than any cloud could bring about, he exclaimed, "This is most unnatural, Alex! Could this be another spell from that accursed Bishop?"

Suddenly Alex understood what Deep Throat had been telling them. He gasped in shock, "My lord, this is what Deep Throat was trying to tell us! 'The curse can be broken if they see each other when it is neither day nor night. They must stand in a night without a day... and a day without a night.' I thought he was insane, but..."

As he turned to look back at the captain, Alex cried out in amazement. The hawk prince was transforming. Alex gazed upon the very human form of Prince Fox, who sat facing the captain astride his horse, not perched upon his arm. The prince regarded the captain with fierce love as his body shuddered and took shape before their very eyes.

Walter gazed at the prince in pure astonishment. The two lovers were suddenly looking upon each other in whole form, as they stood in a night without a day, and a day without a night.

Aqualegia's next!