Jailtime In Paris-Chapter 14

Thursday Evening

I turned to leave, but wasn't totally sure what room I should be headed
for.
" Nancy, there's only one destination for us this evening. " Desiree'
was right and I made my way to the room I shared with Marcus. He was no
where in sight, so I hastily climbed into the shower, letting the
steaming spray pound my head. I soaped and rinsed, finishing in record
time as I didn't relish the thought of being late to dinner. Stepping
out of the tub, water dripped in my eyes. I reached for a towel to dry
off with, but was surprised when one was placed in my hands. " Thank
you, Valera..or is that CeCe? " I began to pat my face.

A male voice said, " You're wrong on both counts, My Dear. "

Marcus stood directly in front of me and I became flustered and blushed
profusely. " I was going to dress and be down to dinner shortly.
"

Without asking, without hesitation, he relieved me of the towel and
dropped it beside him, then locked his eyes on mine. " I hear your
blood calling me to feast on you. "

His fangs glistened and he sank his pearly teeth into my flesh, as
exquisite pain mixed with equal parts of pleasure coursed throughout my
system.
" Marcus, I love you, " I murmured as I held his head against my
breast, never wanting him to leave.

He consumed more and more of my life force and my knees grew weaker and
weaker. I fainted dead away in his embrace and eventually came to in
his bed..Marcus continued his bloodlust feeding frenzy on me. " I think
I'll keep you this way for a while, My Darling Nancy. " His smile was
cruel with cold-hearted intent. " I damned myself by letting you go the
first time around, but I'll make certain you won't be leaving me
ever again! " His words were calculated to strike fear in my heart, but
they thrilled me to no end. " Don't you know how much I love you? " My
vision was out of focus..were there tears in his eyes?

My teeth chattered and I shivered uncontrollably. " Marcus, please hold
me..I need your body heat to chase away the cold and fill the emptiness
inside. " He held me tenderly in his arms and I snuggled up to him as
his breath warmed my neck. " I only want what's best for you, " he said
softly and gently.

**********

Someone shook my legs, rousing me from a restful sleep. A feminine
voice rasped, " Countess Nancy, it's time to make our midnight
pilgrimage to worship and offer homage to Kermes Twa and Aequalis. " A
hazy figure stood near the end of my bed and handed me clothes and
boots.
The room remained dark as I got up and my head spun in dizzying
circles. I swayed back and forth and a strong hand steadied my
shoulder, then applied something cool and sticky to the ' M ' on my
breast. " Open your mouth..this aloe will staunch the flow of blood and
give you enough energy for our excursion to the oak grove's sacred
well. " A scalloped seashell candle was placed in my hands. " There's
enough moonlight to guide you along the path and you can light the
candle when we reach the holy water. "

The shadowy shape blended into the night, but came into angelic view as
she lit the black candles she'd laid around the well's edge. She raised
her arms in the flickering candle-light and offered praises to the
Imperial Goddess..

" As I lay the candles down one by one
The flames of love are sent to you
The darkness is our love for you
Their blending is our inspiration
The balance a continuation
A well of deepness our desire "

My eyes adjusted to the dim light..the holy alter was layered with
holly and mistletoe, green leaves on the bottom, and their red and
white berries interspersed on top. My turn came to pay homage and I
knelt before the well, filled with words of adoration.

" Great Goddess Kermes Twa
Eternal virgin of springtime
You are signified by the red of the holly berries
The red blood of woman
I am blessed to receive Your gift of life

Aequalis, Great God Of Balance
Your sacredness evolves from the oak tree
You are signified by the white of the mistletoe berries
The white semen of man
Marcus the giver of that life "

The unknown voice spoke again. " The midnight hour is upon us. "

I rose from my knees, mesmerized by the sparkling stars set against the
sky's velvet background. My life was in balanced harmony..I was the
light and Marcus the darkness. I danced in prayerful praise to the
gods, moving ever closer to the flickering flames surrounding the pool
of water. Soon my greatful soul intertwined with the rising mist and my
earthly body hovered above the sacred well, then plunged into its icy
depths. I sank deeper and faster as extreme exhaltation drowned my
spirit, but an adrenaline rush slapped me back into consciousness.
Kermes Twa screamed, " Don't let her do this to you..save your life and
that of your unborn children! "

My lungs were near to bursting as I pushed my feet off the rocky
bottom..I broke the water's surface and left death behind. Strong arms
pulled me out onto dry ground as I gasped for life giving air. Valera
stripped off my wet clothes and immediately wrapped my nakedness in dry
blankets. Marcus carried me back to Castle Desiree', where I was placed
in warm liquid to raise my body temperature..Marcus gathered my hands
in his. " Nancy, I thought everything was straightened out between
us..why did you disobey me by not remaining in my room? "

My lips and body trembled and I couldn't speak. Valera laid the back of
her hand on my forehead. " Marcus, she's burning up with fever. " He
picked me up, dried me off and put me in the comfort his bed. A silver
chalice was placed against my mouth. " The elderberry juice will help
her sleep. " Marcus cradled me in his arms and I drifted off, dreaming
of him.

********

I woke up, not to the comfort and warmth of the bed I shared with
Marcus, but with my lips pressed against the hard dirt floor of the
freezing jail cell that I had been unmercifully thrown into. I walked
back and forth to warm myself as my mind played over the events which
had led me to this most wretched of places.

It started that day in early August when my father banished me from his
home and sight. I rode to the New York City Harbor docks in my Uncle
Joshua's private carriage. He Captained my father's clipper ship,
Goddess Of The Sea and was transporting me to a private girl's school
in Paris, France. Being the only female on board wasn't to my Uncle's
liking, but there I was, just the same. The first few days I kept
myself well occupied in my quarters, reading books that pertained to
life at sea. Cabin fever soon took hold and I asked Uncle Joshua if I
could go above deck for some fresh air. He was a pleasant and easygoing
man, nothing like my father. " Desiree', I'll grant your request on one
condition..you must stay in the company of my trusted first mate,
Phillipe Grenoble. "

" Yes, Uncle, I promise. " Anything to get out and about.

He walked me to the first mate's cabin and sharply rapped on the door.
A ruggedly handsome face appeared and his long blond hair was tied back
with a black ribbon. He stared at me with puzzlement in his bright blue
eyes.
" Yes, Captain. "

" Phillipe, you'll escort my niece Desiree', whenever she's outside her
quarters. If there's the least hint of trouble with the crew, you may
rest assured your head will roll! Is that understood? "

" Aye, aye, Captain. " He saluted smartly, and Uncle Joshua left us
standing there. " So, you're the ' secret cargo ' I've heard about? "
He smiled and winked.

" Secret Cargo? " I rolled my eyes. " I don't know what you mean! " I
hrmmped. " I'm used to wide open spaces, having the freedom to walk in
the woods and flower gardens near my home..all by myself. "

" A very independant young woman, are you? May I take the liberty of
calling you Miss Desiree'? " He stopped and waited for my reply.

" Only if I can call you by your given name as well..Phillipe. "
Formalities weren't my strong suit.

" And Miss Desiree', what do you know of men at sea..men who haven't
seen or been with a woman in years? " I thought the first mate might be
mocking me, but he was serious.

" I really know very little about the way men think or feel. " After
suffering through humiliation twice over, I thought it best to leave
the male species alone.

" Most of them are good men at heart, but sailing for long periods of
time means little or no contact with the fairer sex. A woman of
exceptional beauty like yourself can do strange things to a man's
blood. It's my sworn duty to allay trouble of any kind while you're
abovedeck. " He paused. " Do you know where the term ' Mate ' comes
from? "

" No, I don't Phillipe, but I have the distinct feeling you're going to
tell me. "
We strolled in the fresh salt air and I smiled as the sun caressed my
face.

" It comes from the French word ' matelot, ' meaning sailor. That we
all are onboard Goddesss Of The Sea..and certain of the men have taken
on the sea as a wife or mistress. " Phillipe halted, looking from one
end of the clipper to the other. " I'm an officer of the deck, and I
deal with the stowing and discharging of all cargo..secret or not! " He
had a pleasant laugh.

" Then I take it you've known about me from the very beginning of
this
trip? "

" Ah..this is not considered a trip, but a voyage. "

" And the word voyage originated from? " I was slightly amused.

" The Old French veiyage, meaning to sail across. "

My eyes twinkled. " And veiyage comes from the Latin word, viaticum,
meaning provisions for a journey. And viaticum comes from viaticus,
which means of a journey. Viaticus originates from via, which means
roadway. " My attitude was smug.

" Well done, Miss Desiree', well done! " He gave me a deep bow and I
curtsied in return.

I was brought back to the present when my stomach growled with hunger
pangs. I'd not received nourishment since this time the previous day. A
miserable, ill-smelling jailer brought a stale piece of bread and a
bowl of watery gruel. I was greatful and ate and drank what he offered
before it was snatched away. I kept my courage and faith intact,
believing in my heart of hearts that Marcus would come to my
rescue.

I sat down and thought back to the last week of my voyage.
I'd been granted an hour at mid-morning and mid-afternoon to walk the
decks freely with Phillipe by my side. We talked of my life on land and
his life on the sea. I told him of books I'd read, and how I always
wanted to travel and he told me about serving as a cabin boy on a ship
bound for China at the age 10.

One night in particular lingered in my mind. Uncle Joshua and I gazed
at the silvery-blue stars that twinkled in the night sky. " Desiree',
your father and I are as different as night and day. He always
preferred a life of leisure and I can't fault him for that. He invested
his money wisely and has no constraints placed upon him. " He draped
his arm around my shoulders.
" Although I have my own family and more than enough money to retire,
I'm not content to sit back and watch. " He puffed on the meerschaum
pipe he always carried. " That's why I captain Goddess Of The
Sea..salt-water's replaced the blood in my veins. "

" Tell me more. " I didn't know much about him or his family, except
that my mother and his wife were twin sisters.

" Dearest Niece, a clipper captain is a jack of all trades. " He
escorted me to the bridge and showed me personal navigational
possessions he'd acquired over the years..wind and current charts,
sailing directions, tide tables, and a nauticle almanac containing
detailed astronomical tables. He told me they were used in conjunction
with a compass, a sextant, and a chronometer, whose accuracy permitted
longitude to be charted to within a fraction of a degree. He also had
his own barometer for predicting weather. " And now for my prized
possession..my medicine chest. " Inside were tonics, medical
instruments and a copy of Dr. Abraham T. Lowe's ' Sailors Guide To
Health. '

" Uncle Joshua, this is all very entertaining. " I sighed in
boredom.

" Desiree', maybe this'll draw your interest. " He brought out a big
book containing maps and geographical descriptions of France.

I was elated as he walked me back to my cabin and I kissed his
cheek.
" Thank you, Uncle, I'll see you tomorrow. " He closed my door and I
turned the lampwick up so I could start reading. I looked at the map of
France and tried to picture what port we'd dock in and what cities we'd
travel through in order to reach Paris. My eyes grew heavy and I fell
asleep..the door squeaked and I opened my eyes, ready to scream. "
What're you doing here? " I whispered. My unannounced visitor was
Phillipe and I drew the covers up to my chin.

" You don't have to worry, Desiree'..I'll never hurt you. I saw your
light on and thought something might be wrong. " He stared at the book
lying across my covered legs.

I yawned, feeling more at ease. " What harbor are we going to berth in?
"

" Hopefully not in benthos, which is Greek for bottom of the sea. " He
pointed his finger to the middle of the English Channel. " There you'll
find many ships and many a sailor's soul that have been lost. "

" Phillipe, that's sad..do you know many sailors who've met their maker
in storm tossed seas? "

He laughed. " Very few, Desiree'..we'll safely put in on the Southern
Side of the Channel at Dunkirk, where the crew will unload our cotton
and tobacco, and take on wine to trade for rice in China. " I
shivered.
"Dunkirk's a favored good luck charm and in French it means ' Church On
The Dunes. ' Since I've served with your Uncle, we've never had an
accident or lost a man at sea. " He glanced at his goldplated
pocketwatch. " Desiree', the hour grows late and I must sleep while I
can, but our conversation will continue in the morning light. " He
leaned over and kissed my forehead, then turned down the wick on my
lamp. " The kiss of Poseidon is given to you for your safety on the
sea. Nothing but sweet dreams, my Little Mermaid. "

Sweet dreams, indeed! I'd be better off in the belly of a whale than
sitting here in prison. I thought of Jonah in the Bible story..at least
he was able to escape after 3 days, although I'm sure he believed
otherwise. Faint footfalls became louder, then stopped in front of the
bars..how fitting that a man of the cloth should be coming to visit me
in my cell.

" Mistress Desiree', are you ready to confess before God and man that
Satan dwells in your soul? And his habitation manifests itself in the
form of you, a witch? "

I gave him a look of disdain. " Why would I want to tell lies? I'm not
now, nor have I ever been a witch! "

" We have it on good authority that you've bewitched and bedazzled
young men, forcing them to bow to your devilish commands. " His
assessment of me was ludicrous. " Repent of your sins..acknowledge them
or face the consequences! "

My anger grew by leaps and bounds and I screamed. " I have no need to
repent..I've done nothing wrong! " Certainly he knew that.

" Guards, seeing as Mistress Desiree' won't confess to her wrongdoings,
she'll be subjected to the Ducking Stool! " Two unshaven men came
inside my cell, took me by the arms and carried me outside. I closed my
eyes against the brilliant sunlight's glare as I was strapped into a
wooden seat that was situated above the pond behind the prison. It hung
from the end of a free moving arm and they ducked me time and again
underneath the cold, winter water's surface. " Do you repent? " Even if
I'd wanted to confess to being a witch, my teeth chattered too much for
me to say a word.

I was unceremoniously dumped back on the floor of my cell where I
curled up into a tight little ball, and tried my best to sleep.

My dreams were all tangled together. Parts of the past and pieces of
the present jumbled into a strange reality. " Marcus, why haven't you
come to save me? Don't you love me the least little bit? I'm so hot and
cold. "

I drifted in and out of sleep, hearing voices from a distance. " She's
delirious..she doesn't even know you've been with her all night
long,
Marcus. "

" Nancy, can you hear me? It's Marcus. I love you. "

I knew the name Nancy, but why Marcus would profess his love for a city
in France was beyond my scope of reasoning. Ah, well..dreams can be
very hard to explain. I woke up feeling stiff and sore and had
developed a scratchy throat. I laughed bitterly. " I'm positive my cold
pond bath yesterday didn't help matters! " Each breath I took hurt my
lungs and to get my mind off the pain I thought back to my ocean voyage
aboard Goddess of the Sea. I'd slept late after the discussion with
Phillipe about Dunkirk and benthos, so I missed my morning walk. As I
ate lunch, I read the strange sounding names of cities and provinces in
France. Someone knocked on my door. " Who's there? "

" It's me, Phillipe..are you ready for your afternoon walk, Desiree'?
The weather's warm, the sun's shining, and I'd love the pleasure of
your company. "

Cool breezes and salt spray misted the air as we walked the decks. "
You were going to elaborate about Poseidon's kiss? "

" Of course, Desiree'. In Greek mythology, Poseidon is god of the sea,
the counterpart to the Roman god, Neptune. " His eyes looked over my
shoulder, and he grinned from ear to ear. " This afternoon brings with
it a portent of good luck, as you're about to receive the real kiss
from Poseidon, himself. "

" Why on earth would you say that? " I turned around just in time to
get doused by a huge spume of saltwater.

Wet and sputtering, I was about to give Phillipe a rather mean piece of
my mind when Uncle Joshua let out a big guffaw. " Why, Desiree', I see
you've been initiated! " He gave me a kiss on both cheeks and walked
away, whistling a sea shanty.

" Phillipe, you knew that wave was coming. I have a feeling you wanted
me to get soaked! " I pouted.

" I only wished for you to have a small taste of what makes a man fall
in love with the sea. Words are never enough to tell how a sailor feels
in his heart. Desiree', it's time for me to escort you back to your
cabin. " Phillipe sounded disappointed.

" Are there any words to what my Uncle was whistling? "

" There are always verses to a song of the sea. " Phillipe's voice and
character were a true fit to what he sang.

" I've set sail on a white-winged clipper
Her billowed sails are spider-spun with silk
The night moon glimmers on the sea green waves
Casting shadow's glow of foamy milk

Her planks are strong and sturdy
She withstands nor'westers raging rains
She protects us in her gentle bosom
While the Harpy piper plays her pounding strains

My blood of life is everflowing
saltwater gushes madly through my veins
My loyal heart is mated to the constant sea
Our golden wedding rings pierced through my ear's domains

From her salty waves I shan't be parted
I've pledged my vows to live with her eternally
And when death comes, please mark my grave
Throw black roses to the hunger of ocean's certainty "

We reached the door to my cabin and I wondered what it would be like to
love someone or something that deeply. I turned and gave Phillipe a
quick kiss on his cheek, catching him by surprise. " This Mermaid says
that kiss is for showing me such a good time this afternoon. " I
giggled.

" Does this mean you're no longer upset with me? " Phillipe's face
turned bright red.

" I was never really mad Phillipe and I want to thank you for treating
me like an equal. " I paused. " Don't think you'll not be let off the
hook this easily, though..promise to tell me what you know about
Dunkirk and other places in France. "

" Desiree', cross my heart. " He sighed. " Duty calls..you should rinse
and change into dry clothing as salt rubbing against delicate skin can
be an irritating experience. " He kissed the back of my hand. " Take
care and I'll see you later, Little Mermaid. "

If only I'd never been cursed to meet Phillipe, then I'd still be with
my husband, Marcus, the love of my life. Could my circumstances get any
worse?

" Meal time." The jailer smelled to high heaven of cheap cognac. " A
special feast for you today! " He unlocked my cell and brought me
breakfast..or was it dinner? The chunk of bread was hard enough to
break my teeth, while the thin gruel was pond water with all the
trimmings..mud, slime, and dead fish! " Missy, I thought you could use
some fresh meat in your diet. " He cackled with vicious glee. " Seeing
as you don't appreciate fine French cuisine, then you may do without! "
He emptied the bowl of pond water on my head and by the time I dried my
eyes, he was gone with my chunk of bread.

Nothing in the way of good news awaited me as keys clanked and the
non-forgiving priest from the day before decided to pay another visit.
" It seems that you're still wet from your swim of yesterday. That's
just a precursor of what you'll face if you don't acknowledge your
offenses against God! "

" My only sins were being born to parents who loved my sister more than
they ever loved me. And then believing I had a friend, but he was the
scoundrel who had me thrown in this horrible place to settle his debts!
"

" Nothing but lies and falsehoods, Mistress Desiree'! Do you have
nothing else to say to me? " I stared at him with all the hatred I felt
within my heart.
" Guards, hold her down! " My nose was pinched shut, and one of the
guards forced my mouth open..the most awful taste settled on my tongue,
a scalding heat that traveled in burning waves from my throat to my
stomach with no end in sight. " Even if this Soapwort doesn't cleanse
your soul, it will cleanse your body. The true mark of the devil lives
within your untruthful foam! "

I couldn't comprehend his meaning as my stomach heaved and heaved for
hours. I finally collapsed in a heap, too weak and exhausted to care
whether I lived or died.