What could have prevented his departure, a cool breeze maybe a mystic wave, surely no bright lights no vulgar acclaim nor any new miracles. She asked herself without hope of receiving an answer, nothing really could have kept him there. Once the watch had announced that it was twelve, and in the plaza the clock bells rang the hour. The deed was done. Midnight. He was no more.
In the sky hung the gibbous moon, how silly to think of croissants and tea but then sillier still to think of him. He or any other. Her new pale sisters sang matins.
What could have prevented his departure, a cool breeze maybe a mystic wave … here in these dark corridors, surely no bright lights.
Reading from her Breviary she harmonizes with her sisters. The shadows creep closer with each “Ave” in the cloister. Her soul was consumed with the memories of him, his smell, his breath near her cheek as he helped her dismount from her steed. His hands upon her waist. She would have been more pleased if his hands had been on her bare skin.
Of course he was not destined to be hers. He was yet another sacrifice to her new master, his destiny had been written from the moment he’d been chosen to accompany her to this place, once he’d seen her face he was doomed.
The Mother sang the last “amen”. One of the clock. The Father behind the grate welcomed her to the cloister where she would be immured for eternity. Her husband by proxy had died of the plague. Her father had confiscated her husband’s treasure for his needs and closed her, his own daughter up in the convent and no one but the young knight knew where she was. And now he too was gone.
Once in her cell the night fell upon her and her soul was at last taken by the demon who inhabited the cloister. Her father, the Duke, had paid his debt and his wealth was assured. He’d sold out his son-in-law and his own daughter to the demons of the night … and one day, though he didn’t know this, he too would be consumed by the demons, but unlike his daughter, his would be the pit of eternal fire … hers the living death of the night creatures.
© G.s.k. ‘16
Weekly Writing Prompt #28 Week 14th March 2016
(5) Words: | WAVE | COOL| PREVENT | BRIGHT | WATCH |
Bastet and Sekhmet's Library 
Having been in the convent myself for five years, I found this particularly intriguing…and, I am sure, it happened often back in the day…and who is to say, that it still is not ongoing–the misogynistic prevalence of the patriarchal thought in today’s world…I shared it on my FB page and I will “Pin it”—well-written, my writing friends!
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I’m really chuffed! Of course this is a bit of this and that … in the sense that I’ve taken something that very possibly could happen (a father profiting from his daughter’s wealth by placing her in a convent) with something that never could have happened (demons) I’m trying to work myself out of my usual genres looking into something a bit darker. Thanks so much for your shares!
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If you read back to medieval times, I am sure I have read that it actually DID happen. Church history and the rich nobility often walked hand in hand. You would have lots of fodder for your writing, reading about the horrors of the Catholic Church–all that glitters is not gold…as the saying goes! 🙂
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Now that is lovely advice and strange I hadn’t thought about it … I think though you could be right there could be some interesting research to be done.
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hmmmm …. I entered comments here the other day …. don’t know if you’ve received them or whether they got lost in the deep space Bermuda Triangle?
I had written in reply – to let you know this is an excellent piece. Well written and with just enough details to set the scene and atmosphere really well – and the story-line is entirely plausible because as history shows – this happened very often. And if you wanted to run with this idea or theme, you could very well do so – but it does stand on its own two legs without a problem. 🙂
And what initially triggered my curiosity was that you mentioned the “implausible” – the idea of demons and their existence. Which had me very curious, for several reasons. Most notably that the idea of the reality of demons existing was far and wide considered very real and acceptable, even if it was a highly overblown superstition. But the church has always believed in this possibility. As for personally, well, that’s entirely up to each to decide for themselves.
At any rate, this was excellent reading – the story fits the prompt very well – and the image is awesome. It totally compliments the piece. 🙂
Oh, and if this does end up being a duplicate comment of sorts, please, feel free to delete 🙂
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Hello Peg … I’ve just read this and haven’t seen any other comments from you, but then I think I’d have to go to my spam files as comments often get shunted there. I’m really very pleased with how this intro came out. I do know of course that Church creed included and still includes demons. It’s I who don’t believe that such creatures exists and find them improbable. I’m glad you had fun reading the piece … I certainly enjoyed writing it and would like to try writing more in this direction for a bit.
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Not to worry about the lost comments …. I was also having trouble with my browser etc. And since it’s okay now …. it’s all good.
Glad you had a good write 🙂
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🙂 hope the phantom of cyber space stays away for a while!
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me too 😉
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BTW … you’re comment isn’t in my spam file so it’s been gobbled up by the monster of deep cyberspace. Sorry about that.
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No apologizes necessary …. it’s not your fault it disappeared …. besides all’s well that ends well 😉
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Indeed – all’s well that ends well!
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