The Sabbath finally arrived, and Nico could sense the tension grow taut like a tightrope between Francesca and Prospero, his sense no doubt heightened by his own chest twisting in anguish and concern. The guards were not letting the two men out of their sights, and Prospero had Francesca constantly at his side. When dinner came, it took everything Nico had to get through it, and to stomach it. The meal was a lot more elaborate, no doubt in honor of the Sabbath and the upcoming masquerade ball, but he was able to eat. It was close to the end of the meal, at least, close to it for Nico; food was still coming and several people were still munching away when Prospero stood up, his voice echoing over the chatter.
“Hear me!” Silence came quickly. “Soon, you will be costuming yourselves for the masque. A celebration, my friends, a celebration of victory over death.” Nico could feel his stomach tighten; he hadn’t won yet. “Of evil over good. Senor Scarlatti and his wife will not be joining us; he failed to obey my orders.” He tossed a knife on the table as Nico thought back to the two souls he had sensed being ripped away from their bodies.
He sat up straight and attentive when Prospero spoke the next part. “But because of me, and my mediation with my master, the lord of flies, you, all of you, unworthy though you may be, will be safe from the Red Death, we promise you.” Another knife in the table. “Unless of course you incur our displeasure.” A third knife went into the table. “Or some of you are guilty of acts against us, acts of faith perhaps.” Prospero glanced at Francesca before stabbing the table with a fourth knife. “And all of you, I suspect, still harbor some sacred thoughts, but no more. The fallen angel will protect you.” A fifth knife into the table as Nico’s chest began to tighten. Why did people insist on worshipping what they knew to be evil? “And now, for a small entertainment, guards!” Both Francesca’s and Nico’s eyes turned towards the door when it opened, and three guards came in with the two men.
“These two men are true believers; they believe in a God who preached love thy neighbor. Therefore, they refuse to fight each other, in order to save one of their lives. However, I have devised a plan whereby each may have the honor and glory of saving the other’s life. There are five daggers here. One of them is impregnated with a poison that kills in five seconds.” Nico glanced at him with eyes wide; he was no better than Nero! “Each man in turn will cut his forearm.” He gave a nod, and the guards freed the men. “Begin.” Neither one moved. “Would you not lay down your life for your brother?”
Nico clenched his fists and gritted his teeth as the men glanced at each other, and Francesca’s father walked towards the table. He picked up a knife, slit his forearm, and tossed the knife to the floor. The next five seconds were rather agonizing, but once they were over, Prospero merely said, “Next.”
Francesca’s boyfriend stepped up, and repeated her father’s moves. “Five seconds,” stated Prospero at the end of them.
Francesca’s father went back to the table for round two. Nico began to watch Prospero’s face a bit more, wondering if there really was any truth in what he said. A poison that kills in five seconds? Something was off, but his thought were interrupted by Alfredo.
“Five seconds.”
The boyfriend, for round two. Nico’s brain was going fast, trying to think of something, anything, to stop this madness, but he stayed rooted to the spot. Francesca’s father approached the table for the final knife and glanced at her boyfriend.
“Five seconds.”
He picked up the knife and lunged towards Prospero, but he didn’t make the mark as he fell back with Prospero’s sword imbedded in his chest.
“Father!” shrieked Francesca as Nico slumped back in his chair, sensing her father’s soul leaving his body. The dwarf restrained Francesca in her chair while the guards restrained her boyfriend.
“The game was not played properly. So, both will die!”
“No!”
“You’re a madman!”
“And yet I will live and you will die. Where is your God in your time of need?”
“I will see Him, in Paradise.”
“To be forever safe from you, Prince Prospero.” Nico had risen, his face overshadowed with a hint of anger.
“Ah, so the little angel speaks. Pray, tell me which angels do you side with, the fallen, or those who serve their God?” asked Prospero, indicating Francesca and her boyfriend.
“Usually neither.”
“Usually, eh? Are you thinking of joining their ranks now, or ours?”
“It is something I am considering.”
“Then consider quickly, for I only allowed you entry for I sense great potential in you. But what is the real reason for your stay at my castle, if you haven’t even considered joining our ranks? I sent no messenger to bid you to my castle or give you instructions on how to enter.” Nico’s eyes widened. “Yes, that is right, from day one it was clear you did not belong in such finery, but you do seem to enjoy the dark and tales of terror. Are you sure it is a hard decision?”
Nico replied, “When you act thus towards those who have only served you and can stand it no longer when their lives are tossed to the side so that you may live in finery.”
Prospero raised an eyebrow. “Really, is that your main concern? Why should we worry about their lives?”
Nico relaxed to the point where he began to smirk. “Because then you would have to go out into the fields and work them yourself. Do you kill off your servants so you don’t have to feed them, only to complain that there’s no one around to fix your food or provide you with entertainment?” Prospero was taken aback by the notion. “Really, Prince Prospero, for one who claims he serves such a magnificent master, I’d have thought you would be a little smarter than that.” Nico glanced around the room. “But it seems that your master doesn’t quite care who serves him. Funny, though, that you should try to save this girl and expect her to stop loving her family at your request. Did you really think she would forget the ones she loves so easily? That’s rather . . . unrealistic, don’t you think?” Francesca’s eyes widened and glanced at Prospero, whose own eyes widened.
“Be careful with your choice of words, boy,” warned Alfredo.
“You watch your mouth, Alfredo. That boy brings up a few good points.” Prospero glanced back at Nico. “Then what would you have me do with this peasant? Between these two men, they killed three of my guards, a grave sin according to their faith.”
“Are we not celebrating the triumph of evil over good?”
“Well, of course.”
“But isn’t punishing him for his sins a good thing?” Prospero glanced at him questioningly. “If my knowledge of the Christian faith is correct, then the Christian God punishes as well as forgives.”
“Then what would you have me do?”
Nico walked towards Prospero. “Release him.”
“Release him? To . . . to face the Red Death.”
“No, please, I beg you!” cried Francesca.
“Consider it a further, glorious chance to test his faith, my dear.” The guards began to drag the boyfriend away. “Wait! Better yet, have your butler do the honors.”
“Erik? Why?”
“To prove that this is not an attempt to save him.”
“I would have thought you would have done that for her sake,” Nico said, “and yet, for a servant of the master of lies, you’re pretty concerned about the truth. But, whatever, I will have it done. Erik!”
Erik stepped up to Nico. “Yes, my liege?” With a quick sleight of hand, the rose petals were discreetly passed.
“See to it that this peasant is shown out of the castle, but be nice, we want him to be able to walk away.”
“Of course.” Erik turned, and with the guards behind them, took Francesca’s boyfriend out of the room.
“I will come back for you, Francesca, I will find a way back!” he shouted before they turned the corner.
Prospero left his seat, and Nico turned to walk back to his, when Lady Francesca’s voice made them both pause. “Please, let me go with him!”
Prospero turned to her. “What, you? Oh no, I could not bear to think of . . .” He paused; his eyes locked with Nico for a mere second before turning away. He raised his voice so that all could hear. “You will go to your rooms now and prepare for the masque. You will not appear in your costumes until midnight.”
The dining room cleared fairly quickly, Nico among the last to leave, and he walked up the stairs slowly. It wasn’t long before Francesca was passing him at the top of the staircase. The two paused to glance at each other before heading off for their rooms. Nico uncurled his hand and revealed two rose petals before placing a finger to his mouth. She jumped when Erik placed a hand on her shoulder.
“He will live, my lady. Now all we need to do is worry about getting ourselves out of here. Keep a close eye on us; it may all end tonight.”