Bab 3: 2. Blood and Rags
Cade nursed his sore arms as he strode through the abbey after the service. Thankfully he hadn't dropped the censer and he hadn't tripped either. But he could still tell the Abbot was going to scold him for not doing a good job. He always did.
The Abbot always seemed to target Cade. For reasons unknown he seemed to have it out for the boy. Like he was a stain or a curse. He was polite in public or during service when people were present. But behind closed doors Cade was always hiding away. Seeking to shrink into corners the Abbot either couldn't reach or had forgotten about in his old age. All to escape his abuse. Or purification as he called it.
Cade's nose wrinkled slightly at the thought of the Abbot's "purification" as the Abbot called them. And finally found his room once more. An old oak door with an iron handle with a lock on the outside. Inset into the wall as though trying to keep our of sight. Thanks to Cade and Emily cleaning regularly, the grime and dust was nowhere to be seen. But the door still showed it's cracks from age.
Cade slowly opened the door only to find the Abbot standing before him with a thin riding crop in his hands. His aged fingers held it tight as he glanced up at Cade. "You did a shoddy job today. Your arms were shaking from holding the censer! And you almost tripped down the aisle.The reason you still don't do your calling right is that you still have much anger and hatred that must be purified from you. Only then can you truly fulfill your duty." He waved at the door behind Cade.
"Close the door and remove your robes. Purification must be done." The abbot said as he pulled the crop right in his hands.
Cade turned around and a look of fury danced across his face which he hid the best he could before pulling his robes off. Beneath his robes was no shirt only trousers and socks leading into old leather shoes. His bare back bore many scars from lashes and what seemed like a whip. This was obviously not the only time the crop has been used on the poor boy.
"Kneel and begin your prayers." The abbot commanded. Cade had already put a little leather piece in his mouth where the Abbot wouldn't notice and knelt after picking up his prayer book from close by.
"Now we begin the purifying." The Abbot said with a sneer as he raised the crop before striking with a vicious crack. Cade back arched despite his best efforts to hold back his reaction. A dark scratch stood out against his pale skin even as Cade hissed out his prayer according to the book.
Again and again the Abbot struck. Till Cade laid on the ground. His back bloody and his mouth barely whispering the words of his prayers. "Today's purification is over. Do not make the mistakes you did today." The Abbot growled as he exited Cade's chambers.
Thankfully it was only moments later that Emily snuck through the door as quietly as she could manage and helped poor Cade from the door. His back was covered in bloody stripes and he audibly moaned at the pain of moving.
Emily quickly pulled out a bucket of water from the corner and some rags to clean his wounds. The cold water helped to cool his red inflamed wounds as it removed the caked blood from his skin. Emily took out a roll of bandages and a small jar of salve which she applied to his wounds. Her movements were far too practiced for a girl her age. Which showed how often she had to do this sort of treatment.
The process did not take long and it took some time for Cade's breathing to return to normal. But it was obviously very draining for the two children. Cade was almost sickly thin from how often he was treated so inhumanly.
And if you looked beneath the blood dripping down his back, you could see the long and puckered scars. Branding, cuts, whips, and more could be seen across his back.
Cade hissed as the salve and clothe touched his inflamed wounds but he didn't move as Emily dressed them. Her eyes showed and frustrated gaze while her lips frowned in a grimaced attempt to not cry.
"Why don't you run away?" She whispered as her hands moved. "You could easily do better than this place if you wanted to. You might not be skilled but I know the butcher and baker are looking for apprentices right now."
Cade winced but didn't answer. His thoughts muddled by the pain that had become common for him now. (If I left there's no guarantee he wouldn't do the same to you.) He thought.
Soon Emily finished the dressings and wrapped a bandage around his torso to hold the dressings in place. "I hope the old coot keels over soon. I don't know how much longer I can keep trying to heal your back before the thing is more scars than skin." She said quietly. Her whisper wouldn't be heard by anyone except Cade fortunately enough. But his heart couldn't hope for her words to come true.
"The old bastard is so evil he'll probably live to the end of time so The Plague Gods can punish him themselves." He grunted out as he slid his shirt on along with his robes. He slowly stood up with a pained hiss. "But I wouldn't say no to having him gone tomorrow." He chuckled a little which made Emily have a grimaced smile.
Cade patted Emily's head, thanked her for bandaging him up again, and headed to bed. Even though the Abbot beat him so badly he would still expect Cade to fill his chores to perfection. If not he would give Cade even more "purification" as he called it.
Cade slowly laid face down on the bed as Emily pulled the sheets over him before taking the candle lamp on his night stand and left him to rest as s the door creaked shut behind her. And with her gone darkness filled the room with the only light coming from the small window which allowed the moonlight through.
Cade's eyes began to drift closed as exhaustion hit and the shock wore off. His mind shut off and finally, he dove into the abyss of sleep. Though sleep was no escape for Cade as it was for most.
A dream he had had many times till now appeared. A dream he had every night without fail. He dreamed of a cityscape made out of shadows in the midst of an all encompassing fog. Dark misty figures drifted slowly past him as he began to cautiously walk within. His eyes trying to make out the people or buildings better. But nothing helped.
But he could tell he was moving which seemed like a good sign. And as he moved the shadows grew smaller and smaller till the fog parted revealing a run down shack.
It's door sat ajar in the wall of cracked plaster and broken windows. The roof held up by only a single wood beam had many holes and looked like it would cave in at any moment.
As he approached the door he found a rusted iron bed. And within its covers lay a pale woman. Her shallow cheeks and bloodshot eyes were palpable. Her lips cracked and her hair was a rats nest. Her covers were pulled up to her chest and her left hand always reached out for him.
Despite her appearance and the creepy house, all Cade could feel was a comfortable warmth fill his heart as he approached to hold the woman's hand and sit on the bed beside her. The woman gave a weak smile before she spoke in a weak voice. It was not a croans voice nor a maidens young voice. But it was a strong voice even if it was just a whisper.
"Oh my dear Cade. How was your day my dear son?" She asked with a gentle and loving gaze.
Cade swallowed a little before telling her the day's events. "The butchers wife had a new baby boy last night. And the tax collector broke his foot on the stairs to the church today..." He recounted all the small talk he heard before and after service to the woman before him. But he could see in her eyes what she was asking.
She wanted to know about him.
He let out a bit of a sigh as he rubbed the back of his head. "The Abbot was rough with me again today. I try my best but it never seems to be enough. So I got the crop today. Emily patched me up nice enough. But I think I need to get out of there mum. It's only getting worse..." He began to tell her his troubles. How the church didn't feel safe and how Emily felt he should leave. And despite the complaints his mother sat there patiently listening. Her face not giving him anything but a loving gaze as per usual.
The only difference was that this time she reached her hand up to cup his face before she spoke her next words. Her eyes met his and her words struck him to his core.
"My son. Your hope was heard. Your time is coming. It's time to wake. I will see you again soon my little Cade." She said before leaning her weak body forward kissing his forehead. His confused gaze looked back at her as everything began to blur and he knew he was waking up.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone