NIGHTS OF HALLOW
Chapter 49: The Church Rules.

Chapter 49: The Church Rules.

Away from the village of Woodbridge and in the castle sat Sthena, Daemon, seven men, and a woman in the throne room.

The men and the woman are members and founders of the church who controlled and balanced the peace between vampires and humans.

The church is an organization that was founded after the massacre of humans that was initiated by the vampires ten years ago, and since then, they had created hundreds of rules that guarded the conduct and behaviors of the humans and vampires, that no matter whom the person was, even if he was the king, will be punished according to the punishment of the rule broken.

There was an undeniable tension that hovered among the people in the throne room. The members of the church each had a deep frown that marred their faces. Daemon sat with a vacant look as he watched everything that was going on and being discussed.

Only the king, Sthena Acheron sat with a relaxed expression with his leg crossed over the other. There was a small smirk on his lips as he stared at the people in the room with his demanding glacial dark-red eyes.

The head of the church members whose name is Donovan Walter held the deepest and most annoyed look on his face. His lips set in a thin line after some minutes moved to speak as he questioned the king in a tight voice "What do you mean we shouldn’t go ahead with the exorcism in the village of Woodbridge?"

"Because this is my kingdom and I pronounce and pass every verdict to be followed and adhered to. Unless the church is trying to think and say otherwise?" Sthena spoke almost immediately Donovan asked his question.

"The rules are to be strictly followed as stated in the lawbook of the church." Said another church member by the name of Mr. Welsh.

"Stating that what should happen?" Sthena tilted his head to the side. His red eyes bored into the human eye of Mr. Welsh.

"You know the rules." Mr. Welsh stated, trying to sound polite as much as he could. No matter the position he held as the second head of the church, he knew his limitations and boundary when it came to speaking with the king.

"I don’t," Sthena remarked in a grim voice. He continued, "Could you do me your wonderful favor and remind me, Mr. Welsh?" Sthena asked in a low daunting voice that didn’t go unnoticed by the church member that anything he said could lead him to an unknown problem.

Another member and the only woman among the founders of the church interjected in the discussion. She said, "Milord, we all know the church also decides and gives orders to be followed in the kingdom."

"After I have approved of it or not, churchwoman...?" Sthena deliberately left his words hanging so the woman will give her name.

"My name is Martha," The woman answered and subtly glared at him.

"Ah, my bad. I keep forgetting your name each time." Sthena gave a low chortle that irked the church woman. He always did this every time to annoy her.

"I guess my name is too unique." Martha retorted.

"Unique things are always remembered. I’ll rather go for the word unimportant here. I don’t remember things of low value. Doesn’t it apply to you also?" Sthena peered down at Martha waiting for her to say another thing that she didn’t have the gut to say. She could only curse and glare at the king in her heart.

"Milord," Donovan called to get the King’s attention before he would go on irking his fellow members with his blunt words. He said, "The exorcism needs to take place because the situation in the village demands it."

"Why?" Sthena demanded, "Have you gone to Woodbridge to clarify the report given to you?"

Donovan brought out a parchment from his coat pocket and gave it to the king. "Milord, here is the report as stated here and it has been confirmed."

Sthena stared at the parchment and the head of the church with an annoyed look. He spat, "Do not give me some dumb report that was composed by some unknown dimwit when you the church have not gone to clarify the report."

"Milord, this report was clarified by one of the church members. It is stated here that some man by the name Mr. Persin went missing since two fortnights."

Sthena still in his relaxed sitting position effortlessly eluding the authority and power he had spoke in a demeaning tone "I know not of any man by the name Mr. Persin in the village of Woodbridge. If the man you are talking about is Mr. Persin, I want you to go back and verify this report. It is as simple as spelling your name."

"Milord, the name written here is Mr. Persin," Donovan said and opened the parchment to check the name just to be sure.

"That is the reason why I asked you to clarify this report. I won’t approve of this exorcism if the report you give me is not concrete. When I’m sure you have done that, only then can you the church members come to me for approval." Sthena spoke in a hard tone.

He stared at the church members in the eye and continued to say, "The person reported to be missing may or may not live in Woodbridge. You can not make the mistake of going to exorcise a human village free from harm and vampires."

Donovan and the church members stared at the king for a long while with complicated looks on their faces.

Donovan exhaled deeply and nodded his head before he folded the parchment and put it back inside his coat pocket. He leaned forward with his hands clasped in front of him and asked, "Milord, how is it that you were able to know that no man in the village of Woodbridge is answering the name Mr. Persin as you mentioned? I found it quite amazing and I can’t help but ask this." He paused and stared directly into the eyes of the king.

"Do you always memorize the names of every person in each village?"

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