Passion and Pandemonium (CAOS)

6

Adrienne woke up in the night shivering. At first, she did not know why. The months had not yet gotten cold. The house's temperature seemed fine.
She wondered if it was her body recovering from the events of the day before.
She almost leapt up when she saw the Dark Lord at the foot of her bed. His horns almost grazed the ceiling. She wanted to shout, 'Why are you here?' but instead she stayed silent, hoping he would speak to her.

'You called for me in your sleep.'

"Don't many call for you in their sleep?" Adrienne was somewhat puzzled. She hadn't heard it was common for the Devil to visit when called unless before a witches wedding or to ask them to fulfil his bidding after their dark baptism.

"Yes, many do. But they do not have the power to summon me so strongly."

"I am sorry for wasting your time, dark lord, it was without my knowing. I must have been dreaming." Adrienne wondered if the aching in her body for the dream she'd had the other night had been enough to summon him to her. She wondered if the way he'd looked in her dream was only to be found in dreams. A distant memory of his angelic self. He was before her now in his distinctly terrifying Goat-hybrid self. The air around him smelt densely of embers. Adrienne found the smell comforting and warming. She noticed that her shivering had ceased.

He disappeared before her eyes. Adrienne felt her body feel softer. She pulled up her shirt to find that the mark had shrunk significantly and become merely thin lines, like a superficial cat scratch.

The next morning. Sabrina, Hilda, and Adrienne were amongst the rest of the Church of Night at what was to be Ambrose's execution. Sabrina had informed Adrienne of the plan to stop the execution over breakfast.

Although most of her wardrobe was black anyway, Adrienne made extra sure to be wearing funeral dress to Ambrose's execution. She put her long hair into a slicked back middle ponytail which she then braided. As like most mornings, she chanted her glamour spell for her eyeliner and dressed her face to fit the mood of her attire. She'd have to stop every so often when her mind would play false images of Ambrose's head being chopped off.
He'll be fine. Sabrina will save him. She told herself while adjusting the twisted waist on her long black dress. Adrienne wanted to contact Ambrose and reassure him that there was a plan in place, but that would potentially thwart the plan.
Hilda drove to the academy, with Adrienne and Sabrina sat in the back of the car. Most of those who would attend the execution were already in the building.

Ambrose was dragged in by the executioner. He was shouting, terrified. Adrienne fought with all her might to not get involved and trust in Sabrina's plan. She, meanwhile, focused her angered expression towards Blackwood who looked at her like nothing was wrong.

When the guillotine fell, the executioner's head was the one to fall, and Ambrose appeared unharmed. Adrienne tried her best not to giggle with glee. Ambrose laughed nervously. His skin began to flush with hope.

The high council attempted to appoint a new executioner.
Sabrina spoke up. "If you want my cousin dead so bad Father Blackwood. Do it yourself."
Blackwood, happily, stepped onto the podium and held on to the rope. He hesitated.
"I have a better idea. Why don't you do it?"

"Enough!" The dark lord(?) appeared before the coven. Everyone bowed immediately. Adrienne kept her eyes to the floor. Her fingers grazed over the mark on her stomach.

"Are you so blind to my will? You degrade this coven with your pettiness. By my cloven hoof, Ambrose Spellman is spared. So let it be."

Ambrose was thus spared, and Adrienne rushed forward immediately to free her best friend from the guillotine. They both giggled together, a mixture of nerves and joy. They walked out of the room hugging one another, feeling Blackwood's eyes boring into their backs.

"Ada,"
"Yes Ambrose?"
"Let's go camping tonight. I want to be outside for a bit. No more prison cells, no more house arrest."
"Of course."

The woods were delightfully calming. There was no noise but the sound of the wind blowing through trees, the diminishing crackles of a fire and owls hooting. Ambrose and Adrienne spent a good amount of time in comfortable silence. The tent was big enough for them both to squeeze in with their two sleeping bags. They weren't too far from home, but just far enough.