The Gate Keeper

  Chapter 18

  Mariele

  “The whole universe. I don’t understand how you can hate the whole universe. Where you always this way?” Henry asked.

  “No, once our planet was a place of honor and peace. We had had a class system, broken down into three classes of people, workers, aristocrats and the queen. When the queen became ill; the aristocracy would choose a successor from their ranks. Someone that had the qualities best needed to deal with the situations at hand; they would feed the successor royal jelly causing their body to become stronger, and life span to be lengthened so they could serve their people. It was this way for millennia,” she said.

  “How did you become this way?” Henry asked.

  “Outsiders came from off world. They wanted to turn our people into slaves, but we were weak and not physically strong enough to perform the type of labor they needed. They lost interest and left, but not before killing many, including much of the aristocracy, and the queen.”

  “When it was time to rebuild, my people where angry. They looked for a queen who was strong, and would become stronger, making us strong enough to take our revenge on those who had hurt us. They chose my mother. She became more than we had ever hoped for, she has used the royal jelly extending her life, making her strong. She created an army, and negotiated with the outside world to get technology to smite our enemies, and then in a bold move she took this planet, stripping it of its resources advancing our technology again. Soon we will be strong enough to take our revenge on more of the outsiders who have hurt us, and tried to cheat us at every turn.” Mariele said.

  Henry now understood why Mariele had assumed Henry had developed his muscles to take revenge. It was what they had done as an entire race. They chose a queen who had unnaturally prolonger her life, and ignored their traditions of peace, all in a quest for vengeance.

  “I understand how you must have felt,” he said. He did. He had laid awake at night and thought about the places throughout the universe that he would like to leave Paul, but that was different wasn’t it? “What about the Scultarians, what did they do to you that deserved your vengeance?” Henry asked.

  “They were outsiders and weak. They had materials we wanted so we took them,” Mariele said. Henry realized he was now one of those things she wanted and was going to take if he was not careful.

  “What about me? How do I fit into this scenario?” Henry asked

  “As an outsider your only option is death, but you interest me. I owe you my life, and in return I will spare yours,” she said.

  “Does that mean I am free to go?” Henry asked suddenly hopeful.

  “I am sorry, but that is a request that is outside my power to give. I found your union card, and I will make you my keeper and personal servant,” she said.

  “You want to make me your slave,” Henry said outraged.

  “It is a very prestigious position in my household, you would have much respect,” she said.

  “What if I don’t want to be your slave?” Henry asked, already knowing the answer.

  “You are an outsider, with out the protection being my servant” she stressed the word servant, “gives you, the only other option for you is death,” she said. She looked deep into his eyes.

  “Henry I would hate to kill you, but if you ask it, I will grant you a quick death by my own hand,” she said. She looked sad but serious; Henry realized she thought she was offering to do him a favor. “My mother will not be so kind. She will torture you for the pleasure of listening to your screams. Then force you to open the gates until your body is wasted, and destroyed” Mariele said seriously. She looked up at him, and Henry could see concern for his well being in her strange eyes, even with out his natural ability to read people. He could see that she cared for him in her own way, but he was still angry she wanted to make him a slave.

  “Why do you care,” Henry asked.

  “I owe you a debt. You found me defenseless, and you spared me. Even now, you could crush my skull, killing my silently allowing you to try to make your way to the gates, and safety; but you have not. No one has ever been kind to me; not even my mother. I was raised to hate all outsiders on sight, too use them as tools when I must, but never to trust them. I was taught from birth to command my troops on a battlefield, to be firm, and strict with the soldiers under my command. I like the idea of someone taking care of me,” she said.

  “Can I think about it?” Henry asked grasping at straws. He did not see another option. He was worried about Amica as well. These did not seem the type of people to leave things unfinished. He thought the Angriff were leaving this planet. If they believed so highly in revenge why would they just leave?

  Henry stood, Mariele’s eyes narrowed. Henry had to play this possession idea very carefully.

  “May I stand?” Henry asked.

  “Yes, it is good of you to ask, it is not often allowed for people to be positioned higher than their queen, as I am not yet queen, and you are so incredibly…” she paused looking him up, and down smiling again, “tall, exceptions can be made,” she finished. Henry walked over to a window. He was on the third floor. He could see into the courtyard below. There were several gates. They were opening, and closing. As Henry watched a group of men come through a gateway, then took a place at the back of a long column of soldiers dressed in black coats standing two across heading through another gate. The sheer number of soldiers down there was daunting.

  “I would say your people are leaving; are you done with this planet?” Henry said.

  “We are. They will be gone by the time the sun has set here,” she said. Looking out the window Henry was not sure how much time that gave him, but the timetable was considerably short.

  “So soon. When will you pass through the gate?” Henry asked.

  “I was sent her to expedite the process, I will be the last one to pass through the gate, it is a great honor,” she said.

  “What will prevent these Scultarians from taking their revenge on your people for what you have done?” Henry knew this was a dangerous question, but he needed to know the lay of the land.

  Mariele rose from her chair. She crossed to the window where he stood. She stood next to, and slightly behind him. She ran her hand across his back. It was an unnerving touch.

  “Ah you have a keen mind for vengeance, as well as good looks. We have taken measures to assure our safety, it will be many years before they begin to think about taking their vengeance, and by then it will be to late,” Mariele said looking out the window.

  “You are taking their keepers leaving them unable to open the gates,” Henry said.

  “Yes, we are,” she said. He hoped it was not already to late.

  Mariele was running her hand up, and down his spine. No one had ever touched Henry in this way before, he thought of the way his father held a new tool that they had gotten him for father’s day. Or the way the gear heads looked at Amica’s car

  “I knew your body was powerful,” she said her left hand sliding across his abs slowly feeling each ridge of his developing muscles. His mind swirled. “But your mind is also clever, and you are a Gate Keeper. I was right about you, Henry,” she said. He knew he was in danger, but her touch was making his thoughts muddled.

  “What were you right about,” Henry asked in a high voice.

  “You are going to make a powerful servant. I know you are an outsider, but mother will just have to learn to accept that, as I have done,” she said. Her words cut through everything, and helped him focus his mind. He needed to move away from her so he could think. He took her hands in his, being gentle not to hurt her; he did not want her angry. Henry pulled away from her arms; it took little effort to break her hold on him. He desperately needed to regain his mental focus. He felt out of his depth. Mariel turned to face him, leaning her body against the window ledge. She was an impressive figure, alienness aside she was attractive when you got past the differences, in a dark beauty kind
of way. Henry tried to change the subject.

  “If the heir is chosen by the aristocracy, how did the queen’s daughter become heir” Henry asked.

  “You are very clever,” she said smiling up at him, “my mother decided that her line was too important to be replaced if something happened to her, and began feeding me royal jelly when I was little, because of it I am stronger than all on my planet save my mother, that is part of your appeal Henry. Even as strong as I am you could easily break even me, you will be a powerful tool indeed,” Mariel said proudly. Thinking his possession a forgone conclusion. “The things we will accomplish together will be impressive indeed,” she said.

  He could not believe that she was talking about him like he was an object. This was so much worse than anything that Paul had ever done to him. He had mocked him and stalked him, but at least he had treated him like a person, mostly, but this was different. He was furious.

  “What makes you think you can control me, what if I disobey you?” Henry asked seriously. She had obviously given this idea some thought as well, because she did not hesitate to answer.

  “It is simple,” she said her pupils narrowing again into slits. “I will kill you while you sleep”. He placed his hands at her hips closing his hands tightly lifting her so they were eye to eye. Henry had a plan forming in the back of his head. There could be benefits to being the right hand man to the woman in charge, at least for a while.

  “What if I decide to kill you first,” he asked. She smiled pleased.

  “All great things in life have risks,” she said. “Does this mean you accept?” she asked?

  “It does,” he said putting her down. She took his hands in hers.

  “Kneel,” she said. Henry knelt and she placed her hands on his head. “Repeat after me here do I affirm my oath of fealty and service to the crown. I do hereby swear by mouth and hand to be a good and worthy servant.” Henry repeated the oath as she had given it.

  There was a loud disturbance in the courtyard below, she broke eye contact with him, and walked over to the window looking down into the courtyard. He walked over to the window. He looked over her shoulder into the courtyard. A stack of supplied had collapsed causing the commotion. It was time to put his plan into motion.

  “I am concerned for your safety,” Henry said. “When will you take these other keepers to your world?” Henry asked.

  “When they have finished being useful moving my troops, why?” she asked.

  “If you leave them for last; then you can use them as shields against any possible resistance. Just because they have no weapons does not mean these Scultarians can’t cause you harm. You are my life line now, I will not let anything happen to you” Henry said.

  “You are very clever. I had considered this problem, but not this solution. I will move them last with the exception of myself, it is my duty to make sure my people are through safely,” she said.

  “As your personal keeper I will open the gate, I will not let some second rate keeper move you,” Henry said. If his plan were to work he would need control of the gates.

  “Are you a powerful enough keeper? It is a difficult opening. I would not want my new keeper damaged,” she said.

  “It would be worth it for your safety, but I am capable of performing the opening, and I would consider it an honor,” Henry said laying it on thick. There was disarray in the courtyard below.

  “I will make the arrangements, I must return to my duties. Please stay here it will take time to bring you up to speed on all of your duties?” she said.

  “I would love clean clothes, do you have the pack that was on my back,” Henry asked hopeful not to have to put his blood soaked shirt back on.

  “I will send someone to fetch it, and bring it to you,” she said

  “Thank you mistress,” Henry said, the word sounding strange in his mouth, but it had the desired effect, because she smiled at him.

  She walked to a mirror by the door, adjusted her uniform, turned to look once more at Henry smiling a predatory smile, and then she was gone.

  When she left Henry stood at the window looking down into the courtyard. A few minutes later in the reflection of the window he could see the door behind him open, and a person carrying his pack enter the room. He turned around. He was shocked to find Amica standing there in the tattered uniform that he had seen on all of the Scultarians. She was holding his pack.

  “Amica, what are you doing here?” Henry asked; shocked to see her afraid she had been captured, and yet happy to see her at the same time. She looked at him, dropped the pack on the floor, and ran over to him hugging him.

  “I‘m was in disguise looking for you when the Queen’s daughter found me in the room where they stashed your pack, she tasked me with delivering it to her head servant in this room,” Amica said. She looked just as shocked to be seeing Henry, she began to look around the room realizing that she was blowing her cover. She motioned for Henry to be quiet, and took a couple of steps back picking the pack back up.

  “What are you doing here, I was so scared” she whispered. “This servant will probably be back any second, when he gets here I will just tell him I was sent by the queen’s daughter to fetch you,” she said.

  “The queen’s daughter,” Henry said doubtful, “don’t you think if you are going to make a convincing messenger you should at least know her title,” he smiled.

  “You’re right,” she said. She noticed he was smiling at her. “It’s not funny, what if he comes back, and I don’t know her name, this plan will never work,” Amica said.

  “Her name is Mariel, first daughter of Rache bearer of the Rose Crown, Daughter Heir of the Angriff, and her head servant should not be a problem for us,” Henry said. He was not sure how this would go.

  “How do you know?” she asked.

  “Because I’m him. You are looking at the new head of servants,” Henry said.

  “Would you like to explain yourself,” Amica said.

  “Soon, but first how did you get here?” Henry asked.

  “I used the plan we had to sneak in here, you know before you were captured, but instead of hunting for my father I spent the entire time looking for you, only to find that you have joined the other side,” she was practically yelling. Henry clapped a hand over her mouth to quiet her voice. Henry suddenly became very aware of where they were. He rushed to the window, and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Mariele in the courtyard below. Many Scultarians were being herded into a corner of the courtyard as the flow of troops through the gates began to slow. They must be the keepers housed in different parts of the planet. The way the troop movement was slowing, combined with the growing number of keepers in the square below meant there was not much time.

  “We don’t have much time, and I can’t let Mariele find you here, it will ruin the whole plan, do you have any idea where your father might be?” Henry asked.

  “Plan what plan?” Amica said in a softer, but still irritated voice. He gave her a firm look, and she sighed in exasperation.

  “Alright, I found, him but he is in the courtyard below surrounded by a thousand troops,” she said angrily, and disappointed.

  “That’s perfect, turn off the lights,” Henry said.

  “What? Why?” Amica asked staring at him goggle eyed.

  “I need you to point him out to me, but I don’t want to risk my new boss seeing you in the window,” Henry said. He knew Amica had thought he’d lost his mind, but he needed to start putting the pieces of his plan together, and didn’t really have time to walk her through all of the nuances, especially since he wasn’t entirely sure himself. She walked over to the window, and looked out.

  “He is there, near your,” she paused with distaste “boss,” she said. “How did that happen again?” she asked.

  “Okay I see him. She liked me,” Henry said quietly. She went over, and sat down on a chair, Henry thought about turning the light back on, but found it easier to talk about w
hat he had done with out having to look Amica in the face. He stood at the window looking down at the woman who’s trust he was breaking in order to fulfill a promise to another. He could see his reflection in the glass. He looked himself in the eye, and began to tell Amica what had happened.

  “I came around the corner, and found her there in the orchard. I pulled my gun meaning to shoot her before she could see me and raise the alarm, but the gun was set to kill, and I couldn’t do it. She was just standing there picking some fruit. As I watched her she took a bite out of the fruit, and smiled as the juices ran down her face. She wiped her face with her sleeve, no idea I was standing there thinking about killing her. I know what Marito said they had done to your people, and if I had walked up, and she was doing something like that then it would have been different, but….”.

  “You couldn’t kill her because she was not hurting you, or anyone else she was just defenseless,” Amica said. “I understand Henry, even after you were taken, I couldn’t bring myself to kill the two guards they left behind, I stunned them, and tied them up. I questioned them, and took their weapons, but in the end I couldn’t bring myself to kill them,” Amica said.

  “Where are they now?” Henry asked suddenly scared. Mariele was supposed to be the last person through the gate. If there were soldiers missing it could ruin the whole thing.

  “I told them that if they spoke of what they had seen I would find them, and snap their neck,” Amica said giggling a little.

  “And they believed you?” Henry said giggling a little too it felt good to laugh.

  “Presumably,” she said. “You still haven’t told me how you ended up employed, if it makes you feel better, from what I heard from her soldiers she is exceptionally tough, but fair,” Amica said. It did not help in fact it made him feel worse.

  “She liked me because I was kind to her, and decided she wanted me to be her servant. I told her I would do it so I could position myself to open the gate when it was time for her and the keepers to leave,” Henry said.

  “So you are using her to help my father without her knowing it?” Amica asked. Henry could not see her face as she realized what he was doing, and he was glad. He felt low about himself, but then got angry remembering how she had forced him to be her slave. She had never even asked what he was doing on Scultura just assumed that he belonged to her.

  “Yes, but it is her own fault. She Said I could be her slave or die. Really what kind of choice is that” Henry said defending himself.

  “Oh Henry,” Amica said. Henry could hear the sadness in her voice, and he felt worse. Then he felt her hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry I got us both into this mess,” Amica said. Henry looked down into the courtyard, saw that it was mostly empty of troops, and Mariele was shouting at the handful of soldiers who were left. She had positioned the keepers in a semi circle around the gate forming a wall. Between the keepers, and the gate were a group of soldiers passing through the gate. From what Henry could see it was very dark on Mariele’s world, which would work out perfectly. The gate was closing. “I need you to find the rest of the keepers, and position yourself in the semi circle below. Find a place near your father, go now before it’s too late,” Henry said.

  “You really do have a plan don’t you,” Amica said kissing him on the check lightly. “For luck,” she said.

  Henry closed the door, went to his pack to find a shirt. Sir had packed an interesting assortment of items for them, but when they had inventoried the contents of the pack earlier they had been looking at food, and supplies ignoring the clothes that Sir had packed. As he looked at the clothes he realized that Sir may not have seen all of Henry’s future, but he certainly had seen a lot. Henry found a nice pair of black slacks, and a dress shirt in his size. The shirt was black as well. Henry also found a pair of black dress shoes, below the slacks. Tucked into one shoe was a pair of black socks, and in the other shoe he found a scarlet tie. Henry was not one hundred percent sure, but he thought the tie was the same color as Mariele’s vest. Henry was not happy. Sir had set him up again, well not really, Sir had said that the future wasn’t like that, that he could see how one decision would lead to another, and so on, but the feeling that he had been manipulated still left a bad taste in his mouth.

  Henry carefully repacked his bag leaving the clothes on the table. When the bag was packed, it mysteries safely hidden within, he got dressed. He was standing in front of the mirror adjusting his tie, and smoothing his hair into place when Mariele walked through the door. She stopped dead in her tracks, the door still open behind her. It was show time, Henry thought.

  “Is it to much?” he asked, “because if it is inappropriate then I can take the tie off, but I thought this way we would match.” Henry said. She was still silent as she turned, and closed the door. Henry though he had over played his hand. She walked over to a closet, slid the door open, and retrieved a packed valise resting on the floor. She carried it to the same table Henry had unpacked his things on, and began digging through the bag. She was short, and the table had clearly been designed for someone taller so her head was all but in the bag as she looked for something.

  She came up with a small rectangular box. She walked over to him handing him the box. “There was not time and I was not sure about you before now,” she said. The box was made of some dark polished wood, it was maybe two inches wide by three inches long, and an inch or so deep. It was hinged on one side. Mariele reached over, and opened the box. In the box were four finely crafted scarlet roses. They were made of a metal unknown to him. They were small, but finely detailed; they looked almost like real roses. He recognized part of the set as finely made cuff links. “I would like you to have these, ” Mariele said smiling at him. She had that look in her eye again as if someone appreciating a fine auto mobile. She took the cuff links out of the box fastening them to his sleeves. She took the other pair, a set of pins similar to the ones on her own collar out of the box. She began fastening them to his collar, on either side of his tie.

  “The rose has long been a respected symbol through out the universe. It has been a symbol of royalty, and many other things, this was why my mother chose a scarlet rose as the symbol of her house. You are now a member of our house, and that tradition; wear them with pride,” Mariele said. He thought of the roses that adorned the gates in the terminal, and on the garden at Roberts house, he realized that roses had played a very large part in his life lately. He wondered if it was all part of some greater plan unfolding that he was as yet unaware or just some wild coincidence. “You look very handsome,” she said.

  “Thank you, Mistress,” he said. He looked at himself in the mirror. He had to admit, he looked good.

  “It is time to go, when we get to Angriff things may get ugly with my mother, just let me do the talking. Soon she will see that you are a formidable tool Henry,”

  She walked over to the table, and picked up her valise. Henry tucked the wooden box into his pack and carried it to the door. When Henry opened the door he found two soldiers standing there, one of them held the rifle he had gotten from Justin, and Harold. Mariele handed her bag to one of the soldiers, and took the weapon from the other.

  “Henry, he will carry your bag,” Mariele said indicating the soldier. “You will need this if you are going to protect me,” she said as she handed Henry the weapon. “I thought you would appreciate having your own back,” she said smiling.

  She led Henry through hallways, and down stairs until they were in the courtyard. There were many more people standing in the courtyard since he had looked out the window. It was a very large square ringed with gates, they were not ornately carved like the Milky Way terminal, but simple with the outline of the gate inlayed in flagstone walls with a simple brass handle. Henry saw only two golden gates, the rest were designed for transportation across the surface of the planet.

  One of the golden gates was ringed with thirty to forty keepers. At first he thought this was a lo
t then realized this was all of the keepers left on this planet and he felt very angry so many lives lost. He could see Amica, and a man who looked a lot like her. Henry assumed this was her father, he could feel her eyes on him as he walked in. He wondered what she thought of his clothes. This was the moment it could all go wrong, the timing had to be just right.

  Mariele looked around the square there were more Scultarians here than her soldiers, but her troops were armed, and most of the keepers looked on the edge of sickness, it was no surprise that there were so few in the square judging by the level of sickness he saw in the remaining keepers.

  “Henry move the keepers first, then the guards, then me,” she said.

  “I need the coordinates,” Henry said walking over to the gate, and placing his hands on the cool stone near the center. Mariele walked over to him.

  “You are not going to use the computer?” Mariel asked surprised.

  “No,” Henry said. He began to power up the gate.

  “You are powerful enough to open a golden gate bare-handed?” Mariele asked looking at him with something near shock in her eyes. She was looking at him as if she had never seen him before.

  “Yes I am,” Henry said, “I need the destination coordinates,” he said. She read the coordinates off to him. Henry closed his eyes, and focused on entering the destination coordinates he wanted onto the face of the orb. With the royal jelly having recharged his body not more than a couple of hours ago, he was able to bring the gate to full power quickly, he pressed the orb sending the beam out into the darkness finding the gate on the other side. It took him a just moment to adjust the beam properly, and both gates began the process of creating the bridge across the universe that would allow them to open. Henry said a silent prayer to the universe that his plan would work. He charged both gates to the very limit of their capacity. He took a deep breath. Henry opened his eyes, everyone in the square save Amica stared opened mouth at him as the gate in front of him blazed with the light of a small sun. Henry saw what he hoped for. Mariele, and the other nocturnal Angriff shielded their eyes from the light, and Henry pulled the gate towards him.

  Henry looked through the gates, and saw what he was hoping for. Harold, Justin, and two Scultarians he assumed were Sostenitore, and Fratello stood there armed. Harold, and Justin came through the gate first, then Sostenitore, and Fratello.

  “Stun them only, I want them as bargaining chips, the woman is to be left untouched.” Henry said commandingly to Harold, and Justin. Harold, and Justin looked at him nodded their understanding, they split up, one going left, the other going right, each man took one Scultarian with him yelling instructions to him as they went. There were twenty soldiers, and the light of the gate opening still temporarily blinded most of them. Harold, and Justin took down many before they even realized they were under attack. Henry began firing at the soldiers as well. He saw Mariele; she was coming towards him, a wicked looking blade in her hands. She must have pulled it from where ever she had hidden it on her body. Her eyes were narrowed to thin slits, and Henry could see that there was murder in her eyes.

  “Stop right where you are Mariele,” Henry said pointing the weapon at her, He seriously thought about switching to kill, but resisted. She continued to advance on him. He fired his weapon into the ground near her feet glad that he had missed her as he had intended. She dropped her weapon.

  “You are as cunning as mother,” she said frowning at him.

  “I will not be bullied, not by you or anyone else. Not anymore,” Henry said. She looked away from him. Henry walked over to the gate, and pushed it closed releasing the opening. He turned, and found that several of the Scultarians had picked up weapons, and were heading towards the Angriff soldiers, and Mariele. He understood how they felt he wanted to shoot Mariel where she stood, and he had not suffered anywhere near the abuse they had. It would be so easy to just let them finish this. This was what had happened to the Angriff they had made decisions out of anger and the universe had paid for it. He could not let the Scultarians do the same thing. This moment would decide their future.

  “Stop,” Henry yelled in a commanding voice standing between the Scultarians, and Mariele.

  “Move out of the way, I want to send a message to her queen,” Marito said approaching her with a weapon.

  “I will not move,” Henry said.

  “Then I will kill you as well,” Marito said. “She must pay for the crimes committed by her family, pay for the lives I saw destroyed in the mines,”

  Marito said.

  “Your wife owes her life to me, Marito. She would have died had I not brought her to receive medical attention,” Henry said.

  “I do not want to hurt you Henry. Please move,” Marito pleaded with him.

  “This woman is under my protection, will you kill the man who saved your wife, to kill this woman. She is the daughter of the queen, do you think her mother will let her death go unpunished. She will raise this planet to the ground, and salt the earth. I will send her, and her people home, and in exchange for her safety she will convince her mother that this planet is not worth the effort,” Henry said. While he was speaking Harold, and Justin had taken a position behind him, but in front of Mariele. He turned, and looked at her. “Tell them, Tell them that this could be finished,” Henry said to Mariele. He held his breath hoping that she would see the wisdom of his words.

  “I will not return to this place, but Henry is right. My mother knows nothing, but vengeance, it is the air she breathes, and the food that sustains her. Her wrath is something even I fear,” Mariele said looking at Henry sadly. Henry let out a breath he had not even realized he was holding, turning back to where Marito stood still pointing a gun at Mariele. He walked to Marito.

  “It can be over, you can rebuild your planet. Just put the gun down, please, think about what Moglie would want,” Henry said. The man lowered his riffle. Henry walked to the gate, and placed his hands on the surface again. The stone beneath was still warm from the last opening. He turned to Harold, and Justin. “Do what ever you must to make sure no one comes through this gate, even if you have to kill me to close it” he said. They nodded their understanding. Henry saw that the troops who had been stunned were awake, but not really alert. Their hands had been bound, and they stood in a group near the gate. “Prepare the troops to be moved,” Henry said loud enough that the men guarding them could hear him. Henry focused his thoughts, and powered up the gate. “Mariele I need the destination coordinates. Where you would like to be deposited, I would chose someplace that would cause the least commotion,” Henry said. She thought for a moment, and then gave him the coordinates. He went through the opening as quickly as he knew how.

  The troops moved through the gate at the urging of their guards, then it was just Henry, and Mariele in front of the gate.

  “I knew I chose a powerful head of house hold,” Mariele said proudly. “We will meet again,” she smiled as she said it. Then she walked through the gate her head held high. As he closed the gate behind her, he knew she was probably right.