The stories contained in this series were all inspired by the photograph below:
The Cardinal House Stories
By D. D. Story
Episode 1
The Cardinal House Stories
Story 1 –
The Genesis of the Cardinal House
The year is 1669 and the stonemasons were beginning a project to
build a grand stone mansion worthy of European royalty. There was one big difference however; this mansion
was being built in what was called the new world at that time.
The mansion was designed to have four floors, and to be
constructed with granite blocks, which was available in large quantities in the
area. An area that was heavily forested,
and bordered both the steadily growing city.
The tract of land granted to the builder of the house was extraordinarily
large. I ran along the entire south side
of the city, for 8 miles to the show of the lake. The tract ran south from the city for ten
miles, making the size of the property approximately eighty square miles.
No one, either in the city, or any of the builders had met the
owner of the land and the house that was going to be built up it. An agent for the new owner was handling
everything. All that anyone in the area knew is that the house would be known
as Cardinal House, and would be very large and grand inside. Moreover, the land that was being cleared of
hardwoods, to be eventually used to complete part of the inside decorations of
the house, as well as for some of the out buildings, would become grand
gardens, and walkways through the remaining woods.
Nothing was being wasted during the construction of the house.
The massive amounts of small pieces of granite that was the byproduct of
producing the blocks, were being used to build a fence that was supposed to go
around the entire perimeter of the property.
While the Chateaux was in the early stages of construction the owner of the property Lady Penelope Cardinal
and her partner Rachel Carlini, were searching the chateau’s of Europe in
search of the perfect subjects to
maintain the house being built in the new world.
Lady Cardinal, in Greek Mythology would be classified as a Siren,
but instead of singing her song to sailors, she sang her songs of love to the
young maidens who waited for the sailors.
Songs that lured the young maidens to her side and bed, where she
bestowed pleasure upon their bodies, the likes of which they had never
know. In return, under her training,
they soon learned to bestow the same favors upon her.
Her partner Rachel Carlini, whom like Lady Cardinal, was able to
walk among both the common and aristocrats of the time and blend in was
actually a shape-shifter, whom could shift into the shape of a large fierce
tigress. The only clue to her being
different, was the color of her flowing mane of hair, and the color of her
eyes. Her hair naturally blended between
stripes of a beautiful tawny yellow, to a reddish chestnut brown. Which worked
to produce a natural frame for her brilliant piercing green eyes.
The only locations where she was looked upon with suspicion and
disdain were within side the walls of the Roman Catholic Church, as her last
name was the same as the first nun within the church to be accused and
convicted of having a lesbian affair with another nun. A crime for which she was sentenced to four
year of penance less than 80 years earlier.
Rachel and Lady Cardinal both knew where the issues with the
church stemmed from. There was no record
of death for the nun, and she was known to have bright green eyes, extremely
similar in color to Rachael’s. That along with the fact that she was an
unmarried woman, in the company of another unmarried woman, gave the senior
officials of the church cause concern.
There special powers, when they hand been granted to them, had
give them their incredible beauty, and the knowledge that if they did not
violate the rules of their sect, that they would enjoy immortality.
Which, although that is exactly what they were doing at present,
by being dressed, and moving among the common people. Add to that, the fact
that they were no on consecrated property, they should be aging rapidly to
their true age, which would also mean their death.
But Lady Cardinal and Rachel were actually on an authorized
mission. They were searching for two experienced trade persons to take to the
new world with them. They wanted two
people who were experienced in maintaining large properties, but they were
looking for two males who were also gay sexually. Not something that was openly exhibited at
this time in history.
Lady Cardinal and Rachel had discussed this with the grand
wizard, and with the help of an Incubus, two potential candidates were
identified that worked at the particular château they were now approaching.
Once they reached the
entrance of the chateau, which was under the watchful eye of the grand wizard.
Lady Cardinal entered to pay her respects to the Shamus who ruled the chateau,
and the vinyards and winery the supported it.
The Shamus knew the reason that Lady Cardinal and Rachel were there, and
greeted Lady Cardinal personally at the entrance to the Chateau,
As Lady Cardinal entered Rachel made her way to the winery, where
she thought that she would find the two men she was looking for.
Her information from the Incubus has been quite precise, and she
found the two men sitting on a stone wall facing the river, sharing a meal of
cheese and bread. They were the only two
works in this area of the winery, even though it was the customary time for the
midday meal.
As she quietly approached the two men, she became aware of a
special aura eminating from both men.
She paused for a moment and thought back to the description of the two
men, and was mindful of the fact that there had been no mention of magical
powers associated with the pair.
She let herself move into a zone of near transition, a zone which
heightened all of her senses to her shifted beings level, without actually
physically shifting. She had taught
herself to do this, as she had wandered the forests and hamlets in the
region. It saved her from fully
shifting, which was taxing on her, as well as very frightening to anyone whom
witnessed it.
In fact there were only four in either world who had ever
witnessed it and were still alive, for Rachel only shifted to hunt, or for
protection since she had learned to alter her senses.
As she quietly blended into the vegetation of vineyard, and let
her senses interpret the aura swirling around her intended subjects. She broke into a smile as she realized that
the aura she had so readily senses, was the same aura the encircled her and
Penelope whenever they were together What had give her pause, was the difference in
the aura of two men in love, compared to two women in love.
She lowered her senses, to a normal level, and openly approached
the two men, so as not to startle them, in their time of sharing of peace,
companionship, and sustenance.
The Incubus had given her their names. The blonde haired man was Simon Peter, a
master carpenter, and the dark haired Josef Devaul, a master stonemason and
sculptor. As she approached she smiled at the thought of a man with name of
Simon Peter, a disciple of Christ, being a man who’s sexual desires were for
the man sitting next to him, something that if it were to become public
knowledge would cost both of the men their lives.
“Do I have the esteem honor of meeting Master Carpenter Simon
Peter and Master Stone Mason and Sculptor, Josef Devaul?”
Their hands had been touching when she had addressed them, and
both of them had a shown an instant of concern when she had addressed
them. Before they could reply she
quickly put them at ease; “Do not fear your affection for each other is already
know to me, and is the reason that I have sought you both out.”
Simon Peter was first to respond, “Madam you have us both at an
immense disadvantage, for you seem to know all about us, and we know nothing
about you.”
“You are correct Simon Peter; you are at a distinct disadvantage,
more so that you may know at this time.
I am Rachel Carlini, personal assistant to Lady Penelope Cardinal, whom
at this moment is speaking with the shamus for whom you ply your trades.”
Josef found his tongue, and started to take a step towards
Rachel, but one look at her brilliant green eyes, gave him pause. “Madam
Rachel, if you are aware that the master of this chateau and vineyard is in
fact a Shamus, then you must be here for a very specific purpose.”
“That I am Simon Peter and Josef Devaul. I am here to offer the
two of you the opportunity, to move to the new world and act as the agents for
Lady Cardinal. At the present time, a new chateaux is in the early stages of
being built. It will be built of granite and adorned with trim and interior
decorations of wood, to come from the surrounding local forest. The chateau is
to be situated on a tract of land 80 square miles in size.”
Simon Peter looked at his partner, and then asked me how they
would communicate with the workers as they only spoke French?
I explained that many of the workers in the area also spoke French,
and that Lady Cardinal and I would ensure that you would be schooled in English
during your voyage.
Josef and Simon Peter both bowed to me “It would appeared that we
really don’t have a choice in this matter, as it seems to be already set up and
approved by the Shamus. We will do our
best to provide Lady Cardinal and yourself with the most beautiful Chateaux in
the new world.”
“I knew you were wise men the moment I saw you. You are correct
everything is already in motion with regards to your travel and future
employment by Lady Cardinal. I wanted to
tell you in person, because, we will not be traveling with you, but will arrive
upon the completion of the châteaux.”
I paused and then explained to them that upon the completion of
the chateaux and the arrival of Lady Cardinal and myself that they would not be
allowed to leave the property for the rest of their lives.
They booth looked at each other and then myself as their hands
slowly entwined in an open show of affection in my presence. I smiled at them, and told them that they should expect to have
very long lives together, and that they would be allowed to live their lives
openly as long as they stayed on the property, just the same as any of the
other special employees of the Chateaux.
“Now Simon Peter and Josef Devaul, if you have finished your
midday meal, would you be so kind as to come with me to the Chateaux where we
will join Lady Cardinal, and your former employer.
©2014
By: D. D. Story
All rights reserved
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