A New Novel, Part 97 Every Evening, a Transition and a Kicker

I set up the situation of Aksinya and Natalya traveling to Aksinya's house for at least two nights.  Asmodeus took them the first time, and the second, they went to escape Sister Margarethe.  What I want to do now is end this chapter with the impression that the two ladies are going to the house daily.  Aksinya, at first, was reluctant.  Now she is encouraged.  Note, all of this was at the demon's suggestion.  Although we know Aksinya is trying to fight the demon, she is like putty in his hands.  The setup of the circumstances around Aksinya are detailed and unexpected.  This short piece is the end of chapter 8.  It has a transition and a kicker.  The entire situation is set up for the next chapter.  Chapter 9 is a pivotal chapter where we see the culmination of the setup begun from the entry into Wien.

Each evening after the dormitory was quiet, Aksinya opened the lock at the back door. She cast a spell to prevent observation. Then she led Natalya out of the dormitory and across the street to her house. The place was comfortable to Aksinya. It was filled with her family’s ancient possessions. She could make magic circles to protect herself and Natalya there. She could work the sorcery she found in her new book there. She could study whatever she wished. She could sleep in her own bed whenever she wished. She could work in very comfortable conditions in a place that seemed completely familiar to her. She literally had her own place.


As an excuse, Aksinya helped Natalya with her studies, and sometimes she worked on her own studies. She taught Natalya a little about Latin, but she was very slow and deliberate about it. She never wanted to teach Natalya anything about sorcery, but she didn’t want to bring on the attention of the demon or the ire of Natalya, so she taught her just a little. Enough to give the appearance of teaching, but nothing that had any real meaning. Aksinya reasoned the Latin itself could be helpful to Natalya anyway.

They didn’t see the demon the entire time.

Before the night was over, they returned to the dormitory and went back to bed. No one was the wiser, so they thought.

Note the language.  Each evening... Aksinya (used sorcery) to open the lock.  She additionally cast another spell to hide Natalya and her movements.  Aksinya has moved from resisting the demon to adding to her sorcery to hide her secretive actions.  Further, look at the description of what Aksinya does in her house.  Her temptation of luxuria is satisfied by her expensive possessions.  You know that includes her dresses, but more than that she has her sorcery books and implements.  She can do as she likes.  She can practice sorcery.  The new book has encouraged her interest in sorcery--just as the demon planned.  If you look carefully at the language I use, each item was what Asmodeus used to tempt Aksinya.  She is following the demon's purpose.  Even more, she is practicing sorcery--that was the whole reason the demon brought her to Wien.  Did you notice this before I told you?  If you did, I communicated it well.  If you didn't then I really achieved my goal as a writer.  I wanted you, like Aksinya to miss the fact that she was directly acting as the demon called her to act.  The end of the paragraph: She literally had her own place.


That isn't all.  As an excuse--Aksinya's excuse is that she is helping Natalya.  She is teaching Natalya sorcery.  This is just the thing Aksinya didn't wish to do.  She is doing it to placate Natalya and the demon.  Though Aksinya has convinced herself that her teaching has little meaning, she is teaching the rudiments--in Latin to Natalya. 

Then the kicker--all chapters must (should) end with a kicker.  Here is the kicker.  First, they didn't see the demon--the reason is that Aksinya is following the demon's instructions (almost).  She isn't following all of the demon's instructions.  Oh my, what might the demon do?  Second, the final sentence is the kicker for the chapter end.  It wraps up everything and sets the tone for the beginning of the next chapter.  The driver into it is the completion of this transition scene.  The scene began with the girls going to Aksinya's house.  The end of the scene is that Before the night was over... and the kicker: No one was the wiser, so they thought.  The point here is the idea that someone does know they are sneaking out of the dormitory.  You want to make a guess who is watching.  The trick is that Aksinya and Natalya don't suspect anything.

A New Novel, Part 81 Going to Aksinya's House

The demon announced that the time has arrived to see the house he bought and prepared for Aksinya.  He comes to Aksinya and Natalya's room and leads them in sneaking out of the school.

The demon led them out into the corridor, down the stairs, and to the back exit from the school. The door was bolted and locked. The demon pulled off the heavy wooden bolt. He stood back, “I’m sorry, Countess. I don’t have a key.”


“Then that is all there is for our foray tonight.”

“It is a simple thing for you to open it, Countess.”

“I shall not. I told you before.”

“This place is filled with innocent sleeping girls. There is so much lust I can inscribe on their hearts. Only your good will and complacency prevents me from touching their innocent souls…”

“You can’t harm innocents.”

“I cannot kill innocents nor torture them. I can tempt them as I desire—that is my purpose.” The demon hissed, “Open the lock, Countess. Your follower wishes to see your power again.”

Aksinya made a depreciating sound. She raised her hands and said a group of words in Latin.  The crucifix on her chest burned.

The lock made a slight clicking sound, and the demon pushed open the door, “Well done, Countess.”

Natalya stared on wide eyed.

The demon led them into an alley. The night was cold with a thick frozen drizzle in the air. Aksinya pulled her mink cloak more tightly around her body. Natalya bunched close to her.

The demon led them across the empty street. They heard loud voices from a tavern out of sight on their left. The door that the demon stopped at was finely carved cedar. Aksinya hadn’t noticed it before. The house itself was wonderfully made. It was the house of an aristocrat and in the center of Wien. Aksinya wondered immediately why it wasn’t in use. That is until the demon bought it for her. She almost asked him, but suddenly realized the knowledge would be available at a much less dear price from other sources. She pressed her lips together.

Natalya held onto Aksinya’s mink cloak. At the front door, the demon paused. Aksinya put out her hand, “This is my house, give me the key.”

“I will always be able to open it for you, Countess.”

Aksinya didn’t look at the demon, “Give me the key. It is my house, you told me. And give a key to my lady-in-waiting. Do it now, demon.”

The demon sheepishly pulled out two keys. He handed them to Aksinya, “Give them to whomever you like. They are yours.”

Aksinya grabbed them from the demon’s hand. She put one in her coat and put the other into the lock. It turned with oiled ease.

Asmodeus smiled, “I prepared the place for you.”

The demon is crafty.  Remember, he set up the house so Aksinya could practice sorcery.  He wants her to sin in much more concrete ways, but he focuses on sorcery.  So the question for the demon, how to make Aksinya do sorcery.  The trick is like all temptation.  Place the individual in a situation and then provide the proper impetus.  The demon takes them to the locked door and unhappily, the door is locked.  Aksinya tries to back out.  The demon reminds her that she can open the lock.  Aksinya still refuses and the demon threatens.  Note, he doesn't threaten her or Natalya--he threatens the girls in the school.  If you wondered why the demon wanted Aksinya in this school--here is one reason.
 
I get to give you further information on the bounds of demons--about harming innocents.  He cannot harm them, but he can tempt them.  This has been his exact actions against Aksinya.  He has generally not harmed her, but he has tempted her.  This is a big clue.  He also plays on Aksinya's vanity--show your follower, Natalya.
 
Aksinya gives in and uses sorcery to open the lock. (Here is an example of thematic editing.  I originally left off the sentence about the crucifix.  I just added it in.)  Watch Natalya.  She holds closely to Aksinya.  I also give you a foreshadowing--the tavern out of sight on the left.  This will be very very important soon.  We get some description of the outside of the house.  Aksinya is already thinking of using sorcery again, but fights against that temptation. 
 
Aksinya makes a demand of the demon.  Keys represent control.  (I should note this in some other points in the novel)  She honors Natalya at the same time.  The key turns easily in the lock and the demon gives us a premonition.  He prepared it for Aksinya.  Tomorrow, the interior of the house.