Sarutobifan123

Spitefic type: Canon divergence

Preface: This is sort-of a spitefic of Forbiddenfeast’s story ”The chateau”.

A quick summary for those who don’t want to read it on forbiddenfeast.com:

In it, a young nun named Dominique in 17th or 18th century France comes upon a cripple named Claude while lost in a forest.

She takes pity on him and he leads her to a chateau where she meets the noble family the Chevignys, who are later revealed to be ghouls cursed to eat human flesh to live. It turns out that Claude is their mortal servant who lures unwitting travelers to them. The travelers are then subjected to a test of six of the seven sins. The one who passes all of them will be given a choice to either sacrifice themselves for the Chevignys or kill Claude, the one who betrayed them.

Dominique being a kindly soul chooses the former, but what if there had been a little steel inside her cover of silk?

Dominique slowly raised the blade and with all her strength jabbed it into her betrayer’s abdomen.

He let out a shrill yelp of pain before tumbling backwards in front of the Chevignys who looked at the scene with a mix of mild amusement and disappointment.

Claude hit the floor with a heavy thud and began to cough up blood until his face was as white as the marble tiles he rested upon.

The last thing he saw before closing his eyes forever was the kindly face of sister Dominique who looked relieved rather than angry with him. She thought of all the innocent souls he had lured into this wretched place, but now he would finally pay for his sins. Perhaps that was why she only smiled happily at him.

”Thanks.” He managed to mutter before entering a sleep he would never wake up from.

The Chevignys and their servants disappeared from her sight one by one, until only the Comtesse remained. She cupped Dominique’s chin with one hand and stared into the eyes of the young nun.

”Know this before you go to sleep, my young tender lamb, for you will soon awake safe and sound; I am happy for your decision, and I hope for your own wellbeing that we never cross paths again.”

Dominique woke up to the sounds of ringing bells.

She gently heaved herself off the downy bed and met the teary eyes of her father who wrapped his strong arms around her in a deep hug she wordlessly returned.

”Comtesse Chevigny is an angel for taking such good care of you,” he sobbed and scolded her for drinking so much wine last night. That was why she had slept for a whole day, Nemba had told him before departing to her mistress.

At first, Dominique wanted to refute the lie and tell him what really happened, but then decided that it was best to spare her father’s frail old heart.

Besides, she was certain he would dismiss it as just a bad dream, for who could suspect the kind, beautiful comtesse capable of such horror?

Dominique suddenly tensed at the revelation that the Chevignys would continue to spend many decades, possibly centuries feasting on unsuspecting innocents until someone with an even gentler heart than her would sacrifice themselves for their dinner table.

The fact would weigh her down until the end of her days, but at least she made a difference. Claude was dead, and his employer’s next meal would be stalled for a while.