*Author's note;
After the first chapter, some readers have questioned the science in this story, which surprises me since I didn't think I'd have to explain "String Theory" to Sci-Fi readers. Remember this isn't science, it's science-fiction, and if they had waited for a few more chapters they would have had their explanation.
Well, I'm no Astrophysicist, but here it goes.
Dr. Michio Kaku, the renowned physicist, and author is the co-originator of String Theory, and he believes that there might be not one, but an infinite amount of universes in the multiverse. He also believes that some day we might be able to explore these parallel universes.
According to Dummies website:
"In string theory, the multiverse is a theory in which our universe is not the only one; many universes exist parallel to each other. These distinct universes within the multiverse theory are called parallel universes. A variety of different theories lend themselves to a multiverse viewpoint.
In fact, most scientific models that show, after the big bang, only one universe being created result in either a universe which collapses into nothingness instantly or expands into a vast sea of nothingness. This offers some evidence to prove that the multiverse, with many parallel universes, may exist.
Of course, this is only a theory, and one that has plenty of holes in it, but less than fifty years ago black holes and exoplanets were still only theories. Now they are considered as fact.
*****
Chapter 2
House Kleet
Hendrick Kleet Sat at the banquet table drinking the last of the cider in his great pewter stein. The huge drinking vessel had been forged specially for him since he could find few steins that could fit his large hand, and it was made from pewter since no ceramic, porcelain, or glass goblet could stand up to the abuse from the man. Hendrick knew plenty about abuse.
Being well past midnight, there were few people left in the Kleet's great hall; The Bear-cave, the bear being the main symbol on their coat of arms. His mother and sisters had excused themselves hours before, and the Emperor's envoy, who was still there on his marriage mission, was passed out in a chair.
That left few in the great hall with all its banners and hunting trophies; Hiendrick, his father Baron Adolph Kleet, Adolph's younger brother and Hiendrick's uncle, Wolfgang, and Hiendrick's hunting and drinking companions Boris and Clyde.
"Look at him, that asshole, envoy from that ridiculous Emperor of ours, he can't drink worth a damn," Adolph chortle.
"These assholes who call themselves men ridicule us for our cider," Wolfgang added. They think we are women because we don't drink ale, but look what happens to them when they have only a few steins, they pass out like young boys who haven't a hair on their balls."
Boris and Clyde laughed hysterically at this while Hiendrick sat glum-faced, the only change on his bearded visage came from the effort it took for him to reach across the wide table and grab the pitcher of cider.
"What the hell is wrong with you, you big galoot?" Adolph said to his only son. "You think I was asking you to marry the swineherd's daughter."
Why must I marry this beast? At least the swineherd's daughter has big teats."
"You know why he doesn't want to marry?" Wolfgang spoke up. "Because if he did he would have to give up that harem of his."
Again Boris and Clyde could be heard snickering in the back of the hall.
With that, Hiendrick shot his uncle a look and a sneer.
"Don't be eyeballing me, boy, I'll tear you apart," Wolfgang shot back. Hiendrick was big, but his uncle was just as big and known for being a merciless fighter.
"It's about time you put aside these childish ways. I need a grandson, not another bastard mouth to feed," Adolph said to keep the peace.
"I don't think you have to worry about that, Baron," Boris spoke up from the back of the hall, his jowls and long gray hair quaking as he laughed with Clyde. "He can't knock them up by fucking them in the arse."
"Very amusing," Hiendrick growled. "But I don't think you'll find it amusing when I throw you in with my prize bull and watch him fuck you in the ass." Boris stopped snickering after that, but he could hear Clyde and then Wolfgang starts laughing.
"You're not really buggering these poor girls, are you?" The Baron grimaced. But Hiendrick didn't answer, and only grinned.
"Oh God's," the old Baron cussed under his breath. "I'd have thought you'd of learned a lesson after that problem with that nun."
Hiendrick shrunk from his father's chastisement. He didn't regret what he had done, he only regretted getting caught, and he only got caught because at the time he was intoxicated.
"Well," Wolfgang spoke again. "It serves these nunneries right for letting such a good looking wench become a sister of the holy order, and then not locking her away in a nunnery somewhere. In my day we didn't have pretty maids becoming nuns.
"The Archbishop didn't see it that way," The Baron snapped back. "I had to pay a king' s ransom to keep this galoot out of prison."
"Uncle's right, father. You should have seen the body on her. I couldn't help myself." Hiendrick was encouraged by his uncle's statements.
"Don't tell me that, shit for brains, you wouldn't have seen her body if you hadn't ripped the frock off of her."
"That's not necessarily true, your lordship, Boris spoke up again. His drinking had obviously loosened his tongue, getting him in more trouble than he knew.
"How so?"
"Well, she took her frock off willingly." Boris' attention was aimed at the Baron, and he didn't see the furious stare Hiendrick was giving him.
"And why would a Holy Sister do that?" Asked the Baron, his interest piqued by this new bit of information.
"For money. Money for the poor."
"What?"
"She and the other sister came in the tavern begging arms for the poor," Boris said hesitantly. He was now quite aware of Hiendrick's stare. "And your young lordship told them that if one of them bared herself, he would give five gold pieces."
"You did what?" The old man barked. The Kleets were only religious because propriety necessitated it, but the old Baron knew it was folly to embarrass the church.
"Father, I was drunk. I wasn't responsible for my actions."
"Then what happened?"
"Well, as you know..." Boris started to explain but the Baron cut him off.
"Not you, you horses ass, I'm asking my son."
"Father, really, I don't exactly remember."
"You answer me now boy, or I'll have you strung up and whipped, and don't think I won't do it."
"Father."
"Hiendrick," his father stood up and roared.
"All right. All right. Yeah, I did say something like that, but I didn't force her."
"At your bidding, a nun disrobed so as to sate your wanton lusts. A nun!"
"Well they didn't do it at first," Boris butted in again. "The two nuns argued about it for a while, but then the younger and prettier one declared that with that much gold they could buy enough grain to feed the orphans for a whole winter, and if the gods wanted her to bear her body to the whole world she would do it just feed one child for one day."
"And you raped and murdered this girl, this saintly young girl?"
Hiendrick started to speak, but his father cut him off. "Enough! I don't want to hear another word from you. I will deal with you in the morning. All of you leave my sight."
He didn't even see or hear Boris and Clyde leave, they parted the hall that fast. Hiendrick himself sulked off feeling that he was being persecuted, and Wolfgang slowly rose.
"You knew this, Wolfie?" Adolph asked as his brother stood by the table.
"Some of it."
"What am I to do with him?"
"What you should have done months ago, beat him to within an inch of
his life."
"I Can't. I have to marry him off to that Trieste girl so as to please the Emperor."
"That's if the Emperor lives long enough. He ain't exactly a spring chicken."
By the time the fury inside him cooled down, Heinrich had already exited the manor by the back entrance, and was standing outside in the dark, though his fists were still clenched in response to his father's accusations. He took a few deep breaths, and the cool night air further helped him collect his composure.
He knew his father was right, but he was still too immature and unable to accept his responsibility in the affair. Truthfully, he felt put upon by all of these allegations.
The fact was, he never remembered hurting the girl. Sure he raped her, but the last thing he remembered before he passing out that night, was that she was still alive and lying next to him. When he awoke some time later in the night, she was still lying next to him, but she had the rope around her neck and the black ligature marks on her throat.
He was just as appalled as anyone who would have come upon the scene that night. He had never killed a woman, and the only men he ever killed was in battle, and they weren't even men.
It was true that he could be an angry drunk, and in his cups, he had given many a man a cruel beating, but he always stopped at the point when the man lost his ability to defend himself. The object of a fight was to win, not to punish. Killing this girl would have been punishment beyond the pale. It just wasn't like him.
He straightened up and headed towards the small guest house behind the manse where he had taken up residence, having eschewed his family and the great house when he was still a boy. He preferred to live alone. He still took his meals in the Manor, but in the kitchen with the cooks, and usually eating their peasant food which he found more to his liking than the fancy food his mother and sister ate.
Now as he walked to the guest house, he saw a figure standing by his front door. It must be brother Horn he surmised, and on closer inspection, he saw that it was. The corpulent brother was easy to spot in his brown ropes.
"Good brother," Heinrich said as he approached.
"My Lord," brother Horn responded guilty. "I have brought you another. I hope she pleases my Lord."
"I don't know, brother. I'm not sure I'm in quite the mood."
Brother Horn stood there incredulously. Heinrich Kleet had never refused such an offering, and the brother wondered if he was still going to get the usual fee.
Heinrich saw the question in his eyes and responded, "Oh don't worry you sap. I'll take her, and you'll get your gold too. God's forbid you don't get your commission."
"Oh thank you, sir. It's for the church you know."
