Chapter 3

Shortly after the last Mardi Gras procession, Marie and her little band of followers rested and restored their energy in the quiet and subdued St. Bernard Ward. They spent a little time each day cleaning and repairing the ancient Cemetery behind the Church of Saint Bernard.

Marie strolled in the graveyard, pausing to run her fingers along the gravestones and markers. Sometimes she silently mouthed the words in their inscriptions.

1805 - 1839

WIFE - MOTHER - LOVER

"Here lies Angelique Du Norde,

her remains at peace, full measure.

Fondly remembered by her husband, Claude,

for many nights of wanton pleasure.

Missed most grievously by many an other,

cocks a throb for so ardent a lover.

Then there was the sad little Crypt with the two angels looking up into the sky for an unknown answer. They gave mute testimony to the tragic tale of little Lucinda.

1841 - 1849

BELOVED DAUGHTER

"So very young and tender,

Innocent forever in repose,

Taken from my loving arms,

Sweet flower doth lost compose."

Marie knew them all, knew their strengths, their weaknesses, their human shortcomings. Yet she loved them all like her very own children. She felt their presence ever more and never less.

Just then, her Hep Cat adviser, Michael, came up to her and whispered into her ear.

"Mamaam, your Sweet Lovie in the misty place. I fear her time be near."

Sweet Lovie was the nickname Marie had given to the newest of her hand maidens. Her real name was Dulcinda and she was from the deep back Bayou country. A place so remote and so hidden from civilization that even the birds in the sky lost their sense of direction.

Dangerous Snake Country.

Fearful creatures moved restlessly - a bump in the silver mooned night.

Marie was always at home there and several of her hand maidens were also deep Bayou girls.

She knew the clan codes insured their virginity and the girls were always eager to serve the legendary Voodoo Queen.

In the Bayou, she was known as "The Oracle of the Bayou"

Her predictions were usually accurate.

Her divinations were wondrous indeed.

Babies were born, women were wed and widowed, and wed again, feuds were settled and revenge was sweet.

Most importantly, the DEAD spoke to the living and the living felt the power.

Yes, Marie was LEGEND in the Bayou.

When she first saw Sweet Lovie sitting in the swamp boat, Marie fell in love with her. Her light, sun tanned skin, her long black hair, and her legs that went up - up - all the way up, so very far up. It was her eyes that ensnared Marie's heart. They looked and saw nothing, yet saw everything and filled you with calm.

She spoke in the garbled tongue of the Cajun Bayou. Not quite English, not quite French, and just a hint of African dialect. Yet her meaning was always clear. The flash of anger in the eye. The studied movement of a delicate hand.

Inviting.

Refusing.

Enticing.

The sharp slice to cut off unwelcome words.

Yes, Dulcinda was a great communicator.

No one could ever claim they did not understand her meaning. She was just past her sixteenth birthday that day in the boat. She was as pure as pure could be.

Sweet Lovie's hymen was intact. Marie could see it in her eyes. But her sweet fully rounded ass was another story. Sweet Lovie was a dutiful family girl. In the backwoods country, duty to family meant young girls were obedient to the older male family members in all ways, except, of course, the forbidden vaginal sex.

Her Father, her Gran Pere, her two older brothers, great brutes of men had all savored the sweet delight of Dulcinda's ass and mouth. It was only proper since she was the only nubile female member in the house.