Alicja
Victor adjusted his stance. He's attempting to keep an eye on his Uncle while he faces Ocean at the same time. This is not a wise choice. I'm certain of that. Victor might be strong. He might be the strongest ever, but those two are not in any way weak.
One, or the other, Victor could probably deal with each of them, but not both of them.
"Get back," I whimpered. "You're out matched," I whisper. I don't want him to hear me, but I do want him to get back and to know that he's outmatched.
Then quit being a spectator and be the change.
I heard the voice in my head, and I know whose voice it is.
It's mine.
I look at my palm, and the purple blue energy is there, swirling around as a ball of chaos. "More," I tell it, and it grows dark, changing to black and red. Then it spreads, covering my body. I'm engulfed in the flames of my power.
"Get away from her," some wise soul said from behind me. I can hear them stumbling back as I stand up from kneeling at the railing. Raven wings, huge and full and black stretch out and then flap â sending me into the air above, and then they fold to dive into the fray below.
Ocean has knocked Victor back into the stone wall, which cracked with the impact of my lover's body. Ocean charges Victor again, just as I land in front of him â and in a shower of black and red light from my wings dissolving, I snatched Ocean up by his neck, hold him for a moment, then toss him back into the heavy wood door, which cracks on impact.
Ocean is up fast. He looks me over, "Avatar," he growls, and then in a more certain voice, he said, "I don't think we've met." His voice becomes polite, wary. He bows at his waist, "My name is Ocean, and you are...?"
"Not to be trifled with," I told him, and turned to Uncle Max, as he charged at me from my right. His eyes are tormented by the madness in his mind. As he comes near I can see that madness â I see it as a red and black thread, tangled up inside his skull.
"That's mine," I said, and from my hand poured out a blast of Mana in a black and red bolt, which struck him in the chest. He stumbles, grasping for me, but he goes down to his knees. The madness in his eyes fades.
Stepping forward I snatched the thread I saw, which I am certain is at the heart of Uncle Max's madness. I can see it churning through his brain, with a power very near my own. "So this is what the change gave you." I smiled, and kissed his forehead. "Greedy to take what is not yours. Hold still."
I'm teasing him. My voice is low and sultry. My clothing is different. I was wearing pants and a linen blouse. Now I'm in a black and red dress. A short one. With lace. Black. Lots of lace going up my arms and around my body.
"Alicja?" Victor asked.
"Yes, one moment dear. I need to finish this," I told him, and then I pulled the tangled thread of Mana out of Uncle Max's mind.
As soon as it plinked out, he shuddered and collapsed. Then he sat back up and stared at me. "It's gone. I can't feel it anymore. The madness is gone."
"Shit," Ocean cursed behind me. "Perfect contract gone to waste. I'm out of here."
"Hold," I tell him, turning to face his direction. "That's not the first contract you've had like this."
"No, it's not. Thank you, and good night," he said, and exited through the broken main doors.
I glanced over to Victor, then I turned to him, "I think I've changed."
...
"She's just over done it, that's all. She should be fine," someone said as my eyes flickered open.
"Not again," I moan. Why am I always waking up on the floor with people looking down at me?
Then I remember. I remember the Morrigan within me. For a moment I'm stunned, and try to get my head around the change. It was power but not possession. Whatever the Morrigan was, it didn't force me. It provided for me. It was power, and a resource. At least that's the way it felt.
Did I really fly?
A raven landed nearby and cawed at me. It bobbed up and down as it cackles. Another alighted on a bench and announced itself in the same manner.
I can see through their eyes.
"How are you feeling," Victor asked.
I turned my attention to him, "I think I've had the change."
He smiles and then chuckles, "You think?
"What's going on? Where is Uncle Max? Ocean? He was here, right?" I asked, sitting up.
"The doctors are looking my Uncle over. They are making noises like you may have cured him from the madness."
"It's a part of the Morrigan," I said, while searching around, trying to get myself together. "It's mixed up in the dragon's gift â what is this I'm wearing?"
His expression showed concern, but he lowered himself down onto a knee, "You could see it? The madness?"
"Yes, and I pulled it out of him. Are there others? Others who have the same condition?" I asked, looking at my lace covered legs. I did that. I changed my clothes. When I grew out the wings.
"I'll find out," he promised, and offered me a hand.
After pulling me up, he said, "I claimed the throne."
"You what? But...why?" I asked, confused. "Uncle Max is cured. Your mission?"
"I couldn't do anything less," he told me. Then he shrugs.
I kiss him on the lips. Of course he couldn't. I hug him and then step back, remembering who he was and where we were.
"I had an arrangement with the three strongest houses, but I couldn't risk it, now that I've been through this. And now that I understand more of what has happened."
"You're talking about Ocean," I said.
"Yes, I'm talking about Ocean," he admitted. "He left. He's not around. But I heard what you asked him. And his answer."
I looked at the people milling nearby, looking for gossip, "Perhaps later would be better to discuss this, until we understand it ourselves?"
He glanced at the people, and nodded. "Come on. This is finished for today. Let's get back to the manor house. We can talk there."
Maybe we could.
I needed a mirror. I thought I might like what I was wearing, but wasn't quite sure. I still had my hiking boots on, which made me feel a bit goth.
Good boots are hard to find, I thought to myself in a low voice.
Was I an avatar? What did that mean, exactly. I've heard the term twice. Once from me, when I stood before the dragon. The other time from Ocean, when he faced me a while ago.
The dragon?
Outside there is a carriage with four horses waiting. Victor leads me to the coach and opens the door.
"I'm fine," I protested, "I can walk."
"Didn't say you couldn't. I said I accepted the throne," he said, and glanced with meaning toward the guard waiting to escort us home.
"Ah," I said, and stepped up the ladder and inside. It was plush. And a bit bouncy. Victor came inside, and then Uncle Max.
Max smiled at me, "Quite a performance my dear. My gratitude is profound."
I tilted my head, not quite understanding what that might mean, but understood the emotion behind the words. "I'm happy it worked out this way."
"Prince no more," said a loud voice outside to my right. "No, he steps on my brother's dead back and becomes king."
Two guards warn the man to hold his tongue.
"Fuck off, you bastards. He duped you all and tricked my brother into a contest he couldn't win," the man shouted.
I looked at Victor and he shrugged. "Could see it that way I guess," he said. "It's a stretch, but sure."
"You killed someone? When?" I asked in a whisper, as I reached for the handle.
He grabbed my wrist, stopping me, "Last night, at the meeting. His brother invited himself, and I have five witnesses to the challenge he effected on me."
"Aren't you going to talk to the man?" I asked.
"Talk? He doesn't want to talk. If I get out there and face him, he's going to die. You do understand that, right?"
"And if you don't" I asked, chastened a bit. "What happens then?"
"He raves about me being a coward and how I wouldn't face him after the council meeting. He doesn't care about details. He wants his death."
He wants his death, I repeated in my mind. Then I got out of the coach, and jumped to the ground.
"You wish to challenge the king?" I asked the man, as he struggled against three of the guards. "Let him go, so he can answer."
"Damn right I challenge him!" the man said, as he shook off the hands restraining him.
"What is your name?" I asked.
"Alexis, of the Iron dragon clan."
"Tomorrow at ten o'clock, on the challenge ground," I told him.
"Now, on this ground," he returned.
"Now on this ground, I'll claim my right of blood," I told him.
He focused on me now. Before he wasn't looking at anyone other than Victor. Now he took me in.
"You're not married," he protested.
"I am bound," I told him. "It has all of the same rights and responsibilities. It's just spelled differently."
Alexis lifted an eyebrow at this. "Alright, witch. I'll meet him tomorrow, on the challenge field at ten. By my word."
"And by mine," I returned, then turned my back to him and stepped back up into the coach. "Alright, that's settled dear, we can go home now."
Victor knocked his knuckles on the roof, and the coach began moving forward.
We would deal with him later. Today's schedule was full.
"While you were handling my schedule," Victor said, "I put out a warrant for Ocean to come before me at sundown."
"Will he?" I asked, wondering which would be better.
"Yes, he will. I think he wants to," Victor said.
"You've put it together then?" Uncle Max asked.
"Yes, I think I have."
"Just to clear the air completely," Uncle Max confessed, "you need to know that I knew of the arrangement. I was witness to the contract."
"For my mother as well?"
Uncle Max sucked in his breath, but nodded. "Yes."
I couldn't discern Victor's emotions. They were complex and storming through his eyes â lightning struck deep inside the black pupils, unrelenting.