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It didn't feel right letting Alice take all the responsibility, but she was the companion. I was just there to make sure she didn't fuck it up with the Sons. I hated them and loved them so much. If only Miles had succeeded in a different time, with a different Son then Alice and I would have been other people, with other responsibilities. But that was not the way of the Goddess. There were four of us when there should only be three. Morgan had asked the question herself and Guinevere had chosen not to answer the one thing both Alice and I had yearned to learn. Why we were here when there should only be three shells in every time was beyond me. I wanted answers and I was hoping I would get them here.
I knew Constance wouldn't answer my questions. She was far from the good mother. She took her job as High Priestess very seriously. No time to make me happy and answer silly questions that would amount to nothing. I was going to the Council's library. In hopes that Marie would be willing to give me the answers I so desperately needed.
"You are here for reasons I can not foresee." I heard and turned to see Marie dripping oil into a basin. "Why have you come?"
"I was hoping you could clarify something for me."
"You chose to miss a day of learning?" She replied in a tone that meant she disapproved.
"You'll be teaching if you answer my questions. It's the same." I said dropping a rose petal into the basin, "You're not going to summon the Order's plan that way. They've blocked that."
"I am trying to contact someone who will know what to do if we can not find the key." She said with a sigh, "What do you want to know?"
"Why are there four of us?" I asked without hesitating. Marie frowned.
"That is a large question for such a young mind."
"I need to know. There should only be three in each time. Why have we been born out of turn?"
Marie sighed and motioned for me to join her around the altar. "After Abigail became pregnant the Council urgently tried to explain the phenomena. Council members can not have babies. Ladies are barren. We chose the Goddess over any chance of a life without her. Normally, we are recycled souls that take form in an outer shell. You and Alice are recycled members. You both were destined to watch over Abigail, and you were named according to pattern."
"So, Constance and Prudence are what?" I asked quickly, interrupting her words and ritual.
"I feel that answering that will only confuse you further. Let me try another way. You and Alice were conceived and recycled, each time taking a different outer shell for protection. All Ladies are descendents of the original Goddess. Before the fall of the Goddess's rule, five Ladies were picked and given a piece of her essence to carry and protect. It is said that when all five pieces of the Goddess are together then she can be whole again and rule. We once lived normal lives; we died as mortals did because we are human. But shortly after the fall, the curse was placed upon us and measures had to be taken to insure the return. The five shells of the Goddess were moved to different places around the world. Each placed as a protector of a male Covenant until the time came that they would be safe to unite. But, as you know, the Covenants were dealt with their own curse. They age and inevitably become addicted to the Power. As their sister's we were placed to protect and help guide the future generations. Each female shell was placed where she was most needed."
"But that doesn't answer my question." I said frowning. Marie was just making my mind work harder and I couldn't stand it.
"Miles is the first child to be conceived and carried to full term by natural means. Normally, the souls are recycled and placed into a Lady who is meant to birth a future child. The Goddess chooses the father's essence especially for the foreseen path they will walk. The identity of your father, as well as Alice's, has remained a secret to the Council. We aren't sure why the Goddess has remained silent. Obviously your births deem too special to be revealed until the perfect moment. Miles is another story. She is a miracle as you say, the Goddess didn't create her, Abigail and…"
"Marie!" I heard the voice and frowned. "You are forbidden to speak Council secrets with non Council members."
"Nimue, don't shout." Marie said calmly. "I was just trying to explain the five shells."
"You must ask Constance if you want that answer. She is the one that will give you the knowledge." I frowned. The meeting didn't go the way I had planned it. I didn't have the answers I seeked and now I was pissed. Nimue was getting on my nerves.
"Go back to school. Learn child, protect your Covenant and help Alice protect Miles. We will summon you when you are in need of knowledge." Nimue said as she forced me from the room.
I found myself walking back from my dorm room. "Fucking Council. Just because you're Merlin's lover doesn't mean you're in charge of me." I whispered as I ran into a body. Chase. I let out a hiss as my body went into alert mode.
"Sorry." He mumbled looking into my eyes. "I'm sorry for that. I wasn't watching where I was going."
I saw the formation of a black eye; he had tried to conceal it but failed. I laughed as he cocked his head to the side, "What?"
"Nothing." I said and walked off. I didn't like that boy and I would be telling Alice to do the same. I was walking towards Alice's classroom; she had left her lunch in the dorm and if I knew her she wouldn't go alone to get it.
"Hey!" I heard and turned to see Pogue walking towards me. His lips brushed against my throat. I let out a laugh and glanced around the hall searching for Kate. Luckily, or maybe unluckily no one was around.
"You can't keep doing this Pogue. Kate is my friend too." I muttered as he pulled me into an open classroom. "You're meant to be together. I've had this talk with you before. We're not supposed to be."
"I know. But damn, I can't help but want to be around you all the time." He was holding me close and I sighed. This was the downside of being the one to protect the Covenant; they all felt a strong bond to me but Pogue mistook it as love. It could never be love. It was a forbidden rule; Lady and Son meant banishment now. It hurt that I had to ignore the pull I felt towards them. All the Sons made my insides melt and if left alone to my own devices it was dangerous.
"Pogue, I've said this millions of times. We can't be. Not in this time. You've got Kate, she is your equal and I'm only here to be your friend. I can not give you, or Caleb, or Tyler or Reid, my heart. I am the best friend, not the girlfriend."
"I don't care about the rules. They're yours anyway. I just want this feeling to go away then, either give in to it or find a way to make it stop. I just want to be with you. We all do."
I didn't have time for this. I pulled on the power in my blood and I felt Pogue stiffen. "You will forget you love me more than a friend."
I looked into his eyes and saw the hurt before they glazed over. He would for the time being forget that he wanted to be with me. But, like always it would wear off soon enough and then I'd have some explaining to do.
