Chapter IX: The Arrangement
For a moment, nothing was said. Then a strangled cry arose from the back of the Sorceress' throat. She lunged at the older woman angrily, not really knowing why she was suddenly feeling so violent. Teelina pounded at the elder woman, taking out all of her frustration upon the Dereskian.
To say that Moria was not surprised at this sudden assault would be untrue. Still she hid her surprise well, and bore Teelina's attack without complaint. She did not even strike back or make any attempt to defend herself in any way.
The Sorceress hated the position Moria had put her in, hated her for killing her mother, and hated Moria for everything that had ever gone wrong in her life. But mostly, she hated that, no matter what Teelina did to her, Moria would never, ever leave her alone. And she hated even more the fact that not all of herself was opposed to that idea.
As her assault gradually began to wind down, Teelina felt the older woman's arms close around her, in a more mothering embrace than anything else. The redhead bristled and stiffened for a long moment, and Moria relaxed her arms.
Teelina pulled away and gave out a long, ragged sigh. "I'm guessing that I'm the only person who's ever done something like that to you, and lived to tell about it."
The elder woman chuckled deeply. "Possibly. Though what makes you think I'm not here to kill you?" A wicked twinkle made its way into the Ancient Dereskian's infamous eyes.
For a terrible moment, Teelina's eyes filled with what could almost be called fear. But this was only short-lived. "Because you would consider that rude," she answered softly.
Lady Moria winked. "Very good, dear. You're becoming rather adept at guessing my intentions of late. Perhaps you really don't need all those visions as much as you think you do."
Biting back a sharp retort, the Sorceress countered, "I knew you were the one doing it! I need those visions! Undo your spell!"
The elder woman looked thoughtful. "Oh, well. if you put it like that.. No," she said simply.
"Why not?!" exclaimed the younger woman, looking almost as if she was ready to attack in a fury again.
A small chuckle escaped from the Ancient Dereskian. "First of all, it would rob me of this. You are quite lovely when you're aggravated, dear." Teelina fumed angrily, giving Moria a look that would have put the fear of death into a corpse. A ghost of a smile appeared on the white haired woman's lips. "And secondly," she continued, "I don't see any benefit for me." With a small grin and the flash of a winking eye, the elder woman turned to go.
"I'll undo it myself if I have to!" Teelina threatened, hoping deep within her mind that she would never have to make good on that promise.
Lady Moria stopped in her tracks. Slowly, ever so slowly, she turned around to face the redhead. She was laughing. "Will you really?" Moria all but taunted. "That actually sounds like an interesting proposition, Teelina. Except, of course, for one tiny problem: You have to be in the place the spell was cast in order to undo the spell, and you don't know where that is."
The Sorceress bristled. "It was in your chambers," she growled angrily. "The personal chambers of the monarchy. You took me there in a dream once."
Moria nodded slowly. "Indeed I did. However, I somewhat doubt that I was idiotic enough to reveal the location to you in that dream."
"I'll find it," Teelina snarled. Her face was contorted in an angry mixture of ferocity and hatred.
The elder woman winked somewhat suggestively. "Of that, I have no doubt," she said softly, walking forward. "Though I cannot help but wonder whether or not it will be in time to save your precious Grayskull." She came up terribly close to the younger woman, and gently laid her hand upon the redhead's cheek.
Teelina flinched but did not pull away. She was far too angry right now to consider retreating. "If you do not release your hold upon my visions, I'll.I'll. things will be very unpleasant for you!"
A sort of painful sadness, one that made your heart ache merely to look in her eyes, ever so slowly replaced the amusement in the elder woman's eyes. She lowered her hand. "Teelina," she began softly, "I have been slowly dying ever since the day that my sister died in my arms. There is nothing, shy of breaking our unwritten law, that you could ever do that will hurt me more."
The younger woman scoffed. "I find it funny that you mourn the loss of a murderess of a woman who died over seven hundred years ago."
A sudden angry burst of wind came in from nowhere at Moria's call. Her eyes, which a moment ago had been soft, now turned icy and almost black with rage. Her hand shot out like a whip and grabbed the redhead by the throat before she could even blink. The Ancient Dereskian lifted the Sorceress well off her feet, and the younger woman struggled to break the chokehold on her neck.
"My sister was innocent!" the white-haired woman bellowed, the wind picking up to be almost a gale. "She was guiltless! How dare you call her a murderess when you know nothing of what occurred?!" She brought her face in very close to the younger woman's letting the struggling woman look deep into her hate-filled eyes. Teelina trembled slightly at the sight of such. pain. She gasped for breath, trying to claw Moria's hands away from her trachea.
Eventually, the elder woman's breathing slowed, and her eyes gradually became less and less ferocious, though the pain did not stray. The wind began to die down. The Ancient unceremoniously dropped the younger woman, and left her, gasping for breath on the floor as she turned away.
Silence, barring the heaving breaths of the Sorceress, filled the chamber.
"Yes, Teelina," Moria said softly, her face still facing the other direction. "I mourn the death of my sister still. It was over seven hundred years ago. and it's yesterday." She looked slowly over at the younger woman, and knelt down so that she could look into her eyes.
The Sorceress averted her gaze, but the elder woman tilted her chin up so that their eyes locked. "You have never truly been in love with anyone, Teelina," Moria observed. "When or if you do, have your loved one take their last, dying breath while cradled in your arms. I think then you'll understand."
Teelina looked at the Ancient Queen somewhat sadly. "I hope I never have to," she whispered.
A sad smile fell across the elder woman's face as she stood. "You may find this a bit hard to believe, but so do I. No one should have to go through that kind of agony."
Continuing to remain on the ground, the Sorceress shook her head sadly. "You are undoubtedly the most enigmatic person I know. You are unspeakably evil, undeniably genial, and you have a streak of nobility I am not even going to begin to try to understand. You prevent the worst possible tortures from being done to me, and yet feel free to block off my dreams and insert your own in their stead." She had to crane her neck to look up and gauge the elder woman's reaction, and so she stood.
Lady Moria winked an amethyst eye at her. "If you so dislike my interruption of your dreams so, I would have thought you'd have done something to change it by now."
"What would you have me do?" Teelina demanded. "It isn't as if I can simply leave the castle for days on end to search for your home!"
The elder woman's eyes began to pinwheel. "Then I suggest we make a bargain," Moria proposed, smiling. "I am in a rather lenient mood today. I will give you twenty-four hours to find my place of residency. If, by the end of such time, you manage to find my home, I will let you undo my spell, free of penalty."
The Sorceress looked at her uncertainly. "And if I don't find it?" she questioned warily.
"Then I lift the spell," Lady Moria said, her tone dangerously amused. "And you belong to me for the next twelve hours."
The younger woman hesitated. "The spell will be lifted whether or not I find your chambers?" she questioned. Moria nodded. Again, Teelina faltered. "What do you mean by 'belong to you?' Will you kill me?"
"No, of course not," the elder woman exclaimed, as if this was an absurd notion. "I mean," Moria said seductively, bringing her hand up to cup the younger woman's face. "That, for twelve hours, you belong to me. Completely. You will do whatever I tell you to do."
The breathing of the younger woman quickened. "I cannot leave Grayskull for thirty-six hours."
"If you find my home in the time allotted, you won't have to," the white-haired woman replied, smiling.
Teelina remained skeptical. "Twenty-four hours?" she questioned. "And will Skeletor be attacking while I do this?"
Moria's eyes were whirling in delight "Not if I tell him not to." It appeared the younger woman was actually considering her offer. That would be amusing, even if Teelina did manage to find her home. Moria was carefully omitting the fact that once someone was in her chambers, he or she could not leave without her say-so. Her smile widened. This would be extremely entertaining, if the Sorceress agreed.
The Sorceress thought for a long moment. "You will tell Skeletor not to attack my home while I look for yours. If he does, I guarantee you that whatever he does to my residence will be done double to both his and yours as well."
"Understood," Moria replied, bowing softly. She extended her elegant hand towards the younger woman's. "Do we have an accord?"
Teelina considered for a very long moment. As long as she found the Chambers of the Monarchy, all would go well. And twenty-four hours seemed more than enough time. And Moria's barricade of her dreams would be lifted in either case. Besides, even if she lost, what could Moria possibly do to her in twelve hours that had not been done or attempted before?
She warily extended her hand and grasped the elder woman's. "Agreed."
"Do you swear upon the names of the Elders?" pressed Moria.
Teelina faltered for the briefest of moments and then nodded. "I swear upon the mystic power of the Elders, and upon my name as Guardian of Grayskull to follow this agreement."
Moria clenched her hand around the redhead's. "And I in turn swear upon the name of Eläni and upon the Nine Sacred Hells to uphold my end of our accord."
A bolt of both blue and amethyst lightning came crashing down around them, the Mystic Might of the Elders and the Majicks of the Dereskïgiä Collective merging for one short-lived second.
And then voices, speaking as one in both Eternian and Dereskian. "\\Then it is done.\\"
The lightning receded, and Lady Moria grinned wildly. "Shall we begin now?" she asked. Teelina nodded, a little overwhelmed as the magnitude of the two powers departed.
"Wonderful," the elder woman said. She closed her hand completely around Teelina's and they began to sink into the floor.
To the Sorceress's amazement, they reappeared on the outskirts of the Sands of Time. She remained in human form, though she reasoned that was most likely Moria's doing.
The white-haired woman released her hand and laughed, turning to face the redhead. "My home is somewhere within these sands, Teelina. You have twenty-four hours to find it. I will be watching your progress and giving you clues whenever you ask for them. Are you ready?"
The Sorceress nodded slowly.
The Ancient Dereskian smiled. "Good. You begin now." She slowly sank into the ground, and in a few seconds had completely disappeared.
Teelina watched the spot she had vanished into for a lingering moment before looking around her at the seemingly endless desert. At an unexpected moment, she transformed shape uncontrollably, becoming Zoar the falcon with no say in the matter. Damn the Dereskian Bitch! She thought angrily to herself as she took to the skies.
She went up high into the air and gazed at the perpetual sands. The weight of what she had agreed to suddenly hit her hard.
What have I done? She asked herself incredulously, and then began her long, agonizing search.
For a moment, nothing was said. Then a strangled cry arose from the back of the Sorceress' throat. She lunged at the older woman angrily, not really knowing why she was suddenly feeling so violent. Teelina pounded at the elder woman, taking out all of her frustration upon the Dereskian.
To say that Moria was not surprised at this sudden assault would be untrue. Still she hid her surprise well, and bore Teelina's attack without complaint. She did not even strike back or make any attempt to defend herself in any way.
The Sorceress hated the position Moria had put her in, hated her for killing her mother, and hated Moria for everything that had ever gone wrong in her life. But mostly, she hated that, no matter what Teelina did to her, Moria would never, ever leave her alone. And she hated even more the fact that not all of herself was opposed to that idea.
As her assault gradually began to wind down, Teelina felt the older woman's arms close around her, in a more mothering embrace than anything else. The redhead bristled and stiffened for a long moment, and Moria relaxed her arms.
Teelina pulled away and gave out a long, ragged sigh. "I'm guessing that I'm the only person who's ever done something like that to you, and lived to tell about it."
The elder woman chuckled deeply. "Possibly. Though what makes you think I'm not here to kill you?" A wicked twinkle made its way into the Ancient Dereskian's infamous eyes.
For a terrible moment, Teelina's eyes filled with what could almost be called fear. But this was only short-lived. "Because you would consider that rude," she answered softly.
Lady Moria winked. "Very good, dear. You're becoming rather adept at guessing my intentions of late. Perhaps you really don't need all those visions as much as you think you do."
Biting back a sharp retort, the Sorceress countered, "I knew you were the one doing it! I need those visions! Undo your spell!"
The elder woman looked thoughtful. "Oh, well. if you put it like that.. No," she said simply.
"Why not?!" exclaimed the younger woman, looking almost as if she was ready to attack in a fury again.
A small chuckle escaped from the Ancient Dereskian. "First of all, it would rob me of this. You are quite lovely when you're aggravated, dear." Teelina fumed angrily, giving Moria a look that would have put the fear of death into a corpse. A ghost of a smile appeared on the white haired woman's lips. "And secondly," she continued, "I don't see any benefit for me." With a small grin and the flash of a winking eye, the elder woman turned to go.
"I'll undo it myself if I have to!" Teelina threatened, hoping deep within her mind that she would never have to make good on that promise.
Lady Moria stopped in her tracks. Slowly, ever so slowly, she turned around to face the redhead. She was laughing. "Will you really?" Moria all but taunted. "That actually sounds like an interesting proposition, Teelina. Except, of course, for one tiny problem: You have to be in the place the spell was cast in order to undo the spell, and you don't know where that is."
The Sorceress bristled. "It was in your chambers," she growled angrily. "The personal chambers of the monarchy. You took me there in a dream once."
Moria nodded slowly. "Indeed I did. However, I somewhat doubt that I was idiotic enough to reveal the location to you in that dream."
"I'll find it," Teelina snarled. Her face was contorted in an angry mixture of ferocity and hatred.
The elder woman winked somewhat suggestively. "Of that, I have no doubt," she said softly, walking forward. "Though I cannot help but wonder whether or not it will be in time to save your precious Grayskull." She came up terribly close to the younger woman, and gently laid her hand upon the redhead's cheek.
Teelina flinched but did not pull away. She was far too angry right now to consider retreating. "If you do not release your hold upon my visions, I'll.I'll. things will be very unpleasant for you!"
A sort of painful sadness, one that made your heart ache merely to look in her eyes, ever so slowly replaced the amusement in the elder woman's eyes. She lowered her hand. "Teelina," she began softly, "I have been slowly dying ever since the day that my sister died in my arms. There is nothing, shy of breaking our unwritten law, that you could ever do that will hurt me more."
The younger woman scoffed. "I find it funny that you mourn the loss of a murderess of a woman who died over seven hundred years ago."
A sudden angry burst of wind came in from nowhere at Moria's call. Her eyes, which a moment ago had been soft, now turned icy and almost black with rage. Her hand shot out like a whip and grabbed the redhead by the throat before she could even blink. The Ancient Dereskian lifted the Sorceress well off her feet, and the younger woman struggled to break the chokehold on her neck.
"My sister was innocent!" the white-haired woman bellowed, the wind picking up to be almost a gale. "She was guiltless! How dare you call her a murderess when you know nothing of what occurred?!" She brought her face in very close to the younger woman's letting the struggling woman look deep into her hate-filled eyes. Teelina trembled slightly at the sight of such. pain. She gasped for breath, trying to claw Moria's hands away from her trachea.
Eventually, the elder woman's breathing slowed, and her eyes gradually became less and less ferocious, though the pain did not stray. The wind began to die down. The Ancient unceremoniously dropped the younger woman, and left her, gasping for breath on the floor as she turned away.
Silence, barring the heaving breaths of the Sorceress, filled the chamber.
"Yes, Teelina," Moria said softly, her face still facing the other direction. "I mourn the death of my sister still. It was over seven hundred years ago. and it's yesterday." She looked slowly over at the younger woman, and knelt down so that she could look into her eyes.
The Sorceress averted her gaze, but the elder woman tilted her chin up so that their eyes locked. "You have never truly been in love with anyone, Teelina," Moria observed. "When or if you do, have your loved one take their last, dying breath while cradled in your arms. I think then you'll understand."
Teelina looked at the Ancient Queen somewhat sadly. "I hope I never have to," she whispered.
A sad smile fell across the elder woman's face as she stood. "You may find this a bit hard to believe, but so do I. No one should have to go through that kind of agony."
Continuing to remain on the ground, the Sorceress shook her head sadly. "You are undoubtedly the most enigmatic person I know. You are unspeakably evil, undeniably genial, and you have a streak of nobility I am not even going to begin to try to understand. You prevent the worst possible tortures from being done to me, and yet feel free to block off my dreams and insert your own in their stead." She had to crane her neck to look up and gauge the elder woman's reaction, and so she stood.
Lady Moria winked an amethyst eye at her. "If you so dislike my interruption of your dreams so, I would have thought you'd have done something to change it by now."
"What would you have me do?" Teelina demanded. "It isn't as if I can simply leave the castle for days on end to search for your home!"
The elder woman's eyes began to pinwheel. "Then I suggest we make a bargain," Moria proposed, smiling. "I am in a rather lenient mood today. I will give you twenty-four hours to find my place of residency. If, by the end of such time, you manage to find my home, I will let you undo my spell, free of penalty."
The Sorceress looked at her uncertainly. "And if I don't find it?" she questioned warily.
"Then I lift the spell," Lady Moria said, her tone dangerously amused. "And you belong to me for the next twelve hours."
The younger woman hesitated. "The spell will be lifted whether or not I find your chambers?" she questioned. Moria nodded. Again, Teelina faltered. "What do you mean by 'belong to you?' Will you kill me?"
"No, of course not," the elder woman exclaimed, as if this was an absurd notion. "I mean," Moria said seductively, bringing her hand up to cup the younger woman's face. "That, for twelve hours, you belong to me. Completely. You will do whatever I tell you to do."
The breathing of the younger woman quickened. "I cannot leave Grayskull for thirty-six hours."
"If you find my home in the time allotted, you won't have to," the white-haired woman replied, smiling.
Teelina remained skeptical. "Twenty-four hours?" she questioned. "And will Skeletor be attacking while I do this?"
Moria's eyes were whirling in delight "Not if I tell him not to." It appeared the younger woman was actually considering her offer. That would be amusing, even if Teelina did manage to find her home. Moria was carefully omitting the fact that once someone was in her chambers, he or she could not leave without her say-so. Her smile widened. This would be extremely entertaining, if the Sorceress agreed.
The Sorceress thought for a long moment. "You will tell Skeletor not to attack my home while I look for yours. If he does, I guarantee you that whatever he does to my residence will be done double to both his and yours as well."
"Understood," Moria replied, bowing softly. She extended her elegant hand towards the younger woman's. "Do we have an accord?"
Teelina considered for a very long moment. As long as she found the Chambers of the Monarchy, all would go well. And twenty-four hours seemed more than enough time. And Moria's barricade of her dreams would be lifted in either case. Besides, even if she lost, what could Moria possibly do to her in twelve hours that had not been done or attempted before?
She warily extended her hand and grasped the elder woman's. "Agreed."
"Do you swear upon the names of the Elders?" pressed Moria.
Teelina faltered for the briefest of moments and then nodded. "I swear upon the mystic power of the Elders, and upon my name as Guardian of Grayskull to follow this agreement."
Moria clenched her hand around the redhead's. "And I in turn swear upon the name of Eläni and upon the Nine Sacred Hells to uphold my end of our accord."
A bolt of both blue and amethyst lightning came crashing down around them, the Mystic Might of the Elders and the Majicks of the Dereskïgiä Collective merging for one short-lived second.
And then voices, speaking as one in both Eternian and Dereskian. "\\Then it is done.\\"
The lightning receded, and Lady Moria grinned wildly. "Shall we begin now?" she asked. Teelina nodded, a little overwhelmed as the magnitude of the two powers departed.
"Wonderful," the elder woman said. She closed her hand completely around Teelina's and they began to sink into the floor.
To the Sorceress's amazement, they reappeared on the outskirts of the Sands of Time. She remained in human form, though she reasoned that was most likely Moria's doing.
The white-haired woman released her hand and laughed, turning to face the redhead. "My home is somewhere within these sands, Teelina. You have twenty-four hours to find it. I will be watching your progress and giving you clues whenever you ask for them. Are you ready?"
The Sorceress nodded slowly.
The Ancient Dereskian smiled. "Good. You begin now." She slowly sank into the ground, and in a few seconds had completely disappeared.
Teelina watched the spot she had vanished into for a lingering moment before looking around her at the seemingly endless desert. At an unexpected moment, she transformed shape uncontrollably, becoming Zoar the falcon with no say in the matter. Damn the Dereskian Bitch! She thought angrily to herself as she took to the skies.
She went up high into the air and gazed at the perpetual sands. The weight of what she had agreed to suddenly hit her hard.
What have I done? She asked herself incredulously, and then began her long, agonizing search.