Title: The Child of Prophecy
Author: Lady Ione Athene & Tigerose
Rating: R for violence (and in case my Jareth muse wins my co-Author over... /evil grin/ What… /innocent smile for good measure/)
Tigerose: depressed, no reviews. Doesn't anybody care about us? Isn't anybody at least curious about what's to come between our beloved Goblin King and this female soldier from Cardia? Lady Ione/sniffles/ where have all my wonderful reviewers gone?
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x. Battle:
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General Paine saw the women practicing first. "Tig, look at that. More soldiers enjoying the day. Shall we join them?" The general walked over to where Ione and Isis were practicing, bowed slightly, recognizing them. "Good afternoon, ladies, would you accept a challenge for a mock battle from us?" Captain Tig kept his eyes on Ione, knowing that Isis was still trying to enchant him. He hoped she wouldn't be his opponent, but if he could defeat her in battle, maybe she'll leave him alone. He half smiled at the thought.
Both women halted and turned towards the two soldiers. Bowing in their normal fashion, Ione smiled. "We would be delighted to accept your challenge, General." Neither woman looked out of breath in the slightest and certainly prepared for a challenge. Ione heard the captain's thoughts and had to mask her smile. Isis did not give up that easily! Ione and Isis simultaneously changed their long Elven two-handed swords for smaller and slimmer one-handed blades that were better matched to the men's sabres. Though the new blades looked fragile, like the women who wielded them, appearances could be deceiving.
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Sheba loved the flowers, beautiful white daisies, falling about her. She smiled as she caught one in her hand. She turned around to look at Apollo. "Did you do this? The flowers I mean."
Apollo smiled grateful he wasn't eating when she turned to look at him. He masked his surprise when a red rose appeared and landed in Sheba's lap. "We decided the setting needed a lighter mood," he explained. "After all, I would be a horrible host if I let you nibble away at your food from fear in my division." Shiloan tossed his mane as he nodded his sleek head.
Sheba whispered, "I don't understand how anyone could have rejected you, Apollo. My father would have given anything to have a son. If I were his son or you were his son, we would have made him the happiest man in all the worlds." The rose in her lap soon caught the girl's attention. Sheba lay the rose and daisy next to her plate and ate more ravenously. She truly was ravenous.
Apollo buried the effect her words had on him. He had never understood his father's rejection of his firstborn son. The tradition amongst the Faye was that a king's firstborn son held within him the power to rule the kingdom... Despite his pain, Apollo was happy to see the girl's appetite return...
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General Paine was Ione's opponent and Captain Tig, her daughter's. The captain wasn't pleased, but it was the ladies' choice. The captain and general circled with their opponents. The captain focused his attention on Isis' sword and tried to avoid anything else. He had to admit she was alluringly beautiful, but he couldn't let his mind be clogged with such thoughts. At present she was the enemy, an enemy he had to fight, one he had to beat. He wanted to win, he felt he needed to. He gritted his teeth and attempted his first strike. He had to knock that sword from her hands. Captain Tig hit the slender sabre, but he didn't disarm her. Maybe if he could strike closer to the hilt. He returned to his fighting stance and attacked again. He doesn't want to work with preliminaries; it gave him too much time to think. He did not want to think. He wanted to fight and win, forget his opponent was a woman, forget everything but the striking of metal on metal.
A small smirk similar to the one that came easily to the king could be seen on Isis' delicate mouth. The knights learned much from their king especially the Centaurs who were closest to him out of the Elders. So that captain thought she was beautiful? She would have to use that to her advantage! Beauty was often a weapon for her as much as her sword was. Many a knight from the other kingdoms of the Underground were easily swayed into losing their train of thought. She fully intended to use her freedom of clothing against the poor captain, and Jareth grinned at the prospect.
General Paine didn't have to worry about Ione trying to steal his heart; therefore he was much calmer going into his battle. He wanted to wait for Ione's strike to test her sword. He's never seen one such as hers.
Ione meanwhile was cautious of her opponent. She had never sparred with the general before and therefore was unfamiliar with his style. Her attack when it came was quick leaving little room for response before the knight was out of reach. It was more a test of her opponent's strength than an attack. Her sword was light, but strong! Jareth shook his head looking back toward the battle between Isis and Tig. Though the general was a seasoned warrior, Ione outmatched him in experience. Jareth was already confident of the match's outcome...
The general was surprised at the speed of the attack. He barely missed the tip. He must never let that happen again; he had to watch his opponent more closely. He circled again; he would strike first this time. Halfway through the circle he struck only to have his sword parried. That wasn't going to work.
Ione circled again warily to see how the general would react. She had surprised him, but she would be ready to hold off his advances. Isis danced away from her opponent's first attack letting the force of it be his downfall. His urge to win was blinding him to technique, which would prove to be a grievous error. She leaped out of his way showing a slender perfect leg through the colored silks. She knew well that her fighting stance showed an ample amount of cleavage for the young captain as well. She didn't ever intend to let the captain forget she was a woman!
She was teasing him. He knew it, but he was responding and hated it. His body was growing warm and it wasn't from exertion. Why was he stuck with this devilish vixen? He didn't come here looking for a mistress no matter how willing. He was now fighting himself. His hands shook as he held his sabre. He gained power from a foolish mistake he made in his early training. The reason he can't climb the ladder any further was because he did take a mistress and was given 20 stripes for it. Trainees aren't allowed such relationships. He gained his sanity from a burning agony on his back. He struggled long and hard to get what respect he had and still struggled. He wouldn't get caught again. He circled and struck with more prowess, fueled by anger and humiliation. He can still redeem himself.
Isis had all she could do to keep the smile from her face. So he had a mistress once! He wasn't a trainee anymore. Now he was a captain. With some manner of rank, the captain should be free now... He didn't have to be caught... She realized that his resolve was making him more cautious, but she would continue to be enticing for she sensed in him a weakness. Jareth admired his daughter's persistence. He had moved from his chair to stand by the open window though the crystal still showed Sheba with his rose.
The general circled again; perhaps if he tried a different angle. Behind her back? She'll turn too quickly, plus a sneak attack isn't sporting, but it is allowed in war. Everyone should be prepared for such an occurrence. Still circling, maybe he should let her strike first this time.
Ione sensed the general's idea, but she always saved her natural abilities until last resort if she wished to end a battle. Ione was unsure of how much the general was used to physical battle being combined with the battle of weapons. In her current form she had less brawn than the human but a properly placed shove could give her advantages if she took them. She was well trained both to take them without losing her edge and to make them. She also knew that she had much more upper body strength than the human would expect. Human females were inherently weak, but a Centaur was exceptionally strong and faster than the wind. Deciding to take the initiative again, Ione struck with an unexpected force. Quick as a flash her hip made harsh contact with the general's forcing him to check his balance before she struck at his sword again and looked to her defenses. Jareth shook his head. Ione would have sucker-punched or kicked where it mattered most to the general if he were her real enemy. She never failed to use the frailties of men against them in actual combat. It always amused him to what great lengths Ione would go to keep a friendly fight clean.
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Apollo was very quiet after Sheba spoke, but so was she. She was hungry and he prepared a good meal for her, well someone did. She forgot she was in an oubliette as she looked at her flowers and food. As she swallowed one more bite she said, "Thank you, Apollo and Shiloan. I had a good day today."
Shiloan dipped his head since both unicorn and Centaur had finished their meal. "You are quite welcome, Lady Sheba. If you are ready, we shall take you back to the castle now…"
Sheba stood up from her seat remembering to take her flowers. She was reluctant to leave such pleasant company. "Yes, perhaps these flowers should be put in a vase," she said quietly.
"A suitable vase awaits in your room, Lady Sheba," Apollo said with a smile. Shiloan stood close to one side of her chair so she would have an easier time reaching his back. "If it is acceptable, Lady Sheba, I should like to go on a walk with you again given the opportunity," the unicorn offered. As soon as Sheba was situated on Shiloan's back, Apollo took the torch that he had set aside and smothered the flames of the others with a thought. In the darkness, he cleared the oubliette of their meals and furniture leaving the oubliette as a challenger should find it. The rock faces were silent as they passed no doubt still in fear of Apollo's wrath or simply because Apollo kept the group from making any comments about being on the right path. Soon enough they came to some stairs spiraling upwards. The vaulted ceiling was high enough that Apollo and Shiloan could navigate them. At the top, Apollo unlocked a heavy wooden door to reveal they were back in the castle...
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So she wants to play rough. He can do that too. It took him mere moments to regain his faulted balance. Prepare for anything was his motto. As he parried her next sword strike he stretched out a foot to trip her up. As he was doing this he thought he ought to train his recruits in a similar manner more often. Sheba would be glad at such a chance at the men around her he knew. Perhaps Ione would continue the girl's military training as well as train her in her powers. The Centauri woman was a soldier. "Lady Ione, would Sheba still be allowed to train her military skills while she's in the Labyrinth? It would be a shame for her to trade one skill for another if she has the power for both."
Ione grinned. It was a good test, and the general passed. She caught the movement of his foot just in time to jump agilely over. "Well met, General Paine. I have met some that cannot abide such tactics. I assure you that Sheba's training would be interconnected. She is a soldier thus she will need to learn how to use her abilities in a battle situation. The two are impossible to separate, but she will gain knowledge of unassisted fighting as well." The Centauri woman remained in a cautious stance, but there was certainly no malice in her tone. This was a friendly spar between peers for her.
Captain Tig sneered at Isis. She would try to tantalize him again, but he won't bite, he won't let himself. His back still burned with his remembered flogging. He will remember that throughout this battle. He forced her sword away from him. Both swords were diagonally across the fighters' chests. Neither can win with their swords like that. He stalked forward glaring at the vixen. His eyes may not have the same cold intensity as Jareth's, but they burned like coal into the Centauri girl's pretty violet ones. He said not a word as he held his opponent's gaze.
Isis decided a bit of toying was required now. Slowly she brushed away the remembered burning sensation in his back. What he could remember during their battle was entirely subjective to her whim. She replaced the burning sensation with the feel of a caress soothing away any pain. A fiery mischief pervaded her violet gaze to match his own searing glare. She had never been harmed by her father's anger, thus she did not fear anger or determination in men. Instead she interjected an image of what might happen should the captain kiss her. She had learned projection into unguarded human brains very well, but what her mother intended and what she learned from her father or her namesake were often two different things… She savored the moment quickly then pushed Tig away from the deadlock in their combat resuming her fighting stance with a small smirk on her delicate mouth.
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Sheba looked thoughtfully to Shiloan, "I should like to walk with you again, Shiloan, but I don't know how long I'm staying. I would like to walk with Apollo too," She turned to Apollo, "But I fear I may not get many chances, for you're a soldier. At least where I come from, soldiers don't often get days off." Sheba did not fear going through the dark after her dinner, and the lovely array of flowers, which she still held, improved matters further. She sniffed her small bouquet on occasion. When her friends and she came out of the dark, she found herself in the castle and followed her escort to her room, where she found a lovely blue–green mosaic vase on the bedstand. She asked Apollo if she would get to see the rest of her party tonight.
Shiloan dipped his head in acknowledgement to her conditional agreement. "Then I hope the opportunity will present itself, Lady Sheba." Apollo nodded his head as well. "You are indeed right that we don't get many days off other than for assigned missions. However, like Shiloan, I too would appreciate the opportunity to know you better, Lady Sheba." They reached her quarters easily enough, and just as promised a vase awaited for her flowers. He listened attentively to her question and seemed about to answer until small sounds reached his ears. They would have been too slight for human ears, but Apollo and Shiloan both picked up on them due to their heightened animalistic senses. Apollo cocked his head to one side as they passed a window then leaned out to investigate. "Well, apparently you may see them any time now for the General and the Captain have engaged my mother and sister in combat…" He made room for the other two at the window so they could watch as well. Almost without looking, Apollo knew Jareth watched from the throne room…
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General Paine circled his opponent as he spoke, "I believe one must be prepared for anything on the battlefield, my lady, but I admit I wasn't prepared for my trainee's outburst yesterday. Perhaps now something good can come from it. I appreciate your strategy for training the young Sheba." He punctuated his statement with another sword strike. Lady Ione was very quick. She easily sidestepped his previous attempt to knock her off her feet. She was certainly prepared and he appreciated, even admired, that.
Ione parried the general's blow with a smile. "I appreciate your approval. I certainly hope you won't mind if I enlist my children's aide in her training as well." Ione initiated an intricate series of moves to see if the general would be caught by surprise or meet her challenge. "A soldier should never grow accustomed to a single opponent after all..." Ione's movements were seamless. She had been doing this for millennia and it showed. It was obvious that she intended to give the General every opportunity to show his own skill. She never once had resorted to the manipulative tactics Isis preferred.
"I know that she must be prepared for different tactics. Even at home, Sheba faces many different opponents," said the general rather distantly, because he had to concentrate very hard on Ione's intricate moves. He responded to the best of his skill, stumbling only once. "Darn flat feet!" he chastised himself, then smiling, "well, no harm done."
Captain Tig tried to shake his opponent's manipulations. He knew it was manipulation. He couldn't give up this battle, but his Centauri opponent was turning it into more than it was supposed to be. He had to clear his mind and just act to get any fairness with this wicked temptress. He circled around her trying to hide his reaction as he breathed deep, trying to think of nothing but his weapon. He knew her weapon all too well, but he didn't know her weakness.
Wicked…Did he just call her wicked? A temptress, yes, but she had always fought on the side of good. She met determination with a fiery one of her own. She refused to let him off easy! The Centauri guarded their weaknesses jealously, and she didn't mind placing that obstacle before him. She wished to toy with him for now pushing him close to breaking his will. Jareth could do just that with finesse, and she didn't want to get left behind. Her sword met the captain's but she did not present him with an opening rather a continuous show of what might be.
Captain Tig couldn't take the offensive anymore! He was losing ground! He defended his position as if he were fighting for his life. This Centauri temptress was too much. He felt he was being pushed into a corner, despite the openness of the courtyard, and he didn't like that. Formalities were forgotten completely. He wasn't trying to ignore or forget them either. He was never given a chance! He was now sweating freely from fear and exertion. He needed all his strength just to keep going! He'd never met an opponent quite like Isis. Sheba had a very strong will, but she was still very different from Isis.
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Sheba squinted her eyes as she looked out the window. Trying to identify the shapes of Apollo's family and her colleagues. "But, Apollo, they don't look like Centaurs," She gently touched the withers of Apollo's horse body pointedly, "they look like me." Then she moved the same hand that was against Apollo's withers to her chest. "How can you tell it's Lady Ione and your sister?" she asked.
Apollo's equine shoulder quivered beneath her touch, but he focused on answering her question. "Foremost, I can sense their minds. Call it Telepathic location if you will... They could take the form of a tree and I would know where they were. But as we are creatures of magick, we have some use of it..." Forming a crystal, which Apollo tossed into the air overhead, a soft blue mist engulfed him. In moments Apollo stood beside her exactly as he was, but with Faye legs and the completion of the King's style excepting the earring in his ear. "Mother and Isis change form to give each other a more challenging fight. Isis can contain her form rather easily, but my mother doesn't do so often so she expends more energy on concentration on it." He watched the warriors for a moment... "Would you prefer to watch from the courtyard?"
Sheba stepped away, now Apollo looked too much like his king. She had to remind herself he wasn't like King Jareth. She had to remember the horrific pain she felt when he touched her hands. She touched her neck, face and arms again as she remembered her own experience with the king. "Can you take the form of someone besides King Jareth? Then we can go and watch from the courtyard." The king scared her, which was evidenced in how her voice shook as she made her request. She tried to hide the quaver, uselessly.
(Please, Sir, I want some more REVIEWS!)