I'm running from a meeting to another meeting in these days, so forgive me if this one will be quick! Thank you for all the reviews I'm receiving there and on the three missing scenes I posted last week, you made my day!
Oh... glaschlasc... nice catch on the reference to the Pirates of the Caribbean! ;)
Patrick stared in amusement at the monkey knocking down the last guard on its path, while the sparrow kept flying straight until it was in the middle of the cave. The old druid tilted his head, watching the small bird slowly shape-shifting, morphing back in a well-known redhead crouched on the stone pavement. Maeve stood up, dusting off her clothes before turning to eye him, her hands on her hips.
"Were you really trying to kill ME, uncle? Because I won't believe even for A MINUTE that you didn't know it was me! And I would have said it was great to see you again, but I'm not feeling up to any pleasantry right now!" she shouted in anger, quirking an eyebrow rather annoyed.
"And they dared to ask me why I chose Air as a new apprentice..." Patrick muttered, shaking his head to the sorceress in front of him, not so different from the moody young girl he tried to tutor years before "I did try to kill you, Maeve, but you've to admit that circumstances were kind of against you. I must say I'm pleased, by the way, that you still remember something about your druidical training."
"Auras don't apply to animals, shape-shifting included." Maeve nodded, grumpily. "I didn't remember at the beginning, it's Talya who bugged me about auras theory, so while I kept Air and Earth under control, I ended up searching into my mind for details, and here we go. By the way, uncle, I can't believe you almost killed me! You know I would NEVER betray the druids!" she snapped, before turning to stare at the monkey when it screeched loudly before waving hysterically its arms "I forgot you were still an animal..." she mumbled, snapping her fingers and breathing some words in gaelic.
"Oh, sure, because you didn't enjoy every single moment of it." the Pirate Queen sarcastically greeted the sorceress as soon as she was back in her forms, standing up. "Why did I have to be the monkey?" she complained, straightening the bandana on her head.
"Quick, cunning, smart, good attitude at thievery... geez, Talya, I've no idea why you ought to be the monkey...!" Maeve pointed out, quirking an eyebrow. Talya snorted, rolling her eyes to the sky before glaring at Patrick.
"So this old bat is the one who almost killed us..."
"Aye, he is."
"And then why aren't we killing him or making him lifting the curse?"
"Because he's supposed to be a druid, so no harm will be done if not necessary... as a plus, he's my uncle and differently from him, I do NOT try to kill members of my family." Maeve explained, glaring at Patrick.
"The old bat is your uncle?"
"The old bat cursed you to the end of the world and can do even worse, keep it in mind..." Patrick muttered, eying the Pirate Queen in annoyance.
"The old bat is called Patrick O'Brien, guardian of the Sword of Airgetam, who happens to be my uncle, nonetheless my former mentor." Maeve announced, before looking at the old druid. "This Talya the Pirate Queen, also known as the Black Rose, or the Thief, I believe."
"I don't still get why you protected her, kid." Patrick said, looking sternly at Maeve who sighed, bringing a lock of flaming red hairs behind her ear. "And why can't I see Dermott?"
"Dermott is in Horreum, right now... doing his best to help to recover the Sword." Maeve explained worriedly, fidgeting with the rainbow bracelet at her wrist "I brought Talya away to divert your attention and let them work, in an attempt to save her life."
"Them?"
"Captain Sinbad and his crew, people I'm travelling with... and friends of Talya's."
"People you're travelling with?" Talya chuckled "Does Sinbad know it, Red?"
"Shut up, Talya." Maeve muttered, casting her a burning glare.
"This is even worse of Sinbad's line "she's part of my crew"" Talya snorted, mocking the captain.
"When did he say that?" Maeve inquired in disbelief.
"Enough!" Patrick yelled, glaring at the two women "What happened to that Dim Dim person you left Eire with?" the druid asked staring intently at Maeve.
"He was cursed by Turok, and locked in a parallel dimension..." the redhead mumbled, lowering her head. "We are trying to find and save him right now."
"We?"
"Me, Sinbad and the crew. He was their mentor, too." Maeve sighed, feeling abruptly again like the little girl lectured by her mentor.
"But you mastered your powers."
"Yes, I did."
"How?"
"Long story, uncle."
"Dermott?
"He's fine, I told you." Maeve cringed.
"Still a hawk?"
"Yes..." Maeve hissed, casting a quick glance to Talya. The Pirate had followed the bantering in silence, but she quickly recovered at the mentioning of Dermott, furrowing her eyebrows.
"Why shouldn't it be still a hawk? It's such a cutie...!" she pointed out, earning a puzzled glance from Patrick. The druid looked like he was processing the situation, before he turned to stare at Maeve.
"She doesn't know?"
"No, she doesn't. Nobody knows except the other sorceress travelling with us." Maeve whispered, avoiding the piercing gaze of the Pirate Queen.
"What should I know? Red? Spill it!"
"None of your business, Talya." Maeve growled at her, before glaring at her uncle "Now, can you please lift the curse from her, so I get to join my friends in Horreum, recover the Sword and send you back in Eire? She's not dangerous, uncle, she's just dumb… and the lesson is learned, I swear."
"Hold on a second… the cutie isn't a real hawk?" Talya babbled, waving her hands to ignore Maeve's attempt to drop the argument.
"No, he's not." Patrick announced, curtly, before staring at Maeve. "I will lift the curse, Maeve, but there are a few conditions I'd like her to oblige…"
"Then… what is it? Who is it?" Talya kept pressing them, bewildered.
"Since she's ignoring the current topic involving her future, uncle, I think she'll be fine with whetever…" Maeve hissed, glaring at the Pirate Queen "I already told you, Talya… none of your business! Can we please go back on track?" she snapped harshly.
"Red, you know I'll bug you until you spill the beans… humor me, and we'll cut the bickering and go back on business!" Talya smiled sweetly, making the sorceress roll her eyes.
"… and by the way, Kid, I think you'd like to know that the people you're travelling with, as you put it, think you're both dead."
Maeve blinked at those words, turning slowly to stare at her uncle.
"What…?" she almost squeaked, open-mouthed. "But… how… when…?"
"They met my man in Horreum… and later they contacted us and then… well…"
"Dermott and Sinbad think I'm dead…?" Maeve asked, stretching out her hand to silence the explanation.
"I'm afraid so, kid."
"Why didn't you tell earlier?!" she bursted out, pushing Talya towards the druid. "Lift the curse, now!"
"But…"
"Uncle… less talking, more action! I need to go to Horreum as soon as possible…" Maeve moaned, pressing a hand to her rainbow bracelet. "I can't even think at how are they feeling right now…" she muttered, before glaring again to the druid.
"You'll have to help me. And… do you agree to my conditions…?"
"Well-
"She agrees." Maeve cut them, glaring to Talya before staring at Patrick "What do you need me to do?"