A/N: Hi. Sorry its taken so long to update but this is an extra long chapter for you just to say sorry. Enjoy guys and tell me what you think
To the reviewers:
Goth: Here you are! Enjoy!
Bradhadiar- 71: You'll find out if she escapes the maenads in this chapter. Thanks for the review and enjoy the new chapter.
billie joe: I love her too. I wanted to create a different persona for her than what everyone would expect as the daughter of Morgan Rowlands. Yeah i dont get punk rock- sorry! Enjoy the new chapter and tell us what you think.
Chapter eleven: Escape part one
Maenads glided through Maenad berg when they heard the call from the other meands. She was escaping.
It was quiet in Maenad Berg. Morwen lay still. Her eyes open in a dream. Seeing no light to lock in her heart. She felt cold and she couldn't move. Her eyes flickered then closed and then suddenly opened hearing the Maenads approach. She felt its greed and hunger for her. Morwen felt the cold, accompanied by irrational fear. She felt her memories come to her swiftly almost blinding her. A single moment of time frozen that would not leave her.
Morwen tore at her face, her arms, as she felt the madness around her erupt again Deign Beigh allah de uluh, cur bia run bia la. ( Translation: Cast the light, bring calm, Calm restored) She curled into herself rocking wishing it to end. For it to be over. Never before had it been so powerful. She felt it in her mind. Her own madness and the maenads. Then the silence resumed. But something was brewing now once again. Something terrible and fine. Beautiful and absoloutly evil in its own madness. Curragh bis run la beigh dun ra (Translation: Enter the sun and shone the dark) Morwen cried desperately, wishing its end. Despite her fears it was the darkness that helped her. Morwen saw a glow to her right, towards the centre; a red- purplish glow and she recoiled knowing what was to come.
Morwen looked above at the maenad. It was snarling, black mist pouring from its mouth and around Morwen. She tried once again to stand but fell, the maenad, leaning closer, shrieked. She had never felt such madness. But this time it was coming from the maenad. It made an almost keening sound as if the maenad was in pain.
Suddenly the Meanad convulsed, foam coming from its slash of a mouth and Morwen watched shallow as the Meanad began to choke. Coughing the Meanad stepped back and let out a howl as it felt the serverity of the madness climb inside it.
It made an awful sound and was still again. Morwen turned on her side but it hurt so she lay on her back but she cried out at the cuts and scars on her back. Her feet were bleeding badly now and she couldn't see. The cross marks on her eyes stung and she felt them bleed. All around her, blackness seemed to move through Maenad Berg.
She new then how hopeless it was to ever hope she could help Muirn. There was nothing she could do. Laurie would do what she always did, Last time Morwen had almost been killed and this time would not be different. She wouldn't give Muirn up. But neither could Morwen.
Morwen tried once again to turn on her side. Her head felt wet and she felt blood at the back of her head.
She remembered was the face of her baby now lost to her forever. A baby she would never know. Never hold. Never be close too. Morwen had known that there would be a price for that joy. Morwen remembered her baby's birth, the pain and fear, but it was real pain, real fear. This she understood, not this kind of hopelessness that seemed to come to her, encasing her mind and body.
Teigh berth ulluah beigh elish, curragh de allah Morwen sang. A song her mother Morgan ,high priestess of the coven Belwicket, had thought her. Morgan had always told her that there was always light in dark times. That all she had to do was find that light and she would be safe. Morwen wondered why her mother had come into her thoughts, since not two years past had she thought of her. Morwen missed her. She longed for her to hold her like a child. And Morwen was still a child. A child locked inside darkness that no one understood. But…. Her mother didn't care. If she did, she would never have left her here, never have believed the lies about her.
Morgan, great Morgan of Belwicket, who beats darkness over light all the time. Her mother, no- her betrayer who along with every one else had done this to her. She didn't kill those people. It was Hayden. Her brother, Hayden. Not her. He was what they all thought she was. Foul and twisted. Loathsome. A murderer. He hated Morwen and she had never understood why. In the beginning she had thought it was jealously, but now she did not know.
Muirn…. He couldn't know about Muirn could he? Who she was? What she was? No. It was impossible. Morwen had taken all the necessary precautions and Moira too had agreed it was for the best. Morwen had cut Muirn off from her. Never did she tell her of her true parentage. There was know possible way he could have found out could there? Was that the reason behind his hate? Knowing that Muirn was in fact Morwen's daughter? He had hated Morwen, then she had had a child, a child that no one understood, just like no one understood Morwen. She had given birth to Muirn after only three months of pregnancy. A healthy baby but then Muirn had grown up fast, The witches on the higher elder council (a new division of the new charter) had said that the child was fated, that she was a witch genetically but also something else. Muirn didn't have a father. Morwen had just gotten pregnant without reason or cause. The higher elders had told Morwen to keep Muirn safe but to keep her in ignorance until they had come up with a plan to protect her from people like Laurie and since Morwen's life was in such turmoil she had given her to Moira. To be raised and loved as the daughter of Moira. Muirn had been fated, was that the reason Laurie wanted Muirn? Why Hayden, her brother, was jealous? Morwen had promised herself when Muirn was born that she would keep Morwen far from the life she had. That she would never let Muirn feel the pain and fear that she had. She had done what she had thought was best. But she had lost her daughter. And all because of what Laurie had made her do, what Laurie had made her to be.
They had given Muirn memories of her life as the daughter of Moira. But in reality Muirn was only two years old. The higher elders had told her that Muirn needed the memories. But they were false memories. Lies. Morwen had promised herself that she would have no lies between her and her daughter. But Muirn did not know of these lies. Morwen did. The elders had offered to alter Morwen's memorys. But Morwen had refused but knowing that Muirn would never know her as her true mother. Not ever would she realise. But that was the lie. Morwen had made that lie and she would have to live with what she had wrought for Muirn's sake.
Morwen felt cold again. So very cold. She needed her magick but she could not reach it.
Be with me goddess, she begged. Slowly Morwen moved. The cuts on her eyes started to bleed again. The blood ran down her face and she could feel her body shaking. Morwen opened her hand wide but it hurt, she whispered an incantation she had learned in early childhood. It was spell her father had though her to use if ever she was lost or frightened.
In the core of every star shines a light,
Come light to me,
I need you now,
Help me find my way,
For I am I need,
Guide me.
In Morwen's hand a green light burst open. A star shining bright. It hovered for a moment beside Morwen's hand then burst into a brighter light. Around her the shadows rescinded, darkness eased from her.
It danced around Morwen's head. Now a green and red light shimmering like flames. It began slowly to warm Morwen and she felt it spread.
Again Morwen tried to move, she hissed at the pain and lifted up onto her hands and knees. Then she started laugh, a high-pitched laugh, almost hysterical in its volume. Then she collapsed again feeling her body give out once more.
The light squeaked beside her, eager to go and looks towards its presence to see it hopping up and down. Again she moved, trying to get up on her hands and knees but the pain intensified and she screamed. Her body was broken. But she had to go. The Maenads would not leave her be for long. They would be back.
Morwen coughed and she spat up blood and tissue from her internal wounds. She wiped her mouth and shook her head closing her eyes.
With a cry she stood holding her middle almost collapsing once more. But she stood and coughed once more. She stumbled but took a hesitant step towards the Starlight. The light hopped once more and spun around hopping in the direction facing Morwen. Morwen had forgotten how children the light was.
"Heeeee!" The light squeaked and Morwen feared the noise would attract the Maenads to her.
" Be quiet will you?" she hissed doubling over as pain gripped her again.
" Heeee!" The light squeaked again but this time in a lower volume and Morwen shook her head. Idiot thing, she thought.
" Where?" Morwen said painfully. She couldn't see the light but she could feel it- and hear it unfortunately.
Coughing Morwen followed the light down a flight of stone stairs but her legs gave out and she fell, tumbling over herself and down the stairs. Morwen saw black spots before her eyes and she swallowed wondering how much more punishment her body could take.
Morwen could hear the starlight besides her almost whispering. She had had enough of whispers in her ear. She pushed it away and coughed again. She had been thrown into the corner, Her back and head hit the wall.
Her leg had a bad gash in it, almost like a whole. A single tear ran down Morwen's cheek but she dashed it away before the light could see.
It was quiet around her. But not a dead quiet. Something was ahead Morwen felt. Morwen began to shake again and her head pounded and Morwen felt a crack. Her ribcage was broken. Morwen shrieked and the sound filled the halls. She bent over and cried silently. Everything hurt.
The light came to her again and hopped up to her eyes. It sang a song to her,
Be not afraid I am here,
Be not afraid I am near,
Stand and follow me,
I will lead you to safety.
Morwen looked to the light, she felt it come closer to her. It sang another song in Latin - it seemed, a language Morwen didn't know but she felt it was soothing.
Attuli adlatum lei solacium fa bosporus ab acus (Translation: Bring help and comfort to those in need)
The light swayed to a dance in its own mind. Morwen watched dazed and uncomprehending, she closed her eyes and let the music from the light enter her. Morwen held her hand to the light and she got an almost electric shock from it. She was able to move once more. The light hopped away from her and span around in circles. It seemed like a dress floated out around it, cascading and beautiful.
Morwen stood and took a faltering step towards he light, limping badly from the cut in her leg. She hissed at the pain and cried aloud but she kept moving, on and on following the light.
The light danced in front of Morwen and Morwen felt gratitude towards it. It may be childish but it was all Morwen had for now. Movement ahead stopped Morwen in her steps. She faltered then looked around for some sort of weapon but finding none she stepped back away from the light.
A shadow moved in front of her and she recoiled knowing it could only be the Maenads. She took her hands to her face determined to scratch out her eyes. In the distance she heard that light squeak energetically, almost in relief. She pulled at her hair and covered her face. She started to mumble incoherently and she heard the light once again somewhere near her.
The light began to shriek in a high-pitched voice almost calling. Morwen began to sob, all resolve gone. But suddenly the darkness behind her eyes lifted slightly. Her sight was coming back.
" No, no please, no" she sobbed shaking her head viciously; she pulled at her hair harder.
" Stop that your hurting yourself" a voice said but Morwen couldn't make out weather it was male or female, a trait common to Maenads.
Something groped at her face and Morwen shrieked trying to hide her face from it. But Morwen felt hands; Maenads didn't have hands.
"Can you move?" the voice said urgently, distinctly male. It was a low voice, so low Morwen could barely hear it. Morwen shook her head violently and tried to move away but then she felt the cold around her and she new without doubt that they were coming for her now.
" No!" she cried and she tried to stand but fell. The man caught her in his arms and lifted her to him.
Around her, they were all around her. She could feel them, their fear of her escape. The man stopped when he came to the lower depths. This was were they kept the high security prisoners. Prisoners like Morwen. But then she was moved to the high towers. Where the most elite Prisoners are kept, these Prisoners had Maenads stationed outside their sells all the time. All around them there were screams and Morwen felt the man cringe at the wailing.
" Release them," she whispered " Release them all" The man placed Morwen on the ground gently and when she swayed reached forward and put his arm around her but Morwen cried out when his hands touched the cuts on her back.
He immediately pulled his hand away " I'm sorry" he said
Morwen looked behind him at the Maenads, they were all around them and this man was not bothered it seemed. Morwen turned from the noise they made, the keening sounds and placed her hands on the wall sinking to the ground shaking her head.
The man glanced at Morwen "Stay" he commanded and as he walked to the centre of the hall Morwen caught a glimpse of his eyes. They were a crystal blue. Almost inhuman. He squatted and closed his eyes.
Blue light began to engulf him and Morwen watched wide-eyed as from his back came wings. Fairy wings. They were beautiful, like cryrtals. He was a fey. He began a chant but Morwen couldn't hear what he said, the madness came back to her and she grabbed the sides of her head digging her nails in and drawing blood.
His wings swayed in a wind. Flapping slightly and the blue light charge at the Maenads. All the while the man squatted still chanting quietly. He fell then onto his hands and knees still chanting as the light changed to a black colour. The Maenads shrieked and wailed as the light surrounded them making holes in their flesh, tearing at them.
The man looked to Morwen once then closed his eyes again. His eyes were bright blue- burning. Morwen couldn't look at him anymore- there were more Maenads coming and there was nothing Morwen could do. The man at that moment looked familiar. Odd since Morwen did not know many feys. She herself had just about single handily extinguished their race.
Suddenly the man in front of her began to chant once more. This time at more of a length than before. His hands shot out and ice shot out to the maenads and they froze all in one together. Morwen heard them shriek and the man looked again to Morwen, his eyes unreadable.
Suddenly his eyes were normal again- or as normal as they once had been. He ran to her and pulled on her arm.
" More will come. We must go" he ran a hand through his ink black hair and looked behind him.
The starlight had been silent during the fight but now it was hopping madly as if in victory. It began to squeak again and the man looked over to it.
" Noisy little bugger isn't it?" he said laughing and looking at Morwen oddly.
Morwen pushed him away but it only made her wince " Get away from me Fey" his expression changed to one of hurt but then to anger.
" Well what do you want from me then? Will I leave you here for the maenads to have? Right now I'm liking that option a lot," he said turning his back and beginning to walk away.
" Please don't leave me, please," Morwen whispered and she started to sob.
The man turned around and sighed looking at the young girl below him "Come here"
Morwen looked up at him, he was tall for a fey. They were usually very short. But he was at least 6 foot.
"I don't deserve your help fey," she said as he pulled her up. She hissed at him and he cringed, he didn't like the way she had said fey.
" Why's that?" he asked, he had a nice voice, deep and oddly pitched. It was quiet around them now but Morwen doubted the Maenads would ever give up on her.
" I'm not a very nice person fey," she said. There was a pull from him, a strange pull. Morwen wasn't sure whether it was magickal or not.
He was young to for a fey, she could sense that. They tended to grow slowly. They could be fifty and they would only look 16 years old. There was something odd about his fairy magick. It was almost slanted- for lack of a better word.
" I think that should be for me to decide witch," he said looking at her in that odd way again. Morwen looked to him, startled. He knew she was a witch.
" You say that now. But you will not when you learn who I am fey" she said bitterly. It was the way it always went.
" Look I saved your life so do you think you could call me by my name? It's Harlen by the way," he said still looking at her oddly.
Morwen nearly scoffed at that idea but doubled over in the attempt and spat up blood, coughing. She started to shake again as she felt most of the life she had been given leave her.
Harlen looked on as she coughed nearly choking. He bent down but she recoiled from him suddenly afraid of him. She shook her head then began to scream hysterically. Startled he tried to cover her mouth but her wide eyes told him she was once again petrified.
" Stop it please. Or they will sense the madness in you and come back" he said desperately and he looked behind him afraid.
Morwen sobbed again, breathless as his words reached her. But she stopped screaming. He let out a breath and moved towards her again but she shook her head
" Look, do you want to stay here?" he said impatiently and Morwen shook her head looking at him out of the corner of her eye.
Morwen looked at him and saw his eyes were just eyes again, She reached up slowly and allowed him to take her hand. Harlen startled that she would offer it took it clumsily pulling her to him.
Morwen cried out at the pain as he lifted her up. The starlight came back to them. Morwen's sight was now nearly fully restored by the starlight's magick.
Dancing and singing the starlight guided them through the halls; Harlan kept a firm grip on Morwen though obviously she was withdrawn into herself. There seemed, when he looked close, to be no light in her eyes. He thought that sad.
Darkness was all around them but they kept on moving. Morwen was hurt badly and Harlen knew she wouldn't last much longer. He needed to get her out of here.
The light sang another song and Harlen laughed " Does it ever shut up?"
" It has problems," Morwen said almost smiling. Really smiling.
Morwen limped along another corridor lined with torches, fires set in stonewalls. There was a terrible smell.
Harlen stopped when they came to a set of wooden doors, he set Morwen down and she slumped to the floor exhausted. The pain was getting worse and she was crying silently.
" Why are you helping me?" she hissed, looking at him. He turned towards her voice and gave her that odd look again.
"Lets just say it's a matter of conscience. I don't think you belong in a place like this," he said turning away from her and running his hand over the door pushing it slightly. He whispered something in his own language and the door shuddered and groaned then creaked open.
It was cold out and raining. The sky a murky grey tinged with pink. There was a storm coming; Morwen could feel it. It was wild out.
Harlen looked behind them but didn't feel anything out of the ordinary.
"There should be a boat near the docks. Can you make it there?" he asked still peering outside through the rain.
He had marks on him like Morwen had. Like tattoos but more crude. Marks of his clan Morwen guessed. She wondered how a fey as young as him has survived the massacre- that she has induced.
She looked away ashamed of her past, knowing he would not have helped her if he new her.
He took her hand but feeling her flinch let go " I won't hurt you- I swear," he said looking at her but Morwen could still not read his eyes. Unusual since that was one of the things she was good at.
Morwen nodded and retreated into her own world. She didn't care what happened now. She had seen the world outside the walls of Maenad. That was something she had longed for.
Harlen pulled his cloak over her and lifted her into his arms again. He felt her stiffen but he didn't let her go.
He walked steadily down the path feeling certain they would be jumped at any moment, he kept looking behind him fearfully of their faces jumping and claiming " Almost there" he whispered but he doubt she heard him. He thought she was asleep she had gone so lax.
They got to the boat but they were both soaked through. There was no one nearby and Harlen was grateful for that mercy. He didn't know how he could explain this.
Morwen stirred in his embrace. He felt he knew her yet he knew that he couldn't have met her before he would remember someone like that if he had.
He started up the boat and put Morwen in the cabin still looking up towards Maenad, at its sadness and fear. It seemed to seep through the walls. With one last look he steered the boat to the expanse of the sea.