Author's notes: Thanks again as always to my wonderful writing partner Inu-midoriko for all of her patience Sorry for the long wait, hope that this chapter makes up for it!
The night air was slightly chilly as Moira walked up the stairs to get to the rooftop to have a quick word with the winged girl. "Milady, as you know I have more notes of your mother's research at my hideout. If you want, I'll give them to you, but as I said before, I will not give up the copies."
Her hands trembled slightly as she took the papers, then put them into the duffel bag she left there. "I will follow you there. I need all the notes if I'm to make any sense of what I already had."
Nodding in agreement, Moira went back down through the precinct, and looked to the roof top to make sure Arianna was following. Getting into her car, she drove at a pace the winged girl could follow from.
High above, the Nephilim Queen followed silently, she took case enough to make certain that she could not be seen as following a specific hover car. All the while her insides were a churning mess of strain, excitement, and fear. SwanQueen spent the time in flight regaining control of herself at much as she could.
It took an hour of steady driving to arrive at a hidden entrance in the outskirts of Gotham. The pass and hour were hidden by the trees from the sky, forcing the queen to make a safe landing at the entrance of the drive. Moira left the door open for her winged guest, letting the girl know that she was welcome in her home, a privilege almost no one received. "Here," she said when the Queen came into her home. "these are the rest of the notes."
The Nephilim Queen's hands were shaking so hard that it took two or three times before the brunette could manage to take the thick file from Moria's hands. She barely made it to the nearest armchair before her legs could no longer hold her weight. Still, even as she fell against the arm of the chair, the Queen retained a death-grip on those notes.
"Would... would you like some tea?" asked Moira, slightly uncomfortable since she hadn't had to be a hostess in years.
She shook her head still looking dazed. "Were you aware of what the Creator did to our digestive systems?" The Queen asked in a slightly shaky voice.
. "Yes. What I am offering is a natural tea herb." she said and boiled the kettle anyways. "Everything you need to know is in those notes. The genetic codes, the ways to get around the digestive system's pickiness, the quickest way to teach someone how to fly. Everything."
SwanQueen was grateful she was already sitting down "It sounds like you had the master copy... if that is so then what kind of notes do I have?" She asked herself as she looked down at the notes in her hand before picking up the duffel bag and unzipping it.
"You have the skeleton. These, are the skin and bones. The finer details that I'm sure will make the notes you have, make a hell of a lot more sense. No more guesswork."
Taking a deep breath, the Queen carefully put the notes in the bag, trying to hide her shaking hands. "Finally off the razor's edge..." She whispered in a choked voice.
She sat next to the Queen and put an arm around her shoulders. "The pressure was on pretty bad wasn't it?"
"The others were coping better that I was. My type is not a fighter, and I was fragile to begin with so... Not to mention they could eat meat." She looked straight ahead. "It wasn't so bad at first. Sure the human food was horrible, but I could keep it down, but the harder and harder I tried to keep the cover the faster I seemed to evolve..."
Moira nodded, understanding best, next to SwanQueen herself and her deceased mother, what she was talking about. "Your type of bird is complex but beautiful. Your mom had a plan for you, it's in the note so please, please, please, please, don't loose them."
"Never. They are all I have left of her. The police were very thorough about getting rid of everything else. Humans were so blind that night, I should have never called them."
"You didn't know what else to do. I don't blame you. It's what anyone would have done."
SwanQueen sighed. "Batman doesn't believe me when I say Arianna died the night the Creator did." She admitted.
"He'll come around." she said and suddenly looked tired as she thought about everything from they day she was created to now. "Everything went so wrong. It was supposed to be a happy ending. We were supposed to be partners. Rich partners that went anywhere, did anything we wanted. She was going to run for Mayor you know. She had plans for it once she got you on your feet." she said with a sad smile as she remembered the good memories. "We may have started off rough, but we came to really like each other. Like family, you know?" she said and a single tear slid down her cheek. She wiped it away the best she could and smile apologetically at the Nephilim next to her. "The most I could hope for now is you and your succeeding. Maybe even turning into one before my ending days."
"Every time I have to work with the humans who are not mine, it feels like there is a war going on inside me. The need I was inbred with protect and guide them wars with my disgust and frustration as they force me to play by rules that no longer make any sense to me." SwanQueen looked at Moria curiously. "Were you Paired with the Creator?" She asked.
"Paired?" she asked, knowing that the regular pair the and Nephilim pair was two different definitions.
"A couple, mated." She clarified calmly.
Moira blushed furiously and stumbled over her words at first before she got a grip on herself and took a deep breath. "Yes. We were going to tell you when the rough part was over. Then she was murdered, I couldn't find you and the Boss was trying his damnest to find me. I had no choice but to leave."
The brunette nodded calmly. "I'm sorry I don't remember you. I think you must have made her very happy."
"It's better you don't remember. If you can't remember me, you can't be hurt right?" she said and gave a big smile she hoped was a happy one.
Slowly, she shook her head. "I know it hurts you. I still don't know whether the loss of my human life was supposed to happen or not but..."
"It was supposed to be gradual. There was a plan to make you remember everything in case loosing it was a side effect. It's not supposed to happen. I was the one that was supposed to conduct it but..." she sighed. "I'm so sorry."
After a moment of quiet thought, the Nephilim Queen shook her head. "No, don't be, I think that it's better this way. Most of what I knew when I was a human is useless now that that I have evolved. It's too late to hope for a complete co-existence between our people now I think."
"Not impossible. If there was one thing your mother would have wished before she died, it was that the two races could coexist. You're right, they are human. They're stubborn creatures that need to be guided but they need your trust and you need theirs. We're not totally useless you know." she said and knocked the brunnette playfully with her elbow. "Besides, you're the Queen, you have to do what's right for your people, but you still have to take the human population into consideration if you're one day going to coexist."
"I was planing on giving the Nephilim a separate space to live, we need a separate place even if we are offering the city our protection."
Smiling Moira pointed up. "The sky, SwanQueen. You and yours were meant to live in the sky."
"True, but the hover cars tend to aim for our wings. Not to mention that human technology does not like us at all..." She pointed out returning the smile. "Anything electronic I touch tends to die."
"I'm sure you can find a way to avoid those things. You don't have to have your home in the city sky. It can be just as easily made in the outskirts."
"Which is why once the Narrows- we call it the Viper Pit- is cleaned out, it will belong to us along with the wilderness backing it." SwanQueen answered. "I'm thinking as far ahead as I can."
"That's a good plan. Just be careful." she demanded with a stern gaze.
The brunette nodded solemnly. "I try."
"What are you planning now?" she asked, getting up for tea when the kettle whistled.
"I'm going to go home and go over these notes. If this solves my main problems, I'll be able to concentrate on deciding who will be worthy of becoming one of us."
"You must also try not only to see who will be worthy, but who will be beneficial. You have to have a balance in life, every life, or it won't work. There will come a time when you will need someone who isn't worthy and the only way to use them is to change them into one of you. It's how you handle those people that really defines your success as a ruler."
The Nephilim Queen narrowed her mismatched eyes as her mouth primed in distaste. "I don't think it'll work that way." She said slowly.
"You don't want it to. No one would. Hell, if I could erase all the bad people from this world I would. But I can't. You'll understand someday."
Shaking her head, she frowned. "You misunderstand me Moria. To be truthful, I don't think it can be done, the change from human to Nephilim is too drastic for one unwilling."
"I'm not talking about someone unwilling. I'm talking about someone who's willing, but doesn't deserve the gift because of who they are."
"I would be willing to give them a chance, depending on how much they want it." SwanQueen cocked her head to the side. "I'll be fair, but they'll have to work to earn it."
Moira smiled. "I like to hear that." she said and laid a fond hand on the younger woman's cheek. "Your mom would be so proud."
She smiled back tiredly. "Being a Nephilim means the person you were before is- for all intents and purposes- dead. As long as they adhere to my Rule, I can manage almost anything. Sky above, my Pairbonded used to hate me before he was Reborn!"
"It happens. Not just to Nephilim either." She said with a knowing smirk and poured tea for herself. "Are you sure you don't want any?"
Her stomach growled. "Perhaps I should." The Queen sounded reluctant though.
"Tea is an all natural drink. Well, the decaffeinated ones are." she said and poured some for her in a small cup so she wouldn't have to drink a lot.
"Thank you very much." The brunette took the drink and blew on it. "I'm already missing a good chunk of skin from the back of my neck."
"Why is there missing skin?" she asked, alarm clear in her voice.
"Human food allergy, in this case it was a chocolate bar. "She sighed. "The flesh turned green and tainted, so my fledgling removed it and told me no more human food for any reason."
"What did they do with the rotted flesh?"
"Our Healer was examining it." SwanQueen flinched. "She wasn't happy with me at all, and I thought my Pairbond was going to knock me out!"
"Make sure she burns it. The last thing you need is someone finding your flesh and grabbing DNA."
"I think she did, but I'll be sure to pass along the message." Tentatively, the brunette sipped her tea. "Do you have your own water source? The water tastes clean."
"Filter, actually. Brita, magnified."
The queen made a thoughtful sound. "Interesting..."
As the brunette sipped her tea, Moira pretended to be busy sipping hers, when in fact she was analyzing the young queen. She was surprised, yet pleased with the progression of the race and of SwanQueen as a Nephilim. She reserved herself in front of those she was leery of but as she had seen just now, she was very open and open minded to those she found she could trust. With a small smile, she congratulated herself and her lost love for their success. Alexis' daughter was going to be a brilliant Queen. The only thing she could do was sit back and watch it all unfold.
After the Nephilim Queen had finished her tea, she stood gracefully. "I should be getting back, my pairbond will worry about me. They can't give me a tracer to use."
Nodding in agreement, she asked her to wait a moment. Grabbing a pen and paper she scribbled something down on a piece of paper and stamped it. Folding it and putting it in an envelope, she handed it to the young queen. "This is a note of apology to your Pairbond."
Raising both eyebrows in surprise, SwanQueen took the note. "You are wise, perhaps you can teach the other humans manners they are sorely lacking." Her mismatched eyes danced in humor.
Moira laughed for a moment and said, "They're just ignorant. When you take over the Narrows I'll gladly teach the humans how to interact with you."
"That would be a kindness." The queen agreed as she picked up her bag. "Thank you for the tea, it will be a long night."
Giving a slight bow, Moira showed her the door. "Fly safe."
"Land with Grace... mother and Creatrix." SwanQueen answered before leaving quietly.
As the sun set, two pairs of glowering eyes narrowed on the falling star. Worry and anger, but mostly anger, boiled and churned within him. Snarling, he turned his head away from the sky and started pacing again. He wasn't one to be controlling, but given everything that's happened recently, SwanQueen, his beloved Pairbond, should have known better than to not contact him to at least let him know she was alright and not in the Boss' clutches again.
A hand on his shoulder stopped him in his tracks. "KnightHawk, she's fine. Things probably ran longer at the precinct than she thought."
"She's been gone all day! She could have sent a letter or a messenger or something." his shoulders trembled. "SwiftSpy, I don't know what I'll do if I loose her..." his wings slumped but even though his gaze was to the ground she could still see anger.
Cupping his cheek to make him look at her, she let him see the worry on her face as well. "We can't do this alone anymore. Between the jobs we're left doing to better our race, we can't always keep an eye on her. We're going to have to have faith that she'll be okay on her own for the time being until we can make a bodyguard for her."
"I know... I just... hard when I love her so much." he muttered, back straightening.
"I know." with a small smile she turned and went back to the computers and Josh.
Not long after, as the sky was turning a dusky purple and the first stars shyly twinkled into sight, the queen glided in for a graceful landing. Her neat braid was windblown and messed up in a way that said she had flown far too high and let the wind seduce her. Behind her smile, her mismatched eyes looked shaken to her core. "I have them."
Only KnightHawk came out to greet her and the look he gave her wasn't one to be reckoned with. "Explain."
"I have the Creator's notes, all of them." Her voice was hushed with awed joy.
"SwiftSpy, take the notes, I need to speak with my Queen." SwiftSpy came out and with a hug that spoke volumes, took the notes from SwanQueen.
For a moment, the Nephilim queen seemed unable to give up the notes, but she finally convinced herself to release them. "Don't open them yet... please?"
"I've got a file just for them. They'll be safe."
Still looking reluctant, SwanQueen nodded, but let SwiftSpy take them.
"Come with me." he said and without waiting for her to agree, started walking in the direction of an enclosed forest.
Submissively the Nephilim queen followed her mate, brushing back her tousled hair into some sense of order and catching her breath.
When they were far enough away from the hideout, KnightHawk abruptly turned to her. He walked towards her, his eyes intent on hers.
Shifting, it looked as though she wanted to take a step backwards, but the Queen stood her ground. "I'm fine pairbond."
When he got close enough for his chest to touch hers and tower over her, he kept walking, forcing her to move back. His hands stayed at his side until her back was against a tree. Still looking into her eyes, he leaned down and captured her lips in a hungry kiss. He ran his hands slowly from her hands to her shoulders and down her back, taking careful measures to not miss a spot. He knew she was okay from her legs down- well, as okay as ones feet could be when raw- so he focused on the upper part of her body. What first started as a hungry kiss, turned gentle and loving. When he was satisfied that she was indeed fine, he brought his hands to hers and intertwined their fingers.
Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and tried to ease back to lick her slightly swollen lips. "All better?" His mate asked.
With a gentle smile that managed to reach his eyes this time, he embraced her with his arms and shielded her from view with his wings. "No." he purred into her ear but made no other move to show his displeasure with her actions that day. "You say you have the notes... will we be able to make more Nephilim to protect you?"
"If she is to be trusted, yes. However, I haven't gone through them yet. I also have a note for you, but you pounced on me first." She cuddled in his warm embrace. Shifting slightly, his queen reached inside her shirt and pulled out Moria's note for her mate to see. "I followed her home to get the rest of them, I didn't want to take the chance of something happening."
Nodding, KnightHawk took the note and opened it with his arms still wrapped around his queen. Reading it, his muscles visibly relaxed. It was like the apology in this note from the wrong doer was a spell to make the anger and tension go away. "Thank you." he said and with a rare spur of the moment, hoisted her up and twirled with her in his arms. After a few spins he set her on her feet but didn't let go, knowing that she was definitely too dizzy to stand on her own at the moment.
SwanQueen looked dizzy. "What was that about?" She leaned on her mate and kept her wings at her sides.
"I felt... playful." he said as if searching for the correct word to describe his actions.
She sniffed him and smiled. "You wanted my attention."
"Yes." he said. "I've missed just us. These moments we have are few and far between."
His Queen cuddled softly. "I'm sorry love, I never meant to neglect you." She sighed. "Did you want...?" Her throat shut, unable to finish her sentence.
"Do I want what?" he asked, one thing on his mind but the expression on her face meaning she meant another.
"To break the Bond between us so that you'll be free to find someone who gives you the attention you deserve." Her voice was tight with unshed tears. She ignored her own needs that had kindled by his kiss.
His eyes wide, for a moment he didn't know what to say. After a moment, he bent down slightly to her eye level. "I will never take another, love another, hold another the way I hold you. I am yours, and you are mine. I am Bonded with a Queen, it is to be expected you can't pay attention to me when I want it, but the moments like now that I get to steal from other people that need you more, is more rewarding to me than anything else I could ever ask for from you."
Cupping his cheek in one hand, his Queen smiled through her tears and pressed close. "Thank you."
Pulling her tight, KnightHawk kissed her neck and then just held her for a moment.
His queen was content to stay there. "Miss me?"
"You know I did." untangling himself from her he held her hand and started walking back. "Have you eaten? Joshua found a jackpot of berry bushes. The good kind. Also, a few villagers are growing vegetables for you and some of them are already ripening so they brought some over."
"Sounds wonderful." She smiled and kissed him.
With a true smile, he lead her back to their hideout, completely happy, and content.
Later that night, long after her mate was sleeping in content, SwanQueen sighed and made her way to the file that was waiting for her. She doubted anyone else was awake as she took the file and tiptoed outside. She wanted to skim over them to give her children something to work with. She felt kind of guilty for the time she'd carved out with her mate after dinner. Seeing that SageSparrow was still awake, the young queen felt her cheeks go red. "Couldn't sleep?"
SageSparrow turned, equally as surprised to find someone awake at that hour. "Oh! I didn't know you were awake. No I couldn't sleep. Too much on my mind I guess."
Relieved that their activities hadn't kept anyone awake, SwanQueen felt her cheeks cool. "I understand."
SageSparrow smirked. "Don't worry, I was already awake when you and KnightHawk started." she said and explained further, "Sparrows tend to have great hearing. I could have heard even if you were in the village."
Her Queen turned cherry red. "I'm sorry." She said softly. "I'll make it up to you sisters."
Chuckling, she replied. "SwiftSpy was out cold just before you came back. You needn't worry, its a natural thing to do."
"It's been... difficult. I haven't been giving him the attention he deserves. He's been nice about it but..." She still sounded nervous.
"I'm sure once we're settled in the Narrows everything will get easier. Not to mention we'll have more Nephilim on our side. Speaking of which, are those the notes you managed to gather from Moira?"
"Yes, I was about light a torch so I could skim over them. Oh, remember the sample you took of my neck?"
"Yes. Very peculiar by the way. Its dead flesh, not attached to skin that can heal itself so I won't know how to cure it. I did notice though that when I mixed it with dandelion and a few other green vegetables the rotting faded a few shades. I'm thinking that if it were attached to real skin it would heal in no time."
"She says to burn the sample to make sure it doesn't fall into the wrong hands." The queen lightly fingered the patch on the back of her neck. "Hopefully I'll be able to sort out these notes before he wakes up..."
"I'll help if you want." she said, taking the flesh out of her pouch and lit a torch. Placing the flesh into the fire, she crinkled her nose oft he smell of burning flesh for a moment.
"Please, I'd like to find the food part first. Not thinking with that organ but if I'm pregnant..."
"Then you'll need more food and nutrients. Here, I'll take half and between the two of us we should be able to find something."
Nodding, she sifted though the stack of papers and handed half of them to SageSparrow. "Thank you for understanding."
"The pleasure is all mine, milady."
"His instincts want a child, demand it. It doesn't help that we don't have a formal sign of our Bond." The Queen said narrowing her eyes in the dim light of the fire. "I offered to set him free, that's why he way so... forceful... about having private time tonight."
"Believe me, that's the farthest thing from his mind, SwanQueen." SageSparrow said and pointed to a page. "I found the formula page. I seems like I have 'the making of a Nephilim' half. You must have the 'what to do once you have one' half."
"We'll figure it out later, food is top priority. Meat is useless for your type."
"Nuts and... worms unfortunately."
A soft chuckle came out as the Queen shared her youngest one's discomfort. "I think... wait. Is there an extra torch? I'm getting distracted, but I can't believe my eyes!"
"What?" she said lighting up another torch and passing it to her.
Her body was tense and you could hear the clenching of her jaw as her hand shook. "Earth and Sky..." The Queen swallowed hard. "Our race is made of..."
Leaning over in anticipation, SageSparrow couldn't help the tremble in her breathing for what her queen was about to say.
"Ten different Types, five combative, five noncombative." There was no color in her face. "I never thought her vision spanned this far..."
"Is there a limit to the amount candidates in each type you can have?"
"They don't say, my guess is that it would have been up to me to decide." She sounded shell-shocked.
"Makes sense. Does it say anything about how to care for them?"
"Yes, bits and pieces, but there is nothing in here about pregnancy... which isn't surprising, but it is worrying to me." She frowned. After a minute of reading her eyebrows rose. "That's practical. According to this, those that are designed for combat are the meat eaters, the noncombative ones don't eat meat." She hummed softly. "That's pretty clever."
"It's... practical. It makes sense for the combative ones to eat meat. They'd definitely need it and its nutrients. How are you to judge what they should be? Their personalities?"
"Up until now, it's been a matter of guess. I didn't pay attention that night when I had to escape after her death, but my guess is personality and temperament."
"I see. At least now we'll have a guide."
"Yes, I'm thankful for that." She still sounded dazed and was trying to wrap her head around the scope of her mother's vision.
"SwanQueen?" a dazed voice asked. KnightHawk came out clad in nothing save for his wings wrapped cloak-like around his body to shield himself from SageSparrow's gaze. "Come back to bed with me. Please?" he asked.
"KnightHawk?" Shaking herself out of her daze as she shot to her feet automatically. Giving her youngest her half of the notes, the Nephilim Queen quickly moved to his side, ignoring her own state of undress as she spread her gleaming wings wide. "What is wrong my love? Are you ill?" Her gaze searched his face, concentrating on looking calm even though her heart began to hammer painfully in her chest.
"I feel... strange. I can't explain it but my heart is not beating right." he said and brought her hand to his heart over his chest. He spread his wings out, not caring if SageSparrow saw him undressed. His heartbeats were indeed different. They went thumpthumpthump... th-thumb, instead of a steady thump thump thump. "I don't understand."
Folding her wings, she frowned, but stepped closer to her mate. "I don't understand..."
"I feel it might be because we're always busy, never around each other. Perhaps also the stress of you constantly being in danger. And I know for a fact it hurts because you offered to set me free. No matter what happens, I don't want to be free of you."
His Queen held him gently, pressing herself closer. "Beloved... I didn't want to hurt you, I just wanted you to have everything you deserved that I couldn't give you..."
"Your love is all I could ever ask for." he said and to his surprise, the beating of his heart steadied.
Sighing, the brunette rested her head on his shoulder, tucking her wings in tighter.
"Did you want to stay here longer?" he asked her.
"Hmm?" She asked, feeling comfortable in his arms.
He inhaled her scent and instead of his heart beating faster, it beat even louder. She was almost fertile and his instincts were calling to him.
"Are you tired, or do you want to take a walk?" She asked quietly, wanting to sleep in his arms.
SageSparrow gathered up the notes and made her quiet exit deeper into the forest to leave the two alone. She made a mental note to tell SwiftSpy to give them more time alone together.
"Whatever you want to do I will follow." He replied and kissed her forehead.
Smiling tiredly, she took his hand and led him towards the river. "We need some air before bed."
Nodding, he led her in the opposite direction SageSparrow went.
Terry McGinnis couldn't fathom why the Nephilim Queen would be at the Zoo in the middle of the day, but that's what the latest reporting was. Bruce had called him and pulled him out of class to go see what was up, which he didn't really mind considering his class was science and he was partnered which one of the nerdiest girls in school.
Making his way through the crowd of people that were gathered just outside of the bird confinements. "Break it up people, there's nothing to see here!" he said and glared at them all until they disbanded.
Going in, he spotted her right away. "Hey, you bring quite the crowd."
The Nephilim Queen sighed, bending to pick up the clipboard and bird encyclopedia that she had dropped upon Terry's greeting. "I knew I should have waited until after dark, but my mate put his foot down."
"He was right to. It's much more dangerous at dark." he said and came closer. "What are you doing here anyway?"
"Homework." The brunette replied. "Taking stock of what is readily available." She sighed, rubbing her bloodshot eyes.
Frowning, he put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You look tired, perhaps you should rest?"
She smiled. "I can manage. Just a Pairing issue."
"Do you mind if I stick around? I know I'm not Nephilim but I doubt KnightHawk would forgive me if I left you alone and something happened. I couldn't forgive myself if that happened."
"Go ahead." The Queen shifted the heavy book in her arms. She sounded unhappy, seeing the humans around them gawking at her, even as she was smiling and politely nodding her head in greeting- letting nothing of her tired feelings show in her expression. "Next time I'm waiting..."
"He's right though, it's a lot more dangerous in the dark."
"Yes, but at night there is a little privacy." She murmured softly, pausing to make a note on her clipboard.
"Anyway, what are you doing in the bird exhibit?"
"Like I said, I'm taking notes on what is available to work with." The brunette did not look up. Today the attention of humans rubbed a sore spot and made the Nephilim queen feel edgy.
"How's the race coming along? I hear you had a visit from an old friend of your mother's."
"We are close now, though food will be a problem for a while yet." She spoke quietly so that only Terry would hear her.
He smiled at her and took a seat by a parrot. "If I were a bird, what one would I be?" he asked, giving her the cheesiest smile he could muster.
She laughed softly. "Hawk or Owl would suit you better." She gazed at the snowy owl. "I still wonder..."
"Really? Why owl? Not many people would see me as one. You know, them being wise and all." he joked.
"Owls are silent, until they strike, no one would know they are there. You are very good at that."
Terry considered and nodded. "That's true. Thank God you're all birds and not snakes. I don't think I could deal with that." he said and laughed, indicating he was joking.
"The sky belongs to us, no human can claim it as theirs." The queen answered. "No competition."
"That was a joke, Swan." he said and sighed. "So, how long are you planning on staying in here?"
"Until I've figured out if this zoo has all the types I need, and if not I'll have some flying to do." The Queen sighed.
"Believe me, you have some flying to do." he said and grinned. "For instance, this zoo doesn't have seagulls or Canadian Geese. I also don't see a Wood Pecker or a Dove. It's also missing a Mocking Bird."
Checking her list she frowned, making notes under her other notes. "Thank you." She flashed another polite smile at a group of children that were watching her. "I'll have to speak to Mr. Wayne before I go any further it seems. Is he well? Ace hasn't hurt him yet has he?"
"He's good. Lonely, but good. I'll let him know to expect a visit from you soon." he said, glancing at the children but not seeing their faces.
The Queen's public gentle expression did not change. "I'll be over in a few hours, I'll be playing to this mob for a while." She replied.
"I can have them leave you alone if you like?" he asked. Thinking back to the girl he knew before and the girl he saw now, they're two completely different people. Terry realized that the girl who was once Arianna had grown stronger and more confident as SwanQueen. No more did he see the weak, timid girl that used to follow him around. In a way, he missed that, but in another way, he was thankful he had help in keeping Gotham streets clean and crime free. Well, crime free for the most part. Pride for his cousin, no matter how many times she wanted to deny it now, swelled in his chest and he couldn't help but smile a little.
Shaking her head slightly, a smile quirked the corner of her mouth. "Part of the job." Dismissing him, the brunette made her way over to the crowd, her slow steps were measured and calm.
The sun was just starting to set when Ace's now familiar barking echoed down the hallway followed by a heavy thud. Once again the Nephilim queen found herself pinned to the floor, alternately laughing and scolding the great Dane mix. "Sir! I could use a little help please!" SwanQueen called in desperation.
Coming forth from his study, the proudly aging man paused and grinned. "Are you sure?" he asked coming closer. "I think Ace has you right where he wants you."
"I know that but- Ow! I don't want to break a wing." Suddenly Ace paused his kissing and began to sniff at her neck, arms and chest, a low growl rumbling in his throat.
At Ace's reaction, Bruce raised an eyebrow. "What is it boy?" he bent down and patted his head before shooing him off the brunette. He grabbed her hand and with surprising strength from an old man, hoisted her up on her feet.
SwanQueen stumbled for a minute before finding her footing, accidentally revealing the bitemark on her neck and a dark bruise on her shoulder as she straightened out her shirt. "Thank you."
He looked pointedly at her, knowing where the marks came from. "It appears Ace is either jealous or harboring protective feelings towards you. Perhaps both. Either way you have some making up to do." he said and looked to the glaring dog.
Sighing, she petted Ace. "KnightHawk's evolving too. He can't help it."
Giving her a frown, he made it clear on just how he felt about her having sex, Paired or not. "In future, do not tell me of your... exploits of that nature." he said and turned on his heel. "This way." he said, in his own way asking her to follow him.
Giving the dog a final pat, she followed Bruce almost silently. Her mismatched eyes dancing in good humor.
Grumbling to himself about children growing up too fast, he opened the door to the lab she had borrowed before and showed her the new technology but motioned for her to stay outside the room. "I know you don't react well to computers and the like. However, if Max feels the need to use this place, the right is hers."
SwanQueen nodded. "Thank you, this will come in handy." She tucked her wings tighter against her body. "Her name is SwiftSpy now sir." The brunette frowned quietly. "How far do your connections go, both in and out of the city?"
He paused for a moment. "It depends on what the connection is for."
"I need genetic material for the next stage." She replied. "I'd get them myself, but Batman has the bad habit of not minding his own business when me and mine are around." The Nephilim Queen tugged on her thick braid as she spoke.
"Sorry that was my fault today, I tipped him off you were at the Zoo. I didn't know how a large crowd would react and I wanted him there in case anything went wrong. My apologizes if I offended you." he said, walking past her. "As far as genetic material goes, I have a connection for you."
Politely falling in step slightly behind him, she nodded. "As I told Terry, I would have waited until dark, but my mate put his foot down."
"With good reason." he replied, leaving no room for argument.
The Queen fussed with her shirt again. "You sound angry with me."
"Not angry, just concerned." he said, looking back at her with a softer expression. "I've never had a daughter, you're the closest thing I've ever come to having one. I've done a lot of reckless things in my past and I don't want to see any repeated in any form."
Solemnly, the brunette nodded. "I'm doing the best I can Sir. The fact is that my pairbonded is currently the only male Nephilim at this point, and a male's evolution of the Other differs from the female. We are still trying to pinpoint them so we can work around that nature."
"Well then perhaps it's time you worked on a formula to receive more males and other females that can repopulate." Bruce said with a childish air of stubbornness.
"Why do you think I'm asking for genetic material now?" The Queen asked, following him into his study and watching him sit down. "Anyway, the formula isn't the problem at this point." She admitted reluctantly.
"What is?" he asked, opening the drawers beside him and ruffling through them until he found the papers he was looking for.
"Acceptable candidates." Her voice hardened like a steel trap. "I would strongly prefer to avoid the breeding fodder route, but I am prepared to accept that level if I must."
He merely looked at her, and handed her the paper he had found. "Here's your contact."
She took the paper carefully to avoid hurting him with her talons. "Thank you."
There were times when he tried to convince himself he wasn't going soft but as he looked at the winged girl in his study, he couldn't help the softness that warmed his heart. She, along with Terry, would surely be the death of him. "Would you like some tea?" he asked. "It's all natural herbs."
"Tea would be welcome, thank you." She replied, sounding distracted.
"A penny for your thoughts?" he asked as he poured her cup and motioned for her to sit down.
"So much?" She asked, going over to pull her stool over towards the desk and perching on it.
He raised an eyebrow. "A mere penny."
"I'm just thinking about the Other." SwanQueen answered.
"Oh?" he asked, sitting down behind his desk with his own cup of tea. He studied her, resting his chin on his folded hands.
"This is just a guess, but I think it takes more for the Other to take over in the females than the males, and how it is expressed is very different." She mused. "However, regardless of gender. When the Other is in control, we can't be reasoned with."
"I've heard." he said and took a sip of his steaming tea. "Perhaps, when it takes over, have someone make you smell a scent you like. Scents can be very, very powerful to humans, I would also think they'd be powerful to Nephilim."
"Perhaps... but that can also be misused as well. I wouldn't want certain people to get the wrong idea that we can be tamed."
"That's where you're going to have to be a little trusting. Picture this, you get angry and your Other comes out. You're merciless to the person who made you that way and an innocent person tries to stop you. Now you have a dilemma. The only way of getting to the man, is to hurt the innocent in front of you. The inner you, wouldn't do it, but its the Other and it doesn't care. No other Nephilim is around to know what's going on, so you hurt the innocent to get to the man. Now, would it not be safer to assume that if you gave someone on the outside that you did trust, that secret and only that person, that you could bring in justice without having to worry later on if you hurt someone or not?"
She sat in silence, sipping her tea thoughtfully before finally speaking. "I would give it to you, but no one else. The Other recognizes- I think- the humans that are mine and wouldn't harm them. Although to be truthful, I've pretty much trained all the humans under me."
For a moment, Bruce was surprised but after a moment's thought, it made sense. She was more herself in front of him than he had seen her in front of anyone else aside from her own people. "If that is what you wish."
"And you can't give it to anyone else, no matter what Terry bribes you with or what his reason for wanting it is." There was an edge in her quiet voice now, setting the empty cup carefully on the desk.
"You have my word." he said and looked her in the eye. "I promise."
The Nephilim Queen visibly relaxed. "Thank you very much."
He nodded in affirmation. "You're welcome."
Shifting on her stool she adjusted her wings. "The loss of the past life was not meant to be permanent, but it is too late to change it back." She finally said. Although the brunette's voice was calm, it was a measure of her trust in Bruce Wayne that she did not hide her hands as they clenched into tight fists in her lap. Clearly she'd been sitting on this little fact for a while, and was still somewhat disturbed by it.
Bruce gave her a small smile. "Some would say it is better to forget the past and make memories of the here and now, and look forward to the future ahead."
"True. And for the most part I agree with you. However, there will come a day that I won't remember your student, and if he charges in while I'm... angry... I cannot say for certain that he will be unharmed." The queen admitted. "He doesn't seem to grasp that with every day that passes, my human memories of him fade a little more. When we were at the zoo he came up from behind and scared me, and for a moment I did not remember his name!"
"Will the current memories you have of him now not help you?"
She shook her head slowly. "We aren't together long enough outside of his work for me to know his scent or imprint him as one of mine."
"What do you suggest?"
"That depends. He can either move his family to my territory or he has to back off completely and only be known as Batman. I wish there was another choice but with everything about to implode..."
"Things will have to go as they come it seems."
She nodded quietly. "Are you having problems on your side knowing that you are our friend?" The Queen was changing the subject again.
"No. I don't usually go into the outside world anymore unless it's to continue with my false pretenses. Not to sound conceited, but I'm Bruce Wayne. I do what I want, when I want."
A smile quirked the corner of her mouth as SwanQueen tried unsuccessfully to force down a grin. "You sound like me."
He grinned back. "It's no wonder we get along so well."
"Do you fight with the Commissioner as much as I do? Please tell me she doesn't have children ready to take her place!"
At the mention of Barbra he chuckled. "She wasn't always like that. In fact, forty some odd years or so ago, you two would have gotten along quite well. But..." his eyes darkened. "things happen and change the best of people into something they never thought they'd see themselves as."
SwanQueen sighed. "I work with her, but to be honest I wouldn't turn my back to her. She's too rigid."
"Don't think too little of her. She's strict now, but not an idiot. But then again, she's changed a lot. When I see her, there's almost no trace of Batgirl in her."
She raised her eyebrows and her mismatched eyes grew wide. "Her?"
Bruce chuckled at her reaction. "Yes. I told you, things happen. Perhaps I'll tell you one day."
The young Queen slid off her stool long enough to move it closer to the desk before resuming her seat- just in case she fell over again. "May I ask you a personal question?"
He nodded, using that as his only affirmation to her question. Inside, he was greatly amused that SwanQueen found it a little unbelievable that Barbra was Batgirl. On the other hand, Barbra now, was so different from the Barbra back then.
"If you were in your prime and I had offered you the Choice, would you have taken it?" The question was quiet- almost shy, she wanted to ask him something, but wanted this answer first.
"Hm... that's a question that will be hard to answer. Aside from Robin and Batgirl, I worked alone as Batman. I liked being the one symbol that crime feared. But then again, I did join the Justice League. I'm not sure. If I knew what I know now, if there were a way to... stop certain things from taking place because there weren't enough of me, then yes, I would. But then the possibility comes into question, what if it was only me, then no one I cared about would get hurt." he stared at the wall for a moment, lost in thought. "However, I couldn't possibly ever hope to be in more places than one. Crime would be low, but it would still be there and I wouldn't- couldn't, always be there to stop it. I think, whether or not I was offered the Choice, I would accept your kind and comply with your rules if it helped Gotham and helped protect the ones I was once close to."
Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes in thought. When she opened them again, it was not the Queen looking at him, it was a vulnerable young woman with her big deep heart in her eyes. "May I call you 'father'?" She asked finally, trying not to cry. Her knuckles were white, the only sign that she was scared to death of Bruce's rejection.
The question threw him completely off guard. His mouth was agape for a moment and if Alfred were alive, he'd have made a smart ass bug comment about it. After three beats his look softened and he stood. Rounding his desk without his cane was difficult but he managed it. Encircling his arms around her thin frame, he hugged her. "You may call me whatever you wish." he said softly, happy to have a 'daughter' as different and non-blood related as she was.
Hugging him back, she was trembling as she returned the hug. "Father." The Nephilim Queen whispered, trying out the word again.
"Thank you." in his own way, he was telling her he loved her, as he saw that she loved him. It warmed his heart like nothing had in quite some time.
"Your welcome, but that doesn't mean you can spook my Pair when he comes to get me." She smiled into his shoulder.
He grinned, knowing exactly what she meant. "I'll be... civilized."
With a quiet laugh, she pulled away. "And no going nuts when I'm going to make you a grandfather either."
With that he gave her a stern look. "None of that... grandfather stuff just yet."
"Father, we aren't going to have a choice in the matter- at least not this time." She laughed again. "I think that KnightHawk can sense my cycles."
He gave her a look that stated clearly he didn't like it but he nodded. "Alright. Just be careful."
When KnightHawk arrived her retrieve his Pairbond. SwanQueen was telling Bruce about her adopted son and his wish to be given wings too. "Joshua really wants them, but I'm not so sure about doing it when he is still a child. Yet if I get pregnant, I think he'll wind up jealous of the Nestling. I can't say that he hasn't earned them, but..."
"Pairbond..." KnightHawk said softly.
Bruce glanced at him, gave him a glare and then returned his attention to his adopted daughter. "When you become pregnant, give him the Choice but tell him it's okay to want to wait until he's a little older."
The brunette did not look happy about it, but nodded as she rose from her stool to greet her mate. "Hello beloved, are you all right?"
"I'm fine." he said and narrowed a calculating gaze on Bruce. "Are you?"
His mate was suddenly distracted by a snarling Ace. "Ace no! Down boy!" She shouted, turning to stand in front of her mate protectively.
The canine whined and flattened his ears. He lowered himself to the floor and stared at her with an apology in his eyes.
Bruce raised an eyebrow at the Ace. "Big baby."
At this the dog perked up and looked at his master. He trotted over to him and sat down beside him.
SwanQueen sighed, but did not move. "Jealous of you." She answered the question in her mate's eyes. "Smelled your handiwork on me and went postal."
Her mate grinned. "My apologies, Ace. I'll make sure to be more careful." he said to the dog.
Ace only grumbled back and looked to his Master, trying to read off what Bruce's senses were emitting.
Carefully, she stepped back beside her mate, making sure their wings didn't touch at all. "Is everything all right honey?" SwanQueen asked her mate, curious about why he'd flown all the way here.
He hummed, a signal that he needed to inform her of something but wanted to let her know in private. "SwiftSpy seems to have attained... a friend."
"Oh really? Let me pee first. Yes Ace, you can walk me there, just don't try poking your nose in the bathroom again!" She smiled at Bruce. "Will you excuse us for a few moments?"
Nodding in affirmation, Bruce took a seat in his chair and watched her go. When she was out of sight he turned to KnightHawk. "She's asked me to be nice, so I will for her. But if you hurt her... let's just say this old dog still has a few tricks he can pull off."
Minutes later, the Nephilim queen returned, looking vastly annoyed. Ace looked sad with his ears plastered to his head.
"What did he do now?" asked KnightHawk, amused by the dynamics of their relationship.
"He butted in. It's a little hard to do your business when a big black thing opens the door on you, and stands there watching you with his head in your lap!"
At this her mate burst out laughing aloud. "Oh that's good." he put an arm around his love and motioned for her to go out the window first.
She glared at her mate, then eyed Bruce in appeal. Clearly her mate wouldn't be taking her side this time.
"Ace... bad dog." he scolded and the dog sat down in shame.
"Thank you Bruce, I'm glad to see somebody understands!" As she spoke, she kissed Bruce's cheek as she passed and whispered in his ear. "I'll be back soon father. Sleep well."
He smiled warmly at her. "I will. Fly safe. The both of you."
Opening the window, she climbed out and dove off, soaring in the night air as she turned to hover politely to wait for her mate.
"I'll take care of her." KnightHawk said and without waiting for a reply, soared out the window.
"You remember Laura, Tori's niece?" he asked his pairbond once they were in flight, a small frown playing at his features.
"Of course I do. To be honest, I was thinking of giving her the Choice if she proved stable." SwanQueen admitted, flipping over to fly upside down to look up at her mate.
"Well... SwiftSpy's discovered her... primal side. Her sexual primal side. I've hidden Laura until she calms down but every time the girl goes near her she pounces." He sounded concerned. "I wasn't sure what else to do."
His queen nearly lost her rhythm and dropped slightly, flipping over to regain her composure. "How serious is the attachment? Do you know?"
"Let's just say she had no idea who I was. She lost total control. Josh had to get Laura out before it turned too sexual in front of everyone at the hideout."
"I meant is it love or just hormones. What was Laura's reaction?"
"She was more surprised than anything. Fine with it even until Swift tried to take off clothes. I don't blame her though. The GPD was there for the routine check in. As far as I could tell it was just hormones."
SwanQueen sighed softly. "Not good..." Then she frowned. "Glad I never did that to you when we met."
He smiled at her. "Will love not come for those two?"
Soaring back up, she flipped over to face him again. "Honestly love, I don't know. I won't know until I talk to them." SwanQueen admitted.
"Is that kind of relationship allowed?"
"Yes." the word was raw, and judging from the fire in her eyes the question clearly had touched a raw nerve in her. "We are better than the humans KnightHawk."
"Is there something you're not telling me?" He asked, not apologizing for angering her over a simple question.
"Moria was the Creator's Pair." The tone of her voice said that this was not a subject up for debate or an argument.
"It was a question, SwanQueen."
She took a deep breath and sighed, forcing herself to relax. Flipping over to turn away from her mate and soaring slightly ahead of him. "Sorry honey it's just..."
"I know. I understand." He said, his eyes staring into hers for a moment before looking on ahead. "There are more vegetables for you at the hideout."
"Does it bother you?" She asked as they soared through the night sky.
"No. You were worried about offspring. I didn't know if a lesbian relationship would be ideal at this point in our making."
"Just because a couple is lesbian or gay doesn't mean they can't care for a Nestling."
"I didn't say that." He said, once again looking into her eyes. "I said they can't have one themselves. It's impossible."
"I'm working on that."
"Is it in your mother's notes?"
"No, the biology hasn't changed." The Queen admitted. "This would be a social thing. Two sets of Pair coming together in an agreement, or adopting a Nestling from another Pair."
"Oh. Like the humans."
"Kind of." She shrugged. "I see no difficulty as far as having Nestlings, but our problem will be that there will be a lot of them."
"I know. We'll deal with it as the time comes."
SwanQueen nodded. "We should be close now... Did we get distracted?"
"Only a little bit." He replied. "I'm not sure where Josh took Laura."
"Why don't I go to SwiftSpy, and you get me when you find Laura?" His Pairbond suggested, lightly brushing his ebony wing with her own pearly white one as she glided past.
He smiled gently at her. "Alright." He glided in the other direction, leaving the girl talk up to his Queen.
After a moment to steady herself, the Nephilim Queen dropped from the sky and after landing- sought out her sister.
The woods were quiet, almost too quiet had it not been for the owl perched on top a high branch over looking the hideout and village. SwiftSpy sat in the dimly candle lit hut, loaned to her from a single resident from the village on KnightHawk's request. The single occupant was taken in by his next door neighbor. The brown-skinned girl sighed and wrapped her wings around her body. What was with her? Laura had come into their hideout bearing gifts but she had smelt so... good! The falcon-winged Nephilim found she couldn't control herself. Her primal side emerged. The very thought of Laura sent a shiver of desire down her spine. 'I wonder what SwanQueen would think.' She thought.
Respectfully the Queen tapped on the door. "SwiftSpy... Do you need to talk?" Just like when they were in molt, SwanQueen always asked permission before invading each other's privacy.
For a moment, SwiftSpy thought of not answering but she opened the door for her Queen, desperate to talk to her.
Sweeping into the room, she regarded the falcon-winged Nephilim carefully. Staying close to the door in case SwiftSpy changed her mind. Although she looked calm, inside she was anything but. "Do you want... help?" She asked, wondering if her eldest was in the early stage of her molting.
"I don't know. I don't know what this is or why I'm like this with her now. It started small, just noticing her and the way she looked, smelt, the way her hips sway when she walks." She put her hands in her hair. "This is insane. It gets stronger every time she visits. I can SENSE her presence, SwanQueen. I know she's still close by and I'm driven mad by the need to bed her..." She looked up, frustrated tears in her eyes. "What do I do?"
Her queen smiled in relief as she listened. "It sounds like you want to claim her as your pairbond."
"What?" She looked up suddenly. "Is that allowed? We wouldn't be able to produce children."
"Yes dear heart, it is allowed, though I would strongly advise getting to know her on a personal level first." A hint of sadness flickered through her mismatched eyes.
"I don't even like her..." She said, and pouted.
"You wouldn't be drawn to her otherwise. If it is that distasteful to you than just stay away from her. She is still human, so that might make things easier on you."
"Its not distasteful, believe me, I would like nothing more. But she's a human."
"I was considering offering her the Choice. I just wanted things to stabilize first... among other things."
Surprised, SwiftSpy looked up sharply at that. "Really?" She shifted, the heat in her lower core pooling insistently from having not been satisfied. "How long will that be?"
Finally the Queen took a deep breath. "As soon as I'm certain that the replicated formula will work, and that we will be able to eat properly. We eat a lot more than the humans, burn more calories. I need to be sure that the land can handle that- otherwise we'll be in crisis."
She shifted. "If Laura comes back, I won't be able to hold back." She shuddered in the pleasure she knew would come. "This has gotten too strong. I'll want to claim her."
"I'll tell her to keep away for now." The Queen promised, managing a smile. "I'm sure she'll be more understanding than KnightHawk was."
"KnightHawk? Well, I did try to rip him apart for taking me away from her." She gave her queen a studied look. "What aren't you telling me?" She asked after a moments hesitation.
"My cycle will start soon... and his instincts are too strong for me to control now. Most likely the next time he leads to the nest I'll conceive." She sighed and stepped further into the room.
"But- we're not ready for Nestlings yet!"
"I know that, and there is a bigger problem than that- There is a possibility that I may die in the process SwiftSpy."
"Can't you tell him that?" She asked, panic clear in her voice.
"No, his instincts are too strong now. Take what you are feeling for Laura right now and multiply that tenfold."
SwiftSpy sighed. "Then there's no reasoning." She said. "What can I do?" She asked, her situation seeming a lot less important compared to her maker.
"Only what I can do. Moria is good, but the cold hard fact is that she was at best an observer from afar. There is NOTHING of pregnancy in the Creator's notes, I'm beginning to doubt myself at this point if it's even possible."
The cocoa-skinned Nephilim shook her head. "No don't. You've come this far. There must be a way even old fashioned could help." She stood, a determination set in her gaze. "Come, I must do some research." She said and made to open the door.
"Will you be all right?" She asked, turning to follow SwiftSpy.
"You're in trouble, I have no choice but to be all right for now."
"Human technology is not an option." She reminded her sister. "Physically I'm the weakest of you all. Most likely the rest of you will have no problems in birth."
"I need to research. You, don't touch anything." She said opening the door. SwiftSpy would die if her precious technology crashed.
"I'll go find Laura." The Queen was nervous and stayed outside.
Alarmed, SwiftSpy froze, eyes wide. "Why? She's not needed."
"While you are handling my problem, I'll go handle yours." She smiled.
"Thank you." She said with a grateful smile and soared up the hill to her computer.
The Queen sighed and began to wander in the area, knowing her Pairbond would find her soon enough.
Since Joshua was a small child, he wasn't able to take Laura very far away. He took her to the other side of the village and hid her under a bush. He lay on his stomach with her, ready to do his best to hold back his Aunt should the time come.
Seeing her adopted son, SwanQueen managed a smile. "Hi honey."
"Mom!" He cried, relieved and came out of the bush. He hugged her firmly, being careful not to hurt his frail mother. "Is Swifty okay?"
"Your aunt is in a funky mood right now, but she'll be fine. Are the two of you all right?"
Laura crawled out and brushed herself off. "We're fine, just a little startled."
She frowned slightly at Laura, but nodded. "Joshua sweetheart, your father was looking for you. Will you please find him and let him know you are okay?"
"Okay! Goodbye Laura!" The boy said happily and scurried off, wanting to tell his father all about his clever hiding place and how brave he was.
She watched her child scamper off but her expression was serious when she turned back to Laura. "How are you really?"
"Startled. Well, not really, I've seen her look at me in the village, the intensity in her gaze stronger each time so I knew that it was only a matter of time before she did something about it but I hadn't expected there to be an audience."
"We need to talk privately, do you have time?" The queen asked politely, but the look in her eyes made this a command.
"Of course." She said and waited for the Queen to either speak or take her to a more private setting.
After a moment of thought, the Queen walked out of the dimly lit village boundaries and led Laura in the moonlight towards the river.
As Laura followed she couldn't help but make little observations of her own about the winged creatures that were kind enough to let her help the villagers. One observation that she picked up quickly on was that they were more at peace, more natural in the wilderness. Out here, there were no limits.
Reaching the riverside, the Nephilim Queen seated herself on the flat boulder as she brushed her hair back, suddenly nervous and at a loss for words. "How are things?"
"Good. I've been keeping busy between here and school. How about you?"
"I'm surviving more or less. mostly trying to get things stable."
"What was it you wanted to talk to me about?" She asked, her curiosity getting the best of her.
"How do you feel about SwiftSpy?"
At this, she froze. "I find her alluring, attractive even. I don't know much about her other than she wants me. I think. That and she doesn't like me."
The Queen stood and paced again in a restless circle. "She likes you more than she wants to admit."
"Well she certainly doesn't like showing it." Laura said and crossed her arms over her chest.
"Of course not, we are all raw, and I've had more than one brush with death. That makes her more than a little hostile towards humans."
"And yet I am an exception? The only reason I have not pursued her myself is because one, she doesn't like me, and two, I don't know the customs of the Nephilim. I don't know if I would offend you or her or- argh! This is so frustrating!" She said and sat in front of the Queen in frustration.
Flipping her wings closed she sighed. "Would you give up everything?" She looked serious. "Your family and friends? Your life at school?"
Laura snorted, "I have no friends. The ones you could call friends are the Pro-Nephilim group I've helped create at the school. As for family, SageSparrow is more family to me than my parents ever have been." She said and looked at the river. "School, of course, would be easy to give up. No one likes it. If I had a chance to do something great and worthwhile with my life then I'd give it up right now."
"Even if you quit school, you'll still have to learn. I had to learn to hunt and cook over a fire." She pointed out.
"I know things are different and I'd have to adapt to your world. I'm not expecting this to be easy."
Taking a deep breath, the Nephilim Queen looked as though she had a headache. "Can you follow orders to the letter? Accept my Rule above any human law?"
She clued in within seconds and smiled. "Yes. Yes I would." She said but dimmed her excitement so she wouldn't appear too eager.
"Are you absolutely sure that you would be able to walk away from everything you knew without looking back?" SwanQueen asked in a gentle voice.
"Yes." Laura replied, absolute certainty in her voice
The Nephilim Queen sighed and looked up at Laura. "Before I offer you the Choice, I have one thing more to show you." Without warning, the brunette dropped the mask she wore around the humans to show Laura the Other that was never far from the surface. "This is who we really are in the purest form." Her voice was husky while her mismatched eyes reflected the dim light, making them appear to glow in the darkness. "If we didn't have a human mask, the humans would be falling over dead in their terror."
Laura reached out with her hand, awe and fascination filled her gaze. She hesitated for a moment before touching SwanQueen's face gently with her fingertips and then her palm. "It's not all that scary." She said and smiled. "I want this to help better Gotham, myself and the Nephilim. This doesn't change anything."
Closing her eyes, the queen calmed herself, resuming the mask. "You have accepted, that is good. I will ask you again at a later date in front of the others. You will need to wait until things are settled before you are reborn. Please use this time to put your affairs in order, for now, be very careful when you come to visit."
She nodded, wanting to hug the queen but held back, not knowing if it would be appropriate. "Thank you very much."
Gracefully as her feet would allow, she smiled at Laura and held out her hand as she stood. Gripping the other woman's forearm in a friendly grasp. "Think about whether or not you would like SwiftSpy as your Pairbond as well, Nephilim pair for life and once done, the Pairing cannot be undone."
"I wouldn't mind it if she pursued me. I don't want to overstep my boundaries." She confessed with a nervous scratch at the back of her neck.
"You might have to make the opening move, but not until you are reborn." The queen laughed softly. "You could use this time to get ready."
"How? I don't know the first thing about courtship."
"Do you know how to hunt or garden?"
"I know how to fight so I'm sure I can learn how to hunt."
Tapping her thigh with her right hand, the Queen stared into space at some point above Laura's head. "We could always use more furs and pelts. Books would be helpful as well..."
"What kinds of books?" She asked, head tilting.
"Herbs and home medicine, camping and outdoor guides. Eventually I hope to have our own solar powered area, as well as our own sheep, goats, cows, bees and the like. I miss being able to sew. SwiftSpy is our technology expert, but I'm not certain how long that would last."
"Well I'll do my best to get what you need."
"I'm sure my pairbond will teach you how to hunt now so that you will have a gift ready for your courtship, but you will have to bargain with him for it." She smiled. "Credits are of no use to us I'm afraid."
"I'm sure I can find something to trade him."
"Feel better now?"
"Yeah, thanks. And you're sure she likes me?"
"Considering her reaction today yes, but until you start your courtship she won't know you are willing."
"Alright. What do you need me to do now?" Asked Laura.
"Get whatever books you can while you can, and start putting your affairs in order. If you do come for a visit, make sure that you stay in the human part and don't wear revealing clothing. SwiftSpy is on edge as is." The Queen smiled. "The more you do while you are still a human, the stronger it will seem that you are willing to be her Pairbond and leave your human ways behind."
"I'll do my best." She said, wanting to ask when she would receive the wings but held back. She figured that when the time was right she would be offered again.
A black shadow passed over them, and the Queen tensed up before she sighed. "You may head home if you wish young one."
"Thank you, my lady." Laura bowed, seemingly oblivious to the queen's reaction and jogged out of the forest.