XXIX—A Full Moon's Dawning
In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and chaos was upon the face of the deep. And darkness reigned over the chaos that became the wool of creation. Then God said, 'Let there be light' and there was light. And light was born of the chaos. And it came to pass, after the creation of light, that the chaos was shorn again and given unto the spinner and spun; then unto the loom and woven to become the tapestry. And the tapestry was the foundation of the world and life was its dye of meaning. And chaos was banished from the weave, leaving order to reign over creation. But the chaos, likened unto a lamb, lived on; its wool remained to be shorn, to be spun, to be woven anew into different worlds. And in those worlds, so too was chaos banished, leaving order to sire new life and new ideas. But—between worlds—the maelstrom of entropy reduced all things to darkness and chaos but, struggling against the torrent, a dim spark—a solitary soul—fought the current.
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Through a black velvet sky, streamers of airy light flickered against a background of glittering diamonds strewn randomly across heavens that lay beyond a window, which framed a silent silhouette. The glowing ribbons and twinkling points danced in celestial harmony against a mimicking sky that shared none of the bitter chill of reality and the silhouette knew, had he been inside, he would've been cold but Equis was glad he was outside and glad that she was too.
Inside and outside, Equis waxed oddly philosophically, he thought. I'd never really thought about it before. I guess her young eyes see wonders I've ignored for years. He glanced over his shoulder and smiled although his heart remained heavy. Inside and outside, he thought. I remember talking about it. 'So,' he recalled her saying as he pictured her earnest face, 'we're in a vale that exists inside a carriage but outside of reality. So, what's inside is outside and what's outside is inside. Equis, will I ever get used to this?' It was one of many memories, he shared and cherished with her. How quick you've become an important part of my life. Please wake soon, Zazie; I miss you.
He looked back to the sky, wound nearly two weeks beyond their return, and impatiently waited for moonrise. Equis knew she was running out of time and, with tonight marking the natal of the full moon; she probably had only until its mortis, three nights hence, to wake. Healer had made no promises that Zazie might wake with tonight's moonrise and, unfortunately, reasonably certain that, if not, there would be little hope of her waking at all. Even knowing all this Equis remained optimistic but through worried eyes, he looked back at the bed. Zazie was still as still as death; only her hair fluttering ever so slightly in a gentle zephyr showed any signs of life. He allowed his gaze to wander a little further; to the three Zazie dolls lying lifelessly on a nearby table. He had cared for them with the same tenderness and attention he had relished on their parent and hoped to see them happily flying again. Seeing no change, Equis returned his eyes to the sky beyond the window.
Equis had remained beside 'his' Zazie ever since carrying her home and laying her ever so carefully on Healer's bed. The fairy had kept telling him not to loose fate. That Zazie would wake and be fine. 'She remains warm. Her heart's beating, albeit slowly, but beating all the same,' he remembered Healer's comforting words. 'Once the excess magic is purged from her pathways, she'll be fine; it's just going to take some time.' He knew this but the deathly stillness, hanging in the air with its heavy and sticky presence, was neither comforting nor hopeful. The air of a tomb, he thought, knowing that in Zazie's case it was literally true and would remain so until she woke.
Equis waited.
His eyes continued studying the Eastern sky, which rested upon the craggy wall that was the visible edge of the vale. Unseen in the dark, the ring of the precipice gave this place the illusion of existing in some mountain valley, somewhere: their own Shangri-La, truly excluding all but the most worthy. This is our place—mine and Zazie's and maybe one other's; the others are nothing but the relentless din of annoying insects; buzzing in my ears. Equis thought, vehemently, before feeling appalled. That's the enchantment talking, he knew. It's much stronger this time, too, he thought. I wonder if it's because I have feelings I didn't have last time. I wonder; will the mistress send me to pick up my sister so that we might serve her fully? His thoughts triggered crisp, amorous, images that rolled through his mind like memories, as he pictured Elfrida and him performing acts for their mistress that would make Caster uncomfortable. What! Equis thought and shook carnal fog from his mind. No! . . . No! . . . No! . . . I must control myself, this is not the time for thoughts like this, he chastised himself, but part of me—the part that knows I'm enthralled—wants to, too. I'm utterly hopeless, aren't I? Returning his attention to the sky, Equis waited still.
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I have been rent asunder and remade from the threads, which remain of my spirit. I am the metal of a sword—I have been melted and re-forged; I am the same and yet I am not. I existed yesterday. I exist today. I exist tomorrow but my existence is insubstantial; held together by the willpower flowing from the fountainhead of my soul. Drawn together, I feel myself called forth from the maelstrom. My spirit races, beckoned by a summons that I neither hear nor know from wench it comes.
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Finally, a white smile-like arch glowed against the night sky as the moon's dawn rose behind the curved cliff of the vale. With the arrival of the first moonbeams, Zazie began to stir and the sound of sheets rustling drew Equis' attention. The faint sound, after days of crypt-like silence, echoed like thunder in the dark room but Equis welcomed the intrusion and was glad that his solitary vigil might soon be over. He walked to the bed and for the first time, in what had felt like a lifetime, his lips remembered how to smile. He looked upon her first stirrings, with happy concern, not caring that her movements looked oddly unnatural; coming, as it were, from a body that appeared as still as death in all other ways. It was motion and that was all he cared about, after she had been corpse-like for the better part of two weeks.
With the moon's rise, her motions lost the peaceful stirrings of slumber and Zazie began to thrash on the bed. Her mouth opened and closed, like a fish freshly drawn from water, and her urgent need commanded Equis to his masters' aid. Her hunger rose in waves so powerful that Equis felt them as his own and, within, they stoked a fire utterly devoid of chaste. His master's need fed his ardour and his body ached for a release: a release, which could only be satisfied by offering himself to her need. With neither thought nor hesitation, Equis drew his knife and deeply scribed his arm. Wracked by exquisite pain, resounding with pleasure—because it was for her—Equis offered his wound to her. The first crimson drop touched her lips and her mouth opened to accept his gift. He felt her tongue explore the deep cut and with it, his body exploded rapturously leaving him light-headed.
As if a babe suckling, Zazie insatiably drew from the wound and, as more of his blood passed her lips, Equis' heart pounded against his ribs. Pressure built in his body and ecstasy spiralled beyond his experience. Feeling as if he might burst; his mind clouded to all sensations but pleasure and as the bliss sapped him of his strength, Equis dropped to his knees. Through ragged breath, he gulped air as each passing moment stoked his passion and fuelled his hunger until nothing remained but a feral heat. With his awareness utterly fixed upon his master, he joined her; and together they rode wave crests of ardour on a storm tossed sea of passion. As one, they reached crescendo and the accompanying spasms separated them; leaving Equis light headed. As his issue cooled uncomfortably, Equis collapsed beside her.
"Was if good for you?" A voice teased from the other side of the room.
Equis' body felt like lead but he raised his head and looked toward the sound. A shadow stood by the door and, for all he could not see them; he felt eyes cryptically gazing at him. The shadow stepped forward and, in the subdued light of Healer's home, the lithe fairy's face became visible; she was smiling.
"Wa . . . Was what good?" He stammered as he virtually leapt to his feet.
Equis' tone and face reminded Healer of a child getting caught doing something naughty and he fidgeted embarrassedly as she approached. Obviously uncomfortable, Equis tried and failed to hide his obvious and undiminished excitement. His meagre attempt at presenting a calm façade would have been amusing, had events not been so dyer, but for now she ignored it. Instead, she focused her gaze and concern on the young woman lying on the bed. Healer sighed with relief; Zazie looked neither pale nor unnaturally still but merely asleep—a natural sleep, thankfully—now. She examined her young friend further and, although Zazie's chest neither rose nor fell with the steady rhythm of breath; the sight of her licking the last of Equis' blood from her lips was enough to purge her of concern.
With her ward now showing signs of peaceful slumber, Healer turned her attention to Equis and the ugly gash on his arm. She closed the distance between them and, surprisingly rough for the fairy, took Equis' arm. She studied the still bleeding cut and frowned before wiping the wound from his arm with a simple stroke of her hand.
"I wish you had waited," she clucked at Equis, "you might've bled to death had I not come to check on you two just now. Next time you want to feed her, don't cut so deep but I suppose you weren't really thinking about it, where you? "
Equis shook his head.
"From the look of you, and the musky scent lingering in the air, I'd say you were richly rewarded but don't make a habit of it." She nonchalantly said.
Equis turned crimson.
"So innocent for one so old," Healer observed as she studied the man by Zazie's bedside, "but I guess I shouldn't be surprised; after all, you're the only one without a pair and, on top of that, you've been enchanted again but you know that too."
"It's . . . It's different this time." Equis muttered under his breath.
"Different?" Healer said, having clearly heard him. "That shouldn't surprise you. Even after releasing you, your feelings for her never really faded, if anything, they've grown. With Zazie's alluring and instinctual defence when she is defenceless—a power that I've almost succumbed to—she protects herself flawlessly: you lose before you know there is a struggle. I'm glad we don't need to worry about her but Zazie's strength may prove our undoing."
"What do you mean?"
"An outsider can find us now and we can't hide from her." Healer replied.
"Elfrida?"
"Yes," Healer answered. "That young human may not know it but if she wants to find Zazie, she can: all she has to do is focus on her feelings and she will find our young friend here. This is the first time that there is a trail a normal human could follow. As long as Zazie is here—and the bond between her and Elfrida remains—there is a signpost pointing to our location and existence. This will have to be addressed and corrected ere we leave this place or we will have to leave Zazie behind."
Equis paled and exclaimed, "We can't leave Zazie; I won't have it! There must be another way or I won't go anywhere and you can't go anywhere without me."
Healer frowned. "The easiest thing to do is kill Elfrida; that will solve our troubles."
"Kill!" Equis shouted. "We can't kill my sister!"
Healer smiled at his outburst but her attention was drawn to the sudden agitated restlessness of the sleeping Zazie. Interesting, she thought. It appears she is, at some level, aware of what I just said and is responding to the threat to her servant, Elfrida. I wonder; did Elfrida feel it too? I'll speak to Seeker later but I'd better reassure Equis, now.
"You know better than that, Equis." Healer looked back at Equis and soothed, "we'd never do something like that and you know it, too. I'm surprised by your response, though. I wouldn't think your need to protect your master would include a need to protect her servant. Your connection to Zazie, as it is now, is such that your feelings for Elfrida are one with your lover's."
Hearing the word 'lover' brought a fresh flush to Equis' cheeks and his eyes were drawn to the sleeping girl on the bed.
"Worry not, Equis." Healer said gently. "We'll just have Zazie free Elfrida, before we go, or—perhaps—we could invite her along. What do you say? That would relieve you from the labour of being Zazie's only snack. I'm sure you three would have fun and Caster would get a new toy, too."
A strange mixture of relief, excitement, jealousy and desire collided within Equis, as thoughts of the later solution brought vivid images in his mind. He looked with non-belief as Healer smiled provocatively, as if sharing his thoughts, but realised his old friend was teasing him.
"Still, I don't think your 'sister' would be happy being the only mortal amongst the ageless, would she?" Healer said.
Equis smiled weakly.
"She's sleeping normally—well, normal for her anyways." Healer said of the non-breathing and lifeless figure on the bed. "You should get some rest, have a bath or something to eat; you can't let your master see you so dishevelled when she wakes."
"But she might still be hungry." Equis protested.
"It's fine, I'll feed her if need be." Healer said. "Now go."
He felt a stab jealousy but submitted to her command. Equis turned and, through subdued light, walked across the room. With one last longing gaze at his sleeping master, his broad back vanished into the night beyond Healer's door.
Alone, but for the silent form of the sleeping girl on her bed, Healer sighed with relief and looked out the window. The moon, having fully risen, hung as if framed by the casement and the black velvet sky. Its full face never seemed to move but the slow advance of a moonbeam marked the passage of time as Healer, strange as it were for a Fae, pondered fate. Fate, she scoffed mentally. What grand design is there that would cast an innocent child as a monster, to be ever separated from her kind? What architect, thrusts immortality on a young woman and then leaves her as if dead in some forsaken corner of some dark forest but for the chance passage of helpful strangers? If this is what human's call fate then the universe is truly cruel, indeed. Healer sighed again but a faint smile softened her face and her eyes fell, once more, upon the sleeping girl.
"Who will you be when you wake this time?" Healer asked quietly of the sleeping girl. "Will you be the Zazie we know or someone else? Have you been robbed of your memories or will they remain to connect you and your past? Will you awaken to your strange pseudo and twilight life with the courage needed to carry you into tomorrow?"
Silent moments passed as the relentless streamers of moonlight lit dust, which hung lazily in the air. Healer absently amused herself by setting the particles dancing with a gentle flutter of her wings and tried to follow one speck, one lone mote; as she waited for Zazie to wake.
"What a troublesome child you've become," she muttered, maternally, as light finally reached Zazie's sleeping face.
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Pink, the black world had become pink but her eyes fought the call of awareness. Prideful, the ersatz vampire Zazie refused to be at the mercy of insignificant things like eyelids and commanded them open. A blurry haze welcomed her first sight but it cleared and the world beyond her eyes came into focus. Golden wood reflected golden light as confusion accompanied her first sight. Squirrel nobility, she thought; then mentally smiled with the memory of another waking. I'm home, she realised as her mind reassembled her memories, but how did I get here? What happened?
"Properly living dead once more I see," a voice said with a gentle tone, "much better than the dead dead you've been for awhile now, I'd say. Equis will be ecstatic, I'm sure; still, I hope he won't need to change his pants again."
Zazie turned her head and saw Healer's smile: the fairy was almost glowing in happiness. The upturned crescent of her lips, against the faint green of her skin, was a welcome and contagious sight. It warmed her and Zazie, her face thawing from an icy death mask, remembered how to smile. She opened her mouth and tried to speak but words remained soundless on her moving lips.
"Breathe." Healer softly reminded.
Zazie—looking endearingly childlike as she flashed a tiny embarrassed smile—followed Healer's advice and drank in a great gulp of air. She felt her chest rise and fall in proper rhythm as her body remembered how to breathe.
Feeling refreshed and alive once more, Zazie said, "W . . . what happened?"
"We think" Healer began, "that you became overwhelmed by the sudden surge of magic as you unwound your containment spells. Elfrida was definitely impressed and then some. "
"I . . . I don't really remember."
"I'm certain," Healer replied with a smile, "but—rest assured—if your goal was to terrify your friend you succeeded, admirably, but not for the reason you might think."
"I just wanted her to understand why I couldn't stay: I didn't intend to terrify her."
Healer felt Zazie's concern and said, "She knows that, Zazie, but your reckless attempt at convincing her has caused us some trouble."
"Trouble? Wh . . . What sort of trouble?" Zazie said and quickly sat.
She regretted it immediately as her action set the room spinning but the room steadied and a gentle zephyr caressed her breasts. The sheet, which had covered her, crumpled to her lap but whatever modesty she might've felt was eclipsed by concern for her friends.
"We were forced to reveal ourselves to an outsider so that we might retrieve you." Healer replied in a reassuring manner. "Truthfully, I'm not sure what scared her most: your collapse or the arrival of strange and mythical creatures."
Zazie looked confused. "What strange and mystical creatures?"
Unable to contain herself, after such an innocent question, Healer erupted into laughter. She fought to contain herself but, after all that had happened since the new moon, laughter was a needed tonic. Eventually, Healer found composure and wiped mirth-induced tears from her eyes before returning her attention to her young friend.
"Such a marvellous child," she said lovingly. "Your ability to accept things as they are is astounding. You must understand, Zazie, you were nothing but a simple human—a mere blink of an eye, as it were, to us—a short while ago. In that blink you've forgotten about the strangeness of your circumstance or the people you live with. The way you accept things is not human but you were born of humanity and human experience."
Zazie looked puzzled.
"We spoke of this before, I thought you understood;" Healer replied before seeing Zazie's questioning eyes. "I guess not. You're unique—well I thought you were, until I met Elfrida that is."
"Elfrida?"
"Yes," Healer replied. "Elfrida, surprisingly, shares this trait. I think it must have something to do with you and your mother before you. Both of you seemed to have had an inhuman influence over the people closest to you and the person closest to you both was Elfrida. She may not be your sister by blood but she sure is by spirit and, because of that, sees things for what they are. Elfrida accepts what her senses tell her is real and was more surprised—as opposed to unbelieving or frightened, that is—when Caster, Scout, Equis and I were forced to reveal ourselves."
"Revealed yourselves!" Zazie exclaimed. "You mean Elfrida saw you?"
"What choice did we have?" Healer said. "We couldn't very well leave you to the tender mercies of The Church, could we?"
"The Church?"
"Yes, one way or another, you would have ended up with The Church." Healer explained. "No matter how hard Elfrida or Lady Wilhelmina might've tried to hide you, The Church would've found out about you. The Inquisition is particularly good at discovering secrets; it's the only talent they truly possess. In fact, they find secrets were none exist and if you think that Pfalzgrafenweiler is far enough away to avoid their eyes, think again. Remember, Pfalzgrafenweiler expelled their duly appointed bishop: this, in its self, is enough to draw their attention and ire. We couldn't very well leave them with more fuel for their sacrificial pyres and you would have been one hefty and dry log had you remained. What we did was as much for us as it was for them or you and we still have a serious problem that must be addressed."
Zazie's stomach growled loudly and the sound brought another thankful smile to Healer's lips. Without being asked, she summoned a plate of sweet cakes and a pitcher of cool water. They appeared in the air and, without invitation, Zazie began ravenously devouring the food. The sight of the young woman's voracious appetite made Healer very happy. As her young friend ate, the fairy fluttered across the room, lit upon the bed and sat comfortably beside the young woman. Healer waited.
One by one, the cakes vanished until only one remained. Zazie humbly offered the last to the fairy; she declined with a simple shake of her head. Setting the tray aside, Zazie took a refreshing drink of water before silently inviting Healer to finish her tale.
"Feeling better now?" Healer asked.
Zazie nodded and said with concern, "You mentioned a serious problem."
"You've enchanted Equis again," Healer said simply, "Not that I think he really minds though."
"I'll free him as soon as I see him." Zazie assured.
"I know you will," Healer said, "and you should do something nice for him, too; he's barely left your side for two weeks."
"Two weeks!" Zazie exclaimed. "I've been asleep for two weeks."
"Well, not quit two weeks but you get the general idea." Healer mention offhandedly. "Equis was beside himself; fussing and worrying and clucking like a mother hen."
Amusement raised the corners of her mouth as she pictured Equis as a mother hen; then felt bad for it. After all, she thought, it only shows that he cares. I should be happy.
"I didn't mean to worry him, or anyone else for that matter." Zazie's earnestly assured.
"We know dear." Healer reassured.
"I've caused so much trouble for everyone, I'm really, really sorry."
"You have nothing to be sorry for, Zazie." Healer firmly said. "We chose to pick you up, we chose to nurse you back to health and we chose to let you live with us. Those were our choices and we imposed our choices on you; we even stole your name. We never asked for your consent and—when we did ask you to make a choice—we had you in a position with little: no, I shouldn't say little. We left you with virtually no choice whatsoever."
"I could've said no." Zazie said.
"No sane creature would've said no." Healer emphasized. "If you had said no we would've had to ask ourselves if you were mad and whether we should let a mad creature wander free. Once we intervened with fate—for lack of a better term—we became responsible for your future. I think we would've have killed you, if you'd said no, because that would've been proof of madness; it would've been easier for us to dispose of a weak you than face the strong you, you'd eventually become."
Zazie felt the colour drain from her face and felt sick; having lived with these beings, she knew Healer spoke the truth. 'We are not good' she distinctly remembered being told; she had said as much to Elfrida when her old friend had asked her to stay in Pfalzgrafenweiler. Zazie smiled weakly at the fairy.
"Now," Healer began, "we need to see if you are the same 'you' you were before you went to Pfalzgrafenweiler."
"I think I am." Zazie said honestly.
"We'll see," Healer teased good heartedly. "Are you all still there?"
"If you mean . . ." Zazie began.
". . . that our aspects are still here . . ." Vam continued.
". . . then, most certainly, we are." Pix finished.
"We have no intention of leaving, thank you very much." Zazie said in tertiary.
The chorus of three voices—no, not three voices, Healer reconsidered, but the same voice using three different intonations in the same breath—from the young woman never ceased to amaze her and hearing Zazie speak in tertiary reminded Healer how strange this girl truly was. Did Elfrida understand what Zazie was? Healer silently asked. Do we?
"How do you feel?" Healer asked.
"We feel tired but not tired." Zazie spoke again in tertiary. "It's sort of hard to explain but, otherwise, we feel well. We do feel a little grimy and sticky, too. We wouldn't mind taking a bath."
Healer smiled and said, "Feel free to use my bath then but—before that—can you check the connections with your aspect effigies?"
Zazie nodded, returned her head to the pillow and closed her eyes. As soon as they closed, three pixies sized dolls fluttered to life. Each, after a brief—almost cat-like—stretch, took wing from the bedside table and fluttered about the room. As Vam and Pix played in and around the warm golden flames on the hearth, Zaz flapped her way back to the bedside. She folded her angle-like wings against her back and collapsed lifelessly on the table; Zazie opened her eyes and sat up again.
"We are connected," Zazie said unnecessarily as two of her aspects continued to chase one another, playfully.
"I'm sure that will make Caster happy too." Healer said. "She's been so gloomy of late—I guess Scout can't keep her satisfied by himself. By the way, you need to apology to Caster, too: she felt it was her fault because she wasn't with you—not that I think it would've mattered."
Zazie looked aghast.
"I . . . I'm really, really sorry," Zazie stammered as tears welled in her eyes. "I've been so much trouble to you. I . . . I shouldn't have gone to Pfalzgrafenweiler; I was just being selfish."
"Sometimes it's alright to be a little selfish," Healer tried to mollify her young friend, "especially when it comes to important things. I'm sure you needed to say your goodbyes before you could move on and, as for Caster, I was only teasing about that. She may be childlike and playful on the surface but she's mature and wise inside. Besides, she's old enough to handle a little worry and it won't hurt her either."
"Who's mature and wise and old enough? Not me I hope" Caster chimed, mischievously child-like, from the window. "My wings felt like they were burning: you weren't talking about me, were you?"
"I'm really, really sorry Caster." Zazie earnestly said.
"Don't worry, Zazie," Caster said happily. "I'm fine—we all are. What happened wasn't your fault at all. If anything, it was mine: had I been there I could've rewoven your protection spells, immediately. You weren't ready to react to the flux of raw magic coursing through your pathways. When I consider the amount of magic, you can tap from The Source and Nature I should've realized what could happen. Besides, even I'd even have trouble controlling such excess."
"But . . . but," Zazie started.
"No buts," Caster said sternly. "None of us thought that you'd meet someone, let alone someone you knew, that late and—of all people, no less—the one person who meant the most to you. If I wasn't Fae, I'd say it was fate."
"Fate or not," Healer added, "I've rethought it over and over again because it troubles me: there was something very strange about that. I don't like coincidence—or providence for that matter—and neither does anyone else, here. Even if Elfrida hadn't been enthralled, I would've insisted on staying until we understood what happened. By all rights, that girl shouldn't've been there; it wasn't natural."
"I . . . I en . . . enthralled, Elfrida?" Zazie repeated; her tone dire and subdued.
"That's not important . . ." Healer began, a little too cavalier for Zazie's ears.
"What do you mean 'not important'?" Zazie raged, unexpectedly. "She's my oldest; my dearest friend. We grew up together. We comforted each other in our worst moments and shared our best. I've enthralled my sister; I've made her my slave and you say it's not important! It's pretty damned important, thank you!"
Dark energy crackled in the air and everything shook as a warning bell chimed in the distance. Reality began to unfold as Zazie's anger threatened the weave of the tapestry and—for the blink of an eye—the vale was reduced to the primal magic from which it was created.
"- stop!" Healer and Caster commanded.
Thankfully, the arras' weave forced the retreat of chaos and the glade reformed but the combined focus of the two Fae had stunned Zazie to the point that even her aspect effigies—who'd been glaring at Healer—collapsed inertly into the golden flames they'd been playing in. With Zazie unconscious, the room became unnaturally silent—but for the gentle sound of pixie wings aflutter—and the air felt heavy and ominous. Not surprisingly, Seeker suddenly appeared and, on his wing tips, Hunter entered the room. They looked grave.
"What happened?" Hunter demanded.
Healer and Caster exchanged glances before the pixie responded, "Zazie got angry."
"Angry! All you have to say is 'Zazie got angry'! That's a pretty big understatement. Our home almost dissolved—us along with it, I might add—and you simply tell me she got angry! Explain!"
It was by far the biggest eruption of anger they had ever witnessed from Hunter. Her cat-like eyes narrowed, her ears turned to focus on the female Fae folk and her tail twitched in agitation. She glared at Healer and Caster and, had they not known better, the two would've felt like lion's prey. Thankfully, Hunter's anger was as quick to cool as it had been to heat. Still, it was obvious that she was waiting for an explanation and Healer and Caster exchanged awkward glances: each inviting the other to answer Hunter's question.
"I'm sorry," Hunter softened her tone. "I should know that losing one's temper doesn't help anyone—let alone myself—but I still need to know what happened."
"It really is as simple as that," Caster finally said. "The trouble is our young friend is even more powerful now then she was when she first woke a mere month ago. She has yet to mature into her power so her childlike impulses tend to rule her self-control and intellect. Even amongst her own kind, she's barely more than a child. Unlike them, though, she has the power of a god—at least when comes to her kith and kin. She has the power to shake Heaven; we must tread very carefully from here on."
Seeker and Healer nodded in agreement but they were obviously aware of Hunter's thoughts.
"That doesn't make me feel any better, thank you," Hunter said. "Can we safely contain and control our young 'goddess' until she matures? How dangerous is she to us?"
"I will not make light of your concerns, Hunter," Seeker spoke at last. "Zazie is incredibly dangerous—we know that, we've known it all along—but, aside from a couple of incidents, she has shown great restraint and a strong desire to learn. I feel we're not in any serious danger and, in the long run, safer than we were before we found her."
"I know. I know." Hunter said. "It just weighs heavily on my mind, that's all. Well, as long as you and your mate and Caster can hold her in check we'll continue to pursue our present course. Can you three give me that assurance?"
"Hunter," Healer said sombrely, "Zazie will always be at our command and there's nothing neither she nor we can do about it since the binding artefact has been destroyed. She is essentially and eternally our slave and, as such, we can reign in any excess she displays."
"I do not like being a slave holder." Hunter said. "It goes against my nature."
"It goes against all our natures," Caster said, "but even if she is our slave we don't have to treat her like that. The sorcerer never resorted to using us that way so we must do the same, in turn."
"Still . . ." Hunter began.
"In the end it comes down to the same debate, doesn't it?" Seeker said.
"Which is?" Hunter said.
"Well it comes down to our own survival doesn't it?" Seeker replied simply, "and with that in mind we need to ask: should we kill her or let her live?"
"You can't mean that!" Caster exclaimed.
"Of course not," Seeker said, "I was just cutting to the chase. We opted to save her and teach her, we will continue to do so; I'm sure you all agree."
His three companions nodded but Hunter still looked apprehensive.
"Can you hold her in check when she wakes?" Hunter asked.
"We believe so," Healer said.
"Believe so . . ." Hunter began with uncertainty, "Let's hope, because it looks like our young friend is about to wake."
"I've been awake for a while." A voice said firmly. "Did you mean what you said?"
The denizens of the vale, paled, as Zazie spoke.
"How . . . How much did you hear?" Healer asked with concern.
"From the, 'should we kill her or let her live?' point, if I heard Seeker right."
"Let me be honest with you, Zazie." Hunter said earnestly. "We are afraid of you. We like—dare I say it, love?—you but you terrify us too. We still don't really know what you are or what you'll become. Please excuse our ramblings and misgivings."
"That's a pretty big thing to excuse," Zazie said and then smiled, "but I understand. I'm sorry I got mad but, truly, I think I'm the most mad at myself for what I did to Elfrida and Equis."
"Never mind that, now," Healer said. "I spoke poorly and didn't consider my words earlier; it's not a wonder you got angry. I would've been angry, too, if someone told me that my best friend's condition was not important. All I meant about it not being important was that all you have to do is free her and say sorry. I'm sure she'll understand and forgive you."
Zazie smiled; then happily said, "does that mean I'll get to Elfrida again?"
"Most certainly," Seeker said. "Not only would we not abide you having a slave we can't allow the link that her enthrallment creates. That's for her protection, as much as ours, but first we must address the immediate problem: we must find a way to control the amount of magic you can draw upon and a way to rid yourself of the excess before you are overcome."
"I've haven't had any trouble until now," Zazie said.
"That's not true," Healer said, "You were overwhelmed the first time you went outside, remember."
"But . . . but I haven't had trouble since then, well at least not until I went to Pfalzgrafenweiler that is."
"That's true," Caster said, "but you've stayed inside mostly and I don't think you'd ever opened yourself fully anyways. Besides, for all that the air is rich with magic in our vale there is a lot less of it than you'd expect: it only feels strong because it is so pure. In the real world there's so much—an almost bottomless fount for all intents—that it must be regulated or it will overwhelm. Creatures born of magic—like the Fae—have a natural ability to control the flow: it's like breathing to us. We instinctively know that for every breath of magic we take we must exhale an equivalent amount, just as you do with the air you breathe—well, would breathe if you still needed to breathe that is."
Caster's tinkling giggle—at her wit—was a welcome distraction from the sombre mood that had darkened the air; it brought a smile to everyone's lips.
"You still have a ways to go, Zazie, before you can do that without thought," Healer said, "Humans who are adept at using magic develop the ability to control the flow over time as their ability to access it increases. You, on the other hand, awoke with your abilities fully developed without learning how to control the flow. It's not a wonder that you were overwhelmed, anyone would be."
"To top it off," Seeker continued, "you have nine pathways to regulate. In my very long life, I've never met anyone with as much access to magical flow that you have. In hindsight, I'm surprised you lasted as long as you did, outside. We all made mistakes and assumptions that we shouldn't have made. We should've known better but because we haven't faced a challenge, in a long time; we didn't fully consider the possibilities."
"So," Zazie began, "where do we go from here?"
"You," Healer replied, "are going to go have a bath but as to what we'll do about what happened; we'll see what we can come up with on the 'morrow. I think we all need a good night's sleep—I'm certain I do."
