Alright guys. Imma be honest here. This is not what I had originally planned for this chapter (Or even the last chapter, but I like this new direction muuuch better). BUT I got the idea of Angie being a fight night announcher and I just had to roll with it. So here we go, more family time. Enjoy~
"My apologies, Mother Miranda. It seems the lycans got a little carried away. If you'd follow me, the Lords have all gathered and are waiting your arrival."
Miranda studied the girl in front of her. From her display of strength and speed, she could tell she had an infection of some sort. The metallic lilac color of her eye intrigued her. She had done many experiments over the years and none of them yielded anything like that color. The closest thing she had gotten to was Alcina's own honey golden.
"What is your name, child?" Miranda questioned as she turned and walked into the castle.
Theo straightened up, following beside her. "Theodora ma'am. However, please call me 'Theo'."
She had heard that name before. Glancing at her hair, she recalled a conversation she and her eldest had a few months back about an unnatural redheaded stranger. "You are the one Alcina told me about. The one who saved her daughter."
"Yeah, that was me."
Alcina had called her after everything had happened and told her of her guest's strength. This was the first time she seen it firsthand. It was a sight to see and slightly unnerving. Having someone with such power around could cause certain... problems. Especially if they were going to be used against her. The girl didn't appear to be a threat, which begged the question of what her true intentions were. "I'd like to know what brought you to our village."
"I was just passing through at the time. I wanted to get a peek at how Lady Dimitrescu made her wine, but I all I managed to find were some hunters. So, I took them down. She hired me on the next day."
"Hired you?" The girl had clearly made an impression on her eldest if she had opened up her home to the stranger.
"As a personal guard." Theo grinned.
"I see." It was still strange though. Alcina's trust was not given out so easily. Theodora had seemed to win her overnight. Keeping the girl around wasn't a decision the vampire wouldn't make lightly. She always considered the safety of her daughters. If she thought for a moment the girl could be considered a threat, she wouldn't have offered for her to stay, let alone hire her on.
Miranda decided the best actions for now were to wait and see. She would keep tabs on this new stranger. She might prove useful.
The pair approached the meeting room. Theodora entered into the room first. She stood with her hands behind her back respectfully as she turned to Alcina. "Mother Miranda has arrived my Lady." She announced.
"Thank you, Theodora." Alcina said. Miranda didn't miss the brief look the brunette gave the redhead before Theo took her position behind Alcina's chair.
The raven woman took her own seat and glanced at her Lords. "Let's begin."
The meeting only lasted an hour. From what Theo could tell, it was just a check in on the progresses of the various tasks she had given to the Lords. Miranda had been the first to leave, shortly followed by Mordeu. Donna and Alcina had stayed in the meeting room as they chatted. Angie had convinced Theodora to go off with her and find her dear cousins.
Alcina could hear the bickering before she seen the causes. "Beta could beat your mother's little girlfriend any day of the week." Heisenberg laughed.
Cassandra's voice carried through the doorway next. "Theo would destroy him, Unc."
"Yeah, Theo's the best." Her youngest chipped in.
The three of them came into the room. Karl rested on the doorframe. "Face it you little gnats. Beta is better."
Alcina rolled her eyes. "Why are you instigating my children?"
"I'm not instigating anything, Too-Tall." Karl sneered. He stuck his thumb out at the girls. "Your brats are the ones that started it."
Cassandra bared her fangs as she tried to bite his thumb. Karl pulled his hand back with a yelp. Daniela let out a giggle at her uncle. "He said Beta could beat Theo in a fight."
"Did he now?"
Karl adjusted his sunglasses. "Come on. You and I both know it's true."
"Your dog would not last two minutes against Theodora." Alcina scoffed. Beta was her brother's second in command and the only lycan that had managed to retain any form of brain activity after being transformed. His size was nearly triple those of the normal lycans and he carried around a large hammer, like his creator.
"Oh yeah?"
Donna sighed. She knew where this was going. Her siblings both had competitive natures, and it only intensified once the daughters came about. Somewhere along the line they had started doing bets and wagers.
"Why don't you put your money where your mouth is, old man?" Daniela laughed as she poked Heisenberg in the shoulder.
"Alright fine." He said as he swatted her hand away. "What are we wagering?"
The girls looked at each other for a minute, trying to decide the best outcome. They had stopped betting money a long time ago, seeing how none of the houses really needed it. The perfect idea formed in the brunette's mind. "If Theo wins, you have to wear a pink coat and hat for a month."
Alcina never agreed to one of the wagers unless she knew with complete certainty that she would win it. Her brother on the other had. They all knew that in all his time with betting against Alcina and her children, Karl had never once won. It didn't deter him from ever agreeing to the bets, though. "And if I win?"
"You'll get the satisfaction of rubbing it in Mother's face that your dear little Beta won."
The thought alone of being able to best the vampire at something was more than tantalizing enough. "I'm in. Two days from now, at The Factory." Cassandra and Karl shook hands, sealing the deal.
Alcina sent a knowing look over to her sister. Donna already knew that she would be the one lucky enough to make the items for her brother. She decided she might as well get his measurements now.
"Would you prefer hot or pastel?"
"Sorry, I'mma have to pass." Theo said with an unamused look. After agreeing to the bet, the two daughters had swarmed off to find her. They had found her in the library with Angie hanging off her shoulder, both chatting with their sister.
"What do you mean you're going to pass!" Daniela cried out. She had told the others about the bet that was made. She had even told them about Karl's new clothes. How could she still not want to win?
Theo gave a one-sided shrug, not wanting to dislodge her rider. "I don't fight just to fight."
Cassandra let out a frustrated sigh. They had been trying to convince the redhead for over ten minutes now. If they couldn't convince her to fight, then they'd lose. House Dimitrescu didn't lose. "It's not like it's to the death or anything! All you have to do is knock Beta out and you win. I bet you could do it in one hit."
"Yeah! He said you're not the best and we told him you were! You have to prove him wrong!" A red eyebrow rose. It was faltering that the girls had stood up for her, but it still didn't change her mind.
"He can think what he wants." Theo said as she crossed her arms. "I don't have to fight to prove that."
Angie had listened intently the whole time, disappointed she had missed the wager herself. But if Donna were the one making the items, then they'd be able to watch the fight. It sounded way too good of an opportunity to pass up. Watching Alcina win another bet against Karl would just add to the material she could use against him. Picturing him in the pink clothes had her mind racing with a whole new group of insults.
The fight had to happen.
If she were capable of it, the doll's face would have spread into a smug grin. "It'll impress Big Sis."
Theo pressed her lips together as she thought about it. It wasn't like before. It wasn't a fight to the death. Just a friendly test of strength. She could do this.
Plus, if it would impress the taller woman...
"Alright fine."
"What is this place?" Theo asked as they exited the carriage. It looked like an old processing plant. A few run-down guard towers were scattered out in the front of it.
"This is my younger brother's home. It is called 'The Factory'." Alcina explained as she looked over the field with mild annoyance. The grass had grown well over knee length. Piles of scrap could be seen throughout the field. A single gravel pathway led to the entrance.
"I see you've finally arrived. Let me show you to the arena." Karl said as he stood outside the door. He turned on his heels, motioning for the women to follow. He led them around the side of the building. The field had a slight slope around the back.
A large fenced in arena sat at the bottom. Several sets of metal bleachers sat around the outside of the fence. Heisenberg's pack sat scattered amongst them. Mordeu and Donna occupied a different set of bleachers. Alcina nodded to her girls, who swarmed over to them to take their seats.
"Hey Uncle Sal! I didn't think you were going to make it." Daniela said as she sat near Mordeu.
"I heard about the bet, it's always a pleasure to watch Karl lose." He explained.
"That it is." Donna chipped in. She held the bag of their brother's newest apparel in her hand. She placed it in her lap as she took the seat directly in front of her nieces, leaving the left side open for their mother.
"Where's Angie?" Bela asked her aunt, noticing that her cousin was nowhere to be seen.
"Gooood after ladies and lycans!" Angie's voice called out over the loudspeaker. The doll stood in the middle of the arena, microphone in hand.
"Of course."
"To our left, we have the man, the legend, the master of metal himself! Karl Heisenberg!" Karl stepped forward, lifting his hands into the air. His pack let out a series of howls.
The doll spun around and pointed to the pair. "And to our right! The Lady who needs no introductions. The beautiful, regal, and deadly Alcina Dimitrescu!" The girls cheered loudly, while their siblings clapped excitedly.
"Choose your fighters."
Heisenberg let out whistle. A large lycan landed on the ground beside him. As he stood, Theo got a better look at him. He still held his human features, but most if his face was covered by long grey fur. He reminded Theo of an infected version of Santa Claus. "Beta will be my fighter."
"Theodora will be my chapion." Alcina said as she stepped up right behind Theo. She placed either of her hands on her shoulders. Theo gave a small smile, happy with the closeness of the other woman.
"Alright! Fighters, take your positions!" Angie called out as she scampered out of the center of the arena. Karl patted his fighter on the back as he walked out of the arena and joined his family in the stands.
Alcina leaned down to mutter into Theodora's ear. "Do not disappoint me, cavalerul meu."
"Not even in your dreams, my Lady." Theo said with certainty. She'd win this, no matter what.
"They're so touchy, it's gross." Cassandra gagged as she watched the pair.
The cloaked man on the other side of her sister chuckled. "I think it's cute."
The brunette leaned out around her sister, giving her uncle a look. Despite popular belief her uncle could be quite the romantic. He would often borrow some of his sister's romantic books. Of course, he got to keep them after, seeing how Mother would just buy her new ones. "You would."
"Shut up and watch!" Daniela said excitedly as Theo met the towering lycan in the middle. She rolled her shoulders and readied herself. The lycan hunched over, waiting for the call.
"Let the fight begin!"