TITLE: Cyhiraeth part one
AUTHOR: Shelley
EMAIL: lilpixierocknroller@hotmail.com
URL: http://www.geocities.com/sympathyforthedevil16/muse
DISCLAIMER: MacLeod, Methos and Joe belong to Rysher: Panzer/Davies.
DISTRIBUTION: Vampire Louis, Only Duncan Methos & Methos Boxer Brigade mailing lists, FFN, and anyone that wants to take it, just e-mail me first.
SPOILERS: Uh, well I'll just say anything, cause while I haven't seen it I've read as many spoilers and summaries as I could find.
SUMMARY: A girl from Methos past has come back to destroy the life he's made for himself.
RATING: R for rape, as well as m/m m/f sexual situations, violence all that fun stuff later on…
NOTES: slashy, sorry if that offends anyone, I've been reading way to much Vampire Chron fic not to be slashing everything in site. Cyhiraeth is the Celtic goddess of death.
DEDICATION: TO Kay, for beta-ing this fic for me, you're the best 'cariad' much love.
RECOMMENDED BACKGROUND MUSIC: Disturbed "Down with the Sickness" ________________________________________________________
She stood in the middle of the room looking around. It was the picture of normalcy, not a thing in the loft would indicate that the two men living there had lived on this earth for a combined total of five thousand and four hundred years, unless you hand an eye for rare antiques that is.
Her name was Destiny O'Neil, or at least lately it was. She'd gone by many names over the years, Catrin Welsh, Emily MacDonald, Cyhiraeth, and the oldest, Alexei, were just a few of her past identities, the lives she made for herself each one dedicated to avenging Alexei. She'd been chasing the same man for five thousand years staying just far enough away so that he never felt her buzz and was never alerted to her presence. Tipping him off to her nearness, much less her own immortality, would not do at all. Regardless of what ever changes she'd gone though over time he would have recognized her the moment he set eyes on her small pale frame, curly brown hair and large hazel eyes.
No, she wanted to catch him by surprise when she finally let herself be seen. :: The shock alone of her continued existence maybe enough to kill him. :: Destiny though with a wicked grin. ::Though I'll never let him off that easy, he'll wake in chains, and learn just what pain is.:: she promised herself. Oh yes, the time was growing close and everything was perfect. With a grin still plastered on her face she left the quaint loft and entered the cool night.
* * *
Alexei cried out in her sleep. Twisting around on her small little cot tears ran down her dirty little face. She was 17 years old, and under normal circumstances would have been a married woman but she was far from normal. Alexei, her brother and mother had been sold into slavery when she was ten after her father's death. Ian had made to many enemies and spent more money than the family had in his lifetime so his family were the ones that paid the price in the end. They were slaves on the farm of one of those rich enemies and there seemed to be no hope of a single one of them leaving.
Alexei's mother had only lasted four years before she died, leaving her two children behind with only each other to cling too, and now her brother was gone. He'd runaway not two days earlier with out a word to his sister of were he was heading and what he was planning. Not a word of comfort, a promise that he'd be back for her soon. It would have been so much easier to bear if he had. Instead she was questioned and beat by the master for her own brother's wronging. She would have never told the master what she knew of course but at least she would have had something to cling too.
Sometime during the night she felt someone sit down on her cot and stoke her hair. A ruff voice whispered to her that he knew that she had lied to him and that she was going to be given one more chance to tell him were that trouble-making brother of hers had gone too. The hand was gone from her hair and now made its way down the length of her body, coming to rest on her thigh. If she would tell him where he had gone, he'd leave right now and nothing would happen to her, in fact, the master would be so happy with her that he would let her work in the house with some of the other women and would never have to work in the fields again.
She swore to him that she didn't know were her brother had gone and she couldn't very well tell him anything she didn't know. He slapped her face hard and fresh tears sprang into her eyes. Crying openly now she tried to make herself as small as possible. She knew what was going to happen to her. The master yanked her nightdress high above her head and pulled her thighs apart. Weeping she closed her eyes and waited for this nightmare to be over. He smelled of ale and sweat as he took her forcefully there in the dark of the night.
When it was all over she was bleeding and raw. Wiping the tears from her eyes she cleaned herself as best she could and stepped in to the cool night air. Looking up at the stars she swore then and there that she would get her revenge, on the master and her brother for leaving her so helpless by herself. One day she'd be the strong one and one day they'd both pay.
* * *
Methos felt something was off from the moment he stepped foot in to MacLeod's loft. Someone had been there. He couldn't explain it really; it was like some sixth sense that screamed at him as soon as he opened the door. Someone had been there and they hadn't been there for a quick cup of tea and a chat. Nothing unusual considering that it was Duncan's place after all and the Clansman seemed to have all kinds of Immortals coming for his head, but this, this presence felt familiar.
Shrugging it off to a bad day he headed to the fridge and was greeted by the sight of a brand new case of beer, bought just for him, as he knew the Highlander wouldn't drink the stuff himself. Grinning he grabbed one and flipped on the television.
::Reruns should be banned.:: he thought, taking another sip of his beer. He stopped on a channel playing the TV edited version of Braveheart. Laughing lightly to himself he sat back and waited for the Scot to get home, thoroughly enjoying the movie for the umpteenth time.
* * *
He was dreaming of home. Of his sister and mother, and even his father. He dreamed of the last time he saw his beloved sister, standing in the sunlight with her hair falling around her face as she worked. In his mind he kept chanting promises to himself. One day they'd leave this place, go somewhere far far away where no one knew them or what they were. They'd be free to live their own life. He thought sadly that his sister had been too young to enjoy her freedom while it had lasted. He was eight years her elder, and yearend for that freedom once more with all his soul.
He made up his mind then and there that he would find away to leave this hell and find a place for them. That night he kissed her forehead as she slept and snuck into the night without looking back.
Travelling at night it took him three days to reach a safe town. Using his iron working skills he managed to find a job working with the local ironsmith, earning enough money to build a small two-room house. Thrilled, he worked as hard as he could to make enough money to buy Alexei all the beautiful new clothes she could want after he went back for her. Purse full of coins, a handsome little house, gifts and the promise of a better life he headed back to the masters farm fully intent on buying Alexei's freedom.
But things didn't go as he had oh so carefully planed. When he reached the farm the slaves buzzed with excitement. What would he do when he found out? Rip the master's head off with his bare hands? Go mad? Or simply kill himself? Puzzled he stepped in to the shack that had once been his and Alexei's home only to find it empty.
"What has happened to my sister?" he asked in the old language.
"She is gone." Was all they said. "She has gone to the great beyond. Alexei is at peace now."
"Ye gods! What happened to her?"
"She was punished." His heart ached as he realized what this meant.
"When?" he whispered, afraid of the answer. He already knew.
"After you left. She did not last long."
"Was it…was it painful?"
"Oh yes. The master was relentless. He meant to find out where you had gone."
Given until the end of time he didn't think he could ever think of a way to describe exactly how much those words affected him. How much they hurt.
"Thank you." He said grimly as he headed for the main house. The old man inside had taken his sister from him and now he could take the man's life. Gathering the house slaves into the garden he set fire to the house and watched with a heart of steel as the home burnt to the ground. He stood in the garden listening to the screams coming from inside. 'For you Alexei, for you.'
* * *
Alexei sat on a bar stool in Joe's watching the band on stage, but not really listening to the lyrics of the song. That just would have been too painful at the moment and if there was one thing she had learned in five thousand years it was never listen to blues in full brooding mode. It was just a recipe for badness and chaos. She prayed to every god she had ever known that Methos would not come in tonight. That he would find some other source of entertainment for the night and let her work on the next part of her plan.
She sucked in a breath of air as she felt the buzz of an Immortal. Not him but the famous Duncan. Perfect. Smiling flirtatiously at the Scot she winked her eyes telling MacLeod that he faced no danger of being challenged by the old female Immortal.
"Hi. Come here often?" She asked. MacLeod grinned at the cheesy over used line.
"Yeah, you?"
"I may start now, I'm new in town. My name's Destiny."
"Duncan MacLeod."
"Wow, imagine that, my first day in Seacouver and I meet the Duncan MacLeod." When Duncan frowned she laughed. "Don't worry, I have no plans to take your head."
"Well, that's always good to know."
"I wouldn't, however, say no to a drink."
"Ah, well, you see I'm kinda waiting for…someone." Alexei grinned.
"Then it had better be a quick drink." She held out her hands in a symbol of peace. "Look, I'm not trying to hit on you, though god knows you're handsome, I can tell when a man is taken. Friends?" Mac could help but smile.
"Aye."
"So, how about that drink?"
Alexei and Duncan both ordered a beer and as they drank he questioned her on where she had come from and what in god's name was she doing in Seacouver of all places. "Visiting family actually. My brother lives here and I thought I'd surprise him." As Mac turned a bit in his stool she used the opportunity to slip a bit of clear liquid into his drink. "Hey, Mac, could you do me a favor? I think I ran over something on my way in this evening, do you think you could take a look at my car for me?" She asked, all innocence when he had taken a couple more sips.
"Sure, I guess so."
::It's working!:: "Great!" Alexei smiled fabulously at the Scot and slipped an envelope with the name 'Adam Pierson' written on it, onto the bar.
* * *
Sometime shortly after Alexei had slipped MacLeod the magical mickey his 'date' arrived at Joe's looking very much like a person who had been having trouble sleeping.
"Hey Adam, you okay?" Joe looked worriedly at the Immortal who had just sat down. Methos just waved it off.
"Fine. Is Mac here?" The watcher shook his head. "No, but, ah, I did find this. Someone left it on the counter." Methos eyed the envelope warily, it was his name all right and it didn't look like Duncan's handwriting. Unable to suppress his curiosity he tore into the envelope.
Methos – (it read)
Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
Boy have I got,
A surprise for you.
You took away my life so now I'm taking yours. If you ever want to see your lover again you will do everything that I say. Meet me at the dojo tomorrow night at 8:10.
Love, Your sister,
Alexei
Methos gawped, then closed his mouth and walked out, leaving a very confused Joe in his wake.
***
At exactly 8:10 Methos stood in the middle of Mac's dojo waiting. His mind still reeled at the thought of the note. For the past five thousand years he had thought that Alexei had died back in that hell on earth. Part of him was glad that wasn't true and the other part dreaded exactly what she had meant in her note. He had taken her life from her? He had always assumed that the master and their father shared the blame for that, unless…could she really still hate him for leaving after all this time? Did her hate run that deep? And what in the name of the gods did she want with MacLeod?
"Ah good, you're on time." Methos turned sharply towards the door as the figure of his sister. She looked much better than she had the last time he had seen her. The hollows were gone from her cheeks as was the look of misery in her eyes. Instead she looked confident, icy. In her eyes he saw fierce determination and hatred. Her very being seemed to scream at him, accusing him.
"Alexei…"
"Don't. I don't want to hear your voice." She glared at him, daring him to speak. "I have MacLeod. No, I didn't bring him with me. I'm not that stupid. You'd only find some way to free him and get away." She snapped her fingers and a wing backed chair appeared in the middle of the room. "Like that? I learned it from a witch in Wales, she thought I was a goddess…Sit." He sat. "I should kill you right now. I should have killed you back then, when I found out what I had become."
"That wasn't my -"
"Shut up! You left me there to die. You knew what he was going to do, what lengths he would go to in order to figure out where you had gone. So the way I figure it you're just as much to blame as he is." Alexei paced back and forth. "You took my vengeance away from me. I should have been the one to kill him, to seek my own vengeance."
"I thought you were dead -"
"Be that as it may, you still killed him."
Methos looked pained.
"You still hate me? I was only trying to make a new life for us…I had a job, a home…I was going to free you, help you run away if that's what it took." He sighed. "I thought that by leaving and making something of myself I could help you. Us."
"And you never thought to tell me? To stop and say 'Oh Alexei, by the way I'm planning on running away, don't tell the master'!" She fumed. "I wouldn't have told him anything and you know that! But no, you didn't. Now, you say you did it for me, but I don't believe that. You wanted out, you saw a chance and took it, and you forgot all about me."
She was pissed, she'd come in hoping to show zero emotion, simply tell him what she had done with the Highlander and what she wanted to do to him in return.
"There is a warehouse not far from here. It used to be a soap factory. He's there. If you find him and manage to get out, both of you may live. If not, than you die and I keep Duncan."
"Why are you telling me this?"
Alexei smiled, but it was nothing like the smile she gave Duncan earlier. This smile was full of hate. "Because, you will not get out alive."