Title: Flesh and Blood
Paring: Sara/Ian/Korin
Rating: PG-13 to R
Summery: Irons has two things he is hiding. Both things changed the Witchblade universe forever. Sara is about to find out just what these two things are and how they fit into her life. R/R please.
Disclaimer: Nope, not mine.
Feedback: please.
~~
The little girl sat in a dark corner of the library, which was abandoned exempt for her. She was about ten years of age with long crimson red hair and deep blue eyes. She was dressed in black paints and a black tank top. She held her knees to her chest as tears quietly rolled down her face. It wasn't like her to cry. But she couldn't stop her tears this time.
The door to the library opened with out a sound and a boy about two years older then the girl came in. He had long curly brown hair that was tied back in a ponytail. He was dressed in all black as well.
He walked over to the girl and put a hand on her shoulder. She yelped and jumped up. She sighed when she saw the boy.
"Ian, it's only you." She said whipping away the tears as she did so. "What do want?" She asked, as polite as could be.
"I was worried about you." Ian said, blushing a bit. "I mean, after what the master said to you and all...I just wanted to see if you where OK."
"No Ian, I'm not OK. And I never will be. You know what I will become because of "the master" and that freak Blade thing."
"You shouldn't speak of the Witchblade so, Korin." Ian said, in a hushed voice. "You know what it can do."
"Yes I do." Korin said, raising a hand to show Ian a deep gash in her upper arm. Ian flinched as he looked at it. His gaze went to the floor as Korin lowered her arm. "Look, Ian, we both know that the Witchblade hates me for what my..."the master" did. It's not my flat I am what I am."
"The Blade dose not hate you." Ian told her.
"Oh really? Well, it sure dose seem like it dose. In my dreams it tells me things...things I don't really want to hear. And I'll because I'm-"
"Korin!" The two kids jumped as a load voice echoed threw the library. They both faced the doorway and watched as an older man entered the room. They both looked at there feet as he walked towered them. "What are you doing hear, Young Nottingham?" The man asked.
"Looking for Lady Korin, Master." Ian told him, his eyes still on the floor.
"Well, you have found her, now get back to your lessons." The man said in a cold, harsh voice. Ian nodded and walked out of the library not darning to stay and try to here what was going on. The man looked down at Korin with a frown. "Where did you go after training, Korin?"
Korin didn't say anything even through she knew what this would do to the man before her.
"I asked you a question!" He slapped her hard across the face causing her to stubble backwards a bit. His eyes feel on the gaze in her arm. His face softened ever so slightly as he reached outs and touched the wound lightly. Korin gave a hiss of pain and pulled her arm away for the man's touch. "How did you get that?"
"The Blade, master." Korin said, afraid that he might hit her again if she did not reply.
"I thought I told you not to where it again." The man hissed.
"I didn't. My dreams are becoming more a more real. The Blade struck me in my last dream." Korin tried to hide the pain in her voice but knew the man before her could see right threw her brave face.
"Then we will have to find a way for you to stop having these dreams." The man said shortly. "Now, Korin, be off with you. Finnish your lessons." Korin nodded and began to walk away. "What did you tell Young Nottingham, Korin?" Korin stopped but did not turn to look at the man.
"Nothing of importunes, fa--master." Korin said.
"Dose he know? About the--"
"Yes sir." Korin nodded.
"Thank you. Go on, now."
Korin nodded again and left the room to hurry off to her bedroom where she studied, afraid to do other wise.
~~
New York City, 2002, nine years later.
Sara Pizzin was on her way home from a long hard day at work. She sped along the highway on her bike as she always did. Her life was moving as normal as could be what with the Witchblade and what not. But there was one thing about that day that was off. Unknown to Sara, Ian Nottingham had been watching her every move. This would be considered normal for Sara, if she hadn't known that someone was watching the one who was watching her.
As Sara arrived home she felt the Witchblade shiver. She looked down at the swirling red glow and vision upon vision appeared to her. There where so many, in fact, that she could not put together all the things she had seen. She shook it off and walked up to her apartment.
As soon as Sara had entered her apartment, he was standing there. Sara jumped when she saw him standing by the window. She didn't know why she hadn't been expecting him.
"Nottingham!" She snapped. "What the heck do you do that for?" Ian didn't answer; he looked at the floor in a stance like he always did. "What is it this time?" Sara asked.
"Have you seen her yet, Lady Sara?" Ian asked, plainly.
"Seen who?" Sara asked.
Ian looked into Sara's eyes for the first time she could remember. She felt a shiver run down her spin.
"Knight of light, Lady of Darkness,
Princess of the Blade,
All rolled in to one.
Prince of evil who made,
The dark thing on her wrist."
Sara looked at Ian in shock as if he had spoken. He only shook his head to indicate that is was not he who had spoken the short poem. He put his finger to his lips to tell her to not speak but to listen. The voice, which Sara found was a both a man and a women's, began once again to speak.
"By night one way,
By day another,
Until these four,
Know one another.
Threw out that age,
Into this,
One of the four,
With the true blade,
One of the four,
With another."
"Who is that?" Sara asked after a moment of silence. Ian looked once again at the floor and said in a cold shrill voice:
"The Lady of Darkness, Sara." Ian's voice was not his own but a mix of a deep manly voice and a soft woman's voice. The voice was the same that had spoken the poem. "She is coming. The Blade of Darkness with it's dark Lady." Ian's eyes rolled over in his head and he began to shack all over. Sara stood and watched in horror as Ian fell to the floor, twitching.
Sara ran over to the stalkers side out of habit and lifted his head to show his glazed over eyes. He blinked and he was back to normal. The moment he saw Sara, he got to his feet and looked at the floor in shame.
"What was that?" Sara asked, standing up. She noticed Ian was calm as could be as if nothing had happened. "Who was that?" Sara added.
"What I am about to tell you is something Master Irons has been keeping a secret for a long time now." Ian said, his voice back to normal. "You must make sure he dose not know that you know."
"OK." Sara said wondering what on earth Irons could have as a secret.
"Irons has been keeping something from you. Years and years ago, Irons, like a fool, tried to copy the Witchblade. The Blade became very angry with him and warned him that because of his foolishness there was to be a new Blade created. It was to be called The Blade of Darkness for it was made out of the darkness of one man's heart." Ian stopped here to see if Sara had any questions. Seeing that she said nothing, he went on.
"Then, when I was two years old, Irons had a daughter." Sara's mouth feel open but she didn't speak. "Irons was very happy. This girl was his changes to gain the power of the Witchblade. He was happy, that is, until the Blade informed him that, because of what he had done, his daughter would be the first wielder of the BlackBlade. His only daughter who he had placed all hopes upon, would now never where the Witchblade.
'Because of this, he hated his daughter and treated her as if she was just another student in training. As she got older, he became more curl to her. He abused her for little things: Answering a question wrong in class, forgetting to call him "master" instead of "father", even for crying. The girl in now nineteen, Sara. She has received the Blade of Darkness. And now, the Blade you where is trying to warn you about the new wielder. But you have nothing to fear from the girl. She will not use the blade as her Father has taught her. She has sworn to use it for good."
There was a long silence. Sara was hoping that Ian would tell her more but he said nothing. After a few moments, Ian turned to leave. Sara stopped him by placing a hand on his shoulder. He turned to look at her, surprised by the sudden touch.
"Will you be all right?" Sara asked. "I mean, you did faint." She saw a small blush come across his face as he looked at the floor once again.
"I shall be fine. Thank you, Lady Sara." With this, Ian was gone.
~~
Korin Irons sat at the edge of the roof across from Sara's apartment. She watched as Ian had entered and now as he left. She fingered the bracelet on her left wrist. It looked something like Sara's Witchblade but instead of a swirling red inside the gem, this had black and gray. Korin watched as Ian looked around to find her. She smiled as he looked in her detraction. He looked at her, winked, and was off.
Moments later, Korin felt a warm touch on her shoulder. She didn't even bother to turn around.
"Evening, Ian." She said, smiling.
"Lady Korin." Ian said, sitting next to her. "How are you this fin evening?"
"As fine as I can be, I guess." Korin said. She watched Sara inside her apartment-cooking diner. Ian watched, too. "So she knows now, dose she?"
"The Witchblade has just told her." Ian informed her. "With any luck, both blades will reunite so you won't have that thing on your wrist."
"Do speak so about the Black Blade, Ian." Korin said in a mocking voice. She laughed a little and looked up as the sky where only the full moon and a few stars could be seen. "Do ever wonder about fait, Ian?" Korin asked.
"I believe that fait is something no man can control but dose not necessarily excite." Ian said. "Why do you ask, Korin?"
"I don't believe in fait at all. It wasn't fait that made me where this Blade." She raised her arm and looked into the swirling red and gray mass. "It was fait. Just my father. My father made all this happen. It's all his doing." In a flash, the BlackBlade changed into its sword form that looked like Sara's except the melt was deep red. "My father made all this mess! He is the reason this evil thing came into this world! He deserves death for what he has done!" She stood up, the ends of her feet hanging darnguersly over the edge of the roof.
"No, Korin!" Ian said, standing up. "I know what you are think! You can not kill Master Irons!" He put a hand on her shoulder. Korin gasped at the sudden touch and the blade returned to the bracelet forum. She looked Ian in the eye. "I can't let you do that."
They stood there looking at one another. Korin looked at Ian in shock. He didn't normal act this way. But, then again, it had been a while since she had talked to him. He was willing to look her in the eye, something he had not done since they where both kids, to keep her from killing. But why? Why was he so willing to help the man whom had beatin him as a child and had done all kinds of terrible things to him.
"Why?" Korin heard herself ask. Ian smiled a little half smile.
"You promised you would use the blade of killing, remember?" Ian said, simply. Korin's eyes widened for a moment before a slight blush came over her face and she looked down at her feet.
"I won't kill him." Korin said in a whisper. "If only because you don't want me, too." Ian smiled and kissed Korin on the check. She let out a small gasp and looked at Ian who was smiling.
"What was that for?" She asked, putting her hand where he had kissed her.
"I'm not sure." Ian told her, blushing. "I guess just because your you." He smiled. Korin blinked and he was gone. She looked around but couldn't see him. Just like Ian to run off. She smiled and blushed a little remembering the feel on his lips on her skin. She even dared to think that there might have been more then friendship in the sweet embarrasses.
She sat back down, looking into Sara's window. She was the only thing stopping Korin and Ian from begging together. Ian loved Sara, Korin love Ian, Sara...well...Sara didn't love anybody. Korin pulled her legs to her chest. She missed being a child and not having to worry about life and love. She just wanted the comfort she had had in knowing that she could always turn to Ian. That comfort was gone. Ian was always buessy looking after her Father or Sara. That meant that whatever She was feeling. Korin would just have to work it out for herself. She wanted more then anything to be able to turn to Ian! Sara had that comfort and didn't even know it! But that wasn't Korin's problem. That just meant that Sara still did not love Ian! And that meant that Korin still had a changes with him!
A small vibrating something from inside her pocket woke Korin from her thoughts. She pulled out a cell phone and answered it: "Here."
"Good, Korin, you're not asleep." Korin flinched as Kenneth Irons' voice filled her ears.
"Yes, Master." Korin hissed.
"Are you watching Sara?"
"Sir, yes Sir."
"Good. When did Ian leave?"
"A few minutes ago."
"Come back to the house as soon as Ian returns. We need to talk."
"Yes, sir." Korin gulped a little.
"And Korin?"
"Sir?"
"Call me Master, understood?"
"Yes--Master." There was a lick and Irons was gone. Korin clinched her fists before throwing the cell phone off the roof and down to the city below. 'Call me master' indeed! That was the last thing she needed! The more orders she got from "that man" the more she wanted to brake her promise to Ian and use the blade to kill! She wouldn't kill EVERYONE! Just him!
Korin looked down into Sara's window and was shocked to see her looking up at her. Korin smiled as her eyes met Sara's. They where finale going to meet. Even if Irons wouldn't like it, Korin was going to go talk to Sara Pizzini!
~~
( OK people, what did you thin? Good, bad, ok? Tell me everything! I'm willing to add more if people like it.)
