"That's impossible!" Egor cried after several minutes of stunned silence. "What family we had had died hundreds of years ago!"
Hemera nodded, her face full of barely hidden strain and tension. "I know how hard this is to believe and I do not expect thee to understand immediately believe me, but believe me you must for I tell thee no lies. I am Ebony's half sister, Hemera, formally of Avalon. You see, we share the same mother, Ebony and I. Her name is Isis, and she is a Fay. I am transformed to this state according to Oberon's decree. You must believe me!" she cried pleadingly, tears welling in her eyes.
Egor was about to respond when a groan drew everyone's attention to the unconscious Ebony in his arms. Ebony blinked her brilliant sapphire eyes and raised her head, obviously still light-headed. "Ebony!" Egor cried, hugging her tenderly, his anger and bewilderment forgotten. "Are you alright?"
Ebony nodded as Egor let her down, stumbling slightly as she got to her feet. Blinking Ebony then turned to study Hemera and the two humans next to her, her face instantly transforming into one of suspicion and anger. "Okay, who are you? What do you want? I know you come from Avalon and you coming here has something to do with me, so what do you want?"
Hemera had visibly paled and owed her head in greeting, terror and fresh tears in her eyes. She was visibly shaking with fear, the human female immediately stepping forward to hold Hemera steady, while she and the red-head presented themselves. "We greet you Ebony. Much had been spoken of you on Avalon. I am Juno, and these are my companions, Hemera and Pan," Juno said. "We came here hopping for aid, for we are newly banished from Avalon and transformed into these shapes you see before you. We humbly ask for your aid." Juno asked, bowing her head.
Ebony's eyes glared and she studied Hemera, her face still clouded with doubt. "And just why have you decided to come here of all places?" Ebony pressed, stepping forward with her fists glanced.
Hemera inhaled deeply sweat now covering her body. "Because I have family here, and she is the only one I could turn to." The former Fay confessed.
Ebony glared, coming even closer, her eyes beginning to glow. "Family? Is that so? And just who are you related to? Fox?"
Hemera shook her head, shuddering, staring Ebony in the eyes, her voice heavy with tension. "Nay, I am related with you. You are my half-sister, for our mother is the same."
Ebony's mouth fell open, stunned. She shook her head in denial, her face gone pale gray. "That, that can't be." she breathed.
Hemera nodded vigorously. "I speak truth, Ebony of Avalon. Our mother Isis had long ago sought refuge on Ireland, taking the form of a gargoyle female and joined your clan. There, she mated with the clan's leader, a dark gargoyle male. He was your father. It was you that sprung from their union. You are my sister Ebony, for I to sprung from a union between fays. Isis is my mother as well."
Ebony stared, shacking, her heart racing, tears pouring from her eyes. Then they all felt it, the power explode from Ebony, and she leaped forward and slapped Hemera with all her might, Ebony crying out, her voice full of pain and rage. "YOU LIE! I have no mother! I have no family! What family I ever had is DEAD! You Lie!" Ebony roared, about to leap atop Hemera, held back by Egor. Hemera, who had fallen to the floor, stared up at Ebony, obviously terrified, while everyone else looked on, in shock.
Juno stepped forward and met Ebony's enrage, snarling face with one full of dead, cold, certainty. "She speaks the truth Ebony. She is your half-sister. And you are my niece. Isis is my sister, therefore making me your aunt. The words I speak are true. You know this."
Ebony screamed and tore away from Egor's grasp, and bored down on Juno, her face only inches away from Juno's her eyes glowing with unholy blue fire. "My family?! You call yourself my family?! If so, then why did you leave there alone, to rot in Ireland?! ALL OF MY CLAN DIED! Killed by humans. If you are family then why did you abandon me?!"
Ebony did not give Juno a chance to answer for she turned away to glare down at Hemera, who was sobbing now and looked up at Ebony in terror. "I HATE you. Do you hear me? I HATE ALL OF YOUR DAMN KIND. You will stay the hell away from me. Do you hear me, you cold-hearted BITCH! You are not my sister! Talk to me again and I will personally RIP YUR HEART OUT!"
Then Ebony spun and charged down the hall, the clan making room as she raced down the stairs, the floor actually shuddering in her wake. Minutes of stunned silence passed, everyone turning one by one to stare at Egor. He looked at the three former Fays with resigned anger, his face cold. "I suggest you three stay out her way for the next few weeks, if you are to really stay here. She is going to need some time to get over this."
"Please," Hemera whimpered. "You must believe me when I say that I never meant for this to happened!"
Egor glared at Hemera, nodding. "I believe you, but you must understand that Ebony and I have been through a lot. Our clan had been decimated by human attacks. We were all that was left. She needs time to recover, for she is suffering from wounds that she has never healed from." With that said Egor turned and made his way down to the stepped, disappearing down that hall.
Goliath breathed in and shook his head, feeling sorry for the two, resentment easily portrayed on his face. "You three should not have come here. I will allow you to stay for a time, if you don't mind Xanatos. As painful as it may be for Ebony, you are clan to us."
Xanatos glanced at the three travelers with distrust but nodded. "I agree. Owen, please see to the accommodations. This will prove to be an interesting few weeks." Then he, Fox, who thankfully had said nothing and Owen turned and disappeared down the hall, Pan smiling amusedly obviously enjoying seeing Owen's goodbye glare.
Juno stared back at Goliath, her face cold and calm, holding Hemera tenderly, while Broadway stared at her, driving away the urge to go to her and hug her. Juno stepped forward and offered her hand. "We thank you Goliath. We are in your dept."
Goliath took it carefully. " I welcome you. Pray that you don't make me regret my decision."
As Goliath and the other's led Juno and Pan down the stairs, Broadway stepped up to Hemera and offered his hand. "Don't worry about Ebony, she will get over it, just give her some time. I'm Broadway."
Hemera looked up at him and for the first time smiled, her smile brightening her face, her eyes aglow. "I greet thee Broadway. Thank you." she said, letting him take her hand and lead her down the stares, the two both watched by Angela, Lex and Brooklyn.
"Ebony's not going to like that." Brooklyn muttered.
Angela sighed. "She not going to like anything for some time. I feel so sorry for her. She does not deserve to go through this. Father must be feeling terrible."
Lex frowned thoughtfully, nodding. "Yea, but what choice do you think he has. It's not like they have anywhere else to go."
Brooklyn nodded also. "Yea… I just hope Ebony can get over this. She was bad enough before. Imagine what it going to be like now! I bet anything with just set her off!"
Angela glared at Brooklyn; knowing he was remembering the fight from earlier today. "That maybe, but who can blame her. The next few weeks are going to be hard on her."
Lex nodded, his eyes on Hemera. "And just try to imagine what she feels like." The two others nodded as they made their way down the castle stairs, their minds full of uncertainty, knowing things would never be the same again.
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Hemera nodded, her face full of barely hidden strain and tension. "I know how hard this is to believe and I do not expect thee to understand immediately believe me, but believe me you must for I tell thee no lies. I am Ebony's half sister, Hemera, formally of Avalon. You see, we share the same mother, Ebony and I. Her name is Isis, and she is a Fay. I am transformed to this state according to Oberon's decree. You must believe me!" she cried pleadingly, tears welling in her eyes.
Egor was about to respond when a groan drew everyone's attention to the unconscious Ebony in his arms. Ebony blinked her brilliant sapphire eyes and raised her head, obviously still light-headed. "Ebony!" Egor cried, hugging her tenderly, his anger and bewilderment forgotten. "Are you alright?"
Ebony nodded as Egor let her down, stumbling slightly as she got to her feet. Blinking Ebony then turned to study Hemera and the two humans next to her, her face instantly transforming into one of suspicion and anger. "Okay, who are you? What do you want? I know you come from Avalon and you coming here has something to do with me, so what do you want?"
Hemera had visibly paled and owed her head in greeting, terror and fresh tears in her eyes. She was visibly shaking with fear, the human female immediately stepping forward to hold Hemera steady, while she and the red-head presented themselves. "We greet you Ebony. Much had been spoken of you on Avalon. I am Juno, and these are my companions, Hemera and Pan," Juno said. "We came here hopping for aid, for we are newly banished from Avalon and transformed into these shapes you see before you. We humbly ask for your aid." Juno asked, bowing her head.
Ebony's eyes glared and she studied Hemera, her face still clouded with doubt. "And just why have you decided to come here of all places?" Ebony pressed, stepping forward with her fists glanced.
Hemera inhaled deeply sweat now covering her body. "Because I have family here, and she is the only one I could turn to." The former Fay confessed.
Ebony glared, coming even closer, her eyes beginning to glow. "Family? Is that so? And just who are you related to? Fox?"
Hemera shook her head, shuddering, staring Ebony in the eyes, her voice heavy with tension. "Nay, I am related with you. You are my half-sister, for our mother is the same."
Ebony's mouth fell open, stunned. She shook her head in denial, her face gone pale gray. "That, that can't be." she breathed.
Hemera nodded vigorously. "I speak truth, Ebony of Avalon. Our mother Isis had long ago sought refuge on Ireland, taking the form of a gargoyle female and joined your clan. There, she mated with the clan's leader, a dark gargoyle male. He was your father. It was you that sprung from their union. You are my sister Ebony, for I to sprung from a union between fays. Isis is my mother as well."
Ebony stared, shacking, her heart racing, tears pouring from her eyes. Then they all felt it, the power explode from Ebony, and she leaped forward and slapped Hemera with all her might, Ebony crying out, her voice full of pain and rage. "YOU LIE! I have no mother! I have no family! What family I ever had is DEAD! You Lie!" Ebony roared, about to leap atop Hemera, held back by Egor. Hemera, who had fallen to the floor, stared up at Ebony, obviously terrified, while everyone else looked on, in shock.
Juno stepped forward and met Ebony's enrage, snarling face with one full of dead, cold, certainty. "She speaks the truth Ebony. She is your half-sister. And you are my niece. Isis is my sister, therefore making me your aunt. The words I speak are true. You know this."
Ebony screamed and tore away from Egor's grasp, and bored down on Juno, her face only inches away from Juno's her eyes glowing with unholy blue fire. "My family?! You call yourself my family?! If so, then why did you leave there alone, to rot in Ireland?! ALL OF MY CLAN DIED! Killed by humans. If you are family then why did you abandon me?!"
Ebony did not give Juno a chance to answer for she turned away to glare down at Hemera, who was sobbing now and looked up at Ebony in terror. "I HATE you. Do you hear me? I HATE ALL OF YOUR DAMN KIND. You will stay the hell away from me. Do you hear me, you cold-hearted BITCH! You are not my sister! Talk to me again and I will personally RIP YUR HEART OUT!"
Then Ebony spun and charged down the hall, the clan making room as she raced down the stairs, the floor actually shuddering in her wake. Minutes of stunned silence passed, everyone turning one by one to stare at Egor. He looked at the three former Fays with resigned anger, his face cold. "I suggest you three stay out her way for the next few weeks, if you are to really stay here. She is going to need some time to get over this."
"Please," Hemera whimpered. "You must believe me when I say that I never meant for this to happened!"
Egor glared at Hemera, nodding. "I believe you, but you must understand that Ebony and I have been through a lot. Our clan had been decimated by human attacks. We were all that was left. She needs time to recover, for she is suffering from wounds that she has never healed from." With that said Egor turned and made his way down to the stepped, disappearing down that hall.
Goliath breathed in and shook his head, feeling sorry for the two, resentment easily portrayed on his face. "You three should not have come here. I will allow you to stay for a time, if you don't mind Xanatos. As painful as it may be for Ebony, you are clan to us."
Xanatos glanced at the three travelers with distrust but nodded. "I agree. Owen, please see to the accommodations. This will prove to be an interesting few weeks." Then he, Fox, who thankfully had said nothing and Owen turned and disappeared down the hall, Pan smiling amusedly obviously enjoying seeing Owen's goodbye glare.
Juno stared back at Goliath, her face cold and calm, holding Hemera tenderly, while Broadway stared at her, driving away the urge to go to her and hug her. Juno stepped forward and offered her hand. "We thank you Goliath. We are in your dept."
Goliath took it carefully. " I welcome you. Pray that you don't make me regret my decision."
As Goliath and the other's led Juno and Pan down the stairs, Broadway stepped up to Hemera and offered his hand. "Don't worry about Ebony, she will get over it, just give her some time. I'm Broadway."
Hemera looked up at him and for the first time smiled, her smile brightening her face, her eyes aglow. "I greet thee Broadway. Thank you." she said, letting him take her hand and lead her down the stares, the two both watched by Angela, Lex and Brooklyn.
"Ebony's not going to like that." Brooklyn muttered.
Angela sighed. "She not going to like anything for some time. I feel so sorry for her. She does not deserve to go through this. Father must be feeling terrible."
Lex frowned thoughtfully, nodding. "Yea, but what choice do you think he has. It's not like they have anywhere else to go."
Brooklyn nodded also. "Yea… I just hope Ebony can get over this. She was bad enough before. Imagine what it going to be like now! I bet anything with just set her off!"
Angela glared at Brooklyn; knowing he was remembering the fight from earlier today. "That maybe, but who can blame her. The next few weeks are going to be hard on her."
Lex nodded, his eyes on Hemera. "And just try to imagine what she feels like." The two others nodded as they made their way down the castle stairs, their minds full of uncertainty, knowing things would never be the same again.
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