Chapter 14: Stop Her!
Liayela silently fumed as she led the impudent woman and her mate towards the Chamber, wanting to destroy the two immediately for all the trouble they had caused. She wished that she had not called another assembly, however. The Ceremony was normally only performed in private, herself and whoever she was most currently manipulating being the only observers to the ritual that made the Elvin-born truly a part of their community.
If she had done it as she had always done this time, she could have killed them both before even bothering to initiate the Ceremony.
Her mouth twisted with the effort of holding back the words of a spell that would blow a gigantic hole through the nearest wall. Too many complications flashed through her head. This time she would have no one to help her should she fall--she had already rid herself of troublesome Dharketh and had not yet found the time to replace him. Part of her had mourned at having to let Dharketh go--he had made the best lover she had had in five centuries.
She found herself growling as her thoughts returned to the present, and forcibly stopped making any noise whatsoever. It was good that she took them through the back ways--no one would see the white-hot anger that tightened her lips and drew her brows together. The white-hot anger that stole her beauty and replaced it with a horrible visage with demonic intensity. She had known for a long time what this wretched fury wrought upon her features, and so tried to hide it whenever possible. The elves would not trust one who so obviously had little control over her temper.
They finally reached a back entrance to the Chamber--usually the one that mischievous children used to sneak in and play at night--and entered.
************************
Arianne watched Liayela's back, slightly amused by the obvious rage burning within her. It was good that she was so angry. That rage would likely make her err in judgment, aiding herself and Jack. And their child, she added to herself. At all costs, she must protect the child.
When they entered the Chamber, the soothing sound of the waterfall immediately set her less on edge. When she looked over at it, she saw more than just water--she saw all the various colors of the spectrum though there was no sunlight, she heard the chuckle of the multitude of tiny water drops as they fell into the pool awaiting them. She felt the power of the regenerative water.
She shook her head. The elves had no idea of what they had here.
************************
Jack looked at the Fount again and found himself longing to take just a small sip from it--especially now that he knew his wife was going to live considerably longer than he was and would remain young and healthy throughout his body's degeneration. Would she leave him for someone younger when he grew old?
He shook his head then, bringing himself back to the more important situation of managing to stay alive. Even with Arianne's new powers, they were new--how well could she possibly control them? He reached for his sword and pistol, but when they weren't there he quickly despaired of ever escaping this place. His sword and pistol were what he fought best with, and without them he felt lost. Especially since there weren't any convenient bags of sand or piles of coins to throw.
He took a deep breath as they came to a stop in front of the Fount, his exhale trembling against his will. Arianne heard him and reached back for his hand, sending a reassuring smile his way.
He started forward when a voice whispered inside his head. "Trust me," it said. He had convulsively squeezed Arianne's hand, and when he looked all around to see what had spoken in his head, he saw Arianne's sly smile. "Yes," the voice whispered again, and she winked at him.
Jack opened his mouth to speak, but thought the better of it and closed it again. "You just have to trust me, love. I would never betray you- -in any way."
When she told him that, he suspected that she had caught his other fears of her abandoning him.
The elves began to gather.
************************
Liayela grinned (more a bearing of teeth, really) as the elves began to file into the assembly somberly. No longer did the blind fury control her expression--she was completely in control, holding the anger at bay for when it may be of use after the Ceremony.
When the full population of the elves had come in, she held up her arms for silence. The elves stopped even what little whispering they had been doing in that moment, knowing that something none of them had ever seen (with the exception of Dharketh, who looked on in dread) was about to happen.
Instead of giving a speech, as the crowd half-expected, she turned towards Arianne and Jack and beckoned them forward.
************************
Dharketh watched as Arianne stepped forward willingly with a slight smile on Her face, and he knew that She had no idea what She was in for. He glanced to Jack and saw that he came forward at a more sedate pace, Arianne nearly dragging him along. At least Jack knew that something awful was about to happen, he thought to himself.
He knew at that moment that he could not allow Liayela to kill the only hope the elves had left. He started to push forward in the crowd, a difficult task since none of the elves seemed to wish to part for him.
************************
Liayela had begun her trance already and so did not notice the commotion as Dharketh pushed his way through the crowd. She placed one hand on each forehead and began to chant the beginning phases of the Ceremony.
************************
"Stop her!" he found himself shouting, knowing that Liayela would not hear him anymore. He had seen this enacted twice before, had seen the results, and he could not allow that to happen--not this time!
"Stop her, she's going to kill the Goddess and our salvation!" he shouted in frustration as he pushed past still more elves.
He stopped in confusion when a blinding golden light burst throughout the room, his last thought being that this wasn't supposed to happen.
************************************************************************ I was going to say something here...for the life of me, I can't think of what it was...oh damn. *sighs and shuts up*
Liayela silently fumed as she led the impudent woman and her mate towards the Chamber, wanting to destroy the two immediately for all the trouble they had caused. She wished that she had not called another assembly, however. The Ceremony was normally only performed in private, herself and whoever she was most currently manipulating being the only observers to the ritual that made the Elvin-born truly a part of their community.
If she had done it as she had always done this time, she could have killed them both before even bothering to initiate the Ceremony.
Her mouth twisted with the effort of holding back the words of a spell that would blow a gigantic hole through the nearest wall. Too many complications flashed through her head. This time she would have no one to help her should she fall--she had already rid herself of troublesome Dharketh and had not yet found the time to replace him. Part of her had mourned at having to let Dharketh go--he had made the best lover she had had in five centuries.
She found herself growling as her thoughts returned to the present, and forcibly stopped making any noise whatsoever. It was good that she took them through the back ways--no one would see the white-hot anger that tightened her lips and drew her brows together. The white-hot anger that stole her beauty and replaced it with a horrible visage with demonic intensity. She had known for a long time what this wretched fury wrought upon her features, and so tried to hide it whenever possible. The elves would not trust one who so obviously had little control over her temper.
They finally reached a back entrance to the Chamber--usually the one that mischievous children used to sneak in and play at night--and entered.
************************
Arianne watched Liayela's back, slightly amused by the obvious rage burning within her. It was good that she was so angry. That rage would likely make her err in judgment, aiding herself and Jack. And their child, she added to herself. At all costs, she must protect the child.
When they entered the Chamber, the soothing sound of the waterfall immediately set her less on edge. When she looked over at it, she saw more than just water--she saw all the various colors of the spectrum though there was no sunlight, she heard the chuckle of the multitude of tiny water drops as they fell into the pool awaiting them. She felt the power of the regenerative water.
She shook her head. The elves had no idea of what they had here.
************************
Jack looked at the Fount again and found himself longing to take just a small sip from it--especially now that he knew his wife was going to live considerably longer than he was and would remain young and healthy throughout his body's degeneration. Would she leave him for someone younger when he grew old?
He shook his head then, bringing himself back to the more important situation of managing to stay alive. Even with Arianne's new powers, they were new--how well could she possibly control them? He reached for his sword and pistol, but when they weren't there he quickly despaired of ever escaping this place. His sword and pistol were what he fought best with, and without them he felt lost. Especially since there weren't any convenient bags of sand or piles of coins to throw.
He took a deep breath as they came to a stop in front of the Fount, his exhale trembling against his will. Arianne heard him and reached back for his hand, sending a reassuring smile his way.
He started forward when a voice whispered inside his head. "Trust me," it said. He had convulsively squeezed Arianne's hand, and when he looked all around to see what had spoken in his head, he saw Arianne's sly smile. "Yes," the voice whispered again, and she winked at him.
Jack opened his mouth to speak, but thought the better of it and closed it again. "You just have to trust me, love. I would never betray you- -in any way."
When she told him that, he suspected that she had caught his other fears of her abandoning him.
The elves began to gather.
************************
Liayela grinned (more a bearing of teeth, really) as the elves began to file into the assembly somberly. No longer did the blind fury control her expression--she was completely in control, holding the anger at bay for when it may be of use after the Ceremony.
When the full population of the elves had come in, she held up her arms for silence. The elves stopped even what little whispering they had been doing in that moment, knowing that something none of them had ever seen (with the exception of Dharketh, who looked on in dread) was about to happen.
Instead of giving a speech, as the crowd half-expected, she turned towards Arianne and Jack and beckoned them forward.
************************
Dharketh watched as Arianne stepped forward willingly with a slight smile on Her face, and he knew that She had no idea what She was in for. He glanced to Jack and saw that he came forward at a more sedate pace, Arianne nearly dragging him along. At least Jack knew that something awful was about to happen, he thought to himself.
He knew at that moment that he could not allow Liayela to kill the only hope the elves had left. He started to push forward in the crowd, a difficult task since none of the elves seemed to wish to part for him.
************************
Liayela had begun her trance already and so did not notice the commotion as Dharketh pushed his way through the crowd. She placed one hand on each forehead and began to chant the beginning phases of the Ceremony.
************************
"Stop her!" he found himself shouting, knowing that Liayela would not hear him anymore. He had seen this enacted twice before, had seen the results, and he could not allow that to happen--not this time!
"Stop her, she's going to kill the Goddess and our salvation!" he shouted in frustration as he pushed past still more elves.
He stopped in confusion when a blinding golden light burst throughout the room, his last thought being that this wasn't supposed to happen.
************************************************************************ I was going to say something here...for the life of me, I can't think of what it was...oh damn. *sighs and shuts up*
