SEVEN
"You're kidding, right?" shrieked Paige. "No wonder Leo was so pissed. They've decided? Just what the hell makes them think they have the right to make that kind of decision?"
"They're the Elders," said Michael.
"I don't give a damn who they are," Paige spat out. "They have no say in what Piper does with her own body. Or with her baby. They sit up there out of danger while we risk our lives down here every day. And this is how they repay us? By murdering an innocent child?"
"If the sycophant inhabits the baby," said Michael, "it won't make any difference. The baby will be dead anyway."
"If," repeated Phoebe, "if it inhabits the baby. There has to be another way to prevent this premonition from coming true. By God, we're going to find it."
"Piper," said Kiethran, "druids hold life, especially human life, sacred above everything. I argued against this decision. I was politely told this was not a matter for the druids and that my opinion was not warranted. But I swear to you. Every bit of druid magic I have is at your disposal. If there's a way to prevent this, we'll find it."
"Thank you, Kiethran," said Piper quietly. "I appreciate that."
"Just for the record," said Michael, "I don't agree with the decision, either. Neither did a number of the Elders. It was a very close vote."
"I don't care about any vote," Leo lashed out. "They aren't going to murder my daughter."
"How are you going to stop them, Leo?" demanded Michael. "I can't oppose them even with all the powers I have. How do you hope to stand against the entire Council?"
"I'll find a way," said Leo.
"They'll strip you, you know?" asked Michael. "They'll take away all your powers and leave you a mortal."
"I don't care," said Leo. "I'd gladly give up my powers for my daughter."
"I truly wish there was something I could do," said Michael. "But when they decide to do it, no one will be able to stop them, you know that."
"I'll find a way," repeated Leo.
"Well," said Kiethran, "I'm not under the Elders' authority. There's nothing they can do to me. So Leo won't be alone against them."
"I thought you said they were going to do it immediately?" Phoebe asked Michael.
"They mean the immediate future," said Michael. "They'll give her some time to come to terms with it first. They feel it's the least they can do considering everything the three of you have done over the years."
"The least they could do is leave us alone and mind their own damn business," said Paige.
"I'm going upstairs for a while," said Piper. "I think I'd just like to be alone for a while if no one minds."
"Piper, I," began Leo.
"No, Leo," said Phoebe, stopping him, "let her go. Believe me, I know how she feels. I'm probably the only one who could know, considering none of you have ever been pregnant."
They all watched silently as Piper walked out of the living room and disappeared up the stairs.
"Well, I won't even pretend to know how she's feeling," said Kiethran. "I do know what it's like loose those closest to you. But I don't think it can compare to loosing an unborn child."
"No, it can't," said Phoebe. "I've lost both. It doesn't even begin to compare. But this is different, isn't it? She's not loosing the baby. It's being taken from her without even consulting her about it."
"It's not that simple," said Michael.
"Sure it is," said Paige. "They have the choice to interfere or not to interfere. They chose to interfere."
"Paige, I'm not the enemy here," said Michael.
"I guess we don't blame you, Michael," said Paige dejectedly. "It's just not fair, that's all. Piper has given up so much all ready for the Elders. It's not fair to ask her to give this up."
"I agree," said Michael. "But there's nothing I can do about it. I wish to God there were. I'd do whatever I could if I could change things."
"We believe you, Michael," said Phoebe. "But the Elders won't find Piper easy to get to. They'll have to go through a White Lighter, two witches, and a druid first."
"I hope it doesn't come to that," said Michael. "That could cause almost as much trouble as the Sycophant does. I sincerely hope it doesn't come to that."
No one knew what else to say. There didn't seem to be anything left to say. Or anything they could do to change things.
"You're kidding, right?" shrieked Paige. "No wonder Leo was so pissed. They've decided? Just what the hell makes them think they have the right to make that kind of decision?"
"They're the Elders," said Michael.
"I don't give a damn who they are," Paige spat out. "They have no say in what Piper does with her own body. Or with her baby. They sit up there out of danger while we risk our lives down here every day. And this is how they repay us? By murdering an innocent child?"
"If the sycophant inhabits the baby," said Michael, "it won't make any difference. The baby will be dead anyway."
"If," repeated Phoebe, "if it inhabits the baby. There has to be another way to prevent this premonition from coming true. By God, we're going to find it."
"Piper," said Kiethran, "druids hold life, especially human life, sacred above everything. I argued against this decision. I was politely told this was not a matter for the druids and that my opinion was not warranted. But I swear to you. Every bit of druid magic I have is at your disposal. If there's a way to prevent this, we'll find it."
"Thank you, Kiethran," said Piper quietly. "I appreciate that."
"Just for the record," said Michael, "I don't agree with the decision, either. Neither did a number of the Elders. It was a very close vote."
"I don't care about any vote," Leo lashed out. "They aren't going to murder my daughter."
"How are you going to stop them, Leo?" demanded Michael. "I can't oppose them even with all the powers I have. How do you hope to stand against the entire Council?"
"I'll find a way," said Leo.
"They'll strip you, you know?" asked Michael. "They'll take away all your powers and leave you a mortal."
"I don't care," said Leo. "I'd gladly give up my powers for my daughter."
"I truly wish there was something I could do," said Michael. "But when they decide to do it, no one will be able to stop them, you know that."
"I'll find a way," repeated Leo.
"Well," said Kiethran, "I'm not under the Elders' authority. There's nothing they can do to me. So Leo won't be alone against them."
"I thought you said they were going to do it immediately?" Phoebe asked Michael.
"They mean the immediate future," said Michael. "They'll give her some time to come to terms with it first. They feel it's the least they can do considering everything the three of you have done over the years."
"The least they could do is leave us alone and mind their own damn business," said Paige.
"I'm going upstairs for a while," said Piper. "I think I'd just like to be alone for a while if no one minds."
"Piper, I," began Leo.
"No, Leo," said Phoebe, stopping him, "let her go. Believe me, I know how she feels. I'm probably the only one who could know, considering none of you have ever been pregnant."
They all watched silently as Piper walked out of the living room and disappeared up the stairs.
"Well, I won't even pretend to know how she's feeling," said Kiethran. "I do know what it's like loose those closest to you. But I don't think it can compare to loosing an unborn child."
"No, it can't," said Phoebe. "I've lost both. It doesn't even begin to compare. But this is different, isn't it? She's not loosing the baby. It's being taken from her without even consulting her about it."
"It's not that simple," said Michael.
"Sure it is," said Paige. "They have the choice to interfere or not to interfere. They chose to interfere."
"Paige, I'm not the enemy here," said Michael.
"I guess we don't blame you, Michael," said Paige dejectedly. "It's just not fair, that's all. Piper has given up so much all ready for the Elders. It's not fair to ask her to give this up."
"I agree," said Michael. "But there's nothing I can do about it. I wish to God there were. I'd do whatever I could if I could change things."
"We believe you, Michael," said Phoebe. "But the Elders won't find Piper easy to get to. They'll have to go through a White Lighter, two witches, and a druid first."
"I hope it doesn't come to that," said Michael. "That could cause almost as much trouble as the Sycophant does. I sincerely hope it doesn't come to that."
No one knew what else to say. There didn't seem to be anything left to say. Or anything they could do to change things.