I own nothing.
Chapter 22
When the door opened with a disturbing creak like that of a cemetery crypt, Capricorn then Meggie walked inside. Capricorn could feel as Meggie gripped his hand, but he wasn't sure if it was for strength or out of fear. In that moment part of him thought maybe it could be both. They stood strong by each other's side knowing they were dealing with the devil now as they entered the room.
"No fear," thought Capricorn looking at Meggie in that moment both of them still in the doorway his eyes silently telling her the same. She nodded in response holding her head high. In that moment he smiled at her as he pulled her close, he was so proud of her, of having her as his queen. There she was standing there strong by his side and he couldn't have been more proud, but also more grateful. He couldn't have stood here like this before his mother, not without her, only knowing he had her gave him the strength to do so. If he hadn't of known she loved him the way she did he knew he wouldn't have been able to do it before either, for in that moment she was his queen and he her king. Mortola sat by the bars of her window her cold eyes peering out, but when they entered the room those eyes landed on them or more specifically on Meggie. A crooked smile formed on her evil mouth then as she watched them a moment before standing to her full height. If possible this made her appear scarier, but they didn't flinch. They stood tall before her remembering that they were king and queen while she was their servant. Slowly she moved closer until she was only an arm's length away her hands remaining at her sides.
"What can I do for you, my king? Why did you bring the whore with you?" smiled Mortola her eyes never leaving Meggie. For Mortola wanted her to run from her gaze, to flee the room the minute her eyes landed on her, but to her disappointment she didn't. She stood by her son's side daring to look right back at her. But her eyes shouldn't have been on Meggie. They should have stayed on Capricorn because before anyone could stop him he was advancing on her. His hand wrapped around her throat nearly lifting her off the ground his face close to hers.
"Watch your tongue," growled Capricorn his gaze dangerous as he cut off her air. He kept his hold on her only a moment despite wanting to kill her. Suddenly he just let her go watching as she fell to the ground like a bag of rotten potatoes.
"We have a task for you to carry out," said Capricorn not moving away until Meggie pulled him back.
It wasn't until Meggie was by his side again that he looked at her. She was still his headstrong queen, for he could see the deep longing she had in that moment to kill the Magpie, but she restrained herself just as he did. They both wanted her dead. Meggie wanted to claw this woman's eyes out herself, for everything she had done, but especially for costing them their child. But she was strong. That strength is what kept her from doing it, that, and if she did the Magpie would be useless to them now. It was that strength that made him feel that pride again. It was that pride that made him hug her close right before his mother's eyes, and when she looked up at him he kissed her. The kiss was quick and when they parted they shared a long look before meeting their enemies' eyes again. They found her glaring right at them.
"Mortola, we are in need of your services," began Meggie staring at the woman who still lay on the ground stopping when the woman turned away from her clearly not willing to listen to a thing she said. Mortola refused to look at Meggie, it was her way of defying her, Meggie knew that, and so did Capricorn. That was why she had to hold him back shaking her head at him her eyes never leaving the Magpie. She kept expecting her to stand, but she remained on the ground her hands fisted.
"You can go to hell, you whore. I will do nothing for you," said Mortola finally standing straight up her eyes never leaving Meggie before falling on Capricorn smiling as Meggie held him in place.
"What is it you need of me, my king," whispered Mortola her tone not as sincere as her words proposed. She smiled at him in the most mocking way; she was making it clear she would not obey her queen. Capricorn knew that and looking at her he wondered if she would do this for him. He wasn't so sure she would. He wanted to strangle her for her insolence, but looking at Meggie she silently told him to just get on with it.
"As you know, I plan on going back to our world to overthrow the Adderhead, but I cannot do so while leaving Meggie. We need a way to stay in contact with each other whole I'm there and you are going to find a way to do so. You are going to use your magic to do so," explained Capricorn his voice stern as he held tight to Meggie's hand. Mortola started to laugh as soon as he stopped speaking catching them both off guard. She laughed at them in high uncontrolled fits of laughter. They were both convinced she would never stop, but then suddenly she stopped both her eyes landing on them. They were trained on them and the look in them scared them both.
"You come here asking me for help? What makes you think I would ever help you, especially when you bring her here? What makes you think I'd ever help you stay in contact with your…wife?" smiled Mortola giving them a condescending look.
" You will do as your told," growled Capricorn feeling as Meggie let go of his hand holding him back no more, he soon replaced her hand with a knife directing it at his mother as he descended upon her. When she saw the knife her eyes shined as she backed up until her back hit the wall.
"You dare to think you can say no to us? We are your king and queen, you will do as we say, and you will do it when we say. You will cease to be such a terror upon us," exclaimed Capricorn his temper flaring as he wished he could plunge the knife deep inside her as he stepped closer to her bringing it to her throat. He wanted to see fear in her eyes, but he didn't. For once in his life he wanted his mother to fear for her life at his hand, but the look in her eyes only continued to mock him. It would see that other than Meggie, his mother was the only one who would never fear him. But unlike Meggie, Capricorn wanted her to be afraid.
"You won't kill me, my son. You have no leverage over me to make me help you. No leverage except that you are my son and any other time that would be enough, but not if it is for her. Not her, she is no good to you," whispered Mortola her head tilting back as he held the knife point blank to her throat.
"Don't think I won't because you have no idea how much I want to," whispered Capricorn feeling as Meggie pressed herself close to his side. In that moment she was like his anchor, she was holding him up when he needed it most. She was his greatest treasure because of that and the fact that his mother hated her made him want to kill her more. He wanted to get her out of their lives once and for all, but not now. They needed her now.
"Really? Then kill me," smiled Mortola her eyes staring into his. In that moment he was so tempted, but then he looked at Meggie. He wanted to kill her. He was going to kill her, but with one look from her she stayed his hand. She kept him from plunging the knife into her throat repeatedly until she was unrecognizable, but Meggie stopped him. She covered his hand, the one holding the knife, with her own, and never breaking eye contact with him Meggie came to stand in front of him.
"Don't kill her. Don't let her win because if you kill her that's what you'll be doing. We need her now, we can always revisit this later, but now we need her. She will do this…for we can force her. If she ever wants to leave this room again or go with you to the Ink world she will do this for us," said Meggie looking into his eyes letting him see the determination she held there. Meggie took the knife from his hands then finally breaking eye contact with him when she looked at the Magpie instead. Now it was Meggie with the blade against her skin. She stared into the witch's eyes letting her see her determination too and it was then that Capricorn saw it. It was there for only a second, but he saw it. He saw fear in her eyes.
"You will do this and if you do you will be permitted to leave this room as you work on a solution to our problem. You will be allowed to go with him to the Ink world while I remain behind. We will be apart as you want, if you don't do this I will be forced to go with him. All we ask is a way to be together while still being apart, a way to speak to each other," said Meggie her tone firm part of her hoping Mortola wouldn't call her bluff, for Capricorn would never let her go no matter what, but she didn't know that. Meggie was buying on the fact that she wanted them apart. In that moment Mortola realized something that she was turning down a brilliant opportunity. If she could keep them apart for even a short while that could be enough time for Capricorn to realize that he didn't need her. It could be her only chance to get rid of her once and for all. It was that revelation that made Mortola nod her head in acceptance. When she did it Capricorn couldn't believe it. He hadn't been able to convince her, but somehow Meggie had. In that moment he was so proud of her, for she had won against his mother again, and she had even lied doing it. Capricorn wanted to kiss her senseless then, but he held himself back.
With a nod of her head Meggie stepped away handing him back the knife in one movement.
" How long do you expect it will take?" said Meggie feeling as Capricorn stepped closer to her leading her back towards the door neither of their eyes leaving Mortola.
"That can't be determined, not until I get my spell books back," smiled Mortola making it clear to them what she wanted.
"I'll see their returned and you're allowed out of your room first thing in the morning," whispered Meggie both of them finally leaving the room with a sigh of relief. As she was leaving she looked at one of the guards her whole body rigid as she prepared to give an order she really didn't want to.
"Give her back all that was taken from her except for the weapons then in the morning let her out," whispered Meggie waiting for the guard to nod before letting Capricorn pull her away. They moved down the hall hand in hand in silence until suddenly Meggie could stand it no more. Wrapping his arm around her, Meggie snuggled close to him the silence as thick as ever as they moved through the halls to their room. She couldn't have felt more vulnerable than when she was in that woman's presence, but now there with him she felt safe again.
"Let's lay down," whispered Meggie once they entered their room both of them letting their bodies find the comfort of the bed, all their thoughts of love making were gone now. The silence resumed then as they laid there not even looking at each other. Meggie knew he must be frustrated, his mother always made him upset, so taking him by the arm she pulled him close.
"I don't what I'd do if you weren't here," whispered Capricorn suddenly holding her tight his head on her chest.
Meggie didn't say anything in response only continued to hold him. She knew the feel of her there with him would help him mend and it did. Capricorn could feel her there and it made the stress of just being near his mother disappear. He could feel her breath on his cheek and her eyes forever watching him; it all made him look at her in that moment seeing love in her eyes that he returned.
"You'll never have to find out because I'll always be here," smiled Meggie bringing him to kiss her in that moment.
"For now we need her, but once she's done what we want someday we can get rid of her. We will get rid of her," said Meggie trying to sooth him. Looking into his eyes she covered his face in kisses then before folding him in her arms again. She felt as he sagged against her immediately.
"I wish we could be rid of her now," said Capricorn his lips against her skin feeling as she nodded. In that moment she just held him, she didn't say anything, she only held him tight, and when he finally looked at her again only then did she speak.
"One day, my love, we will kill her, together. I promise," said Meggie kissing him again her arms still around him tight. When they parted again his head found her neck hiding there and as it did he said something, but she didn't know what. In that moment she didn't care she only held him still wishing that woman were gone even as much as they needed her now. Meggie hated it when she distressed him like this. So Meggie held him until he fell asleep. Meggie didn't sleep though; she kept guard over him not falling asleep until dawn the next morning.
