A/N: Okay, I know I said this chapter would be longer, but this chapter is pretty short. I just wrote it because I wanted to update and give you some very important news. I will be rewriting Arranged Love. You've got to admit; it definitely wasn't my best work. I'll even admit it, seeing as how it was my very first fic. So here's the newest chapter of Toxic Love. Enjoy!
Realfanficts: You're a guy? The horror! The terrible horrible HORROR! ;) Actually, I'm sort of glad a guy is reading my fics. It means that you have a sensitive side. Which is a good thing. (Trust me)
Holly followed the tall man and Ivory from a slight distance. Ivory was cowering as the man rambled on about her.
"Why is it, Ivory, that you cant seem to do a single thing right? We have endangered the lives of over one thousand refugees countless times to keep you alive! And for what? Every mission you are sent on, you either fail, or this!" He waved a hand behind them, indicating Holly and the sleeping baby in her arms.
"If I may, Sir." Ivory mumbled. "I have done a good job of raising the six dem…Er…refugees assigned to me."
"With the help of Miss Patricia."
"Oh yeah." Ivory grumbled sarcatiscally. "Like she's done a single damned thing."
"What was that?" Elder Stone snapped.
"Nothing, Sir."
They reached a large door. Elder Stone knocked twice and the doors swung wide open. The man walked in and walked up a small staircase, taking his seat at the end of a long panel of elderly looking hybrids. The room was circular. It was completely empty except for the panel on the far wall. Holly counted seven Elders. Five male, two female. (A/N: Things are about to get really confusing so bare with me.)
Ivory walked into the middle of the room and dropped to her hands and knees. Holly stood near the doors, against the wall. The doors slammed shut.
One of the females, a kindly looking woman with nut-brown skin and wisps of gray hair, smiled down at Ivory. "There is no need for that, child. You may rise."
But as Ivory made to stand up, another one of the Elders cried, "No! You stay where you are, Girl!" and she quickly dropped back to her kneeling position.
The kindly woman frowned. "She should not have to kneel in such a way. She has it hard enough."
"We have it hard enough protecting her!" Retorted a man with a large nose and hardly any hair. "She is lucky we don't throw her out and let the LEP take her! She will stay on her knees!"
There was a general mummer of assent.
The woman shook her head. "She is only a child."
"That has been your excuse every time she is brought in front of us! Which, need I remind you, Hazel, has been over two hundred times!" Sneered the only other female.
Again, the others murmured their agreement.
Elder Hazel tutted. "She is an orphan, Aloe."
"As are the rest of them!" Shouted the one with the big nose. "But have any of them been caught one hundred and eighteen times?"
"Well, no." Elder Hazel admitted. "But, Green…"
"I say we throw her out." Hissed Elder Aloe, the other female.
"Elder Aloe!" cried Elder Hazel. "Be reasonable!"
"Actually," murmured a man with long white hair and odd purple skin. "I believe she is being perfectly reasonable."
"Elder Yon!"
"But what if she talks?" Shrieked a plump man with bright green skin.
"Elder Venus has a point." Elder Stone agreed
"Perhaps we should simply kill the girl. She is no use to us." Continued Elder Venus
"That is not entirely true." Elder Hazel said quickly. "She has done an acceptional job of raising the six young ones assigned to her and Miss Patricia."
"Yes, she has done so." Agreed Elder Stone grudgingly.
"But at what cost?" Retorted Elder Aloe menacingly.
All the Elders began talking at once, arguing Ivory's fate. After several long, heated moments, someone bellowed "SILENCE!"
Everyone went quiet. Elder Yon stood, his wrinkled purple almost glowing in the room's light. "I believe I have a solution." He looked down at the girl kneeling in the center of the room. "Stand, girl. I wish to know you have heard this."
Ivory scrambled to her feet, her head bowed.
"Look at me."
She raised her head slowly, looking up into his eyes.
"Now, then. I propose that this girl accompany the fairy and humans to assist in the rescue of the infant's father. If you succeed, girl, you will be permitted to stay within the refuge." The other Elders began murmuring, but were silenced by a look from Elder Yon. "But if you fail." He continued. "You will banished from the refuge, and your memory of it wiped. Do you understand?"
Ivory looked as though she were about to faint. But when she spoke, her voice was firm. "Yessir. I understand."
Elder Yon sat back down. There was silence for several moments, then Elder Stone spoke. "All in favor of Elder Yon's proposal?"
"Aye."
"Aye."
"Aye."
"Aye."
"Aye."
"Aye."
The Elders turned to look at Elder Hazel, who had remained silent. She looked around, her face pale, then sighed. "Aye."
"Very well." Elder Yon continued. "To ensure you do not run when and if you fail, Miss Patricia shall accompany you. Collect her and be on your way."
"Yessir." Ivory mumbled. She bowed once, then exited, Holly following close behind her.
LEP Holding Cells, Lower Elements, Same Day
Artemis was sitting in his cell, thinking hard. He needed a plan. Assuming the girl led Holly to him, she would no doubt bring Butler along as well. If only he had a way of contacting her, so he could tell her not to come. Not that she would listen to him. He sighed and shook his head. Why didn't she tell him? In the past two months of their child's life, why hadn't she once mentioned that his son and heir was in fact an illegal boy? Not to mention the seven months he had been with her during her pregnancy…
&Flashback& (A/N: Realfanficts, you might wanna skip this. Its extremely mushy. Same goes for any girls/guys who don't like mushiness)
Artemis sat next to Holly, who was lying on the bed, smiling at her stomach. She was now four months pregnant, and had just barely started to show.
"Have you thought of a name, yet?" She asked softly.
"No, I haven't. We don't even know if it's a boy or a girl yet, do we?"
She sighed and touched her stomach gently. "If it's a girl, can we name it Lavender?"
"Why?"
"Lavender was my mother's name."
Artemis leaned forward and kissed her stomach tenderly. "Of course. And if it isn't a girl?"
"I'm not sure of a name if it's a boy. Not many elfin names would sound very fitting on a human."
Artemis rested his head lightly on her stomach. "Our child will be both elfin and human. So I say an elfin name would fit perfectly, if we choose to name him or her as such."
Holly sighed sadly. Artemis looked up at her. "Is something wrong?" She shook her head. "No, nothing. It must be these moodswings."
Artemis nodded, and felt tiny feet kicking against the inside of his love's stomach.
&End Flashback&
Artemis sighed. All he had now was memories. And if he didn't do something soon, that would be it.
A/N: Review please!