Addy came forward, calmly, carefully controlling her magic, when Mab called lazily
"Kyle Todd?" Clearing her throat, Adalanta began evenly
"My lady, Queen Mab, where is the Hero, Kid Flash?" Mab glared at the younger fey.
"Why do you want to know? You do know the price you'll pay, don't you, Eireling?" Addy lifted her chin and retorted
"I know the price I might pay. I am willing to pay it, and I can, and no one may stop me." Jason twitched, and noticing his twitch, Mab laughed softly.
"Your Consort does not wish you to pay the price, Kitten." The soft observation was nonetheless steely.
Squaring her shoulders, Addy asked quietly
"Where is the Hero, your Majesty?" A suddenly exhausted Mab looked her in the eye and replied
"Safe, for now. And I am the one who will demand a price." Artemis sobbed her relief, while Addy and Jason tensed. Momentarily bowing her head, Addy brought her eyes back up to ask
"The price, Mab?" The Unseelie Queen took a moment to answer.
"What is your lineage, Adalanta Kyle Todd of the Gotham Waynes?" Addy exchanged confused glances with Jason, and answered slowly
"Through Shion Alfaltras, I am descended of Morrigan and Eriu, the Fomorian Queen and the one Ireland was named after . . ." Addy paled. Mab smirked, then asked another question.
"Your cousin, Selina, what is her lineage?" Addy bit her lip, then whispered
"She's kind of like me. The right lineage, but . . . latent powers. It- they manifested as a fixation on cats, because we also descend from an Egyptian cat goddess . . ." The reply hung in the air, and Mab absolutely purred.
"Oh, yes, so, you and your Consort will submit to the couple's punishment, AND your cousin will consent to have her magic awakened, or . . ." Mab paused so long that Addy could feel sweat beading on her forehead. The Unseelie Queen smiled and finished gleefully
"You, Adalanta Alfaltras, will remain in the Otherworld until all your Earthly kin and your Consort have passed on." Selina hissed at the same time Jason snarled. Adalanta looked back, uncertain and afraid, when Jason walked toward her and answered Mab
"We will do as you ask." Selina clenched her hands into fist, and stomped forward, growling
"Me too." Mab nodded to Addy, who responded with a sigh. Standing on tip toe, she kissed Selina's forehead, murmured something that sounded vaguely like Latin, and stepped away, gesturing to Batman, who rushed forward, sweeping Selina back into the protective circle of the remaining Gothamites/Bludhaven crew.
A heretofore unseen Fey servant pulled the Justice League and Team away to Wally, while Jason tossed his long cloak onto the floor of the throne room. Addy swiftly stripped her clothes from her body with magic, laying on her back and closing her eyes. When Jason nudged the side of her calf with a booted foot, she disposed of his clothes as well, gasping when he settled over her. Jason leaned forward, bent to her ear and whispered
"Forgive me." Addy chuckled humourlessly and touched his face.
"I think there is nothing to forgive, my Jason." Jason closed his eyes, tucked his chin a little closer to his chest, muttered an expletive, and rammed his cock into her cunt. Addy's cry of pain drove knife blades into his heart- shrivelled, blackened thing though it was- then her hips bucked, and she rode his strokes, even as Mab cackled and used her magic to force the act. It felt wrong, ripping Addy apart like this, without control of his body, but the life of his elder brothers' best friend was on the line, and if this was what it took to free him . . . they would bear it, somehow. Jason hated most of all the howl of euphoria that tore from his throat as he savaged his heart.
Batman held Catwoman to his chest, because she was dizzy and her veins were bursting with magic. The servant in front of him sighed and spoke mournfully
"It is too bad about Lady Todd, she and her Consort both are better people than Mab." That sounded . . . suspicious. In truth, Batman hadn't listened to anything after Selina agreed to take on her true magical power to retrieve Kid Flash. Tim heard it though, and asked sharply
"What do you mean?" Both Dick and Barbara were at attention now, even the Archers were looking suspicious, though the speedsters still took a minute. They all came to attention the moment they heard the cry of pure agony from back the way they came. The servant tsked hollowly and explained
"The couple's punishment Queen Mab was talking about is where she twists her magic to force a tryst. Since they submit, it isn't true rape, but many of the men who have undergone it feel terrible about what they do under the influence. Lord Jason has always adored Lady Adalanta, this will devastate him."
Shaking his head, the manservant opened a door and barked "Oi, Kid Flash, a delegation from your Court is here." Wally bolted to his feet as the others walked in.
Nightwing was shaking with suppressed rage. They were making his younger brother rape the girl he adored! The two of them had walked into this knowingly to save Wally! Dick vowed that Wally would know the price Addy and Jay had paid for him, and Artemis, too, would be made to understand, he thought protectively.
It took time, but they returned to the real world, Jason convinced by a concerned Bruce to bring Addy to the Cave for treatment and pampering by the girls. Wally was taken home to the Allen house, along with Artemis, so he too, could be fussed over. The team didn't see any of the Gotham/Bludhaven team for three weeks, partly because they were anxious for Addy to recover, partly because Selina was learning her magic.
Three Weeks to the day:
Wallace Rudolph West was nervously waiting for admittance to Wayne Manor. Dick had finally answered his weeks old text to let him know when Jason and Addy were taking visitors. Today, he would thank the couple for saving him from the Fey.
Alfred answered the door, and appeared unsurprised, simply saying "Master Wally." Before gesturing him in. Wally nodded gratefully, and moved to the directed sitting room.
Jason, who had until recently played watchdog had been taken by Dick to the Cave for a spar. In his place, Damian was stretching intermittently between meditation exercises in the corner, while Tim sat in an armchair, reading a thick hardcover about something Wally guessed had to do with the Fey. Bruce and Selina were not far, sitting in the kitchen and talking with Alfred.
Addy appeared half asleep, though Cass was carefully administering a pedicure while Stephanie brushed her hair. Between the attention and the low burning fire in the fireplace, Wally was surprised Addy wasn't out cold. He sat, slowly, carefully, opposite her, glad Jason wasn't here. He knew from experience that if Redhawk though you would harm Shadowcat, he went for your throat.
"Addy?" Wally's question was soft, but it woke Addy, who jerked upright.
"Oh, Wally." She yawned, and grinned at him
"Whatcha think of my attendants?" Her hand wave encompassed Cass, Steph, Tim and Damian. Wally replied seriously
"You deserve every moment, Addy. If I can ever repay-" Addy shook her head and spoke quietly
"Keep watching the others' backs when you can. That's all I want. If you still want to retire, then I would appreciate you and Artemis asking the Archers and Speedsters to watch out for the Bats." She yawned, delicacy forgotten, and licked her lips.
"Jason, can we go to bed now?" The whined question froze the others in their tracks. However, Wally was relieved to hear Jason reply over his shoulder
"Of course Kitten, you can go to bed right away." Addy glared at him through bleary eyes, and then hissed
'To-fucking-gether, Jason Peter- damn- Todd!" Realizing he'd been forgotten, Wally made as gracious an exit as he could, happy to head home to Artemis.
Jason, however, had to deal with an unhappy hellcat.