I'm gratified by the interest this story got, but I should reiterate that this story isn't guaranteed to become a full one. I do intend to do a Mortal Kombat crossover, based loosely on the new continuity from the latest game, but it may not necessarily be this one.
Anyway, before I get onto the second sample chapter of Lupus Non Mordet Lupum, I should answer a couple of the guest reviews...
WearyCurmudgeon: Actually, it was a potion slipped into Remus' drink. And no, Umbridge was not the responsible party, she merely took advantage of it.
L: I based Sindel on her reboot personality, as a stern but mostly fair monarch, and a mostly decent person, with her treatment of Tarkatans and her unthinking blaming of Li Mei for Jerrod's death being her major flaws. I tried to make her a bit more likeable, to show she is more than a hard ruler of Outworld.
LUPUS NON MORDET LUPUM
CHAPTER 2:
ROYALS OF OUTWORLD
Lily, ever the good hostess, had set tea to brew, and was now pouring out cups for the visitors, as well as Harry and herself. The three Otherworld royals seemed to enjoy it. "Ahhh…thank the Elder Gods that, whatever the differences between our realms, tea at least is universal," Sindel said.
"Well, on our world, it originated in China, though drinking it has become a very British pastime," Lily observed.
"Thank you for the tea, Lily," Kitana said.
Mileena nodded. "Indeed. And for your hospitality too. The technology of this world has moved on swiftly since Outworld last had contact with it."
"And yet, the magical world ignores it, and at their peril, I should say," Lily said. "Between the internet, CCTV, and digital cameras, it's easier and easier to catch glimpses of magic in breach of the Statute. Unfortunately, technology also has its downside, and I hope Outworld will never go down the route of overindustrialisation. In any case, I think we should get down to business. I know much about your world and society, as well as your situation, but Harry does not, so we need to explain matters."
Sindel nodded, before turning her gaze to Harry. "Where to begin, then?"
Harry winced. He was still at sea in trying to speak with royalty, and he didn't want to be caught staring at her rather attractive figure. "Well, uhh…Croaker said that you come from another dimension, Outworld, which itself is composed of many words fused together or something like that, have I got that right?"
"Indeed. My bloodline comes from Edenian stock. We may look human, but we are extremely long-lived. Not immortal by any means, I hasten to say, but Kitana and Mileena are already ten thousand years old by your reckoning, and I am tens of thousands of years their senior. And Edenians are but one of many, many races and ethnicities on Outworld, some very human-like, others…not so much. We have had contact with Earthrealm before, both peaceful and…not so peaceful. There are other realms other than Earthrealm and Outworld, but for now, they are not important. We are currently at peace, for the most part, but make no mistake. Our society is still one you would consider a warrior culture."
"And one where women are equal to men, by the look of it," Harry said, nodding in understanding. "I…I'm sorry if I'm being rude, but…their father…?" He indicated Kitana and Mileena.
"He was murdered," Sindel said. "And curiosity is no sin. While I still grieve for Jerrod, it happened long ago. But he blessed me with two superlative daughters, both with excellent qualities as potential rulers of Outworld. However, while women are allowed to rule, primogeniture is still followed in Outworld, so the eldest is appointed heir unless specified."
"In other words, Kitana is the heir, and I am the spare," Mileena said quietly, her tone a little bitter.
"Mileena," Sindel rebuked softly, before returning her gaze to Harry. "Mileena is…independently minded, even a touch rebellious. There have been times when I have only myself to blame, and other times when Mileena's actions brought grief upon herself. It was during a sojourn out of our residence without guard or escort that Mileena was set upon by a rogue Tarkatan."
"What is exactly Tarkat?" Harry asked. "Croaker compared it to lycanthropy in some ways."
"From what Lily has told us, that's a fair comparison," Kitana said. "But lycanthropy is tethered to the lunar cycles of your world. Tarkat is somewhat more…random, save for times of heightened emotion, particularly when the fight or flight response comes into play. It twists the body and mind out of shape, heightening aggression, turning the sufferer into a berserker, giving them sharpened teeth, as well as claws, and the eyes of a predator."
Mileena nodded. "In its earliest stages, the transformations revert after a period of time. I have only had it for a few years. It can revert on its own, but it takes a remedy or an effort of will to forcibly repress it. But in its later stages, it permanently warps the body and mind. Many sufferers commit suicide rather than suffer any longer…or when they find the blood of their loved ones on their hands."
"And you're a princess. Merlin, I can see the scandal brewing," Harry muttered.
"It is a secret we have kept from all but our closest allies, servants, and advisors," Sindel said, before looking away in shame. "My policies towards Tarkatans would be considered harsh by the standards of your world, and Lily has made her disapproval very clear. But I saw little reason not to continue the policies made by my predecessors. Despite the best efforts of sorcerers and alchemists, Tarkat has no cure, and while not as infectious as lycanthropy, is still infectious enough to arouse fear. Only when my daughter ended up infected did I see this truth. I will admit, I have been hard on her, to prepare her for leadership. Even if Kitana takes the throne, Mileena will be expected to take on a leadership role in politics or the military. But perhaps I have been a touch too hard at times."
"Mother, that Tarkatan attack was far from your fault. More can be attributed to my ill-timed walk, even if the Tarkatan was the one who mauled me," Mileena said.
"I know, Mileena, I know, but since that day…never mind. What's done is done." Sindel's eyes flicked over to Harry. "Your mother's offer came at the right time. While we are at peace, politics still rears its ugly head, and many nobles have stymied some of my actions, or eroded our power. Should Mileena's condition come out, it could weaken my position. The few who do know I can trust, I hope. Your mother offered to study Tarkat. She has already taken samples from willing Tarkatans. Indeed, she met with the current leader of the Tarkatan colony, Baraka."
"I discovered Tarkat has more in common with lycanthropy than one would realise, Harry," Lily said. "Like lycanthropy, it is the result of a magically-modified virus, both with elements not unlike a hybrid of retroviruses and the lyssaviruses, which cause rabies. They are transferred through bodily fluids transfer, usually a bite. Of course, not all people contract the mutating form of Tarkat. Some are immune, and others die swiftly."
"So, the upshot is, Mum's going to be helping find a cure or at least a good treatment for Mileena," Harry said.
"You seem rather at ease about the whole thing," Kitana observed.
"Kitana, I'm a wizard, my brother is the Boy Who Lived, and I'm also a werewolf," Harry said flatly. "I've also seen some pretty weird shit in the Department of Mysteries that Croaker showed me. Plus, our fiction has a lot about other worlds. I mean, I'm a Doctor Who fan, for which I blame Mum. So, royalty from another dimension? It's novel and surprising, yeah, but honestly, given the stuff I've seen, this is only one or two steps up from that. Besides, Mum doesn't have much time for nobility, especially putting on airs and stuff like that, so if she's on good terms with you, then it means you've impressed her in a good way. Besides, I had a pretty rough night last night. Even in the treatment tank in the Department of Mysteries, the transformation is painful."
"Even with no direct exposure to moonlight?" Mileena asked.
"The werewolf disease is notoriously mutable," Lily said. "Sometimes, it's the light of the full moon that triggers the transformation, sometimes, it's merely its advent, and sometimes, it's a mixture. The liquid medium in the treatment tank is at least gentler than Wolfsbane potion. The process is still taxing, as Harry can attest."
"Yeah. It's not fun, but honestly, it better than being locked in a room after drinking Wolfsbane, or going berserk," Harry said. "But do you think you can help Mileena, Mum?"
"I can't guarantee it, but I can give it a damn good shot," Lily said.
Mileena had to admit to feeling mixed emotions about this. In some ways, this felt like an exile, little better than the exile other Tarkatans suffered when they showed signs of the disease. That it was in Earthrealm rather than one of the Tarkatan colonies was small comfort. She had grown up in the palace at Sun Do, after all. And her mother making such a decision for her grated on her. Instead, Mileena was expected to go along with this, again. The resentment and envy that reared its ugly head since she was old enough to recognise she was the spare to her twin had surged forth again. She had to be here for a year, save perhaps for visits back to Outworld.
Yet Mileena knew, with the more objective and analytical parts of her mind, that this was not a decision her mother undertook lightly. It took Lily Evans a long time to truly win Sindel's trust. And Lily gave no guarantees that her cure would work. She was not like one of those quacks who peddled dubious cures, like that old man who gained some small notoriety some time back. He'd disappeared, probably to avoid those he defrauded. It was one thing to use a placebo to help with confidence, given how strange and wonderful the body and mind were, but quite another to peddle cures that could potentially kill the afflicted. And to snatch hope away from those who needed it.
And it was not like she would be living in squalor, she reflected. The house was somewhat expensive by British standards, apparently, but there were far more luxurious places throughout Britain, let alone this world. It may not have the glamour of the palace she grew up in, but in training how to fight, she had lived in the same conditions many fighters and soldiers had. Compared to flimsy tents in some Elder Gods-forsaken battlefield or the ascetic cells of warrior monks like the Umgadi, this was no hardship at all.
The main hardship would be being away from those she loved. Tanya, the Umgadi she had once held a torch for, was already doing her work in a distant part of Outrealm on the orders of that order, and their relationship had dwindled somewhat, even if they were still firm friends. But she would be away from others she cared for. Mei Li, for all the hostility between her and her mother, had been an excellent trainer and an honorary aunt to them. General Shao, when he wasn't being bloodthirsty, had many interesting anecdotes from his battles, and she would miss those if nothing else.
She would miss her mother and sister most of all. True, her relationship with Sindel was strained somewhat, and yet, neither hated each other. Indeed, Mileena loved her mother, and yearned for approval, approval that Sindel sometimes gave less than she should have.
And while Mileena felt some resentment and envy towards Kitana, those ugly rumours about Mileena desiring to usurp Kitana were falsehoods of the highest order. Mileena felt that Kitana was better suited to being Empress of Outworld. Kitana was calm, cool, and collected in ways that Mileena wasn't. Oh, Mileena was sure she could make a good empress, and despite her rebellious tendencies, she still kept up with her studies in statecraft, military strategy, and other areas of study, partly out of the knowledge that she could still potentially inherit the throne.
In any case, while Sindel showed some sympathy towards Mileena's plight, it was Kitana who showed it more. Kitana won her sister's eternal loyalty through compassion, through giving a damn. Not that she didn't have it, but their relationship had its highs and lows. Yet Kitana saw Mileena not as a monster, but as her sister, first and foremost. Sindel was the same, but there was a certain distance between mother and daughter that wasn't there between the twins.
Still…despite her being here with the unofficial blessing of the Fire God, Mileena still felt a little ill at ease. Wizarding society here was somewhat xenophobic, especially against those with creature heritage. And many considered the Earthrealmers to be barbarians. Certainly, showing magical abilities was a no-no.
She also hoped that she wouldn't attract undue attention for her looks. At least Harry was showing some restraint and politeness, but every now and then, she'd catch his eyes wandering, only for him to stop himself. Given that he was trying so hard to be polite and actually treat her like a person, well, she'd forgive him that. It would take a lot more for her to introduce him to the business end of her sais. Like she did to that would-be rapist once. She'd gotten a scolding from her mother for killing him…if only because rapists needed to be punished properly and publicly. She was impressed by the amount of holes Mileena left in the would-be rapist, though. It was amazing how many times someone could be punctured with a pair of sais and remain alive.
Besides, he was fairly easy on the eyes. Apparently he took after his father in looks, but he had his mother's eyes. A messy mop of black hair, nearly hiding a scar shaped like a lightning bolt. Emerald eyes like his mother, framed by spectacles.
But there was something in those eyes, a drive, a fire, smouldering behind them, like his mother. Physically, he was weaker than an Edenian, or indeed most Outworlders. But that fire showed he had a will, determination, to better himself, to best his foes, even if it was through cunning rather than physical strength.
And he seemed surprisingly accepting of their presence, even if he had something of a point. He lived in a hidden magical society, and Lily had earlier waxed lyrical about the fiction of this world. Other worlds were a doddle to consider by comparison.
Of course, he didn't show deference to their station. He was also a little vulgar, though Lily was like that too. But in a way, that was refreshing compared to the sycophancy of too many back in Outworld. And he spoke to them with a simple respect. He knew they were royalty, and that they could probably beat him in physical combat. But he spoke to them like they were people, and she found that refreshing. Sindel and Kitana probably found it so too.
Still, it would be trying to be away from home for so long, and in Earthrealm to boot. She hoped she could bear the inevitable homesickness, and being away from her family. Hopefully, this wouldn't be too bad. As long as her Tarkat didn't play up.
No. She would endure. And if she was lucky, then Lily might be able to develop a treatment, even a cure for Tarkat. That would be worth it. And who knows? She might learn things of value here in Earthrealm…
CHAPTER 2 ANNOTATIONS:
So, Harry's gotten to know the Outworld royals, and we've got Mileena's POV.
From what little I understand of the lore, while Outworld is a relatively peaceful society in the current continuity, it is still very much a warrior society. So royals would be expected to, if needed, train in the ways of combat (with a C) and the military, so Mileena and Kitana, and Sindel, are no strangers to slumming it. They're still a little privileged, but they know hardship, albeit not as acutely as the actual underclasses of Outworld.
Of course, while martial prowess is valued in their monarchs, they're also expected to be intelligent and politically adept. Though I feel that, in my story at least, some of Sindel's actions towards the Tarkatans are motivated by political concerns, as well as the fact that Tarkatans are a real threat. But once her daughter has contracted the disease, privately, she is reassessing her viewpoint.
No numbered annotations this time.
