Witch Fire

Amulet

Long tendrils.of incense smoke curled through out the room and the scent of jasmine and lavendar filled her nostrils as she performed careful hand motions. Luxurious soft red hair the color of brimstone flowed down her back majestically, her full, pouty lips colored red, pursed in concentration.

She thrust her hand forward quickly, pinched a small amount of crushed coriander and batwing between her fingers and flung it into the bubbling mixture before her. The thick, pasty liquid bubbled and spat, and Rhiannan sighed in relief. *Success!!,* she thought triumphantly. Now all she needed was a jar and candle wax.

Rhiannan turned suddenly, her large, bright green eyes carefully outlined in black, with full lashes, that gave her an innocent, cat- like look. "Wha was tha!?" she looked pointedly at Chimera, her familiar. Chimera hopped down from her favorite perch atop the altar, sat down and began cleaning her fur. "I wasn't listening." she purred lazily. Rhiannan sighed in frustration. "Yer lazier than me, love. I coulda swore I heard footsteps." Chimeras ears perked abruptly and she snarled, large, sharp teeth glinting in the moonlight. "We have company!" she hissed in warning as she unfurled her large body and began to stalk towards the door. She placed herself between the door and Rhiannan and the fur on her back raised and prickled as she crouched, her huge cat body tensing, perched in attack mode.

Rhiannan raised her hand slightly and gripped her amethyst wand tightly in her dress pocket, ready to draw it and do battle. She'd been having nightmares of late, of fae queens and a huge bear of a man with an angel's face, and running, and fear. She knew danger was coming and had been preparing, creating powerful protection bottles and charms and even a few deadly concoctions she had created herself. The door creaked slightly and quite suddenly, the room was lit up brighter than the sun and Rhiannan shielded her eyes and Chimera howled in protest. The brightness faded and Rhiannan could make out the shape of a small girl.

She inhaled sharply as wings sprouted from the girls back. *Fae!* Rhiannan thought grimly. *This was NOT good. Fae always had an agenda.* The girl stepped forward and Rhiannan got a clearer view of her face and she stared in wonder. The small Fae had hair the color of silk, shimmering and dancing, almost as if it were alive. Her large childlike eyes were the deepest blue and filled with stars and bright and sparkling with a wisdom far beyond human comprehension. She smiled, giggling quietly, " My only agenda, is protecting YOU, witch fire!"

Rhiannan's perfectly painted mouth dropped and she withdrew her wand confidently, stepping forward. "Wha do ye mean, protectin me?" she challenged. "I protect meself!" The Fae and Chimeras ears both perked and if blood could drain from a sparkling Faes face, that's what happened. She rushed forward and grabbed Rhiannan's wrist, "We must GO, NOW!" she growled impatiently. Rhiannans green eyes flashed in anger and she spat, "I need to grab me bag!" she wrenched her arm free, darted across the room and grabbed a large purse like shoulder bag, tossed in some bottles, her charms, and her Book of Shadows and stalked back to the Fae. The shining creature grasped her wrist and Rhiannans stomach lurched as she realized they were shifting. "Arrghhhhh!" she yelled in anger. She felt Chimeras tail wrapped around her leg and breathed a sigh of relief. Her familiar had latched on. Her eyes swam as the world faded and she saw stars as her mind desperately tried to comprehend what it was witnessing. Her molecules actually separated and she couldnt feel her body. *This is it,* she thought, *this is how I die.*

She felt the world come crashing back, violently and very painfully as her athletic body tensed, and instinctively rolled as she approached the ground. She groaned when her knee came crashing into something sharp buried in the dirt. Chimera came crashing into her, spitting and yowling furiously in a tangle of woman and lynx, fur flying in the air. Rhiannan stood, un tangling herself from her large familiar and began to dig in the dirt where her knee had dislodged something shiny. "Chimera, be a doll and help, please?" she asked politely. Chimera obliged, eyes shining speculatively as she regarded the shining object. They quickly had it out and Rhiannan stared in awe as the ancient looking amulet in her hand began to glow and pulse, almost like a heart beating. The stone was bloodred, and the glow was mesmerizing. The Fae snatched the Amulet from Rhiannans hand and gasped in amazement, "You've found the Amulet!"

No sooner than the Fae snatched itz the blood red jewel was right back in Rhiannans hand. She was mesmerized at the beauty of the ancient jewel and opened her mouth to ask what the bloody hell just happened when she began to feel a warmth spread throughout her body and shivered, clutching the amulet tightly in her small hands. She felt a connection, almost as if there were an invisible chain linking her to something unseen. She eyed The Fae curiously, her bright green eyes sharp with irritation and anger. *Yer gunna tell me everything lassie, and you'll do it quick before I lose me patience.* Rhiannan's hair slowly began to blaze hot with little flames dancing around and she started hopping back and forth in a panic. *Why the bloody hell is me hair on fire!?* The Fae was doubled over with laughter, trying to contain herself. Her deep blue childlike eyes twinkled with delight and amusement. *It won't hurt you witchfire. But you must learn to control your fire. It can be deadly.* She stopped suddenly, peering up at Rhiannan with curiosity, *Have you not had proper dragon instructions?* Rhiannan stared at her blankly, her green eyes full of confusion and questions. The Fae spoke softly, *You have no idea do you? Witchfire, I am here to protect you, the last of your kind, the last Elemental Dragon.* Rhiannan laughed out loud, wiping tears from the corner of her eye, *Yaaa, that's a good one eh! I've no clue what yer talkin about Fae. I'm jest a witch, like me mum and hers before me.* The Faes blue eyes spoke volumes as she spoke plainly. *They will hunt you until you give up or they kill you. This is no jest witchfire, we need you. Your people need their Dragon Queen, the prophecy speaks of you, Witchfire, last of your kind, destined to bring the supernatural communities together against the Brotherhood.* Her eyes were sparkling with intensity and her silver hair was humming as she spoke.

She knelt to one knee, bowing her head and speaking loudly. A gathering of forest creatures had begun to circle them and Rhiannan was taken aback at how many and everything that was happening. She chewed her cheek nervously and twirled her hair, *Fae yer mistaken, this cannae be me.* The Fae ignored her arguments and began to pledge her loyalty. *I, Llewellyn Peltarran, Princess and rightful heir to the Fae throne, pledge my allegiance and vow to serve my Dragon Queen in this lifetime and all others to come.* Rhiannan gasped as a whoosh of wind picked her up off the ground, she felt almost as if something snapped into place and she felt warm, whole and peaceful. The wind died down and she softly landed back on her feet. The Fae explained, that was our bond. Similar to a werewolf pack bond, we can now communicate with a mind link. Rhiannan nodded, her face determined and her brow shining with sweat as she tried to process all of this information. A Fae princess!? Dragon Queen!? She was being hunted!? Prophecy!? It was almost to much. Her head began to spin and the amulet began to glow again. *Put it on, quickly!* Shouted Llewellyn. Rhiannan hurriedly threw it around her neck, she heard a loud angry yowl and shouted, *Chimera!* Then everything went black....