The Goddess's Chosen

The Deal

I stood there, speechless before the fae queen. I sought many things, but how do I word it so that she could not trick me. “I seek to borrow your light so that I may save my Goddess and unite the super natural community and take our power back from the hunters.” I said, and I could see Kheelan nodding his head in approval at my words out of the corner of my eye. The queen seemed to consider my words, until she finally spoke. “We fae do not just lend. We do business. What do you have to offer us in exchange for our assistance.” I could feel her power, like it was penetrating my mind. I tried to clear my thoughts, and I swear I could see frustration in her eyes. “I will offer anything within reason, your highness.” I said, hoping to encourage her into making a deal we could both live with. Once again, she seemed to consider what I had said. I watched as her eyes passed over each of my companions and lingering longer on my familiar. “You seem to have met your familiar, witch. Which means the realm has already accepted you.” Her words remained even but I could sense aggravation in her words. Her demeanor was making me nervous, and I felt Gabe grab my hand and intertwine his fingers with mine. The queen smiled, also seeing his actions. “What is your name, witch hunter?” her words made everyone stare at Gabe. “I am a witch, my lady. I was lied to my whole life. My name is Gabriel Whitlock. Son of Selene Whitlock and the head of the hunter's guild, Lucius Whitlock.” Gabe squeezed my hand when he mentioned his father's name. He had never told me his name before, and I could understand that it made him angry and hurt. The queen nodded at his words, apparently satisfied with the truth that he just spoke. “I ask again, Cassandra Green. What can you offer me to entice me into doing business with you?” She asked, eyeing Gabe like he was a piece of meat. No way would I let her get her hands on Gabe. He was mine, even if I cannot claim him officially just yet. Wracking my brains, trying to figure out something I have that she may want badly enough to help us, Brenna spoke to me. ‘Offer her one of your gifts.’ she said to me. I wanted to swat her off of my shoulder. ‘Why the hell would I do that?!?’ I thought back to Brenna, trying to keep a straight face on the outside. ‘Because, she wants Gabe for his uniqueness, being a male witch. I see what he means to you, and so does she. Offer her something just as unique. You were chosen by the goddess. You have gifts that no one else does. I am sure Hecate would bestow those back to you once you’ve saved her, but you must decide quickly. Look, she is losing her patience.’ Brenna said, tilting her small bird head up towards the queen. She had her jaw clenched and her fists in balls at her side, yet she had a smile on her face. She was indeed getting irritated at my inability to decide, so I blurted out the first thing I could think of. “I can raise the newly dead...” I said, and her eyes grew to the size of saucers, and I could feel all eyes on me. f**k! That could have been so useful, we will just have to be extra careful. I thought, scolding myself for not thinking this through. “It’s true, she revived me after the hunters attacked us and burned our village.” Ava said, making Varwen hug her to him as close as he could. “Prove it!” The queen shouted and in an instant one of her guards threw their swords like a spear, piercing Gabe’s heart. “GABE!!!!!” I screamed, catching him as he fell with tears now running freely down my face. Gabe looked up to me, smiling through the blood that was coming out of his mouth. “I... believe...in... you...” he sputtered out, before falling limp and his eyes rolling to the back of his head. ‘Save him!’ Brenna told me. I was in full on panic mode. I know what I had to do it, but I couldn’t think properly. It took me a minute but I pulled the sword out of his chest and threw it to the side, and it landed with a clank. Blood pouring out of the gaping hole in his chest, I leaned forward and pressed my hands to it to slow the bleeding. I leaned forward and placed a kiss on his forehead. “I love you” I whispered and closed my eyes. I imagined the power surging forward from me and into Gabe’s no lifeless body. I imagined the hole suturing itself closed and his dark stormy eyes opening and looking up at me. Soon enough I felt that warmth spreading from my chest, down my arms and into Gabe. I could hear as he took in a deep breath and coughed up the remaining blood that was undoubtedly in his lungs. “CAS!” he yelled and sat up, wrapping me in a tight hug. “I love you too.” he whispered back to me, causing me to cry harder and squeeze him back. I had noticed that the queen had a satisfied expression on her face, as if she were the cat that ate the canary. I wanted to go to her and punch the smug look off that b***h's face. “Well done, I do believe we can do business.” She said, slowly clapping as if I had just performed a back flip instead of reviving someone I cared about, that she had had killed. She extended her hand to shake on our deal, and I accepted, feeling our deal lock into place through magic, I knew that neither of us could back out of this deal without serious repercussions. I glared at her, and as I looked into her deep violet eyes, I could feel the wind picking up around me and I could hear lightening in the distance. I knew it was my emotions getting the best of me. I felt so much anger and hatred for this woman. What if my powers hadn’t worked? What if Gabe actually died? I wanted to cause her pain like she had just caused me. I had never truly hated any one and in a matter of a month, I hated two beings with every part of my body and soul. “Calm down, high priestess, I needed to make sure you weren’t attempting to trick me. But you are true to your word, as am I. However, I see you have attracted one of my soldiers to your party. If you want him to stay, I will need another...favor.” She said with a devilish grin. Gabe grabbed my hand and rubbed the back of it with his thumb, calming me down. Goddess, I really hate this woman. I thought to myself. I looked over at Kheelan and Rachelle, who now both looked extremely nervous. Rachelle would hate me if I did not agree to the queen’s terms so that Kheelan could come with us, if he so chose. I looked at the faces of my other companions, and they all looked nervous, but as my gaze crossed each of theirs, they nodded their heads. They all agreed, I would do what I had to do to allow Kheelan to stay. Plus, I couldn’t shake the feeling that he would be very important to us. “Name your price...your highness.” I nearly sneered the last part. Somehow, her grin grew even wider and she clasped her hands and walked towards us. “You will kill the Dullahan that is plaguing our outer perimeter. Do that, and my soldier may join you.” She said, unclasping her hands and reached one hand up so that the small raven that was perched on her throne could land on it. My stomach dropped. I had no idea how to battle a demon, let alone one in a magical realm where it took a lot more concentration to use my powers. “Cassandra...” Kheelan began, but I put my hand up to cut him off. Taking another quick glance to my fierce group, I felt a confidence that I hadn’t had a moment ago. We had to succeed. We needed every one of us to free Hecate, and I would not let this bitchy queen stand in our way. “We will do it.” I said, straightening my back and standing taller. I knew my companions were worried, so was I, but I knew we could do this. We had to. The queen let out a joyful squeal and clapped her hands. “Perfect!” she said, and I held my hand out to shake on this deal as well. she grabbed my hand and shook then over joyously placed a kiss on each cheek. This was odd, seeing as how a moment ago, she seemed evil. Maybe she wanted a bloodbath. I just stood there, staring at her with a confused look on my face. “You will rest tonight. You can stay here and we will feast, and celebrate our deal.” She said, a mischievous grin on her face. ‘Don’t do it. Say you want to sleep at Kheelan’s mother's house. Trust me.’ Brenna chirped in my head. “With all due respect, your highness, I would like to stay with Elle and Kheelan at their home. I wouldn’t want to impose on you, and we have such a large group.” I said, hoping she was buying what I was selling. Anger flashed across her eyes for the briefest moment before she composed herself. I could tell she wanted more from me, maybe it was my stormy outburst, whatever it was, I did not trust her at all. “It wouldn’t be an imposition, priestess, we welcome you into our court. We have beds made from the softest feathers, and our food is simply divine.” She said, I could feel her trying to penetrate my mind again, and I pushed back. “I must decline your invitation, your highness. I would like to speak to Elle about somethings, and I am sure Kheelan and Rachelle would like to have some privacy.” I said, once again hoping to seem sincere, and not like I thought she was going to murder me in my sleep. “I am allergic to feathers!” Ava offered. I closed my eyes and wished she would not try to help. The queen could tell when we were lying and I did not want her to banish us before we got her help. The queen stared intently at Ava, clearly trying to get inside of her mind like she had with me, but she clearly had had better luck with Ava. After a moment the queen turned back to me and offered an irritated smile. “Then at least stay and dine with us, celebrate our deal, then you can retreat to the stable master's home.” She said, grimacing at the words stable master. I was growing more and more uneasy. I could see Kheelan was staring at us, his eyes wide with worry. He knew something was up. I was about to say that we were not hungry, when I heard someone's stomach grumbling, and looked at everyone and saw Camden with a bashful expression on his face. ‘Do not eat the queen’s bounty. They are enchanted, they act like a drug, they use food when they want to trick people out of something. She can make you agree to giving up something you would rather hold onto.’ Brenna warned me. “I am truly sorry, but I must decline, your highness. I will be quite honest with you when I say that I know what you use the food for, and I have no intentions of giving anything else up, willingly or otherwise.” I said glaring at the trickster queen. Her face became contorted in rage. She knew that I knew that our deals were locked in and that neither of us could go back on our words. I had beat her at her own game and it angered her. “GET OUT OF MY COURT!!” She screamed angrily at us. And I smiled and we all walked out of the court back to Elle’s home.  

   ‘You did well, Cassandra.’ Brenna told me. ‘I was scared shitless, but I figured out her games. Thank you for helping me.’ I said, reaching my hand up and scratching her little head. She had perched back on my shoulder as we were leaving the queen’s court. ‘Do we have to worry about her harming us?’ I asked Brenna. ‘No, she took an oath not to harm anyone in the realm that did not truly deserve it. It was written by her predecessor. A Fae queen that was a much kinder ruler. She knew how tricky the fae are and she decided that she would protect those in her kingdom, even after she was long gone.’ Brenna said. I nodded and said ‘good.’ We walked for a bit longer and the sun had started to go down. We were just approaching Elle’s home when millions of lightening bugs came out of nowhere and lit up the cobbled streets of the city, and ivy-covered street lamps came on. It was beautiful.  We were approaching the front door when Elle busted out of it and wrapped Kheelan and Rachelle in a bear hug, then turned and wrapped each of the rest of us in one as well. “Tell me everything.” She said, ushering us inside her home. It was a cozy little cottage, but it was modernized. There were dried plants everywhere and piles of books lining one of the walls. There were potted plants lining the stairs, and a small fireplace in the living room. We walked in and she ushered us to the couches in the living room. We told her everything that had happened and as we did, I watched as her expressions changed from worry and concern to sadness to anger. They told us that the last queen was her aunt, and while she should have been the next fae queen, she let her cousin take the mantle because she had met a man and fallen in love. She disliked the queen, having always been a “spoiled rotten wench.” We all talked for a while and seemed to really love Rachelle. After talking for a while, she made us all supper and set up blankets and make shift cots for us all to sleep. We ate and talked for a while longer before lying down to sleep.  

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

The next morning, she made us all breakfast and showed us where we could get washed up. She told us that we could ride her unicorns, so that we could save our strength for the Dullahan. On our way out, she gave each of us a small medallion. “This will help protect you. I learned how to make these tokens from my mother, and she learned it from her mother before her.” she said. “They help keep your mind focused, and free of outside manipulation. The demon can still hurt you physically, but with these, you will be protected mentally.” She said, tears forming in her eyes. “You take care of this girl, Kheelan.” She said, hugging Rachelle. “I will, mum.” He said, taking his turn to hug his mother. We all said our good byes and climbed on the unicorns. This is so friggin weird. I thought to myself. Each unicorn had a saddle that matched their eyes, we all watched as Kheelan helped his mother saddled them up for us to ride. We had to ride in twos as there were only four ponies. Rachelle and Kheelan rode Mystic, Ava and Varwen rode Solstice, Clara and Camden rode Chanted. Sterling wouldn’t let any of the others ride her, but me, and reluctantly Gabe. “We have to make a quick stop to get gear and armor.” Kheelan said, leading the way on Mystic. We all followed him to a barracks that I had not noticed before on the way into the city. The building was small, but made of stone and had torches on either side of an open entrance. We went in and grabbed gear, Kheelan said that it did matter what size, because it was all enchanted to automatically resize to the individual. I chose a breast plate that was pure silver with intricate carvings etched into it, it was about three sizes too big, but as Kheelan said, when I buckled it on, it magically resized to fit me perfectly. I also grabbed a short spear. I knew how to use it and I had a few ideas on how I could utilize it with my magic. Once we were all geared up, we got back on our steeds and rode into the middle of the field in the outer perimeter. Once we got there, the Dullahan was waiting with an evil grin on it’s ugly face, and it wasn't alone. It was accompanied by three smaller demons, that looked similar. It had a look on it's face like it had been waiting for us. We slowly dismounted and then watched and waited for them to attack first. In the blink of an eye, all four demons jumped towards us.