Elvi

The Serpent Tongue

Elvi watched the King lose his senses, safe from inside of the barrier. It had piqued her curiosity to see how affected he seemed to be at the thought of not finding her. A hand slipped inside of hers in the form of Morana. Elvi turned to her with a soft smile, taking in those forget me not eyes she had feared she would never see again. She twirled a finger into her long black hair, to a resulting chuckle.

“At least we know the charms work,” Morana said, turning to watch the King. “I’m surprised by the wolf’s reaction to losing you. Don’t get me wrong…” she added hurriedly, kissing Elvi’s tattooed fingers affectionately.

“It’s okay,” Elvi laughed. “I get it. For a witch.”

“Yes.”

They watched the men for some time. The King switched between planning on how to find her and dramatic outbursts of sorrow and fury, while his men stayed silent. The man whom appeared to be his second in charge talked down the King before suggesting they leave the entire idea of her behind.

“He is kind of handsome,” Morana said. Watching Elvi raise her eyebrows, she continued, “For a murdering wolf I mean.”

“Would you have me choose him instead of you?”

“Not for a second.”

Elvi laughed, pulling her into a deep kiss. Breaking apart, she lead her from the border and away from the shifters and her apparent mate. Elvi wasn’t sure if there had ever been an inter-species mating before, but she was determined to find out. She had always heard that shifter mates had a connection like fireworks. It was clear that the King felt a connection, for her strong enough to go against one of his most well known beliefs, ‘The only good witch, is a dead witch.’ Elvi however felt nothing of the kind. Her feelings for Morana hadn’t lessened either, which one would assume would happen once meeting a Norn chosen mate. As they reached the town square they were greeted with most of the village, talking loudly and gesturing wildly to the Priestess, who listened in silence to the crowd. Eventually she raised a hand, and silence fell immediately. Elvi snaked through the crowd, finally coming to a rest at her brother’s shoulder.

“My good people. I understand your worries and concerns. To the breath of my very soul, I understand. We are in an interesting position, and to be quite frank, one I would have never predicted to find ourselves in, in a billion years.”

A squat woman with scruffy brown hair walked onto the platform next to the Priestess. She gave the impression of someone who spent far too much time by themselves.

“Sága (sa~ga)” Priestess began, gesturing to the woman on her left, “has kindly agreed to do a smoke reading for what she sees of the current situation.”

The crowd remained completely silent, while the seer lit a fire of herbs in her cauldron. Necks stretched and heads turned this way and that, attempting to get a better view.

“The unrest will not cease,” began Sága, in a raised voice, “while we all remain on these lands. The smoke starts thick and solid and then clearly splits into two like the tongue of the great serpent, Jörmungundr (your~mun~goon~d~r).”

Soft mutterings began throughout the crowd. Division for a Coven was never a good sign. However, if it settled their lives, perhaps this parting of ways was for the best.

“One branch of the smoke remains true, while the much thinner, circles around the other. Ever watchful. Protecting. Unable to join back in with those they care over so diligently.”

“But who is it?” shouted a man from the middle of the crowd.

“She knows who she is, even if she refuses to believe or accept her path” Sága continued.

Seer watched over the crowd, her eyes meeting and lingering on Elvi. After a lifetime she continued, until finally turning to the Priestess. Elvi grabbed Morana’s hand a little tighter, fighting to stabilise her breathing. The seer could not be saying what she thought she was saying. She would not be forever separated from her Coven. What was a witch without her Coven? And for what? A shifter she didn’t want or care for in the least, who actively hunted and killed her kind.

“Who is she?” questioned many in the crowd.

Priestess quietly thanked the seer and stepped to the edge of the platform. Her eyes roamed the crowd until they landed on Elvi. She gave a quick nod before announcing to the Coven.

“Elvi,” she began in a surprisingly soft voice. “Can you join me up here please.”

Heads turned, seeking her out, whispering her name in astonishment to each other. Morana squeezed her hand for encouragement, before letting it fall to her side. Haydeon squeezed her shoulder tightly. She nodded in return and made her way through the parting crowd to the platform.

“Elvi, has been announced by the Wolf King to be his…” Priestess began, taking a pause in disbelief. “His mate,” she finished to a general uproar from the crowd.

Elvi hung her head, unable to meet the eyes of those she cared for so deeply. When the attack had started that morning, she could have never guessed her fate would take such a turn. She had been happy. Learning her craft mostly with enthusiasm, spending time with her brother, Morana and Coven members. Now, her whole future was in the air, apparently separating from everyone and everything she cared for.

“Now, now” the Priestess shouted impatiently. “We need to figure out what the next course of action is. The King will not stop pursuing Elvi until he gets her. He has made it quite plain to her that his intention is to accept their mate bond. She has obviously denied their connection.”

“I don’t want to leave. There are obviously many things keeping me from wanting to leave.” Elvi looked over her Coven, stopping now and again at particular faces. “But I won’t be the cause for the destruction of this Coven.”

She had made her decision as soon as the seer had left the stage. Murmuring began once more, growing steadily in volume. Elvi turned her eyes to the rich blue sky, noticing that it was strangely vacant of clouds. Inhaling and exhaling deeply, she tried to steady her nerves.

“I will be leaving tonight. I will make sure a member of the King’s guard sees me. I will lead them from this place. He has been outside this dome for hours with no signs of letting up. I will not be responsible for the harm of any of you.”

Outrage stopped her from talking. Her breath shaking, she turned to the Priestess, finding her staring right back at her.

“No, Elvi” she started softly. “You are far safer here than you will be out there. As we all are. I would like to see them get through our dome,” she finished loudly, to ruckus cheers.

“They won’t get you Elvi.”

“No one can get through the dome.”

“Not even the King will get through there,” shouted another coven member.

“We won’t let him take you Elvi.”

“Here, here” Priestess said. “No, we will protect you and continue to monitor the situation. We will use our magick to protect our Coven. Every… single… member.”