Elvi

Reversal

The Coven members who had remained by the barrier's edge screamed, some running towards their houses for safety. Priestess and Arryn followed the screams to the site of the disturbance. Elvi stood completely still, as she watched the King sit up, obviously feeling the disorientation from a first teleport. Haydeon, already at his feet, tackled the King back to the ground, punching his face repeatedly. Elvi put a protection bubble around Rowan, forcing her brother backwards.

“Haydeon, what have you done?” Elvi panicked.

“Take the dome down,” Priestess ordered. “We need to create a new one.” Witches ran left and right, calling out to those around them to help.

“Elvi,” Rowan said, putting his hand on the bubble. “Elvi…”

“Don’t talk to her…” Haydeon demanded.

“We have to get him out of here” Elvi interrupted, ignoring the now bloody faced Rowan. “Priestess, can you help me move him outside of the barrier line?”

“Yes child, push against the outside of the bubble, it will be the only way we can move him and keep the charm up. Haydeon, go do something useful and help remove the dome.”

Elvi reluctantly walked up to the bubble, trying desperately to ignore the man inside. She made eye contact with him for an instant before forcing her eyes elsewhere. Lip shaking she pushed with all her might. The bubble carved a deep gash into the earth as it moved along the path to the forest. Rowan turned his body to face Elvi completely. He put his arms either side of her head on the inside of the bubble and watched her efforts to dispel him. There was nothing for it, her reaction to him was so extreme, justifiably so he assumed, he would need to call off the wolves, figuratively and literally. They were almost at the edge now he thought. With the sound of a shotgun the dome spell shattered. Alarik jumped back as the village came into view, and the full chaos inside the dome was revealed to him. He ran forward unsure of how to help his King.

“Stay back shifter” grunted Priestess. “He will be released as soon as a new dome shield is created. He is honestly safer in there than he would be outside of it. As is Elvi.”

With a final effort, they heaved him outside of the Coven’s border. Priestess stood up straight, breathing heavily. Stepping away from the bubble she went to supervise the dome creation. Elvi leant against the bubble momentarily catching her breath. When she opened her eyes she found Rowan staring at her, a look of concern on his face. He placed a hand on the bubble opposite her cheek. Elvi took a large step back, before turning her attention to the man standing on the opposite side of the bubble.

“Elvi” he started, speaking to her directly for the first time. He bowed low, hand over his chest. “It is an honour to officially meet you, without interruption.”

Rowan prowled inside of the bubble at his words. Watching his second move slowly around his prison. What was he doing?

“I wish I could say the same,” she answered in a clipped tone.

“That is a fair statement, my Lady.”

“Elvi” Arryn's voice came from behind her. “Priestess has asked me to stand guard of you. Hello Rowan” he finished arrogantly to the King, smiling at his situation.

Alarik tensed, understanding fully the mocking and antagonisation in the man’s voice. He felt immediately that he would never befriend this man, witch or not. He made his way to stand in front of his King, not trusting the man at all.

“Elvi” Arryn said, touching her arm gently. Rowan growled loudly from inside the bubble, making Arryn’s smile widen. “It is safer for you to stay away.”

“No. The further away I am, the weaker the shield will get.” Arryn nodded, walking over to the nearest tree and casually leaning against it.

“My Lady,” began Alarik. “My name is Alarik and I am the King’s second.” Elvi stared at him, unblinking, curious where this conversation was going. “I was only informed moments ago about your altercation with my Lord. It is my duty to set this right. With your permission, I would like to achieve this.”

“And how would you do that?” she asked, raising her eyebrows.

“With a series of supervised meetings.” Elvi laughed quietly to herself.

“So your answer to him” she pointed to the side, not looking at the King, “telling me he is going to destroy my entire kind, but the ones I am attached to, or living with, only because the Norns have seen fit to make me his mate, is to spend more time with this… no, man isn’t the right word… tyrant. Yes, tyrant.” Arryn laughed behind her, clearly enjoying himself. “No, Alarik, was it? I’m sorry, but that won’t be happening. See, I remember you from the day I met him. I remember seeing you coming to support him before he sent you away. You are just as bad as he is. Let me guess, you are “just following orders,” she finished sarcastically.

Before he could respond, a mask of calm on his face now, they were interrupted by Priestess joining them once more. She eyed both shifters, before turning to Elvi.

“We are ready for you to drop the charm. We didn’t see the point in putting the glamour up. The whole world knows where we are now, thanks to them.”

“Yes, Priestess,” Elvi replied, obeying her immediately.

The bubble charm gave a small pop as it was undone, the King falling a short distance to the ground. Righting himself quickly, he stepped towards her. Arryn and Priestess made to step in front of Elvi, but she put her hands up stopping them silently. She let the King come to her, not removing her eyes from his. He looked as if he wanted to touch her but was resisting with all his might.

“Witch Slayer” she started harshly, watching his eyes dull, “If you wish to please me…”

“I do,” he interrupted with no hesitation.

“... then you will hold another press conference” she continued, as if he hadn't interrupted, “Telling the world that you have found your mate, and that she will not accept you because she is a witch, and she fears for her safety and that of her kind.”

Arryn laughed loudly to her words, he followed Priestess through the dome shield and to the growing crowd that waited for them. Rowan took a step closer, but this time she stood her ground.

“Is there anything else you want Elvi” he answered, his voice husky from repeating her name for over an hour. Her eyes widened at the realisation that he was actually going to fulfil the demand.

“Stop the g******e on my people” she answered seriously, stepping the final step forward to close the gap between them entirely. “You will leave all witches alone, no matter where they reside or how they are connected to me. You, as of today, no longer have witch prisons, anti-witch laws and spot checks on the roads.”

“The reversal of the laws will take a few weeks,” he answered.

“I understand that, but the motion will be put in place today.”

“Yes. Elvi,” he started his voice barely above a whisper. “It was never my intention to make you afraid of me.”

“I understand that. But consider who you are, Witch Slayer, and the way your words will affect those around you.”

“I want something in return,” he replied.

“What?”

“I want you to stay away from Arryn. I understand he is one of the higher born in your community, but I do not trust that man. Not at all. I know I am not your choice for a mate, but it is my job to keep you from harm. Stay away from him. As much as you are able. The way he looks at you is like you are prey. He said he wanted you to come to me, but the way he acts now, I’m not so sure that is his plan anymore.”

“You know I detest him.”

“Yes, as much as you do me. I just can't help but feel he is going to do something.”

“You are also aware he wants Morana.”

“Yes, that is her?” he asked, taking his eyes off her for the first time to look at the woman next to Priestess inside the dome. He had to admit she was very pretty, especially for a witch. No, he had to stop thinking like that. That is what kept getting him into these situations.

“Yes,” Elvi said, her voice and eyes softening as she looked at her girlfriend, who in turn was watching her curiously.

“You aren’t too dissimilar really, just remember that. Same build, complexion and hair colour. You would nearly be mistaken for one another from a distance or the right angle,” he warned. “Just please promise me that you won’t be left alone with him. I have known men like him before, and it never ends well.”

Elvi turned back to look Rowan in the eye. She searched them for a good long while to try and figure out what he meant by that. He was unnervingly correct. They had been mistaken for one another before, it had turned into a sort of personal joke between the two of them.

“Never alone” he reiterated. She nodded and walked away, without so much as a backwards glance.