Promises Fulfilled
by Melissa Farrell
The door of her preparation room swung open to admit Ninane's dearest friend, holding a tiny gargoyle in his arms.
"Elder!" she exclaimed. She ran over and accepted the little bundle, burying her face in the baby gargoyle's hair. Elder took her in his arms.
"I'm sorry, lass. I wish there was a way te stop this madness."
The young fay clung to her friend. "It's all right, Elder. There isn't anything you can do. I must see this through. However, as time goes by, I might really need your help."
"Anytime ye need me, lass, I'll be there."
The words started her tears once more. Elder stroked her hair comfortingly. Baby Goliath reached up with his tiny talons to touch the damp tracks of her tears. All Ninane could do was close her eyes and draw strength from the presence of those dear to her heart.
Another knock issued forth and the servant girl re-entered. She saw Elder and stopped in horrified surprise. Her hand gripped the door. "M..me Lady?"
Ninane gently parted from Elder's embrace, but she still held Goliath close to her chest. "What is it, Moira?"
The servant girl's eyes grew wide and she swallowed. "The.. the wedding is about te start, me Lady. You are needed in th' church."
"Very well. I will be right there."
The servant girl nodded and shut the door, trembling from head to foot.
Ninane chuckled. "It seems people aren't used to seeing gargoyles and humans together." Then her eyes grew sad. "Now I must go." She offered the gargoyle baby back to Elder.
Elder took the child, then ran a talon down her cheek where her hair touched it. "Good luck te ye, lass. Ye'll be missed."
Ninane caught the gargoyle's hand. "I'm not going to stay away.. no matter what the Archmage might say. I have a child I must help raise and a clan where I belong."
"But it might be dangerous..."
"I know it will be dangerous. The Archmage hates you and your kind."
"Then why run the risk?"
"Because," the fay turned to him, "you are my family here."
"Ach, lass." One arm was full, so the older gargoyle embraced Ninane with his wings, holding her close for an instant. Tears came into his eyes, but he blinked them back. Using one wing as a scoop, he gently ushered the girl to the door. "Get on wi' ye" he said in a gruff voice. "They're waitin' fer ye."
She was pushed out the door with one last effort. Moira came up and gave her a bouquet of heather in full bloom. Ninane looked over her shoulder for one last glance at Elder before raising her head and proudly moving forward.
People thronged in the great hall, straining to see the glorious spectacle. The torches burned in their sconces and the scent of fresh flowers filled the air. The priest was in his position in front of the royal dias, and the Archmage stood proud and tall to the right. His robes were a deep scarlet to set off the fire-red color of his hair, and a long purple robe cascaded off his shoulders. Ninane trembled with fear.
Then the music began to play, echoing off the solid stone walls. Prince Malcolm came up and escorted Ninane to the front. She could see the Prince's son, Malcolm II, in the arms of his nurse as she walked on the red carpet laid out before her. Then the moment of truth was at hand. The Prince relenquished her arm and the Archmage caught and held her hand in an iron grasp. He did not let go until they were both kneeling before the priest.
The words of the ceremony passed by her in a blur of meaningless sounds. She knew the priest's mouth moved, but she could not make sense of it. It was all she could do to keep her head held high, proud and defiant.
Suddenly, the touch of cold metal on her ring finger shocked her back to reality. The Archmage leered as she stared at the gold band around her finger in dull horror. There was magic in that ring.. binding magic. She wanted to struggle and cry out against this atrocity, but she was powerless. Then she was being pulled to her feet by the Archmage's sweltering hand as it imprisioned her own. The crowd laughed and cheered, blissfully ignorant of what would happen to her later on.
The banquet was gay and delightful. The Archmage, "Cornelius" she spat in the privacy of her own thoughts, was playing the perfect guest of honor. At the thought of his name, he turned to her and grinned. His voice echoed in her skull.
"Now, now, my dear. Enjoy yourself! You must have fun.. it will be your last chance for a good, long time."
The menace in his words was unmistakable. Ninane shuddered and forced herself to chatter idly with those around her, taking occasional sips of wine as any newly-wed bride would.
All too soon, the torchlight faded and the inhabitants of the castle drifted off to their beds.
"Congratulations, Lady Ninane. May you find peace and happiness in your new life" Prince Malcolm wished her, kissing her warmly on both cheeks.
"Thank you, your majesty" the fay replied tremulously. "Traitor.. if you only knew..." she thought.
"Ach, everything will be fine. You'll see. All brides are nervous about their wedding night. Fare thee well." The ruler of the castle then turned and left.
The last one to leave the hall was Elder. He came up close to Ninane. "Ay believe, on such a day as this, a body is able.. te kiss the bride?"
Ninane smiled. "It would be an honor, kind sir" she replied. Elder stepped close and started to embrace her. The fay lifted her face and closed her eyes.
"Oh no you don't, monster!" Ninane's arm was nearly ripped out of its socket as the Archmage tore her away from Elder and held her close to his side. She cried out in surprise and pain. Her husband glared at the gargoyle. "She is mine now, and your filthy hands can't touch her! She is mine, and mine alone." He turned to his new bride. "Come Ninane. We have a wedding night to celebrate." He whipped around and headed for the door, dragging Ninane along behind him.
"Hear me, Archmage. Some day you will pay for this." Elder's words rang through the halls as his eyes glowed white-hot.
The Archmage stopped and chuckled, an evil grin on his lips. "You think you're so clever, monster, but you're as dumb as any other beast. Go up to your tower and stay there. In the morning, you will be nothing but stone.. a hammer can be your death. I, however, will be the most powerful man on earth!" His last sentence rang in the rafters of the main hall, followed by a maniacal laugh. The sorcerer then fled out the door, leaving only a cold wind behind him.
Elder's hands clenched at his sides, his eyes still blazing. "Some day, Archmage. Some day." There was a few heartbeats of silence before the hall was filled with a titanic roar. The gargoyle turned and ran up to the highest tower, his wings full spread.
Ninane heard the roar from outside the castle. She turned to look back, the wind whipping her long, moonlight-colored hair around her face.
"Don't look back! Just keep walking" the Archmage commanded, yanking on her arm once more. She turned around and blindly followed, tears blurring her vision. It wasn't until she felt a change in rock, from firm granite to slippery shale, that she began to resist.
"No! No! You can't make me!"
"Oh yes I can!" He pulled her to him, holding her arm locked out to the side, her body pressed to his. "I control you now, my dear. That ring is in place on your finger, and it's not coming off anytime soon. You have no choice but to obey me!"
"Never!" she spat, struggling to get away.
The Archmage put his arm about her waist, holding her like an iron band. He hissed in her ear.
"I don't think you want to rebel right now, my lady. The rock here is quite slippery, and the ocean is a long way down!" He forced her in front of him, holding her just inches away from the cliff's edge.
Ninane looked down at the water and rocky coast below. She bit her lip to combat a spell of queasiness. "It's almost as if he wants me to fall! Well, I won't let him have that satisfaction!"
"You look green, my dear."
The fay sighed, feigning defeat. "You win, Archmage. Let me go, and I will follow you willingly."
"Ah, you're not fooling me with that trick. I'm keeping you close at hand. I would rather NOT be betrayed." He let one arm go, but held fast to her hand. Striding toward a steep path worn in the cliff face, he forcefully pulled her along behind him.
Some time later, the two stood before the mouth of a cave dug into the rock below the foundations of Castle Wyvern. The sea air had made Ninane's hair stiff with salt, blowing it into a complete tangle. She shivered, the cold, moist air having penetrated her thin wedding dress.
"Cold, my dear? Come inside." The Archmage put an arm about her shoulders and ushered her inside the cave. Once inside, he turned and made a gesture. Part of the stone wall moved, closing off the entrance. Ninane shuddered as stone ground against stone, sealing off her only route of escape. The Archmage reached for a torch and began creating the sparks needed to set it on fire.
Ninane looked around, her arms wrapped around her body, trying futilely to keep some body heat close to her. She noticed the walls were carved with strange symbols. Somehow the engravings had been worn smooth.. smoother than salt air alone could wear them. Her fingers danced over them, feeling ancient magic seep from the stone into her fingers. "What..."
"Ninane!" the Archmage snapped. She turned to face him, defiance in her eyes. Holding the torch in one hand, he roughly grabbed her arm with the other. "Come now. There is still an entire half-night to enjoy your surroundings." His black eyes gave off an evil shine that made dread grow inside her. He led her on, the torch lighting the way.
After stumbling around in the semi-darkness for what seemed like an eternity, the Archmage stopped. He held up the torch and the flame danced in an updraft. Ninane looked at the ground beneath her feet and let out a gasp of shock. Not even a foot away, the floor dropped into a seemingly bottomless chasm.
"Look to the other side" the Archmage commanded.
The youngest daughter of Oberon raised her head and looked toward the other side. Her eyes met the sight of a building of stone. It was carved with mystical runes and glowed a phosphorescent white-green. There was magic there, terrible magic. Even across the chasm, it seemed to pick at her very bones. She shuddered and back away. "No..."
"Oh yes, my dear. Here is the center of my power, little that I have. It mostly all stays here, absorbing magic for me. You," he leaned in so that his face was just inches from hers, "are the ultimate source. Once your power is added to that of the monument, I will be unstoppable!"
Her mind screamed in panic. "No!!" Her feet gained a mind of their own and she started to run back the way she had come.
The Archmage cast a hand before him. Ninane froze in mid-stride. She tried to break free, but her limbs would not respond. She strained, but she was helpless. The sorcerer laid a hand on her shoulder. "Now, will you behave, or must you stay here for a while to think it over?"
The fay felt her neck muscles loosen so she could move her head. She gave the Archmage a haughty stare. "You leave me so many choices, Archmage."
"But of course, my dear. I must guarantee your good behavior or my spell may go awry, destroying you rather than merely weakening you."
Ninane looked into the cold, black eyes of her new husband and knew he was telling the truth. If she was drained, she had a chance to flee. If she were dead... She had no choice. "Very well then, Archmage. I swear to you on my life and honor that I will obey you, but for this night only. After this, I make no promises." She smiled, revealing her slightly sharp canines.
"Good enough" the Archmage replied. He snapped his fingers and she fell to the ground in a heap. He took her arm and dragged her to her feet. "Come now. It is almost dawn, the perfect time to complete my spell." The two moved closer to the chasm. The Archmage threaded Ninane's arm through his and helped her negotiate the treacherously thin lip of rock near the wall, the only way across the bottomless pit.
Once on the other side, the fay felt her knees begin to tremble. The very ground seemed to absorb energy from her. The Archmage saw this and hurried her to the glowing stone temple.
Her legs gave way on the steps of the monument. She stumbled, fell, and could not rise. The Archmage sighed impatiently, put his hands under her arms, and dragged her up to one of the great stone pillars.
Through a haze of pain and weakness, Ninane heard the snap of a metal cuff and chain being fastened to one of the sturdy columns. The she felt it.. iron! She tried to move away, but she couldn't.
"Relax, my dear. I had the band of your end covered in gold. It will keep you in place, but it won't kill you."
"Comforting thought" she muttered. She felt the overwhelming presence of iron close around her wrist. It hurt, but it did not burn as uncovered iron would have. She looked at the Archmage with all the hatred she could muster. "Why are you doing this?"
The sorcerer laughed. "It's very simple, my dear." He went over to a wooden stand and brought a small tome over near the monument. He placed it on a stone slab connected to the glowing edifice.
"This," he patted the book, "is the Grimorum Arcanorum. It was first written by the Romans with spells to regulate the activities of gargoyles. I bought it from a street vendor in Rome for a few pennies." He snorted. "Fool. I took it back with me and studied the spells within its pages. Then.. I added a few of my own." His hand left the book as he stepped close to Ninane. "These spells can be used on gargoyle, human, or fay, but they have no power as yet. That's what I need you for."
He knelt down before her and cupped her chin with one long-fingered hand. "From the moment I saw you, I knew you were a Child of Oberon. My own great-grandfather was one of your race. See these ears?" Cornelius swept his hair back away from the tips of his ears to reveal their slightly pointed shape. "They are a remnant of that occurrence. It is also the reason I can tap your powers so easily. So you see, my dear, we were meant for each other."
"Monster!" Ninane spat in fury. With one last burst of strength, she tried to break the chain. The Archmage shouted a word and both hands were chained behind her.
"You have spirit. I like that." His mouth breathed inches away from hers. "Don't tempt me to take all my pleasure in one night. You might not survive.. and you will enjoy it more later" and he ran a lustful hand over the swell of her breast.
Blood rose to her cheeks; anger, hatred, and excitement coursing through her body. She laughed scornfully, taunting him. "You think you're so powerful. You are right; my powers are now yours to use. But my heart died long ago on the field of Camlann with my first husband, Mordred of Camelot. You can have your way with me, for you are my husband, Archmage.. but you can never truly rule me!"
Fury and hurt pride filled the sorcerer's eyes. He straightened up and raised a hand. Ninane did not even flinch. In a motion of rage, the Archmage brought his hand down, slapping his new bride's cheek with all the force he was capable of. Her head snapped to the side, but she recovered, glaring at him silently in loathing, her violet-blue eyes dark with hatred. She turned her head away, looking at a far corner of the cave.
Cornelius turned on her, grabbing her hair brutally to turn her face to his. "I have no time for this. The sun is almost above the horizon. You will pay for this.. later." He forcefully released her, her head hitting the stone base of the monument. She sat up dizzily, her sight blurry. The Archmage had his back to her.
Suddenly, a beam of pure sunlight shone in from some unseen hole in the roof. The Archmage shouted a long incantation in some alien tongue that she could not understand. The beam hit the book, bounced off the metal engraving on the cover, and hit her directly in the middle of her forehead. It acted like a bridle, holding her head still. She was forced to close her eyes against the light.
The glow of the monument grew more intense until its light was white-hot. The last words of the spell came forth and the light rose to an intolerable level.
Then came the pain. It brought tears to Ninane's eyes as she gave out an inhuman shriek of agony as hurt and ache combined to course though her, like some sort of ravenous fire, eating away at her, flesh, bone, and spirit. Tears spilled down her cheeks as every nerve screamed out for the torture to stop. Then the bright light pierced her mind, ripping knowledge and magic from her head.
"Nooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" she screamed, her cry ending in choked tears. She fell, lying on the hard, unyielding stone. She whispered her last coherent words. "No.. no.. stop.. please. Help." The final word was no more than a breath of air, accompanied by a single tear.
"Puck..."
*Present Day*
Nancy shot out of her dream like a startled deer. She sat bolt upright on the couch, clutching the afghan to her chest. Her heart was still beating, and she wished she could cry, but she was alive. It was the late 20th century, and... She looked at the clock on the endtable close by. The digital display informed her it was 3:30PM. Then everything came back in a flash. She had an appointment with Beth Maza at 4:00PM!
She stood up, ran a hand through her long, moonlight-colored hair, and looked in the mirror. She didn't look really awful, just slightly worn about the edges. She stared at her reflection as she thought. How would she do this? In a position where Beth could tell Bluestone that she liked him, and he would have to hear her out. On a whim, she waved a hand and the mirror became a window to Matt Bluestone's apartment.
She watched as the annoying, red-haired detective got ready to take a shower. She had to show that detective who was boss. Then, she got an outrageously wicked idea.
Matt Bluestone stepped out of the shower in his Manhattan apartment. He dried himself off, but instead of whistling a happy tune like he usually did, his face was grave. He still remembered his encounter with the arrogant Nancy Ambrose. "She's almost as bad as Xanatos!" he muttered to himself.
"Indeed I am, Detective."
Bluestone turned and his mouth dropped open. Nancy stood there in a forest green court gown embroidered with gold accents, her long hair loose and flowing. Then he remembered that he was stark naked.
"Have some decency, will you?" he remarked furiously, quickly wrapping a towel around himself. "And how the Hell did you get in? I should run you in for breaking and entering..."
"I can see why you bluster so, Detective. It's to make up for your.. ah.. shortcomings."
Bluestone turned a deep shade of red. "GET OUT!!" he roared, pointing to the door, holding the towel with one hand.
"Hmmmmmmmmmm.. not exactly prime cut, but I must deliver what she ordered" Ninane sighed.
"Oh stop complaining, Detective. I'm doing you a favor!"
Beth Maza checked her watch. Two minutes to four. The youngest Maza continued to pace across the living room floor. Professor Ambrose had promised her Matt Bluestone, but how could her old Prof. pull it off? And how could she get him here, anyway? Sure, she was a Fay, but even they had to have their limitations. What if..?"
Beth never got to finish her mental question. On the dining room table, a ball of electric blue light appeared. She drew closer. The light gave out sparks, forcing her to cover her eyes. Then the glowing ball faded and in its place was Matt Bluestone.
The red-haired detective was trussed up like a Thanksgiving turkey. His body lay on a huge silver platter, his hands handcuffed behind his rear end. He was dressed in only a loincloth, and a big, red apple was stuffed in his mouth. Bluestone sputtered, trying to spit out the fruit, but it was lodged in too well.
Beth let out a delighted laugh, her eyes sparkling with devilish intent. She looked up at the ceiling. "Thank you, Prof.!" she yelled.
"A wish granted for a secret uncovered, Beth. We are now even. Enjoy!" Ninane's voice echoed sweetly through the room. Bluestone could almost swear he felt someone swat his behind before turning his head to look at Beth.
"Now I have you just as I wanted, and you have to hear me out."
Beth's eyes glowed with triumph as she playfully ruffled Bluestone's hair. He looked at the youngest Maza, saw the glint in her eyes, and his own eyes opened wide. He tried to yell, protest, do something, but the apple prevented all speech. All he could do was whine as Beth circled him, drinking him in hungrily with her eyes.
Outside the window, Ninane laughed. She was perched on the rooftop looking through the skylight. The sound of her merriment echoed off the neighboring rooftops and walls. Finally, she had to grip the edge of the glass-and-metal frame to keep from falling.
After several minutes, she was able to regain her composure. Now all her promises had been fulfilled and all her commitments came to an end. She smiled and went to the edge of the roof. Lightly, she jumped over the side, catching the rail of the fire escape to stop her fall. She levered her body up on the stairs and continued down normally, with a new skip in her step.
As the fay reached the ground, she turned back to look up at the roof and the sky, just starting to gain the colors of sunset. She stood and watched as the colors washed over the sky, then darkened into evening. She stayed in the same position for almost two hours, just savoring the changing sky.
"I think I'm going to like being in Manhattan for a while" she murmured. As the last tinge of pink left the sky, she turned towards the street. "This concrete isle has changed since I was last here. I think I'll take a look around." Tossing her long, moonlight-blond hair behind her, she proudly walked toward the busy street. She peeked around the corner, then started her journey along the sidewalks of New York, looking for some source of fun.