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meg_evonne:
"It came to me in a flash that no one with their own inner magic could truly understand what it was I was doing.  They could see me calling the powers but that they were not filtered through me - they were the raw power bent to my will, imagination or feelings.  I blinked then sat down suddenly very tired. 

I was distantly aware of a small tornado close by and Debbie fighting a group of the dwarves, then she landed and got a small ovation.  I would have joined in but I felt oddly out of touch with things at this moment." quote Kristine

No time for the weary.  Debbie was on steroids or something, Humbert was still laughing at me, and a bunch of little green men pulled their swords and made a huge circle around me.  Debbie had a strange smile on her face before yelling, "More training time!"  Immediately they were all on me.  I scrambled to my feet and decided I'd keep the thinking process  for later. 

This time the Wildflower sang into lightsword form with a whosh of energy that tossed me backwards through the green men towards a stone embankment.  It sent a few of them laughing into the background, but Debbie and her "tutor" had lofted and were attacking from overhead, Humbert was coming on head first and the greenmen were filling up any extra space.  For once though, I didn't feel like I was behind the game, not this time.

I opened myself to the energy filling me and directed it to my will.  The lightsaber sang violet and I disappeared, fading into the air.  It was for-real this time, no footprints in the sand, no physical me hidden by light twisting.  I laughed as I re-materialized behind the hoard.  I leaped into the air, sending my feet into Herbert's hindside where he was propelled directly into the rock with a shattering sound that would have broken any normal person's skull open.  It didn't of course, the man was unstoppable.  Too bad he wasn't willing to fight with us. 

At the same time, I swung the light saber, turning it back into it's plastic toy form and swiped a blow at Debbie's delightful rear end.  She turned and shot me a look of anger, then realized what I had accomplished and she bowed to me from her point up in the air.  She only bobbled a little.

"Humbert, I want floor plans to that Fortress.  I think it's time the Emperor and Cloudicus Gassius met their end."  We settled in a circle and I turned the hard dirt at our feet into soft sand with a wave of the Wildflower--yellow.  I wondered what I could turn Cloudicus into, but maybe it would be better if I headed for the Emperor and let Debbie have it out with the flying fart cloud.  I also wondered how I was going to "free" all the magic sorts that were forced into spider warrior form. 

We had barely begun when another set of leather clad warriors showed up.  The first did a summary appraisal of who was who and noticed the Wildflower still in my hand.  Their leader a tall, dark haired woman approached and bowed on one knee. 

"Holder of the Wildflower, your rainbow alert from the village has notified all of your supporters in the kingdom.  Your warriors await your command at the boundaries of this kingdom.  At your word they will attack."

"How many strong?"  I asked and tried to look unimpressed by their timely appearance.

"Seven legions of 100 warriors each.  A quarter are calvary, one quarter have human weapons of machine guns, rifles, grenades etc, one quarter archers, and one quarter simple warriors with axes, clubs, knives, and swords.  We have no magi--as they were all impressed into service of the Emporer.  If you can release them from the Emperor's control they will join in the attack.  However we have received word that the Emperor's forces have retreated to the area surrounding his fortress.  The Emporer will be prepared for your attack."

I looked at Debbie and grinned.  Things were definitely looking up.  I waved the Wildflower (orange) this time and a feast was spread out before us.  Geez, I was hungry.  I checked the sun, if Humbert was correct and Andre's execution would be set for sundown, we had at least half an hour to eat before we started.  Plenty of time to coordinate an attack plan based on the floor plans Humbert had supplied.

Qualapec:
Dark prisons were a universal constant.

Of all the worlds he'd been to, of all the universes he'd visited, of all the kingdoms that had condemned him for various reasons, they had all been extremely dark prisons. In general they had also been unsanitary, uncomfortable, and the guards had always eaten his designated last meal (usually slop anyway).

This wasn't like the other prisons Andre had been in.

As a matter of fact, it was downright nice.

The Emperor himself sat across from Andre, at the end of a long table, an almost pleased expression on the sovreign's face. He calmly sipped a glass of wine that had been waiting for almost a hundred years for this moment. Andre had his own glass of wine and a meal consisting of the finest food in the empire. Despite the fact that he was desperately hungry, and the Emperor was unlikely to poison him when a public execution was more showy, he still refused to eat. Just being in the presence of the other man was enough to make him ill. He drank the wine though, maybe death wouldn't be so bad if he could somehow manage to be incredibly drunk on the way up the gallows.

Andre had no fantastical ideas about living through this. Because out of all those who had imprisoned him, none but the man across from him truly had the power to end him.

"So," He said after a long while of staring at the man across from him, "You look smug."

"I'm just pondering your complete and total defeat," The Emperor said with glee, "A century, Andre, a century we have been at this game. Surely you tire of it as I do?"

Andre shrugged nonchalantly, "I'll admit I was getting tired of the same old mind games...although honestly I planned on it ending differently. It's the funniest thing, in my version: you die, I live to get the girl, and happily ever after, that kind of thing."

The Emperor did something unexpected: he laughed. A truly jovial laugh from the most sadistic man in seven worlds send shivers down Andre's spine, and left him dumbfounded for a moment. When the laughs settled down the Emperor kept smiling, "Oh yes, dear Yamila...I sometimes made the mistake of considering you a driven genius, when really you are just a love-sick fool, ammusing but non-threatening." He leaned further onto the table, the vicious smile never leaving, "Andre, did you honestly believe that after a century as my consort she would still want a worthless vagabond like you? She was in rags, now she's in silks and lace. As a criminal she never had the freedom she has as a member of my court. And...as soon as she gives me my heir, she will be given a place of honor, and her own land." The smile widened, "What? You didn't know?"

Andre sat there, hazel eyes widened in shock at what he was hearing. Surely it couldn't be coming from Yamila...This was a trick, a way to gain a complete defeat. While it was true she hadn't dressed in the best clothes, they had more freedom than anyone.

And her being pregnant...that had to be a lie. She would have faught any such attempt. "No," He said with finality, he couldn't allow himself to be sucked into the lie, "I want to hear it from her."

"I expected such denial - Reza! Bring her out."

Reza entered the room...and following her was Yamila. The two women looked very much alike. With light chocolate skin and dark hair. Yamila's face was softer, her golden eyes looking less likely to snog or stab you without a moment's notice than Reza's. Also, where Reza was dressed in sharp, skintight leathers, Yamila had the most beautiful Chinese-style silks he had ever seen, all red and orange colors adorned with a pheonix and dragon. She looked regal. "Andre..." she said, the slightest shock on her voice, the recognition on her face made his heart flitter.

It was crushed again moments later when she turned to the Emperor and said, "You said I didn't have to see him."

The Emperor shrugged, "I'll make it up to you later."

"Yamila," Andre lost control and threw himself up from his seat, it should have been a hint when nobody made a move to stop him. He walked up to her and stopped just short of touching her, "Yamila..."

"Don't," She said harshly as she shrank away from his touch. "Just...don't...I have so much with him, more than I ever had. More than I ever dreamed of."

Her words were like a vice on his heart, "Are you happy?" he asked, staring at her under his hat.

With a tight voice, she responded, "...Yes. I am happy."

Andre forced a smile, even though he felt more like crying. Everything he'd lived for, everything he'd sacrificed. He'd relinquished raising their daughter, almost destroyed himself learning spells that should have taken thousands of years, learned dozens of languages, stolen the Wildflower...

...and she was happy with his mortal enemy. "Well then," in barely above a whisper he added, "I'm glad..." He flicked his hat down over his eyes, a nervous attempt to cover his absolute desire to die right then, "If you'll excuse me, I believe I have a date with the angel of death, you know, now that I'm single again and everything..."

Yamila bit her lip before bringing a hand up to his face, "I never stopped loving you. But you know how it is as well as anybody, when you grow up a thief it is with a mentality that you will risk, and sacrifice, everything for a better life," her hand briefly touched her stomach, "A child of my bloodline will one day rule this world. That, Andre, is a better life. I'm so sorry that your chosen path has led you here." Her hand reached behind his head and pulled him close, he didn't have the strength to fight her. She laid a kiss on his hat and he inhaled her scent for the last time.

Nothing else was said before the guards came to escort him to a fate that no longer mattered to him.

(AN: I didn't know what happened with the third person v. first person thing, but I just really wanted to write this. Sorry.)

meg_evonne:
Love it, myself   :D

As Andre left the room under escort, he passed Yamila.  He wished otherwise and his anger seethed, but he couldn't deny his need to connect with her and he tipped his head for one last gaze beneath his hat.  Their eyes connected.

As his guards pulled him towards the door, Yamila cried out and almost collapsed--her hands on her belly.  Reza was beside her instantly, her own hand on Yamila's stomach confirming the contraction.  "She is in labor.  I think she may have been for sometime.  The contraction is strong and the baby rides low."

"Perfect timing, Yamila, but there was no reason to keep the good news a secret.  Reza call the healer to attend to my future heir.  Guards, you may continue your mission."    The Emperor lifted his glass to Andre with a parting, "So now the plan is complete.  Your death, Andre, will simply be an easily overlooked footnote in history.  Goodby Andre, I'll make sure your daughter joins you shortly."

Andre struggled against his guards, but gave up quickly, despondent.  What was the point? Yamila didn't love him, the ruby bracelet on his wrist left him useless, and the gallows waited below.  He could only hope that Debyone had the good sense to leave this world immediately and seek safe harbor.   

Qualapec:
All the nobles in all of Wildfire had gathered to watch Andre die, it seemed.


--- Quote ---Andre struggled against his guards, but gave up quickly, despondent.  What was the point? Yamila didn't love him, the ruby bracelet on his wrist left him useless, and the gallows waited below.  He could only hope that Debyone had the good sense to leave this world immediately and seek safe harbor.
--- End quote ---

Debyone, as it turns out, did not have the good sense to leave Wildfire for a backwater world.

Her surrogate parents had insisted she learn certain spells to conceal her appearence and to bend the air around herself so as to appear invisible. While generally effective in areas that were not heavily populated, the central execution grounds were packed, and guards or any spiders would notice her moving through the crowd. So she'd been forced to settle with an appearence altering spell. They clung to the skin and were less likely to give her away.

She felt uncomfortable for various reasons. The execution grounds were not filled with soldiers as Joey and the small army's leaders had anticipated. It was filled with the highest nobles of the Emperor's court. Open slaughter was not an option, most of the nobles were good people who had been appointed to their position because they would be popular with the people. A lot of them were honest, hardworking and fair. Debbie knew that the 'hack and slash' plan that Joey had would no longer fit.

As she worked he way through the crowd she saw a sight that made her heart ache. There was a small child with two lower ranking nobles, she sat in the dirt, unable to see the site that was about to unfold, and hence she was happy to be out with her parents. Debbie remembered a childhood of outings just like this. As in, outings that she didn't understand until she got a little taller. Of course, as a child she had had many nice outings with her parents that didn't include someone's destruction.

As a matter of fact, there was a time, long ago when she'd been in a field playing with her older brothers. All of them were dead now, but back then they'd been alive and to her five-year old eyes, fun to play with. Andre and Yamila were still the only parents she'd known. They had sauntered behind the rest of the family, both as relaxed as she had ever seen them. Debbie remembered falling, she hadn't skinned her knee, but it had suprised her. To a child all you need is to be suprised. She started crying. Before she'd known it Andre had been at her side, first making sure if she was all right, then cheering her up. Debbie smiled at the memory, and immediatly winced at the others it conjuered.

Not too long after that they all left...

And the only one she had seen since then was Andre.

In her time as a lower noble's changling she had come to mourn her taken mother, and resent her brothers' choices.

But Andre, she had come to hate him. It spawned sometime in her teenage years, blaming him and his games for all the evil that had befallen her. She hated him for the fact that he had not loved her enough to stay behind. She hated him even though her new father was kind, she wanted the old one that had jumped to her side to make sure she wasn't hurt. Debbie met him for the first time when she was thirty and her noble family had...retired in the same way as her first. They were both locked in the same prison cell, and had argued over the most enterprising way to escape. Once they'd managed to escape she realized who she was with, and had debated between hugging and killing him. After that they'd met up several times over the years to relieve people of prized possessions that neither could get to by themselves. Dangerous and professional attempts at father-daughter bonding.

And now, she stood there, getting ready to kick-start a risky mission to save a man who was little more than a sperm-doner and aquaintance to her. Or at least that's what she'd been telling herself for years.

Suddenly trumpets blared and guards brought him out into the crowd. The bubbly chatter around her ceased as they brought him across the courtyard and up the gallows steps. Her heard lurched painfully as they read off the charges and lowered the noose.

If this plan didn't work. He would die.

The man who cheered her when she fell would die.

It would be her fault if she messed up.

Could she live with that?

Perhaps it was best not to mess up.

meg_evonne:
I shimmered in next to Debbie, masked invisibily, and blew in her ear.  She wisked her hand past her hair, as if to shoo away a fly.  It took three tries before she figured out it was me.  It was good she did because she looked like she was going to knock the big oaf next to her out, thinking it was him.

"Joey?" she whispered.

"None other.  Okay so the nobles here puts a lot of stuff on hold.  I'm having the army hold back in the forest, but all those spider soldiers are getting antsy out there.  I think they know something is up.   Speaking of up, Humbert's figured out how to get me into the women's quarters and then it's a short walk to the Emperor's balcony.  I'll give you a sign when I'm ready.  Listen Debbie, if I'm late---you can't go it alone, you got that?  Andre doesn't need to see his daughter killed just before he buys it.  I don't know him well and I know you two have 'issues' but he doesn't want you to die.  So let's work as a team this time, okay?  The people here are saying that the Emperor will be giving a speech first from the balcony and Cloudicus Gassious is going to be on the gallows to make sure no one tries anything.  Hold steady until I'm in place and give the signal, right?"

She grudgingly nodded, knowing a coordinated attack was the only way this was going to work, but it would be hell for her in the meantime.  Debbie's personality didn't seem to include an attribute for team sports or patience.  I gave her an invisible hug, that apparently worked because she smiled back at me.

I quickly shimmered out of the fortress and around to the back of the huge walls.   Debbie's tutor was waiting for me.  Just as Humbert had said, there was a lavoratory that stuck out over the moat from the top floor.  Yuck, this was not going to be fun. I had tried but the Wildflower apparently preferred that I keep my feet on the ground, flying wasn't one of my new talents.  I materialized and he nodded, grabbed my hand, and we started rising slowly.  I'd also been unable to make myself and another go invisible.   Luckily all the spiders were focused on the edge of the forest.  They knew something was out there, but they must have been ordered to stay near and guard the fortress.

We rose straight up to the jutting overhang.  I listened for noise overhead; there was none.  Then I took out the Wildfire and in cutting mode made four swipes and the wood seating with the round hole dropped, falling down into the mote below. The splash it made wasn't noticed by any of the nearby spiders.   A couple green men quickly pulled it onto the bank and hid it beneath a handy nearby bush.  They gave me a thumbs up and Debbie's tutor gave me a push before he dropped back down to the ground, again un-noticed.  I climbed and quickly crouched over the opening on all fours, the Wildflower back in its scabboard.  I was in a small bathroom about the size of a closet.  The wood door was open a crack. 

From the other side came a woman's scream, followed by a lot of moans, quickly followed by a lot of panting.  Hell, what was I walking in on?  I quietly climbed from my perch and shifted position for a better view.  A woman was on a bed, my healer (remember the mental case fan of the Emperor?) was working with her.  Another woman's back was to me.  She wore a short bronze colored leather jacket and her lower half was damn right stunning in super tight black jeans.  Not much was left to the imagination.  The woman had a memorable hindside and her slim, but muscled thighs only added to the attraction.  From the back, her exposed neck was ebony smooth and her hair was cropped short and tight.  She wore strangly feminine, large, round gold earrings.  Yep, she was amazing, but she was also our lesser niminesis, Reza.  Great.  Now what? 

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