Don't Trust A Pretty Face

[Roni]

Friday - April 30, 2021 - Late Evening

Lilith stood before the empty golem of clay and vines, not yet given form or spirit, not yet a weapon for his goals. She stared at it with regret already present in her eyes. Arlen was held back a short ways away, close enough she was visible, a reminder of why she was doing this, and ensuring Lilith was able to use the full extent of her magic.

A hand covered the autumn fae’s mouth, the spring sister glanced over as she reached her hands out, the magic of Beltane looped through her fingers, a green glow filled the eye sockets, “You understand your mission, correct?” She spoke plainly, her own golden eyes filled with pain and determination, she just had to do this one thing, and she’d be free.

The golem stared back, the clay morphed and shaped into the face she needed for this, a face she knew would hurt. It nodded and spoke, the voice came through, a known voice, “I understand.”

She turned away, slipped into the shadows, raised a glamour, and waited, ready to let the golem do its job.

This was just one of those nights for the faerie. She felt restless, lost and uncomfortable in her own skin. The closer to Beltane it got, the worse it got. This time last year she had been a bundle of nerves as she tried to find the best way as well as the right moment to break it to Jeremy that she was pregnant, the dates lined up for him, that it was definitely his child and not Zagan's. The night of Beltane had been turned sideways in such an instant… all those dreams, all those hopes breathed in the exhausted twining of bodies with excited breathless whispers, dashed and wretched apart in a matter of minutes.

Her heart was heavy, She missed Jeremy more than ever and wished for nothing more than his presence. To have that family they had spoken and dreamed of the night of Beltane. Even if Lilith was a pleasant and pretty distraction. It was Jeremy's spirit's quiet wish for her to find happiness, so she was working towards that.

Once Lily had gone down for bed, after a moment of communication and confirmation with Siobhan that she'd call if Lily woke, Roni took off to wander her way towards her favorite wing place. Maybe after she would head to the beach and let the night calm that fell there find her. Or maybe she would go visit Jeremy's grave and talk to him. She would apologize profusely to the hands she provided in his death, wish more than anything that she could step back in time and tell herself to be careful. To keep him safe.

A small voice told her there was always the distraction of a pretty face, good conversation just a text or phone call away. It was the safer option out of all of everything she considered. Being alone was never a good thing for the fae. She made bad decisions and acted rashly. She figured that she would simply end with texting the pretty face when she got to the restaurant, perhaps see if she was up for doing a thing. So along she went, wandering the mental directions she had in mind towards her favored restaurant.
The golem leaned against a wall, directly in her path, a lit cigar rested between his fingers, a face very familiar to the fae, “Evening Doll.” Lilith had heard the nicknames, she had heard about them from him, this doll was catered specifically for Roni, specifically to get the information she needed. Jaxx had fed her the illicitly gained information, she knew where to place her golem, she knew where to watch from, her glamour flickered in tune with her emotions, it barely lasted a moment, before once more her hair fell in cherry blossom coloured locks, opalescent butterfly wings falling low behind her, “Did you miss me?” The golem spoke, his voice took on a mocking tone.

Evening Doll. the words came in Zagan's ever familiar smoke and gravel voice. And while it was not one that she had heard in a while, it was enough to stop her dead in her tracks and stare at the form leaned up against the wall. "Zagan. Yer lookin pretty fresh fer crawling outta whatever hell Siobhan sent yer miserable ass ta." Their last encounter had been with his spirit when she had tried to visit Jeremy again at that stupid inn. It had ended with violence, as had most of their encounters.

Disgust bled across her features. "Gawd, fuck nah. Really wish ya would stop n'just stay dead. Ya've already fucked my brain up enough don't ya think?"

He grinned and stepped into the light, he had a shadow, it showed his body was as real as it had ever been. His eyes moved over her, “And yet here I am, fresh as the day…” he frowned and took pause, “Was it your knight? Or was it you…?” The grin that followed mildly sadistic, “Must have been you, explains why it didn’t take.”

Lilith’s lips moved in a whisper as he spoke, her movements matched his words with her own, a tear streamed down the side of her face. She looked to where her sister had been, and reminded herself why had committed to do this.

There was a flicker of surprise that finds her features when she realizes that his form was very corporeal. His question has her scowling. "Ya were there. Ya should be well aware of what happened that night."

There was a scowl that followed his form, before she stepped back from him. "Why have ya decided ta haunt me again Zagan? Ya miss havin' someone ta fight ya back in bed or something?"

He grinned and moved to get into her space, “Oh I am very aware of what happened, as for why I’m here, I’m here to remind you that you’re mine,” He lifted a hand towards her shoulder, “Unless of course, you intend to do something about it?”

He invaded her space, and her hands came up to catch his chest, and nudge him back. "I never was yers, Zagan. Even when ya utilized mah true name n'twisted mah will ta yers, I was never fuckin yers. Ya might've controlled me, but nothing made me yers. Even when I married yer pathetic ass. It was simply a ploy ta power. Ya were delusional if ya ever thought I even cared fer ya." A scowl bled across her features as she spoke.

He stood firm, “You say that, yet I controlled your actions, I controlled your will, I will continue to do that with every breath I take, I don’t need you to care for me, don’t you understand? You are mine.”

The words were echoed by a certain faerie who eavesdropped, soft and whimpered, the tone polar opposite to the golem, she had told it what to say, kept feeding it lines, even as she broke down, this was for Arlen, this was for their freedom.

“You are mine, come home.” His tone turned more firm as he made the command.

His words breathed fear into the tiny voice in the back of her head. The one that whispered that even when he really was dead and gone long over, that he would haunt her, body, mind and soul. "Ya stopped breathing last fuckin Beltane. Yer dead. What's dead should stay dead, and gawd I fuckin wish ya would stay so." There were a couple more steps taken back from him. She wanted distance between them. She felt like she was being suffocated, and anxiety clawed viciously at her insides, it made her stomach churn and her heart thunder in her chest.

"I am more at home now than I've ever been in my life. Fuck ya."

“And yet, here I am, alive and well, not even a scar.” He matched her movements, a show of power perhaps, “Tell me how you plan to keep your family safe if I didn’t even stay dead,” there was a pause, “Or do you intend to let your knight kill everyone, make the lie she killed me more believable.”

Lilith shielded herself in her wings, she begged Roni to just say it so this could stop, begged to be freed from what this was likely doing to the winter fae, to just let it stop.

"Magic is a useful thing. I coulda been a useful thing ta ya Zagan. I've learned recently though, ya wouldn't waste yer time tellin' nothin‘ that it's nothin. No one does." This time he mirrored her movements, she came to a slow stop and held her ground.

There was a moment as he spoke, before she cocked her head aside and something dangerous and feral came across her features. "If it means keeping my daughter, or those I've laid claim to, safe, I'll burn the Courts ta ruins, if need be. I'm tired of people walkin' all over me, n'm sick of losin' people I love."

"Siobhan has a job. It's ta protect me. She did just that." They were the same shell shocked words she had uttered nearly a year ago. To the servants that had finally come to find her nearly catatonic, but clean, in the room her and Zagan shared. To the horror on their faces as they spied Zagan dead and bloodied in bed where he had slept. It was the same thing she had numbly repeated for days with every mind that pried and the investigation that had followed.

"Ya know as well as I do, Zagan, we can't lie."

“No we can’t, but we can twist words, so answer this, how did you think I died, cause many of my friends, and even some of yours believe you were the one who did it, not your knight, and truly, you have never denied it.” He grinned, he still mimicked her movements, almost mockingly.

"Even if I did, would they blame me? Fer years, Zagan, years, since I was fourteen. Ya raped me, abused me. Beat me without mercy. All because my parents thought they owned me'n could give me away ta settle a debt." She hissed the words, then suddenly moved to invade his space, hands grasped at the fabric of his shirt.

"We can twist words, yes. I think it's only fair given ya made me twist a fuckin' knife in my lover's heart. Like I broke our marriage contract or somethin', which I checked, n'checked again, n'nothin' in it said I was unable ta take lovers. Like he deserved it. Ya killed Lily's father before she ever had a chance ta meet 'em."

There was a pause before she snarled the rest of her words, all pretense of a glamour she had been holding until this point gone. "Dead or alive I will always hate ya the most fer that."

That was all Lilith needed to hear, it was all he needed to hear, the golem grinned, and in the seconds between Lilith releasing control, and it crumbling into dust it whispered, “That’s all my mistress needed, you should watch who you make friends with.”

Lilith stood, she watched the movements beyond her control in horror, no longer hidden, she watched as the one who took Arlen took the golem, for but a few seconds, before it crumbled.

Zagan's words, or the Golems rather, before it crumbled to dust, almost quite literally in her hands, made her eyes widen just a touch. Mistress? Who was that? Near immediately her thoughts ticked to Lilith, and the quiet words that Jaxx had whispered so many nights ago. There was panic very evident on her features as she tried to process what the fuck just happened, that panic blossomed into confusion when she spied Lilith, stood off at a small distance.

"Lilith?" Her voice betrayed her confusion just as much as her face. She took half a step towards her. Then she stopped, looked to the dust at her feet, then back up to Lilith.

"What did ya do?"

Lilith stared and held her gaze for only a moment. Her hands shook, “I’m so sorry…” she whispered, “He wouldn’t free her until I…” her voice cracked, “Roni I’m so sorry…” a tear rolled down her face, “I had to get the information…” her voice cracked again, the faerie took half a step away, wings moved to spread behind her, “He has what he needed… I’m sorry.”

"Yer sorry? Lilith what the fuck did you do? Information? What -" There's a beat, and she stopped mid sentence, before her steps started to carry her closer. "Who is he? Is it Jaxx? Do ya know what he's gunna do with that? Do you even fuckin' know what game yer meddlin' in?" Now... Now there was panic set deep into her features. In less words she had pretty much admitted that she had murdered her miserable husband, and let her friend take the fall.

She shook her head as she backed up further, “He’s just a pawn…” her voice was soft and scared, she seemed to forget she could fly away as tears rolled down her face. She did not need to say it, but she knew exactly what she was up to, what she was playing in, “He had my only family!” This was blurted, “I’m so sorry…” her voice cracked again and the girl went quiet as she continued to back up, she knew she did not need to clarify further.

"So ya manipulate me n'give away everything that can destroy mine?" Roni pursued as she backed up.

"I woulda helped ya. I liked ya. Like crazy. I-I-Ah fuck. Gawd, am I stupid as fuck or what? Shoulda known that there was no way someone goregous enough ta make my brain stupid woulda actually liked me. Just my luck it woulda been the first date since Jeremy's death too." She wanted to scream. To cry. To pounce Lilith and take all her frustration out on her, not unlike Zagan had done to her so many times in the past.

Lilith would not have blamed her if she had, she probably would not have even fought back. She just stared at the ground, “I do like you… I’ve always admired you, and I…” a tear hit the dirt, a little flower grew where it hit the soil, “They chose me to make sure I couldn’t warn you… they took her, and promised to give her a fate worse than death if I didn’t comply… Roni I’m sorry, I was really hoping you’d find out sooner… or not like me…” she stopped her movement, her eyes off Roni as she waited for the bite of her rage, the rage of a mother who stood to lose it all.

"Who is he, Lilith? Jaxx is just a pawn, Yer just a pawn. Obviously. Feelin's aside n'all. Until recent. I was just aware of Jaxx. I'm tired of bein' blindsided. Ya fucked me over. My family, Haru, Lily, Mist, Amaris, are all at risk now." There's a beat, before Roni finally closed the distance between the two of them.

When her fingers found the woman's face, it was not in rage as expected, but with the tenderness of what they could have been. She tilted her head up just enough so that she could meet her eyes, the look on her unglamoured face full of the rage she had expected.

"I am tired." She sounded defeated. "Obviously, just as I was Zagan's pawn in Jeremy's death, ultimately, ya are a pawn in this man's game. N'In yer shoes I can't say I would of done any different. I married my abuser ta rescue mah best friend."

Lilith did not back away, not until she saw that rage, then backed up and looked away again, “he’s called Albedo, archfae of summer.” Her voice was quiet, “I’m sorry…” she whispered yet again, unable to bring herself to stop, “I won’t ask you to forgive me, what I’ve done is unforgivable, but I’m sorry…”

There was a beat. Her brows went up at the name, but she honestly does not seem surprised... She even seemed amused. So much so, that as Lilith stepped back, her head tilted back, and laughter, loud and crackling bubbled up. "Sunnabitch. M'not surprised. The one with the hair n'the hoity-toity holier than ya persona? Mister I think sentient beings are livestock to be bred, beat n'fucked? He was right livid when I cut all contracts he n'Zagan had." There was a hiss of irritation, before she rocked on her feet for just a moment.

"I can forgive ya fer bein' manipulated. Not so much other things." There was a pause. "Actions can be loud." Simply. Prove it. "I am mad. I don't make great decisions when angry. Or dealin' with Zagan. Know anythin' else I should?"

She looked up to meet Roni’s eyes, “He took control of my golem right before it turned to dust… he wants to call the hunt on you, and your knight…” she looked away, “Jaxx’s deal has been terminated now that he has the information he wants so it’s unlikely he’ll be an issue…” flowers and vines wrapped around her feet, a couple stretched towards the shadows, mushrooms grew up to meet the vines.

"N'him takin' control of it meaaans?" Up went a brow as she considered her words for a moment. The wild hunt. Of all things, She knew she spoke out of turn, and cut a lot of deals the moment Zagan had died, but she had not figured that she had done enough to warrant the Hunt.

It was enough to make her laugh. Loudly.

Lilith swallowed, “I don’t know, no ones been able to take control of my golems before…” She looked away, towards the mushrooms, frozen for just a second, “The golem was supposed to dissolve, not say anything else, just disappear, I was gonna tell you after I got Arlen back… Make sure he didn’t have leverage anymore.”

"Don't underestimate the fae." That was mused. "Especially those with an illusion of power." Her laughter still lingered in her voice. "Now's he's probably got leverage over the both of us. I still wasn't kiddin'. I'll burn the courts ta the ground ta protect mine. N'I don't care if ya pass that along or not. I'd burn this city if I had ta."

Lilith nodded, “He doesn’t have Arlen anymore, but now he has information…” She looked away, “I only was helping to save Arlen.”

"Information is powerful as well." There was a beat. "But what I said was not solid." Simply spoken, before she gestured wildly and off in the distance. "I hate Beltane. Ya should go ta yer sister. If ya find anything else out and wanna be useful ta someone not an absolute dick, ya still've my number."

There was a moment before Roni shifted and turned, mostly to hide the fact that her eyes looked a little glassy. Just like she was trying to ignore the burn of tears at the back of her eyes. She was not sure what they were tears of... Disappointment? Pain? Heartache? Frustration for sure. She was not sure apart from that, other than her heart was so full of so many feelings she did not want to deal with, topped with a cherry of overlayed panic she could not shake that everything was going to be very bad. She desperately wanted to drown it in alcohol. Drink until everything was a muddled blur, her brain fuzzy, till the room spun, let her problems melt away to nothing for at least the night.

"I have ta get home ta Lily. Better'd hope nothin' happens ta 'er especially." No threats from the winter faerie there. Simply an unspoken promise. Lily was quite literally one of the strongest reasons she had to keep on. Her world absolutely revolved around her daughter, and ultimately, she would be Roni's greatest weakness.

Lilith nodded, “Tell me if there’s anything I can do to help… please.” It was that moment that another redhead ran and tackled her, autumn leaves scattered around them, spring flowers grew up between the leaves. The visual similarities were clear even if the other had sharper features.

There was a brief start at the sudden appearance of a blur of autumn colors that took Lilith down. Then she stared at the both of them. "Hope things work out," Simply. It was all she said, before she abruptly turned away from the both of them, and just went... Anywhere but there. Where they were. She managed to walk, not bolt, and headed in any direction but the one she left behind her.

It was not until she had found herself well down the street and around a corner that the first sob broke. She was so incredibly fucked, and that was all her brain could wrap itself around.