Sword in the Stones

Richie rounded the last curve in the tunnel before the mouth of the cave and could see Morganna and Jon looking at a man who stood with his back to Richie. To any one else, Jon looked calm and in control, but Richie knew him better than that. Jon’s eyes flashed with an icy blue glare that would’ve had anyone that knew him running for cover. Richie took a closer look at the man with his back to him, and could see another pair of feet between his.

Small feet.

He quickened his pace moving closer to the mouth of the cave. Closer to the opening, he could hear their voices, although they sounded muffled as if coming across a phone line that someone had covered the mouth piece with his hand.

Without thinking much past saving Jon from impending doom, Richie stepped through the mouth of the cave and rushed the remaining two steps it took to bring him within sword’s reach of Lucifer.

Richie moved faster than he’d thought possible, so fast that he didn’t realize there was a very sharp dagger point against Fiona’s chest until he had his sword point at Lucifer’s back. “Let her go,” he ordered softly.

“Ah,” Lucifer replied, as if commenting on the weather, “the other siren joins the discussion.”

Richie’s hand on the sword hilt tightened slightly. “I said, let her go,” he punctuated the sentence with a turn of the sword against Lucifer’s back.

“Rich,” Jon said softly.

Having known Jon for more years than he hadn’t, Richie recognized the note of warning and even panic in Jon’s voice that none of the other participants in this tableau would, but he wasn’t willing to take his eyes off Lucifer long enough to meet Jon’s eyes and reassure his brother that he knew what he was doing.

Lucifer sighed dramatically. “Poor Siren. You know the paradox of my existence. You can’t kill me.”

The grin that shaped Richie’s full lips was downright diabolical. “No, but I can make it hurt like a motherfucker.”

With elegant grace, Lucifer shrugged one shoulder. “Ah, but a little pain never hurt anyone.”

A deep and echoing voice filled the small clearing. “I can make it hurt more than just ‘a little’.” The echo of the last word had barely faded away when Merlin’s corporeal form materialized only a few feet from Jon.

“Destroying me would be destroying yourself, wizard,” Lucifer reminded, “and that would most certainly constitute ‘interfering with the balance of power’.”

A smirk as great as one of Jon’s own curved one corner of Merlin’s mouth. “‘Destroying’ is such a strong word -- that leaves way too much to the imagination.”

With an arrogant tilt of his head, Lucifer replied, “If you were trying to inspire fear, you’ve failed miserably. I know you would never break ‘The Rules’.”

A very unladylike snort came from Fiona, before she could stop herself. Her brother had seemed to almost forget that there was even anyone else present besides himself and Merlin. She certainly didn’t want to draw his attention back to her.

Merlin’s eyes met Fiona’s for only a nanosecond, before jerking back to meet Lucifer’s. “Of course you are correct,” he said with a Cheshire grin. “But, I have been known to bend them a time or two.”

Lucifer’s voice was thick with sarcasm. “You, Merlin? Really?”

Richie pushed the point of Dorado harder into Lucifer’s back. “This is all very amusing,” the King of Swing’s voice held a healthy dose of sarcasm as well, “but, I’m still waiting.”

During the conversation with Merlin, Fiona had felt her brother’s grip on her loosen. As his distraction grew, his grip on her slipped even more. With her arm still at her side, she tightened her hold on her sword. She took a deep breath and tucked her chin under Lucie’s arm, then bit down as hard as she could, at the same time she swung her arm backward as hard as she could, slamming the pommel of her sword into his groin.

Every male in the clearing groaned, one in pain, the rest in sympathy, as Fiona stumbled forward after gaining her freedom.

Black blood stained the tip of Dorado as Lucifer reared back from the attack on his nether bits. He roared in agony and anger as the purity of the gold in the blade invaded his less-than-pure body.

Jerking away from the sword’s intrusion, Lucifer’s grip on his sister loosened, and as she slipped away, he cupped his hands around himself to fend off further attacks on the family jewels.

Fiona took the opportunity to grab Jon’s hand and took off running, dragging him behind her. Morganna followed suit, pulling Richie along, leaving Merlin alone in the clearing with her brother. She was sure the wizard could take care of himself.

Standing a few feet away from Lucifer, Merlin raised one eyebrow as a smirk stretched his full lips. “Imagine that, not a single rule broken.” Then the wizard disappeared before Lucifer had a chance to comment.

As she ran toward Stonehenge, with Jon keeping pace by her side, Fiona couldn’t help but berate him. “Ho’ coo’d ya?” She shook her head as she ran. “Ho’ coo’d ya ‘ave even thaw’ a goin’ wi’, Lucie?”

The Irish in her voice told Jon how agitated she was. “I had to,” was all he said.

“Tell me tha’ ya knew Rich was there,” she almost pleaded, as they entered the ring of stones.

“I won’t lie to you. Even if it’s what you want to hear.”

“Ya canna risk the res’ o’ thuh world fo’ me, Jon.”

He grabbed her upper arms and shook her gently. “Yes, I can. And, I did. Let it go.” Although he didn’t say it out loud, he was beginning to realize she was right. He’d acted rashly, letting emotion dictate his actions. There was way too much on the line to sacrifice it all for one woman. The whole world was at stake here, and he needed to remember that. A whole world that included his kids.

* * *

When Lucifer was quite alone in the clearing, his rage grew. His anger was mostly self-directed, for how could he allow his sister to get the better of him? He swore as he took a gentle step; the bruising of tender his male parts making motion uncomfortable. He didn’t have adequate time to prepare. Had he but a scant few more minutes, he would have had no trouble in getting control of Excalibur.

That was the fault of someone else entirely.

“Damn you Centurion,” he shouted, making the trees shake.

When Lucie’s rage had subsided to a dull roar, he called forth the Centurion for an accounting. He narrowed his gaze at a spot ten feet in front of him and growled, “Show yourself, Centurion.”

With a barely audible pop, Alec appeared in the clearing, startled to no longer be in his home. “What the – hell?” he said, puzzled at his location.

“Precisely,” Lucie answered, causing Alec to whirl around.

“Yes, my Lord?” Alec asked, looking around with scared, ping-ponging eyes.

“Do you know where you are?” Lucie demanded.

Alec slowly turned around, hesitant to turn his back on his master, and tried to swallow the heart that had taken residence in his throat. “This is not far from Stonehenge.”

“Yes. And what do I have in my hands?” Lucifer demanded, showing Alec his empty palms.

Alec frowned. “Nothing m’lord.” His frown turned to fear when he realized what this meant. Lucifer was unable to retrieve Excalibur from Jon, and was looking for a scapegoat.

“You failed me, Centurion,” Lucie intoned. “Why did you not slow their departure? I did not have adequate time to prepare.”

“I could not,” Alec answered, his trepidation growing. “They moved too quickly. I was there, at his house, and I rang the bell, but they had already gone.”

“There must be a ring on the premises,” Lucie muttered to himself. “It is a lucky thing for you, Centurion, that I yet have need of you. Many more competent than you have perished for less. You will learn of their plans. You will inform me of same.” He snapped his fingers, and the Spear appeared in his hand. “If you are not successful, you will not like the consequences.”

* * *

Fiona blinked and they were standing in the Ring in Jon’s backyard. She smiled her thanks to her sister; at least one of them still had their head in the game. Morganna smiled back, nodding her head once in silent acknowledgment of her sister’s thanks. Fiona smiled up at Jon. It had been reckless of him to have even considered going with her brother and risking Excalibur for her, but she was touched that he had; her anger dissolved at the thought. “You have to think of your destiny, Jon,” she gently reminded him.

“Let’s go inside and see to these wounds,” Morganna suggested.

“Oh yes!” Fiona sniffed the sleeve of her shirt. “I smell like Lucie and need a shower.”

“Will she be alright,” Jon asked Morganna, concern etched in his features.

“Yes,” she answered, a reassuring smile on her face. She turned to Richie. “I am glad you did not tarry long in the tomb,” she said softly.

Richie’s eyes immediately darkened as all the memories of Morganna, Accolon’s memories, came to the forefront of his mind. “I learned a lot in that chamber,” he said, running his eyes roughly over Morganna’s form. He said nothing more as he stood aside to let the sisters proceed to the house.

“Are you fucking insane?” each man demanded of the other, once the girls were out of ear shot. They glared at each other, saw the expressions on each others' faces, then burst out laughing.

“Dammit, Jon, you nearly fucked up royally there,” Richie said, shaking his head.

“Me?!?” Jon said, incredulously. “What about you and the ‘let the girl go’ routine? Did you think that shit would work?”

“It might have,” Richie said. “But if it didn’t, I knew you’d have my back. Once you did your ‘no, don’t take her, take me’ shit, it would have been all over but the cryin’ man.” He shook his head, remembering the outcome of the afternoon. He chuckled.

“What is so damned funny, Rich?”

“Fiona. That girl’s got moxie. But who would have thought the devil could be taken down by a crotch shot like that.”

“Yeah,” Jon said, sharing his friend’s mirth. A completely Richie-like thought occurred to him as he stared at Excalibur in his hand. “Kinda gives new meaning to Sword in the Stones, eh Rich?”

“Aw man, that’s cold,” Richie said, laughing.

The two men, swords at their sides, strode for the house, to check on their fey.


Note from the Authors: with the Christmas holidays next weekend, we may not have a chapter for you next Friday.  We may, but we may not.  No promises, okay?  


~ T and Hath