[COMPLETED] The Vixen and The Thief

Chapter 19

Ailbhe swooped forwards, caught Béibinn's collar, and began to choke her.

Beibhinn wriggled desperately, twisting to escape the faerie woman's grasp. She felt Ailbhe's small fists digging into the arteries of her neck, stopping the blood. Her grip was as iron.

Spots began to dance before Béibhinn's eyes, her movements becoming frantic. A furious humming rose in her ears, the world rushing away.

She was sliding down now, Ailbhe towering over her, her skin bleached bone against her purple gown.

One of the spots did not dance. It stayed, fixed at the base of Ailbhe's neck, hanging on a silver chain. A grey pearl.

A hope flicked in Beibhinn's darkening mind. She flailed out a hand, scrabbling up at Ailbhe's neck, reaching for - her fingers caught, yanked, snapped the chain.

With a yowl, Ailbhe jumped back, dropping her.

Béibhinn sucked in great breaths, a shower of painful stars lighting the night as blood returned to her head. Clutching the pearl she staggered back to her feet, feeling the dell pitch queerly. In her hands the grey pearl throbbed gently. She eyed it. She had heard it to be so with those creatures that dwelt in the sea...but with fairies?

"Give that to me!" Ailbhe hissed, extending her hand from a cautious distance.

Béibhinn tightened her fingers around the pearl, feeling the fragility of the shell. If she crushed it...was it true?

"Give me Conn."

"Death," spat Ailbhe, her face ghastly, "What you saw was little compared to what will be."

Béibhinn struggled to keep her hands steady. Raising her right hand in a fist above the pearl, watching Ailbhe's face tense.

"You lie." she jerked her fist down.

Ailbhe screeched.

Béibhinn stayed her hand. It was true. This pearl held her life. Or something like it.

"Let him go." she said. She hesitated, "I will return the pearl."

Ailbhe looked steadily at her, eyes narrowing. "Swear?" she snarled.

"Conn," said Beibinn, "And Ruadhán. And leave us in peace. It is on you to swear it." Her voice had grown steady.

The throbbing of the pearl grew stronger.

"I swear," said Ailbhe, her eyes almost closed. Stepping forward she gathered up her harp, running her fingers over the gleaming strings. A clear, shimmering chord thrilled through the dell.

Béibhinn's heart leapt. Conn moved his head, blinking owlishly, as one awoken from deep sleep.

Ailbhe gazed intently at her, hand reaching out.

A strange feeling of power surged through Béibhinn, looking at the pearl in her hand. Her fingers tightened, squeezing agianst the delicate shell.

Ailbhe it was who had captured her. Ailbhe who betrayed the others. Ailbhe who hunted them though the night. And now she was at her mercy.

A fraction more pressure, as she had cracked eggs at home. Was it not her duty?

The walls of the pearl bounded against her grasp. The woman's face before her old, taut - Fear. The creature felt fear. Perhaps the first time.

Beibhinn looked up at her, meeting her eyes, holding them, her face hard.

"Take your shadow life!" she spat, throwing the pearl at Ailbhe.

The creature caught it deftly, clutching it to her; her height, her beauty returning. All the air shimmered about her, a colourless glow. The beautiful face bent with scorn.

"Foolish human child!" she sneered.

A wail split the night, a great rush of air swirling around Béibhinn and Conn.

Conn flung up his arm to fend off the onslaught, dust and leaves careening wildly, then falling still again. Silent gloom covered the dell once more, the lights all vanished.  Alone now in the silence, Beibhinn stood, swaying slightly. 

The she crumpled forwards onto the dead leaves.