Welcome back to Chapter 2!!!
I hope you lovelies all enjoy☺
As she walked along the path, Mor cursed herself for not bringing her sunglasses with her, and instead had to resort to holding her hand above her eyes in an attempt for some shade. She'd just left the dormitory after Stella had pestered her enough to make her unpack, and was in desperate need of some fresh air - in fact her plan was to find some place to sit down and read her book. Squinting against the sun, she cast her gaze across the Specialists' training areas, watching as they sparred, performing all kinds of acrobatic moves and all in all, looking badass.
Her lips curved upwards into a smirk as she spotted her brother - this time it really was her brother - sparring with another boy, whom had black hair and a lanky frame. Rowan lunged forwards, twisting under the boy's fist and kicking out with his foot. The boy jumped just in time, landing heavily on the raised mattress and immediately clashed swords with her brother. As Mor neared, she found herself slightly in awe at how fluid the boys' movements were, how perfectly in control of their bodies they were. She'd never really seen her brother fight properly before - sure they had an occasional sparring session, but she always knew he went easy on her.
The black haired boy lunged at her brother, and with a forceful shove, sent Rowan stumbling backwards. Seizing her chance, Mor raised her hands and her eyes glowed emerald, fingertips tingling and her palms facing the sky, and as she lifted them ever higher, vines sprouted from the ground and snaked swiftly up the training mattress, before wrapping around her brother's ankles and lower leg.
Unbeknownst to them, a certain brunette boy was watching intensely as he gathered his stuff after his sparring match with his friend. He looked on as a giggle escaped Mor's smirking lips and Rowan let out a surprised grunt, tripping over his tied up feet and landing with a thud on the mattress. Riven's eyebrows raised, sheathing his twin swords and crossing his arms over his chest.
"What the hell, Morrigan?!" Rowan growled, twisting round to face her.
With a flick of her wrist, the vines retreated back to the ground, and her brother rubbed his ankles.
"That was for treating Dad the way you did," Mor snapped her fingers and an acorn laying beneath the ancient oak tree to her right flew into the back of Rowan's head, "And that was for leaving me."
Her brother flinched, his hand going to his head as he fixed her with a deadly glare, "What is with you and hitting me over the head?"
"What is it with you and deserving it?" She countered without missing a beat, arms crossed over her chest, "And technically, I didn't hit you that time, the acorn did."
At that, Rowan's friend snickered, but swiftly covered his mouth when her brother shot him a withering look, "Don't you even start."
His friend held his hands up in surrender and shook his head, "I didn't say anything."
Rowan rolled his eyes, swinging his legs over the edge of the mattress and gesturing up at his friend, "Pipsqueak, meet Kai. Kai, meet my sister."
The boy crouched down beside Rowan, offering a hand towards Mor with a lazy grin resting on his face, "I'm assuming your name isn't Pipsqueak?"
"No, it's not." She laughed, shaking his hand, "The name's Morrigan, nice to meet you."
He grinned, "Kai, a pleasure."
"Let me say that again," Rowan glowered at his friend, "Kai, she is my little sister."
"I'm not that little." Mor mumbled under her breath, suppressing an eyeroll.
Her brother only ignored her, "Which means she is off-limits, clear?"
"Oh my god." She groaned, facepalming.
No matter how uncaring Rowan seemed to come across as, there was one thing that never, ever changed.
He was incredibly protective of Mor.
Whether it was with boys, magic, or if she was generally in danger, he would always be there. Sure, they might always be at each other's throat and make snide remarks at each, but there nothing either of them wouldn't do for the other. Rowan always had her back, and Mor would always be there for him.
She just wished he'd open up a bit more to her, but she wouldn't push it.
Cheeks flushing with embarrassment, Mor spared a glance in Kai's direction. She wouldn't lie, he was a good looker, but she really wasn't interested in dating at the moment.
Some folks wore a smile, but from the mere minutes of knowing him, she could tell that this guy was the embodiment of a smile. Everything about him was a gentle and understated joy as he blushed from Rowan's statement. His features were soft and his eyes were the shade of a cloudless summer sky. Framing his face were thick waves of jet black, the shade so dark with bright shines, Mor couldn't tell each strand apart.
"Dude, relax." Kai chuckled, running a hand through his hair, and turned to Mor, "I mean no offence, but I'm not interested."
Mor grinned, shrugging, "Right back at you."
"Good." Rowan harrumphed, "Keep it that way."
Shaking her head at her brother comment, Mor took a step away from the two boys, "Look, as much as I've enjoyed this little conversation, I need to get going."
"Yeah, we should probably get back to training." Kai nodded, offering a hand to Rowan, "God knows you need it, mate."
Rowan only rolled his eyes and allowed Kai to help him to his feet, "I only lost because somebody made me trip."
"I only did that because somebody deserved it." Mor argued, a smirk dancing on her lips.
Kai sighed, "I feel sorry for your dad."
The siblings both turned to him then and spoke in unison, "So do I."
With one last glance at Rowan, Mor grinned and turned on her heel, striding away from her brother and Kai, and continued along the path. As she walked, she spared a glimpse back at the Specialists, but her step faltered as her gaze snagged on a certain someone she'd rather not engage with.
Riven's mouth quirked into a smirk, and Mor rolled her eyes, raising a hand and flipping him off.
Acting as if the small interaction hadn't happened, she turned off the path and ventured into the forest surrounding Alfea, trailing her hands along the bark of the trees as she went.
Again, Morrigan didn't know whether it was her magic peeking through, or whether it was just genuinely who she was, but she'd always loved forests. Growing up on the outskirts of Solaria's capital city was all well and good, but there was a noticeable lack of woodland and rolling hills of green. In the forest, she was free to be whoever she wished, for the trees were her friends, her companions that were ever-present. They gave her a sense of security, knowing that even if everything else changed in the world, they would still be there, always.
In the sunlight that painted her skin so warmly, the trees were dancing ladies, each in dresses more fabulous than any designer could craft. They moved, choreographed by the wind, in perfect time with one another. They were the life and soul of that late summer day, and Mor wondered how many hues of green her eyes were witnessing. As the ancient beings stretched upwards and outwards toward the light, drinking in rays as pure as the rain, a bright smile spread across her features. A smile of pleasure, of relaxation, of peace.
With her eyes closed and her mind consumed with the feeling of serenity, Mor didn't even realised she'd passed the barrier, nor did she notice the trail of blooming flowers that sprouted from her footprints. She'd just assumed the feeling of something powerful passing through her was the forest's way of communicating with her - as that was not uncommon.
Eventually, Mor found a spot that she thought looked perfect.
A protruding rock, smothered with moss, shaded by a large oak and surrounded by small wild flowers. Her smile never fading, Mor dropped onto the rock and dumped her bag beside her, taking out her current read and placing it on her lap. The book was a paperback, and the cover had a pale, teal-blue colour, with an intricate sketch of a raven on the front.
A Court of Mist and Fury, by Sarah J. Maas.
Ever since her older cousin introduced her to the author's most famous books - the Throne of Glass series - Mor had been obsessed with them. She'd read the 8-book series at least three times now, and had recently started reading Sarah's other series, A Court of Thorns and Roses - of which she was now reading the second book. Her favourite character was by far the Illyrian, Azriel - the mysterious spy that was always shrouded in his shadows.
Settling into a comfy position, Mor flicked through the pages until she came to her bookmark: the beginning of chapter 55.
Part of the reason she'd decided to read this chapter away from the prying eyes of onlookers, was because she'd heard a fare few rumours on it's..... mature content.
And straight away, Mor understood what the rumours were addressing.
She was too engrossed in her book to hear the nearing footfalls, to sense the cocky attitude lurking over her shoulder, to feel the smirking eyes on her.
"Whoa, I didn't know you were into that kind of stuff, Princess!"
Mor practically leapt out of her skin, scrambling to close her book and swivelling round on the rock to see who had disturbed her.
Riven was watching her, his ever-present smirk only growing at her flushed cheeks and flustered shock. His hands were stuffed in his pockets, his brunette hair was tousled and his entire body radiated arrogance.
"I-" Mor cleared her throat and straightened her shoulders, "I'm not into that kind of stuff."
Riven chuckled, raising a disbelieving eyebrow as he perched on the rock beside her and took a cigarette out of his pocket, lighting it swiftly, "Really? 'Cause that's not what I see."
"Well your eyes aren't the sharpest, are they?" Mor snapped,
Ignoring her comment, he offered her the cigarette. She scrunched her face in disgust and shook her head. She did not smoke.
He only shrugged and returned it to his lips.
Mor continued with an eyeroll, "It's just a book, Riven."
"No, Princess," He sighed, the smirk he wore so proudly not helping her frustration, "It's porn."
Her eyes widened as she turned to face him properly, "It is not! You're such a dick."
Riven only laughed, shrugging as he took another drag of the cigarette, "Maybe, but from what you're reading, I can tell you need it."
Shock swarmed her whilst the sentence slipped from his mouth as smoothly as the smoke billowing into the air, and what drove her further up the wall, was the fact Riven knew exactly what his words had done to her.
He smirked down at her, expecting her to snap back at him with a witty remark that would slightly surprise him with how smart it was.
But instead, her reaction bewildered him even more.
Mor tilted her head to the sky and laughed.
Riven found himself entranced slightly - although he'd never admit it. Her laughter was so free and pure, so childish despite her sixteen years. It came to his ears as a tickle and bounce - and only a rocky heart could do anything but join in such generous mirth.
Clearing his throat, Riven took the cigarette from his mouth and held it between his index and middle finger as he narrowed his eyes at the girl, "What?"
A delightful little snort escaped her, encased in her giggles, "I just find it hilarious that you think that everybody should be kissing the ground you walk on, when really, they're cursing it."
"Correction, you're cursing it." He waved his cigarette at her, finding satisfaction when she swatted his hand away, "Everyone else loves it."
Mor hummed, "I'm sure telling yourself that helps you sleep at night."
"It does, I'll have you know." Riven grinned, and there was no mischievous glint behind it, "But what really gets me dreaming, is that fact that it's true."
"And just when I thought your head couldn't be any bigger." She scoffed, rolling her eyes.
Smirking, Riven opened his mouth to reply, but his words were drowned by her sudden overwhelming urge to run. All around her, the forest's energy shifted, darkened. To the untrained eye and ear, nothing had changed, but to Mor, it was as if someone - or something - had snuffed out all the candles in a room. A chill breeze whistled through the trees, encircling her with a sense of urgency and warning, and her insides coiled with nerves. Her had started to buzz slightly with muffled, incoherent voices she couldn't make out, but she knew they held warning.
She didn't notice it, and neither did the boy next to her, but the trail of blooming flowers left from her footprints were withering and shrivelling up into dead, blackened shrubs.
"We need to go." Mor interrupted whatever Riven was saying.
He frowned at her sudden mood change, "Princess?"
"Get up, we need-" She stopped, her entire body freezing and her breath hitching as a hideous, guttural rasp prowled through the forest.
The sound sent involuntary shivers skittering down her spine, made goosebumps pebble her skin and caused the hairs at the back of her neck to stand up.
Eyes wide, Mor shot to her feet and scanned the surroundings, searching for the unnatural flicker of a shadow passing by. The urge to run became so unbearable, her legs began to burn with anticipation and her heart thundered in her chest. The noise in her head became louder and louder, until an ache had appeared in the centre of her forehead.
"Riven..." Mor breathed out, eyes still searching the trees.
He stood up beside her, "Yeah, I heard it, Princess."
"Riven, we-" Again, she was cut off by another rasp, this time closer.
In the spur of the moment, Mor's hand went to his arm, gripping it until her knuckles turned white - yet he never made a comment.
Instead all he did was shuffle closer to her, and again, neither of them said anything against it.
"Mor, we need to go." Riven glanced at her face, only to see her eyebrows pinched and her somewhat panting.
A fleeting smile fluttered across her lips as she caught his gaze for a split second, "You just called me Mor."
"Now is really not the time, Princess." He whispered, eyes surveying the surroundings and ears straining to hear anything unusual, "Come on."
Riven slipped his arm from her grip and replaced it with his hand, turning in the direction of the college and leading her behind him. The pair barely took two steps before a horrified gasp escaped Mor's lips, and Riven tightened his grip on her hand, letting out a shocked yell.
There, lying on the ground, its skin mauled and smothered in ghastly wounds, blood and dirt, was a body.
"Riven," Mor breathed, finally giving into the burning urge, "run!"
*****
On the outside, it looked as if Mor was perfectly calm and had everything under control, but beneath it all, it was quite the opposite.
It wasn't that she was fearful - although she was scared - but more that fact that she was confused. Before the rasping sound even made itself heard, a feeling of uneasiness had swept through her, riling her nerves and clouding her mind. It was the forest, she knew that much. All her life, nature had a way of communicating with her, not so much with words, but with sensations, with slight touches that brushed her skin and stroked her magic.
And yet back in the forest, she could've sworn she heard the trees whispering, uttering words of warning. It spiked her senses, sparked her magic, set her heart racing.
Something liked that had never happened to her, or anyone she knew of, before - but then again, she'd never been in that kind of situation before, and personally, she didn't wish to be again.
Mor had a feeling that her hopes would go ignored.
As she walked through the halls of Alfea College, she brushed off the questioning stares of students and teachers alike, and instead set her sights on three of her suitemates she'd spotted over by a table in the courtyard.
Mor had already decided that the party was going to be pretty dead, and as she walked down the steps, she knew she had been correct. Students of all years were just standing around, drinks and food in hand, and the music was alright, but definitely not the sort you'd dance to. Maybe the orientation party wasn't supposed to be that kind of occasion - but it would sure liven the place up a bit.
"Maybe he was just old?" Terra wondered, facing Aisha and Musa on the other side of the table, "I mean people get old, and die. We all die."
"What a cheery subject you guys seem to be discussing." Mor mused as she came to stand beside the Earth Fairy.
Musa chuckled, "Yeah, that old-age decapitation really sneaks up on you."
"Happened to my Nan right in the middle of bingo." Aisha added jokingly, "Just thwop, thwop, thwop right down the table."
"God, as much as I wish it was old age, Terra," Mor turned to the girl in question with a sigh, "I don't think people die naturally with claw marks and blood all over them. Trust me, it's not a pretty sight. I'll be having nightmares for weeks."
Aisha widened her eyes, "Of course! You were the one who found him, weren't you?"
"Well, I wasn't the only one." Mor shrugged, "Riven was there too."
Terra frowned, "You were with Riven? Why were you with him? How do you even know him? He's a second year, and an arsehole to be frank."
"Amen to that." Mor nodded, "And I wasn't in his company by choice."
Musa raised an eyebrow, "Details, go."
With a chuckle, Mor roughly explained what had occurred earlier, leaving out the conversation the pair had and the gory details for Terra's sake, who grimaced when Mor started to describe the body. Whilst she explained what happened, the little glances shared between Aisha and Musa didn't go unnoticed and neither did the small smile that played on Terra's lips.
"What?" Mor asked finally, arms crossed over her chest, "I see your little looks. What is it?"
Musa smirked, "So... what you're saying is that Riven, the resident drug addict bad-boy, followed you, from the Specialists training area, into the forest and then proceeded to talk about the book you were reading?"
"A conversation, which, by the way," Aisha grinned mischievously, "you seem to have left out the details on."
"Your point being...?" Mor's eyebrows pinched in confusion.
The three fairies beside her all shared knowing glances, and Mor rolled her eyes.
She had a hunch about what they were hinting at, and it was not - nor would it ever be - true.
However, before she could defend herself, Musa turned to Aisha, whom was piling cookies into her arms, "No judgement, but..."
Aisha shrugged, popping one of the cookies into her mouth, "I eat a million calories a day. If I didn't swim, I'd be massive."
"Wow, real sensitive, guys." Mor muttered under her breath as she noticed Terra's smile had faltered.
The Earth Fairy subtly glanced down at herself, shifting on her feet awkwardly, and Mor slipped her hand into Terra's, giving it a gentle squeeze.
From the little time of knowing her, Mor didn't need to be an Empath to tell that she was extremely self-conscious about her weight, and had some social anxiety. She didn't really know why Terra felt the way she did, because in her eyes, the Earth Fairy was beautiful and sweet and caring and perfect just the way she was - and she hated the fact that some people had their heads so far up their arses that they couldn't see that.
"I used to dance, I get it." Musa nodded, a smile on her face as she watched Aisha pile even more food into her arms.
"On that note," The Water Fairy grinned and took one last breadstick.
Musa's eyebrows raised, "Second round, damn. Twice a day, every day, you weren't kidding."
The girls watched as Aisha walked off, carrying all the food in her arms as she made her way out of the courtyard. Seeing all the snacks in her arms made Mor realise just how hungry she actually was, and began picking her way through the food on the table.
"So you did hear her earlier." Terra turned to Musa.
"What?"
"In the room." Terra slipped her hand out of Mor's and pointed to her head, "You-you had your headphones on, and you ignored me as if you couldn't hear me. But you did hear Aisha."
Her face angled to the table, Mor's eyebrows rose to the ceiling at the confrontation, hoping her pride over the Earth Fairy wasn't showing on her features. Clearing her throat, she picked up a cookie and took a slow bite out of it.
"Sometimes I just wear my headphones when I don't feel like talking." Musa explained, sneaking a glance in Mor's direction.
"Yeah but that seems like it happens a lot..." Terra trailed off, fiddling with a strand of her hair, "around me."
Biting her lip, Mor sneaked a glance at the Earth Fairy, sorrow coursing through her as she watched Terra shift on her feet, pulling the strand of hair across her mouth, as if it would wipe away the words that had just left her lips.
Musa swallowed, "It's a me thing, it's not you."
"Oh," Terra shook her head, turning away from the table, "You've said enough, I've said too much."
Pursing her lips, Mor watched as the short girl weaved her way through the crowd, and was about to go after her when she noticed that Terra was speaking to her father, Mr Harvey. So, instead, she turned to Musa, who was staring at the spot the Earth Fairy had vanished from with a guilt-ridden gaze.
"I-" Musa began, clearing her throat.
"You're an Empath, you feel other people's feelings, even when you don't want to." Mor nodded understandingly, "I get it."
And she did.
Sometimes, her 'gift' of sensing other fairies' magic got out of control, especially when she was in a big crowd, or if she was particularly upset or tired. Every time that happened, she'd always end up with a banging headache for the rest of the day, the feeling of dizziness never quite leaving her, and the exhaustion of her powers being exerted so much and so intensely clinging relentlessly to her.
Musa frowned, "How did you-"
"I can sense other fairies' magic, can tell what element they were born with." Mor admitted with a sigh, "I wish I knew how or why, but.... I don't. It might be some weird-ass branch of Earth magic I've never heard about, but... I don't know."
The Mind Fairy nodded, drinking in the information, "How do you cope? You know, every time you enter a place with people, do you automatically sense their elements, or...?"
"It doesn't happen all the time, and I can control it." Mor explained, watching as Terra and her father conversed, "But sometimes, when I'm in an especially big crowd, or if I'm tired or upset, then it can get out of hand. End up with a bloody painful headache afterwards, too."
"Ouch." Musa winced, and Mor hummed in agreement, "Unlike you, I haven't mastered it at all. So, I use music to drown it all out, hence the headphones."
Mor watched as Mr Harvey put his hands on Terra's shoulders, and Musa followed her gaze, "You should tell her that. She'll understand, and it'll ease both your minds."
"I don't know..." Musa murmured, biting her lip.
"She will." Mor smiled encouragingly, "Trust me."
Movement caught her eye, and she spotted Mr Harvey walking away from his daughter, so after taking a breadstick from the table, Mor turned to Musa and nodded in Terra's direction, "I should probably..."
"Yeah, yeah of course." The Mind Fairy nodded, "Will you.... can you-uh-make sure sure she's not too upset with me, will you? Please?"
"Of course."
Musa smiled her thanks before placing her headphones over her ears and vanishing into the crowd of students.
Swallowing her mouthful, Mor spun on her heel and weaved her way passed multiple students from various different year groups, until she reached the Earth Fairy, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Hey," Mor smiled as Terra turned around, "Are you ok?"
The girl in question shrugged her hand off, and forced a bright smile onto her face, "Yeah, of course! I'm fine, why wouldn't I be?"
"Terra, I might not be an Empath, but I can tell that you are definitely not fine." Mor smiled a small smile as she gazed down at the girl.
"I just..." Terra sighed, folding her arms over her chest, as if covering herself up, "Tell me honestly, Mor, please. What's wrong with me? Why don't people... Is it because I look like this, because I'm fat? Or maybe it's because I like plants, is that it?"
"Terra, stop." Mor smiled gently, picking up the girl's hands in her own and giving them a squeeze, "You are perfect, ok? No matter what you look like, what you enjoy, what your body size is, you are beautiful. There are always going to be people who don't agree with you, or aren't your biggest fans, but you shouldn't care about what they think of you. You are you, and you are perfect. And if they can't see that, then they're fucking blind."
"Thanks, Morrigan." The Earth Fairy smiled slightly, "And I'm really sorry to ruin the moment, but I really need a wee."
Mor's eyebrows raised and she dropped the girl's hands, "Oh my god, sorry!"
"See you later!" Terra grinned, waving a hand and walking off to the toilets.
Chuckling, Mor wandered over to the nearest, ivy-covered wall and leant against it, surveying the crowd with a soft smile on her features. She still couldn't believe she was actually here, at Alfea College. She'd dreamt about it all her life, especially after hearing stories told by her father all about his and her mother's numerous adventures during their time here. It might sound odd, but as she looked out across the students, she almost felt as if she was closer to her mother than she had ever been before.
Mor was too engrossed in her thoughts to notice the presence of a certain egotistical boy beside her.
"Heard you were rooming with fatso." Riven stated, and she could practically hear the smirk in his voice.
Without even looking at him, Mor summoned her magic from the well inside of her, raising her hand and flicking her wrist, feeling her fingertips tingle and her eyes flash the glowing emerald colour. Riven didn't have time to react before the ivy vines were snaking around his neck and shoulders.
Her eyes still glowing and her blood thrumming with power, Mor turned to face him as he struggled against the vines, "Don't you dare call her that, you twat." Her hand closed into a fist ever so slowly, and with every movement, the vines tightened, "So what if she's larger than some others?"
As students began to whisper and turn their attention to the commotion, Mor dropped her hand and reined her magic back, once again leaning against the wall. Riven gasped for breath, hand to his neck as he spluttered.
"You could've killed me, you bitch." He growled, his voice guttural.
She shrugged, "But I didn't."
"You tried to."
"Trust me, love, if I wanted you dead, you would already be a lifeless corpse. Besides, you deserved it, calling my friend such a horrible name. If you haven't already noticed," Mor continued, glowering at the students who glanced at the pair questioningly whilst Riven continued to cough, "You're not the slimmest yourself."
Straightening up again, he spun round to her, slamming his hands on the wall either side on her head and trapping her there. Mor suppressed her flinch and instead lifted her eyes and glared into his own, watching as they darkened.
A wicked smirk grin graced his lips as he scanned her face, "Yes, well, unlike hippie over there, my body mass is all muscle."
"I'll believe it when I see it." Mor scoffed, dropping her gaze as she rolled her eyes.
"What's that saying again?" The smirk never faltering, Riven placed a calloused finger beneath her chin, tilting her face towards his once more, his green-blue eyes capturing her own, "Oh yes, no time like the present, is there?"
Lifting her chin from his touch, Mor narrowed her eyes at him, "You're a dick."
"I thought we'd already established that."
Exhaling loudly, Mor tilted her head to the side slightly and fixed him with a glare, "You have your entire life to be an arsehole, why not take the day off? It must get exhausting."
Riven's eyebrows raised as he moved his hand away from her face and back to the wall beside her head, "Is that concern I hear in your voice? Does Little Miss Smart-Arse care about my wellbeing?"
"In your dreams, Riven."
"Every night, Princess."
Morrigan snorted at the stupidity of his statement. 1) Because she'd only met him that day, 2) because she doubted he'd ever have dreams about her, and 3) well, see option one.
However, before she could snap back a remark, Riven was ripped away from her and shoved backwards.
"Get the fuck off her, you creep!" Rowan growled, pointing a threatening finger at the boy, who merely held his hands up in surrender, "Don't you ever touch her again."
"Wow, that's a hell of a way to say hello, Row." Mor rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest.
Her brother rounded on her, his face a menacing scowl, "No, you don't get to make any comment when you're hanging around the likes of him."
"Mate," Kai tried to diffuse the growing tension, throwing a glance in Mor's direction, "Maybe we should-"
"No!" Rowan exclaimed, "I will not have my sister consorting with a filthy drug addict who thinks the world was made for him!"
"Fancy thinking that." Mor muttered under her breath, and Riven - who had heard her - snickered slightly.
"Come on," Rowan grabbed her wrist and started dragging her after him, "You're coming with me."
As she attempted she snatch her arm out of his grip, Mor managed to shoot Riven an apologetic look, to which he only shrugged and slunk off into the shadows.
Face hardening, Mor turned to her brother and yanked away from him, "Wow, way to make a scene, Rowan! You couldn't wait one day to humiliate me, could you?!"
Her brother was seething, there was no point hiding it.
But somehow, he managed to tame his anger and drew in a long breath, before exhaling loudly and turning to face his sister.
"I heard about the body, and I know you were the one who found it."
Eyebrows raising at the surprising topic he had picked up, Mor straightened slightly, "I was."
Rowan's eyes scanned her for wounds, "Are you hurt? Are you injured?" Once he'd made sure she was alright, he fixed her with a glare, "What were you thinking?! Going out into the forest, outside the barrier!"
"I didn't realise I went passed the barrier." She mumbled, dropping her gaze sheepishly, "But I'm fine, Row, I'm ok. I ran straight back to the school and told Silva."
She couldn't be bothered to deal with the storm that no doubt would've followed had she mentioned Riven had been there with her. Mor could only imagine the kind of questions that Rowan would've asked.
As much as she loved her brother, Mor did wish that he'd leave her alone sometimes. Just left her alone to make her own decisions, to choose what and who she wanted in her life. And she knew - she really did - that the only reason he always watched who she hung around with was because he cared for her and wanted to keep her safe; she wanted the same for him.
Mor just wished he'd let her breathe a little. She had hoped starting at Alfea would ease him off, but apparently not.
Blinking back into reality, Mor realised that she'd zoned out on Rowan's overprotective rant, and although she didn't hear a word of it, she knew exactly what he was saying. He would be scolding her about how reckless she was, and how she should be more careful, how she couldn't be so thoughtless all the time.
Next thing she knew, Kai and Rowan were marching off into the throng of students, leaving Mor bored and her mood dampened.
She realised then, with no small amount of shock, that although she hated Riven with every breath in her body, she didn't..... dislike his company. At least then she wasn't being spoken to as if she was some careless child.
Speaking of Riven, Mor's attention was grabbed when she noticed a swiftly growing commotion gathering beside a nearby wall. As she peered closer, she spotted the brunette boy being held against the wall, vines wrapping around his throat, and...
Mor's eyes widened and she immediately set off at a hurried walk over to where nonother than Terra was glaring at Riven, magic controlling the vines.
"What's going on?" Mor demanded, glancing frantically between Riven's reddening face, Terra's determined expression and the boy beside them.
Riven let out a strangled noise, his gaze snagging on Mor as he clawed at the vines around his neck.
Drawing in a breath, she placed a hand on Terra's shoulder and squeezed it, "Terra, stop."
The girl in question said nothing, and the vines only tightened.
"Terra."
Still nothing.
Urgency coated Mor's voice, "Terra, listen to me. Don't do something you'll regret."
No reply.
Mor glanced at Riven and swallowed, before calling upon her magic and allowing it to drift towards the Earth Fairy, feeling as it seeped and searched the fibres of Terra's magic. Mor gritted her teeth as the magic refused to budge, shifting and moulding to avoid her tendrils. With her eyes glowing brighter than they had ever shone before, Mor forced her tendrils over Terra's magic, snuffing it out as you would do a candle.
The Earth Fairy blinked rapidly as she snapped out of her trance, confused slightly at her sudden lack of power, and dropped her hand. The vines around Riven's neck fell loose, and he stumbled forwards, gasping and coughing.
"You could've killed me, you freak!" He snarled, before casting one last glance at Mor and storming off.
"Missed you too." Terra murmured, nodding at the girl beside her to follow after him.
Taking the hint, Mor swiftly turned her steps towards the boy, who was still rubbing his neck as he barged his way through the crowds, until he came to a stop at the back of the courtyard. She trailed behind him silently, dodging the people he shoved out the way and never letting him out of her sight.
"What is it with you Earth Fairies and strangling me?" Riven muttered bitterly as Mor came to stop in front of him, "I'm beginning to think it's a some kind of mutual kink."
"What the hell was that?!" Mor burst out, arms flaring at her sides as she glared at him.
Riven rolled his eyes, dropping his hand from his neck, "Why don't you ask your flowerchild friend?"
She huffed, "I'm asking you."
"Well then," He narrowed his eyes at her, leaning towards her slightly as he hissed, "It was exactly what it looked like, Princess."
"What? Terra strangling you for no apparent reason?" Mor shook her head, "I don't believe it. You did or said something to her. Now what was it?"
Riven rolled his eyes, "Oh yes, assume it was my fault, why don't you?"
"Knowing you, it probably was."
"Right, because you know me so well."
Mor sighed, crossing her arms over her chest, "I've never seen Terra like that before, so whatever you did, whatever you said to or about her, you no doubt had it coming."
Before Riven could snap back a reply, Aisha and Musa rushed up to the pair, interrupting their conversation. Mor turned to them, slightly relieved at the distraction, but at the same time, a tad disappointed - not that she would ever admit it, god no.
The girls' faces were stricken with worry, and their wide eyes alone caused Mor's stomach to twist with unease.
"Sorry to interrupt whatever moment you were having just now, Mor," Musa panted frantically, "But have you seen Bloom?"
Eyebrows pinching and her nerves building, Mor shook her head, "No...? Why? What's happened?"
"That's what we're trying to find out." Aisha explained, sparing a glance at Riven, "Come on."
Turning to the boy, Mor swallowed and looked at anything but his face, "I should probably-"
"No, please go." Riven gave her a dismissive wave of his hand, before stalking off without another word. Her eyes trailed after him for a second before she snapped out of it, and followed after her suitemates.
*****
Mor could not believe she was here, running through the forest after she and her suitemates discovered Stella had 'lent' her magical ring to Bloom as a way of getting back home, because apparently, the Fire Fairy was feeling homesick.
Headmistress Dowling had gone on ahead, leaving the girls - bar Stella, of course - to follow as quickly as they could.
Even though now was really not the time, Morrigan still relished the feeling of her blood thrumming with the energy the forest radiated, and she found it fuelling her legs and determination as she powered through the trees.
Leaping over a fallen log, Mor then skidded to a halt when she came upon the creepy old cemetery. Musa, Aisha and Terra came to stop beside her just as Bloom burst through the door, and Mor spotted the unnatural figure of a Burned One stagger in stilted gait towards Dowling, who flicked her wrist. Her view slowly depleted as the door of the building creaked to a close, and Mor refocused on the panting redhead before her.
"Are you alright?" Aisha was the first to break the lingering silence, filled only by their heaving breaths.
"Huh?" Bloom spun round to face them, "Uh, yeah I think so. What the hell was that thing?"
"I'm pretty sure it's called a Burned One." Terra took a sideways glance at her suitemates.
Bloom only frowned deeper, "Huh? W-W-Wait, where's Stella?"
"The Evil Queen?" Mor's eyebrows pinched, "She's at school, why?"
The redhead swallowed, "That thing just took her ring."
Mor groaned, "Well, dick me deep and bury me pregnant, we are in a lot of shit."
So, a really long chapter today!!
I'm sorry if it was too long for some of you, but I wanted to add a load more Riven-Mor scenes and interactions.
By the way, do you think I'm presenting the characters correctly?
If not, please don't hesitate to leave any suggestions!
Hope you lovelies enjoyed, and I'll see you next time😁😘