The Hellions - Devil's Advocate

[Domino]

Hellfire Estate - Dungeon

:: Something had changed in Bretta’s appearance. If you weren’t looking hard enough, you would never know. But as Maxine freed Bretta from her chains, Bretta had been working her FAERIE MAGICK. The whites of her eyes had turned a pale PURPLE. She had been mumbling something undetectable under her breath and now, she was sprouting BEAUTIFUL purple wings. Well, if anybody could SEE them. Bretta also had the power of INVISIBILITY and that came in handy sometimes. Bretta could choose to either ‘cloak’ her whole self or she could 'cloak' part of herself, like she did with her wings. She smiled unnervingly at The Black Psycho. ::

“What comes next for me? Why, I’m going to correct you, Max, just like you corrected me.”

:: Maxine watched with a perverse curiosity as Bretta manifested her faerie wings. The Red Princess was an intriguing woman. For millenia, many questioned the existence of faeries altogether. Many believed them to be hunted into extinction by the vampires, but Bretta was living proof that there faeries still among them. ::

"By all means, Red Princess...you have the floor...BUT...not for long, i've got blood on my hands and a hunger telling me that dissolving those pretty little wings of yours in my hand would be absolutely DELICIOUS..."

:: Bretta walked slowly, almost seductively, over to the table holding Maxine’s instruments and trinkets…her TOYS. She lightly ran her fingers over them all, never once taking her eyes off of Maxine. ::

“You think you KNOW me, know who I am, know where I’ve been, know what I did…but the truth of the matter is that you don’t me at all.”

:: She smiled as if she were remembering a fond memory…and that would be true. ::

*conversationally*: “You said that I killed my father because he betrayed me and that would be true. But what you don’t know, what NOBODY knows, is that I WANTED to kill him.”

:: She pulled over a disintegrating rolling chair and sat down in it, again, rather seductively. ::

:: Maxine watched Bretta walk over to her table of torture and slowly eye the toys up and down as she spoke. She was doing rather well in at least convincing HERSELF that she was being intimidating..but The Black Knight WAS a beast, and she had no time for sheep's clothing. She could tell when those around her were putting on a show. She laughed at Bretta's statement. ::

"Oh God...she can't possibly be BUYING her own brand of bullshit, can she?"

“I was the apple of Henry Reddington’s eye. I was his princess. He gave me the best life I could ever have hoped for…and why not? He was the man behind the ultra-exclusive, super luxurious, super trendy and cutting edge of the nightclub brand, Reddington Resorts. He was my daddy and I adored him. I went on all kinds of business trips with him, scouting out locations for the next Resort he was planning all across Europe. He had a private plane and so we didn’t have to worry about lineups or congested planes filled with common people. He introduced me to the high-end of life and I was grateful for it. He even had me go to each and every Resort and tell him what was working and what wasn’t.”

:: Her eyes lit up as she talked. ::

“You should SEE the Resorts, Max. They are beautiful and amazing. Not like NORMAL clubs where there’s a brawl every other Saturday or so. You won’t see any pissed patrons stumbling around, throwing up in the bathrooms and plants.”

:: She gave Maxine a once over and snickered. ::

“Not that we cater to YOUR kind of people. RR is strictly a high-end nightclub for the very wealthy and VERY fashionable. Anyway, we had a great life. That is, until that IDIOTIC Fae came to see him. He told Henry that if he told him where I was, they would reunite us all and we could be a family again.”

:: Bretta laughed cruelly. ::

:: Maxine rolled her eyes. The Black Knight had access to more money than could ever be spent in one lifetime, and should she ever manage to do so, an ENDLESS supply of money was at her fingertips with a stroke of a few keys. She WAS a hacker at heart after all. ::

"I'd like to see the look on her OBNOXIOUS little face when she wakes up one morning BANKRUPT and her accounts all but DRAINED. Keep THAT one in line for later..."

“Can you believe that idiot FELL for that?! So, there I was, in my own mansion/condo, when I heard this knock. I opened the door and was SWARMED by a group of Dark Fae, me mum’s kind. They held me down, taking turns beating me, trying to hold me still while they killed me, but then the tables turned. I was able to get the upper hand and I killed THEM, all because they weren’t used to, what was it you called me? Oh right, a HALF-BREED. That filled me with such rage, I could hardly stand it. I KNEW that they only found me because my dear old FATHER brought them there.”

:: Bretta licked her lips and kept close watch on Maxine. ::

"I CAN believe it, Bretta...It appears a lack of common sense or practical application of MANY of Darwin's theories have seemed to overlook The Fae and those associated with them..."

“So I went to his place. As soon as he saw me, he KNEW what had happened. And he apologized and hugged me.”

:: She tossed her hair and gazed at Maxine. ::

“Now, Max, he DID betray me. He did. And I ALMOST accepted his apology and HIS version of events. I mean, I wanted to believe him! He was my daddy and I was his princess. I NEEDED my daddy after what I’ve gone through.”

:: She looked hard at Maxine. ::

“But the craving of WANTING to take somebody’s life was stronger than my craving of wanting to be my daddy’s princess. I unleashed ALL of my magick onto him, and I have to give him credit, he DID fight back and it was AWESOME. But in the end, he was no match for me. NO MATCH."

:: Quick as a wink, especially after harnessing her enhanced strength for so long, Bretta O’Malley acted and RAN at Maxine, but missing her by INCHES on purpose, and running at the wall and ran UP the wall before flipping through the air and landing on TOP of Maxine’s shoulders. It looked like some impressive parkour move but really, Bretta used her invisible wings to buoy her through the air. She caught a glimpse of Juliette’s body and felt a twinge of sadness. She may have been too late to save Juliette’s life, but she wasn’t too late to avenge her death. She grabbed Maxine’s mohawk with BOTH hands and PULLED while wrapping her legs around Maxine’s neck. Using her strength, she flipped them BOTH over onto the floor! ::

“I wanted to PLAY…so let’s play!”

:: Maxine licked her lips as she could sense the change in movement from Bretta. She had finally seemed to find her own strength, and though The Black Knight could have EASILY thwarted her attack, she decided to throw The Red Princess a bone...for a moment. ::

:: As Bretta lurched herself upon Maxine's shoulders and GRABBED her mohawk with both hands, Maxine winced for a moment. She may have been the OPPOSITE of a priss, but even she got pissed off when somebody FUCKED with her hair, which had now happened TWICE in the last ten minutes. As they spilled to the floor, Maxine braced her shoulder to help with the impact. Bretta's legs were wrapped around her neck, and though the faerie was considerably stronger than Maxine anticipated, physically, Max still had the upperhand. As both her hands began to glow a bright red she GRABBED Bretta's thighs as The Dark Faerie would feel an INCREDIBLE burning sensation as her flesh began to dissolve slowly and painfully as Maxine DUG IN and wrapped her hands around The Red Princess' thighs ::

"My Dear....[grunting]we play VERY differently...and it's time for me to show you just how FISHER PRICE you are!"

:: She rocked her head back HARD into The Red Princess' face, thwamping her in the nose as she rose to her feet and HOISTED Bretta off of her and across the room, into the table with all the torture tools as it cracked in half under her weight. Maxine was on her in an INSTANT as she KICKED hard into the dark faerie's torso, CRACKING her ribs as she went. ::

"YOU killed a HUMAN, Bretta. How AWESOME could that have been?! How MUCH could he have fought back against you? You are comparing APPLES to ORANGES...and this isn't a COMPETITION of who's life is worse, or who is the most natural born killer..You want to PROVE something to me? Stop using WORDS, get dirty and FIGHT. FOR. YOUR. LIFE!!"

:: Maxine slammed her combat boot on a piece of the table as a number of sharp and jagged torture instruments were PROPELLED into the air with great speed as The Black Knight systematically swiped her hands at each one with blurring speed as they shot back and STRAIGHT for The Dark Faerie's face, hands and femural artery. She wasn't going for the kill...yet..but she WAS going for the hurt. ::

"Because right NOW?! You are fighting to avenge JULIETTE! There are OTHERS who wait for you Bretta and here you are! You are a STUPID GIRL. STUPID!! You chose the WRONG battle to fight and now you will DIE because of it!"

 

[Duke]

New Anatolia

"Maybe I should finish my sentence and allow you to adjust your tone. You’re welcome for saving you from a most CERTAIN death at the hands of Archer Fairchild...because had I not intervened..he WOULD have killed you."

"Keep your pants on, Duke. Rebecca didn't take Bretta anywhere...unfortunately, Maxine got the run on her. She's down in the dungeon being tortured with Juliette as we speak. I left The Black Rook alive with message to get down there and get them before The Black Knight gets knife happy and guts them both. I'm sure he will arrive in enough time to save at least ONE of them..."

*sarcastically*: “Oh, thank YOU! I am so glad you chose to save me. I am indebted to you forever…”

Alec rolled his eyes. He did NOT trust Reed one bit.

"Hey I wasn't the one that walked hand in hand with The White Princess talking of a revolution. That was you, so if you are angered by me doing my JOB, you need to redirect that anger back at yourself, because this truly is a mess that you got YOURSELF into. Had you spent less time championing for Bretta and keeping your mouth shut about Rebecca she wouldn't have made you face such a task...and don't forget...I've just seen how incredibly sloppy and unimaginative you are with your abilities...I'm not worried should we come to blows..."

:: Daniel took a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it as he inhaled the smoke into his lungs and exhaled with great relief. ::

"And it's too dangerous to head back into the Estate. The Inner Circle is headed there soon, and with Archer Fairchild still alive, Rebecca will be primed and READY to kill you. All we can do is wait for word from Lord Ravena and the rest of the skalliwags to arrive...So, TRY to calm down..."

Alec gave a sharp laugh. He scowled at the man.

“And then what? You’re going to go back to Rebecca and spill everything? Why ARE you here and why should I trust YOU since you are Rebecca’s right hand man and all that…?”

He looked again at the American and frowned. He didn’t understand what his game plan was.

If he has me in his sights, why is he not bringing me back to Rebecca?

“No, seriously; why ARE you here? Rebecca hates betrayal...?”

He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. As much as he hated Daniel, he had to admit that the man was right. He had to calm down for Bretta’s sake and for Juliette and Archer too. He opened his eyes again.

“So…Rebecca DIDN’T have anything to do with Bretta’s disappearance? Are you sure? Because she made it quite CLEAR that she was more than willing to let Maxine have her way with her if Archer lived…”

Alec sighed, his shoulders slumping in defeat. He wanted to get back to the Estate to find Bretta, but he also knew that if he did, he was as good as dead and THAT wouldn't help ANYBODY.

 

[Silver]

Hellfire Estate - Catacombs

:: Bretta screamed in pain as Maxine did something very horrible to her legs. She gritted her teeth. ::

“You…BITCH!”

"My Dear....[grunting]we play VERY differently...and it's time for me to show you just how FISHER PRICE you are!"

:: Bretta yelled as she felt cartilage break in her nose area when Maxine banged her head into her face. She grunted when Maxine THREW her into the table, breaking it. Before she had a chance to fight back, Maxine was on her, kicking HARD and cracking her ribs in the process. ::

"YOU killed a HUMAN, Bretta. How AWESOME could that have been?! How MUCH could he have fought back against you? You are comparing APPLES to ORANGES...and this isn't a COMPETITION of who's life is worse, or who is the most natural born killer..You want to PROVE something to me? Stop using WORDS, get dirty and FIGHT. FOR. YOUR. LIFE!!"

*grimacing*: “Like YOU haven’t killed a human before? Please.”

:: Maxine swiped her toys around, making them into projectiles to hit their target…Bretta! ::

Nice ‘jazz hands’…but I have them TOO!

:: A split second before the tools all hit their marks, Bretta decimated them with her dark lightning. She then pulled her knees up towards her stomache. ::

This is going to hurt like HELL…

"Because right NOW?! You are fighting to avenge JULIETTE! There are OTHERS who wait for you Bretta and here you are! You are a STUPID GIRL. STUPID!! You chose the WRONG battle to fight and now you will DIE because of it!"

“That’s…that’s where you’re WRONG!”

I’m going to regret this later…

:: On the last word – WRONG! – she SNAPPED her legs out and her feet hit the center of Maxine’s chest, sending her straight across the room. The momentum from her legs kicking straight out carried her to an almost sitting position where she stretched out her hands and sent huge BLASTS of lightining towards Maxine’s head! If she was right, and she hoped she was, the lightning would strike Maxine’s ‘skin’ and give her a big ELECTRIC SHOCK. Bretta fell backwards, still blasting lightning towards Maxine, but she couldn’t do much of anything as she SCREAMED in pain. The momentum from her kicking also caused her EXCRUCIATING pain from BOTH her legs and her cracked ribs. She couldn’t do much else other than lie there. At this point she didn’t much care whether or not the shock would hurt Maxine or if it would turn her into God-freakin’-zilla. She was hurt. BADLY. ::

I need help! I c-can’t hold on for much longer…

:: Bretta may be immortal but she wasn’t immune to pain, let alone EXCRUCIATING pain. Maxine was right; if help didn’t arrive soon, she WOULD surely die. ::

 

[Liam Forbes]

White Court Stronghold

A long, thick oak table and ornate, highbacked chairs served as a conference room for the White Court's inner circle. There were six chairs, all empty at the moment.

What was once a throne room had been updated, but still retained its former majesty. The room itself was cavernous, it could hold hundreds of people and had a tendency to echo. Right now there was a gathering of less than a hundred, and the room buzzed with anticipation. Zodiac had called for an assembly, and everybody with aspirations attended.

When he entered, the room fell silent. Liam took his seat calmly, then asked for the various groups of people to gather near the table, as Ben came through the double doors with several rolls of blueprints. The plans were individually unveiled and placed on, the table, and Ben took his usual seat as well. There were still for empty seats. The Bishop and Knight were both dead, and everyone knew better than to mention it, but some still looked at the doors as if waiting for the Queen and Princess to join them. Liam projected his voice, managing his frustration well.

"Camille has gone to deal with the Black Rook, so we will not wait for her. Thank you all for joining us, even without knowing the purpose. As I'm sure you are aware, the White Court has suffered heavy losses in the last 24 hours. The Knight's membership has been terminated for his part in the conspiracy against the Black Queen, but apparently that has not mollified the Black Court. Archer Fairchild allegedly attacked Heidi this morning, and I have just received reports that the Black Knight captured Juliette just before sundown."

There was a burst of murmured surprise, followed by hurried whispers, Liam raised his hand and called for order so he could continue.

"Please, I know it's alarming, but we MUST remain calm so we can answer this challenge with precision. We believe DuPont has taken Juliette underground and hidden her away in the catacombs beneath Hellfire. I have assembled one team of armed guards for each known level of the dungeons, but I want members of my court to volunteer to lead each team. Ben and I will both be leading the team scouring the deepest level, that leaves eight other levels."

White Pawn: Zodiac, WHY would we put our lives at risk? Maxine DuPont would kill us as soon as look at us, and there is no guarantee we'll find Juliette alive.

Liam lost his temper then, and flung a microstar at the woman, vaporizing her head and torso and leaving her scorched, disembodied limbs to fall to the floor. The people on either side of her brushed soot from their clothes wordlessly. Liam took a deep breath and stood slowly, resting clenched fists on the table in front of him and looking around the room with a cold glare.

"I see I cannot expect any of you to do this without incentive. Very well. The successful recovery of the Princess will be rewarded with a promotion to the Inner Circle. You will likely be fighting DuPont to get to Juliette, but be aware: I wish to deal with Maxine personally, and therefore, I will pay one million euros for the LIVE capture of the Black Knight."

That declaration garnered immediate support. There were easily enough people to bolster each team. Liam assigned each team a level, while Ben issued the corresponding blueprints and advised them to arm and armor themselves well before heading out.

 

[Discord]

New Anatolia

:: Daniel listened with an amused look as Alistair spoke. For all of the rumors and stories of legend he had heard about the warlock through muffled words at The Hellfire Club, Daniel thought the man was decidedly one tracked in his thinking and far more emotional than he anticipated. As an omega level empath, Daniel had access to many of the feelings that those around them tried desperately to conceal and hide. It was sometimes impossible for Daniel to not know the true intentions of those around him unless they were guarded by magick that was stronger than what he was capable of breaching. Alistair, however was almost like a children's book...meaning EVERYONE could read him. ::

Alistair: “And then what? You’re going to go back to Rebecca and spill everything? Why ARE you here and why should I trust YOU since you are Rebecca’s right hand man and all that…?”

:: rolling his eyes ::

"I am The Red Bishop of The Hellfire Club, Alistair...I served my Queen as was explained to me upon my coronation..Unfortunately for ALL of us...circumstances have changed..."

Alistair: "No, Seriously...why ARE you here? Rebecca hates betrayal..."

:: He moved closer to the warlock as he spoke ::

"Rebecca hates a lot of things...but it's my belief that Rebecca and her reign in The Hellfire Club will soon be a thing of the past...and I am an opportunist at heart.."

Alistair: “So…Rebecca DIDN’T have anything to do with Bretta’s disappearance? Are you sure? Because she made it quite CLEAR that she was more than willing to let Maxine have her way with her if Archer lived…”

:: Daniel sat down on the couch, next to Alistair, pressing his fingers to the bridge of his nose. ::

"You are pretty damn emotional for a Brit, Alistair...but I'm not telling any lies...Maxine is operating on her own agenda. The two DID come to an agreement that Maxine would leave her alone while she assessed the courts...but Maxine got the run on Bretta before The Red Queen could..which might actually end up saving her life...After knocking Archer out, I left him word of Bretta's whereabouts...right now, he's the only person that can help her...We can't do much but wait...going back to the estate right now would be a suicide mission. Pieces are moving and right now it's best for all of us to sit back and wait for further instruction...None of this will be successful if we don't act as a cohesive unit..."

:: He shot a more honest glance at the warlock. ::

"So try and stop worrying....I don't think we've seen the last of Bretta....OR Juliette for that matter..."

 

[Domino]

Hellfire Estate - Dungeon

:: Maxine slammed her combat boot on a piece of the table as a number of sharp and jagged torture instruments were PROPELLED into the air with great speed as The Black Knight systematically swiped her hands at each one with blurring speed as they shot back and STRAIGHT for The Dark Faerie's face, hands and femural artery. She wasn't going for the kill...yet..but she WAS going for the hurt. ::

"Because right NOW?! You are fighting to avenge JULIETTE! There are OTHERS who wait for you Bretta and here you are! You are a STUPID GIRL. STUPID!! You chose the WRONG battle to fight and now you will DIE because of it!"

:: Maxine's white face was illuminated by the brilliant hues of Bretta's dark lightning as she made quick work of the tools of torture that The Black Knight was about to strike with brutal force. For the first time since meeting The Red Princess, Maxine was FINALLY starting to see some kind of fire within the dark faerie. She was finally FIGHTING for something. Bretta could have very well escaped and Maxine would have let her...she had other, far more pressing things to put into place, but here she was, desperately trying to prove herself. ::

“That’s…that’s where you’re WRONG!”

I’m going to regret this later…

:: On the last word – WRONG! – she SNAPPED her legs out and her feet hit the center of Maxine’s chest, sending her straight across the room. The momentum from her legs kicking straight out carried her to an almost sitting position where she stretched out her hands and sent huge BLASTS of lightining towards Maxine’s head! If she was right, and she hoped she was, the lightning would strike Maxine’s ‘skin’ and give her a big ELECTRIC SHOCK. Bretta fell backwards, still blasting lightning towards Maxine, but she couldn’t do much of anything as she SCREAMED in pain. The momentum from her kicking also caused her EXCRUCIATING pain from BOTH her legs and her cracked ribs. She couldn’t do much else other than lie there. At this point she didn’t much care whether or not the shock would hurt Maxine or if it would turn her into God-freakin’-zilla. She was hurt. BADLY. ::

I need help! I c-can’t hold on for much longer…

:: Bretta may be immortal but she wasn’t immune to pain, let alone EXCRUCIATING pain. Maxine was right; if help didn’t arrive soon, she WOULD surely die. ::

:: The Black Knight was blasted back by The Dark Faerie's surprisingly powerful bunt to the chest. Maxine may have been incredibly stronger than many she encountered, but when an attack was placed at the right time with the right amount of force, even SHE was subject to being caught off guard. ::

"NOW we're talking, Bretta!"

:: As Maxine attempted to jump to her feet with the grace and speed of a cheetah, her body was BLASTED by The Red Princess' Dark Lightning. The electric shock COURSED through her body and although Maxine was naturally INCREDIBLY invulnerable to many energy projections...attacks of a magickal nature often found their way around her natural defenses. She felt like a LIGHTNING ROD as she tried with ALL of her might to shift her skin back to it's normal stage. A maniacal fit of laughter could be heard in the dungeon. ::

"AAAAHHHH!!! YES! HAHAHA!! AHHHHH!"

:: The pain was incredible and it wasn't just a shock feeling, it went deeper...Maxine felt as if her very soul were being assaulted and her laughs stemmed from the fact that she was in awe of how strong dark lightning itself was. She fell to the ground, convulsing for a moment before FINALLY getting control of herself as her skin shifted from it's techno organic steel to human flesh. She rose to her feet quickly, wiping a bit of blood from her nose. ::

"Not bad, faerie...Not bad at ALL!"

:: Before Bretta could even BLINK, Maxine was behind her and had wrapped her arm around The Red Princess' neck, vicing her in with her elbow as she applied INCREDIBLE amount of pressure, as Bretta's face went red from lack of oxygen. Maxine smiled sadistically. ::

"Maybe you weren't such a waste after all...but I guess NOW? We'll NEVER know..."

:: Maxine continued to choke The Red Princess out. If help didn't arrive soon...Juliette De La Creaux would not be the only body on the floor of the dungeon tonight! ::

 

[Avalanche]

To the Dungeon....

Archer began to make his way through the vast catacomb like system of halls and rooms that made up the lower levels of The Hellfire Estate. Archer had only been here a handful of times..on official assignment from The Inner Circle, however Archer was the King of The Black Market and had access to far more depraved and desolate locations in which to torture or kill those who betrayed him or decided to go against his authority.

As he searched aimlessly for any sign of Maxine or Bretta his mind couldn't help but continue to wonder back to the visions of his adopted father that Daniel had carefully crafted hours ago. It was times like these that Archer wished he could talk to his father. Michael Fairchild was a cunning and resourceful man, and his name struck fear in the hearts of those in London. Archer had carried on that legacy and then some, but there was a finesse that his father had that Archer sometimes lacked. Evelyn had somewhat taken on that role in the wake of his father's death, and though their relationship was more contemporary, he missed her as well. She truly was the caretaker of her court. The ones she swore into power were incredibly indebted to her, incredibly loyal. And now, they had no leader. Brienne had been taken away by Cordelia and now The Black Court was left with two people; himself and Maxine. With Maxine running around capturing and torturing people to her fancy, Archer felt as if he was the only hope for The Black Court to come out of this whole debacle intact and ready to move forward once the sun came up.

He began walking at a frenetic pace, rounding the corner of a hall when....

"AAAAHHHH!!! YES! HAHAHA!! AHHHHH!"

"Bretta??"

Mistakingly thinking he was hearing Bretta's last breaths, he began to run towards the sound, faster and faster until he found himself behind a large and oppresive locked door. It was HEAVY and THICK, but behind it he could hear the muffled cries of battle. Placing his hand on the door, it began to crystalize and freeze to his touch as he used his right foot to KICK the door off it's hinges, shattering it as he charged into the room to see Maxine pulling a choke hold on The Red Princess.

"Bretta!"

Archer cast his hands out as a bright FLASH could be seen before the ENTIRE ROOM began to freeze with incredible speed and ferocity, coating the room in bright white crystals of frost as it danced along the walls, freezing everything as it went...including Maxine. His control over his power allowed him to spare Bretta from the blast, but left Maxine frozen though not completely turned to ice. He ran towards the Red Princess as his eyes immediately went to the dead body of Juliette De La Creaux. His eyes widened with horror at the state of her body.

"She...she's DEAD.....FUCK!"

He had no time to think of that as PULLED Bretta with all of his might out from underneath The Black Knight, taking a moment to look at her. Although she appeared frozen it was as if her eyes were alive and WILD as ever. She almost appeared as if she were staring BACK at him...waiting to break free from the freeze and kill him where he stood. His mind went to killing Maxine...shattering her where she stood and ending her reign of terror...but he did not. She was a member of The Black Court and she had been Evelyn's closest and most cherished confidant. Archer may have been a LOT of things, but he WAS a loyal man. He knew that whatever Maxine was DOING was for the benefit of Evelyn and The Black Court itself. Plus, he also wasn't sure that that bitch wouldn't just regenerate and come back to kill him.

"Bretta...."

Looking down, he saw Bretta slumped over. She wasn't unconscious but she WAS incredibly weak and disoriented. She must have put up a good fight. He scooped The Red Princess up in his arms as he began to head quickly out of the room, before looking back at Juliette's mangled body.

"As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end...Amen.."

He nodded his head in silent prayer as he ran, not knowing when or if Maxine would break free. Daniel had given him directions to the portal which would take them to New Anatolia, but part of him did not want to go..because he would have to be the one to deliver the news that the woman who had brought them all together, had gotten them excited for a revolution...had been murdered by The Black Knight.

"God help us all...."

 

[Seer]

The Cover of Night...

<< The beginning of the night had been but a precursor of things to come. As Rebecca appealed to The White Queen's senses and attempted to gather allies for her cause, cracks in her own court became apparent as Daniel Reed, The Red Bishop effectively defected from The Red Court in order to join the rebellion. Alistair had tried and failed to kill The Black Rook, but thanks to Daniel's swift and smart thinking, both of theirs lives ended up being spared and Archer was able to save Bretta O'Malley from the clutches of Maxine Dupont. >>

<< Juliette however, had not been so lucky. The electric chemistry between her and The Black Knight had reached a fever pitch in the dungeon and Maxine had proved that no matter how worthy she found an opponent, if they stepped out of line with her, she would not hold back her rage. With the leader of the rebellion dead on the ground of The Hellfire Dungeon, could the rest of her motley crew possibly carry out her plan in the same way, especially when none of them were sure just exactly what her plan was? >>

<< As Alistair and Daniel continued their conversation in New Anatolia, Archer and a disheveled Bretta had just barely arrived, with Bretta being taken by one of the many medical attendants the kingdom had. Nobody had seen Lord Ravena and everybody was on edge. Archer was now on his way to find the others and to let them know of Juliette's fate, something he really didn't want to do. >>

<< The night began to wear on as the moon hung high in the sky. The witching hour would find Maxine FREE from the icy prison Archer had cast her in and moving onto the next part of her personal agenda as members of The Supreme Council began to settle in the dining hall before beginning deliberations on just exactly how to hadle the crisis they were only just now becoming aware of. >>

<< Rebecca and Camille would return to The Hellfire Estate and began to plot their next step and it appeared that The White King had NOT heeded Lord Ravena's advice in not attempting to rescue Juliette. He was still unaware that he had been TOO late in his efforts. >>

<< Things were about to EXPLODE in The Hellfire Estate and the night would end in MUCH death and destruction. Just who survived would depend on this unlikely team's ability to work with each other and make smarter decisions than their counterparts; people who had been playing this game for longer than any of them. >>

<< As things began to stir in New Anatolia...we watch! >>

 

[Lord Ravena]

New Anatolia

The evening was beautiful. It was always good to be...HOME.

This was a home carved from medieval bloodshed and modern innovation. It was both a getaway for the very rich and a shining example of egalitarian principles, one of the richest places per capita on Earth while managing to eliminate the poverty that often accompanies such largesse.

There was no unemployment, their populace was extremely long-lived. Immigration was tightly controlled, with an emphasis on usefulness above all else. The military was state of the art and known to be elite in their deadliness per unit.

All of this was due to Lord Ravena, and he had ruled unopposed for as long as anyone could recall. Opposition seemed silly and trite, not to mention suicide.

He stood as his attendants finished washing and drying him, then dressing him for his evening. He had sensed the arrival of both Bretta and Archer onto the premises and he allowed a few minutes to look at the full moon before deciding to make an appearance.

He opened the door and stepped in and suddenly, everyone found themselves in his presence at once. All of their disparate rooms were suddenly just one, and the Lion of New Anatolia stood before them, his face grim and set.

I take it all of you have had eventful evenings. The key to any reasonable operation is information. Let us debrief and then we can proceed as necessary.

Ravena stood, his arms folded behind his back as he waited for someone to speak.

 

[Silver]

New Anatolia

"AAAAHHHH!!! YES! HAHAHA!! AHHHHH!"

Oh God…she’s cracking up!

:: Bretta watched in horror as Maxine laughed like a madwoman. She knew she didn’t stand a chance, not in her current predicament. She was HELPLESS. ::

"Not bad, faerie...Not bad at ALL!"

:: Before Bretta could even speak, let alone BLINK, Maxine was behind her, grabbing her in a choke hold. Bretta immediately began to gasp for breath. ::

"Maybe you weren't such a waste after all...but I guess NOW? We'll NEVER know..."

:: Bretta began to claw at Maxine’s arms, fighting for her life. She began to make choking sounds, and her movements were more erratic, attempting to fend off Maxine’s hold. But her hold on her was too strong. Her whimpers faded as SHE began to fade away. She thought she heard Archer call her name but she couldn’t be sure. Just before her world turned to black, she felt strong arms pull her out from under…MAXINE? She was weak and disoriented, and she couldn’t be sure of WHAT was happening to her. She felt strong arms gather her up. ::

*weakly*: “Where…where am I?”

Archer: “You’re in the catacombs. Reed told me where you were. We’re headed for New Anatolia.”

*fading*: “New Anatolia…”

:: And then she passed out. ::

<<New Anatolia…>>

:: When Bretta came to, she found herself in a new location…New Anatolia. She was still weak and disoriented by everything. ::

Medic #1: “Gurney!!”

:: Since she was saved from Maxine, she did look a bit gruesome. But she looked far worse than she actually was. From her neck wound that has long since healed thanks to Juliette’s blood, her neck and throat were both covered in her dried blood. From the stab wounds Maxine had inflicted on the faerie that had also healed from vampire’s blood, her white blouse was glued to her torso by the dried blood. Her white blouse was no longer white; it was COVERED in Bretta’s blood. The medics swarmed around the gurney on which Bretta laid talking about the best way to get at her leg wounds. They decided to cut her jeans off of her and rushed her to a private room down the hall so she wouldn’t be naked once they cleaned her up and the like. Bretta coughed feebly and winced. ::

“Ow!”

:: The medics looked her over. ::

*feebly*: “My ribs…”

:: They rushed her down the hall to a private room where she would get fixed up and given new clothes and the like. Bretta closed her eyes and let them put an IV in her, giving her some sedation before tending to her gruesome leg wounds. Her world went black again and this time she welcomed it. ::

 

[Duke]

New Anatolia

"You are pretty damn emotional for a Brit, Alistair...but I'm not telling any lies...Maxine is operating on her own agenda. The two DID come to an agreement that Maxine would leave her alone while she assessed the courts...but Maxine got the run on Bretta before The Red Queen could..which might actually end up saving her life...After knocking Archer out, I left him word of Bretta's whereabouts...right now, he's the only person that can help her...We can't do much but wait...going back to the estate right now would be a suicide mission. Pieces are moving and right now it's best for all of us to sit back and wait for further instruction...None of this will be successful if we don't act as a cohesive unit..."

:: He shot a more honest glance at the warlock. ::

"So try and stop worrying....I don't think we've seen the last of Bretta....OR Juliette for that matter..."

Alec clasped his hands together and laid them in his lap. He stared at his hands, a worried expression on his face.

*quietly*: “You know, I didn’t expect to fall for her.”

He shot a quick glance at Daniel before looking back down at his folded hands.

*quietly*: “I KNOW my reputation at the Club, and I KNOW about the stories about my past and such.”

He smiled at that thought and gave a little chuckle.

“I made a pretty good life for myself. I had nobody to look after and I had nobody to care for and such…OTHER than my family of course. I paved my own way through life and I made something of myself. I had the best of the very best. I could have any woman I wanted…if I chose to. But I didn’t CHOOSE to. I have to admit this: I love sex. Doesn’t everyone? I am NOT the monogamous type. I’m not sure I ever will be. But when I first met Bretta at the Club, there was just something about her. Even when I made all those jokes about Tinkerbell and spread the Peter Pan-type jokes around the Club at her expense, I knew she was special. There was just something about her and we both clicked. We GET each other, you know?”

He looked at Daniel and smirked.

“Of course YOU know; you’ve been spying on us both for Rebecca.”

Alec sighed.

“It was only supposed to be a few times, the casual sex. It wasn’t supposed to mean anything. We both agreed that we wouldn’t be together. Mainly we only spent the night together because we were both bored.”

Alec shot Daniel a look.

“It may seem weird to you that I care about Bretta’s well-being but one day, MATE, you’re going to meet someone that is worth fighting for and then you will understand my feelings.”

At that moment, Ravena appeared before them, as did Archer and Bretta. Alec’s eyes widened when he spotted Bretta on the gurney, being tended to by a group of medics. He could see her face, and he felt relief wash over him as he could see that she was asleep. He smiled softly.

The poor thing probably needed it…

I take it all of you have had eventful evenings. The key to any reasonable operation is information. Let us debrief and then we can proceed as necessary.

Alec sat silently. He didn’t even know where to begin. He’ll let The Black Rook take the lead on this one. One thing he wondered about, though, is the whereabouts of Juliette. He looked over at Archer.

“While I thank you for saving Bretta’s life, I do have to ask: where’s Juliette? Reed, here, told me that you were going to save BOTH damsels in distress.”

 

[Avalanche]

New Anatolia

Archer had made it to New Anatolia with Bretta in tow. As the medical team took her from his arms, Archer took a moment to try and gather his thoughts. He wasn't sure who all had made it to the stronghold, but he knew one of his newfound "teammates" had not...and he was tasked with delivering this news to the rest of the group.

"Goddammit, Juliette...why did you have to go and get everyone excited..."

As the elemental paced back and forthe, hesitant to look for the others, soon he had no choice thanks to the magicks of Lord Ravena. Suddenly, everybody was in the same room, and all eyes seemed to be on Archer Fairchild.

Lord Ravena: "I take it all of you have had eventful evenings. The key to any reasonable operation is information. Let us debrief and then we can proceed as necessary."

"Eventful is a bloody UNDERSTATEMENT..."

Alec: “While I thank you for saving Bretta’s life, I do have to ask: where’s Juliette? Reed, here, told me that you were going to save BOTH damsels in distress.”

The Black Rook thought for a moment.

"No use in taking the bandaid off slowly.."

"She's dead. When I made it to the dungeon where Maxine was keeping them...I...I barely had time to get Bretta out of there before the bitch finished HER off too.."

He leaned against the wall.

"I did however, make good on my word to kill Heidi Scarborough...and Juliette made good on her word as well. We just never had the chance to compare notes...and now we never will...but we can't bloody well stop now, can we? We started a war...and we knew there would be casualties...."

Archer's eyes flickered over to Daniel Reed, a man he was still incredibly unsure of.

"So has Bex's entire court defected or are we going to have worry about you flipping the script on us when we move forward...because I have stuck my neck out one too many times tonight in defiance of The Hellfire Club and I'm not about to do it again until I have a crown on my head...."

He turned to Lord Ravena.

"We need to plan our next move. The Supreme Council has already gathered at The Estate. Rebecca is wandering the halls and while all the security systems have been disabled, I most certainly heard swarms of hell hounds and other creatures on my way out. They are STOCKING the place tight. I can call in some of my resource. C4...ammo, whatever we need...but my guess is The White Court is headed back home...and as the man who just killed one of their court and who froze The Black Knight...I'd like to enter that place with enough firepower to blow them ALL into oblivion..."

Archer waited for the others to respond. He had decided to remain decidedly unemotional about Juliette's death. They had come too far to fall apart now and honestly, he did believe in her vision...stopping now would only make her death in vain.

"Furthermore...WHAT exactly is Maxine Dupont trying to prove, and what the bloody HELL is up to besides running the halls and attempting to set the world record for scowling glances and amount of limbs severed in a day?"

 

[Discord]

New Anatolia

:: Daniel listened as Alec finally started to be honest with himself regarding his feelings about Bretta O'Malley. Of course, being the empath that Daniel was, he already knew how Alec felt about Bretta. Still, it was good to see him finally acknowledge it out loud. Unfortunately, most people only were able to express how they truly felt in times when it was too late. For now, Bretta seemed to be holding on...but she had yet to wake up, and if she didn't, he knew it would hurt Alec to have never told HER how he felt. ::

Alec: “It may seem weird to you that I care about Bretta’s well-being but one day, MATE, you’re going to meet someone that is worth fighting for and then you will understand my feelings.”

:: The illusionist softened his glance at Alec. ::

"Alistair...I'm an empath...I understand EVERY feeling. I HAVE had people in my life that were worth fighting for. All anybody has been trying to get you to realize is that this is WAR...and WAR has casualties. Though your personal relationship intertwines you and can be an asset...it can ALSO be an incredible weakness. Look at what's happened...look at the position you were in just now...her life for anothers..It's not easy or fair...love is definitely a gamble, but what's going on HERE? It's got nothing to do with love. In fact it's the opposite of love. Your comrades were simply trying to remind you that you have an identity outside of her, and that should you lose her, you would need to be able to be strong on your own..."

Daniel stood as he rubbed his upper arms with his hands against the warm and blaring fire.

"But it seems like you are starting to get that...just in the nick of time I might add..."

All at once, the scenery began to shift around him. Things began to look like a blur before Daniel and Alec soon found themselves joined by Lord Ravena, Archer Fairchild and an unconscious Bretta O'Malley.

Lord Ravena: "I take it all of you have had eventful evenings. The key to any reasonable operation is information. Let us debrief and then we can proceed as necessary."

Alec: “While I thank you for saving Bretta’s life, I do have to ask: where’s Juliette? Reed, here, told me that you were going to save BOTH damsels in distress.”

"Yes...where is the woman of the hour. The one who brought us all together?"

:: As soon as he finished his sentence, he felt something in the pit of his stomach as he looked upon Archer..and he knew what he was about to say. ::

Archer: "She's dead. When I made it to the dungeon where Maxine was keeping them...I...I barely had time to get Bretta out of there before the bitch finished HER off too.."

:: Daniel shook his head. ::

"Damn...I LIKED her...this is a seriously twisted and unfortunate event now, isn't it?"

:: The empath began to question whether or not he had made the right decision in flipping sides. Everybody had seemed so confident in the vampire...Lord Ravena, Alec...even Maxine seemed oddly fascinated with her, and yet...she was the only one thus far to have lost her life. ::

Archer: "I did however, make good on my word to kill Heidi Scarborough...and Juliette made good on her word as well. We just never had the chance to compare notes...and now we never will...but we can't bloody well stop now, can we? We started a war...and we knew there would be casualties...."

Daniel sat back down on the couch next to Alec with a thud.

"It's not the most appropriate thing to be thinking about, definitely not the most BRITISH thing to be thinking about...but Fairchild is right. Whether we like it or not, there are those that are GUNNING for you. The gauntlet was thrown...Rebecca left to meet with Camille and fill her in on the things...and my last bit of intel is that The White King himself is FURIOUS with the courts in general...they're coming for us..."

Archer: "So has Bex's entire court defected or are we going to have worry about you flipping the script on us when we move forward...because I have stuck my neck out one too many times tonight in defiance of The Hellfire Club and I'm not about to do it again until I have a crown on my head...."

"You've stuck your neck out because you knew it was a sure thing...standing behind Juliette. If we are looking at track records here...I've been loyal to Rebecca for as long as I knew she would be loyal to me. The time has come for us to part ways, so I've done so...and as far as I can tell, none of you are in the position to be LOSING potential allies...especially considering the fact that your team's HEAD was just cut off by The Black Knight..."

Archer: "We need to plan our next move. The Supreme Council has already gathered at The Estate. Rebecca is wandering the halls and while all the security systems have been disabled, I most certainly heard swarms of hell hounds and other creatures on my way out. They are STOCKING the place tight. I can call in some of my resource. C4...ammo, whatever we need...but my guess is The White Court is headed back home...and as the man who just killed one of their court and who froze The Black Knight...I'd like to enter that place with enough firepower to blow them ALL into oblivion..."

:: Daniel smirked ::

"Well...at least now I know who to use as a human shield should the time come...."

Archer: "Furthermore...WHAT exactly is Maxine Dupont trying to prove, and what the bloody HELL is up to besides running the halls and attempting to set the world record for scowling glances and amount of limbs severed in a day?"

"Now THAT is a good question. How do we know she won't get the run on us and slaughter us all upon our reentry to the estate. I'm a good recon man, but I wasn't even able to TRACE her..I can BARELY read her emotions and her mind doesn't have a PSI Screen, yet she is inpenetrable. What's her deal, Lord Ravena?"

 

[Lord Ravena]

Lord Ravena revealed no emotion as the reports came in, first of Juliette's death and next of the White King preparing for war. And now, the eyes turned to him. What next?

Lord Ravena stood quickly, his gaze first meeting with Archer Fairchild.

You have done what you could; war is as it often is: chaotic. The loss of Juliette was a blow indeed. Dormez bien joli cygne. La mort n'est que le début.

Lord Ravena went silent for a moment before continuing.

All will be as it was supposed to be. Juliette's place as White Queen will remain vacant...I will not allow anyone else to hold it after this is done.

His eyes went to the Red Rook.

Steel yourself. Your devotion to Bretta almost cost her her life because you went to obey REBECCA to save her rather than simply SAVING her. That can never happen again. She is to be the next Red Queen and YOU are to be her King; to shield her as her organizational skills bring that court to order.

Next he looked at Archer Fairchild.

You are the only one that Evelyn would have countenanced for King other than...myself. Lead the Black Court with Brienne; her grandmother will support your bid. I will make sure of it.

Finally he looked at Daniel Reed.

It would appear that you have your pick eh? Given the weakness of the White Court I would respectfully request that you make a shift to there to bolster this bid. After we kill everyone who opposes us we must immediately be able to restore order. For that you will be key.

Lord Ravena had actually been leaning in to look at each person, As he rose to his FULL height, his shadow seemed to CREEP over the entire room. He spoke further.

Maxine has her own counsel to keep, and she is important in ensuring the strength of the next succession, whoever that may be. If you all hold together and portray strength, Maxine will respect that. As for tonight, all of you rest, revel, whatever you require in order to prepare yourselves. Tomorrow evening, we will go to war. There is no guarantee that everyone in this room will survive, but I promise you that the rewards for those that do will be GLORIOUS.

 

[Duke]

New Anatolia

Alec’s shoulders slumped in defeat when Archer told them that Juliette was dead. He DID have an attraction to Juliette, like any other man would. How could he not be attracted to her? She was a vampire and everybody knew that vampires oozed sex. Daniel and Archer talked back and forth about Juliette and Rebecca and the next phase of this plan. He sighed. He still couldn’t believe he admitted his feelings to Reed regarding Bretta, even IF the man already knew. But he supposed stranger things have happened. He focused back on the task at hand.

“That Juliette was quite the character…”

He unconsciously rubbed the spot on his neck where Juliette had sucked it. He listened as Daniel and Archer went back and forth on the recent events. Lord Ravena made his thoughts known.

All will be as it was supposed to be. Juliette's place as White Queen will remain vacant...I will not allow anyone else to hold it after this is done.

His eyes went to the Red Rook.

Steel yourself. Your devotion to Bretta almost cost her her life because you went to obey REBECCA to save her rather than simply SAVING her. That can never happen again. She is to be the next Red Queen and YOU are to be her King; to shield her as her organizational skills bring that court to order.

Next he looked at Archer Fairchild.

You are the only one that Evelyn would have countenanced for King other than...myself. Lead the Black Court with Brienne; her grandmother will support your bid. I will make sure of it.

Finally he looked at Daniel Reed.

It would appear that you have your pick eh? Given the weakness of the White Court I would respectfully request that you make a shift to there to bolster this bid. After we kill everyone who opposes us we must immediately be able to restore order. For that you will be key.

Lord Ravena had actually been leaning in to look at each person, As he rose to his FULL height, his shadow seemed to CREEP over the entire room. He spoke further.

Maxine has her own counsel to keep, and she is important in ensuring the strength of the next succession, whoever that may be. If you all hold together and portray strength, Maxine will respect that. As for tonight, all of you rest, revel, whatever you require in order to prepare yourselves. Tomorrow evening, we will go to war. There is no guarantee that everyone in this room will survive, but I promise you that the rewards for those that do will be GLORIOUS.

Alec nodded when Ravena spoke to him, though he was a bit miffed. How could he have SAVED Bretta when she had been nowhere to be found? But he quelled his frustrations.

“That won’t happen again. I can promise you that…”

He sighed.

“I WISH I had your ‘faith’ in Maxine but…”

He placed a hand on Daniel’s shoulder.

“It’s kind of hard to trust her since she nearly killed OUR Princess AND she actually killed JULIETTE. What’s stopping her from killing ALL of us?”

 

[Lord Ravena]

“I WISH I had your ‘faith’ in Maxine but…”

He placed a hand on Daniel’s shoulder.

“It’s kind of hard to trust her since she nearly killed OUR Princess AND she actually killed JULIETTE. What’s stopping her from killing ALL of us?”

He looked back at Duke, unblinking. This one was not a strategist, to be sure. But he was also no fool.

Even Maxine has her limitations. I am not asking you to BELIEVE in her, I am expecting you to KNOW her and use that knowledge to save yourselves. I will never tell you something I do not know and I make no threat I cannot follow through on. Rebecca and Camille are already dead women; the trick is whether you have what it takes to end their reign or NOT.

 

[Duke]

New Anatolia

Even Maxine has her limitations. I am not asking you to BELIEVE in her, I am expecting you to KNOW her and use that knowledge to save yourselves. I will never tell you something I do not know and I make no threat I cannot follow through on. Rebecca and Camille are already dead women; the trick is whether you have what it takes to end their reign or NOT.

Alec fought the urge to roll his eyes. He wasn’t stupid. He just didn’t trust the psychotic bitch who nearly killed Bretta and somehow managed to kill-kill the vampire Juliette. He waved his hand in a dismissive manner.

“Fine, fine.”

Whatever, mate.

Alec looked over at Daniel and Archer before walking over to Bretta’s bedside. He smiled softly as he took in the faerie’s bandaged nose. Somehow she managed to look beautiful even with a huge bandage on her nose. She was all tucked in and snug. He took her right hand in both of his.

“Hey, Tinkerbell.”

He used one hand to smooth back her hair. He didn’t care what Daniel, Archer, or even Ravena, thought right now. All he cared about was Bretta.

“Lord Ravena said that in order for this plan to work, we need to work WITH Maxine. But in order for us to use Maxine, we need you to wake up and tell us what she’s like. Okay? Can you do that for us? Wake up, sweetheart.”

Alec watched Bretta’s face intently for ANY sign of life. Her eyelids didn’t flicker and there weren’t any slight movements of her arms or hands. Bretta was still unconscious. A nurse came in carrying some pyjamas for Bretta as well as a seat for Alec. How he knew that he [Alec] was by Bretta’s side, Alec didn’t know. The nurse placed the clothing at the foot of the bed and nodded once at Alec before taking his leave. Alec brought the chair closer to Bretta's side and kept watch.

 

[Seer]

Back At The Estate....

<< Meanwhile, as the night presses on....

 

[Domino]

The Hellfire Estate - The Black Queen's Chambers

:: After preparing Juliette's body according to the instructions given to her, for the last several hours, Maxine Dupont had painstakingly pouring over herself in the mirror of The Black Queen's estate. Countless beauty products, brushes, colors and other items of luxury were cast out upon the countertop of the vanity. So many pieces that needed to be put together. So many things that she hadn't cared about in a very long time...but tonight was special. ::

:: She sat for awhile, freshly showered and clad only in a robe, staring at her reflection. Every piercing removed, every bit of smudged eyeliner gone until only her bare face remained, a face that Maxine had spent most of her life trying to conceal. Her ivory white skin staring back at her, the curves of her face, her jawline, all reminding her of a man who took everything from her...and no matter how she high she spiked her mohawk, or how many piercings adorned her face, there was no denying that she was in fact her father's daughter. But tonight, and very soon...she would be reborn. She would shed all of the things in her past that had held her behind. She would remove every costume and adornment and remake herself completely, using the BLOOD of the remaining few who had made her what she was as a baptism into who she really was. ::

:: Evelyn had always told her she was a beautiful woman, and often inquired as to why she felt the need to hide her face behind such aggressive and overt presentation, and for many years...Maxine had told her that she was simply and FINALLY expressing herself in a way that true to herself and, being the wise woman that she was, Evelyn would remind Maxine that people are always changing and to not be surprised if she looked in the mirror one day and found that this young girl crying out all at once for attention and to be left alone no longer served her. The Black Queen understood Maxine in a way that nobody ever else could have. She was a genuinely nurturing person in Maxine's life, somebody who truly care about her well being, and Maxine realized that in the wake of Evelyn's death, she needed to be remembered. The Hellfire Club could no longer carry on her legacy, no matter what the events of the next forty eight hours carried out, and the mantle of Evelyn Pierce's legacy, of the woman that she was, fell squarely in Maxine's lap. ::

:: So she took a brush to her freshly wet hair and began to meticulously comb through it, trying and stumbling at first to style it in such a way that felt comfortable and true to who she was but also representative of the woman she had become. She had forgotten what it was like to feel like a HUMAN, let alone a woman, and as she continued to brush and rush her fingers through her hair, she eventually found it. She sat there, gazing back at her reflection with a flickering sigh of vulnerability, placing the silver comb back down on the table. Somewhere in the mindless and obsessive strokes, she had found something that suited her. It was time to move on. ::

:: The Black Knight was a mantle that Maxine took very seriously, and as such, much like the knights of myth and legend, she was a trophy collector. A number of seemingly meaningless trinkets and objects from the lives she had taken in the name of The Black Court and of things that represented her journey. From an ornate antique jewelry box, she pulled a silver chain with a cross dangling at the bottom. It had been one of the only gifts her father, Jean Luc Dupont had ever given her, upon receiving her first communion within the church as a young girl. Undoing the clasp, she slowly and ceremoniously draped the necklace around her neck, fastening it loosely at the back of her neck. Next, she grabbed a perfume bottle that sit at the table. A beautiful and intoxicating scent that smelled of peony and plum. She sprayed herself several times, letting the signature scent of the late Evelyn Pierce wash over her body, and with it, a wave of comfort and warmth rushed over her. She said a silent, ritualistic prayer. ::

"In honor of the man who broke me....and the woman who helped to mend my soul..."

:: Next she went to work on her face, unsure of the many makeup brushes and pallettes that were spread out before her. Maxine had never gotten lessons on how to apply makeup. She had never learned the rules and secrets passed down from mother to daughter over the years. She had killed her mother before she ever had the chance to. Still, in honor of tonight she gave an honest effort. She shaped and colored in her almost non existent brows, which she usually hid in effort to hide her true feelings at all costs. She created eye lashes and cheekbones and even a simple wing at the end of her eyeline. For the moment, she left her lips bare. Resolved that she looked as best as she was capable of, she stood from the vanity and made her way over to the bed, where a garment bag was laid out on top of the black silk comforter. Unzipping the bag, Maxine pulled out a beautiful silver metallic dress that was reminiscent of the runways of Paris...a dress that Maxine had bought in anticipation of the night's events, of which she had been planning for quite some time. The robe slid off her incredibly fit body as she slowly stepped into the dress and pulled up and onto her body, pushing her arms through the long and silken sleeves, taking care and concern to zip it up behind her as she went. The dress draped across the floor, leaving a haunting train behind her as she went. Sitting on the bed, she looked at the black combat boots that had often been part of her signature costume. She smiled for a second as she put them on, laced them up and tied them. She was almost done. ::

:: She walked back over to the vanity, and looked down at a hauntingly familiar tube of CRIMSON RED lipstick. Lipstick that belonged to The Red Queen, Rebecca Everhart. Next to the lipstick was a beautiful princess cut diamond ring, one that many would instantly recognize as belonging to The White Queen, Camille Rowe. Sliding the ring on her left ring finger, she grabbed the tube of lipstick, opened it and almost ceremoniously began to apply the brazen shade of red to her lips. Upon completion of this task, she said another silent prayer. ::

"In honor of those who will perish so that I may rise from ashes..."

:: Maxine had completed her transformation. She had returned to The Hellfire State as the prodigal daughter, as a woman with a chip on her shoulder and an ungodly rage at the things that had been done to her, of the things out of her control. She was Hellfire's daughter, and tonight she would bury the remains of who she was under the bones and flesh of those who made her. Tonight she would be reborn not as Jean Luc Dupont's daughter, and Evelyn Pierce's Black Knight, but as MAXINE DUPONT. The time had come. ::

:: She headed towards the door, grabbing an incredibly ornate and giant two handed long sword, lifting it's weight as if it were a feather as she exited Evelyn Pierce's suite and made her way through the hall of the estate and down the main staircase, passing through the foyer, on her way to the Banquet Hall, her sword scraping ever so gently against the floor as she went, her long train flowing behind her. Tonight, members of The Supreme Council had gathered to being the process of choosing Evelyn's successor. These were not the Kings and Queens of the courts, but the members who had served so long that they felt their time warranted incredible power. Maxine stopped at the double doors of the banquet hall as she heard the chatter of people talking as well as the clanging of silverware and glasses. They seemed to be enjoying a joyous gathering amongst friends. She closed her eyes and inhaled sharply. As she exhaled, she cleansed herself of her past as she pressed a button next to the door. The Banquet Hall was silenced as the sounds of aggressive and wild punk music began to play LOUDLY throughout the hall. A smile creeped up in The Black Knight's lips as she slowly opened the door and entered, closing it behind her. ::

:: For the next several minutes, the screams and agonizing cries of the members of The Supreme Council were drowned out by the music selection of the evening. Maxine worked quickly and elegantly, as if she were a prima ballerina performing for a crowd of thousands. With brutal accuracy and strength, she sliced into their bodies, she broke their bones and she ended their lives. She spared only ONE life, the life of Cordelia Shaw, The Black Princess' grandmother, in a gesture of good faith, should her comrades of the revolution decide that Brienne Shaw rule The Black Court alongside Archer. She also left Cordelia alive so that SOMEBODY would be there to remember her brilliant ferocity. Her beautiful carnage. Somebody must tell the tale of Maxine's transformation. ::

:: After the purging had been completed, Maxine appeared in the doorway of The Banquet Hall once more, her body and dress dripping with the blood of the members of The Supreme Council. Her chest heaved up and down wildly as she stood there, lingering for a moment...a single tear falling from her face. Even with such cathartic release, Maxine would not allow herself to fall apart. There was still another battle to be fought. Her hand mindlessly hit the button next to the door a second time as the music stopped. There were no words, no lingering breaths from the bodies in The Banquet Hall, she had obliterated their bodies to a degree that would not allow it. ::

:: She dropped her sword, collapsing to the ground for a moment. Lost in her thoughts, energized by the blood she had spilled. No longer would The Hellfire Club be by bound the foolish rules and opinions of men and women who had long outserved their use. Tonight, Maxine had thrown the gauntlet down and her move meant that no longer was ANYBODY on ANY court safe. There was no more ORDER for The Hellfire Club, and only those strong enough and smart enough to survive would be the ones to rebuild from the ashes. Though the moment was big for her, the last leg of this race was just beginning and there was surely more battle to fight. Picking herself up from the ground, she grabbed her sword, and began to walk down the hall and onto her next location a changed a decidedly different woman. ::

 

[Silver]

New Anatolia

:: Bretta was having a dream. Actually, to be more precise, she was having a NIGHTMARE. ::

Maxine smiled at Bretta, a devilish and sadistic gleam in her eyes.

Maxine: *devilishly*: “In FACT, while you've been down here, I learned that she tasked your dear Red Rook with killing Archer Fairchild...The twist here being that if he fails, she plans to take YOUR life as punishment. I can't sit on good news, so I'll just tell you now...Alec FAILED..."

Bretta shook her head.

“NO! You’re lying! Rebecca would NEVER kill me! I did everything that was asked of me…”

She closed her eyes and struggled with herself not to cry. She opened them again and looked hard at Maxine. They were in a dungeon, miles beneath the Hellfire Estate like Bretta remembered. Only this time, something was different: Juliette was missing. It was just The Black Knight facing off against The Red Princess. Maxine walked up to Bretta, playing with her pocketknife. The Black Knight put her face close to Bretta’s.

Maxine: “Am I? Am I lying, Bretta?”

Bretta shoved Maxine away and glared at her.

“Rebecca has been nothing but kind to me! We have a GREAT relationship.”

Maxine laughed cruelly, her maniacal laughter bouncing of the cold, stone walls. It hit Bretta to her very core, a worst kind of feeling of dread. Maxine was still laughing, her laughter rising up, teasing the dark faerie, TAUNTING her.

“SHUT UP! SHUT UP YOU BITCH!”

Bretta closed her eyes and covered her ears to hide the sound of Maxine’s laughter. It had changed, somewhat. Instead of laughter, it now sounded like the cries of a DEMON. Bretta screamed and theen opened her eyes. Instead of Maxine she was now looking at the one person who took the time to care for her, who had groomed her to be the best Red Princess there ever was…Rebecca.

Rebecca: “Hello, Bretta.”

Bretta smiled widely. Maxine was only playing some cruel game with her. Rebecca would NEVER authorize the death of Bretta. Rebecca and Bretta shared a close bond with each other and Bretta had even begun looking at The Red Queen as a surrogate mother.

“Rebecca! I was actually on my way to see you when MAXINE showed up and kidnapped me…”

Rebecca waved her hand dismissively. Her expression was a mix of emotions; both pity and sadness appeared together.

Rebecca: “Oh Bretta. I certainly hoped it wouldn’t have come to this.”

The Queen moved towards Bretta and used one hand to smooth back Bretta’s hair, tucking it behind her ear. She moved behind her Princess, brushing Bretta’s long, silky mane with her beautifully polished nails. She moved around to the left side of Bretta and licked her finger before getting rid of a spot of blood on Bretta’s cheek.

Rebecca: “I asked Alastair to do one little thing for me, just ONE little thing…and do you know what happened?”

Bretta began to shake, but steeled herself for the news.

Rebecca: “I asked Alastair to kill Archer Fairchild for me, to prove his loyalty towards me and…he didn’t do it, Bretta.”

Rebecca was now looking at Bretta with pity in her eyes.

Rebecca: “There are consequences to disobeying me, Bretta, and Alec knew that going in. I made SURE of it.”

Bretta’s eyes filled with tears and she started shaking her head emphatically.

“N-no…”

Rebecca: “I told him that if he failed, I would take something of value away from him FOREVER.”

Rebecca regarded Bretta sadly. She used her thumb to wipe away Bretta’s tears.

Rebecca: “Alec failed us BOTH…and now you have to pay the price for it!”

“N-no! NO! I’ve been a good Princess! Please don’t kill me…”

Rebecca: “You have been the BEST, my dear. I so enjoyed our close bond. However, actions do have consequences and if any member of my court disobeys me, there MUST be punishments to mete out.”

“Please, Rebecca? Please let me live?”

Rebecca came close to Bretta and kissed her on the forehead.

Rebecca: “I would love to spare your life…but what kind of Queen would I be if I didn’t follow through on my actions?”

Rebecca then sashayed away, leaving Bretta to crumple on the ground in a flood of tears.

:: Outwardly, despite Bretta’s nightmare, she showed no signs of movement except for a single tear rolling down her cheek from her closed eyelid. ::