14. Needs must

"That is really not your concern" Olga said quietly.

"Can I eat him?" Lady Violet said softly, followed by a quiet giggle. "Please?"

Angelica quickly turned her head and looked to the woman on her right; a study in confusion. "We may still have use for him yet" she said carefully "are you quite well, M'Lady Violet?"

Ithikari whimpered as he twisted on the deck, trying to escape Telandior's unyielding grip.

Lady Violet lifted her face to the clouds, and laughed long and loud, the sound falling like bitter hail on those assembled. Abruptly she snapped her eyes back to meet Angelica's, and in a calm voice replied "A storm in rose still has thorns" before covering her mouth with her hand and breaking into a barely suppressed giggle.

Liva smiled and interjected deftly "and can cry red tears until the dawn returns."

Lady Violet beamed, and after nodding to Angelica she rose and left the circle, moving forward on the deck oblivious to the children who fled her course.

"Erm..." Angelica said quietly.

Liva replied simply "she's starving. And it is beginning to show." with a slight frown on her brow she added "how are you doing, M'Lady? You have been eating like a flower cup porcupine stuck on a cliff ledge."

"Oh I am fine" Angelica said, trying to convince herself it was true. "Olga?"

"I am doing well, M'Lady. It helps that I actually really like fish." Olga smiled with genuine warmth. "You could always just say yes to her, it would be a lot simpler."

Ithikari squealed meekly on the deck.

"It is not who we wish to be" Angelica said calmly. "You." she said darkly "Speak something worthy of my indulging you to live out this day."

The Mann squirmed, his head pressed firmly on the deck. "No living person can find it. The answer is obvious what you must look for." Ithikari chuckled, a hoarse raspy sound.

"Explain" Maygus said softly, the deadly menace in his voice unmistakable.

"You do not need to find the land of the dead. Instead" Ithikari paused for dramatic effect, ever the showman, "You need to find one who is not living" he fell silent, awaiting his fate.

"Give him water" Angelica said quietly "and get him out of my sight."

"But we don't have any of those, do we?" Olga whispered urgently as Maygus led the Mann away below.

"Yes" Angelica replied "The puzzle piece falls into place. Something fed on Caterham, I noticed the bite marks while I was grooming him. Tall enough to walk amongst us, yet also hiding."

"Won't it cause a panic knowing such a creature is on board?" asked Zalori quietly.

"No. Indeed spread the word that it is here because Father wished it so." Angelica said definitively. "Further, it has been feeding on my horse, not on children. It has manners, nothing to be afraid of. I wish to speak with it, please. Pass the word."

"M'Lady" Alexandras bowed and walked to the nearest group of older children to begin spreading the message via the inevitable rumor mill.

"Can it even come to us, here, now?" Olga asked.

"Probably?" Liva replied "It's not sunny, these clouds should be enough."

"Interesting. We have time, anyway" Angelica replied absently "the wind won't let us away from this coast any time soon, will it?" she asked rhetorically, rewarded with a gruff nod of confirmation from the Captain.

"Begging your pardon, M'Lady" Polite asked, waiting for Angelica's nod before continuing. "I was taught that Trezyn Arch was just a fairy tale." She exploded with a bright crimson blush that she tried to hide behind her hands as she realized what she and done, and bowing her head low towards Liva blurted out "begging your pardon, M'Lady!"

Liva burst into laughter, bright notes drifted about them as the first snowflakes reluctant to settle to the impatient ground, impossibly delicate flecks of pink and azure that swirled and danced on the wind.

"Indeed, if I may?" Fael asked, her eyes wide as she looked from Liva then towards Lady Violet, who was dancing by herself on the fordeck. "Trezyn Arch, is that not just another name for the Akashic Records?"

"Well that's one silly story explaining itself by a sillier one." Zalori gruffed "An endless library where the deeds of each lifetime are recorded on scrolls for souls to read over to learn from their mistakes before returning to the world? Whimsical nonsense to make the thought of a cannis rabbit gnawing on your lonely bones slightly less frightening."

Fael looked mildly offended, but her composure rapidly returned. She shook her head slowly "regardless of the Records, I did read a treatise that proposed that it was an Ancient city that rivaled Haven, that was crushed by the Ancients."

"That sounds more like it" Zalori sat back, stroking his beard.

"And yet" Angelica gestured forward.

"I heard it was a castle guarding a bridge over the River of Dreams." Grav offered.

"Could be, Lad" Zalori opined "could be."

Liva cast her hand before her in a semi circle, and all eyes fell to her. "There was one old prophet whose words were passed down to me. He was adamant that Trezyn Arch belonged to Selene and was hidden safely in the depths until, one day, it would rise again."

"Oh no." Angelica drew in her breath, but could not escape the tear that slid down her face as she looked to Lady Violet. The remainder of her council waited patiently, not having made the connection. "Prophets see the future, don't they?"

"Yes, they say seers dream the present far beyond the horizon" Liva said, nodding to Fael "If you believe in such things, and prophets dream the horizon far beyond the present."

"It fits, it fits too well." Another tear slid down Angelica's cheek as she spoke softly. "The Arch was not hidden when Lady Violet left it. The time the Prophet spoke of is now ... the way to the Arch is buried under the ash from the burning." She took a breath "They are now safe for the future when they rise but ..." Angelica was crying properly now. She rose, as did her council. Angelica walked forward, and without any words began dancing with Lady Violet, an old formal dance that soon had the clapping and humming of the gathered children for music and rhythm.

"I missed something" Fael stated quietly.

"True or not" Liva replied kindly "our Lady believes it true. Lady Violet's crew was lost to the kraken, and her People rarely travel."

Fael still looked confused.

Liva bowed her head "Our Lady believes that Lady Violet is the last of her people outside of the Arch, and she can never go home" Liva said quietly "and all the pieces fit.

Fael raised a hand to her mouth, the concern writ large in her eyes "No wonder her senses seek to depart."

"Come" Liva said with sudden certainty. "Dance. All of us, yes that means you too" she looked at Grav, who went pale as a snow fox as Liva extended her hand to him to accompany her.

"But but" he stammered "I don't know how!"

"No time like the end of the world to learn to dance" Zalori laughed and clapped him on the back "Just watch me, lad. Lady Polite, may I have the honour of this dance?" he bowed gracefully with his hand extended.

Someone had found a pipe, another a fiddle, empty rain barrels were upended as drums, and the dance was joined in earnest.

High above the raven turned his head, watching those below cavorting about the decks in organized chaos. Clearly all afflicted with a madness, but they died they would still be good eating. It tilted its glorious wings and continued its lazy, tireless circle, orange light glinting off its golden wingtips.

@->------

Angelica lay panting with her back against the ship's gunwale, her breath entirely spent in laughter and dance. Liva and Polite floated gracefully about each other, right hands raised, while Maygus and Zalori darted between them and spun to rejoin the outer circle.

"Excuse me M'Lady" a lyrical voice softly intruded.

Angelica turned and smiled "Welcome, I recognize you, but from where?"

"I am Victoria, M'Lady. I was part of your Father's Court." the beautiful young woman replied, her light blue dress crumpled and stained. Four of Angelica's guards were 'casually' lingering close, trying diligently to mask both their purpose and nervousness.

"You were a scribe, no?"

Victoria smiled "Quite so, M'Lady."

"And more than that?" Angelica prodded gently.

"May it please M'Lady, I have the honour to be the Ambassador you seek."

"Do you know where I wish to go?"

"Indeed, but I beg you M'Lady, do not do this. Do not ask me to lead you to our doom."

"Why do you speak so against your land?" Angelica said quietly, the dancing and music masking them "Could you not arrange safe harbour?"

"No M'Lady, I can offer no such surety. Worse, those who rule are truly vile creatures, warped by the years of dust draped about them, lost in past glories faded far from truth. They cherish their hatred, and to step foot on their domain is to become a pawn in their games."

Angelica let the words percolate, then shrugged and replied. "Your words are not lost on me, yet I would risk the perils ahead over my people withering to nothing in the ashes. Without clean rain we have no choice."

Victoria nodded "as you wish M'Lady, I shall guide you" she said solemnly.

"Thank you Ambassador" Angelica replied formally, sealing the agreement. "And yet, you are not like them, are you" Angelica appended.

"Indeed M'Lady. Why I volunteered to this post." Victoria looked down as she spoke "M'Lady, before we continue, there is something I must inform you of."

"Speak freely" Angelica uttered the words of her Father's Court, with all that they imported.

"I was weak" Victoria suddenly began to cry, her hands hiding her face. "I'm so sorry, I thought I could survive just on your horse. But I was not strong enough."

Angelica took in a long breath, and gave the 'girl' a hug. "Who?" she said quietly.

"She was dying, Fael could not save her. I did not want to, but nor did I wish her to be gone. I liked her too much. I should have the strength to let myself end, but I failed even in that."

Angelica hugged her tighter "I wanted her to stay too." Angelica's own tears were falling too now, knowing the answer unsaid.

"It is all my fault" Victoria spoke though the very real tears "Tori-Anna is a vampire now."

"No" Angelica replied firmly, looking into the Vampress' eyes. "It was the Kraken that killed her. You are just like us, trying to survive." She inhaled deeply. "Go to her, guide her though this. And ..." her eyes narrowed "if she must... Ithikari."

Victoria's eyes flew wide at the permission, quickly recovering her decorum. "He must have done something vile indeed M'Lady?" she ventured hesitantly.

"Oh you have no idea" Angelica replied sweetly. "Just ... he must live. I gave his life to Liva; it would be terribly rude if he perished. And save some for Lady Violet, just in case."

Victoria courtseyed low, her form perfect, and vanished into the dancing throng.

Angelica leant back against the wood, her thoughts swirling as she watched Spike batting the glittering soulgem about the wood of the deck, amazed that none tripped on the well fed ginger cat as they danced. "You have no idea" she said quietly "Keeper of the Flames indeed."

A smile broke over her face "And I am no pawn."

Her breath recovered, she leapt up and swirled into the endless dance.