Tales of Aradia The Last Witch Volume (39 page)

"Such as Sovereign?" Rome
asked.

The Sovereign whipped around and
then asked him, "Remember the seer's child?"

Rome stared blankly at
him.

The Sovereign groaned and explained
further. "The witch seer's child the one you failed to
kill?"

All of sudden Rome's face turned
blank, and scared.

He tired to dismiss it though by
saying, "Sovereign there is no way this child could be the one of
which you were hoping to kill."

"Oh no?” the Sovereign said
whipping around like an angered cobra.

He then told Rome everything that
had just been reported about Aradia especially the attack on the
head of all the Pennsylvania vampire clans’ house!

Rome's mouth dropped open in
shock.

Finally, he managed to stammer,
"Well what should we do? Kill her?"

The Sovereign barked a harsh laugh
and said, "Now who would be daft enough to do that? After word
about her abilities, what she has accomplished spreads, and indeed
it will I will be lucky if even my most trustworthy and well paid
assassins don't join her side!"

"Sovereign they wouldn't...," Rome
began.

"Yes they would and you know it!"
the Sovereign snapped.

Rome stood quiet and humbled, but
still he could not stop himself from asking. "So what should we
do?"

The Sovereign sighed, and pressed
his face against his hand.

"Sadly," the Sovereign finally
said, "There is nothing we can do. As we have just seen she has
allies amongst all the hidden who will fight for her so if we
attack and kill her...well needless to say it will truly be
bothersome now won't it?"

The Sovereign sighed while Rome
asked, "So wait? We just ignore her or something?"

The Sovereign looked up at him,
causing Rome to tremble a bit.

Amazingly, the Sovereign just
sighed again and said, "What else can we do?"

Rome stared at him while the
Sovereign walked to where a picture of Aradia was kept amongst the
files he had ordered to be gathered on her.

Finally, he asked Rome, "Do you
know how old this girl is?"

Rome shrugged. "Sixteen.
Why?"

The Sovereign snickered, and tossed
the picture back into the file.

"Because Rome," he began explaining
in an almost blissfully sounding voice. "Do you remember what it
was like to be sixteen?"

Rome shook his head awkwardly but
it made no difference to the Sovereign for he continued by saying,
"Well I do. As ancient and as old I am I remember what I was like
when I was sixteen. I was unsure, naive, and lacking in experience
in anything."

"But," he added while folding his
arms. "I also remember I was overconfident, egotistical, and
thought stupidly that because I was sixteen that something special
was going to happen to me." His chuckle was accompanied by a mild
sigh as he went on. "Mind you that did change but not before I made
quite a few embarrassing mistakes."

The Sovereign shuddered with the
memories, but it did not stop him from finishing his point. "Anyway
the fact is that this little girl seems to be under the impression
that she has political power. I do not deny she may indeed have
that, but the thing about politics is it is always harder and much
more ruthless then people seem to realize. The worst or perhaps the
best thing about the hidden world is we have very few universal
laws that anyone follows. There is truly nothing that holds us back
from doing anything we want to so if this sixteen year old child
truly wishes to get involved with such a world where everyone
believes this then chances are things will get harder for her as
time goes by."

"So," the Sovereign said while
pouring a glass of dark red liquid into a crystal wine glass. "In
the end either the process will make her question her resolve or
just plain break her!"

He then took a huge gulp from the
glass, licked the remainder of it off his lips, and said, "Let’s
hope it's the later of the two."

"I am so glad you are okay," Dax
said while wrapping his arm around Aradia.

They were in his car driving back
to Massachusetts with Aradia finally freed from the disgusting
lingerie, and in a set of brand new clothes.

"I’m just glad you showed up,"
Aradia said as she leaned against him.

Dax chuckled.

Aradia then raised her head and
said, "I still can't believe Korrigan didn't suspect a trick when I
sent you that text message."

"I have been thinking about that
too," Dax said, "And I think I know why."

Aradia straightened up, and awaited
his explanation.

"You see as we both know he was
part witch," Dax pointed out, "But the thing is you are not
supposed to mix hidden blood together either vampire or witch or
anything. My guess is because he was a pureblood witch when he was
turned his powers mixed badly with his vampire abilities. It was
like a bipolar disorder when his witch powers showed up which would
be randomly and erratically. He probably could never tell when it
would happen therefore he could read your mind, but only at random
times so when you tricked him..."

"Survey says his powers were
offline," Aradia quipped.

Dax laughed, and looked over to her
as she stared out the window.

"What is wrong?" he asked
her.

Aradia sighed and said, "As much as
I hate to admit it being captured by Korrigan has changed my mind
about things."

"Such as?" Dax inquired.

"He told me our race was dead, and
that there can be no other witches ever again. Sadly, with Korrigan
dead I think it's finally true."

Dax said nothing while Aradia
continued. "However, that doesn't change my position of being the
last witch. If anything Korrigan helped me to decide what course of
action I want to take."

"And what's that?" Dax
asked.

"I want to be recognized as a
political figure in the hidden world. Yes, it means a lot of danger
and people attacking me like the McAlester brothers. The sad truth
is though I have a responsibility and a legacy and I cannot turn my
back on it."

"But most of all," Aradia added, "I
want to make sure that what happened to my people never happens
again."

Dax wanted to argue that such a
thing was impossible, but as he thought about it if the witches
could be wiped out so could everyone else. The only reason that
such a thing had not happen recently was that thanks to Hollywood
exposing so many of them, and their secrets that in order to keep
the hidden world still hidden they would have to kill everyone!
Still, Dax thought, just because we frown on genocide now does not
stop it from happening.

He cleared his throat as he glanced
at Aradia once again and said, "You know what taking on the
responsibilities of the last witch means right?"

"Yeah. I have to get rid of all the
brooms in my house and throw out my Sabrina the Teenage Witch DVD
collection," Aradia quipped.

Dax laughed and said, "No, no
Aradia love. It means this whole thing with the
consort..."

Immediately, Aradia's mood turned
foul as she said "Oh don't worry Dax. After our last conversation I
understand your feelings so you are definitely off the
list."

Dax stopped the car, turned to face
Aradia, and clasped both her hands in his own. "Aradia. My little
Rai of sunshine and rainbow light the things I said to
you..."

He trailed off, shook his head, but
continued nonetheless. "I am sorry Aradia. I can honestly say I was
not lying to you about my reasons, but after spending time away
from you...God it was awful Aradia! I felt miserable! I thought
about you every second, and I am so sorry for what I said to you.
Please forgive me. Please!"

Aradia looked over to him. She did
not know whether she wanted to forgive him or even if she doubted
his sincerity. The truth of the matter though was she was in love
with Dax. She now realized that, she was head over heels in love
with Dax! As he had said, she too had felt miserable being apart
from him so for all the uncertainties she felt about him she could
not change the fact that she was in love with Dax. As much as
people denied it, Aradia knew that you just could not stop loving
someone because you felt like it and she was no
exception.

Dax eagerly awaited her answer as
he looked at her with anticipation, and fear shining in his
eyes.

Aradia said nothing.

Instead, she just drew him close,
and hugged him.

Eventually she muttered, "You know
Dax for someone who is British you sure say a lot of un-classy
things."

Dax chuckled and said, "Aradia love
I am a guy. Guys in generally say a lot of un-classy
things."

Aradia laughed, and drew apart from
him to look into his eyes. It was as their lips drew closer when
they heard a tapping on the glass. They both turned to see Tristan
who motioned to them to get out of the car, and follow him.
Reluctantly, they did so and followed him into the woods until
finally they met up in a clearing. There they also saw Roy, and
Lamont waiting for them.

"Roy boy!" Aradia shouted as she
did her usual greeting of running up, and hugging him.

At first, Roy was happy to see her
but once she held him, he started whimpering.

"Oh god sorry," Aradia said drawing
back remembering his injuries.

Injuries were what also prompted
Aradia to run to Lamont and ask if he was ok. He nodded feebly, but
Aradia recognized the limping shoulder that been speared by a pool
stick. She then quickly placed her hand on him, and using summoning
power healed him instantly. It not only made Lamont feel and look
better, but it also motivated him to cup Aradia's chin in a
thankful gesture.

Tristan coughed in his hand. He was
lying lazily on top of a fallen tree covered with moss, and looking
very amused.

"I am sorry I had to contact you
like this and so shortly after our...rumble."

Roy snorted while Tristan
scowled.

Nevertheless, he continued and
said, "But sadly I feel like there is no better time for us to
discuss Aradia's choice in a consort."

"Oh for the love of god Tristan!"
Aradia cried out, and burying her face in her hands. "How many
times do I have to tell you stay out of my love life!"

She began to walk back the car but
Tristan stopped her by saying, "Oh well no big deal then if a war
breaks out because you did not listen to me. None of it will be on
my hands because I clearly tried to warn you."

Aradia froze, and turned back to
look at him. "What?"

Tristan smiled like a man about
ready to play a royal flush at a poker tournament.

"You see Aradia" Tristan said
sitting up straight, "Not just by being alive but in addition to
your recent attempts to promote amelioration you have caused a
massive change in the political hidden world. If there is anything
you should know by now political upheaval in our world is often
violent. I mean the promoting amelioration thing is bound to cause
enough trouble, but the sad truth is sweetheart one of the reasons
the McAlester brothers snatched you is because you are single and
unattached to any hidden race. If you weren't then chances are they
wouldn't have dared gone near you or anyone important to you for
fear of retaliation."

Aradia was stunned, and turned to
ask Dax if this was true. Although, he had never considered it
before Dax admitted that Tristan did have a point.

Tristan smiled and continued, "Also
keep in mind that if you truly wish to change anything the moment
you align yourself to a particular hidden race you will
automatically get support. Take comfort in the fact that like in
the human world majority rules. So the sooner you chose someone as
your consort the sooner you can get things done."

"But what's this got to do with
starting a war?" Aradia demanded.

"I am getting to it," he
snapped.

After taking one long frustrating
breath, he went on.

"However," Tristan added darkly,
"If you do choose a consort you will be giving that race
unconditional political power. Usually if someone becomes too
powerful, the first thing you do is try to take him or her down a
notch. So whoever you chose Aradia there will be conflict and the
possibility of war will be very likely."

"What if I don't choose?" Aradia
demanded placing her hands on her hips.

Tristan chuckled and said, "Then we
won't wait for you. War will be waged anyway, and whoever wins gets
you!"

Aradia was stunned and looked to
Dax, Roy, and Lamont.

"Is this true?" she asked all of
them, "Is what he saying true?"

Dax looked away while Roy shrugged
only Lamont nodded slowly, and confirmed Aradia's fears.

She turned back to face Tristan and
slowly said, "So what you are saying is if I chose a consort there
will be war."