A Weekend Affair # 3 - The Red Hunt

[Discord]

Leprechaun Bar

"Come let's go but...do you feel any better?"

Gia: "I do...but I also don't feel any better. It's okay though. I'm sure I'll figure it out. Look, I won't be able to go back with you. I have some business of my own that I need to take care of first, but I'll definitely see you on Arklay."

Daniel smirked and shook his head. If she was worth her weight at all as a Bishop, she would have known that Bishops should always arrive before their Queens and Kings if only to alert them to the environment they were about to be in. He cocked an eyebrow.

"Alright...but don't forget..a punctual Bishop is a useful bishop."

He smiled as he left the den of inequity that was once a posh tapas place and headed back down the street. If he was going to arrive before his Queen, he was going to need to move his ass. His conversation with Gia had just unpeeled another layer of the onion that was American Hellfire. He was pleased with how easy he had been able to ingratiate himself into their world and he was sure he was getting more information than any of his kings or queens. They could have sex and attempt half hearted poorly conceived alliances all they wanted, Daniel was doing real work.

Entering the Hellfire Mansion, The Red Bishop made his way back up the stairs, through the Red Wing and into his quarters, quickly showering and putting on a vintage traditional besoke Norfolk shooting jacket in English tweed that had been custom made for him, the only significant red accent being his tie, knowing it was impractical to walk into a hunting event dressed loudly enough to scare off wild game. On the way towards his room, Daniel had been thinking of Ashley. Helena once regarded Ashley highly, and he was never quite sure what happened between the two women, but somewhere along the way their relationship faltered. And now Helena was dead and Ashley had taken her place. He wasn't sure if entertaining a relationship with the New Red Queen would be a betrayal of Helena's honor, but he also knew that to ignore Ashley would be ignorant. He had to separate his feelings about Helena's murder from the task at hand, which was survival and moving himself forward. It was simply the most Helena thing to do. But he couldn't enter and attempt to dazzle her, she would know he was faking and take it as an insult. He would simply have to show her he could be trusted by acting in accordance with her vision for the event. He would need to be a guest that heightened the mood and deepened the experience. If he succeeded in that, then he might have a chance at working with her in the future.

"Time to butch it up, Reed."

He knew the others would take their time getting ready, and doing a security sweep, he had found that Alek had already arrived to the event. So he called ahead and had his Ferrari 250 GT removed from a holding garage several blocks away as he hopped in and barreled through the city limits on his way to Arklay, sure to beat the others by a good forty five minutes. As the route became more scenic, he began to find himself a bit excited for the event. Daniel was a reluctant hunter. It was a tradition of the Reed Family, datitng back to the origin of the hunting lodges in Western Europe. Daniel kept up on his skill because hunting lodges still hosted some of Europe's wealthiest and most influential families, and invitations to said lodges were rare if not non-existant. The only way you could secure membership was being born into these families or if you married into them. Daniel was born into and it would have been foolish for Daniel to not utlize such a resource for information and power. Above all that, Daniel found himself to be a highly skilled marksman and ace hunter. It was in the woods that he had first began to realize he was not a garden variety empath. He could track the primal reverbations of emotion they gave off quite easily, and though his father and friends never knew, on simpler minded animals, he could make their kills painless and even soothing if he wanted. Though he had no problems taking human life, there was a bit of him that was enthralled with wild creatures, and believed them to be a bit revered.

He pulled up to Arklay and had his car parked as he made his way to the large red tent on the lawn. Inside was a rather immaculate and tasteful setup, with the appropriate floral arrangments. Clearly the Red Court used a different florist. The area surrounding Arklay Manor was gorgeous and as beautiful as promised. Daniel honestly felt as if he were in the London countryside for a moment as he made out Alek underneath the tent, sipping a glass of champagne. Daniel smiled as he approached. He never had much of a problem with The Red King, they were just two very different men who noticed very different things. Alek was a man's man, and so was Daniel. They just wanted to do very different things with their man friends. Still, Daniel was a confident man, and his upbringing in hunting circles had taught him how to act around men like Alek. But he was still going to be himself.

"Now this is an event worthy of The Red Court. Congratulations, your majesty. And perfect weather."

Daniel ordered a pint of stout as he grabbed the cool glass, taking a long sip.

"I have to admit, I'm a bit excited. I haven't been hunting since Christmas."

"Woof woof woof!"

His ears perked up as he heard the sounds of his bloodhound, Ladybird scaling across the property in his direction. He had forgotten he had the dog couriered over specifically for the event. Normally, he only saw Ladybird at his family's own hunting lodge several times a year, so when he learned of what the festivities would be, he jumped at the chance to have her traverse the lush surroundings. She was an immaculate hunting dog, and all around, soggy, fluffy, squishy, cute little love bug. She was like family to him.

"One moment, your majesty."

[turning towards the dog clapping on his knees with his hand]

"Ladybird you SCAG! How did you get here?! Come here ya big baby!"

She leapt towards him, placing her paws on his shoulders as she bathed him in kisses with her wet sloppy tongue which Daniel allowed if only for a moment before she took a poised and well learned command of sitting obediently by his side as he stroked her ears for a moment, looking into her eyes. He rose to his feet as he turned to face The Red King once more.

"She's a bit on in years, but I couldn't resist the opportunity to let her roam such beautiful land. Hope it's not a bother."

[taking a sip of the beer]

"I apologize for not making a more formal salutation before today. Hello and thank you for the invitation, King Alek. I hope our court has lived up to your expectations..exceeding them hopefully."

 

[Goliath]

To Arklay...

He was still running hot as he left the armory, his mind racing. That had been the most forward he had ever been in Hellfire and he was beginning to like sticking his face closer to the flames. Ben was so charged from his exchange with Amanda that he pleased himself in the shower thinking of her body on top of his. Ben needed to be careful. Inter court relationships were a mixed bag, despite them being some of the stronger bonds in Hellfire. They were volitale and not to be entered into lightly, and Ben wasn't sure if it was Cobra he really wanted or if it was just his ego testing the waters with how he could play in Hellfire knowing what he knew now. His sister was also the sister of The White King - and that meant something. It was time to show up.

Dressing for events was important in The Black Court - one of the requirements for her court was they appear to be more polished than the others, and as such Ben had acquired vast amounts of things to have to put on over the years. Though he was a jeans, t-shirt and motorcycle jacket kind of guy, he knew how to clean up well and dress in a way that appeased his Queen. More of a rider than a hunter, Ben changed into his riding gear. Equestrian skill was another requirement of The Black Court - all of them knew how to ride and ride well, and Ben was no exception. He learned to ride horses with Ava and they had spent many summers together at Arklay, riding their horses to the outer edges of the property, drinking stolen whiskey and swimming in the lake.

He quickly entered one of the helicopters, thankful to be alone as it zoomed through the air towards Arklay. He felt like a new man. His mind was racing to connect with Erika on some level. Ava would not like Kelly having her hand in yet another relationship in Hellfire, but Ben was hoping his honesty would let Ava know that he wanted to pursue a relationship with his sister, and that she might let her live for him to do so. He had been fiercely loyal to her and that deserved to be respected. As he made his way towards The Red Tent, he noticed Daniel and Alek among the first to arrive. He scowled a bit, knowing that Daniel had beaten him in arriving. The two were often competitors, with Ben loving to wipe the smug look off Daniel's face. He was so self assured, so sure that his way was the best and only way. Ben liked to rib him a bit.

"Daniel Reed! I had no idea you were bringing your wife! Mrs. Reed you look lovely."

The Black Bishop walked over towards Daniel and Ladybird as she scratched the dog underneath her chin, peering up at Daniel and smirking.

"Who knew you were...what's the American term...cougar bait."

Ben ordered a cheap domestic beer and slung it back with ease, before looking towards Alek and bowing.

"I trust I have arrived in enough time to remove Daniel Reed's tongue from your arse before it gets any deeper? Or am I too late?"

Benjamin laughed heartily. Daniel was dealing with a different Ben, one that was more than willing to show him how much better a Bishop he was than his European counterpart.

"However, in the same spirit..I'm not much of a hunter. Well, at least not of animals. I was hoping to join you this afternoon, your majesty. I've heard you have the better party favors."

 

[Avalanche]

Hellfire Mansion

These people were driving him crazy. The Brits may have been stuffy, but the Americans seemed to have a redwood of epic porportions lodged up their asses. There was a distinct lack of fun in the American court, unless it was sheathed in everybody perpetually orgasming over how powerful or beautiful they were. Ava Cassadine was a delicious little nut that Archer intended to crack, and the fact that everybody, even Ava herself seemed so diametrically opposed to the idea only made him more convinced that he needed to accomplish this goal. All he saw around him were people raised with wads of cash who probably didn't know how to wipe their own asses without complimenting themselves. It was ridiculous. They were all incredibly hot, super powered people with incredible and vast resources. If they wanted to spend their days lording their titles and speaking of propriety as if they weren't as debauched and depraved as he was, that was their business. Archer Fairchild would not run his court that way. Everybody's blood looked the same painted against a wall. They weren't shit.

Brienne and Archer touched base via text message as they often did and he knew she had gone off to find Alek. He was happy that Brienne was knocking boots with The Red King, but he was beginning to feel a bit alone. He was a smart man, his empire was coveted and if he didn't secure himself one HELL of a deal, they would kill him. Especially if they knew he had taken out Count Nefaria. He had crippled The White Court leaving them with Gia, but that had been their own fault. Leaving such a valuable asset so vulnerable was their mistake. It was a move they would have made had the situation been reversed and Archer prided himself on taking shots when they became clear. Ava was pissed at him for stealing Cassadine resources, but he had sold much of her property to places that would not acknowledge her father's business empire. He was a middle man who could sell Cassadine tech without the STENCH of the Cassadines attached to it. Robbing from them was considered the lord's work in terms of the black market. Ava would be foolish not to work with Archer, as were the other courts.

As he returned to his study, promptly throwing his red blazer into a fireplace in The Black Wing, he returned to his ice cold and incredibly dark quarters, doing another bump of coke from the necklace his Queen had given him. Despite his teflon like appearance, the Americans were getting to him and needed the reassurance of his Queen to get him through the rest of this weekend. The only silver lining he had left in the American Court was Alek, though he was sure the Inner CIrcle was now working towards separating them. He moved over towards his desk to see several parchments of paper. His all out non stop partying with the staff of Hellfire had proved successful as he found a dossier of information regarding the movements of the American Inner Circle. The Americans praised their pawns, but often forgot about their wait staff, those who made no money and were treated like shit. They were practically salivating to become more useful, and Archer always capitalized on that, while protecting their treachery. The White Queen had met with Kelly King. Cameron was meeting with The Red Queen. The Red Knight had taken The Red Queen in the hallway. Erika King had killed a maid. Benjamin Lewis was fuming. Daniel and Gia had gone to a bar to talk. All of this seemingly useless information was part of a story. All Archer had to do was figure it out and he would be golden. But he knew one thing - there were cracks in the American Court, and he would exploit them. His former queen, Evelyn Pierce might have led with diplomacy, but she was dead, so it was obviously not the best route to take. Archer intended on running The Black Court like he ran his business - aggressive and fast paced, and he was primed to remove the silver spoon from these purebred pups and jam it firmly up their asses. Taking off the rest of his clothes, he donned a dark brown fur coat as he began to search through his closet, admiring himself in the mirror.

"These American sluts should BE so lucky."

Archer was trying to control his ego, but the level of disrespect he had been shown by the Americans would not go unpunished. He was the belle of the ball in Hellfire Europe. Juliette and Liam had built their court on ideals, Archer had built his on hard work and GRIT, and he had suffered through enough of their bourgeois bullshit. And who even cared about The Red Court. The thought of taking out Bretta and her pussy of a king and installing Alek as the ruler of the ERC was enticing. That was half of Archer's motivation in coming to America. Liam and Juliette thought they ran things, as most white courts thought of themselves. If Archer could somehow sway Alek over he would have a SOLID two thirds control of the European Court in his favor. Liam and Juliette would HAVE to go through Archer and Alek to get anything done. And Archer had already been entertaining Clara Zacchara on a regular basis. She was itching to climb out of the shadow of her sister Claudia, and if he could convince Haleigh to give Clara a position on her court and kill Gia, Archer would absorb the rogue Nefaria agents and start a beautiful partnership that would give him cross court power the likes of which hadn't been seen. This was an endgame Archer hadn't wanted to act on initially as it was a bit risky, but seeing what he had this weekend, he realized his mortality. His empire was more useful to the American court if he wasn't around and it would only be a matter of time before somebody tried to seize it. He would sooner die. He would confide in Alek today in a relaxed setting, and plant the required seeds, because he could see one thing from the information he had garnered today. Many kings and queens were meeting with each other and their inner circle, but nobody was meeting with Alek. Not in an official capacity. He had to know that was a bit of a problem.

He slipped into something a bit more comfortable and color appropriate and headed up to a private helicopter that took him to Arklay. Brienne liked to arrive on her own and he was not a man that could wait for her smoky eye to be perfected. They didn't need to arrive together to appear as a united front. Keyed up from the coke, Archer had a scotch on the plane and one delivered to him as he stepped off the helio pad and made his way towards the Red Tent where both Ben and Daniel were declaring love boners for The Red King. Archer listened and smirked, grabbing a rifle from one of the stands of the shooting range. Picking it up, he cocked it and shot a bullet that landed right in between The Red and Black Bishop, narrowly missing both of their faces as he smiled, walking forward after picking his drink back up from the grass.

"This is a warning shot on behalf of The Red King.."

[walking closer]

"This is a hunting trip boys, not a first date. Do us both a favor and roll your dicks back up in your pants. It's embarrassing to both of our courts."

He extended a hand towards Alek as the two embraced in a bromantic handshake bro hug for a moment as Archer took a sip of his scotch.

"Goddamn this is just what I needed."

[smirking]

"Fresh air. Plenty of nosy bishops to hunt should the deer remain in hiding. It's what the doctor ordered after that...bizarre breakfast..I'll never put on another piece of clothing without fear again. Oh the deep social maneuvering of the American court. Such a lofty bunch of piss ants."

Archer laughed.

"Kidding of course. Well...kinda. So..Al. My man. What are we shooting at today?"

 

[Pathfinder]

Hellfire Mansion - Erika's Room

Erika was left alone in her room. Her crying had subsided. The unholy deal she had made with her mother was coursing through her veins, and despite her hesitation, she couldn't deny that her mom's concoction and words had made her feel better. As she sat at her vanity, her breathing became more focused and less chaotic. The voices subsided, though she could still sense them. She was not, however controlled by them for the time being, and that was a rare occurence for Erika. She stared at her reflection for a moment, composing herself. She hated that she had been so vulnerable with her mother, but over the years she had learned that Kelly was the only one equipped to deal with her. Cameron had been there a time or two, but Erika had scared him away. But today was a new day. She was the White Princess. It was a chance at a new beginning. She hated almost everybody that lived within these walls and wanted nothing more than for them to suffer, and she was beginning to realize where she fit in when it came to the grand scheme of things.

She could make the moves that Haleigh and Cameron couldn't. They viewed her as insane. And insane people often did unexplainable things. And if those unexplainable actions just happened to benefit her brother and her sister-in-law it would appear as a coincidence. She knew that Ava and Ashley would be calling for her head the moment they became aware, but she was confident. She was a King for goddess' sake. Nobody made a move against the King family and lived. More than that, Cameron may have resented her existence, but she knew how to get him to do what he she wanted. Cameron loved his family. He only pretended his loyalty was only to Haleigh because it was A) believable and B) neccessary to his survival. He couldn't show his true loyalty to his family because they would kill them. He was the only one to walk from the rebellion with his entire family intact. That said something about The King Family's sway over the court. It shouldn't have happened that way, but it did. And that meant that Cameron cared for his blood in a way the other's didn't. She was starting to see herself as an asset.

The only time she missed the voices was in the shower, as her three part harmony was decidedly lacking. But the feeling of piping hot water rushing down her body in beads allowed her to remain present for the first time in a long while. She did not get lost in thought. Instead she swayed to the music that was pulsating through her bathroom, her mind racing towards Zach Armani. The lyrics hit her in a wave of euphoria. She didn't want to admit how badly she wanted him. Her entire life she had believed she was insane. That the nasty little thoughts she entertained only to herself were dirty and unclean. That she was broken. In the short time she had spent with Zach, her body felt in constant pleasure. He not only entertained her nasty little thoughts, he had them too. Knew how to execute them. And he did so with immense pleasure and gratitude. She had fucked a few empaths in her life, but she had never felt this before. Normally, Erika left a guy the second her crazy creeped out in a way she couldn't explain away. But Zach had seen a flash of her mania, and he didn't judge her. He stayed. And he listened. And he stayed after he listened. Perhaps he was a man who could understand her?

"No."

She could not get ahead of herself. As drawn as she felt to Zach, she still was unsure if she could trust him. He was very close to Haleigh and Cameron. They coveted him. Heidi and Zach were the golden children of The White Court. It was clear that the king and queen were priming them for the future. That fostered a great deal of loyalty. It would be foolish of her to believe that Zach was genuinely interested her, or at least more interested in her than he was of his position within Hellfire. Erika also knew, however, that she would not stop worshipping his cock until she had concrete proof he didn't have her best interest at heart. And if he didn't, she would bend that cock in half, rip it off, fry it up in a pan and make him eat it.

"Which...honestly, would be very satisfying....and hot."

As she shampooed her hair, she began to go to work mentally. Erika was not a hunter. It was a witch thing.

"As if man could ever truly trump nature."

She hated dick measuring contests as much as the next woman, and she equally hated women who felt the need to pretend that they had a dick, as if it made them cooler, so this event wasn't exactly her cup of tea. But she was going to have to make it work. She didn't know when Haleigh would announce her, and she needed to make a good impression to soften whatever backlash her brother and her sister in law might experience. She also needed to speak with her brother and with Haleigh, but she wanted to do it after this event, just before she was announced. Brienne would be an asset, despite being a human urinal. They both spoke the same language. She could play nice with Ava, which wouldn't be very fun. But it would be smart. Ava had the same sense of family that Cameron did, she just didn't want to admit it to herself. She has the only other person besides Cameron to leave with a relative still alive. She had to have tipped off Stavros, who obviously tipped off Erika's mom. Erika never understood how Ava refused to see how in love Kelly and Stavros were. Growing up, Erika remembered a number of times she had caught her mother with Stavros in uncomfortable and unexplainable positions. Ava and Kelly hated each other so much that it caused them both to be a bit ignorant of the other. Erika entertained the idea of forming an alliance with Ava under the guise of Erika agreeing with Ava's idea that her mother was an insufferable bitch. It wouldn't have been the most challenging acting role of her life. Kelly King was a bitch. Erika could make an alliance worth Ava's while, but she came to a screeching halt at the thought of the Red Court.

"That Red Thunder Cunt is never gonna accept me."

Helena was easy. All you had to do was get her drunk, provide a luxury manicure and give her two puffs of a joint and she was more than agreeable. Even fun. Helena had given many of them their first sip of alcohol and been the one to get them drunk for the first time. Helena hated children, so she simply treated them like they were adults, and growing up, it was known that if you wanted to have a good time, you called Aunt Helena. Erika didn't think much of Diana or Helena's deaths. But it was weird..specifically in the way that nobody acknowledged that these were women that helped raise them. They were monsters, but they were THEIR monsters. Erika had learned how to be a woman from these women, and while she still had her own mother, she often wondered if she was the only one that kind of missed them. Ashley was a bitch. The others, because they grew up with her, always cut her a bit of slack, but Ashley always called for her head at a moment's notice. She was not going to navigate the Red Queen easily, so she was going to have to do her best to impress Alek.

"But that might be complicated too..."

She knew of the relationship between Alek and Haleigh, and she also knew the price Haleigh had paid for her ability to conceive. Cameron would not suffer Alek in the mansion for much longer. He might not be a long term option. That left Jack and AJ, with AJ taking the lead for his closeness to Ashley. The Red Queen was making it known to everyone that would listen that she had a new lover. Erika realized her in with Ashley would be supporting that relationship. If Cameron was smart he would be plotting with Ashley to get rid of Alek and move AJ to the Red King position. The Red Knight would be incredibly grateful that the White King helped him get where believes he belongs. It would make The White Court stronger. So she would get to know AJ this afternoon, though she was unsure as to how to get him away from Ashley for long enough.

Erika was feeling invigorated, able to easily gather her thoughts. It was freeing. Perhaps her mother did have her best interest at heart? Perhaps she wouldn't burn this mansion to the ground like she always thought she would. Slipping into a casual show suit, the White Princess made her way from her room, heading towards the roof to grab a helicopter over. She passed by The Great Hall to see a somewhat disgruntled Bretta O'Malley leave the room with an attendant as she saw Zach at a table, looking a bit amused and dumbfounded. Erika sauntered over to him.

"I know. I look so goddamn sleek and sexy. Get over it already."

She leaned in and gave him a warm kiss on the lips, grabbing his chin for a moment.

"You ask to see under The Red Queen's skirt or something? She appeared a bit pissed just now."

Erika ran her fingers through her hair.

"Care to escort me to Arklay, handsome? I was hoping to strut in there with a bit of eye candy."

 

[Ruby]

Arklay


:: Cass was having fun riding Star throughout the fields. She had never felt so alive before. As she came through the clearing, she made sure to slow Star down as they headed down the path that would take them to the stables. They’d also pass by the red tent. It looked as if there were people there already. She brightened up. As she passed by, she called to them, Alek first. ::

“You’re looking pretty dapper this afternoon, Your Majesty.”

:: Archer was next. ::

“You look pretty good too, Your Majesty!”

:: Then Daniel and his dog. ::

“I love your jacket, Mr. Reed, and that is one good-looking dog.”

:: What she REALLY wanted to do was ignore Ben, but she was in front of their guests from England. She was still hurt that he hadn’t returned her text. She really needed to talk to somebody about everything and she thought that she could trust him. As it turned out…she couldn’t. She just looked and nodded at him. ::

*flatly*: “Ben.”

How clueless can he be to NOT know that I’m back? I’ve called him Ben like ten times today instead of Benjamin or whatever else I’ve been calling him.

:: She rode on up to the stables, and got off Star just before they entered so that Cass could lead her to her stall. On the way there, she passed by Maverick, Ben’s horse. ::

“Hey, there, Mav. How’s it going? Jackass [Ben] will be here shortly.”

:: Maverick neighed softly and nuzzled her cheek before he nuzzled her neck. ::

“You’re still such a flirt, Mav.”

:: Maverick snorted. ::

“Just don’t let him see you be affectionate with me. It might confuse him.”

:: She took care of Star and her needs before heading to the red tent. She sank into a chair beside Daniel. ::

“Mr. Reed, how are you enjoying your stay so far?”

 

[Prophet]

Hellfire Club - Cameron's Study

"There are many gods, Cameron. Most are barely given a thought in these times."

"Then I guess I'll have to be a really good one, Ashley."

They discussed moving Alek to the European Court as Ashley interjected on a part of his plan.

Valkyrie: "Would she do it?"

"If I present it in a way she understands and can agree with, then yes. We trust each other. Sometimes I have to jump off a cliff with her, and sometimes she's the one asking me to jump. The moral of the story there is, no matter the circumstance, we always jump together."

He tried to speak of the benefits of Alek moving towards Europe, but Ashley smirked and couldn't help herself.

"Assuming Alek stays an ally once he's gone. There is an excellent chance he would go native on us, especially if he thought he might take you down with it and have your queen for himself."

"If Alek is stupid enough to believe that Haleigh and I could ever be separated, then I will gladly volunteer to mutilate his body in such a way that it negates his very existence."

"Not a plausible scenario, but one that will certainly cross Alek's mind."

"You are not building a case for Alek to remain alive right now, Ash."

[smirking]

"The Red King is new money. He may pretend he's above it all, but he likes the titles. The power. He wouldn't waste such an opportunity by attempting to oust me. Or you for that matter. He benefits from both of us in a way he can't do himself. So I think we're good."

"It depends on a lot of pieces falling perfectly into place. But it is better than the alternative."

"You underestimate my skill, your highness."

"I suppose I should be getting to Arklay, since it is my event. I know you have a personal interest in this situation, Cameron, but it does speak well of you that you didn't act without my counsel."

Cameron nodded.

"We will not suffer the same fate as incarnations before us. I promise you that always, Ashley. As long as your door is open, so shall be mine."

She made her leave as Cameron was left in his study. He downed the rest of his martini and leaned back for a moment. It seemed as if the honeymoon period was over in Hellfire. The decisions were becoming harder. The stakes were getting raised, and while Cameron was a very confident man, he did worry every now and then that the others would become resentful of the kind of power his wife and he were trying to wield. He would soon have a child. His sister would be the White Princess, his mother would move MysTech in a new, more profitable direction, and his wife was the daughter of Malice. He could not have crafted a better image for himself. If he wasn't careful, he might find himself on the sharp end of another court's blade. He had to appear as diplomatic as possible. His mind jetted down towards his wife as he picked up on her annoyance at Ava. He watched through The White Queen's eyes as Ava stormed out of the room, to which Cameron furrowed his brow. Ava and Haleigh were always a little bit fiery with each other. They were both hard headed and cocky and Cameron was often in the middle of it. But the last thing they needed was Ava upset with them.

[to Haleigh] "I leave you alone for five minutes...Naughty little girl..."

He mentally caressed her breast.

"You know you're going to have to apologize right? She needs it."


[smirking]

"But first you need to get into one of those helicopters, take off your panties and take audience with your King. All this strategizing has got me really fucking hard."

 

[Steel]

The Catacombs

That Ava had texted him at all was concerning. They had already had plans to meet at the roof, so that she felt she needed him closer - and admitted it - meant she was pretty angry. So Ashley had not apologized then. Not that he expected her to, but still. It would have been the prudent thing for her to do, especially ahead of her own event. He made a mental note to keep the two queens facing different directions so it wasn't glaringly obvious they were having a disagreement.

He arrived in the catacombs to find AJ there also, dutifully waiting for his queen. He reminded Steel a bit of a younger version of himself - though decidedly not as he was when he was actually young. But he would be a rock for Ashley the same way Steel had been for Ava. And perhaps it would even work out for them as well as it had for he and Ava. He nodded to the young man, moving to stand next to him.

"Hey."

Ava came storming out of the room, and Steel was surprised there weren't actual flames coming off her body, she looked so angry. He took a half step forward to go to her but she breezed right past him and down the hallway.

"Babe!"

He started to follow her.

"Wait up. Ava!"

He could tell that she was furiously pressing the elevator buttons. He jogged the last few steps as the door began to close, and stuck his hand, now a shade of silver, in between the closing doors and pushed them back open so he could step inside. He positioned himself between her and the line of sight of anyone who might be down the hallway looking their way.

"Talk to me. What's the matter?"

The doors dinged and closed behind him, and he stood staring into her face, looking concerned.

 

[Black Widow]

The Hellfire Club - - The Catacombs

Ash: Yes, I'm sure you'd love to do that. But tell me again why White should take Sub Zero for themselves? Alliances aside, we don't owe such a large bounty to Liam & Juliette. They'll thank us for getting Archer out of the way for them. Giving them Sub Zero would be a waste of the asset.

“I’m not giving it to them directly, I’m giving it to the Zaccharas, one of which I can plant on their Court. But if you disagree, I’ll hear you out. What’s YOUR plan, who are YOU gonna put in London? Why don’t you explain just how it is you think Alek will be able to run Sub Zero in Europe from his chair in New York?”

She countered, and then they moved on to discuss the future increase in Guardsmen that would come with Haleigh’s pregnancy.

Ava: Why do we need to up ANY guards at all? You're getting pregnant with a baby Haleigh, not carrying the antichrist.

“You don’t need to. I will be bringing in more, just as a precaution as I said. I’m telling you ahead of time as a courtesy. If it makes you uncomfortable, get more guards. There’s no reason to, if you’ll both guarantee I’ve nothing to worry about when I’m in your Wing. Are your men going to protect me?”

Ash: If I tell them to, yes. But I wouldn't think the White Queen should need guards stationed in the Red wing. Surely your own security detail will be enough should you find yourself in my neck of the woods? Unless they have a purpose other than protecting you?

“No, of course they don’t have any other purpose, if they DID, I wouldn’t have warned you both ahead of time, they’d have just shown up here like Stormtroopers from the goddamned Empire one day. And NO, I don’t want MY men stationed in YOUR Wings, but if you see more men in White gear around the common areas, don’t freak out. OR, we could ALL agree to equally increase our security numbers, so it looks even. But for some reason I don’t think either of you are feeling particularly supportive this morning.”

She replied with mild irritation. They were all more keyed up than usual, and never had Haleigh found herself met with such resistance from her sister Queens. She moved on to discuss Erika, and by proxy, her mother.

Ash: Yeah, depending on Kelly really makes me feel all warm and tingly inside. I'm sureshe'd never go back on an agreement. Said Helena and Diana right before they got murdered.

"Well it SHOULD give you the warm fuzzies, because now they HAVE to be on their best behavior. Did really you think Cameron and I would take a risk like this if we couldn't control it?? If EITHER of them fucks this up, BOTH of them will go down, and they both know it.”

Ava: She's insane, Haleigh. You're literally giving the keys to the asylum to the INMATE.

“FUCK, Ava, it’s like you’re not even listening today.”

Ash: Does it matter what we say, or will you just do whatever you want anyway? Announce her this afternoon if you want, I'm already having such a banner day what's one more thing?

“Of COURSE it matters, why else would I even bother to ask your opinion if I didn’t value it??”

She answered, and then Ava dropped the news that Ben was Erika’s brother. Haleigh was naturally frustrated that Ava kept this information from them, especially considering Haleigh had just asked her a few minutes ago and Ava still wasn’t going to tell her until after finding out that Erika was Haleigh’s Princess. Haleigh called her on it, and suddenly Ash had something to say.

Ash: Kind of like you making plans for the future of the London branch with my King.

Ava: And dropping bombs about a lunatic becoming your Princess?

Haleigh’d had quite enough of Ava’s bad attitude this morning, and just plain ignored her, turning to Ash with an incredulous look.

“It’s funny how suddenly possessive you are of your King, who you normally don’t want anything to do with. I didn’t make plans with him, he asked my intentions, and I told him. Communication works like that. It was little more than pillow talk, not some grand diabolical scheming without you.”

She went on to explain that with the new deal, Kelly would be more invested in their success, not less.

Ash: More involved in the White Court's success, you mean.

“Well what fucking Court WOULD I join her to? It’s not like either of YOU would give her a position! And I’m damn sure not going to make arrangements for them on another Court without getting your approval, so White is all I have to offer.”

Ash: And did I hear you say control of MysTech? Looks a lot to me like a consolidation of power in the hands of the King family. What other changes are you looking to make around here, Haleigh?

“Let me ask you something Ash, when did you stop trusting me? Not that much has changed. I gave away an honorary title. It’s not like Erika will get a position of power, not when my OWN heir will be ahead of her in succession. If she’s lucky and plays her cards right, Erika might get a crown on a foreign Court. That’s the most she can hope for.”

Ava blew up about the Mystech thing, because she didn’t want to work with Kelly.

“Ok, well what, you’d rather cancel your most lucrative contract? It’s fine I guess, we’ll find someone else to give obscene amounts of money to, but I’m surprised you’d dissolve our partnership over a staffing change.”

Ava: You had NO RIGHT to make that decision on your own!

“Didn’t I? Mystech was always mine, I inherited control of it from my mother. I haven’t done much with it, since I’ve been focused on Hellfire, but it needs direction. For all her faults, Kelly’s a damned good scientist, and giving her something to do other than sharpen her nails is a good move. If we don’t like what she does with Mystech, then we’ll deal with it. You two both want her dead. If she doesn’t mind her manners around me, I’ll be inclined to let you kill her, and Cameron feels the same way. Nothing will get in the way of his OWN legacy, not even his mother or his sister.”

But Ava didn’t want to hear it, declared herself done with this meeting, and stormed out of the room. Haleigh slammed the door behind her, shaking her head in frustration as she turned to Ash.

“She’s just throwing a hissy fit because you didn’t congratulate John on his promotion and I was little hard on her about her efforts with the Europeans. She’ll get over it and be fine. Talk to me Ash, I want us to work together. I promise I’m not trying to take over or anything. I want to expand, I want US to control the direction of Hellfire around the world. You could have more than just the Red Court here. You could have a Red Court everywhere. How can we make this win-win?”

Cameron’s voice broke into her mind.

Cameron: I leave you alone for five minutes...Naughty little girl...

She could feel his hand on her, and wanted to like it, but was more angry than aroused.

Cameron: You know you're going to have to apologize right? She needs it.

Later, Stud. Give her time to cool off.

Cameron: But first you need to get into one of those helicopters, take off your panties and take audience with your King. All this strategizing has got me really fucking hard.

Well I’m glad you’re turned on, but I’m fucking pissed right now and want to fight.

 

[Valkyrie]

The Catacombs

Haleigh was orderly, methodical. But she had never made Ashley feel like she wanted to edge her out. Until now. She knew that it would be a hard sell sending Alek to London, and harder to give him control of Subzero and Nefaria. She only wanted to plant the seeds so that the idea wasn't brand new when Cameron broached it and massaged it into Haleigh's brain. But to hear Haleigh basically say she was buying off Liam and Juliette's loyalty to the White Court? That screamed that Cameron wasn't the only one looking to take over.

“I’m not giving it to them directly, I’m giving it to the Zaccharas, one of which I can plant on their Court. But if you disagree, I’ll hear you out. What’s YOUR plan, who are YOU gonna put in London? Why don’t you explain just how it is you think Alek will be able to run Sub Zero in Europe from his chair in New York?”

"There's these new things, birds you can ride in. They call them airplanes."

She rolled her eyes, for what felt like the hundredth time today.

"However, for that matter, if you really wanted someone you could trust, who would never cross you-"

Emphasis on Haleigh.

"Alek is that person. Let the Zaccharas run Nefaria. Under Alek's guidance. Liam and Juliette are excellent partners, but they want to run things at London, and they don't want to kow tow to any of us while they do it."

Haleigh dropped the bomb about having a baby, and how conveniently that meant there would be more White Guards around. And then she threw in the fact that Erika would be her new princess. And that somehow, Kelly was going to keep her in line because she promised. Ash didn't buy that for one second, and could honestly not understand why Haleigh did.

"Well it SHOULD give you the warm fuzzies, because now they HAVE to be on their best behavior. Did really you think Cameron and I would take a risk like this if we couldn't control it?? If EITHER of them fucks this up, BOTH of them will go down, and they both know it.”

"I think you think you can control it. Or that you want a child so badly it's clouding your judgment. It's naive to think this won't bite any of us in the ass later, and you should know that."

It was Ava's turn for revelations, telling them that Ben was somehow Erika's brother. And then for about the tenth time since entering the catacombs, Ava was acting like a total bitch to her, so she called her on it. And then Ava unloaded on her.

"Because YOU acted like a bitch at my breakfast. For someone who has been whispering in my ear for EIGHT MONTHS about appointing a King, the best you could do was sit there and act like I killed your fucking puppy after I appointed John? It was a slap in my face, Ashley."

"Hey, I drank to the two of you. I just didn't think you were going to decide you were in love and appointing your Rook as your King in about a five minute span of time. I thought maybe you'd pick a King strategically."

But Haleigh was pissed that Ava hadn't said anything about Ben sooner, and Ava was unleashing hell on her now. Ashley snapped back at Haleigh about her making secret plans with Alek instead of with the two of them.

“It’s funny how suddenly possessive you are of your King, who you normally don’t want anything to do with. I didn’t make plans with him, he asked my intentions, and I told him. Communication works like that. It was little more than pillow talk, not some grand diabolical scheming without you.”

"I am NOT the one who decided on this arrangement, Haleigh, which you very well know. And I would expect you plan for the future with Ava and me, not with my King for us."

That she chose to confide in Alek hurt doubly because Haleigh knew that Alek had put her aside, and didn't seem to give a shit. Business as usual. As the conversation went on, it sounded more and more like a King family takeover the Club. Haleigh making decisions for everyone that only strengthened her own court.

“Well what fucking Court WOULD I join her to? It’s not like either of YOU would give her a position! And I’m damn sure not going to make arrangements for them on another Court without getting your approval, so White is all I have to offer.”

"That's not what I meant and you know it."

“Let me ask you something Ash, when did you stop trusting me? Not that much has changed. I gave away an honorary title. It’s not like Erika will get a position of power, not when my OWN heir will be ahead of her in succession. If she’s lucky and plays her cards right, Erika might get a crown on a foreign Court. That’s the most she can hope for.”

"It's a lot of changes at a moment's notice, Haleigh. And you're being pretty nonchalant for someone known for seeing ten moves ahead."

Haleigh casually slipped into the conversation that Kelly also now had control of Mystech, which cause Ava to lose it even more. It was the Black Princess all over again: someone else tying Ava's hands. And she could understand her anger - that wasn't a little thing, and it did affect Ava directly, all of them really. Ashley called it like she saw it: all the King's coming home to roost, not leaving much room for anyone else.

“If we don’t like what she does with Mystech, then we’ll deal with it. You two both want her dead. If she doesn’t mind her manners around me, I’ll be inclined to let you kill her, and Cameron feels the same way. Nothing will get in the way of his OWN legacy, not even his mother or his sister.”

"You make it sound so easy."

Her tone said, they all knew it was not. Or at least, Ashley thought Haleigh knew that.

Ava stormed out, pissed as hell. Ashley gestured towards the door, annoyed. It was typical Ava.

“She’s just throwing a hissy fit because you didn’t congratulate John on his promotion and I was little hard on her about her efforts with the Europeans. She’ll get over it and be fine. Talk to me Ash, I want us to work together. I promise I’m not trying to take over or anything. I want to expand, I want US to control the direction of Hellfire around the world. You could have more than just the Red Court here. You could have a Red Court everywhere. How can we make this win-win?”

Ashley took a deep breath and let it out, sitting down on top of one of the tables near to Haleigh. She was calmer now, and her voice reflected it.

"I'm happy for her, really I am. But as long as that spot was free, there was always a chance."

She sighed, then flicked her eyes to Haleigh.

"I don't want us to become Diana and Helena. That we are united makes us better than them. But you have to see how all this looks, Haleigh. Are you sure a baby is worth it?"

She crossed her legs, picking a piece of fuzz off her pants.

"If we're going to do this, move forward, control all of it, it has to be us three. Someone reminded me today that here, the Queens rule and the Kings serve. We can't forget that, the way London has."

She looked very directly at Haleigh.

"And if it's going to be every Court for themselves, then you owe it to us to tell us."

She shook her head.

"But I don't want to spend my time here wondering when I'll be stabbed in the back. That was the old way, and I don't want to go back there. And if you mean what you say..."

Ashley reached out and lightly touched Haleigh's stomach.

"Then you have to be careful, not just for us, but for your child. Kelly may have given you something you wanted, but it wasn't out of the goodness of her heart, or for a title for her daughter, or a company. And you know that. Just don't let wanting something so badly blind you to what's right in front of your face."

The corner of Ashley's mouth turned up into a smile.

"Kelly King, with a machete and a blowtorch."

 

[Persephone]

Ava stormed down the hall toward the elevator, needing a quick escape to cool off. She heard John calling for her from behind but didn't turn around. She wished she had never texted him because all she wanted to do was kill someone and cry with frustration. Upon entering the elevator she slammed her hand onto one of the buttons, hearing John tell her to wait. She couldn't talk to him right now because he was her voice of reason, he was her level head when she blew up. And what if he told her that everything Haleigh had said in there was true? That she was being a shit Queen and too wrapped up in her own head? She could barely tolerate it from Haleigh, she wouldn't be able to take it from John too.

The doors began to close and Ava willed them to close faster. But just as she felt like she had successfully escaped John's silver arm came between the two closing doors forcing them open. Taking a step back, Ava shut her eyes and bowed her head. Damnit. Ava opened her eyes, keeping her eyes focused down and away from John. Her breathing was escalated and shallow, her body shaking with fury.

John: "Talk to me. What's the matter?"

The doors began to shut once again and finally dinged as they closed completely. It was then Ava moved forward, gripping John's shirt and burying her face into his chest. Her breathing was still labored and shaky, sounding like she was on the verge of crying, but she didn't. She kept herself in check, her anger and frustrating pouring off of her as her body trembled. She remained quiet for a long moment, focusing on her breathing, focusing on his arms around her trying to calm her down in a way only he could.

"Haleigh and I got into a screaming match. She thinks my reaction to Ashley this morning was ridiculous. She said I wasn't pulling my weight as Queen this weekend and told me in no uncertain terms I've been doing a shitty job. She appointed Erika as Princess and gave Mystech to Kelly."

Ava stopped, her grip on John's shirt tightening. That was their giant bullshit of a meeting in a nutshell minus one revelation. Ava didn't want to say it because she knew he would understand. He had been with her since the beginning....and now that they were together? It was even harder to say out loud to him. Ava contemplated just leaving it at that - all business and that's why she was upset. But she knew - she knew - he would know there was something else that was wrong. He was so in tuned with her that it was hard to hide anything from him. So Ava pulled back enough to look up at him, her eyes no longer filled with fury but with sadness.

"Haleigh and Cameron are going to have a baby..."

Blinking her line of sight away, she felt weaker than she ever had before because there was literally nothing she could do or say or argue or kill to change this.

"Ugh I shouldn't care!"

She pulled away from John, raking her fingers through her hair with frustration. She wanted to get angry again because at least in anger she felt some kind of control. She didn't feel like a wilting flower.

"It's been ten fucking years! I should be over this shit by now!"

She slammed her fist into the side panel of the elevator, pushing the emergency stop button causing the elevator to stop between floors. She just wanted to cool down before having to walk out into the halls of Hellfire and put on a happy face.

"I should have never brought you into all of this. I was selfish and wanted you by my side [as King]. Now you're stuck with--"

Ava's face gave a flash of pain before she shook her head, shutting her eyes tightly. Bowing her head, she refused to cry despite the burn behind her eyes. Although she never wanted to admit it, Haleigh's and Ashley's opinions meant more to Ava than anyone elses. They were her sister Queens, and for Haleigh to lay into her the way she did was a hard pill to swallow. Add in the baby situation and Ava felt like she was choking.

 

[Steel]

The Elevator

He finally cornered Ava in the elevator. She wasn't looking at him, in fact she was avoiding looking at him, but he could tell she was furious. And then when the doors shut, she came into his arms. Her face was buried into his chest and he stroked her hair, his other arm around her, holding her against him.

"Ava..." he whispered to her.

"Haleigh and I got into a screaming match. She thinks my reaction to Ashley this morning was ridiculous. She said I wasn't pulling my weight as Queen this weekend and told me in no uncertain terms I've been doing a shitty job. She appointed Erika as Princess and gave Mystech to Kelly."

Well, fuck.

"That's...a lot to process."

He rubbed her back soothingly.

"Your reaction this morning was not ridiculous. I'm sure Haleigh had something to say about Amanda leaving? Well, why would that be any different than Ashley's reaction?"

"You were the belle of the ball last night, my Queen. And tell me what Haleigh's done as queen so far this weekend, despite last night being her event? We were the only court to even approach Bretta - and developed a rapport with her to boot. Even if he is a slimeball, you have Archer Fairchild wrapped around your little finger. And Amanda made contact with the White King and Queen. We are very well positioned ahead of our event tonight. And the weekend isn't over yet. Plus, WE are the New York branch. We don't try to impress the others, they try to impress us."

Ava had a death grip on his shirt, and he knew there was something she wasn't telling him, because none of what he said made her feel better, as evidenced by the fact that she still hadn't looked up at him. When she finally did, her eyes were so sad. He reached up to stroke her cheek.

"My love, what is it?"

"Haleigh and Cameron are going to have a baby..."

Those fucking bastards. They, of all people, knew exactly what that would do to Ava, and revealing it amidst all this other crap this weekend was just cruel.

"Oh, honey..."

"Ugh I shouldn't care!"

She pulled away, and he reached after her.

"Of course you should care."

"It's been ten fucking years! I should be over this shit by now!"

"If it's important to you, then it's not something you can be expected to just get over."

Ava roughly hit the emergency stop button, and the elevator ground to a halt.

"I should have never brought you into all of this. I was selfish and wanted you by my side [as King]. Now you're stuck with--"

"Stuck with what?"

He stepped forward. Ava's eyes were closed, her head bowed. He knelt down in front of her.

"Ava, I love you. The only thing I have ever wanted since I came here was you, to stand by your side. And now I have that. You'll have to kill me to get me to leave."

He took her hands in his, his massive ones overtaking her delicate ones.

"I don't care about any of that. I knew exactly who you were when I let you put that ring on my finger."

He smiled adoringly up into her face, and brought her hands to his lips to kiss them.

"And if you want a baby of your own, I will get you one today. If it's important to you, it's important to me."

 

[Persephone]

Her face was buried in John's chest, telling him exactly what happened during their meeting.

John: "That's...a lot to process."

"You don't know the half of it."

She added, knowing she needed to tell him the last bit of information but still feeling like she couldn't breathe at the thought of saying the words.

John: "Your reaction this morning was not ridiculous. I'm sure Haleigh had something to say about Amanda leaving? Well, why would that be any different than Ashley's reaction?"

"Because apparently Ashley sits on a throne of fucking roses."

She bitterly snapped. What John just said was exactly what SHE told Haleigh earlier, but obviously that didn't matter. Ava was no less angry at Amanda, she just expected more from her fellow Queen in the form of support. Amanda would be dealt with as a Knight disrespecting a Queen would be. John went on to tell Ava that the Black Court had been doing more in term of networking the Europeans than anyone else at last night's White Party. They had Bretta interested in Cass, Amanda winning over the White King and Queen, and the Black King eating out of the palm of her hand. Ava nodded against his chest, relieved he saw it her way because before Haleigh had said anything she felt exactly the same. She had no doubts about her progress with the Europeans until their fucking meeting.

However Ava's mind was on the one bombshell she hadn't told John, her grip not lessening on his shirt. John could tell there was something else and asked. After hesitating, she finally looked up at him and told him that Haleigh and Cameron were going to have a baby. The look he gave her was exactly what she didn't want to see. Pity.

John: "Oh, honey..."

Ava pulled away, feeling like the walls within the elevator was starting to close in on her. She shouldn't be feeling this way after ten fucking years.

John: "Of course you should care. If it's important to you, then it's not something you can be expected to just get over."

"I'm the Black Queen. I HAVE to get over it because there's nothing I can DO about it. I can't sit here and wallow in self pity when I have a court to run. [shaking her head] I should have never brought you into all of this. I was selfish and wanted you by my side [as King]. Now you're stuck with--"

Ava shut her eyes and bowed her head.

John: "Stuck with what?"

She could feel the tears burning behind her eyes as she answered his question in her head but couldn't say it out loud.

Me.

Ava felt John take her hands, enveloping them within his easily. She opened her eyes to see him kneeling in front of her.

John: "Ava, I love you. The only thing I have ever wanted since I came here was you, to stand by your side. And now I have that. You'll have to kill me to get me to leave."

"All I want is for you to stand by my side. But I can't give you - I can't give our court what Haleigh can now..."

It was never an issue before because all three Queens couldn't produce heirs. Ashley had hundreds of years to deal with that reality, Haleigh had her entire life, but Ava had it taken away from her. Although she ignored it, it was always the one thing Diana took from her that she couldn't get back. It was always in the back of her mind.

John: "I don't care about any of that. I knew exactly who you were when I let you put that ring on my finger."

[whispering] "John..."

John: "And if you want a baby of your own, I will get you one today. If it's important to you, it's important to me."

That finally made Ava crack a smile, letting out a small laugh despite the emotions boiling within her. He smiled up at her with such adoration and love that even in her anger and pain he made her feel better. John brought her hands up to his lips, kissing them. Ava moved her hands to cup his face, pulling him up so she could capture his lips with hers.

"Thank you."

She murmured against his lips, her forehead pressed against his.

"But no children stealing will be necessary."

She quipped lightly with a small smile. But her smile faded as she pulled back enough to look into his eyes.

"It was just a shock to hear...it still hurts....but i'll get over it..."

As any good Queen should.

If Ava didn't hate Kelly so much she would have gone to her to see if she could do anything to help Ava. But she didn't trust that Kelly wouldn't hurt her or exploit her needs. And deep down she was afraid that was happening to Haleigh. Cameron wanted an heir so badly that Haleigh was willing to do anything, even make a deal with the devil. Ava reached over and pressed the emergency stop button again causing the elevator to start moving once more. It reached the Black Wing, the doors dinging as they opened.

"I want to change..."

Her eyes narrowing in thought.

"I want to wear something more severe."

Ava's mood had changed since this morning and she wanted it to reflect in her presentation. She was going to make it a point to show exactly who she was as the Black Queen of the American Branch and that everyone should be falling at HER feet. Taking John's hand, she walked down the corridor to their chamber room and entered. Even being inside their room it felt like the tension began to disappear. She wished she could skip the event, but that would undoubtedly bite her in the ass later.

"I'll be just a second."

Ava disappeared for a few minutes before reappearing wearing a black outfit that consisted of black leather buckled riding pants, a black fitted long sleeved shirt, and a black light weight jacket complete with black knee high riding boots. Her hair was still down, but now she wore a deep red lip.

"Lets go before I get blamed for lack of trying again today."

 

[Orion]

The Hellfire Club - - The Great Hall

Bretta got immediately upset, when Zach noted that the absence of the European Red King was a hindrance to her appeal to the American Courts. For some reason she found the truth offensive. Zach prepared himself for a tirade, though, being aware of the politics in play, he wasn’t too worried. In fact, he knew Haleigh would expect him to stand his ground, especially on something as innocent as this. As she had told Heidi last night, she didn’t mind going to war.

Luckily for Bretta, an attendant interrupted them, with news that the helicopters were ready. Zach politely offered Bretta escort to the helicopters, despite having little interest in continuing a conversation with her, considering her capricious mood swing. But perhaps a congenial offer would help her realize he hadn’t meant to offend her feminine sensibilities, or whatever it was that just put her panties in a twist.

Bretta: It’s Your Majesty and no, I don’t need an escort. I’m going to head back to my room and change for a little horseback riding. Have a nice day, Mr. Armani.

He stood from the table as soon as she did, with an amused smirk at the pretentiousness of her reminding him of her title. He had a fancy title address too, but he didn’t force it on strangers. He’d given her ‘your grace’ earlier in their conversation, but after she went to surnames, she was the one who set the more relaxed tone. He made the most ostentatious of bows for her.

“Good luck with all your endeavors, Your Royal Majesty....”

He sneered as she left. When he stood back up again, Erika was coming back into the Hall. His impudent smirk turned into a genuine smile.

“Erika!”

Erika: I know. I look so goddamn sleek and sexy. Get over it already.

“I don’t know if I CAN....”

When she leaned in to kiss him, he put both arms around her and pulled her upper body against his chest.

Erika: You ask to see under The Red Queen's skirt or something? She appeared a bit pissed just now.

He shrugged.

“I was just trying to have an honest conversation with her. I guess she got mad because I wasn’t kissing her ass?”

Erika: Care to escort me to Arklay, handsome? I was hoping to strut in there with a bit of eye candy.

“It’d be my pleasure to be your candy...”

He said, releasing her with one arm as the other snaked its way around her waist. He turned his head as they walked, putting his mouth near her ear.

“Maybe we’ll be the only ones on our chopper....”

He whispered, before sneaking a quick kiss on her neck.

“Gods, where’d you go? I was so bored without you.”

 

[Steel]

The Elevator

He assured Ava that she wasn't out of line on her feelings about Ashley's behavior.

"Because apparently Ashley sits on a throne of fucking roses."

"I'm sure Haleigh just feels guilty because she's fucking Ashley's King."

Ava told him that Haleigh somehow could get pregnant now, which he knew was a sore spot for Ava. Mainly because it was taken from her without her consent. He tried to comfort her but she pulled away. He told her she wasn't expected to just "get over it".

"I'm the Black Queen. I HAVE to get over it because there's nothing I can DO about it. I can't sit here and wallow in self pity when I have a court to run. [shaking her head] I should have never brought you into all of this. I was selfish and wanted you by my side [as King]. Now you're stuck with--"

And then she started into the crazy talk. He assured her he knew everything about her when he agreed to be her King, and that all he cared about was being with her.

"All I want is for you to stand by my side. But I can't give you - I can't give our court what Haleigh can now..."

He exhaled sharply.

"Listen. You couldn't yesterday. Or last week. This changes nothing. And personally, I don't see the advantage to having a very vulnerable small child around a place like this. A LOT can happen before that child is an adult, as you well know."

But he promised her, that if she wanted a baby, he'd get her one. She pulled him up from his knees to kiss her, and he wrapped his arms around her again.

"Thank you. But no children stealing will be necessary."

"The offer stands."

He smiled, matching hers. If she had asked him, he would have gone out this second and not come back without a baby of her exact specifications. All that mattered was making her happy.

"It was just a shock to hear...it still hurts....but I'll get over it..."

She looked up into his eyes, and he gazed down into hers.

"Hey, this is me, right? You don't have to put on a brave face with me. What Diana did was unforgivable. And that's why she's dead. You're allowed to be sad."

The elevator stopped, at the Black Wing rather than the roof, though. He gave Ava a questioning look.

"I want to change...I want to wear something more severe. I'll be just a second."

"Take your time babe."

He took a seat on the sofa while he waited, and sure enough, she soon returned. He whistled at her, and stood, heading over to kiss her cheek and take her hand.

"Lets go before I get blamed for lack of trying again today."

He walked her back towards the elevator, and pressed the button for the roof.

"At least we get to be outside today."

 

[Persephone]

Logically Ava knew that John was very much aware of her condition. He had been present when Diana forced her to merge with Persephone, he had been there in the aftermath of her dealing with her new body's physiology, he had been there when she experienced memories so vivid she felt like she lived them herself. He knew she was unable to have children, but it felt so much more different now knowing that Haleigh was given that chance back to her.

John: "Listen. You couldn't yesterday. Or last week. This changes nothing. And personally, I don't see the advantage to having a very vulnerable small child around a place like this. A LOT can happen before that child is an adult, as you well know."

Ava exhaled slowly as he kissed her hands.

"I know...."

She guided John's face to her, giving him a soft kiss. She told him that it was just a shock to hear and that she would get over it because she had to. She was the Black Queen. She needed to stand strong and show support for The White Court as much as it hurt at the moment.

John: "Hey, this is me, right? You don't have to put on a brave face with me. What Diana did was unforgivable."

Ava's brows furrowed as tears finally filled her eyes hearing him say it was okay to feel the way she was feeling. She gently nodded, knowing she had every right to, but fighting within herself not to feel weak because of it. She gripped John's hand, looking down at their linked fingers.

John: "And that's why she's dead. You're allowed to be sad."

"I sometimes feel like I can't."

Ava had lost very "little" to gain an extraordinary amount of power and the ability to be one of the deadliest people on Earth. She was able to help take down Diana and Helena and become Queen. Was giving up her ability to have a child something she should be sad about when she gained so much because of it? Her eyes lifted to John.

"I'll be sad later. Right now I need to be the Black Queen."

She stated matter of factly, her eyes now clear of tears. She wanted to change into something much more severe because she wasn't feeling as elated as she was earlier after announcing John her King. She changed into a more dominatrix styled outfit that suited her mood more, walking out into the living room to hear John whistle with approval. Ava finally smiled as he kissed her cheek and took her hand.

John: "At least we get to be outside today."

"Yeah...I can't wait to go for a ride. Clear my head."

Her connection to animals had always been strong, and when she was feeling unhappy being around them always helped curved her mood, especially horses. Ava and John made their way up to the helipad just in time to see a chopper take off which made Ava happy. The last thing she wanted was to deal with entertaining other Inner Circle members. Climbing into the helicopter, Ava sat down and leaned against John, resting her head on his shoulder and wrapping her arms around his that still held her hand. Looking out the window, she softly sighed out.

"Thank you."

John would never understand how much his words meant to her today. Ava squeezed his hand as the chopper lifted from the roof.

 

[Berserker]

Arklay

Alek celebrated a job well executed with a glass of champagne. Not his usual drink, but sometimes the occasion - or perception - called for it.

"Now this is an event worthy of The Red Court. Congratulations, your majesty. And perfect weather."

Alek nodded to Daniel. He knew the Bishop was shopping around for a new Court. Which made two strikes against his queen's approval. Ashley wouldn't like his lack of stature or loyalty, and neither did Alek, really. But he wasn't a bad guy.

"The weather is always right for a hunt. Not so for lunch under a tent."

He took a drink, gesturing with his head for Daniel to sit.

"I have to admit, I'm a bit excited. I haven't been hunting since Christmas."

"That's a shame-"

And then a dog that was more skin than dog came over to them, and come to find out it was Daniel's.

"She's a bit on in years, but I couldn't resist the opportunity to let her roam such beautiful land. Hope it's not a bother."

Alek smirked.

"Of course not, she won't be the only dog here."

"I apologize for not making a more formal salutation before today. Hello and thank you for the invitation, King Alek. I hope our court has lived up to your expectations...exceeding them hopefully."

"Oh, definitely."

They were exactly as he had expected. He signaled to a server to bring him a beer as well.

"Though I hope your King isn't feeling poorly. Since he chose not to accept our invitation?"

He gave Daniel a hard look. The Bishop's answer was, most certainly, a test.

"And perhaps you'd like to share why you are so itching to leave your Court and Club? And to come here, where - let's be frank - someone very close to you was executed."

Being close to Helena wasn't necessarily a bad thing - Alek himself had been as close to her as one could get - but things had changed. Become clearer. He wasn't convinced that was the case with Daniel, though. Alek was interested to see if Reed would try and bullshit him, and if so, how well he did it.

The Black Bishop arrived next, and it was well known that these two did not like each other. Which was interesting seeing as it was the Black Court who was most likely to have a space for Daniel. Though he'd heard there might be a place opening up on the White Court as well...

"Daniel Reed! I had no idea you were bringing your wife! Mrs. Reed you look lovely. Who knew you were...what's the American term...cougar bait."

God he hoped Arch would arrive soon. Before he suffered death from banter.

"I trust I have arrived in enough time to remove Daniel Reed's tongue from your arse before it gets any deeper? Or am I too late?"

Alek raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe you'd like to trade places with him, Gorgon?"

Ben was one of Ava's boys, that liked to follow her around similar to the way Ladybird followed Daniel.

"Tough luck on the whole King thing. Or maybe you've got your eye on being a prince? I heard the princess took you home in her pocket last night."

"However, in the same spirit..I'm not much of a hunter. Well, at least not of animals. I was hoping to join you this afternoon, your majesty. I've heard you have the better party favors."

He held his half empty beer glass up to the light.

"All depends on whether you can keep up."

Alek didn't flinch as a bullet whizzed by Daniel & Ben, embedding itself in the wall of the bar behind them.

"This is a warning shot on behalf of The Red King.."

"Jesus, Arch, I'm going for a certain look here. And it's not downtown Detroit."

But he grinned, standing up to greet Archer.

"This is a hunting trip boys, not a first date. Do us both a favor and roll your dicks back up in your pants. It's embarrassing to both of our courts."

"And I do expect my dates to put out. Arch, how're you doing?"

He shook Arch's hand and gave him a bro hug. Arch had a scotch in hand and this day already looked filled with promise. A rider came close to the tent, and called out to them.

“You’re looking pretty dapper this afternoon, Your Majesty.”

"Thank you. Looking lovely as always, princess. I hope you enjoyed your ride."

"Goddamn this is just what I needed. Fresh air. Plenty of nosy bishops to hunt should the deer remain in hiding. It's what the doctor ordered after that...bizarre breakfast..I'll never put on another piece of clothing without fear again. Oh the deep social maneuvering of the American court. Such a lofty bunch of piss ants."

Alek grinned.

"Not everyone gets your sense of humor, Arch. My queen takes our color very seriously."

"Kidding of course. Well...kinda. So..Al. My man. What are we shooting at today?"

"Well-"

He took another long drink.

"Mostly deer, bear, bobcat, fox. Turkey and pheasant, quail, if you're into birds. But me?"

He pointed out towards the forest.

"I'm hunting wolf."

 

[Black Widow]

The Hellfire Club - - The Catacombs

Ash: There's these new things, birds you can ride in. They call them airplanes.

"Oh, very fucking funny. Yeah, he's just gonna hop in his little airplane and fly over there every once in a while to check on his crime syndicate. Really, those things run themselves."

She replied sarcastically. Ash tried even further to give Alek the whole mafia, which just made Haleigh narrow her eyes. She knew what Ash was trying to do, she wasn't an idiot. And as much as she trusted Alek to fulfill his role as the Red King, the idea of just handing over the Nefaria organization just didn't sit right. It was different if one of the Zacchara girls would be on her Court, where allegiance to her was more likely and a close watch could be kept on them. The conversation flowed on to Haleigh's future pregnancy, and the deal she made with Kelly to make it happen.

Ash: I think you think you can control it. Or that you want a child so badly it's clouding your judgment. It's naive to think this won't bite any of us in the ass later, and you should know that.

"WOW, could you BE more condescending right now? Every patronizing word that comes out of your mouth makes me want to punch you in the fucking face."

Haleigh told her flatly. And then even though Ava was the one who'd kept valuable information from them for who knows how long, at least a day, somehow Haleigh was the bad guy for discussing the goals of the weekend festivities with the Red King.

Ash: I am NOT the one who decided on this arrangement, Haleigh, which you very well know. And I would expect you plan for the future with Ava and me, not with my King for us.

"Oh come the fuck on, Ash, it wasn't like that! SOMEBODY has to involve him in things, even more so now than ever. Ava has John, I have Cam, and you have Savage. Alek isn't stupid, how do you think it's gonna go if he starts to feel like we're excluding him? The second he thinks Savage is a threat, is the moment all hell is gonna break loose."

She warned, and there was a lot more heated discussion before Ava stormed out. Haleigh told Ash that Ava was just mad, and would get over it later, which was always what happened when Ava got so pissed that she left. Ash said that she was happy for Ava and John, but explained her disappointment, which didn't surprise Haleigh, who just nodded. Haleigh tried to appeal to Ash, now that it was calmer in here.

Ash: I don't want us to become Diana and Helena. That we are united makes us better than them. But you have to see how all this looks, Haleigh. Are you sure a baby is worth it?

"Would you even think twice, if it was something you could do for AJ, and you knew he wanted it?"

Ash: If we're going to do this, move forward, control all of it, it has to be us three. Someone reminded me today that here, the Queens rule and the Kings serve. We can't forget that, the way London has. And if it's going to be every Court for themselves, then you owe it to us to tell us.

"Ash..."

Ash: But I don't want to spend my time here wondering when I'll be stabbed in the back. That was the old way, and I don't want to go back there. And if you mean what you say...

"Ashley. I still wake up in a cold sweat from the nightmare where my mother makes me kill everyone I love. It's NEVER gonna be that way around here again, okay? We protect each other now, and there's no one to pit us against each other. I LOATHE to take even Gia's life, but I've waited all this time, I've given her a million chances. If she's not with us by now, she's against us. It's no different for Kelly or Erika. I can't just go around wantonly murdering my in-laws. I need cause. WORST CASE SCENARIO, this new deal will fall through, and I'll have cause to kill them."

Ash: Then you have to be careful, not just for us, but for your child.

Haleigh looked down at Ash's hand, and her own stomach. It was still hard to believe she was going to grow a human being in there. It seemed surreal, after a lifetime of thinking she wasn't capable of doing it. She nodded gently in agreement. She WAS trying to be careful, hence the White Guard increase. She was surprised the other Queens hadn't immediately seen that.

Ash: Kelly may have given you something you wanted, but it wasn't out of the goodness of her heart, or for a title for her daughter, or a company. And you know that. Just don't let wanting something so badly blind you to what's right in front of your face. Kelly King, with a machete and a blowtorch.

Haleigh shared Ash's smile for a moment.

"Sounds like a lively Saturday night."

She joked lightly, before her expression turned hard.

"I'll be watching her VERY closely for signs of a double-cross. And Cameron will be vigilant too. And now that You and Ava know, I expect you both will be paying attention to her every move as well. If anything, she put herself in quicksand today with this deal. It's not about trust. If Kelly wants to survive, she'll join the winning team."

Haleigh sat back in her chair, letting out a sigh as her thoughts drifted back from the former Black Queen to the current one.

"It's crazy, but I thought Ava would be happy about this. Not the baby thing, I figured that would be bittersweet for both of you. But like with Kelly... I mean, if both her kids are on the White Court, Kelly has no reason to focus on the Black. All her interests have shifted, it gets her off of Ava's back. And Erika's always been sniffing around the Black Princess, looking for a chance to steal her birthright back. This deal takes care of that."

She shook her head.

"But no, she can't see any of that, because she's too pissed to think straight. We got into a HUGE fight before you showed up, because I took your side about the whole breakfast thing. I tried to tell her, it wasn't like you caused a scene, or walked out like her own damn KNIGHT did. She wouldn't hear a fucking word I said. She's so fucking stubborn!"

 

[Wallflower]

Amanda had returned to her room, a bit hot and bothered by her encounters with The Red King and The Black Bishop. But she also felt a bit relieved as she entered her bathroom and disrobed. She had people she could trust in this place. If nobody had gone after her, that would have been a bigger problem. Right now she needed to focus. She knew she was going to face a bit of wrath from Ava and John and she wanted to make sure she was already earning her penance before they chastised her for her disobedience.

Doing her best thinking in the shower, she began to form a plan of attack when it came to Archer. With Gia at the helm of Nefaria, The Black King’s assets were very valuable. The White Court had Nefaria, The Red Court were incredible mercenaries. The Black Court NEEDED Archer’s men. This was bigger than seducing him. If he made an alliance with the other courts, it would be crippling, and Ava would lose a great deal of power and further be undercutted by the black market. She needed to figure out a way to pay for her mistakes and strike a deal with Archer. One he believed was his idea.

”Good thing I'm persuasive..”

By the time she rinsed the conditioner from her hair, she had come up with a solid idea, one she believed could benefit her court, absolve her of her erratic behavior earlier, and possibly give her a bit of power, but it would have to rely on playing cards she didn't often play, let alone let people knew she had. But this weekend was essentially one big game, and as The Black Knight it was her job to protect her court. She was also convinced she could sell Archer on that same idea.

She dressed in all black with a fitted motorcycle jacket, sleek black leggings, designer combat boots and a series of dog tag style necklaces dangling between her cleavage, with very prominent. Sometimes it was smart to rely on old faithful. Pleased with her look, The Black Knight did not head towards the roof but down to the catacombs. There was a rail train to Arklay and Amanda wanted a bit more alone time before she had to face the number of salty responses she was sure to hear once she arrived.

Arriving at the station which was at the base of a nearby mountain, Amanda smiled, taking in a moment to enjoy the fresh air before her eyes shifted to their snake form. Using her enhanced speed she ran through the woods tracking small game as she went. Two foxes, a pheasant, and a turkey became victims of her fangs as she tagged them to her hunting line, before closing the gap between her and the red tent.

Alek: "Mostly deer, bear, bobcat, fox. Turkey and pheasant, quail, if you're into birds. But me? I'm hunting wolf…”

Amanda smirked.

“Well...I've got half of that right here..”

[Playfully]

“Wait..were we supposed to use weapons?”

An attendant took her kills from her on purpose before The Black Queen arrived as Amanda grabbed a flute.pf champagne and made her way over to everybody.

”And I had wolf for dinner last night…”

“Red King, hello. What a lovely event.”

She gave him a hug and whispered into his ear.

“I'm good. Thank you again.”

She nodded towards the others with a smile before making a beeline towards Archer.

“Archer Fairchild. Sorry I was so quiet at breakfast. Something I had last night made me a little sick. But I'm better now..and eager to show you a side of the black court you've not yet seen..”

The Black Knight played with her necklace at the center of her cleavage for a moment before her eyes caught hos, using a small amount of her “stare” power to draw him in.

“And if I'm being honest, I'd like to leave you with a sweeter taste in your mouth than you left with this morning..”

She smiled taking a sip of champagne. She looked at his rifle and met his gaze once more.

“That's a pretty big rifle. You know how to handle it?”

 

[Valkyrie]

The Catacombs

Things calmed down once Ava left. She asked Haleigh if a baby was really worth all this.

"Would you even think twice, if it was something you could do for AJ, and you knew he wanted it?"

Not here, not like this.

But it had been so long since she had even thought about it, until earlier today. She could barely remember what it was like to think that one day she would have a child. For it to be possible. Not just possible, but certain. And she never had. That Haleigh could now was a miracle, truly. And if she was faced with the same miracle?

"But do you want it?"

Ava had always seemed to feel the loss, whereas Haleigh never had. She had approached that the way she did everything in life.

Ashley impressed upon Haleigh the need for the three of them to stick together. And for Haleigh to level with them if that wasn't her game plan any more. She didn't want to go back to how things used to be. She would leave first.

"Ashley. I still wake up in a cold sweat from the nightmare where my mother makes me kill everyone I love. It's NEVER gonna be that way around here again, okay? We protect each other now, and there's no one to pit us against each other. I LOATHE to take even Gia's life, but I've waited all this time, I've given her a million chances. If she's not with us by now, she's against us. It's no different for Kelly or Erika. I can't just go around wantonly murdering my in-laws. I need cause. WORST CASE SCENARIO, this new deal will fall through, and I'll have cause to kill them."

She nodded. Despite this argument, she did trust Haleigh. But this was a dangerous game, and now Haleigh would have a child to protect. She cautioned her not to take her eye off Kelly, that there was more to all of this.

"I'll be watching her VERY closely for signs of a double-cross. And Cameron will be vigilant too. And now that You and Ava know, I expect you both will be paying attention to her every move as well. If anything, she put herself in quicksand today with this deal. It's not about trust. If Kelly wants to survive, she'll join the winning team."

"And Kelly is like a cockroach: always finding a way to survive."

"It's crazy, but I thought Ava would be happy about this. Not the baby thing, I figured that would be bittersweet for both of you. But like with Kelly... I mean, if both her kids are on the White Court, Kelly has no reason to focus on the Black. All her interests have shifted, it gets her off of Ava's back. And Erika's always been sniffing around the Black Princess, looking for a chance to steal her birthright back. This deal takes care of that. But no, she can't see any of that, because she's too pissed to think straight. We got into a HUGE fight before you showed up, because I took your side about the whole breakfast thing. I tried to tell her, it wasn't like you caused a scene, or walked out like her own damn KNIGHT did. She wouldn't hear a fucking word I said. She's so fucking stubborn!"

"All she sees is everyone making decisions for her - again. She's the only one of us who has to live in the former queen's presence. I think it's taking a toll."

Ashley shook her head.

"She needs a win. Appointing a King should have been that for her. And I suppose she saw my...lack of enthusiasm earlier as taking the wind out of her sails. We need to have her back with this princess situation. Once that matter is settled, I think she'll feel more in control. But this Erika-Ben situation is a powder keg: she will bring him into this somehow, and I don't know what that's going to do to Ava and her court."

She put a hand on Haleigh's shoulder.

"I'll talk to her once she's cooled off."

 

[Steel]

The Black King & Queen's Quarters

His heart broke for Ava. He didn't give a damn if she couldn't have kids...unless she wanted them. He'd move the sun and moon to get her anything she wanted. And that she felt she couldn't feel what she was feeling, that she had to bury her emotions...he hated that. He silently vowed that he would never make her feel like she had to do that. That he would help her to know that he could take the load so she didn't have to be strong all the time.

They went back to their room and she changed, and it was like she came out totally refreshed. As they walked to the elevator, he commented on how they would get to be outside today, knowing how much the fresh air recharged Ava.

L"Yeah...I can't wait to go for a ride. Clear my head."

"Scare the horses..."

He grinned at her and waggled his eyebrows. They managed to be alone on the helicopter ride, and Ava snuggled in next to him.

"Think I could pay the pilot to just circle the city for a while?"

He leaned over and kissed her forehead.

"Thank you."

She squeezed his hand.

"I told you, you are stuck with me. And we are in this thing together now. No matter what."

They enjoyed the scenery and being together until they touched down at Arklay. It was a short walk to the lawn where the party had been set up.

"So...right to the stables or should we shmooze first?"