Aspasia - Tulsa - 3/16 Friday (Snaoshot IX)
Aspasia was still pondering what Raven did as she waited impatiently for Julia Kinkaid’s appearance. She carefully maintained a distance from the staked form of Winterbourne, so as not to tempt her beast into rash action.
Of course this was more for form’s sake than reality. All she need do is call on the gift of Kshatriyas and in the blink of an eye, the last of his blood could be coating her fingers, or be savored on her tongue. And she could let the madness consume her for just a bit.
If ever there was a reason for divine frenzy, surely this was it. Not Dallas, but this man, this killer of her childe. So that she would hold nothing back in his execution.
Aspasia, pacing, looks over her shoulder. Dominion is there, with her broodmate, Amilee at one side. This at least would go well. No Mekhet needed tonight to spy and pry, Exodus eldest daughter would probe the man’s thoughts and aid her in the vengeance for Hisa.
Montoya is pacing as well. Not with the frequency of the Amazon, but her eye is drawn to him. Dominion’s childe.
Fate’s joke on her.
Aspasia shrugs. She plays with the black handled knife, one of a matched set and the Amazon finds herself wondering where the owner of the other has taken himself. She considers going to find him before the sun theatens its return.
Time to think on that later.
Kinkaid arrives and then the interrogation begins. Aspasia begins with the questions, while Dominion uses her skills to dig into Winterbourne’s mind.
Who was the target?
Ebon.
My daughter was in the wrong place at the wrong time. She was collateral damage.
Aspasia clenches her fists.
Why?
Inanna. Because Ebon was responsible for the death of Inanna.
The Amazon moves away from Winterbourne. She looks at the crone, whose body has stiffened noticeably with Dominion’s pronouncement.
There is something more here.
And that thought is lost for a moment. She has heard all she needs to, the rest is unimportant. Amilee’s companion Doc steps forward and there is an exchange of words.
He has mastered a very useful and unique skill of the blood. He can take thing with him when he melds. He is willing to use this in the service of vengeance.
Winterbourne will rest for this final day of his existence in the marble floor of a ballroom. And, when the hour has come, the killer will be pulled forth, to be dispatched before the eyes of his covenant and all the guests present.
It will suffice.
And slowly the others depart, both of Exodus’ daughters and their cohorts. Leaving the Amazon along with the DiMilan. The two who have actively pursued the killers since that night in Milwaukee.
Kinkaid rests her chin on her folded hands, which are clasped about the handle of her cane. The woman looks down at the floor, where their mutual enemy had rested only moments ago.
Then, the Crone lifts her gaze and looks at the other woman, “Forgive me, Aspasia….”
There is something in her tone of voice, in her body language that tells Aspasia, this is of great import. As Kinkaid speaks on, the Amazon draws up, squaring her shoulders, carefully controlling her reactions, suppressing any expression or display of reaction to the crone’s surprising revelations.
What she learns changes everything about the situation. About Hisa’s death. About her loss. And, Aspasia contemplates what should happen next. Each path she considers leads to more and more death. A clan war to make the covenants blanch and turn away. Retribution, but at such a price.
And Raven’s words steal out of memory, “Hisa would wish never to have been….”
Did not Exodus show compassion when he had the right? When she acted with forethought and deliberation.
No one could have predicted this path.
She will not make a mind-numbing number of ash piles the monument to her dead childe. Winterbourne’s death must, no - will be enough. That death she will not give up. But the rest? She will pray the gods for guidance. She will try to find mercy in her heart. She has promised Raven that she would find another way.
*But you did not know about this.
He cannot expect you to forgive this. To do nothing more.
And what of the Furies, will they accept your oath, given to the Oracle with only his blood?*
And Aspasia walks away from the other woman. Silent.
She spends the rest of the evening in contemplation. Alone.
Of course this was more for form’s sake than reality. All she need do is call on the gift of Kshatriyas and in the blink of an eye, the last of his blood could be coating her fingers, or be savored on her tongue. And she could let the madness consume her for just a bit.
If ever there was a reason for divine frenzy, surely this was it. Not Dallas, but this man, this killer of her childe. So that she would hold nothing back in his execution.
Aspasia, pacing, looks over her shoulder. Dominion is there, with her broodmate, Amilee at one side. This at least would go well. No Mekhet needed tonight to spy and pry, Exodus eldest daughter would probe the man’s thoughts and aid her in the vengeance for Hisa.
Montoya is pacing as well. Not with the frequency of the Amazon, but her eye is drawn to him. Dominion’s childe.
Fate’s joke on her.
Aspasia shrugs. She plays with the black handled knife, one of a matched set and the Amazon finds herself wondering where the owner of the other has taken himself. She considers going to find him before the sun theatens its return.
Time to think on that later.
Kinkaid arrives and then the interrogation begins. Aspasia begins with the questions, while Dominion uses her skills to dig into Winterbourne’s mind.
Who was the target?
Ebon.
My daughter was in the wrong place at the wrong time. She was collateral damage.
Aspasia clenches her fists.
Why?
Inanna. Because Ebon was responsible for the death of Inanna.
The Amazon moves away from Winterbourne. She looks at the crone, whose body has stiffened noticeably with Dominion’s pronouncement.
There is something more here.
And that thought is lost for a moment. She has heard all she needs to, the rest is unimportant. Amilee’s companion Doc steps forward and there is an exchange of words.
He has mastered a very useful and unique skill of the blood. He can take thing with him when he melds. He is willing to use this in the service of vengeance.
Winterbourne will rest for this final day of his existence in the marble floor of a ballroom. And, when the hour has come, the killer will be pulled forth, to be dispatched before the eyes of his covenant and all the guests present.
It will suffice.
And slowly the others depart, both of Exodus’ daughters and their cohorts. Leaving the Amazon along with the DiMilan. The two who have actively pursued the killers since that night in Milwaukee.
Kinkaid rests her chin on her folded hands, which are clasped about the handle of her cane. The woman looks down at the floor, where their mutual enemy had rested only moments ago.
Then, the Crone lifts her gaze and looks at the other woman, “Forgive me, Aspasia….”
There is something in her tone of voice, in her body language that tells Aspasia, this is of great import. As Kinkaid speaks on, the Amazon draws up, squaring her shoulders, carefully controlling her reactions, suppressing any expression or display of reaction to the crone’s surprising revelations.
What she learns changes everything about the situation. About Hisa’s death. About her loss. And, Aspasia contemplates what should happen next. Each path she considers leads to more and more death. A clan war to make the covenants blanch and turn away. Retribution, but at such a price.
And Raven’s words steal out of memory, “Hisa would wish never to have been….”
Did not Exodus show compassion when he had the right? When she acted with forethought and deliberation.
No one could have predicted this path.
She will not make a mind-numbing number of ash piles the monument to her dead childe. Winterbourne’s death must, no - will be enough. That death she will not give up. But the rest? She will pray the gods for guidance. She will try to find mercy in her heart. She has promised Raven that she would find another way.
*But you did not know about this.
He cannot expect you to forgive this. To do nothing more.
And what of the Furies, will they accept your oath, given to the Oracle with only his blood?*
And Aspasia walks away from the other woman. Silent.
She spends the rest of the evening in contemplation. Alone.