One Last Ingredient
POV: Lucien
I kept vigil over Alexandra’s bed all night, but I must’ve fallen asleep. I woke up with her hand still in mine and saw her face that still looked pale, and she still looked dead. I pressed my forehead to her hand, “I failed you Alexandra and it hurts to know that. I could spend my life trying to make up for this and it still wouldn’t be enough.” Just then I felt a hand on my shoulder, I looked up to find a pair of blue eyes staring back at me and she smiled. She then shook her head, “Your Majesty, I am her best friend. In the short time I’ve known her, I know for sure that she would never ever blame you for this. Don’t fret so much.” I placed my hand on top of Jess’ and gave it a light squeeze for her attempt at reassurance. It really didn’t help, “If I had been there sooner, she wouldn’t have gotten grazed. I do share some blame here Jess.” She kneeled and then looked up at me, “I know she doesn’t think that. She told me after she recovered that you were her savior that day. I still believe she feels that way, she’ll tell you herself when she wakes up.” I glanced out of the window which was at an angle to her bed and saw the sun peeking just above the tree line, “I wonder what is keeping them. Pretre Jean did say that we had to work quick.” Jess shrugged and furrowed her brows, “Perhaps they didn’t get there in time.”
We suddenly heard commotion downstairs and some man arguing with an old woman. Dana burst through the room, “They’re here!” I rose to my feet so that I could await the miracle potion that would save my friend from her wretched state. Vanessa entered first with an annoyed look on her face. Derek came in with several small cuts about his forearms, “Your Majesty, we have brought both Ms. Dorothea and His Highness.” Just then two figures came through the door. The old woman who was considerably shorter than Blake said to him, “I still think you are a little shit. You’re never going to convince me otherwise.” He glared down at her, “You did me a favor, old hag and I really owe you. However, that doesn’t exempt me from ripping out your foul devil tongue.” She elbowed him in his hip, “Try it, brat. You’ll regret it when I freeze you with my ice magic.” He glared at her, “It’s amusing that you think that threat scares me.” I suddenly couldn’t suppress the laugh that I had when these two were pulling out of me. Vanessa sighed, “This is what I’ve had to deal with all night. I feel like I should get a reward for corralling the children.” Derek tried to hide the smirk that was threatening to surface. He pulled his hand to his mouth and turned his head.
Jess cleared her throat behind me, “As amusing as this has been, we were told that time was of the essence, and I really would like my best friend back.” I turned to her and nodded, “Jess is right, we need the antidote if you will Ms. Dorothea.” She stepped forward and bowed, “As you will it Your Majesty.” She took a small vile from her pocket and handed it to Vanessa, “One of you kids is going to have to force it into her mouth. Who wants the honor of Frenching this cute girl here?” She raised and lowered her eyebrows and smirked. All of the men in the room shot a look at the vial. She spoke again, “This one is popular, I see. I understand too, she truly is a child of Aphrodite. I suggest a small contest.” I cleared my throat, “We don’t really have time for this, do we?” She shook her head, “This child has until about midday from the looks of it. So, what do you men say? Want to have a contest for the honor of kissing our beautiful damsel in distress?” Blake stepped forward, “We don’t need a contest. She is my beloved so I will administer the potion to her.” She scoffed at Blake, “It isn’t so simple as all that. There’s a small caveat to the effectiveness of this potion.” Derek sighed, “Of course there is. No offense to you ladies but there’s always some hitch to the spells of witches.” She shrugged, “Everything has a price you big handsome stud. You can’t expect something from nothing. That’s not how favors from the universe works.” He looked at Vanessa for confirmation and she nodded at him. He shrugged, “Okay so what’s the hitch.”
She sat down in the chair next to Alexandra’s bed and swept a hand over her forehead. She then looked up at the three of us before her gaze landed on me. She chewed her lip, “I don’t hear you protesting Your Majesty. Why is that?” I sighed, “I know the price of magic. I know that whoever must administer this drug must show that he is worthy of the honor. Am I right?” She nodded, “Yes, Your Majesty, you are indeed correct. The price for this magic is blood. You men must go hunting to find the Blackwood hare. This potion is only complete when a person who truly cares for her brings me a single drop of this blood. He or she must also kiss her to administer this potion. Luckily for our dear Ms. Batiste, it seems she has three chances to wake up.” She looked over at Jess, “Unless this little lycan feels she would like to participate.” Jess shook her head, “I love Alexandra like a sister. Nothing more.” She chuckled then nodded, “Then it is settled, three contestants.” Blake winced, “Wouldn’t that give an advantage to our lycan friend here?” She smirked, “Cunning aren’t you, brat.” She nodded at Vanessa and Vanessa nodded back, “I have tools at my cottage that will even the odds for His Majesty and His Highness.” With that she opened a portal and stepped through only to be back a few minutes later with talismans of wolves’ heads. She handed on to Blake and then one to me, “These will give you the hunting instincts of a lycan. This will take away his advantage.” Derek frowned, “Well this sucks.”
Dorothea clapped her hands together and then rubbed them, “Off you boys go. Chop, chop. Tick Tock and all that.” Vanessa raised her hands and opened a portal, “This will take you to an area that should have a lot of hares. You won’t have a portal back, but I think with your wolfie instincts, find your way back will be a cinch.” I nodded at the two women, but I was hesitant to leave Alexandra’s side. I guess this hesitance was displayed on my face because I felt a hand on my arm, “We will keep her safe, she needs you, hunk and the brat.” I peered down into Dorothea’s face and then nodded. I stepped forward into the portal and came out what felt like right in the middle of Blackwood. The manor lied on the western edge of Blackwood; Dorothea lived on the Eastern edge near Barrow Field so this was somewhere in between. I looked at Derek, “Anything we need to know about Blackwood Hares?” Blake smiled at me then shot a glare at Derek. Derek coughed, “They are known to hide in the shadows, but they tend to make a lot of squeaking noises, so they are easy to find for those with certain abilities. Since Ms. Tannen gave you both a talisman, this shouldn’t be an issue. Good luck.” With that he ran off to the right of us. Blake scoffed, “He really thinks he can win this and kiss her.” He looked at me, “And you, brother? Why didn’t you just bow out? Did you come to have feelings for her?” These questions were ones I really had no answer for. I shrugged, “I felt compelled to help my friend. She’s a sweet person who doesn’t deserve the ire of The Order.” He shook his head, “I don’t think so, brother. I saw how you hesitated to leave her. It was the same pull I felt in coming out here. The difference between you and me is that I resolved myself to get this blood for her. That is what it means to truly care for the woman you love.” He turned to the left and walked towards just about where I couldn’t see him anymore. He turned back to me, “I will be the one to save her this time.”
