The Cursekeeper

Explanations

This chapter is rated M for sensitive subjects, such as mentions of torture and rape.

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As Arthur watched Lilly fly away towards a giant pirate ship in the sky, he took a deep breath with his hands on his hips.  He wasn't sure what to think or feel at this point, so he bowed his head and chuckled before wiping his face with a groan of frustration.  "Great.  Now my wife is a crocodile," he said sarcastically.

Babd laughed and nudged his arm.  "That was funny," she snickered.

"Maybe so, but humor weren't intended," he said lowly before looking at Babd.  "Why didn't she tell me?"

"Rose and I advised against telling you," Babd replied.  "We had a reason."

"And are you going to tell me that reason?"

"Only if you promise not to kill Mallacht."

Arthur blinked in confusion.  "Ain't we supposed to kill him?"

"Yes, but how and when we kill him is of the utmost importance."  Babd looked towards the sky at the battle that was playing overhead.  "If he dies while still connected to this place, and we're still in here, we all die.  Do you understand?"

"Not really, but...I promise I won't kill him until you say it's okay."  Allan and O'Callaghan stared at the sky as well, and then Arthur did, watching as his wife and her dragon children burned and tore the kraken to pieces.  "What was the reason?"

"You saw the scars on Crimson, yes?"

"Yes."

"Lilly's are way worse."

Arthur looked at Babd in shock.  "Scars never bothered her before."

"Her scars were never words."

"And what words are those?"

"Property of Mallacht."

Arthur's eyes narrowed as the weight of Babd's words hit him.  He stared back at his fire breathing dragon wife and frowned.  "Can they be removed?"

"I hope so.  We don't have the materials to get rid of them yet but just be happy it's just in her mind and not her physical form that bears the scars.  O'Callaghan, would you mind helping me with something?" Babd asked her before handing Allan Rose's key device.

As the two women walked back into the observatory, Arthur kept his eyes on the fight.  "So Lilly's a shapeshifter after all," he said.

"I suspected as much," Cernunnos said into the ear com.  "And I also suspect she is...something entirely new."

"Cernunnos, you-"

"Relax, everyone left the viewing area for dinner, it's just me at the moment.  Lilly is a princess of Tír na nÓg and therefore, I am duty bound to protect her, even if she is considered an abomi-"

"Don't you even finish that fuckin' sentence," Arthur growled angrily.  "You ever use that word or any like it when referrin' to her, I'll break your god damn antlers off."

Cernunnos laughed into the ear com.  "I'm not saying I think she's...that word, but a lot of people will think that about her if they find out."

"That's why no one else needs to find out," Arthur grumbled.  "I would appreciate your silence on the matter."

"Of course," Cernunnos said.