Veil of Shadow and Rain ✓ [TSC #1]

Chapter 37 - Ice and Water

Nicaea Valdis.

She smiled, flashing a bit of her teeth. This woman was beautiful, divinely elegant and yet so cruel. She chuckled softly as she stepped closer towards the two.

'I have finally met you, darling,' she whispered, her cruel eyes fixed on Wren's uneven ones. Wren's eyes glowed bright - a sign she was mad, frightened - a change in her emotions. The Dark Witch laughed cruelly.

'Darling, you don't need to be afraid.'

'And what gives you the idea I am?'

Wren had not intended to say those words; they came right out of her mouth without meaning to and she did not regret them. Heated anger was slowly building up inside of her, like fiery flames of rage. This was the woman who claimed Argonian was the reason for her own kingdom's downfall. This was the woman who desired Wren's heirarchy and her position. This was the woman who wanted her dead.

As good as dead.

The Dark Witch lifted her eyebrows in mock surprise. 'Oh, Wren,' she said in a horribly honeyed voice. There was a way she carried herself that had glamour, that could almost make Wren not want to hate her. 'We're off to a bad start. No need to be so harsh.'

'Oh yeah?' Wren's eyes flicked towards hers; Jake looked scared. Wren knew she was playing with fire, but she didn't care. 'Bad start, eh? Tell you what's a bad start. You, me. Never was.'

The woman was about in her mid-twenties. A bright spark burned in her icy blue eyes, piercing Wren.

'I have spent my whole life searching for you,' she whispered, eyes raking Wren's face. 'Oh yes, and the challenges I had to face to get to you. I could name thousands.'

'Challenges you could name?' Wren didn't notice or know why, but she was shouting now. 'Or challenges you created yourself? You made them up just so you could have fun, just so you could get your way, didn't you? Didn't you?'

An angry flash of light bedazzled Nicaea Valdis's eyes and a blade of ice shot through the room, almost hitting Wren. So ice manipulation was her ability. Ice and water. Water and ice. What was the difference?

There was no difference.

Because she and Nicaea were equals.

Ever since the day Wren was born.

'Look at me,' Nicaea snarled. 'Look at me when you defy me, Princess!' she spat out the word like it was filthy.

Wren glared at her.

'What do you want from me?' she said, her voice shaking with rage or fear she didn't know. 'Money? I can give you money. Gold, even. Just leave me alone. Leave me and sister and Argonian at peace.'

The witch cackled and it gave Wren a strong desire to kick her. 'That's the thing, Princess!' cried the witch jovially. 'I don't just leave people in peace! That's one thing you should take a note of.'

'What do you want from me?' yelled Wren again. 'I have thousands of gold -'

'I don't want your gold!' screamed Nicaea. Both rivals were revolving around each other, predator to predator. 'You know that, Wren,' she breathed. 'You know what I want. I want your throne, your power, and most of all -'

She angled her face so she could stare at Wren directly in the eyes.

'You.'

She laughed cruelly, a high, cold laugh, one which had no warmth in it. 'You know, Wren,' she said, circling her. 'This is exactly how I thought I'd have you. Cornered. Defenesless. Weaponless.'