The Seed || A Madam Spellman Story

Lazarus

"Jesus told her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die.'"

John 11: 25

__________

Zelda's heart could not stop beating out of her chest; it was insane what the mere thought of Lilith could do to her. It was a strange mix of fear and determination not to mess up, to prove herself. Though the whole thing felt different, because before she tried to prove herself for all the wrong reasons which led to the witch getting into horrible situations. Now it was the incentive to make the new queen of Hell proud, and that, well, that was new.

Who was Zelda to care what another thought if it didn't raise her status, no matter how insignificant the rise would be?

Now? She was the most powerful witch alive, the witch with a direct line to her Church's diety, the witch who built that Church from the burning ashes of the old draconian prison that was the Church of Night. Zelda could feel the power Lilith bestowed to her thrumming through her bones and yet she craved still. Always teeming between wanting more and feeling overwhelmed with it.

Her wrists ached with the weight of her unanswered questions so she rolled them, her small hands bunched into fists, as she waited on the steeple of the Church, the festival's litany bouncing within the building- faint noises finding their way keenly into the cold night.

"Always a sight for sore eyes, High Priestess. A treasure, really." The demoness winked jokingly, the tension did not disappear between them. Perhaps Zelda did look like a treasure, in the gold petaled dress that adorned her small frame; snug but comfortable. Lilith, always her complimentary opposite, wore silver that bounced off of her dark hair and juxtaposed against her eyes fiercely.

"Well," Lilith's hand extended towards Zelda, a curious expression across her face- false innocence she was sure. "Will you escort me in?" Gingerly, Zelda took Lilith's hand in her own, flinching slightly upon the contact from the chill. As their hands settled in each others', Lilith taking the liberty to intertwine their fingers' together as well, she asked: "Are you afraid of my hand, Zelda?" Amusement laced her tone, and it was hard for Zelda not to smile as well.

"No my Queen, your hands are cold as ice."

"A shame really, considering I spend so much time in the literal pit of Hell, hmm? Either way, you shouldn't fear me- I don't bite," The demoness turned to look at the witch as she had ended up ahead of them both, escorting rather than being escorted, and brushed a stray hair from the front of Zelda's face more tenderly than the red-head thought capable of her. "Unless you want me to of course." Then the cheeky, nonchalant nature that Zelda associated with her returned, and they were off again to join the rest of the witches and warlocks in the banquet hall.

__________

The silence was startling when the party took notice of who had arrived, graceful and otherworldly in Zelda's arms. For the first time in her long, long life- Zelda wanted the attention rebuked from her.

Lilith, still shorter than Zelda in her small heels, rested her chin on her shoulder- lavender, pomegranate, and sulfur washed over Zelda's senses and it reminded her of the comfort she offered before in her office only steps away from where they were now, and it abated her nerves slightly.

"You should make a speech, all eyes are on you."

"On you, you mean."

"Fine, on both of us." Lilith half agreed. "You'll be my words, won't you? I'm not much for... encouragement? As you say." Zelda looked towards Lilith, head angling down slightly to accommodate for the height difference.

There was an uncertainty that, if one knew where to look, they would see clearly in Lilith's eyes of ice. As strong as she knew, as she had experienced that Lilith was, perhaps she also held the fear of being disappointing. Perhaps they were increasingly more similar than Zelda originally thought.

"Okay, I'll be your words."

Eyes followed Lilith as she made her way to the throne in the center of the back wall, laced in silver chains over bones-black as ash. Tiny whispers, delightful little prayers made their way to Zelda's ears, confidence emanating off the most powerful creature in the room like she owned gravity and pulled devotion from the hearts of those attending. She sat, lithe body making itself comfortable on the silk lain seat, chalice of whatever- from whoever curled by darling, pale fingers. Only when she motioned for Zelda to start did the witch, indeed, start breathing again. Her hand felt lost without Lilith's to hold.

"We have been blessed today to be in the presence of our Dark Mother. Our goddess, most immanent- most powerful, has come here today to see the foundation of her Church. But do not mistake yourself to think that the building is the Church, for it is only a physical manifestation of it. Her's is a spirit, our spirit as we cultivate what it means to be powerful and free. Without binds, and only the natural order and balance of the world as our consequence."

"The old ways do not apply to us any longer, they are echos of oppression that we stomp under our feet and leave behind us. Before us is a woman who has exemplified for us that no matter the costs, freedom is worth every all of it. It is priceless." That was all Zelda could think to say, she had said plenty over the last few months of sermons. But she realized, as words flooded her mind but wouldn't escape her lips, that some things she wanted to say privately.

"My High Priestess speaks with clarity about my intentions. There is someone, a young man who understood what it meant to be free because, for all of us, he gave up his freedom. But today I grant it to him again in compensation for his sacrifice."

There wasn't a big flash of light or a grand gesture from Lilith, but the choked sob from Sabrina as she ran to the returned Nicholas Scratch, embracing him as he did her-though he looked more confused than relieved, was proof enough of the truly returned man. Gasps rolled through the crowd at Lilith's Lazarus trick, but as happy as Zelda was for Sabrina, fear spiked its ugly head at the thought of Satan, not trapped by His Vitruvian Man, wandering around Hell looking for revenge.

"Zelda, don't be so nervous," Lilith cooed, appearing by her right side again, her hand returning to the other witch's, less chilled than it was the first time. "I'm not so careless as to leave Lucifer unpatrolled and untrapped."

"How?" The redhead's curiosity was peaked, but she was left unsatisfied with Lilith's response.

"With some very clever magic."

Sorry for the lack of posting! The last few weeks of college were hectic and I just started a new job so writing was pretty much put on the backburner until I found some solace. This story has a long way to go so, a big thank you to everyone who's willing to stick around, even through my INSANE posting schedule, jaja.