2 A Wish

Eris O'Hara looked over the lake and sighed. Why had she agreed to come back here she didn't really care for these events. Now that she had lost her husband, and her son both of whom loved these events she had no reason to be here. "Mamie!" a girl yelled. Eris cringed she hated that word, sounded too much like mammary she thought and she didn't want people referring to her as breasts. "Teagan! I told you not to use that word referring to me." Eris chided the girl. Teagan was 15 three years younger than Eris' son. The two had been growing up together and behaved more like brother and sister than uncle and niece. Eris married her husband later in life he had been divorced, Eris' husband had been 15 years older than her. Eris was only 5 years older than Teagan's mother. Teagan had been brought to Eris and her husband by Social Services when she was 12 months old. Teagan's mother had been arrested in a drug bust. Cindy, Teagan's mother, was in and out of her life most of the time. Cindy had gotten clean two years ago and became a stable part of the family. Cindy married a nice young man who adored Teagan like his own daughter. A few months ago the car accident happened that killed Wil and Silas, her husband and son. Two weeks ago Cindy's husband got a job promotion that required them to move out of the country they would be gone for four years. It was a great promotion one that would take care of all of them for life. Cindy was also expecting so there was a new little life's future to think of as well. Eris didn't begrudge them for life continuing on for them. Everything else in the world seemed to move so quickly since she lost Wil and Silas. She felt like her life had ended that day too but somehow her body had trapped her and she remained here. "But, Grams why do you hate that word, its period isn't it?" Teagan asked pulling Eris away from her thoughts and back to the present. "It sounds like you are calling me mammary." Eris replied. Teagan made a face, closed her eyes, and shook her head. "GRAMS!" Teagan exclaimed. A sly bemused smile crossed Eris' face, she would miss Teagan. After this weekend she would have one week left with Teagan then she too would be gone. "What is rule 17?" Eris asked Teagan. Teagan sighed, "Do not visualize." Eris smiled, "Good you remember. Just call me Grams that will be fine. And, if any period rules lawyers has a problem good ole thumper will take care of it." Eris said lovingly patting the walking stick her husband had made for her. He used what was left of his long sword after he had broke in half over the back of a "rhino" winning the tournament for Eris. He had sanded the rattan down, put some wolf carvings on it, and stained it for her. He left it long for her to use as a staff or a walking stick. It was the last gift Wil gave her. Teagan laughed and linked her arm with Eris' "I will be sure to let you know."

"Oh no you will not. She is more than two handfuls without you riling her up." A man said as he approached them. John, had been Wil's best friend in life and was more like a brother to him and Uncle to Teagan and Silas. John and Wil had trained Silas together in fighting and were proud of the advancements and achievements that he had made while still remaining the humble boy they loved. It was hard for John too losing both Wil and Silas. John had a very large family he had lost his first wife years ago and married his second only a couple of years ago. John's kids, his, his second wife's, and now their's together ranged from 30 all the way down to newborn. At these events John liked to use the name Lothair. "Lothair, had you not better things to do then spoil this old lady's fun?" Eris asked smiling. Lothair laughed, "Old lady, you are only 40. I have been entrusted to see after your well being and that includes keeping you out of trouble. Although, I think at this event I will send my new young buck squire to watch after you, as soon as he shows up." Lothair gave Eris a hug. Eris was short and John was a foot and half taller than her. He frowned when he saw the top of her head and sighed. "Eris where is your crown?" The last tournament Wil won for Eris was a crown tournament their reign was nearly over when the accident happened. She didn't want to be Queen without Wil, this was his glory not her's. "I threw it in the lake. Let a fish, a mermaid, be the Queen I don't want it without Wil!" She stormed tears threatening to rain down and betray her. Lothair's mouth dropped he understood her feelings. The people wanted to let her finish the reign for her and Wil it was now only one more month they thought they were helping. He knew she would never say anything different to them because she knew it was more for them. He stepped up to help with the business of things and help her get through just like Wil would have wanted. This event though was special, Teagan herself had wanted to do it for Wil and Silas it was to honor both of them and give them one final party they would have loved. What he wasn't sure about was whether or not Eris really threw the crown into the lake or not. Eris was a very passionate, damned crazy woman it would be very Eris like, he thought. "No she didn't Uncle Lucky, here it is. That was what I was coming to get you for Grams." Teagan said giggling as she pulled the crown out from the pouch she was carrying. Eris smiled as Teagan went to put the crown onto her head. She frowned at Lothair, "Happy?!" she snipped at him. Then Teagan leading Eris walked past him. Lothair looked up to the sky, "You are getting at LEAST one ass whooping when I meet you. Putting me in charge of herding cats." He muttered and followed after them.

Eris sat through boring court letting Lothair take care of everything she had no heart for it without Wil. It was all just a silly game anyway, she thought. Many people came up to her, well to the throne to offer condolences and praises of Wil and Silas. Usually she acted regal and graceful through this. However, when someone she knew had never been honorable towards her Wil and Silas tried this it angered her. How dare they try to use my pain, my Wil, my Silas to advance themselves in this fucking game! She thought and she knew she wasn't going to be silent about it either Wil wasn't here to as he said "keep her on her leash". She would hold her hand up and painfully question them about every nasty word she heard them utter about her Wil and her Silas. She would bring up every shot they intentionally missed to force her Wil or Silas to lose a contest. Then she be raided them for mocking her pain for their demented selfish gains. She felt she had the right to do so, the people lost their chance to let her gracefully step down so they could deal with an "unleashed" queen now. Those who knew her weren't a bit surprised by her outbursts and were in fact amused. Those who didn't know her where shocked but she was queen and it was her court. Many of those who were shocked especially the women agreed with her and were glad that someone called these men out on their dishonorable behavior. After this court settled into some more of the business of the game of awards and such. Eris wondered whose idea it was to have such a long court she wished she had decided to look things over before signing off on the ordeal. They were just about to call an end to court when a rather pompous and loud man decided to interrupt court and complain about the affairs of the kingdom demanding that she do as he wanted. First thing this man did wrong was to ruin a day dream she was having about Wil, second he had the audacity to demand she do as he told, and third she noted that his ranking belt was wore over his shoulder and not his middle. He was not a knight in fidelity to her. When she held up her hand for him to stop talking he ignored her and continued on. Lothair stood, and her champion moved from behind her throne to her side his hand on his weapon. Eris stood using the lessons she had learned over the years, she used her diaphragm to project and raise her voice above his with little effort. "You are not a knight in fidelity to me." It was a statement not a question but he took it as a question, "No, I am not.." she cut him off "You have not only broken knightly edict but also court decorum. For that alone I can have you removed from my kingdom. I do however, before I have you exiled from here want to inform you that if you are not in fidelity to the crown then the crown does not have to listen to you. Take him away." She said and motioned for Lothair and her champion to escort the man out of the event. The court that had grown tense cheered when the man was taken out. When Eris' champion and Lothair felt the man wasn't moving quick enough they would give him a shove to hurry him along. She ended court and welcomed everyone remaining to join her at the feast hall. The crowd was very excited now and the feast hall was packed. There were many happy stories being shared at the tables, songs sung by bards, and other entertainment as well that Wil and Silas enjoyed. The feast hall turned into a mead hall the party location as the night wore on. Eris found a chance to slip away, she sneaked back down to the lake. She had a swim suit on underneath her period dress. Wil and her would often times, at events like this, sneak off together and if there was a lake or something they would go swimming under the moonlight together just the two of them. She wanted to come here and swim under the moonlight like old times. She discarded her crown and dress and went to swim. She had swum out to the middle of the lake. When she looked back at the empty shore she was saddened again. It wasn't like old times where Wil would still be struggling to get out of all his period clothing cursing about it. Now it was just her and her memories. She floated on her back looking up at the moon for some time before she swam back to shore. When she got back to shore she went to her things found the pouch she had sneaked off with and pulled out the Drambuie. Eris lifted the bottle to the moon, "For you Wil and for you Silas." she said and she took back a long drink from the bottle.

"My, I do admire a lady with good taste in drink and who can hold it." A man said coming up next to Eris. She sat the bottle down and looked over at the man. He wasn't wearing garb so he wasn't here to fetch her back to the hall. She tilted the bottle back taking another drink then said, "Are you here for the event?" The man looked down at her then back out over the lake watching the night sky ripple across it's surface. "An event yes, but not the event you came from I think." He said nodding back up the hill to the building that she had snuck out of. "I thought I would come down to the lake myself for a nightly swim. Imagine my surprise when I saw you in the lake swimming. I thought there just might be mermaids in this world after all." He said. She stopped her drinking to regard this man more closely. He looked young, but the way he talked made him sound older, he was fit and leanly muscled. She saw the towel across his bare shoulder, and the flip flops on his feet. She started to look back up and was shocked and amused the man was wearing tight, white, and small speedos. She had a thought then giggled into her bottle of Drambuie. The man knew that he was attractive and that most of the fairer sex enjoyed not just seeing him but being with him. He enjoyed too flaunting his masculine features. He had caught her looking at him and staring at his speedos. He knew too that she was more bemused than interested but he couldn't help himself he had to show off for her. He stretched and flexed his muscles as if warming up before going for a swim then he bounced on the balls of his feet. He made sure that his member was in full view of her eyesight while doing this. Oh how he loved visiting this world! While he had been gone this world had become more into exhibition of the skin than other worlds. Of course, this world too had once been very conservative too but that was in the past. Now they had technology and machines to do almost everything for them. The people of this world relied on their man made things and technology so much they had all but forgotten about magick. Which he reminded himself was part of the reason he was here. He didn't expect that the woman he had come to meet would have a little magick herself mostly dormant for now but it was there. He had watched for about a week now he figured. She was more than just a pretty face. "Enjoying the show?" he asked her with his sly smile. Eris had, had too much Drambuie so as she and Wil would say the little lady at the gate keeping you from saying something you probably shouldn't was sound asleep. She laughed heartily and out loud her eyes twinkling with the moon light. "Oh kid! I am not a cougar. You will find better game on the other side of the lake." She slurred and continued to laugh finding it hard to breath. Cougar the man wondered isn't that an animal on this world. He cast a spell of information for this world and was amused at first when he learned that the slang form of cougar meant an older woman chasing a younger man to bed. He then found the word distasteful when he learned that it was often used in derogatory reference to women. This world had not advanced as much as he thought. Any man young or old should consider themselves lucky to bed with a woman like her. She was not only beautiful, she was intelligent, cunning, loyal, loving, and fiery. All fine qualities for anyone to have he thought. They were after all, the same qualities he had although he was very secure in himself. Of course, he thought he wasn't really younger than her for now he just looked that way. He wondered if that would make a difference if he looked closer to her age than a young man in his prime. She had stopped laughing she had gone back to drinking and staring at the lake. He dropped his towel next to her, "I am going to take a swim dear lady. You of course, are welcome to join me." He said and headed down into the lake. He saw her briefly tip her bottle to him and smile then the smile was gone. He swam in the lake for a little bit wondering about what he needed to do for this part of his mission. She was drunk before he even arrived here, he had to get her sober for her to decide her part in this whole affair. He wondered briefly why he chose her for this part of their chess game. No he reminded himself be patient wait he always showed his hand two to three steps into the game. All that the man needed to do now was be patient and watch. Deciding on his course he swam back to the shore to the woman who had to do her part in this. He looked to her then he checked the night sky, he smiled to himself he still had some time for mischief before things would be set. He straightened out his towel beside her and sat down. "You know it is dangerous to drink alone especially by water." He said. She looked at him through drunken sleepy eyes and he knew that he had to get her sobered up. He picked up the bottle she had sat down and took a drink. "Hmm, yes this is good but not quite like our mead." He said, he heard her giggle at him. Well time to get her sober he thought. He had a spell that would do the job but he had a spell that was a favorite of his to use when he had gone on a bender or two. It involved warm water the spell then forced the toxins out of your body and the warm water soothed and relaxed you. Plus it took care of all the nasty business of the pain and other foul side affects of a hangover. He stood up in front of her his member at just about face level, he bent down grabbing her by the arms and pulled her up. "Come on lets get you sober." He said as he did this. Eris looked up when he talked and her eyes grew wide the man's white speedos were wet and see through now and he was right in front of her face. He pulled her up a little too fast and the world started spinning for her. She fell into his chest, it reminded her of the first time she had met her Wil. When he tried to scoop her up she fought him a little bit but then felt sleepy and feel asleep instead. The man carried her to the lake, He walked out until the water was above his waist and if she were standing above her chest. He activated the spell enjoying the warmth and relaxation it provided. As it started to take effect on her, he let her stand on her own but continued to support her. Her scent was sweet and intoxicating. Her body was marvelous and felt good next to his skin. His speedos were getting very uncomfortable and as his member was growing hard. She was sober now but his magick had taken an unexpected affect on her. His magick was awakening hers and her magick flowed out into his spell seeking him out. When her magick tentatively touched his skin he moaned and shudder. Her magick quickly pulled back unsure. She was staring at him now and he wanted to take and devour her mouth every part of her the way she deserved. As the thought of desire crossed his mind a squirrel decided to ruin the party. He jumped down off a branch hanging over the lake flailed in the water and bite his nose as he swam by and back to shore. "Ahhh! Ryat!" He yelled after the screaming chattering of the squirrel. The commotion had separated him from Eris who laughing floated on her back flipped over and swam back to shore. The man was sure that his last chance of mischief was gone now. "It could have been a worse swim." She said calling after him as she walked out of the lake. Her demeanor had changed and the man knew that the squirrel carried a spell that had supplanted a false memory into her. Damn him, the man thought he was very sure now that he had no chance with Eris. On the other hand, he thought, he did enjoy games. The man watched Eris as she walked away from him out of the lake. He began to swim back to shore after her. Definitely more desirable than a mermaid he thought. Once he reached the shore he followed after her. "How could it have been worse?" He asked smiling calling after her as he went to catch up. Eris smiled slyly and raised her eyebrows, "It could have been a big fish thinking it found a giant worm under the water." She had one hell of a sexy look, wait a minute...GIANT....hahaha I do have a chance. Oh this game is just getting started he thought. "Well now if there is a fish in that lake big enough to bite my cock I will not swim in this lake again without a gig on me." He said going to sit down beside her on the shore were their things were. She laughed with him and sighed. Then she pointed to the lake. "It's funny you can see the moon surrounded by clouds and one little star shinning through on the lake. It is like the world is upside down." She said. How so close to accurate you are he thought. "Little star I wish to have this wish tonight." Eris closed her eyes and continued, "I have lost everything and I wish to go back, to live it all again, and to fix what went wrong." The man looked over to her and saw her softly glowing then he once again felt her magick raise up and pass between them. He looked back to the reflection on the lake and realized what she called a star was no star. It was a world eater, the dragon had arrived to this world and soon two worlds would collide. Chaos magick was swelling it wouldn't be long now he thought. Eris had played her part perhaps not as what was expected but it was done now. So the game begins he thought. He reached down picked up Eris' crown and placed it on her head he cast a spell of sleep on her. He laid her down gently and used magick to put her dress back on. He kissed her head then watched the dragon come soaring into this world. No need for her to have to see and feel this kind of magick yet, she wasn't ready he thought. "Rest well Queen Eris." he said and as the dragon burst through he disappeared.