A Tale of Claw & Curses

"You know, no one ever bothered me this much when I was dead." Rina drawled as she took a seat. Rina Darkling was one of the most imposing women that Freya had ever met. Even in these modern clothes, Rina held herself with the strength and poise of a Queen. She looked down at both Nora and Marcus as if they were both nothing more than children. Freya narrowed her eyes at Rina as she raised her indigo gaze on hers.

"You're not from here. Who are you?" Freya said.

Rina drank from her cup, putting it down delicately on the table as her gaze searched Freya's. She had the tilt of a smirk upon her lips as she stared at Freya. "Neither are you, it would seem." She said smoothly. "A Dane Queen lost in time. A tale like no other."

"I was never a Queen," Freya murmured.

Rina exchanged a smile with Marcus. "The Queen that never was," she murmured.

"They wove quite the tale," Marcus stated.

"I do love a good tale. I myself come from quite an industrious tale." Rina said considering Freya once more. "A daughter born from a demon obsessed with an angel," Rina murmured her eyes seeming to glaze over before she shrugged. "That's the polite version of it, I should say." Her gaze flicked upon Nora.

"What do you need of me?" Rina asked turning to Marcus.

"You know why I am here," Marcus said with a sigh, as Rina rolled her eyes.

"The real question is," Rina said looking at Freya once more. "Do you know why he has brought you to me?"

Freya shook her head. "Aline and Xander were able to locate the counter curse of your spell," Marcus explained.

Freya turned to Nora in surprise, while Nora gave her a loaded look. "It isn't just about the ingredients," Nora said.

"The Witch who cast the curse, wanted it to be practically impossible to undo. It involves, the wolf that you transformed into, the white knight who had truly known your heart, and the blood of the original witch that cast the spell." Nora said.

"It also needs to be the place it was cast," Rina whispered, her voice echoing in the room.

"The Place?" Freya said. "That place won't exist now. It would be in ruins."

"So it is," Nora said.

"Which is why we are going to that place in the time that the Danes left it behind. When everyone left for the battlefield." Marcus said.

"Freya," Rina said softly. "How would you like to go home?"

Freya's eyes widened. "Home?"

"To the Castle that was meant to be yours to rule. To undo the curse your uncle cast upon you on greed. To walk the steps to the mage tower and see that thunder and storm burn through your veins once more." Rina said.

"That's actually possible?" Freya asked.

"It is for me," Rina said leaning back in her chair. "Tell me, Queenie, what do you know about demons?"

x x x

"Here take this," Nora said passing Freya a glass of bourbon, which Freya gulped like water. Freya felt the burn and inhaled her eyes still focused on Rina and everything she had said about her own tragedy-filled life. Freya had come from a time when demons were much worse than the witches they depended on for spells to keep the Kingdoms running smoothly. She was a Dane Queen or should have been at least. She shouldn't be freaking out about Demons, and angels. She shouldn't have, but she clearly was, as she grabbed the bottle out of Nora's hands and chugged it.

"Are you okay?" Nora asked warily.

Freya glanced at her. "I was still wrapping my head around this new world full of things like coffee and microwaves. Or that square stone everyone seems to be on." Freya said looking around the bar.

Nora squinted. "Do you mean cellphones?"

Freya gave her a withering glance. "In my day, cells were underground. Places where people went when they caused trouble."

"We still have those. Just not underground." Nora said with a frown.

"Demons exist."

"So do angels." Nora reminded her. "Demons have always existed, even longer than you have."

"Well, I didn't know that!" Freya muttered, drinking from the bottle. "Wish I still didn't know that." She mumbled.

"Well, you do," Nora said taking the bottle the server handed her and pouring a shot for herself. "So suck it up."

Freya took another shot her eyes mournful, as she looked around the bar. At the people laughing with each other, sharing a meal, and drinks. She frowned as she noticed something else. "Is it me or does something seem off with these people," Freya murmured.

Nora grinned widely. "I'm surprised you noticed." She said.

Freya turned to look at her. "They are all witches, aren't they?"

"And Werewolves, sirens, some warlocks, and of course a couple of Vamps." A lanky pale man said as he sidled up to their table giving Freya a smile that was mostly teeth. "And they all have extremely good hearing."

"Hey Smoky," he said towards Nora who smiled at him softly.

"Hi, Damian," she said warmly. She turned to Freya, "This is Damian. He's been tending the bar since I was a little girl."

"Smoky here has been going to the Academy since she was seven," Damian said, taking a seat with them, nudging playfully at Nora. "Rina filled me in," he said looking at Freya kindly. "First time meeting a demon?" he asked.

"And apparently a Vampire." She said straightening as she looked at Damian curiously.

"She came from a more secretive time. Her hesitance is to be expected." Nora pointed out as Freya scowled.

"I don't even know if this curse is worth being undone. My uncle has already won. This isn't even my time." Freya muttered.

"There will always be a place for you here." A man in a leather jacket said. Damian and Nora smiled as they looked up at him.

He looked at Freya kindly. "I am Hunter Moon, Marcus is my husband." He said taking a seat. "You can say I have some experience with wolves and curses. There is always another path. You were cursed to be a beast, but the moon showed you a way out. Don't be afraid to take it."