this is part 2's prologue,

[doris]

Astrid



Marden and Rashid were slowly circling each other, indentical expressions on their faces, centuries old hatred comsuming them. The air around them was shimmering with their combined fury and the council fell quiet, watching.

Erlendr and Dylan tried to pull Astrid away from the melee, but she wasn't budging. What on earth was going on! Marden and Rashid were by now involved in a full on fist fight, the blows echoing around the council chambers, as the immortals unleashed their fury and strength.

Erl took a a firm grip of Astrid's arm as he read her thoughts.

"Don't even think about interfering, this is Rashid's fight and long overdue. Think of the baby."

"What? What baby, who is having a baby? Rashid is going to get hurt, you have to stop this NOW!"

Erl grimaced and Dylan tried to take Astrid's hand again to help calm down the rising hysteria he felt coming from her in waves, but she wouldn't let him, so he settled for the blunt approach.

"You're having a baby!"

"WHAT?"

"The fantasy took you back in time to Rashid's palace, when he was still mortal, hence you conceived a child. No immortal can have children, in fact even this should not have been possible."

Dylan smiled grimly as he wondered once again how deep Jacen's powers went.

Astrid had gone very pale but she was listening.

"So the baby is..? Don't tell me the baby is immortal? Please God, not that..."

Erl and Dylan looked at each other over Astrid's head.

"Not exactly!"

"What the hell does that mean? And can you stop them fighting please? Why do they hate each other so much?"

Astrid winced when Marden managed to get a viscious blow in on Rashid and he staggered back. Marden advanced towards him with a viscious snarl, producing a sword out of nowhere. What the hell! Erlendr growled, letting go of Astrid and charging at Marden, knocked him off balance, the sword cluttering out of his beefy hand.

Astrid screamed, when it hit her, before cluttering to the floor.

"Rashid!"

He spun round towards her, forgetting about Marden, when he saw the blood dripping from Astrid's arm and her stunned expression. She staggered and Rashid managed to catch her just in time.

"Dylan, DO something, I can't loose her, I can't!"

*

Erlendr held Marden at the point of the sword and his voice boomed across the council chambers.

"Marden has broken council rules by bringing a weapon to the proceedings. He has injured a human! A human who carries an immortal's child, a human who came here of her own free will. A human who is under MY protection and thus under the council's."

He looked round the council, his expression fierce.

" The council needs to know that this is not the first time!"




*
Astrid felt very light headed and her arm really hurt. Rashid was holding her far too tightly.

"Let go of me, I need to be able to breathe, this is just a scratch."

Rashid released her a little and both him and Dylan watched in fascination as her arm slowly healed itself in front of their eyes.

Rashid sat back on his heels, rocked to his core by what he had just witnessed. A slow smle spread over his face and Dylan whistled low under his breath.

"I believe that's my line baby..."

Astrid looked at her arm, now completely healed with big eyes.

"Oh shit! Does that mean I am like you?"

Before Rashid could respond Marden's agonised howl reverbarated round the chambers.

"She can't be the one! It should be me, who has the honour me, not your upstart Erlendr."

Erlendr laughed, a cold harsh sound as he once again adressed the assembly.

"You all know what this means! Rashid has found the chosen one. She will choose her fate and that of her mate!"

Astrid was utterly confused now. Chosen one? Her?

She looked up at Rashid, who had taken a step away from her, his expression unreadable. Dylan was wearing a stupid grin, Marden looked as though he wanted to rip her to shreds and Erl gestured for her to come to him.

"Rashid, what do I do?"

"What you choose to do baby, I can't influence you, I never could not in this. I was hoping it would be you..."

"Oh for pity's sake!" Astrid stamped her foot in disgust. "Will someone explain to me what the hell is going on here?"

It was Dylan, who answered, his voice echoing round the room.

"Every once in a while a female human is chosen to decide the fate of her mate and her own. Together they can rule, or she can denounce him and stay as she is. The choice is hers and hers alone. Three hundred years ago, Marden knew he had found such a human. But she did not choose him, she chose Rashid. Before she could make the choice final however, Marden's wolf killed her. The council decreed that the wolf should be banned forever. It seems Marden did not keep his word, then or now.."


*

Astrid could not believe her ears. She had enough of this. Chosen one? This was laughable. All she wanted to do, was go back to the way things were, before she knew of the existence of were tigers, witches, immortals and god knows what else.

Well, she looked at Rashid's tense profile, maybe not entirely back to the way things had been. After all she had a baby to consider now. Astrid held her tummy in wonder, trying to imagine the life growing in there and suddenly she knew exacxtly what she had to do.

She stepped towards Erlendr, mindful of Rashid's burning gaze on her.

"So how do I do this exactly?"

Erlendr took her hand and smiled.

"All you have to do is address the council and let them know your decision. Your heart will tell you what to say."

Astrid nodded, her heart hammering in her chest.

"And what about him?" She pointed towards Marden.

"As he drew your blood it is up to you to decide, how he will be punished. I vote for throwing him to his own wolves"

Astrid studied Marden for some time.

"No, that would be too easy. I want him stripped off his powers and made to live in the real world as a human!"

Erlendr smiled and bowed his head.

"So be it!"

"What about Rashid?"

Astrid turned towards the man she loved and said:" I am sorry Rashid, but I cannot condemn our unborn child to all this. I choose for both of us to be human."

Rashid's shoulders slumped and he nodded. Erlendr looked stunned, only Dylan was smiling.

"And Rashid, I choose for you to make your own choice, to be mortal or to live forever...."

[joanne]

‘I don’t understand the half of this. Astrid deciding Rashid’s fate. He was married to someone Marden wanted years ago. Dylan who is supposed to be mr- high- heidyin above all others, letting all this go on! Babies, immortals, humans, shapeshifters, dreamakers, witches, what next?’
She looked around at the others. At Dylan, who she knew could move any outcome if he so desired. At Rashid, who looked stunned ,and was just staring at Astrid. At Marden, who she thought, looked ready to throw something, but knew he’d better not.
Isabo, not sure whether to stare or glare at Bastian, and definitely trying hard not to pout. At all the others who had gone through all the traumas of the last few hours and days.
And then back to Dylan. He looked back, all the love he had for her showing in his face.
“So” He turned at looked at the council, bowed slightly, then turned to where the others were standing. He beckoned Mia to alongside him.
“To all here, we give thanks to your Gods, your chosen few, for helping us. I have tried to stay apart, be impartial whilst all our battles raged. I am supposed to be guided by my council, but now I say no more. You did not choose well or with strength. You allowed evil to become part of us. This will not be allowable ever again. By the powers YOU have allowed me to have, I will now be above all.” There were a few gasps, but on the whole, Mia thought most of the council looked please.
“And” He continued. “Mia is MY chosen one. She is my equal, my life. This is understood.!”
It was not a question.
He turned again, First to look at Marden. “Your Fate is sealed. Colect Mikhail, who will also be human from now. But- do not think as humans you can do evil. I have seen to it! It will not happen.” Marden vanished.
“So my family, friends and my beloved, we can now move forward to our next phase.
Oh and Rashid, What do you choose?”


The end........ or is it just the begining