Hands of Fate

Title: Hands of Fate

Author: Luna

Feedback: Loved and appreciated…send it to ambersgrrl@yahoo.com

Archive: Full Moon Romper Room, Tainted Fiction, and Luna’s Night Moves…anyone else, please just ask.

Fandom: Harry Potter

Rating: NC-17 for graphic sexual situations.

Warnings: Underage sex! (After all they’re still in school!)

Pairings: Aislinn/Draco Malfoy, Abigail/Blaise Zabini, Martika/Viktor Krum, and Kaleaha/Harry Potter

Disclaimer: J. K. Rowling, Scholastic Publishing, and Warner Brothers Entertainment do not authorize this author. All characters that you recognize belong to J. K. Rowling, Scholastic Publishing, and/or Warner Brothers Entertainment. Nothing is being gained from this work of fiction.

Summary: The fate of an entire race rests on their shoulders. Will they fold to destiny or will they fight it?

Author’s Note: As always with my stories I’m going to be using these characters as I see fit. I will be ignoring anything that I want to and that irritates me. This story qualifies as AU because let’s face it Krum left after GoF. If any of this bothers you save both our sanity and STOP READING NOW!

Anything else: Okay, I know that I've neglected this, and a great many other stories. I have put a new writing system into place, which I hope will keep me updating everything in a more timely fashion. Let's just keep our fingers crossed that this works out.
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*

Chapter Twelve

Deep within the sithen far away from the deadly game of politics sat a lone figure. Her long chestnut colored hair fell in gentle waves down her back. Dark eyes burned with a combination of anger and resentment. The young woman knew they had felt the girls’ distress as clearly as she had yet the Princes had done nothing to comfort their children. Their eyes had shown a resigned determination to see this fool’s errand through to the end.

Standing abruptly Belladonna stalked through the darkened halls summoning her powers as she did so. Those that saw her quickly moved out of her path. One didn’t mess with the Handmaiden when she glowed like a dark avenging angel. It was a dangerous and often lethal thing to do. If the young woman noticed the sensation her passing caused she showed no outward sign of it.

Reaching her rooms she flung the door wide, the air inside shimmering as an onyx basin came into view. Her true power lie within the daunting looking vessel. Her mixed heritage was never more pronounced than when she used the ebony bowl. Her mother was a pure high court Sidhe while her father was a menacing shadow walker. He had powers beyond those granted to children of the Goddess. He was the thing feared by all, even the fey.

It had long been believed that a child could never come from such a union but she, and a handful of others, was living proof that it did happen. She was feared among her people because there were so few like her that knowing exactly how much or what magic she held was impossible. She wasn’t as powerful as most believed but she could, and often did, defend herself from those looking to send her back to the goddess. She showed no mercy and there wasn’t an ounce of remorse in her for the fate she had given to those foolish enough to challenge her. It was their way to kill or be killed…and she was still alive to tell the tale.

It was also their way for each initiate to have a guide along the path towards maturity along with a least one who would watch over and protect them. Yet none of the girls had been given either. Old lore held that if forced to endure this transformation alone only those truly fit to rule would be able to call to them those that could fill those rolls. She knew the Princes were playing a dangerous game here, one that could very well end with the deaths of the firstborn children.

Belladonna was not easily provoked or moved to anger. However the sheer stupidity of the Princes was enough to drive Bella to find out what was happening with the girls. She might not be able to do much more than encourage the princesses, through their dreams, to seek the knowledge that would help save their lives. The Handmaiden stood in front of her onyx vessel dark eyes closed in deep concentration.

Picking up the blade that had been passed down to her bloodline from the first dream catcher she sliced the tip of her index finger. Letting the blood well and begin to flow down her finger she mixed it with the unusually warm liquid already in the stone basin. The surface rippled, little waves chasing each other to the edge of the bowl. She felt the cool wind of magic lift her hair.

“Show me,” she commanded and the vessel obeyed.

In the shimmering surface she watched with growing resentment as each girl faced the trials of trying to fit into a new environment without solace or guidance. It was true that they would have each other but there were some things that had to be borne alone. It saddened her heart to have to watch over them from so far away. At one time or another she had looked after all the Princesses. She had been a nanny to them all. After all, there were things in faerie that even the young were not permitted to see.

Bella had watched with some delight as Aislinn had grown into the little mother hen. The young redhead had often kissed boo-boos and held her cousins hand if they were afraid. Looking at the young princess now she was proud of how well she was holding up, even with Abigail's formidable temper tantrums.

The Handmaiden cheered silently as she watched the shy studious little Kaleaha making friends. As a young child the petite blonde had been so painfully shy that she had often hid behind Belladonna's skirts or her mother's whenever newcomers had arrived at the sithen. Seeing Leaha now made her smile as she realized how much the princess of Light had grown up.

Bella laughed as she watched the unrepentant actions of Martika. It had surprised the Handmaiden to find her to be such a lighthearted child. Even knowing that of the four she would ultimately lead hadn't diminished the platinum blonde's joy in every day.

The relief Belladonna had been experiencing evaporated in an instant as she watched her half sister's misery. The somber young child had been a blessing to the Dark court. She had been the apple of her father's eye and as such had gotten her way far too often incurring far too few consequences. Yet, none of what had transpired before had deemed this level of humiliation. The professor's only saving grace was that he had done it privately.

Her obsidian eyes burned with an intensity that had seldom been seen outside a challenge ring. He would not get off lightly for treating anyone so shabbily. A swift hand motion over the water revealed a dark gleaming surface. She turned away from the bowl lest she be tempted to bring his night terrors into the waking world.

Quickly she gathered a few essential elements that would allow her admittance to his dream world. She wouldn't let herself bring his worst fears to life but she would force him to endure his most embarrassing moment every time he closed his eyes.

Once more she sliced open her finger chanting as she dropped her blood into the murky pool. The wind that lifted her hair this time had the warm feel of vengeance to it. As the power coalesced the surface of her bowl showed a much younger professor.

He had obviously been studying or reading as he was just climbing to his feet stuffing parchment and books into a bag. The young man was making his way back toward the castle in the distance when two young men about his age accosted him.

The dialog was unimportant to Belladonna but even she could see that there was an animosity between the younger Snape and the two dark haired young men. She even took note of the fact that most of the crowd seemed to be cheering the young men on as they continued to torment Snape. After a few more moments she could watch no more as she now had no desire to finish her first impulse.

It seemed that even as a young man Snape had not been popular. Being the subject of ridicule had hardened him in a way that life could not seem to change. She recognized in him some of the same qualities of her own dear sister. Sighing she turned back to the bowl chanting once again to send him into peaceful oblivion. She waved her hand the vessel and it's imposing stand shimmered out of sight until called again.

Slumping onto a conjured chair she let her dark head fall into her hands. How was she to help the girls from so far away? It was apparent that the Princes would do nothing for them, which meant that she had to come up with something...and soon. Jumping up from the chair she began to laugh as the answer became so clear. She stopped celebrating long enough to make sure that she had a lock on the situation. Certain that she did she stepped from the chamber; the smile on her face could only be called vicious.

Entering the grand court all conversation ceased as she strode deliberately toward the four stone daises. She knew that she was quite a sight when she called her power as she had done while on the way to this place.

Her long chocolate colored tresses were artfully arranged around her oval face. The long crimson dress shot through with shimmering golden thread bearing her emblem caused uneasiness to creep through those gathered here tonight. Her skin held a faint honey glow that could lighten or darken, depending upon her intent. The voice that emerged from her commanded attention. “Most honored princes I request a word with you, privately,” she petitioned, though all knew that it was more order than supplication.

The four princes took one look at Belladonna resplendent in her court garb and knew that to deny her would be pointless. If they refused her it could lead some difficult situations later on down the road. Rising as one they gestured her to a small antechamber off to the left of the thrones.

Gracefully Bella swept out of the grand room to the hushed conversations that had suddenly broken out at her request. She gave no indication of whether or not she heard it. Her head was held high and her eyes looked neither left nor right.

Once behind closed door her demeanor did not change letting the Princes know that they were about to hear a decree not from Belladonna but from the head of the Dream Catcher line. To ensure harmony between the two rival courts they had allowed Bella, as Darkness's consort's first child, a place granted to no other. She was the only Shadow Walker allowed in the courts of faerie. As such she was allowed, from time to time, to make demands that no other would be allowed.

In all honesty Darkness had known this moment was coming. His only shock had been that she hadn't immediately demanded it of them. One look at his brothers told him they had much the same feeling that he did.

Winter dropped wearily into a gilded chair. “You can drop the glamour Bella; we already know why you've come.”

“Be that as it may,” she returned letting her glow fade from sight. “It is my duty to remind you of how poorly you have not only acted but reacted.”

“Duly noted,” Summer answered as he leaned against one of the intricate tapestry's the room possessed.

“What would you have of us,” Darkness demanded folding his arms over his armored chest.

“Show some compassion for your children,” Belladonna shot back a scathing look in his direction.

“Don't take that tone with us Bella,” Light warned his temper beginning to rise. “We did only what we had to, you know that!”

“I'll take any tone I please when you act as if they were no more than pawns in some elaborate chess game to you,” she told them her eyes beginning to glow with her outrage.

“Brothers,” Winter cut in when it looked like a true fight might begin over her hard truths. He had long believed that the Handmaiden saw far more than she let on and in this case he knew it to be true. “She has a point, as you well know. Arguing to appease your conscience isn't going to make it any less so.”

“Make your request,” Summer bid the young woman. As the head of her line she could make the demand and have it granted, but she was the only one in all of faerie that had that privilege. Though it wasn't said, it didn't have to be; they knew there were spies all over and in order to acquiesce she needed to make the formal plea.

There were those among the Fey that already doubted the Princes' claim of rightful rulers and were looking for any grounds to challenge them. To save face Bella had to make the request before arrangements would be made.

“Most honorable princes I beseech thee to allow your humble servant to travel across the great ocean to serve as Handmaiden to the Princesses,” she requested in a formal voice even going so far as to bow before them.

“Granted,” the four princes said in unison though none of them looked very happy about that.

Belladonna crossed her arms under an ample chest her face clearly showing her displeasure. She knew that the story they had fed the girls had been utter rubbish. The girls could have very well have found their mates within any of the courts faerie had to offer. It had only been a desire to see their people flourish again that had led the Princes to send their daughters out into the world hoping to attract magically powerful mates. It was dangerous game to play and considering the British magical world at the moment could be a deadly one as well.

She also knew one other thing. She was not going to let those girls suffer for a cause that was not their own. They would not be made to shoulder a burden that should never have been placed there to begin with. “I leave in two days time, make sure all the arrangements have been made,” she said imperiously as she swept from the room a triumphant gleam in her eyes.