The Blue Queen (Part 6)

Finley was leaning against a metal bannister as he watched his little tracking but flash around the screen. He knew they had to wait for it to stop, so they could converge on the Adze’s location but after being touched and how Ciara seemed to dislike him, Finley was more impatient than ever. He just wanted to get it over with and then he can leave but he knew it would look bad if he didn’t finish his first mission. He stared as Vanessa walked over to a large man with a bulbous nose. He was wearing half rimmed glasses and had a keyboard twice as big as a normal one to fit his giant hands. He couldn’t help but wonder is this guy a troll as he’d never met one before. He eyes flicked back to the screen as the dot seemed to stop but after a second it carried on moving. Finley took a deep breath as his mind began to drift. He thought about his life and why he even wanted to be an assassin. ‘It’s not like being a mortal, you don’t have a choice you either are or you’re not a hunter. But I guess us immortals get more options for stuff like this,’ he thought before letting out a deep sigh, he didn’t want to show it but Ciara had really got to him. ‘What would my dad say at a time like this?’ He pondered. Finley closed his eyes gently and heard his father’s voice emanate in his mind, ‘son, if you don’t try you’ll never know. That’s how you was born through a random opportunity.’ He smirked at his dad’s words and it brought him back to the story of how his dad met his mum, and why he was born.

Diego Marvell had shaggy dark hair that covered his eyes too much. He had a rough stubble and in his own opinion he looked like he was homeless, which he wasn’t. Diego was a Valkyrie who live in seclusion on the edge of the Australian outback but he was devoted to helping those that found his home and were lost, which happened all too often. He hadn’t long returned from helping a young couple whom found themselves trapped in a nest of giant Tarantula-like creatures known as Selenicos. He dusted webbing off himself as he stared into the full moon. He watched it glimmer and bounce along the skyline when he noticed a thin pale figure flying fast straight towards him. Unbeknownst to him, this was the woman that was going to change his entire life.

Luna was flying high into the light of the moon when she noticed them. The pixies, small but nasty little servants of the fairy kingdom where she came from. She knew it was them from their glittery glow from their wings as they flitted about beneath her. ‘They had to have been sent to follow me,’ she thought to herself as she glided in the air. She took a moment to glance at them out of the corner of her eye. If she could time it right then she could speed away and they’d be none the wiser but she had to ignore them for now. She looked around to try and figure out a plan and noticed a small derelict house next to some rather large rocks about a mile ahead of her. Then it came to her, a solid plan. She took a deep breath and hoped that it worked. She dove straight down to the ground and just before she hit, she pulled up and levelled herself. She knew the movement and the beat of her wings would create an ashy dust that could cloud her a little bit. As it billowed around her, she then shot off as quick as her wings could let her, straight towards the house in the distance. She looked back and noticed the shadows of the pixies gathering in the dust. She rose as high into the sky so she could camouflage her pale skin and her white flowing dress against the moon as she made her way further into the distance. She thought this was the best option but soon realised the red dust from the ground had slowly stained her dress and her skin. ‘Stupid,’ she thought as she neared the house. Luna turned and looked back at the cloud and as she saw the first little pixie pop out, she flew straight into something. She had flown into a man and her speed had dragged them both beyond the door and out of sight.

Diego felt the woman’s body on top of him and the ache of his arm that had scraped along the worn wooden floorboards. “Are you okay?” He asked not looking at the woman who had barrelled into him. She hushed him, pressing her finger on his lips and watched as the door slowly creaked closed. ‘Did she just hush me?’ He thought as he turned to look at her. Before he could say anything he saw her face in the moonlight and she had an aura about her that silenced him. He couldn’t stop staring but his other instincts kicked in. He could feel the racing pulse through her finger and then he heard the skittering wings and tiny voices around his house. He looked to the winged woman and to the sound from outside his door. He gently nudged the woman off him, placing his own finger on his lips to hush her before pointing to a small cupboard. The woman stared curiously and made her way inside, leaving the door open a crack to listen. She heard the man march towards the door. She heard the bang as he slammed the door against a wooden wall. Then she heard his voice, “LEAVE!” He tone bellowed throughout her body and he continued. “I don’t know what you are or what you want but, you’re disturbing me.” Even though she couldn’t see him, she could feel the dark presence he exuded and although it intimidated her she felt safe. She knew he must be a Valkyrie and a strong one at that and managed to calm herself as the voices and wings slowly faded into the distance.After a few moments of silence, Luna poked her head out of the door. “They’re gone good,” she began, “wait, what did you do?” Diego blushed placing his on the back on his next. “It’s complicated,” he answered. They looked at each other for a moment before Luna cleared her throat. “Well I guess I should…” she started as she began to flutter her wings. She winced in pain before a darkness enveloped her.

Diego had placed her in his bed, and gently looked at Luna’s wing, whilst she lay unconscious. He realised that she had banged it when they collided and after the adrenaline left her she passed out from pain. He placed a bandage in a special healing solution before placing it around her wings. He turned her over and noticed that she was getting a slight temperature. He searched for a clean cloth but all he had was his large towel. He quickly and carefully tore it and dampened it in water, placing it on her forehead before heading to the door. Before he left the room he took one glance back and noticed how her glow began to return to her. He smiled leaving her alone.

Luna bolted awake and sat upright. She felt the towel hit her leg and still felt a twinge of pain. Her mind was blank as she tried to recall before realising where she was. She tried to use her wings again and although she felt pain she could move them. She looked down and felt a flash of embarrassment fill her. She rushed to the door and opened it. As she went to make her leave, she saw a small note. She stopped and froze, looking around. The man was lay asleep on the extremely damaged couch. She stared at him and watched him fidget, tossing one leg out of the covers and was practically upside down. Any embarrassment had left her. She took a deep breath and grabbed the small note walking out the front door to read it. “Hello there. I’m Diego, you wing was injured and I bandaged it up. It may take a day to heal. Feel free to stay at least until morning and help yourself to whatever you want in the fridge. Otherwise, it was was nice meeting you.” She stared down in bewilderment. The note ended abruptly and it took her aback. She wanted to continue walking forward, all movie tell her to run before she finds out he’s a serial killer but she hesitated. In that small minute of hesitation she walked back inside. Diego was still sprawled out across the couch and she walked to the fridge feeling hungry. She opened the door to find a single sandwich half and a thermos which said hot chocolate. There really wasn’t much choice. She grabbed the food and drink and walked into the bedroom she had found herself in. As much as she had made her decision to stay, the moon called to her.

Diego woke at the rise of dawn, his usual hour. He stretched his toned but tired muscles and walked to the bathroom. He walked through his bedroom and straight to the sink and begun to brush. In his sleepy haze, he followed his normal routine until mid brush he walked back into his bedroom. There was no one there and this was what he had expected, but he had hoped that she had straight. He couldn’t explain it but he felt unbelievably drawn the mysterious woman. He spat out the foam from the toothpaste and wiped his face on what is left of his towel. He walked disappointedly to the fridge and saw it was empty. He sighed realising that she had eaten his last sandwich and he’d need to head out for food. He stretched again and quickly changed grabbing his backpack on his way to the front door. He stepped out and was shocked to see the dark haired beauty sat wrapped in a blanket with a hot chocolate in her hands. She had clearly been watching the sun rise before he had interrupted her. “Sorry I thought you’d left?”

“No, my wing still hurts. I hope you don’t mind if I stay another day?”

“No not at all. Stay as long as you need, miss.”

“Sorry. It’s Luna. Luna Netherbloom.”

Finley was snapped out of the story his father had told him by a loud beeping nearby him. He turned and hadn’t even realised that Vanessa was stood next to him, staring at her phone. “You looked lost, are you okay?” She asked without looking up. He shrugged and shook his head wildly as if to wake himself up. “If it’s what happened between you and Ciara… I mean Agent Domino, I apologise on her behalf and I’ve spoke to her. It’ll never happen again.”

“No, it’s not that, but thank you. I was just thinking about what brought me here and if I should leave really.”

“Oh…” Her voice hid her disappointment well but Finley could tell. “It’s not in your file, and I don’t mean to pry but can I ask what made you want to become an Assassin?”

“Yeah no issue. Actually, it’s a long story but the short of it is you. I don’t know if you remember but you investigated my father’s death and inspired me to try and help others before they end up in my position.”

“Me?! I didn’t realise I had influenced you, but yeah I’d say that’s a good enough reason as any. Listen Ciara will come round, and even if she doesn’t I would love for you to be apart of the team. One more thing, did you ever find your mother?”

“Not yet, Blossom said she’ll keep me updated when I joined but I’m not getting my hopes up. My father said she was dead so maybe I should just believe that.” Vanessa gulped awkwardly in the silence until the voice of the troll working at the monitor bellowed up, “not moved for twenty minutes now. I’d say he’s definitely made himself comfortable.” Vanessa nodded and beckoned the troll and Finley to follow, leading the way towards the locker room.