Chapter 5:Fallen Star

Eris walked slowly through her community tears dripping off the end of her nose. She started singing a song her mother had sang to her when she was a newborn. Her mother said it was taught to her by the Hand, It had been it's favourite song.

She's taking her time, making up the reason
To justify all the hurt inside, guess she knows
From the smiles and the look in their eyes, Everyone's got a theory 'bout the bitter one
They're Saying:
Mother never loved her much, Dad, he never keeps in touch
That's why she shies away from human affection
Somewhere in a private place, she packs her bag without a space
And now she's waiting for the right kind of pilot to come, And she'll say to him
I'm gonna fly you to the moon and back if you'll be, I'f you'll be my baby
Got a ticket for a world where we don't belong so won't you be my baby?

"So appropriate" she mused "I've sort of packed my bags and my parents don't seem to love me, at least, Father doesn't"

She looked ahead of her to see the airlock/door. She wiped her streaming eyes with the back of her hand. Couldn't let her followers see how weak she had become. They would kill her for sure.

"Aaah...Uh... Madam. I'm sorry, we haven't had enough time to dispose of the disbelievers. If you could just give us longer...?"

"I'm not here for that."she said, her old ferocity returning, "How close are the plans to completion?"

"Uh... Miles off actually." Garnet said.

"Change them then."she sniffed.

"Madam?"

"You heard. I want my...uh... OUR revenge brought forward about 10 minutes."

"Not meaning to insult your intelligence Madam but, How can we work out a decent strategy in 5 minutes?"

"You? You can't dear. I dont care what you do so long as it is fully functional." she hissed.

"What was it you wanted to do again?"

"You're useless!" she shouted, "I want you to get rid of those pathetic furballs, the Norns, apart from me of course."

"All of them?" Garnet asked.

"All but two" Eris said, her hard face softening slightly.

"Which two?"

Eris rolled her eyes in irritation. "My mother, she is the green one with yellow hair, and my only real friend,Orion, he's the purple/pink white haired one. Got it?"

"Got it" said Garnet.

"Good, well get on with it then." Eris smiled as her armies gathered.

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Rhiannon wasn't speaking to Laird. When asked why she would say:

"Ask him!" meaning Laird.

You couldn't really blame her. It was Eris. See what I meant when I said she was a troublemaker? In one action she had managed to turn two very close norns into a pair of warring factions! Orion missed his friend terribly.

"I want Eri back" he would say to anyone who would listen, and even anyone who wouldn't.

It was all to end that day when every norn's (apart from those two) life was put dangerously close to the line.

Rhiannon was looking over daughter's things. She had been gone for a while now. It was all Laird's fault. He had shouted at her, made her cry. He had driven her away. Some father he was! She wondered if a separation was possible. If it was, she would give it serious thought. Before she had a chance to worry more on this subject, she heard a scream and cries of "Help! Help! A Grendel's got my son!"

Quick as light, Rhiannon leapt to her feet. From where she stood she could see a huge Grendel carrying off Orion.

"No doubt," thought Rhiannon, "To the same fate as my Eris." She dashed out of the treehouse only to be caught by Garnet himself.

"The Dark Star requests that you, her mother, join her" he said, ever polite.

"The Dark Star?" Rhiannon asked, baffled, "Who's she?"

"Your daughter. You do not remember? She is our leader."

"You mean Eris? Of course you do only she would be bold enough to tame Grendels"

"I resent that!" the Grendel replied, "Anyway we must move Ms."

"I think not!" Rhiannon cried and elbowed Garnet. As he lay on the floor groaning, she stood over him and said, "And the name's Rhiannon actually.

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"You lot are useless! USELESS!" Eris was raving again. "What did I tell you to to do? I told you to a)Bring me my mother, b)bring me Orion and c)kill the rest. Someone please tell me what is difficult about that?"

"Chill!" said another Grendel, "1 out of 3 isn't too bad."

"Yes it is," Eris said, "It's bleeding crap!"

"Well. We managed something!" Garnet pouted and pushed Orion forward.

"Eri!" he beseeched "Why are you doing this?"

"Never you mind my love." said Eris with a voice and face as soft as tallow.

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Deanna was sobbing and Galen wasn't doing much better.

"It's all Your fault!" she said pointing to Rhiannon and Laird.

"How can it be our fault?"The parents said

"You brought her up like it!"

"I'd thank you to shut your mouth!"

"When just a little bit of love could've changed her ways!"

"Don't you dare tell us how to bring up OUR child!"

"Well, no-one else is going to!"

And so the argument went on, until:

"Please Guys,"said the peace loving Miranda, "Instead of arguing shouldn't we be worrying about what to do about it?"

"You maybe have an idea?" Laird said coldly.

"Yes. It goes against all my beliefs and you aren't gonna like it, but...." Her voice trailed off and she had distinctly deep sorrowful look in her eyes.

"You mean...?" said Rhiannon, tears falling when she realised what Miranda was getting at.

"Afraid so." replied the young healer, " It's too late to change her now. She has blood on her mind and she won't stop."

Everyone, including the distraught parents, nodded. They knew what had to be done: Eris had to die.