The Lioness and the Black Widow 10

The man writhed around on the floor while the monitor tore chunks of flesh away from his body. Anna walked over to where I stood and placed one hand on the wall next to my head, she placed her other hand on my throat. Medea got up from the table and stood facing me. She said, “The Duchess believes you were chosen by the Goddess to serve the Keepers of the Altar. If you are ‘chosen’, then I guess you graduate from being a pawn to a bishop in Lavinia’s game. However, chosen or not, you need at least three Matriarchs to say you’re chosen in order to be recognized as such by the other Matriarchs. Personally, I don’t care if you’re ‘chosen’ or not. Lavinia is asking me to approve of you as one of Kali’s chosen when I take over as Matriarch of this house. I will do that as favor for your Matriarch. Now…here is what I want. I want to enjoy the full benefits of having the Kastelics’ and Sevasts’ as allies, meaning I want the full backing of both of houses in the upcoming coup, as well the extermination of a hostile faction that exists within my house. Lavinia and The Duchess also want me to take part in the plot to overthrow The Old Ladies. I will participate. However, when it’s all said and done, and Lavinia sets up a council to replace The Old Ladies; I expect nothing less than a Second-Chair position on that council and I will only sit Second-Chair behind Lavinia. And last but not least, I want to know how Lavinia raises the dead.”

I replied, “Lavinia will honor your requests, but she expects your full involvement in the current conflict with The Great Sathanas.”

“My ‘full involvement’ means The Great Sathanas will be dead in 24-hours, consider it done.”

I asked, “Will you take me back to my house? The Duchess is holding me as collateral?”

“That’s between Lavinia and The Duchess.”

“With all due respect Medea, if your plan is to sit Second-Chair behind Lavinia on a ruling council, you should establish yourself in that position right out the gate. Anything that is just ‘between Lavinia and The Duchess’ is to your disadvantage. If you are to be Second-Chair on a ruling council behind Lavinia, all matters regarding that council should be between you and Lavinia first and foremost. Otherwise, you’re essentially giving the position to The Duchess, who you know is striving for it.”

Anna’s grip tightened on my throat. She looked over at Medea and said, “I thought this guy was supposed to submissive to all Keepers of the Altar? This guy’s submissive like a courtier. That‘s not good.”

Medea replied, “I got him. Clarence, we just met and you’re already trying to twist me up in your plots. Do you feel that The Duchess is a danger to you?”

“In my house, I don’t have to worry about being hit by friendly fire or stray bullets. I don’t have to worry about getting pulled over in a bullet-ridden car. The Duchess is reckless and she is an extremist. She killed a member of her own house, her best friend, just show how ruthless she can be. She wiped out The Fallen Angel’s house just because she didn’t approve of her as a Matriarch. She believes that the only road to the crown is murder and that these houses couldn’t exist if that wasn’t the case. While she is a good ally to have during times of war, she shouldn’t sit Second-Chair on a ruling council. She takes far too much risk to be reliable and she is philosophically opposed to peace and unity. Some degree of peace and unity are required if we want a larger alliance.”

Medea stared at me for what seemed like hours, then she said, “Alright, I’ll take you back to Lavinia. I hope you know what you’re doing. The Duchess is not going to be happy about this and if Lavinia just sends you back to her…you may wind up with an unsatisfactory result. Regardless, I‘m doing you a favor, I have to take risk to do you that favor. You WILL be called on to return that favor in the future.”

Anna took her hand off my neck, looked me in the eyes and said, “You just made a deal with my house ‘Slick’. If I find out that you’re playing these little courtier games with other Matriarchs to our disadvantage, I’m going to take that as a betrayal. Lavinia’s love only gives you so much protection.”

Medea added, “I want you looking out for my best interests the way you are looking out for Lavinia’s.”

I said, “I look out for Lavinia’s interests first and foremost. I can’t make any commitments…”

Medea interrupted, “You WILL make another commitment. You WILL make that commitment right now. AFTER Lavinia, you look out for MY interests. Immediately after you think, ‘How can I make this work to Lavinia’s benefit,’ you are to think ‘How can I make this work to Medea’s benefit as well’. And you are NOT allowed to make a similar commitment to anyone else. You serve Lavinia first, me second and nobody else. Understand?”

“I was designed to serve the Keepers of the Altar, I have no choice in the matter.”

“Yes you do. I will take care of the other Matriarchs. They are not to engage you without mine or Lavinia’s permission. If another Matriarch does engage you without our permission, I will kill her and exterminate her entire house.”

“What about The Duchess?”

“She already has you engaged. As I said before, if I take you back to Lavinia and she returns you to The Duchess, that’s the way it will be. I now have an investment in you Clarence. I will work to keep you safe as long as you honor your commitment to me. The Duchess is part of our alliance. I won’t kill her unless it is absolutely necessary. But I feel confident in saying that I will be able to convince Lavinia not to allow you to be returned to The Duchess’ house. Now let‘s go see Lavinia.”
I followed Medea and Anna up the stairs. Suzanne followed closely behind me. When we got to the living-room, four cloaked and veiled figures stood at attention by the door. They followed us out the front door to The Duchess’ Lincoln. She stepped out the car, Antigone and the twins jumped out the Cutlass and rushed to her side. The Duchess looked at the group in front of her, laughed and said, “So this is the legendary house of the Amazons?”

Medea replied with a straight face and humorless voice, “This is one of three factions within my house.”

The Duchess lit a cigarette and said, “Yeah I’ve heard about you ladies’ affinity for factions. They say you can’t put two Amazons in a room together without coming up with three factions.”

Medea walked up to The Duchess, took the cigarette from between her lips, placed it between her own and took a long, deep drag. She slowly blew out the smoke as she passed the cigarette back to The Duchess. Medea said, “You have your entire house riding around in two cars that look like slices Swiss Cheese. All it takes is a set of blue and red lights in your rearview and you’re all sunk.”

“Yeah? Well a ‘risk-free’ lifestyle is for those who don’t deserve to live.”

“I’m taking Clarence back to Lavinia.”

“I know. I’ve been inside the viking bitches head.”

Anna stepped into the street, “What’d you just say?”

Medea looked over her shoulder and said, “Anna, let it go.” She turned back to The Duchess, “Let’s go see Lavinia and work this out.”

The Duchess replied, “I don’t need anyone to settle my problems for me. There is four of us and seven of you, plus you got five more inside. You really need to go run to get Lavinia’s support? I hold court in the street Medea. We happen to be standing in my courthouse right now.”

“Do you see those women with veils? They have AK-47s under their cloaks. We can end your existence right now if that’s what you want.”

“I’ve never seen someone in the ’ending people’s existence’ business do so much goddamn talking. I don’t know if you’re threatening me or trying to sell me fucking insurance. If you’re gonna do something, do it.”

“I am. We’re taking Clarence back to Lavinia. I’m closing this war with Sathanas. That means the war is over. There is no reason for you to hold Clarence as collateral.”
“His Matriarch has not made good on her promise to me.”

“Then you can take that up with his Matriarch when you see her shortly. I am returning Clarence to Lavinia. If you want to settle this in a way that is beneficial to all, meet us at Lavinia’s. If this is an ’over dead body’ situation, then I guess you’re right, this isn’t a time for words. It’s up to you Duchess.”

“What-the-fuck-ever!” The Duchess brushed past Medea, got in her Lincoln and peeled out, her tires screeching as she sped away. Antigone and the twins got in the Cutlass and did the same.

Medea looked at me, shook her head and smiled, “Let’s go Clarence. I’m parked in the garage.” Anna pointed at me, “HEY FRIEND! You better come with some pretty outstanding benefits because I am not amused. I’m putting this on your tab Clarence. You don’t have the same protection from us as you do The Duchess. You just entered into a relationship with our house. And stuff like this…us fighting with other Matriarchs over you…this is all coming out your ass!”