299 The battle of wills

"What is it?" Lucian has been in such a foul mood for the past week that no one wants to go near him. 

"Master you have a visitor." She tells him quietly. That's odd no one visits this place unless they are brought here. Curious Lucian gets up and walks to the entryway to see who is here. 

Morrigan waits patiently for Lucian to come and meet her. He has kept Aisling here for to long already. When Lucian appears he is stunned that Morrigan is here. 

"Lucian we need to talk, let's go somewhere quiet and private." Morrigan glares at him with anger. 

"Morrigan I have not seen you for centuries and you show up angry. What could I have done to bother you? No matter follow me." Lucian turn and starts to walk back the way he came with Morrigan following him. Once the door is closed Morrigan smacks him across the face. 

"You bring me the one you are holding right now." Morrigan tells him . 

"Did father send you? I'm not giving her up she reminds me of you." Lucian tells Morrigan and he rubs his cheek. 

"If you want to save face and continue to rule the underworld you will release her. It will not go well for you if you do not. There are others who are just waiting for you to slip up so they can take your leadership away. " Morrigan tells Lucian . Before he can answer the maid knocks on the door again. Lucian bellows at her to enter. 

"Master you have some visitors." The maid tells him and rushes out. Lucian looks at Morrigan and then leaves to see who else is here. When he enter the entry way he sees Legeia,Marbas,Uzil and Uktena. 

"What in the blazes is going on ? Come follow me." Lucian barks loudly and takes them to meet with Morrigan. Once they are all there he asks. 

"what is it that I have done that you are all here. " Lucian looks bewildered as he sits down . 

"you took something that does not belong to you. A precious person that is not meant to be here. " Uzil tells Lucian. 

"how do any of you even know this, and why does it matter to you?" Lucian asks but before he gets an answer the door opens and Aisling walks through the door. She goes and stands in the center of them. 

"how did you get out of the room?" Lucian asks Aisling. 

"I just walked out. " offhandedly Aisling smiles at him. 

"How is that possible I have had the door locked ?" Lucian stands and glares at Aisling. Aisling smiles and waves her hand and a portal to his room opens up. 

"How do you know her and how is it you can touch her ? Mortals cannot touch a immortal one with out permission." Lucian asks Aisling. Laughing at Lucian Aisling goes and give each of them a hug . 

"they are my family, each of them are members of my family. " Aisling raises her hand and begins to squeeze it in the air. Lucian grabs his throat and clawing at it unable to breathe. Aisling releases him only long enough for him to ask. 

"I vibed you there was no indication that you were not human or that you had powers. " Lucian is gasping for air. 

"I want only one thing from you now. I want your blood promise that you will never bother me or those of my blood anymore. If you make that promise I will leave here and you get to keep your dignity. If not how well do you think the evil ones you punish will respect you . " Aisling stands next to Morrigan waiting for him to answer. Lucian looks at her and smiles. 

"I will make you a deal. If you can beat me in a friendly competition I will give it to you. Now I cannot fight you myself because father has forbidden me to harm you. I will however find suitable opponents." Lucian grind thinking that he has won. 

"you may choose who you like but if I win I get your blood promise." Aisling looks at him confidently. Lucian wonders why he never noticed that Aisling was different than other humans. Morrigan speaks up.

"the events are going to be ones that do not risk Aisling's life. It will be a competition of skill only. Archery , skeet shooting and horsemanship those type of challenges . If your champion cannot abide by those rules father has promised to step in." Morrigan warns  Lucian . Since the agreement was made he begins to make arrangements. Lucian goes to Dean's chamber and unshackled him. 

"you are getting a reprieve for a short time only. You will follow my commands or you will suffer like never before. You are to fight Aisling but you cannot kill her . Do you understand?" Lucian is disgusted by the smile on Dean's face at his words. Taking him back to the castle Lucian wonders if he should have chosen someone else. The staff set up an area for the challenge . Morrigan is shocked at whom Lucian chosen to go against Aisling. The area has been set up and Dean goes first. He hits three bullseyes. Smirking because he knows the last one is further than Aisling's record. Aisling takes aim and hits the target behind Dean's making hers the furthest. Her second arrow is a bullseye that splits Dean's arrow so is the third. The round goes to Aisling. The next challenge is a horse race. Dean is excited because Aisling has never been overly confident with riding. The start gun goes off and the race begins. Dean lets Aisling get ahead so that he can bump her horse to send her flying from it. When Aisling hits he ground her head is spinning. Laying there staring at the sky Aisling thinks of Astila. When she goes to stand it's Astila's hand reaching for her. 

"how are you here?" Aisling asks. 

"look we all are here, we could not let you do this alone. Now get back up and beat him." Astila helps Aisling back up on the horse. Takes off after him but Dean beats her by just a few seconds. When she gets off the horse Aisling takes off running to her family. Lucian watches them his anger rising. Not knowing how they got here. Morrigan walks over to Lucian. 

"they are all of our blood did you think that we would let you harm them. If that man tries to harm her again you will know what it means to lose everything. " Morrigan walks away leaving Lucian to think about what she said. Lucian goes to find Dean. 

"Why did you knock her off the horse?" Lucian asks him. 

"I have done worse to win a race. She isn't hurt so what's the big deal." Dean walks past Lucian towards the skeet table. Lucian groans as he sees Aisling with her family. He notices that the immortals are with her. Holding children and laughing. Something he has never seen before. In the past immortals always kept a distance between themselves and mortals even their children. Why is this family different. Uzil sees his friends expression and walks over to him. 

" it's amazing what true love can do isn't it. Who would have thought that one child could bring so many together. No one could blame you for being drawn to her but she isn't yours to take. She suggested this course because she knows that you need to stay in charge of the underworld. If someone else takes over there will be more chaos and pain. She told Morrigan that she understands the role you play in the scheme of things and that to beat you as she in a battle of powers would cause you to lose to much. It would cause those in the underworld to not fear you or obey you anymore. That could not happen by winning this way you get to keep everything , she gets to go home and the world gets balanced. The father is happy and the world will be peaceful again for a time. Aisling is the best mixture of immortal and human. If she did not get your attention I would have been surprised especially since she is basically Morrigan in human form. " Uzil pats Lucian on the shoulder and returns to his sons.