[Avalon] An Audience With The Battle Crow

[Wanda Johansson]

The night after speaking with Vivienne, Wanda sat in front of a built up fire in the courtyard of her enclave. Meat roasted over the flames, the scent rolling out as Wanda ground up some additional ingredients. With a little ceremony, she scooped up the squashed and powdered contents of the mortar and blew over them, some additional wind picking them up and throwing them into the fire which began to smoke a bit more. Then she chanted, in a low tone, "<I request the company of the phantom queen, for I have questions to ask. I have meat to offer and answers to gain for whatever her price may be.>"

[Samantha McManus]

It takes a bit, but eventually Wanda sees an enormous flock of ravens descending on the courtyard, far more than tend to congregate naturally. They pour towards a single, focused spot as they meld into the form of the Morrigan.

"...the attention to detail is appreciated."

[Wanda Johansson]

"If you're going to request the presence of a goddess' avatar, you do it properly," Wanda said, inclining her head in a gesture of respect. "I was visited by the daughter of Nimue and I have questions that I trust you to be an unbiased source on."

[Samantha McManus]

"...well, isn't that novel," she smirks.

"What would you ask of me?"

[Wanda Johansson]

"For starters, can she succeed? She has asked me to help them and to convince others to help them, but I'm not in the habit of letting the wheel of fate run over me."

[Samantha McManus]

"That rather depends on how willing she is to break out of the old story. She couldn't have succeeded by just recreating Camelot."

[Wanda Johansson]

"She claims she doesn't intend to, even if she is using the old terms on occasion," Wanda said, taking some of the meat off the fire and offering it to Sam. "I have a feeling the human in her may assert its independence."

[Samantha McManus]

"Just a hazard, aye? Don't live an old story, especially if it's one your enemy already won."

[Wanda Johansson]

"Those who don't learn from the past are doomed to repeat it, yes," she said, "Magic has a way of operating along those parameters quite predictably. But..." She smiled, "You didn't properly answer my question. Can she succeed? Or is that an answer we need to talk price on first?"

[Samantha McManus]

"If they couldn't succeed, why did I choose to visit them?"

[Wanda Johansson]

"I wouldn't presume to understand why the Morrigan would choose to visit them, but your point is well taken." She ran her fingers through her hair as she thought. "I would ask if you intend to assist them, but it's obvious that you are already doing so. Are any of the other higher powers involved for them? I would rather not call on someone opposed to them. The results could be... unpredictable."

[Samantha McManus]

"We'll see how much her mother chooses to meddle, but the trend seems to be as long as the lighthouse stays out of Le Fay's hands, Albion is a free-for-all."

[Wanda Johansson]

"We'll have to do our best to make sure of that. I shudder to think what she would do with that much power at her fingertips. Gods know she is quite adept at abusing the power she already has." She folded her hands in her lap, "At any rate, it sounds like an endeavor worth supporting."

[Samantha McManus]

"At the very least, it won't be boring."

[Wanda Johansson]

"So what price do I have to pay for requesting your answers?"

[Samantha McManus]

"There will come a time when I will need a storm. At a specific time and place. I'll let you know."

[Wanda Johansson]

"A simple enough request. I will be watching for your call. You should be able to find me in London proper starting sometime soon."

[Samantha McManus]

"Finding you was never going to be a problem."

[Wanda Johansson]

"Of course not, but it's just politeness. Old habits."