anarchist_queen | Soho, Bordertown, Wednesday Night

"I can't believe it's come to this." Leda muttered.

Crystaviel gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I wish there was another way." she said.

Leda had drunk her way through as much of Crystaviel's Peca supply as she could stomach. And it had no effect on the worsening withdrawal symptoms. She'd have taken the pills if she'd kept them.

Somberly Crystaviel had suggested an alternative. There was a more potent form of the drug that might help her. But it was risky. Both the procuring and the taking.

By the time they reached the scary looking run down house in the really bad section of Soho Leda was trembling, her head pounding. Crystaviel helped her into the house. The man who called himself The Doctor shook his head.

"I see this all the time." he said. "Don't worry little elf, we'll soon have you feeling better than new."

He took a roll of bandages, a knife, and two salves from a drawer, and set them on the table. "This is gonna hurt, but only for a moment. And then..." he smiled. "Oh then..."

Crystaviel paid him. "Consider this part of my Christmas present to you." she whispered to Leda.

By now she was shivering so badly that Crystaviel had to hold her still for the Doctor to do his work. He made a short, shallow cut on Leda's arm, and spread a white paste over it, then a golden salve that would help accelerate healing before putting on the bandages.

"That wasn't so bad." Leda muttered, though she didn't feel any different.

And then she was flying.

The rest of the night passed in a blur. She remembered little snatches. There had been a going away party for her, and advice from her friends who had been to Faery. She had kissed Stormy Waves a lot. And possibly even Crystaviel. She had invited Wiseguy, and was not surprised when the invitation had been rejected.

Late that night, when Leda was coming down from the Peca, Crystaviel led her into the garage of her house.

"Now for the second part of your present." she said. There was Leda's luggage, the bags that were packed for her departure to the land of her forebears the next morning. Inside was a large supply of the Peca salve. And they were strapped to the back of Crystaviel's motorcycle.

Leda stared. "You're shitting me."

Her friend grinned. "No, I'm not shitting you. The bike's yours. You know how to ride one right?"

"Of course I do, I learned at Fandom. But Crystaviel, this won't work in Faery."

"No it won't. But it'll work in Fandom right?"

With a gasp, Leda whirled on her. "What?"

"I know you a lot better than those idiots inside do. I know you don't want to go to Faery. I don't know why, but I know you don't want to go. So I've gotten you a ride out into the world, where a portal will take you back to Fandom."

Leda flung herself into the older elf's arms, hugging her tightly. "You're my best friend." she sobbed. She wasn't completely down from the Peca apparently.

Crystaviel laughed and hugged her back. "You know your magic will be gone?"

"Yeah. But if I'm gonna be safe anywhere without magic, it'll be there."

She turned, and ran her hands over the bike.

"Listen, Scent of Heather," Crystaviel started, her voice taking on a serious tone.

"Don't call me that." Leda said, her own voice as serious. She knew the enormity of what she was doing. "I'm Leda." She knelt. "Do you know the flying spell?"

"What?"

"Something that will make these wheels obsolete."

Her friend gaped. "What are you saying? Are you insane?"

"It'll work in Fandom. Better than it will here."

"But..."

Leda shook her head. Elf children rarely got a second chance when they have defied their parents. Most elves who ran away to Bordertown were declared dead by their families. It was unheard of to get a third chance. It was more than likely that she would soon be dead to her parents. Scent of Heather One Dewey Dawn in Autumn of the House Where Two Queens Fell was dead, or soon would be. That plus her despairing at having reached the point of addiction where she was now had made the decision for her.

"A Dead Warlock in Fandom." she said sadly.

"So, I guess you won't be needing the helmet?" It was a poor attempt at humor, but Leda laughed bitterly anyway.

"Is it the one that has flames coming out of it?"

"No I'm keeping that."

"Then no thanks. If I need to I'll buy one there."

[Warning: This post contains depictions of drug use and self mutilation that you may find offensive. I apologize if this upsets you. But it's canon. I will likely not put any posts on island of Leda taking the Peca, but if I do I will be sure to put it behind a cut with a warning. In any case Leda will be hiding her addiction like woah, but the effects will gradually become apparent. She'll be wearing nothing but long sleeved shirts regardless of the temperature, and Peca acts as an appetite suppressant so she'll be losing weight. Again, I apologize to those who find this sort of thing offensive, but it is canon.]