[h1] There Are No Strings On Me [/h1] 
[sub] A collab feat. [@shagranoz][/sub]
It was the dawn of a new day at Castle Bloodrose. The sun was shining brightly in Rebecca's window as the lich crawled out of her bed. She selected a light grey outfit for her robes for the day and headed out of her room, not really going anywhere in particular.

Angharad  had been creeping around the castle, for lack of a better term. While Medusa certainly didn't seem to mind her being there for the time being, she wasn't quite sure where she stood in the castle and there was someone she very much would like to talk to before the she left.  She stood, waiting near an open window, when one of her children informed her that Rebecca was nearing.  Seeing her chance, Angharad stepped out into the hall. [color=808000]"Good Morrow Rebecca,"[/color] she called in her sing-song voice as the girl approached. 

"And the same to you, Angharad." The lich sounded somewhat quiet, as if she had other things on her mind. "Another one of your creations, I take it. A badger and a... crocodile, or is it an alligator? I could never tell those two apart. In any case, you have a remarkable gift. Molding living flesh like that is difficult. It tends to resist changes. Much easier to manipulate something that's already deceased, I find."

[color=808000]"Caiman,"[/color] she said, reaching out to pet the growling creature. [color=808000]"I enjoy creating those things that fate has deemed an impossibility,"[/color]  She took a step closer to the girl, her eyes wide as she scanned the girls face. "My dear, you are wonderful," she said, reaching out to touch the girl face, tipping her head up.[color=808000] "While what you say is true, about life being unwilling and death less so. But you, you have bound the two, something both alive and dead. Oh, what a creature you could make," [/color]

"You... you really think I'm wonderful?? My god, that's something I haven't heard in a little while. Back home, it was all 'Thank you for letting me speak with Dieter one last time.' or 'Praise God for sending us someone like you, to let us know he cares for us even after our mortal shells fail.'" Rebecca's voice hardened a little bit. "But when I changed myself, they spat venom at me, tried to dig golden crosses into my flesh. I only wanted to help people, and I couldn't do that from the... other side. Yet when I tried to show them I was still the same person, their hatred of my outside overwhelmed their love of my inside. You're one of the few people to say that my undeath is not necessarily a bad thing. You and Medusa. That's why I joined her coven."

Angharad nodded in understanding, the whole time, watching the girl until she finished speaking. [color=808000]"It is hard, to still be yourself on the inside, yet the whole world seems to think you are a monster,"[/color] Angharad had heard this many times from humans she had saved by mixing t  with other creatures. Such as  the blind girl she had given the power of bat sight, sure the girl grew wings as well, but at least she could experience the world.  There were men who wanted the power of beast, only to become upset when the cost of the strength of  bear, was a warm coat of fur. Or the speed of a cheetah when they were graced with rather attractive spots.[color=808000] "If you don't mind this too forward, can you still breed?"[/color] she asked, a simple enough question really. 

Now this was an unexpected question. Rebecca took a few seconds to process it, before giving her reply. "I-I don't think so. I doubt the act itself would be any issue, but with no blood, no life force to nurture the infant... no, they'd be stillborn." The witch quirked an eyebrow. "Did you wish me to sleep with one of your beasts? I am more open than most when it comes to sexual matters, but even I have my limits."

Angharad let out a loud barking laughing, tipping over, holding her waist. Eventually, she was able to right herself. "My dear," she said, wiping tears from her eye.[color=808000] "If simply laying with a creature was all it took to create one of my children, we would find ourselves with a forest full of goatmen,"[/color]  She then righted herself, looking back at the woman.[color=808000] "No, I were merely interested if there would be a way to create a child with your power, perhaps a viable womb? I've worked with that before?  A barren queen," [/color] she said, thinking back on a past time.[color=808000] "A first prefect daughter and a cat boy son, isn't it wonderful?" [/color]

Rebecca was intrigued. "You mean a chimera of a living creature and a zombie? It might work, though the margin for error would be slim. I'd need to keep a sliver of the creature's spirit in place as it died, to let it mix properly with the living one. I have a mouse in my room we could try it with, if you have something you'd like to combine it with."

Angharad let out another laugh.[color=808000] "Well, ain't  you a woman after my own heart," [/color] She seemed to ponder the question a moment longer.[color=808000] "I could nip out and get a man, I'd like to be able to communicate with the half dead creature, but...perhaps we should start small," [/color] Angharad reached into her pocket and pulled out a sleeping orange and white kitten. [color=808000]"Will this do?" [/color]

Rebecca looked over the tiny kitten. "Oh, that will serve quite well. Let's head to my quarters; I managed to get a proper ritual chamber designed. But please, don't touch any of my runes. They require exacting imagery, and they aren't quite dry yet. I plan on carving them into the stone later." The corpse girl turned, beckoning Angharad to follow her.

[color=808000]"I will not mess up your ruins dear,"[/color] she said following the girl to her chambers. [color=808000]"For having been here only a night, you have made yourself comfortable,"[/color]  she commented, looking around the room as she followed her in. 

"Well, I couldn't sleep last night. You and Medusa could have been heard three leagues away." Rebecca flashed a smile, wondering what Angharad would think of that. She opened the door to her room, setting out a black cord on the knob. "Stand over there, if you would, and try not to react, no matter what happens to me." Rebecca pointed at a space devoid of any markings. "There can be quite a psychic shock from crossing between life and death, but I need my concentration intact until the ritual is complete."

[color=808000]"I'll be honest, I never pegged her as a screamer,"[/color] She said, almost in wonder. [color=808000]"If anything, it makes her more...attractive,"[/color]  She moved across the room to the indicated territory. [color=808000]"I promise, no matte what, I will not be any more of a distraction then I already am,"[/color]  Angharad was itchy to touch the other things in the room, but she kept her hands to herself. 

There was a small cage in one corner, with a mouse scampering inside. Rebecca took the mouse out and set it on a spiralling pattern, beginning to chant. The language she spoke was not the Dragon's Tongue; it was something older. Fouler. The temperature in the room seemed to plummet as Rebecca reached a crescendo, plunging a knife into the mouse's heart. The creature's legs twitched once, then lay still. Now came the hard part.

Rebecca's chanting turned low and rough, as a familiar sensation of agony started up. This time, it began in her right arm, slowly spreading into her chest. Still, she continued her incantation. She resisted the urge to howl out in pain, though it could clearly be seen on her face. Finally, she raised her arms to the sky in triumph, the little rodent's body now a puppet under her unwavering control. She walked the mouse around briefly, making sure that the nerves were still working. "That... it usually doesn't hurt quite that much. Now, it's your turn."

[color=808000]"Sometimes the smallest things cause us the greatest pain,"[/color] she said, reaching out to hold the small mouse in her hand. She bought it up to her mouth, whispering softly to the creature, she then held it out in her right hand and the kitten in her left.  She then closed her eyes, pressing the two creatures close together, a faint glowing could be seen coming from her hands and the creature for the next hour and a half. The kitten had made pathetic squeak when it first started, but the more mouse it became, the more quite it became. A few more hours passed before the morph between the two animals could be clearly seen.[color=808000] "There," [/color] said Angharad. [color=808000]"If they can live,  or well, keep moving, then we will know," [/color] she whispered. The tiny ball of grey, orange and white fur, hung from the creatures thin body. It's whiskers grew longer, it's noise more pointed, ears rounded, tail narrower.  It then gave a feeble twitch. "It at least wants to live then" 

"It does indeed." Rebecca reached out with her consciousness, prodding to see what was dead and what was alive. The newly created beast was a smooth blend between living tissue and rotting flesh; she couldn't tell where one began and the other ended. "A question, Angharad. Just to satisfy my curiosity. Can you separate two creatures once you've merged them, or is the process irreversible?"

[color=808000]"Why would I want to do that?"[/color] asked Angharad, petting the exhausted creature. As though the very idea was as silly as a child asking why the sun came up.[color=808000] "But...in theory, the creature would die, the merge is a very stressful part. Then to rip apart the wound again...it would drive the creature mad. But, why do you ask?"[/color]

"I was asking because..." She couldn't tell Angharad the truth. As much as she desecrated the natural order with her necromancy, what she was going to ask was perhaps more disturbing. And yet... "You said you can make half-human hybrids. But- I want you to be able to return me to normal. Or at least this." With that, Rebecca stood silent, waiting for the other witch's response.

Angharad stood up, the creature protesting weakly in her hand.  She circled the woman once. [color=808000]"I think....yes?"[/color] she said, lifting the girls arms up and poking at every part of the girls body. [color=808000]"However, I think..."[/color] she said. "To be safe, it would  be best to mix you with a living, healthy human," She tucked her finger under her chin. [color=808000]"Meaning, if you wanted to change your hair color, now would be the time. I know a slaver down the south coast if you'd like to use someone who won't be missed, other wise, the world is your oyster," [/color]

"Hmm." Rebecca thought for a minute. "Put in an order for a female slave. A young woman, about twenty. If it is as you say, I doubt she'll survive, but all the same, I hope she does."

[color=808000]"If I use her to make you more whole, she will not survive,"[/color] Said Angharad, [color=808000]"Well, perhaps a bit of herself will remain behind, to whisper in your ear," [/color]

"That's good enough."