OOC: And so we begin a new arc for the Frost family! Enjoy!
Project: Black Ice
”If We Began As Enemies, What Do We Part As?”
Schoenburg Castle
Oberwessel, Germany
May 23rd, 2021
4:53pm
She hadn’t allowed herself to think very far ahead just yet.
Perhaps that was a bit of an exaggeration, but it made the most amount of sense in Selena’s mind as she walked along the grounds of the Schoenburg Castle, feeling the wind quietly drift past her, letting her know of its presence with its gentle caress against her pale skin.
It wasn’t that her mind wasn’t preoccupied with many thoughts, for she had a plethora of them swarming around in that gray matter, such as the children’s packing needing to take place in a few more weeks as their school year (for David and Elsianna) would be coming to an end, as would their time living in Germany for the past near two years. She also was thinking about Talia – strange as that was – but although the lawyer had been Selena’s enemy for the better part of the Snow Queen’s life and had been responsible for a great deal of strife – which Selena did not want to be thinking about – Selena could not deny that it was Talia that was responsible, as much as Selena had been, in the freedom of Deanna. Far as Selena was concerned, though she wasn’t, she felt indebted to the brunette and wanted to ensure that her time in Germany was, indeed, over and that Talia could return home to Nome, Alaska, to her own family – twisted and crooked as they were. And, of course, Gerda was growing more and more excited to return home with the Frost family to Manhattan, her husband, Kai, was, no doubt, missing her.
She didn’t want to think any further than those things and beyond next week… No, that wasn’t right. What she didn’t want to think about was further away than that – her world championship match with Cid Turner.
It had been a little over a week since Mr. D. had called out the young platinum-blonde and, to her continued shock, announced her as the upcoming contender at Taking Hold of the Flame. To say that Deanna had been over the moon would have been an understatement – Selena smiled back at the memory – the redhead begging to celebrate with her wife, though Selena wasn’t certain if that was also part of Deanna missing her for the past two years due to the redhead’s incarceration. Regardless, Deanna and her had spent the extra day in Hartford simply walking the streets, seeing the shops and enjoying what, Deanna was certain but Selena wasn’t convinced, “authentic” Italian-made pizza, though even Selena admitted that the stove-cooked dish was good.
Still, even with Deanna bright and bubbly and excited that Selena was so close to achieving her dream, Selena had done her best to avoid really talking about it, opting for such statements as “Well…I can’t really strategize now, Deanna. I don’t even know who the champion will be.” And things like that. And while such a statement had been true at the time, even with Cid defeating Bree last week, Selena had not truly spoken about the upcoming pay-per-view match with her wife….her manager.
Reaching up, the Frost woman ran a hand through her shoulder-length hair, part of her doing so simply out of comfort, while another part of her quietly ached for her missing braid. She was nervous. She knew she was. She had faced down monsters like Giovanni and Xander Valentine without flinching. She had brawled with some of the best wrestlers SCW had, including beating Syren just a few weeks ago! She had endured matches like Tactical Warfare, Roofed Cage, and the Elimination Chamber without hesitation. Fought and won tournaments and several title matches… but a simple world title match – straight up standard wrestling match – had her more nervous than she had ever felt in her entire career.
So nervous that she couldn’t tell her wife about it…
Releasing a deep breath, Selena’s eyes took in the various colors of flowers that littered the garden she walked along, a quilted-blanket of colors for the ground made of soft petals. Leaning down, she gently ran a finger along the bright red petals of one of the blooming tulips, her eyes taking in the rouge color filling her vision and her mind with a sense of calm.
Rote Blume… she thought, recalling one of the few things she remembered how to say in German – her Elsianna much further along in fluency than she was.
Oddly enough, Selena had almost been grateful for the distractions that her current status as “the number one contender” was granting her, specifically with how things had unraveled last Breakdown. To be clear, she was more than furious at the actions of Asher Hayes and, especially, Holly Adams. The “Co-World Champion” (Selena almost shivered in revulsion at recalling such an ‘accolade’ that Asher had attached to himself) had blasted her with his ‘World title’ after Holly had nailed Deanna with a knee-strike cheap shot, the pair throwing out the match Asher was having with Selena and ending it in a disqualification win for the Snow Queen. And, as if to emphasize the point, Holly had nailed Selena in the head with the title as well – just for good measure? The Snow Queen wasn’t sure.
Fortunately, neither Frost woman had suffered any lingering injuries such as concussions – Odin knew that Selena was sick of those – but it had been a far cry from the ‘day-after Breakdown’ they had enjoyed a week previous to that. Rather than shopping or spending the day walking around, the couple had simply opted to pack and quietly return to the castle here in Oberwessel.
However, what Selena had been grateful for was the shift in focus, not just in her but in her wife as well. For herself? It was obvious. She had been given a match with Holly Adams in a few days and all she wanted to do was focus on beating the hell out of the woman – even if they ‘played from the same playbook’ and Asher got involved as Holly had when Selena had fought him. That was obvious – hell, Selena expected that to be the main focus Holly addressed in this week’s “Holly Adams hour” or whatever the leech called it, along with probably a dozen or so Elsa or Disney jokes if her twitter was any indication.
But what had truly stunned the Snow Queen was her redhead. First, and perhaps the most shocking, had been the recovery. Selena had been tested for concussions last Breakdown, the two shots to the head concerning her, Deanna, and the medics on site. But Deanna had taken Holly’s “Blonde Ambition” to the head full-force and, while she had certainly been dazed and had her lights rung, she had fought it off, eventually recovering backstage just like…like a wrestler.
And her focus!
For a moment, while her sapphire eyes took in the various colors of the flowers, Selena felt a spike of guilt in the pit of her stomach at the memory. From the moment she had regained a degree of time to think and process her thoughts following Asher and Holly’s attack, Selena had, she was now ashamed to admit, reconsidered her wife’s place by her side in SCW. Yes, she had been proud of her wife and honored to have her there with her – it had been a dream – and the fact that she had beaten Syren with Deanna there, the redhead even saving her, as it were, from further interference from Christy Matthews… the Snow Queen had no words what that night meant to her…
But Breakdown had been a harsh blast of reality. A reminder that, while Deanna was, without a doubt, Selena’s strength and inspiration, she was also a means to get to Selena. To distract Selena or push the button and make things far more ‘personal’. Holly Adams and Asher had certainly made that clear last week. And it had made Selena’s mind race. What if it had been Deanna they had attacked with that fake title belt? What if they had used weapons on her? What if-
Her mind had been racing that night with such thoughts, only for Deanna to silence them – the conversation was still fresh in the Snow Queen’s mind.
I’ve taken care of it.
What did you do? Please don’t tell me your jeopardizing your title match-
No… I’m going to wrestle Holly next week.
Good! I’m going with you!
What?!
What? That’s my job, isn’t it?
Well…I mean, yes, but…
What?
I mean…they attacked you.
Yeah? And?
I mean, you know they’ll do it again.
Right….and this time I’ll be ready for it.
But what if-
Selena! I’m not backing down because of one lucky shot. What the hell would that say about me? About us? About you choosing me to stand with you?! If we’re so easily beaten by one knee to the face?
I…
I’m not giving them the satisfaction of that. I’m not. I promised you that I would stand by you from here on out. I’m not missing a day with you. Even if I spend that day nursing some boo-boos or owies.
’Boo-boos or owies’?
I’m back to ‘mom-talk’, okay?
Yeah…It suits you. But I’m just…
I know you are. But I’m not. I’m not the same girl I was last time I was with you. And… I think you need to realize that because you can’t afford to be distracted…
The words had rattled around in Selena’s brain the last few days. Not because she had failed to convince Deanna of her argument, but because she, now, couldn’t convince herself of it. Because she had originally missed it. She had missed how her wife had recovered from that cheap shot – the redhead who had crumpled years ago when Chris Cannon had shoved her into the barricade wall and who had cowered (understandably so) when Xander had attacked the “Believe It!” tour bus with a sledgehammer…
That wasn’t who Deanna was – and Selena knew it, it just took seeing it last Breakdown to fully begin understanding it.
Prison had transformed her wife in many ways – both good and bad, both Frost wives would agree. She was stronger, faster, and she could clearly take a hit and, Selena was sure, give it if her wife’s toned body was any indication.
Her wife wasn’t a gentle flower anymore – Selena lowered her hand from the flower her fingers had been gently tracing. Her Deanna was a fighter-
“Thinking about firing me?”
The voice was almost unrecognizable to Selena, causing her to spin around on the balls of her feet, preparing an attack of some kind, though she stopped short as her eyes settled on the slightly startled redhead.
“Whoa, easy, minx.” She teased. “Didn’t realize you were still on ‘kill mode’.”
“I don’t have a ‘kill mode’.” Selena huffed, shaking her head as her wife, now that the shock was over for the Snow Queen, skipped the last few steps up to her, leaning in to kiss the pale cheek of Selena’s face.
“Sure ya don’t.” Deanna teased. “I could go to a dozen or so wrestlers at work who could tell me otherwise.”
“Name one person I’ve threatened to kill in my entire time.” Selena shook her head in disbelief. “I’m not Rachel Foxx.”
“No, but I mean… you know what a ‘kill mode’ is, right? When you go all Hulk or badass or ‘RAGE!!! ERRRR!’.”
To better try and serve her point, the smaller Frost tried flexing her arms and growling like that green giant from the Marvel movies. Despite it being silly, however, Selena’s eyes, once again, caught sight of the toned muscles of her wife’s arms and as the redhead’s purple t-shirt rode up a little with her movements, the lean abs. She wasn’t in the same form as Selena – who put in hours each day at the gym – but…
The platinum-blonde gave a sigh as she reached out, taking her wife’s hand in hers and simply continuing her walk, her wife following her. Like her wife, Selena wore a t-shirt and jeans (where Selena’s shirt was dark blue).
“You just startled me.” Selena replied off-handed. “I was deep in thought.”
“For next week?”
“Yeah.” She gave a nod.
“Do I have to argue with you again?”
There was a drop in the Deanna’s voice when the question was asked and, as Selena turned her head to regard her wife, she could almost see the gears working in Deanna’s mind, the redhead trying to prepare herself for another argument about ‘safety’ and whatever – one the younger Frost clearly didn’t want to have again.
“No.” the answer came from Selena before she could really given it much thought – almost out of instinct.
“R-really?” the slight stammer in Deanna’s voice registered her surprise. “Wait… we’re not going to have an argument because-“
“I’m not firing you.” Selena sighed. “I have no desire to be in the ‘dog house’ for the rest of my life.”
“And then some…” Deanna grumbled, though her arms moved to wrap around Selena’s closest arm as they walked.
“Deanna…” Selena tried, her voice a little breathy as spoke her wife’s name. “Do you not get why I would be a little worried? Why that night, sort of, got to me?”
Deanna gave no answer, choosing, instead, to wait for Selena to further explain.
“When I proclaimed that you and I would be working towards the World Title, I thought this was something that would happen in the last months of the year or maybe even 2022. I would work with you, help train you in wrestling a bit more – get you use to the risks being a manager has. Risks I know you are aware of-“
The pair crossed under a stone overhang, the sound of their steps along the cobblestone path only slight but not distracting.
“I was excited for that. I was beyond thrilled for it. It gave me something that I had not felt since Regan was injured. I don’t even know what to call it. Purpose? Drive? Dreams? I don’t know, but…”
“Then you beat Syren.” Deanna concluded, causing Selena to nod her head.
“Suddenly, we’re not taking our time to get to the World title – we’re already in the home stretch. Suddenly, we go from being in big calibre matches, sure, to being thrust in the world title picture with people that are as desperate as Syren, maybe even more so, to live out their delusions or achieve their own ends.”
“You think Asher and Holly are worse than Syren?” Deanna asked, almost in disbelief.
“I don’t know if I’d go that far.” Selena shrugged. “But Syren would have only given me one shot in the head.” She added, reaching up with her free hand to tap her temple a few times with her knuckles.
The Snow Queen gave a shake of her head. “I know we’re ready to win the world title – I am… I am pretty sure on that. But the games that Infamous plays? That Asher and Holly will play and Cid will allow? It took Regan and I months and months to adapt to such tactics like that when we were gunning for the tag-titles. Now, we have a few weeks to figure it out…”
“And you’re scared that if you don’t, I’ll get hurt.”
“I’m scared for a lot of reasons, Deanna.” Selena answered.
Why take you down now when you’re still recovering from loss? No… I want you to be happy. I want you to go and become World Champion like you said. Hell, go and headline Rise to Greatness. Go and move back to your ‘forever house’. I want you to reach a point of normalcy and genuine happiness with Deanna… Then… then… I’ll be there to take it all away
Quickly, Selena cast the familiar, haunting memory from her mind with a shake of her head. She refused to dwell on that dreaded message she had received weeks ago. She didn’t want to think of that yet, just as she didn’t want to dwell on the World title match just yet.
Conceal…Don’t feel… she mentally rehearsed, giving herself a few seconds to calm herself and refocus.
“I’ve seen desperate people do horrible things in SCW, Deanna.”
“Me too.”
There was a sharp, coldness in Deanna’s tone. One that almost shocked Selena into silence. As it was, it was enough for Selena to get the inference. Yes, Selena had fought some pretty heartless and cruel human beings. She had seen some pretty despicable acts, but Deanna had slept with killers and rapists next to her cell. The platinum-blonde could not imagine the days and struggles Deanna had gone through to stay alive and safe, even with someone like Shar looking out for her.
“Right…sorry.” Selena sighed. “I’m trying to make a good point, I promise.” She offered a half-smile to her wife.
“I’m still listening.”
“But you were right. I am scared – I mean, I just got you back and I… I don’t want to have someone injure you or worse because their afraid of me or something.”
The wind blew a strong gust, causing both women to slow their steps and brace themselves against it, Deanna leaning a little closer onto Selena to do so. As it eased, Selena’s eye caught a set of stray hairs in front of Deanna’s face. Gently, she reached over with her free hand to tuck them behind her wife’s ear, earning the redhead’s entire focus as emerald eyes met sapphire. Such moment, a kiss was inevitable, and, for a brief moment, Selena felt her whole body relax as she felt the strong kiss from her wife and the strong arms around her one arm. Again, she was struck by what she felt, her redhead being summed up in that one word: Strong.
“I am scared…But, as scared as I am, I know that I can’t do any of this without you.” She answered honestly. “I know that it’s not as meaningful without you. So…”
The Snow Queen took a deep breath, trying to calm the fears still filling her. Trying to ignore the images that assailed her mind: images of her Deanna suffering attacks like she had in her career. Of having her foot smashed by a crate, or dropped twenty or thirty feet from a scaffold, or busted open by monitors being bashed into her skull. Her eyes closed shut, forcing her to breath again and, mentally, repeat her mantra. Yet, Deanna said nothing, only giving her arm and hand a comforting squeeze as Selena worked through her fears.
“So…” Selena breathed, opening her eyes to the sun that was drawing ever closer to the horizon. “So…if you can take it… I want you to stay with me.”
The two stopped as Selena spoke those last words, her breath coming out in quiet wisps. With a turn of her head, she could see her wife smiling at her, her head tilted a little.
“Was that so hard?” she asked playfully, stepping on her tiptoes to kiss Selena’s cheek.
“Yes.” Selena answered honestly. “Part of me just want to take you away and lock you up in this castle or our home – just keep the world away from you.”
A look of uncertainty flashed before Deanna’s face, the redhead pursing her lips to the side and tilting her head the other way. “That’s actually rather sweet and romantic when you consider the person speaking.”
“Oh come on!” Selena laughed. “Don’t tease me. I know it’s creepy to say.”
“No. I mean… it could be if it was someone else-“
Turning her head to glare at her taller wife, Deanna’s jaw jutted out as she adopted a wide grin, her face distorted into something over-the-top and…Selena wasn’t sure if it was grotesque in terms of intention, but it was silly to say the least.
“I just want to take you away and lock you up in this castle…away from the world…” Deanna paraphrased, adding a ‘creepy’, ‘evil witch’ style of voice to it.
“I do not sound like that!” Selena half-laughed, half-barked.
“I’m going to be World Champion with my wife beside me!” Deanna continued, using the same voice. “Believe it!”
“Stop it!” Selena’s voice was now three-quarters laugh as one of Deanna’s hand moved to tickle the long expanse of Selena’s pale neck.
“BEEELIEEEVE IT, MY PRETTY!” Deanna drawled on, sounding more and more like the Wicked Witch of the West, using both hands as she tried to tickle Selena’s sides. “I’ll get that world title, and the little dog too!”
“NO!” Selena laughed out, trying to stop Deanna’s hands. “So help me, Odin, I will unleash piranha on you!”
Immediately, there was a coldness of breeze and space as Deanna leapt away from Selena, clearing a good few feet with her leap backwards. “Oh no!” she shook her head, her voice back to its normal (and far more beautiful, in Selena’s opinion) tone. “Come on!”
“Oh why not?” Selena asked with a raised eyebrow and a tilt of her head. “I thought you told me you wanted to stay by my side…” slowly, almost in a torturously slow pace, she held up with hands, which were shaped like crab claws. “That you could take it…”
“I could take other people coming after us- No!” Deanna jumped back as Selena shot a hand, aiming to pinch Deanna’s arm, but the redhead juked out of the way. “No!” she held up a hand.
“This is how I capture my redhead…” Selena’s tone became darker, a more witchy kind of voice, though not as over-the-top as Deanna’s had been. “I unleash the piranha…and then I lock her away…oooooh, believe it!”
The chase was on, both women sprinting almost at the same time, Deanna running away and Selena giving chase.
“WHY DID I WEAR SANDALS?!” Deanna yelled as she crossed left and right across the walk way, trying to lose Selena, or at least wear the Snow Queen out.
Fat chance! Selena grinned as she simply followed her wife. Deanna may have gotten stronger, but Selena had spent years gaining stamina – it and a toughness to take damage, along with her kicks, were the best weapons she could have against such wrestlers like Matt Auclair and Thomas Watson in her early years and then Xander and Syren (with her army of ‘friends’) later on.
So… to say that she could catch a runaway wife? Well…
She slowed her speed a little, giving a bit more space between her and Deanna – wanting to play this out as she laughed.
“I promise I won’t tickle you again!” Deanna yelled back.
“But you tickle my fancy darling!” Selena called back in her witchy tone. “That’s why I need to lock you up! OOOOH BELIEVE!”
Despite absolutely not wanting to get ‘piranha-ed’, Deanna couldn’t stop the laugh that escaped her at the whole situation: Her wife, chasing her while holding hands like crab claws… Still, after about another minute or so of continued sprinting, Deanna had finally hit her limit. Problem was, she had not looked to where she was running – and now she found herself just outside of the castle wall near the parking lot… with no where to hide. No where to go-
“Oh-“ was all she managed to get out before she felt the weight of her wife as Selena tackled her, pulling her wife down onto the soft grass and pinning the redhead under her weight. “And now!”
“No!” Deanna cried out as Selena began the rapid pinching of Deanna’s sides and arms, the ‘piranha bites’ on the attack! “I give!” she called out. “I give-“
Her words were instantly muffled as she felt soft lips against hers. The initial shock ebbed away as she felt no more pinching, opting to wrap her arms around Selena’s neck and draw her closer – it was a MUCH better alternative to piranha bites, after all.
“Oh come on!”
The loud voice broke the spell the two were casting on each other, causing both women to turn their heads in time to see Talia emerging from the door in the wall that lead inside the castle, her suitcase in her hand. “There are LITERALLY dozens of unoccupied rooms here. Go use one of those!” she huffed before continuing her trek towards the gray Nissan that was parked nearby.
Carefully, Selena pushed herself to her feet before helping Deanna to hers, taking a moment to pick some strands of grass out of the younger woman’s hair.
“Maybe I love you.” Selena added with a whisper, earning a smile from Deanna.
“Maybe I love you.” Deanna added, a sort of ‘ceasefire’ to the playing, for now.
Together, the couple made their way towards the car, the brunette lawyer packing the suitcase she was carrying into the trunk.
“Heading out?” Selena asked. “Finally?”
Closing the trunk, Talia turned around to face the two women she had been closely associated with for over a year. “Yeah.” She sighed, a smile forming on her lips. “Malcolm called.”
“And what did ‘His Mayorness’ have to say?” the Snow Queen asked, still unable to say or think of the man without feeling pangs or anger and hatred, though she did all she could to keep them in check. In response to her words, Deanna gently squeezed her wife’s hand before turning her attention to Talia.
“Did he say you could return to Nome?” she asked earnestly.
Talia scoffed. “Not so directly. It was more of a, ‘Did you fix your mistake?’ and ‘You know if you can or you can’t.’”
“Geez…” Selena shook her head. “Even to his own daughter-in-law, he can’t be happy to.” She cast a glance at Talia. “And to think if it hadn’t been for you, I would have married into
that!” she laughed. “You really were my bestest friend!”
“Shut up.” Talia growled.
“No take backs!” Selena added, pointing a finger at the lawyer before wrapping her other arm around Deanna’s shoulders.
The three stood there in silence for a moment, neither one able to find words to speak, until Selena could.
“I am really glad you can head home, Talia.” She spoke gently and honestly. “I wouldn’t have put this on you even if we were enemies.”
Talia’s response was to wave a hand dismissively at Selena. “Ryan’s going to have to make it up to me. Not you.” She stated. “Though I doubt he’ll care enough to do that.”
Both Selena and Deanna did their best not ask about the sadness in Talia’s voice at that – even though it was hidden by the lawyer rather well. It wasn’t their business, but it was clear why Talia was uncomfortable with the Frost wives displays of affection moments ago.
“Talia…” Selena tried. “I don’t…” she sighed for a moment before, like a lightbulb, she was reminded of something. “Wait… stay right there. Don’t move – I’ll be right back. De – make sure she doesn’t leave!”
The Snow Queen didn’t wait for an answer from either, sprinting back towards the castle at top speeds. The other two women, Talia and Deanna, watched her run out of sight before returning their attention to one another.
“Still weird.” Talia shook her head.
“You have no idea.” Deanna smiled. “But she grows on you.”
“That…” Talia thought about it for a moment, almost as if reflecting on something – something Deanna couldn’t see. “That she does.”
Taking a moment to place her hands behind her back, Deanna acknowledged the woman standing before her. Unlike Selena, her time with Talia had been limited to a few meetings, making it harder for her to see anyone but the woman that had broken her wife’s heart and aided Malcolm Scythe in terrorizing her family and kidnapped her child. Still, she offered a kind smile to the lawyer.
“Talia… I want to thank you.” She said, surprising the brunette just a little. “I was ready to wait in that prison for another five or six years at least. And I… I stopped believing that I there was any hope for me to get out sooner. And I know Selena would have killed herself trying to find a way until I was let out… maybe she would have…” Reaching up, the redhead swiped at her eye with her palm, rubbing it a little before shoving it back down to continue addressing the older woman. “What I mean is: I know you hate Selena and I and I know you were forced to help us, but… even so… you did so much for us – you’ve given us back our lives. You’ve given me back the chance to see my kids through their childhood. You’ve given me the chance to be there for Selena moreso than ever before…” her voice broke a little as she fought back the emotions filling her. “And I… I will always be grateful to you for that. Tha-Thank you.”
The lawyer stood there, by her car, eyes wide at such a raw confession, unable to say a word for several minutes, the younger, smaller woman simply standing there with no expectations.
“That…” She tried. “Very pretty words.” She settled on saying as her eyes spied Selena sprinting back towards them. “Selena’s coming back. Fix your eyes. I don’t want her to think I made you cry.”
Quickly, Deanna wiped at her eyes again, adopting a smile as Selena reached them.
“Sorry, I…” her eyes were on Deanna, like an alarm/radar going off. “Why are-“
“I gave a heartfelt thank you to Talia.” Deanna quickly answered. “It got a little emotional.”
“I didn’t do anything-“ Talia started, only for Selena to cut her off.
“I actually thought it was ragweed or pollen or something.”
“I don’t have allergies.” Deanna remarked with tilt of her head.
“Or any concept of me trying to give you both a way out without any awkwardness.” Selena replied simply.
“Ah yes…” Deanna replied. “Well… Where did you go?”
“Parting gift.” Selena sighed. “I had Kai mail this to the castle after you were released.”
In her hands, she held a small wooden box, which, after taking a few steps, she handed to Talia, who took it slowly.
“What is it?” she asked.
“You can open it.” Selena shrugged. “I promise it won’t explode.”
With a shrug of indulgence, Talia lifted the lid, her eyes widening as she pulled out the box’s sole item. The shining white of the ribbon seemed to glow a little in the sunlight as it was setting, and the stitching that made the letters was a little faded, but still.
“I know it’s twenty years too late.” Selena replied. “But I feel like that belongs to you.”
Talia’s face gave no expression but her eyes took in the letters.
Nome Snow Queen Beauty Pageant Winner 2001.
For Selena, she could not keep her eyes off Talia as the lawyer examined the sash/ribbon, though she felt Deanna’s arms around her right arm. Eventually, the brunette smirked before packing the ribbon back into the box.
“Thank you.” The voice came from Talia. “You could have thrown me out and forced me to suffer through this on my own, but you-“ her eyes were on Selena. “You gave me a place to stay and work.”
Selena offered her a kind smile. “It’s what friends do.”
“We’re not-“ Talia stopped herself for a moment, her eyes going to the box. “Yeah…I guess so.” She slowly settled on saying. She cast one last look at the pair before offering them a smirked-smile, moving to the driver’s side of the car, opening the door and closing it behind her. A minute later, she was driving down the path and away from the castle, soon out of sight as she made her way back to Nome.
“Do you think we’ll see her again?” Deanna asked, the wives having watched the car as it disappeared from sight.
“I…” Selena thought for a moment before slowly shaking her head. “No. I don’t think so. She has her world – one where I only visit rarely and not to see her. I think… I think that’s how she wants it.”
Deanna did not give a reply, merely resting her head on Selena’s shoulder as the pair continued to just watch the pathway Talia had travelled. They had been forced to journey together for over a year – forced to take the same path. But now? Now that Deanna was free? The journeys were back to where they had begun, going different paths.
Even so, Selena smiled to herself, even though their journeys were different and she and Talia could never go back to what they once were – she could at least smile that, in a way, their destination was the same.
One way or another, they were all going home.
_______________________________________________________________
The Royal Letter
The camera opens up to reveal a simple sitting room, with dark green couch. Sitting there, wearing maroon shirt and black pants, sits the Snow Queen, Selena Frost. Beside her, wearing a summer floral, round neck shirt and blue jeans sits Selena’s wife, Deanna Frost.
It has been a rather… surprising turn of events the last few weeks. Selena turns her head towards Deanna, who offers the platinum blonde a smile and a nod.
Actually, that doesn’t quite do it justice. I’ll be honest, True Believers, my entire world has been turned upside down in terms of SCW. Sitting back, Selena crosses one leg over the other.
When I made my declaration and intentions known regarding the World Title, that wasn’t so I could springboard to the front of the line. That wasn’t my intention when I fought Syren at “Careful What You Wish For”. she shakes her head.
For me, this was a professional and personal matter. Syren, for months, kept declaring herself “the Standard Bearer of SCW’. A person to whom all of SCW talent is measured against. And I hated that. I hated to think that someone that has lied and cheated her way through so much would be considered the ‘standard of all SCW’, that the company I work for and believe in with all my heart has such an image where the audience now expect and anticipate matches with screwy finishes. And I sought to disprove that. I sought to prove Syren wrong. That her ‘standard’ wasn’t mine and it wasn’t one all of you deserved.
Again, the Snow Queen shrugs her shoulders, but then turns to gaze at her wife further down the couch.
And I’ll be honest, having my wife with me – having my Deanna by my side? It was not just proving something to me, but also showing you, the SCW Universe, what I have been believing for so many years. When I say that my wife is the person that makes me stronger and better in every way, that isn’t me just making up cute statements to earn brownie points with her. Hearing her wife giggle a little at that, Selena reaches over to take her hand in hers.
She is, without a doubt, my inspiration and my strength. There isn’t anyone like her in my life and there never will be again. She, along with my children, are my family and I will fight for them until I don’t have any breath left in my body.
Quietly releasing Deanna’s hand, Selena turns her attention back to the camera, returning her bent leg to the floor to allow her to lean forward a little.
Which leads me to the events of last Breakdown and the resulting match headed my… our way tonight on this episode of Breakdown…
Lifting her arms a little, the Snow Queen gives a slight shrug.
Congratulations Holly and Asher. You got one over on me. For you, Asher? I REALLY wanted to have that one on one match – I wanted to test my resolve, the one that beat Syren, against the man that eliminated me from the World title gauntlet match not too long ago.
When I fought THAT Asher? Damn, that was a good match, one that I was proud of. But I wanted the chance to undo that loss. To amend it, for lack of a better word. To be better than I was last time – is that so hard to expect from someone only a few weeks away from challenging for the World Title?
But you took that from me.
She gives a shake of her hand. Deanna, meanwhile, keeps her eyes on Selena.
I could almost applaud your cunning, Asher. Well, you and Holly’s. Cause it was Holly that made it possible, wasn’t it? “The Life Coach of A/C Unit” that slid you the belt and distracted me, right?
I must admit, Holly, you have surprised me more than anyone in your current group. From ditching Infamous to costing Chris Cannon the World Title to faking an ankle injury to last week… Selena almost seems amused at the list of controversy her opponent has stacked up in such a short amount of time.
Now, as a wrestler? I shouldn’t be mad at what you did, should I? That’s what you’ll tell me, right? I mean I can be mad, but really, what did you do that was so different than Syren or Sienna or Bree Lancaster in the past? You saw your client – your meal ticket – was in danger of possibly losing and you took plan B – whatever helps you and your clients ‘save face’ right?
Sitting back, Selena strums a few fingers on her knee, looking away as if in thought.
Thing is, Holly, when you talk about how ‘amazing’ you are? That you’re a ‘queen’ and all that? Only for you to rely on such tactics? It DOES make me angry. It makes me angry because it just reminds me what the hell I am fighting against here in SCW on a continual basis. And, trust me, oh I’m gonna get to the personal stuff, but I’ll be speaking as a professional first.
And professionally? I think you’re full of crap. I don’t think you’re a ‘queen’ and I don’t think what you did was ‘cunning’ in the slightest, Holly. I’ve lost track at how many people have bashed my head with a weapon of some kind, from titles to monitors. Pretty much the easiest thing to do these days. Pick up a weapon and swing. So no, what you did wasn’t cunning, Holly. I think what you and Asher did was desperate. Selena holds up a hand to halt any protest.
After all, it makes sense, doesn’t it? Because you had your chance to be your own wrestler, didn’t you? Be your own champion? You had a chance twice-over to stand on your own and actually show a modicum of worth for yourself as a wrestler. Show SCW there is some truth to the ‘skill’ and ‘intelligence’ of Holly Adams…
What happened? You faked an injury, lost the title match, and then proceeded to throw a fit after losing clean the week after.
That’s right. You throw a fit because you want to say that you’re different? ‘A cut above the rest’, right Holly? Yeah, you made one thing adamantly clear over the last few weeks, Holly, but it’s not you’re ‘a cut above’ everyone. You made it clear that you’re NOT different. You’re the same entitled whining bitch that I’ve fought like Syren and Sienna, who think the world should be handed to them on a silver platter and will break any rule to achieve what they want, cause hey! You can always lie about it over and over again until you believe it, right? Difference is? Syren and Sienna have actually done things here in SCW that they can boast their claims on. You had your chance to do it and you couldn’t follow through on a single promise or guarantee.
And I think that, last week? I scared the hell out of you.
Because you had already failed yourself, Holly. What would it say about “Holly Adams: Life Coach”, for all your bragging about ‘success’ and ‘guarantees’ if the woman – yeah, I know exactly what you’re going to call me, by the way, real original with the Disney jokes – what would it say if, for all of that, I beat your supposed ‘Co-World Champion’?
I’ll tell you exactly what it says. It says that, in that ring? You don’t bring success. You don’t bring improvement. You bring the same old crap that’s been plaguing SCW for years. You bring tainted victories, cheap wins, excuses and a legacy that NO ONE would be proud of! Sitting back, Selena seems to calm herself a little.
But, I will say this, Holly. If your actions were to discourage me from winning the world title…
If your actions were meant to make me think that I don’t have a chance, like you’ve been proclaiming on Twitter. Well… ‘life coach’… you failed. She smirks.
Because if I didn’t have a chance against Cid or Asher – against your ‘boys’ – you wouldn’t have needed to interfere, would you? You wouldn’t have needed to get involved and Asher wouldn’t have needed to try and scare me off with that attack. He would have just beat me like he did before. That would certainly be enough to discourage me or give me doubts.
Taking a deep breath, Selena turns her head to gaze at Deanna, who merely offers a kind smile to the Snow Queen. This seems further push her in the right way, as she turns to glare daggers into the camera.
But I’m not thinking about the World title right now. No, Holly. As I said, as a professional, I can be mad at what you did in terms of ethics and how it represents SCW but I’m the one the brought my wife out, aren’t I? I’m the one that allowed her to be my manager again. So, really… I can’t be mad that she was made a target. As a professional… I can’t be mad… Despite her words, Selena’s tone grows colder and colder, her hands tighten over her knees.
But I’ve moved past the ‘professional’ aspect, Holly. I’m onto the personal element. And personally? There’s a reason few people have dared go after my family like you did so brazenly. I can count on one hand the number of people in the last four years that have gone after my family. Do you want to know why that is, Holly? Her eyes narrow.
Because for those people that think that attacking the people that I love is a good idea? For the people that thought “this is how we get to Selena!”? Selena takes a deep breath, her next words coming out slowly.
I have, personally, made each and every one of them pay ten times over. I have personally ensured that they came to regret ever going after my wife and my family!
And together… she turns her head to gaze at her wife.
Together, my wife and I defeated one of the most dominant stables in SCW history. Together, we have withered so many storms to the point where your little ‘attack’? It won’t scare us off. It sure as hell won’t make us regret this journey we’re taking. No, what you have given us is the first true hurdle – the first true test – that Deanna and I need to conquer together. Because you think that we can be so easily dissuaded? That she can be so easily scared away from SCW? Selena smiles knowingly.
That’s the test – we need to prove just how wrong you are. And when you see the both of us tonight, Holly, let’s see just how much ‘fear’ you can see in her eyes and in mine.
We’re not afraid of you or your A/C Unit, Holly. Like me, Deanna is pissed.
The redhead gives a slight nod of her head as Selena continues.
And that’s what tonight is about, Holly. Win or lose, you cannot change the fact that I am going to Taking Hold of the Flame to fight for the World Championship. You cannot change the fact that I will be looking to take the world title from your client, Cid Turner. You cannot change that.
That’s not what this match is about, is it? This isn’t about the future. This isn’t about the world title. Sure as hell isn’t about how many segments you can cram into an episode of Breakdown for yourself. This is, quite simply, a personal fight between you and me. Because, professionally or otherwise, you crossed a line. You made a choice and made this personal. So now? I will fight you on a personal level.
Selena’s glare darkens.
I will fight you, not as the multiple time world champion or one of the most decorated wrestlers in SCW history. I will fight you as a woman whose wife you assaulted. I will fight you as a woman protecting her own. And what’s more, Holly, I am not going to settle for your little tricks with Asher. Because last week, I just wanted to beat Asher as a wrestler.
Now? That’s not good enough with you. Deanna can be seen quietly removing herself from the couch and walking out of shot. Selena, however continues.
That’s not good enough after what you’ve done. No, you are going to actually give some good advice to Asher and to Cid as their life coach tonight, Holly. Because I am going to show them what happens to people when they make this business personal with me. When they cross that line. Which means that this match tonight will be more than wrestling.
It’s going to be a beatdown.
It’s going to me beating you into the ground, Holly, and then dumping you at the feet of Asher and Cid. It’s going to be me giving you a beating unlike anything you have ever experienced in your entire time in SCW, past or present!
From behind Selena and behind the couch, Deanna appears, wrapped her arms comfortable around Selena’s neck, the Snow Queen still speaking as she reaches up run a hand along one of Deanna’s arms.
It’s going to be something that you’ll never forget – so that when you go back to Cid and Asher, and when you inevitably find other unfortunate souls to ‘coach’, the first lesson you will always teach them will be the most important.
Deanna opens her mouth.
Don’t fuck with the family of Selena Frost!
Smiling a cold grin, Selena eyes Deanna, then the camera.
Believe it, Holly. Because it’s your turn to learn a valuable lesson…
The camera fades on the Frost wives before going entirely to black.[/i]
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