Bree Lancaster vs. Alexis Quinne/Deanna Frost

[Konrad Raab]

SCW United States Championship

2 RP Limit for singles

No Word Limit

Deadline: 11:59:59 pm ET Wednesday, August 30, 2023

[SnowQueenSCW]

DISCLAIMER: The following is a work of fiction and not to be confused as complete or accurate representation of any beliefs, religions, etc. Please refer to research/articles by experts for that.

The Witches of Alden

”Lughnasadh”

Alden-Brickers Farm
Chapel Heights, New Jersey
August 1st, 2023
2:41pm

Deanna took another deep breath, one of the many she had taken since being here, her lungs filling up with the fresh air of the farmland and countryside. She had never travelled this far into New Jersey before, the VanHohenheims – her in-laws – living just a short drive from her home in Manhattan.

But this? This had been something else entirely. At first, she hadn’t even heard of Chapel Heights, even having to Google it to figure out directions and such. They had travelled past some of the cities of New Jersey that she knew, or at least heard of, like Newmark and Allentown, but her eyes had gone wide when she had seen the exit on the highway that could have taken her to friggin Philadelphia!

Three hours… she quietly huffed good-naturedly, again feeling that beautiful country air in her lungs, smelling – actually, it wasn’t at ALL what farmland should have smelled like. She couldn’t really smell the manure, even though she could, occasionally hear the cows in the far away fields. She couldn’t really hear any other smaller farm animals, though she did spy chickens in their pen when she had pulled into the farm space. In other words, though the redhead KNEW she was on a farm, her senses were not picking up the atypical ‘farm sights and sounds’ that usually associated such a thing.

Instead, her ears were filled with the sound of traditional music! Strings and woodwinds playing such melodies – it reminded the young woman of the music her wife used when she was writing or even going for walks, the older woman keeping her phone on loudly in her pocket as she walked the trails of their Manhattan neighbourhood, just loud enough for them both to hear. And yet, there was something a little different about this music. Something a little bit freer. A little bit livelier? Was that the right set of words? Deanna wasn’t sure but every few notes, she just wanted to spin and twirl and dance in the space. As it was, she could barely manage to only do a spin and hop as she walked through the wide expanse.

The festival of Lughnasadh was truly something to behold for the young girl. Everywhere she looked, there was something happening. To her immediate right, she could see vendors having set up foldable tables, covered them with cloths and selling their arts and crafts, makeshift paper signs explaining the prices, though that did little to stop each vendors own advertising as well.

“Good luck charms! Receive the goddesses’ protection!”
“Fine rugs! Home spun! Feel the clouds under your feet!”
“Fine gowns made of the finest materials!”

On and on the ‘serenade’ went, keeping Deanna’s smile from ever fading. The part she walked through felt like one big market place! Something absolutely wonderful, like stepping back in time if that made any sense. She had seen vendors and buskers many times in Manhattan, but these were different. It wasn’t ‘spraypainted paintings’ or even scalpers at whatever arena she wrestled at. There was something just… more to this.

Beyond that, she spied the source of the music she kept hearing, the band of instrument players sitting in plastic chairs, not on some grand stage like a concert hall, but there, in casual clothes, at ground-level playing their music happily. Further still, she spied so many people walking and running around, like the many surrounding her now. Adults, children – she had wanted so badly to bring her children with her. Immediately, the redhead felt a pang in her chest at their absence. She knew her babies would have loved this. Especially Elsianna… she sighed to herself. Like her, the children were swept up in the variety of colors and ‘things going on’ in the festival. It was like one large party, minus the booze and debauchery – thank Odin for that. That’s thing she wanted was anything that could tempt her wife.

Things were rough enough in that department as it was. She was certain that even a slight ‘whiff’ of alcohol would send her beloved marching straight back their parked car, maybe even sulking in the seat till Deanna came back.

The thought was enough to cause Deanna’s smile to fade. It was her fault that the Frost family was here. She had been the one to challenge Raphael Alden to Holmgang – and soundly lost to him. The words of the redhead’s wife were as true now as they were when spoken weeks. She had been played. Raphael had come to her son’s party looking for an opportunity and Deanna had handed him one on a silver platter. A quick duel later and now the Frost wives were obligated to not only show up to the festival, but participate in it… in a handfasting ceremony.

Gazing down at her left arm, Deanna held the limb up, stopping her travels temporarily. She could imagine the soft cord wrapped around her hand, her wrist, her forearm. It was oddly comforting. Since researching it, mostly to help her wife with her paper for the class, Deanna had been enchanted by the ceremony. Granted, nothing could replace her own wedding, but still, she wasn’t completely against this happening – against it being part of whatever plan Raphael was conjuring up, but not against the idea of her being handfasted to her wife.

Again, the feeling of being at odds filled her, causing Deanna to lift her head, her eyes scanning the crowd for any sign of her platinum-blonde love. They had barely spoken today – or the last few days – even during the three hour car ride, which Deanna had opted to take on herself to avoid stressing her wife any further… or risk making things worse.

“Everything alright?” the voice came from her side, causing Deanna to turn her head and stare into the familiar, dark orbs of her mother-in-law, Alejandra VanHohenheim. Releasing a breath that she did not know she had been holding, the young woman gave a quick nod.

“Yeah.” She sighed. “I just was looking for…” her head turned a little to take in the crowd once more. This time, looking further than she had before, she could see the infamous corn-maze she had been told about weeks ago.

“I haven’t seen much of her since we got here.” Alejandra stated in understanding. “Do you think she will go through with this?”
Quickly, Deanna gave a nod. “Begrudgingly.” She answered knowingly. “But yes.”

Maybe she’s scouting the perimeter or trying to figure out Raphael’s plan… Deanna tried to reason, but still, even those thought brought little comfort. Truthfully, she couldn’t count on her wife’s counsel or methods – especially now. The platinum-blonde was too… defeated.

In truth, the situation was not surprising when one viewed the steps. Slowly, week by week, month by month, her beloved had been battered away by SCW and the SCW Universe. Nothing she did was ever good enough. Every move she made was met with revulsion. Everything she accomplished, however fair and honest, was met with hostility. And when she failed – despite giving it all her heart – the place she loved and believed in…

Deanna shook her head at the memory. If Rise to Greatness XIX last year had been a bittersweet memory, then this year’s one had been ten – no, a hundred times worse. To have all of Toronto turn against them, more so with her wife, was just… it had hurt. Maybe the platinum-blonde more than her – no, definitely more. The chants were different. No one was on their side.

Not even when she had won the United States title and retained it. Gods, was it only a few days ago? Deanna thought. Like last year, the redhead had ended the preshow winning a title, but this one had been the second most prestigious singles title in SCW history: The United States Championship. The title her wife had won that had pushed her into “Supreme Champion status”. One of her wife’s most cherished titles, along with the world title.

Defeating Bree Lancaster, taking nothing away from Alexis Quinne, had been the hardest match of her weekend. All the interferences and such aside, the former world champion was beyond tough and far more skilled and experience than Deanna had been. There was a reason Bree had won the United States Championship tournament, while Deanna had struggled in the semi-finals. Add the continuing animosity from the SCW Universe, and it was all the young woman could do to just bury her focus in the match and just keep fighting until the bell rang.

And the bell had, eventually, rung. The weekend had passed, and now she was the United States Champion. And yet, how could she celebrate it? How could she flaunt this win in front of her wife. She hadn’t even taken the belt out of the dufflebag she had used for Toronto, keeping it hidden in the bag under her bed back home.

She was too scared to bring it out. Too scared to look at it. Too scared to even talk about it with her wife. How could she do that after her beloved had broken before her very eyes?

“HEY!” the sound came from a child that was suddenly in front of her - Where did she come from? – Deanna wondered. The child wore a dress similar in design to Deanna’s, but much smaller and more ruffles. She was probably the same age as her son, David, and she beamed at Deanna with such a cute expression. “Come on!” the child urged tugging on Deanna’s hands – needing both her small hands just to grasp Deanna’s one.

Throwing a glance back at Alejandra as she was ‘dragged’ away, Deanna spotted the older, darker-skinned woman giggling at her, watching the redhead be taken closer to the performing musicians, the music, obviously, growing louder as she drew closer. Right in front of them, a small group of children and adults were gathered - parents, Deanna imagined. Their hands were joined and they were dancing in a circle – like some kind of ring-around-the-rosy but without them all falling down. They were all dressed in various clothes, some earthly colored dresses, some in casual wear, some like Deanna, who had chosen a dark green sundress that went down to just above her shins.

“Come on!” the girl implored as she pulled Deanna closer to join the circle. Without a word, the chain of people broke apart to accommodate the new arrivals, though they never broke step. Immediately, Deanna felt her hands held: one by the girl that had brought her here and another that looked to be the same age as Owen Cruze, and began to be pulled in one direction as the circle moved clockwise. Some where laughing, some were singing, but they all were moving in time, something Deanna found hard to do. She did her best to keep her balance – it was all she could do – but she was always a split second behind, even with the cues from the little girl telling her when to ‘hop’ or ‘switch’, indicating a change in direction. After about five minutes of it, the rhythm started to sink into the redhead’s bones, allowing her to be a little better – though not by much. Still, even with these troubles, Deanna could not stop herself from laughing with everyone else as she ‘danced’.

It was fun. There was no other way to put it. Even with Raphael’s ‘plan’ (whatever it was) looming, even with the unknown of said plan, even with her wife’s current state, the Queen’s Guard could not help the shrill of fun that filled her. She laughed, she danced, she hopped, she even tried to sing a few notes that the others were singing – just the ones they kept repeating like a chorus. Eventually, the music faded and the song came to an end. As it did, so did the dancing, those in the circle stopping to turn and applaud the group of musicians – Deanna joining in giving her thanks. The ‘band’ quietly set their instruments aside in their respective cases, taking, what seemed to her, a short break in their playing. It was enough to allow the dancers to disperse, heading off to explore other elements of the festival.

Looking around, Deanna tried to spot where Alejandra had gone, hoping to continue their conversation regarding her wife’s current state. They had all travelled on their own – the Frosts, Alejandra and the Aldens of Sage, Caius, and Freya – to get here and Deanna hadn’t really had a chance to talk to anyone about Rise to Greatness or the rumors coming out of it – there was already one that circulating that she was going to have to defend her newly won title on the first episode a Breakdown, a fact that worried her more than she cared to admit. Retaining the title against Quinne was one thing, and it certainly had done what she had hoped to do in making a strong statement, but what if she lost? She had just gotten out of the “5 moves of doom” stigma that had haunted her for a full year… what if she started what she believed was the beginning of a new chapter for her own career – as DEANNA Frost rather than the wife of the Snow Queen – what if she started this with a loss of her title, just like that?

It had happened with the Television Title.
It had happened with the Underground title.

Short reigns haunted her when it came to singles titles. But she… she wanted this one to be different! She wanted this one to stick. She wanted to look back at this one and feel pride over it, not disappointment over messing up again. Not before she had had the chance to defend it more than once against the top-tier talent and prove she belonged in this new division! Not till people looked back on that reign and said ‘that was a good reign’!

She wasn’t foolish enough to think she could pull off a ‘Reign of Integrity’ like her wife had, but was it too much to believe something substantial was possible? A few months? A few feuds? Some high-end, Pay-Per-View main-event worthy matches? Was that too much?

Or was it ego?

The redhead shook her head, trying to remove the words she had heard from Bree Lancaster’s promo leading into Rise to Greatness. She knew this wasn’t ego. She had felt ego – Raphael had played to her ego and beaten her. This wasn’t ego…

Her thought were interrupted, as was her scanning of the crowd for Alejandra as the young woman spotted a flash of platinum-blonde hair from beyond one of the vendors just in front of her, several yards from where she had been dancing. The vendor, selling some gorgeous ‘festival dresses’ had situated a large tent just in front of one of the hills that bordered the Alden-Brickers’ farmland, as did many of the tents. It was the tent that Deanna not fixated on. For it was just on the edge of it, peeking around the tent, that she saw the familiar color, as well as half of the face she knew.

Without a word, Deanna quietly moved past any remaining dancers, gently declined the vendors, and slipped past their tents to stand in the small ‘alley’ of sorts between hill and tent. The hair had moved and was now just standing against a large tree that grew in the space before them (no tent was in front of it for obvious reasons). The platinum-blonde hair owner was no longer looking at Deanna, merely gazing up at the sky. Unlike Deanna, she wore simple black jeans and a maroon t-shirt and black running shoes.

With a soft sigh, Deanna closed the distance with ease, standing only a few feet from the woman. “Family’s been looking for you.” She tried, expecting the same silence she had been dealing with the last few days.

“I was patrolling the place.” Selena answered, causing a shock to rip through Deanna.
“I… I guessed that.” Deanna answered lamely, still stunned that her wife was talking to her. “Did you… find anything suspicious?”

“Nothing that surprised me.” The Snow Queen answered back, with zero emotion in her voice. “Beyond the corn-maze is a wooden gazebo. I assume that’s where the handfasting will take place. Raphael is smoozing with the other Alden members, talking about how he set the whole thing up. No one’s bothering mother or the others, and you…” her voice trailed off before she gave a shrug. “You seem to be doing alright.”

The remark was not lost on Deanna, but the redhead refused to fully bite into it. “Are you mad that I’m having a good time?”

“No.” Selena answered with a shrug. “One of us should.”

Deanna shook her head. “Aren’t you the least bit curious about this part of your past, Selena? Your family’s culture?”

“Not at all.” Selena remarked coldly, crossing her arms over her chest. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t have to be.”

“I know.” Sighed Deanna. “I can’t say ‘I’m sorry’ any more differently than I already have.” Selena remained silent, keeping her eyes ahead of her rather than casting a glance at her wife. “But the children are safe. Raphael isn’t going to cause anything too crazy in front of everyone. We have a month before we have to go back to work! Can’t we just…” she felt her hand flinch, wanting to reach out and touch her wife. “Can’t we just be ourselves for now?”

The question was so loaded, Deanna putting so much meaning into it. This was the month they were supposed to ‘reset’. While SCW was on hiatus, the Frost wives could usually step back from the world of wrestling and be… just be. Be in love. Be married. Be parents. Even losing the world title to Adam Allocco last year, Selena had been okay with that and able to just ‘reset’. Now? She was as upset as ever, maybe more so. And yet… there was something else. For the past week, ever since the rumors came out about Deanna’s immediate future as the new United States Champion, the redhead hadn’t wasted a day. She had gone back to training, preparing, checking videos, watching her two RTG matches over and over again, looking for ways to improve. Her assumption that she was facing Bree Lancaster for a rematch (a heavy favorite of the rumors amidst social media) had driven her to watch more of Bree’s matches than other potential opponents (though she did take a break to watch others like Glory Braddock, Josh Hudson, and even Light in the Darkness members Amelia and Luz). The issue was that, not once, in any of the days between Rise to Greatness and now had she seen her wife train. Not once had Selena come to their gym to work out with her. Not once had she offered advice or sat with Deanna during video-watching to offer her vast experience.

Her wife had just… been around. Been around the house most of the time, leaving to go for walks – it was Selena-like but not… Gods, what’s the right words… Deanna racked her brain. A ghost! It was like her wife was a ghost. Just… going through the motions. Just doing what she had to do. Sure, she put on a smile and an active face when dealing with the children, but everything else? Silent treatment and the lightless eyes.

For a moment, and not for the first time, Deanna felt a surge of anger at SCW: Kandis, Mr. D., the SCW Universe, all of it. The company had beaten Selena down until she just couldn’t get back up. It had taken a decade and this year of hell, but… Deanna was sure they had finally done it. There were some days lately that, looking at her wife, Deanna couldn’t even recognize her with that drive, that light and passion in her eyes.

She missed that light. She missed that fire. The fire she had seen when she was 16 and seen Selena on television for the first time. The passion in her eyes that had slowly helped Deanna fall in love with the Snow Queen. That love for SCW that had driven them both to do such… such wonderful things.

Deanna saw none of that now… and she would have given anything, including the United States championship… to get it back.

The older Frost remained silent, letting Deanna’s previously spoken words hang in the air. Deanna sighed, recognizing the mannerisms. She knew she wasn’t going to get an answer to her question. Selena was closing off to her, going back into some form of semi-silent-treatment. Before her, she saw Selena fish around in her jean pocket before pulling out a familiar small bottle, the platinum-blonde downing another five-hour energy shot.

“How many is that today?” Deanna asked. “Two or three?”

Instead of answering, Selena merely gave a shrug before tossing the bottle into the tall grass by the tree’s trunk. With a roll of her eyes, Deanna walked up to the tree, bending down to retrieve the discarded bottle.

“I thought I threw all these out.” She remarked, walking a few steps towards a trash receptacle (probably set up by the festival’s hosts) and tossing the plastic bottle into it. “Did you buy some during your walks?”

Again, she was met with silence, which, in itself, was an answer. An irritating, infuriating answer.

“So, you’re content with being this way?” she asked, finally earning her wife’s attention. “You’re content to sit and sulk until we have to go back to work? Or is this going to be another year of whining and further messing with our marriage? Please, tell me right now, cause I’m pretty sure we’re expected to do a ceremony that links our heart and souls together for a… what is this? A second or third time? And I’d like to know in case we need to bail out on that.”

She saw the pale jaw clench in her wife, sapphire eyes glaring at her. “You don’t get it, do you?” she finally asked. “You don’t know what I’m doing or what is in my mind.”

“How can I?” Deanna shrugged with a sharp huff of a laugh. “You won’t talk to me!”

She shook her head. “You lost, Selena, okay? It’s happened before! It happened last year and you got over it! We lose, we get over it, we come back and fix it next time!”

“There ISN’T going to be a next time!”

The words came out of Selena and almost didn’t sound real to Deanna. She had misheard. She was sure of that. What did it even mean if she hadn’t misheard. She opened her mouth to speak – to demand an explanation – when a voice not belonging to her cut through the air.

“Ah! I knew I saw you two earlier!”

Turning around, Deanna’s eyes went a little wider at the sight of the man standing before them. He wore gray, pleated pants with a white sweater and beige coat. His feet, where Deanna wore black mini-heels (to deal with uneven ground), the man wore brown, fitting boots to match his appearance of ‘elegance’. With a wide smile, the man approached the Frost wives without any hesitation.

“Deanna!” he acknowledged the woman closest to him. “You clean up very well! Earthly colors suit you.” He greeted with charm before turning his attention to the woman standing by the tree. “And Selena. A…” he took a deliberate moment to examine the woman’s attire, a far cry from the effort Deanna had put into her appearance. Even her hair wasn’t what it usually was. Where it normally was, at least, combed and put in its iconic braid, the Snow Queen’s hair was not just pulled into a ponytail. Not that she looked like a slob, but the redhead had seen what radiance her wife could conjure up for herself, the presence she could strike both inside and outside the ring. It was something the younger woman had tried to emulate (one of the few things so that she could forge her own identity) in her SCW career. “So glad you could make it.” She heard Raphael finally say, the man taking WAY longer than necessary to finish his sentence.

“Did you think we wouldn’t?” Deanna asked, trying to adopt the detached tone her wife had carried moments ago.
“Oh, perhaps.” Raphael laughed. “Given…recent events…” again, the dramatic pauses - You could drive a damn semi through those pauses! Deanna thought. “I was having a wager with myself whether you both would show up.”

“Well, then you both won and lost that wager.” Deanna shot back. “Because here we are.”

“Indeed.” The old man remarked in his fine accent. “Do you require a tour?” he offered, extending his arm to Deanna. “I know this is your first time attending such a festival.”

“I’m…alright.” Deanna replied, only taking one step back. “Selena and I were just discussing the hand-fasting.”
“Yes! Of course!” Raphael remarked. “I am quite looking forward to it! Many of the elders were quite pleased that you wished to have your marriage validated in the eyes of our tribe.”

“Well…” the redhead shrugged. “Guess if they’re happy, we’re happy. Right, Selena?”

Turning her head, she saw her wife make no reaction or movement as she leaned against the tree. Instead, her sapphire eyes, still somewhat red from the lack of sleep (and probably caffeine), glaring a hole through Raphael.

“What do you say we drop all this now, Raphael?” the Snow Queen dared. “You’ve got us where you want us, so how about you tell us what this whole thing is about and why you want us to go through with this.”

For a moment, the older man said nothing, merely keeping his smile and keeping his eyes on Selena. He stood there for a few moments, as if mentally weighing his options. “I have many reasons.” He settled on answering. “But I would be lying if I said part of this wasn’t because of Deanna.”

“Me?” Deanna asked, looking back at Selena. “What did I do?”

“Actually…” there seemed to be a sincere tone in his voice. “You’ve impressed me.”

“I have?!” Again, the shock was impossible for her to hide, prompting the Alden to step closer to her.

“It’s been widely discussed your excelling in your classes. Madame Winthrop speaks very highly of you.” Despite everything, Deanna could hear the honestly in the man’s voice. “And then to challenge me to Holmgang… to protect your family and wife… well… I respect it. And then to watch you over the weekend battle twice-”

“You watched Rise to Greatness?!” Deanna asked.

“Indeed!” Raphael replied, his smile widening. “And I must say, though my views of it have not changed, to see you challenge twice over and prevail both times, well… it was quite thrilling!”

Despite the words, Deanna kept quiet, clenching her jaw. The praise was throwing her off clean. It felt wrong, every word, but she couldn’t help the pride she felt of it. Maybe it was because she had been hated for so long by the SCW Universe because of her last name. Maybe it was because she never had a chance to really celebrate her win because of Selena’s loss. Maybe it was because… it felt so damn good to finally have something she was proud of doing be acknowledged! Regardless, she stayed still, struggling not to give anything away to either Raphael or Selena.

“Th-thank you.” She settled on answering. “But that doesn’t answer my wife’s question.”

“Yes, please forgive me.” Raphael exhaled. “I just need to get that off my chest. That while Selena’s efforts have been… passable… you have excelled. And part of this is because I wanted you to earnestly see the Alden culture of things. I was certain you would enjoy it and perhaps… assist with your marriage.”

“Passable?” Selena’s voice suddenly raised. “Assist with our marriage?” It was enough for the Snow Queen to push herself off the tree and march towards the taller man. “What business is it of yours how ‘well’ I do in your dumb little tests and how my marriage to Deanna fares?”

Rather than be intimidated by the woman, Raphael’s smile slowly morphed into a knowing grin. “We Aldens… we take marriages and vows very seriously.”

“We noticed.” Selena glared. “You guys have been holding a grudge against my mother for how many decades now?”

“We believe that a marriage or partnership should raise both parties to better places. And as an Alden, when I see that not happening… perhaps I overstep, but I do feel the need to step in.”

“You think Deanna isn’t raising me to a better place?” Selena laughed. “She’s the only-“

“No.” Raphael shot back, a slight harshness in his voice. “She’s not the only that’s failing. You are.”

“Me?” Selena’s eyes widened.

“Indeed.” Once more, Raphael’s grey eyes scanned over Selena’s frame. “Look at you. Street clothes for a hand-fasting. No effort at all. Look at your wife. Could there be a more glaring display?”

For a moment, Selena turned her head to gaze at her wife. In that moment, Deanna felt the tightness of the twin-braids woven into her fire man of hair that ran down her back – braids that took a good twenty minutes to make. She felt the snugness of her dress in certain parts and even the weight of makeup on her face. Selena had little to none of that. If compared, Deanna looked like some noble lady of the season while Selena – she had to admit – looked more like a street urchin.

Despite herself, Deanna could not respond, instead biting her lower lip. She hated it… but there was some truth to Raphael’s words.

Who was it that helped Selena even have a passing grade in Winthrop’s class?
Who was it that took on taking care of the kids so Selena could get ready for Rise to Greatness?
Who was it that fought Raphael in order to try and protect their family?
Hell, Selena hadn’t even thought about celebrating Deanna’s two wins at Rise to Greatness. She had just blown past Deanna and not spoken to her until today.

And here I am getting the congratulations I wanted… from Raphael…

Lifting her head up, the redhead spied Selena still staring at her for a moment, her expression unreadable to the younger Frost. Slowly, turning her head, the platinum-blonde seemed to eye Raphael. “Excuse me.”

Without another word, she pushed past Raphael, almost shoving him aside. “Selena!” Deanna called out but the woman kept walking, immediately disappearing into the crowd of people as the festival continued.

“I…I am sorry if I overstepped again.” Raphael remarked, again in that earnest voice. “I just…”

“Please, stop.” Deanna sighed, holding up a hand to silence the older man. “I…” No point in lying. “…appreciate your kind words, but you don’t understand what she has been through.”

“Perhaps you’re right.” Slightly admonished, Raphael nodded his head. “But I do know what it’s like to be unappreciated and longing just for a kind word from a loved one.”

Despite herself, Deanna refused to let herself read too much into that statement. She was not interested in ‘getting to know’ Raphael or finding any common ground with him. The man had just admitted that he had some ulterior motives to forcing the Frost wives into this festival. And while she believed the man’s true grievance was with the Aldens of Selena’s family, as well as Alejandra, she knew a thing or two about the effects of “collateral damage” to remain suspicious.

After all… Killjoy put me through two years of prison just to get to Selena… the errand thought was squashed quickly, Deanna forcing herself to return to the present that was the festival. Once more, she could hear the music playing, the musicians having resumed their performance. Once more, she could see the corn-maze in the far distance.

Once more, she realized that Raphael Alden was still standing before her.

“Sorry.” The redhead straightened up, adjusting herself with a swipe of her hand through her red mane of free hair and dual-braids woven in said mane. “I was lost in my thoughts for a moment…”

“Happens to us all.” Raphael simply answered, gesturing with his hand back towards the main pathway of the festival. “May I?”

Despite herself, Deanna slowly nodded her head, allowing the suave, yet untrustworthy, man to lead her back into the heart of the festival. “I have to admit…” she tried, biting her lower lip. “This whole thing has been…” a quiet sigh escaped her. “Wonderful. Are all festivals like this?”

For a moment, Raphael gave no answer. He merely gazed around the vast expanse of his people. “Would you believe me if I told you that this is one of the smaller festivals we have had?”

The answer surprised Deanna. “You’re kidding.”

“I’m not.” Raphael remarked. “Many families are still reeling from recent events. The turnout was actually on the smaller side.”

“But…” Deanna looked around. “There are dozens of people.” She heard Raphael laugh good-naturedly, but she didn’t feel as if it was aimed at her.

“When I was younger…” his voice trailed off for the briefest of seconds. “It was not surprising for the festivals to hold hundreds of the Alden chapter.”

“Hundreds?” Deanna’s eyes widened as she looked around again, seeing the many different faces and expressions of those around her – people that paid her no mind beyond kind smiles and some vendors still selling. “How large is this chapter of yours?”

“We are one of the largest.” Raphael admitted. “New York and New Jersey was one of the founding places that our family congregated to after escaping the witch trials. It became a beacon and haven for those seeking refuge from the cruel world.”

“I…” again, that reluctance to share but Deanna gulped it down. “Despite everything that’s happened recently, I have been amazed with how…” her mind searched for the right word as she stepped through the wide path. “’Together’ everyone is. Or… united? You know, like a large family.” Her voice trailed off a little as the thoughts came to her, which did not go unnoticed by the older man just a few steps ahead of her. He did not speak in response, merely slowing his pace until Deanna was walking side by side with him, and raised an eyebrow. A silent prompt for the redhead to continue.

Once more, Deanna felt that dam of emotions inside her, thoughts and feelings she had been harboring to herself for so many years – things that she had not spoken of or even really thought much of. But with everything that happened, with her becoming the ‘voice of reason’ for Selena and pushing so much of what she wanted or even needed to the side for the sake of trying to keep her wife from drowning in misery and despair, to finally have someone that would listen… even if it was an enemy.

A little slipped out.

“I guess… seeing another side of Selena’s family… For so many years, that’s what I’ve dealt with. First it was her stepmother, then the people that were linked to her family in Nome through political dealings and shady arrangements, then it was the very clan that she revered, then it was the sister she never knew she had… and now it’s the family on her mother’s side – a whole other family…”

The DeCarlos.
The Scythes.
The Frost/Frostmere clan.
Killjoy.
Now, the Aldens.

“I guess…” Again, the redhead found herself looking around the crowd of people, taking in the sights and sounds. “I guess with so much of her history and family that I’ve had to deal with for so many years… I’ve-“

“You’ve wanted to know about your family.” Came the knowing response from Raphael. “Beyond the potential ‘Nazi parents’?”

“Oh, you were paying attention.” Deanna threw back without meaning to, though it did not phase the man.
“Knowledge is power, my dear.” He simply answered. “But it is natural for you to want to know where you come from.”

“I know where I come from.” Deanna shot back, though not angrily. “My parents are Lelucius and Zamira Springs. I have a sister and a sister-in-law and a niece and… a wife with all of her family. Not to mention three children. That’s all I need to know.”

“But…” it was Raphael’s turn to grow contemplative for a moment. “What else? That just seems… so little.”

“It’s…” Deanna shrugged her shoulders. “It’s all I have that I know is true.”

The two walked in silence for a moment, the young woman gazing at more of the vendors of food, drink, clothes and even organic compounds for makeup, if only for the new champion to distract her mind from the line of thinking this conversation was taking her.

As a child, she had always wondered about her own family. Did she have any grandparents? What were her parents really like? Her sister, Amy, spoke very little about them, focused on being the mother and big-sister in Deanna’s life. Now? Her older sister was a stranger – one that Deanna had not seen in… About six years… Deanna felt her eyes sting with unshed tears as she quickly found the accurate number in her head.

Six years. Her niece, Lydia, must have been an adult now! Maybe even dating! Her sister was in her forties now. Was she still a cop in Kentucky? Was her sister-in-law, Izzy, still a teacher?

She didn’t know. She was a Frost now. Her own life – where she came from as a Springs… she knew next to nothing. She knew so much about Selena and the Frost family and… again, she bit back the bitterness that stung her, swiping a quick hand at her eyes.

I don’t really have a story… she thought to herself. Even outside of wrestling… I’m still just ‘Selena’s wife’. Still, just a ‘Frost’.

“If you like…” Raphael’s voice broke through her thoughts, regaining her attention. “I can look into the matter for you.” The voice was kind without a hint of ulterior motives, surprising for Deanna to hear. “I can’t promise I’ll find anything, but I do have resources. At the very least, I can point you in the right direction.”

“That’s…” for a moment, her mind waged a war within her, part of her desperately wanting to take the offer. Part of her desperately wanting to know. The other half? The one that could talk down the damn Snow Queen of SCW, however…

“That’s very kind of you.” She answered. “But I am okay. I’ve learned that nothing good can be found looking too far into the past. I’ve always… I’ve always managed by looking forward. Not back.”

“Are you sure?” Raphael offered.

“I am.” Sighed the redhead. “Though I-“

The sudden ringing of bells, loudly and proudly, ripped both Deanna’s and Raphael’s attention away, their tolling coming from somewhere ahead of them.

“Well…that’s interesting!” Raphael remarked in genuine surprise.

“What?” Deanna asked, looking down to check her phone for the time she thought the bells were telling – only to realize that she had left in the car due to the fact that her dress had no pockets.

“The bells…” Raphael remarked, his expression of surprise shifting more into one of intrigue. “They’re not supposed to ring unless it’s to gather all those at the festival – usually for the feast, which isn’t till…” he checked his watch on his wrist. “Another hour.”

“Maybe someone is pulling a prank.” Deanna shrugged. “I saw a lot of children and kids here already.”

“I don’t think so…” his expression morphed into a sudden smile. “The only time that bell would ring is when…” he turned his head to Deanna, with that grin. “A ceremony has begun.”

Immediately, Deanna’s eyes went wide and, before she knew it, her legs were pushing her to march quickly towards the loud bells. It was a little tricky weaving past people when moving at a faster pace, but she managed to keep on her feet without knocking anyone over. Over the hill she travelled until she reached the larger clearing where so many more people: vendors, buskers, musicians, and visitors were gathered. To the right was the large wooden gazebo she had been told about, the dark-brown structure standing rather beautifully with the corn-maze just a few yards away.

But it was the person standing in the center that caught her entire attention, even amidst the murmuring of the growing crowd.

Before her stood Selena, but not the Selena she had seen hiding behind the tents. This woman wore a blue so dark that it looked black if you took a second look. The neckline plunged down towards the top of her core muscles, the redhead able to just make out the taunt muscles there. Trimming the neckline was gorgeous Celtic embroidery and the dress, itself, ended just above Selena’s… bare feet!.

Her face… Gods, her face…

Gone was the look of exhaustion and the ponytailed hair. In its place, Deanna saw the shades of dark blue the lines Selena’s eyes perfectly, the way her cheeks were accented with a bit of makeup, and her hair was tied into that damn beautiful braid the redhead knew and loved. In short, her wife was… she was Selena – the woman Deanna had known and missed so much for so long (at least in appearance).

“Better than a text message!” Selena called out as her eyes settled on Deanna. “I want one in our backyard!” she added with a laugh, one that Deanna half-coughed out as she approached the stairs, taking the few wooden steps one at a time until she was standing in front of her wife. She didn’t bother to look behind her to see Raphael’s reaction, nor did she pay any mind to the man that joined them (probably the minister).

Her eyes just kept on Selena. I don’t need a past. Deanna thought, taking Selena’s offered hands into her own. Because all I need is a future… oh! That’s good! Use that when it’s your turn for the vows! ‘Don’t need a past. All I need is a future. Don’t need a past. All I need is a future. Don’t need a past’-

“Deanna?”

“FUTURE-PAST!” Deanna blurted out without meaning to, earning a slight chuckle from the people at the front of the gazebo (the rest hadn’t heard, thankfully). Her eyes suddenly shot back towards Selena, who merely smiled. Up close, Deanna could still see the tiredness in her wife’s eyes, but also-

She gasped. There it was! A flicker of light! It wasn’t much but it was there! Like a small candle in dark room! Fragile and could easily be blown out at any second, but still burning! Deanna felt her heart skip a beat.

“My friends!” called out the minister as so many of the crowd had drawn, the bells dying as they finished their chimes. “We are here today-“

“Father… or minister…sir.” Selena interjected. “Can we skip the opening and move to the vows? I have something to say.”

“Oh…I…” it took a moment but the man smiled before giving a shrug. “By all means.” Quickly, he began to distract himself by binding the two women’s left and right arm with a cord, the prominent step in a hand-binding.

“Deanna…” Selena breathed, steadying herself, though Deanna had no idea for what. “I don’t have some fancy monologue to tell you about my feelings for you or us or how much you mean to me…”

“Good start.” Deanna tried to laugh, though it was more nervous than she meant.

“I know.” Selena nervously chuckled. “But nearly eight years married and I… I have hated the past year.”

“Okay…” Deanna’s voice trailed off for a moment. “This is where we shift the trajectory to more promising things?”

“Getting to that.” Selena pressed. “Because it’s my fault. Raphael was right. I have been… obsessed with work. With trying and save a business that didn’t want to be saved. With protecting something that didn’t want protection. And I put everything on hold. You, the children, our entire marriage. Well… no more.” She breathed, her voice dropping down to barely a whisper, more so to herself. “No more.”

“You…” Deanna tried to find the words, confusion taking up the majority of her current state. “You don’t have to say that. I know how much-“

“No, Deanna.” Selena pressed, the redhead feeling her hands being squeezed with such conviction. “I mean it. No more. No more putting you second. No more putting the children after work. No more any of that. You…” the platinum-blonde breathed. “You have been my voice of reason. My anchor. And now, pet-“ how long had Deanna gone without that nickname… only realizing now how much she missed it. “I am going to be that for you.”

It was slow, but a realization was dawning in Deanna’s mind. These words, these promises… they meant something. They were than just fancy phrases. The fire in Selena’s eyes being back as well… The dread spiked into Deanna’s form, causing her mouth to shake a little as she spoke.

“H-how?”

With a knowing smile, Selena merely sighed a little as she gazed in Deanna’s eyes.

“Because I am leaving SCW… for good.”

_______________________________________________________________

The Guard Tower

So… the biggest event of the year has passed. The torch has been passed. SCW has been changed forever!

I know, what a fun way to start off a promo, right? “Gee Deanna, tell us something we don’t already know! We all watched Rise to Greatness 20!”

I know you did, my friends. I know that thousands upon thousands were in attendance, I know that millions around the world saw this change. We have new champions, new management, rising talent, new stories, and if I may give a little shoutout here before I get too carried away, I want to give a thank you to Alexis Quinne. From the bottom of my heart, Alexis, thank you for bringing out the best in me but, more importantly, I am hoping to see you tonight and see you get a measure of revenge against Sarah Wolf. Because I know you and I know Wolf from my Underground days and Sarah, you made a terrible mistake, I can assure you of THAT!

But moving past that and into the realm of where I am concerned… like I said, thousands of people, millions watching... and over a month later, it still feels surreal to me.

You see, I came to Toronto with a mission. It wasn’t to save a promotion or or a title or undo a legacy or ‘claim my rightful place as so and so’. No. I came to Toronto with a desire to win. To do what I have been trying to do for so long and stand before you as my own woman, on my own terms, with only myself to hold accountable and only myself to fight my own battles. To stand in the ring and say, without anyone able to deny it, ‘My name is Deanna Frost. And I am an SCW Superstar!’.

And in Toronto, over the span of two nights, I defeated not only Alexis Quinne, but quite arguably one of the greatest female wrestlers in the past five years. I am talking about Bree Lancaster.

And I am not one to hide behind my words – I put my foot in my mouth all the time, ask anyone that knows me – but I also speak my mind and my heart with zero hesitation and I will say to you, Bree… thank you!

Thank you, Bree, for giving me the opportunity to show what I am capable of. Thank you, Bree, for pushing me to go farther than even I thought possible. Thank you, Bree, for showing me the kind of champion I want to be in SCW. The kind of United States Champion that I want to be!

Because that’s what comes next, right? The inevitable question of ‘what now?’. After the lights, the thrill – it is always that ‘Aftermath’ episode of Breakdown. Where we start again, a new season with new possibilities. The SCW Universe, collectively holding its breath, wanting to know where do we go from here? Twitter has lit up with that – SCW promising such things will come, but who really knows? Who really knows?

Well, that is a question for most, but it is not a question for me. Because I know what is next for me and it is correcting a wrong. Because, while I give thanks to Bree and I respect her, I appreciate her, I know that our match was not without its faults.

From Rated X to Datura to Quinne, our match was bittersweet. Sweet because of what I managed to do and bitter because there is that voice that speaks in the back of my mind, asking the age-old question: What if?

What if Rated X hadn’t interfered.
What if Quinne hadn’t interfered.
What if Datura hadn’t interfered.

A nagging suspicion in my mind that casts a cloud over what was the greatest accomplishment in my singles career! A cloud that makes me wonder, makes me question, and more than anything, makes me, like all of you, believer or not, WANT to know!

That is why there is no question for me on what is next. Why I do not hesitate to announce this. Why you will hear nothing but joy and excitement in my voice when I say here tonight, I will defend the newly won United States Championship against Bree Lancaster in a Rise to Greatness rematch!!!

Yes! The match that Bree deserves! That I deserve! Because we all, SCW Universe, we all deserve to see it! We all deserve to know who should be the undisputed United States Champion! That is why I am petitioning SCW management to bar Rated X and all other concerned parties from ringside! Because I want Bree and I to prove something. Not only who is better, but what this division will promise in regards to all those questions of ‘what is next?’!

Now, with that out of the way, please allow me, guys, to focus on my opponent.

Bree…

Do not think for a second that I am not aware of how close you came to beating me. How close you were to hitting me with The Rectifier and putting my hopes and dreams of bringing the United States Championship to the main show of Rise to Greatness in the trash. But if you want to know what it was that was truly the deciding factor in our match back in Toronto… well… you may be surprised. Because it wasn’t Datura or Ravyn or Ace Marshall or Quinne… it wasn’t even the title that gave me that little bit extra that I needed to put you away.

It was you, Bree.

It was you looking into the camera and saying I was egotistical. It was you, Bree, declaring that I have an ‘overactive ego’ because I dared to wish to be on the main show of Rise to Greatness. That I dared to think that a pre-show wasn’t where I wanted to be. That I thought being on the main card was more prestigious and more worthwhile than being on the pre-show. You took offense to that and you called it ‘ego’.

You asked me to reflect on that. That if I thought being on the main card of Rise to Greatness was better than being on the pre-show. If I thought bringing the United States Championship to the main show that was Rise to Greatness XX was necessary if it was already ‘on the preshow’. And I did, Bree. I truly did. I reflected on it and processed it…

And I knew that I was in the right. I knew that I had to win against you. I knew that I had to do what I said I was going to do!

You want to call it ‘ego’, Bree? But let me ask you something, based on your logic. What do people pay to see? The opening act? Or the headliner? What sells the tickets? Do people settle on the appetizer? Or the main course? Why care about being in the main-event when you’re ‘on the same show’?

Is that what you wanted me to reflect on? That I dared to want ‘more’ than what I got last year? That I dared to achieve more than I did a year ago when I beat Kimberly Williams to become Underground champion last year?

This was never about lowering or upping the value of the United States championship, Bree, this was about a journey. This was about a journey of me being better than I was a year ago, progressing through the ranks and earning my spot on the main card. And I wasn’t GIVEN the spot like you were and like Holly Adams was. I had to scrape and claw and fight my way to it. I had to pull double-duty just like you did, but I did it because that is what it takes to get to the main-card of Rise to Greatness. That right there should tell you the massive difference!

Because if it’s all the same, as you proclaim, Bree, then why does everyone try to become world champion when, by your logic, ‘any title will do’. Why do we try and get to the main event of Breakdown or pay-per-views when there’s a preshow waiting for us or a dark match? Why does anyone fight for anything here when, according to you, we should smile and be grateful for whatever we get?

You look at me and see an ego, Bree. You hear my words and balk at my ‘audacity’. You call it ego… I call it ambition!

Ambition to get out of bed with a promise to do all I can to be better than I was the year before, the month before, the week before, even the day before! Ambition to not simply settle for where I am but strive to be better and to achieve more! Ambition and desire to move forward, not back, and continue to do what so many people desire to do here. Fight to be the best in the business. Isn’t that what we are supposed to do, Bree? Isn’t that what a title like this is all about? Not just be ‘grateful for where you currently are’ but also strive to be better, do better, chasing that ever present dream?

Because what if I had just been on the preshow again, Bree? If, for the second year in a row, I found myself in the exact same place I was last year? No change beyond my opponent. Forget about the championship for a second, Bree, what would that say about Deanna Frost? After winning three titles, being rookie of the year, defeating former world champions like Glory Braddock and Adam Allocco twice over, what would it say if – despite all of that – I wasn’t good enough to be put on the main card of Rise to Greatness? If a “Deanna Frost match” wasn’t big enough or worthy enough to be on the headlining show of shows?

It would have meant that I was in the same place I was a year ago. That all I did… and there was no progress. That I wasn’t ‘better’. And I couldn’t live with that, Bree. I couldn’t live with the idea of spending a year fighting the toughest battles I have fought, breaking my arm inside the Elimination Chamber and coming back from that, gaining scars and dealing with all that I have with Selena and watching my marriage struggle… and nothing changed…

Again, you call it ego, I say that it is grit. I say it is persistence. I say it is a refusal to simply settle for the ‘same’ and refusal to be in the same place you were.

And maybe… maybe that is the difference between us, Bree. Because, like you said, you’ve done it all! You’ve been on the “Bree-Show”, you’ve been in the main-event of Rise to Greatness. You’ve won every title, won every award there is to win, a Hall of Fame worthy career that few could even dare hope to achieve! So, maybe that is your far vaster experience and accolades looking down and seeing ‘ego’. Maybe you have the right to that mindset considering you’ve done it all.

But I haven’t. I haven’t had the lengthy title reigns or the Hall of Fame career. I haven’t headlined pay-per-views or won world titles or stood at the top or become synonymous with a title. I haven’t landed many awards. I haven’t filled more than a corner in a poster or banner. I haven’t had a show named after me. I haven’t starred in movies. I haven’t walked many a red carpet. I haven’t done any of that!

So maybe it isn’t ego, Bree. Maybe it’s me just being the hungrier superstar, wishing to achieve what you’ve already done. To have what you have in abundance – something I can’t do if I just ‘be grateful’ and let nothing change for me. Maybe it’s me wanting to be proud of the path I’ve drawn – a path I forged rather than ‘settling’ in one spot.

Because if you think about tonight, Bree, are you expecting me to believe that I’ll retain tonight simply by ‘being happy to be here’? Do you think I will be able to beat you again just by ‘being grateful’ that we fight in the main-event of Breakdown?

No, Bree! You are far too good for that kind of mentality! I come to Breakdown with that mindset, you are going to eat me alive and my greatest accomplishment in my singles career becomes little more than a joke! Becomes me going backwards, not forwards! Back to the same spot I was before, not forging ahead! That is NOT something I am prepared to do, Bree! That is not something that I am prepared to settle for an just be ‘grateful’ for!

The only way, Bree Lancaster, that I can beat you – the ONLY way that I am walking out of Detroit still the United States Champion – is if I come at you with that ambition! With that desire to be better than I was even a month ago in Toronto! With that NEED to be better than I was a month ago! With that purpose to prove that I am, without a doubt, the NEW SCW United States Champion! That purpose to move forward to better things for me, for the title, and for all of Supreme Championship Wrestling!

Call it whatever you want, Bree… because it’s going to be the one thing that beats you in the ring tonight!

Checkmate, bitches!

[HardyGirl]

Breakdown 8-31-23