Frankie (Through Time 4)

“Not happening today. Too much to do,” Frankie said.

“I am not going to take no for an answer,” he answered glibly, took her arm, and suddenly she felt herself shift away with him.

All at once, they were in a pub, seated at a table with a checked table

cloth, with two mugs of ale already in place.

Frankie was furious and hissed, “Who the hell do ye think ye are whisking m’off like that?” She wagged her finger at him, “I don’t take kindly to whisking. I was in a coffee shop of my choosing and for a reason.”

“I am a Royal Prince, and you are my subject. You will go where I please.” he answered not at all perturbed though he frowned at her finger in his face.

“Are ye now? A Royal Prince, ye say? Well then, be that as it may, ye are nothing but someone I don’t wish to see. I’m telling ye roundly, in case ye don’t take hints, I am no subject of yers. In fact, I think Queen Mab would be surprised to hear ye calling any of her subjects, yer own. And in m’case, I don’t answer to any Daoine other than m’da.”

“That is too bad. I had hoped to get off on a better start with you, because the time is coming when you will answer to me and most directly.”

“Do ye think so?” Frankie was agitated with him and about ready to leave before she did something rash like picking up one of the shepherd pies the waitress had placed before them on the table, and mashing it all over his face.

He tried another tactic saying with his hands open wide, “Why all this heat? Frankie, you must see that I am trying to show you that the future could be grand for the two of us. Changes are coming, and I want you to be with me when they do.”

She stood up, and said, “Enjoy yer ale.”

Suddenly she was hit with a dark blanket of power. It came from him and enveloped her and she knew at once, it wasn’t Daoine power. It felt like sorcery—black sorcery. Her eyebrow went up and then he made the mistake of ordering her, “Sit and do try and be polite for one moment.”

Frankie was no one to trifle with and most black magic did not work on her.

She had been trained to take on many types of dark magic and this little show of his was absurd, she thought. A blink and the dark magic he had used to hold her in place was blasted into black ash that fell at his feet. “Ye are looking fer trouble, Prince Worley of Westley, and I’m thinking that is not what ye want.”

A familiar voice screeched at that moment, “Frankie!”

Frankie looked up and waved, “I’ll be joining m’friend now,” she said to the prince and without looking back at him, she got to her feet and walked away. As she approached Fiona and steered her new friend out of the pub she wondered what had possessed a Daoine Prince to use Dark Magic.

It was all absurd and didn’t make any sense.

“Who was that hottie ye were with?” Fiona asked her eyes wide.

“A jerk, that’s who. Ye know Fiona, looks no matter how inviting, don’t replace character.”

“Oh so they tell me—‘tis what’s inside! I know, I know, but I’ll tell ye frankly lass, his outside could make me forget the rest.” She laughed brightly and Frankie shook her head but grinned broadly.

“Come on, let’s go somewhere else and get some coffee and then we’ll go together to check out the flat.”

“Are ye sure ye don’t want me to go talk to him fer ye?” Fiona teased.

Frankie laughed, “Ye are an incorrigible, ye are. Come on, we’ll get something to eat down the road.”

It was only two hours later, when they signed the papers leasing the flat they had decided to share for the next semester.

Fiona said it was cause for celebration and celebrating meant shopping. They spent a laughter filled afternoon doing just that, before they went to off Harcourt Street and enjoyed a leisurely dinner at a lively pub.

The sun was down and the evening had begun. Music on the street drew them outdoors as soon as they had paid the bill and it wasn’t long before they were strolling leisurely into a nightclub to enjoy ‘all the crac’.

Frankie wasn’t much on alcohol, but she put down a couple of light beers, danced with Fiona, and with a couple of nice guys that cut in on them.

It was getting late, and Frankie turned to tell Fiona that she was off for her hotel. She looked around the crowded nightclub which was difficult as she could scarcely move. Fiona was nowhere to be seen. She peeked in at the ladies room and frowned to find still no sign of her. As Frankie turned, a large, very drunk fellow pushed her against the wall and grinned idiotically.

Two of his friends joined him, and stretched out their arms, placing their palms on the wall on either side of her head, effectively closeting her.

If she were a human, she would have been nervous. As it was, she was mildly annoyed.