The Magician

I'm not bundled up like I first was when we leave New Puerto. I wear my favorite soft fleece gown that's a soft blue color with Ovylian's crest on the side of my chest. A deep purple shawl with a hood is placed over my shoulders, and the maids have made my hair into its usual braid, blue pins in my hair.

Quill wears his classic black button up with a white tunic underneath, wearing blue pants, and black polished shoes.

"You have a very subdued style." I comment on his attire.

"I'd rather you be the one to outshine me." he replies, cupping my face as he places a kiss on my cheek.

Of course, that tiny gesture sends my face in flames.

At that moment, the maids walk in, letting us know the carriage is here to take us on our journey.

Since the knights and squires arrived not too long ago, Quill thought it would be best to take Lip too.

Just in case, of course.

I don't want to take my kelpie's bridle with me as Ovylian is magicked to keep kelpies out of the land. There would be no use of it over there.

As the pack greets us in the common area, I spot Cersei, and an idea formed as I walk towards her.

But when I try to hand off the bridle to Cersei, she vehemently refuses it, shaking her head with such force, her ponytail smacks her in the face a little. She's so distraught by my gesture, there's a wrinkle in her once smoothed green dress with gray long pants.

"Are you trying to have me killed?" She asks, Lip coming up behind her and pushing the bracelet back to me.

"She has a point, my lady. You fought off the kelpie, not Cersei. And if she were to take it, she would have her body and soul devoured by kelpies." he said, matter of fact.

I nod as if it's not something to be scared of, but it truly does sound horrendous.

Elex, and Eryx shove Lip away, calling him all sorts of names as Lip tries to defend himself.

"You're scaring the lady, Lip!" Elex reprimanded, Eryx throwing a half-hearted punch at Lip.

Xolo is laughing, joining in on the fun.

"I just wanted her to know how dangerous that is." Lip says as he pulls out his leather booklet and begins to scribble away inside of it.

"Pay no mind to Mr. Superior over there, my lady." Xolo comforts, jabbing his thumb in Lip's direction. "But please keep the bridle on."

The twins nod in agreement, Cersei rolling her eyes.

"Pack, I entrust you with the knights, the squires, our land. Protect it, we will be home soon." Quill said, the others saluting him as we walked towards the carriage.

I turned to look at the pack, twisting my chain in a comforting habit.

"Please take care of yourself. And let no harm come unto you all." I replied, my eyes misting over as the thought of Mason harming any of these members broke my heart.

Quill ushered me into the carriage, Lip coming in last as the door shut behind us and the carriage began to move, silence surrounding us.

"It feels like we're going to a funeral." Lip commented, and Quill shot a glance at him, holding my hand gently.

Two werewolves cramped in the same space as I meant that the heat would be turned up. I took off my shawl, placing it on my lap, as I looked out the window. The villagers waved at us, going back into their usual routine, young children playing with their toys and such.

A knot formed in my stomach, and I peeked a glance at Quill.

He was the epitome of calm, casually looking around the area that we were passing through as if gazing, his eyes landing on Lip for a beat. A subtle nod from Lip seemed to add relief to Quill, and I tried to distract myself as I smoothed the wrinkles out of my shawl.

"So, Lip, tell me about yourself. You're a magician, right?" I ask, Lip fighting off a smile as Quill tries not to look stunned.

"That's correct, my lady. Magick runs on my mother's side, distantly but still there. My wolf side comes from my father's side." he replies.

"So, how do you combat the two? Or is one stronger than the other?" I asked, and Quill leans back into the seat, tracing the top of my hand gently with his.

"It's a bit like the muscles of your body. Do exercises to strengthen them. But you have to make sure there's a balance, lest one side overpower the other." he replies, pulling out a brown crystal, and a slab of what looks like log pieces.

"What is that?" I ask, scooting close to him to get a better look at it.

"This crystal right here," he says, holding up the brown one, "is called an 'aragonite.' Now, usually, they're used for centres and grounds physical energies, being useful in time of stress. It helps to prepare for meditation and stabilizes spiritual development. It provides insight into the causes of problems and situations. Well, I've manipulated it with magick; I'm using this as detector sort of. It's tuned to the presence of the pack, the footman, and you my lady. But if it senses someone that's not known, the glow will let me know we're being followed." he says, and my eyes widened in awe.

"That's incredible! How does it do it? And what about the piece of log?" I ask, wanting to touch the strange looking crystal.

"The crystal already has a purpose; to ground the physical energies of course. My magick kind of tweaks it's purpose by using that purpose and instead of ground physical energies, just senses the unknown ones. It helps that this crystal was created in the Earth; it has no limit unless I give it one. Currently, the crystal is tracking just the area around the carriage. I'm going to expand it a bit so if we do end up getting followed, they won't be able to get us from such close range." he states, and as I look at the crystal, I see it then.

A faint glow, almost like a mist, a light honeyed colored that's enveloped around the crystal, and is slowly expanding outward in a circular outline. I watch it stretch out, and cover the outside of the carriage and a bit of the pathway as well.

"Do you see that?" I ask Quill, and he gives me a puzzled smile, looking at the spot I pointed at.

"No, why?" he asks, staring at the crystal with little interest.

I frown, turning to look at it as well. The mist is still there, and in fact becoming more pronounced as I continue to stare at it.

"Are you sure?" I ask him. "It's looking more and more like honey."

"My lady, can you actually see it?" Lip asks quietly, and I nod.

"Yes, why? Am I not supposed to?" I ask, looking back at them.

Lip and Quill exchange a glance, as the carriage is pulled to a stop. I stare out the small window, surprised to see familiar villages, and the sun shining so bright.

We're just on the outskirts of Ovylian, my father's estate just further inside. The gates open, and the carriage once again resumes to moving.

When I look back at Lip, he has pocketed the crystal and the piece of log, head tilted downward, as his eyes are closed, arms crossed.

"Magick tires him out." Quill explains, as he pulls me next to his side. "Rest my dear, we're not there just yet."

I frown, not feeling even a bit drowsy, but settle next to him as the carriage's movements soon pull me into a dreamy state, Quill's warmth making my eyelids heavy.

A quick nap never hurt anyone, I think to myself, sleep coming over me.

Death is there, waiting for me, his face amused.

"You know, for someone begging for life, you sure are invested with death." he says casually, sitting on what looks like a chair made of bones.

I grimace at his seat, declining the seat he pulls up for me.

"What do you mean?" I ask him.

"Your soul calls for me. Am I mad to think that your feelings for the wolf one have changed of that of a death one?" he asks, eyes wide with exaggerated surprise.

"Bite me death boy. There are more pressing matters at hand." I say, rolling my eyes.

"Ah, yes. The one named Mason still troubles you. Would you like for me to kill him?" he asks, his scythe standing next to me, shining to let me know that its there.

I shake my head. "Death isn't the answer for everything. I just want you to let me know what Mason's plans are."

Death shakes his head. "Though as entertaining this is, the affairs of the still living are none of my concern. You'll have to speak to my opposite; Life."

"So how do I find Life?" I asked, and Death shrugged, twirling his scythe as if it were a baton.

"No clue. I deal with matters of death."

"...you're of no help, you know that?"

"I've upheld my deal, so I think I've helped way more than necessary. I'm just glad I didn't go fishing for your soul. Otherwise, I would've declined."

My jaw drops at his comment, and he shrugs, fading away.

"Wait, nothing was resolved!" I cry out.

"The wolf one is waking you up." he replies, giving me a little wave.