Cursed: Scarlet

About a month before Samhain (and a year into my sentence), Ian and I are walking along the north wall of the school when a ball of energy hits me in the middle of my back, almost paralysing me. I spin around, and summon a fireball. Just by the western staircase stands a girl with translucent white hair and all the features of a wood fey. I let the ball dissipate and hold my arms out for a hug.

“Cassandra, you’re here!” I exclaim as she barrels into me. A laugh escapes me, and she joins in, it’s so good to see her again. Once, I would rather have fed her to a starving wyvern, but a few millennia together have really changed my mind about my adoptive sister.

Ian stands back and looks at me; did I mention that he’s adorable when he’s confused? I let Cassandra go and make quick introductions. “Ian, Cassandra. Cassandra, Ian.” They shake hands formally and then she squeals and hugs me again.

“By Morgana’s heart I missed you!” she says when she lets go. Cassandra, being my adoptive sister, grew up with me. We were trained together, in magic and in weaponry, so the bond of injuries was strong. The customary vines of her kind wound up her arms and I could see the glow of her happiness through her clothes. There was definitely something going on with her, but I didn’t pry, she would tell me when she was ready.

“So to what do I owe the pleasure of your company after a century of silence?” I ask jokingly. Ian is walking behind us as Cassy has wound her arm in mine. “Your mother wishes for your company at Samhain, and she was going to send the ever cheerful Declan, but I volunteered in his stead.” I laugh at the face she pulls when saying her brother’s name. “She also invites any of your new school friends to come along to Etherea, if they so wish.” She looks suggestively at Ian, and then back at me.

He looks as if he’s pained in the glance I get before he glares at the ocean. Cassy and I continue our conversation while he very obviously sighs every few minutes. I tell Cassy to go to the east staircase and turn to face him, taking in his standoffish posture and the emotions flaring in his eyes.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, taking his hand and putting it in my own. He looks at me and stays silent, so I force my way into his mind.I’m scared…I think she knows…will she be mad if I tell her... the thoughts jumble together and I start to feel as if I’m being dragged through syrup. I look up at him and let go of his hand. “What do you need to tell me? Why are you so scared?” I look at him questioningly. He looks so sad as he speaks, “Hades came to me in a dream last night, he called me his son. He –“

“Oh, Ian, I know he’s your dad. And if you want, I can tell you who your mother is” I say, letting go and brushing a strand of hair behind my hair, the wind was messing around with my already unruly curls. Sighing, I look away, unsure of where to start.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he looks hurt. I take his hand in mine again, this more for comfort than anything else; he hates it when people hug him. And I do not blame him one bit, Cassy is probably one of five people I allow to hug me.

“I wasn’t sure, at first, and when you made that statue explode I knew. I – I just wanted for you to be a little bit normal for a little while longer before I told you.” I hope he registers the concern plastered on my face; I don’t want him to think I hid it from him with my own intent; I was on orders from the High Council.

“I’ve never been normal,” he growls. “My parents abandoned me, I don’t know why, but I sure as hell won’t forgive them.” He slams his fist onto the parapet and I struggle not to drag his pain into my body, I sigh and start talking. “Your mother is Hecate, the First Mage; your father has already claimed you. They never agreed on anything, so it was a big surprise for the High Council when we found out about you a year ago.”

“So what does this mean?” he asks me. “Will I be killed?” He looks so worried and lost; I just want to hug him until he can’t breathe, and then some.

“No, dear one, you will not” a voice calls out and I know in my bones that Hecate has appeared. Ian whips his head up and stares at her. Her chestnut hair glows red in the setting sun and her eyes are exactly like his. She walks cautiously forward, her arm half extended as if she’s unsure. Ian closes the gap between them quickly and hugs her. I’ve never seen her so shocked, and I’ve been around her for a long time.

Ian starts to cry, but she pulls away from him and puts her hand on his cheek. They are almost the same height, so she looks into his eyes. “Scarlet, I would like to speak to my son in private,” she says looking at me for a moment before she pulls him close. I turn and walk away quickly, I reach Cassy and we quietly descend the staircase.

She breaks the silence when we reach the bottom. “So where are we going to be staying?” she asks, smiling brightly. Sometimes, she reminds me of a sprite; sugar, spice and all things nice.

“In my tower, of course, “I give her a weak smile, wishing I could be with Ian as he meets his mother. I know she didn’t give him up lightly; she did it to keep him from Hades.

“Is it weird for you?” she asks, “Watching as Ian’s parents both claim him?” A pang of sadness runs through me, but I hide my thoughts, trying to be happy for the first friend I’ve had in decades. I shake my head, trying to stop myself from going down the dark path again.

“Yeah, I thought I was going to be alone forever, but now that I know Ian’s like me, I’m almost…relieved”, I say as we climb the stairs to my rooms. I made sure, when I started the school, that they would never be able to do anything to my tower. I had to give permission for anyone to enter, or the barrier would electrocute him or her. If someone tries more than once, they get a healthy dose of hypothermia.

Cassy whistles as we reach my workroom. “Hasn’t changed much, hey Scar?” she grins at me and sits in the large red armchair by the fireplace. I click my fingers and a fire blares in the grate, I pick up a few of my books and out them on the floor to ceiling oak bookshelf, the first wood I ever grew with my own magic.

I go into the small kitchen and make her some elf tea, her favourite cinnamon and berry mixture. I walk back into the workroom with a tray of fey-friendly foods and the tea. Many of them cannot handle even the simplest of human foods, due to the processes and chemicals; they just don’t have the constitutions for it.

“So, how long are you staying for?” I ask as I set the tray down in front of her and hand her the tea.

She takes it and inhales appreciatively. “About a month, your mother ordered me to escort you to her realms myself.”

“I see,” I say, getting my own cup and sitting on the matching armchair across from her. “What’s with the Samhain invitation, anyway?” I ask.

“She misses you, you know.” I make my face an emotionless mask as Cassy searches it for any hint of the anger and mistrust I feel.

“And my father?” I ask bitterly, knowing full well what a great parent he is, he would never just attend an event for my sake, it had to have a reason.

“He will be there,” she says. “Your mother called a meeting of the High Council on the eve of Samhain.”

“I should have known,” I say, rolling my eyes. “She never just invites me for a simple visit, there’s always a catch.” Cassy laughs and grabs one of the organic oatcakes. “I should probably go and make you a bed,” I say with a sigh and put down my cup.

I get up, ascend the wrought iron spiral staircase in the middle of the workroom, and emerge on the first landing. I turn into the guest room and motion for the curtains to open. The bed is made of magic wood and the four posts are wrapped in vines and flowers. The sheets lift up and shake themselves out the window as I take out a towel and extra clothes for Cassy before heading into the bathroom. With another flick of my hand, the candles light and all the dust flies out the window.

I walk back out to find that Cassy has already come upstairs and is in the process of tying her hair into a braid. She smiles at me as I go out the door and into my own room. I light my fire and go to start a bath of my own.

Then I go downstairs and clean up the remnants of Cassy’s appetite. The dishes are cleaned in seconds by magic and I climb up again. The water feels amazing as I get in, the bubbles pop around my ears as I think back to Hecate and Ian’s first meeting. I couldn’t help a little feeling of guilt that I hadn’t contacted her sooner, but it can’t be helped.

I spend a few hours just soaking; water doesn’t get cold when your father is the ruler of the Elementals. When I finally get out, I go to check on Cassy; she’s out like a light and snoring. I smile and close the door, that elf could test the patience of even a rock troll.

Sleep doesn’t come easily that night; I can’t stop thinking about how Ian took the news and what Hecate told him. I give up eventually and climb out of my window and onto the roof. I walk down the centre of the main roof and sit down. I glare up at the stars until I hear a faint sound. Someone is walking towards me from the opposite side. I sit very still until the figure is near enough for me to identify.

“Ian...” I breathe. He smiles and sits down next to me. He has a look of serenity about him, it’s almost creepy. But I know he has found some peace in getting to know his birth mother, after years of feeling abandoned and lost. For one so young, he is infinitely wiser than his peers.

“Thank you –“he starts and takes my hand, “for contacting my mother. I know now that you were just trying to be sure.” I look at him in surprise, will I ever know all there is about him? He laces his fingers though mine and continues to speak. “I don’t think my father will approve of my being friends with you.”

“When you get to my age, it rarely matters,” I say as I squeeze his fingers. “But your mother is a great woman and that’s all that should concern you.”

“She explained everything to me,” he says, looking up to the heavens. “She left me with a mage family she trusted, so that Hades wouldn’t find out about me and corrupt me.” He looks at me at this.

“I know you hate him for what he did, and I promise I will not hurt you the way my brother would have.” I smile at him sadly; Hades won’t let him go that easily.

“You are the greatest person I’ve ever known” I say and take my hand out of his as I pointedly rest my chin atop my raised knees while I stare at the night sky. He looks at me in surprise, all I can think isplease don’t kiss me…please just don’t kiss me.

He looks away and, for a while, we sit in silence. The minutes run away, but I feel as if we are saying more than what we would in words. His presence comforts me, somehow, and he seems to be relaxed when I’m around. Strangely, I feel as if we are similar, not just in our origins. There are very few children in any world born to such powerful parents, which is why most of us feel so alone.

Everything seems less, and yet more.

When the light turns grey, I get up and so does he. I lead him to my tower and we land in my room, the windowsill being taller than the average person of human descent... He stares at the painting of me on the wall, holding a traditional broadsword and standing on a rocky terrain. I look away in embarrassment and start picking up the books I had tried to distract myself with.

When he finally turns around, I can see that adorable look of confusion on his face again. I stop what I’m doing and stare at him. “What?”

He looks at me and walks towards me, but before he reaches me, Cassy crashes into the room. “Morning, Scar. What’s for break- ooh, this is interesting.” She smirks at us and I move around Ian to stand in front of her, giving her one of my best and most threatening glares.

“I suggest that you get your elven butt back to your room and get dressed,” I say and she turns, with another knowing smile, and walks out.

I look back at him apologetically and hand him the books. “Go downstairs and put these on the shelf for me, would you?” I say. He nods and walks out my door, too. I close it and get dressed quickly, luckily its Saturday, so no one will mind that he isn’t in the dining hall. I pull on a pair of black jeans and an ironic t-shirt and brush my hair. I consider putting on make-up but shake my head and walk down to the kitchen. Ian is staring at the bookshelves when I pass him. “Feel free to read them,” I say as I walk through the door. I quickly get more tea and oatcakes for Cassy and start frying bacon for Ian and I.

“Oh shit-“I say and quickly go out of the kitchen. “I forgot to ask, Ian, do you want some bacon or would you rather eat oatcakes with Cass?” He turns and mutters, “Bacon’s fine…”

I smile and walk back, “I hope you like scrambled eggs.”

Cassy comes in just as I finish with the eggs and takes the entire plate of oatcakes as well as her tea. I follow back to my workroom and place the eggs and bacon on the table along with some plates and cutlery. Cassy plops down into a chair and starts shoving the oatcakes into her mouth as fast as she can. I shake my head at her, but Ian is doing the same thing. I laugh and start eating. They both finish and sit back, sighing. I wipe my mouth and whisk the dishes into the sink with my hand. The sun is pouring through the curtains when we finally move to sit by the fireplace. Cassy and Ian are talking about surfing, so I just sit and marvel at how my oldest friend and the boy I’m protecting get along like a house on fire.

We pass the day in the same way, but I force them make lunch. Cassy has just about finished all the oatcakes and I know she hates everything else, so I order more through the crystal ball on the mantelpiece while they joke in the kitchen. I had never seen Ian this relaxed around anyone but me, it made me glad, in a way.

I don’t actually blame him for not having friends his own age; barely being able to control your powers really makes socializing difficult. And the young do so live for socialising.