Felinis: I know I have three other fics to work on... but this idea has been living in my head for years
Flynn Scifo had always understood his lot in life. As the oldest of three in a family of hat makers who had been running a shop for four generations it was clear what he was destined to be. As the oldest it was his job to take over the hat shop while his step-mother arranged the fates of his two sisters. The youngest was Estelle who was pretty and cheerful and had been arranged an apprenticeship with a witch who lived in Halure. As the youngest she was bound to a good future away from the family business with a promise of the best fortune of the three of them. A life of adventure and grandeur! Then there was the middle child Judith who was as beautiful and cunning as Mother. The kind of woman who easily fit in where she was needed. Mother had gotten her work in a nearby bakery where she would live a decent life and with her looks probably catch a good man in a few years... Hell, he better be a fantastic man or Flynn, or more likely Judith herself, would beat him senseless.
But, as the oldest Flynn was bound to days of crafting hats for people to wear around the town of Market Chipping in the back room while his mother sold them with a smile. He wasn't one to deal with customers and while there were a few other workers he often worked alone. In this time Flynn developed a bad habit of talking to his hats.
"You know what you remind me of... a spring leaf. Young and bright." He said softly as he trims the hat. The emerald top hat is extravagant with light sheer and flowers. As he crafts he thinks of grassy hills and young meadows. "Although, you are a bit tacky." Flynn tended to find though that tacky strangely sold well.
He sowed in pink beads into a innocent bonnet thinking the whole time of his sister. "Anyone who wore you would look positively lovely." As he finished with a gold trim he smiled at the image of Estelle's sweet smile.
There was the deep blue bowler hat with lovely red and teal plumage. Flynn found that this was a rather intelligent piece. Popular with business man around the town. "You're quite clever but a show off, aren't you."
Flynn made many hats, but the saddest one was of the course sad grey plump newsboy cap. He couldn't help feeling sorry for the poor thing. "You have a good heart and someone special is bound to see this." He almost cringed when he saw the young man who bought the hat walking out with a smile. Truly, Flynn hated that stupid hat. But, in strange turn of events the young man who bought the hat ended up running into a visiting diplomat who saw his saw his fine character and asked him to work for him. Rumors soon spread that the hat had been lucky or blessed and orders came in demanding more. Flynn silently set his fingers to work and was met with many complaints from people. As nothing exciting had happened to them and somehow Flynn was to blame.
Even still, he kept talking and crafting with his hats day by day. It was a simple Tuesday afternoon when his step-mother knocked on the door. "Flynn, would you be a dear and pick up some pastries?"
He nods with a soft smile. "Sure. I'll say hi to Judith while I'm out."
"That's lovely. Thank you." She grins then stops. "Also, I'd love it if you'd help me with a new dress. You make the nicest of things."
Flynn stands with a pop and a stretch from long hours spent hunched in work. "Of course, Mother."
"As always, you are delight to have around."
Flynn puts on a simple straw hat that he's fond of and heads out the back door through the bustling streets of Market Chipping. Crowds fill the bustling cobble streets as Flynn turns to avoid getting swept up in a parade of soldiers making their way down the roads. The Union and the Empire were once again at each other's throats threatening war. It seemed the two factions were always arguing over something, yet somehow they managed to skirt around war. As he walked over a bridge past the rail station he hears the giggling of young ladies as they point at a figure beyond the town.
"Look, there's the castle! Past the fog." One coos. Flynn looks toward the distance and spies the blurred silhouette of large moving object in the distance. The infamous castle of fiendish wizard happens to live there.
The smallest looks worriedly at the figure. "We should be careful. What if Lowell comes after us?"
The stout one laughs. "Please. Lowell only goes after pretty people."
Yes, Lowell, the wizard who lived in a moving castle and ate the hearts of anyone who happened to catch his eye. Despite this fact, he still had a strange following with young ladies who believed that perhaps they could change him. Or were simply bored with their provincial lives. Flynn rolls his eyes and continues on deciding to take the less crowded back alley. As he walks a hand grabs his shoulder and he tenses at two soldiers who have clearly been drinking.
"Hey gorgeous." The taller with a stupid mustache slurs. "How 'bout you join us for a little drink?"
The other laughs. "Yeah. Join us sweetie."
"That's nice of you, but I need to see my sister." Flynn says pulling himself away only to be yanked back.
"What's the rush?"
"Yeah." The mustache man grins and Flynn grimaces. Drunks… It's not even evening yet. "Looks like your mustache scares him."
"I think they're cuter scared." Okay, that's enough of this.
Flynn is about to sock the man in the face when a melting voice reaches his ear. "There you are." Flynn finds himself pulled away and looks to see a man with long black locks and gray eyes smiling at him. He's a handsome man. The kind woman fawn over in stories. Even if his coat looks a hint silly. "I've been looking for you."
The soldiers glare at the stranger who smiles widely. "Hey, we were talking here!"
"Really?" There's such a glint to his eyes as he talks. "Because I think-" The man waves a finger, "you were just heading on your way." The soldiers yell in surprise as their legs lift themselves and carry them out of the alleyway. "Some people are just terrible drunks." Flynn eyes him as the stranger has still not let go of him. It's now that Flynn notices that their hands are locked and they're walking down the alleyway. "Mind if I ask where we're going?"
Flynn glares at the strange man. "I was going to the Comet pastry shop."
He smiles. "That works just nicely then."
"Would you please go away." Flynn asks and stops when he hears something behind them. A gush and a splurk of something crawling over the street. "What was that?" He starts to turn his head but the man turns it forward.
"Don't look back and keep walking." The stranger grins awkwardly. "I'm being followed at the moment."
Flynn raises a brow. "What did you do?"
"You ask a lot of questions Blondie." The man grumbles as the sound gets louder and he picks up their steps.
"I think they're warranted." Flynn says as the man is now pulling him at gallop down the alley and his face widens in horror as he sees black blobs appear from the ground. "What are those?"
"I told you not to look at them, idiot." The man hisses and jumps. Flynn shuts his eyes fearing that he's about to be slammed into that thing. He opens to find himself floating above the roofs. "Wha-"
The man smirks and places a hand on his waist. "Just calm down." He pulls Flynn along as they drift through the sky. "Place one foot out and walk." Flynn cautiously stretches out a foot and finds a strange purchase underneath him and starts walking as a small grin takes his face. "See, you're a natural."
Laughter starts to bubble in his throat as they travel over the roofs till he spots the balcony of the the Comet. His body softly drifts down and he touches the wooden boards lightly.
The man looks over the streets below and scoffs. "Sorry to use you like that. For your own good it's probably best if you stay inside a few hours." Flynn finds himself nodding to his words. "Good. See ya around." The man kisses his hand lightly and before Flynn can protest the act plummets down below.
"Wait!" He calls but the person is gone.
"Flynn!" A voice calls from behind and standing in the door is flour dusted Judith. "What in the world was that about?"
Flynn blinks red powdered on his cheeks. "I... I'm not sure." Judith pulls him inside to the back where she brings him a roll. Flynn bites the warm bread from atop a crate.
"I can't believe it. You flew!" Judith enthuses and Flynn raises a brow. It's a very un-Judith thing to say. "I- how did you manage to get yourself wrapped up with a wizard?"
Flynn recites what happened and watches his sisters odd posture. There's something off about his sister. Something about her usually mystic regal air seems lost. What could be wrong with her? "I can't believe how careless you were. What if that wizard had been Lowell."
"That man goes after beautiful girls and in case you didn't notice I don't fit that particular bill." Flynn chuckles.
"Still..."
Flynn leans back and watches the was his sister is twiddling her thumbs. He knows only one other person who does that. "Judith, are you feeling alright?"
Her eyes widen. "Of course I am! Why would you say that?"
"Estelle?" She freezes and Flynn knows he's caught her. "How?"
She swallows and as Flynn looks closer at her face the illusion of Judith's mature features die away and fade till he's left looking at the soft pink locks and sweet green eyes of Estelle. "Um... so I guess I should explain."
"I would appreciate that."
Estelle sits next to him and stares at her hands. "Don't tell Mother!"
"First, tell me why in the world you're here and not in Halure learning from Grand Witch Khroma."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
Estelle pulls out a jar of honey from her pocket. "I did go to study for months, but I hated it. I learned a disguise spell and switched places with Judith a few months ago when I came to visit."
"But why?" Estelle was given a chance to become a great mage and change the world and society. Why would she want to work in a bakery?
"Because... because, I hate fighting monsters!" She squeals. "It's so horrible! And, while the spells are interesting I'd rather be reading books. Judith loves adventure and the grand quest of being a witch... I'd rather work at here while I work my novel."
"But, Mother worked so hard to give you that apprenticeship!"
"And like always she never considered what either Judith or I wanted. I may be the youngest, but that doesn't mean I'm supposed to run after my own fantastical fortune. Then she threw Judith in a bakery she'd hate because she's cunning like Mother and expects her to catch a rich man with ease. You and I both know that Judith would rather travel the world than marry and start a family."
"You're exaggerating!"
"No I'm not!" Estelle huffs. "I love Mother. I really do, but she's a terribly manipulative woman. She hasn't touched a needle since she married Father and insists you do all the work in the shop! Knowing her she asked you to make her another dress."
"Mother really hard in the front." He protests. "And, I'm the oldest it's my duty to take over the shop."
She pouts and crosses her arms. "I know you think that Flynn; personally, I think you should choose want you want for a change."
"What about you?" He says crossly. "Are you going to spend your whole life wearing Judith's face?"
"Not at all. Most the staff know what's going on. Once enough time has past we'll both come clean." Estelle says and Flynn lets out a deep groan.
He rubs his eyes and bites the last of his bread. "Just don't anything reckless."
"I think you could do with being a little reckless." She mutters but Flynn ignores her and heads home forgetting the warning of the strange wizard. He walks out holding a bag of pastries and heads through the streets into the shop. His mother complains about how he took a long time and he apologizes and hands her the bag before returning to his hats. The day goes on till the sun has long set and the lamp light is not enough for his tired hands. Flynn rubs his eyes and walks out of the back and sees a woman standing in the middle of the shop.
Her hair is ginger brown tied into a tied braid that drapes over her shoulder and her eyes a deep amethyst. She's regal and dressed in a fine, yet practical suit that appears to be of the latest Zaphias fashion. In her hands pressed firmly on a black oak walking staff. Those jewel eyes drift to him and Flynn blushes. She's quite lovely. "I'd like to buy a hat."
Flynn nods. "Yes."
"I want your best one."
Cautiously he walks over to his three favorite hats and gesture. "Spring." He holds up the bonnet. "Sweetness." The woman's eyes narrow. "Smart."
"It looks like I was wrong. Everyone kept saying a wonderful hatter lives here but all I find is backwater trash."
Maybe if she got off her pompous high horse than she'd find a hat that could actually fit her enormous ego. "I'm sorry Ma'am. But if you're done here I'm afraid we're closed for the day." He walks and shows her the door.
The woman scoffs. "What could he see in a dull man like you?"
A dull man. Yes, that was an apt description for a man like himself. But, you weren't supposed to say it out loud. He huffs. "I would like it if you would leave."
The woman glares at him and a headache strikes his head. His mind thrusts through the past hours and he screams through the pain. It breaks on the thought of Estelle and the woman scowls. "You pest! You'd defy my spell?"
"What?" A gust tears through Flynn's very core and he stares dumbfounded at the woman looking down at him.
"That's for defying the Witch of the Wastes." She hisses pointing her cane at him pushing his sternum. The Witch of the Wastes was a dastardly woman who the Emperor banished years ago for her cruel mischief. She killed and cursed relentlessly but from what Flynn knew she frequented the area in the Union. "Give my regards to Lowell." The Witch grins walking out the door and Flynn let's out a breath he'd been holding.
Lowell… That man had been… and… He looked at his hands and screamed. Old and ragged with thick veins. His voice hoarse and he looks at the mirror and freezes. In the mirror is an old man with a sagged face and thin grey hair. This… this is just a bad dream! Yes, it must be! His feet pace about clenches his teeth. Yes, he should just sleep! He goes to his room and lays in bed convinced this al a bad dream.
The morning brings no solace though and he hides away in his room in terror of this state. He needs to figure out what to do. Clearly, he can't stay here. This is ridiculous! But, Flynn has no choice to find a way to fix this. If Lowell got him into this mess then Lowell was getting him out of it. He gathered his important things and his hat and set out towards the Wastes.
Felinis: This fic is both based on the book and the movie. I'll be mixing elements for fun. And for Ristelle. That ship is my jam