Ghost 5 – This is my first Covenant Fic so plz be kind, sorry but my grammar is really bad and there are a few different things about this fic which I hope you like.

PROLOGUE

Caleb and his mother drove slowly down the gravel driveway towards a moated mansion, before his dad got sick he had told him stories about the woman who lived in the house and of the powers that she possessed.

"She's very wise woman Caleb," his dad has said "Whenever you need help go and see Sophia Craven and she'll help you,"

"Yes dad," he answered

Caleb wasn't sure what his dad had meant at the time, but now he did. His mother stopped the Porsche with a thump and quickly got out the car. A servant came out to greet them.

"Where is she?" His mother asked urgently

"She's in the library, she's been expecting for the last two hours," the servant explained

"I need to see her," she said hysterically

The servant showed them in and took them to a grand oak and stone library, Caleb was amazed at the structure it resembled a magnificent cathedral every shelf from the floor to the ceiling was crammed full of books.

"Mary," an elderly woman with a French accent said politely

"Sophia," his mother blubbered "It's happened,"

The elderly woman slouched back in her chair in shock, she put her hand to her mouth for a moment.

"Oh," she said surprised "Poor William,"

Sophia looked at him and then at his mother.

"Does he know what's become of his father?" she asked

"No," his mother answered

"Poor child, to know that if he falls under the intoxicating spell of the power he will suffer the same consequences as his father," she said thoughtfully

Sophia smiled at him gently and looked at the servant.

"Marcus, take the boy to see Esther,"

The servant nodded and took Caleb out of the library.

"What a beautiful house," Caleb said innocently

Marcus didn't answer.

"Who is Esther?" Caleb asked nervously

"Madam Sophia's niece and protégée," Marcus answered

Caleb was pleased to know that he would have a friend to play with while his mother was talking to the elderly lady, Marcus took Caleb to some stairs that led up to the attic.

"Does Esther live up there?" Caleb asked

"No, the attic is her playroom Miss Esther sleeps down on the first floor in the south wing," Marcus answered

The stairs spiralled up to a wooden door, Marcus gently knocked it at first.

"Esther?" he said politely

There was no answer, Marcus knocked again.

"Esther," he said firmly

Again no answer, Marcus and Caleb entered the room to find a little girl with long brown hair sitting on the floor playing with marionette puppets. Caleb gazed in fascination at the puppets that were prancing around with the girl moving any of there strings.

"Now Esther," Marcus said gently

The moment the girl turned round and gasped in surprise at seeing them, the floating puppets fell to the floor. Caleb felt a little disappointed for disturbing her, the play the puppets were acting out looked very funny one clown had been kicking the other for being butterfingered.

"This is Caleb, your aunt wants you to play with him while his mother and your aunt have a chat," Marcus asked

"Ok Marcus," she said sweetly

"There's a good girl," the servant said kindly

Once he left them alone Esther smiled at him.

"I'm Esther Craven," she said politely

"Caleb Danvers," he replied

"Do you want to play puppets?" she asked

"Ok," he answered

IPSWITCH - 2005

"Caleb you're gonna fall," Esther called up "Pogue stop him,"

"Don't worry Essie," Pogue said reassuringly

"I said I was gonna get you the best apple in the tree and that's what I'm gonna do," Caleb called down

"I was only joking you idiot," she called back

"Stop worrying about him Essie," Reed said sternly "Jeez you're like his mother,"

"Shut up, pondweed," she growled

Caleb saw a juicy red apple, he reached out and was about to grab it when he heard a sharp snap of a branch. Caleb found himself tumbling out of the tree and hitting every branch on the way down.

"Told you I saw it coming," Esther said angrily

Caleb sat cradling his cut hand taking sharp breaths between his teeth.

"Ouch," Tyler winced "That must have hurt,"

Esther sighed and went over to him.

"Let me see," she asked

Caleb opened his hand slowly and showed a deep cut on his hand, he gave Esther a pained look she smiled back and kissed the tip of her index finger she placed her finger on the cut and to Caleb's amazement saw the wound heal instantly leaving no sign of ever being there. He looked at Esther in surprise and in that same moment saw passed the spectacles and the freckles and the chubby cheeks and saw a pretty eighteen year old girl who cared about him. He gazed into her eyes and found himself wanting to kiss her which had never wanted to do before, Esther Craven was like family as was Tyler, Reed and Pogue she was there big sister as she was two years older than them and knew a lot more.

"Esther!" Came a distant call

"I've got to go fellas, I'll see you later," she said brightly

All three boys picked up there bicycles and peddled for their homes, Caleb every now and then glanced back at the house and he peddled down the driveway and couldn't stop thinking of Esther.

"Someone's got a crush on our big sister," Reed joked

"No I don't," Caleb lied

"We can all see it dude," Pogue said

"So what?" Caleb asked

"Nothing, it's just that you have a crush on a geek," Tyler explained

"No she's not," he answered and showed them his hand "She's just smarter than us,"

Caleb put his bike away and crept passed the living room.

"How could you do this William?" his mother said in despair

This wasn't unusual, Caleb often heard his mother crying in despair over the fate if his father and what he had done to himself. The moment he had fund the truth about himself and what had really happened to his father Caleb had made a pact with himself to never go down the same road. He got to his room and saw that someone had left a voice mail on his phone.

"Caleb? It's Essie. Listen I'm calling to tell you that i've got to go away for a while and see my grandmother, I don't know when I'll be coming back hopefully soon but in case I don't promise me that you'll look after yourself and the others. Especially Pondweed, he's gonna need all the help he can get. Anyway I gotta go, love you...Bye,"

Caleb raced out of the house and grabbed his bike again, he peddled as fast as he could all the way to Madam Sophia's mansion. A servant rushed out of the house to greet him.

Caleb ignored the pleas from Marcus and ran all the way to the library, he through open the doors and found Sophia sat in an armchair by the fire.

"Where is she?" he asked angrily

"On her way to England my boy," she answered comfortingly

"Why?" Caleb asked as he stormed into the room

"Please sit down, you look exhausted," she said softly

Her soft French accent helped ease his anger, he sat in an opposite chair.

"She's gone to England to ascend Caleb," Sophia explained "She didn't want any of you to be jealous of her new powers and she didn't want feel capable of hurting any of you with just a blink of an eye,"

"She didn't even say goodbye," Caleb said sadly

"I know my dear boy, but she felt that it would be easier," Sophia said sadly

"Will she ever come back?" he asked hopefully

Sophia looked at the fire and smiled faintly.

"In time, once she's learned to master who she is I think she will come back," she answered

Caleb felt his heart breaking as he peddled home slowly on his bike and remembered the good times he had had with Essie. He remembered watching her walk out of the school gates hand in hand with a boy in her year when he was fourteen, Caleb had been jealous Essie was friends with him and the others he didn't like boys paying her that kind of attention no matter what year they were in. In a way he was like her brother and therefore had a right to protect her from boys like him, he closed his eyes and opened them focusing on the boy's rucksack.

"I've got a present for you," the boy said

"Really?" Essie asked in delight "Oh Gregg that's so sweet,"

Gregg took his rucksack off and took out a ring box.

"This is for you," he said shyly

Essie opened the box and threw it up in the air with fright.

"Yuck," she yelled

"Don't you like it?" Gregg asked in confusion

"No I hate slugs," she said furiously

"Slugs?" Gregg asked "It's supposed to be a ring

Essie picked the box up and showed him.

"See?" She said

"How did that happen?" Gregg asked "Esther I swear to god I bought you a beautiful ring,"

With that Essie had slapped the boys face and declared that she never wanted to see him again, Caleb had felt relieved at his work. He had come very close to loosing a very close friend, Caleb soon discovered that Essie was bound to fall in love sooner or later and that he couldn't protect her from every man in the town. He remembered how angry she had got when she found it was him that was driving all her boyfriends away and forcing her to break up with them.

"This has to stop," She said angrily

"I'm sorry...It's just that he was taking you away from us," Caleb argued

Her anger seemed to disappear and with that she hugged him tightly.

"No one will ever come between our friendship or our covenant, I promise," she said softly

Caleb arrived home and went to his room, he threw himself onto his bed and cried into his pillow. Essie had broke her promise and she had kept her ascension a secret from them and from him.