Paper Roses

by hezzabeth

There were many things Christopher never noticed, especially when some one was trying to say good bye.MillieChristopher.

Paper Roses.

Summary: There were many things Christopher noticed, especially when some one was trying to say good bye.

There were many things about Millie that Christopher didn't notice, this was mainly due to the fact that unless pressed Christopher didn't notice much of anything.

He was a vague sort after all.

Christopher didn't notice that Millie always wrote him letters on pretty lavender water scented paper while every one else would receive a spotty post card at best.

He didn't notice that she always bought him his favorite sweets for Christmas or the brand new cricket bat she selected for his fourteenth birthday that must have cost her several weeks of her allowance.

There were many things about Millie that Christopher would notice however, such as the irritated way she'd look at him when she thought he was being far to lordly, or the way she'd snort with disapproval when he spent weeks of saved allowance on an extravagant new dressing gown.

"Honestly Christopher who are you trying to impress? It's not as if you sail down to dinner in those things and they've taken up so much silk" she snorted one summer evening when Millie was sixteen and he was nineteen, they'd been playing cards if he remembered correctly.

"Well you see them obviously," he said and Millie rolled her eyes.

"I've also seen you in ratty falling apart too small pajama's you don't need to impress me" she said kindly.

"Perhaps I like impressing myself" he said trying to smooth down a bothersome jet-black curl of hair.

"Snap" Millie merely declared slapping her hand down onto the cards.

"Are you cheating?" Christopher would ask knowingly and Millie looked insulted.

"Proper ladies don't cheat at card games," she said obviously parroting something she'd learned at school.

" Being a living goddess isn't the same as being a lady," he replied smoothly and she scooped the cards up.

"How exactly would you know Christopher? You've never been either" she smiled playfully.

"Just because I've never been something it doesn't mean I don't know what it does, I've never been a bird but I know that they fly" Christopher argued and Millie laughed as if she found that statement particularly amusing.

"But you don't know what sort of choices a bird can make Christopher, whether it chooses to be hunter or prey and the same goes for me, you don't know if I'll choose to be a goddess or a lady just like I don't know if you'll choose to be a Chrestomanci or a cricket player" she smiled.

"Millie dear we both know I don't have a choice concerning that" he said.

"You do Christopher, who says that an enchanter cannot play games as well? You're playing one now," she said sympathetically.

Millie's eyes were crinkled in the way that made Christopher want to smile even if he was in the mood for a good sulk; Millie's eyes were always kind even when she didn't want them to be.

"It's different he said grudgingly and she discarded his cards clasping onto his hand.

"It's not," she said earnestly and he wished he could believe her.

"I think we're both a little too old to really believe we can run away to some sort of island Millie" he said and she glared at him snatching her hand away as if it had scolded her.

"You always have to remind me of that don't you?" she sneered.

"Running away from your problems may work for you Millie but I'm resigned to what my fate is," he said and Millie's lips formed into a firm angry line.

"I don't always run away from my problems," she said quietly.

But Christopher knew she was lying, it was one of the many things he'd noticed about Millie.

Instead he calmly raised his eyebrow and she waved her hand furiously causing his nightgown to burst into a cloud of fine white dust.

"Oh come off it Millie, this was brand new!" he cried but she'd disappeared in a furious flash just as quickly as she had come.

"Life does not reflect your maudlin literature, I will soon be chained to the desk and I'll end up alone and miserable" Christopher sighed trying for sympathy.

It was a week later and another night in bed with card games and bottles of wine stolen from the cellar.

"Oh that's complete and utter nonsense, there are many girls who would give their magical ability to marry a handsome future Chrestomanci! You should see the way my friends speak about you at school" Millie sighed rolling her eyes.

"Well your friends aren't hear Millie dear," he pointed out as Millie beat him again.

"They will be, for my birthday in two weeks" Millie smiled.

"You don't have a birthday," he pointed out.

"I thought it was time to get one, Miss Rosalie says that traditionally seventeen is the year young ladies come out to society and all my friends have already had their parties" Millie said with a small smug smile.

Christopher had vaguely noticed a lot of activity and cleaning going on in the castle but he assumed it was due to some sort of function, it never occurred to him that it was all for Millie.

"Since when do you follow tradition?" he asked.

"Just because I don't always follow your series traditions it doesn't mean I am a complete anarchist, I was devoted to the customs of my people before I left and I've decided that perhaps it's best to adopt some of the customs here" Millie said coldly.

"Yes any customs that involve dressing up and getting free gifts," he said and Millie pulled a face.

"Nobody likes a cynic Christopher darling, if you wish to impress my pretty young friends I suggest you loose the attitude" she scolded him and he leaned towards her causing his breath to tickle the hair against his neck.

"Now why on earth would I wish to impress them?" he asked and she pulled away, she always pulled away whenever he playfully got to close to her.

"Because they might actually consider marrying you and then you wouldn't be alone and chained to a desk as you so nicely put it" she smiled.

The first group of friends arrived within forty-eight hours; Christopher assumed that they'd come the night of the party and then leaves immediately however he was soon proved wrong.

"Bloody hell" said Conrad visibly gaping at the young ladies who had just stepped out of the carriage. They were all young ladies, it was impossible to mistake them for anything else especially the way they curved in certain places that Miss Rosalie no longer did.

"Oh grow up mate," Christopher said, although he could appreciate what he was seeing he'd long gotten past the stage where he couldn't control himself.

"I shouldn't be finding this so attractive, I mean they're covered from head to foot and in my world you quite often see girls in the all together and yet." Conrad began.

"Heavy attraction spells either in their perfume or sewn into the fabric imported from the series seven country Ingra that's all it is Grant," said Christopher with the air of an expert.

"Oh I'm sure that must be it" Conrad said and some one swept past them in a cloud of deep blue silk and lavender scented perfume.

"And I suppose Millie's been using the same sort of magic then?" Conrad added.

"What on earth are you talking about?" Christopher asked irritably his eyes falling firmly on the waist of the lady who had just pushed past them.

"Well she looks very nice" Conrad said diplomatically as the lady turned her head and Christopher's breath caught in his throat.

It was Millie and yet it wasn't Millie at all, Miss Rosalie up until recently had dressed Millie as a little girl in either her school uniform or baggy snow white lacey dresses that covered everything.

But Millie was a lady now, a lady on the verge of stepping out and obviously Miss Rosalie had made several improvements to her wardrobe.

She was dressed in a blue gown with a bustle that hinted at certain areas Christopher wasn't even aware that Millie had.

"Oh yes, very good" Christopher replied trying to sound casual. They both cocked their heads to one side and Millie smiled at them both indulgently.

"Christopher and Conrad come and meet my friends" she said gesturing to the young ladies.

None of them seemed particularly interested to Christopher, in fact they giggled as much as the silly ladies often did. He just glanced at them all disdainfully and then turned back to Millie but she glared at him before cocking her head to one side gesturing to a friend who hadn't bothered to giggle at him yet.

"This is my dear roommate Amy" smiled Millie; Amy smiled at him she was very pretty with black glossy curls and pale gray eyes.

She raised a gloved hand; it was very small with a single gold bracelet around it.

"I can't abide silver" she smiled nervously and Christopher fell perhaps a little bit in love.

There were many things that Millie noticed about Christopher and one was that he liked to surround himself with things of beauty. From her bedroom window she could see two figures walking across the ground grass in the twilight, one dressed in a soft dove gray and the other in a deep swish of scarlet. Her hands hovered at the curtain and she allowed herself a small-pleased smile, Christopher would like Amy.

Amy was intelligent, nice and although she wasn't a witch she was very pretty and knew how to dress herself properly.

She was exactly the sort of girl Christopher needed.

Millie turned back to the dress for evening dinner that had been left on her bed, she still wasn't used to gowns filled with petticoats with painful underwear and massive sleeves. She wasn't exactly used to her room either, Millie usually over spent three months of a year in it and she'd never had enough time to stamp her personality into the walls.

The furniture had been picked out by some one else along with the bedding and all the clothes, the only thing that truly belonged to her was a single dusty gold bangle hidden underneath the mattress and Proudfoot who slept on the window feet little white paws sticking up in the air.

"Are all those girls really here until your birthday Millie dearest?" a voice asked and Millie glanced up seeing Elizabeth slowly fade into the fore ground.

"I wish you wouldn't do that" Millie replied.

"I have to practice magic that doesn't involve music some how" Elizabeth replied with a tilt of her pretty blond head.

Elizabeth was five years older then Millie and had adopted Millie as a younger sister when she'd arrived at the castle.

Millie wasn't exactly sure if she approved of the arrangement but she was far too nice to protest.

"How long have you been walking around under an invisibility spell Lizzie dear?" Millie asked sitting down on her bed.

"Long enough to see you hand Christopher over to that trollop in the red satin" Elizabeth replied sitting down next to her.

"That trollop happens to be my dear school chum and I happen to think Amy and Christopher make a handsome couple," Millie said firmly and Elizabeth frowned at her.

"Millie darling I know you're from a different world but it has been explained to you what happens when a young gentlemen begins courting a young woman, hasn't it?" Elizabeth asked kindly.

"Of course it's been explained to me Lizzie, they will come to an understanding marry and produce handsome children," Millie said firmly.

"When a young man begins courting a young woman it isn't proper for him to maintain close friendships with young ladies" Elizabeth began and Millie frowned.

"It isn't? Surely no one will prevent Christopher from being my friend" Millie said and Elizabeth shook her head.

"Oh no that wont change but there will no longer be all night card games in each others bedrooms or runaway excursions to series five" Elizabeth said.

"That happened once and we returned by the time Gabriel came back from series six" Millie protested.

"Even so, if Christopher were to form an understanding with your friend Amy things would change" Elizabeth said.

"I am well aware of the situation Elizabeth, honestly your acting as if I'd be heart broken about Christopher leaving my life! He's really nothing more then a silly boy" Millie laughed but Elizabeth stared at her doubtfully.

"Your friend Amy really is very pretty" Elizabeth remarked.

"Of course she is, that's why Christopher likes her" Millie smiled.

Millie had always prided herself on being a nice person, which was why she wasn't upset when Christopher sat between Amy and Beth even though he'd always sat next to her during dinner.

Nor was she upset when Amy entertained every one in the evening by playing the harp, or the way Christopher had praised her other friend Lucinda's sketching.

And nor was she upset when both Christopher Amy and Beth had left her in order to tour the library.

She had after all insisted that she was tired and in need of an early night but she was a little surprised when Christopher didn't walk her to her room the way he always did.

Still it was nothing to be upset about she thought to herself as she wrestled with her corsets and changed into her nightgown.

Millicent waved her hand at the oil lamp and it spluttered before dying plunging the room into darkness.

There was nothing to worry about at all she reasoned to herself as she muttered a spell reassuring a decent nights sleep.

Unfortunately powerful enchanters could easily break spells reassuring a decent nights sleep and Millie awoke with a snort from a particularly odd dream where she'd been searching for pineapple slices in the kitchen.

"Let me sleep" she groaned burying herself under the covers but her blankets were pushed aside busily.

"What on earth are you doing sleeping? Its barely gone midnight and I've brought the cards up and everything" Christopher's voice replied and the oil lamp flared up filling her bedroom with light.

"Go away I'm busy" Millie said fuzzily.

"Not until I've had a chance to win back the four coppers you stole off me," Christopher said opening the box they kept the cards in.

"For the last time I didn't cheat Christopher! Now leave and let me sleep in peace," Millie snapped but Christopher merely sat next to her in his bright blue silk dressing gown.

"I'm going to deal in case you perform any probability spells on the deck," he said smartly.

"How do I know you're not going to perform the same spell?" Millie asked.

"Because your mind is far more devious then mine Millie dear, what will the game be tonight? Twenty-one? Poker? Snap jack?" he asked.

"Poker" Millie said knowing perfectly well she was terrible at Poker and the game would end quickly.

"Snap Jack then" Christopher replied and Millie rolled your eyes.

"Your friend Amy is very interesting by the way," Christopher said and Millie finally woke up.

"You remembered her name" she realized, shocked.

"Of course I did, she's interesting and very pretty, did you know she's been to Egypt twice? And seen actual mummified wizards?" Christopher asked and Millie raised her eyebrows.

"She never mentioned the mummified corpses to me, isn't Egypt the place with all the sand?" she asked.

"It sounds very much like your own world but more violent if possible" Christopher said.

"My world isn't that violent" sniffed Millie.

"They killed me!" Christopher cried.

"Well yes but technically you'd stolen a temples cat and defiled my inner temple" Millicent said snapping her hands on the cards.

"You're cheating again! And in case you've forgotten they were going to kill you as well" Christopher pointed out.

"It seems to me that all worlds are filled with adults who are willing to kill their youth for a greater good, you can hardly criticize my world for that without criticizing your own" Millie muttered darkly.

"I'm sure I have no idea what you mean," Christopher snorted.

"Well look at Conrad" Millie said by example.

"I really don't understand how looking at Conrad will allow you to win this argument," he said with his deliberate stupid face on and Millie wanted to slap him.

"His Uncle was willing to lead him to death for his own purposes, and what of the constant political upheaval in Italy? Hundreds of soldiers die every year in those stupid wars and as soon as one ends another begins" Millie added flippantly and Christopher was staring at her intently.

"That's a very depressing way of seeing the world," he said.

"No it's not, there is violence in all the related worlds but there are also pleasant things like friendship and love" she smiled earnestly and Christopher blinked slowly.

"We really need to stop you from reading those soppy books" Christopher said rolling his eyes and then his hand slapped onto the cards a triumphant expression on his face.

"Snap Jack" he cried.

"This isn't a Jack Christopher, it's a four of clubs honestly you know perfectly well that you cant perform a glamour on me" Millicent smiled holding up the card and he tried to snatch the card from her which caused Millie to roll to her side in a tangle of cotton sheets.

She felt Christopher tackle her firmly around her middle and try to wrench her back, something he'd been doing every since he was fourteen and he realized he was physically if not magically stronger then her.

Millicent kicked her legs frantically in his stomach and he fell backwards panting heavily.

"Surrender that card now" Christopher snapped and Millie gave a wild squawk of laughter.

"No, I refuse to give into cheaters" she shot back and he lept towards her pinning her down by her wrists.

"Say that again" he said smiling wickedly.

"I said that refuse to give into cheaters" she replied and he's stare grew even more intense causing his eyes to shine exactly like pieces of polished coal in the bin next to the fire place.

Millie tried to find Christopher's pupils the way she did many times before, the key was not to blink and to search for the tiny flicker in the center that was perhaps a little bit darker then the rest.

Christopher knew perfectly well what she was doing and stared at her intently the small wicked smile on his face, he leaned forward closer and closer trying to distract her until he was practically on top of her and she could feel his breath on her forehead.

Millie blinked, and just like that the pupils were swallowed back into darkness.

"You cad! I almost had it," she cried pushing him off and he merely laughed, all thoughts of Amy forgotten.

"Have you decided on what you're going to get Millie?" Conrad asked Christopher who was dreamily staring out the window while he was technically supposed to be studying advanced reality binding techniques in the library.

"The one thing I miss about proper school is actually having summer holidays, look at them enjoying themselves on the lawn while we're stuck in this pokey old room" Christopher sighed.

"The library is hardly pokey, besides we wouldn't be stuck here if you'd done the research last night" Conrad pointed out reproachfully.

"I was busy with matters concerning entertainment, in case you haven't noticed Grant the castle is currently filled with half a dozen lovely young ladies" Christopher pointed out his eyes flickering towards the window again. Conrad's gaze followed his and he saw what Christopher saw, Millie and her friends waiting to leave for some sort of shopping excursion.

"Which is why I asked about Millie's present, you're running out of time you know" Conrad added.

"Present? Why would Millie want a present?" Christopher asked a distracted expression on his face.

"Well it's her birthday in two days" Conrad pointed out and Christopher sighed.

"But it's not her actual birthday, it's just her trying to fit into this series customs" Christopher pointed out.

"It's still important to her, I've already bought her a present" Conrad said a rather proud expression on his face.

"A present? Do tell" Christopher said dryly.

"Well it's not much but you know how much she loves fiction, I got her some old book called Jane Eyre from another series rare book dealer" Conrad explained and Christopher rolled his eyes, the one thing Conrad and Millie seemed to have in common was their love for pathetic maudlin literature.

"There's no need to roll your eyes you know, she'll like it! Not every one is obsessed with getting expensive watches and dressing gowns, some people are easy to shop for" Conrad frowned.

"There's nothing wrong with a decent dressing grown" Christopher shot back and Conrad shut his book firmly, obviously sick of studying.

"You'll have to get her something," Conrad pointed out and Christopher sighed as if defeated.

"Fine I suppose nice soap will do, or toothpaste" he mused obviously displaying his complete lack of knowledge when it came to women.

"I think she would like something a little nicer from your Christopher" Conrad said gently.

"Nicer then soap?" asked Christopher not sure if such a thing was even possible.

"Yes nicer then soap, you really don't notice anything" sighed Conrad.

Christopher merely sighed with boredom and as he did the piece of paper he'd been writing on folded and twisted until it resembled a tiny off white rose, its markings scrawled across in patches of ink.

Needless to say Gabriel Dewitt was rather surprised after returning from a political summit in Cairo only to discover that young ladies had invaded the castle. Of course he had been informed that some sort of celebration was going to occur soon and he had given his approval because well, in the end he did feel rather sorry for Millie and her future predicament.

But even so, half a dozen ladies?

He's nearly died of embarrassment when one of them ran down the stairs near the kitchen shrieking in her undergarments.

He'd recoiled at the sight of two of them ripping all the perfect white lilies from their stalks near the pond.

He'd shuddered at dinner when the conversation had turned from the socio economic factors of the new continent towards the proper care and maintenance of hair curling potions.

And to make matters worse more would be arriving every hour upon the hour until the party begun, it seemed that Millie had invited not only every girl in her school but also every girl and boy her school ever socialized with.

It was enough to drive anybody mad.

And yes, there were other pressing matters as well.

Millie had taken the entire situation in a rather calm fashion, Gabriel expected some hysterical tears, but instead she'd stared at her lap a faintly worried expression on her face.

Granted Gabriel knew that perhaps it was in bad taste to tell her one-day before her celebration but the news needed to be imparted as soon as possible.

"So I need to return home then?" she finally whispered.

"Unfortunately yes, otherwise you'll well fade from this world forever" he said.

"It's not as if we don't want you Millie darling" sighed Miss Rosalie.

"No I've read about this sort of magical theory before, I do understand you know" Millie muttered her hand nervously playing with the tiny gold watch she wore on one wrist.

"If we could find a way to anchor you here then perhaps, well perhaps things will be different but Christopher will eventually need the additional life you took from him" Gabriel continued to explain.

Millie knew that technically speaking she should be upset but the only reason she'd ever come to Christopher's world was to escape certain death and to attend boarding school.

She'd finished with school and she'd long ago come to terms with the fact that sooner or later everyone died.

Even so however.

"How long?" she finally asked.

"How long until what dear?"

"Until I have to return?" Millie asked her voice catching in her throat.

"A week, perhaps a fortnight my dear" Gabriel informed her and Millie slowly nodded.

"If you'll excuse me I have guests to see to," she said standing up with all the grace and deportment of a modern young lady.

The door shut quietly behind her and Miss Rosalie shot Gabriel a guilty look.

"She took that rather to well" Gabriel mused and Miss Rosalie shook her head.

"Obviously you didn't see the tears she was trying to hide" Miss Rosalie snapped back.

Millie walked back to her bedroom and surveyed the room once her eyes falling on the lace curtains, the carpets, and the wardrobe.

All of these things were used by her but never belonged to her.

Who would she be when she returned? The living Asheth once more? Or did the role belong to another girl?

Her reflection caught in the mirror and she saw her eyes, large dark and frightened before she composed herself.

The fight or flight instinct almost over took her, it would be so easy to slip away she reasoned.

She'd only need a pinch of dragon's blood..

But this time the problem was that instead of fleeing she wanted so badly to stay.

Some one had placed a paper flower on her bed; it's petals crisp and thin covered with ink blotches.

Millie watched as it rose, shining white-hot gold before swooping towards her and planting itself into a lock of her dark brown hair.

'Millie what on earth are you blubbering on about? The old dragon couldn't have upset you that much" Christopher's voice suddenly declared and she wiped her eyes furiously before glancing at her mirror. The mirror now reflected Christopher's own bedroom where he was lounging on his bed in his best shirt and trousers eating from a box of truffles.

"Did you make this?" she asked her hand gesturing towards the paper flower in her hair.

"Conrad was being a nag about birthday presents, this will shut him up and it'll be far more impressive then whatever he's purchased," Christopher said with an arrogant wave of his hand and Millie almost forgot her tears.

"A paper flower? Impressive?" she scoffed.

"Wait until your birthday party" Christopher grinned mischievously.

"And what will happen on my birthday?" Millie asked raising her eyebrows back.

"It's a surprise, I wouldn't want to spoil it"

"But I hate surprises" Millie protested.

"You'll love this one" he replied and Millie walked towards the mirror, Christopher jumped off his bed and soon they were facing one each other. Wordlessly they both touched the glass their fingers meeting in the reflection. The glass for a second rippled and felt like fresh water against their skin, it was a side affect they'd discovered when they'd first experimented with mirror spells.

"Will I just? It better not be a garish ball gown"

"You should wear bright colors more often, they suite you" he said and his hand in the reflection reached through the glass until suddenly it was cupping her own cheek in a familiar affectionate gesture.

"You wear enough bright colors for the both of us" she pointed out and Millie knew she shouldn't be indulging him that it wasn't going to last for much longer.

She'd had her reasons for pushing Christopher onto Amy after all.

"Elizabeth corned me in the maze this morning, she said you called me a silly boy" Christopher said with a small pout dropping his hand.

"Well you are a very silly boy sometimes Christopher" Millie pointed out a coy expression on her face and he laughed.

"I'll have to loose all those tendencies when I become Chrestomanci"

"I hope not, that's what I love about you best," Millie pointed out the expression on Christopher's face was both resigned and yet affectionate.

"Your friend Amy really is very interesting," he continued.

"Yes I know"
"Almost too interesting, almost as if some one decided that they wanted me to meet the most interesting you woman they could think of and placed an enthralling glamour in their gold bracelet" he added as an after thought.

For a moment Millie felt her breath still and she pulled away from the mirror.

"I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about"

"I'm sure you do"

"You never would have bothered to get to know her otherwise! And she'll make a lovely wife for you" Millie snapped irritably.

"Why are you so obsessed with marrying me off?" Christopher snapped back walking back to his bed while clicking fingers that lit up with magical energy the way they always did whenever he was about to have a nervous breakdown.

"I'm not obsessed I'm just trying to be practical, things cant keep going on like this Christopher we both know that" Millie said apprehensively her eyes trained firmly on his fingers.

"Remember your first kiss?" he suddenly asked.

"Of course I do" Millie muttered.

It had been a short while after Millie had run away and she'd still been sickly with the cold as she sat under the awning watching the freezing rain. Christopher had been next to her claiming that he was keeping her company but in reality he was avoiding Gabriel. She'd been wrapped under woolly blankets and he'd pulled at the top most layers until they both ducked underneath in musty darkness.

It had happened so quickly she'd almost missed it, her first kiss taken by Christopher.

It was so typical of him to have wanted to do something first.

"It doesn't have to be this way Millie, I don't have to marry one of your society friends because that's what gentlemen do," he pointed out.

"And what would you suggest? We run off to series five again like a bunch of children?" she asked.

"Well that's one possible scenario"

"Oh grow up Christopher" Millie snorted with a wave of her hand and the mirror clouded over before reflecting nothing but her own pensive face.

It was better off this way, it had to be.

All the teenagers in the castle knew perfectly well that whatever Millie and Christopher shared it wasn't a conventional friendship. Conner was the first one to notice when he'd asked Elizabeth quite blatantly during his first month in the castle " So is Millie Christopher's girlfriend then?" which had shocked every one who had been playing croquet at the time. Conner had then explained that in his world it was quite normal for teenagers to go out together and do things when they had no intention of ever getting married.

Elizabeth had then explained curtly that things were different and that Millie would never allow herself as a lady to be involved in such behavior.

Conner who had seen what Millie was capable of wasn't to sure about this but knew it was best not to say anything.

Still they'd all watched things thoughtfully, they noticed the letters Millie sent to Christopher on lavender perfumed paper and the fact that he dashed up to his private rooms every time one arrived.

They noticed the way that Millie would hug every one enthusiastically once arriving home, but she would merely give Christopher a cordial nod.

Elizabeth once she'd grown better at hiding her spells signature had set up a scrying spell in Millie's wardrobe and that was how every one had found out about Millie and Christopher's midnight card games and the unusual actives that often occurred afterwards.

Which was why it was so puzzling when Millie brought home all the girls and thrust Christopher amongst them.

"I was so sure that a marriage would be arranged once Millie became of age" Elizabeth gossiped with her best friend Henrietta.

"I know I've lost fifty pence on the bet I made with Bernard," snorted Henrietta.

"Something's wrong it's obvious that the two are madly in love and while it was amusing watching them try to hide their relationship its now getting beyond pathetic" sighed Elizabeth as they sat together on the balcony eating éclairs while sipping pots of heavily brewed tea.

"Yes well not all of us manage to whisk away handsome Italian scholars," Henrietta pointed out.

"Yes well nothing is certain yet, I'm sure that as soon as I meet Antonio's family they will take one look at me and then kick me out for not being a brunette Italian virgin"

"Well one out of three isn't entirely bad" smirked Henrietta.

"How on earth.."

"It's obvious that you've only ever held hands and exchanged sweet kisses under the willow tree, his a catholic wizard and when they sin they feel so guilty all their magical ability dies away," Henrietta said with a clever nod of her head.

"Well I suppose not all of us can be as adventurous as dear Millie, speaking of which she looked miserable this morning at breakfast"

"How could you tell? We had over sixty guests sitting at the long table Gabriel almost had a fit" recalled Henrietta.

"It will be something of a relief when this whole party ends" sighed Elizabeth.

"Yes speaking of which have you decided on what to wear? Impressions will of course be important"

"My blue satin of course"

"You two faced cow! We can't both be seen in the same color," Henrietta cried.

"Well how was I supposed to know you'd wear the blue? You've been wearing scarlet lately," Elizabeth pointed out.

"I was hoping to make an impression on the handsome dish with the dark skin and blond curls," sighed Henrietta clasping her hands together.

"Oh his much to old for you Henry! Besides I've heard his quite elfish" Elizabeth scoffed before taking another tea.

Henrietta shrugged her shoulders in a casual sort of way that indicated she didn't care what species a man was as long as he was handsome.

"I suppose I could concede to wearing the pink Organza, what of dear Millie then? Do you have any idea what she'll be wearing?" Henrietta asked as in the distance the group laborers setting up the giant tents for the party fell into the duck pond.

"Oh I don't know, knowing Millie it'll be something different," sighed Elizabeth wearily.

The night of the party was lovely, Miss Rosalie had worked hard with several wizard warlocks in order to insure it.

Millie secretly wanted something far more dramatic, when heroines were supposed to meet their fate it usually involved thunder and lightening.

Not pleasant summer evenings that smelt of magnolias.

But Millie wasn't a heroine she reflected, she wasn't beautiful or well.. Sultry.

Instead she was more like Catherine from Northhanger Abbey instead of Elizabeth from Pride and Prejudice.

Oh well, at least she'd get one nice party she'd always have that.

"Lovely" Miss Rosalie cried triumphantly when Millie's servant finished dressing her.

Millie supposed she did look lovely if not beautiful.

Her dress was the latest in style and a deep rose pink with frills and lace, a world away from the gowns the high priestesses wore in the temple.

"Um yes, lovely" Millie said diplomatically feeling as if she'd been swallowed in a three layer cake.

"And the finishing touch, my gift for you darling" Miss Rosalie said fastening a pearl necklace around her neck.

"This?" Millie asked her hands brushing against the smooth white orbs.

"Well my mother gave them to me when I became a young lady and what with me never having a daughter.." Miss Rosalie trailed off and Millie who had never had a mother bit the inside of her lip.

"They're lovely," she finally said demurely.

"You really have grown up to be such an enchanting thoughtful young lady, nothing like the wild cat hiding in Christopher's jumpers" Rosalie sighed.

Millie was startled for a moment, oddly enough she couldn't remember being that girl at all.

In a world without magic the parties of the rich and infamous are epic enough. They usually involve bands, food flown in from foreign parts, hundreds of fairy lights; tiny presents for the guests epic boutiques of flowers and if very lucky ice sculptures.

They also almost always had a theme.

The parties in worlds with magic were five times more impressive and were usually created at the fraction of the cost.

"An elephant, she hired an actual elephant" Christopher said gesturing vaguely towards the libraries window.

At least two hundred people were milling about, as a band played moving from towards the giant red gold tents, which had been set up to host the food.

"Actually she hired six elephants, why did you summon me Christopher? I was in the middle of putting my shoes on" Conrad sighed wearily.

"Six elephants! When I turned sixteen all I got was a cuff on the ear" Christopher snorted with disapproval.

"When you turned sixteen Gabriel boxed your ears because you got drunk in the wine cellar," Conrad reminded him.

"Yes well"

"And we did arrange a surprise party for you but you showed up pissed and fell asleep" Conrad continued.

"I was sixteen, it was my job to get drunk" snorted Christopher.

"Why am I here?" sighed Conrad wearily.

"I'm bored," Christopher pointed out.

"Then go outside, there's a live band elephant rides and a snake charmer" Conrad sighed wearily.

"I'm not going out there," Christopher cried.

"Oh so your missing a party because for once all the attention isn't for you?"

"No! I'm missing the party because those grounds are currently filled with she devils who will break your soul before closing off mirror spells" Christopher shrieked widely gesturing towards the party again.

"Oh come off it, they're not that bad" Conrad said sheepishly.

Christopher stared at his best friend suspiciously noticing that for once he'd managed to dress himself properly.

"What her name?" he asked and Conrad squirmed.

"Emma" he confessed.

"Emma! Well that's just BRILLIANT" Christopher yelled crackles of lightening dancing across his knuckles.

"Christopher what happened?" Conrad asked him gently.

"I wish I knew Grant, really I do" Christopher said waving his hands vaguely in the air.

"Well I know for a fact that you've spent every waking minute this week actually doing work and for you that's unheard of, I've never seen you skip cricket practice" Conrad said sitting down next to him, struggling into his left boot.

"Perhaps I want to extend my… intelligence" Christopher finally said.

"Also I haven't seen you with Millie once, she's always surrounded by her school friends now" Conrad continued.

Christopher didn't say anything he just stared at the table.

"And now you're not coming to the party"

"And you cant make me" Christopher pointed out.

"Yes your right I cant, but whatever you've done to make Millie furious the least you can do is wish her a happy birthday before she leaves. We both know she's the only person who really puts up with your rubbish and you owe her that much" Conrad replied and he tied up his laces.

Christopher didn't say anything at all and didn't even bother to look up when Conrad walked out of the library.

It took him a few moments before a thought occurred to him.

"Wait a second what do you mean leave?" he asked but he was alone.

Millie was alone.

Well not really, after all the grounds were filled with people dancing and drinking but she was in a sense alone in the pavilion.

It wasn't as if she wasn't have a fantastic time, she was but sometimes having an amazing time developed a certain thin quality after a couple of hours.

A ten-minute rest and she'd be more then ready to step out again and smile at everyone.

"Nice party" some one observed.

"Hello Conrad" Millie finally said without even bothering to turn around.

"I loved the belly dancers"

"We flew them in from Bombay" Millie recalled still distracted, still staring at all the happy dancing couples.

She felt his arm brush against hers and she smelt a familiar fruity perfume.

"Emma Conrad? Really!" she scolded him playfully and Conrad grimaced with embarrassment.

"She's very friendly," he confessed.

"Oh yes she's on good terms with Bradley from the boys school, half the cricket team and our Italian teacher Georgio" Millicent recalled leaning against the banister.

"Well she wasn't that friendly"

"My poor sweet little Conrad growing into such a man" Millie grinned playfully.

"And you've grown up into a big girl, that really is an amazing dress"

"Really? I feel like a cake in it"

"No the whole frilly pink thing suites you, reminds me of the fairy tale princesses from the movies I saw when I was a kid" Conrad said eyeing her with a small smile and in the darkness Millie blushed.

" Miss Rosalie says my figure is curvy and this style suites it best, whatever that means" she said her glove incased hands touching her pearl necklace.

"This really is an amazing party"

"It is isn't it?"

"And the thing is I cant remember anyone else quite getting a birthday party like this, but I do remember Gabriel telling me that no one can leave their world forever" mused Conrad.

Millie couldn't say anything.

"And then I noticed that you've invited every one, everyone you've ever known and it made me think of farewell parties" Conrad continued meaningfully.

"Oh must you always be right?" Millie asked with annoyance.

"When are you going?"

"As soon as the cake is cut"

"Oh that's just being silly" Conrad sighed.

"I can't really face anyone after"

"He doesn't know" Conrad pointed out.

"He doesn't care" Millie replied.

In the distance the band was beginning to play the song Goody Goody, one of Millie's favorites.

Conrad who had taken dancing lessons seriously when he'd fancied the instructor casually took Millie's hand leading her to the dancing couples.

"He does you know" Conrad began spinning Millie around.

"Does what?" Millie asked him.

"Care" he pointed out.

"I know and I really wish he wouldn't," sighed Millie.

"Because it'll make going away easier?" Conrad asked.

"He'll forget eventually, I've read enough books to know that much" Millie said.

"Christopher doesn't follow the rules of novels"

"By the way thank you for the one you gave me, I haven't read it yet"

"Don't change the subject," Conrad said mildly.

"Why not? It's my party and I'll be dismissive if I want to" Millie pointed out and then she glanced up with surprise when the band began to play her birthday song.

"What on earth" Millie began as two maids wheeled out a gigantic cake, it was purple, and silver concoction that made her feel vaguely ill.

"Birthday tradition and all that, surely you must have read about it in Millie's sweet sixteenth" laughed Elizabeth swooping upon Millie in a cloud of her own perfume.

"Yes but I never really thought it would involve so much music! I haven't had so much attention since the last goddess festival I attended" Millie said fanning her expansive chest with one hand.

"Well Millie darling now's the best part, blowing out the candles and making a wish" Elizabeth said grabbing her eagerly by one elbow leading Millie to the cake.

The candles danced in the twilight and it was a shame that Millie had to blow them all away, but still she respected traditions.

Also growing up in a world with magic meant that she'd learned to respect wishes and knew to take them seriously.

After all wishing for something gigantic often caused worlds to break into new series, and nobody wanted that.

For a moment she hesitated, well there was one thing she truly did want.

But instead she blew the candles without thinking, making no wish at all.

"What was your wish?" Conrad asked eagerly.

"Don't ask her that silly, it won't come true" she heard Elizabeth laugh but then quite suddenly she heard a crow of excitement and her gaze turned away from the burning candles.

Amy along who was huddled with the other girls from her dormitory was pointing upwards at the sky and when Millie glanced up she saw a paper rose begin to fall.

It looked suspiciously like the one Christopher gave her.

When it hit the grass it fluttered unfurling itself and then suddenly the paper grew expanding and twisting until it resembled a rose bush created entirely out of paper.

Millie sighed, typical Christopher always having to make a dramatic statement.

Then suddenly the paper bush burst into full bloom and Millie laughed as hundreds of red roses burst all over the branches, each made of tissue thin silky paper.

"Hang on some ones written all over the flowers" Elizabeth remarked, Millie ran forward tripping over her skirts and picked one of the flowers.

Millie held the rose to her face inhaling a deep musky fragrance that reminded her of the aftershave Christopher's father had bought him for Christmas.

Words had been written across the paper in thick spiky blank handwriting and Millie slowly twirled the flower around trying to read the inscription.

"Oh" she finally finished and Conrad placed his hand on her shoulder.

"You know it's a big cake, it'll take awhile to cut" he said gently and the entire party watched faintly stunned as the birthday girl kicked off her shoes and ran across the pristine green grounds heading towards the castle.

In the library there was a faint hissing sound as the final oil lamp died with a splutter causing the room the plunge into darkness. Technically the room should have been lit up with magic but when a nine lifed enchanter was about the environment tended to reflect their moods.

In fact the entire castle had been on an emergency lock down when Christopher had discovered his first pimple.

"Oh Christopher" Millie said surveying the room in general.

"Oh nothing" Christopher snorted a sulky expression on his face.

Millie merely walked towards him her dress swish swishing against the stone floor.

Warily Christopher glanced upwards and he allowed his gaze to linger.

In the darkness Millie shone deep blue and black, the silk of her dress flowing against the wooden floor.

"I liked my present" Millie finally said sitting next to him her skirts billowing around her.

"Liked?"

"Well I loved it, it was very creative" Millie finally said knowing how much he loved to be appreciated.

"I was inspired by that old song"

"What old song?"

"Oh you know the one about the tree growing and it's all.. Oh I don't know I heard Elizabeth sing it once" Christopher said dismissively.

Millie allowed her eyes to trail towards the books Christopher had been studying; the nearest one that had been tossed aside out of sheer frustration read, "Advance life displacement theory".

"Interesting research, I thought Gabriel had you doing weather manipulation charms?" Millie asked him.

"He was" Christopher said and Millie unfurled the paper rose again clearing her voice.

"This is the story of how Christopher met his Millie, it begins with a death, Christopher's of course which is odd all things considering," she read out loud.

"I didn't actually write it, the spell wrote all the descriptive bits," Christopher admitted reluctantly.

"Well I've never really thought of you as a novelist, does the rest of the bush contain the entire story?" Millie asked.

"Hmm"

"Clever" Millie said rubbing her hand against his shoulder.

"I suppose you'll take it with you" he said instead and she withdrew her hand.

"Christopher.." she began.

"I'm not stupid, I've figured it all out Millie"

"Christopher it\s not like I have much of a choice, do you want me to fade away forever?" she reminded him and suddenly she felt his fingers entwine with hers.

"Well of course not, I'd miss you eventually" he admitted snottingly but he squeezed her palm.

"Then this is the way it has to be"

"I've decided to come with you" Christopher said and Millie sighed.

"Oh don't be ridicules"

"I can stay in other worlds Millie and I've always enjoyed your home, when people are not killing me of course" Christopher said, almost pleading with her now.

Millie couldn't bring herself to lie to him but nor could she speak the truth either.

The problem with being a goddess or a chrestomanci was that you never could leave home; sooner or later it always came down to duty.

Soon the time would come when Christopher would push his cricket bat into the back of his wardrobe, her home wasn't the right place for him.

"Let's finish reading my present," she said instead and he smiled at her as if truly believing the crisis was over.

Christopher was asleep by midnight, amongst dozens of unfurled roses and the libraries squashy old lounges.

Millie curled forward cat like with a small yawn unfurling the final rose, the paper bush now stripped bare.

I "And then Millie stared at him, half between being asleep and awake. In all the stories she'd ever read true love had been so crystal, had come so easily but this was life and full of messes and complications. Being a goddess meant knowing the difference between life and death, the old and the young, sooner or later things wore down and things came to an end.

It was part of life, but when you were fifteen and you experienced your first kiss you secretly thought it would last forever. Her eyes dropped as he stirred and she realized that this was the time to say good-bye, and so she did and she brushed his hair back from her forehead one last time.

The end" /I

Millie's hand dropped from Christopher's forehead and the paper fell to the floor.

Gabriel took her to his garden between worlds and touched her shoulder briefly, saying goodbye as the doorway opened. Suddenly the world was nothing more then a twisted valley of fog and rain and Millie could feel dew settle against the silk of her dress as she left her old world behind.

"Millie? Are you Millie?" somebody asked and Millie turned around before recognizing a familiar face.

"Tacroy? I thought you were in South Asia?" she asked.

"I am but obviously spirits can go anywhere" he grinned and Millie felt her old world slip away as she stepped into the place between.

"And?"

"Gabriel sent a message, he wants some one to accompany you to your home world" Tacroy said gently and Millie felt herself pull back for a second.

But as much as she wanted her new life to go on forever she didn't want to die.

"Take my hand Millie" Tacroy smiled kindly and Millie reached forwards.

Her magic spluttered and then connected firming up his spirit and together they traveled forwards.

Christopher stirred in his sleep his body suddenly very aware that the warmth next to it was missing, his eyes opened and he realized instantly that Millie was gone.