Disclaimer for the story: Sadly, I do not own Strange Magic, although I do have the DVD that I play once a week.
I should be working on my work-in-progress but this idea demanded to be written. This is how Imp became Aura's pet cat. Constructive advice is appreciated but please refrain from criticism. Enjoy!
Aura growls as she maneuvers through the crowded market, her blue-silver tail twitching in agitation at the scent hitting her nose. Magic. Love magic at that. She was close and when she finds that scoundrel, he was going to pay dearly. That...that...that imp!
She wasn't a vengeful witch by nature but there were some things that sent her in a fury. Those that messed with love was definitely high on that list and cleaning up other peoples' messes is a very close match. He's managed to perturb her on both. Her ears swivel toward the sound of shouting before flatting to her skull. Great, another mess to clean up.
One more step materializes a medieval noblewoman walking where a blue-silver Turkish Angora once walked and Aura quickly strides to the commotion in the castle courtyard. The flag crests of two different kingdoms nearly make her groan at the likelihood of a war resulting from his latest attempt to influence love, especially with how violent that princess looks.
"How could you," the not-so-ladylike princess screams?
"Ah swear this isnae what it looks like," the distressed prince insists, trying to pry a young maiden from off his waist.
"It looks like your strumpet doesn't want you to marry and that you have no honor, you bastard son of a peasant," the princess growls.
"Now see here," the prince growls back, his distraction causing the girl to cling tighter! "Ah dinnae even know this lass! She came here but a wee bit ago and started clinging to me for naw reason."
"A likely story...," the princess starts.
"May I be of assistance, your highnesses," Aura interrupts.
"Whae be ye," the prince questions?
"Madam Aura Plum, your highness," Aura curtsies. "I am a sorceress and I deal with matters of the heart. My powers show greatly of your affection to the princess and your distress of her anger."
The princess scoffs at that before turning her head and crossing her arms. Aura restrains herself from laughing at the pretend indifference because she can clearly see how happy her words make the royal and the blushing cheeks are quite the giveaway as well.
"I can also see the princess' great affection for you," Aura continues, smiling as blushing cheeks brighten red. "There was no dealings between this maiden and his highness, for her affections are false and bespelled. To break the hold of the one who charmed her, I need one who knows her. Is there someone here who knows this maiden and how her false affections came to be?"
"I do," a young lad comments, hovering near the courtyard entrance. "We were near the inn stables discussing the wedding and how wonderful it would be when a nobleman passed by. I think he was a nobleman, anyway, because he was dressed in finery. When she mentioned how lovely it would be to marry a prince, the fellow pulled out a satchel and threw some pink dust onto her and then soon after, she ran here."
Aura holds in the scream she wants to let loose. He was close but first, she had to fix this before she went after him. Smiling gently, she bids the lad to enter the courtyard.
"Though she is bespelled, I can sense her affection for you underneath the fog within her mind," Aura mentions, smiling further at the lad's delight. "It is as great as your affection for her. So, let your mind rest at ease of your fear that she would reject you because of your apprenticeship at the tanners. I'm sure their highnesses will arrange for the innkeeper to accept your offer for her hand. First, you must save his highness from further embarrassment."
Quick maneuvering changes the maiden's grip around the prince's waist to the lad's waist and he grips her back at Aura's instruction. The witch cover's the maiden's eyes before whispering into her ear for her heart to open its eyes. Once the maiden no longer resists the clutching hold, Aura takes her hand off and beams as the two lovers embrace for real.
She accepts no payment from the reconciling royal lovers but that they see that the innkeeper does not obstruct the tanner's apprentice from marrying his bondservant. The princess happily agrees and even gives an oath to pay the maiden's debt. After giving both couples a magic blessing, Aura returns to her hunt. He can't have gone too far.
"When I get my hands on him, I'm going to rip out every last piece of hair on his body," Aura growls.
The nearby peasants look uneasy at such vehemence coming from the noblewoman as she passes through the tournament grounds and quickly scurry out of her way. Aura pays no mind to their fear as she scans the arena for her quarry. He won't escape her this time.
Screams distract her and she turns her attention to the noise. A galloping horse careens after a burly youth and though he weaves around obstruction after obstruction, the Belgian Draft mare follows after. Oh, for goodness sake! Whoever heard of a horse falling in love with a human?
Aura calmly walks through the crowd running past her and approaches the running lad. His fearful expression quickly turns into amazement as the witch grabs the horse's loose rope and the giant mare holds still instantly. Almost still anyway, as she whinnies frantically and tries to reach her head toward the lad.
"Now, now, that's enough," Aura coos to the distressed animal. "You know you're affections cannot become what you desire them to be. He is a human and you are a horse, as such you must not love him as you would a stallion."
The mare whines and nudges her head against the witch's hand. She hated failed love or unrequited love but most of all, Aura just hated having to break some poor creature's heart, be they human or animal. How could that imp do this? Forcing this mare to love someone that she cannot be with is...well, it's positively demonic!
"You are amazing, my lady," the youth praises as he approaches cautiously! "I thought for sure that she would trample me in her rage."
"It is not rage that she feels, lad," Aura remarks. "Do you know how this came to be?"
"I'm not entirely sure how but I do know that the Earl Marshal has offered her and a knight's rank to anyone who can ride her without saddle or bridle," the youth answers. "I was by the corral watching as many tried and failed. A nobleman was watching with me and I told him that I'd love a horse like her. Next thing I knew, he pulled out a satchel and threw some pink dust onto her as she passed by, then she charged through the fence after me."
Aura sighs and holds back her groan. He was probably far gone by now, just like last time. At least there may be some remedy to the poor mare's heartbreak.
"Were you going to try to ride her as well," Aura asks?
"I'm an orphan with no family name and by the time I would have been allowed a turn, surely someone would have been able to win the Earl Marshal's challenge," the youth murmurs sadly before sighing. "She is a fine mare."
Smiling at the mare's happy prancing, Aura coaxes the lad to astride her back and soothes his fear as she hands him the rope. Horse and rider move in happy unison, just in time for the Earl Marshal to arrive, to which Aura reminds the nobleman of his word as he seems to balk at having a nameless knight. She bids the lovestruck mare goodbye with whispered words that not all love has to be romantic and then she requires an oath from the youth that he would always care for the mare with the same devotion as he does this day. With the oath given, Aura returns to her hunt.
"What has he done now," Aura groans out?
The sign posted on the castle walls give little comfort to the witch. Then again, why would any advertisement declaring the royal sanctioned hunting of all magic workers give her any comfort at all? This had that imp written all over it and now everyone has to pay for his folly.
Ignoring her unease, Aura boldly marches into the castle with great hope that not one of those so-called witch hunters doting the premises even had a glimmer of thought that she was a witch. Fools. She easily gains entrance into the royal court and bows before the king and queen.
"What is your business here, Madam," the king asks genially?
"I have come to inquire of why their Majesties has declared death to all magic workers," Aura answers, keeping her voice neutrel.
"Because they can't be trusted," the queen growls! "A sorcerer has cast a spell on the princess and not one magic worker in the kingdom will take it off."
"A sorcerer's spell, your majesty," Aura murmurs? "I ask for your generous patience. I wish to be of service and inquire of what happened."
"A few days ago, the royal chef was serving frog soup, a delicacy that I most enjoy," the king starts. "The princess, however, hates it with a great passion and made an unfortunate scene in front of our guests. One of our guests was someone that we thought was a nobleman but when the chef lamented later about the princess' hatred for frog and that he wished she loved them, he revealed himself to be a sorcerer. That blackguard found the princess in the gardens, pulled out a satchel and threw some pink dust onto her and then she fell in love with a frog!"
"We called in every magic worker in the kingdom and not one has broken the princess' horrific infatuation," the queen comments before shuddering. "She's been kissing that creature nearly non-stop."
"I think I can be of service, your majesties," Aura remarks. "This blackguard you speak of is one that I've been hunting myself for he has caused great trouble. You see, I am a sorceress and I have great experience in fixing what that imp has done."
Nearly laughing at the foolish threats of what will happen if she fails, Aura follows the royals to the gardens and nearly gags with the queen. That poor creature! The frog looks absolutely miserable being dotted on with kisses. It also looks half-dead.
"Has she been letting that poor thing go so that it can eat," Aura whispers?
"Nope," the king mutters. "She even carries it to her bed."
"I see the problem that the others had in breaking the spell. The princess has no one that she has set her affections on and therefore, all of her heart has set her affections of the frog. But," Aura murmurs, holding at hand up at the royals' rage. "I can remedy this, only slightly though, as long as your majesties do not mind a son-in-law who is not a high-ranking nobleman but at least he is human. Many years ago, I had cursed a squire who tried to rescue a princess, who did not want to be rescued, from a neighboring king for the sole purpose of becoming a knight and gaining her kingdom. I turned him into a frog and now the lad has learned his lesson about love. I'm sure with the princess' eager affection, it won't take long for him to fall under her own spell."
Getting the king and queen's enthusiastic approval, Aura approaches the loving maiden. The princess turns hostile and hugs the poor frog to her bosom.
"You're not taking my froggy-wogggy from me," the princess growls.
"Of course not, your highness," Aura reassures. "I just came to help you with the spell..."
"You're just like the others but there isn't any spell on me," the princess interrupts.
"But what about the spell on him," Aura questions, motioning to the frog?
"There's a spell on him," the princess asks?
"Yes, he is actually a human but I'm afraid your kisses aren't enough to break it. You need a little magic help to set him free," Aura explains, holding out her hand. "I will help you but I must have your oath that you will still love him after the spell is broken and he sheds his froggy form."
The princess quickly hands over the frog and gives her oath, watching with rapt attention as Aura covers the amphibian with both hands. Pink light shines through the cracks of her fingers as Aura switches this frog with the cursed squire back in her home.
"Remember the lesson you learned or I'll turn you back into a frog for the king's dinner. Do I make myself clear," Aura whispers into her closed hands?
The resulting ribbit makes her smile as Aura hands him to the princess and instructs her to kiss the frog once more. The relieved king and queen profusely thank Aura as the princess kisses the non-cursed squire and immediately send word for the advertisements to be destroyed. With head held high, Aura walks proudly past the so-called witch hunters and heads in the direction that imp was spotted journeying.
"So, I have finally found you," Aura murmurs!
She wasn't sure what she expected to see when she would catch that miserable miscreant but the handsome fellow before her was definitely not it. If it isn't for the scent of magic flowing into her twitching nose, she would have been positive that this couldn't be her quarry. He is no dark sorcerer with his light-colored clothing and his white hair could make one believe that is was from age if not for his youthful appearance. He doesn't appear to be a novice with how precise his hands flow as he mixes the potions without looking at the spellbook but surely she would have come across him before if he had a long history of meddling with love.
No matter. She will deal with him and he will stop his heartless acts. Aura jumps away from his windowsill to creep back to the brush and toward the beaten path before shifting form. Maintaining a noblewoman's dignity is hard as she walks toward his cabin. She would rather curse him and be done with it but one must be fair. If he isn't a dark sorcerer messing around with people's feeling for the fun of it then it is quite possible that he doesn't realize the damages that he's done and will mend his ways with a mild rebuke.
"Saluti, mia gentildonna," the warlock greets happily after she knocks on his door! "I am Ignatius the Magnifico Sorcerer! How may I assist you?"
"Italian," Aura muses.
"Scusare, I mean, forgive me. I've been in Italia many...years and I have grown accustomed to the speech," Ignatius stammers, his accent heavy. "Now, I have returned to my true home."
Aura hums in understanding, her heart panging at the thought of her own long abandoned true home in Russia but unlike this Ignatius, she won't be able to return. His pause suggests that those years were more like centuries which explains why she never came across him before and it also suggests that he is quite old, possibly as old as her. This might be easy to remedy, even with all the hassle that she's gone through these past few months.
"I understand, Signore Ignatius," Aura remarks. "I am Madam Aura Plum and my business with you is more of a list of complaints. You see, you have been causing much trouble these past months with love magic."
"No, no, I have not been causing problems. I have been spreading love," Ignatius insists, beaming joyfully. "People need love and I've been helping!"
"No, you have not been helping but causing much harm," Aura remarks. "A maiden to fall in love with a prince on his wedding day, a horse to fall in love with a human, a princess to fall in love with a frog, and far more then I'd care to mention, have made many people unhappy including them."
"You do not understand," Ignatius growls. "Everyone that my potion helps is happy because they get the courage to act on their love. Love is pure and should not be limited."
"Even love must be limited in some degree or the consequences can be fatal," Aura growls. "For example, romantic love should only exist between two of the same species."
"You do not understand about love," Ignatius remarks, turning back to his table! "Maybe you need love. Love with a donkey!"
Ignatius blinks as his outstretched hand freezes with his potion still clutched in his clenched fist. One minute he was turning around to dust this vexing woman and now he couldn't move. Her smug expression wasn't helping his confusion any.
"Ah ha, your power is limited to potions. That will make this much easier," Aura murmurs. "Now, you deal with me! I have tried to be cordial but you have tested my patience. Since you thought to make me love a donkey, I'll turn you into one and you'll stay that way until you truly understand love."
Aura grins as her power wraps around the frozen warlock. She wasn't a vengeful witch by nature but this time she finds pleasure as the tall illuminated form before her shifts. Her smile falls as he shrinks smaller and smaller until the pink light disappears to reveal a white Turkish Angora. How did that happen?
"Oh, silly me, I forgot," Aura mutters, shaking her head. "That spell can't turn another magic worker into something they're not. It is fascinating that we have a common shape-shift, though."
The white cat growls its displeasure at her before jumping onto the worktable. Aura watches in amusement as he attempts to maneuver his vials into a clean bowl. Figuring that it will take a while, she puts the kettle over the fire to boil some tea and makes herself comfortable in his rather plushy chair. I wonder how long it will take him to figure out that only the one who cast the spell can break the spell?
"Imp! Quick trying to break my things," Aura growls after her newest customers leave!
The white cat twitches its tail in annoyance before pushing at the wooden carving in her hands with his head. Aura rolls her eyes at the troublemaker and places the songbird into a drawer. It was on days like this that she regretted turning that warlock into a cat. She was tempted just to break the spell and get rid of him but he still didn't understand.
It was hilarious the first few months of their acquaintance. His distaste at being called Imp, his rage at realizing only Aura could break the spell and that his magic was semi-restrained until it was broken, even to his reluctant compliance when he returned to her side after disappearing for several weeks. They were all amusing but that was several decades ago and now he found a new way to annoy her. It was hard enough in this unfriendly time for magic workers and she didn't need him chasing away any customers who traveled to her door...well, his door since his house was much nicer than her temporary one and he had made a rather heart-tugging plea.
A timid knock makes her beam and despite her eagerness, Aura calmly opens the door. Oh good, the couple returned! Another crash makes her wince and she nearly drops the old woman act as she turns to inspect Imp's latest mischief. The white cat calmly grabs the songbird carving from within the broken drawer and brings it to the doorway.
"My apologies, dearies," Aura comments. "I fear my cat is in a naughty mood. Please come in and rest yourselves by the fire, he'll mean you no harm."
"Thank you, Granny Plum," the lad remarks, leading the maiden to the fireplace.
Imp swipes at Aura's leg before dropping the carving onto her foot. The witch resists kicking him with all her might but his pointed look to the maiden deflates her anger. Maybe he wasn't being bad, after all, because it was rather unusual for him to mess with her carvings. A little gentle persuasion reveals her guests' dilemma. Seems the maiden had sold her voice to dark witch because her father forbade her to marry the one she loves and instead wanted her to marry a suitor that he chose. The witch had given her a potion that changed her looks to keep her father from finding her but now her beloved was distressed about all she gave up for him. It is an easy fix with the amount of love the couple has and after making sure they're fully fed, Aura bids that talking couple goodbye.
"You're forgiven," Aura comments to the grinning white cat. "But do refrain from scaring our customers or we'll both go hungry!"
Aura sighs a bit sorrowfully as she peers at the sleeping cat on his plushy chair by the fireplace. It may have taken her a while but now that she realizes it, she couldn't in good conscience ignore the implications. It is a pity, though. She had gotten rather fond of him and their routines. Dealing with his antics while trying not to laugh, curling up next to him in her own cat form to sleep, sometimes even playing like a pair of kittens, and then there are those wonderful sessions of mutual grooming. The companionship had stopped being so strained many decades ago, within months of knowing him if she is being truthful, and she just hates to lose it.
Imp yawns as he uncurls himself and stretches his claws out. He looks around before bounding up onto the windowsill with Aura and starts to groom her furry head. He purrs as she returns the grooming but pauses as he feels something change within his being. That is odd, it almost feels like his magic. He barely notices Aura jumping off the windowsill in his confusion. However, the sight of human hands pulling a magic bag from underneath the bed catches his attention and he meows his question.
"Yes, I am leaving," Aura answers, packing her things into the bottomless space. "It's time for me to go elsewhere, Ignatius."
Imp cocks his head at her weird behavior. He couldn't even blame it on female problems since the spell they both had used centuries ago to stay ageless had in fact stopped time as far as their bodies were concerned. He jumps from the windowsill and falls flat against the floor. He rolls onto his back and moans in pain as he clutches his face, quite sure that his nose is broken.
"Oh, for goodness sake! How on earth did you manage to do that," Aura asks?
She quickly kneels beside him to pry his hands away and dabs the blood before inspecting his nose. Aura tsks at him and gently corrects the stubbed snoot. After giving a bit of magic numbing to it, she returns to her packing.
"Are you going to tell me where we're going," Ignatius asks?
Ignatius freezes as he registers what just happened and he lifts his bloody hands to stare at them. Human hands! A quick inspection reveals his whole human form. Quickly, he gets to his feet and stops the witch's packing.
"You undid the curse," Ignatius states. "Why?"
"Because you understand love, now," Aura remarks. "I should have noticed it a while ago but it wasn't until last night as I contemplating what happened yesterday that I realized that you were against something that you used to approve of. That cad's desire to marry the duchess while also wanting to take his half-sister as a mistress was deplorable and it was clear that you agreed when you dropped that incubus stone carving onto his foot."
"That was funny watching him hop around on one foot," Ignatius laughs. "It was worth dragging it up to the rafters."
Aura chuckles with the reminder and spares at look at her newest pet hanging in a bird cage. The disgruntled mouse turns its tail towards them at their laughter before burrowing into the hay. Her merriment doesn't last long and she returns to her packing, only to growl in frustration as Ignatius takes out two items for every one item she puts in.
"What are you doing," Aura asks?
"Where do you think you're going," Ignatius counters, emptying the bag and tossing it back under the bed?
Deciding not to argue with him, Aura moves to grab the magic bag again but instead squeaks as Ignatius picks her up by the waist to carry her to the fireplace. It doesn't help that her lapse of concentration causes her glamour to fall to reveal her own youthful appearance. Nor does it help when the insufferable warlock sits down in his plush chair and traps her on his lap between strong arms.
"Are you blushing, Aura? My, my, I never thought I'd live to see that," Ignatius teases. "Well, now that you're trapped, answer my question. Where do you think you're going?"
"To find a new dwelling, you silly dolt," Aura remarks, trying but failing to get out of the steel-like bands. "I'd rather find something before nightfall tonight, so do let go!"
"You have a home right here and it's a perfectly good one if I do say so myself," Ignatius comments.
"This is your home," Aura points out. "Now that you're free from my curse, it's high time I find my own dwelling. You know as well as I do, that magic workers cannot dwell together peacefully."
"We've been dwelling peacefully together for the last century," Ignatius remarks, chuckling at her snorted laughter. "Come now, Aura. Would it be so bad to stay here?"
Ignatius gauges the witch's mood carefully. He'd rather not get cursed again but she just has to listen. He's grown rather fond of this vexing woman and it will be an awful shame to go back to his lonely existence if he can't convince her. Ah ha, found it!
"You might as well stop trying to argue. You want to stay and we both know it," Ignatius quips, grinning wider at her glare. "Your mouth may say no but your heart says yes and the heart never lies, remember?"
"You were listening," Aura beams happily!
"Of course, I listened. Though, I actually tried to see the heart just to prove you wrong," Ignatius admits sheepishly. "Then it took me a while to recognize the differences between the varied aspects of love and also the emotions that masquerade as it. I never realized how complicated love really is but at the same time it's quite simple."
"Love is simple and that's what makes it complicated but oh so special," Aura sighs. "Heart-sight is an invaluable tool to keep from making a mistake."
"I might have done a lot of things differently had I known that someone saying the word love didn't necessarily mean that," Ignatius groans. "So, are you going to stay? I forgot how wonderful it is to have a companion around and it would be bothersome if you left. I might even have to follow you and make a real imp of myself."
Aura snorts and jabs her elbow into the man's ribs. She couldn't believe she was actually considering this. It was a disaster in the making but she had been rather lonesome herself since her exile from Russia, a feeling that was missing this past century. Not to mention, she was melancholy all last night and this morning at the thought of separating from him.
"You do realize you're going to have to change your appearance. It would look bad for Granny Plum to have a 'young' man living in her home and we don't need to discourage what few customers that don't care about the public's new opinion about magic workers," Aura remarks. "We might be able to pass you off as my son or grandson or even an apprentice but it would be a lot easier for people to accept your assistance if you looked older yourself."
"We'll just do what we've been doing and as far as anyone is concerned, nothing has changed. You deal with the customers and I will be the witch's unusual cat," Ignatius comments. "In truth, I hate dealing with customers and always have. I spelled and left as soon as possible, which is why I never realized the trouble my potions made because I wasn't around to see it. People and I don't really get along."
"I haven't noticed," Aura deadpans, trying not to smile at his laughter. "What makes you think that we'll be able to get along now that you are back to normal?"
"Easy, like you said several decades ago, our magic is very similar with the only difference being that you're limited to spells and I'm limited to potions. Think of all the great magic we could do together," Ignatius remarks excitedly, spreading his arms!
The warlock growls in frustration as Aura takes his lapse in concentration and escapes off his lap. He watches as she smoothes down her rumpled dress and fixes her glamour before moving to the cupboard. Well, it was getting to breakfast time but he was comfortable with her being right where she was. With her turned back, the unsuspecting witch doesn't notice the mischievous smile gracing her housemate's face.
"You know, I've been thinking, Aura," Ignatius mentions nonchalantly. "My love potion is still useable..."
"Imp," Aura warns!
"Hear me out," Ignatius pleas! "I've learned the error of my ways and you're right. No creature should be forced to love another against its own will, be it through magic or coercion. Now, what I've been thinking is that my potion could be modified and with help from your spells, we could make a potion that works with a person's heart. A potion that could make a person see what they refuse to see by using their own heart to show them. We might even be able to make it strong enough to affect the person they desire so that the true feelings of both are revealed to themselves and to the other."
Aura pauses in her food gathering and hums in contemplation. It is an interesting idea. After all, her spells could only do so much and it all depends on if the person is willing to see the truth. A potion that could work on the most stubborn of hearts would be very effective, especially if it worked in tandem with the heart of the person of their affection. Now, if they could make the potion just right then it wouldn't be them manipulating the people's heart but their own heart using the potion's magic to ensure that they would never again have to doubt if their loved one loved them. Just the thought of all the heartbreak that could be prevented makes the idea very thrilling and it would also save her from having so many pets.
"What brought about this idea," Aura questions, returning to pulling out food?
"Do you remember that lad a few years ago when we traveled a bit, the one you turned into a dog," Ignatius asks, getting a hum of agreement? "It got me thinking about how odd it was that he chased after a maiden who clearly didn't hold no more than loose affection for him while he had a maiden who clearly loved him with all her heart and he didn't even see it. I can understand his loyalty to the first since she was the first person in his life besides his parents to show him kindness but it seemed reckless to keep being excessively devoted to her when she showed no devotion to him. It wasn't until after he ignored your words and then you cursed him did he realize for himself the truth of not only his own heart but also the truth of both maidens' heart. Then I got to thinking about my own predicament and I realized that it took being forced to see the truth for me to understand the truth."
"It just might work but...," Aura starts.
Ignatius holds his laughter at the squeak from the witch's mouth. It wasn't that hard with his mouth a little preoccupied against the delicate skin adorning Aura's throat while his wicked hands rob her glamour away again with gentle caresses. Cat-like stealth comes in quite handy.
"Breakfast can wait," Ignatius mutters, kissing a line up her jaw. "I can think of a much better way to celebrate being human again."
"You are such an imp," Aura growls, trying to keep roaming hands in acceptable places! "You had better behave when other people are around."
"No problem," Ignatius remarks. "I'll just stay a cat whenever people are nearby. It's a much less hassle and something that I'm used to doing anyway. Besides, cats don't pay taxes."
Torn between wanting to hit him but also wanting him to continue his affectionate ministrations, Aura muses that Ignatius was correct about one thing that first day they met. She did fall in love with a donkey, after all.
Tea Blend.
I do love shipping Plum with Imp and yes, Ignatius' whole reason for staying as Imp the cat is to avoid taxes. That imp.