Leave of Absence
Prompt 097: Truth
The woman woke up the next day with the greatest headache the world had known at this side of the world. She groaned out loud, and frowned at the seeping rays of sunlight that filtered through the half open windows. That was weir she hadn't open her windows in three months. Getting up, picking up the pieces for memories she had from the previous day, the woman walked to the hallway, freezing t sight. It was clean.
The girl from the day before stood there, smiling at her, with mop and bucket cleaned the wood.
"Finally, sleeping beauty awakes." The woman stared at Becky, frowning and groaning.
"Who are you?"
"I came yesterday remember? With Balthazar Blake."
"The Blake was really here? I thought it was a dream." The woman walked to the bathroom, trapping herself there. Becky heard the sound of water running, then the woman retching and the toilet been flushed. Returning to the now clean kitchen she saw Balthazar cutting up some onions for an omelet.
"Good news, she's awake." He nodded, and kept at work, while Becky pulled out some water and pain killers from the cabinet.
During the time the woman spent sleeping Balthazar had gotten busy cleaning the kitchen, so Becky took that as initiative and cleaned the living room and hallway. They had tossed a coin, Balthazar cleaned the bathroom while Becky found a small shop and did a little grocery shopping. The look on his face when Heather returned almost made her feel sorry for him. Almost. So they were getting ready for breakfast, to hopefully be forgiven for the intrusion, and got the woman some powerful pain killers for her powerful hangover. They had also thrown out all of the alcohol to try and get the woman clean of her vice and probably convince her to get back to work. The shower started and they both worked to have breakfast ready before the woman came out of the bathroom.
"Let's hope she likes onions in her omelets." Murmured Balthazar as the woman hurried from the bathroom to the room, and then came out, dressed and ready to face the world. Although still hung over and looking miserable.
"So you guys were real?" it sounded as if she were visited by many hallucinations. She looked around the room, frowning. "You cleaned my house."
"Sure, we had no where else to go right?" Said Becky delivering some pain killers beside one of the plates and the woman looked at the table.
"And you made me breakfast?"
"Had a lot of free time." Said Balthazar, pouring juice and sitting at the table, pulling a clean hankie to cover his lap, Becky did the same and they looked at the woman. "Are you joining us?"
The painkillers convinced her. She hurried to sit, and Becky smiled at her. "Hi, I'm Becky, and this is Balthazar Blake. What's your name?" Balthazar's eyes lifted, looking at the woman.
"I'm Heather."
"Nice to meet you Heather. Sorry for invading…"
"She invited us in, remember?" Becky could not believe he was been so nasty. Thank God he'd liked her if not she might have been frightened of him when they meet for the second time.
"…but we need to talk to you." Becky gave Balthazar a dirty look and then smiled at Heather who had swallowed the pills and was currently downing the water.
"Oh God I feel like I'm dying." Said the woman, in a moan, before slamming her head against the table, what proved to be the wrong move. Balthazar buttered his toast and ate breakfast rolling his eyes and shaking his head.
Two hours later the woman was capable of coherent thought, minus pain. She had been enraged because of them throwing out all of her booze but then sat on her sofa and stared at them with a confused stare. "Why are you here anyway? Is not like I can help you." They had explained to her the trip and reason for it, and she just stared at them. Becky turned to Balthazar, finally hoping to listen for a good explanation.
"A thousand years ago one of your forefathers forged a ring for one of Merlin's apprentice: he used a very special technique, new at the time, to create a unique piece of jewelry."
"A ring, encasing an emerald, I know."
"I need you to recreate this ring." Was Balthazar's quiet plea, the woman stared at him for a second and then laughed.
"Right, as if I could." She stopped laughing. "I haven't touch hammer, haven't lighted fire for fifty years, do you have any idea how long it would take for me to re-acquaintance myself with those items? With the technique? Not to say that the materials needed to make the ring had been long out of stock." She said, sarcastically, but Balthazar picked the blue bag and quickly ripped the zipper's open pulling out the chest, opening it and showing her the broken ring and stones. There was wonder, professional wonder, in her eyes as she leaned to take a closer look. But then pulled away. "Sorry, I don't' know what those are."
Balthazar gave her a look. Becky arched an eyebrow at her. "What?"
"you know what these are!" Said Becky, obvious to the situation.
"What made you give up the hammer?" Asked Balthazar by now curious.
The woman smiled. "I wanted to be normal. People always wonder why I am a smithy and saying family tradition isn't cutting it anymore you know? I want some sort of normalcy." She said, sort of defeated.
"Oh please, you can be normal and a smithy! Becky here is normal, and she's the Prime Merlinian's girlfriend. I am normal and my wife just got out of a thousand year old imprisonment. Inside a nesting doll, with an evil sorceress merged to her soul." The woman turned to Balthazar surprised.
"Morgana has been defeated?"
"Yes, three months ago."
"The Prime Merlinian was found, really?"
"Yeah, in New York City." The woman laughed and afterwards got up.
"In New York city," More laughter followed, and she got up, moving towards the kitchen. "Then why search me out? The job's done, right?" She asked as she opened the now stocked fridge finding a bottle or orange juice and pulling it out. Balthazar followed her.
"My ring shattered after a battle with Horvath; to defeat him and finish Dave's training I need my ring." The woman, listened, gulping some juice.
"But his reason for training is done with, right? He doesn't have to become a sorcerer if he doesn't want to." Balthazar frowned.
"Why wouldn't he want to finish training?"
"Unlike old times, Blake, he won't need magic to survive."
"Of course he does, magic is his way of life."
"Not anymore. Sorcery is a thing of the past, now science and technology rule the world. Hence you are not needed, nor am I needed." She finished her juice and Balthazar just stared at her. Becky listened to the conversation with a little surprise, who would have thought Dave could have stopped practicing weeks ago.
"Sorcery is an art, probably not many know about it, but to hold the power to protect those who need it, to serve a greater good, can be satisfying to us who continue the art."
"Does the Prime Merlinian know he doesn't have to train any more? That he is free to choose what to do now that Morgana is death?" Balthazar didn't answer. "Thought so."
"Maybe you are not needed, Heather, but I am." Balthazar turned, picked up his coat and hat, and hurried out the door, Becky picked chest, bag and followed.
"Balthazar!" She called once they were out. "Wait Balthazar!" The man waited for his companion to catch up, and panting Becky faced Balthazar. "Is it true? Dave doesn't have to train any more? He is free to choose?"
"His choice was made the moment he entered the circle, once he has bound himself as my apprentice there is no turning back."
"But he can halt the practice, stop been a sorcerer altogether?" The question hit a nerve and Balthazar sighed, sort of defeated. Becky watched the man look down and then away from her, apparently considering his answer. "Don't lie to me Balthazar."
"I wouldn't have, anyway." He said, finally turned to her. "Yes, Dave can choose to halt his training and walk away from sorcery, but only if he wishes to." Balthazar resumed walking, pulling out the keys for the jeep, Becky remained behind, watching him.
"You haven't told Dave this, why?"
Balthazar stopped and then turned back to the woman. "I could have protected him before, but not anymore." Was his simple answer.