Disclaimer: As usual, I own nothing except my own character, Muirgeann le Fay (Merissa Lovey), and all else belongs to the esteemed Ms. Rowling, who I thank most heartily for creating such a universe for all of us to enjoy and explore.
...
"Are you sure you'll be quite safe?" Tonks asked as I pulled on my cloak, ebony as my gown.
"As safe as I would be here." I assured her again.
"And you won't let any of us take you at least as far as the gate?" she asked again, glancing toward the dining room, where her husband and the Weasleys were.
"No, I won't. I've left protection for the Order behind me, but I will not take any with me." I informed her, referring to the silent Shades drifting unseen through the shadows of the house. "It's time. Be well."
"Let us know if you need anything." she replied as I stepped out the door. I nodded and pulled up my hood before leaving the magic safety net around the Burrow. Once I was outside it and I knew they couldn't see me, I morphed into a dove again and flew to the nearest city. Morphed into my naturally red-haired, black-eyed human self, I boarded the Knight Bus and it took me to the gates of Hogwarts. The witch whose brother I had killed when Dumbledore died was standing guard.
"Who are you and why are you here?" she demanded when I stepped past her to try to push open the gate.
"Muirgeann. I'm here for an interview for the position of Potions-Mistress." I told her, leaving my hood up.
"Show your face." she commanded, her wand hand shaking slightly. I threw back the hood and she exhaled in relief. "Let me check to see if you're expected. Wait here."
"As you wish." I conceded, stepping back from the gate and pulling my hood up again. She stepped into the grounds and I waited quietly for her return. The gate opened again in a few minutes and the now dishevelled witch held it open for me.
"Sorry for the delay. Come with me." she apologised, a desperate look in her eyes. I followed her into the school, up the staircase to the Headmaster's office. "I've brought her, Headmaster."
"Very well. Return to your post." he instructed, not looking up from his desk as I stepped into the room. Once the door closed behind me, he asked, "Muirgeann, isn't it?"
"Yes. Muirgeann le Fay." I informed him, removing my hood. I saw recognition dawn in his eyes, anger and relief quickly succeeding it.
"Be seated." he instructed. I took a seat across from his desk and folded my hands in my lap. "Do you expect me to give you the position of Potions-Mistress, Ms. le Fay?"
"Indeed I do. Should I list my previous occupations?" I asked, a smirk twitching my lips up despite my attempts to restrain it. He waved his hand and I knew the room was silenced.
"Why are you here, Lovey?" he asked. "It would be dangerous for you to be discovered."
"Firstly, only you, Nymphadora Tonks, and Remus Lupin know I'm a Metamorphmagus. Secondly, Muirgeann le Fay is my real name, so I suggest you use it. Unless, of course, you were referring to me by a term of endearment, in which case I must say I'm flattered." I replied. He rolled his eyes before realising he was at school and needed to control such impulses. He sat straighter in his chair.
"It will be difficult to behave as strangers." he commented.
"Agreed. Could we pretend to be cousins or some such nonsense? I didn't give the witch at the gate my last name." I asked. He frowned in thought for a moment before a wicked sparkle lit his eyes.
"You could be my mistress. After all, you would be the Potions-Mistress." he suggested.
"I could pretend to be your mistress, perhaps. As the Lady of the Lake, I can't enter into such a relationship in reality, not so lightly. It would require a relationship contract." I informed him, expecting him to agree that he meant for me to pretend at any rate.
"Would you like to draw up such a contract?" he asked seriously.
"It would cover every aspect of our lives and relationships, but it would be a marriage contract, Severus. That is what is required by Avalonian law if you wish to bed the Lady." I said, astonished. He nodded.
"I understand." he assured me. I stared at him for a moment, not understanding how he could so casually agree to marriage.
"I ought to explain a few things before you agree. First of all, part of this contract would entail an exchange of power. You would become a citizen of Avalon by marriage and would have to give me your vote for Queen, thus installing me as the leader of the country. I would then instantly appoint you to the position of Merlin. Merlin isn't a name, as you've been taught, but a position granted by the Queen of Avalon to the best and brightest wizard of the time. The Merlin you know was the only one with that as his name, but that's a story for another time.
"As Merlin, you gain no control over my country. You are to give me guidance, but all decisions are mine. If, by chance, I die, rule will be split between you and my heiress until such a time as she becomes Queen and instates a new Merlin. It is a marriage contract likewise, but we could, if we wished, discuss not forcing the relationship to be mutually exclusive. I would prefer it to be so, but most of the past Queens were certain to write into their contracts that they were free to have whatever and however many lovers they wished, as the marriage contract is binding for life and cannot, under any circumstances, be broken and the Queens often found it useful to keep their options open for political purposes.
"If you wish, I can go into more specifics of exactly what an Avalonian marriage entails, but suffice it to say that all property remains with the original owner with new property being jointly owned, conjugal rights are, of course, granted to both parties, and the breaking of the contract would lead to the stripping of the offending party of all possessions and magic and secure them a one-way trip into the mists that serve as an in-between for the island to the rest of the world." I said calmly, running through the basics with half a hope that they would scare him off. He conjured a piece of parchment and slid it toward me, offering me a quill.
"I can accept those terms. As to the mutual exclusivity of the marriage, I agree with your preference. The thought of you in another man's arms sickens me." he commented, his expression dark. "Have you ever been with anyone?"
"No. That's part of the contract. A Lady can't be the true Queen until she's been…deflowered…and it is seen as a great honour to be saved for her Merlin." I explained, feeling heat rushing to my cheeks. A half-formed, horrified thought came to mind and I added, "Have you?"
"Is that important?" he asked in response, expressionless. I gave him a weary look. "Yes, I have. I'm thirty-seven, for Merlin's sake, Muirgeann."
"I see." I replied, my blush darkening.
"It was only one and I didn't love her, if you're worried. We just had a casual affair for a few years. Quite a few years, now that I think of it. On and off for twenty." he informed me.
"Oh." I managed dumbly. "Perhaps it is inappropriate to ask, but do I know her?"
"You've seen her, but you've never been introduced. It was Narcissa Malfoy, Draco's mother. Very casual fling. Lucius, apparently, was none too good at keeping her satisfied." he said lightly.
"Morgana's boots, Draco couldn't be your son, could he?" I asked. "And, yes, it matters for the contract or I would never have asked such a rude, personal question."
"He looks too much like his father to be mine." he answered carelessly. "And your question wasn't rude and, if we're planning on marriage, I don't think 'personal' would be quite an appropriate label for it."
"I'll start writing the contract. For legal purposes, we should list our possessions of value in the contract. I bring all the land of Avalon, all on it, the treasures of the Lady, and approximately thirty thousand Galleons. What do you bring?" I asked, writing the values as I said them.
"Half the shares of Malfoy Apothecary and Malfoy Wineries—yes, they were gifts from Narcissa—most of Hogwarts school, one house on Spinner's End with all the possessions therein, family treasures in the Prince vault at Gringotts, and approximately half a billion Galleons." he listed. The quill paused on the parchment as I froze in shock.
"Did you say half a billion Galleons?" I asked. He nodded placidly. "Oh. Well, now that I feel woefully inadequate as a bride-to-be, I suppose we can continue drafting the contract."
"What else do we need to discuss?" he asked. I looked over the parchment.
"The bride-gift and dowry. My dowry currently stands at one silver, gold, and green necklace from the treasures, one indestructible camouflage cloak like my own—though yours can be black ordinarily, if you wish it to be—, and your choice of either a Whomping Willow or a Blisstree. Is that adequate or would you like to haggle? If that's sufficient, what is your bride-gift and please note that I won't accept money, if it can be helped?" I asked.
"I accept your dowry. Since I can't give you money as a bride-gift, I will give you a piece of the most expensive jewellery we can buy as soon as the contract is signed and one favour. For the favour, you must specifically state that you wish to use it and, once you have, I will not ask questions or argue, but will fulfil it as requested. Does that sound appropriate?" he asked.
"One favour? Hmm. Yes, I think I'll accept." I conceded, writing it down. After finishing the rest of the contract, including the usual Avalonian royal marriage information he agreed to without asking about, I set down the quill. "There. It's all written. Would you like to look over it or sign it?"
"I'll sign. I trust you." he replied, taking the quill.
"Wait. We need to add to the ink first." I told him, pricking my finger with a magically sterilised needle from my pouch. Once three drops of blood had fallen into the inkwell, I held my hand out to take his as I sterilised the needle again. Three drops of his blood completed the process. "Very well. Mix the ink and sign to be my Merlin."
"There we are. Your turn." he said after signing, handing me the quill. I dipped it in the ink again and wrote my name beside his in my light, spidery handwriting. I set the quill down and looked across the desk toward him, a strange mixture of nervousness, despair, and euphoria churning in my stomach. "Is that all? Are we wed?"
"We are." I replied with a nod. "Technically, we're supposed to share a bottle of the oldest Avalonian wine available from the Queen's chalice, but it seems a bit much for a Headmaster's office wedding."
"Avalonian wine is supposed to be the best, though. Perhaps we could share a bottle from regular goblets after returning from our shopping trip." he suggested. He saw the protest in my eyes and stopped me before I could say anything. "If we are seen buying jewellery together, it will support the idea that you are my mistress. Good mistresses get fine gifts."
"So long as I'm a good mistress." I agreed with a roll of my eyes. With a wave of my hand, I transported the marriage contract to the treasure vault of my castle in Avalon. "Well, that's safe now. Would you like to go?"
"Let's." he agreed. We exited by the gate of Hogwarts, arm-in-arm, and he instructed the witch at the gate—Alecto—not to let anyone inside during our absence. As I held onto his arm, he Apparated us to a village I didn't recognise and took me into a jewellery store. The goblin behind the counter looked up as we stepped forward.
"How can I help you?" he asked, his voice neutral rather than the usually officious cheeriness jewellery store clerks displayed.
"My friend needs a gift. Money is no object." Snape informed the goblin, setting his other hand on top of where my arm was hooked in his. The goblin smiled and nodded, instantly officious.
"Of course, of course. Nothing out here would suit the sweet lady, I see. Follow me." he instructed. He took us through three rooms, each progressively more secure, before taking us inside the deepest room of the building. "In here, perhaps, you may find something of equal beauty to your own fair self, kind lady."
"Let's look around, Muirgeann." Snape suggested. I noticed first that there were no price tags of any sort. After that, I noticed only how beautiful the jewellery was. Each piece was more beautiful than the last, but I looked at them all with carefully distant eyes before I saw the piece I wanted. I stopped in front of a simple necklace. On a plain, impossibly-thin chain of braided silver and gold hung a stone the size of my thumbnail, encased in the same impossibly-thin braid as the chain. The inside of the stone swirled with colour, changing with each moment. The goblin came over to see what I was looking at.
"Ah, I see the lady has tastes as fine as her looks. The stone is one-of-a-kind, found deep inside the network that later became Gringotts. Its equal has never been found, though many have looked. The stone will change colours based on your mood, if in contact with your skin. Wear it outside your blouse, however, and it will continue to change randomly like it does now." the goblin explained.
"It's lovely." I whispered, staring at the gem as it swirled about in a cloudy mixture of reds and golds like a sunset.
"We'll take it." Snape told the goblin, one arm around me.
"Good choice, sir, good choice. Should I package it or would the lady like to wear it out?" the goblin asked.
"She'll wear it." Snape answered for me. The goblin took the necklace from the case and handed it to Snape, who fastened it about my throat. It swirled blue and red against my skin, purple mixed between them, and I smiled as I watched it. Snape led me to the door before returning to pay him. It's probably for the best. One-of-a-kind means expensive. Once we had it, he Apparated us back to the gate of Hogwarts.
"Thank you for the necklace, Severus. It's lovely." I murmured warmly as Alecto opened the gate for us. I watched her eyes fix on the stone and widen and gave Snape the sort of smile I thought a pleased mistress would give her lover.
"You deserved it." he replied just loud enough for her to hear. Once we were inside, I smiled amusedly and walked beside him as he led us to his room in the familiar dungeons. I stepped inside the doorway and looked about at the dimly lit room, pleased with the state of cleanliness it was in. He threw himself lengthwise across his bed with a smirk. "Want to bring out that wine now?"
"Why not?" I replied, waving my hand. A Shade appeared, wine and chalice in hand. I thanked her for bringing it and waved again to signal her to return to Avalon to continue watching our patient.
"What was that?" he asked as I poured the wine into the Queen's chalice, a beautiful cup of glass that changed colour with the lighting and with the contents contained in it.
"One of my Shades. They're past Queens or priestesses who chose to wait on the present Lady instead of pass on. Something of a hybrid between ghosts and living people. They're solid enough to raise a child, at any rate." I explained, sitting on the edge of the bed and handing him the chalice.
"Raise a child?" he asked, swirling the cup about leisurely.
"Yes. The Shades raised me. Otherwise, I was alone on the island. Well, there was an old woman who stumbled through the mists to us, sick with something I couldn't cure, but she died after a month. And, later, there was the man that came to us with the death-sleep, but he didn't wake until after I'd fled the island. My Shades stayed behind to care for him." I told him, pulling my cloak tighter about me as I tried to distract myself from the fact that we were newly wed and he would doubtless soon remember that fact. "They taught me in the physical world what Morgana and Merlin taught me through my journal."
"What journal?" he asked curiously, sitting up. I pulled it from the pouch at my waist and set my hand on it affectionately.
"I should preface that answer with more of an explanation, I think. Everything you know about Morgana and Merlin is, more or less, incorrect. Merlin was from a wealthy family who had many dealings with Morgana's father's family. As the previous Merlin, her father decided to arrange a marriage for her before she was even conceived and he promised her to the son of his long-time friend. As a sign of the contract, the friend named his son Merlin. A year later, Morgana was conceived. When she was born nine months later with a thick head of golden hair and warm brown eyes, her father thought that perhaps her beauty would attract others, so he decided that a spell was in order.
"He cursed her and her daughters to love no man but their Merlin, to have a level of affection and obsession with them that would remain with them throughout their life and could never be transferred to or rivalled by another. In those days, Avalon had a large and ever-growing population, but the two were raised in the same village. Morgana grew up loving him and he was always as good to her as she was to him, knowing they were betrothed. All seemed well and happy and it would have been, but for a pretty auburn haired, green eyed Muggle that served in Arthur's court.
"Merlin fell in love with her. At eighteen, he wed her in secret. Morgana found them out, but she didn't tell anyone. She loved him so much she wouldn't bring him dishonour by informing the world of his disgraceful neglect to stand to the expectations for his life. However, she did attack him in a passion once she found out and, as it happened to be in Camelot and he was seated beside Arthur, she was labelled as an enemy of Arthur. Merlin saved her from death at the hands of the other wizards present and they made a deal. She would pretend to be the Dark enemy of Arthur as well as keep his secret and he would keep her from harm. She would also be asked to declare herself the first virgin Queen of Avalon and vow to never marry. Blinded by love, she agreed.
"It was less than two years later when she conceived his child. They had been trapped together when she came to assist him on a mission to find an artefact Arthur wanted and he, after resisting for nearly a week, begged her to lay with him. Like a fool, she did. They separated. Once she discovered the pregnancy, she sent him a cryptic note informing him of it and promising him none would know of the child or his involvement. From what the journal says, she was successful and a girl was born to her in secret, a girl with Merlin's ashy brown hair and blue-grey eyes, like mine were when I was born. The child was secreted away and Morgana returned to perpetually harassing Arthur and his men.
"They continued for years. At death, however, Merlin promised her what he owed her in life. They were aged and frail when they met once more in the castle of Avalon. Together, they drank wine containing a gentle poison and closed their eyes from this life. They did not pass on immediately, however. They impressed their memories, thoughts, and personalities into this journal before finally and completely leaving. I am some descendent of theirs and, between the journal and the Shades, I grew up knowing all the secrets of Avalon and a great bit more as well." I explained. After a moment of hesitation, I added, "You can see it, if you like. They did make me promise to have you talk to them eventually."
"Some other time." he said quietly. I placed it back in my pouch and took it, my cloak, and my shoes off, placing them neatly at the foot of the bed before sitting next to him and leaning against the headboard. "Wine?"
"I think that might be wise, actually." I answered with a small smile, taking the chalice he offered. After a long drink of it, I refilled it and handed it back to him. "Even as spoiled on Avalonian wine as I am, I must say that this is exceptional. Try it. I noticed you just sat and held it while I talked."
"As you command, my Lady." he replied with a suggestive smirk. I rolled my eyes and he took a drink of the wine. "You're right. It's almost unearthly."
"Well, the verdict's still out on whether or not Avalon is actually on earth, so that's reasonable." I informed him. He handed it back to me and we soon finished the bottle between us. Once both bottle and chalice were empty, I set them on the ground and allowed myself to be pulled into his arms. I smiled and kissed him as he waved a hand for the lights to go out.
...
"Severus, would you care to return my wand to me? I'll be needing some potions soon and I need my wand to make them." Muirgeann asked quietly, glancing up from where she sat on the edge of our bed with a needle in her hand.
"For a price." I quipped, keeping a straight face. She rolled her eyes before cutting off the invisible thread of the needle and shaking out a suddenly-appearing black cloak. Still ignoring my reply, she stood and pulled the cloak around my shoulders.
"One cloak of protection, as promised in the contract." she stated. "Now I only owe you your Merlin's necklace and whichever plant you want. You still haven't told me which you would prefer."
"My apologies for being distracted on my wedding night, Muirgeann." I retorted, rolling my eyes. "You may have woke up this morning ready to make a cloak, but my thoughts were on no such rubbish as work and plants."
"It isn't polite to hold back part of a contract's exchange longer than necessary." she chided, giving me a look that failed to be chastising for the sparkle in her eyes. "And speaking of holding things back, I believe you have my wand."
"Perhaps. How do you know it wasn't destroyed?" I questioned. She shook her head and leaned to one side, one hand on her hip and the other held expectantly in front of her.
"Severus. My wand. Trust me, you don't want me to be without my potions any more than I want me to be without my potions." she warned me. I pretended to think about it for a minute and she sighed, her lips twitching as she hid a vindictive smile. "Oh, very well, but I won't be locked in a bathroom this time and you'll have to deal with the full brunt of my moodiness, weakness, and insanity the entire time. A week can be a lifetime, especially if it's repeated monthly."
"Oh, those are the potions you need. I'll get your wand right away." I told her, startled by the thought more than I should have been. She stifled a giggle behind her hand as I went to get it from the bookshelf. "It isn't funny, Muirgeann."
"It is." she replied firmly as she snatched the wand from my hand. I gave her a look questioning her sanity and she rolled her eyes again, smiling. "I have to get some entertainment out of it, Severus. I'm just glad my Shades and I invented potions that would help me to manage. They were awful before. At least now I can dull the pain and limit the Sight so it isn't constant, even if I can't stop the haemorrhaging."
"Did you say haemorrhaging? Never mind, don't answer that." I said quickly.
"I won't. It wasn't very good of me to say anything in the first place, in all likelihood. I'm so used to being with the Shades that I don't always think about the fact that men tend to be uncomfortable discussing women's problems. Here, let me straighten your cloak. Do you like it?" she asked, smoothing it out over my shoulders.
"Yes. Will it really make me invisible if I wish it to?" I asked.
"Remember when I jumped off the edge of the Astronomy Tower? I was clinging to the wall, but you couldn't see me at all, could you? We call it Lady's cloth on Avalon. Supposedly, we made Death's robes of it as a sign of friendship and that's why we are the best healers in the world." she explained, brushing imaginary lint from the skirt of her black gown. "I don't know how much I believe of that, but it makes for a good story, at any rate. Oh, and, speaking of belief, I believe we have work to do. What else needs to be done to prepare the school for the students?"
"Nothing. I've arranged for everything already, so the next five days are our own." I assured her. "I thought today, perhaps, you could introduce me to my predecessor and Morgana. You did mention that they wanted to meet me yesterday when you were explaining the journal."
"Oh. I…erm…suppose that can be done." she agreed, paler than usual, but not otherwise betraying her anxiety. After getting it out, she held it in her hands like a treasure and looked at it for a long moment before looking up at me, her black eyes unreadable. "Let's make the introductions, then. We'll need quills, so we ought to sit at the desk."
"As you command." I told her coolly, earning myself another roll of the eyes. She set the journal on the desk and picked up a quill, dipping it in the ink before she penned a note of introduction while she directed me to sit. Once she was done writing, she slid the journal in front of me, the quill across it, and stepped behind me.
"There. They know who you are." she said evenly. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw her steady her nervous shaking by clasping her hands in front of her. I looked back to the page to read Morgana's introduction and temporary deference to Merlin, if I would be so kind as to accept to talk to him. I penned my consent as I felt Muirgeann's worry rising behind me.
Convince her to leave us alone for this conversation. She's frightened about what we might discuss and she's nervous because, up until this moment, no one else has ever known about us. We've been her only real friends in the world and she's worried you'll take us from her, Merlin warned. I felt the truth in the static-like nervous energy emanating from her. I glanced toward her over my shoulder.
"Why don't you go work on those potions you needed, Muirgeann? You won't have time for anything like that once the students arrive." I suggested.
"Oh. Yeah. I'll…I'll do that. Work on the potions, I mean." she stated with mild shock. I watched her run into the edge of the bed before she made it out the door, shutting it quietly behind her.
She's gone. How safe she'll be when she drinks the potions she's going to work on is questionable, but we may speak freely, I wrote.
Her potions will be fine. She doesn't know it, but one of her Shades is still following her and it will watch over her. You, too, must watch over her, you know. She's strong and wise and will not easily fall, but her ideas are her weakness. She will sacrifice anything for equality and peace, Merlin warned me.
I know. I think she expects to die in this war. She would never have agreed to wed me so easily otherwise. Has she told you of our war?
Yes, she's told us all she knows. We are aware that she expects to die. Morgana thinks she may have Seen her death or she doesn't believe Muirgeann would be submitting so quietly to the power you have over her. Avalonian women are independent by nature, Merlin wrote. I felt that he was letting me in on a joke, one that had doubtless been passed through the centuries from one Merlin to the next.
No, I doubt she would be. I've watched her emotions become more erratic as she grows more restless, but I don't know what to do. I can hardly lock her in a room for the rest of her life to keep her safe.
No, you've already tried that, haven't you? She came to us often when she was with you there. She hated you and loved you, like she will until you convince her you will not use your power over her against her. Although it's too late, of course, for us to do anything if you aren't sincere, it would give Morgana and me great peace if you would assure us that you intend to love, respect, and protect Muirgeann as a Merlin should. We don't want another to suffer from unrequited love as Morgana did. God, was I cruel to her. Swear you won't be like me, Severus Snape, Merlin of Avalon.
I swear to respect her and treat her as befits the first Queen of Avalon to be known in centuries. She will be cared for and I will offer her my wisdom and companionship at all times.
Good. Don't let your memories of the first love ruin your love for her. She is to be your Queen in all ways. Of course, you must not wish to speak of such a soft, weak-seeming thing as love. Has Muirgeann explained the duties of a Merlin to you? I suppose she must have if you signed the contract. Have you any questions?
Not at the moment. I'll ask later on if I think of anything. Is there anything else important you would like to tell me or ask? If not, I should probably check on her. A Shade may be watching her, but I would rather assure myself of her safety by watching over her myself.
You will make a good Merlin. Morgana wishes me to tell you that, if you hurt her—yes, Morgana, I understand—her baby, Death will greet you with all the violence he has learned from humans over the centuries. (Don't think less of me for writing that. Surely you understand how persuasive these Avalonian Queens can be when they want something.) Return at any time you have questions or wish to speak. We are both always at your and Muirgeann's disposal.
Thank you, I wrote before closing the volume. Leaving it on the table, I went in search of Muirgeann and found her in her old room, at least thirty cauldrons brewing as she bustled around them.
"How many potions do you need, woman?" I asked. She jumped before turning toward me with a bright, if flushed, expression.
"You do want to survive the year, don't you? Besides, as my husband seems to think it beyond him to offer to assist in my potion-making, I thought it would be best if I set up enough to finish them on my own." she quipped, pushing her blood-red hair back over her shoulders out of her way. I crossed the distance between us and kissed her unexpectedly. When I ended the kiss, she softly sighed, "My Merlin."
"Your face is almost as red as your hair." I chuckled as she blushed. Her hair began to turn an angry orange, so I kissed her again before adding, "My Queen."
"It'll take more than that to appease me, I think." she teased, tugging on a piece of my hair playfully before escaping my arms to look over the potions again. "How did your talk go?"
"Well. You can read it later, if you like." I offered, knowing the offer would be enough and she wouldn't take me up on it. As expected, she shook her head.
"No, I trust you. Well, these are as far along as they'll be for a few hours." she announced. With a hand motion toward the shadows of the room, she summoned the Shade that had been watching her, the Shade Merlin thought she knew nothing about. She made another hand motion and then curtseyed deeply with a look of profound gratitude. She turned back toward me. "Is there anything we need to do today? I know you've told me there's no work available already, but I would be rather glad to have something to do."
"How were the potions ingredient stores? We could gather what we yet need." I offered.
"Yes, that would be nice." she agreed, her voice muffled in my shoulder as she turned into my open arms. I stroked her blood-red hair absently, striving to ignore the persistent worry of losing her.
...