Vilbyr: I had contemplated using Wanda but decided since in the live action movie there is an Agatha why not give Agatha Harkness a little redemption arc?

Chapter 9

When Billy woke up the next day he took a moment to just lie in bed. He enjoyed the feeling of the mattress under him that was easily the softest thing he'd ever felt. The plush comforter on top of him nearly swallowed him up in its feather filled poofiness and the sunlight streaming in through the window hit the curtains surrounding the bed just right waking him up with a soft glow instead of a harsh bright ray of sunshine.

He groaned and stretched his arms above his head before yawning and rolling out of bed. He rubbed his eye as he made it to the window and peeked outside. Everything was as Billy had last seen it, covered in a blanket of fluffy white, pristine and perfect. Not a single footprint to be seen. Nothing had even been shoveled which meant no piles of misshapen snow piled up along the footpaths. It looked like a postcard, or a painting from a storybook.

His stomach took that moment to rumble and remind him of how hungry he was. So he dressed quickly into another button up shirt and slacks, this shirt a lighter blue then yesterdays, before he headed to the dining hall.

Cassie was already there of course, putting the finishing touches on breakfast – which smelled delicious by the way. There was a whole serving bowl filled with scrambled eggs, a tray piled with toast – made from every type of bread you could imagine – next to various mason jars of jams and jellies. There was also a tray of bagels laid out much like the toast and next to a vat of cream cheese. There were also trays of French toast and syrup, cinnamon rolls and glazed pastries. Various teas, coffees, juices and of course a pitcher of milk were readily available. Other saucers had sausages and bacon and as Billy passed by them on his way to his usual seat Cassie whispered in his ear. "It's turkey bacon."

He smiled at her, surprised and glad she'd remembered his dietary restrictions. Just as he took his seat Dorrek walked in. He didn't have a sling on today, which was an improvement. He also was wearing a regular button down shirt which hopefully meant Kate had been able to take some of the stitches out of the cuts that had healed and scabbed well enough to heal the rest of the way on their own now.

Dorrek didn't give the table a second glance, probably used to the wonderful service Cassie provided. But he did greet her with a cheerful good morning as he sat down.

"Where are Eli and Kate?" he asked curiously looking around for them.

Cassie rolled her eyes and pointed to the door that was propped open. Staying silent they could just barely make out voices across the castle arguing. Billy had noticed that Kate and Eli often seemed to be at odds but given that no one else seemed alarmed he assumed their bickering was their normal behavior.

When his stomach grumbled again he reached out and started grabbing things to fill his plate. Dorrek did the same and they ate in the same comfortable silence as last night. Eventually the bickering in the distance came to a stop and a moment later Kate and Eli walked through the room.

"Good morning." Kate said with a wide ear to ear grin as she looked between the pair at the table. She seemed to be her usual self though small green freckles now dotted the bridge of her nose. Eli gave very military-like nods to each of them with his hands folded behind his back. His skin looked rougher and indentations of scales beginning to form under the surface were evident. He headed for the kitchen where Wiccan assumed the staff ate. However, Kate stopped and looked over the tray of bagels.

"Kate." Eli scolded not even turning around to see what she was doing. Wiccan tried to hide a small laugh at the fact that Eli seemed to have developed a sixth sense for when Kate was acting out of line.

Kate seemed used to it and rolled her eyes as she snagged an everything bagel and tossed pieces into her mouth as she followed Eli into the kitchen. She gave Wiccan a wink as she passed him and he smiled back at her.

After they had left he returned to his plate and continued to eat. Occasionally he'd look out the large windows, that had been covered by thick floor length curtains every meal prior. The sunlight bounced off the snow filling the glass with bright light that made it too hard to properly see outside.

"Sweet tooth?" Dorrek asked out of the blue and Billy looked up just as he was popping a torn piece of cinnamon roll into his mouth. Dorrek gave a nod toward his plate and Billy looked down and saw that he had indeed only grabbed the most sugar filled choices. The crust of his French toast was drowning in the syrup still on his plate, the crumbs from a chocolate croissant lay on the other third and the cinnamon roll was already half gone.

Billy chuckled to himself as he chewed, his only response to Dorrek was a very guilty glance painted with a slight embarrassed blush that colored his face. Dorrek chuckled too before returning to the mountain of scrambled eggs that covered his own plate along with several sausages.

When they'd finished their meal Dorrek stood and took his napkin from his lap and placed it on the table. Wiccan followed suit grabbing a few pieces of turkey bacon to take with him. Then he and Dorrek made their way into the foyer and headed for the front door. Dorrek already had a coat on, like the trench coat it covered his wings but it was much nicer, not torn and old but looked brand new in a nice shade of light grey.

The coat reminded Billy that there was snow outside meaning it would be cold, so he lifted his free hand, munching on the bacon in his other, and a moment later his red cape came flying down the stairs and into his hand. In a motion much like a cowboy with a lasso he swiftly wrapped the cloak around his shoulders with a swift flick of his wrist and it landed perfectly in place.

He noticed Dorrek had paused at the door and was looking back at him. He looked impressed but Wiccan wasn't sure how to respond, or if he should say anything at all. Finally Dorrek broke the silence.

"You have a very unique gift." He said in a very monotone voice.

Billy shrugged, "That's nothing." He looked down at his hand as it glowed a very dim blue as he rotated his wrist around and coiled some of his fingers. "More of a parlor trick, really."

He looked back up as Dorrek held his gaze a moment then the blonde turned and pushed open the door as they walked outside. Their feet crunched in the snow as they made it down the steps using the gold rails in case of ice. When they reached the bottom Dorrek turned to the right so Wiccan followed - it was meant to be a tour after all.

"I'm sure you've noticed the magic here." Dorrek continued the conversation.

It felt uneasy, they hadn't really talked civilly except for a few brief sentences yesterday. Still, Billy wasn't going to waste the opportunity. He nodded in response, "Yeah, between the crumbling west wing, the snow in June and my powers not working right I figured something was up."

He chose to state the obvious very plainly and purposefully didn't bring up the green skin, scales and yellow eyes that Dorrek's staff seemed to be growing more of each day. It felt like prying too far and Billy didn't want to ruin the peaceful truce they seemed to have developed.

Dorrek took a deep breath, like he was mentally preparing himself for something. Then he admitted, "My home is cursed."

Wiccan was surprised, not by the confession but by the fact that Dorrek seemed to be opening up to him. And about something that was clearly very private.

After a moment had passed and Dorrek did not continue on his own Wiccan asked, "How?"

He took another deep breath, "An enchantress." He said then a second later scoffed, "Although I would call her a witch. Enchantresses are supposed to be, well, enchanting."

"She wasn't?" Billy questioned stuffing his hands into his pants pockets.

"I'm not entirely sure." Dorrek said, "I was preoccupied with the curse she was casting. I didn't stop to see if she was beautiful."

Wiccan nodded understanding the logic behind that. After another moment his next question came to mind. "Why did she curse you?"

There was a much longer pause this time. Billy saw Dorrek's jaw clench too and he wondered if he went too far.

"I was rude to her." Dorrek finally answered taking a calming breath, but his eyes were still hard and angry, "I suppose I deserved it. But the others. . . " he trailed off clearly looking for the right words, "They did nothing to deserve this." He looked back over his shoulder at the castle, "It's difficult enough to see my home fall apart into dust, they shouldn't have to suffer this damnation too."

Billy felt a tug in his chest, his heart ached for this man, this man who not long ago had kept him prisoner in his tower. Who still was keeping him here against his will. But somehow Wiccan still felt for him, he wasn't wicked by nature. Darkness had been bred inside him after years of suffering. Sure he might have been a spoiled rich brat before but no one deserved what that enchantress had put him through.

Wiccan wanted to know more, there was clearly a story that everyone here knew but him. He yearned to know the full story. At the same time though, he felt it was too private a matter and Dorrek was clearly getting angry speaking about it.

"So. . . " Billy began, trying to lighten the mood, "You've lived here your whole life?"

Dorrek's tense posture melted away and he seemed relived Wiccan had changed the subject.

"Yes. Since I was very young. It was the place I always felt safest." Dorrek said swept away by memories of his youth. Although his guardian Kl'rt had raised him to be a tough and stern ruler without weakness, his younger years did still hold some fond times. Not good but. . .fond. "I was brought here shortly after my mother died."

Billy stopped dead in his tracks but soon moved on when he realized Dorrek wasn't stopping. He kept pace with him as they walked through what looked to be a hedge maze though the shrubs had been pruned to not grow above their waists. They too were topped with fluffy perfect snowcaps like nature had swaddled them in white blankets.

"I have happy memories of her." Dorrek went on, "But there always seemed to be war and danger stalking us from the shadows. That's how we lost her."

"And your father?" Billy asked hoping maybe there was less sadness surrounding Dorrek's other parent.

"I never knew him. He died before I was born."

Quiet filled the air. Then several moments passed. The conversation seemed to die after that. They continued their walk, Dorrek wove their path through the maze, short as the bushes may be the maze was still wide and took up the entire side of the castle and most of the front courtyard. Dorrek seemed to edge them closer and closer to the back of the building so Billy assumed by the end of their stroll they'd make a full lap around the castle.

But something about the silence made Wiccan miss the talking. He realized he liked hearing Dorrek speak, the way he became swallowed up in memories and talked about them so casually filled a hole in Billy he hadn't noticed before. He'd only been a prisoner for a few days and he had Kate and Eli and Cassie to talk to so he couldn't be starved for human contact. But even before he really only ever spoke to Tommy and Jonas, not many other people talked to him in the small town. So what made talking to Dorrek so different? So fulfilling? Maybe it was because they had been enemies before, a master and his prisoner, so the progress of their evolution into civil beings added a different angle that Wiccan found he quite enjoyed. And he wanted that back.

"My mother's gone too." Was the first thing his brain decided to blurt out without his permission. Dorrek turned to him with a blank expression though his blue eyes seemed inquisitive.

"I mean. . . " Billy backtracked, "My birthmother. But she's not dead. I mean she could be. . . we don't know. But she's just. . . gone."

He could have slapped his palm to his forehead with how dumb he sounded. When Dorrek spoke he sounded so regal and professional and here was Billy stuttering to string a simple sentence together.

"How do you mean?" Dorrek asked not seeming put off by it, "Gone?"

Wiccan shrugged happy to move past his embarrassment but kept his eyes forward anyway, "She. . . she was dealing with a lot. One day she just, upped and left. No one she knew knows where she went or what's happened to her since." He turned to meet Dorrek's stare and shrugged, "She's just. . . gone."

It felt a bit odd to talk to Dorrek about Wanda. After all this was still only Billy's theory. Tommy didn't even believe him. He thought it was nonsense. But Wiccan couldn't shake the feeling in his gut that just felt so sure about the whole thing. Something in him that knew he was right about the Scarlet Witch. After she had lost her twins she'd taken off and no one had heard from her. By the time Billy discovered his powers, met his twin reincarnated and came up with the theory, years had passed and Wanda could be anywhere now.

But there was also a positive feeling in telling Dorrek this. Wiccan knew Dorrek wouldn't judge him. Whether out of respect or simply not caring that much, Billy didn't care which reason. Just the fact that he could express his worry about Wanda and not have someone scoff or tell him she wasn't really his mom felt. . .reassuring. And that felt nice.

"That must be awful." Dorrek finally replied breaking their gaze and looking forward, "The not knowing."

Wiccan shrugged again, his shoulders were actually starting to get sore but he couldn't help it. When it came to Wanda and his own past there were so many unknowns and so many possibilities, "She's alive. I don't know how I know, but I do know. She was strong. She can take care of herself. I just. . . I just wish I could see her once. Have one conversation with her."

There was a long pause, then almost silently, Dorrek muttered, "I feel that way about my mother sometimes."

Billy nodded knowing words couldn't convey the feeling properly. They made it to the end of the maze and turned the corner around the castle. He looked up and his jaw dropped open as he paused again. There were several acres of land that stretched out behind the castle, it was like someone had sewn together a dozen football fields. There was a grand staircase similar to the one on the front of the building but this one led to several small gardens with stone pillars and archways where flowers were growing. One had a few stone benches under it and white roses had woven themselves into a makeshift roof making the space look like something out of a fairytale. Beyond those gardens was what Billy assumed was a trimmed lawn under the snow with lampposts showing that a walkway must have also been hidden beneath the layers of frost. A small river that wove toward the castle gardens led to a much larger body of water in the distance, frozen over and reflecting the sun like a huge mirror. Further off he could barely see where there was a bridge that ran over the mouth of a lake.

"This is all yours?" Wiccan asked, again feeling stupid.

Dorrek only chuckled as he looked over his shoulder from a few paces ahead of Wiccan. They stayed that way for a moment as Billy took in the view. When he snapped out of it he moved forward, slowly, like he was in a dream and at any moment the whole thing would melt away and he'd wake up if he moved too quick.

But it all stayed put. He walked around the curved marble steps and toward the gardens. Most of the other things that were planted there had woven their way up the stone columns and arches in vines of green. None had flowered though, probably because of the season, but the green leaves still held their own beauty against the white snow backdrop. The white roses seemed to be the only flower and as Billy wove under archways he made his way toward them. He avoided the thorns when he stepped inside the dome of petals and leaves. With his head craned back he gazed at the interweaving stems as he moved in a circle, his feet crunching the snow under him. He subtly heard Dorrek's larger footsteps follow him but he stayed in the archway and leaned against one spot where there were no thorns or flowers to crush with his massive scaled shoulder.

When Billy tilted his head back down he moved to the closest pillar and reached a hand out slowly. He pinched the stem of one flower and snapped it from the rest.

He cupped the delicate flower in his hand, using his other hand he drew with one finger along the edges of the petals, lightly brushing along the perfection. Then he turned to Dorrek who was still standing in the stone archway watching his every move with an unreadable expression.

"There aren't any red ones." Wiccan pointed out.

Dorrek sighed and looked up towards his balcony, "That one. . . was from her."

Billy hesitated to keep his questions going but they stung his tongue, burning like they had to be answered, "It's special."

It was a statement more then a question. Wiccan knew it had to be special, from both the way he felt the magic radiating off it in waves and the way Dorrek had reacted when he'd been afraid Billy might have done something to it.

Dorrek gave one solid nod, "She called it a gift." He huffed, "It keeps track of how long the curse will last."

"It has an expiration date?" Wiccan asked and Dorrek turned from the balcony to look at him, "Continuous magic is difficult. Because it has to keep feeding from somewhere. So this curse, it will end one day?"

Dorrek's face turned grim and Billy knew his theory wasn't correct but he knew so little about magic that he wasn't sure what else it could be. Wiccan was a self taught mage and in the modern era there was only so much he could teach himself.

"It doesn't end." Dorrek finally replied, "It becomes permanent."

Billy's dark brows rose on his forehead, "So right now, it can be undone?"

Another single nod.

"How?" Wiccan asked his tone getting excited as his arms dropped to his sides, the flower in his hand forgotten, "If you can break it why not –"

"I cannot break it." Dorrek interrupted and Billy toned down his reaction. The stone cold look on Dorrek's face was enough to tell him this was territory he had to tread carefully in. "The. . . conditions the enchantress gave were very specific. And. . . I cannot meet them."

"Why not?" Billy asked, his voice softer now.

Dorrek gave a long sigh before trying to shake off the bad mood that was rising within him, "It would require me leaving the castle –"
"You've done that before. When you saved me."

"Further then that Wiccan. And society. . . well you remember your reaction when you first saw me."

Billy felt his heart drop into the pit of his stomach. He wasn't sure what Dorrek needed to break the curse but he could tell he wasn't going to get an answer even if he found the courage to ask.

"So what else is there? You're just going to sit around until that flower. . . "

"Dies."

Wiccan inhaled sharply in a slight gasp, "You're just going to wait for that rose to die and lose all hope?" he asked incredulously.

"There's no other way for me Wiccan. That rose is hope and mockery all rolled into one. The enchantress saw to that."

"So you were rude to her? So what? I could see cursing someone for a few years, a decade maybe. But a lifetime? That's not fair." Billy's tone turned raw, like how a person sounded after crying for hours. Because of his good heart Billy had trouble fathoming how a person could do something like that to another. Even with all the criminals he'd seen, it still seemed too cruel to be real. But it was real, it was Dorrek's life, his reality. His anger, his rage, it made a lot more sense now.

"Life isn't fair." Dorrek replied too casually for Billy to believe it. He'd really given up. No wonder he was so mean all the time, what did he have to look forward to in life? He felt he was doomed, of course that made him miserable. "If it was fair my parents would be here. Your mother would be."

Billy thought that over, Dorrek did have a point. Life could be cruel but it always had a way of turning things around. The darkness ended, light shone through. Bad things led to good things. But Dorrek had convinced himself there was no good, that the darkness in his life would be forever.

"Maybe I could do something." He offered and Dorrek looked surprised, "I have magic." He lifted his hands just a bit and looked down at his open palms, one still cupping the white rose, "Maybe I could find a way to –"

"Wiccan her spell is too strong. And your magic is weak here. I don't doubt that it isn't a coincidence. She made it that way so another sorcerer couldn't come here and undo what she did. There's no hope." Dorrek interrupted him. It almost seemed like he didn't want Wiccan to continue because his words might inspire hope and hope seemed to be the last thing Dorrek wanted even a glimmer of.

Billy's hands dropped back to his sides, unable to wrap his mind around that statement, "There's always hope. There's always something to hope for. If we cease to believe in hope. . . then life is meaningless."

Dorrek stared at him his face blank again, the smallest bit of emotion flickered briefly in his blue eyes. Billy could tell Dorrek thought he was naïve for hoping the way he did. Like his life had been easy enough to give him that small courtesy in ignorance. When he spoke it was in a tone you'd use when telling a child the tooth fairy wasn't real, when you knew you were shattering their happiness with the truth. "Wiccan my life lost its meaning some time ago."

And Dorrek believed that. He'd been raised to rule one day, but now no one even remembered his kind existed. Trapped across the galaxy on various planets, using their shapeshifting to hide. Hoping for a day when it would be safe, a day when their king would rise and show them a way forward. A way without war. But because of this curse, he'd failed them too. Their hope was in vain, their dream already dead and none of them knew it. They were doomed as he was.

"No." Billy replied as an anger filled him, "I refuse to believe any life is meaningless. All life is important. Each. One."

Dorrek paused for a second, seeming surprised Wiccan had it in him to sound so stern. And in a way so much more passionate then when they'd argued before. This harsh tone was laced with fervor and even with his magic restrained within him, Dorrek could feel the power radiating off the young mage. "Well then what's the meaning of mine? If you can find one please share it. I've tried, I've done everything and Wiccan I'm telling you there is nothing that can be done for me. There is no hope."

"Then I'll hope enough for you." Billy said his voice still stern and now stubborn, "Without hope what else is there?"

Dorrek looked at him long and hard and Billy got the impression that he might be seeing something or wanting to see something Billy couldn't pinpoint. "What indeed."

Dorrek stared at him and Wiccan stared back, after another long moment he broke the silence.

"I will find a way to help you." Billy told him his voice now certain and unquestionable. Dorrek looked at him with shock in his eyes at the help Wiccan would give even if it was unwanted. Dorrek glanced at Wiccan's cloak and had to remind himself that this young man was a hero, of course he believed good triumphed over all. Dorrek knew he couldn't afford to get his hopes up, but he was amazed at the young man in front of him, in his beliefs.

"I will find a way to help you." Wiccan repeated sounding evermore sure of himself.

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AN: I just want to give a shout out to an awesome book I just finished. "Dancing with Billy the Kid" by Terri Meeker. No matter what genre's you might be into, no matter your sexuality, race, interests EVERYONE should read that book! You can get it on Amazon as a printed copy or an ebook. Highly recommend it! 10/10!