1 Whirl'dly Majyk
A/N: Well, it is longer, (six pages!) and you should see some more of our favorite characters, including Gred and Forge. This has actually been written for nearly two months, I just haven't had the chance to upload it. Chapter Three should be up relatively soon.
Disclaimer: I own the twins, but not their names, and I own Tantor too, but not his name either. JKR owns most of the characters you recognize, and Esther Friesner owns the others. Serena Almasy belongs to Sarah, because Serena Almasy is Sarah. (Tantor and Serena will be appearing later.)
Muchos gracias to my beta readers, Carissa, Sarah, Britta and Rachel. Carissa for the grammar errors, Sarah for the questions, and Britta for knowing about Orbix. Rachel, dear, I love you like a sister (lol) but your comments, while well – known and generally acknowledged, are not helpful. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, especially my aunt.
2 Whirl'dly Majyk
3 Part One: The Whirl'd
Chapter Two – Dinner, a Drink, and Observations
Mysti is or was – your choice – a Welfie. Welfies are incredibly beautiful creatures that dwell in the Fearsome Forest of Euw. Exquisite, lovely, skilled in archery, fleet of foot, stern of mien, steeped in Majyk, the entire tribe has the collective intelligence of lettuce and the personality of a damp biscuit. Mysti is a misfit Welfie. For some reason she didn't see a future in flitting through the merry greenwood, guzzling nectar and living on a steady diet of chrysanthemum casserole. So she pulled a fast one, got herself married off to me, and got out of there so fast she left skidmarks on the one squirrel dumb enough to stand in her way.
- Kendar on his (ex) wife, Majyk by Hook or Crook
Professor McGonagall led us through the corridors and up to a picture of a rather large lady in a pink dress; one that I would never have been caught dead in. Pink isn't my style, although Welfin archers wear bright pink sequined jumpsuits when on duty. We were given a password (brouhaha) to get in, and the picture frame swung aside and let us into a room filled with squashy armchairs and a roaring fire. The Professor led us through the room and up a set of stairs into a small tower, where another picture hung; this time it was a young girl wearing a pink dress - the resemblance between her and the Fat Lady was striking, and I figured that they were the same person, only at different ages. We gave her another password, this time one we got to make up. 'Wildrose' was the word we chose, and I made sure that the children had memorized it before we went in.
The tower had four rooms; two bedrooms, a sitting room, and a bathroom. It looked just like our quarters at Steffan's Castle, decorated in blue and gold with a bit of white and green here and there. There was a fireplace and comfy chairs; the beds were piled high with fluffy pillows. The twins were ecstatic; they didn't remember the rooms at the Palace and these were the best ones we had in a long time.
I thanked the Professor and asked for some time alone, to get the twins settled in and unpack the few clothes we managed to keep. She agreed and left, reminding us that dinner would be served at eight' o'clock and that we would be sitting at the Head Table for that night, so we could be better introduced.
The twins and I unpacked, put our things away. I told them a story, one about a barbarian named Grimm and the things he had done to save various lives, including my husband's and mine. They were enchanted, despite having heard the story several times, and they asked the questions they always asked when told this particular story: why did Daddy hate you, Mummy, and why did Mr. Grimm talk funny? I gave them the same answers I had always given them, and they seemed comforted by the fact the no matter where we were, everything in the past was the same. This was one of the few constants in their short lives, and it showed them that although not everyone was to be trusted, some people were.
Soon enough, the hours had passed, and I told the twins to dress up in their good clothes for dinner. After all, we did want to make a good impression, even if the clothes did leave a lot to be desired. Still, fleeing for your life will do that, and we had learned to make do before; we could certainly do it again.
I was about to take the twins and start down to the Great Hall, when there was a knock at the door to our sitting room. I went over and opened it, and was startled to see a man about my age, maybe older, with greasy black hair and eyes that were at the first glance evil and at the second almost…kind. Or understanding, at least. I knew immediately that this was a man to be trusted, despite what he looked like. Welfie intuition.
He introduced himself as Professor Severus Snape, Master of Potions at the school and Head of Slytherin House. I introduced myself as well, and the twins, when prompted, piped up with their names. The Professor said that he was here to show us the way down to the Great Hall, just in case we didn't know. I explained that didn't know, thanked him, and then we left.
We followed him down the corridors and stairs, through the massive entrance hall, then he led us into the Great Hall, where students were sitting at four large tables. They were all wearing black robes with varying colors of crests, one colour to a table, and most of them were staring at us. Professor Snape didn't seem to have any problem with it; he sneered or smiled (if it could honestly be called that) at students as he pleased. Me? I just took hold of the twins' hands and walked proudly across the room to the Head Table. Never let it be said that a Welfie has no pride, or sangfroid.
Professor Snape gestured for the three of us to take a seat next to a chair that was empty. The empty chair was next to the Headmaster's, and I wondered who sat there. Professor McGonagall, maybe? It seemed likely.
We sat down, and in came McGonagall herself, followed by a line of students, all in the same black robes the others were wearing. They looked rather nervous, and I couldn't help but smile to myself as I remembered the first time I had gone to a royal ball, much less the first time I had met a king.
The Professor brought out a ratty looking old hat, pointed like hers, with rips and patches everywhere. Everything was quiet, the students and teachers holding their breaths, the twins and I included. Suddenly, a rip in the hat opened, and it started to sing. I was so startled that I missed the first few lines of its song, which seemed to mostly be about the Houses and their respective qualities. When the hat had finished singing, everyone clapped, and Professor McGonagall came forward with a roll of parchment. She called off the names of the new students, asking them to come forward and be Sorted. I watched, entranced; this wasn't how I had been Sorted. One by one, they were put into various Houses, with each table cheering as the new students arrived and sat down.
When the students were all Sorted and waiting, Headmaster Dumbledore stood up and gestured for silence. "Well," he said, and the few students still talking settled down, "the beginning of another year. Welcome to those of you who are new, and hello again to those of you who are not. We have a few changes this year, the least of which is that no students are allowed on the grounds past eight at night, and nobody is allowed in the Forbidden Forest. There are no exceptions to this rule. Also, we will be hosting some students from America, along with a family from a place quite different from our own. I would like to introduce Lady Mysti Gangle and her twins, Luke and Leia. They have been Sorted into Gryffindor, and I trust that you will treat them as well as you would treat any guest." He paused, looking around, then continued, "Let the feast begin."
The twins and I had stood up when he introduced us, and at his words we sat back down. The twins watched with amazement as the food magically appeared on the table in front of us. There were many things, from strange meats and vegetables to the more familiar ones, including something that looked like chicken and green food that looked like asparagus. I helped the twins get a little of the familiar foods onto their plates before getting myself some, taking advantage of the opportunity to try some new things.
As I ate, I looked around the room. The students were digging in, clearly hungry after a long day of travelling and meeting old friends. Some of them were looking curiously up at the Head Table, watching us the way I was watching them. The table on the left was full of Gryffindors, the students wearing their black robes with red and gold House crests and grey outfits underneath. McGonagall leaned over Luke and pointed out one particular Gryffindor to me.
"That boy there, with the black hair and glasses? That's Harry Potter. I trust that Dumbledore explained who he was?" I nodded. "Good," she replied. "The two students next to him are Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger. The two redheads nearby are Fred and George Weasley, twins like yours, and pranksters in the extreme. Never take anything they give you."
"Do all the Weasleys have red hair?" I asked, quite fascinated by the possibility. I know that I look nothing like any of my siblings (there are two) and Kendar looks nothing like his brother Basehart (thank goodness) or his sister Lucy. He does take after his father, though.
"Yes, all of them. Freckles, too. And there are seven total, but only four of them are enrolled here. The others have left." I nodded, thinking that I would have to meet the twins. Pranksters, she said, and I had to admit that grown-up or not, I did enjoy a bit of humour here and there. All right, more than a bit.
We continued stuffing ourselves, and when we finished, the desserts appeared. Puddings and pies and cakes, ice cream of every flavor, (including my favourite: and more. The twins' eyes got huge, and they immediately began trying to serve themselves a little bit of everything. Luckily, Snape (who was sitting on the other side of Leia) and I were able to stop them from wreaking too much havoc, and we served them more edible portions of a smaller selection of desserts. Unfortunately, it was already past their bedtime, and they were falling asleep where they were sitting. Eating large amounts of dessert only made them more tired, sugar filled or not. Thankfully, Dumbledore stood up and gave a few more announcements, which didn't take too long, and we were dismissed.
I picked up the twins, one in each arm, and started heading towards Gryffindor Tower. It was hard work, picking through students with eighty pounds of twins beneath my arms. Suddenly, I felt a tap on my shoulder, and I turned around, surprised to see two identical faces with freckles and red hair.
"'Scuse me, ma'am, but can we help you out here?" One of the faces asked me.
I nodded, unable to think of any other answer. "Certainly," I said, and the two young men each took a twin. They settled into the strange arms with no more than a cursory peeking at the owners, reminding me once again of how different their lives were. As a child, I wouldn't have let anyone hold me unless I knew his or her name, family history and personality. It wasn't likely that my mother would have let any unknown person hold me, either, though my mother was something I cared to not dwell on.
"I'm Fred," said the redhead holding Luke, "and this is George." He gestured at his counterpart, who was grinning wickedly at something to the right of me. I turned to see what he was smiling at, and caught sight of Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, arguing with each other, both bright red and scowling.
George nudged his twin, and Fred broke out into an identical evil smile as they watched their little brother get beaten into the ground (figuratively) by a girl half his size. I figured that poor Ron was in for some teasing, and to distract the twins, I asked them how old they were.
"Seventeen," replied Fred, still watching his brother, although he turned to me and smiled. "How old are these two?"
"Four," I replied. He nodded, his attention back on the fight. I noticed then that he wasn't the only interested person; Harry was watching his friends as well, an amused sort of smile on his face. They finally finished arguing and the three of them walked off, Ron and Hermione not talking to each other.
Fred looked over at me, following his younger brother up the stairs and down the corridors. "They argue all the time," he told me. "Drives Harry nuts, but he thinks its funny too, so he doesn't try to stop it anymore."
"Yeah," George agreed, "he knows the real reason they fight."
"And what reason would that be?" came a voice from behind.
I turned to see three pretty girls, all about the same age as the twins, walking along behind us.
"Hi," said the black girl, holding her hand out to me. "I'm Angelina, this," she pointed to the blond girl on her right, "is Alicia, and this," she pointed to the other girl, who had thick brown hair, "is Katie."
"Pleased to meet you," I said. They all smiled at me, then Angelina turned to Fred and George and said, "So why do Ron and Hermione fight all the time?"
"Isn't it obvious, Angel?" said Fred. "They've got a crush on each other. Have since last year." It was even more obvious that he and Angelina had some sort of relationship with each other; they were both smiling secret smiles and exchanging the sort of looks that Kendar and I exchanged. The kinds of looks that conveyed minutes of conversations into a single second. I missed those looks already, and Kendar had only been gone since noon.
"Hmmm," murmured Katie, "and does Harry have any problem with it?"
"Doesn't seem to," replied George, "though I suppose he's got other things on his mind." He and his twin exchanged dark looks, and I experienced another pang of missing Kendar.
I noticed that the girls were looking curious, and I wondered just how much they knew about Harry and Voldemort. From the looks on their faces, not much. I could tell that Fred and George knew a bit more, probably because Ron had told them.
We had now reached the Common Room, and the twins passed through the portrait of the Fat Lady, with me following close behind. I showed them where we were staying, and they followed me through the portrait of the Young Fat Lady and into the sitting room.
"I can take care of them from here," I said. "Thank you very much."
They smiled in reply, and saying, "You're welcome," backed out the door and down to the Common Room.
I picked up the twins and took them into their bedroom. They were more awake now, and woke up even more as I helped them take off their good clothes and put them away.
When we were finished, they demanded a song, and feeling like they deserved one, I acquiesced.
I normally don't like to sing. That's the rebel Welfie part of me, the part that hates to sing and flitter and generally act like a twit. The twins love to sing, though, and they love to hear me sing, though I don't do it often.
I sang a song about the Ancients, the original Welfies who had abandoned the human race to form one of their own, with a different language, different customs, and different-looking people. For Welfies had pointed ears, and were born with Majyk. We did not acquire it, like Kendar and other wizards, and we used it in different ways. I sang of the beauty of the ancient Welfie homeland, the land that had been lost to us thousands of years ago, when Orbix had shifted. I sang of the old customs that were followed no longer, and I sang of the stupid mortals who had dared to take those customs away from us. And as I sang, I started to miss Orbix. Not just the people on it, like Kendar and Lucy and Scandal, but also the things: Thengor's Palace, which I hadn't seen in years; and Stefan's Castle as well; the Underside, where things were so screwed up, but which held some great memories; and most especially, Mother Toadbreath's cottage, where Kendar and I had made up after a year-long absence.
I missed Orbix, and yet I couldn't go back.
A/N: Well, it is longer, (six pages!) and you should see some more of our favorite characters, including Gred and Forge. This has actually been written for nearly two months, I just haven't had the chance to upload it. Chapter Three should be up relatively soon.
Disclaimer: I own the twins, but not their names, and I own Tantor too, but not his name either. JKR owns most of the characters you recognize, and Esther Friesner owns the others. Serena Almasy belongs to Sarah, because Serena Almasy is Sarah. (Tantor and Serena will be appearing later.)
Muchos gracias to my beta readers, Carissa, Sarah, Britta and Rachel. Carissa for the grammar errors, Sarah for the questions, and Britta for knowing about Orbix. Rachel, dear, I love you like a sister (lol) but your comments, while well – known and generally acknowledged, are not helpful. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, especially my aunt.
2 Whirl'dly Majyk
3 Part One: The Whirl'd
Chapter Two – Dinner, a Drink, and Observations
Mysti is or was – your choice – a Welfie. Welfies are incredibly beautiful creatures that dwell in the Fearsome Forest of Euw. Exquisite, lovely, skilled in archery, fleet of foot, stern of mien, steeped in Majyk, the entire tribe has the collective intelligence of lettuce and the personality of a damp biscuit. Mysti is a misfit Welfie. For some reason she didn't see a future in flitting through the merry greenwood, guzzling nectar and living on a steady diet of chrysanthemum casserole. So she pulled a fast one, got herself married off to me, and got out of there so fast she left skidmarks on the one squirrel dumb enough to stand in her way.
- Kendar on his (ex) wife, Majyk by Hook or Crook
Professor McGonagall led us through the corridors and up to a picture of a rather large lady in a pink dress; one that I would never have been caught dead in. Pink isn't my style, although Welfin archers wear bright pink sequined jumpsuits when on duty. We were given a password (brouhaha) to get in, and the picture frame swung aside and let us into a room filled with squashy armchairs and a roaring fire. The Professor led us through the room and up a set of stairs into a small tower, where another picture hung; this time it was a young girl wearing a pink dress - the resemblance between her and the Fat Lady was striking, and I figured that they were the same person, only at different ages. We gave her another password, this time one we got to make up. 'Wildrose' was the word we chose, and I made sure that the children had memorized it before we went in.
The tower had four rooms; two bedrooms, a sitting room, and a bathroom. It looked just like our quarters at Steffan's Castle, decorated in blue and gold with a bit of white and green here and there. There was a fireplace and comfy chairs; the beds were piled high with fluffy pillows. The twins were ecstatic; they didn't remember the rooms at the Palace and these were the best ones we had in a long time.
I thanked the Professor and asked for some time alone, to get the twins settled in and unpack the few clothes we managed to keep. She agreed and left, reminding us that dinner would be served at eight' o'clock and that we would be sitting at the Head Table for that night, so we could be better introduced.
The twins and I unpacked, put our things away. I told them a story, one about a barbarian named Grimm and the things he had done to save various lives, including my husband's and mine. They were enchanted, despite having heard the story several times, and they asked the questions they always asked when told this particular story: why did Daddy hate you, Mummy, and why did Mr. Grimm talk funny? I gave them the same answers I had always given them, and they seemed comforted by the fact the no matter where we were, everything in the past was the same. This was one of the few constants in their short lives, and it showed them that although not everyone was to be trusted, some people were.
Soon enough, the hours had passed, and I told the twins to dress up in their good clothes for dinner. After all, we did want to make a good impression, even if the clothes did leave a lot to be desired. Still, fleeing for your life will do that, and we had learned to make do before; we could certainly do it again.
I was about to take the twins and start down to the Great Hall, when there was a knock at the door to our sitting room. I went over and opened it, and was startled to see a man about my age, maybe older, with greasy black hair and eyes that were at the first glance evil and at the second almost…kind. Or understanding, at least. I knew immediately that this was a man to be trusted, despite what he looked like. Welfie intuition.
He introduced himself as Professor Severus Snape, Master of Potions at the school and Head of Slytherin House. I introduced myself as well, and the twins, when prompted, piped up with their names. The Professor said that he was here to show us the way down to the Great Hall, just in case we didn't know. I explained that didn't know, thanked him, and then we left.
We followed him down the corridors and stairs, through the massive entrance hall, then he led us into the Great Hall, where students were sitting at four large tables. They were all wearing black robes with varying colors of crests, one colour to a table, and most of them were staring at us. Professor Snape didn't seem to have any problem with it; he sneered or smiled (if it could honestly be called that) at students as he pleased. Me? I just took hold of the twins' hands and walked proudly across the room to the Head Table. Never let it be said that a Welfie has no pride, or sangfroid.
Professor Snape gestured for the three of us to take a seat next to a chair that was empty. The empty chair was next to the Headmaster's, and I wondered who sat there. Professor McGonagall, maybe? It seemed likely.
We sat down, and in came McGonagall herself, followed by a line of students, all in the same black robes the others were wearing. They looked rather nervous, and I couldn't help but smile to myself as I remembered the first time I had gone to a royal ball, much less the first time I had met a king.
The Professor brought out a ratty looking old hat, pointed like hers, with rips and patches everywhere. Everything was quiet, the students and teachers holding their breaths, the twins and I included. Suddenly, a rip in the hat opened, and it started to sing. I was so startled that I missed the first few lines of its song, which seemed to mostly be about the Houses and their respective qualities. When the hat had finished singing, everyone clapped, and Professor McGonagall came forward with a roll of parchment. She called off the names of the new students, asking them to come forward and be Sorted. I watched, entranced; this wasn't how I had been Sorted. One by one, they were put into various Houses, with each table cheering as the new students arrived and sat down.
When the students were all Sorted and waiting, Headmaster Dumbledore stood up and gestured for silence. "Well," he said, and the few students still talking settled down, "the beginning of another year. Welcome to those of you who are new, and hello again to those of you who are not. We have a few changes this year, the least of which is that no students are allowed on the grounds past eight at night, and nobody is allowed in the Forbidden Forest. There are no exceptions to this rule. Also, we will be hosting some students from America, along with a family from a place quite different from our own. I would like to introduce Lady Mysti Gangle and her twins, Luke and Leia. They have been Sorted into Gryffindor, and I trust that you will treat them as well as you would treat any guest." He paused, looking around, then continued, "Let the feast begin."
The twins and I had stood up when he introduced us, and at his words we sat back down. The twins watched with amazement as the food magically appeared on the table in front of us. There were many things, from strange meats and vegetables to the more familiar ones, including something that looked like chicken and green food that looked like asparagus. I helped the twins get a little of the familiar foods onto their plates before getting myself some, taking advantage of the opportunity to try some new things.
As I ate, I looked around the room. The students were digging in, clearly hungry after a long day of travelling and meeting old friends. Some of them were looking curiously up at the Head Table, watching us the way I was watching them. The table on the left was full of Gryffindors, the students wearing their black robes with red and gold House crests and grey outfits underneath. McGonagall leaned over Luke and pointed out one particular Gryffindor to me.
"That boy there, with the black hair and glasses? That's Harry Potter. I trust that Dumbledore explained who he was?" I nodded. "Good," she replied. "The two students next to him are Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger. The two redheads nearby are Fred and George Weasley, twins like yours, and pranksters in the extreme. Never take anything they give you."
"Do all the Weasleys have red hair?" I asked, quite fascinated by the possibility. I know that I look nothing like any of my siblings (there are two) and Kendar looks nothing like his brother Basehart (thank goodness) or his sister Lucy. He does take after his father, though.
"Yes, all of them. Freckles, too. And there are seven total, but only four of them are enrolled here. The others have left." I nodded, thinking that I would have to meet the twins. Pranksters, she said, and I had to admit that grown-up or not, I did enjoy a bit of humour here and there. All right, more than a bit.
We continued stuffing ourselves, and when we finished, the desserts appeared. Puddings and pies and cakes, ice cream of every flavor, (including my favourite: and more. The twins' eyes got huge, and they immediately began trying to serve themselves a little bit of everything. Luckily, Snape (who was sitting on the other side of Leia) and I were able to stop them from wreaking too much havoc, and we served them more edible portions of a smaller selection of desserts. Unfortunately, it was already past their bedtime, and they were falling asleep where they were sitting. Eating large amounts of dessert only made them more tired, sugar filled or not. Thankfully, Dumbledore stood up and gave a few more announcements, which didn't take too long, and we were dismissed.
I picked up the twins, one in each arm, and started heading towards Gryffindor Tower. It was hard work, picking through students with eighty pounds of twins beneath my arms. Suddenly, I felt a tap on my shoulder, and I turned around, surprised to see two identical faces with freckles and red hair.
"'Scuse me, ma'am, but can we help you out here?" One of the faces asked me.
I nodded, unable to think of any other answer. "Certainly," I said, and the two young men each took a twin. They settled into the strange arms with no more than a cursory peeking at the owners, reminding me once again of how different their lives were. As a child, I wouldn't have let anyone hold me unless I knew his or her name, family history and personality. It wasn't likely that my mother would have let any unknown person hold me, either, though my mother was something I cared to not dwell on.
"I'm Fred," said the redhead holding Luke, "and this is George." He gestured at his counterpart, who was grinning wickedly at something to the right of me. I turned to see what he was smiling at, and caught sight of Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, arguing with each other, both bright red and scowling.
George nudged his twin, and Fred broke out into an identical evil smile as they watched their little brother get beaten into the ground (figuratively) by a girl half his size. I figured that poor Ron was in for some teasing, and to distract the twins, I asked them how old they were.
"Seventeen," replied Fred, still watching his brother, although he turned to me and smiled. "How old are these two?"
"Four," I replied. He nodded, his attention back on the fight. I noticed then that he wasn't the only interested person; Harry was watching his friends as well, an amused sort of smile on his face. They finally finished arguing and the three of them walked off, Ron and Hermione not talking to each other.
Fred looked over at me, following his younger brother up the stairs and down the corridors. "They argue all the time," he told me. "Drives Harry nuts, but he thinks its funny too, so he doesn't try to stop it anymore."
"Yeah," George agreed, "he knows the real reason they fight."
"And what reason would that be?" came a voice from behind.
I turned to see three pretty girls, all about the same age as the twins, walking along behind us.
"Hi," said the black girl, holding her hand out to me. "I'm Angelina, this," she pointed to the blond girl on her right, "is Alicia, and this," she pointed to the other girl, who had thick brown hair, "is Katie."
"Pleased to meet you," I said. They all smiled at me, then Angelina turned to Fred and George and said, "So why do Ron and Hermione fight all the time?"
"Isn't it obvious, Angel?" said Fred. "They've got a crush on each other. Have since last year." It was even more obvious that he and Angelina had some sort of relationship with each other; they were both smiling secret smiles and exchanging the sort of looks that Kendar and I exchanged. The kinds of looks that conveyed minutes of conversations into a single second. I missed those looks already, and Kendar had only been gone since noon.
"Hmmm," murmured Katie, "and does Harry have any problem with it?"
"Doesn't seem to," replied George, "though I suppose he's got other things on his mind." He and his twin exchanged dark looks, and I experienced another pang of missing Kendar.
I noticed that the girls were looking curious, and I wondered just how much they knew about Harry and Voldemort. From the looks on their faces, not much. I could tell that Fred and George knew a bit more, probably because Ron had told them.
We had now reached the Common Room, and the twins passed through the portrait of the Fat Lady, with me following close behind. I showed them where we were staying, and they followed me through the portrait of the Young Fat Lady and into the sitting room.
"I can take care of them from here," I said. "Thank you very much."
They smiled in reply, and saying, "You're welcome," backed out the door and down to the Common Room.
I picked up the twins and took them into their bedroom. They were more awake now, and woke up even more as I helped them take off their good clothes and put them away.
When we were finished, they demanded a song, and feeling like they deserved one, I acquiesced.
I normally don't like to sing. That's the rebel Welfie part of me, the part that hates to sing and flitter and generally act like a twit. The twins love to sing, though, and they love to hear me sing, though I don't do it often.
I sang a song about the Ancients, the original Welfies who had abandoned the human race to form one of their own, with a different language, different customs, and different-looking people. For Welfies had pointed ears, and were born with Majyk. We did not acquire it, like Kendar and other wizards, and we used it in different ways. I sang of the beauty of the ancient Welfie homeland, the land that had been lost to us thousands of years ago, when Orbix had shifted. I sang of the old customs that were followed no longer, and I sang of the stupid mortals who had dared to take those customs away from us. And as I sang, I started to miss Orbix. Not just the people on it, like Kendar and Lucy and Scandal, but also the things: Thengor's Palace, which I hadn't seen in years; and Stefan's Castle as well; the Underside, where things were so screwed up, but which held some great memories; and most especially, Mother Toadbreath's cottage, where Kendar and I had made up after a year-long absence.
I missed Orbix, and yet I couldn't go back.