Unforeseeable consequences

Livia and Bartlby sat in the library for the rest of the night. The room was expansive yet crowded with large bookcases filled to the brim with books. There were two massive windows on each side of the round room. Dark purple drapes hung from the top of the windows. Candlestick holders littered the few small tables. Each waning candle showed how long the two had been in there. Livia sat at a desk and thought to herself as she poured over countless books. She remembered how Jareth once told her that he could always find Sarah here.

"I tell you Livia," laughed Jareth, "I sometimes wonder if she loves those books more than me."

Livia smiled at the memory as she rubbed her eyes from the strain of reading. She looked over at one of the plush chairs across the room. Bartlby sat reclining with one leg thrown over a chair arm; he too was engrossed in a book. To one side of his chair sat several large piles of books, all the books that he had already looked through. They were both exhausted, the tension in the room was apparent, but they had to keep going, for Jareth and Sarah. Livia finished another book, closed it and pushed it away. She put her head in her hands and for a moment let her thoughts wander. She wished now more than ever that she had paid more attention to the teacher that their father had hired to tutor them. Nicoli wanted all his children to know the full extent of their powers. He wanted them to be able to take care of themselves as well as each other.

"Great job we are doing now," muttered Livia to herself as she pushed a stray lock of hair out of her face.

Bartlby put his book away and stood up to stretch. He sighed as his reached his arms above his head. He walked over to Livia and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Don't be so hard on yourself sister," he whispered, "we're doing all we can".

Livia touched his hand and sighed, "We should be doing more."

Bartlby removed his hand and walked over to a table that held cold meals that the servants had brought them earlier that night. He took an apple and bit a chunk out of it. He then walked over to one of the bookcases and retrieved two more books. Returning to his sister he placed one book in front of her and went back to his chair. Silently he opened his book and began to read. Livia took his cue and followed suite.

Another hour passed when Livia sat up with a start. "Bartlby, I think I found the answer," she exclaimed. In a second, Bartlby was by her side looking over her shoulder at the book she held open. Upon the old and yellowed page was a spell written in the old Fae language.

Bartlby not remembering how to read it looked quizzically at Livia. "What does it say?"

Livia smiled at her brother. "My, my, father would be displeased that you have forgotten the old tongues,"

Bartlby heaved a sign of relief at his sister's jest; hopefully the light at the end of the tunnel was near. Livia closed the book and looked at her brother. "I need to get some ingredients from the kitchen. Go and get the healer and midwife, we will need them both, meet me with Sarah." With this Livia hurried out the door with Bartlby close behind her.





Half an hour later Livia emerged in the master bedroom her arms loaded down with jars, bowls and a book. Bartlby went and took a few items from her hands, laying them on the table beside the bed. Sarah still lay sleeping peacefully on the bed. Her face had almost completely healed but her hand was still bandaged. Livia caressed Sarah's cheek softly and felt to see if her enchantment was unchanged

"Livia, I trust you know what you are doing," Bartlby asked hesitantly. Standing at her side looking worriedly down at Sarah, they both felt the strain of distant hope.

Livia smiled weakly at him. "Hopefully, dear brother, it has been a long time since I have dealt with spells like these."

Livia turned to the table by the bed and began pouring the contents of the bottles into one large bowl. The healer stood by to offer Livia assistance. Bartlby busied himself with unbinding the cloth on Sarah wounded hand. He examined it turning it over in air to see both sides. It still looked as bad as it had the second she had received the enchantment.

Placing Sarah's hand on the bed he gently ran a cold washcloth over her face. He had to wait for Livia to be ready.

Finally Livia turned to face Sarah and Bartlby. She handed the bowl to the healer and opened the book to the page of the spell. The healer took the mixture that had been made and began to dab it on Sarah's injuries.

Livia gave Bartlby a grave look. "Dearest brother, I will need your strength and magic with me to break this spell."

Bartlby nodded mutely and closed his eyes. He opened his mind to Livia. She too closed her eyes and connected mentally with her brother. Livia slowly began to chant the spell, first whispering then raising her voice to normal tone. She kept her breathing calm even as she started to feel a tingling at the base of her spine. Bartlby felt it too. Their magic connected them in that whatever pain or exhaustion they would feel in countering the enchantment, they would feel it together. The tingling slowly crept up their spines, to the base of their necks and down into their chest. The feeling grew slightly taking more energy into it; both Livia and Bartlby were beginning to sweat from the strain.

In his mind Bartlby heard Livia speak to him. "Take my hand and Sarah's hand."
Bartlby did this and felt the current of magic running from Livia, through him and into Sarah. The sensation in his chest was growing painful. He felt like his insides were on fire. Livia still chanting the words was feeling lightheaded, she struggled to stay focused. Suddenly a sound like a thunderclap shook the room.

The spell was broken.

The sound broke Livia's concentration and she collapses against the bed suddenly aware of her fatigue. Bartlby also sat at the edge of the bed and clasped his sister's hand once more.

"Did it work," he asked looking first to Sarah and then Livia.

Livia opened her mouth to reply but a small moan caught her attention. They both looked to the top of the bed and saw Sarah open her eyes and turn to look at them.

"Sarah," Livia asked cautiously, "how are you feeling?"

Sarah turned to her and smiled, "Refreshed," she replied, "how long did I sleep."

Bartlby smiled at Sarah, "Not long at all."

Sarah looked about the room and then turned back to Livia. "Where has my husband ran off to?"

"Jareth should be back any minute," Livia replied, "let me call out to him to come home."

Sarah looked at Livia with a quizzical look. "Jareth, who is Jareth? I'm talking about my husband, Tristan."

Horrified Bartlby and Livia could only stare at her.