A/n: it's been a while but here is episode 4! in which I finally get to write Louise! Heck yeah! As always please comment/review if you like this because that really does motivate me to make more episodes and more tcr content. Enjoy the episode folks and stay safe out
warning for suicide reference at the end of this episode as per Magus Bride canon.
(Episode 4)
Louise
Haru examined her now uninjured arm, flexing her hand and her wrist now it was free of the bandages. There was no trace at all of the wound she'd inflicted upon herself, save for a few little scars where she'd dug in her fingernails, to keep the fae from taking her into their world. Or more accurately, to snap herself out of the daze the fae had lulled her into with its sweet words. It was only that, coupled with thoughts of her new family, that stopped her willingly stepping through to the other side and away from Baron, Toto and Muta forever. It was a grim thought, how close she'd come from leaving this world – and her new family – for good.
"How does your arm feel, Miss Haru?" Baron asked, carefully watching as she studied her arm. Examined the little fingernail shaped scars that's formed.
"Great," Haru answered.
Baron nodded. "Very good. I've tried my best, with the scars, but healing magic has never been my forte."
"It's fine," Haru told him. The scars will be a good reminder. She covered her arm with the sleeve of her wooly jumper again and returned to her seat on the sofa.
"So now I'm all healed up Baron, does this mean you'll start teaching me magic now?"
She looked at him, feeling hopeful. Her new mage master did say he'd teach her magic and officially begin her apprenticeship when she'd fully recovered from her brush with the fae.
Baron considered the request for a moment. Not for long, but long enough to instil just a little bit of doubt. But just when Haru was beginning to suspect he'd say 'no', he spoke again.
"Yes, Miss Haru," he said with a smile and a twinkle in his eye. "It does."
Haru resisted the urge to leap up and punch the air with joy. A mage, and by proxy anyone else associated with a mage, ought to be respectable. As Baron often said, usually to a bickering Toto and Muta who's dragged Haru into their shenanigans. And Haru had absorbed some of that opinion as well. So for the moment, she settled for a broad smile. Later in her room, she'd whoop and punch the air and rejoice.
"Now finish drinking your tea," Baron ordered. "And put on your best clothes."
"Where are we going?" Haru asked, curious.
"To the Big Smoke," he told her. Haru however was just confused. So he elaborated. "To the city."
"Ah."
. . .
Several hours later, Haru and Baron stepped off the train and set foot in the city of London. The place Baron had called The Big Smoke.
For the length of the train journey, she'd wondered why it was called that. But as soon as she followed Baron from the train station into the city, she understood. Everywhere she looked she could see factories, the chimneys of which belched smoke into the air. And she suspected all the other houses here did too. But it wasn't all factories. There were shops too. Department stores, grocers and bookshops. Traders selling their wares by shouting in the streets. It was all bustle, all noise, all people. Haru had never known anything like it.
She looked about her, a little dizzy at the hustle and smoke and noise, but filled with wonder too. Here was a place of endless possibilities. A place where you could be anyone you wanted. Do whatever you liked.
She was so amazed at it all, she walked into Baron's back, nearly tripping both of them up.
"Be careful, Miss Haru," he warned. "Don't let the city swallow you up. It's very easy to go astray and get lost here."
She swallowed and nodded. "Yes," she squeaked.
"Just stay close to me," he said, taking her hand and walking with her. Ignoring the bright pink blush in her cheeks as he led the way. "We're going to meet an old acquaintance of mine."
But Haru was blushing far too hard to answer.
. . .
After walking for a little while longer, Baron brought them to a halt outside of an old bookshop.
"Aha! We're here," he said proudly, as if it took a lot of effort to find this place. Which in Haru's mind, it did, since the city was like a maze to her.
"We'll just pick up a few things for you, Haru, and then we'll have lunch," he announced, holding the door open for her.
The door chimed as they entered, and the scent of old books filled Haru's nose.
"so... we're here to get me some... books?" she asked, running her fingers over the spines of a few on one of the shelves. "Not that I'm complaining. You know I'd never turn down a good book. But I thought we came for some magic stuff."
Barn gestured to the shelves of books around them. "This is just a cover," he explained. "The owner is in the back."
He walked up to the wooden cashier's desk with a till resting on it, and rang the little bell beside it. Haru waited with him in silence, full of questions, but she knew they'd all be answered soon.
After a few moments the owner of the shop came out to meet them, and Haru couldn't help but stare at her. The shop owner was a snowy white feline, much like Baron, with sapphire blue eyes Haru felt would be dazzling should she get too close. The cat was wearing a pair of beige trousers paired with a pale blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows. Her hands were busy wping some grease off a screwdriver with a rag, her face looking very serious. Her stern demeanour evaporated however, when she saw Baron standing before her. A smile even blossomed on her face.
"Why, Humbert!" she grinned. "What brings you here? You hardly ever venture out of your hermit cottage these days."
Humbert – Baron – smiled and nodded. "I'm here o business," he explained, reaching into his pocket and handing her a list. "We need these items."
The white cat studied the list for a moment before looking up at Baron and grinning again. "Well then, you've come to the right place. You better come on back, I think I've got some of what you need on hand. The rest I'll have to make. I'll have to charge you accordingly."
"That won't be a problem," Baron nodded.
His companion snorted as she led him and Haru to the back of the shop, which turned out to be a spacious workroom.
"Of course," the white feline added, "You have your Mage Bureau now. You're raking the money in."
Baron laughed. "Now, now, don't exaggerate."
But she just laughed. "Says the king of- sorry. The Baron of exaggerating," she smirked. Baron sighed, shaking his head. Clearly used to her teasing. Haru wondered how they knew each other to banter like this. What their relationship was.
"Miss Haru," Baron said, as if reading her mind. "May I introduce you to my sister, Duchess-"
"Louise Von Gikkingen," the white feline – Louise – cut him off. Holding out her hand for Haru to shake in a formal greeting.
"Louise, this is Miss Haru Yoshioka," Baron added. "My new apprentice."
Louise looked very intrigues by this, and glanced over to her brother. "An apprentice you say? You simply must tell me all about how you two met over a pot of tea."
And with that, she ushered both Baron and Haru through to the kitchen to sit down. And, of course, discuss business and pleasure over tea and biscuits.
. . .
After pouring Haru, Baron, and then herself a cup of tea, Louise sat down at the table with them both. "So Haru," she began. "You're Humbert's new apprentice?"
Haru nodded. "Yes ma'am."
"Oh, sweetheart, just Louise will do," the feline smiled warmly. "No need to be so stiff and formal. Let's leave that to Humbert, shall we?"
Haru nodded again. "Yes ma'a- I mean, Louise."
Louise smiled approvingly. "Has Humbert made you feel welcome?"
Haru nodded with a gentle smile this time. "Oh yes, very welcome."
Louise sipped her tea, quietly approving of everything so far. Even the fact that Haru was radiating mage talent. But then, Humbert always did have high standards.
"that is very good to hear," Louise smiled gently. Haru beamed back at her.
"Oh yes. He told me to make myself at home, and gave me my very own room. And even saved me from some fairies!"
Louise blinked, quite surprised by this. "Fae?" she asked. "How did the fae get a hold of you? Humbert, how did the fae get a hold of her?"
Baron mumbled something and rather sheepishly lifted his teacup to his lips, which Louise took as an admission of guilt. "Humbert," Louise prompted firmly.
"she urm... went for a walk in the woods at night," Baron admitted. More than a little guilty. "She was lured by a fae who found her at the Sanctuary."
Louise eyed him with suspicion. "Uh-huh. And where were you when this was happening? Surely you'd have seen her leave, what with all the spells you have around the cottage..."
"I'm not keeping her prisoner Louise," Baron told her. "she's free to leave the Sanctuary as she pleases."
"Yes, but to let her be lured away by a fae?" Louise asked, a little aghast at this. "Honestly Humbert, how irresponsible could you be? Such negligence..."
Baron shrugged. "I thought it would be a good lesson for her. So she'd know not to be decieved by any neighbours who would do her harm."
Louise shook her head at that. She set her teacup and saucer back on the table and sat back in her chair, staring at her brother in disbelief. "You mean you let her wander off alone wth a fae on purpose?!" she exclaimed. "what on earth were you thinking Humbert?! You have an apprentice for five minutes and you let her get kidnapped by a fae! Talk about irresponsible!"
"I did rescue her before they could take her to the fairy kingdom," Baron pointed out. He glanced at Haru for help, but it seemed she was determined to stay out of this one. Sipping her tea quietly to avoid saying anything.
"that's not the point Humbert!" Louise scolded him before sighing and shaking her head at him. She turned to Haru. "Has he done anything else irresponsible, sweetheart?"
"I have done nothing irresponsible," Baron told them, but Louise shushed him.
"Let her answer the question, Humbert."
Haru shook her head. "No, he's been a perfect gentleman- er, gentlecat – ever since he bought me from the auction and made me his apprentice." she smiled softly. "He gave me a home and a family, and they've all made me feel welcome."
Louise smiled and nodded at the young apprentice. Young because fully fledged mages lived far longer lives than ordinary humans. Except for Sleigh Beggy, but those were anomalies in the magical world, and very rare creatures.
"Well, that's lovely to hear, sweetheart," she said warmly. "I know I usually disapprove of paying for people like cattle at a market," she glanced at her brother disapprovingly at that, "but for you I'll make an exception." she winked and smiled at Haru, making the girl smile wider.
"Now Humbert," Louise said, turning her attention back to Baron. "You said you have need of my services."
she produced the list and flattened it on the table.
"Yes," Baron answered.
Louise nodded. "I have some of these, but not all. To make the rest I'll need you to get some things from the market for me."
she quickly produced a little notepad and pencil from her own pocket and scribbled down a little list of her own. Handing it to Baron across the table. "We'll wait here and get the other things sorted for you."
Baron nodded and stood. "In that case, I'll be back soon. Louise, I leave Miss Haru in your care."
Louise smiled. "I'll guard her with my life," she answered. Making Haru blush.
With that, Baron tipped his hat to the ladies and left for the market.
. . .
Once Baron was gone, Louise turned her attention to Haru again. "Now then," she said. "want to help me with my work?"
Haru perked up at that. Eager to absorb as much knowledge as she could. "I'd like that."
"Excellent!" Louise beamed. "Now finish your tea and we'll get started."
Haru did as she was told, eager to get to work.
. . .
After tea, Haru followed Louise into her workroom, taking in the details of the space around her. All the gemstones and vials, fabric and gears all organised on shelves. There were even what looked like artificial limbs, made of metal and looking fully movable and very robot-like. Haru was simply amazed by it all.
"So what do you do here?" she asked, eyeing a large vial of what looked like liquid gold.
"I'm an Artificer," Louise told her. "I specialise in magus crafts. If a mage or alchemist needs something made for them, I'm the one they come to. Whether it's artificial limbs, reinforced clothes, amulets or other tools, I supply and craft them, every piece I sell is a unique, handcrafted creation. Powered by magic instead of the more conventional human methods.
"It sounds incredible," Haru sighed in awe. Wondering if she would ever be a good enough mage to make things like this.
"Thanks," Louise smiled. "It took a lot of work to get where I am today. But enough about me. Tell me about you. How is your mage training going? I remember mine being difficult at first because it's so much information all at once."
"Umm..." Haru fidgeted nervously. "Actually... Baron hasn't taught me anything yet."
"What?" Louise rounded on her. "Nothing at all?"
Haru shook her head. "Not a thing. He wanted to wait until I'd recovered from my injuries. The only magic I've done is what I've tried to do by myself. But that didn't turn out too well."
Louise's gaze softened. "What happened?"
"I tried a rain spell."
"Did it work?"
"I think it worked a little too well, because it rained inside. I couldn't stop it so Baron had to undo the spell," she sighed. "They haven't left me unsupervised since."
Louise chuckled at the story softly. "Sounds like quite a day."
"It took days for Baron to fix the roof," Haru told her. "But it wouldn't have happened if he'd taught me earlier."
Louise sighed at that. "Sounds just like Humbert, putting off anything important." She shook her head at her absent brother's procrastinating. "You'd think he's want to harness your mage talent, since you have so much of it. If you were my apprentice, I'd have had you studying as soon as you'd recovered from travelling."
"But I'm Baron's apprentice," Haru told her flatly.
"But you're Baron's apprentice," Louise echoed, sounding a little sad. Regretful, Haru thought.
"Although..." Louise added, a hint of slyness in her tone. "That doesn't mean I can't teach you a few things to help old Humbert out a little." She winked at Haru and gave her a conspiratorial smile. "Don't you want to learn a little magic?"
Haru lit up at the suggestion. "Oh, yes," she gasped. "Yes please!"
"Excellent," Louise smiled. "Follow me and we'll get started."
Haru smiled widely and skipped along after her, more than ready to finally learning something.
. . .
Louise reached into one of the wooden crates and pulled out two small quartz crystals. "Let's start with something simple." She handed one to Haru and stood in front of her.
"what do I do with this?" Haru stood staring at the crystal in her palm.
"You're going to change its shape using your magic," Louise explained.
"And how do I do that?" Haru asked, very curious now. She knew magic could so just about anything, but she'd always thought magic needed you to recite a spell.
"Well, that's easy," Louise told her with a smile. "I'll demonstrate."
she held her own crystal in the palm of her hand. "This gem is an artificial crystal. When I created it, I poured liquid into a mould and put it under massive pressure until it crystallised. With your magic you can put more pressure on it and shape it into whatever form you want it to take. I like to think of my favourite flower."
The white feline closed her eyes and the crystal began to glow softly. "Then you concentrate and use your will to press and shape it."
She fell silent and Haru watched the crystal glow brighter and grow a flower out of the crystal. It grew a shoot, then leaves formed, followed by a large bud that slowly opened into a flower. Haru was amazed.
"A crystal sunflower!"
"Pretty, isn't it?" Louise smiled softly at her creation, pleased with her work.
"It's beautiful."
"Why don't you try?" Louise nodded to the plain crystal in Haru's hands.
Haru took a deep breath and readied herself. "Okay. I'm ready."
"Atta girl, give it your best shot."
Haru gently closed her eyes and tried to concentrate. "Okay Haru, just relax. You can do this."
She inhaled deeply and blew the air out slowly. A favourite flower, huh? Do I even have a favourite flower? The only flowers I can remember are...
The image of a field of flowers sprang to mind. A wide meadow of bright red poppies gently blowing in the wind. The breeze brushing through her hair. She knelt down and pressed her nose to one of the poppies and inhaled its scent. Calm and lovely.
"Haru... Haru," a soft voice called to her. She opened her eyes and looked up to see her mother, smiling lovingly down at her.
"Aren't the flowers beautiful, Haru?" she asked, her voice echoing away in the spring breeze. "Beautiful, just like my little Haru..."
Haru smiled, listening to her mother's voice echoing gently. My Haru... Haru...
"Haru!"
Haru jolted back to reality, realising where she was and that Baron had shouted for her. One of his hands was over her eyes and the other was gripping the wrist of the hand that held the crystal, which she dropped onto the floor in surprise.
"B-Baron?" she quivered, but Baron didn't answer.
"Louise," he said firmly, "I'd appreciate it if you didn't go about teaching things to my apprentice."
Haru opened her eyes and peered through the gaps in Baron's fingers. Gasping when she saw what had become of the crystal. Before her on the wooden floow lay a perfect crystal replica of the poppy field she'd seen in her memory.
"Wow," she gasped, and Baron removed his hand from her eyes. "I did this? I didn't know magic was this incredible!"
"It's not," Louise said frowning at Baron. "No normal apprentice could manage this. Humbert, what is she?"
"Haru is a sleigh beggy," he answered.
Louise seemed satisfied with that explanation. "That would explain it. Why didn't you tell me, Humbert?"
"the fewer who know, the safer she'll be," Baron answered. She nodded at that.
"But still, you could have warned me before she grew a crystalline poppy field in the middle of my workroom! And besides that I'm your sister! You know you can trust me!"
"My apologies, Louise."
Haru flinched at the remark about her, but Baron just laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Don't be so upset, Miss Haru,"he said softly. "The blame is mine, and you were only doing what comes naturally to you."
"What comes naturally to me?" Haru asked.
"Yes," Baron nodded. "Sleigh beggy like yourself are like living sponges. They absorb the magic around them and store it in their bodies. They absorb so much of it they're incapable of letting it out in small amounts without great effort. They're a rarity, even in the magical world."
Haru shrugged and tried to smile. "Well, I never was any good at being subtle."
Baron smiled softly. "You will be. With practice."
Haru smiled back at him and looked at her crystalline poppy field. "I'm sorry I made such a mess, Louise."
"Ah, don't worry about it, sweetheart," Louise waved her worries away. "I'll call it an art installation. It is very pretty." she winked again. "Now let's see if I have some of the things on Humbert's list for you."
Feeling a little better, Haru nodded and followed Louise into the store room.
. . .
A little while later, Haru emerged from Louise's store room with her arms full, followed by Louise who also carried several tools and things. They aid them down on the table ans huffed in relief the carrying was done.
"Alrighty then," Louise said, dusting her hands off. Baron, who was drinking another cup of tea at the table they's put the stuff on, looked up at them. Louise continued, "You've got a stone knife carved in the dew from a moonflower, a cloak woven from thunderbirds feathers, dragon hide, a belt, some steel vine thread, and I've thrown in a crystal lens pocket glass and some clear quartz for purifying rituals – and making more pretty flowers."
Haru blushed at that last one and Louise grinned. "And a few books she might find useful," Louise added. "The rest will take a few weeks, but I can send those by post to the Sanctuary for you."
Baron checked everything over and nodded. "Excellent."
Haru watched him take out his chequebook and a pen from his pocket and hand over his payment, which Louise pocketed.
"Thankyou for your custom," Louise bowed her head at them.
"My pleasure," Baron smiled before embracing his sister.
"Just don't leave it so long next time!"
"I won't. Take care, Louise."
"And you, Humbert. Take care of her, too," she added. "You never know who's about looking for someone like her."
Baron nodded firmly. "I'll guard her with my life," he promised, releasing her.
Louise then turned her attention to Haru. "You take care too, sweetheart. And study hard, okay?"
Haru beamed and nodded with enthusiasm. "Thanks, I will!"
"Good to hear," Louise smiled approvingly, before embracing Haru, too. "You're humbert's family now so that means you're my family too," she whispered to the young mage. "You holler if you need anything, you hear?"
"Yes ma'am," Haru promised, and Louise released her.
Louise nodded. "Let me know when you're home safe."
"We will," Haru and Baron promised in unison as they bid Louise goodbye and ventured out into the world again.
. . .
"So," Baron said as they walked back up the road towards home after the long train ride. "You are very fond of poppies, then?"
Haru shrugged. "Not really. I just remembered them from somewhere."
Baron looked thoughtful for a moment. "They do say memories contain the strongest magic... care to tell me about it?"
Haru lapsed into silence for a few moments as the wind brushed through her hair. "I was with my mother. It was one of my happier memories."
"And where is your mother now?"
"Oh," Haru said, not once breaking stride. "She's dead. I watched her die." I watched that wretched Monster, that voice, drive her to take her own life. Just like it's trying to do to me, if it let it.
"I'm sorry," Baron said softly.
"don't be," Haru smiled, still a little sad after all these years. "It was a long time ago... and I have a new family now."
Baron smiled warmly at her, the light of it reaching his eyes and lighting him up from within. He nodded his approval at her statement.
"Yes," he said gently. "Indeed you do."
He offered her his arm. "shall we go home to them, then?"
Haru returned the smile and linked her arm with his. "Yes," she said as brightly as she could manage. "Let's go home."