For Enchantmen!

SakuMo's Owain/Odin Writing Prompts

Prompt: Odin teaching Ophelia her first spell

Me: BABY'S FIRST SPELL, I LOVE IT! Also, SO SORRY this took so long to fill, I've been in a writer's block/busy period.

"Babe, I'm not so sure about this," Corrin said with an anxious frown as she wrangled a squirming two-year-old Kana in her lap.

"Mamaaaa!" Ophelia whined, fists on her hips and her cheeks puffed out in a pout. "I'm seven now, I'm big!"

"But magic isn't a toy, Ophelia," Corrin said, handing Kana a doll to preoccupy him so he'd settle.

"Worry not, beloved," Owain said with a soft smile as he dug in his bag for the tome. "I selected wind spells for her first proper foray into the arcane arts. The most she can do is rustle some tree leaves."

"Mama, Phelia big girl," said Kana, cuddling the plush dragon in his small arms. "Big girl magic."

"That's right, thank-you, Kana," Ophelia said with a triumphant nod.

Outnumbered, Corrin sighed. She and Owain had come to their children's Deeprealm for a picnic to celebrate Ophelia's birthday, and now that the meal was complete, it was time for Ophelia's first time using real magic. Owain had promised the girl this treat without consulting Corrin beforehand, and while she trusted Owain always had their daughter's safety in mind, it still made Corrin a little anxious. True, Ophelia had long-since mastered the children's spells—conjuring bubbles and flower petals and little sparks of light—and Corrin agreed with Owain that the children should be trained in various combat principles, but something about her little girl taking this next step struck a parental chord of unease inside her.

"Please be careful," Corrin said, eyeing Owain as he clambered to his knees to stand.

"Everything's fine, Corr, I promise," he said, leaning over and smooching her cheek. "Owain Dark would never jeopardize the safety of his darling little ones."

With a gentle sigh, Corrin nodded. "I know. Just don't get too excited and overdo it, okay?"

"You have my word," Owain said with a grin, stealing another cheek-peck before standing. He turned to his daughter and tucked the tome by his hip, straightening into a more serious posture. "All right, Ophelia. Today you embark on the path towards sorcery! I'm sure you understand this is a massive undertaking and should not be accepted lightly."

"Yes!" Ophelia said, standing at attention, her arms flanking her sides. "You and Mama told me not to fool around with magic, not even my toy tomes."

"And hitherto this moment, you have shown respectable responsibility," said Owain, nodding at her. "You never leave your books lying around for Kana to discover, and you've only used them while supervised by myself, your mother, or your guardians. Very commendable, Chosen Heroine Ophelia Dusk."

Ophelia blushed, beaming from ear to ear. "I've done everything you've taught me, Papa!"

"And I'm certain you'll continue to impress, my first-born!" he said, mirroring her grin. "So now, without further ado, let's start with the basics." He walked several paces from the picnic blanket with Ophelia, and the two faced one another. "Harnessing magic, my darling, takes a great amount of discipline and control," said Owain, opening the tome and leafing to the proper page. "Used incorrectly, you can cause great harm. Even the simplest wind spell, if concentrated enough, can slice through armor." Owain demonstrated this by extending a hand and casting a sharp gust at a nearby bush, snapping a twig off it that plopped to the ground. "Utilized delicately, the same spell can be less powerful than the gentlest breeze," he continued, casting a small puff of air at Ophelia that barely rustled her hair, causing the girl to giggle. "As a novice mage, you will most likely not have this sort of control. However, I'd like you to demonstrate any amount of wind you can conjure." Bookmarking the page with his thumb, Owain turned the tome out to Ophelia, who reverently took it from him. "The spell you need is here," he said, indicating the symbols on the page. "You've been studying your magic runes, haven't you?"

"Yes, Papa," Ophelia said with a nod, focusing on the page.

"Then I'd like you to hit me with your best gust."

"Owain!" Corrin shouted, eyebrows knitting together. "You just got finished explaining how this sort of thing could be dangerous!"

"Relax, beloved, I'm sure at her level, Ophelia can at best conjure a mild breeze," Owain said with a hand raised in supplication.

Corrin gave him a leer that clearly stated she didn't like this but sighed nonetheless. "So long as you're sure."

"All right, Ophelia, give me your best shot!" Owain said, planting his fists on his hips. "The Chosen Hero is braced for your mightiest gale!"

Ophelia glanced between the book and her father a few times before taking her stance. Bringing her hand up into casting position, she recited the spell.

Nothing happened.

"Remember, pronunciation is important, too, Ophelia," Owain instructed. "Give it another try."

She did, but still, nothing. Unsure, she looked from her father to her mother.

"You can do it, honey," Corrin said with an encouraging smile. "Just concentrate."

"Yes, focus is another important element of—"

Ophelia's third attempt produced a gust so forceful that it caught the unprepared Owain completely unawares, cutting off his comment and knocking him flat on his back. For the space of a few seconds, no one moved. Ophelia stood with her palm still outstretched, eyes wide, and Corrin's jaw slackened a fraction.

"Oh my gods!" said Corrin, setting Kana aside and scrambling to her feet. "Babe, are you okay?"

"Papa fall down!" Kana exclaimed as he toddled after his mother.

Sitting up, Owain gave his head a brisk shake and ruffled his hair, momentarily stunned.

"You didn't hurt yourself, did you?" Corrin asked anxiously as she hovered over him.

"Papa, owie?" Kana asked. He turned to Ophelia and then back to Owain, tilting his head. "'Phelia give Papa owie?"

"Papa, I'm so sorry!" Ophelia said as she approached, eyes pleading apology. "I didn't control things like you said, and I—"

Owain accepted Corrin's assistance to his feet and dusted his clothes, holding up a hand to silence everyone. Rounding on Ophelia, he fixed her with a stern gaze. "Ophelia," he said, tone serious, causing the girl to flinch in preparation for a scolding. "That. Was. AMAZING." Before Ophelia could react, Owain swooped her into his arms and spun her above his head in a circle, laughing vibrantly. "To think my daughter could conjure such a powerful gale on her first try! You, my little one, are destined to become a powerful mage!"

Relieved, Ophelia giggled and enjoyed her father's playful spinning. "Just like you, Papa!"

"Indeed!" Owain said, holding Ophelia high in the air by the armpits. "Together we shall astound the world with our arcane prowess!"

"Papa, up!" Kana said, tugging on Owain's pant leg. He stretched his arms up at his father. "Me too, me too!"

"You too, huh?" Owain said with a toothy grin, gently placing Ophelia on the ground and lifting Kana into the air as well, laughing along with the toddler's shriek of joy. "You'll shock and amaze too, won't you, my boy? Owain Dark's progeny will change the world, just you wait!"

Giggling, Corrin joined Owain's side as he gave Kana a nose kiss before setting him on the ground again. "I suppose my inheritance doesn't count for much, does it?" she said with a shrewd grin.

"But of course, my dragonlily!" said Owain, framing her cheeks and plastering a smooch on her lips. "It's because of you our darling children are twice as amazing."

Kana pulled at his father's trousers again. "Papa, Mama up, too!"

A devious smile curled Owain's lips, and Corrin's eyes widened. "No. Owain, no. No, no no nooo—!"

The sound of four distinct joyful giggles echoed on the breeze.