Ch 12: Rodzina
When Ana's eyes fluttered open, the first thing she noticed was that she hurt. But the hurt wasn't the grinding, breaking sensation that had been haunting her since the ambush; it was the hurt of healing. As she brought the room into focus, Ana blinked owlishly when she finally noticed the woman sitting at her side. Seated in an old rocking chair that gently creaked in rhythm with her movements, the woman concentrated on a square of needlework as she quietly hummed, her emerald gown well-tended and elegant. Her hair was, well… it was magnificent. A star-bright silver, half of it was gathered at the back of her head by a matching forest green ribbon, while the rest rained down over her shoulders in a thick fall of mercury.
Her face was a startling contradiction to her silver hair; it was youthful, unlined, and her eyes were sharp and strong. Her shoulders were far from bowed, and her waist was still small despite having borne a child. This could only be one woman…
"I see we're awake," the woman said, catching Ana's attention with a smooth voice that complimented her dark mahogany eyes as she set aside her needlework. With gentle hands, she grasped Ana' wrist, watching the clock ticking on the wall as she continued to speak. "And how are you feeling?" Ana opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Attempting to clear her throat surreptitiously, she tried again.
"Fine."
"Hmmm," the woman said, and Ana could hear the disbelief in the resonating hum. "You will be eventually." Her pulse rate satisfactory, the woman then turned her gaze back to Ana's.
"Where is Felix?" the words blurted out with a life all their own, bubbling out of Ana's throat and winging away into the air. The woman's eyes turned thoughtful, as if Ana had become a puzzle that presented a set of all new pieces.
"He's resting. He's done enough for now." Ana was about to say something in response when her stomach violently cramped. Grinding her teeth against the gasp, Ana felt a shiver rollick across her bones. The woman's eyes narrowed in concern, and rested a comforting hand on Ana's shoulder. "How long has it been since you've eaten?"
"I… I really can't remember." With a nod, the woman stood.
"I'll bring up a tray." As she walked away, Ana interrupted her.
"Please, I… I haven't walked in days. I have to start sometime, don't I?" she added with a courageous smile at the purely matronly look the woman shot her way. With a sigh, she made her way back, clearly not happy about getting Ana out of bed so soon.
"All right… Up we go," she said as she helped Ana up. One arm around her waist with the other clutching her right hand, the woman kept close eyes on Ana's face as she took to her feet. "All right?" Ana nodded, and tried to keep the wince off of her face. It hurt to feel the weight of gravity and her own body pressing down on her bones again, but, as she had said, better to start now. She'd have to face this pain eventually. It didn't get any better as they slowly made their way to the door, so Ana spoke to distract herself.
"You're Felix's mother, aren't you? Sophie Hatter." Sophie laughed, a lovely sound that reminded Ana of a bell's joyous rings.
"I am indeed Felix's mother, but I haven't used my maiden name in years. My last name is Pendragon now. It's my favorite of my husband's aliases, and the one Felix favors, as well." Nodding at her words, they moved in silence for a while, until Ana was again forced to speak to keep her mind off her weeping legs.
"Where exactly are we, Mrs. Pendragon?" Sophie started, her wide russet eyes flicking up quickly to Ana's. They paused, and Ana searched her mind desperately for what she had said wrong. Sophie shook her head with a low chuckle, and started moving again.
"I'm sorry. It's just that the last time someone called me Mrs. Pendragon, I was far older than I am now." Sophie continued before Ana could figure out her puzzling statement. "We're in Howl's castle. It's a moving entity, almost impossible to track, and powered solely by Calcifer. In other words, it's the perfect place to hide. That's the purpose Howl initially built this thing for. And I imagine that's what Felix had in mind when he brought you here." More confused than she was before, Ana held her tongue as they made their way down the final set of stairs.
Two masculine voices swam under the bright chatter of children. For a moment, Ana was certain that one of the voices was Felix's. As the pair of women stepped off the final stair, the voices stuttered to a halt, and Ana found herself under inspection by different colored, but equally wary and interested eyes. Sophie cleared her throat, patted Ana's hand, and began the introductions.
"Everyone, this is Ana, Felix's guest and good friend. Ana, this is my husband, Howl," she said first, gesturing to the man standing before the open fire, a pan in his hand and a piercing, calculating expression in his sapphire eyes. Ana blinked at the similarity between Felix and his father. They could have passed for twins but for the rare streaks of silver in Howl's midnight hair and laugh lines around his mouth and eyes that made a woman look weary but lent a man an air of experience. His hair was longer than Felix's, shoulder-length at least and tamed back in a queue by a navy ribbon. But the resemblance of their physique, height, and facial expressions was eerie.
"And how are you, Ana?" the elegant lord of the house asked, and Ana was shaken by yet another likeness between father and son. The tone and resonance between the two voices were almost identical. But for a slight gruffness that came from age, Howl sounded exactly like his son. It was a challenge to overcome, and Ana cleared her throat to settle her nerves.
"I'm doing fine, thank you." He tipped his head as he angled his gaze, and a considering light illuminated his eyes.
"Well, at least you're strong enough to lie." He sounded almost happy about it, and turned back to what smelled suspiciously like French toast in his frying pan. Ana still reeling from Howl's appearance, Sophie turned to the man sitting at the table.
"This is Markl Fisher, Howl's old apprentice," Sophie gestured to the tall auburn-haired man sitting at the oaken table. His build was stronger and broader than Felix's or Howl's, and when he stood to shake her hand, Ana could see that he was taller than both. He was built like a fighter, and his sparkling brown eyes, darker than Sophie's, smiled. Like when she had first seen Howl, there was the faintest spark of recognition, a tiny star flash in Ana's mind, too small to be grasped or pondered. Markl's hand enveloped Ana's, and he closed his other hand over their joined ones, worry and concern under the smile on his lips and in his eyes.
"You and Felix gave us a scare there, girlie. But you're safe now. Sit down and enjoy some of Howl's famous Tishion toast." Leading Ana to the table with burly arm around her shoulders, Markl paused by Howl. It was only then that Ana noticed the children. She had been so stunned by Howl's appearance that she hadn't noticed the two children leaning silently against his legs.
"My two little miscreants. Ana, meet Thomas and Linnea." The children had their father's eyes, but they must have inherited their rich golden blond from their mother. The two appeared far too similar to be anything but twins, fraternal due to their different gender, but very alike. The boy pouted at the use of his full name, and the girl kept sharp eyes on Ana. Her knees screamed as she knelt, but Ana ignored the shiver of pain. The children stepped forward dutifully out of Howl's shadow. They shook Ana's hand under their father's watchful, expectant eye, but stepped back as soon as the service was done. Glancing up at his father, the boy frowned.
"No one calls me Thomas. You can call me Tommy." The boy's tone brightened as he informed Ana of his nickname, and Ana could see a flash of his father's charm in his smile.
"Call me Leena," the girl quickly added, not to be outdone by her brother. Ana could see that Leena would one day be as beautiful as her twin would be handsome. And both were very intelligent for their age, which Ana estimated around 5 or 6 years old.
"Alright, but only if you call me Ana. My full name is Anastasia O'Neill, and that's quite a mouthful. Ana is easier." The children nodded in agreement, almost in unision. Ana didn't see how Howl stiffened, flashing a quick, heavy glance to his wife. It wasn't the first time her name had been uttered in the castle, but Ana couldn't have guessed such a thing. Instead, she smiled at the two children slowly starting to warm to her.
"Are you helping Howl make breakfast?" Ana said with a smile. She wasn't sure of the connections running heavy in this family, but she knew the proprietary air of children around a loved one when she saw it. Standing with a grimace she tried to hide, Ana was surprised when Markl's hand caught her elbow, easing the movement with his support. Turning to finally make her way to the table, the children and Markl walked in tandem to Ana's slow, measured stride.
"Well, we tried," Leena admitted.
"But when we broke the eggs, it got messy," Tommy finished, earning a glare from Leena.
"I didn't make a mess," she stated with a queen-like regality.
"Did too," Tommy shot back, his brows ducking down in an expression Ana had seen cross Felix's face. "You broke an egg on the floor, and you dumped flour."
"Only 'cause you pushed me! And you let the butter get icky! And—"
"Beasties," Markl muttered in a warning, mildly joking tone, effectively quieting his children as they clambered onto the chairs surrounding the table. Ana noted that Tommy plopped down next to her without qualm, while Leena sat on the other side of her twin, keeping the distance of her brother between them. She nodded thanks to Markl, who helped her into her chair with the grace of a gentleman before making his way to the other side of the table to sit across from Tommy.
"It's OK," Ana said, leaning her elbows on the table as she leaned conspiratorially towards the twins. "One time I was helping my mom bake a cake, and she let me measure out the salt." Getting into the spirit of the story, Ana repeated the gestures she had made that long ago afternoon. "I was slowly measuring out the tiny teaspoon when…" the children leaned forward, their eyes wide. "The top popped off, and the entire container of salt flopped onto the dough!" Ana's eyes went comically wide, and the children giggled. "My mother took one look at me, then at the mess, and said 'I think you'd best just supervise from here on out.'"
"That's what Papa Howl said!" Tommy exclaimed.
"Yeah, he put us on supervising duties." Leena finished.
"And what good supervisors you make," another lyrical voice added. Ana glanced over her shoulder as Tommy and Leena beemed. Sophie was exiting the neighboring kitchen with another woman at her side.
"Ana, this is Diane Sinclair, my old apprentice. Diane, this is Anastasia." Diane was easily as tall as Ana, if not a bit taller. With the luscious curves women dream after, she was feminine in the fullest. Her bright golden hair similar to the twins' was gathered up on her head in a sophisticated coif, and her eyes shone an uncanny amethyst. Her dress was elegant, a warm bronze muslin day gown. Quickly setting down the plates she was carrying on the table, Diane greeted Ana with a bright smile.
"I see you're doing better." Diane's voice was like dark silk; low, smooth, and lovely to feel.
"I am, thank you." When Diane gently grasped Ana's hand in a gesture of comfort, Ana noted the strange ripple of light that shivered over her violet irises. With a quirked mouth, Diane straightened.
"Well, then," she murmured, almost too low to hear. She offered Ana another smile and nod before making her graceful way around the head of the table to sit next to Markl across from Leena, who smiled at Diane without inhibition. Sophie passed out the plates with the efficiency of a mother, calling Howl over to the table in a purely wifely gesture.
"Howl, that toast must be done by now. Stop torturing us and let us eat." Howl turned from the hearth grandly, the scents wafting from the pan he brandished like a sword sinful.
"I am just making sure you all appreciate the effort I put into this breakfast, which is absolutely wonderful, if I do say so myself." The last part was said with a majestic, theatrical tone, and elicited giggles from Leena and Tommy. Grins spread over Diane and Markl's faces, and Sophie clamped her hands on her hips, trying her hardest to look stern and reprimanding. The loving smile breaking through ruined the effect.
They're happy, Ana realized with a jolt. An honestly happy family. It was truly a beautiful thing to see. Should whatever trouble chasing her be the cause to break such a rare gift, Ana would never forgive herself. Dutifully and determinedly pushing away her gloomy thoughts, Ana joined into the spirit of the room and anticipated the famed meal to come.
Howl served, and Ana didn't even question it. Once everyone had a plate of food, he bid in his wonderful voice, "Friends and family, enjoy. Have at it, little ones." The children dug into their food like a starting gun had sounded. Not even the angry "What, and nothing for me?" interrupted their fervor. Ana, however, looked around the room just short of wildly for the source of the new voice. Everyone else ignored it, and Ana bit her tongue on the question. Diane must have noticed her look of bemusement, and explained between bites.
"That's Calcifer, our resident fallen star and the source of the castle's power. You didn't give him anything, Howl?" He shrugged, and didn't look up from his plate.
"Markl, you were utterly useless this morning. Get Calcifer some more wood, would you?" Markl made the appropriate noises of disdain, making faces that caused his children to giggle over their mouthfuls of food as he stood. He muttered something that made Sophie cough, although it sounded more like a laugh from where Ana was sitting. Following his moves with her eyes, Ana finally saw the two little white eyes and pursed mouth floating in the fire Howl had cooked breakfast on. As Markl unceremoniously tossed a couple pieces of firewood on the little flame, Calcifer finally met Ana's eyes. As he munched on the wood, he looked at her with a considering expression.
"You're prettier when you're awake," the little flame suddenly said. Ana almost uttered a confused thanks when he continued. "Of course, you didn't have much to start with…" Her eyes narrowed dangerously, earning an approving laugh from Markl and Howl. Sophie glared at the little flame.
"I might not want to drink my juice if you say another word, Calcifer." The flame shrugged, but didn't appear very nonchalant. He didn't say anything more, and went back to munching on his fresh wood. Still puzzling over the latest development, Ana turned back to her food. The children were still shoveling as politely as they could manage. The adults ate with more reserve, but no less enjoyment. Over her wonderful breakfast, a plate of some sort of bread, similar to biscuits, cooked with butter, cinnamon and brown sugar, Ana observed the family around her.
Howl sat at the head of the table just to her right, and Ana's assumption that this was lord of the house was correct. His command was thorough, the respect for him resonating from everyone in the family. But it was Sophie who held it all together, and in whom the true power laid. She had provided the silverware, napkins, and juice Howl would never have considered. She quietly told the twins to put their napkins on their laps, and not let them fall to the floor from her queen's position at the other end of the table. Ana deduced this was a regular occurrence. She caught Markl's wink he threw at his children, and decided that he had been reprimanded for his manners by Sophie many times during his youth.
Diane was the puzzle. Her hair was just the shade of the twins', but no one had mentioned her marriage to Markl, let alone the mothering of the children. And from what Ana had seen, Tommy and Leena looked to Sophie as a motherly figure, which suggested that either they didn't trust Diane enough, or that she was more absent than Sophie. Either way, where exactly she stood in relation to Markl, Leena, and Tommy was a mystery.
The pace slowed, and conversation began to flow. Tommy and Leena still attacking their food like hyenas, the adults began to talk. It was a pleasant, warm flow of words, and Ana basked in it. The topics ranged from weather, health, to work. There Ana lost track of the conversation as references and words were thrown about with little explanation. Finally giving up in confusion, Ana merely enjoyed the warm hum of beautiful voices. Finally, Sophie said something that caught Ana's attention.
"How do you think Felix is doing?" Howl stayed silent, allowing Markl to speak.
"I'll go check on him, drag him down. Some food with do him good." Just as Markl pushed back from the table, a wonderfully familiar voice resonated from the top of the staircase.
"No dragging will be necessary, Markl. You're always too eager to bloody me up a bit." As one, seven pairs of eyes flew up to Felix, who strolled down the stairs with his lanky stride, looking devastatingly handsome and totally at home. He wore a clean linen shirt, a dark emerald waistcoat, and dark breeches. Ana's throat dried a little at what a picture he made.
Leena and Tommy simultaneously shrieked, "Uncle Felix!" before leaping out of their chairs and zooming across the room side by side. Sophie seemed to think about reminding them of at least putting the napkins on the table, but just shook her head with a sigh before bending to pick them up herself. Ana caught the small smile on Sophie's face, and knew her a little better for it.
Felix caught the twins with a groan, making all sorts of noises and faces as he jokingly struggled to pick them up. "When did my little ghoulies become such giants? I can… barely… lift you up!" he roared as he threw each one, laughing and screaming, over his shoulders. He made his comical, staggering way across the room slowly, but for all his complaints about his physical weakness, Ana could see that Felix's grip was strong and sure on the little bodies that were totally in his hands. Sliding a glance at Markl, she saw that the man trusted Felix with his children completely. His face didn't even flicker as Felix almost overbalanced on purpose, making the children squeal.
"Alright, Felix," Sophie finally said, unable to hold back the chuckle at the children's obvious joy. "Tommy and Leena have been eating like pigs, and if you keep that up, they're going to bring it back up all over you." Flashing a theatrical, horrified look at the children, which just made them laugh harder, Felix plopped their little feet back on the ground.
"Uncle Felix, Uncle Felix!" they chirped, using a whole different bid for attention. They both started talking at once, which drew Felix down to one knee to listen. Ana tried, but couldn't decipher their garble of words. Leena seemed to be talking about some animal she had a conversation with, and Tommy kept mentioning stones. While Ana was confused, Felix nodded, his face conveying total understanding.
"My, my, you two have been busy. We'll talk in depth later. Now go finish your breakfast before it gets cold," he commanded, patting them on the rumps as they turned and scampered back to their seats. As the proverbial prince of the realm, Felix started his round around the table. He first approached his mother, pressing a loving kiss to her cheek.
"Good morning, Mother. And how are you?"
"Fine, Felix," she said, her smile almost shy at the charm oozing out of her son. "And you?"
"Oh, I'm grand," he dismissed with a wave, stepping over to Diane's side. "And you, my lovely Diane," he said, delivering a smacking kiss to her cheek, as well. Deep down, so deep Ana refused to acknowledge it, a little flame of envy and jealousy briefly burned before she determinedly stamped it out. "You look as ravishing as ever."
"You aren't looking too shabby yourself, old man." The two grinned at eachother before Felix slid over to Markl's side. Punching the other man on the shoulder with some force, Felix then extended his hand for a rough shake.
"Drag me down, indeed. As if you could manage," he said in a gruffly masculine tone that Markl repeated. Felix tossed a wink to the twins, who snickered over their toast.
"Have to be certain you haven't turned into a sissy during your time away." Felix's face lit with a dazzling grin as he clapped a hand on Markl's broad shoulder. Turning to his father, Ana could see the joking light dim in his eyes, but the loving glow brighten.
"Father," he said simply, shaking Howl's hand with uncharacteristic solemnity. "It's good to be home." Howl clasped his son's hand.
"It's good to have you home. You did well, and chose the right course." The two remained still for a heartbeat, until Felix broke away, rounding his father to kneel at Ana's side. He had come to her. Saving her for last. Why, Ana couldn't guess. But she was certain now that it was right. He took his hand in hers, and their eyes held.
"Are you alright?" he asked quietly, and Ana felt the family watching at her back fade away.
"I'm fine, thanks to you. And your wonderful family." He grinned, running gentle fingers through her hair before standing.
"It's a joy to hear you say that," he murmured, pressing his lips to her forehead. "Now where can I get some food?" he said loudly to the table at large, purposefully breaking the intimate moment as he moved to the seat across from Ana. Rushing back to reality, Ana cursed her fair complexion as she noticed the contemplative expressions on Sophie and Diane's faces aimed her way as the twins raced eachother to get Felix food first, ending up spilling on the table and into their father's lap. Howl took charge, serving his son with a grin as he conveniently cleaned up the mess on the table with a wave of the hand, but left Markl to deal with his own mess. Markl complained about the toast now in his lap thanks to his children's overeager efforts, and Diane offered some sniping remark that earned a sneer from Markl. The two continued as the twins argued about who had dumped the food on their father's lap. Calcifer joined in from across the room, offering shouted inflammatory remarks for both quarrels. Sophie glanced between the two squabbles on either side of her, shook her head, and returned to her plate in surrender. Howl smiled serenely, and followed his wife's lead.
Ana watched the chaos and soaked up the noise with wide-eyed wonder. It was all so alive. Catching Felix's eye across the table, she focused on the knowing grin he shot her as he enjoyed his father's toast.
"Still think they're wonderful?" he muttered for her ears only.
"Absolutely," Ana returned without hesitation, smiling broadly as she ate another piece of toast.
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Cookie to anyone who figures out what the title of the chapter means. It's actually not as hard as you may think… I'll tell you at the end of the next chapter. Anway, so what do you guys think? I added three more characters to my ever growing list, and I love each and every one of them. Strange story about the twins' names. I was set on a pair that were pretty decent, and I had used in the chapter a couple times. Then, when I was looking up a last name for Diane, I found out that Thomas meant twin. That was just too perfect, and I went looking for a girl name that also meant twin that was in no way derived from Thomas. Linnea was the result. Hope you guys like 'em!! My first true family scene, and it was really fun!! The mysteries will start unraveling soon. For now, they're just enjoying a yummy breakfast.
Also, if you're interested in drawing fanart for Sapphire Mage and post it on DeviantArt, let me know!! I would love to see it, and link it on my profile so all the other readers can see it and appreciate it too! Remember to toss me a review to tell me what you think. Fair warning, it's going to be a while until the next chapter. Considering I posted four chapters in just over a month, I think I earned a little break. With school starting and all that other crazy jazz, I've got to get a little settled, and then my nose will be back to the grindstone. Tentatively, I'd say you'd have to wait no more than a month for Ch 13. Hope you like it!!