POV ADA MARROW
Receiving a letter from Sebastian was not what I expected to happen, he asked me to meet him at the location of our last canvas piece. He wanted to continue with our exploration, despite how the last few weeks had gone.
Solomon had only given me enough time to gather my things after I had sided with Sebastian, then he and I were on our own to get back to Hogwarts. The walk back was silent, few words were said and when we managed to get back in one piece he had excused himself, saying he needed to contact Anne to meet with her privately and to figure out how the relic works. He couldn't do it alone, not without me. I landed down on the path, Sebastian leaning under a tree watching me. He was still frowning, I missed those grins. Those soft smiles.
"Thank you for coming."
"I have a bit more information from the keepers, they still wont answer my questions only waiting to show me bits and pieces of their memories."
He was suddenly annoyed, "They're toying with you at this point, you need to press for more information."
"It doesn't work like that Sebastian, I have to complete these trials. They're showing me these memories in a certain order."
He scoffed, eyes glaring down at me, "Either they don't trust you or you don't care enough about Anne to press the difficult questions."
"I do care about Anne!" He was making me bristle in anger now, then I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself, "Forget it Sebastian, I'll do this on my own. It's just up the mountain side, correct?" I started walking, down the hill from him and up the path.
"W-Wait!" He grabbed my hand, "That's not what I meant. I just need answers..."
I looked back to him,
"Fine, hurry up." I sounded quiet and bitter. Pulling my hand from his so I could continue up the mountain path. We easily defeated the first small group of goblins. I saw the familiar flap of wings overhead.
"Thestrals, overhead." He hummed, "You know some consider them a bad omen." I wasn't really in the mood for small talk.
"Not everyone does."
"I know that." He sounded annoyed again.
"Alright..." I murmured, I hadn't realized how much I missed his bouts of humor. I missed how he was
"I'm just trying to make small talk. I'm not trekking up this mountain in silence."
"I should have taken up Ominis offer to study in the Library." I murmured.
"You'd rather study? Then find the last piece for the Tryptic?"
"I'd rather study than deal with your obsessive mood swings." I looked at him and he was silent but still following me.
"We should be passing the Thestrals nest." He peaked through a layer of dead bramble to look over the Thestrals.
It hurt to know he could see them, "Sebastian..." He looked over to me, eyes soft. I missed those eyes, "I'm sorry we can both see Thestrals.."
He smiled only slightly, "Well it's not something I wanted us to have in common." He led us on, a bit more before I stopped him. Holding onto his sleeve.
"Only good wizard is a dead wizard. Ranroks right about that." More goblins, Sebastian pulled my hand from him and started up the path.
"Wait!."
"I'm done waiting."
He ran head first into the camp, shocking the Goblins but also risking both of our lives, even as we finished he tried to continue on but I grabbed his hand.
"What were you thinking!"
"I was thinking of dead goblins." He retorted a sneer gracing his hate filled face.
"You could have gotten us killed!" He jerked his hand from mine.
"But I didn't." He turned from me and went back up the hill. He turned away from me hurrying off in the direction of up the path. He ignored me, continuing to do as he pleased. Rushing into these camps, forcing me to help defend him against all these goblins. When they were dispatched I had to catch my breath, Then I saw him start up the steps to the cave entrance.
I rushed over, grabbing him again, "Stop!"
"Stop grabbing at me!" He snapped, he tried jerking from my hold but I held him tighter.
"Then stop rushing off and ignoring me!"
"Why are you so damn cautious all of a sudden?"
"I'm cautious because one wrong move can lead to all the work we've done crumbling apart! Lodgok said-"
"Oh right, your goblin -friend-."
"LISTEN TO ME!"
POV SEBASTIAN SALLOW
"I'll listen when you say something worth listening to!" I snapped at her, I felt my heart stop for just a second, seeing her eyes widen.
"You're a real piece of work, Sallow." She was quiet now, walking right passed me. Why did I say that, Merlin, what was wrong with me? I grabbed her arm,
"Wait!" Her arm tensed and I felt a quick slap land across my cheek. I was taken aback, being struck by her.
I kept my grip on her arm, "Ada."
"Let me go, Sebastian."
"I'm sorry..."
"Apology not accepted!" She jerked from me, "I'm going on my own."
"No you're not! I'm going with you!"
"Why would I want to go anywhere with you?" Her voice broke, she was crying. I made her cry again.
"Because you shouldn't risk your safety because of my stupidity." My hand reached out, "I'm quick to anger, I'm reckless and I'm a fucking idiot."
"Why couldn't you apologize sooner?" The pain in her voice was thick.
"Because I'm too prideful to admit I had stepped out of line. I should have trusted your judgment about this Goblin friend of yours." She stared at me, her hand wiped away any lingering tears. Then her hand took mine.
"We do this together Sebastian."
"We do this together." I repeated, squeezing her hand then we delved into the cave together.
We had made it through, mostly unscathed. Alright, I got scathed and she was untouched. It's always Trolls and I'm definitely not as quick on my feet as she was. In Fact she had pulled that guide book out and made note next to a scrawling labeled 'Trolls:' There was a long line of Tally marks.
"How many Trolls have you been fighting?" I asked, exasperated.
"Well obviously a lot more than you." She smiled at me, teasing.
"Listen, not all of us can be as spry as a deer."
"Mmm, yes but one could definitely become better at fighting one with practice." My eyes widened, she used my line against me. I grinned at her and snatched the book from her.
"Hey!" I lifted it high above my head, she tried jumping up against me to snatch it.
"I'm sorry sweetheart, you'll have to accept your height disadvantage. Though I do feel bad about picking on a house elf."
"Again I'm not that small!" Her hand gripped my tie, her feet rising up onto her tip toes as she was clearly focused on trying to retrieve the book from me. Her chest was pressed against mine and her face was so close. My arm snaked around her waist to hold her up against me.
"You are much smaller than me." Her face flushed, now realizing the predicament she was in. I leaned in, forehead pressed against hers, "I missed you." I murmured, her hand loosened on my tie but still held it.
"I missed you too Sebastian... You weren't yourself." She murmured, I saw her eyes close her body relaxing into mine. Just a boy and a girl, holding each other in decrepit ruins. It really couldn't get any more romantic than this.
"I'm sorry." I murmured to her, then she hummed softly,
"Say it again Sebastian." I saw her lips twist into a smile. I couldn't help but let a chuckle leave me.
"I'm sorry, Ada." I murmured, I lowered the book, holding it in hand.
"One more time... Please?" The request was so soft, almost a beg.
"I'm sorry..." She pulled me down a bit more by my tie and locked lips with me. I almost melted into the kiss, I had missed her so much. Why did I let my pride get the better of me? Why did my anger take over? Then the kiss broke and she snatched the book from my hand.
"Thank you~" She slipped away hurrying off up another set of stairs, my fingers moving to feel my lips. The burn she left was addictive and I was always one to be attracted to the heat of a flame.
POV ADA MARROW
"I can't believe the journey this took us on." Sebastian called out, walking to the Tryptic. I held the last rolled up canvas piece in hand.
"Go ahead Ada, don't keep me in suspense, go and place it!" He had the biggest smile on his face, the one that made my heart flutter and my mind think only of him. I nodded, unrolling the canvas, carefully sliding it up against the wood as it magically fixed itself into its frame. I paused and glanced at Sebastian who shrugged, nothing was happening. I had expected Isadora to appear before us, she didn't but we heard something appear behind us.
"A pensive?" Sebastian murmured.
"I wonder." I stepped to it and reached up to release the memory into the bowl. "Let's see what it contains." I looked at Sebastian, he nodded, both of us dunking our faces into the water.
It felt instantaneous, we pulled our heads out and Sebastian looked as if his world view had been shattered,
"She took his pain away," His hands ran through his hair, mouth gaping open and eyes wide. "I knew there was a way to help Anne!" He went to me, hands holding my arms as his lips crashed back down onto mine.
I gasped and pulled away, "Sebastian don't get too excited, Isadora won't be able to help us. She can't, she would be here if she was able to." I motioned back to the canvas, "The view is exactly like the one in Feldcroft, the portrait we found that was burned was her!"
He shook his head, "What does it matter if someone destroyed a bit of enchanted canvas, we got the memory!" His arm waved out at the pensive.
"You're right."
"We saw what she wanted us to see, what she could do... What you can do Ada." His words of encouragement brought back that spark.
"I don't know how to do what Isadora did, Sebastian."
"The keepers can teach you Ada."
"No, they won't, they think that sort of magic is too dangerous and shouldn't be tampered with at all."
"Shouldn't be used at all?" His eyes locked onto mine, pulling me closer into him. "You've more than proven yourself, you can wield it! You have the ability!" His hands moved to hold my face, "You're a wonder Ada, you can do this. I believe in you." His voice had all but lowered to a dull murmur, "Please just one more time, speak to them for Anne."
"I will Sebastian, I can promise you that."
"Thank you."
Not even a day had passed when I received another owl from Sebastian. It was time to talk to Anne about the relic. We waited for her right outside of Feldcroft, My thumb rubbed along Sebastian's knuckles to smooth his worry. If we got caught by Solomon we'd be done for. There would be no second chances, neither of us would be able to help Anne.
"It's okay Sebastian, we're hidden enough no one will see us from here."
"I know, I just hope she meets with us."
"She will." I murmured, squeezing his hands. Sebastian looked up, over my head. I glanced back seeing Anne turn the cliff side stopping when she saw us.
"You both made up..." She smiled at us, relief on her face.
"Yes..." Sebastian nodded, letting my hands go too join his sister. To explain everything, from the relic and what it can possibly to to help her.
She looked worried, glancing at me occasionally, "I don't know Sebastian, does Ominis know about this?"
"Ominis was the one who helped us get to the Scriptorium to get the book that led us to this relic."
"Alright, I trust you but I'll only go if Ominis will be there." It was a fair request, Ominis was our straight man. The one with clear reasoning, someone who would try to keep us from going too far.
"I'll be sure he's there."
"You'll need to be quick about it Sebastian... Solomon is making plans for us to leave Feldcroft."
"He's what?" Sebastian's voice came out strained, I could see his face pale his freckles standing out, "No, no you have to stall him Anne. Please do whatever you can to get him to postpone that."
"I will try Sebastian but he's been more volatile than usual. He wouldn't even consider what I wanted when he told me his plans. I need to go before he notices I'm gone for too long." Anne hugged her brother and Sebastian hugged her back. Holding onto her like she'd vanish the second she'd let go.
"I'll see you Anne."
"Goodbye Sebastian." She pulled away and gave me a quick hug as well before leaving us.
"How am I supposed to see Anne?" He murmured, "What am I supposed to do if they leave?"
"Sebastian, I think that's the point. Leaving without informing you of where they're going is the only way he'd keep Anne from you."
"He can't keep her from me... She's my twin." His voice was strained, my hand rested on his back.
"I know what you explained to me about the relic Sebastian, it seems more complicated than we originally thought but I'm with you. Every step of the way." I wouldn't back down, he needed my support.
He held my hand and kissed my knuckles briefly, eyes landing onto mine. "I'll convince Ominis... I'll send an owl when it's time."
"Very well, good luck."
"I'll see you soon."
POV OMINIS GAUNT
"Absolutely not!" I barked out, I was pacing again listening to Sebastian go on about how the relic could be used to control Anne's curse. He had asked me to meet him in the Undercroft.
"Please, she won't go if you're not there!"
"She shouldn't go anyway, you don't know what that relic will do to her! There have been no trials or tests to see what it can even do."
"Ominis I don't have time for tests and trials, Solomon is getting them ready to leave Feldcroft. If they leave I will never be able to help Anne" He was almost begging me, the sound of desperation thick in his voice.
"The risk is too great Sebastian, for all you know you'll make her curse worse."
"The risk is worth everything."
"Losing Anne isn't worth the risk..."
"We've already lost her Ominis, she's only a shell of who she used to be." I sucked in a breath at his words.
"No Sebastian, she hasn't changed. She's only debilitated. You would realize this if her pain hadn't blinded you." I was met with silence from him, then he broke it.
"Will you help me or not, Ominis?" His voice was quiet.
"I will not." I heard him take steps away from me then the sound of the gate opening and closing.
"Please don't do anything you'll regret Sebastian..." I murmured, hand running over my hair.