Thank you for reviewing, it really made my day. I haven't written anything except for essays, assignments and speeches since grade 8 English when we had to rewrite the end of 'Aussie rules' a terrible story about an aboriginal football league (or at least it was for a 13 year old girl). I was so tempted to make the main character go all Martin Bryant on the town so there wouldn't be a sequel. Alas there was one, though thank god we didn't have to read it. But the whole experience put me off writing for quite awhile. So to the story:
Chapter 2 – This life and that
Chris's POV
Chris's head was buried in his mother chest as he cried, he barely noticed when his mother and brother, laid down with him. His mind was running wild on the bits of information he had just received. He had apparently drawn Excalibur from the stone, not that he currently had any memory of it at the moment. He still couldn't fully comprehend it. All his life he had thought that the sword was meant for his brother. That had been what his father had said and what his mother had believed. As a child he had been told that it was prophesised that the sword would be drawn by the offspring of a charmed one, and he guessed that they had assumed that it was Wyatt as they saw him as the most powerful of the charmed children. But then, they had never known of Chris's full power until it was too late. He too had had his powers since he was in his mother's womb, but had never used them until her was one year old because his brother was in danger. He had no need to use them, even from the womb he and his brother were connected by the physic bond they shared and his brother had warned him again using his powers, for even at that tender age baby Wyatt had learned from his own experience that having power meant that people would try and hurt you and he did not want that to happen to his little brother that he was yet to officially meet. Through his infancy Wyatt had rarely left his side, protecting him from any evil that ever came close, he never needed to use his. His parents assume that since his late display of power, used only when he needed to help his brother that he wasn't as powerful as Wyatt. By this time, the telepathy and empathy he shared with his brother had grown and he could now read his family members. Resigned to the fact that his parents would never think anything else of him apart from a less powerful witch than his brother he had kept most of his power growth to himself. In the end when it was clear to Chris that Wyatt had started to fall towards darkness, the brothers were no longer close and the bond between them was weak, even Wyatt forgot Chris's true power and saw him as his parents did. An abdominally weak witch in the most powerful line of witches to ever exist. It was only upon the death of his mother, when his brother drew the sword and fell completely into darkness did he reveal his true colours to ward off Wyatt's armies and protect those who remained alive after the first strike, but it was too late for him to be able to take on Wyatt directly. He had drawn the sword and his powers had grown infinitely and Chris was no match anymore. Now, in hindsight, Chris could see his mistake. Had his family been more open minded to who the sword belonged too, had Chris shown his true potential earlier and had Wyatt not drawn the sword that did not belong to him in the rage to hunt down their mother's killer, the original future may not have gone quite so far to hell, though Chris could not regret the events, because here he was crying in to the shirt of a woman who wouldn't exist in that future.
The idea of him soon becoming king frightened him. He knew that the one who drew the sword would become the king of magic when he was considered ready. He knew from the multiple discussions and meetings between his parents and the elders in his original time line, when discussing Wyatt's future that it would be when Wyatt was twenty three as it was a powerful magical number, two and three, both powerful magical numbers that added up to five, the most powerful of all. He guessed the same now applied to him. He also knew that the palace of Camelot would remain dormant and the magical rule in the hands of the elders until the heir, sword in hand drew open the doors. He had been there as Wyatt had marched with his demon army up to the doors of the forbidden palace, placed his hands on the doors and pushed. Nothing had happened, not even a slight squeak of the hinges. Afterwards they had assumed that the palace had thought that Wyatt was not ready to sit on the throne, to become king, as he was only sixteen at the time. Evidently Wyatt was a little pissed off (and embarrassed) and he did the only logical thing, a hormonal, evil, power hungry teenager, could think of: went and killed most of the elders to take the power from their hands directly and see if that would gain him entry into the palace. No such luck. Wyatt never gained entry to the palace, and it was now evident why. Opening his eyes and scanning the room he now realise where he was. This must be Camelot, the forbidden palace of magic, locked and laid dormant by Merlin after the death of Arthur. He shut his eyes again, he couldn't do this. Wyatt must have noticed him open his eyes and cast them around the room. He gently shook him when he noticed him close his eyes again and made Chris look into his brown eyes. "We are all here for you, lil' brother, and we will always be, family sticks together, we will never abandon one of our own. I know you are scared and confused and doubting yourself, I can feel it, we are bonded together, even though you may not be able to feel me with that shackle on I can feel you. I know your deepest fears and I will be beside you to whole way as you confront each one. We all know you can do this, you have lead armies before and though you may not remember it at the moment, you have been given all the knowledge and education you need to do this." Chris could help but to give him a wary look, to which Wyatt just smile, "Don't forget little brother, you have a whole other set of memories, a past where it was know you would be king from the age of ten and given the best possible education. This set of memories provides you with experience and wisdom, while the other set, the set from this life, provides you with education and knowledge. You are the best equip of everyone. You will have two life times to draw on unlike the rest of us which only have one. Though I am very glad I don't remember being evil," he added in a slightly comical voice and Chris couldn't help but smile at the small joke.
"I don't think I could make a speech like that even if I have three lives to draw on, are you sure you shouldn't be king?" he added with a smirk, only to get swatted by his brother. For a second he forgot where he was and what was going on. He had Wyatt back, his brother was his brother again, he had actually succeeded in his mission. It was only then that he truly realised it and he was for a brief second happy for the first time since he had got back to the future. He looked up to poke Wyatt or at least get a small amount of revenge on his brother for the swat, when he got dizzy and a strange head ache over took him. Before his eyes flashed memories of times shared between Wyatt and himself.
Orb and seek as young children around the manor.
He was learning to sword fight at magic school at around the age of 8, and Wyatt knocking him to the floor, then offering him a hand back up.
Sword fighting a few year later perhaps around the age of 12 or 13, the fight was faster and more intense, the fight ending up with Wyatt flat on his back, both swords in Chris's hands as he looked down and smirked at his older brother, sticking out his tongue, clearly pleased at beating the two year older boy. Wyatt glaring at him, muttering under his breath, "Well you are the heir to Excalibur it is about time that you got any good at sword fighting". Chris helped his brother up only for Wyatt to reach for Chris's sides and start tickling, the younger boy falling to the floor begging his older brother for mercy. The tickle battle turned to into a wrestling match on the floor, until they were disturbed by one rather amused looking father and a couple of unamused looking elders. Both boys looked up with fake innocence painted on their faces.
He was 10 and standing in front of a large group of people, the magical community. Wyatt to his right and 7 girls to his left, his cousins he assumed, all line up in order of age. Behind the group was his parents, aunts and uncles, his dad had one hand each on a shoulder of his sons while his mother was down the line a bit further with her hands on the shoulder of a 6 year old girl. Each aunt and uncle had a reassuring hand on the other children in the line, the youngest being 4 years old. In front of the group stood the sword in the stone. Little Chris turned to his brother and whispered, "One month's allowance on you pulling out the sword and us all being forces to line up being a waste of time." His brother turned to him, with a small smile, "I don't think it will be me, I think it is going to be you." Chris looked horrified. "Let hope the sword decides not to put the power in the hands of us men, like Grams says 'men should not be trusted with magic.'"(of course she would finish with 'except for my beautiful grandsons of course.') Thinking on Chris's statement, at the same time the brothers met each other's eyes and turned to their oldest cousin, at 8 she was already exhibiting the Halliwell traits of being strong and stubborn, "Prue!" they said in unison smirking at each other only to get a quizzled look from their cousin wondering why she had been brought up in their conversation. Their father gently smacked them on the ear to get them to be quiet as an elder, the old, white robed man walked up beside the stone and spoke.
"A thousand year old prophecy tells us that an offspring of a Charmed One will be chosen to be the new king or queen of magic." Chris frowned, even as a small child he understood the responsibility it would involve and he didn't want it. "and only he or she will be able to draw the sword from the stone, except for the lady of the lake, Piper Halliwell who has protected the sword until it can be passed on too its new master. It is now with all charmed children present that we find the heir to the throne of Camelot." After a large round of applause the elder called, "Wyatt Halliwell, first born, son of Piper Halliwell and Leo Wyatt, step forward to attempt to draw the sword." Little Wyatt stepped forward nervously and wrapped his small twelve year old hands around the hilt of the sword and pull but nothing happened, the sword did not move in the stone. At first Wyatt looked disappointed, but then realised that he didn't have to become king and a huge smile came across his face, and he walked back to his spot in the line. Chris was a bit more worried now. With Wyatt, the first born prime candidate, not being able to do pull out the sword, the chances for him succeeding became higher, he had assumed it would be Wyatt and he would not even get the chance to try.
Chris tried to step back out of the line, but his father knelt down and stopped him looking his youngest son straight in the eye and giving him a reassuring smile, it was almost as if he knew it was going to be him. "No matter what happens Chris," he said, "Nothing in this family will change, we will always be there for each other".
The Elder called out, "Christopher Halliwell, second born, Son of Piper Halliwell and Leo Wyatt, come forward and attempt to draw the sword." Little Chris was rooted to the spot, his brother giving him a smile and a poke when he refused to move. He took a step forward but went no further. His father pushed him towards the sword and Chris put his hands up to hover over the hilt. He could hear the sword speaking to him, singing to him, and slowly he grasped the sword with his small hands. He didn't even have to really pull; it was as if the sword sprung out of the stone as he gently pulled upwards.
Fully pulled out of the stone the sword was nearly as tall as him, with a golden hilt decorated with gems a massive emerald in the centre. At first he was entranced by the sword, he felt it bond with him become part of him as well as remaining its own entity. The movement around him caught his eye. The crowds of magical beings were all going down on their knees and bowing to him, the council of elders did the same and his family standing behind him followed as well. His cousins, his aunts and uncles, his mother, his father and his brother all pulled down on their knees bowing before him by the power of the sword. The small boy did not understand the power of the sword and Chris panicked and dropped the sword, he was intimidated and very upset, he turned to his father, now on his knees and said, "You said that no matter what, things would not change!" before orbing away in tears.
It was Wyatt that found him first and swept him up in a hug, "Chris, I'm so sorry, you're my brother, my other half, I should never have done that to you, I don't understand why I did it." He held Chris as he cried. His father turned up thirty seconds later and took both boys in his arms, and apologised to the crying boy, for bowing down to him and not coming straight away. "I had to stop the elders from coming, to give you space and time. Chris son, I didn't mean to scare you. The power of the sword over came everyone, it wants to protect you, and the only way it knew how to do that was by showing the power and dominance of its master."
"Will it always do that?" asked the shaking boy.
"No, I think it learned its lesson, it will never want to upset you like that again." Chris sighed and they sat in silence, father and sons huddle together watching the sunset.
More memories kept flashing in front of him.
Wyatt cheering him up or calming him down when he was sad or angry.
Playing practical jokes on their cousins.
Sitting with him through his lessons with the elders.
Wyatt giving him the courage to go up and talk to a pretty red haired girl at a party. Chris failing. Wyatt going and chatting up the red haired girl's older sister before bringing the younger sister over to meet Chris.
It was almost too much for him as he felt the headache subside as he was drawn back towards the present. He let out a groan and realised that his hands were on either side of his head, his family looking at him with worried eyes, all except Wyatt who was smiling, obviously having been tagged along for the ride. All of his family had come in closer most of them now on the bed that Chris was still chained to. "Memories," he explained, "Me and Wyatt stuff," he looked at his brother, "They were hot!"
Wyatt gave a sad smile, "Alas, they were, and very nice too, but it didn't work out between us and Charlotte and Amelia." He gave his brother a quizzical glance, "They weren't too keen on the idea of dating magical princes once they found out our family secret."
"Ohh." was all Chris could answer.
"You feeling a bit better, Sweetie?" his mother asked stroking his hair and Chris nodded, the shock and panic of the whole situation had faded a little, he still felt very weighed down, but at least he could think clearly again. He had questions, and finally he felt he was in the mind set to ask them and deal with the answers.
He looked at his mum and asked, "Why am I chained to the bed?" he had the memory of being dragged to the bed and chained but nothing before that.
His brother smirked at him and said, "Well, someone was kind of nervous about today and wouldn't go to bed, plus the council thought if they left you alone with your thoughts for much longer that you might run off and there would be a coronation without a prince to crown king, it would be slightly awkward for them, and you know how much elders love being put in awkward positions." He added sarcastically.
"So I take it I wasn't keen on being king, and leadership and stuff in this life either?" Chris muttered. In the life he currently remembered, leadership and the resistance had pretty much been shoved on him. His family heard him and quietly chuckle to themselves.
"No, definitely not, to say the very least," replied a girl, perhaps 19 years of age, who sat at the bottom of the bed. She got up on her hands and knees and crawled between Chris and Wyatt, punching Wyatt gentle in the stomach to make him move over, muttering, "My turn," and snuggle up to Chris's side. Chris looked at the girl who was smiling at him with a cheeky grin, he didn't know who she was and it must have shown through his eyes as the girl looked slightly upset. Wyatt who was accessing and monitoring Chris thoughts and emotions notice his confusion and while shocked that Chris didn't recognise his own beloved (and quite annoying) little sister, he filled him in telepathically. "Chris, this is Mel, our little sister."
End Chapter 2
Hi everyone, I hope you liked it and thanks for the help with the ideas. A proper introduction of the rest of the family in the next chapter, and an introduction of love interests in a chapter soon after that. I Will try and write as often as I can but I go back to work tomorrow and school soon after that, so my writing will become less frequent, probably once a week.
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