AN: Here is chapter three! I am really enjoying having these two characters interact. I hope you enjoy their chemistry. I have plans ahead. Romance is a budding...
Chapter Three: Keeping Score
Zelda beamed with the knowledge she had attained. She looked forward to the first day back from holiday. It wouldn't be because she would see Rowena again...well, not that she'd like to admit.
Zelda had plans. She is going to use what she learned over the break to take the new girl down.
After that night, she did more research. The origins of natural witches were still unknown, but from what she could understand, they go back to the ancient times. Zelda surmised that the source of the natural witch's power must have come from the ancient goddess Hecate (Hekate to others). She refused to think this intrigued her, the idea of Rowena's powers sourced from a goddess. Zelda knew , having been raised to follow the hooves of the Dark Lord.
Mallory Finch, one of Zelda's dearest friends noticed the scheming Zelda watching the petite new girl from afar. Her dark eyebrows quirked as she nudged Zelda by the shoulder.
"Zeldy...if I didn't know any better you may have a crush.", Mallory sneered and flipped her dark locks.
Zelda snapped out of her reverie and rolled her eyes. She was looking, but for other reasons-her reasons.
"I do not.", Zelda snapped a bit rushed. Her cheeks turned a bright red. She slowly took her lower lip hostage, biting it in thought.
"I don't know...you were staring pretty hard.", Mallory clicked her tongue.
Zelda faced Mallory with cold blue eyes. Mallory stepped back. "Let me be clear, Mal. I want this girl far away from here. She thinks she can come here, impress everyone with her glowing eyes and her cute smile. So what if she's pretty...", she trailed off.
Rowena sat by the Baphomet statue talking to some of the warlocks, giggling and twirling her locks around her finger. Among them was...EDWARD?!
"So...what are your plans, Zeldy?", Mallory asked fishing for an answer with those curious doe-like eyes.
Zelda balled her fists ignoring her. She stomped over to the group in front of the Baphomet statue. Edward glanced over to his sister astonished.
"Sister, what a nice surprise.", Edward greeted with a small grin.
That grin quickly faltered when Zelda didn't meet his enthusiasm. "Quite."
Edward seemed to have been quite entranced by Rowena himself, that boyish twinkle in his eye and blush revealed. "I am sure you know Rowena. We've been chatting about the Nucka-the uhm..."
Rowena snorted before letting out a sickly-sweet snicker. "Nuckelavee.", she corrected.
Edward pointed a finger at her direction. "That's it.", he chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. "She was sharing her experience with one. You should have a listen, Zelda."
Zelda arched a light brow. She crossed her arms, lips twitching. "Enlighten me."
Rowena twisted her lips amused by her countenance. She knew how to press Zelda's buttons. Zelda had no idea how prepared she was to meet her challenge. "Well, I was takin' a walk in the woods when I saw it. It was a beast of flesh, all flesh mounted on a fleshy horse. I heard the tales, knew it was a demon..."
The warlocks listened on in fascination although they already heard the tale. This made Zelda sick to her stomach.
"The tales were often in song or riddle. I had to think fast before it could hurt me. I took off, runnin' in the woods, far as my feet could carry. I remember hearing the snorts and howls comin from it, the warm breath down my neck and hair. I barely made it to the shore. I desparately plummeted on through and then...it vanished. That moment I remembered, the Nuckelavee has an aversion to water.", Rowena concluded her tale.
"Wow, you're so brave.", Claudius Gorgio commented while his hand rested on his cheek in awe.
"What a thing to challenge.", Faustus commended as he approached the huddled group. "Truly incredible. A shame that would happen to...such a pretty thing."
Zelda scoffs watching Faustus drag his fingertips against Rowena's sleeve.
Rowena batted her emerald eyes smiling kindly. "That's sweet of you, erm, Faustus was it?"
Faustus bows his head. "Faustus Blackwood."
As if his surname had such special meaning. Zelda wanted to vomit even more. She held it together and shut her eyes.
"Yes, quite impressive and all that. Anyway, some of us have class to get to. We all know how Professor Lemwitz gets when people are late.", Zelda spat.
The warlocks suddenly dispersed at that knowing full well what happens when someone was late. Faustus remained, however, and took Rowena's small hand placing a chaste kiss on it. Edward takes a glance back brows furrowing.
"'Til we meet again, Rowena.", Faustus crooned against her freckled hand.
Rowena's brow twitched ever the slight. "Aye."
Faustus brushed himself against Zelda as he walked away. Zelda huffed quietly hating this. Zelda was no longer the center of attention-the one Constance envied the most and that damned Shirley Jackson.
"Guess I shall see ya in Professor Ghastly's class?", Rowena's voice piped up catching Zelda's attention.
Zelda fumed feeling Rowena's presence right behind her. She must have gotten on her tip-toes because now she felt those soft pink lips by her ear.
"I look forward to it.", Rowena whispered softly.
Zelda couldn't allow Rowena to see her shiver, to witness how she affected her, how she crawled right underneath her skin. Zelda's eyes fluttered shut, nevertheless, loving the sensation she brought her.
"So do I."
Rowena: 2, Zelda: 0
Professor Ghastly's
"Good almost afternoon, class."
Everyone sat ready for class. As of late, it's become more interesting, especially with the new student. Zelda tapped on her quill absently, scheming.
"For this lesson, I wanted to appeal to the kinesthetic learners for today.", the professor continued on. "Today..." he paused to unveil various materials on his desk.
"We're building an archeron."
Zelda's blue eyes widened in surprise. She couldn't wait to start. How she could show her family she could build one as good as Edward. Obviously, Edward was the
golden child.
"And I don't have enough materials for everyone, which is why I have decided to split you all in pairs."
Zelda's smile widened as well. Perfect. Her plan would slowly come into fruition.
Some of the students already started picking their partners. Mallory started to reach for Zelda when Zelda lifted her hand halting her.
"I pick Rowena.", Zelda spoke up.
Professor Ghastly arched a brow in surprise as did Rowena. Rowena nearly scoffed and tilted her head.
"Yes, I pick Rowena this time. Sorry, Mal. You can work with Rebecca.", Zelda told her friend shooing her off.
Mallory rolled her eyes having not liked Rebecca as much. Zelda got up scooting her desk close to Rowena's. A bright, painted smile plastered on Zelda's face.
"Are you ready to work with me?", she asked with that fake smile.
Rowena's eyes searched hers hesitant. "Erm...sure."
Soft chatter went on as everyone worked together to build an archeron. Zelda and Rowena, however, were silent. Zelda's brows knitted figuring the pieces out. Rowena sat there thinking about the example Professor Ghastly showed them before holiday break. Zelda peeked up at Rowena observing her.
"I take it you're a visual learner.", Zelda assumed.
Rowena snapped out of her thoughts and gave a solid nod. "Of sorts. I do like to do some hands-on material though. I was trying to remember how...", she trailed off as she picked up her quill sketching a replica of what Professor Ghastly showed on the board. "Professor Ghastly pointed out the sample."
Zelda peeked over at Rowena's drawing. She hated to admit, but her skills with drawing were quite impeccable. "Ha, that looks just like it.", she commented with a soft scoff and a hint of a grin.
Rowena shrugged and set her quill aside. "But...it would be better if I was able to configure how it would be put together."
Zelda wasn't for using other students' findings as reference, but she had been curious on if anyone was able to figure it out. Some students giggled playing with the parts while using a levitating charm.
"Ah, ah these are not toys. Remember, these are crafted with trapping a demon in mind.", Professor Ghastly goaded a pair of students.
Zelda rose a brow. Of course, trapping a demon, but who's to say that everyone archeron is the same? There had to be a demon in mind.
"So, say you were back in those woods in Scotland...", Zelda inquired aloud. "And instead of running away from the Nuckelavee, you decided to trap it once and for all."
Rowena's brow quirked inquisitively as she turned in her seat to face Zelda. She read how Zelda enjoyed brainstorming, her blue eyes alight with schemes, with questions. She found that fascinating about her.
"What would you use for the archeron? What sigils?", Zelda finished her brainstorming. Her fingers twitched on the table, eyes teeming with curiosity.
Rowena twisted her lips at this and leaned back in her seat in thought. "Well, if I recall, the demon Fideal was trapped with Celtic runes, which one would think would work for the Nuckelavee because of his location, but..." Rowena lifted a finger scooting forward. She picked up the quill again sketching a rough draft for them. "That's the thing: if we do research on the Nuckelavee, it is said that it is of Scandinavian descent and not Celtic or Gaelic. In fact, we wouldn't even use Celtic runes..."
Zelda couldn't hide her engaged grin. Rowena's mind was full of knowledge despite her societal standing.
"We would use Nordic runes. You're right.", Zelda finished her thought. "Okay, so with that in mind, how do we piece these together with the runes in mind?"
There's that too. Sure, they would get the arrangements on it, but how, how does one piece together an archeron?
Wheels went on in both of their minds. Zelda forgot her original plan: to dissuade the Scot from the Path of Night-make sure she wasn't intrigued in their world. Instead,
Zelda enhanced her curiosities, her burning desire to learn more about herself and her abilities.
Rowena's green eyes lit like a lightbulb flickered right behind those beautiful emeralds, sparking in arrays of gold.
"What if...I know it might sound weird, we unraveled it?", Rowena began.
Zelda's scoff made Rowena's brows furrow, arms crossed. "And what do we have in front of us? Scraps.", She spat.
Rowena rolled her eyes. "Yer not getting it." She stressed in frustration. "Aye, these are pieces, but...", she lifted her parchment with the sketch. "If we take our drawing apart with the Nordic runes in mind..."
Zelda's gaze bored on the paper. She gasped softly watching a glow around it, the source coming from Rowena.
"Quick, do you know anything in in Scandinavian?", Rowena pestered,eyes still aglow waiting for a chant.
Zelda browsed the library of linguistics in her mind, scouring for any words she would know would get the answers they seek.
"Reda ut.", Zelda murmured. She glanced up at Rowena nodding for her to repeat after her.
"Reda ut.", both young witches say in unison.
They both gasp seeing Rowena's drawing slowly disassembling. Zelda took note of how the pieces layered, how they fit.
This...was...brilliant.
Rowena's smile caught Zelda's attention. The way she smiled made Zelda's chest warm and her heart race. Whose smile could make someone's day, make them smile just the same?
"Perfect.", Rowena's voice called Zelda from her daze. "Now, all we have to do is assemble it just like that."
They were the first partners to get their assignment done. Professor Ghastly had been vastly impressed by their teamwork. He placed their archeron on his desk to show the others how the finished product should be.
Rowena cast a look over Zelda not realizing their eyes having already met at the same time. She beamed toward her, Zelda's lips fighting a matching grin.
"Looks like we make a great team, don't we?", Rowena asked softly.
Rowena: 3?, Zelda: 0
But who was counting?
Lunch Time
"Let me get this straight," Rowena began, hand leaning on her chin. "Ya...had sex with Faustus after your Dark Baptism, on your family's garden?"
Zelda shut her eyes and sighed deeply looking pleased with herself. "uh huh.", she replied. "I sure did. I am surprised my own mother missed all the twigs and petals lodged in my hair as I walked past her upstairs. My mother never misses a thing. She's taught me levels of perfection.", she said the last part with an exaggerated muse.
Rowena snorted and tossed her head back in laughter. "Oh come on, really? No one noticed?"
Zelda tapped her chin. "I mean...Hilda was quite curious of course the poor thing still not knowing a thing about sex. Edward though, oh he knew."
"And...", Rowena hounded her. She nudged her.
"Aaaannd...", Zelda stretched out the word. "He said not a thing. You see, Edward and I have a mutual respect for each other. We know that if we did something uncalled for or unwise, we would keep it to ourselves. We always keep each other out of trouble. It is the Spellman way to strive for perfection. We are a good name under the Dark Lord after all."
"Right.."
Zelda watched how Rowena's expression fell. Rowena picked lightly at her lunch tray. Was it something she said?
"How come your family never succumbed to the Dark Lord's way?", Zelda finally had to ask.
Rowena shrugged. She glanced about as if making sure no one listened. "Can ye keep a secret?"
A secret? Oooh, perhaps some ammunition. Zelda couldn't forget about what this was about; getting closer to Rowena in order to find a way to psych her out, even though Zelda found herself more interested in getting to know her more than wanting her to leave.
"My lips are sealed.", Zelda assured. She placed a soft, yet firm hand over Rowena's tired calloused hand.
Rowena took a deep breath and lowered her voice. "My father isn't a warlock.", she admitted. "He's a mortal."
Zelda contained her shock, but her blue eyes said it all. She leaned back, hand ghosting away from the other girl's hand. Her throat dried. Not a warlock? For sure she assumed that for someone as powerful as Rowena, her parents must have both been with power.
"Oh.", Zelda could only say.
Rowena averted her looks. She knew that had been a tall confession-secret to reveal. Apparently, in the world of witches, no witch or warlock would dare live a life with a mortal.
"Aye.", Rowena spoke up meekly and gave a small weak snicker. "He is. My mum...a natural like myself. She seemed so in love with him before me. She told me how they met. How they couldn't take their eyes off of each other, how their hearts raced..."
Zelda had an inkling to what she was feeling as well. It sounded familiar, but no. This couldn't be what she thought. Sure, she found Rowena interesting, very pretty, but it was just a crush. That's all.
Rowena sighed, holding her tray ready to walk away like she always did. "Then, there came me. Since then, they faded. My father did know about my mum, but he didn't care-at the moment. I-", Rowena stopped and then shook her head hoisting herself up.
To admit these things, in a place like this? Rowena confided in Zelda, trusting her with these words. Zelda knew if this information got out, it would be worse than just booting her out the door. The coven could hold a trial for this. Rowena is the offspring of a mortal and a natural witch. This...this was unheard of. Zelda couldn't imagine herself being put through that at such a young age; to be pointed at, judged. Rowena wanted one thing: to belong, to figure out what she was, what she can do.
'What am I thinking? How can I think of taking that away from a witch?', Zelda thought. 'I am a mere young witch myself wanting to learn-to know so much more.'
Before Rowena could go anywhere else, Zelda held her arm gently, eyes pleading to stay.
"It is not safe to speak of this more here.", Zelda agreed with Rowena's flightiness. "But...that is not to say I don't want to know more."
Zelda offered Rowena a genuine smile, fingertips brushing against the small fair hairs on the shorter girl's arm. "Come to my dorm tonight. Agnes is still at home attending her grandfather's funeral, so it's just me for another week. We can chat more if you are comfortable."
Rowena chewed on the inside of her lower lip unsure. Moments ago, they were at each other's throats. She knew Zelda wanted to take her down, but something in Zelda's voice and in her eyes reeked sincerity. If she turned that down, who's to say Zelda wouldn't take back that kindness just as she had when Rowena opened her mouth the first night.
With her most earnest smile, Rowena relented. "Tonight then."
Zelda nodded. "Oh and after dorm checks.", she informed her. "If they find you are not in the right dorm they will escort you back. Believe me, it's not a nice sort of escort."
Rowena's nose crinkled as peals of laughter escaped those beautiful soft pink lips.
"I'll keep that in mind."
Zelda's Dorm- Witching Hour
A soft knock rapped against Zelda's door. Zelda had been looking forward to hearing that after the dorm check. After the check, she threw her covers aside, pacing and waiting for Rowena to come. The thought elated her, made her thoughts race. Never did she look forward to someone's company as she had until Rowena came around.
"Come in.", she whispered softly, fingers laced behind her back.
The door opened a crack, green orbs searching about even knowing there was only Zelda in the room. The door pushed a bit some more as Rowena made her way inside.
She shut the door behind her gently.
Zelda held a gasp observing the girl before her in her nightdress. Sure, the gown is plain and common, but the way it wore the petite girl made Zelda hold in a snort.
Rowena arched a brow and pointed a finger at her. "What's so funny?"
Zelda held her bottom lip captive and her breath as well. "Funny? Nothing's funny."
Rowena marched up to her with her arms crossed. She appeared unconvinced. "It's because I am small, isn't it? My nightgown just trails behind me."
Zelda placed a hand over her mouth, a small giggle escaping. "Not at all.", she defended.
Rowena narrowed her eyes "Yer laughing at me."
"Am not."
"Are too. Ya don't think I don't hear ya?"
Rowena turned away sheepishly, red with humiliation.
"Oh come on, it's adorable.", Zelda admitted. "Here, I can hem the bottom for you so you do not trip. How does that sound?"
Rowena sniffed lifting her chin. "I do not trip.", she retorted.
Zelda lifted a brow incredulously. "Is that so?"
Rowena avoided Zelda's incessant attempts to get her to look at her. "No...", her voice fell. Her expression twisted trying not to laugh. "Will ya stop that?"
"Stop what?", Zelda ventured, fingers tickling under Rowena's chin.
"That! Tryin to get me to admit somethin yer so wrong about. And...tryin to get me to look at ya.", Rowena snorted.
Zelda nearly laughed at loud at Rowena's pouts. She's the cutest thing she's ever seen. "Not until you tell the truth. I swear on Satan you are the worst liar I've ever
encountered."
Rowena gaped at this. "A liar? Yer callin' me a liar?"
"If the shoe fits.", Zelda replied with a beguiled expression. "Now...tell me you haven't tripped or almost tripped over that sack you're wearing."
Rowena huffed and extended her lower lip into more of a pout. "I am not admitting such a fallacy."
"Oooh big words for such a small town girl.", Zelda teased.
Rowena shoved her lightly. "How many times do I have to teach ya not to underestimate me, snob."
Zelda placed a hand on her chest in feign offense. "Snob? I thought I was a brat. Have I upgraded?"
"Sure. It was better than another word I was thinkin'."
"And that would be..."
Zelda gasped in surprise as Rowena pushed her on the bed. She loomed over her leaning close. Zelda's breath quickened feeling Rowena's breath trickle by her lips.
"A...pig.", She crooned against her lips.
Zelda turned even more red at that. She looked offended and a bit bothered. "A pig?"
Rowena nodded as she leaned up, sitting around Zelda's lap. "Aye. Ya know, snob. Oink. Oh sorry, ya didn't grow up on the farm. Oink Oink.", Rowena imitated a snort from a pig.
Zelda could not believe Rowena right now. She was snorting like a pig on her bed while moments ago, she straddled her, so close to her lips in utter torment. She scoffed and grabbed her wrists.
"Oh I know a piggie when I see one. Perhaps you need to be hogtied.", Zelda spat playfully. She had no idea how that just came out.
Rowena's green eyes widened, yet there she went again with the snorts. "Nope. Yer the pig."
Zelda smirked, grip tightening and not letting go. "Says the one whose been hogtied."
Rowena writhed and then gasped, her foot having caught the long nightgown, causing her to nearly slip off the bed. Zelda acted quickly, grip still on her wrists as she pulled her up. She grunted lightly feeling Rowena fall against her chest. Both of their eyes locked staring, cheeks red. They were silent for a moment before Rowena broke it with her laughter.
Zelda blinked taking this in. She nearly fell and she was...
Laughing. They both squealed in laughter.
"Okay, okay...ya can hem the skirt. Ya win. Are ya happy?", Rowena asked as she gently patted Zelda's chest.
Zelda smirked. "I think so. Zelda: 1 and Rowena: 2."
Rowena rolled her eyes. "Erm...last I checked I think I had three points.", she protested and giggled. "But who's counting?"
Who was counting indeed?
"So...after your mother died, your father made sure you never used your powers."
Zelda sat behind Rowena brushing through her thick mass of curls. Rowena sat in front being lulled by the strokes. She remembered how her mother would do that for her after she bathed. She always told her how she was a crazy little monkey, climbing the trees and letting her curls tangle into knots.
Rowena smiled faintly at the memory and snapped back listening to what Zelda had to say.
"Aye. As horrible as he had been to me, a part of him didn't want the villagers to find out about me or for any hunters to hurt me..." she trailed off as she stared at her lap. "Only he could hurt me."
Zelda stiffened at that. How dare he lay a hand on her like that? Still, she could believe that.
"My father he...one time I played out in the brook with Edward. It was just a few months after Hilda was born. I wanted Hilda to be with us, to play. So I told Edward I would be back to bring Hilda. I came back with little Hilda not realizing...she was too young to swim. I took Hilda with me to the water and she nearly drowned.", Zelda started her own tale.
Rowena listened quietly. She didn't mind that Zelda slowed down on the brushing to tell the story.
"Mother checked on us and saw we were trying to resuscitate her. She freaked, snatching little Hilda from us and easily used the resuscitative spell to bring her back. Of course, she told Father and...well he...that's the first he struck me."
Rowena sighed and turned to face Zelda. Zelda's eyes became glassy, chin wavering slightly.
"I never thought he would ever do that to me. He told me no Spellman would ever put someone so defenseless in danger like that. That Hilda was too young to defend herself. If I was going to be a perfect Spellman, I would listen to every word he said. From then on, I tried- I still try to be perfect, but..."
Zelda winced feeling Rowena's cold touch on her thigh. She took that in then as comfort. For a moment, she thought of the hurt, of all the hits, pinches, things to set her right.
"I still stray...so he has new...meanings of punishment.", her voice lowered as she turned around, back facing Rowena. She gently lifted her gown, taking Rowena's breath away as she revealed the markings on her back.
"Lashes.", Zelda told her. "He says they are the lashes that are far less severe than what the Dark Lord could do."
Zelda lowered her nightgown and stared at the ground. "I do know how It feels. I know how it feels to know that even the people who have raised you, your blood, could be the ones to hurt you."
Rowena covered her mouth still in surprise. She nodded lightly and suddenly, her arms wrapped around Zelda's sitting form. Zelda was glad she didn't face her because a tiny droplet slipped down her cheek. She shut her eyes as the tears stung, but her chest felt light feeling that warm embrace from the girl behind her.
"I know.", Rowena whispered against her ear. "I know he cannae hurt me anymore, but I assure ya, Zelda, I would do my utmost best to make sure that yer father knows what a wonderful witch ya are. A witch that doesn't deserve another damned lash.
Spellman Sister's Mortuary-Present. Nighttime.
Zelda stayed up nestled in her bed. This room, she used to share with her sister and now she was truly alone.
The storm still raged on. Greendale is still under a severe weather warning. The last time it stormed this much...
Zelda tossed her covers aside and held her head. Why, why was she thinking about Rowena Macleod now? It had been centuries since she looked into those beautiful green jewels, touched those soft red tresses, got to kiss those pink lips. She got to kiss them just once, that damned night. The night she left. It had gone so well, the festivities, the music, the dancing...
Then she was gone.
Zelda still wondered what happened. She wondered...
'Where was she now?', she thought. 'Was she still alive? Does she think about me too?'
Zelda shook off those thoughts. No, she told herself to forget about her. She pushed the thought of hearing that voice, the accent, her name coming from her lips. From then on, she forced herself back to Faustus, back to every meaningless relationship.
Until Marie. Baron Samedi. Whatever.
Zelda held in a sob. She felt herself slip down by her bed. She hugged her knees, biting those trembling lips. She had nothing here.
Vinegar Tom padded over to her with a soft whine. He nudged her chin gently licking her tears. Zelda patted his head, leaning her head back against the mattress.
"I have to get Sabrina back.", She told her familiar. "At least then, it'll be one more thing I have right in my life."