®The witch and the beast is the propierty of Kousuke Satake

Loward's Home for Children was a four-storey imponent structure, with graceful winding vines climbing up its grey walls. The vibrant hues of wisteria going from purple to white added color and beauty to the otherwise dull stone. The building was surrounded by high walls of polished stone, the neat appearance of which gave the whole place the key aspect to make a good first impression.

The courtyard was as lively as the other areas. The sun cast its vivid rays over the entrance, causing Ashaf to cover his eyes with his bare hand. When he removed it, the front door opened to welcome the prospective parents.

"It's time, Guideau."

The beast nodded slightly.

Ashaf reached for her hand and she started to resist, but then remembered how they were supposed to behave and let him be.

"You're supposed to take my hand in," he instructed in a low voice.

Guideau almost twitched an eyebrow. She intertwined her fingers with his hand and followed his lead.

A middle-aged woman greeted them at the entrance. She smiled kindly and greeted them by their supposed names. "We have been expecting you. Please, this way."

They soon found themselves in a bright lobby, with a chequered floor and white walls. There was a bronze chandelier and several lamps scattered along the walls. Not bad for an orphanage. Ashaf could hear the faint voices of children not too far from where they were, which in turn were clearer to Guideau's exceptional hearing. They were led through a corridor, the light of the sun following them, illuminating the hall. They were led into an office where, after some brief introductions, the director of the place introduced herself and welcomed them in.

"Thank you for coming all the way to our humble home," the director said. She used a polite tone that seemed to match her grey hair, which was tied up in an elegant bun.

"Thank you for seeing us on such short notice," Ashaf said, shaking her hand. It had wrinkles and age spots. He pulled out a chair for Guideau, who sat motionless and silent. He squeezed her shoulders in what appeared to be an affectionate gesture, but in which he was applying pressure without being noticed by their host.

Guideau inhaled and made a dull, practiced reply.

"I was looking forward to meeting the children when I heard about this place."

The woman was too busy folding her skirt to keep it from creasing as she sat down to notice the fake enthusiasm.

"So, why don't you tell me about yourselves? I read your letter, but I was hoping to hear more in person."

Guideau gave him a quick sideways glance. She knew nothing of a letter. Ashaf squeezed her hand to reassure her as he took his seat.

"Well, as you know, we're from the Fifth Continent. I'm a lecturer at several colleges in the area, and my wife here is a renowned florist. She makes the most beautiful bouquets you've ever seen."

"You must really love being surrounded by flowers, don't you, dear?" it took Guideau a second to process that she was talking to her. It was simply strange. Interpreting a character so far removed from herself was something she had never done before, even if this was not the first undercover job they had done.

"Yes, you can't imagine how much," she replied. Ashaf smiled to hide her lack of enthusiasm.

"That's how we met," he offered another charming smile. It lit up his blue eyes. "I was looking for a rare specimen... and she happened to know everything about what I was looking for."

The director looked at her with an eager smile. She was enjoying hearing their made up story.

"And the rest is history," Guideau interrupted. She was anxious to get this over with and see the witch.

"My, always so hasty" he chuckled. Then he turned his attention back to the woman. "She was the one who asked me out and even proposed. She's never been one to wait."

The director smiled benevolently. Ashaf's quick reply sweetened the pot in spite of Guideau's hasty approach.

"You don't see that every day, do you?"

Ashaf laughed, winning her over with his rich, lighthearted way of laughing. The man could have been a diplomat and stopped wars all by himself.

"No, nothing at all." His hand instinctively moved to his face, a muscle reflex of his smoking habit. He quickly covered it up by changing the position of his hand, as if covering a cough after a good laugh. "Guideau is unique. She is, in a few words, the most beautiful and unique creature I've ever had the pleasure of meeting."

Guideau side-eyed him.

"You must feel the same way. Proposing to a man is not something you hear often."

Guideau limited herself to nodding and humming in reply, for to say that Ashaf was the cockiest bastard she had ever seen was out of the question.

Noticing her reluctance to speak, the woman cleared her throat and glanced at some papers on her desk.

"You mentioned here that you've been married for three years." Ashaf nodded. "And that you live on the fifth continent." Ashaf nodded again. "Not to question you, my dears, but why come so far? I know there are other homes in your place," she pondered.

This was one of the tests of fire. Ashaf had anticipated this and prepared a backup story.

"I was born and raised here," he said. "I discussed this with my wife, and we both agreed that we wanted to raise a child from my own homeland. Someone who belonged to the place I've always loved and which took such good care of me when I was a boy".

That seemed to be enough. The woman smiled from under her glasses and seemed pleased with his answer.

"So, someone who reminds you of home," she offered. Ashaf smiled in response. "I can relate to that. My family fled our country during the war. We had to leave everything behind. This place reminds me of them, with the orchids and the blackbirds that visit our garden. You should see it later," she looked at Guideau. "I'm sure you can share some of your gardening secrets."

Guideau almost froze, but collected herself and did as Ashaf had done. She nodded and made a rather awkward humming sound to indicate her agreement.

"Now, one last question. Look, I don't want to interfere in your life or bring back your pain. I've met a lot of couples like you and I know how..." she searched for the right word, "how difficult it is to want a family and not be able to have one. But we also care deeply about our children and want to ensure their safety and happiness. You both appear quite young, and we wonder if you are certain about starting a family at this point in your lives."

Ashaf knew it wouldn't be easy to secure custody of the witch. Loward's Home for Children was a prestigious institution that had for many years ensured the proper placement of their children. Rumour had it that if you ever ended up at Loward's, you were bound to find a good family, and for that very reason Ashaf knew it would be a long haul. They probably would have to play the parents again in the future if the institution wanted to pay a visit. Fortunately, the Order could provide everything necessary to keep the charade going, but the first step, the most difficult, would rest on Ashaf's shoulders.

He sat up straight and looked at Guideau. They shared a silent look, both knowing what it meant. Over the years they had developed this kind of silent communication, a language of their own that consisted only of looks and expressions that only they knew. This was the one that let Guideau know that this was a decisive step.

"He said it," Guideau said, surprising both Ashaf and the director. "I can't wait. I know that I want this," Ashaf became a little nervous at her impetuosity. "And because of that, I'm sure I'm ready."

The woman looked back at Ashaf, mistaking Guideau's impetuosity as a deep yearning for a child.

With a tone of defeat, he spoke softly, adding to the unexpected drama. "We've tried… So many times. Ever since we got married, we dreamed of having a family… but we just can't seem to conceive." he made a pause. "I have a natural gift for children. They are drawn to me and always want to play. And when the little girls see my wife's beautiful hair, they want to touch it and they beg her to braid their hair and make them flower crowns to wear. It breaks my heart to watch them leave, knowing they will never be our own."

Guideau didn't know what to say, so she remained silent. Her lack of words only added to the already tense situation. It seemed as if her blank expression and quietness were a reflection of her continuous suffering.

"I understand," the director said quietly. "I can see the love you both have for children in your eyes. It's clear you would make wonderful parents." She paused, her eyes flicking between Ashaf and Guideau. "I think we can move forward with your application to adopt a child from our home."

Guideau's heart skipped a beat at the director's words. She glanced at Ashaf, who was trying to keep his composure as relief washed over him. They were one step closer to getting custody of the witch.

"Thank you," Ashaf smiled, a charming yet inscrutable expression on his face as he leaned forward slightly to shake the director's hand.

The woman smiled warmly in return. "I will be in touch with the next steps in the process. In the meantime, feel free to explore our facilities and meet some of the children. I'm sure they'd love to meet you both."

The three of them rose from their seats as the woman rounded her desk and approached them to lead them to the exit. They followed her footsteps, and as she turned to show them out, Ashaf raised his hand to Guideau's face. He wiped away a non-existent tear and looked at her with an expression that was unfamiliar to Guideau. She froze and, noticing the woman's gaze, mimicked him, touching the edge of her own eye.

It couldn't have been more perfect.

The director smiled sweetly, and they crossed the halls, hoping to meet the children and perhaps see the witch face to face.