Chapter One
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight but I do own my OC and her family.
Summary: Gwen has spent all her life being hidden away. Her whole existence has been shrouded in the supernatural community. This was all Gwen had known but her life is shaken up when she moved to the inconspicuous rainy Forks and meet the Cullen's.
This will be a SLOWBURN so please be patient.
I am not a fan of Edward's character, so he needs time to change and grow.
It is not essential to have read The Odd One Out but things will make a lot more sense if you have.
Enjoy the story!
TWILIGHT
Gwen was six years old when she started to notice things.
She noticed that she did not live with her mother and a father, though she knew that they were alive.
Well, she wasn't too sure about her father.
Gwen didn't understand it at the time, as she was only a child and wouldn't comprehend these complexities until she was much older. However, at the time, she didn't understand why she couldn't be with her mother but her living situation was something she had eventually gotten used to. Not living with her mother was normal and she thought it was weird that other children lived with their mothers when she met them – if she was ever allowed to mix with them. When she asked her Nana, she was told that her mother couldn't be with them because it wasn't safe so she stopped asking for her. Instead, Gwen lived with her Nana in Utah, far away from everyone and everything. The closest neighbours she had was hundreds of miles away, just how she liked it. She found her neighbours creepy and weird. They were too curious and wanted to know more about them, something she knew Nana didn't like.
"Firefly! Come here for a moment!" Bethany called as her loud voice carried throughout the two-bedroom bungalow.
Gwen looked up and pouted, disappointed that her game was interrupted, "Coming, Nana!" Gwen shouted back, too curious to ignore her Nana's calls. She had always been a curious child and always had to explore no matter where she was. Gwen stood up and walked into the living room, and immediately noticed that there was another person in the bungalow.
On the couch, in the living room were two people. One of the women was Bethany, an older woman with blonde hair and hazel eyes. Her skin was tanned and slightly wrinkled, but she looked younger than she actually was. Bethany had always said she would never grow old gracefully and looked scornfully in the mirror when she would notice another wrinkle. Bethany was a small woman, with a round face and a rotund stomach. However, it was the woman next to her Nana that Gwen didn't recognise. The woman was tall and slender. She had ruby-red hair and brown eyes. Everything about the woman screamed beauty and power. The sharp angular jawline, the slightly larger than average nose and the perfectly groomed eyebrows – which were also red. She looked young, far younger than Nana and was completely wrinkle-free.
"Who are you?" Gwen asked, tilting her head to the side.
The air in the living room became tense as Bethany's eyes widened and she sent an apologetic and sympathetic look in the direction of the other woman. The other woman in the room seemed to have frozen, too in shock to do anything. "I am sorry about this, Scarlett," Bethany looked at the red woman with an apologetic expression.
Slowly, Scarlett relaxed but her eyes remained tight, "She is only a child, after all, and I am a stranger to her,"
Gwen stared at the woman, she looked so pretty, just like the princesses in her stories and make-believe games. "You're really pretty," She said lowly, her own eyes wide in awe.
Scarlett smiled softly at the child, "Thank you, dear." There was a hidden longing in her eyes, one that Gwen had not picked up on since she was too young to understand.
Bethany looked to her ward. "Come here, Firefly," She said with a kind smile, one that Gwen could never refuse. Gwen launched herself at her Nana, jumping onto her lap with a skip in her step. Bethany exhaled sharply at the added weight but didn't comment on her lack of manners this time. Instead, Bethany picked Gwen up so she was sitting perfectly on her lap, her body facing sideways.
Looking back at the pretty lady, Gwen smiled. "My name is Gwen! I'm going to be seven soon!" She said with a wide toothy smile on her face.
"I know, that's why I came to visit you," Scarlett replied, moving around in her seat nervously, "My name is Scarlett, don't forget it, dearie,"
Gwen giggled, the name Scarlett really suited the woman.
Bethany looked down at Gwen lovingly and squeezed her slightly. "So, is this a quick visit or…?"
Looking up at her Nana, Gwen felt confused. Nana was never short with people and she could stand for hours, just having a chat with people – even strangers. Gwen didn't understand what was happening, but she knew better than to ask as this seemed like a 'grown-up talk'.
Scarlett smiled sadly, "Unfortunately, it is. I came to check on the little robin," Her brown eyes looked down at Gwen, who smiled at her widely.
"She's doing well," Bethany said with a smile as she squeezed Gwen slightly, causing the young girl to squeal in laughter, "But she is showing signs of magic already," Usually, a child wouldn't show signs that they had magic until they were nine but Gwen had started to display signs that it was coming – soon. This worried her because it was far too soon. Gwen had spiked a fever the other week and the lights had started to flicker when she had a temper tantrum. Based on everything she knew about magic, Bethany knew it wouldn't be too much longer before Gwen's magic awakened.
"That was always a possibility," Scarlett commented with pride in her eyes. However, this brought on a whole host of other problems that she would need to rectify.
Bethany scoffed playfully, "So full of yourself,"
Scarlett smirked but then she soon turned serious, "Have there been any causes for concern?"
"No," Bethany shook her head, "I haven't detected any with my gift,"
Gwen blinked slowly as she watched her Nana and Scarlett interact. She did not understand what was being said, but it all seemed to complicated. They spoke in a way that made her curious but she felt unsure so she stayed silent.
Scarlett hummed lowly but didn't comment. Instead, she noticed Gwen's inquisitive stare and couldn't help but smile, "Gwen, what do you think of Bethany's gift?" Scarlett asked, her tone soft and low.
Gwen looked up at Scarlett, then to her Nana and then back at the red lady. "I think it's really cool!" She answered with a big smile on her face. Her Nana always had the gift of seeing into the future and it always amazed Gwen whenever her Nana did this. Nana had explained that this was her superpower and Gwen had always wished she had one too. Though, she had been warned that no one was allowed to know of this gift and so it was their secret. Gwen would do anything to protect her Nana. Even if her Nana would sometimes tell her off for things she hadn't even done yet.
"Thank you, Firefly," Bethany said as she kissed the top of Gwen's head softly, which made her giggle loudly.
Amusement danced in Scarlett's eyes. "Is that so? Well, I think you deserve a gift of your own then,"
"Really?" Gwen asked, her eyes wide in awe.
Scarlett smiled in return. "Of course. I wouldn't lie to you. But some people will lie to you. They will try to deceive you in the future and I want you to be prepared." She said as she stood up and walked over to Bethany. Scarlett placed a hand over Gwen's head and there was a bright light before it disappeared.
That was the last thing Gwen remembered.
Then everything went dark.
TWILIGHT
A year had passed since that meeting and Gwen had completely forgotten about it. However, she had not felt right ever since. Every time her Nana would mention Father Christmas, the Tooth Fairy or the Easter Bunny, she got a weird sensation in her chest. It was very similar to a tingling sensation and it was strange. She hadn't mentioned this to her Nana because she didn't want to worry the older woman. During this year, Gwen had started to gain more perception of how isolated they were and how she had been told to avoid people altogether. Something wasn't quite right about the situation but Gwen didn't want to ask and worry her Nana even more – who was looking over her shoulder a lot more than she usually did.
Bethany was always a cautious person, but she was even more twitchy than usual.
Gwen ran around in the back garden, as she played a made-up game when she felt eyes on her. As she turned around, Gwen saw two people stood at the edge of her Nana's property, staring at her. They were both tall, thin people with long flowing blonde hair and dreamy blue eyes. They were both female or at least very feminine-looking. They looked so pretty that Gwen couldn't help but stare.
One of the strangers waved her over and Gwen couldn't help herself. She walked over to them, right on the edge of her Nana's property line and smiled at the strangers. As she got closer, the most amazing smell hit her. It smelt like freshly baked cookies and it reminded her of Nana's cookies. "Hi! You two are really pretty!" Gwen said cheerfully.
"Hello, little one," One of the strangers said, "Are you playing out all on your own?" The stranger looked around, but especially at the house.
Gwen nodded her head, "I am, but I don't mind it," She was used to playing games on her own so it didn't bother her.
The other stranger kneeled down beside her. "Do you mind if we play as well?"
Gwen was about to agree but she stopped herself. She was split, one part of her was fascinated by the strangers and wanted to spend time with them. However, there was another part of her that warned her to stay away from them – to get away fast and inform her Nana about them. She took this time to examine the two strangers in front of her and noticed for the first time that they had pointed ears.
That wasn't right.
Slowly, Gwen moved back, "I'd have to ask my Nana first…"
The strangers looked at one another and smiled sweetly, "You don't need to do that. Your Nana and we are friends, she asked us to come over so you wouldn't be so lonely," The woman said, her voice soothing and bell-like.
Suddenly, there was a tingling sensation in her chest. It felt like butterflies and lightning, but it was not painful.
"Nana's…never done that before," Gwen said softly as she continued to back away. That weird tingling sensation had appeared once more in her chest which put her on edge. Their eyes followed her every move, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.
"Don't worry, we won't let anything happen to you," The other woman said, stretching her hand out, "Just come with us,"
Fear struck Gwen heavily and she almost found it hard to breathe. The tingling sensation became more apparent in her chest and she instinctively knew that they were lying. They were going to hurt her if she went with them. This was wrong. These people being here was wrong. They shouldn't be here. Every nerve in her body screamed to get away and fast before anything could happen.
"NANA!" Gwen screamed out as she turned around to run into the house.
The stranger hissed and quickly grabbed Gwen's arm, harshly tugging the young child. "Let's go!" The stranger yelled as she picked up Gwen and began running into the nearby trees. The other stranger followed behind her, quickly catching up to their accomplice.
"Gwen!" Bethany shouted as she ran out of the house with a shotgun in hand. When she saw that two strangers were running off with Gwen, she aimed at them and shot with such precision it was deadly.
Gwen screamed when she saw one of the strangers fall to the ground and didn't get back up. Her Nana's figure was getting smaller as the stranger that held her ran so fast it was practically impossible for anyone to keep up. Some shots embedded themselves in the ground as Bethany aimed for the stranger's legs but they all missed as she was moving too fast.
"Gwen!" Came the echo of Bethany's voice but she could no longer be seen.
Tears streamed down her face as she realised what had happened. "Let me go!" Gwen thrashed about, hitting and kicking the stranger with all the might of a seven-year-old. Unfortunately, this did nothing and only made the stranger laugh at her effort.
"You can struggle all you want, it is useless. We've finally found you and we don't plan on letting you go," The stranger said smugly.
"Nana!" Gwen screamed out in fear as she sobbed in fright. "Nana! Help me!"
The stranger ran for what seemed like hours and Gwen continued to cry and call out for her Nana. It got to the point where her throat hurt and her mouth was dry. It hurt to call out but she desperately wanted her Nana to find her. Gwen had no idea where she was in the forest. She had never explored this deep into the woods and it scared her. All the dark places in the forest made it seem like people were hiding and looking at her.
Eventually, the stranger growled, "Oh shut up! You're giving me a headache!"
"I want my Nana!" Gwen screamed out.
"Well, she's not here!" The stranger yelled back as she pinched down on Gwen, causing the young girl to squeal in pain.
Pressure started to build in her chest, one that was uncomfortable and she made her whole body hurt. She had never felt anything like this before and it was even different from the tingling sensation she got in her chest. It felt warm – hot to the point she started to sweat and her breathing became shallow. Something was happening to her and she didn't understand what it was. Gwen clenched her jaw as a sharp pain shot through her and caused her to start uncontrollably screaming in pain, wailing like a banshee. The stranger attempted to place their hand over Gwen's mouth but that did nothing to silence her howling.
"Shut up!" The stranger hissed lowly but her voice was drowned out by the screams.
"NANA!" Gwen wailed loudly as the pain in her whole body turned up a notch. It felt like her blood had turned into lava. Whatever was happening to her was too much. She couldn't handle what was happening to her and she just wanted it to stop.
Having enough, the stranger threw Gwen onto the ground, causing the child to cry out in pain. "Looks like I am going to have to shut you up," The female stranger said as a white light glowed at the tip of her fingers.
The moment Gwen saw this, her eyes widened and she backed away in fear, the pain momentarily forgotten. Something about the light in the woman's hand unnerved her. However, there was also a side to her that was called to by that light, as if trying to draw her closer. If Gwen hadn't been so scared, she may have asked why the stranger's hand glowing but she couldn't even form the words necessary. She could not decide whether this was because of pain or fear, or maybe a mixture of both.
Her trance was broken when the woman was a foot away from her. "Stay away…" Gwen whimpered quietly.
The woman continued to get closer to her.
"Please, I'll be quiet!" Gwen pleaded out as she continued to back away. She hoped that this would make the woman happy but it seemed as though it hadn't worked. The closer the woman got, the worse the pressure in her chest got.
Soon, the woman was even closer than before.
"Get away!" Gwen cried out loudly as she crawled back desperately. The pressure was almost suffocating at this point and she wasn't sure how much more she could take. It was just as the stranger touched her shoulder that caused something inside Gwen to snap. Letting out a loud scream, Gwen's vision became white and that's all she remembered. The world shifted around her and everything went dark and numb.
TWILIGHT
Three days later
Bethany stared down at Gwen with a saddened expression. The young child lay in bed, her young face flushed with a fever and her breathing shallow. On her head was a dampened cloth that seemed to do nothing for Gwen. For each cold cloth placed, it would heat up within a matter of minutes. Ever since Bethany had found Gwen alone in the forest, she had been unwell. At first, it had started out with a headache but it soon progressed to the point she was throwing up every hour and had a dangerously high fever that came on suddenly. Bethany knew that this wasn't a normal illness and so she contacted the only other person who knew what to do. No matter what she did, nothing seemed to help Gwen or alleviate her pain in any way. It was concerning and broke her heart to see her little firefly like this.
Moments later, Scarlett walked through the door and her eyes immediately zoned onto the young girl. "Oh, my dear Gwen," She whispered softly as she glided over with ease. She fell down beside Gwen placed a hand on her face and winced when she felt how hot Gwen's face felt.
"I've never seen anything like this before," Bethany commented as she looked at the Witch. This did not seem like a normal illness as nothing she had done worked. In fact, Bethany would say that Gwen was getting worse by the minute.
Scarlett muttered a small spell under her breath and watched as the pain slowly faded away from Gwen's face, finally peaceful after days of unsettled rest. "Tell me what happened again, all of it," Scarlett instructed firmly. When she received the call from Bethany, it had been rushed and she didn't want to miss anything.
"I found Gwen alone in the woods after a bright white light covered the area. There was a scorch mark in the grass but that was it. There was no one else and her kidnappers were nowhere to be seen. She was unconscious but seemed okay, but then the fever came on that night." Bethany answered quickly, having already gone over this story with Scarlett on the phone.
"Has anything about Gwen changed in the past few days?" Scarlett asked suddenly, her eyes void of any emotion.
For a moment, Bethany was about to deny it but she stopped herself. Straight after she had found Gwen, there was one slight difference, "One of Gwen's eyes changed colour. It turned into a light blue colour," This had been a shock for her, and Gwen hadn't seemed to have noticed until she looked in a mirror. Now, one eye was blue and the other hazel and didn't look to be reverting back any time soon.
Gwen thought it was cool, but Bethany had been worried.
Scarlett's face hardened at the news.
"Do you know what happened to her?" Bethany asked in concern.
Hesitantly, Scarlett nodded her head. "Gwen's other magic was trying to protect her. She was in a situation where she couldn't protect herself so her other magic did." It was a day that she had dreaded and she hoped it would never happen. She had tried to keep her daughter out of danger but she was being pulled back in and Scarlett hated it.
Bethany's eyes widened, "Can you do something?" Scarlett had warned her years ago that this could happen, but she did not anticipate it would happen while Gwen was so young.
"I can and I will," Scarlett waved her hand and it lit up a bright red colour. The red light enveloped Gwen until not even her silhouette could be seen. Scarlett muttered a few words under her breath and soon the light disappeared.
Peering at her ward, Bethany noticed that Gwen no longer appeared flushed. Tentatively, she placed a hand on Gwen's face and found it back to a normal temperature. "Her fever is gone," She marvelled with wide eyes.
"She'll be fine now. I have locked her other magic away. As long as she isn't pushed to this point again, she should be fine," Scarlett said with a deep sigh.
"This can never happen again," Bethany said with determination. She refused to let her ward be put in danger like this again. No one had ever got this close to stealing Gwen from out of her care before and it scared her. If she hadn't heard Gwen's scream then she wouldn't have even realised she was gone before it was too late. If one of those two strangers were too deep in the forest then it would have been too late and Gwen would have been lost forever.
Scarlett nodded her head in agreement, "It can't happen again. Her magic needs to be trained immediately. I will send over my grimoires and she can begin her training,"
"But her magic hasn't actually awakened," Bethany protested. Gwen's magic was on the cusp of awakening, as she'd seen some signs to point out it was imminent.
"That doesn't matter," Scarlett said seriously, "Gwen doesn't have the luxury of time. She needs to learn how to defend herself with magic otherwise my bindings won't last forever," She would have to force her daughter's magic to awaken, something she didn't want to do, but she had little choice.
Bethany frowned but nodded her head in agreement, "Okay, I will start her training immediately,"
Scarlett looked back at her daughter, a thoughtful gleam in her eyes. "I will also be bestowing Gwen the Mark of Hecate,"
"What?!" Bethany yelled out in shock, nearly falling out of her seat, "B-but it's too power-" Bethany was cut off and her eyes glazed over. She was having a vision, one where she saw Gwen with the Mark of Hecate. Her breathing became shallow and Scarlett watched patiently, waiting for Bethany to finish her vision. After a few minutes, Bethany let out a long gasp and she slumped forward in her seat. "I-it works," She muttered lowly.
Scarlett smiled sadly, "It never gets easier, does it?"
Bethany shook her head, "Unfortunately, no. But I wouldn't trade it away for the world," Her visions of the future had helped her so much and she was grateful for it. Through her visions, she found out that her husband was cheating on her and she was able to leave him. With this power, she was able to protect Gwen, except her gift wasn't always fool proof. However, it wasn't always easy for a human body to handle such a gift and it always left her feeling tired.
Looking back to the sleeping child, Scarlett smiled, "If I give her the Mark of Hecate, it will protect her but she will need her magic as well. I will give her the best possible chance to survive in this world," The world that they lived in could be cruel and harsh, especially for people like Gwen and she refused to let Gwen suffer for her mistakes.
"But it won't be permanent," Bethany warned.
"I know," Scarlett said as she nodded her head solemnly, "But hopefully this issue will be resolved by the time this mark fades," Raising her hand, Scarlett began to mutter an ancient spell, one that had not been invoked before. Lines of red light appeared around Gwen and circled her, slowly building up the pace until the light looked like continuous rings. As Scarlett muttered the final verse, the red light lowered itself down until the light enveloped Gwen and disappeared into her body. The only evidence that magic had been used was the red glowing mark in the centre of Gwen's forehead. The mark was Hecate's Wheel and glowed brightly until it disappeared as though it had never been there.
Bethany went to touch Gwen but Scarlett grabbed her arm to stop her. Scarlett shook her head and Bethany retracted her hand. "You should stay, you've used a lot of powerful magic," She was concerned for Scarlett's health. Everyone expected her to be this powerful person but at the end of the day, she was still one woman.
Scarlett smiled sadly "I can't stay, my magic may attract them. I'll lead them away and I suggest packing up soon, Gwen should be okay to be moved in about ten minutes." Scarlett said before she left the bungalow. She would create a distraction so Bethany and Gwen could get out.
Bethany watched her go with sad eyes. She then looked to Gwen and smiled sadly, "Oh firefly, if only you knew the truth," Turning around, Bethany grabbed a suitcase from under the bed and began packing. Scarlett was right, they needed to leave before others came and in larger numbers. Bethany was lucky there had only been two of them. However, now that their location was known, an army could be sent to retrieve Gwen so they needed to leave quickly.
TWILIGHT
Three years later,
A ten-year-old Gwen sat in front of Nana, who looked down at her ward with a stern expression. She had been trying to teach the young girl the history of the Blackthorn Coven for the past hour and had little luck thus far. Gwen had seemed extremely interested at first, but as time dragged on, the less attentive she seemed and now her head rested on the desk in front of her.
"Gwen, are you even listening to me?" Bethany asked as she placed her hands on her hips.
"No," Gwen answered bluntly with her face still on the desk. She had tuned out about thirty minutes ago and had been trying to daydream.
Pinching the bridge of her nose, Bethany shook her head, "I am trying to teach you the history of your Coven, I thought this would interest you," Usually, Gwen absorbed information about the Coven expertly but it seemed as though today was not the day. In the past three years, Bethany had educated Gwen as much as she could about the Coven even though she wasn't personally a part of it.
"But history is so boring!" Gwen exclaimed as she raised her head.
"But useful," Bethany countered as she walked over to her ward and tapped her on the nose, "You need to understand your Coven and your roots,"
"But we don't have roots!" Gwen argued back with a frown, "We're constantly moving," In the last three years alone, they had moved over eighteen times. Vaguely, Gwen remembered being in Florida for one day before Nana made them move in the middle of the night without warning. She had a map in her room of America and she had marked off where they had been over the years. Most of the map was coloured in and sometimes the red marker she used mocked her because of her lack of roots.
Bethany frowned but didn't say anything. Her ward wasn't wrong and it made her heart ache to know this was hurting her.
"I am constantly kept inside and I am not allowed to make friends!" Gwen complained further, finding it difficult to stop now that she had started.
"You know why we must stay away from other people," Bethany reminded her.
Gwen nodded her head, "I do, but I just wish I had at least one friend…" Now looking out the window, she could see three children playing with one another in the distance. She had watched them for weeks, wanting desperately to join them in their games, but every time she asked Nana, the answer was always no.
"You will have friends in the future, loads of them in the future," Bethany promised her, her gift giving her this insight. If everything went to plan, Gwen would never be alone again, but they needed to get her to that point where she could protect herself.
Her words placated Gwen, for now. However, it didn't stop her feeling lonely. It frustrated her to no end that the only time that she was allowed outside was when it was dark and she could not interact with anyone. Gwen remembered how social her Nana was, but now, she avoided everyone, only going out to get food and necessities.
"But for now, tell me what you've learned about the Blackthorn Witches?" Bethany said, getting back to the task at hand.
Sighing deeply, Gwen gave in. Her Nana would persist until she got the answer she wanted, and sometimes it was just easier to give in, "For many years, there were Witches and Warlocks. Their leader brought them together and made the Blackthorn Coven and they provided shelter and protection to all Witches and Warlocks who needed it. Soon, their numbers grew and we spread out around the world. The three biggest Covens are the Russian, UK and American, but the American Coven is the one who oversees everything,"
Bethany gave her an exasperated look, "Gwen…"
Pursing her lips together, Gwen knew what her Nana was doing. She wanted Gwen to see the Blackthorn Coven as her people. But Gwen couldn't do it. She couldn't call a Coven she had never met her own. Ignoring her, Gwen continued on like nothing was wrong, "However, the Blackthorn Coven soon caught the attention of another group when they offered up protection to the Children of the Moon. The Volturi didn't like how much power the Blackthorn Coven had and wanted it for themselves. So, they tried to take that power. But the Witches and Warlocks fought back, and that started a war between the two species. It got so bad, that each side nearly exposed themselves to the humans. It was then decided that this couldn't go on, so a Treaty was made. The Treaty stopped all attacks and brought peace, but as part of the deal, the Treaty must be looked over every hundred years, to make sure there is balance,"
Bethany nodded her head in approval, "Excellent, you've remembered the story of your people well," She sent her a pointed look, one that Gwen chose to ignore. "Now, tell me about the other treaties,"
With practised ease, Gwen answered this easily, "Witches have set treaties with different groups within the supernatural community to maintain peace. It helps to maintain order and assist with any disagreements that may come out between the groups. They are aimed to be fair and respect both sides. The only people who have the power to terminate the treaties are the leaders of the species."
"Perfect," Bethany beamed, happy with everything that she heard.
Gwen smiled slightly but soon frowned, "Nana, how many treaties do the Blackthorn Witches have?" It seemed a bit excessive to have treaties with every other species, surely that would be exhausting. Gwen could see the advantages, but relations couldn't be that bad, could they?
"The Blackthorn Coven has managed to secure eleven treaties," Bethany answered with ease. Scarlett had sent over all the materials necessary for Gwen's education and there was no way she would scrimp on this. She also found the history interesting and despite not having magic, Bethany was classed as an honorary member of the Coven, the title given to her by Scarlett. "Groups like the Children of the Moon, Shapeshifters, Vampires and Elves agreed to have treaties and have honoured them since."
"But, why do we need these? It just seems a bit much," Gwen questioned, not able to hold it back.
Bethany smiled patiently, "It can seem a bit much, I agree. But these treaties are to maintain peace so that things do not escalate to the point where there are fights, like with the Vampires. One was needed to maintain balance and to ensure humans did not become aware of them,"
"What's such a big deal about humans finding out?" Gwen asked with a frown, not understanding the seriousness of it. Humans were nothing compared to supernatural creatures.
A dark expression flickered in Bethany's eyes, "Humans are strange people, who are easy to panic and cause a frenzy. Fear is a powerful tool and can drive them to do drastic things. The Witch Trials is an example that Witches are not all-powerful," While Bethany herself was human, she did not want to be grouped in with them.
Gwen fell quiet as she realised her mistake. She had read about the Salem Witch Trials, led by Caius from the Volturi. Humans had rallied together and feared that Witches were causing havoc, and many were killed because of it – a Blackthorn Witch was the first to be killed.
"But these treaties are there to aid others as well. If there are disagreements between groups and it escalates massively to the point of fighting, they can be assisted." Bethany said, getting back to her original point.
Gwen nodded her head, now understanding it more.
"In fact, your mother managed to secure a lot of them." Bethany chuckled fondly.
Looking at Nana, Gwen said nothing. She knew who her real mother was – Scarlett – the former Head of the Blackthorn Coven. She could vaguely remember a woman with red hair that smelled like lavender. Gwen remembered that the woman used to visit very occasionally, and it was only after Gwen asked her Nana who the red lady was, that it was revealed Scarlett was her mother. That had caused a meltdown, but Nana had quickly calmed her down.
"Is Scarlett going to visit soon?" Gwen asked, not able to call that woman her mother.
Bethany frowned, a sad expression on her ageing face, "No…she's been delayed and won't be able to visit,"
"Okay," Gwen said before looking down at her book, acting indifferent to the news. She had expected this and so it didn't disappoint her. In fact, she felt relieved. Every time that woman visited, it was always awkward because Gwen did not know how to act around her. Scarlett was her biological mother but she didn't raise her.
"Now, you know she would want to come if she could," Bethany quickly said, worried that this would damage the relationship between Scarlett and Gwen even further. She knew how hard it was on the young Witch, but it was for the best. If Scarlett was around them Gwen would have been found ages ago and that would not have been good.
"Doesn't matter," Gwen said shortly.
Bethany silently sighed deeply. She knew that nothing could be said to dissuade Gwen on this subject and she did not want to push in fear of another meltdown. They were taxing and dangerous, especially since she had to keep Gwen balanced.
Gwen stopped reading for a moment and looked at her Nana, "Scarlett is my mother, I know that. But… who is my father?"
This question took Bethany off guard, not expecting this. None of her visions had prepared her for the moment Gwen would ask about her father and she didn't know what to do.
"Like who is he? Why is he not part of my life?" Gwen asked quickly, feeling nervous for the answer.
"Gwen… your father… he is… well…" Bethany stuttered as she tried to think of something. Scarlett had not advised on what to do if this ever came up and it left her struggling on what to say. What would be acceptable? Instead, Bethany blurted out the first thing she thought of, "I don't know who your father is,"
The tingling sensations flared up in Gwen's chest.
The hopeful look in Gwen's eyes faded away to nothing. But, not for the reason Bethany thought. Gwen knew that she was lying to her. Recently, Gwen clicked on why she got a tingling sensation in her chest at weird times when she spoke to anyone. Bethany didn't often lie to her, but when she did, they were usually small things that she could get over. But this, Gwen didn't know what to feel. Instead of saying anything, Gwen stood up from her seat on the couch and walked out to go to her room.
Bethany watched her go, a heaviness in her heart that would not go away. Standing up, Bethany walked to the garden and pulled out her phone. She was not meant to call Scarlett, only in emergencies, but Bethany felt like this constituted as one as she needed advice on this subject.
The phone line rang twice before Scarlet answered, "What happened?" Her voice was calm and crisp, sensing something wasn't right.
Bethany looked behind and around her before answering, "She asked about her father,"
The answer was a sharp inhale.
"I didn't know what to say, so I just said I did not know who her father was," Bethany answered quickly, worried about Scarlett's reaction.
"She'll know you lied," Scarlett answered her.
Bethany shook her head, "I know," She knew that Scarlett had bestowed the power of truth-seeking on her daughter. It was painful as sometimes Bethany had to watch what she was saying around the child, and it was difficult especially when she could not be told the full story in fear of a backlash. "What should we do?"
"Anything but the truth, but she will pick up on that," Scarlett mused with a sigh in her tone, "Then that will just cause her to mistrust you."
"Can't we just tell her the truth?" Bethany asked.
"No," Scarlett said sharply, "She is too young and she is not ready. If she finds out too soon without the right people around her, she could do something reckless. She will know the truth in time, but for now, she cannot know,"
Bethany sighed lowly, her shoulders slumping in defeat, "What can I say then?" She had to tell the child something and she felt bad about how it had been left. She knew that Gwen had felt the lie, she had tested the child's power and noticed the little scowl every time there was a lie told.
"Tell her that you cannot tell her for now, but she will find out in the future," Scarlett replied back.
Bethany glanced back into the house, "She wanted to know why he was not involved in her life,"
Scarlett was silent on the line for a moment, no doubt formulating her answer. This was a topic she had been fearing would come up, but hoped it would be much longer before it happened. Gwen was only young – a child – and she would not be able to handle the truth. If she found out, it would send her into a meltdown and the bindings that Scarlett put on her would not work and then that would raise a whole host of problems.
"Tell her that he was not a nice person and that she is better not knowing him," Scarlett eventually said.
Bethany frowned, "But this will make her question things more,"
"I know," Scarlett said, "But that's all I can say for now. Anything more will just make it worse."
Bethany silently nodded her head, accepting the answer. She was confident that Scarlett had a plan, surely, she had to. The woman never left without a plan in mind. "Do you plan on visiting any time soon?"
"I can't,"
Bethany closed her eyes for a moment, she could hear the heartbreak in Scarlett's voice. It was only natural as Gwen's mother, that she'd want to spend time with her own daughter, but because of the situation, she could not. After Scarlett had visited last time, the home that Bethany and Gwen had fled from, Bethany had got a vision of Pixies coming to the home and burning it to the ground when they weren't there. Scarlett's presence would only make magical creatures come after them.
"It is better this way, safer."
"She doesn't understand it though, she's only ten years old," Bethany argued back, thinking back to the times she had found Gwen upset. She used to cry out for her mother, but that stopped when she turned eight, and when she realised Scarlett would not come for her.
Scarlett remained silent.
Knowing there was no way to deter the Witch, Bethany sighed deeply, "I tell her what you've said, but I still think she needs to know," She was teaching Gwen how to use her magic to protect herself, though Gwen did not know what from and this was causing frustration.
"She will know eventually, just not now," Scarlett said before hanging up the phone.
Putting the phone away, Bethany turned back into the house, needing to talk to her ward. It would be better to get this over with now instead of letting it fester.
TWILIGHT
Two years later,
A now twelve-year-old Gwen was up in her room as she waited for her Nana to leave. It was the weekly run to the grocery store and Gwen was never allowed to attend with her. As far as everyone was concerned in that town, Bethany was an innocent old lady who lived alone. No one knew about Gwen, that way there would be less chance of them being found out. The moment anyone found out about her, they would be leaving that same night. Bethany had been increasingly unnerved the past few weeks, constantly keeping an eye on Gwen and it was suffocating.
Gwen watched as her Nana left the house and as she hobbled over to the silver minivan. That vehicle was purchased with the thought of needing to flee in the middle of the night, taking all their stuff with them. Nothing could be left behind in case it would be used to track them down. Even the most mundane of objects absorbed traces of her magic.
Once her Nana was out of sight, Gwen jumped into action. She grabbed her coat and put the hood up to hide her face. She then snuck out of the back door of the house, with the intent of heading into the nearby forest. It was still light out and she didn't plan on going far, she just needed to spend time outside and away from the house. The woods were thick with trees and the paths basically abandoned. This would be the perfect place for Gwen to escape for a few moments as it stretched for miles.
The house had been suffocating her. Being inside all the time with no reprieve was torture because she felt as though she could not go anywhere. Nana had explained that they were running from someone but would not go into any more detail, always saying that she was too young to know. This made Gwen's blood boil because she was always being handled with kid gloves. She was nearly thirteen years old but was still being treated as though she was eight years old.
Gwen craved freedom, and even if it meant going behind her Nana's back, then she'd do it for at least thirty minutes of freedom.
Besides, what could happen in thirty minutes?
As she walked deeper into the forest, Gwen took in everything around her. The broken branches on the ground snapped under her feet and the cool wind made her sigh in happiness. Even just the smell of the earth made her feel relaxed and at ease. Her tense muscles relaxed as she left herself to be guided deeper into the forest, allowing the wind to take her anywhere, but keeping in mind her path so she could make a quick return when the time came.
It took another ten minutes before Gwen came upon a lake. She stopped to admire, the whole scene was like out of the books she had read. One that contained adventure, stakes and romance. Walking over to the water, she stared at her reflection. Shoulder-length fiery red hair and heterochromia eyes of blue and hazel reflected back at her, and a thin dusting of freckles covered her face. Her face was chubby and round, her lips a little too small for her liking and her nose slightly larger than normal.
Gwen was distracted from her reflection when she saw something move in the water, her blue and hazel eyes darted to where she saw movement. She jumped back when she saw a face in the water, a sense of panic filling her.
She had been seen by someone.
However, before Gwen could even move, the person in the water broke out, only their head visible. That's when Gwen saw the gills on the woman's neck. Gwen's gaze travelled down into the water, and with how clear the water was, there was no hiding the blue tail under the water.
The woman was a mermaid.
"Now, what's a cutie like you doing so far in the forest?" The woman asked, her voice rough but alluring.
"Just exploring," Gwen said, faking the confidence and she hoped the mermaid wouldn't sense her panic. She needed to leave – now – before anything happened. Gwen did not know if this creature was a friend or foe, and the Blackthorn Witches did not have a treaty with the mermaids yet. That meant she did not know if she was in danger, but she assumed she was by the hungry look in the woman's eyes.
"I know quite a few interesting places we could explore, why don't I show you? I promise nothing bad will happen to you," The Mermaid said with a flirty smile.
The tingling sensation flared up in her chest.
This Mermaid was lying to her.
Gwen shook her head, taking a step, "No thank you. I really should be getting back,"
The serene expression on the Mermaid's face quickly changed to one of malice. Not one to be rejected, the Mermaid swam to the edge of the lake, "But you haven't even told me your name yet,"
In that instant, Gwen knew that if she did not get away from this Mermaid, it would not go well. Vaguely, Gwen remembered an incident when she was a child and was taken away by the Fae, but couldn't remember what happened afterwards. All she remembered was a white light, pain and feeling a lot of power. She was getting the same sinister feeling she got from those Fae all those years ago.
"Bridgett," She answered back, giving a fake name. Gwen did not like lying, especially with what her power was, but she deemed it necessary in certain moments, like this.
The Mermaid grinned viciously, "I don't think you're being honest with me,"
Seeing no other option, Gwen fled the area, running as fast as she could. In the background, she could hear the Mermaid jumping out of the water to chase after her. Mermaids could walk on land, their tails transforming into legs, but it would only last for a short time so Gwen had to make her escape quick. There was no way Gwen could go back to the house – she refused to lead the Mermaid back to her home so she just had to wait the Mermaid out.
Hiding behind a tree, Gwen caught her breath after running for a few minutes, cursing her bad shape. She never left the house to exercise and now she surely regretted not taking her Nana up on the Yoga she did at home.
"Oh, come out wherever you are, little one," The Mermaid sang, her voice echoing through the forest.
This scared her.
It made Gwen crave the safety of her home with her Nana. She regretted coming outside in the first place and wondered why Nana hadn't stopped her. Surely, she should have seen Gwen in danger by now.
Looking down at her hands, Gwen soon had a realisation.
She was a Witch.
She could use magic.
She was not a defenceless human who would lie back and take someone coming after her. She would not be treated like prey.
She was the daughter of a powerful Witch, and she would not be backed into a corner.
With a sudden surge of strength, Gwen moved away from the tree and began heading towards the Mermaid, confidence pouring from her. As she did so, Gwen felt her magic spark to life and felt as it gathered in her hands. Gwen followed the voice and soon found the Mermaid, who was looking around.
When the Mermaid spotted her, she smiled widely, "And there she is! I was worried something had happened to you!"
The tingling sensation appeared in her chest.
The Mermaid was lying.
Holding up her hand, static crackled at Gwen's fingertips, the found crackling loudly. At the sight of the static, the Mermaid's smile fell. Gwen did not have much information on Mermaids, but after today, that would be addressed. However, something that was common knowledge was their weakness to lightning.
Lightning happened to be Gwen's main affinity.
"I will give you one opportunity and only one," Gwen said, her blue and hazel eyes trained on the still Mermaid in front of her, "Either, you can leave and forget you ever met me, or I strike you down with lightning. What's your choice?"
The Mermaid looked at the static at Gwen's fingertips, indecision in her eyes.
Sensing that she wasn't being taken seriously, Gwen poured more of her magic into the static until they were much bigger and the cracking sound much louder. The sound made the Mermaid flinch back and took a step back.
"They said you were an easy target," The Mermaid cursed lowly, but it was loud enough for the Witch to hear.
"Well they were wrong," Gwen snapped back, irritated by her words. She may not know who was after her, but she understood enough to know nothing good would come from it. The creatures that came after her always made comments like these and it annoyed her to no end. Her irritation only made her lightning stronger, and the Mermaid took a bigger step back.
"I will say I never saw you," The Mermaid promised, her voice tight with apprehension.
The tingling sensations in her chest flared up once more.
Knowing she was lying, she hid her reaction. Gwen nodded her head, "Good, now leave,"
Without hesitation, the Mermaid went to leave but seemed to change her mind at the last minute. The Mermaid leapt at Gwen, malice in her eyes, never once intending to leave without her prize. Sensing something like this would happen, Gwen instinctively thrust her arm forward and lightning shot out from her hand, the element striking the Mermaid in the chest and causing her to scream in pain. The Mermaid fell to the ground and Gwen's lightning crackled to life once more, ready for another attack.
Slowly, the Mermaid got back up, a massive scorch mark on her chest. She looked down at the mark and then at Gwen for a few moments before she shook her head. "This is so not worth it," The Mermaid mumbled before she hobbled away, looking back cautiously.
Gwen watched her go with a sense of victory.
She had fought someone – and won. She had used her magic to defend her and she wasn't terrible.
With a spring in her step, Gwen walked back to her house with a smile on her face. It stayed the entire walk there until she reached her house and saw the silver minivan outside. Her Nana was back from shopping. Mentally cursing, Gwen's posture went inwards as she made the walk of shame back to her house. Silently, she hoped that Nana had not noticed her being gone and so snuck in the back. However, the moment she opened the back door, Nana stood there with her arms crossed over her chest.
"Gwen…" Bethany hissed out lowly, anger in her eyes.
Gwen closed her eyes and waited for the scolding of a lifetime.
But it never came.
Instead, Bethany sighed deeply and pulled Gwen into a hug, "Thank god you're okay,"
Gwen's eyes widened, not expecting her Nana to do this. Despite everything, she tensed when her Nana hugged her. She expected a scolding, a smack over the head and to be sent to her room while she sorted the move to another place. "Y-you're not angry?"
"I am furious, but I was more worried about your safety," Bethany answered back instantly, still not letting go of her ward. "I saw what happened and knew you would be fine, but that still doesn't stop the worry,"
It took a few moments for Gwen to process this in her head. She moved away from her Nana and looked up at her in shock, "B-but you knew and still let me out?" She had always been warned about leaving the house, Nana had forbidden her to leave without someone being with her. But this time, it had been allowed and it was difficult to comprehend.
Sighing deeply, Bethany looked down at her with a saddened expression, "I know what being inside all the time is doing to you. Also, this needed to happen to light a fire under your behind, you haven't been trying in your magic lessons,"
Gwen flushed red at being called out. It was true, Gwen had stopped trying with her magic as it was too easy. Nana had said she was a prodigy at magic, picking it up with such ease like she was breathing. But lately, Gwen had not been trying at all, she had lost her spark and her interest in magic. Nana had tried multiple times to make the lessons interesting, even going into the more advanced spells within Scarlett's grimoires, but nothing could capture her interest.
Bethany had foreseen this and knew this would be the thing to bring back Gwen's spark. Bethany hadn't liked that Gwen was put in danger, but she knew the Mermaid would have been dealt with.
"Nana, how do they keep finding me?" Gwen asked with a frown. She could not understand why creatures were always finding her, wherever she went.
Frowning, Bethany thought out loud, "It could be for a variety of reasons, but I am starting to think it is because of your magic."
"My magic?"
Bethany nodded her head, "Yes, your magic is powerful and is bound to attract attention. It gives off a signal and brings people closer to you." Before Gwen had unlocked her magic, they could hide away in a city for a few months to a year before being stumbled upon. But after having her magic unlocked, the number of weeks/months they could stay in once placed decreased massively.
Gwen looked down at her hands, guilt hitting her fast and hard.
Sensing where her thoughts were going, Bethany patted her head, which made the young Witch flinch, "Never mind those thoughts. I have a solution in mind for this,"
"How?" Gwen asked as she looked up to her Nana.
Bethany pulled out a small bag of herbs. "These, it's a small concoction that will help hide your presence. I have been trying to find the right ones in your mother's Grimoires and I think this will do. You'll have to wear it every day and it will need changing every month," She had used her powers and found that it would work, easing her worries.
"Should we put it in a necklace?" Gwen asked, her eyes lit up in excitement. Maybe with this in place, they would not have to move as much, and maybe she would go outside.
Bethany snorted, "Heavens no. Necklaces are easily broken, stolen or misplaced. We cannot risk that. We will sew it into your clothing and you can also drink it. Though I would not suggest that, it does taste very bad," Bethany winced as she remembered the taste, it was not pleasant at all.
Gwen nodded her head, "Good plan,"
"But first, we are going to have to move," Bethany said, looking around at all the stuff they would need to pack. The Mermaid had managed to find them, and there was no doubt that someone would be back, so they needed to leave quickly.
With a grin, Gwen snapped her fingers and multiple suitcases flew out of the cupboard and opened up on the ground. With another snap of her fingers, all the things from the house packed itself until the suitcases were full and they closed with a snap. This was a little trick she had learned from the last time they had moved in a rush, but she had not used it in so long.
Bethany looked at Gwen before she laughed, "God, I love magic,"
Gwen's grin grew wider, she really loved her magic as well. She made a silent vow to herself that she would not minimise her power anymore. From now on, she would take these lessons seriously so that she could defend herself. Creatures would continue to come for her, but Gwen would not be an easy target, she would fight back tooth and nail.