Quiet note:
Witnessing Constantine's repair spell first hand after reviewing explosive techniques used in magic. Left Corbin and Octavia sitting out to wait for the hall's wall to ensemble. Attention was turned toward what had been resting on his neck. Along with the little red fur ball sitting in his lap with wide grin of shape yellow teeth.
"Do they have names?" Octavia adored the sight of a European cobra.
"Cornelius is the snake," Corbin watched her gushed, "Freaky cat is Chewy."
She was allowed to stroke the snake's snout in a gentle manner as his tongue flickered. A lowly creeping about on Corbin's shoulders toward the new sight. While dividing her attention to also brush her fingers through velvety soft fur. Which got an instant tail shake from this feline clone of Alastor.
"They're so cute." She watched him.
"They like you," Corbin informed her, "Cornelius says you smell like sweet hay and freshly fallen leaves."
"You can understand them?" She grew accepted, "How? You have to show me the spell or charm. Please …"
"Cornelius is my familiar," He pointed out, "From the first to my generation, members of my family have always had animal companions. Always came in pairs or one depending on the person, example being my cousin being reunited with her unnamed leopard."
"You have a cousin?" Octavia asked, "Why isn't she here? May I meet her? What's she like? What is her death date and how is she related to you? "
"Yes and definition of she's an oddball for someone over 300 years old," He tried to describe Hephzibah, "She prefers to stay at home and help out around the house. Wears these moth themed sweaters almost everyday while busying herself."
"Now I have to meet her," Octavia liked what he said, "What does one do to meet a new face? Do I bring a gift? I mean I never casually met anyone besides you."
"I'm still thinking of a way to thank her highness for suggesting I attend lessons with his highness," Corbin reminded her, "Got any suggestions?"
"Azathoth's tears!" Octavia recalled her dad wanting to make up to her, "How do you feel about watching that?"
"I think my aunt was already making plans to do that with my uncle," Corbin stated, "We can ask her about it?"
That was a subject Octavia agreed with him on since the whole title of precariously heir always upset her. Lack of actual friends her own age that weren't related to her. Left her to want an actual or two that saw her as a person and not her title.
"So friends?" Octavia offered,
"I would like that." Corbin likes the idea.
Their laughter caught Constantine's attention from afar when he oversaw the final stage of the spell. Way they smiled over the newly established bond reminded him of his own. Most important ones came in the form of his friendship with Serenity. Bond of siblings Charlie and he shared along with the new one he was forming with Elanye. Hadn't been labeled quite yet despite their lovely debates and minor moments. Had him looking toward the entrance of the hall when the familiar sound of her heels were heard. Into the light she stepped with her usual basket on one arm and medium sized box in the other. Hoo Hoo flew from her shoulder to pairs off to the side.
"Oh my!" She noticed the still mending damage, "I am afraid to ask which one did that? Size of the impact and how much was taken out is an eye opener."
"That would be both of them actually," Constantine looked at the box she held, "Octavia was a chain reaction of small ones that left a sizable series of cracks. Corbin was the medium outward one that enlarged the crac, turned into a hole."
"I can imagine with the way Corbin leaves Zon's golems," Elanye recalled Zon's training sessions, "Last one had him using Wywave's black roses."
"I would like to watch this form of training in the near future," Constantine clearly stated, "Help me come up with a more teaching curriculum."
"I'll see what I can do since Wywave will welcomed it," Elanye recalled the way Wywave reacted to his black rose bushes, "He spent decades getting his prized roses to that state that please him, now their bruised and tangled in remains of a golem."
Hearing news about black roses in such a way bothered Constantine on an already existing topic. Fact that Zon was a former exorcist irked him in a distrusting way. Had him make a mental note while lost thought if not a reminder of two other presences. Drew attention to the nearly celestial decorated box that Elanye held. Octativa liked the shiny sheen on dark blue wrapping paper and matching bow.
"A gift fit for a princess," Elanye walked over to Octativa, "A nice-looking gown for your introduction into society."
"Have I ever told you how cool your aunt is?" Octativa squealed toward Corbin.
"You haven't seen half what she can do." Corbin knew his aunt.
Octavia was careful in handling the box when two of them got lost in another conversation. Talking about what Octativa was going to find inside whenever she opened the box. Attention was turned to wrapping paper and ribbon as a hint.
"Do I dare ask what you gave her or wait for her to appear in it?" Constantine asked, "Being as your and brother have a unique way of doing things."
"Weavelyn and any other tailor shop the royals use to produce their finery have become busy," She pointed out every couturier's hands were full, "Thought I help out."
"What may you be wearing? Since we never discussed our attire." He reminds her.
"Don't worry, I have the proper gown to leave the right impression," She didn't want to spoil anything, "I have no plans to draw attention to myself."
"That you already do since I couldn't find a single picture of your face." He took a familiar closeness to her.
He ended up pushing her hood off her face with his tail surrounding her waist. One hand coming to rest on the small of her back to keep her in place. She turned toward him with her single gloved hand reaching up to coddle the side of his face. Barely gloved fingers traced the curve of a single cheek as their eyes connected. She tilted her head just enough to draw their lips close. Light pressure and slowly moist surfaces of their lips came together. What Corbin and Octativa call their first kiss as Maverick ends up joining them.
8*8
Hephzibah in her Rosy Maple Moth Cardigan quietly sat out on Elanye's swing. Lost in the sounds of the woods usually came around evening time since she was alone. Not caring to look up when the rustling of someone stepping into the clearing was heard. Unnamed leopard and miniature ghost stayed in the branches of the tree. Dire wolf flora beast sat resting at her ballet flats clad feet. Chewy peeked out from his hiding place in Wywave's garden with finger in his teeth. Elanye's unnamed Tarantula rested her shoulder with fangs twitching.
"Calm down everyone," She knew who came to see her, "Welcome son of the Sin of Gluttony. Wasp."
"Thought I dropped by," He shook out his fur, "Looks like we're not alone."
He noticed the collection of animals he hadn't seen since the last time he was here. All those eyes on him didn't stop him from walking over to Hephzibah. Who rose from her sat on the swing with her arms full.
"Usually how it is when someone is here by themselves," She watched him, "None of my relatives or Corbin are here."
"Actually … " He looked at her, "Came to see you."
Recalling the day how she was introduced to the sins of the children was an odd one for her. When she revealed her age and death date after her name. Mixed reactions came from all the children of the sins back then. Monet was in disbelief while Ragnild, Osmodai, and Wasp were intrigued by her.
"I never really met a fellow empath since my mom." He clearly stated his intentions.
"I am not into the party scene." She clearly stated.
His hissed some when he knew his reputation was about being a bit of a party animal. Would have been heard by her since her family always found out. She bluntly stated without a shred of emotion in her voice or eyes. Had his plan on just being friendly toward her a tad harder.
"I am not here to invite you to one of my mom's parties," He assured her, "I am here to just hang out and talk."
"Explains the bottle of Winterberry wine." She saw the bottle he carried.
"A girl who knows her Hellcohol," He was going to like her, "Know where we can talk and drink?"
She ends up showing him to her Wywave's garden where a stone table sat and the view it gave. Glasses came from a hidden shelf under the table's top Wasp whistling at the clever addition. Direwolf flora beast followed her over into the garden to rest with the goat.
"What you want to know about me?" She asked.
"I knew there was something about you I like." He popped the lid.
She pulled herself on to the table beginning with how she died during the witch hunts taking place in the United Kingdom. Dying beside herself through the usual method used back then to test for witches. Where Azrael took her soul to heaven to live among other children. Loneliness she went through all those decades before Corbin came. Left her happy family and finally came as she shared all she knew with him.
"Where was your dad the whole time?" Wasp asked her.
"What do you know about the tale of stingy Jack?" She asked him.
"Condom soul that is doomed to roam the world between the planes of good and evil, with only an ember inside a hollowed turnip," Wasp recalled the old legend, "Why ?"
"My dad," Her eyes grew sad, "He didn't make it back in time to save either one of us."
Fact he can't past over to the afterlife for his actions to be with his family pulled at Wasp. Down went the bottle he was pouring when overwhelming sorrow took over him. One that Hephzibah was openly displaying over an issue she rarely shared. Never being able to lay eyes on her father or get closure for a proper goodbye.
"You need to bring this up with your family," He hinted, "I am kinda surprised you held it in this far and didn't go crazy."
He ends up being hugged by baggy sleeves of a cardigan where her finger stuck out of the holes. He didn't fight back with his tail swayed side to side as he returned the hug. Allowing her into his thick furry collar with drinks being forgotten for rest of his visit.
8*8
Rare appointments of a private nature with an Overlord were never known to Wywave after his past. One he knew well when he was allowed it's office he knew well. Place hadn't changed much since he was here from prototypes on the wall to eyes filled with fear. Didn't stop him from walking a path he no longer feared with each step. Pass the conference room where he once watched past Overlords sit and talk. Making her way past grown faces of girls that worked alongside their mother. Into the space with a view of the pride Ring he never missed and burned into his memory.
"I was surprised you've reached out to me," Carmine looked up from her paperwork, "Made me reminisce of a time of your talent before you grew a … heart."
"You still know how to say such nice things." He earnestly answered her.
"State your here?" She grew disgusted with his emotional display.
"Your not timing me means something," He spoke about time limits she gave people, "My forge spell."
She turned back toward him when he spoke of the ritual he used to create his dewing when contracted to her. Magical energizes those three circles held when he altered materials. Created her most potent weapons with strong magical properties for chosen user. Was laid on her desk in the form of a journal that came with numerous pages and diagrams.
"Keep it," She had no use for it, "I was done with it when I was done with you."
"I tried," He picked up his journal, "Also I came for what I left behind."
"You mean those relics of the past collecting dust in my warehouse?l" She spoke of centuries old weapons no longer desired, "Now it's all about hand held firearms and throwable explosives."
"Take them since I don't have any use for them anymore," She was dissolve over the subject, "They belong in a museum."
"I'll be on my way since I took up to much of your time." He figured they were done.
Away he would turn from her as she become lost in last memories of him played in slow motion in her head. Where she discovered the reason why he developed a heart and met his sister for first time. Strong familial bond the two shared despite how close to death she left him minutes before.
"Your sister?" She brought up Elanye, "Are rumors true about her being seen in company of the prince?"
"We both know I was never one for gossip." She saw his eyes turn a hint of cobalt.
Suddenly cold chill in the air she felt all the way down past morrow of her bones was a familiar one. Slight frost that formed on the all the glass in her office had placed a smirk on her. Told her that sliver of who he was had shifted into a touchy subject over a loved one.
"I'll have one my daughters show you where we store everything now," She summoned her, "You not find them in workable condition."
"I willing to take the risk." His last words to her.
When he walked out of her office that she was asked by her other daughter why she even allowed him to walk away. Carmine reclined forward as she watched the doors closed behind him just lost in thought.
"Nostalgia? Maybe I am going soft in my old age." She didn't know when she had work to be done.