We Never Break A Promise
By
Warm Hearted
Proofed and Edited by Catherine Linda Michel

Synopsis: This is the introduction story for a new universe. All the normal copyright stuff applies.

Eric Jones was an orphan that grew up friendless and unloved in the foster system . Eric was always a misfit in school and he wanted a new start. But Eric did not know how new it would be.

There are two major things I have learned in my life. The first is, things never go like you plan and the second is, magic is real. Yes magic! Not the funny juvenile Harry Potterish type, but the more dark and deadly types, like in the lore and legends from ancient cultures all over the world.

Yes there are Wizards, Witches, Warlocks, Fae, Djinns, Imps, Demons and others that all coexist with us. You may have a Djinn or a Warlock living next door to you and you will never know it. The magical folk have learned over the eons that non-magical folks, as weak as they are, can push magical folk to near extinction by the sheer numbers of the non-magical. So they are very careful in hiding their true natures from public view.

Although as hidden as they are, the magical folk are still very involved in world affairs. After all this is their world too. Each species of magical folk has their own council and their activities reflect their species overall traits and personalities.

Like the Fae are real big in defending the Ecology, the Witches are fierce advocates for Women's rights, and Demons lobby heavily for free trade. But none desire that their work to be in the public's eye, so their activities are never in the news or openly recognized. The only notice of their work at all, is by a very small number of fringe websites. Normally you will find the reports on the Magical's activities between the Elvis sightings and the new best alien probing positions.

Since Magicals love their anonymity so much you may wonder why I am writing my story. Magical's mainly use a screen magic to hide behind and the same is true with my story.

Most, if not all who read it will think it is pure fiction, because there is a spell on it. But if you believe it, your life, at some point, will take an unsuspected turn like mine did. So to help prepare you for this, here is my story.
******

I was born in August or September in 1990. The reason I am unsure of my birthday is because I never knew my birth parents and I was raised in foster care in Charlotte, NC. I grew up shy with low self-esteem which was the case for many Fosters, but I did very well in school and I was smart. I grew very tall, 6'4" but I was very overweight which did not help with my esteem issues.

Although in high school being over 6 feet tall and 300 Lbs deterred any possible bullying, it did not help with dating. Girls giggled when I walked by them in the hall and I would hear my nickname, "Eric-shun."

I got this name one day in gym when I got a woody in front of the whole cheerleading squad. To explain, like every young man it happens, but like every part of me I am unusually large there too. I was wearing the longest shorts I could get, but they were still not long enough for me to wear my boxers under them. So Mr. Happy came peeking out of my shorts leg while I was doing jumping jacks in front of the practicing cheerleaders.

So needless to say I dated very little in high school. No, actually I never had a date in high school. All the girls at my school either thought I was not good enough for them, or they did not want to look so desperate that they would date "Eric-shun."

So high school was hard but I spent most my time reading. I loved the fantasy realms of dragons, wizards, trolls, and heroes rescuing princesses. That was the world I chose over the world of high school sports, proms and hanging at the mall. I enjoyed it so much I wanted to go to college and major in Old English Lit, but that brought about another problem.

I had a 3.98 GPA and scored the highest in my class on my SAT, but I missed out on any scholarship money due to the curve points for ethnicity. So my problem was, if I went to college it would have to be the local community college because there was no way for me to afford a different one. I knew that a lot my classmates had plans to go there and if I went it would just be a continuation of the torture of high school for me. The need to go to college was more than just getting trained for a career for Fosters.

In NC a foster child is supported by state funding until they are 22 if they go to college, but only 18 if they don't. So I had 10 months before I was homeless, because I knew once the home I was in stopped getting paid, I would be on the street.

My only option was I needed a job, but this was October 18th 2008 in the midst of the Great Recession. I applied everywhere online and in person. I submitted over 70 applications and I got only one interview and it was at Walmart.

I shaved real close, wore my best clothes and went to the interview. The personnel lady told me to sit down and I showed her my grades and my perfect school attendance record. She smiled at me and looked over the records and said, "We have only one entry level position open for a 17 year old the job is 12 hours a week and pays 7.75 and hour do you want it?"

I almost shouted 'YES'!

The personnel lady gave me a stack of forms and told me to sit in the outer office and fill the forms out. When I opened the door I saw Leigh Wright, the head cheerleader, waiting there. She looked at me and then the forms in my hands and looked in the office and said, "Mom I need to tell you something."

Leigh went in the office and shut the door as I sat down and started filling out the forms. Then the door flew open and Leigh's mom came out, followed by Leigh who was saying,

"Mom I will tell Matthew to come fill out his papers and get his schedule."

Then Leigh's mom turned to me, yanked the pen out of my hand and screamed, "HOW DARE YOU! EXPOSING YOURSELF TO MY DAUGHTER AT SCHOOL! GET OUT BEFORE I CALL THE POLICE, YOU FAT, UGLY, PERVERT!"

I was shocked, hurt and my eyes started tearing as I got out of the chair. As I turned to leave I received a hard slap from Mrs. Wright across my face for good measure. Then I realized that the Matthew Leigh was talking about was Leigh's new stud Matt Lewis. So why not tell her mom 'Eric-shun' is a pervert so her boyfriend can have the job.

As I was standing at the bus stop the bus stop Leigh and her friends drove up and rolled down their window and said, "Good luck on your job hunt Eric-shun!"

As they drove off I just started walking, not waiting on the bus. At first I thought, since I wouldn't hit a girl I would find Matt Lewis and give him two broken arms. But then I thought what good would that do and besides like always, when the girls insult me their boyfriends hide.

Walking across an I-77 over pass I stopped in the middle and looked down at all the cars and trucks speeding underneath. I thought how easy it would be just to jump off in front of a truck. Then I thought about the truck driver and how it could effect him and I just walked on.

I walked on till I came to an older part of Charlotte on the east side called Dilworth. Dilworth was a very eclectic part of the city filled with restaurants of diverse ethnic and dietary styles, boutiques, specialty stores and businesses. As I was walking and looking at the different shops that change hands and venue very regularly I noticed a used book store that had just opened in a renovated old house next to the costume store that has been there as long as I can remember.

Thinking to look for a book to escape my current state of mind I turned down the walkway. I looked next door at the costume store with witch, wookie, dominants, and knight costumes displayed on their porch for Halloween. Checking out the costumes I didn't notice the "Help Wanted" sign on the stained glass door of the bookstore until I got on the porch.

The sign reminded me of the humiliation I just experienced and I turned around to leave without going in. Then the door opened and very soft melodious voice said, "Well met kinsman, please enter."

I turned back around and saw a beautiful woman in her thirties holding the door open and motioning me in with her hand. I turned around and said, "Well Met. I never have LARPed, but I am willing to give it a try." Just then I noticed for a second a blue halo around the woman's head and figured it was the stained glass in the door. The woman then looked at me strangely. She had a look of realization on her face and she
answered.

"No that is fine I was just getting some practice in for the Renaissance Festival that is going on now."

I nodded my head and said, "Yes I know it is going on until next month. I always wanted to go, but never have."

I failed to tell her not only had I always dreamed of going but never had the money or the transportation to go. Still, it always depressed me a little when it ended and I missed another year.

She extended her hand and said, "I am Erin Sparrow. I am pleased to meet you."

I took her hand lightly and she grabbed mine tightly with more strength I would had thought she had and I said, "I am Eric Jones, Ms. Sparrow."

Ms. Sparrow, still holding my hand very tightly said,

"Funny, you don't look like a Jones, but please call me Erin."

For some unexplained reason I felt at ease with Erin and I just blurted out that I was a foster and I really did not know my real name. I was shocked that I shared that. Normally I would never tell someone that I was a foster unless they asked. Erin led me into her shop which was not really ready to open. There were boxes of books and unstocked book shelves everywhere.

Erin then invited me to have a cup of tea with her. I agreed and she told me to sit on a stack of boxes. She poured me a cup of tea and we sat and talked and I mean we talked for hours. Mainly looking at the floor, I told her everything about me and I could hold nothing back.

I shared about being abused by a foster parent when I was 6. I lamented how I never fitted in at school and the humiliation I felt over the events that led to me being called Eric-shun. I told her my desire was to study Old English Lit. I then shared my reasoning why the greater necessity is finding a job and of the fear of being homeless. Then with tears in my eyes, looking at the floor, I shared what just happened at Walmart and my thoughts about jumping off the overpass.

When I finished my life's story I looked up from the floor and saw Erin was crying, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her sweater. She then got up and got us both tissues.

Erin looked at me with empathy, not pity, and be sure I know pity and this was not pity.

Erin then said, "Well you have a job with me if you want it. The hours will be after school and Saturday. We are closed on Sunday."

I said, "Are you sure you want me? I didn't tell you all that to get you to hire me."

Erin, in an almost scolding tone said, "You will learn...ah... people in my circle do not enter into agreements lightly and never out of emotion. We always keep our agreements whatever it takes. Eric you need to do the same because I think you see the wisdom in this way of dealing with others with honor."

Erin was right. I always kept promises even when they were painful and even when others did not keep their end of the bargain. So, with every fiber of my being I accepted the position that Erin offered and we shook hands again. There must had been a lot of static electricity in Erin's sweater because I felt a shock.

*****

I enjoyed working for Erin and I loved how we talked about life, books and things that we both liked. After working for her for a week, on Friday I was stocking some books and she called me over to her desk. She told me that I was the best employee she ever had.

Erin was the kindest person I ever met and I thought "this is what it must be like to have family.” She then handed me an envelope with my first weeks pay in it. I thanked her and told I told her the week I had worked for her was the best week of my life and she just jumped up and hugged my neck.

I turned quickly to hide the tears forming in my eyes and shoved my pay in my back pocket. I assumed she was paying me minimum like Walmart first offered. I had worked 28 hours, 4 hours a day and 8 on Saturday. So I figured I got just under $200.00 after taxes. $200.00 for me was a fortune since I never had more than $50.00 at one time my whole life.

When I finished stocking the books I thought I better put my pay in my wallet so I would not lose it. I opened the envelope and in it I found $560.00 in twenties. I looked at Erin, who still was filling out book orders at her desk and I shouted, "Erin you paid me way too much!"

Erin looked up from her order form and said, "I don't think so... how much is it?"

I said, "$560 dollars."

She pulled out a calculator and said, "That is right. 28 hours at $20.00 an hour is $560.00, I don't mind paying for quality when I can get it. Oh yes, because of your hard work we are ready to open a week earlier than I ever hoped so we will be closed tomorrow because the Renaissance Festival starts, but I will pay you for the day."

I told her she did not have pay me, but she insisted. I was amazed how her kindness knew no limits, but yet I was saddened for two reasons, the first was, the shop would be closed and I could not be here, and the second, even though I now had the money to go to the Festival I was still was barred by a lack of transportation. There was no public transportation there
and it was over 20 miles away.

Erin then said, "Be here at 8:30AM sharp. We want a good parking place. What are you going as, I guess a Wizard like me because we like books so much."

I could have fainted! ERIN WAS TAKING ME TO THE FESTIVAL! I told her I did not have a costume and she said for me to go next door and get one before the costume store closed. I thanked her again and flew out of the door.

I went in the costume store which was packed with people and I asked the clerk if they had Wizard outfits and she directed me to the back. Passing all the racks of all sorts of outfits I saw Leigh and her friends and most of the varsity football team. Leigh loudly spoke up and said, "Great Shrek outfit Eric-shun, no wait! It's Jabba the Hut!"

All her friends laughed loudly and other shoppers looked at me and tried to hide their grins. Leigh, being petite and very pretty with a cheery voice, made her cruel insults sound cute and bubbly if you were not the target. I walked past the adult toy section to the Wizard and Witch section in the store.

I picked out an outstanding outfit. It was pricey, but it was great. It was a robe and hood of dark green coarse woven fabric and an amazingly real wooden staff with a head piece of a blue crystal in a carved dragon's mouth. I lifted the staff and it felt it was too big, but still right for me.

As I was holding up the robe to make sure it was big enough, Matt, Leigh's boyfriend, bumped into my back. I turned around and he had already escaped to the safety of his group. I shrugged and carried my costume to the register, not letting their teasing steal my joy.

The store was even more full than before and I heard snickering from all around. I got to the checkout and the clerk was trying hard not to laugh. I was starting to turn red, wondering what I was doing that was so funny. As the clerk bagged my costume he broke out in a roaring laugh and so did most of the store. Then Leigh came up and pulled a four foot condom off my back and said, "You better leave this or they will get you for shoplifting, ERIC-shun."

I just saw red and went out of the store with my stuff and I saw Matt. He was by the small alleyway between the costume store and the book store. I'd had all I could take and I ran after Matt who ran down the alley to the back of the Book store. I made the turn and saw Matt, Leigh, five cheerleaders and five of the varsity first string defensive line. I was set up.

I was giving as good as I was getting until they got me off my feet. At that point all I could do was just cover my head and lay there and be beaten and kicked. They kept on and on and at one point I saw Leigh pick up my new staff and break it across my right knee.

The pain almost made me pass out but in my daze I saw the back door of the book store open and Erin came out. I thought they may hurt her too and I fought even harder and shouted, "Erin go back inside and lock the door!"

Erin screamed, "Like hell I will!"

Raising her hands she made a sign in the air and said, "Rana lo cimnaka tobor."

I saw a flash of blue light and passed out.

*****

Off in a dark existence I heard Erin's voice sounding very concerned, talking to some unknown man's voice.

Erin asked, "So you're saying the dark spell prevents you doing anything to Eric's form, including healing him?"

The man's voice answered, "Yes, and it seems your suspicions were correct, he is close kin to you, but the dark spell makes it hard to tell how close, possibly as close as a nephew."

Erin then gasped. "Ye gods and goddesses! You said the dark spell locks him in this shape and I know he was born in September of 1990! Aaron, remember Cassandra had her baby on the Fall Equinox of 1990."

The man's voice climbed a full octave in tone and exclaimed, "Yes you're right, and it was less than a week later when Wren killed your sister and Gilead, stealing their baby! When they caught and executed her, she never told where the baby was."

Erin sobbed, "We always thought Wren killed the baby too, but.... Eric must be.... my sweet Cassandra's baby and look how those little shits have hurt my dear dead sisters baby..... Oh they will pay!"

The man agreed, but he pulled Erin's thoughts to the need at hand. "Yes I will help you come up with something special for them, but since that spell of Wren's prevents us from healing him, if we don't remove the spell he will die! His ribs punctured his heart. Your holding spell is all that is keeping the spirit bound to the body, but you know it will be released at dawn."

Erin was silent for some time, then she spoke deliberately,

"Eric, I sense you are hearing us and I know you are very confused by what you are hearing, but we are going to make you well. It is going to change you a lot. If there was a choice I would ask you if you wanted the change, please, please know that I would not do this to you without your permission, but I will not lose you too. I could not stand it. So Eric please forgive me."

I then heard the man mumbling gibberish in the background and I went into a blue limbo. When I woke up and tried to move I was unable to do anything but open my eyes. Erin was standing there and a man that I assumed was the owner of the male voice I heard.

Erin said, "You're awake. Don't worry about not being able to move. I have a spell on you to keep you still until you have time to adjust to the changes that have happened to you. First of all I need to show you your new self. Don't be afraid. It will be fine."

Erin held a mirror over me and I saw a delicate blonde, beautiful teenage girl. IT WAS ME!!!