A Turn On The Pathway To Citizenship
Part One Of Three

By
Warm Hearted

Edited By Commentator

Synopsis: The tale of Mark Cedric's unique and unexpected turn on his pathway to becoming an American citizen, but Mark will discover that being a new citizen is very pleasurable.

As always comments and constructive criticism is much appreciated.

I was born in Serbia and my parents brought me to the USA illegally in 1997 and they both died shortly thereafter. I never knew how they died, but it was probably drug-related. I assumed this from the little I was told by the Serbian couple that took me in.

The elderly man and woman that took me in were unrelated to me but they knew my parents. They came with them from Serbia and like my parents they were undocumented.

I knew my first name was Marko so they called me Mark. I never knew my real last name, or my new "Grandparents" real names. They only told me it was not safe for me to know when I asked. In later years I assumed the secrecy was due to the same gang-related problems that my real parents were killed over. Peter and Rose Cedric were good to me and spoke perfect English with no accent, which I always thought strange. We moved to Charlotte, NC the day after my parents' death and we were all happy there till I was 16.

I remember well that summer day when my whole life changed for the second time. I came home from playing video games with my friends and no one was home. I went through the house, looking for my grandparents, but they were nowhere to be found. Then I saw two tiny spots of blood on a shower curtain and smeared on the upstairs bathroom floor.

Looking through the small bathroom window, I saw two men, but they didn't see me. They were coming out of our motor home parked in the back. Just this morning I had helped my grandparents pack it for us to go to Disney World the next morning. The men must have put my grandparents' bodies in it and they were coming back to clean up their "little mess".

So I climbed out the window and took my usual route in getting out of the house, when I was grounded. Knowing if they saw me they would put my body with my grandparents, I ran. I hid in the woods near our home and cried uncontrollably. When it was dark, I went to my friend Daniel's house.

Staying hidden in the woods I knew so well I ran to Daniel's, but when I got there I saw a black SUV. The SUV was parked so the occupants had a clear view of Daniel's house, but far enough away to not draw attention. My mind started racing as I tried to think of some way to escape.

I saw enough in the movies to know that the Serbian Mob will not rest until they kill the whole family of someone that has betrayed them. I thought it was just in the movies, but it's real and it's happening to me. If that part of the movie was based on facts maybe the rest was real too. I'M SO FUCKED!

Pushing back thoughts of blow torches and chain saws, I tried to think of a plan that would save my life. I thought about when I watched movies with someone trying to escape the Mob. I always thought I could have done it better, now is my chance to prove it.

Then I thought of how the stars in the movies got caught and more importantly how they escaped.

First of all, you never go back home, they will be there watching for me. They must have gotten Daniel's address from the address book Grandma had. That means they know all our friends, but that is all they have on me.

God, I'm so glad I listened to my grandparents and never had my picture taken. I told the school and my friends that it was a religious thing. So my name, but not my picture is in all of my school annuals and not on anyone's phone. My grandparents would never let me have a phone, or a computer. All we had was a land line phone at the house and when I needed a computer for school I used one at school, or the library.

So they know my name, where I live, my age, and who my friends are, but that is it. My grandparents, somehow made me a very good fake driver's license. They told me to never to get pulled over by the cops because it would not show up on their database. So they let me drive very little, I usually rode with a friend.

I was still worried that they could recognize me because of my unusual appearance. I was very tall for my age, very slim, and had silver blonde hair. I would be easy to spot at a bus station or hitchhiking. Drawing on my cinematic knowledge the best way to get caught was to try to get out of town.

I knew Charlotte very well so it made more sense to stay put and hide in town. So I went back into to the woods. I just needed some time to think and get some rest, because the stress of the day had worn me out.

The Woods was not a real forest. It was just a large undeveloped wooded area set aside to be "Phase Four" of the subdivision I grew up in, although Phase Four was slow in coming due to the bust of 2008. So it became the neighborhood kids playground. Daniel, myself, and two other friends built a secret club house in a tree there.

We built it using scraps and what we could steal from the abandoned construction sites. I was always good with my hands and "The Tower" as we called it was still there. So I climbed up the tree and went in. To my surprise it looked unchanged with the exception of a family of squirrels that had made a nest in it.

We did a good job in building it, because even after five years of being uncared for, the roof kept it dry and the floor was still solid. To my amazement there still were cans of food on the shelves. We placed them there just in case of a zombie attack and I was surprised that most of it was still in date.

That night I dined on cold Beefaroni and soda and planned my next step. In the morning I hid until I saw the CATS Bus come to a stop. I used my student bus pass and transferred to another and arrived at Urban Ministries. I toured it when we had a Civics project last year and wrote a paper on what they do for the community. I never thought that I would be using their services, but here I was with no home, or much money, and only the clothes on my back.

Over the next year I became street smart, hard, and one of the nameless people of the street. Until I was on the street, the only fights I'd had were two school yard scuffles, but on the street you learn to fight or you die or get punked. I did not want to die. I would have died before becoming someone's bitch. So I chose to fight. After numerous beat downs and three trips to the ER I became a feared or respected citizen of the streets.

I stayed away from drugs, even weed. I guess because of what happened to my family. So when I heard of a Day Work Recruiter that was paying good money for those who could pass a drug test, I thought I would check it out. After pissing in a cup, Mr. Gomez told me to get on the back of his truck.

Mr. Gomez was a subcontractor to a subcontractor to a lot of contractors. Like I said I was good with my hands and I did everything from cleaning Port-A-Johns to working on roofs. At the end of each day Mr. Gomez with two body guards would pay us cash without any paper work, which was perfect for me.

Soon I had enough money to get a room in a pay cash, rent by the week sleazy motel and to buy clothes at Goodwill. Mr. Gomez would bring us lunch as part of the deal and I would get a Value Meal for supper. I soon became a favorite of Mr. Gomez and he would always give me the highest paying job, roofing or sheet-rocking.

One very hot summer day, after spreading hot tar on a flat roof for ten hours I was especially smelly and filthy. After getting paid for the day, in cash as usual, all I wanted to do was take something home to eat and shower. On the bus trip home the other passengers gave me dirty looks and moved away from me.

I got off the bus at the Wendy's in the front of the same parking lot as my motel. When I went inside I started getting the same looks as on the bus. I went to the counter to place my order, but the lady at the register placed her hand over her nose and just walked away. I heard her telling her boss she was not waiting on me because of how bad I smelled.

Her boss, a short fat balding man who was probably younger than he looked saw I was hearing what the counter person was saying. He just walked past her, came to the register and facing me smiling said,

" Welcome to Wendy's what can I get you?"

I looked at his name tag and it said "Assistant Manager Rob". It seemed like he was not faking being polite to me, despite my present condition. He made me feel like that my present condition didn't matter at all, so I placed my order.

Rob then asked, "will that be dine in, or to go?".

I told him, "to go.".

He then gave me a huge plastic cup for my drink, and went and filled my order himself. Then it hit me that he did not ask me for any money. Confused, I filled the huge 40 oz cup and came back and Rob had my order ready. Taking the bag I asked, "how much is it?".

Rob said, "I'm very sorry for the poor customer service you were given and I will reprimand the associate for being rude to you. I'm not charging you for your meal today because of how she treated you."

I thanked him and went to my motel room and turned the air on high. Sitting down at the small dining table I found that Rob had "Super Sized" my order and added a piece of pie. I thought, "that Rob is either gay or really a nice guy."

After eating and showering I watched TV until about 11 PM. I would normally go to bed then, but Mr. Gomez told me that he wouldn't need me tomorrow. That is how Day Work is, your days vary. I have worked 26 days without a break, but a few times I have had five days between jobs. I learned to budget my money so I would not have to go back on the street.

I decided to get some ice for my ice chest from the motel's only amenity, an old ice machine. As I was dumping the old ice and water, I heard some loud voices coming from the back of the closed Wendy's. I saw that guy Rob confronted by two people. One of them was the rude woman that wouldn't wait on me and the other was a large guy.

Then I saw the large guy grab Rob, pushing him against the building and starting to beat him. I would have called the police, but I didn't have a phone and the office was closed. Most street smart people, would have just ignored it but I am not most people.

I yelled, "STOP THAT!" and ran to help Rob, who I really didn't know. I got there and the rude woman didn't recognize me cleaned up, but she warned me,

"white boy you best stay out of this, my man is giving his fat ass a whooping for firing me."

I knew Rob must have fired her for not waiting on me so I felt responsible in a way. My street education taught me to always carry a sock full of pennies, so I hit the big guy on his knee. The big guy fell and then blue lights started flashing. the big guy got up and the rude woman ran away leaving me alone with Rob.

The officer knew Rob. I could tell he liked him and he asked, "Rob, you ok? do you need me to call a paramedic?".

Rob shook his head and said, "no, I am fine, but thanks for the offer."

The officer was about to get out to check for himself, but a call came in on the radio and he said," That's an officer down.". Looking at me he asked "you got this?" I nodded and he took off lights and siren going.

Looking at Rob I saw he had a cut over his eye, and I asked, "you sure you're OK?".

Rob answered, "I think so but I don't have insurance so I will go home and try to fix myself up."

I thought about for a second and told him, "I'm at the motel, so come with me and let me fix you up alittle."

Rob looked at me kind of strange, but agreed and came with me to my room. I got out my med kit and started working on Rob, I saw he was not hurt bad , mainly bruises and just a small cut. We talked as I fixed him up and Rob told me the whole story. He explained he called his manager to tell him how the associate treated me and the manager told him to fire her for misconduct.
Rob was a 20 year old and had planned to go to Johnson and Wells College, but both his parents were dead.

Rob just about cried when he told me they were both dead. His mother died on his 18th birthday of a heart attack. Choking back tears, he added his father died in a boating accident when he was 12. I told him I was sorry and that my parents were dead too, but I did not share any of the circumstances.

Rob thanked me for saving his ass and fixing him up and I told him it was no big deal. although, I wished he had not fired the woman for being rude to me. Rob shook his head and informed me that his manager told him to fire her. I found out from Rob that he didn't have the authority to fire someone or even write them up without approval.

So after the incident he had called his manager so he could write her up, but his manager said to fire her. Rob shared his suspicion that his manager wanted the woman gone, but was afraid of her boy friend. Rob was sure that his manager saw this as a perfect opportunity for him get what he wanted safely. Over the next six months Rob and I became good friends and he even became my Wing Man, sort of.

Across the highway from my motel and the Wendy's was a Country Western hook-up bar. It had cheap draft and I had another fake ID that said I was 21.Not that it mattered because they served Rob who was just 20. The bar was very run down, but had live music on the weekends and it's clientele was mainly, low income like Rob and I.

When we would go to the bar, Rob had a strange "pick up" style. He would not hit on a girl until almost closing time. Usually he stayed behind when I left with my "One Nighter". On one of the rare times I found a girl that was actually fun to be with, I saw, Rob's "moves".

Right before "Last Call" Rob would approach some plain or heavy woman that had been there most of the night and was still alone. Rob would buy her a drink at "Last Call" and talk to her and most often she would leave with him. I asked Rob about it after we were friends for a while, and I was surprised at his explanation.

Rob, looking down at his feet, told me the reason for his pick-up style.

"Mark you're a tall good looking guy and women think you're hot. I have no illusions about my looks. I am a fat, short, already balding pasty faced Burger Boy. I understand women having four sisters. Strangely all my surviving family are women. Actually no one can remember when the last boy, before me, was born on mom's side . So with four sisters and a lot of female cousins, I know how women think.

Any woman going to a hook-up bar alone is very lonely, but she has hopes of finding a good looking hunk so she will not be lonely, even if it is just for one night. It is the same with plain or fat women. They have this dream that someone like you will be interested in them. I watch them in the bar as they do their best to make you notice them.

If I approach one of these women too early, they will refuse me my offer to dance or buy them a drink. They would be too embarrassed to change their minds later and accept. That is why I wait till almost closing. With time running out they're more open to my offer. The only sex I get is 'desperation' sex. Most of the time it's not worth the effort, so nine out of ten times I leave alone right after you leave.

Now that I told you my secret, tell me what you're paying for rent?"

I didn't have a problem telling Rob, so I told him, " Two hundred a week.".

He asked " Why? You could get a real nice apartment for that kind of money.".

Rob was my best friend in the world and I truly trusted him, so after swearing him to secrecy, I told him my history. He understood and agreed that I needed to pay cash for everything to stay under the Serbian's radar.

After a long pause Rob made me an offer that shocked the hell out of me. He told me his parents didn't leave him anything, but the house he grew up in. He then explained that when his grandmother was alive, she lived with them for awhile. He said his parents turned their garage into an apartment for her, and I could live there if I wanted rent free. All I had to do would be share in paying the utilities.

I was the one trying not to cry now, I accepted and thanked him. I then told Rob, "I will always have your back, man, and one day I'll prove it."

I moved into the apartment which was still furnished from the stuff that Rob's grandmother had. I got a TV at Walmart, so I was set. The house was a 1930's style Craftsman style house, but in bad shape. Rob couldn't even screw a light bulb in straight so the house had gone down hill. I worked on it on my days off and soon it looked great.

Rob and I were even closer now, and he would cook for both of us on his days off. Rob loved to cook and wanted to be a chef, not just a burger boy. He surprised me on my birthday with a Smart phone. He added the line to his service so no one could trace it to me.

I was the happiest I had been since my grandparents were killed. Then things started to change. On Rob's 21st birthday we planned to go out, but our plans changed. He got a call from a legal firm in Ashville. They told him a distant relative of his had just died, naming Rob sole beneficiary in his will. The will also stipulated that Rob had to perform a small ritual within 24 hours to receive his legacy.

I helped Rob quickly pack his 2007 Kia Rio so he could get there in time. I told him, "good-bye and be safe."

He responded, "I never heard of this guy and I don't expect much, but I need to go, he was family after all. I'll be back soon.".

So Rob left, and I didn't hear from him for a week. During that week I tried calling, but it went to voice mail and I started worrying. Normal people would have called the police, but considering my circumstances, that was not an option.

At the end of the second week of Rob's disappearance, a package came addressed only to "The Occupant". I opened it and it had three thousand dollars in three banded bundles of twenties and a letter from Rob.

With my hands shaking I opened the letter and read what it said.

"Mark,

I am sorry that I haven't been answering my phone, I was kind of separated from it.

Mark you are my best friend and I know you were worried, but things are complicated right now. I didn't call you because, I know you'll have a lot of questions and I'm sure some them I don't know the answers to. Although, the ones I do have answers for are unbelievable. Just let me say, life is going to get much better for the both of us, very soon.

Mark don't worry about any of the bills, I am paying them online. The cash I sent you is for anything else you might need. I hope to have you up here soon, but if it takes longer, for some reason, I will send you more next month. You can move in to the house if you want. I will put it on the market once I get you up here.

Always Your Best Friend,

Rob"

Putting the letter down, I just said "WOW!" Rob is good and seems like he's into something big, I hoped it was legal because I have lost too many to illegal shit. Knowing Rob, I was 99.9% certain it was legal. I thought it must be that strange ritual, that his dead relative wanted. I figured that must be it, Rob did say, he had some unknown ritual, to do.

I looked at the money and thought where to hide it. After hiding $2,000 under a board in the floor, I went on a shopping trip to the mall. Dressed in actual new clothes, I decided I wanted a steak. I had had only one steak since I hit the streets but Rob fixed that. Rob did a great job, but I wanted another, so I went to Outback.

The Outback was in the parking lot of the Mall so I did not need a bus. As I was walking to the restaurant, I saw a guy snatch an old woman's purse. The thief came running right by me so I just stuck out my arm. The thief clothes-lined himself and I gave the purse back to the lady.

As she was thanking me I saw mall security coming, so I told her she was welcome and left. I made it to Outback thinking that I was safe because I ordered, ate, and left without anyone questioning me. What I didn't know was someone got it on their phone and it went viral. The next morning I saw a picture of me clothes-lining the thief on the front page of the Charlotte Observer.

I fought back panic and thought about it.

"They don't have any pictures of me and I look different now. My hair is longer, I'm taller, and all the construction work has made me more muscular. It has been years so why would they still be looking for someone like me, that knows nothing about them."

The next day I went to the job site Mr. Gomez told me to show up at that morning. Mr. Gomez came up to me and grabbed my hand and shook it, sayingm while patting me on the back,

"Mark, I wasn't supposed to tell you this, but an anonymous person placed an ad in the paper. They're offering to give you a reward for doing what you did, if someone would call and identify you. So I called and they are coming soon to give you a reward for helping that lady."

At thism without saying anythingm I ran, I hid until the bus came and humped on board. I got off the bus and ran down back alley ways to the house. I retrieved the $2,000 from under the floor and as I was heading out the back door my phone rang. It was Rob, telling me to stay calm and there would be a car here for me in two minutes.

So nervously I waited, looking out the front window through cracked curtains. I saw a black Tahoe in the drive and I about shit myself. Then a very large man in a black suit got out of the shotgun seat and yelled at the house, "Rob sent us for you.". At hearing that I ran out of the house and climbed in the back seat.

The big SUV quickly backed out of the drive and I saw a car, come up fast behind us. The man that opened the door said, " We have a threat.". I slid down in the back of the seat and the guy in the shotgun seat pulled a gun out.

The man with the drawn gun, trying to calm me said. "Mr. Cedric don't worry this vehicle is so armored that if they hit us with a RPG we will just need to get it washed. We have heavily armed backup at the helipad, and I am sure it is secured. Our ETA is in less than 5 minutes and the chopper is ready to take off when we get there."

We made it on the helicopter safely and in one hour and forty-eight minutes we landed on the lawn of a mansion in the NC mountains. A man, was waiting at the pad and waved me over to him, when I got off the helicopter. Then the helicopter took off leaving me and the stranger alone, The man patted me on the back and said, " I am sure glad to see you made it here safe Mark.".

The man sounded like Rob, but he was tall as I was, very good lookingn and in great shape.
I looked at him a little fearful and asked, "who the hell are you?"

The man laughed like Rob and said, "I'm Rob, your best friend."

He saw I was completely lost and started laughing again. When he stopped he explained.

"Sorry Mark I wanted to have some fun with you ,before I told you about what has been happening. Remember, I told you that there weren't any males in my mother's family, but me? I found out, that wasn't just some kind of fluke of fate but by design. You see over 3500 years ago there was a Wizard in my family.

This Wizard saw that magic was disappearing from the world and he had no idea why, but he wanted his descendants to carry on the Wizard legacy. So he crafted a spell that transferred his magic to a ring, but even the ring was starting to weaken.

So he searched the reason for magic's disappearance and discovered it was the increasing population. The magic was not disappearing, but being spread around. To fix this watering down effect, he crafted another spell. This spell pooled all his bloodline's magic in it's male descendants.

I guess he chose the male descendants because of the culture of his time. Then to prevent the watering down effect of population growth, he made it so only one male would be born every thousand years and I'm him. My relative that just died was 1021 years old and looked thirty, until I took the ring off him.

The taking of the ring was the ritual I had to perform, that the lawyer told me about. What I had to do was, go alone to the crematorium, remove the ring, seal his casket, and push the button to cremate his wife and him. You can imagine how shocked I was when I took the ring and the two of them turned to dust. It was strange how the were in the same casket, I guess they really loved each other.

Soon I found out that only I could remove the ring and why his wife turn to dust too. You see I was born with the pooled magic, but I did not know how to use it. That was the purpose of the ring and why I could not send for you sooner. For the last two weeks I have been in and out of a trance.

Every morning, a hour after sunrise I would go into a deep sleep and not wake up until midnight. When I would wake up I would know more magic and now I can do so astounding things. You have no idea how powerful I am now. Take my new look, I changed myself with a snap of a finger, let me show you."

I looked at this evidently crazy man as he snapped his fingers and he changed back to the old Rob, then he snapped them again and became the new man. The new Rob then said, "show me that scar you got when you burned your arm with hot tar."

I pulled back the sleeve on my right arm and showed him the bad scar. Rob waved his hand and said, "look at it.". I turned my arm and watched it just fade away until there was no sign of it.

Rob got a sneaky on his face then and pointed at me, I felt funny then I saw why. Rob had dressed me in a clown outfit, down to the red nose.

Laughing he said, "just 'clowning' around. OK, you're back to normal."

I could not help but laugh and I realized that Rob was just keeping me from being overwhelmed with some humor. Then a thought struck me, so I asked, "Why did his wife turn to dust too?".

Rob looked a little misty eyed, but he choked out an answer.

"You see Mark, the old Wizard knew living a thousand years alone, or watching one wife after another age naturally and die would not be a blessing but a curse. So he placed another spell on the ring. If his heir finds the love of his life, she will have to willingly shed her blood on the ring and pledge truthfully, never-ending devotion to his heir.

Once she does that, They will be joined by undying love as man and wife till the new heir's 21st birthday. At that time they both will die together looking as young as the day they were married. That way the old Wizard's heirs have the best chance at happiness."

I stood there trying to take it all in, then it struck me, that I was still being hunted. I did not want to lose Rob like I lost my grandparents so I told Rob, "I can't stay they're still hunting me."

Rob just smiled and held up his ring, using his best Pacino impression said. "they need to meet my little friend and I know they will find you. I had the chopper pilot file an exact flight plan. They should be here very soon, so let's get you inside and hidden until I deal with them."

I followed Rob in the house and found out we were here alone and I was worried, not for myself but Rob. He my have faith in this "Lord of the Rings" stuff, but I would trust an AK-47 a lot more. Rob put me in an upstairs bedroom and we heard someone knocking down the front door.

Rob looked at me and said, "You wait here and I will deal with our guests.". Then he left me shutting the door behind him. Then I heard and heavily accented man demand, " I will give you till I count to three, tell me where he is or I will shoot you in the leg.".

I burst out of the room and a shot rang out and I was unconscious. When I came to Rob was holding his hand on my bloody abdomen. I did not feel any pain and soon Rob was holding a bullet. He tossed it to me and said, "here's a souvenir for you, there won't even be a scar".

I caught the still warm flattened bullet and wondered why the shooting stopped. Getting to my feet I saw the reason, eight very rough looking men were frozen with guns pointing up at us. I looked at Rob and said, "You did this?"

Rob nodded then he scolded me.

"Mark when I say for you to stay put, I want you to listen to me. The reason you got shot you distracted me long enough, for one of them to get a shot off. I was able to fix you, but if his shot killed you, dead is dead. What the hell were you thinking?"

I answered, "Rob you are my only true and best friend and I will always be there for you."

Rob was touched I could tell by what I said and I truly meant every word of it. Then Rob looked down at the men and then at his ring. His eyes went wide and he shouted.

"HOLY FUCKING SHIT NOOO! Mark I have your blood on my ring that you willingly shed for me. NO,NO, NO, FUCK! This is not going to happen."

I looked at Rob and backed up, actually afraid of what could scare this new superhero Rob so much. I looking for some horror to appear, I finally was able to squeak out, "What is going to happen?"

Looking at me Rob said, "Your 'willingly shed blood' is on my ring". Then he continued after taking a long breath.

"Mark, while your blood was on my ring, you truthfully pledged never ending devotion to me. Don't you see that locks you as my wife now and we will be together forever."

I thought about it then it sank in and I could only say, "NO FUCKING WAY!".

Rob looked at me closely and then said, "Do you feel attracted to me?".

I looked at him and answered, "NOT NO, BUT HELL NO.".

Rob smiled and nodded his approval and shared his thoughts.

"Considering the culture and how the old Wizard thought, I bet it must take a woman to do that for it to work, but God Damn. It had me scared that we were going to turn Gay. I mean, if that is your choice, it's fine, but I like girls. Since I got the ring I'm able to hook up with some hotties and I love it."

With that we both went downstairs to take a look at the my would-be assassins. Rob would look at one and then another, shutting his eyes and shaking his head. Then he laid his hand on one and said, " OK. This is the boss the, rest are just hired help.". He then snapped his fingers and all, but the boss just dissolved into nothing.

Seeing all those men disappear I asked Rob what did he just do and he said, "They're no more, I killed them."

I was horrified but then I thought, "Hey they were here to kill me so Rob just killed the killers, it seems only fair. If I had that AK-47 I would have tried to do the same thing."

Looking deeply at the last man Rob commanded him to tell us why they want me dead. The man in a hypnotic type voice told us in his heavily accented English.

"I have been ordered to kill him by The Bear."

Rob asked "what is "The Bear's" name and what is his reason?"

The man answered, "I don't know his name, but the reason is a Blood Feud.".

Rob asked "who would know his name?"

The man answered, "I don't know, I just find whores for The Bear.".

Then Rob said, "This sounds like a movie plot. So this guy is just a low ranking soldier for some mob, probably Serbian. His main duties concern white slavery, he is a very nasty guy, but he knows little of the organization. The Blood Feud is with your family and the head of this mob and is the one that we have to remove. Along with any others that want to continue it.

This could be a long process, but back to dealing with this evil person. Let's give him some instant Karma. What you think Mark should I just kill him or make feel some of the pain he has caused, so many young woman?"

I thought about a documentary I saw about how they would trick young women into a life of prostitution and I answered, "make him suffer.".

Rob replied, "excellent thinking Mark, I see your sense of justice is just as strong as always."

Rob waved his hands over man and in his place stood a beautiful, large breasted, curvy young woman in a black cocktail dress that showed a lot of cleavage. She had black seamed hosem black 5" stilettos and dangling silver earrings to complete her attire.

Rob then snapped his fingers and said, "Off to Dubai, to your new job. Mark it may interest you to know, she only remembers her old life. She doesn't remember anything about us, or even getting the call to come here. The last thing she remembers was sending off his last shipment of innocent girls to their Dubai whore house. Imagine how surprised she is now, being forced into that whore house, with the other girls he sent there for training."

Then I asked Rob, "Is she really a woman?"

Rob smiling answered, "Yep, all woman. If they don't keep her on birth control she'll get pregnant. Although she may not end up as a whore because when they examine her they will see she is a virgin, so some rich oil sheik may buy her for his harem. Then she will start popping his babies out. I also added a twist you may like, even though she will hate herself for it, considering her memories. she loves cock any way she can get it."

I laughed and said, "that is perfect punishment for that asshole."

Then Rob looked at me very strange and screamed, " OH HOLY HELL NO!"

I looked at Rob and said, "What, he deserved it and we both agreed."

Looking at me he said, "I wasn't talking about him I was talking about you. YOU'RE SHRINKING!".

I Looked at Rob and saw he was much taller and I looked down at my jeans and they were pooling around my feet. In just a few seconds I felt everything about me change, holding my pants to keep them from falling, I finally stopped shrinking. Then I looked up at Rob who was a giant now and whimpered in a female voice, asking Rob, " Am I a woman now too?"

Rob nodded and answered, " Mark you are, but I did not do it to you. OH SHIT! It was the ring, when I turned that guy into a woman it got the idea to do the same thing to you so you could become my wife and fulfill the old Wizard's spell. Mark you see the ring sometimes has a mind of its own, that is how it adjusts to its new owner's personality and culture.

Please Mark don't panic yet, let me try something."

Rob clapped his hands and I instantly changed back to my old male self. I said,

"Thank God, what you did worked. That was some weird shit, I don't know how, but I knew I was a woman without looking. I felt it all over my body, I felt that even my mind changed. I was starting to sense things differently and think differently. It was still me but my personality had changed."

Rob responded by saying, "I am glad it worked too, You're my best friend but that spell was starting to effect me too. Like you saidm I was starting to think how pretty you were"

So with both of us happy to be back to normal we stayed up late trying to figure how to find The Bear and what to do when we found him. While we were still talking, we saw the sun come up. Then I panicked when I felt mtself starting to change again, but it happened quicker this time.

Rob clapped his hands again and changed me back and said, "My ring reactivates at sunrise, I don't lose my magic at sunset, because my magic is mine. Remember I told you I was born with it, what the ring did was teach me how to use it. So I always have my magic, but the ring kind of reboots at sunrise. So it will most likely change you to a woman every sunrise, but I can change you back."

I told him, "That is good.", but I was thinking, "I need to make damn sure Rob is around at sunrise."

Rob set his clock so he would get up before sunrise to change me back. Most mornings for the next two weeks I woke up to his hand clap. Rob is a very special person and he demonstrated it by trying to keep me from the shock of waking up as a woman.

Rob would spent most of his time, over those first two weeks using magic to find "The Bear". I was fixing us both a sandwich when he came into the kitchen to tell me something.

Rob looked at me seriously and said, "I have good news and very bad news for you. The good news is, I have identified The Bear. His name is Uros Babic, a former Major in the KGB and he has lived in New Orleans, LA since 1997. Babic, is the head of a large Serbian criminal organization since 1992, when it was formed from mostly ex-KGB operatives and officers."

Then Rob sat down acting like the weight of what he was getting ready to tell me was too heavy to stand with.

Rob looked at me and said, There is something called a Крвна освета, which loosely means a "Blood Feud". It has been around since the 15th century and still is practiced and the Babic family has a Крвна освета with your family for three centuries. Mark you are the last living member of your family".

Remembering how Rob destroyed the intruders just over two weeks ago, I asked, "You didn't kill his whole family, did you?".

Rob shook his head and explained, "I tried to kill Babic though, he is cold blooded killer and needs to be dead. I hoped with him dead, the younger Americanized Babics would let the Крвна освета die with him, but I couldn't do it.

Do you know what a Sigil is?"

I shook my head so Rod told me,

"A Sigil is a protection from magic symbol, most are garbage, but a few are real. I was surprised to find that Babic's part of the Uros family, tattoo all their children with a real Sigil shortly after birth. It is a tradition that goes back well over a thousand years, so to them it is just a tradition and they truly don't know its purpose. So I can't use magic to kill any of the Babic's family."

Taking it all in I suggested an idea, "You must have a lot of money now, so why can't you hire a hit man?"

Rob shook his head and told me more.

"I thought about that too, so I read the mind of the Chief of the Crescent City Police Department. I found out he knew a lot, first of all, Babic never leaves his mansion. He is rich enough the world comes to him and his old Mansion has been remodeled into a fortress.

There are cameras everywhere and a state of the art sensor array, that can detect everything from explosives to bio hazards. The basement is an army barracks, filled with a special op grade security force of over 40 soldiers although all his personal guards are family members with his oldest son in charge.

All his windows are special grade armored glass. Nothing can get through short of a Hellfire missile. The walls are over 18 inches thick of fiberglass concrete reinforced with tons of rebar. Finally there is only one way in or out, that it is always guarded. You could get to the President a hell of a lot easier.

Like I said he is rich and the world comes to him and only by request, but I am richer. Actually a lot richer. My inheritance has made me one of the richest men in the world, so that gives me an in.

I have been spreading the word that I want to use my me new wealth to go into politics. Babic has a lot of pull through his lobbyists and it would not be strange for someone from a poor background like me, would seek his help to get my foot in the door of government.

The hard part will be getting a personal meeting with him so I can start looking for some weakness to exploit. I know our meetings will have to be social at first so not to raise suspicion in this old paranoid spy. Most of his money is still coming from criminal means, but he has went big in legitimate too and I can use that as my carrot.

Every year he has his only large social function, a one million dollar a plate fund raiser for Serbian Orphanages. It is by invitation only, but my lawyer knows a guy that knows a guy that might swing it for me. I have already bought a suitable place on Barracks St. in the French Quarter of New Orleans, to work from.

I still have one thing to work out and it is a big problem, I don't see any hope to fix it.
You see Babic's fund raiser is couples only and I can not chance sharing my plans with anyone. If I just hire an escort, Babic will spot it and kill my plan at the start. If I take you, Babic like so many of his profession and nationality are Homophobic, they would never even let us in as a couple. So I am stuck."

I got an idea that revolted me, but this was the only way to get the man, that killed my parents, grandparents, and really my whole damn family. I could not believe I let the words come out of my mouth. I softly said, "I will do it. Just don't change me back in the morning"

In the morning I woke up with the sun shining through long silver blonde hair, covering my eyes. I jumped out of bed and landed on my butt on the floor. I misjudged how high my bed was now. I stood up and saw a young woman looking back at me in my mirror.

The end of part one of a two part story.

A Turn On The Pathway To Citizenship
Part Two Of Three
By

Warm Hearted

Proofed

By

Commentator

Synopsis: Mark now Mara, learns that there is much more to acting like the lady than just a body. If Rob's plan to take down Uros the evil crime lord is to work Mara will have a lot to learn in this second part of A Turn On The Pathway To Citizenship.

( From Warm Hearted, I had planned that this story would be in two parts . As a new writer I am learning no matter how well you outline a story sometimes the story gets a mind of its own. So this story is now in three parts and the third part and conclusion is with my outstanding proof reader and will be posted soon. My dear readers thank you for your patience and as always comments are welcomed and desired.)

I sat there on the floor feeling my body jiggle where it shouldn't but was unhurt although I had to piss so bad my eyes were yellow. I got up and glanced at myself in the mirror. I didn't examine myself closely because I needed to relieve myself so badly. I took a step only to fall again, tripping on my briefs that had fallen down to my feet. I was still unhurt but it was a miracle I did not piss myself.

I kicked off the briefs and got up and my tee shirt slid down to my knees. I did not have time think about that in my mad rush to the john. I did have presence of mind enough to pull the shirt up before sitting down. Then I found out why grandma used to bitch so much about me leaving the seat up. I almost fell in but was able to lower the seat and sit back down before I released my bladder.

I have never personally witnessed a woman peeing, therefore I did't know that they didn't sit flat on the seat. All I knew was women had to sit to pee, so I made a mess of myself. After using half a roll of toilet paper I was dry down there and I got up finally seeing the new me in the full mirror on the bathroom door. The tee shirt was huge on me but did tent some at my chest, showing two points. I thought, “they're my nipples!”

I heard a knock at the door and Rob asked, “you ok in there?".

I called back, “yes. Don't come in. I need to get dressed first. Do you have anything I can wear. All I have is the tee shirt I slept in, That is all that will stay up on me."

The sound of my female voice was strange in my ears but did not bother me as much as Rob seeing my new nipples though the tee shirt. I looked at myself in the mirror, I still had silver-blonde hair, but it was wild and all over my head. I had ice blue eyes, full lips, and my skin was very fair.

Inspecting my face more closely I looked like a female version of myself, but my eyebrows were so light it almost looked like I didn't have any.

Then Rob knocked on the door and said, "I couldn't find anything I had that would fit and all my dead relative's wife's clothes are gone."

There was a long pause and Rob hesitantly said, "well except one thing. I found a box on the top shelf of the closet. It's ... well, it's a costume that she must have worn sometimes, but you may not like it.".

I looked at myself in the tee shirt and thought, "whatever it is it has to be better than this.” So, I said "set it by the door and leave and I will get it."

I stood at the door and after hearing him walk off I opened the door, grabbed the box then shut and locked it. I set the large closed gift box marked, "Halloween" unopened on the bed. I had no desire to see what kind of Raggedy Ann costume I was going to be forced to wear. I always shower before putting on clean clothes.

The bath had a huge steam shower and a separate small tub. Knowing if I got my long thick hair wet it would take hours and skills I did not have to get it dry, I opted for the bath. Finally I had to do the thing I dreaded since I woke up, I had to see myself naked. Taking off my tee shirt and leaving it on the bathroom floor I turned and looked at myself naked. Even with my wild woman hair I was beautiful.

My skin had not one blemish, I was very thin but still curvy with perfect muscle tone. My body hair was almost non-existent except a small V patch of darker almost golden blonde pubic hair. I must be one of those girls that never have to shave, which is a good thing as I hate shaving, even just my face.

I laughed and thought, "until we get this done I won't be needing to do that. What am I thinking? This isn't funny. I don't like any of this. Maybe Rob can figure out how he can find a real woman that he can trust enough to share his plans with."

I looked in the drawers and cabinets, feeling my naked breasts sway with every move. When I bent down I could feel them pointing down, so I squatted to look in the lower drawers. My search came up wit a, disposable shower cap, a new bath puff, CK-1body wash, and matching deodorant. One other item I found I hoped I would never need, a box of tampons.

I quarter filled the tub and washed and got out quickly with my hair shoved in the cap. I dried just as quickly, thinking I wasn't enjoying any of it, but I was fooling myself, it felt good. I took off the cap and my really long hair was once more a tangled mess. When I was on the street my hair had became overgrown, but not this bad. So I did the same thing as then I took a rubber band and pulled my hair back in a bushy pony tail.

Clean now I went to look at the silly outfit I was going to be wearing. I opened the box and laid it out on the bed, becoming more appalled with each piece of clothing I pulled out. It was a sexy maid outfit that was not for Halloween like it said on the box. It was a sex role-play outfit and judging from the tags still attached it had never been worn.

The dress was black and very short, with a white apron and bra built into it. Included in the box with it were panties, fishnet hose, a white maid's hat, and 5" stiletto sandals. Everything was not cheap but very well made. I didn't care. The tee shirt was better than this. Going back to the bathroom to retrieve my tee shirt I saw it still lying on the floor soaking wet.

So I had a choice, a wet tee shirt or the uniform. I chose the uniform. Picking up the lacey panties first I noticed the sides looked funny. Then it dawned on me they were Velcro. I still chose the panties over going commando. I looked at the tag and it said size 3. They fit but the dress size said size 2 and that worried me as the panties fit but the dress was a size smaller yet they were a set.

As I slid the dress over my head I saw the bra size it was a "30B." To my surprise the dress fit. I thought, "women's sizes are weird. Panties and dresses should say so if they are the same size. I didn't even try the shoes on, but the dress felt fine although, very form fitting and short. I guess what they call the cup was a little tight, I found out later I was a C Cup.

I looked in the full mirror in the bathroom after I cleaned up my mess and was amazed at what I saw. Even with my bush of a ponytail I was a teenage boy's wet dream. Yesterday, if I saw me, I would have had an instant woody, but today all I felt was embarrassed. I didn't care what it took, Rob was getting me something else to wear ASAP.

So, bracing myself I went to find him. He was just coming out of his room all clean and dressed. He turned and saw me and his mouth fell open. I swear I saw his pants tent almost instantly. I looked just at his face so as not to verify that I was giving him a boner.

He finally got over his shock enough to try to hide, how I was affecting him by saying,
"good, I see you're dressed. Let's go downstairs as we have a lot thing to go over and have a lot of preparation to do before we go to New Orleans.".

"That's fine, but first on your list is getting me some damn clothes right now! You make a call, send a text, send an email, or a fucking smoke signal, but get me some different clothes here now. I don't care if you have to steal them, I want them here before we do anything else."

Rob tried not to smile at my outrage. Then I thought about it from his point of view. Rob knew it was me in here, but what he saw at that moment was a small, sexy woman in a sexy maid outfit snapping orders like a drill instructor. If I wasn't so embarrassed I would had laughed at the irony of it myself.

Rob said, "I will take care of it right now." Rob grabbed his phone and made a call and I heard what Rob was saying,

"Hello Helen, this is Rob Bruce. You're welcome Helen you were highly recommended for the job. Helen, I have something I need done that will put your skills to the test. My fiancées luggage was lost and she has nothing clean to wear how fast can you get something hear for her? Wait, I will ask."

He muted his phone and asked, "what do you want to wear?"

Without hesitation I said, "jeans, underwear, a long sleeve tee shirt, socks, and sneakers.".

Unmuting his phone he told her and after listening a moment said, "I don't know I will ask her,"

He looked at me and asked, "Do you have any clue what size you are?"

I answered, "yes, I saw the sizes of what I have on, but I don't know the inseam. I wear a size 2 dress. size 3 panty, and a 30B bra, no, better make that a 30C."

He said, "you're about the same height as my mother and she wore a 26 inseam lets try that."

He gave the woman the sizes and he said, "yes, she is very petite, Thirty minutes would be better. No it's fine Thirty minutes was really unrealistic but I love her and want her to have everything she needs. No, I haven't told her our plans, but I'm sure she will be fine with you. I will expect the courier in 90 minutes and you at 1pm, thank you, bye."

I looked at Rob and asked, "who is Helen and why is she coming?".

He looked at me and said, "after you decided to let the spell change you I got my lawyer to hire her. For lack of a better title she is your Personal Assistant although her duties are much more. She has the responsibility of equipping you with the skills to pull this deception off.

Please don't be upset, because I have one too, named George Hill. He will do the same for me and teach me the skills I need to fit in the rich people's world but you really have a lot more to learn.

Don't think that I'm not fully aware of how your feeling right now. After thinking long and hard on this last night I know this is the only option that stands a chance of success. If I bring in some stranger into this we would be in constant danger of being found out.

Any woman that would agree to act as my girlfriend for money could never be trusted not to sell us out for more money, no matter how much I give her. You're the only one I trust to remain faithful to me and see this through no matter what the danger is, but I do regret that you have to suffer being in a body that is not yours and learn to do things that embarrass you."

I looked at Rob and thought, "how did he get so smart? That ring must have changed him too.".

Then a revelation hit me and I realized that he was doing all this work, planning, and putting himself in personal danger all for me. He could have just let me run and not had to do everything he is doing. He could have just told himself, rightly so, he had done enough for me. Anyone else would had forgot me and lived his life just enjoying his new power and wealth. I was so ashamed for feeling like I am the one making the sacrifices. He is the one sacrificing for no reason other than our friendship. I started wailing and Rob thought it was because I thought he was being mean to me.

So I told him the real reason for me crying, "Rob you always just give to me and don't even realize all that you do for me. I'm crying because I realize what a selfish asshole I am, bitching about what I am going through. You know without you I would already be dead. Please forgive me, I will do what everyou tell me I need to do, because I know you're only doing it for me."

To break the tension he said, "I need coffee."

I followed him to the kitchen and his phone rang and he said, "I need to take this."

"I will make the coffee since I'm dressed for the part.".

Rob went to his office evidently to take notes and I saw the coffeemaker. I then started searching for the coffee and cups. I found the cups. Rob and I drink our coffee black, so all I needed now was filters and the coffee. I found them in the cabinet over the coffeemaker.

I took a filter off the bottom shelf, but the coffee was on the top shelf. I reached for it on my tiptoes but was still to short to reach it. Frustrated I yelled, "DAMN IT!" In my searching for the coffee I had found a broom closet that had a folding stepstool in it. I placed it and had to get on the second step to be high enough, but I still couldn't reach the coffee.

The house had wide custom stone counters and my arms were not long enough, being set even further back by the stepstool. I had to set one foot on the counter and leaned forward to reach the coffee when I heard Rob entering the room in a excited tone saying, "WHAT IS........".

I looked over my shoulder and saw him staring at me like a deer in the headlights. I wondered why, untill I noticed how I was standing. I thought, "I must look like one of the girls on the calendars in small auto shops giving him a clear view under my short dress of my sheer lacy covered butt."

Blushing beet red I got the coffee and got down quickly. I when looked back he was still staring at me but with a different look. One that I knew very well from the times we went to the bar together. I knew I was right because I definitely saw his pants tent and he quickly covered his woody with the legal pad he was holding.

Rob red-faced now too, quickly said, "When our coffee is ready bring it into the office. There are some major things I need to fill you in on."

While the coffee was making something strange happened, my embarrassment faded away, replaced with, a new feeling I never had before. It was almost like pride but it was laced with a sense of power. Similar but not exactly like when I learned how to protect myself on the street. It was like I had a secret weapon that I could use when I needed to.

I poured the coffee and carried the two cups to the office. Rob said, "please sit down Mark. We have more to go over than we have time for right now. We need to get to it. Right now though it is more important for me need to tell you what is going to take up most of our days for the for the next two weeks.

First, I need to ask for your forgiveness. I picked out a new name for you and changed your age to 21 without asking you. You're Mara Bagas now, a second generation Serbian born in the USA. The Bagas family have been strong allies with Babic's family for centuries which will help us. I magically created new documents for you, showing you as the only child of two naturalized Serbians parents. For all intents and purposes they are real and you're in every agency and school file.

Your new birth certificate, passport, school and college transcripts are in a locked safe. Your new driver's license and Social Security card are in that envelope on the desk. You now have a Bachelors in General Arts from UNCC. They're all foolproof, even your classmates and teachers will remember you, but not well.

I said, "there's no need for me to forgive you for taking care of me. That all sounds great and necessary and as for the name Mara, I like it. You can't keep calling me Mark can you although there are two things I don't fully understand; how did you get so smart at this sort of thing and why make me a college grad?"

"Well I'm learning everything I need to know magically. What I do when I need to learn a new skill is Google it and through my magic I can learn as fast as the computer can process it. The answer to your other question is simple, you need to be 21 so everything will be legal.

In the circles we are going to be traveling in someone that is 21 usually has a degree. Liberal Arts seemed to be a good major for you. I am giving you some powers magically so you can learn quickly. Not same way I magically teach myself though. I really wish I could because then you would not have to go through what I need to tell you next.

I need to start calling you Mara even when we are alone so you will get used to answering to that name and since I can't teach you what you need to know your new PA Helen will be here at 1 PM today with a team of professionals. They will teach you all that you will need to know so that no one will think you're anything other than what you appear to be.

Mara, in the near future you may feel that I have forgotten who you really are, but I will always know my best friend Mark is inside you. I promise once I secure our safety I will change you back. Remember this is just an act to catch your parents' killer.

Do you believe that you will always be Mark my best friend to me?"

I nodded my head and said, "I know you're doing all this just for me Mark. You'rw my best friend and I trust you with my life."

My eyes dampened but so did Rob's. Wiping his eyes he continued what he was saying.

"As long as you understand that I am going to ask you to do something that will be very hard and probably emotionally unpleasant for you. Helen is a professional image maker. She takes normal women and remakes them into cultured and elegant social butterflies.

You will have to put yourself totally under her control and work very hard so she can perform a metamorphosis on you. When she is done you will appear to be the perfect fiancée of a very rich and powerful man. You will have all the skills you need to perfectly maintain that deception no matter the occasion.

It normally would take a lot more time than we have for you to learn all you need to know. I can't not make you learn the way I can, but I've given you a photographic memory and the ability to perfectly mimic anything you are shown or see a diagram of.".

Babic's fund raiser is in 7 weeks and we need to be down there in three weeks. We will need that extra time, to be seen around in the right places and make some good contacts. Oh yeah, we have our invite, for Mr. Robert Bruce and Miss Mara Bagas.

You need to know the back story I gave Helen as the reason for your inexperience at womanly things. I told her that I worked at Wendy's and you were a street person that I met there and we became friends.

I told her that you were on the streets because your family were killed in a gang related shooting when you were very young so you never learned how to be a girl and that story also helps with Babic. I inserted the file of their unsolved murder, naming one of Babic's rival gang as suspects for the killings, a gang that Babic wiped out later in a turf war. I told her that we became close and I moved you in with me. I helped you get your GED and college degreeand now you are my fiancée"

I thought about the back story Rob came up with and I liked it. There was enough truth in that I could relate and I did know the streets if anyone asked any questions. It was a perfect excuse for not knowing what any normal woman should know. I know I can sell it well enough to keep Helen from thinking anything different.

Then the door bell rang and Rob went to answer it. He returned with a large bag from Nordstrom's. I grabbed it and went upstairs to change. In the bag I found everything I asked for. a soft pink crewneck long sleeve tee, a pair of jeans, a plain white bra, a pink belt that match some high styled pink sneakers, white cotton panties, and pink socks with a little lace at the top. I took off the maids costume and threw it aside.

I remembered how the women I took home would quickly dress after we had sex, so I dressed like they did. The bra felt a lot better than the one in the maids dress and so did the panties. The tee felt a little tight but not uncomfortable. Then I pulled on the jeans and thought, "size two must be the wrong size for jeans," but when I looked in the mirror nothing looked too tight, just normal for a young woman.

After I putting on my socks and shoes I went back downstairs. Going to the office I found Rob staring a computer screen that was flashing pages like a strobe light.

I said, "Rob, take a look What do you think?"

He looked up and just said, "WOW! You look great.".

I smiled and said, "thanks. I'm hungry and going to find something to eat . Do you want anything?"

Rob looked at me kind of funny and then smiled, "Yes. That would be great."

I went to the kitchen to see what I could find. In the fridge I found a honey dew, fresh strawberries, and fresh blueberries and thought fruit would be nice. I found two bowls and washed the berries and capped the strawberries. The honey dew seemed awful heavy. I thought, "I guess I am a lot weaker now," and that thought triggered a chain of thoughts.

"The discovery of my loss of strength should have had a hell of lot more effect on me than it did. Oh shit, I didn't have any problem at all in wearing a mostly pink outfit. I never even hesitated and worse yet I liked how the jeans showed off my butt.

FUCK! I wanted Rob to like how I looked, I even spun around so he could see all of me. No wonder he was giving me that weird look while I was fixing something for us to eat. I passed up all those cold cuts and cheeses to fix fruit, just like a woman would do.

What is that damn ring doing to me? I need to ask Rob just how far it has changed me. I'm acting more and more like a woman without even noticing it. I am doing it without thinking. I'm just doing it ....like it's natural. Well one good thing when this is over Rob can change me back."

Knowing Rob can undo these changes I finished the fruit and found some fresh croissants and put some on the table with the two fruit bowls. All set I went to get Rob and found the office door shut so I knocked.

Rob opened it and said, " I was in a tramce talking to the ring and I just came out of it.".

I responded, " I have fresh fruit and croissants if that is alright. I can fix you something else if you like."

"No that actually sounds very good."

Then I asked Rob, " I need to ask you something while we eat."

"That's fine and I have some things I need to tell you too"

We sat and started eating and I asked Rob, dreading what his answer will be, "how much did the ring change me, I know on the outside I look like a woman but how much else did it change?"

Rob put down his spoon and looked at me sympathetically and said, "I was wondering the same thing after you gave me that little fashion show wanting my approval. That was the purpose of the communication trance I just had with the ring.

I will start by telling you, always remember I will change you back after our mission is completed. With that being said, the ring explained completely what you have been changed into. First of all, physically, internally and externally, you are a healthy almost 20 year old female.

You have all the natural organs, just as if you were born a girl, except in one aspect. The ring makes the Wizards wife infertile, and you will not have a period. The old Wizard did that so his heirs and their wives wouldn't go through the pain of watching most of their children grow old and die.

To offset the sacrifice of the never having children he .....well ....sort of ....kind of, oh Hell, he made it so we can have world record, killer sex. Since sex is not happening with us it really shouldn't matter, but it was part of the spell.

So, the ring did something that is really earth-shaking for both of us. Since you were the first male to shed blood and pledge the oath, the ring had to do more than just change your body to fulfill the spell. The ring is changing the way you think, it instantly changed your sexual desires.

When you changed you immediately lost any sexual urges concerning women, but more slowly it is changing your feelings towards men. The ring is slowly moving you towards being completely and totally a heterosexual woman. One day you will desire a man and not just any man, just me.

The ring included me in that part of it's plan to honor the old Wizard's wishes. As long as I don't change you back, I will want you sexually more and more. I tried and I can't change it so we need to be careful, but in the future it will get harder and harder not to give in. The ring is also making you think like a normal woman in everything so I need you to do your best to think clearly and answer this question. Is getting Babic worth it, now that you know the what full cost is to you?"

My first impulse was to say "NO!," but then thinking further, I thought of my good grandparents and how they died for me. I also felt the rage build in me concerning the death of my parents making me an orphan and what I suffered living on the streets because of him.

In an immovable sense of purpose that transcended all else I answered, "yes, I want him dead at any cost to me."

Rob nodded and said, " I knew you would say that even if the ring had not changed you. So, I'm with you 100%. We need to do this."

"I have plans in the works and I am actually proud of the web I am weaving to catch our fly. I am setting up a reason for Babic to wish to have me as an ally legally. The plan looks like a normal business deal with no other purpose. Let me tell you about it."

I stopped him to ask a question that hit me.

"I would love to hear this plan, but first tell me why Babic will not connect you to me since his men came here to kill me."

"That's a very good question, You see Babic's organization did most of that work for us. Once one of his soldiers get his orders to do something he is not to contact his boss again until it is done.

This way much less information is shared. Mone in the Babic network knew where you were. They just had the information on you that Mr. Gomez gave them and he knew nothing about me. He told them when you would be on the job and that is all the higher-ups know.

As we found out all the rest of the ones that came here were hired help and didn't even know where they were going until they got here. I changed the filed flight plan showing you went to Alexandria VA. and I magically sent the rentals they were driving to the Charlotte Airport Long Term Parking after changing their GPS'. So the new whore's boss has no idea we know each other.

Now back to my "genius" plan. Babic buys his opium from terrorists in Afghanistan and then trucks it to a processing plant on the Baltic. He then brings the heroin into the country by ship hidden in seafood. Babic has a shell company that owns about 25% of the shipping line he uses. The shipping line only makes a little money on those shipments, but Babic owns enough of the company to keep the route open.

So I will have my brokers buy 35% of that shipping company, informing the board that I am going close the Baltic route. My lawyers will tell the board my plan is to move the Baltic route resources to shipping the pumps an Irish Company of mine makes which would be much more profitable.

I will have Babic shitting bricks thinking one of his major sources of income is in jeopardy. So, I'm sure when we show up at his fundraiser I will not have to approach him, he will come to me. I am sure he will learn all he can about me. He will learn about my unexpected inheritance, but that is the only true thing he will find out.

Any pictures he will find will show me looking like I do now only at the appropreate age, just like yours. They will find that I have no criminal record, but the word on the street about me very is different. Some of the criminal element thinks that my Wendy's job was just a cover. That I really had three very profitable gambling houses and I was very good at creating "accidents" for anyone who crossed me and that I didn't mind personally doing "wet work."

When Rob finished sharing his plans with me I said, "damn Rob you just simply amaze me."

Then the front doorbell rang and I went to answer it. The woman standing there said, "Hello I am Helen and you must be Miss Bagas. I see you got the things I sent. Are you ready to get started?"

I said, "I guess.".

"Great, our first tasks, are hair, makeup, personal hygiene, skin treatments and fragrances. This team will work with you making sure you learn how to do what you need to do."

Then she stepped aside and a rush of women came in and ushered me upstairs. Rob came out of the kitchen and I looked at him in shock. He just smiled and waved bye at me as I was just about carried upstairs to my suite. Then women started stripping me with Helen snapping orders at them. Looking back at those three weeks, things were a blur from that point on.

For the next three weeks, I spent fourteen hour days, seven days a week being totally remade much as the ring's magic had done, only normally. My days would start at 6am and end at 8pm. The first week's effects were astounding.

My silver blonde hair was styled to a perfect frame for my face. My hair has a natural wave but it was shaped and cut to take best advantage of its wavy thickness. It reached just below my shoulders. The stylists were shocked how fast I learned to care for it, thanks to Rob's magic help.

Likewise my makeup was designed to bring out my natural good looks. Like my hair I learned how to do it myself after being shown one time. I learned what style of makeup to use for the time of day and occasion and had a vanity that was soon filled completely with everything I needed.

During first week the only time I could see Rob was at dinner and he became more and more complimentary of the changes taking place. He started to just stare at me while we ate and act increasingly different. Then one night he stood when I came in the room and pulled out my chair for me.

I was surprised, but without saying a word, I just sat down and let him slide my chair in for me. He sat back down and the maid brought our dinner, We talked about our different days just chatted like any normal couple. I laid down my napkin and he rushed over to pull out my chair.

I said to break the tension, "you're learning to be the perfect gentleman."

He smiled, but then our eyes met and we were locked in a gaze that made me feel strange.

I thought, " Rob is giving me warm butterflies in the pit of my stomach."

Breaking the stare we both seemed embarrassed and I said I needed to get to bed.

"I have to get up 5 am to be ready when Helen and new team arrives at 6 am. I will start learning about clothes in the morning."

I went to bed fighting the desire for Rob to kiss me good night and maybe do much more. I knew it was the ring working on me, but it didn't make me want it any less.

My clock went off at 5 am and I bathed, applied day makeup and did my hair while wearing just a pair of panties and my bra under a robe as instructed by Helen. Today I start with clothes and they're bringing them. Just before they arrived the morning maid gave me a note from Rob.

"Mara,

Something came up last night that required me to leave tonight for New Orleans. I will call you about 8:30pm.

Your BFF,

Rob."

Disappointed and a little depressed that I would not see Rob for two whole weeks I thought time would drag, but time flew by. I learned to properly dress, walk gracefully in any height heel, to sit, eat, and just stand doing nothing, but doing it elegantly. Helen was ecstatic I was such quick study as she had time to add more skills to my reconstruction.

"Usually takes years to come as far as I have in two weeks, so we have time to do the most advances training. Normally this is reserved, for highly placed politician's wives or new royalty."

So the last week we started with me learning to speak using perfect grammar and using my voice like a musical instrument. To play the right tune for most occasions and events. The voice coach let me keep my southern drawl, but toned it down. It sounded like old southern money, and sexy.

Then Helen brought in an event planner to teach me how to do small dinner parties knowing for anything larger I would hire caterers.Still having time left Helen asked if I had any musical skills and I told her I took piano from my grandmother and could play a couple of songs by ear and as a kid I sang in the church choir.

That was all it took. The last three days I leaned to read music and play and sing like a professional. Helen had a grand piano brought in for me to play and one sent to the house in New Orleans. Sending the last of the teams away she hired a ladies maid for me. Helen, as worn out as I was, was glad to scale down to just her duties as my personal assistant.

We were leaving for New Orleans in the morning but it was still early. Helen finished over seeing the packing of my eight very large trunks and had them sent to Rob's private jet. All I had left of all the things that I had gotten over the last three weeks was a nightgown, one outfit and a small makeup kit to get ready in the morning.

So I sat and played some on the piano which I really loved doing now that I played so well.

Rob had called me every night and we talked about our days, but he would not talk about his plans over the phone. He hinted he had a lot to tell me when I got there. I was excited about our reunion but a little worried because over the last six nights I have been having increasingly erotic dreams about him.

As I was playing and thinking about Rob, Helen came in the room and asked if she could join me.

"I think that would be lovely, may I play something for you?".

She thought for a minute and said, "Someone To Watch Over Me.".

I pulled it up on the tablet on the piano book ledge and played and sang. I had never heard the song before and was almost in tears at the end of it. That song described how Rod treated me almost exactly.

Helen said, "I think that is the best I have ever heard it done. You could be a professional. I think I am going to take a long bath and catch up on some sleep. Good night Miss Bagas"

"Now that sounds like a plan, I think I will do likewise.".

In the morning I got ready, thinking only of Rob's and my reunion. I had chosen a simple medium blue sundress with a tastefully low cut V back with a scoop neck that showed a slight bit of cleavage above the bra was built into the dress. The shoes I chose were matching blue, open toed pumps with three inch heels. Everything was suitable for travel and the temperature in New Orleans in late April.

The heels made my hips sway perfectly as I walked to the car. The drive ro the airport took longer than the flight, but soon we were touching down in New Orleans. I saw Rob waiting on the tarmac for me and my heart started pumping and I felt warm all over.

I walked gracefully but quickly down the stairs and greeted Rob with a big hug and he responded with a tender quick kiss. We both were surprised at what we just did without thinking. In the limo, Rob rolled up the privacy window between us and the driver. Rob looked at me with his eyes devouring me but saying words that didn't match his stare.

" I'm sorry for kissing you, I was not thinking."

"It wasn't your fault. I hugged you first automatically, but I have missed you so much. I need to tell you the ring is has been working overtime on how I feel about you."

Rob nodded and said "I know exactly what you mean. Have you been having dreams?"

I said "YES! Very erotic ones concerning you."

"I was afraid you were having the same sort of dreams. Damn, I have not had a wet dream since I was 14 and I have been having them for the past four nights. We are going to have to be very careful or we will do something that we both will regret when I change you back."

I agreed and he caught me up on some very strange twists we did not count on.

"Mara the reason I picked the house on Barracks St. was it was next door to a man, whose family was an old New Orleans family. Rene La Blank and his wife Katrina, they're very connected and are major movers and shakers in New Orleans. My hopes were to become friends with them and they would introduce us around.

But I had the wind knocked out of me the day after I arrived. While I was trying to think of someway to meet our new neighbors Rene showed up at my door. He greeted me by asking, "are you a good Witch or a bad Witch".

I laughed, thinking he was joking and invited him in. I told him he had a great sense of humor, but he was not kidding. Rene is a very distinguish looking middle-aged man and he looked at me and said, "Answer my question. I felt the greatest magic power I have ever felt when you showed up yesterday. So I need to know if you're a white or dark Witch."

I looked at him and told him, "I am not a Witch. Although you know about magic and felt it from me,I guess I need to tell you I am a Wizard so you can stop wondering if I am a "food Witch or a bad Witch."

He just about turned paper-white and whispered, "A true Wizard. My God, no wonder your Magic looks like a search light. I hope my ignorance has not insulted you. I will leave you to your business. Be certain I or my household will do nothing to get in your way. I know what you're capable of."

"Mara, I am telling you it took me almost begging the poor guy not to run out the door to sit and talk with me. After about two hours of talking with Rene he finally loosened up and started laughing about how bad he and his wife were when I moved in. He asked if he could call his wife and tell her to stop hiding in their basement. I told him of course and to invite her over because I wanted to meet her.

We had a fun evening, ordering a pizza. They stayed until 2 am telling me about Witches and me telling them how I became a Wizard. I found out there are about 600 powerful witches in the world and 16 of then are right here in New Orleans. About half are White like Rene and Kat his wife, but Rene said he was more a light gray than a white Witch and that Dark Witches were not very dark, just unsociable, and stayed out of things.

I told him you were to join me in two weeks and Kat can't wait to meet you. Rene and Kat are having us over tonight so they can meet you. I really like Rene and I think we can trust him. He and Kat are powerful as Witches go but there's no Witch in the world 1/100th as powerful as a Wizard. Rene informed me I was the only one he had ever met or known."

We got to our new home and I loved it. It had Spanish influences but was done up in traditional New Orleans style. It had a court garden and large spacious rooms. In my bedroom I found all my things placed where they needed to go and my huge closet had my clothes pristinely hung and organized.

Rob said, "The La Blancs are expecting us in about thirty minutes and they said to dress very casual and comfortable. They were preparing a traditional outside shrimp boil to welcome you." So I dressed in a scooped-neck cotton top, shorts and sandals.

We arrived on time and when Rene let us in Kat ran to me and gave me a big hug and said, "welcome to the Big Easy, I know I already love you because your dear Rob has grown so special to us so quickly and he loves you so much."

Kat backed up and looked at me strangely and said, "Rene look at Mara."

Rene looked at me and a smile lit up his face up his face and questioned Rob, "Rob why did you lie to me when you said you didn't know about witches and your fiancée is such a powerful one."

I looked at Rene and said, "I'm sorry I am not a witch, powerful or otherwise."

Kat said in a fake scolding tone, "No need to play coy with us Mara, the blood never lies ,but I don't know of a Bagas line of Witches. So what is your real name."

I looked at Rob and he looked at Rene and you could see the struggle Rob was going through trying to decided if he could trust Rene and Kat with the truth.

Rene told Kat to get a parchment, a pen and a needle and Kat looked at Rene hesitantly but did what he said.

Rene looked at Rob and said "I have grown to like and trust you quickly, I am gifted with the ability to see someone's true heart. You heart is true and you will always protect your friends so we are going to make you a Witch's Oath that we can never break that anything you tell us in confidence will never be spoken by us to anyone else without permission."

Rene wrote the oath and let Rob read it and then when Rob handed it back to him Rene and Kat signed the oath and pricked their thumbs and pressed their blood on the parchment and it disappeared in a flash of light. Rob then looked at his ring and went into a short trance that lasted a few seconds and nodded.

Rob, looked at me and said, "What they said is true you can tell them what you're comfortable in sharing."

I thought for a second and told them most of my story leaving out the part concerning my transformation.

Kat said, "you poor dear," and hugged me hard and long and we both started crying.

Then Rene angrily said, "That son of a bitch Babic has been a blight on the city since he came here. If it was not for those damn Sigils I would have killed him myself years ago. Rob please let me help you in ridding my beloved city of this blight."

"Your help would be most welcomed. Mara, did you know Witches live 600 years and Rene is almost 300 and lived here his whole life? His help will be invaluable."

I let go of Kat and said, "thank you Rene. I am sure we will be friends a long time. Due to Rob, I will live over a 1000 years, but I'm not a Witch."

Kat said, "Mara since you were orphaned you may not know it, but you are a Witch, the blood doesn't lie. Let's find out what your last name is,maybe we're related."

Kat went into another room and brought out a wooden box. In the box was a large quartz point.

Kat explained, "this is a divining stone, Magic activates it, the more magic a person has the brighter the glow and the color of the glow tells what family the Witch is of. Let me show you."

Kat, took the stone and it glowed bright dark red and she explained, "Dark Red is the color of the La Blanc's and no we don't inbreed. Rene is a distant cousin, there are a lot of La Blanc's and most marry other La Blancs, but rarely we will marry outside the family. My youngest sister did, but no one in the family has seen or heard from her for years. Now you give it a try.".

Rene stopped me and said, "I want to see if the legends are true about Wizards. Rob, there are a very old legends that when a Wizard holds a divining stone it will glow brighter than the sun in pure white light. I want to see if that is true, but just in case it's true the rest of us need to look in other directions not to be blinded."

Rob agreed to give it a try so the rest of us turned our backs to him and soon the room was very, very bright. It reminded me of an arc welder but brighter and pure white, but then the room went dim again. We turned around and the stone was back in the box.

Rene, broke the silence and said, "I guess the legends are true. Now Mara it is your turn. Lets find out what your real last name is."

Excited and scared at the same time I picked up the stone and it glowed bright burgundy, much brighter than Kat's, but nothing like Rob. The La Blanc's just stared at it like they were hypnotized so I quickly laid it back in its box.

Kat said, "she glowed burgundy. OH MOTHER GODESS, SHE GLOWED BURGUNDY!"

Kat ran to me and grabbed me and held tight crying uncontrollably and Rene just sat down. Rob and I looked at each other wondering what just happened.

Rob got a very worried look on his face and looked at Rene and asked, "is there something we need to be concerned about?.

Rene shook his head and said, "It all make sense now, the blood feud with the Babic's, unrelated grandparents, and everything else. It all makes sense. You see Mara's surname is Zduhac'. Their color is dark blue and, as you saw the La Blanc's is dark red and burgundy is what you get if you mix the two.

Kat's tears are tears of joy not sadness. You see, we think her youngest sister, Marie married the last Zuduhac', Gore Zuduhac' twenty-five years ago. Marie was volunteering in Serbia, helping with the orphans there, She wrote to us that she met Gore and they fell in love and Gore and she were coming home to to get married.

Shortly after that letter, they disappeared and Kat's family tried their best to find them. After being missing for four years we felt her light go out, meaning she died. Kat still morns her loss. As Kat was 150 years older she was more like Marie's second mother than a sister.

We knew of her sister's death but had no idea about Mara or her life would have been very different. When you told me about the blood feud with Mara's family I never made the connection. The Babic's came from minor nobility and they have had many blood feuds, some of which are still active. The only thing I regret about us finding our niece Mara is Kat's mother died last year in a sudden car wreck and she will never meet her."

Then, after it all sank in, I held Kat as hard as she was holding me and started crying too. Finally we both stopped crying for joy and still holding each other's hands we sat on the love seat together.

I looked at Rob and Rene, Rob was still standing looking at me with loving concern. Rene was still sitting in his chair, but the huge smile turned quickly to a look of pure hatred and rage. In a forced control voice he said, "Rob, I was going to tell you tonight that, you could kill Babic's whole family anytime you wanted. You know how to use your great magic like a sledge hammer, but you have not had it long enough to learn to use it subtly. The Babic's Sigel protects only the person from Magic not their house.

Babic built his fortress to keep people out, but its construction also keeps him in. You could wait till you know his whole family is home and just explode a gas line under it and set fire to the rest with no problem. I could not do that unless I could see it but you have Wizard sight. You can as you already know see and hear anything in world without moving.

With only one way in or out you could easily block it and let them all burn to death, but please don't. After hearing what he did to my wife's sister and our niece, I want him to suffer first. So I beg you as new family please help me make him bleed before you kill him. The Babic's will be dead soon, but please I want them to suffer first."

After hearing what Rene said in my own rage I said, "I want them to suffer too and I want to be part of it. Before he dies I want him to know who I am and that he failed and I won blood feud." Kat in agreement said, "You're not leaving me out of this, I need to be a part of this too or I will always regret it."

Rene said, "Good. We are all in and now let's celebrate Mara's return to us. We will start planning first thing in the morning. I will clear my schedule, the Babic Project is my only priority until it is done."

A Turn On The Pathway To Citizenship: Part 3 The Conclusion
By Warm Hearted
Edited By Commentator

Synopsis: Mara discovers how to use her powers and her relationship with Rob moves to the next level. Rob, Mara, Rene, and Kat become closer and start becoming a real family As they their plan to bring down the crime lord Babic unfolds.

We went out to their court garden very similar to ours and Rene opened a bottle of wine, that had "La Blanc" on the label and poured me a glass saying, "this is our family's label. The grapes came from 400-year-old vines."

It was white and tasted wonderful so I drank the first glass quickly and got a buzz. I guess my small size has less tolerance for alcohol so I just nursed the second. There was an old picnic table in the center of the garden and a servant brought a huge basket of boiled shrimp, crawfish, and oysters still in the shell and just dumped them on the center of the table and laid out towels with oyster knives on them then left us alone. We all sat down and put the towels in our laps. I watched Kat peel a shrimp in a second and eat it. I did the same.

Rene laughed and said, "Yes, you're Kat's niece. Only she can peel a shrimp that fast."

Kat giggled and said, "yes, blood never lies. Make sure you eat plenty of oysters Rene. All the good news has me in a playful mood."

We all burst out laughing.

I enjoyed the food but enjoyed spending time with my newly discovered aunt even more. We both were a little drunk and Kat looking at me asked, "you want to learn some magic? Normally by now you should know a good bit, I need to start teaching you right away."

I agreed and looked at Rob "Is that alright?"

Rob a little buzzed too said, "Hell yes, I got my legacy and you should have yours too."

Kat got up and got one of the many citronella candles burning in the garden to ward off mosquitoes and blew it out. She made a special hand movement over the candle while saying, "Ignite." The candle lit.

"You try it. Just think of the candle being lit and copy my hand movement and say "Ignite." Don't be discouraged, it will take a lot of practice. In a week or two you'll get it and then we can move to the next lesson. It will get much easier as you learn more.

She blew out the candle and I did as she did use the gifts Rob had given me. The candle shook a tiny bit and a two-foot flame shot out of the top.

Rob smiling really big, joked, "I'd say she has that one down."

Kat looking real a little confused but very proud at the same time, "Mara we are going to have to work on your control but look out world here come Mara super Witch."

Rene shaking his head with fake grief said, "Damn, I have the world's most powerful Witch and a Wizard in my family and living next door, and I can't brag to anyone about it."

Rob said, "once the Babics are dead you can brag your ass off to your Witch golfing buddies. We need to get an early start so, we all need to get some sleep. Thank you so much for such a special evening. We all got something tonight that we will treasure always."

Kat said, "No. thank you for making me so happy by bringing my unknown niece to me. I'm not going to invite you back if you have not guessed it we're all family now and you need no invitation. Hell. we may join our two houses and I'm not joking."

We all hugged good-bye and we walked the hundred feet to our house. Rob and I walked upstairs, but before we split to go to separate suites without thinking I faced Rob and he kissed me deeply. He started to apologize. but I put my hand on his mouth hushing him and went in my room.

Even after taking off my clothes, brushing my hair and fixing it for bed, taking off my makeup, brushing and flossing, the kiss still had me very sexually aroused. It the same as when I would awake from all those erotic dreams but those feelings went away quickly. This time they were getting more intense. As I was finishing in the bathroom I heard Rob showering next door.

I was thinking of him naked in the shower on the other side of the wall I could feel myself getting wet between my legs. I knew it was the ring's magic, but that seemed very unimportant. The thing that kept me from going to Rob and joining him in the shower was the fact that when he changed me back I would always have that memory.

If I did what I was yearning to do Rob and I would remember it and a memory like that would change our friendship forever. Hearing the shower stop I went to my lingerie dresser and took out a plain cotton nightgown, but before I put it on I was stopped by a thought.

" OK. Think about this logically. Will I be able to function like this, effectively to the point of being able to be a major part of the plan to deal with Babic? On top of that my new aunt and I have this female tie that is new to me, but Mark could never be this close to her.

Lastly, I will be with Rob for over a thousand years and every morning he will have to turn me back and if either of us find a wife they will grow old and die. That old Wizard was right, that would be torture.

If I give in and go to Rob there never will be any going back. I will live the rest of my life as Mara. Rob and I will marry and I will be his loving and devoted wife having great sex until I die and Kat will have a niece to dote on. Damn, that sounds wonderful. Sorry Mark, good-bye forever. I put back the cotton gown and took out a black silk and lace gown with spaghetti shoulder straps that would easily fall off and nothing else.

I stealthily creped into Rob's room. He was in bed and the lights were off but the room was dimly lit by the city's lights coming through the curtains. I stood on the opposite side of the bed from Rob and he still did not know I was there. Dropping my gown on the floor I slid under the covers and Rob turned over with a start.

"What are you doing?".

I answered him by sliding on top of him and kissing him with passion. I felt his bare chest against my hard nipples and my body. He knew I was completely naked.

He broke the kiss and said, "when I change you back to Mark how will we deal with this?"

"That will never happen. I know the ring's magic is part of it, but Rob and Mark could never have the joys, pleasures, and love Rob and Mara will have. I made the decision not the ring. Mark will never return, he is gone forever. Now make love to your horny fiancée."

The talking stopped as he flipped me on my back and started kissing my breasts. I moaned in ecstatic pleasure. His hand went between my legs inserting his middle finger and found that my vaginal canal was already soaking with my juices. Slipping off his briefs I suddenly felt his hard cock pressing on me.

I waited for him to enter but he didn't. Instead he leaned down and whispered, "you have to spread your legs.".

I smiled and spread my legs wide and he pushed slowly into me. I felt a tiny pinch and thought, "The ring may have made me female but Rob just made me a woman."

I discovered that for him to enter me deeply I had to angle my butt up. Tilting up and he pushed much deeper. pumping harder between surges of pleasures, I noticed my legs had crept up his back until they were wrapped around him in middle of his back.

Then I felt my body convulse and I exploded in pleasure and before I could come to my senses it happened again and again until I was just a moaning senseless lump of pleasure, I noticed him making several hard pumps then moaning himself and falling on top of me. I did feel his beautiful cock finally grow soft in me.

After pulling out we just lay there in each other's arms and went to sleep. About 3 am I had to get up to pee and slid out of bed. As I peed I saw his cum and matted pubic hair. After wiping, I cleaned myself a little with a wet wipe and went back to the bed.

Strangely, Rob wasn't there. Then I felt him behind me, kissing my neck and playing with my breasts. I felt his hard cock on my back and I knew he wanted me again. There was something different this time. Our first time Rob was a little uncertain and unsure, but this time Rob wanted complete control and he took it.

Rob was still just as loving but he was staking his claim. He played me, hitting every spot to make me a yielding submissive woman. He demonstrated to me how much bigger and stronger he was by picking me up like a doll. He showed me who was the boss, by choosing the position he wanted, me bent over the edge of the bed. With my face in the covers, he picked up my butt, pushing my legs apart with his legs. The tip of his cock soon found my swollen clit and he rub and teased it. He was driving me crazy and he loved it. He then pushed in just the tip of his cock and started rotating his hips. With his firm grip on my back and the sides of my butt and me being face down I couldn't move.

As he was turning me into a sex crazed submissive slave to his cock he said, "when you decided without talking to me to remove Mark forever you took a friend that was more like a brother forever away from me.

I know I could have sent you back to your room but I truly love Mara more than life and you will be my perfect wife but Mara is not Mark and there is still some Mark in you. That bit of Mark in you makes you see me differently than Mara should."

As Rob talked I understood what he was saying but my body was on fire. I wanted him to just take me.

He kept playing with my clit and kept talking, "you saw how Kat leaned on Rene, teased him about the oysters, and openly showed her affection. Mara doesn't do that because that is something Mark would not do with me.

So I am not going to make love to you, I am going to fuck you hard. The reason I'm doing this is while the first time my cum was just normal this time it is laced with Magic. That Magic will intensify the rings work with your self-view when it enters you. It is going to quickly complete the ring's process. You will unconsciously think of yourself totally as Mara, a woman in love with her man with no bit of Mark's male perception of the world in the picture. You will not lose any of Mark's memories but you will only think like Mara."

He then entered me and said, "I love you, Mara, more than life itself."

I screamed, "I LOVE YOUUUU THEEE SAMEEEE>>AHAHAH!!!..."

He then fucked me hard and all I could do was hold on to the sheets screaming with my face in the bed. I don't know how many orgasms I had before I felt his seed pump into me and I felt the Magic. I felt how proud I was that a man like Rob loved me as much as I loved him.

I wanted the world to know that he was mine and I was his. As Mara, I had enjoyed making Rob look at me and I always felt ashamed after. I knew now I would always want him to want me and be happy he did. Yes, now there was none Mark's shame of outwardly showing sexual attraction for Rob left. I would even feel comfortable playfully teasing him about sex.

We slept spooned and woke up with the alarm going off. Turning it off Rob rolled over and we kissed and started making out, but Rob stopped and said: "I would love nothing more than having some morning sex but we have so much to do and Rene and Kat will be waiting for us."

So we kissed one more time and I got up and slipped on my gown. Checking the hallway was clear and left saying, " I love you. See you after I get ready."

Rob answered, "love you more, you need to hurry."

I dressed casually with just a little makeup and put my hair in a ponytail. Then Helen knocked on my door. I opened the door and she complimented me on selecting the perfect look for the morning. She informed me the La Blanc's had invited us to breakfast with them and she didn't know I was their niece.

I told Helen, "I didn't think of telling you, and have you checked with Mr. Bruce about the invite?"

I learned that George was the one that received the call and Rob was fine with it. So I let her know it was fine with me too.

Then I said, "The staff didn't place any of my things in Mr. Bruce's room. I assumed they knew of Mr. Bruce's and my relationship. My suite is little more than my dressing room, but I need the suitable things in our shared bedroom. Please have them handle that today."

Helen smiled, and answered, "Miss Bagas I'm sorry for the inconvenience it will be corrected today.".

I replied, "Helen your the best and I'm well pleased with you.".

Helen professionally said, "Thank you Miss Bagas.".

Rob and I met at the front door and kissed. We walked to Rene and Kat's with our arms around each other's waist. When we got to their door we kissed again and Kat opened the door and caught us.

She said, "those oysters must have worked on you two too."

Without missing a beat I said, "They sure did and they were a good batch."

I did not believe it but Rob's ears turned red. Surprisingly he joined in and playfully gave my butt a spank, "Bad girl. Do you have to tell everything you know?"

Then Kat retorted, "when the men get off to themselves we will compare notes." We all laughed as we went in.

Rene was in the kitchen cooking some bacon and said, 'the chief called in sick today so I'm doing the cooking. Kat doesn't cook.".

Kat said, "you liar, you love to cook.".

I chimed in, "Rob does too."

Then Rene said, "If that is really the case pitch in and we can talk as we make the ladies a gourmet breakfast."

"Sounds like a plan. Where is your crepe pan?"

Kat said, " Oh yum crepes, niece you got a keeper."

I said, "I know it, Rob was always one of a kind to me even before he was a Wizard.".

Kat asked, "Why do you not have an engagement ring, then?"

I answered truthfully, " Before he got his inheritance we did not have money enough for a good one. Now that we have the money we have not had time to get one because of this Babic thing.".

Kat said, "hold on," and left the room. Then she stuck her head in the door as Rod gathered the ingredients for crepes. She motioned for Rob to come in the room she was in. He stopped what he was doing and obeyed but came back shortly.

Rob took my left hand and went on one knee and said, "My Mara who I love more than life, will you marry me?"

Crying, I nodded speechlessly and he slid a beautiful ruby ring surrounded by diamonds on my finger.

Then Kat crying too said, "it was your grandmother's and she would want you to have it."

We all shared a group hug and even Rene wasn't dry-eyed.

After sharing a five-star breakfast of rich thick smoked bacon and raspberry crepes. Kat and I cleaned up a rather small mess, made by our men chefs. Rene and Rob in a lot of ways were very similar and you could see a growing friendship and a lot of male bonding between my fiancé and my newly discovered uncle.

When we finished cleaning the men excused themselves to Rene's office to start brainstorming plans to execute proper justice on our mutual arch-enemy, the Babics; leaving Kat and me alone.

Kat had plans for our time, though. She was going to continue to teach me how to use my Witch Magic. We sat in their walled garden and she started explaining how things really work in the world.

"Mara I don't know if you're religious, or if you even believe in God. So, first of all, you need to know all the organized religions are mostly man-made, but God is real and you can refer to God as male or female, both or neither apply. God is above gender being the creator of it. God created everything including time and space at the selected point in eternity.

God put the natural laws in place and gave people free will and lets the universe just run like a well-oiled machine although God has an unseen plan and our finite minds will never be able to decipher it. Rarely God will arrange a string of highly unlikely events to alter the course of time.

We explain these events many ways, we call it luck, fate, Karma, or just say "Shit happens." An example of this is you being here with me. The odds of this makes the odds of winning the lottery seem small in comparison. So I want you to know it was due to the Mother Goddess' plan.

The Mother Goddess is what most Witches call the Supreme Being.That being said, know that one day in your very long life you will do something, The Mother Goddess wants to be done, that only you can do. I feel you being such a powerful Witch connected to a Wizard is needed for whatever The Mother Goddess needs you to do.

So, let's get to work on your Magical education and I have honored that Mother Goddess chose me as the one to teach you."

Kat opened a leatherbound worn book on the small table we were sitting and slid it to me. It was hand written English and it had drawn picture diagrams. Using the gifts Rob had given me for learning. I instantly read the first page.

I learned that the Witch's powers mainly come from the ability to control Earth, Wind, Fire, and Water, but we could also control plants and animals. I could see that a Witch was not even in the same class as a Wizard like Rob and we could be killed in normal ways if we did not have time to stop it or we did not see what killed us. I thought me having Magic also would bring Rob and me even closer.

Kat watched amazed as I quickly flipped through the pages and closed the book the very thick book.

"OK. I'm done with this one, but I read there are eleven more books. Do you have the rest? I would like to be done soon so we can repay the boys for the great breakfast with a nice lunch."

Kat, wide-eyed exclaimed, "NO WAY YOU COULD HAVE LEARNED ALL THAT! The first book takes at least a year to learn and you're telling me you know it in less than five minutes. Kiddo you're going to have to prove that one to me."

I said, "Sure, let me think, pages 273 to 490 were on changing the shape of stone, wood, and metal.". I went to the small fish pond in the garden and gathered up two handfuls of round white pebbles. I carried them back to the table and placed them in a small pile.

Then I got a picture of something that might make a nice gift for my aunt. making the proper hand movements and commanding the stones to change, they immediately fused together and became a small polished white stone statue. A statue of Rene, Kat, Rob, and me in that group hug we shared this morning after Rob gave me my grandmother's ring. I thought that moment, needed to be preserved.

Kat unbelievingly picks up the figurine and was amazed at the tiny detail. I said, " I thought you would like that so I made that for you."

She held the small figurine to her heart and tears came to her eyes again. To lighten the mood I joked, "we sure cry a lot since we found each other."

Kat stopped crying and laughed still holding the figurine to her heart, but she stopped laughing and looking at me in awe. She spoke in a matching tone.

"Only Witches of great power and skill could have done this and only after years of practice. Before I go running out the door screaming like a lunatic tell me how you did it."

I smiled and said, "sure. We can't have you screaming and running in the streets of New Orleans, not that you would be noticed. Rob used his magic on me to give me superpowered learning skills and a photographic memory. So I read a whole page at a glance and can do what it says flawlessly the first time I try."

Kat smiled, "may the Mother always bless Rob, this is great, no this is tremendous. I will get the rest of the books and I will love blowing Rene's mind. We need to act like there is nothing different as you show off to the guys."

In less that two hours I had all twelve massive books locked in my memory. Kat said I was now the best Witch she has ever known and I glowed because she was truly proud of me. I wanted to play some, so I went to a bloomed out patch of tulips and waved my hands and ordered them to bloom and they all bloomed again.

I saw a hummingbird and I held out my finger and it perched on it. New Orleans' ever present flying pests were always a nuisance when you're outside so I sent them away and banned all except bees from the plants in Kat's garden. I would do the same for mine later because my magic was limited to my line of sight. Strangely, I could see invisible things like air when I wanted to.

Kat said, "Enough playing around, you're giving me an inferiority complex. We need to start on lunch and thanks for getting rid of the bugs. There was only one other, now dead, Witch I heard of that could do that sort of thing, he did it with snakes in Ireland

We fixed a light lunch, considering what we had for breakfast and called the guys.
Rob came out of the office singing Rene's praises.

"I'm glad Rene is a friend and we're part of the family. His ability to construct plans within plans are equal to a fine watchmaker in their interactions. He truly amazes me in how easily he came up with a foolproof plan to make short work of Babic. One that we all play a part in and will enjoy the justice of the circumstances that bring about his demise. In just over two months Babic will die in defeat and misery and then we will start planning a wedding."

Kat and I set a Greek salad and fresh French bread on the table. We all sat down and kidded and chatted like a real family which we were. Then at the end of lunch, Rene said, "Before we go over our plans how did Mara's first day of training go?".

Kat answered, "Very well, it seems our new Wizard nephew to be has helped Mara with a gift for learning. It seems a little warm Mara, a soft cool breeze would be nice."

"I think your right Aunt Kat."

I raised my hands and commanded the air to cool a bit and start circulating in the walled garden. It felt very nice in the spring heat.

Rob just stared at me but Rene awestruck said, "She just controlled the air, there are only a few of us that can do that and it takes a lot of work. Mara did it as easily as swatting a mosquito. Speaking of mosquitoes, where are they? Come to think of it, I did not have to shoo any flies away during our whole meal."

Kat beamed and bragged, "Mara has banished them from our garden." Kat got up and took the figurine from where she had hidden it. She set it on the table, saying, "Mara did this after reading the first book."

Over the next three weeks, Rob and I settled into an amazingly wonderful routine.
Our days were filled with Rob and Rene working together to set Rene's cunning plan into effect while Kat and I talked about the family I never knew. I was learning three new skills and Rob's and my nights were filled with passionate sex.

Kat brought in a dance instructor for me and he taught me in two days how to dance everything from Ballroom to Broadway. Then she brought in a Wing Chung Master, that thought I already had a lot of training because he gave me a black belt after three days.

Somehow Kat found a Serbian language and music instructor. Before she arrived I memorized an English to Serbian dictionary. When I introduced myself as Mara Bagas, she went on and on about the Bagases she knew in Serbia and wanted to know if I was related. I lied and said, "distantly."

She helped me with some of the inflections and conversational skills and said, "your Serbian is not perfect but very good for someone not born there." Then she brought out a songbook of Serbian folk music. She thought I was just leafing through it, but I learned them all. I found one that was connected to the Babic and Bagas families and I played and sang it for the woman. She said, "perfection, you play and sing beautifully."

I thanked her, paid her and sent her on her way. I was now set for my part of the plan.

Then the day of the Babic fundraiser came. Rene and Kat were going with us. Rene was invited every year but always graciously turned Babic down. This year he accepted. Rob received delivery of a heavily armored Lincoln stretch limo and hired two bodyguards one of which would also serve as the driver. Rob in no way needed a bodyguard or an armored vehicle it was just for appearance's sake.

That morning Rob called me into his office and placed a new spell on me. This spell would increase my strength ten times my normal amount for ten minutes. He was concerned if I had that much strength all the time it could prove very inconvenient and draw unwanted attention. So to activate my ten minutes of super strength I would have to say a phrase that I would not normally say.

Rob's sense of humor kicked in and said, "to activate your ten minutes of strength you must say, "do you want fries with that," and for ten minutes you will be very strong. Try it." I did and I picked up his huge desk with no problem.

That night the La Blancs and Rob and I looked like we were ready for the red carpet.
The men were in tuxes. tailor-made of course. Kat's blue gown was beautiful but much more conservative than my tight black gown with a high slit and 5" black stilettos with trademark red soles, but I was dressed according to the plan.

We arrived and we went in, our bodyguards instructed to wait outside by the security at the door saying, "they will be safe in here." Rob nodded and they did as they were told We were seated and we gave our drink orders. Then the band took the stage and the guests rose to take the dance floor. We did likewise, but Rob went and arranged for the band to play a tango.

Rob and I danced like pros, almost like in the movie True Lies. When we finished we left the floor to the sound of applause, All was going to plan. Babic took the bait and used our dance as a reason to approach Rob. We had made it back to our table but before we could sit down Babic stopped Rob and me.

The Bear was a barrel-chested man with thick gray hair and he took Rob's hand and said, "Mr. Bruce you and your lovely lady were a pleasure to watch."

Babic wanted to knock Rob off stride by knowing Rob's name thinking Rob would have to ask his. Rob and I beat him at his own game double teaming the rug out from under his feet. Rob said, "thank you, Mr. Babic, may I introduce my fiancée Mara Bagas, she is the main reason, I pulled some strings to get the invitation to come tonight."

I did not give him a chance to talk from that point on. I acted like a young girl meeting a rock star in person. I took his outstretched hand and didn't let go. Then I started talking in Serbian, a mile a minute.

"I have been hoping to meet you tonight Mr. Babic. This cause is very close to my heart, I could have been a Serbian orphan. If my parents didn't have the resources and contacts to get them and my grandmother to the US before I was born. My parents died when I was eight so my grandmother raised me and she taught me a lot about the Old Country.

She told me very much about the Babic family and said the ties of our families go back centuries. My grandmother died five years ago, but she uses to tell me of the Black Mountain and the Order of the Falcon which was the bond between The Babic and Bagas family shared. She told me her mother was a Babic who was a nurse, that died in the Second World War.

Just listen to me. I have been talking and talking and taking up too much of your time from your other guests. I'm sorry and I will not keep you any longer."

I finally let go of his hand.

He looked at me deeply then somberly asked, "What was your great grandmother's name?"

I immediately answered, "Milijana Babic Bagas she was married to Luka Bagas my father's grandfather. He died fighting in the resistance."

Babic said, "yes he died saving my father's life, and Milijana was my father's oldest sister." Babic looked at me and I saw his face soften for a second then he stiffened back up and I thought, "YES! SCORE!".

Babic went back all business-like and said, "we are cousins then and I wish to talk to you more very soon, but tonight I would like to impose on you and ask if I could steal Mr. Bruce away after we dine.".

I laughed and said, "why Mr. Babic you know how our families are, we don't give a favor without taking a favor."

Babic could not help but break into laughter and responded, "please call me Uros, after all, we are family, and yes I know our family's practice and you make me proud keeping the tradition alive. So what is the favor I shall give in return?"

I took his hand and said, " dear cousin Uros like I said this cause is very important to me. So before you speak I would like to say a few words and sing a song."

Babic laughed again and looked at Rob, "I hope you know how much "Babic" your bride to be had in her. She can help you a lot. Cousin Mara, you drive a hard bargain but yes, it would probably be good for someone with your history and good looks to speak first and sing a song to soften them up for me. Yes. I like the idea a lot."

After dinner one of Babic's men came to our table and escorted me backstage. Then the masters of ceremony said, "before Mr. Babic speaks, Miss Mara Bagas would like to say a few words."

I walked out on stage and in an impassioned voice I shared some of my contrived history and pleaded for the orphans. Then I said, "I have a song for Mr. Babic as a way to show how grateful I am for him sponsoring this dinner."

I sat down at the piano that the dance band had used and played and sang Oj Srbijo Mati. It was a folk song from the region the Babics and Bagaes were from. The song praised the Falcons and calling them to defend the Black Mountain, the Babic and Bagas' shared home.

It hit a homerun with Babic sitting on a chair on stage watching me I saw a tear run down the ruthless bastard's face. When I finished he rose to his feet clapping earnestly and following his lead all the guests did likewise. Rob, Rene, and Kat shouted "Brava!" I knew their shouts were not for the song but how I prepared Babic, for what was to come later.

Babic was so moved he did not give his prepared speech, he just thanked me for what I said and thanked the guests for coming. Babic walked me back to our table and the only thing he said was, "thank you, Mara." When we arrived Rob hugged me and said, "you were fantastic. Thank you, Babic, for letting her do that."

Babic said, "since we will soon be family call me Uros and may I call you Rob?"

Rob answered, "certainly but I think we have business to discuss." Rob knew that Uros respected and expected women to be the keepers of the of the family's heart, but men needed to be hard as steel and direct.

Uros lived by the motto, "you don't give respect to men, they must take it by their actions." This his oldest son and heir apparent has never done and Rene and Rob were going to use that to our advantage. So while Rob worked on Uros, I was going to work on Uros' oldest son, Petar to drive an even greater wedge between father and son while humiliating Petar in front of his family and underlings.

Petar was very little like his father, being spoiled and soft and had major esteem problems concerning his masculinity. Therefore he over compensated by trying to be a ladies man. He also drank way too much to show he could hold his liquor like a man.

He also has a reputation of hurting women that rejected him and his father had to make two rape charges go away. His father had to place two guards on him to keep him out of trouble. The guards had orders to allow him to have some space but to step in if Petar was getting too rough.

Rob and I followed Uros to his private quarters and Uros introduced me to "my cousins" Petar and his younger son Laz. Uros explain to them how we just met and found out how we're related. I shook their hands but with my back to the rest of the room, I looked in Petar's eyes seductively.

I asked my cousins why they were not down at the fundraiser and they both laughed letting me know that sort of thing was boring to them.

Rob looked at me and said, "Uros and I have business." I immediately went to the sofa and sat down like a well-trained dog. The two men went in and I could tell, that my knowing I had no place in "business" impressed Uros and his respect meter ticked up a notch.

Rob told the La Blancs and me what went on in Uros office in the car on our trip home. He said, "I hit Uros head on as soon as I sat down. I spoke first and said that I knew he knew about me and I assured him I knew enough about him so we could talk plainly with each other. I told him that I knew he had his office swept for bugs three times a day. So, we could be straightforward with each other.

I told him I knew how he pulled himself up from nothing and I respected that but I didn't know if I respected him as man yet. Then I said I knew he had no respect for me yet, but I had become a problem for him. Not wanting to close the door before it was open, I explained that I'm not saying that we will never respect each other. We might even become friends and allies, but I have no illusion that we will ever trust each other. We both understood that trust can get you killed.

So, in this, our first transaction, let's not slow the process by acting like we are not who we are. We're both predators, that prey on the weakest of the herd. When two predators meet it can only go one of two ways. We can fight over territory or hunt together but don't underestimate me because of my age. Some have made that mistake and most of them slinked off to lick their wounds, but some do nothing anymore.

I then told him, I am willing to tell the board of Killian Maritime Shipping that I have reconsidered closing the Baltic route. Instead, I will have my accountants give a presentation on how the company would be better served by growing, not just maintaining.

Then they will show how Irish exporting of Aerospace products is growing very rapidly. They will propose not pulling the old ships from the Baltic, but buying new ones to capture the Irish market. With both our support the new plan will save one of your major sources of income.

I have a practice like my fiancée and your family's, a favor given requires one in return. I have plans to turn the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans into something very similar to a 70's type Las Vegas in New Orleans style.

I have heard tales of the old Las Vegas when the Mob had it before it became Disney World with gambling. Where the Mob made their mistake was using union money and skimming without paying taxes.

LaBlanc is in it with me, using his contacts to change city ordnances and zoning codes. He is also helping broker my purchase of ten square miles of the Katrina devastated part of the Lower Ninth Ward. That part of the Ninth is still very badly damaged.

What I need from you is security and some help influencing some holdouts that will not sell. There are still some street gangs there and they need to be made to feel unwelcome. You will need to form a new shelf security company, which I will pay legally after the company submits the lowest bid.

This will give me no direct responsibility for their actions and plausible deniability. I know these favors sound unrealistically one-sided. Therefore, I will add to it in letting you build a River Boat Casino and two luxury strip clubs with private suites that will be off limits to vice officers, but you must make sure only vice laws are broken there, or they will be closed. I already know these clubs will fit well with another of your enterprises.

After finishing, we just sat there looking stoic. A few minutes later he broke the silence and said he agreed to my deal. I added I know my fiancée would want to see him regularly after discovering that you were family. Then my look went from stoic to very pointed and warned him never discuss our business with her.

I rose and we did not offer to shake hands, indicating such gestures had no meaning to men like us. As an afterthought I said, I would personally pay him visits rarely, but I did not want either of his sons to be our contact because I knew they were not men I could deal with. I requested his oldest nephew Stan, who, I knew Uros thought was more like him than either of his sons.

I left and said he would be hearing from me soon and I would start the ball rolling on the shipping deal.

Then I left the office and I saw someone packing Petar's bloody noise while he was holding a towel to his mouth. I didn't see you and I asked where you were. I was informed you were waiting for me in the car."

Rene said, "Outstanding!"

Rob looking at me asked, "so, what happened with you?"

Kat said, "yes, we wanted to hear this too but Mara said she wanted to hear what happen with Uros before telling us her part of the story."

I smiled and said, "It couldn't have gone any better. After you went in Petar sat beside me and called me cousin, informing me that he heard that I actually lived on the streets because he didn't believe it. I told him that I did but I had learned a lot since then. I made it a point to casually brush his hand or give him a 'come and get it' look when no one else was looking.

He relaxed and took out a cigar and lit it. When he looked away to knock off the ashes I would fan the smoke away from me in clear view of the other men. I soon excused myself to go out the open door to the balcony for some air.

I stood up and turned around to get my clutch blocking the sight of the other. I slowly dragged my finger on Petar's arm as I got my clutch. I went out and Petar followed me as I'd hoped. He shut the door, but his two worried babysitters came out and joined us although they stayed back from us, watching from behind.

I whispered so only Petar could hear that I thought he was a handsome man. He responded in the way I hoped he would, he reached over and put his hand on my butt. I turned in a fake fit of rage and speaking loudly enough for the others to hear, I told him he was a weak, spoiled child, and not a man at all. I then ripped him in his weak spot and said if he had been on the streets like I was he would either be dead or more likely someone's bitch. I added injury to insult and slapped him saying, "do you want fries with that."

I then felt the rush of strength fill my body and he reacted exactly as expected with his babysitters watching. Petar called me a bitch and grabbed my arm and drew back to hit me. Before he could with my super strength and Wing Chug training, I twisted his arm behind his back. Then I slammed his face his face into the wide concrete rail. I then threw him on the slate floor and he landed very hard.

While I watched him trying to get up, the hard hit to his nose made his tear ducts run like faucets. He got to his knees, his babysitters, rushing over to stop him from hurting me.

They saw him on his knees, bleeding, his front teeth broken, and crying streams of tears. For added effect, I spit words of anger at him saying, "now who's the bitch cry- baby?" I looked at one of the men and told him to tell you I would be waiting in the car. I was careful when I shut the door because I still had my super strength."

I could tell Rob didn't like him grabbing my ass, but then everyone was laughing by the end of my recounting of events.

When we got home we were all ready to go to bed. Rob and I had a quickie then fell right to sleep. We still got up early because after setting the trap last night we had a lot to do. Dressed, we were finishing breakfast with Rene and Kat as we had most our meals together now. Rob's phone rang and it was Uros. Rob held his finger over his lips.

Rob answered, "hello Uros. Yes, this is a secure line. She is still rather upset and I expect any plans of visiting you will be postponed indefinitely. Uros don't apologize it just increases your shame. Petar is a man. My god Uros, he is five years older than me and responsible for his own actions.

Your shame is in having a son like him, but I can understand how raising him without his mother would be a challenge. Especially with the time constraints our type of business has but Uros, in all honesty, he is a serious liability.

So I will only deal with you or Stan and if Petar gets involved in any aspect it will be an instant deal breaker. You might be willing put all your hard work in jeopardy but I'm not and this is not a warning, just a fact. It will be safer for Petar if I never see him again.

Why no, our deal is still on. Like I said, I don't hold you responsible, I just pity you, for the shame you bare.

No, she did not tell me the full circumstances. Well, it sounds like you have honest men, even if your son is a liar. Yes, I will contact my people as soon as they are in their office and they will make their presentation Friday at the board meeting.

They have my proxies and your people should be the one to call for the vote. Yes, then we'll get moving on the South Ninth Ward Project. I will meet with Stan to give him a thumb drive on Wednesday at 10 am, at the Quick Pick Store And Grill on Tulane St.

We will change our meeting place each time. Tell him and your men to dress casually. The thumb drive is encrypted and a special messenger will deliver you a thumb drive with the encryption code today. I will give Stan the password for that thumb drive Wednesday. The encryption and password will change each time. Be sure you read it carefully because the program will wipe all the information after you read it.

Yes, I will tell her that you wish to see her but don't plan on it happening soon."

Rob hung up without say good-bye. and filled us in.

"Uros started by saying that he didn't call until he had the facts straight. It seems that Mara broke his nose and knocked out Petar's front teeth. Petar was trying to tell his father that Mara came on to him first, but Uros' men said Mara was a perfect lady and went on the balcony to get away from Petar's cigar smoke.

So, Uros tried to be big enough to apologize, even after the beat down his son got, but you heard how I turned that to make him feel embarrassed and think his lack of control of Petar made him look weak in my eyes. a To man like Uros showing any weakness was to be avoided at all cost.

Then I, a much younger man, was advising him on something he knew to be completely true, but I applied it with a different spin. Uros knew Petar was weak and kept him out of the business although he never thought that Petar just living there was a problem until I planted the seed. Now Uros will be hypersensitive to anything Petar does or doesn't do and we will make Stan shine as the logical heir apparent."

Rene then said, "I am glad we are family, you're too good at this to be an enemy."

Rob, countered, "it was mostly your plan. I'm just an actor playing a role you created."

Rene smiled and said, "yes I came up with the general plot but you're adding immense substance to the plan."

Kat laughed and said, "you two will bruise each other with that much back-patting. What about our Diva here that played the Babics as well as she plays her piano?"

Rene said, "I would have loved to have wizard sight like Rob so I could have seen you break Petar nose and knock out his front teeth."

I commented, "I learned when I was on the street that knocking out someone's front teeth is called punking in prison. So they can't bite when they are forced to perform oral sex."

Rob said, "interesting. That gives me an idea to move our plan for Petar along even faster. I am going into a trance for a bit; Wait for me, this will not take long."

We watched and Rob went into a Wizard trance for about ten minutes. We just chatted while waiting for him to return and tell us what he did. Then he awoke laughing uncontrollably and we all just looked at him, wanting an explanation.

He finally wiped the tears from his eyes from laughing so hard and with a huge smile said, "oh it was perfect, I hope I can make it through telling you without bursting into laughter again.

You're right Rene, the Sigils only protect the person, not anything else. With my Wizard sight I looked through their house then across the street in their garage I saw Petar's car in the garage backed into space with the rear of the car close to the wall. I knew it was Petar's because it was some high priced little sports car that I did not know make of, with his initials on the driver's seat "PB".

I then I had a thought PB could stand for something else, so I made black spray paint letters appear under the P, (U N K ED), then under the B, (I T C H). I made "PUNKED BITCH" appear on the back of the car too. It was so close to the wall no one could see that.

The rest was just luck Petar was heading to his car to go to the dentist He was driving himself, being so embarrassed that Mara did that to him he did not want to be around anyone that knew. On the way to his car he passed Uros and Stan, Stan just looked at him and smiled.

I put a spot of the same color paint on Stan's shirt for Petar to see and removed it after Petar saw it when Stan with Uros passed him. So, Stan had no idea that it was ever there. Then Petar saw his car seats and screamed in rage cursing Stan, but he had to hurry to his appointment as his teeth were killing him. So he took off his sports coat and hung it on his seat hiding what was written there and drove off with the rear of his car boldly displaying, "PUNKED BITCH." He wondered what was so funny when he saw the guards laughing as he pulled away."

We all laughed and Rene said, "to sort of changed the subject, we should use Babic to get the street gangs and drugs out of the Ninth Ward before we deal with him. The revitalization of it is a good idea. We could make it something special. You and I have the resources and it could be turned into a tourist destination without doing anything illegal."

Rob said, "it sounds like a good idea, but our plan for the Babics is my only priority right now."

Rene agreed, "yes, the Babics first, but I am always looking to the future."

The next three weeks went by quickly as we nurtured the seeds we planted, sprout and bud. Now we were in preparation to make them bloom and ultimately bear fruit. Petar was a basket case after Rob's prank with his car follows by other Magic created practical jokes. Like Kay's idea of having Rob changing all his boxers into lacey panties. Uros' tolerance was at the breaking point with his eldest son.

I still giggle when I think how Rod told us how Petar burst in Uros' office and accused Stan of vandalizing his car by painting "Punked Bitch" on his seat and the tail of his car. Then when Stan denied doing it, Petar said he knew it was him because he had paint on his shirt. Stan then stood up and showed him he didn't have paint on his shirt.

Petar then called him a damn liar saying he must have changed shirts. Then Uros spoke up and explained that Stan had been with him the whole time and did not change. Then Petar, for the first time ever, screamed at his father, telling him he was in on it with Stan.

Uros warned him to leave without saying another word and be shamed for being beaten so badly by a small woman. After that, Laz, as a joke, started calling him by his initials, PB and the nickname caught on, making Petar storm off and sulk.

The weekly meetings with Rob and Stan went on and the Babics completed the first part of their assignment, getting rid of the drugs and the gangs from the Lower Ninth Ward. All the dealers and all but one gang left the Lower Ninth Ward of their own accord after learning it was Babic turf now the small amount of income they could get from the area was not worth facing the Babics.

We knew the last gang was dealt with when we saw the headline on the Times-Picayune " Mass Gang Violence leaves 17 Dead and Terrorizes Lower Ninth Ward Residents." Our fruit was almost ready to be picked and Rob told Stan that if Uros still wanted to give me a call he could.

It was less than an hour after Rob's return from that meeting my phone rang. I was with Kat as always, we were shopping at Hemline on Magazine St. I showed my phone to Kat and in an even unemotional voice I said, "Hello Mr. Babic."

He started out saying, "I know you have every right to be upset with me after how you were treated in my home and I want to make it up to you. Cousin, please find it in your heart to call me Uros again."

"Uros, you were exactly what I what I expected from what my grandmother told me about Babic men, but Petar is a spoiled, soft, self-involved child that has no idea how to be a real man. I will not be in the same room with him even if he is your son. My grandmother would be so ashamed that he is her great nephew. Petar is the only reason I am happy she has passed."

He answered trying to hide the pain caused by my words, "I know my dear Mara, I'm ashamed to say it but you're ten times the Babic than I think he will ever be. To show you that I still honor the memory of my aunt and you my cousin, please you and your fiancé to dinner with me in two days."

I pointedly asked, "Will Petar be there."

He answered, "no I have just decided that Petar needs to live elsewhere."

Then I softened and said, "I tentatively I will say yes for Rob, but I will definitely come.".

"Thank you, cousin and good bye."

"Good-bye cousin."

Kay said, "I got most of that. So you're going to have dinner with him, but what did he say about Petar?"

I smiled and said, "He is moving him out before the dinner."

I called Rob and told him everything and he said, "I need to start Wizard watching them constantly now."

When Kat and I got home Rene was in our house sitting in the den working on his laptop. I guessed Rene was waiting on Rob, who I assumed was in a trance Wizard-watching the Babics. Kat hugged and kissed Rene who poured us all a glass of La Blanc.

Then Rob emerged from his office smiling from ear to ear. Kat poured him a glass and handed it to him and said, "WELL?"

Rob took the glass and kissed me hello and sat back and continued to smile. I looked at him and said, "don't make us beg. Tell us what is going on."

He leaned back and took a sip of his wine before finally saying, "it was perfect, we couldn't have planned it any better. Uros sent for Stan and Petar and when they arrived Uros said to Petar, "I'm moving you far away." Then Uros stopped talking for a second as Petar got a text but dismissed it. Uros started talking again, but Petar got another text and he took out his phone and dismissed it. Uros, through gritted teeth, said, "you pay more attention to your worthless friends on that ridiculous phone than you do to me. I can't stand the sight of you. Get out. I will tell Stan my plans for you then I will leave and he can tell you."

Petar folded his arms still holding his phone, looking like he was refusing to go although he was stealthily hitting the recording app on his phone. Then acting like he relented he slowly got up out of the chair sliding his phone in between the cushion and the chair with the mic up.

Once he left, Uros said, "why have I put this off so long? Did you see him start pouting like a child? Bruce was so right, having him here makes me look weak. So, Stan, this is my plan, carry it out for me to the letter. I am moving him to South Beach, Florida, to a house that one of my corporations owns. He loves it there so much, let him live there.

He will get $12,000.00 a month for his dear mother's sake but not a cent more. There is one stipulation. For him to keep all that he is never to contact me or any of the family again. He is completely exiled from the family and if he gets in trouble he is on his on.

I want you to tell him as a warning he best not break any laws because he will go to jail. Remind him, if a small young woman can badly beat him, what does he think hardened inmates in prison will do to him."

Then Uros got up and said, "Tell him I want him out of here by 3 pm the day after tomorrow. Mara will not be here until 6 pm that day. I will go and tell him to come in. I will be in my room when you're finished. Come and get me."

Rob said, "Uros walked by him and just flicked his head informing Petar he could go in. Stan did just as he was told and left to tell Uros it was done. Petar retrieved his phone to listen to the recording to see if Stan was telling the truth. So in his room, he played the recording, but I had changed it. Now the recording was Uros, telling Stan to have two men take him to the airport. Keeping him off guard, with the pretense of the house and trust fund and make him disappear."

We spent the rest of the night planning what we would do. With our plans set all we had to do was wait. The next day Rene took Rob to his club and introduced him around. While the boys were occupied. Kat had three other local powerful female White Witches over for tea to meet me.

Since there were only three other local powerful female White Witches they were a tight group. Kat did not tell them any of my backgrounds except I was her niece and I moved in next door because we're very close. They were curious about my level of power as Kat knew they would be. Kat being Kat, she wanted to show me off.

After tea we went to the garden where she had three blocks of crystal about the size of a toaster, sitting on a table. Kat said I know each of you has a signature flower. So I thought Mara could make you each a present to celebrate her joining our little sisterhood."

I knew all of Mark was gone from me, but something like being referred to as part of a sisterhood still sounded strange. Although I liked the feeling of acceptance and I knew what Kat wanted me to do to show me off.

Kat turned to the oldest of their group and said, "Lou your flower is the rose, Mara please."

I thought of a tapered ribbed vase of long stem roses and the block became a perfect detail vase of long stem roses, minus the thorns. each rose was separate and exactly like a real rose, except in was crystal.

Lou looked at me then looked at the roses and said, "They're just breathtaking."

Then Kat looked at the Witch that looked not much older than me and said, "Marybeth, yours is orchids."

I change the next block into a potted orchid in the same detail as the roses and even I thought it was pretty.

Then Kat turns to the last woman younger than Kat but not by much and said, "Iris of course your is Irises."

I changed the last block into a figurine of Irises growing out of the crystal ground with blooms and fanned leaves.

They all were amazed as Kat had planned and welcomed me graciously into their group.

That night the four of us dined together like always and went over our individual parts of the plan. I could tell Rob and the La Blancs were worried about me, but I knew I would be fine. Rob and I had a fun sexual romp that night and slept well and got to work in the morning.

First Rob created a thumb drive with a video on it and gave it to me. Around 1 pm Rob turned himself and Rene into doubles of Petar's babysitters. Rob had discovered using his Wizard sight they were the ones that were taking Petar to the airport for his flight.

Later Rob told me the whole story in detail and how it went down.

"Rene and I, in our changed forms went to the Babic garage which was across the street from the Babic's fortress house. I used Magic and opened the door and waited for the babysitters to come for the car they were taking Petar to the airport in.

When they showed up, since they were not Babics and did not have Sigils, I just made them go away. They both were murderers and truly evil men, so it was justice for them to just not exist anymore. Rene got behind the wheel and I got in the seat beside him. We drove across the street and parked.

We were not challenged when we went upstairs to collect Petar. We found Petar in his room, sitting on his bed in a cold sweat panic. To calm him Rene said, "Petar all of us know how your father, Stan, and Laz have been playing you. We knew then a man like you is much better to run the family, than all the rest of them.

We met in secret and we decided our organization needs a change. This old KGB shit is way out of date, you always had newer and better ideas and you understand loyalty. We all want you to take over the family. So you know we were to hit you and get rid of your body because they were worried that you're smarter than them and would push them out. So when they ordered us to remove you, we told them it would be done, but don't worry we are not doing it.

We are going to sneak you back in after the fake cousin is here getting paid. We didn't know it at the time, but you know Laz's big mouth, he bragged about how he helped set you up.

That bitch is a black belt in something and she took you off guard. It was all part of the plan to make you lose the respect of the men. When we found out the truth, we saw that if they would do this to you our loyalty did not mean shit to them.

With them, in charge, none of us would be safe. If we ever did anything that went against that old Babic Code of Honor they would do the same to us. That thing is impossible to keep 100% of the time so we knew we all would be killed eventually with you gone.

So we got a plan, we will take you and then sneak you back in and as soon as you take out Stan, Laz, and your crazy old man, showing everyone you can take care of business, all of us will back your play to take over. Here is a 9mm with a silencer. Check the clip and shoot that pillow to show you it is real and loaded."

He did as Rene said and it worked and we took him to the car and drove off. We took him to a Waffle House and then got him in the trunk. We parked out front and asked the two guards to come inside we needed to show them something.

Out of sight of anyone I made them go away and changed Rene and me into their doubles. Then we opened the trunk and snuck Petar into Uros' office closet. It was about five minutes later and you arrived."

I nodded and told my part.

"Uros'met me at the door and invited into the living room, But I said, "Rob can't make it, but he sent an important message that couldn't wait for the normal meeting. The message is for you, Stan, and this time for too Laz too. It is for the next part of your business."

We walked up to the waiting room of his office and I handed him a thumb drive and said, "I will wait here until you play it like Rob told me to do." Uros smiled and said, "Bruce truly knows a woman's duties. The men went into the office and in a minute I heard Laz scream "NO!" then three zips then a loud gunshot.

Then I cracked the door and saw Uros with a smoking large gun in his hand and three very dead men on the floor. Laz had one hole in his head, Stan had one in his chest and one in his head and Petar had one hole between his eyes with the back of his head blown off. Uros put down his gun and looked at me and said, "Petar went crazy I had to kill him."

I said, "You didn't kill him, Marko Zuduhac' killed him, he just used you as the weapon." Then I had the wood of his chair transform into a wooden straight jacket restraint that held even his head inescapably motionless. Forcing him to look in front of him I took the thumb drive out off his desk and plugged it in his computer. My old self-appeared and said,

"Hello Uros I am Marko Zuduhac', You already know Mara Zduhac' she is Rene La Blanc's niece. Mrs. La Blanc's sister, who you had killed, was married to Gore Zduhac'. So we all came up with this little party for you and you never saw it coming. Not only did your oldest son kill his brother and his cousin, we tricked you into killing your oldest son yourself.

So concerning your all important blood feud, you lose. Soon you will die in agony being burned to death and I hope the fires of hell are even hotter. The only thing worse than the pain you will die in will be the thoughts that you were my puppet that danced on my string.

I hope your last few minutes will set records for suffering for all the pain you caused to so many.

This is Marko Zudhac' and Mara Zudhac' wishing all that you deserve."

Then the screen went black I took the thumb drive and left and got in the car with you two back to normal and we drove home."

On the second morning after Babic's death, I read that the Babic bunker of a house thick walls had contained a gas explosion two days earlier, turning it into an oven so hot that it melted even the iron fireplace set. It had finally cooled enough to be entered.

The Fire Marshal said, "it will be days before we know how many died in the fire because all that is left of the bodies is fine ash. Although I'm certain it was an accidental gas line explosion that caused it. The house was not built to fire code having only one exit that the flames instantly blocked."

That was 14 months ago and the Lower Ninth Ward remake was well on its way. It would end up a shopping mall/ theme park. Done up in 1920's style with real stores like Nordstrom and Best Buy but also more upscale stores. As part of the lease, the employees of the store had to wear period costumes that the stores must provide. There will always be jazz bands and performers in the streets and artist tables set up doing work in all mediums.

The food court ran from fine dining to fast food. Rene opened a restaurant there.but did not run it, called "Rene's". I think more as a joke Rob had his management company place a Wendy's franchise there. During the grand opening which fell on our first anniversary, we went there, with the La Blancs. While the La Blancs were being shown their restaurant operation. Rob wanted us to check out our Wendy's. He told me to order a value meal for him and he would join me in a minute.

He went quickly to do something while I went in' All Wendy's uniforms look like 1920 style outfits. It was real busy so I waited in line, deciding what I wanted. I finally got to the counter. Then the woman taking orders, waved her hand in front of her nose and walked off. Rob stepped out from the side in a normal full Wendy's uniform like when I first met him. Only his name badge now said "Rob Owner" and he said, "Welcome to Wendy's. What may I get you?"

The End....Maybe?

Learning To Speak To The Wind
Part 1
By
Warm Hearted

Edited By
Commentator

Even though my friends and coworkers tried to talk me out of it, I was attempting to mark off a major item on my bucket list. I was on a four-day hike of the Appalachian Mountain Trail. The weather was perfect. Being early fall in North Carolina it was a little brisk but the nights were still comfortable on the lower elevations of the hike I was taking.

I was an experienced hiker and had I all that I needed in my aluminum-framed backpack even a can of bear mace. No phone because there was little or no service where I was going. But the trail I was taking was well traveled, clearly marked, and patrolled by the Park Service. Despite my age of 60, I felt safe and I was not a Rambo so no wild boar hunting with my survival knife.

On my first day, I found a really nice campsite and quickly set up my one-man pop-up tent and had a wonderfully unhealthy meal of Beanie Weenies. Then I sat against a tree and did my normal meditation.

Some found it strange that an empirical science guy like me would believe in Meta-Physics. But I saw the logical science of it and recently Duke University completed a study on meditation and came up with empirical facts as to its benefits.

I started meditating when I was in college. I had shared my trouble sleeping at night with Professor Patel. I was an assistant to the Mathematics Professor and Hindu. He taught me how to meditate to calm my mind so I could sleep and it worked.

Prof Patel was a genius and he truly believed in the energy of the different Chakras. I never truly tried to open my "Third Eye" as Prof Patel suggested. But I did see the logic about energy points called Chakras. The human body produces all types of energy such as electrical, thermal, kinetic, and so forth.

After I meditated I would read some of my old dogged eared copy of "A Warlock In Spite of Himself" by Christopher Stasheff. I had brought only two books on my hike the new George R.R. Martin book "The Winds Of Winter" which I had not read and the well-worn Warlock.

I opened the cover and read the note from my old college friend Frank,

"To Major General Mike,

Remember this book is fiction unless you figure out how to do it for real. Be good, if you can't, be good at it!

Frank"

I always enjoyed Sci-Fi and Fantasy along with Mythology, Pre-Elizabethan Lit., and old musicals, I also loved the Empirical Sciences. This combination of likes coupled with my disinterest in any kind of sports made me "that odd guy".

Then mix in being blessed with a very high IQ and a photographic memory so I was able to skip five grades in school. When I started college I lost every chance to be normal, being a college freshman at thirteen. I excelled in college and it was easy for me to carry a double class load.

By the time Frank became my dorm roommate I was 19 and I already was a Ph.D. in Physics and completing my Masters in Mechanical Engineering. He was twenty-one and working on his MBA. By the time he got his MBA I was 21 I had an additional Master in Micro Biology with a Bachelors in Chemistry. Being very tired of school by then I left when Frank did.

But I was never in the military. The reason for Frank's nickname for me was because of my love for Gilbert and Sullivan plays. Frank and I saw one together while we were in college "The Pirates Of Penzance.” I was surprised when he wanted to go with me to see it until I found out he was trying to date the female lead in the play.

Frank seemed to enjoy the play more than I thought he would. He really perked up when the student in a fake gray beard and a pith helmet sang "I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General." Frank then leaned over and said "That is you Mike, the Major General"

Evidently, Frank going to see her in the play worked because they started dating heavily.
They were soon married and happy together with their 2 kids until 9/11. Frank died in the Towers and I miss the old money-grubbing bastard.

I did well after school myself. I eventually started my own prosthetics company but had two bad childless marriages. My first wife was a surgeon and we never had time for each other so she ended up leaving me for another doctor. My second marriage was more a business arrangement than a marriage with a forty page prenuptial contract. My new wife was cultured and sexy but liked our gardeners too much.

So here I am in the woods with a book from a dead friend and most of my life behind me but really enjoying the time I have left. In the setting sunlight I saw dark clouds coming up the valley I was in. The clouds looked strange. They had a red tint, but I thought it must be the light refraction from the sunset. Then it started hailing golf ball sized hail.

I knew my pop-up tent would be ripped to shreds and offer no protection so I looked for cover when I spotted a rocky overhang and got under it. I noticed that the inner part of the overhang had a high iron content. I did not have time to look at it closer because a strange bolt of purple lightning hit the top of the overhang and everything went black.

I thought I must have been killed and I was on my way to whatever afterlife was real. I floated in the dark for a very short time then I popped into the light again. What I saw looked normal. I was in the still in the woods but I then noticed it was midday not twilight.

Looking around I didn't see my campsite or any of my things and noticed that the landscape was flat and not mountainous. I just stood there thinking in a logical format like an equation,

"OK this is strange but I am unhurt and I know it is real, not a dream. Something was different about that storm and maybe that overhang. So what made me come out of that darkness in a different location. I know from recent discoveries "Star Trek" type teleportation could be theoretically possible but turning as much mass as my body into energy would destroy the Earth so teleportation is not the likely cause.

Then what could be the cause? Space and time can be folded by massive gravity wells, like black holes. But I wouldn't have survived the experience, it would have crushed me to microscopic size. I could survive crossing to an alternative parallel universe. Little is known about alternate realities except they are mathematically possible.

So the best supposition at this point is that is what has taken place and I need to act accordingly and be cautious of any differences. The first thing I did was jump to see if there was a change in gravity. I was shocked as I jumped the three feet off the ground. I was certain I was not on my Earth anymore. Curious as always I took out my survival knife that had a ruler on the blade and measured a three-foot long piece of line. I tied the line to a branch at that height and dropped a coin and timed it. After a little figuring, I got a rough estimate that gravity here was 4/5 of Earth's.

Not enough make me Superman but it would make an old fart like me more comfortable. I knew I needed to see if this world was inhabited and if the inhabitants were dangerous. I also knew I needed to find a stream or a river both as a likely guide to civilization and for drinking purposes. As I struck out I noticed that the plant life was Earth normal as far as I could tell and the air seemed fine with plenty of oxygen.

Most times you can find animal life if you follow a stream or river and I found a stream moving fairly quickly and started following it downstream. I noticed the temperature was comfortable like the high 70's. I watched the sun and it seems to be traveling a direct East to West path or it could be North to South or the other options. Depending on the planet's rotation.

I was not overwhelmed by what had happened to me because that was one of the quirks in my personality. It was almost like reverse Autism, the unexplained made me comfortable and very curious. Like the fabled cat that curiosity killed my curiosity has always overcome my common sense. So I trudged on, very excited about what I might find, mainly if there were the sentient beings and how they might look.

The first animals I saw were birds that looked just like the various species of Earth birds but of the Sand Hill varieties. So maybe I was near an ocean. The lay of the land was very flat and there was high humidity. Then I thought, " I hope this river doesn't empty into a swamp."

When darkness fell, any doubts I wasn't still on Earth were dispelled. I saw three small moons in the sky roughly the same small size. Earth's large moon is unusual. So three small ones were more normal cosmically. Then the thought hit me to look at the compass in my knife.

I opened it and moved it and the needle continued to point in the same direction so this world had a magnetic pole like Earth. I looked up and I saw a different night sky. I saw Orion but not the Big Dipper but there seemed to be a mismatch of old and new constellations.

Then I saw something that even shocked me, there was a dim glow coming off of everything. Plants had different shades of gold, insects were greens, fish in the light blue river were shades of purple. Then I heard a rustle of branches and I saw deer drinking and glowing shades of burgundy. Outside the glow, they were normal deer.

I thought, "The bioelectric energy in life forms must be visible here. That would be very helpful to animals in spotting food sources, threats, and predators"

So I lay on the ground and went to sleep and had a strange dream of Knights and Ladies. I rose early the next morning feeling like I slept on a down bed. The lower gravity makes sleeping on the ground much better. All I had in my coat was five energy bars not having my backpack and I had one for breakfast.

I emptied my pockets and did an inventory of what I had. I had my well-made survival knife with a compartment in the handle that held a flint and steel fire starter, water purification tablets, and fishing line and hooks. I had a canteen on the same canvas belt as my knife sheath.

In my field jacket pockets I had a Mylar poncho and my four remaining energy bars. Checking my pants I had my some change, and my small "pocket size" Swiss Army Knife that I always carried. I found it useful. It was a gift and a good one, with tweezers, scissors, a sharp small blade, leather punch, file, and even a toothpick. It was very flat and small and the engineering of it made me jealous of the designer.

Then I loaded back up, continuing my trek downriver stopping long enough to fill my canteen and dropped in a purifying tablet. But then in the pre-dawn light, I saw smoke rising as if from a chimney.

" I need to check that out very stealthily because I have no idea of the types of beings that are here, they may think humans are a good snack."

So I made it close to the area where the smoke was coming from. I was thankful all that frat boy bullying encouraged me to become good at Ninjutsu to protect myself. I kept it up, mainly the Katas, just like the meditations over the years. With my knife drawn I slowly made my way to where the smoke was coming from.

Lying on the ground under a bush I saw a rough-hewn board hut with a stone chimney and a thatched roof. Just as their Sun was rising, I saw a short middle aged woman exit the hut with a bucket in her hand. She went about a 100 yards to a pen and emptied the bucket. Then I saw what looked like pigs hurrying up to eat what she dumped.

I thought, "She looks normal, the pigs looked normal but I have no idea if there are others in her house. Considering what she was wearing and the construction of her house it is very comparative to early Twelfth Century Europe.

I always loved that period even though the reality of it was violent, harsh, plague-ridden, filthy, and under the thumb of religion and nobility. The fantasy version of knights, chivalry, and questing for the good was what I loved greatly. I guess I am a "Don Quixote" wanting to tilt at windmills."

Then I saw the woman use a slit trench to pee. Then she picked up a different bucket and carried it to the river filling it with water. Standing up I sheathed my knife. I was about a hundred feet from her so I yelled,

"HELLO!"

I did not know what else to say, I was sure I did not speak the language so that was the only thing I could think off to announce my presence. I stood at that distance hoping she would not take me as a threat and run.

The woman drew back fearfully looking at me and said,

"HWA B'EON O'U STRIA EALDA MANN!"

Which to my surprise I could understand. She was speaking Middle English which I understood very well thanks to playing Dungeons and Dragons with my literary club. We only allowed Middle English to be spoken during the game. So what she asked was "Who are you old man!" and I answered back,

"MIN A'C SY MIKE IC MEANAN OU NA'HT DARU!" Which means, "I'm Mike and I mean you no harm.

**To make this story more understandable I will use my version of Modern English, as flawed as it is, but the characters will be speaking in Middle English from this point on.**

Then the woman said, "I do not know you so what is your reason for being here?"

I answered, " I have traveled a great distance exploring and I wish to talk to you about your people."

The woman hesitated and asked " What is this "exploring' that made you travel a great distance is it like a madness? I do not want a madman here so go home."

I thought about my pronunciation of exploring and it was right so I tried to explain, "Exploring is traveling to learn about new lands and people."

She huffed and then looked intently at me then her eyes went wide open and stutteringly asked. "Stranger named Mike do you have sleep sight?"

I questioned, "What do you mean sleep sight?"

She thought hard not to show her fear and frustration at the same time then asked, "When you sleep do you see not real things and people."

Then I understood what she was asking, "If you mean dream, then yes I dream."

Then very shaken she asked, " Did you travel from the Wizard world called Earth?"

I thought, "So she knows of Earth so others have come here from Earth and they may know the way back."

So I answered,

"Yes I am from Earth and I have been in this world less than a day"

She looked awestruck and said "I must take you at once to King Edmond. Please my Lord wait till I get my walking stick."

I was surprised as being addressed as "my Lord" by this woman but I waited a second and she came out with her stick. She then bowed and said,

"Please my Lord, follow me."

I followed her and I started asking her questions. She answered all my questions respectfully and without hesitation. I found out a lot in a short time as we started our trek to Kingstown the home of King Edmond.

King Edmond was from Earth too but many centuries ago and it seems he could work great magic. Kate the name of the woman taking me to the King told me some of the King's history. I listened amazed to Kate recite the history of King Edmond.

He came to The World (They have no name for the planet that they live on just "The World") after being struck by lightning during the time of King Ah Min Tet. During that time the World had no iron just brass and all the people were forced to build King Ah Min Tet's big city.

After much struggle, King Edmond learned enough magic to teach the people to make iron and other things like crossbows. King Edmond ended The evil King Ah Min Tet's rule and later killed him. The good King Edmond set up a fuedal style of government and placed his offspring over different areas to govern for him.

She told me something that caused me to have many more questions, she told me that only people related to Earth Wizards had new magic.

I asked, " Kate is there Old Magic"

She answered, "Yes but not much of it, there are the Wedding Rings, The Wall, and the Birth Stones. Old Magic is the most powerful and even the King can't break it."

Let me back up some and explained what I thought and I had deduced from what Kate told me. I figured that these Kings came from Earth as I did. I thought their magic was just Earth technology that was more advanced than that of The World.

So I figured Ah Min Tet came from around 2000BCE considering he knew how to make brass and knowledge of building. King Edmond as the language and lifestyle showed must have come from around the 12th Century. But I did not understand if he came here so long ago why there weren't more advancements in technology or any language corruption.

But learning of an "Old Magic" made me think that I may be wrong in my assumptions.
So I asked Kate,

"What kind of magic can King Edmond do?"

Kate in a much lower reverent voice said, " I have never witnessed his magic like I have a few other nobles, but it is said he is much more powerful since the nobles are only part Earthborn. But I have heard he can kill with a word at a much greater distance than any of the part Earth-borne. They all can start fires, break iron, knock down walls, and the like. But King Edmond can do it more easily and much more of it.

But only he can change people into animals or other people. Every five years he picks a new man to become. He selects a man and changes into that man then he kills the man he becomes. So no one will confuse that man with him. There is also the history that is told of Prince Horace."

I asked, "Could you tell me the history of Prince Horace?"

Then Kate recited,

"This is the history of Prince Horace, Prince Horace was the son of Ah Min Tet and very powerful in magic and too proud. His pride was so great he challenged the King and the King turned him into a servant girl only of 17 Summers so she had not bled yet.

Then the King married the former Prince to his faithful son John when she bled at her 18th Summer. Having to obey John as his wife she was no longer a danger to the King and bore her three children to Prince John with great magic since both parents were half Earth born and strong in magic."

Having heard about magic and trying to understand it I asked,

"So when the King changed this man into a maiden she retained her magic?"

Kate said, "Yes changing did not lessen the magic she had but it changed her rank from Prince to Princess."

I was confused so I asked, " I thought you said King Edmond changed him to a serving girl, so why was she a Princess?"

Kate answered, "She kept her rank and magic with the change just as King Edmond does when he becomes new men."

Then I asked, " You said when she was married she had to obey her husband, why did she and not just keep on trying to defeat the King?"

She looked puzzled and answered, "It was the Old Magic Once the man gives a wedding ring to a woman she must obey him, and will greatly desire his cock in her, she is happy when she swells and loves to care for his children. Now the man must really want the woman to give her the ring or he can't give it.

But once he does he must provide the best he can for the woman. He won't desire any other woman and want only her until he dies, and he can only be happy if the woman is happy. This is all done by the Old Magic so it never can be broken, even by death. That is why my ring is black my husband died and I still don't want any other man and no other man will want me."

I then asked, " You said the maidens don't bleed till their 18th Summer, so maidens can't have children until then?"

She laughed and said, "Sorry my Lord, I know you come from Earth so it must be very different there. But here in The World, maidens are not opened till they bleed. Until then there is just a piss hole. They have no hole for a man's cock to enter. Girl babies are born with a hole but it closes when they are placed on a Birthing Stone by their father, which like I said is the Old Magic"

Curious I asked, " Are boy babes placed on a Birthing Stone too?"

She said "Yes. When they are placed on the stone they become dutiful sons. They will reverence their fathers and care for them when their fathers grow old."

So I recapped some of what I heard,

"So girls can not have sex till they bleed and once married they are slaves of their husbands?"

She responded, " Yes, no girl can have sex till she bleeds, but wives are not slaves. They have to obey their husbands, but wives can talk to their husband about what they're asked to do. As I said the husband can not be happy unless the wife is happy. So if what he asks is grievous to the wife, the husband will not demand it, unless it is very important."

I thought, "This "Old Magic" seems to have been designed to form a very good social system. Where the family is a secure social system it ensures good child care and care for the elderly. It has some weaknesses and unfairness, but all in all it is a very stable social system."

As we walked I learned a more things about The World, I saw the woods give way to farmland. What I saw was like watching a well-made movie set in the Middle Ages. The farmers were plowing with wooden plows of the period. Iron plows would have been too costly for the poor serf farmers to have.

The animal life seemed the same as Earth. The farmers had oxen to pull their plows and I saw pigs, cows, chickens, geese, ducks, dogs, and cats. The people were dressed in homespun clothes in traditional 12th Century English style. I seemed much taller than most of the men but I saw one man my height or a little taller.

I knew poor nutrition played a large part in how tall people grow but it is not the only factor. But how I was dressed did cause some to stares at us as we traveled. The road we traveled on was dirt and very muddy in spots.

Then I saw three men mounted on horses headed toward us and I saw the serfs stopping what they were doing and bowed in their direction. So from that action, I assumed they must be of the ruling class. As they got closer I saw the were dressed much better than the serfs and they had swords on their side.

Their outer tunic had a coat of arms on it I assumed it was the Earl's so they were nobles of his house. When the reached us on the road, Kate bowed very low but I did not. I was not wanting to insult the nobles but I was not a serf. It may have been my pride but I have an aversion to debasing myself to anyone.

I knew I was probably inviting them to hurt me but I was willing to chance it to show them that I did not think they were better than me. They looked at me shocked and one of them moved his horse closer to me and I readied myself to dodge a kick or some other attack. Then the oldest of the riders said,

"Hold Gwynne! Stranger, I see by your strange clothes so you're not a serf. So where do you come from and why do you not pay homage?"

Using a tone and body language I saved for smart-ass bureaucrats I answered,

"I am Major General Mike of Earth and I do not owe homage to you."

Then he pulled his sword and I backed up and pulled my survival knife. I saw that the blade was heavy and straight and not made to strike down from horseback like a curved blade. So if his friends did not join in I could maybe catch him off balance and unhorse him. Then with him laying on the ground, I would have the advantage.

But he said, " Hold your hand I do not wish to join battle with you yet. I just wish for you to read the markings on my blade to prove you speak the truth."

I looked at his blade and read, "The Blade of Earl Longmire, Sworn to King Edmond."

Then I figured, this was the Earl and this sword was the mark of his title. Reading must be kept from the serfs and it is only allowed for the noble's. So reading it showed at least I was a noble. The Earl returned his sword to the sheath.

The Earl then said, "As you can read and no noble would lie about being born on Earth because that would lead to their certain death I know you're as you claim to be. Hail Major General Mike Full Earth Born."

Then the Earl dismounted and as did his companions and knelt on one knee, bowing their heads. I realized they were waiting for me to say something. So I said, "Rise Earl of Longmire and nobles"

They did as I said and the Earl looked at the youngest noble and said, "Hershel give Lord Mike your mount and walk to Kingstown."

Hershel handed me his reins and bowed. I enjoyed riding and have actually ridden in amateur rodeos when I was younger. So I had no trouble mounting the horse in this lesser gravity. I thanked Hershel for his mount and bid farewell to Kate and asked the Earl,

"Could I impose on you to give Kate a reward for her effort in bringing me here?"

The Earl seemed a little surprised at my request but told Hershel to give Kate a coin.

Hershel looking his in money pouch complained, " The smallest I have is a Half Crown."

The Earl gave Hershel a piercing look and said, "Well give it to her. We of Longmire are not beggar knights so what is a Half Crown."

Wide-eyed, Kate looked at the coin, looked at me and kneeling to me said,

"My Lord Mike I thank you."

I later found out that what she received was more than what a serf would make in a year and that the King had commanded if any serf happened on someone born on Earth, that they were to bring them to their Noble at once. It was not normal practice to reward serfs for doing what they were told. So Kate brought me to the Earl under penalty of death if she did not.

Leaving Hershel to walk or find another horse. We made our way to Kingstown at a fast pace. I soon found out that the Earl was 1/6 Earthborn from the line of King Edmond. The Earl then told me told me he was going to Kingstown for the Great Joust. The Great Joust only happened every five years and was a huge celebration.Finding me would make it even greater.

I said, "The Great Joust must keep up your skills for the real wars"

"I'm old but not that old Lord Major General Mike. The last war was over 200 years ago. But there are recent rumors that some of the outer provinces are unhappy with King Edmond. But the King is taking steps, which I am a part of, to bring them to heel. Unlike Longmire and most of the inner provinces, The Lords of the outer provinces do not come from the line of Edmond but from Ah Min Tet the Slaver King."

I asked, "Why did you call him the Slaver King?"

The Earl answered, "Ah Min Tet obsessed with building a great city and made most the people slaves to build it. He left a few to work the land to feed and clothe his slaves but the people were always starving and near naked.

Ah, Min Tet was crazy because the great city he was building was not for him or anyone else to live in. His obsession to build this city was for a place for his tomb. So you see how crazy he was but he did teach the people many things.

Ah Min Tet taught them how to build, farm, weave, ride horses, make carts, forge brass, and many other things. Ah Min Tet kept the people building the city for his death even after he learned how to take younger bodies as only full the Earth Born can do.

So when King Edmond came to The World riding the lightning he was captured and forced to be a slave. But in a few years, he began to see the magic and he escaped. He lived in the wilderness learning to speak to rocks, plants, animals and finally to iron.

King Edmond was The Master Journeyman Of Iron on Earth. So once he could speak to iron it gave him what he needed to defeat AH Min Tet. The people was tired of being slaves and building a city for a madman. So when King Edmond gave them iron which would cut brass they overthrew AH Min Tet.

Even a large number of his line pledged fidelity to King Edmond and after 12 years of war, King Edmond's magic was powerful enough to defeat Ah Min Tet. Then King Edmond set up the Nobility based on how much magic they will have. So the more Earth Blood the noble has the more magic they can learn and higher their rank and the more land they have.

The King freed the slaves and made them serfs. Then the King taught people more things than I can name. The ser's lives are much better than as slaves because the nobles only take one-half of what they grow or make on our land. All the craftsmen serfs are of the inner provinces because we're closer to Kingstown and King Edmond because from time to time he will teach them something new.

We of the inner provinces are wealthier because we have many more serfs than those of the outer. Serfs are the source of our wealth so they're bound to our lands under penalty of death. But they are fed and clothed well if they are not too lazy, but those usually are executed for non-payment of their tax. "

I then thought, " So Edmond came here the same way I did and he was a journeyman blacksmith. Coming from the early 12th Century he set up a Feudal system similar to what he was used to.

But is he afraid that I will try to overthrow him like he did Ah Min Tet? If so why not just place the command to kill any Earth Born new arrivals on sight. No, I think he has some other plan for me. But what? I need to be careful not to share how much Earth has advanced since the 12th Century or Edmond will know what a great threat I could be. Calling him King Edmond reminds me of the youngest brother in C.S. Lewis' The Lion, Witch, And the Wardrobe. In a way, there are a lot of similarities to that story like Earth Born were nobles called "Son of Adam or Daughters of Eve, but this isn't Narnia"

The fact it wasn't Narnia became very clear as we went on our swift journey to Kingstown. I saw the serfs all looked malnourished and everyone worked the fields. From very old men to very young children and I even saw a woman emerging from a hut carrying a baby not more than a few hours old going into the fields to help thresh wheat.

I asked the Earl, "why do the serfs look so underfed with so large a harvest?"

He just looked at me strangely and answered, "My Lord Major General, you know how much it takes for our noble feasts and how much fine linen for us to be respectable in our daily new garments. I am sure on Earth you must have had many serfs for you to gamble and hunt as the honor of your rank warrants."

Then I started understanding and thought, "the culture here isn't a duplicate of early 12th Century but a parody of it. It was created frpm the perspective of a low-born blacksmith. I guess to him the that is what the nobility did and being part of the lower class he magnified his pain and suffering over time. So he felt the serfs have it as bad as he did when he was one."

In sight of Kingstown I started smelling a very foul stench and I discovered what it was when we came to a crossroad. There were several bodies hanging at the crossroads on scaffolds. There were eighty total scaffolds with twenty going in each direction. Most were empty, but nine had corpses on them in varying stages of decomposition being fed on by buzzards and ravens. On the end of the top arm of the ones with bodies were wooden signs with a crime listed.

I saw listed crimes such as Unpaid Taxes, Poaching the King's Game, and Cutting The King's Trees, but one of the scaffolds had a cage on it with a small, long dead, nearly skeletal remains of a body. The cage's sign announced "Traitor".

I asked the Earl if he knew about that the corpse in the cage and he said, "Yes the whole kingdom knows of that one. He was a four-year-old son of a low ranking noble that struck the son of a higher born noble over a toy. The boy's father pleaded with the King because of his age, but the law is the law and being hung in a cage until you die is the punishment for treason."

It took all my willpower not to scream at the heartless acerbity of such punishment for a four-year-old, but I fought it back. There were still plenty of scaffolds empty and I had no desire to spend my last days on one in a cage. I rode on with them in silence for awhile then we made it to Kingstown.

Kingstown reminded me of descriptions I read of London of that period. The filth and smell were as bad as I imagined, being nobles we did not have to dodge chamber pots being dumped from second-floor windows. Rat terriers were everywhere darting in and out living up to their name.

We rode directly into the courtyard of the King's castle. The guards knew the Earl and saluted him as we passed. Handing his reins to a servant the Earl dismounted and commanded of a man dressed in an ornate coverlet, "tell me where the King is. I have an important guest. He will want to see him no matter what he is presciently engaged in."

The man said, " the King is in his private living quarters preparing for the tournament."

The Earl said, "Good, come Lord Major General Mike and meet the King."

The Earl almost carried me to the King's private quarters. I had no time to examine the sheer opulence of the great hall with its fine woods, hanging tapestries, and breathtaking stonework. We got to two gold-gilded doors flanked by two guards that saluted and one opened the door for us.

I saw a young handsome man dressed in gold brocade with a white Ermine trimmed purple cape wearing a small gold crown. The Earl immediately bowed low and I did the same putting aside my principles while thinking of that cage I saw. Then King Edmond said, " arise and you may speak."

We stood up and beaming The Earl of Longmire said with much pomp and pride, "your Majesty, may I present Major General Mike just arrived one day hence from Earth."

The King's mouth first dropped open but soon closed in a huge smile. Then he looked at me with a blank expression and I saw a pale white light emit from his forehead and covering me. The light stopped and the King nodded his head and looked almost giddy saying, Well met Major General Mike." Then in a questioning look, he asked the Earl, does he understand us?" The Earl nodded and said, " his speech is a little strange but he speaks The Kings English very well." The King answered, "Most outstanding that will make what is to come much easier."

The King looked at me still smiling and asked, "Major General Mike since you speak English so well what part of England do you come from?" I told him honestly but hiding as much information about me as possible," I come from a land to the west of England that was a province of England till my ancestors rebelled and became a separate country, but that was over 200 years ago. We still have English as our national tongue, although it is a little different."

The King said, "Yes I have heard of Ireland to the west it was the last land till the edge of the world. Now tell me who sits on the throne in England?" I said, "Elizabeth II of the House of Windsor." The King then said a woman rules how strange and I don't know this House of Winsor. There must have been a bloody war before she took the throne." Being a little deceptive actually referring to WWII I said, "There was a very bloody war before she took the throne. London was almost destroyed, but that was over a decade before I was born and London is bigger than ever now."

King slapped me on my back like a long lost friend and said, " The Earth never changes, there always will be wars, but here under my rule, the whole known world lives in peace."

The King with his hand still on my back said, "come Major General let us go attend the games and we will talk more. I have a question for you though, the title Major General was a military rank in my time on Earth, are you a military man?" I just lied, "No. In my time and land, it would be the equivalent to an English Duke." The King nodded, and remarked, " I thought as much your demeanor and ease in my presence speaks of someone used to being in the presence of a King. So if you are not insulted may we call you Duke Mike so others will fully understand your rank?" I agreed, being pleased with myself for pulling this off.

King Edmond and I walked surrounded by his personal guard to the Royal Platform. He said, "all my personal guard is entirely made up of my bastard sons that were borne to me by past courtesans." I asked, "I thought the old magic kept men faithful to only their wives?" He laughed and said, "Yes that is true if you marry the woman. As yet I have never married. I select my courtesans a year before the bleed and they're taught over that year by Lady Ann to be a Lady. Then I take them after they bleed, I keep them till they bore me then I set them free to marry. I keep my sons for my guard and the daughters I marry off to houses that love having 1/2 earth blood in their family."

I nodded not letting my growing disdain for this selfish, ignorant, boastful, and hard-hearted man show. He said, "this will not take long. I will call the beginning of the games, but that is all it will be. There will be no contests today because most of the nobles have just arrived and some will not be here until later because of the length of their journey. The first games will not be until midday tomorrow after the welcoming breakfast feast. The noble's will rest tonight and prepare."

King Edmond stood to a fanfare of trumpets and ordered the beginning of the festivities.
He then looked at me and asked have I heard how he became King and went over what I knew. Then he said complimented me saying, "you have learned a lot just being here for two days." Then he went on,

"What you didn't know is that I spent two years learning that pagan language and over a year building a forge in secret. Magic would have made it a lot easier but like you I had no idea about how to use it. I imagine in a year or two you will start seeing the colors of the nature of things but you are a long way off from that. It took me twenty years to raise and arm a force large enough to challenge the Slaver King. Then another five years for my Magic to increase enough to fight Him.

You will learn that you have to of know something before you can see and know its nature so I had to be taught about what things are in the world. To control something you first have to know its true nature. Although just knowing something's true nature doesn't give you control of it. Magic is like a muscle, you have to use it to make it strong and that takes much time.

So you may wonder since I came from Earth and killed the one that came before me why I don't just kill you. The reason is as an ally you are much more valuable but as my wife, you would be priceless."

I looked at him in shock as I was grabbed and carried to an empty stone room. In the room was a young, very pretty naked girl cowering in the corner. Then King Edmond said, " as luck would have it I just picked this girl to be my new courtesan yesterday. She is one of the most beautiful I have ever found. You will become her double and my future Queen once you bleed in a year."

Without another word, I saw light emit from him and I felt my body start to change inside. Then he looked at the girl and she fell over dead. He then said to the guard, When she finishes changing have her handmaids clean and dress her then take her to Lady Ann."

As the guards carried off thebody of the young girl my body started experiencing the worst pain I could ever imagine. I started sweating buckets and peeing uncontrollably with the worst case of diarrhea I ever had. After what seemed an eternity it suddenly stopped. I was covered in my own filth and stank worst than the town, but I was able to stand up and I felt my clothes were huge on me and knew what King Edmond had done to me.

To Be Continued

Learning To Speak To The Wind
Chapter Two
By
Warm Hearted
Edited By Commentator

Synopsis: The former sixty years old finds himself trapped on parallel 12th Century Earth where Magic works. He is in the body of a seventeen-year-old girl. Mike's future is totally controlled by wicked King Edmond. The King's plan for Mike is to make her Queen on her eighteenth birthday so he hands Mike over to Lady Ann to be trained to be a proper Queen. We see Mike's story unfold in this chapter

Covered in my own waste I was led to a bathing chamber which contained a wooden tub filled with warm water, flowers, aromatic herbs and natural sponges. I knew baths were not as uncommon during the 12th Century as most people thought. King John of Magna Carta fame often carried a tub with him when he traveled. The practice over later years became more uncommon. So by the 15th Century, Henry the Eighth boasted of having only one bath his whole life.

I took off my clothes secretly retrieving my small Swiss Army Knife. The women who were evidently there to assist me, used sticks to carry them off. I snuck the small knife in my mouth and looked down at my dirty naked body. I was the double of the girl that King Edmond killed. Same skin, large breasts, shapely body and long dark hair. The women rinsed me with buckets of warm water before I entered the wooden barrel tub and I did not speak.

I knew I had my reverse Autism, but this was more than even it could adjust to and I started crying. It was not out of outrage or sadness over losing my male self, but out of pure unbridled fear, feeling completely vulnerable and helpless. I felt the last memento of who I was in my mouth and that was the only thing that gave me any hope, but I was completely and utterly terrified.

I was a weak small 17-year-old girl in a parody of 12th Century England. The property of a murderous supreme monarch with great Magic power and I had no idea what my new Lord could do to me if I displeased him in any way. I struggled to retain my humanity and not just give up all control.

After I was bathed and dried by the women one opened a side door and said, "your Grace, Lady Ann is waiting for you in here. If Your Grace will join her?"

Naked and moving like a zombie in shock, I did as I was asked. I entered the room and saw a matronly woman who I assumed was Lady Ann. She introduced herself and said, " Your Grace, I'm Lady Ann and I will train you in how to act as a proper wife and Queen to His Majesty King Edmond." Still having the knife in my mouth I just nodded.

She said, "now that introductions are done dress yourself, Your Grace. Put on the linen chemise first, then the gown. I will help you with the sash and no head scarf is proper till you're wed. I did as she said and I was glad the sleeves of the blue woven wool gown were long and a little tight because I was able to hide my tiny pocket knife there. I did this more out of fear of being caught with it than stealth. Lady Ann then demonstrated how to tie the embroidered sash belt. Then she untied it and told me to retie it like she did.

I guess I still possessed my photographic memory because I did it and with my back to Lady Ann I slipped my knife under the wide sash. She then examined my work and said, "for an Earth-Born you learn like a serf. You did a perfect job. As long as you continue like this your Grace it will go well for you, but I need to give you a small example of what will happen if you displease me."

I saw her face go blank and her forehead glowed red and a beam of red light hit me in my abdomen and I doubled over in a terrible cramp. Lady Ann smiled like she enjoyed causing me pain and the beam stopped. She then said still smiling, "I needed to show you how I can punish you without marking your lovely skin. That was just a small demonstration so you best not displease me." The pain instantly stopped and she left saying, "your Grace wait here. It will a few hours so don't leave this room until I return. I'm going to oversee the preparation of your quarters." I sat on a wooden bench just thinking.

"The Mike that arrived in The World, was he just suffering from self-delusion created by how easily he could overcome his problems? He felt superior because of his special gifts and could effortlessly impress people so that they would place him on a pedestal. That Mike must have been just a character I was playing.

That Mike had never faced a real challenge and facing those are the true tests of who somebody really is. This must be my real personality just in a new body. I don't like myself at all. I'm an unsure coward and I vow that I will change and earn back my self-respect no matter what body I'm in."

I realized at the moment that vow was just empty words.

I chided myself, "well Major General Mike if you can stop being frozen in fear, of being resigned to a hopeless future and having grand time feeling sorry for yourself then start using those gifts you were so proud of or you will be completely broken down and rebuilt into a submissive baby factory for a heartless megalomaniac."

It was the hardest thing I ever had to do but I pushed back my panic and finally started thinking instead of just reacting.

"OK. Prof. Patel taught me how to meditate to clear my mind and work my Chakra's."

I never had much use for what he taught me except to relax, but with the flood of emotions I was feeling now, I needed that training badly. I remembered perfectly what he taught me and mentally went over the lessons.

Before I started meditating I defined what I needed. For the feelings of being overwhelmed and loss of willpower, you meditate on your Third Chakra located in your solar plexus. Its color is in the 565-590 wavelength nm which is yellow. Prof. Patel always gave me the empirical facts about what he taught me about Meta-Physics so I would not question them too much.

For the first time since I came to The World, I went into my meditation relaxation preparation. I was amazed how great effect it had on me. I was totally relaxed faster than I ever was before. Which considering I was an emotional train wreck when I started was a miracle. The World must be in an Alternate Universe where Metaphysical energies are much more powerful.

With my eyes closed, I saw my aura. I thought I had seen it a few times before briefly but convinced myself it must have been an illusion. There were no doubts this time, it glowed like an orange caution light. I knew what that color meant, so I went to work on aligning my seven Chakra's, spending more time on my Third Chakra increasing my feelings of personal worth and the will to correct the hopelessness I felt.

I moved to the green fourth heart Chakra and strengthen my ability to integrate into the new position and culture I was in. Then on to the fifth, the blue throat Chakra, and built up my lost ability to express myself with respectability, not like a cowering bitch. Moving to the sixth, my purple underdeveloped third eye opened immediately. I then saw The World in a whole new way. It was amazing. I could see everyone in the castle like looking through night vision glasses. I realized then I was seeing their auras that first night.

I saw everyone in the castle. I saw some working, some using Magic. I didn't know how but I knew what they were doing with that Magic. I then went to my crown purple Chakra and it changed to white and it was like an explosion in my brain. I was there, but I wasn't at the same time. It was like I was very nearsighted paralyzed but now I could move see clearly.

I saw plants and thought they're made up of cells. It was like super zoom vision, I was seeing cells of the plants like I did though a microscope. I wanted to see the plants DNA and zoom, I saw the DNA like I have through an electron microscope. They were still alive and splitting and reproducing themselves. I tried it with animals and it worked the same way and I even saw the tiny flaws in the DNA that reproduced and caused aging.

Then the thought struck me and I tried to see an atom, but I knew I could not because I have never seen one before. To my surprise, I could and they are mainly space. I thought I have seen the colors of the elements in mass spectrometers. I looked at a rock and I saw its composition.

If all this was not enough I knew that I could affect these things with my focused energy by generating the right frequency. At this point, I knew I could not generate the energy that it would take to alter them. In addition, I would have to widen my scope of sight to see more than the amount I was seeing.

I thought back to what I King Edmond said about learning his Magic. He hinted that someone had to teach him how to see and that you have to know something is before you can see it or use magic on it. He was a journeyman blacksmith from the 12th Century. At that time a person of his rank knew very little of the reality of things. Those of that period believed that plagues came from bad smells or curses. Which brings the question up, how could he completely change me by Magic and how did Lady Ann hurt me?

Coming out of my meditation thinking, "those questions will have to go unanswered until later because I had more pressing issues to deal with now."

My meditative healing relieved me of the all-consuming fear and hopelessness.
although I was still in the same position with the same problems I was in when I started meditating, but I could think more clearly now. In my mental search for options a seed of a plan took root.

I reduced my present condition to something like a mathematic equation. With Magic being an unknown to be left out of the equation at this time. This form of assessing bore fruit and I drew from what I knew from past experiences that I could apply now. The source of those experiences was a little surprising to me, it was my second wife Margaret.

In breaking down my situation, I deduced that the solution was going to be a very long equation. Time (t) was key to the equation. I had to reverse the value of my social standing and bring into harmonic phase the strongest localizes wave to strengthen my output. That is the only way to produce the time alone I need to discover the value of the unknowns.

I saw how my second wife did it when she invaded the local social hierarchy. She joining me in my city being from old South Carolina money. She had her social secretary make inquiries as to whom the social queen was and all about her. The locals didn't know Margaret came from old money.The locals considered her just a gold digger but she intended to change that quickly. She discovered what the queen bee's favorite charity was and to her great pleasure that they were members of the same sorority but Margaret was a fifth generation legacy and the Queen bee was a first generation pledged member.

So after having me make a major donation to the queen bee's favorite charity, I watched amazed as I saw her go from being looked down on to having Queen bee orbiting her, basking in Margaret's Light. I remember Margaret first making her feel small by talking about her family's prominence then building her up as the only one in their group that was cultured enough to be her adviser.

I thought, "why to invent the wheel when I can mimic Margaret. I did it enough for my employees after our divorce. They would roll with laughter, but this time I needed to be like Margaret for real

I heard women talking and I assumed it was Lady Ann and the group of women that washed me returning. I pulled on strength I didn't have before my meditation and stood. I mimicked the body language and facial expression that Margaret had when servants kept her waiting too long. The gamble I was betting all or nothing and I knew it.

Lady Ann entered the room and looked at me a little surprised seeing me standing proudly as a Duchess should. Lady Ann spoke in her "I'm in control" tone saying, "your Grace your quarters are ready."

Using Margaret's culturally restrained angry and condescending voice I said, "Lady Ann is their reason I'm unaware of that your speaking to me, a Full Earth Born Duchess, without first paying me homage and I giving you permission to speak?"

Lady Ann just stared at me first and I thought, "get ready. She isn't buying it and I am going to be painfully punished."

Then I could see a look of the first revelation then fear on her face. It dawned on her that what I was asking was truly proper and the law. She then curtsied low and the other women followed her example. Lady Ann was smart and she knew that if not today but someday I would be in a position to help or hurt her very much.

I waited a little longer than was normal to let it sink in then said, " Lady Ann and ladies rise. I will shortly examine my quarters to see if they meet my approval but first Lady Ann I want you to know something. I accept your teaching willingly.

I know there are things I need to learn considering my new sex and other gifts good King Edmond has given me. Yes, I was a Duke on Earth but I had no hope of advancing my rank. I was 22nd in the line of succession and at my age knew the throne would never be mine. Now, thanks to my future husband I will sit on a throne, a Queen's throne.

I understand that some of lower birth would see this change I underwent through as a curse. Losing one's self and gender, but those people have no idea what a high-born as myself sees. I see the opportunities that such a rank holds. In addition to all that the King made me young again. I know that I need to learn much concerning my new gender so to fully meet and fill the role the father of my children will require of me.

Lady Ann my future husband trusted you with this great responsibility, so he must trust your skills not to fail me. I will trust in them also. Therefore I'm granting you the privilege of teaching me. I'm sure you will not show disrespect to your King by failing.

That brings me to a situation I'm sure at some point may trouble you greatly, our first meeting. I want you to know I understand why you thought you needed to demonstrate how you could punish me. Therefore your future Queen pardons you for the act of attack on her person.

It was an act of ignorance. I bear you no ill will and I'm sure you will serve your King and myself your future Queen well. Lady Ann very gratefully said, "thank you your Grace I will not fail my King or my future Queen."

I said, "Lady Ann you seem much more cultured than the other Ladies In waiting. May I ask how much Earth Born you are?"

She looked at me and proudly beamed and said, " My Grace I am 3/8 Earth Born"

I responded, "I thought so, bloodlines always show."

I thought, " thank you, Margaret, for teaching me to first overpower your strongest rival then draw them into orbiting you as a satellite. I was so worried that my ruse would fail with me being painfully punished, but it is working well."

As I was examining my Quarters I saw it had its own privy of the period, a room with a stone bench with a wooden seat with a toilet hole in it. I knew it emptied somewhere outside the castle and was a high-class luxury of the 12th Century. I saw Lady Ann straightening one of the tapestries on the wall, looking it with pride. I assumed she was the one that selected it so I took a chance and followed my assumption.

Looking at the tapestry I commented, " my quarters seems to be acceptable so far, but that tapestry is the highlight of the room. Who selected it?"

Lady Ann smiled and bowed her head and said, "I did your Grace."

I answered, "which again proves my point, good bloodlines always show."

I went to the bed, moving the pillows and pulling back the covers then felt the mattress which was very soft, but I used it to my benefit. In a controlled, disapproving voice, I said, "by Earth standards, this would be unacceptable, but I have no idea what is acceptable by the World standards. Lady Ann will you please feel it."

Lady Ann came and stood close to me and felt the mattress and turned and looked at one of the ladies saying, " Lady Marie how dare you to put such a mattress on our Grace's bed. That rag is not much better than the thatch bed a serf would sleep on. You will replace it immediately. I'm sorry your Grace I should have had another lady pick the mattress. Lady Marie is only 1/20 Earth Born."

My complaint had the desired result. Then I built on the effect saying, "Lady Ann I can understand your difficulties. I have been in positions where I had to use lower born nobles and it can be very trying. So I hold no blame for you personally. I know you understand the proper requirements for someone of my rank."

Lady Ann then said, "Thank you your Grace for recognizing the difficulties that I have with such a low-born group of handmaidens. I promise you your Grace I will recruit more suitable handmaidens as they become available."

I smiled saying, "I am sure you will Lady Ann because I see already you are very good at getting things done properly and in good order."

Then looking in my closet at the gowns I said, "I know there will be the Great Breakfast Feast but will there be a feast tonight and what should I wear."

Lady Ann answered, "the nobles are still arriving so there will be no feast tonight. Most are preparing for the games tomorrow and will dine in their quarters."

Then I asked, "will his Majesty dine alone tonight also?"

She said "yes."

I inquired, "would it be too forward of me to request to dine with him?"

Lady Ann thought for a second and said, "considering how well your Grace has assumed her new station in life I think it would please his Majesty to personally see how well his future wife is adjusting. I will go and ask his Chamberlain to communicate your request. I should have his Majesty's answer quickly."

I said, "very good and please notify me with his Majesty's reply in time for your to help me dress for the occasion but until then I would like to be alone and rest from the events of the day."

She curtsied as did the rest of the ladies and said, "it will be done as your Grace wishes," and they all left the room.

Alone I breathed a deep sigh of relief in pulling all that off. I had a hard time not letting my nervousness show. I lay on the bed thinking, "I want to talk to King Edmond as much as possible and encourage him to brag how he learned his Magic. I also want to know if there are any major differences between the Earth and the World that I don't already know.

I have to be careful not to let on that I can already see nature of things. I need to guard what I know about the true nature of the things also. King Edmond is very prideful and ignorant but he is not stupid. On Earth, he may have been just a journeyman blacksmith but he knew how to read and write. Those skills would be very unusual for someone of his status in the age he came from. I must never underestimate how smart he is."

I started to feel my confidence fade again so I went into another meditation. I limited it to just working on me and not exploring the new world I discovered. When I came out I was amazed how well it worked. The fear was gone and I was even more confident that I would soon have a plan to escape my fate as King Edmond's wife in a year.

I reflecting on how well it worked I thought, "There must be some sort of amplifying energy field like the Magnetic Field on Earth. This field must be naturally occurring but why can only people that are part Earthling access it? Those are questions I'll consider later. Right now I needed to focus on trying to plan some way to escape the fate King Edmond has for me.

Now that I'm winning over Lady Ann I need to win the trust of King Edmond. At this point, I have no idea of how to do it. I need to watch for ways to feed his ego and try to convince him that I really like his plan for me. I'm sure people suck up to him all the time. not underestimating his intelligence I knew he would spot that I was doing the same thing.

In my company I had people sucking up to me all the time. That never worked for me and it will not work on him. I only trusted those whose actions proved they had my best interests at heart. Therefore I needed to watch for opportunities to do the same thing for King Edmond. Watching will require I spend a lot of time with him.

I need to take any opportunity that presents itself but this must be the last time I request to meet with him. Future times need to be either at his invitation or something that would be normal for me to attend. I also need some way to demonstrate that I'm just not a submissive, weak-willed person without self-respect. I need to present myself as an intelligent person that truly sees the benefits being Queen will grant me; a person who understands that in my new position what benefits him ultimately will benefit me."

My mental accessing was interrupted by a knock on the door. It was Lady Ann here to tell me the King had accepted my request to dine with him. After the handmaidens dressed me and did my hair in a long tightly braided ponytail, Lady Ann escorted me to the King's private quarters which were very close to mine.

The guard knocked on the door and it was opened. I entered alone and curtsied low saying, "Your Majesty." He told me to rise and I did and said: "thank you, Your Majesty, and thank you for honoring my request to dine with you."

King Edmond laughed and said, " Lady Ann told me how you have accepted your new life as if you were born to it but it does please me to see it for myself."

I answered him in an even tone saying, "Your Majesty as I explained to Lady Ann my rank on earth is like one of your Dukes and I was 22nd in the line of succession. On Earth, I had no hope of rising in rank. Now I will be on a Queen's throne.

The trading of my male life and responsibilities for that of a female was well worth being made young again. As I told Lady Ann a low-born ignorant man may have looked at this as a curse but I see it as a blessing. Thank you, Your Majesty, in all sincerity."

He laughed again and said, "I was quite fortunate that someone like you was the next Earth Born to come to the world. Once we are wed you will have an even easier time adjusting because of the Old Magic. Our children will be full Earth Born, What a force they will be. Now come and dine with me."

As we chatted I found out a lot about The World. First of all, there were no diseases not even colds and people here live well into their seventies. I asked, "then why is the world not overpopulated?"

He explained, "women can only have 3 children. They will only bleed once a year and then only until they have three children. Normally they have two sons and one daughter. This works out well considering a lot more men die from work accidents, arguments, and executions. So the population stays about the same. Although that limit will not be the same for you, my future wife. I will change your bodies regularly like I do mine so you will have a new body about every five years and be able to bear three more every time."

The thought of me being pregnant at all revolted me but almost constantly pregnant for centuries just about made me lose control but I fought it back. Then there was knock on the door and the King said, "enter." The guard came in and whispered in the Kings ear and I saw a young, well-dressed woman waiting at the door. When the guard straightened back up the King said, "not now, tell her I will send for her later."

Seeing an opportunity my mind snapped back to my plan. After the guard shut the door and we were alone again I asked, "your Majesty may I have permission to speak openly?"

He looked like he was thinking, "OK. Here it comes but I might as well deal with this now." Then the King nodded and said, "yes, within limits."

Then I said something in a very clinical voice hoping to knock the King off balance. I said, "your Majesty I have learned since I have been in The World that once we are wed we will not want any other. Living as a man for sixty years on Earth I know a man has needs. So it is of no consequence, no, I actually encourage you, my King, and future husband not to deny those needs. Sex is a wonderful way to relieve stress that great authority brings."

With his jaw slacked he looked at me for a second. Then I saw his face go from surprise to inspection. I thought " He is trying to see if what I just said was me trying to brown-nose or did I truly mean it. So now the hook."

Then I said, "Your Majesty I know I have no right to ask you this but I think it is wise counsel for how your court will view me in the future. So with no right to do so, I ask if Your Majesty keeps his consorting private and never in my presence. I would not have spoken to you so boldly except I know the Court's respect for me is linked directly to their perception of Your Majesty's respect of me.

If they think Your Majesty respects me enough to shield me from his sexual escapades it will grant me the respect I need to have to be the kind of Queen I wish to be."

He first looked annoyed that I spoke so directly but then he smiled as he saw I was just staking rights to my place in his Court. Then he said,

"You may have been 22nd in the line of succession but I would wager a 1/3 of my Kingdom that you were a good advisor but a fearful enemy. I thank you for remembering men have needs and yes I will give the appearance that I am shielding you from the knowledge of them. It is really the wisest direction to take. I doubt if I really could have done it because I don't think that much escapes your sight. Now I have a question for you, My Lady.

What did you do to Lady Ann? She has been my trainer for women for many years and she loves breaking them very much. I couldn't believe how she praised you and spoke of you with such respect. My Lady you took my old hound of war and made her your lap dog."

I answered in the same humorous tone he asked in and said, "My King once she understood that I actually desired her teachings. I reminded her even though I was her student that I'm a Full Earth Born Duchess and her future Queen. I assured her I held no ill will for her ignorance in how she treated me in our first meeting - as long she assumed her proper place considering her lower rank."

The King laugh till he cried and finally said, "yes on Earth you most certainly were a valuable advisor and a fearful enemy."

We chatted and his nature took over and he bragged how after being forced to be a slave that he learned just enough of Ah Min Tet's pagan tongue to communicate. From the King's weaving of his tale, it was obvious that he was the hero and I learned a lot about the World as I hoped.

It seems there are some strange quirks in the brains of The World's natural humans. They have very little if any imagination but they are perfect mimics. They have the photographic memory like mine and can perfectly mimic anything that is demonstrated to them or even drawn.

When they are shown something new that works better they just start doing it the new way. It is impossible for them to lie but they will break the law if someone shows them that it is better than observing the law. Like poaching, it started with a noble telling a serf to kill a deer to feed his family. So the serfs that became poachers were shown this by other serfs.

I thought, "maybe because of their lack of imagination they can't learn Magic but how you can change bodies and still retain your Magic is a question which I must shelve with so many others until I have time for them."

When King Edmond taught his fellow slaves if they did what he said their lives would be better they followed him. He took over more and more of the known world which was surrounded by a mysterious wall made with Old Magic and thus impenetrable.

His forces were stopped by the last of Ah Min Tet's forces holding up in a near impenetrable valley that was bordered on one side by The Wall and the other by the ocean. The mountains had only one entrance that was very narrow like the movie "300 Spartans" but Tet had a lot more than 300 troops to defend it.

The King told me of making an Old Magic Blood Oath with one of Tet's nephew's that he would let him have the valley to rule as the supreme ruler without his interference. He would also teach his slaves about iron and English which had a much better-written form than their old one if he would a crossbow that he would provide and kill Tet. Then pay him a yearly tribute that his agents would deliver to the King. The next day Tet was dead.

The King did say, " So you were 60 years old. That is a long time to live on Earth. Here in the World people live much longer. There are no plagues here or blights on plants. I have not even had a cold since I came here. So there are many here over 100 years old. They are weak and worn down just as their age would suggest although they never had a sick day in their long lives."

I said, "that is astounding my King, I guess they have no need of leeches here." My thoughts were much different than my words. I thought, "there must be some reason for this, I know there are different bacteria here because of the smell of the bodies at the crossroads I know things rot. So that adds another question to my growing list."

The knowledge of the land that King Edmond imparted freely gave me a lot to think about. The King then said, "My Lady Mike I have enjoyed our dinner together very much but the hour is late and the Game's Great Breakfast Feast early. So I must say good night to you but I wish for you to sit at my side at the feast and the Games."

I curtsied and said "I would enjoy that Your Majesty. Rest well." I thought "YES!"
The next morning at the Great Breakfast I sat on the Kings right side properly dressed in new fine clothes by Lady Ann and my handmaidens. I fed Lady Ann's ego by asking the King to allow Lady Ann to sit on my right side which he smiled at and allowed. The food was lavish and artistically presented.

There were a lot of different meats and bread. We used a sharp pointed knife like a fork and spoons but some used their hands. I cut my meat into small bite size pieces as I did with my bread and used the tip of my knife like a fork. Lady Ann leaned over and whispered in my ear, "your Grace you eat with such an elegant lady-like manner you must teach me this skill."

I answered, "Certainly Lady Ann."

Towards the end of the meal the King rose to his feet and said, "remain sitting. I just wish to introduce to you Earth Born Duchess Mike who in less than a year I will wed making her your Queen." He took my hand and I rose and he held my hand as the Lord and Ladies shouted: "Hail Earth Born Duchess Mike, our future Queen". then they applauded me as the King kissed my hand.

Then the King looked at me and said: "I ask a favor of you. All here are of Noble birth and we enjoy a good tale so please honor us with a new tale from Earth."

I was placed on the spot I had not thought that I would have to do something like this. I need a tale that that would not let on to the King that the Earth has changed much since he came to the world. Then It hit me. I told Chaucer's "Woman of Baths Tale". At the end of the tale when the old crone turns into the beautiful woman and she and Noble husband live happily ever after. Hoping the parallels with my present situation were seen I worried when all I saw was blank stares from my audience.

Then they started banging the tables loudly and cheering, even the King. Lady Ann, with tears in her eyes, just looked at me in adoration. At the end of the applause, the King rose and said, "now to the Games and let's see if we can entertain Duchess Mike as well as she has us with her stirring tale.".

Sitting again on the King's right side Lady Ann stood behind me in her proper place. Although it was still an honor as she was never on the King's platform for the Games before. The King rose and called for the Games to begin and I saw two men enter the arena from opposite sides. Then I noticed there were no serfs at the Games.

They were not armored and were on foot. They didn't even have weapons. They bowed to each other and a flag went down and the contest started. I saw both the men cover themselves in a bubble of white light. Then I saw two beams of very bright light come from the men's foreheads.

The King said, "I know you're not aware of what is going on because you can't see Magic yet so I will tell you. The knights have joined in battle and they are evenly matched. They are attempting to push back the other's Magic and then break through a Magic shield the other as placed around himself. Once that happens they the more powerful knight will just cause his opponent pain till he submits. In a real battle, the stronger would kill the weaker."

I continued to watch, acting like I could not see what I was seeing clearly. They were using their energies to jam their opponents. They had placed a white energy field around themselves to help block the other's energy. Then I saw one of the knights start pushing back the energy of his opponent until he broke through. The stronger knight then matched the color of the energy of the weaker leg muscles and the weaker knight fell to the ground yelling, "I SUBMIT!"

I asked the King a question, "Your Majesty could two less powerful knights join forces to defeat a stronger knight?"

The King shook he said, "No. one knight can not work together with another, their Magic will just cancel the other's out. For that, I am most grateful."

The King did say, "In a couple years you should be able to see the Magic then you will start enjoying the games more. Once you start seeing it I will have you trained in how to speak to it, but that takes much longer. Once you start using it the stronger you will become. Sorry to say no matter how strong you get you will never be able to speak to things you don't know the true nature of or can never see like the wind."

I thought, "You would be surprised King old boy if you knew that I can already see the Magic and I can see the wind because I have seen it because I know what elements make it up. The question I needed answered was, "how do I speak to the energy once I do that, how long will it take for me to be able to perform Magic?"

After the day's events, we had another grand feast and I retired to my room as the men were going to the gambling tables. After Lady Ann and my handmaidens prepared me for bed they left me alone and I went into a deep meditation. While in meditation I though how the colors of the Magic energy would change then it hit me, "speaking of things is just wave harmonics."

With this revelation, I came out of meditation wanting to try it. I filled a brass cup with water and I cleared my mind as if in preparation for meditation and focused on the water. I then opened my mental eye and looked at it and I could see its color and matched the color and by thinking what I wanted the water to do. To my surprise it did it. I made it rise, form shapes, to spray out of the cup and then return.

The I had another idea and I tuned my sight to the inferred red spectrum and I saw the heat in the water. I had watched Lady Ann light a fire magically, she did it with a small stone rotating very fast to cause the friction to start the fire. In the 12th Century, they had no idea that heat is really just the movement of molecules.

So I looked at the water and excited its molecules and in a second it was boiling. I tried slowing them and it instantly froze. I looked at the fire in the small fireplace. The World didn't have seasons. Its rotation didn't have a wobble like Earth but the nights in a stone, drafty, castle sometimes required a small fire for comfort.

Tonight a fire was required so I looked at the fire and moved the heat to the stones so quickly that the fire went out. I then gathered the heat back into the logs and they burst into flames. I thought, "that would make a good weapon if I needed it."

The strength I could produce was nowhere near what I saw today and theirs was not in the same league as the King's. It will take a long time using Magic to build mine to the level of even the weaker knights. Although to my advantage I am the "Major General" and knew far more of how things truly work. While they use sheer force I'm more like a gem cutter. I use just a little power to cause nature to work for me rather than overpowering it but I did need to practice using it and to build my strength.

Then I looked drown at my small body and tiny hands and a wave of fear hit me. I thought, " right, the 'Major General.' I am a small young woman waiting for her first period so she can become a baby factory for a cruel, all-powerful man."

I had done well to this point not thinking how things were so different for me. I have to look up to every man and many females. I can't open heavy doors without struggling and I have to be a dress-up doll for the King's pleasure.

I fought back the feelings of sheer hopelessness and compartmentalized them like Scarlet O'Hara in "Gone With The Wind" by thinking, "I don't have time to think about this now. I will think about another day."

I devised a plan to ask the King to let me ride my horse out alone. I would tell him I was sure I would be safe on his estate but I needed time alone to fully adjust to my new role. I will tell him that I was sure he understood how great the changes were between Earth and the World and as smart as he was he knew it will take some time alone to ponder on to adjust.

I spoke with the King in the morning at our private breakfast before the game. He agreed to me having four hours a day to ride unattended laughing then saying, "I understand that you have a lot to ponder and I know that you're earnest in recognizing the status you will have as my Queen so you will not run away to end up the wife of a pig farmer." At that, I started laughing and he joined in.

So each day after the games had ended I went on long rides and found a secluded place and practiced my Magic. I became stronger but not very fast. I could see DNA and watch it split. Very sadly that was all I could do I couldn't control its makeup. Furthermore, I could not see enough of it at one time to actually change a complex animal's DNA structure.

By the time the games ended King Edmond really enjoyed my company. I was able to advise him on a certain situation he faced with two of his nobles. One noble was completely loyal and worshiped The King but was a total screw-up resulting in a loss of revenue.

Another young and unmarried noble was only loyal to himself but was brilliant and a great administrator. Only the King felt that he was using his sharp intellect to outmaneuver the tax laws legally. Doing it legally may give other nobles the idea to try the same thing.

I adapting the old Prussian rule of command. I told the King, " Your Majesty why not take the failing noble and give him some grandly titled job on your staff. This new role will require him here in Kingston but the job actually does nothing important.

Just tell the ignorant noble of how important it is to you and praise him from time to time on how well he is doing it. As a reward to him, you will make title hereditary and it will go to his eldest son and both his sons will be needed here to assist him. Therefore they must leave their province which borders the smart noble's lands as I remember from studying the map tapestry in the main hall.

Then order the smart noble to marry the dull noble's unwed daughter thereby giving the smart noble rule of both provinces. This way demonstrating how linking his benefit to yours you will teach him loyalty to you is the best way to serve his own ends."

Then King Edmond blinked and looked at me like he had just won the lottery and I was the winning ticket. He just exclaimed. "DAMN! If you weren't going to be my wife before you get your Magic I would have you killed now. My Lady Mike you have the skills of an Earth-Born Noble.

I know I knew much above my station on Earth because I hungered to learn but I remember the nobles of Earth. They could construct plans layered like an onion to get what they wanted and as I thought, you were probably one of the best at that. I want you to attend all my council meetings. I grant you the permission to openly advise me. The nobles will see your great skill and fear what a powerful pair we are."

I started spending more time with the King with Lady Ann at my side, using her as my mistress of spies. The ladies, like little birds, gathered information and reported it to Lady Ann. The time ticked off with me practicing my Magic and in court politics. I was sad that my powers as a politician improved faster than my Magic. My Magic had gotten stronger but it grew like the hands moved on a clock.

I could not tell I had gotten stronger from day to day. It was just when I would look back over the weeks that I could see my Magic strengthening. I was less than three months from my first bleed and I was starting to worry. I was no closer to finding a way to safely leave. Like the King said, "you leave, you will just end up the wife of a pig farmer."

Then the King told me that in a week we would go on his bi-annual inspection of the provinces. He shared that he started with the farthest and rushing through the poorer outlying ones to spend more time in the inner wealthy ones. He told me " My Lady the first stop is right at the wall and Tet's valley kingdom.

The King said, "My Blood Oath says as long as they pay me my tribute in gold they will remain outside my kingdom but their agents let slip last year their mines are dwindling. If they fail to pay me my tribute I can take their kingdom. Their land is poor but they are rich in serfs although they have developed strange customs.

Their women carry their wedding band around their neck and choose who and when they marry. Even stranger is how their King works alongside his serfs and like on Earth they have Guilds and they help the King rule. When I was first taught Magic I shared about guilds with the nephew of Tet. He must have spread it in their kingdom but once I take it all that foolishness will stop and I will divide out the serfs to the inner lands."

That gave me an idea and I had a week to plan an escape. I went to work to make use of this important new information.

To Be Continued In Chapter 3 of "Learning To Speak To The Wind"

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!!!

We Never Break A Promise Part 2
"The New Beginning"

By
Warm Hearted
Edited and Proofed by Catherine Linda Michel

Synopsis: Eric Jones was an orphan that grew up friendless, abused, humiliated, and unloved in the foster system. In this chapter Eric awakens from being magically healed from an almost deadly, undeserved beating and begins an evolutionary journey of personal truth. All the copyright stuff applies.

(THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR KIND WORDS AND ADVICE! I'm trying to improve my writing technique, grammar and spelling so please continue your help and a special thanks to Zapper. Please let me know if the second chapter holds your interest enough to read a third chapter)
******

Looking at myself in the mirror I saw I had very fair skin, large blue eyes, a small slightly upturned nose, oval shaped face and full pink lips. I looked somehow familiar, yet different. Then I looked at Erin, then at me, then back to Erin and realized I looked a lot like a younger copy of her, but with very short, golden blonde hair.

Erin noticed me seeing the resemblance and said, "Yes, we have a strong family resemblance. Eric you are actually my niece, but I will explain more later, you have enough to digest at the moment."

Erin tilted the mirror and I could see the rest of my body, but I couldn't tell much about it because of the heavy blanket covering me. I could see delicate arms covered in the same flawless fair skin and small hands with thin fingers and very short nails.

Then I noticed two mounds on my chest and I thought, "I have breasts." I was surprised, but not freaked out. It made sense that they are part of the package. I was actually more shocked when I looked farther down at my feet.

My feet normally almost hung off the end of most beds. Now, laying flat on my back in this normal twin bed, I saw my feet under the blanket almost two feet from the foot of the bed. Erin then took the mirror away and said, "I will be right back."

Laying there, my mind was racing, trying to absorb all that just happened. Yes being a girl was a fucking big thing to adjust to since before now I never even thought of what it would be like to be a girl. You have to understand the sheer elation I was feeling over now having a family. Not just any family, but discovering that the kindest, most loving, giving person I ever knew WAS MY AUNT! So to a great extent the joy, comfort, and giddy happiness of the former outweighed the shock, apprehension and strangeness of the latter.

If you have never been a foster this probably would not make sense to you. How the significance of learning you have family could counteract the hysteria you should be feeling going through something like this. The best way I can explain it, is like if you were always hungry to the point of starvation. Hungry not for food, my former body proved they gave me plenty of food, but for someone to care for you out of love, not because they are paid to do it.

Waking up in the morning and going to bed at night knowing the only reason the people you live with do anything for you is the check they get in the mail. Don't get me wrong, not all foster parents are like this, but the ones I had were.

Erin returned with a tray and set it on the table beside the bed and asked me, "If I release the spell that is keeping you still, will you be calm enough to stay put in bed and just sit up? If the answer is yes, blink your eyes twice."

I thought for a second and I knew I would not be able to stay calm enough to stay in bed and I really wanted able to talk and ask questions, so I blinked twice. Erin then made a pass over my body and said, "Ena de ko." I felt a small surge of energy and I was able to move. The first word I said sounds really dumb now, I said, “WOW!”

Then Erin helped me to sit up and adjusted the pillow behind my back. I said, "Thank you." It was my voice, but it was the voice of a stranger. Definitely female, a little raspy from my dry throat, but really a nice voice. I felt movement on my chest and, looking down, I saw a cotton gown with lace slightly pushed out by my breasts.

Erin said, "Yes, you will have a lot of new sensations, but please Eric, don't panic, OK?"

I answered, "Don't worry Erin. I'm not panicking. It's just new."

Erin handed me a cup of tea and, as I drank it quickly, Erin said, "That tea will help a lot. You should feel better now and you should be fully recovered by this afternoon. How do you feel now?"

I felt the magic tea working. I could actually sense strength and health filling me and I answered. “A lot stronger, but I'm a little overwhelmed at the moment. Can I ask you some questions.?" My voice lost its raspy tone and it's a very nice female voice of a stranger.

Erin said, "Of course dear I will answer anything you ask to the best of my ability."

I looked Erin and asked, "Please tell me about my parents and what happened to them and how I ended up as a foster child?

Erin looked at me and said, "That's a lot, so for now can I just tell you the short version and I will tell you more details as time goes on, because we will be together for a long, long time."

Erin telling me that we were going to be together a long time made feel so happy that I would had agreed to anything so I nodded. Erin nodded and thought for a moment, then started telling me the short version of my history.

"Your father was a very powerful Wizard named Seth Crane and your mother was my older sister, Cassandra Sparrow Crane. You were born Willow Crane, but two weeks after your birth your parents were killed and you were stolen by Lea Wren.

Wren hated our family because Ged Sparrow, my father, your grandfather, is the head of the Council Of Wizards and had sentenced Lea Wren's parents to death for practicing dark magic. Dark magic requires the death of a wizard. Eric, all wizards do not have the same level of magic. Some are very weak and can't perform major spells.

Most of these weaker wizards are happy to live life like Non Magical folks. Living normal lives and using minor spells to benefit themselves from time to time. For example, if someone wants a promotion they will use a spell to make their boss look more favorably on their work. The Wrens wanted a Socra Amulet that would let them steal magic from other Wizards and it takes dark magic to make one.

The Wrens killed a Wizard who thought they were his friends and made the Amulet. They then started stealing power to raise their status The Council discovered their crime and took them prisoner. Your grandfather was the judge at their hearing and sentenced them to be executed, but the Council never found the Amulet. Lea Wren was taken by distant relatives and raised.

Eric, not to change the subject, but it's part of the story and you need to know this too. When Wizards are born their magic is in them, but they can't access it until their 18th birthday, the "Age Of Awakening. At that time they are presented to the Council and are assessed for ability, then apprenticed to a teacher. Usually a close relative is selected to be their teacher, but not always.”

“Your mother, just as your father did, received the highest ranking possible at their assessment.."Mage." Neither your grandfather nor your grandmother could take your mother as an apprentice because your grandfather is head of the Council and it's not allowed for his household to have an apprentice. His best friend, your father's adopted father Aaron Crane Sr., took your mother. You see Seth, your father, was four years older than your mother so he had finished his apprenticeship. With that being the case, Mage Crane was free to take and train her.

Lea Wren was also assessed that same year as your mother and, like her parents, she ranked low, "Minion" class I believe. Wren was assigned to her third cousin, the cook at the Crane mansion. Wren had grown large and heavy, but your mother and father went out of their way to include Wren in activities and defend her from the teasing of the others.

Eric, your mother once suffered a broken nose from getting in the way of a grapefruit being thrown at Lea. Your father stepped in and KO-ed the guy that threw it, but because of that Lea fixated on Seth. Wren made him her imaginary lover. So when your parents fell madly in love and announced their coming wedding Wren went crazy.

I don't mean unfriend you on Face Book crazy. I mean Hannibal Lector crazy. On your naming day Wren showed up wearing the Amulet and vaporized you father and put an aging spell on your mother. She then grabbed you and escaped.

Eric, we Wizards live a very long time, I once met a Wizard who met Merlin and King Arthur, but the spell Wren put on your mother aged her 100 years a minute."

Erin then paused to wipe the tears from her eyes with a tissue and take a deep breath.

I watched Erin struggle to regain her composure and then she said, As your mother lay dying in my arms she asked me to promise to find and take care of her daughter. I told her that I promised and she died."

Erin went to the bathroom and I heard her crying and I started crying too. I reached over on the bedside table and took a tissue and started wiping my eyes. Erin came out and saw me. She rushed to my bed and sat there on the edge of the bed and put her arms around me. I wrapped my arms around her neck and we both cried together until both our shoulders were wet from tears. When we both were cried out, but still hugging each other Erin said, "Oh my sweet, sweet Willow, at last I found you."

There in my aunt's loving embrace was the first time in my life's memories that I was called by my birth name and our tears flowed again, but these were happy tears. Then Erin let go of me and I did the same, but she stayed on the bed. She leaned back and took my hand and continued my history where she left off.

“I started immediately looking for you but Wren had constructed a vast tangled web of false trails. You see Willo..ah Eric, oh hell, what do you want me to call you?"

I thought.. My birth name was Willow given to me by parents that loved me and Eric was given to me by some clerk that had to assign a name to John Doe -412 so I said, "Willow."

Erin beamed and continued. “You see Willow, damn that sounds good, when we Wizards are young we leave a trail of magic residue that a close relative can follow, but by the time of the Awakening it stops. Wren hid yours in 1000's of false leads and when she was captured in Costa Rica you were not with her. Even the offer of escaping the death penalty would not get her to tell where you were.

So I searched for you for seventeen long years. I truly believed you were dead. I had made a promise to your mother to look for her daughter and care for her when I found her. I finally discovered the true trail and it led here to Charlotte and stopped. I was sure Wren had brought you here and killed you, but because of the promise, I had to keep looking even when I thought it was hopeless.

I decided to stay here in Charlotte where the trail ended and opened the book shop. We Wizards love books you know."

Erin then took my hand in both of hers and started explaining recent events, "The second day I was here, you showed up on my porch. Willow, when one Wizard sees another for the first time a halo appears over their head. That way we can always spot another Wizard and the size and color of the halo tells us their family line and level of power."

I interrupted, "I saw a blue halo around your head when you greeted me on the porch, but I thought it was a reflection off the stained glass door panel."

Erin laughed and said, "Willow, you're amazing. As strong as that dark spell of Wren's was and even though you haven't reached awakening yet you're still powerful enough to see our family's color and to top that, although it was weak, I saw your blue halo too.

That is why I greeted you as kinsman. When you were confused by the greeting I figured you were from a branch of the family that was so weak they'd long ago fully assimilated with the Non-Magicals. There are cases of this. That's why I invited you in and gave you the job. I thought it would be nice to have family close. It didn't matter how distantly related we were, you were family. I was unsure of you at first, but you proved yourself. Oh yes, that brings me to something else. You made a promise to me, remember?"

I thought back and I remembered and said, "Yes I remember. I promised to work for you after school."

Erin nodded and said, "That's right. You see, with Wizards promises are serious pacts. If we don't keep them, for whatever reason, we will always carry the burden of not keeping our word. That burden, I'm told, is like a deep depression, but I have never experienced it. In addition, the promise has to be carried out to the letter perfectly or it's considered broken. So you will have to stay in school until you graduate
and work with me in the afternoon."

I said, "I love working with you, but my school may be hard. They would not recognize me now."

Erin addressed my concerns, “That's not a problem. I can magically create all the documentation you need to say you are transferring from another school. So that will be easy, but you have to make a decision, Who do you want to be?”

I looked confused and asked, "What do you mean, who do I want to be?"

Erin enlightened me. "I know that being Willow is very different than being Eric and it may be too uncomfortable for you being like you are now. Your uncle Aaron will be back this afternoon and he can transform you into a male version of yourself or any look you want. Aaron isn't your uncle by blood because your father was adopted in his family, but Seth and Aaron Jr. loved each other as strong as I loved your mother."

I looked at Erin and asked, "I think you're just as powerful a Wizard as Aaron, I know this somehow. So why can't you change me?"

Erin looked very sad and didn't want to answer, but she had promised to answer my questions. So still holding my hand very hard, she said, "I'm prevented from doing that spell on you. You see I could remove the curse that Wren put on you with Aaron's help, but I can't change you from being Willow because of the promise I made to your mother."

I thought about what Erin had told me about promises and I thought about what Erin had promised my mother. It dawned on me that Erin had promised to find and care for my mother's "daughter." So if I was anything but my mother's daughter, Erin would be forced to break her promise. I could not live with knowing that I caused Erin such a burden.

I let go of Erin's hand, put my arms around her neck, leaned into her cheek and whispered, "Aunt Erin, I always want to be your niece Willow. I PROMISE."

Erin started crying and I started crying and Erin said, "Niece. I love you so much."

*****

After another session of happy tears ended, I asked how long was I asleep and what day it was? Erin told me I had slept one night and that it was Saturday morning. Then I asked where we were and I learned we were in the living quarters over the book shop. I never knew that the upstairs had such a nice living area. Erin told me there were two bedrooms and two baths so I could have my own room and bath. Later I learned there was a combination kitchen, living area also.

Erin then said, "You seem strong enough if you want to get up and walk around?"

I nodded and Erin pulled back the blanket and I got up and walked around the room. I felt fine except I needed to pee real bad. I said, "Erin, I need to go to the bathroom."

Erin answered, "Sure Willow, it's right there."

Looking at Erin perplexed I said, "I'm not sure how to do it now."

Erin looked at me and giggled, saying, "Oh yeah. You have new plumbing now. Sorry, I wasn't thinking. Don't worry, I'll help you."

I looked at Erin feeling very uncomfortable about her offer and said, "Erin is there any way you can just tell me and let me go by myself?"

Erin grinned real big and said, "I wasn't meaning I was going to potty train you like a baby. I meant I could use magic. I would never, and I would stop anyone else from changing that wonderful personality you have. What I'm offering is just simple knowledge imparting. Just the knowledge about what to do in your new body. Things like hygiene, dressing, walking and all the girl stuff. All things you may choose to do, but it will always be your choice to do it or not. Would that be okay for me to do that for you?"

Standing there with my legs crossed slightly bent over, I said, "Sure, if you can do it in a hurry." Erin touched my forehead and I knew what to do, so I ran to the bathroom.

With my gown pulled up and as I finished emptying my bladder, I reflected that it wasn't all that bad having to sit instead of standing. Then it dawned on me that I will have other new experiences because of my new sex. I thought about periods. Then, and to my surprise, I knew what to do about tampons and pads.

My mind following that course of thinking, I thought, "Periods are probably the worst part of being a girl, but having them is better than missing one." Then it hit me. As Eric-shun, even though I never had a girlfriend, I loved looking at pretty girls. I loved their shapes, their voices and how their butts looked in tight jeans. I questioned myself 'Do I still like girls?' As I took some tissue and patted myself dry I decided to try a test.

I wasn't at all familiar with my new body. It was still a stranger's body to me. So it stood to reason for me that, looking at myself in the mirror, it should have the same effect on me as if I was looking a pretty girl that I didn't know. Then fear crept into my mind about the ramifications to my life that discovery would mean.

I was on the horns of this dilemma. If I still liked girls, although not a bad thing, it could make me a target again for mean hearted people and I was very tired of being a target. If the opposite is true I will want to date boys and they will want.. OH SHIT!

Pushing my fears back, I stood in front of the mirror on the wall behind the vanity and pulled my gown off over my head. I stood there seeing that girl in the mirror with a very pretty face, firm medium sized breasts with light, red quarter sized nipples circled by slightly larger aureola's. My eyes went down and saw a flat stomach with an almond shaped, "innie" belly button. I had a tiny waist and slightly flaring hips.

Down farther I saw a Venus mound and shapely thighs that didn't meet at the top so I saw light shining through there. I then turned and looked at the girl's butt. It was a perfect teardrop shape. Seeing this girl in the mirror naked should have sent Eric running home to lock himself in the bathroom for an hour, but no matter what sexy pose I struck, it was like me seeing other guys in the locker room shower, objectively judging their appearance in comparison.

Then, when the thought of the images of the naked guys in the locker room shower came into my mind, it felt like a surge of warm butterflies formed in the pit of my stomach when I thought of the good looking ones. I spoke out loud in a hushed tone, "Holy fuck! I like guys and now they will like me and want to hook up with me, but that ain't happening."

Not wanting to think about it any more I quickly pulled my gown back on, but when I raised my arms over my head I caught a whiff that solved another lifelong mystery for me. Pretty girls can get body odor too. I needed a shower. I opened the door to find Erin waiting and she asked.

"Did everything go OK?"

I giggled for the first time in my life and said, "It went flowingly, but I need a shower."

Erin said, "Ok, and you will need clothes so we need to go shopping after Aaron gets here. Until then I need to alter some of mine because you are a little more petite than I'm. So you will have something to wear. Would jeans and a top be ok?"

I said, "Yes. That will be great."

Erin asked me my sizes and I looked at her and said, "How would I know?"

She responded, "I gave you the knowledge, not me. Think about it and you will know."

I did think about it and I discovered I did know my sizes so I told Erin, "Size 5 shoes, size 1 panties, 32-B bra, small petite top and size 5 petite jeans."

Erin answered, "Best as I can recall that's the same size your mother was at your age."

Erin then said, "Wait, I have something for you." Erin returned with a silver picture frame in her hand and said, "This is the last picture your parents and I had done together before they died."

I looked at it and saw Erin, looking much like she does now, in a two piece, light blue bathing suit, with a man and a woman on the beach. I studied the man in swim trunks with sandy hair and washboard abs. Then the woman that looked like the "girl" I saw in the mirror, in a dark blue, one piece suit. The only exceptions were she had long hair below her shoulders and a rather large baby bump.

I looked at Erin with a smile, pointing to the woman's baby bump and said, “Look Erin. I'm in the picture too.” We both giggled and hugged.

*****

I showered quickly because the warm water brought thoughts of the guys in the shower room back to my mind again and I started getting that warm butterflies feeling back. Then I saw my nipples get larger and I felt the those warm butterflies pushing up and out, making it a little harder to hold my legs together.

Towel drying my male hair cut hair and the rest of me, I wrapped a dry towel around me and went into new bedroom. I found that the gown I had on had been replaced with a set of clothes. I dropped the towel and slid on the pair of white cotton panties with a little pink bow on the front. Then I picked up the bra and knew just what to do putting it on. I turned it around after hooking it and slid my arms through the straps after adjusting them.

Then I pulled on the jeans, they seemed way too tight, but when I zipped and buttoned them and looked in the mirror, I saw they were no tighter than Erin wears hers. I turned to check the back and I saw I had a great butt in jeans and the funny thing was, I felt proud of it.

Then I put on the light blue cashmere sweater top and slipped on a pair of matching flats. The top was very soft and had a slightly scooped neck so just a tiny bit of cleavage showed. Then I noticed the sleeves hung down little on my hands. I remembered I always thought sleeves like that looked sexy on a girl.

All dressed, I went and looked at myself in the mirror and fussed and fretted, trying to do something with my male haircut. Frustrated, I yelled, " ERIN? PLEASE COME IN HERE!"

Erin came busting through the door and asked, "Willow, what's wrong? What's going on?"

I said, "Look at me! I look like a freak!"

Erin looked and said, "Willow you look beautiful!."

I answered, "How can you say that? Look at my hair. It doesn't go with the rest of me. People will laugh."

Erin smiled. "Your hair is an easy fix. How do you want it to look?"

I thought about it and said, "Like my mothers in that picture. It looked so pretty."

Erin waved her hands over my head and my hair just fell down my back and I had hair below my shoulders. Seeing my new hair in the mirror I calmed down. Then I realized I was at the point of tears over my hair. Perplexed, I looked at Erin and asked, "Erin I know you didn't change my personality and how I think because you said you would never do that and I believe you, but I just got so upset over how my hair looked. I would never have done that before. So what's happening to me?"

Erin looked at me and made signs in the air and looked at me again and said, "Damn! I never saw this coming. Remember the day we first met and we had our long talk?"

I nodded, wondering why that had any importance to what was going on in me.

Erin then explained, "Eric hated everything about his life. So much so that he was going to kill himself, but he didn't jump off the bridge. Because of his caring nature he didn't want to cause the person who killed him the trauma of taking another's life. So the first force at work is you are subconsciously reinventing yourself into someone you like.

Now link that force to your new female brain patterns and hormonal make up. To sum it all up, now you are someone who will get stressed over how her hair looks. So it's not magic. It's psychological, physical and chemical, but it's all you."

Erin then showed me in her bathroom where her brushes and curling irons and hair spray were and I shut the door and went to work.

As finished spraying my hair in place I looked at me and I still wasn't right. Then saw Erin's make up there. I knew that with my complexion all I needed was some blush and lipstick and since it was just a shopping trip, anything more would be a little too much. So I applied what I needed. Then I inspected myself again and thought, "I even look better than that bitch Leigh." I was pleased.

As I was putting Erin's things back where I got them from, I was thinking how much I love My new Aunt. She was the kindest, most caring, giving person I ever knew and that was before we knew I was her niece. Now I get to live here with her, go shopping with her, and even work with her.

Yesterday, when I thought the shop was going to be closed today and I was going to lose a day that I could be with her, I got so depressed. Just one day later I never thought I could be so happy and it was all due to my Aunt. My Aunt, who loved me so much she never gave up looking for me.

As I was thanking whatever forces responsible for the blessings I was now enjoying, I left the bathroom and went in Erin's bedroom. Suddenly there was a loud knock on the door and it opened forcefully. Then I saw a real, honest to god giant in a blue police uniform, holding a gun, come in the room and I started screaming my head off.

The giant put his gun away and put his hands out open in front of him saying, "Calm down Miss. Please, please stop screaming."

At this point Erin rushed in the room and grabbed me and started holding me, saying, "It's alright Willow, calm down, I'm here. It's alright."

I stopped screaming, still scared as hell as Erin led me out of the room past the big blue giant. Just then another Giant in a shirt and a tie with a badge and gun on his belt came out of my room and said, "Ms? Would you take her down stairs and wait?"

Erin, with her arms around me, led me down the stairs and I asked, "You didn't tell me there were giants and why are they dressed like police, and what are they doing here?"

Erin whispered, "Willow, they aren't giants. Actually they aren't as big as you were. Willow, think about it. You are now over a foot shorter and over 200Lbs lighter, but I should have realized this. Since you woke up I was the only person you saw. I guess you really never paid any attention to how you towered over me before, but I'm only 5'3" and you are a little shorter than me."

I thought about it. I knew I was bigger than Erin, but I had so much respect for her she never seemed small to me. Now I live in a world of giants. Other petite women have the same situation and they don't, for most part, let themselves be intimidated. Look at Leigh. She's the T.H.B.I.C. (The Head Bitch In Charge). So if Leigh can deal with the size differential, I know I can. With that thought I felt better and not afraid anymore.

Being calmed down I said, "OK, I got it. I'm small now and they aren't giants, but what are they doing here?"

As we made it behind the counter of the Book Store I saw other cops looking in every room and closet and they even had a dog sniffing.

Erin shouted, "If that dog ruins anything you will pay for it!" So they led the dog outside.

Then a detective (according to his gold badge) came to us and asked, "Ms. Sparrow, who is this?"

Erin answered, "My niece, Willow Crane, she just started living with me."

Then detective turned to me and asked, "Do you know Eric Jones and if you do, when was the last time you saw him, and do you know his whereabouts now?"

I looked at him and said, "Yes I know Eric Jones and the last time I saw him was at the costume store next door looking for a costume for the Renaissance Festival, we all were going there today."

The detective nodded and said, "So you haven't seen him since and you don't know where he is?"

I answered, "That's right. I haven't seen Eric Jones since then and I don't know where that boy went."

The detective nodded and continued his search. I felt Erin pinch my arm and I said, "OUCH! What was that for?"

Erin said, "For almost making me pee my pants trying not to laugh. I got all you said and you told him the absolute truth. So the last time you saw Eric was in the mirror at the costume store. Then you said we all were going without telling him that "we all" meant you and me, because you and me were all that were going. It about ripped it when you said you didn't know where that BOY went. Willow you take a lot after your mother but you get your smartass from me."

Just then the front door opened and I saw a man who had a green halo enter the bookstore. He was dressed very casually, although extremely neatly, in a polo and khakis. He stopped and looked surprised at all the cops roaming around. Erin saw him and ran to him and closely hugged him in a very sensual way. Then Erin talked to him so softly I couldn't hear.

When Erin finished talking to him, he got very red in the face and shouted, "WHO IS IN CHARGE HERE?"

The detective that talked to me came up to the man I saw with the now gone, green halo. He stood very close over him trying to look intimidating over the smaller newcomer and said, “I'm Detective Reese. I'm in charge here and I have a warrant to search this place for a suspect."

The smaller man, not at all intimidated, said, "Let me see the warrant."

The detective handed it to him and he read it and gave it back. Then the smaller man and Erin walked to where I was standing and Erin said, "Willow, this is your Uncle Aaron.

Aaron said, "Willow, you will never know how happy I am to meet you, but I need to take care of this so we can talk more freely after." Aaron pulled out his phone and hit speed dial and said, "Hello Megan? Have Judge Wright call me right now, immediately, at this number.. yes right now. Tell him speed is mandatory.. yes. Thanks Megan, bye."

Aaron then asked me, "The cop that came in on you, did he knock or announce he was a police officer?"

I shook my head and said, "I just finished putting on my make up and came out of Erin's bathroom and he ran in the bedroom pointing his gun at me. I started screaming and Erin came in then."

Aaron's facial expression turned stone cold, but his face color became a bright red and he asked, "Do you see the man that pointed the gun at you, down here?"

I nodded and pointed at the cop that was pulling the bookcases away from the wall to look behind them.

Aaron then yelled, "Hey you! The one destroying that book case! Come over here!"

The cop stood up and looked as the detective came to his side and they both walked to Aaron, flanking him on both sides in an effort to illustrate their physical superiority. Detective Reece said, "You have a PROBLEM?"

Not one least bit daunted Aaron said, "Yes, a major one. This officer entered a closed room where my niece was dressing, without knocking or announcing he was a police officer, with his weapon drawn."

Reece answered, "We have a warrant and if you don't shut up I will order Officer Johnson here to arrest you for obstruction."

Then Aaron pulled out his phone again, hit speed dial, and put the phone on speaker as someone answered, "Hello?"

Aaron responded, "Hello Jim. This is Aaron Crane. I want you to hear something. Detective Reece? Tell me again what you will do if I don't stop complaining about your man here busting in, unannounced, on my teenage niece dressing, with his gun drawn sending her into a screaming panic."

Detective Reece lost his temper and screamed, "I don't care what mutha-fucker you got on the phone. I have a warrant and we are looking for a dangerous suspect. So we will go where we want and hold a gun on anyone we want! She was lucky Officer Johnson didn't spray her to keep her quiet!"

Just then Aaron's phone beeped and Aaron said, "Jim, hold a minute." Then he answered it and said, "Hello Judge. I'm putting you on a speaker conference. I have a question that you need to answer."

Hearing this conversation, the big detective's expression changed from anger to concern.

Aaron then said, “Ok. Now I have you both on conference and speaker. Judge, can you explain why you issued a full search warrant to search Erin Sparrow's, my sister in law's, home and business for a part time employee that she has only known for a week?”

The Judge sputtered and said, "I swear Congressmen Crane, I was
misinformed by the detective who requested the warrant. He told me that Ms. Sparrow was definitely harboring a fugitive. I will rescind the warrant and call the DA to look into perjury proceedings on the detective."

Aaron answered, "That's fine Judge. We will speak more on this at your approval hearings next week. Good bye."

Aaron asked, Are you still there Jim?" and we heard over the speaker, "Yes. Are Detective Reece and Officer Johnson still there?" and Aaron said, "Yes"

The voice on the phone said, "Reece? So it doesn't matter who this mutha-fucker is? Let me see if I can make it matter. This mutha-fucker is Police Commissioner James Flynn, who just had the Chief of Police pulled away from his grandson's baptism to deal personally with you and Officer Johnson! Now you two report back to your station and turn in your guns and shields!”

Aaron, I will have the rest of the officers stay and put everything back in order there and I will have Assistant Chief Debra Collins there to supervise and make sure everything is made right in 10 minutes."

Aaron thanked him and hung up, then Googled Eric Jones and whistled, saying, "Read this."

Erin and I looked at his smart phone and read..

"Eric Jones, a local 17 year old white male, is being sought by police and the FBI across the state for charges of: 1 count of Attempted rape, 6 counts of Assault With a Deadly Weapon, 1 Count of Kidnapping, and 1 count of Attempted Manslaughter.

The Attorney for the family of the teenage girl who Jones is accused of Kidnapping and attempting to rape, stated to this reporter that Jones had a history of sexual offenses at school and that the school was negligent in not reporting them to law enforcement.

Jones' foster parents said, in a phone interview, that Jones had very poor social skills and spent much of his time alone, but stated they had no idea of his trouble at school because the school failed to ever report it to them. Jones' foster household is now under investigation by the Department of Social Services to ascertain if Jones assaulted any of the other children in their care.

Allan Lockerbie, an employee at Costumes and Etcetera Unlimited, reported that he witnessed Jones following the small teenage girl who Jones is accused of abducting and attempting to rape, out of the store.

Shortly before the reported incident. Mr. Lockerbie also said that the girl knew Jones and reported to Mr. Lockerbie that Jones was attempting to shoplift an adult sex toy from the store, which Mr. Lockerbie said he recovered from Jones. Mr. Lockerbie said he could tell that Jones was greatly upset with the girl as he followed her out of the store.

The Assault With a Deadly Weapon and Attempted Manslaughter charges against Jones stem from him attacking the teen girl's friends. The other teens names are withheld due to their ages, but the statement of the boyfriend of the abducted teen girl stated that he and his friends, being very concerned about his girlfriend, searched for her.

He then stated they found her in a secluded alley behind Books, Books, And More Books, where Jones' was employed, and witnessed Jones attempting to rape his girlfriend. When they tried to rescue the teen girl from Jones, the boyfriend and others reported that Jones attacked them with a weighted club decorated with satanic symbols. A club matching that description was found broken at the scene with Jones' finger prints on it.

The injured teens were taken to the hospital with various injuries and most of the teens were treated and released. The assaulted girl's boyfriend received a concussion and was kept overnight for observation. The hospital reports he is in good condition and should be released today.

The DA's office said, once found, they will charge Jones as an adult and will push for maximum sentencing to run consecutively. If found guilty, Jones could be in prison for as long as 75 years. Harold Dill, the candidate challenging the incumbent DA next year stated, "The current DA is too soft on crimes like these against women."

Law Enforcement is asking the public's help in locating Jones, but they state that no one should try to apprehend him, because he is considered very dangerous. Eric Jones is still at large and there is no recent picture of him available. He is white, 6'5", 312Lbs, with short dark brown hair, and blue eyes. If anyone has any information concerning Jones they should call Crime Stopper's. A $15,000.00 reward is offered for information leading to his arrest.

After I finished the article I looked at Erin and Aaron and started to say something, but Erin hushed me and dragged me upstairs with Aaron following. When we were alone upstairs I explained to Aaron what I had already told Erin.

I told him how I got the name Eric-shun. I told how when my gym teacher and the cheerleading coach were questioned about me showing my penis, they both said it was an unintentional accident. The only action taken by the school was to get me bigger gym shorts.

Then I shared what happened at the costume store because I hadn't had the chance to even tell Erin what led up to the beating that Erin stopped. I told how Matt hung the giant condom on my back without me knowing. Then I started tearing up when I shared how everyone laughed at me when Leigh took it off my back and teased me about me trying to shoplift the four foot long condom because it was my size. I explained to them it was
Matt I chased, not Leigh, when he led me into the waiting Varsity Defensive Line ambush. Then finally I told how it was Leigh that broke my staff across my knees and It had my prints on it from me holding it in the store.

Aaron answered, "Those lying little shits and, as the article says, the family has an attorney. Those greedy fucks are probably suing the school system for damages in the millions for negligently not reporting a known predator."

Just then Erin and Aaron raised their hands and in unison said, "Procra Kie-Le Win."

Then a sea green flash appeared and I felt a static electric charge and said, "WHAT WAS THAT?"

Erin rushed to the window and looked out, pointing to a girl who was getting up off the ground. I looked and saw Leigh getting to her feet across the street on the sidewalk.

I said, "That's Leigh."

Erin said, "Oh. Leigh is a Witch."

I answered, "Yeah, spelled with a "B.""

Erin shook her head and said, "No, she is of a Magical of the species called Witches. They are different than us Wizards. Willow, what I can tell you is limited by Wizard Law until your "Awakening," but Witches get their magic from an outside source, not an internal source like Wizards. Just before I was born there was a war between Magical folk. Wizards and their allies on one side and Witches and their allies on the other. There has been an uneasy peace since then with The Joint Council overseeing the peace. And.."

Aaron interrupted and said, "Erin! You've said enough! You can tell her everything legally after her "Awakening" and Assessment which is less than a year away. Willow, for now all you need to know is this Leigh person is a powerful Witch and has it in for you for some reason. Why she hates you so much has me puzzled and I'll try to find out why through my connections, but you don't have to worry. Erin and I can keep you safe until your power awakens. After that, I truly feel you will be able to handle yourself and this Leigh will be severely outclassed.

I asked if it was legal for them to tell me what happened and what that blue green flash was. Erin looked at Aaron and winked and Aaron beamed at me. They told me that I should not have been able to see that until my "Awakening" and that it was a protection spell. They had cast the same spell at the same time and that's why it looked blue green. That was both of their colors mixing.

They casted at the same instant because they saw a dark mist of a locating spell come in the room. When they blocked it, it sent a jolt back to the caster of the spell.

Erin said, "Leigh must really hate you, or is really stupid to cast a spell towards two Mage Class Wizards. Maybe the answer to this is both, but that explains why your attackers were not still there after I levitated you up to your bed before Aaron got here. Leigh woke up faster than I expected from my stun spell. Then, while her friends were still stunned, she changed their memories of what just took place.

Now she knows I'm a Wizard, but not how strong I am. Very strong Witches can take weaker Wizards, but I don't think she knows anything else about you. I think that in a little time she will figure out who you really are, but like your Uncle said, we will keep you safe until you can kick her ass by yourself.

I can tell your uncle is going to be spending the next few hours on the phone trying to put together the puzzle of why Leigh hates you. Let's do the best thing we can do to help. GO SHOPPING!

We Never Break A Promise Part 3

By
Warm Hearted
Proofed and Edited by Catherine Linda Michel

Synopsis: Eric Jones was an orphan that grew up friendless, abused, humiliated and unloved in the foster system . In this Third Chapter the former Eric Jones, the present Willow Crane, starts making her new life her own. Under Aunt Erin's care, Willow is exposed to totally new experiences that her new life offers. As Willow's self perspective changes, she starts seeing the vast difference between her old life and new. In this third chapter we also discover why Leigh and her Familiar
Spirit Snowball, are so driven to humiliate Willow and eventually causing her to die friendless and alone.

(THANKS TO ALL THE KIND REVIEWERS AND EDITORS. it's a fact, without your help this third chapter would have never been written. So I dedicate it totally all of you.)

I looked at Erin who seemed overjoyed to go shopping, but to me shopping was actually very painful. I always feared someone from school would see my foster parents handing me stuff off the "Big Men's" rack at the Good Will Store to try on.

Aaron said, "Oh Ye Gods, Shopping! Erin, I'm sure your plan is to infect our new niece here with a chronic case of it. I guess I can make the calls I need to make from the Mall. So I'll take you to watch, I must get some morose pleasure out of watching you create a ravenous clothes and accessories beast out of an innocent girl, but it'll only be proper that I pay for this perverted pleasure."

Saying that, Aaron pulled out
his wallet and pulled out a black card that had American Express on the top. Then he said, "There should'nt be a problem in you using it, but if there is I will call and while you're shopping I'll call my PA and have her order your own card."

Then, as what Aaron had just said sank in, my damn waterworks started again. Crying, I hugged Aaron and said, "I never had a credit card before and I promise not to spend too much or abuse it."

Erin took my hands and said, "Willow, I know from the long conversations we had before you changed, that you lived a very deprived life. But all that has changed now. You have a huge inheritance, that'll soon be in your name and our family is very well off. So you now can afford anything you would like to have."

I looked at Erin and Aaron and said, "I already have the biggest thing I ever wished for, A LOVING FAMILY." I hugged them both and Erin started crying and Aaron hugged us both hard.

As if on queue, Erin's phone rang and she answered it. "Hello,.. Dad! Have you heard we found Willow? Yes, Yes, Wren's spell had hidden her as a male orphan. She's great and we're going shopping. Of course Dad! Here Willow, talk to your Grandfather."

I took the phone and talked to my Grandfather. He told me how happy he was that I was found and that he and my Grandmother would catch the next flight out to meet me. He said he would see me very soon, told me he LOVED me and hung up.

Erin said, "Dad isn't a great phone talker, he thinks telegrams are cutting edge technology."

I shared with them that my "GRANDFATHER" and my "GRANDMOTHER" were flying here on the next available flight. I commented that I thought Wizards would just teleport, but they are coming by plane. I looked at both Erin and Aaron as they looked at me in shock. Their mouths opened and they said in unison, "They're Catching A Plane?!!"

I nodded and Erin said, “Willow, you have no idea how big this is! This is the first time either of them have been willing to get on a plane, and no Willow, Wizards don't teleport. We most times travel in the regular ways, but your grandparents have always said, that nothing would ever get them on a plane. They prefer a horse drawn carriages, but they'll ride in a car though. My niece, it may be eleven months until your "Awakening," but believe me, you just preformed a miracle."

Erin hurried us out the door and we got in Aaron's Lexis. I had never ridden in a Lexis before. Sitting there in the back seat was a totally new experience, but it was strange what I noticed the most was the smell, or the lack of it rather. It just smelled like leather. There was no smell of cigarettes, old food, or car fluids. It was clean, new and not the least bit cluttered, but the previous norm of ever present car stench was absent.

Erin said, "South Park Mall if you please, my good man."

Aaron answered jokingly, "Yes Milady."

As the Lexis pulled away from the curb, the happy trio it contained didn't notice the perfectly restored, Candy Apple Red, "62" Mustang Convertible parked across the street with the black top up. In the classic car, Leigh Wright strained to see through the tinted windows of the accelerating Lexis as it sped off.

Leigh said, “All I can see is those two damn Wizards in the front seat and some girl in the back. Snowball, do you think it's safe for me to use a locating spell on the house now?”

Snowball, a Long Haired, white domestic house cat said, “I don't know. It depends on if they put warrens up. I don't think they did though because warrens take some time and effort, even for two Mage class Wizards like those two."

Leigh was very hesitant in casting the spell because she had never felt a searing pain like she did when those two Wizards blocked her last attempt to check the house for Eric. Leigh drew energy from her Familiar, the white cat in the seat next to her. She then formed the transformed drawn energy into a seeking spell and channeled it towards the bookstore.

Leigh saw the black mist flow from her hands and flow into the bookstore. A bicyclist rode by through the mist, which is invisible to all Non-Magical folk. In the bookstore the black mist flowed into every space of the bookstore and residence seeking Eric Jones, then returned to Leigh.

Leigh shook her head and said, "He isn't there and that was the only place that he could have been hiding. I've had my vassals watching this place since that Wizard bitch floated that fat ass of his in the back door."

Snowball hissed, arched her back and said, "We better find him, because I don't want to spend the rest of eternity being fed on by some power sucking demon and you have a lot to lose too! I promise you, before that Demon locks me in his vault I will take back everything I gave you. You know the deal as well as I do and you know we only have till Eric is 18, or the deal will be broken. Now take me home and feed me."

Leigh nodded and thought about the deal Snowball and she had made as she drove home.

Two weeks before Leigh was born, some crazy, fucked up Wizard negotiated the deal with a Demon. That whacked out Wizard provided that Demon some service as advance payment before she died shortly after. So that Demon, in fulfilling the contract, struck a deal with Snowball, (Demons love making deals and never break them.) to carry out a very defined vendetta
against an orphaned infant.

Leigh continued pondering the events that led to what she presently faced. Snowball, a 12th Level Familiar, which is the highest level of Familiar Spirit was offered the hunting territory of Dubai, which in some way this Demon had acquired, if she agreed to carry out this vendetta. Snowball took the bargain and went about finding an unborn Witch in the right location and position to help carry out the deal and bonded to Leigh.

Leigh remembered when she learned all this, back at her "Induction" into her coven when she was 12.

Young Witches learn about themselves and the nature of their world at "The Induction. Witches themselves are very weak Magicals, and their powers mainly consist of the ability to control weak willed, self-centered, and shallow Non-Magicals.

Witches can manipulate their "Vassals" into thinking the Witch's friendship is the only thing that makes them special to the point that the fear of losing the Witch's friendship could be so terrible, the Vassals will do terrible things to win the Witch's approval. Witches can also make Vassals forget or remember things differently.

The source of the Witches real power is their Familiar Spirits. These Familiars have to feed regularly off their Witch to stay in this world. The purpose of the Familiars wanting to stay in this existence is to hunt and devour perverted human souls which will increase their magical strength and they have assigned hunting territories. In return for the ability to remain here and hunt, the Familiar gives it's Witch magical powers.

There are strong and weak Familiars and every Witch's success in life depends on the strength of their Familiar, but the Familiars choose their Witch prenatally and wait in their spiritual realm for 12 years. From that realm, the Familiar watches and has some ability in guiding the events in the child's life, until the child reaches 12 years of age.

The symbiotic relationship in this world will start at the Witch's "Induction". At the Induction the "Inductee" sees her Familiar for the first time and the Familiar will physically manifest itself as any small animal and it will be this animal during it's life with the Witch.

During the Induction Ceremony the Witch and Familiar will communicate by telepathy and come to an agreement. The Familiar will tell the Witch it's price for it's loyalty and the Witch then can accept or refuse. (Familiars and Witches both are very greedy by nature and 12th Level Familiars are rarely refused.)

Leigh arrived home and she and snowball went to her room. Leigh turned on the local news to see what they were saying about Eric and if they had caught him. She sat on the foot of her bed and Snowball jumped in her lap. As Leigh watched the news Snowball started licking a small freckle on Leigh's bicep. The freckle grew and fattened until it magically transformed into a perfect female nipple which the cat started nursing from.

After Snowball finished, the nipple became a freckle again and the cat sat in Leigh's lap, cleaning herself. Leigh jumped to her feet and said, "I can't believe that's all they said about Eric and how the hunt was going? It was less than a 10 second report!"

Snowball, landing on her feet said, "Another plan failed like the other two. I'm starting to believe there is more to Eric Jones than we know. Isn't one of your Vassal's father the owner of the station? Just get her father to make it a bigger story."

Leigh shook her head and answered, "No. Joy is on my squad and is a spoiled brat, but she's too strong willed for me to control.

Snowballed committed, "You need to do something, if you want this third scheme of yours, to not fail like the first two."

Leigh was silent, thinking about her first two failed plans and what she needed to do to make this third one work. The first plan, she surmised, just depended too much on Eric. Leigh had her mothers help on that one. Her mother told Leigh that the boy she had to take care of, had put in an application at one of the Walmarts she was Regional HR Director of.

Leigh's parents knew the pact Leigh had with Snowball and were fully invested in helping Leigh in carrying it out. Leigh's parents investment didn't come from love, or the pride in seeing successes for their daughter. Their involvement came from greed and insuring that their future benefits would continue to come, just as they have since Snowball became part of their "family".

Mr. Wright, before Snowball's involvement, was just a backstabbing, lying, self-serving Para-Legal for The Department of Social Services. Now 'Judge' Wright is a backstabbing, lying, self-centered District Court Judge and if he passes his Congressional Approval Hearing, he will move up to Superior Court Judge.

Mrs. Wright, before Snowball's arrival, was a Witch so unimpressive that she bore the shame of not having any Familiar willing to take her. She had a job as a marginally unimpressive, and bitchy assistant department manager of the Pet Department at one of the local Walmarts. Now she is the bitchy Regional HR Director on the move up to HR VP, taking full use of the hard work of others, with Snowball's help, to cover her unimpressive job performance.

Both of Leigh's parents had flagged Eric Jones' name, so if it came up in their circles of influence they could assist their daughter in Eric's demises. So when Eric applied at Walmart, Mrs. Wright told that particular store manager she would handle Eric's interview and took over the manager's office. Then Mrs. Wright and Leigh worked out the act they performed for Eric.

Leigh was sure that her mother and she had pushed all of Eric's right buttons to cause him to commit suicide. So when she passed him just standing, looking down at the traffic off the top of the I-77 overpass, she was sure it was a done deal. Leigh was very surprised when Eric showed up for school that Monday. Not only was he still alive, he seemed happier than she'd ever seen him.

Leigh sent her Vassals to find out why Eric seemed so happy. They discovered that he was working at some bookstore that was getting ready to open. Leigh then decided to take more direct action. She was going to lure Eric to some place private and have her Vassals beat him to death, then plant drugs on him and a gang bandanna. Then her farther could pressure the DA to not waste any time or resources, on what was obviously a gang dispute over drugs.

Unfortunately, when they were just about finished with Eric Jones, that damn Wizard showed up and stunned them all. Leigh thought how Snowball woke her up and they got her Vassals out of there. Then, in a stroke of genius, Leigh came up with the kidnapping and attempted rape story. Leigh had her father call the DA and tell him that if Eric Jones wasn't charged with everything he could think of and charged as an adult, that the DA would never win another case that the DA office brought him. The Judge then, in great theatrics, started crying and said to the DA "He tried to hurt my little girl!" that clinched it.

The DA's office ordered a full manhunt for Accused Kidnapper, sexual criminal, and attempted murderer, Eric Jones. Leigh, planned that, once Eric was arrested, she would have him raped and beaten regularly until he either committed suicide or was killed for fighting back.

Leigh was however very upset that the news wasn't making it a much bigger story. As she pondered the situation, she came up with devilishly brilliant idea. She explained her plan to Snowball, who purred and rubbed up against her legs. Leigh picked up her phone and started calling.

Leigh blocked her number and called Joy, sounding just like Joy's boyfriend Ben, and said, "Hi babe. I just picked up the cooler that James is borrowing from the coach for his party tonight and now my car won't start. Could you come and get me?"

Joy answered, "Sure. You were going to come my house after the party anyway, since parents are gone so it will be better if your car isn't seen in the drive overnight. Where will you be when I get there?"

Leigh, sounding like Ben, said, "I will be in the concession stand filling the cooler with ice"

Joy said, "OK. I'll come in and get you when I make it there.

Then Leigh called her Vassal James and in her normal voice she said, "James, no questions. Meet me at the concession stand at the school." and hung up.

Then a few minutes later Leigh was waiting in the darkend concession area. She was careful that the area she was in didn't have security cameras. In this older part of the stadium the nearest cameras were on the field entrance and others on the field. She saw Joy walk into the concession area and immediately froze her in place.

In a few minutes, 6'1" James came in and asked, "What is going on?" and Leigh froze him also. Leigh then placed her hand on both of their foreheads and channeled Joy's and James' souls into each others bodies. Then Leigh transformed herself into the image of Eric Jones, right down to the old clothes he always wore. The new Eric found a kitchen knife in the utensil drawer of the concession stand.

Then Leigh partially unfroze Joy, who was now in James' body, and with Eric's strength, easily dragged him out onto the field in plain view of the cameras. The new Eric turned the new James to face the nearest camera and slit his throat, holding him up until he bled out, so the camera could catch every graphic detail.

The new Eric walked back out of sight of the cameras and changed back into Leigh. Then she unfroze James, now the new Joy. The new Joy looking down at herself asked, "What did you do to me?"

Leigh answered, "You still want to be my friend don't you?" The new Joy nodded. Leigh asked, "You like making me happy, don't you?" The new Joy nodded again. Then Leigh said, "Well, to make me happy I want you to pretend you are Joy and act like her in every way. I gave you help "JOY" so you have access to all her memories now. I picked you specially to do this for me because I like you so much.

You see, Joy's father's TV station isn't doing enough to find Eric Jones. So I want you to pretend to be Joy and act too scared to go out of the house until the police find Eric. I need you to act just like Joy so only you and me will know you are really James. Joy, Can you do this for me?"

Joy nodded and Leigh hugged her and both the girls left. Leigh drove home to tell Snowball of her progress and James, trying her best to act like Joy, drove to meet Ben at Joy's house.

Leigh driving home, smiled as she thought of how surprised James will be when she discovers how much "Joy's" body enjoys being fucked long and hard by Ben. Then her face grew darker and she said out loud, "Damn it, where is Eric?" not knowing she'd seen "Eric" 6 hours earlier, riding in the back seat of a Lexis to South Park Mall.

On her way to the South Park Mall, Willow didn't notice the Classic Mustang pull away from the curb, being deep in thought thinking about her new aunt and uncle.

Willow.
I had been noticing that there is always a very sensual undertone in most of Erin and Aaron's conversations. I learned in an earlier conversation that Erin, like my mother, was Apprenticed to Mage Crane, Aarons natural father. I wondered then what had happened to my father's parents and what instigated Aaron's family to adopt him.

I thought then about what Erin said, that Wizards live a very long time. So how old are my surviving grandparents, since they are more comfortable in carriages than cars? I assumed it must be like my favorite vampire movie "Interview With A Vampire." Where they live so long they find it hard to deal with the modern world.

It dawned on me then that I was getting a little more at home in my new body. This revelation happened when they went over a section of poorly repaired road, that bounced even this smooth riding car. I noticed her breasts bouncing in my bra. At first I noticed them every time I moved. But for the past couple hours I had forgotten about them.

I pondered what Erin told me after the hair meltdown I had. I thought about why I wanted to kill myself before I met Erin and went to work for her at the bookstore. I concluded that Erin was right. The reason for my self hatred was, I subconsciously knew that it was impossible for me to ever be the person I was meant to be.

This self hate made me unsure of myself so I became shy and reclusive. Then blend that in with the stigma of being a foster, my bulky size, my clumsy awkwardness, and my old victim's personality. No wonder I caught hell at high school. I could have wore a sandwich board sign that said "ABUSE ME PLEASE" and not been treated any differently.

Not wanting to linger on my past pain, I started thinking about the new me and, on that ride to the mall I discovered a lot. First of all, I never want to hurt someone like I was hurt. Most "average" people have no idea what torture someone suffers from what is considered "normal" teenage hazing.

The next discovery I made about myself was I wanted to look and act the best I'm able to do. My initial reaction to this was the worry that I was turning into one of those self centered people I hate, but then real reason I felt this way surfaced. Before Willow as Eric, I knew I was blessed with a good mind and, just as I did with my second hand clothes I had to wear, I worked hard to make the best of it. I studied, read, washed, and ironed, making the best of what I had to work with, but now I have a hell of a lot more to work with.

The fact that this was the first time I was going to be able to have new clothes was no small matter. My trips to the Good Will Store with my foster parents, were comprised of me standing there as they handed me things to try on. The only consideration they had about what I got was price and was the size close enough for me to wear them. My former wardrobe mainly consisted of outdated jeans and tee shirts screen
printed with some stupid saying or business logo. I remember how I just about froze last winter because I wouldn't wear the coat they got me. That coat's back was embossed with the business name, "Long's Sausage" in big red letters.

I got real excited as we pulled into the entrance of South Park Mall. I have lived in Charlotte my whole life and this is my first time seeing it. South Park Mall is a very upscale shopping fantasy land. I have heard people at school talking about coming here, but as I had said, my shopping haunts were limited to primarily Good Will or, on occasion, Walmart, Big
Lots, and Family Dollar.

We pulled into an area designated "Valet Parking" and we exited the car. Aaron gave the attendant a key and got a receipt. Aaron asked, "I'm hungry. Could you girls eat?"

I realized then that all I'd had was the cup of healing tea that Erin gave me this morning and we both agreed with Aaron it was time to eat. We entered the mall and went into a restaurant call Arthur's. They had signs talking about their famous burgers and I thought a burger would be good.

The waitress handed me a menu and I got sticker shock! I thought, "14.99 for just a burger, no drink or fries, just the burger?" You have to understand. My past extent of dining out was food that came in Styrofoam boxes and paper cups where five bucks would get you a combo meal and a fried apple pie. I thought I was hungry enough to eat their double meat, loaded cheeseburger, fries and an ice cream sundae, but I just ordered the small burger and water feeling guilty even to get that because it was still was over eight dollars.

We talked while we waited for our food and I discovered that Aaron was a state congressman and spent most his time in Raleigh, NC. My grandparents once made their home in Wilmington, NC, but had moved to South Beach, FL. Erin, I discovered, had a house there too, but moved here in searching for me. Erin and Aaron were certain that my grandfather, Ged, would take me back to live with him but Erin assured me that she would join us once she closed the bookstore.

I felt a rush of depression and busted out "NO!" Aaron and Erin were taken aback by my reaction, but Erin then got a look of understanding and then shock.

Erin then said, "OH NO! Your promise! Aaron, before I knew who Willow was I asked her to promise to work for me at the bookstore after school and Saturdays till she graduated."

Aaron responded "OH SHIT! GED AND ELANE WILL BE SOOOOO PISSED! You both will have to stay here and keep working at the bookstore. I wondered why Willow was helping the cops put the books back. Now it makes sense. This is Saturday and you worked at the bookstore. Damn, I just thought of something else. Willow, what school were you thinking of when you made that promise?"

I answered, "My high school, why?"

Erin hit her head and said, "I'm so screwed. Dad's going to kill me. Not only can't he take Willow with him, but his Granddaughter is going to have to go to a public school where there is a powerful Witch out to get her."

Aaron consoled her, Erin, you had no idea and if you didn't hire Eric you would not have found Willow. I'll help explain it to the Grand Mage. I'll pay the check and we'll do what we came for, the corruption of a good girl via the method of sacrificing money to the gods of retail."

Aaron's taking charge and his humor seemed to calm Erin. As I got up I noticed that I was very full from just a small burger. I guess I eat less now. Erin and I both needed to go to the restroom so, like "Girls" do, we went as a pair. While I was in my stall peeing, I farted. It wasn't a little toot, it was a full flatulant eruption. I was sure Erin heard me so I wiped and redressed, exiting the stall fully embarrassed. I saw in the mirror I was blushing brightly.

Erin saw I was upset and she laughed and said, “Willow girls fart too believe it or not.”

She laughed again, then gave me her lipstick to reapply after eating and told me one of the first things I needed to get is a purse. I reapplied my lipstick and looked at the color, since it was Erin's and it was good for me. I then thought, "It makes sense, but I never thought about pretty girls farting."

The first place we stopped was at the Apple Store, and Erin made me get the newest and best iphone they had. I just about cried again when I shared with them that it was my first phone.

Erin stopped me short, saying, "If we have to stop and cry every time we buy something we'll never get done. So just know, Aaron and I love you."

Aaron added in, "You are only our niece and it would embarrass us if you were seen with anything, but the best."

With that I pushed back the tears and became really happy that I was Willow now. Erin gave me the numbers off the phone and sent me to a store that sold phone cases, while she went to the AT&T store to get me added to her plan and activate my phone.

I was a little nervous since this was the first time I was alone in public since being "Eric," but I pushed on. I stopped at the big mall directory board looking for the phone case store, not knowing what it was named, so I had to read the descriptions of the stores. While there, I saw boys and young men pass by me then slow down. I quickly looked over my shoulder and noticed they were checking out my butt. I was upset for an instant, but then I became sort of proud and thought "Eat your hearts out.".

Then I found the store named "Cellaris" and I was right at it so I went in. As I walked into the store I saw two clerks helping other customers and one walking toward me. I didn't recognize her at first because she was taller than me and I'd never seen her from this angle or perspective. It was Kinzey, one of Leigh's friends, she had been there last night at my beating.

I looked at her as she asked if she could help. I used to think she was pretty, but now I saw she had a poor complexion, too much make-up for work, and her hips were a little too big. I told her I needed a few cases and some accessories for the iphone I just bought and I gave her the model number.

She took me to the girly cases first and pointed at the top shelf and said, "These are our best cases, but we have cheaper ones."

There was no way I was going to tell Kinzey I wanted to look at "cheaper" anything.

I looked at the cases, not looking at the prices, and picked 6 of the prettiest ones they had. Not too blingy but still very stylish. I really liked a blue one with a silver bird design on it. Then I had Kinzey show me the accessories and I picked out the best headphones for music, bluetooth for hands free talking and a sterling silver stylus.

Getting every thing I could think of, I looked at Kinzey, whose mouth was hanging open over all I was buying, and I told her I was ready to check out. We went to the register and I handed Kinzey the black American Express card. I then learned that that was a very special card because when Kinzey saw it she just about soiled herself.

As Kinzey was ringing up and bagging my purchases she started talking to me in a very friendly manner.

Handing me my bags Kinzey said, "I don't remember you coming in before."

I answered in a polite, but impartial manner, "No I've never been in here before, I'm new." Well it's a new me so that wasn't a lie. Kinzey then gushed, "Oh you're new in town, so where are you going to school?"

I said, "My Aunt will enroll me in Mariposa Park, Monday."

Kinzey almost squealed, "That is where I go! I would love showing you around and introducing you to people, if you want?"

I thought, 'That's right Kinzey, you never can have too many rich friends,' but I said, "Oh that would be so nice of you, but my Aunt is waiting for me. I have to go."

Kinzey chirped, "Have fun and see you Monday... oh, I'm Kinzey Morris."

As I was leaving I answered "Nice to meet you. I'm Willow Crane.”

I just then had learned something else new about girls. They have a pecking order like boys, but they have different reasons for status. Willow, I believe, will be near the top of the food chain and I got pleasure from that thought.

I found Erin where she said she would be and it was a blur after that for 4 hours, going from store to store. Poor Aaron was playing pack mule, making regular trips to the car carrying packages, but talking on his blue tooth all the time. He was trying to find out all he could about Leigh and why she wants to hurt me so bad.

Aaron then said, "We have to get going girls. The Grand Mage is sending a limo for us in two hours for Dinner, so we all need to get dressed."

From the Editor. Sorry folks. I forgot that I was supposed to post another chapter today. Here it is.

We Never Break A Promise Part 4
By Warm Hearted
Proofed and Edited by Catherine Linda Michel

Synopsis: The chronicle of Eric Jones; Eric was an orphan who grew up friendless, abused, humiliated and unloved in the foster system. Then he was magically healed from a deadly and undeserved beating. Now Eric is restored to her true self, a petite beautiful young woman named Willow. This is the fourth chapter; Willow meets her Grandparents and is assigned a snarky Fairy bodyguard with a twisted sense of humor. In addition Willow has to hide her old identity from Eric's Witch nemesis Leigh, and Leigh has decided that she wants Willow as a friend.

If all this wasn't enough, Willow's fairy bodyguard thinks it's great fun to do things that constantly affirm to Willow that she is now a very heterosexual, young, healthy woman. (Thanks for all the kind reviews and help. As Always thanks Zapper and Paula. I'm most grateful for your automotive expertise.

Sitting in the back seat of Aaron's Lexus Willow watched how her surroundings changed. She saw The Dilworth area with its newer, small, strip malls and its older houses that were repurposed into boutiques and businesses. She then saw an instant change from eclectic shopping to restored elegant homes, with one left turn from East Ave. to Queen's Bld

As if to remind her of the other changes, Willow felt an unusual movement by her ear. She absently mindedly checked it, then realized it was just her Star Sapphire earring moving in her magically pierced ear. Willow thought, 'I can't believe how expensive these earrings and necklace were at Tiffany's, but Aaron didn't seem to care at all when I said they were too much. He just smiled and nodded and complimented Erin's and my taste.'

Then from the front seat Erin said, "I'm not looking forward to telling Dad that Willow promised me to stay and work for me at the bookstore and go to her old school."

Aaron patted her leg and answered, "If anyone knows a promise is a promise, your dad does and the chances are, if you didn't hire Eric, we never would have found Willow."

Willow nodded and thought, 'If I didn't meet Erin and accept her offer to promise to work after school and on Saturdays until I graduated from high school, I wouldn't be Willow now. I hated my life as Eric Jones and I'm so glad he is gone. Eric had no one, but I have a loving aunt and an uncle that really seem to care for me and I'm on my way to meet my grandparents.'

Seeing her hands in her lap Willow couldn't help touching the Vera Wang, Sapphire Blue Cocktail Dress. She'd never had clothes like this! Then she once more examined her delicate fingers. Erin had done a magic manicure. Her nails were not too long, naturally shiny on the top and painted white on the tips in a French style. Catching her reflection in the car window, Willow thought, 'I'm so overdressed! This is just a dinner at my grandparents' hotel.' But Erin and Aaron had both said that I was properly attired and they are as well dressed as I am, I mused, continuing to look out the window. Erin had said that for dinner Dad expects it no matter who or where it is.

Willow, thinking back to her image in the full length mirror, 'I look like one of those women going to the Oscars or something like that. My Hair up in a tight bun, 4" heels, natural hose, and meticulously applied my make-up for a formal event. I'm very lucky that Erin could magically give me the skills to do all this or she would had to dress me like a child, and it would had been a joke for me to try to walk in these heels without magic.' Then Willow suppressed a giggle because she knew that walking in heels made her butt sway a lot and this dress showed it off.

Willow thought about how guys were checking her butt out at the Mall, when they thought she wasn't noticing them. At first it upset her a little, but she had the same feeling that she had when she as Eric, scored well on a test. Yes, it was pride. Not the bragging, "it sucks to be you," kind of pride, but the pride that self respect and liking oneself comes from, the kind pride that circumstances always, seemed to crush out of Eric.

Willow thought, 'Eric, it wasn't your fault but it would been better if you were never born but really, Eric you were never born, Willow was the one that had a birth. Eric you were just constructed out of a mad woman's hatred. Made from ugly unwanted parts magically sewn together, like some Wizardly Frankenstein Monster. Well I'm no longer the beast, I'm the beauty and I'm HAPPY about it.'

When Willow's thoughts returned to the present she noticed they'd arrived at the hotel where her grandparents were staying, the Ritz Carlton. Willow knew instinctively, due to Erin's spell, to wait for the Valet to open her door and she exited the car, holding the valet's hand like a princess. The sign lavishly proclaimed they had arrived at the Ritz Carlton.

Willow thought, as the elevator doors opened, that there was only a little room with four numbered doors on this floor. She watched nervously as Aaron pushed the doorbell. The door was opened by a tall fiftyish man in a tux. Willow reflected, this guy looks like someone off of Downton Abby and he's taller than anyone I've seen so far, from my new perspective. He's probably bigger than I was, but he has muscles instead of fat.

The man greeted Aaron and Erin, "Good evening Mr. Crane and Miss Sparrow."

Willow watched as the tall man bowed as Erin and Aaron responded, "Good Evening Crow."

Willow thought, "He may look like Downton Abby but he sounds like Goodfellas. I guess he's the BUTLER. Wow!"

Willow followed them in and Erin said, "Crow, this is our niece, Willow Crane."

Mr. Crow bowed at the waist and said, "Good Evening Miss Willow. Might I be so bold as to say, it will be a pleasure finally serving you, Miss. The Mistress awaits you in the Drawing Room and His Excellency, the Grand Mage is presently in conference, but will join you shortly. Dinner will be served in thirty minutes, may I bring you something before?"

Aaron answered, "No thank you Crow."

But Erin jumped in, "Yes Crow. A single malt... make it a double."

Aaron looked at Erin and said, "I never knew you to drink before dinner and never a double Scotch."

"I never had to tell Dad this kind of news before."

Willow walked behind as Crow led them through the door in to a large living room. Willow saw a woman standing there with a blue halo that looked like an older version of a mixture of Erin and her. Willow was taken by surprise and the stately older woman ran to her, locking her in a death grip like hug.

Holding Willow as hard as she could, Fiona Sparrow burst into tears sobbing, "MY WILLOW! MY WILLOW! I THOUGHT YOU WERE FOREVER LOST TO ME!"

Willow, with her face buried on her grandmother's shoulder, felt the tidal wave of love, peace, happiness and relief hit her at once and she recoiled with the joyfully tearful mantra "GRANDMOTHER! GRANDMOTHER! GRANDMOTHER!" and with all this going on, she still could hear Erin's distinctive sob.

While basking in the love of Fiona's embrace, Willow felt another body join in squeezing her. Then Willow heard for the first time His Excellency The Grand Mage Ged's voice sounding like a caricature of a southern politician saying, "Willow, together with us at last."

When all the tears stopped and each released the other, Willow saw a stout older man who wasn't very tall with a blue halo over his head. Crow was standing patiently and, after a proper wait Crow said, "With the Grand Mage's approval, Dinner is served."

Willow looked at Fiona and Erin's ruined makeup and knew hers fared no better said, "May I fix my makeup first?"

Fiona laughed and said, "I don't think Ged will throw us in prison if I fix it."

Fiona waved her hands in the air and Willow could see Fiona and Erin's appearances repair themselves to the point they were before the emotion deluge and she assumed hers did likewise. Then Willow was escorted to the dining room of the penthouse by both her grandparents. looking out the huge window she saw the lights of Charlotte, the only reminders that she wasn't in some huge mansion some where. She allowed her grandfather to seat her like a 'real lady' and she thought of this as he
slid her chair into the table.

Willow looked down and in panic thought, 'Erin's spell gave me knowledge of how to act like a girl, but not what to do with all these spoons and forks!' Then she noticed that Fiona had caught onto her panic and nonchalantly brushed her hand. Instantly proper dining decorum became very simple. As she picked up the right spoon as the soup was served Willow saw Erin toss back her whole double scotch in one gulp.

Spiritually fortified Erin blurted out, "Dad? Willow and I have to stay here in Charlotte and run my bookstore until she graduates from the high school she attended before we found her!"

The way Erin looked, Willow almost expected Erin to duck under the table at that point. Her Grandfather's face took on the visage of a very perturbed Grand Mage. Ged then very slowly asked, "Why would such nonsense take place?"

Erin explained how she first met Willow as Eric and about only seeing the blue halo. She went on about how she had this unknown kinsmen make a promise to ensure that he was truly invested in carrying out his part of the job she offered him. Then she told her father how she interrupted the beating Eric was receiving and how only when trying to save Eric's life,
did she discover Eric was truly Willow, disguised by Wren.

Ged and Fiona intently listened to the story and at the part of the beating, Fiona started sobbing into her napkin and actual blue fire appeared to Willow in her Grandfathers eyes and she let out a small gasp of surprise. Ged, seeing that Willow was looking at him when he gasped said, "Granddaughter. You know you never have anything to fear from me, so what caused you to react in fear?"

Willow told Ged she wasn't afraid, but she was shocked to see blue flame where his eyes should be. At Willow's explanation Fiona stopped sobbing, Ged sat back in his chair and Aaron said, "That's right. Willow has some sight... she sees family halos too."

Ged, forgetting his anger because of the surprise of hearing of Willow's ability said, "The last known Wizard that had pre-Awakening sight was the Grand Arch Mage Patrick, over 1500 years ago!"

Fiona, with her makeup magically repaired again, said, "Willow's parents were two gifted Mage Class Wizards and she was born at the exact Equinox."

The room fell silent until Ged spoke and told Erin to finish her recounting of events.

Erin then took up where she left off, telling him how she called Aaron and how they, together, broke Wren's spell and how quickly Willow recovered which, in itself, was amazing. Then Erin told how they saw a Witch casting a locating spell to find "Eric" and that they repelled it.

Then Willow sensing how she could brighten the mood started talking about her wonderful shopping adventures and it worked. Willow told of the things she bought and how she could not remember all the shops she went to and all that she bought on Aaron's card.

They all laughed and Ged informed her that Aaron got his approval, but she would have her own card by Monday. Willow jumped up and hugged her grandfather's neck like any teen girl would do at such news. In a much brighter mood they finished dinner.

After dinner they talked and told old family stories while Willow sat and hung on every word. She loved hearing about "family". At sometime during the evening Ged hugged Erin and said, "My dear daughter, you did nothing wrong. To the contrary, if not for that promise we would not have Willow with us now, but we must take extreme steps to keep Willow safe as
you and she fulfill the promise."

Willow was getting very sleepy and noticed the time "1:38am". She wanted to stay and continue to hear Ged, Fiona, Erin and Aaron tell their stories of family history and humorous accounts about her parents' lives, so when Aaron got up from his chair and said he needed to get up in a few hours, to take care of a task the Grand Mage had assigned him, Willow was disappointed.

Ged said, Yes and we all really need to go to bed. Tomorrow is another day. Erin, your bedroom is prepared and Willow? Maggie, our ladies maid, retrieved from the bookstore some of your things and they're in the room to the left of Erin's. Sleep well daughter and granddaughter. Under command of the Grand Mage the group all hugged each other good night and went to
bed.

Sunday flew by for Willow with her grandparents and aunt, and she learned a lot.

She learned tons of family history, like her family had been in America since the starting of Jamestown, but even more intriguing than her families' history was information about the magical race she belonged to.

First of all Willow learned that Wizard Law strictly restricted how much she could be told about magic before her "Awakening." The reason for this was simple. If a Wizard child learned of too much before their Awakening and their level turned out to be too weak to do something they dreamed of doing, they could spend their life regretting their inabilities instead of enjoying their abilities. Like a 5'6" guy regretting never making it to the NBA or, more vivid to Willow, the Wrens greed for more power.

So Willow understood that until her Awakening she wouldn't be told much about magic. Fiona did tell Willow that there were limits on the Wizard's abilities and they were not all powerful like in the fantasy novels. Fiona shared that Wizards could only cast spells on things no farther than their line of sight.

Then Erin added, "We can put up walls that act like a magic scrambler called Warrens, but Warrens work both ways, besides taking a lot of work to build. For example, if I put up a Warren on the bookstore it would stop all magic in the bookstore including my own. Then we couldn't protect ourselves from a physical attack."

After pausing to see if Willow understood, Erin continued the lesson on Wizard's limitations. "If I see or know someone is trying to shoot me, I can throw up a wall that will stop bullets, but if a Wizard is caught by surprise a bullet can kill them just like a Non-Magical. We have to see or know of a danger before we can protect from it. Wizards are definitely NOT all powerful and far from all knowing, Willow For example when I gave you knowledge to know what to do as a girl. If I didn't already know what I gave you I couldn't have given it to you. Do you understand?"

Willow nodded, enthralled by the whole idea of being able to cast spells even if it didn't mean that she'd become all powerful. It also sounded like a Wizards power level didn't mean their life would be a success. Willow discovered that, their families' wealth came from shrewd business dealings not magic. She learned that Maggie, her grandmothers ladies' maid,
was Mage level, while Crow was much weaker magically speaking.

Then Aaron joined the group and Ged asked, "How did it go? Will she come and help?"

Aaron laughed, "She told me if anyone tried to stop her they'd be in big trouble. She was so happy when she heard Willow was alive she glowed so bright that I needed sunglasses, but when I told her of the events that led Erin to finding Willow her language would've made a sailor blush. She'll be here as soon as she gets permission from her council and they open the portal. Trust me, they better not give any reason to go off."

Ged smiled, gave a knowing nod and said, "Willow, because of the limits we just discussed, I can't tell you much about the different realms, but I can tell you that there was a war between Wizards and Witches and that your father’s parents died in it. Both sides took many casualties. You see, the war started in a different reality than this one... the reality
where the Witches’ Familiars are from.

Familiars are beings that bond to a Witch and they are the source of most of the Witches’ power. Wizards, unlike Witches, draw power from an internal source. Familiars have a natural abhorrence of Wizards like some have of spiders, but that wasn't the reason for the war.”

Ged paused to make sure he had Willow’s full attention. “There are other races of beings in that different reality and the Familiars tried to enslave that race in their home realm, the Fae or Fairies. The Fairies are all in all more powerful than the Familiars but are fewer in number. So the Familiars thought they could enslave the race, I will not tell you what purpose this enslavement had. It's enough to know, it wasn't a good thing.”

Ged got a faraway look in his eye and Willow held her breath, hoping he wouldn’t stop there.

“Just as the Familiars have an abhorrence of Wizards, there has always been a tight bond between the Fairies and Wizards. This natural friendship caused the war to spread to this reality. The broadening of the war turned out to be very bad for the Familiars. You see, Witches and their Familiars can kill Wizards, especially the weaker classes... even a powerful one if they catch us by surprise. In fact they decimated The Mage level. Your father's parents took out over hundred witches before they got them.”

“Like in any war, fellow warriors fighting together form tight bonds and such a bond formed with your parents and a Fairy named Wee Lo. Your name "Willow" was taken from hers so actually you were named for her. Wee Lo was there at your naming day to bless you, when your pa.. Ahem.. you know that part of the story and there's no need to go through that again.” Ged reached out and put his hand on Willow’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze.

“Willow, we will do everything we can to keep you safe. I’ve asked Wee Lo to help. Your promise has put you in danger. You must attend the same high school as that Witch and Erin can't follow you from class to class. We can't openly act against the Witch because of the truce between the Wizards and Witches. So unless the High Counsel formally petitions the Witches High Coven and they grant us permission to punish this Witch, which they won't, action on our part could spark a new war. However, we do have the right to defend ourselves and we will.”

At this point Crow entered the room and stood for a second and cleared his throat. Then Ged looked at Crow. "Yes Crow, is there something?" The powerful looking man that resembled a, "Wise Guy" more than a butler crossed the room and whispered in Ged's ear.

Ged then looked at Willow and said, "Willow, because of the circumstances surrounding your return to us and the Witch connection, I called a special session of the Grand Council Of Wizards. Your Grandmother and I must leave on what I think they call a, "Red Eye Flight" to Ireland. I wish we could have had more time, but we need to deal with these matters expediently. I hope to be able to visit you again shortly, but these affairs will have to take precedence for your safety. So come hug your
grandfather and give him a goodbye kiss."

Willow did as she was told, not out of obedience, but out of affection. Then Willow did the same to her grandmother, who held onto her so tight that Willow was amazed at the strength she had. The rest of the group bid farewell and, as he was leaving Aaron said, more to himself than anyone else, "The Grand Mage taking another flight.” shaking his head in amazement.

Back in her bedroom over the bookstore Willow sat, wearing a big sleep shirt in front of her new vanity mirror, a gift from Aaron. Brushing out her hair having done all the other things girls have to do before bed, she thought of the events of that weekend and how she now possessed almost everything she'd ever wished for.

Willow then heard a muffled giggle from the next room and this drew her thoughts to their trip home. Erin and Aaron finally confessed that they were more than friends and that they’d been in an intimate relationship for over three years. Conditions prevented them from getting married, but Aaron was sleeping over tonight.

Willow figured that the promise Erin made to her mother was the
circumstance they were talking about. Then she put her brush down and got into bed and turned of the lamp on the bed table and shut her eyes. She heard movement in Erin's room and a female moan cut short. Willow giggled and thought, ‘Erin must have put a pillow over her face. She must be having a really good time.’ Then she thought about having to go to her old school in the morning and enroll as a new student.

The thought of returning to her old school caused Willow have knots in her stomach, but she thought, ‘We never break a promise.’ With that as a mantra Willow drifted off to sleep. She found herself in the shower at school naked, but she wasn't Willow anymore she was Eric. Eric saw himself in his naked glory with all his male gym classmates and he was showering the same as the rest. Next to him though was someone he didn't know and he couldn't quite see his face for some reason.

As Eric went about his task of washing his huge male self, something strange was happening. The more he washed himself, his body began to dissolve like melting wax.

So he scrubbed harder and harder and more and more of him went painlessly down the drain. Eric saw the shower head move farther and farther way from him as his scrubbing released Willow's two perky breasts. Then he saw his penis and balls fall off and dissolve in the drain.

Now Eric, almost all Willow again, looked around the shower room to see if any of the other guys had seen the transformation and it was empty except for the guy that she couldn't identify. Willow only had a small part of Eric left on her back that she could not reach no matter how hard she tried.

Then the unknown man next to her said, "Let me get your back." sliding in behind her.

Willow didn't protest, just handed him the soap and he started washing the last bit of Eric down the drain. Then, that done, he didn't stop, but he moved his soapy hands to Willows breasts and massaged them. Willow felt shock waves of pleasure fill her whole body as his hand gently, yet firmly, set Willow's body on fire.

Then this stranger pulled Willow back to him and kissed her neck sending shivers of delight through her small body now dwarfed by this giant stranger. Holding Willow even closer she felt his huge hard cock folded against her back and the sensation made her wetter and hotter than the water that was hitting them in the shower.

Willow then felt one of his hands release a breast as the other and his lips still worked their magic. She soon discovered that freed hand’s destination when she felt it cup her Venus mound. With the motions of an experienced lover his hand rubbed and stroked her outer lips until Willow felt so empty in her core that she thought she would implode if something didn't fill it.

The man played her like a fine instrument until she burned, needing something... something to fill the void. Her mind refused to accept it, but her body knew that the huge cock pressed into her back would be perfect for the job. The stranger picked Willow up like a doll and turned her around in his arms, grabbing her thighs and spreading them. Willow still hadn't seen his face when he pushed her back to the tiled wall.

Willow, with her legs spread around the stranger and her arms holding his neck still could not see his face. She didn’t care. At this point her need was a fire in her loins, she needed to join with him in a primal union... to be filled and completed and that need consumed all rational thought. Willow pleaded with the man between her legs enter her. She heard herself screaming, " PLEASE FUCK ME! I NEED YOU IN ME!!" but the man denied her penetration. Willow grinding herself into him and letting go of his neck with one hand, she grabbed his huge cock to guide it in.

Then Willow woke up in her dark bedroom, discovering it was just a dream. She looked at her new phone and saw it was 2:20 A.M. and she was still very aroused. She timidly at first explored her new sex then, as she became more aroused, she discovered what felt good and continued doing it with relish.

Her hand went to her breast thinking about the dream and massaging herself. She felt her moisture and smelled the aroma that it filled the air with and, as it happened, she jerked in a huge orgasm. She gasped in pleasure as her body convulsed. After a minute she just thought 'that was so much better than Eric's rough messy jacking-off ever was' and bathed in the afterglow as she fell back to sleep.

Willow woke up with the morning light shining through her eyelids and she opened her eyes. She looked at the bed table and sat straight up in bed because on it was a 4 inch tall woman with wings. The girl on the night stand said, "Good morning Goddaughter!"

We Never Break a Promise: Part 5
By Warm Hearted
Proofed and edited by Catherine Linda Michel

Willow sat up in her bed and saw a tiny 4 inch tall woman with platinum blonde hair and golden wings. She remembered recent events and knew this diminutive beauty with golden wings was Wee Lo, her fairy godmother. Willow said, "Good morning Wee Lo. Erin told me about you and how I was named after you. I'm so happy to meet you aah.. Godmother.".

Wee Lo smiled and answered, "You too Goddaughter. So stand up and let me have a good look at you."

Willow got out of bed and pulled back her hair, turning around so Wee Lo could see all of her. Then Wee Lo said, "No, take off that silly shirt. Let me see you."

Willow didn't feel uncomfortable showing her naked body to her Godmother. It was like she was a doctor examining her. Willow dropped her sleep shirt on the floor and spun again.

Wee Lo's tiny face sparkled with a silver light. She giggled and said, "Willow, you're glowing a bright blue and showing a lot of power for someone who has not awakened yet."

Wee Lo continued after a long pause. "Goddaughter, you're beautiful. You have your father's eyes and your mother's face, but you look like a giant wingless fairy."

Willow laughed at the thought of being considered a giant. She looked at Wee Lo, noticing that she was very similar to her in body type, but also in other ways that she couldn't put her finger on. She studied herself in the mirror, trying to figure out why she why she looked like a fairy. Willow then thought, 'I guess it's because of my complexion and body type. It's nothing to worry about and it's nice I look a little like my Godmother.'

She put her sleep shirt back on, sat on the side of the bed and started quizzing Wee Lo about her parents, how they became friends and about Fairies in general. She learned her parents and Wee Lo had fought the Witches and Familiars in the great war. She discovered that only the most powerful Mage class Wizards could travel to Wee Lo's world and that the battles were fierce.

Willow listened with great interest about how her parents and Wee Lo in the great battle of Fairy Ring and had called up a great magical fire destroying a Witch and Familiar army. That victory broke the Witches and Familiars will to continue the war and they negotiated a truce that still stands.

Willow was happy to hear that it will be a long time before the Witches and Familiars will be strong enough to attempt another open war, but Wee Lo warned Willow; “They are still just as evil and are working in many hidden covert operations, trying to gain an advantage.

Then Wee Lo's face became very grim and said,"Willow, you are causing a big stir in my realm. Word has reached them that you have been found and that you are showing signs of being a very
powerful Arch Mage after your Awakening. The Familiars fear that a new very powerful Arch Mage will weaken their position to an all time low and disrupt many of their long range plans. That's why you must be very careful until your Awakening. After that it will be too late for them."

They were stopped talking by a knock on the door and Willow said, "Come in." Aaron stuck his head in and said, "Hello Wee Lo. It has been a long time, good to see you. Willow? Erin said you need to get ready to go to school with her to get enrolled. I'll see you two later this week since I have some things to take care of in Raleigh. Be safe and Wee Lo, please don't incinerate any Witches, not in public anyway."

Wee Lo answered, "No promises, but you be safe also, we'll catch up when you get back."

Aaron shut the door and hurried off. Willow then went to the closet and put out a pair of jeans and a high waist linen top. She told Wee Lo she needed to get ready and ducked into her bathroom. Wee Lo said, "While your getting ready I'll visit with Erin."

After getting ready Willow went downstairs, regretting that she would have to return to the torture chamber she called high school. All of the hurt that had been inflicted on Eric there came back to her memory, but she resigned herself, thinking, 'We never break a promise.'

Willow found Erin and Wee Lo in the kitchen giggling and talking. When they saw Willow they stopped and greeted her. Erin said, "Willow. Here is the way it will be, Wee Lo will be with you at all times while you are at school. Don't worry, no one can see her unless she permits it, not even Witches or Familiars. Secondly, be careful not to get too close to cold iron. because cold iron can block Wee Lo's magic and burn her but not kill her. Other metals like steel have no effect and hot iron will not effect her, only cold iron. So be careful
around cast iron fences, furniture, cook wear, and the like. Now lets go get this over with."

They headed out the door with Wee Lo sitting on Willow's shoulder.

Leigh was in her room scanning traffic cams looking for Eric. She had magically hacked the NSA network so she could have intel if Eric would pop up somewhere. She was getting frustrated with her Familiar Snowball's continuous fretting over only having just over a year to carry out the bargain he made with the Demon to have Eric die hated and alone before Eric's 18th birthday.

Snowball said, "This is August 21st. That's only 405 days until his 18th birthday and I'll be the main course for a demon's dinner while you'll be a Witch without a Familiar. How will you like that... being a low down, bottom feeder in Witch society. Your parents will lose their wealth and position, and you'll lose your minions and be doomed to having a nothing life until you die unhappy."

Just then Leigh heard the doorbell ring and she heard her mother answer, saying, "Your Highness! Welcome! Please come in."

Leigh and Snowball ran downstairs and saw the head of all the covens standing in the living room with a raven on her shoulder and her mother on her knees, bowing before her.

Leigh and Snowball joined Leigh's mother with Snowball on his back in a cat's sign of submission.

While Leigh was kneeling her mind was racing, wondering why the head of all of the covens was paying them a visit. Fearfully she thought, 'Is she here to stop me looking for Eric or punishing me for using so much magic in trying to find him. Have I brought down too much attention of the Wizards on us. Is she here to punish me?'

Then Dianna Hobs, the head of all the covens, spoke softly, "Stand up and stop groveling. I'm here to help. Leigh my child, I'm well pleased in how you are turning out. I had my doubts considering your heritage."

Dianna, looking at Leigh's mother said, "I meant no insult, but you must agree that you and your husband do not possess that special spark that makes a special Witch. Your accomplishments until Leigh joined us were very mundane at best as you well know. Leigh shown the calculating, unrelenting ruthlessness that sets apart a great Witch."

Turning her attention towards Leigh, Dianna continued, "My dear Leigh, your efforts thus far have been outstanding. You gathered useful minions and utilized all resources in devising intricate plans to reach your goals. I personally think Leigh that once this Eric issue is resolved you will rise quickly in our ranks. I'm so sure of this I will take you as my protégé and personally mentor you."

Dianna then thought, 'So I can control her and keep an eye on her to make sure she is never a threat to me.'

Smiling at Leigh, Dianna continued, "But Leigh you're faced with a situation that is beyond any one witch to handle on their own. This Eric, for some reason, is being aided by several very powerful Wizards. The reason why they are so interested in him is well hidden, but even their high counsel is somehow involved which has us worried."

Dianna then took Leigh by the shoulders and said, "Little one don't worry, I'm here to help you. We will do this together. I will take a position at your school and gather some helpful minions and, with you as my lieutenant, we will find this Eric and properly dispose of him. Once that is done you and your Familiar, Snowball, will come with me and you will start your new life as my adopted daughter."

Leigh was elated by what Dianna said and she and Dianna with their familiars left Leigh's mother standing in the living room completely ignored. As they left Leigh's house She saw a chauffeur holding the door of a limo. Dianna, Leigh and the Familiars entered the limo and they were on their way.

Dianna, taking Leigh's hand said, "Leigh, you do not have to return to that middle class hovel. From this point you will start living with me."

Leigh wanted to squeal but thought better of it. Restrained, she answered, "Thank you Mistress."

Dianna aristocratically giggled and said, "No daughter, call me Dianna and don't worry about returning and getting your old clothes. I want you to have all new things suitable to your new position in life. I have taken a house in Quail Hollow in South Charlotte. It's only 12 bedrooms but adequate. Daughter you will still have to list your parents home as your address to stay in the same school. I know it's distasteful, but I feel it is necessary and will compensate them for their trouble."

As the Limo pulled in the gate of a large mansion Leigh was amazed at the thought of living there. She thought, 'I get to live here and have all new things and have MAJOR help in dealing with Eric. It looks like I'm finally getting what I deserve.'

Inside the grand entrance hall Leigh tried not to look too impressed, but said, "Very nice."

Then a man came up to them and said, "Mistress the man you sent for is here and waiting in the library."

Then Dianna said to Leigh, "You can see your room later. Right now we need to set a special plan in place. We need to get close to the Wizards that seem to be helping Eric. One of our minions would be spotted by the magic we use to control them, so we need to have a mortal with unique talents that is completely loyal to us of their own free will.

I have found that promises of wealth or fear of punishment will not work with some mortals, especially ones with the talents we need for this work. So we need to offer them something they want more than even life itself. My minions have found a mortal that fills our needs and we are going to strike our deal with him. Leigh, attend me and learn."

Leigh followed Dianna into the library and she saw a middle aged very tall. large framed man in a dark suit sitting in a chair. He rose when he saw the Witches enter the room and very sharply said,

"What is this all about and why was I order to come here? I was deep undercover in an a domestic terrorist cell. This little talk cost me 8 months of work and put lives at risk."

Dianna calmly answered, "Mr. Sands, I have something to offer you that will fulfill your life's deepest desire."

Mr. Sands yelled, "Lady, I don't want anything you have and I will arrest you for trying to bribe a Federal Officer!"

Unshaken, Dianna with a slight smile appearing on her face countered, " Mr. Sands how do you ever find heels to fit those huge feet of yours?"

Mr. Sands, a little shaken replied, "Oh that's it, but you missed. Times are different now... the bureau knows I'm a pre-op transgender woman. They also know when I'm off duty and not involved in an active case I dress as a woman. So now I will arrest you for extortion and attempted obstruction of justice because you pulled me off my case for this."

Dianna laughed and said, "Yes Mr. Sands, you could try to do that, but you would just end up without a job and you will never save enough to have your surgery. Even if some miracle happened and you had the surgery what would you be? Just a very large old woman that still looks very much like a man. What I'm offering is this."

Dianna made a pass with her hands and spoke a short incantation. Mr. Sands eyes went blank as he froze in place.

Dianna then told Leigh, "He is seeing life as a seventeen year old, very pretty girl. He will be back in a few seconds more than ready to take our offer."

Sands came to himself and said, with a pleading voice, "How did you do that?"

Dianna answered, "Magic, Special Agent Sands, and I can use that same magic to make it real, but listen closely to what you must do to pay me for my services. We need you to find a killer who is hiding. You will have to use all your considerable talents for infiltrating and information gathering. You will be dealing with very powerful magical beings so you must always be on guard that you never break your cover story.

Once you discover the whereabouts of the target you will then contact me, but not until you do. That will fulfill your contract and I will leave you in the life that you will use as your cover... that very pretty seventeen year old girl you saw in your vision. She is completely just as she seems, a natural born female. You could even have children if you wish. In addition she will have a $500,000.00 trust that she will
receive on her 18th birthday.

If you betray me and try not to fulfill the contract I will change you back and you will be jobless and disgraced for disappearing in the middle of an operation. In addition, you will discover you will have a very bad Meth addiction."

Sands looked at Dianna and said, "I agree to your terms."

That night 13 Witches were in a candle lit room, standing in a circle around a table with a large middle aged man asleep on it. They were chanting with an eerie rhythm in some dead language. On the table the mans body started to undulate and reform as he became smaller.

At this point all his hair fell out and he continued to shrink... then new hair sprouted. Then all gender left him and his feet no longer hung off the end of the table, but were far from the edge. New hair grew first on his head thick auburn hair, and his waist pulled in as his hips flared. Then a V of slightly dark hair formed between his, or rather her gapped thighs because it covered a new virginal mound.

As the new girl lay still asleep on the table Dianna informed Leigh, "We used this very complicated spell because we wanted no trace of magic left. We actually have rewritten the former Mr. Sands DNA. We have set up an unbreakable cover for her.”

“Her parents were killed in a car crash and she was sent to live with her only relative, an aunt here in Charlotte. The aunt has a history of mental illness and abandoned her. She was taken by DSS because she is Seventeen. Today she will be delivered to foster parents in your school's service area.”

“All of that is true. The dead parents had a life policy that will pay her the 500K when she is 18. The real Hanna Hicks was a little plainer, but the photos have been altered to look like our new Hanna. The old Hanna just seemed to disappear. HA-HA. Now go upstairs. Jared will show you where. There you will find your clothes and personal items and a file on Eric Jones, your target."

Dianna gave the new Hanna a silk robe. She put it on and found Jared waiting for her as she left the room. Once Dianna was sure Hanna could not hear her she said to Leigh,

"She is a very gifted spy. I believe she will find Eric quickly and, as a incentive, I have instructed Jarred to show her how much she now enjoys submitting to a strong man. I told Jarred to use a condom so an unwanted pregnancy will not hinder her mission."

As Hanna walked up the stairs she was amazed by how good the silk felt on her new body. Then Jared led her into a bedroom where Hanna saw a trash bag full of clothes, a cheap purse, makeup and a hair brush and spray on the dresser. Then she saw a pair of jeans, a tee, and underthings on a chair next to the bed.

Jared motioned to the file folder and said, "That is the information we have on him and, by the way, Mistress made you smoking hot."

Hanna was surprised by his last statement, but even more surprised when he turned and locked the door. Jared then stood very close to Hanna and she saw how small she was. Jared then tilted her face up, took his finger and traced her lips. Hanna tried to push Jarred back, but found she no longer had the strength.

Then she felt a strange electricity flow from Jared's touch that forced her to open her mouth to take a deep breath. Then Jared leaned down and kissed her open lips, as his hand went to the back of her head. Jared's other hand went to her butt and he pulled her into him and Hanna felt his cock grow against her.

Hanna didn't have time to process what was happening. A tidal wave of erotic pleasure filled her as Jared's tongue entered her mouth. Sands had kissed many men before, but none felt like what she was now feeling. She reacted and circled Jared's tongue with her own. She felt weak in her knees and she felt Jared break the kiss.

Before she had time to think, Jared pulled off her robe and took her new nipple in his mouth. He still held her as his expert skills turned her into a yielding glob of erotic putty. Then in the cloud of lust she felt his hand go to her new pussy lips and enter her.

As Sands he had been entered anally, but had only dreamed and fantasized about how this sort of entry would feel. Hanna realized that all of Sands past fantasies were far from the truth. Then she felt her new clit being stroked and she mewed in sheer sexual bliss. Her knees gave way and Jared effortlessly carried her to the bed.

Jared laid her face down as she heard him unzip his pants and then she heard paper tearing. After a short pause Hanna realized what Jared was doing, but then she felt him pick up her hips. She then felt a huge cock push into her very wet pussy. There was a pinch then she felt him start pumping in and out of her, hard.

Then it happened. Hanna's world imploded into to a black hole of pleasure pulling in all thoughts and her will. She became just an object completely controlled by Jared's cock. She screamed into the bed, clinching the comforter. Jared knew now Hanna was one of those girls that will do anything for him not to stop fucking her.

Jared decided to play with her and he pulled out and started just dragging the head of his cock over her sloppy wet lips and said, "You want me to keep fucking you don't you slut? Answer me. Do you want me to keep fucking you?"

Hanna had to have his cock back in her so she said, "Yes." Jared then said, "Then say Please sir, fuck me hard."

Hanna without hesitation said, "Please sir, fuck me hard."

Jared rolled her on her back in the bed and climbed on top of her and said, " Now my pet, spread those legs."

Hanna quickly obeyed and wrapped her legs around him and Jared rode her into four more screaming orgasms. After it was over Jared took off his condom and threw it in the trash and said,

"Damn girl, you are a real pillow eater. Now get dressed and I will take you to the DSS worker."

Hanna laid there and relished the after glow and thought, 'I will do whatever it takes to stay like this.'

Willow arrived at that temple of humiliation and regret called high school with Wee Lo on her shoulder. No one could see Wee Lo. In a second Willow realized why every one was looking at her. She was the "New Girl." Willow noticed the boys were looking a lot more than the girls and giggled a little.

Wee Lo said, "Well I can see you will need a secretary to screen your calls."

Willow acted like she was brushing something off her shoulder, playfully hitting Wee Lo. On the way to her new locker she saw a girl she didn't know being tortured by Leigh and her crew. Willow walked over to them and said, Stop being so childish and leave her alone.

Leigh then said, "Let's leave the new retards alone. They have a special ed class to go to."

The new girl turned to Willow and said, "Thank you. I'm Hanna."

FROM THE EDITOR: This episode does have some violence and other things which may be triggers for those who have problems with these things. While I don't want to deter anyone from reading this episode it IS a pivotal one in Willow's life, if youhave triggers about unwanted body swaps, violence, bad language, please exercise caution in reading this chapter.

We Never Break A Promise Part 6
By Warm Hearted
Proofed and edited by Catherine Linda Michel

The former huge, middle aged FBI Special Agent Lewis Sands, now the petite Seventeen year old very cute Hanna Hicks, studied the information she'd gathered over the last three weeks spread out on her bed. She utilized all of Sands' great gifted skills in working deep cover to try to find the location of the fugitive murderer and attempted rapist, Eric Jones.

Hanna looked serious as she mentally reviewed her facts in the case. "My subject, Eric Jones, is obviously a genius Sociopath. At this point the Agency isn't involved because his crimes don't warrant it. He has only killed one person, although it was on camera and done brutally. It wasn't a Hate Crime though and there is no evidence that he has killed any others.

I'm sure it was his first kill, but judging from my profile of him he will soon kill more if I don't find him soon. The Mecklenburg Police aren't some Mayberryish, Podunk outfit. They are very a competent agency with good homicide detectives. I guess sometimes practice does make perfect. They even formed a special task force to find Jones and they are still coming up empty.

Then there's that $25,000.00 reward for information that will lead to his apprehension. To add to that, the local and national media are giving Jones a lot of coverage and the video of his killing went viral. So how could a broke almost seventeen year old kid, even if he is a genius, stay hidden without help?

That brings me to Eric's last known location before the murder, the bookstore he worked at. I closely reviewed the interviews that the detectives had with the owner, Erin Sparrow and her niece Willow. I agree with the detective's assessment that the Sparrows are withholding some information, but the brass prevented them from pressing for more.

My client, Dianna Hobs, also believes that Erin and Willow know more than they are telling. Dianna also told me that the Sparrows are powerful members of a rival faction of magical beings, which explains Ms. Hobs involvement in the case. I guess it's like some old type of Mafia blood feud. I don't care about their vendettas, but she paid me with my dream life to do something I love doing. Once I find Jones and lead Dianna's people to him to be removed, I'm done with them.

OK. In the three weeks after first contact with my main asset, Willow Sparrow, I have became friends with her by acting as a friendless, bullied foster kid. Willow is starting to trust me because she seems to empathize with my condition. That brings up the first question I need to find an answer for... Why?

Why would a smart, very pretty rich girl (judging the by the new Lexus RCF Sport she drives) withhold information about a lunatic killer? Dianna thinks it's some grand plan her enemies have. I really enjoy a good hunt and this is one of the best I have ever been on in thirty-five years. However, the best thing this case is the payment Dianna gave me."

Hanna the turned and looked at herself in the mirror on her door. Gazing at her image and remembering her old, very large, and middle aged male self. Hanna reminisced how as a pre-op transsexual, how frustrated she would become trying to look like a woman.

She hated how comical she thought she looked no matter how expertly she would try to look like a woman. She thought of the hours her old self spent working with walking, hand movements, makeup, and clothes to no avail, but all that experience is very helpful now. All she has to do now is to be careful and not to overcompensate because a lot of what she worked to achieve comes natural now.

Hanna thought, 'Now I could wear anything and still look like a woman and besides that, I'm seventeen again. Dianna said she would make my dreams come true if I agreed to find Jones and she did, because I don't just look like a woman, I'm a real woman. I had my first period last week to prove it. If all this wasn't enough, Dianna has arranged for me to get 500k from a trust when I turn 18 in three months."

Hanna's mind drifted to how she lost her virginity less than a month earlier to Dianna's servant Jared. She shut her eyes and relived her only sexual encounter as woman. Her mind filled with passionate scenes as she thought, 'Oh how wonderful it felt when his finger traced my lips before he kissed me.'

'I loved how his hands grabbed my ass as he made me go limp as he kissed and sucked my nipples. It was so wonderful how he took complete control of me and picked me up like a feather and fucked me till I was screaming in pleasure with that condom covered cock. I want to try it without a condom, that's why I went to the Health Department and had them start me on the pill.'

The more Hanna thought of her erotic encounter, the more she felt that now familiar sensation in her core. She knew if she continued dwelling on her sexual escapade she would get so turned on that she would have to masturbate. So she pulled her thoughts back to finding Eric.

Hanna thought, "I never believed in magic before, but I can't deny it now. That's it! I feel so stupid! Willow is Eric! That explains it all, her being in a new school yet knowing where everything is, even why she is so empathetic with my orphaned and foster child cover. Even why no one saw her until after Jones went missing.

Willow... that lying crazy bitch. She must have the ability to change back to her old self and do her crimes. Then "poof" only perfect, fragile, beautiful, little Willow is there. No wonder they can't find her, no one but someone that knows magic is real can. I'm 100% sure Willow is Jones. I need to call Dianna!"

Hanna thought as she picked up her phone and dialed Dianna. "Magic makes it impossible for our justice system find and convict Jones, so I'm glad that justice will be served and the public will be protected from a potential serial killer. It really doesn't matter to me that justice will be served by some vendetta." Hanna picked up her phone and told Dianna Hobs her findings.

Dianna responded, "Amazing! Eric was hiding in plain sight. In a way I'm a little embarrassed in not seeing this sooner, knowing some of the events that happened around the time of his birth. That also explains why powerful entities want him dead. Hanna, my dear girl, I will give you a $20,000 bonus if you leave and tell Willow you are running away. I will arrange for you to have a judge sign emancipation papers so you will be an adult and I will arrange for your early graduation from high school. All I ask is that you will keep my office aware of your whereabouts so if I need any future services that I could contract you. You are a truly gifted spy and that may be needed for some of my future plans.

Hanna agreed and Dianna said she would have the money and the documents that afternoon. After Hanna turned off her phone she thought, "Now the 20k will work fine till I get my trust so what will I do with the rest of my life? I really enjoyed the bureau. Well... considering my skill sets and the new progressive ideas of the bureau, I think I'll get a Masters in Forensic Psychology and go back on the job. It's funny... I don't look like J. Edger anymore, now I look more like Jodi Foster in Silence of the Lambs and I'm going "All the way to the FBI".

Wee Lo looked at her goddaughter and admired her bright blue glow as she put on a simple white linen dress. Wee Lo asked, "Are you sure there is no one but family you want to come your birthday party later? You know Wizards seventeenth birthday celebrations are like the Mortals sweet sixteen parties."

Willow nodded and answered, "I really don't have any friends thanks to Leigh lying about me. The closest thing I had to a friend at school was Hanna and she left. I understand why... it's hard to be a foster kid, but she had it rougher than me because she knew what it was like to have a loving family."

Wee Lo said, "You have a large loving family now and we all are so happy you're back with us. Erin has planned a very nice dinner party at 30 East. I wish things were not so tense, so you could spend some time with your grandparents and meet your cousins. But it's a Orange Alert, not just because of you, but the Witches are up to something major. Dianna Hobs, their boss witch, is off the radar."

Just then Erin stuck her head in the door and said, "You need to finish getting ready, the ceremony is in 25 minutes and Aaron will be here soon from the airport."

Wee Lo asked, "You're sure you understand why this birthday is so important?"

While Willow brushed out her hair she answered, "Yes, Erin explained it. Wizard's seventeenth birthdays are the start of the magic indwelling. The Indwelling is when I get a large part of my magic. There'll be a flash of light and the brighter the flash the stronger a Wizard I will be. The flash happens exactly on the second I turn seventeen.

Then all next year the rest of my magic will fill me, but I can not control it till I'm eighteen. I need to keep my emotions in check because of Wild Magic. Most other Wizards go to a special Wizards school during this time because of the Wild Magic, but my promise prevents me from going to a new school.

Wild Magic can be released by my subconscious if I get very upset or if I get really afraid. Usually wild magic is very weak, but it could be hard to explain to Mortals. The Indwelling will happen in 20 minutes. There is short ceremony before and I have learned what I need to say and what I'm wearing white linen dress is for."

Wee Lo nodded and they heard Aaron arrive and Wee Lo said, "You finish getting ready and hurry down. I'll go down and say hello to Aaron."

Wee Lo flew down to see Aaron and Erin and greeted Aaron, "How is it hanging, handsome?"

Aaron, a little more than slightly embarrassed, responded, "I'm doing good and are you doing good, you potty mouthed Fairy?"

Wee Lo giggled and said, "I love the way I can still make you blush. If you were four inches tall I'd give Erin some competition."

Erin laughed and countered, "I like his height. It keeps slutty fairies off of him."

Wee Lo got serious and looked at the pair and said, "I'm sure you have seen how brightly Willow has been glowing?"

The pair had the same concerned look on their faces and nodded. Wee Lo, in a concerned tone unusual for the carefree fairy said, "I think Willow will be a Grand Mage Exemplar."

Aaron shocked said, "No one can even remember the last Exemplar! How can that be? You must be mistaken."

Erin interjected, "I have seen, over the last two weeks, how she has became a blue beacon. It's good that only family can see it. She does have a pre-glow brighter than any I have seen, but an Exemplar... really!?"

Wee Lo explained why she had her suspicions, "Think about it. She had two very powerful Arch Mage parents. Soon after her birth a very powerful amulet was used on her, and lastly she experienced a deep emotional storm her whole life and that tends to amplify magical power."

Aaron said, "There hasn't been an Exemplar since the Mid-Fifth Century when the last one died and all hell broke loose. We all know the history of what chaos that was! How, from that shift in power, the Dark Witches were able to take control of many large empires and perverting religion.

Once emplaced they would proclaimed peace and love and God's blessings while using political power, religious fanaticism, torture and endless wars to further their interests. Washed in rivers of blood, they destroyed any opposition and solidified their power. Always claiming God was on their side they killed thousands of Light Witches, Hundreds of Wizards and millions of Mortals.

For a thousand years the Dark Witches manipulated the Mortals by fear, torture and greed. They all but wiped out most of the powerful Light Witches and forced all but the weakest Light Witches into hiding, along with the Wizards. Then, as that strategy ran down to just a few areas controlled by the religious fanatics, they moved into politics. So that's how Wizards were able to challenge them in the great war. If you're right Wee Lo, Willow will be a game changer, but she will be in
great danger until her Awakening and she is skilled enough to use her power."

They stopped talking when Willow walked down the stairs. The former 6'4, 300 pound boy looked like a blonde angel as she gracefully glided down the stairs.

Erin greeted her, "I was getting worried you were not going to make it on time, but you did with 90 seconds to spare. Now come join hands with Aaron and me."

Willow did as asked, forming a circle with her Aunt and Uncle, and Wee Lo hovered over the center, glowing brightly with excitement. Then Erin instructed Willow, "Speak your part slowly."

Willow recited her learned part of the ceremony, trying to make it last the remaining time.

Eyes closed Willow said, "As in the time of the first Wizards, on the day of my childhood's end and I pass through the door of my Wizard-hood, I pledge all the magic that enters me to the light. So come and start filling me as a servant of the Light."

The unseen energy known as Magic that fills the universe, activated by it's own set of physical laws, started to flow down the course of least resistance into a conductor named Willow. Although considering the vast mass of this energy it was just a very small movement.

Yet, since the conduction energy was so condensed and because the area effected was so small the effect was intense. It was strong enough to emit a huge number of photons and an energy bolt strong enough to split the atmosphere at 186,200 MPS. So when the air came back together, it caused a clap of thunder .

As the three Wizards and one Fairy's eyes started working again after the flash of magical lightning, Aaron shouted "Everybody OK?" The group all nodded.

Willow shouted, "WOW! You said there would be a flash of light, but I had no idea it would be like that."

As their hearing started to return, Erin looking amazed and very worried at the same time said, "Willow, at every Door Opening I have attended The Glow was no brighter that a string of LED Christmas lights and never, never was there a clap of thunder."

Then Aaron threw a new IPhone on the floor and shouted, “THE DAMN THING IS FRIED! ERIN! CHECK YOURS!"

Erin pulled her phone and looked and said, "Mine is dead too."

The small group didn't know but would soon learn, that the great movement of magic into Willow created an EMP that rendered most electronics useless in a 300 yard radius.

Aaron, almost in panic mode, rushed out the door saying on the way out, "I'll be back as soon as I find a phone."

As Erin was looking at Willow with a shocked worried expression, Wee lo was sitting on the book store counter weeping. Concerned, Willow went to her Godmother and gently stroked her head with her finger and asked, "What's wrong Godmother?"

Through sobs Wee Lo answered in a hushed, awestricken voice. "Nothing my dear, dear Goddaughter. These aren't tears of sadness, but joy for I have just witnessed the prophesied return of The Merlin."

Willow looked at her Godmother with a deer in the headlights look and said, "HUH?"

Erin walked over to the pair and said, "Willow, you have been isolated most your life from our community and there are many things you don't know concerning your heritage and the truth of our role in Mortal history."

Willow pointedly announced "Since what just happened was so important that Aaron went running out to find a phone... plus the fact that it made Wee Lo a fairy emotional train wreck, don't you think you need to tell me?"

Erin nodded and started revealing the true history of the world, "OK I'll just give you the short version for now. Merlin isn't a proper name, it's a title like Robin for Witches. The Merlin was the last Exemplar Arch Mage and he was killed 600 years ago by a Dark Witch, Magana. You well know the story of King Arthur, but there are major errors in the Mortal's legend.

it's true that Camelot was the last stronghold of the Old Order, but The Merlin was dead almost a century before then. So that brings us to what the Old Order was. When Wizards had The Council of Twelve Merlins they all were called Merlin. No knows how long there was a Council, but when there was, there was balance in the Earth.

Just like now, there were greedy and power hungry Mortals and very honorable good Mortals, but it was the same with the Magical Folk. The Witches of Light, known as Earth Sisters and Brothers by the Fae and the Dark, were called Children of Lilith.

You are a student of Greek Mythology so you know about the Dark Witches, Circe and her niece Medea, from Jason and the Golden Fleece. Light Witches like the Woman of the Lake, were never interested in fame or great riches. They were known as Healers and Wise Women. There was a movie made about one, Hypatia of Alexandria, and Hippocrates, known as The Father of Medicine, was another.

During the time of the Old Order the portal between the Fae realm and Earth was open and there were Fae all over the world. They called the White Witches their brothers and sisters. Wizards claimed them both as friends and allies. Funny thing about Wizards, there never have been many powerful truly evil Wizards, but you will agree, that Wren was evil.

Like Mortals, most Wizards tend to be apathetic, unless motivated and there are Mortals that are great savants of the light like Wizards. Although good Mortals have a hard time in making large scale differences. Good Mortals do poorly in politics, because it's very hard for a truly honest, caring, and self sacrificing Mortal to do what is necessary in the dark labyrinth of politics to succeed. So it's rare for a truly dedicated to the light mortal to rise to the top or stay there long. That's why Aaron is in politics, to do the most good possible and he has resources that Mortals don't.

Willow you see, the Light has been losing ground for a long time. The Great War that your whole family fought in was the first major victory we had in many, many years and we now have a chance, but it's like the uneasy peace that was in place during the old Cold War.

Both sides are fairly equal now, but an Exemplar Arch Mage would be a massive shift in power. An Exemplar would almost guarantee the return of the Old Order. Wee Lo remembers the Old Order and misses it terribly. She now thinks you're the Wizard of prophecy that one day bring will bring it back."

Willow hearing all this said, "I'm just now getting used to thinking of myself as a girl and I'm just now starting to accept whole idea of me being a Wizard. Now you're telling me, I'm some sort of foretold super hero that is going to save world and that makes me want to hide under my bed forever."

Hearing Willow's distress, Wee Lo flew over to land on her shoulder to comfort her. Wee Lo in a loving tone said, "Goddaughter, I know you have all rights to be overwhelmed by all this, but let me tell you the great good you will do.

The Old Order is what we call the time when the worlds of the Fae, Familiars and Mortals were joined. There is no record of when that happened, it was just the way it was. We believe it may have taken place when a great loss of life took place on this world 60 Million years ago. That's also the time the demon realm joined both worlds, but it's just a theory without any proof.

The Old Order was a wondrous time and I promise to tell you about it soon, but now you need to go change. I think we'll be on the move when Aaron returns." Willow in a sullen dazed state turned and went upstairs to change into street clothes.

Leigh was sitting at her desk, ignoring her History teacher droning on about the first moon landing. She looked at Willow's empty desk and was wondering where her prey was. Then she felt an electric shock that made her jerk. When the shock cleared, she saw the rest of her classmate were unaffected.

Then the intercom beeped and Dianna Hobs' voice said, "Mr. Helms, this is Diana Bishop. Will you please send Leigh Wright immediately to my office she has a family emergency. Thank You."

Mr. Helms answered, "At once Ms. Bishop and your welcome." He sat at his desk pulling out a pass pad and calling Leigh to his desk. He handed a Hall Pass to Leigh and said, "I hope it's nothing serious Leigh and go straight to Ms. Bishop's office." Leigh left the class and hurried to "Diana Bishop's Student Counseling office.

Leigh rushed into the office, shut the door and asked excitedly, "WHAT WAS THAT?"

Dianna Hobs, the new school counselor Diana Bishop, answered, "That was Willow. She was Indwelled with most her magic. Lucky for us she will not be able to control it for another year. It's no wonder that her Aunt called the school yesterday and said Willow would be out today for family business.

That was the bad news now here is the worst news. Judging from that jolt that none of us had felt the like of before, Willow will be an Exemplar Arch Mage on her Awaking, so we need to get rid of her asap. We need to go now to plan and prepare so the threat of Willow Sparrow will be dealt with tomorrow. The only thing we have going for us is that, for now the Wizards are leaving her in this school instead of sending her to an Indwelled Wizards Academy. They may soon change their minds and pull her out so we need to act now."

On their drive home the pair were silently deep in thought. Leigh was lamenting over wasting time in getting rid of Eric-Shun. Leigh thought, 'Why did I try to make killing him such a work of art? I guess I enjoyed torturing him too much to end it quickly. How stupid I was! Now Willow will be some super Wizard and I'll lose Snowball and be a nobody if Dianna doesn't kill me first for being so stupid. Dianna is right. We need to kill her tomorrow. I'll kill her tomorrow or die trying, I will not live as a nobody. I would rather be dead.'

As the pair entered Dianna's huge mansion a servant ran up and whispered in Dianna's face which went red, then white. Then Dianna screamed and threw her purse at the huge mirror on the wall, breaking it into a thousand pieces.

Dianna screamed, "DAMN IT TO HELL! THE NEXT PERSON THAT BRINGS ME BAD NEWS I WILL TOAST!"

All Dianna's minions just stood there with their heads bowed silently. After composing herself slightly Dianna looked at Leigh and said, "That bitch Wizardling has a bodyguard, Wee LO of Fairy Ring. Before we can take care of Willow we will have to take care of her pet insect. Come Leigh, we need to plan while we feed our Familiars so they will be at their strongest. Come Onyx."

As the raven landed on Dianna's shoulder, Leigh gathered up snow ball in her arms and followed her upstairs. As they walked together to Dianna's bed suite Leigh thought of the stories she had heard of this famous Fairy that is Willow's protector. Wee Lo was most likely the most powerful of all the Fairies and certainly the most vicious.

The pair of Witches and their Familiars entered the bed suite and they sat at a small ornate table in front of glass French doors that led to the balcony. As Leigh sat with Snow Ball in her lap, her magical nipple formed on her arm and her cat started to nurse. In the same way a smaller version of a nipple formed on Dianna's neck and Onyx did likewise.

Dianna broke the silence, much more composed than before and said, "Leigh, you have shown to have a great gift for devising intricate, strategically sound and workable plans so lets put our heads together and find one so we can be done with this Willow business, once and for all tomorrow. Then we will leave this hellhole of a town."

The two brain stormed ideas and came up with a base plan. Then, after three hours of refining and tweaking they had the near perfect attack plan. It involved Leigh losing three of her minions which she wasn't happy about, but she would be moving anyway so, no problem.

When Dianna asked if she was concerned with losing her minions Leigh answered, "I'll be leaving so no big loss." Dianna evilly laughed and praised Leigh, "That's right my very smart protégée. Never value anything that you don't have a purpose for. Now go get busy and I will do the same. I need to gather as many powerful Witches possible considering the time
restrictions."

When Leigh and Snow Ball left to go to work on their part of the preparations, Onyx said to Dianna, "Snow Ball chose her Witch wisely." Stroking her Raven Dianna said, "Yes she will go far if I don't need to kill her first."

On the way out Leigh was given a shotgun, a 9mm handgun, ammunition and an envelope of money. All of it was packed in a large canvas case which was packed by one of Dianna's minions, as instructed. Leigh thought of where would be the best staging place for her part of their plan. She thought of an old abandoned cotton warehouse near Mariposa Park High School.

With her destination in mind Leigh got in her car and called her minion and present boyfriend Jared. He was lousy in bed, but he was captain of the varsity football team, a black belt in Wing Chung and a highly ranked NRA Marksman. She thought how Jared and another minion of hers, Matt, were always competing for everything including her attention.

When Jared answered his phone Leigh said, "Don't say anything just listen. Go get Matt, David, and Kinzey. Then bring them to the address I will text you. Bring what you need to break into a house or a building,"

Then Jared said, "I don't see why Matt has to be there?".

Then Leigh shouted, "I said for you not to say anything! I get so tired of the constant pissing contest you two are in. NOW JUST HANG UP AND DO IT!" and she hung up.

She then hit speed dial for her father. While waiting for him to pick up and in an exasperated tone she said, "I get so tired of their childish battles and I'll be relieved when they are dead." When her father answered she said,

"Hi dad. Is mom happy with her new VP position I arranged? That's good. Now you need to start planning your 2018 campaign for the state legislator, I have sent you a packet of useful information on some very wealthy people that you can use to leverage some large contributions. With it you will find some juicy tidbits on the incumbent and your potential opposition.

You're welcome. I'll be leaving with Dianna soon but I'll send you all the help you need to win. Now I need something from you. Find me the name of the company that has the most high explosives in the Charlotte area. In addition I need to know the person that has control of their explosives distribution and the name of their best explosive technician.

Text me with the information in less than an hour. Oh yeah, notify the police and anyone that might be concerned that the EPA is doing secret compliance testing of the Avon Bonded Cotton Warehouse, so if any activity is reported they are ordered not to interfere. Thanks, Bye."

Driving to the warehouse, Leigh went over and over the plan, looking for any potential problems in executing it. By the time she and Snow Ball pulled up in front of the warehouse she was confident barring any unseen surprises, but if they happened, she would deal with them.

She waited in her car for her minions to arrive and her father texted her the requested information. Leigh read that a Lithium mining company, FMC, had a huge amount of different types of high explosives, D. R. Jenkins was head of the storage and distribution and he was their top explosive expert too.

Leigh thought, "That makes it simpler, just dealing with one person.". Since it was almost 8pm she called his emergency number. She magically changed her voice to sound like an older male. When Mr. Jenkins answered, Leigh, sounding like a man said, "Mr. Jenkins? This is Special Agent Clark with the FBI and I have good information that a large amount of explosives has just been stolen from FMC. I need you to meet me at your storage site. We'll have to take inventory to see if this is true or a hoax. I will be there in about 90 minutes and I do have a warrant."

Jenkins, sounding very shaken said, "Of course Special Agent Clark. I'll be there in 90 minutes."

As Leigh hung up, she saw the lights of Jared's F150 pull in beside her in the parking lot of the long closed warehouse. She got out of her car and commanded Jared and Matt to break in the roll up door on the dock. She was glad to see that there were no cameras around the old building.

Once inside, the small group, using their phone lights looked inside the large, dark empty abyss and saw it was empty. Then Leigh started ticking off commands.

Leigh waved her hands, using her magic to increase the control she had on her minions. "We don't have much time, so listen carefully. Jared and Matt I want you two to break into Kara Fries' house. Her father is a friend of my dad's and I know they are out of town due to the death of her grandfather. They don't have security cameras and I have the code to turn off the alarm.”

“Kara's father is a Prepper and in his garage he has a generator, lanterns, packaged food, cots and a police radio scanner. Bring enough for one person to live off it for awhile. Also bring his lap top and his video outfit from his home office.

By then I'll have finished with Kinzey so pick her up in front of my parent's house. Then come back here and all of you set the stuff up like a person has been living here for some time. Open food packages and dump the contents in a trash bag and leave the wrappers laying around. Put the trash bag in the back of Jared's truck. Jared and Matt, get going and Kinzey, come with Me."

On a dark highway near I85, Leigh and Kinzey waited for the right make of car to come along. They didn't have to wait long until they saw a late model, black Ford SUV turn down the off ramp. The pair of girls jumped out of their car and franticly started jumping up and down waving and the SUV driver pulled to a stop. A few minutes later the dead good Samaritan laid in the
tall grass and Kinzey was pulling off in Leigh's car on her mission.

Leigh, with Snow Ball, worked her magic as she had did once before and changed into the appearance of Eric Jones, but this time Eric was in a dark suit like an FBI agent would wear. Then the fake Eric loaded the canvas case into the car. Leigh and Snow Ball in the SUV a minute later were on I85 on the 15 mile trip to the FMC depot, right on schedule.

Arriving at the FMC guard stand, Leigh used her magic like a Jedi from a Star Wars movie and was let in. She then poured poison in the old guard's coffee and commanded him to drink it. The old man foamed at the mouth and crumpled dead on the shack's floor. Pulling up to Jenkins' office, his car was there and Leigh exited her car, keeping her face away from the cameras.

When the fake Eric got to the office door she held her fake FBI ID, blocking Eric's face and she was let in. Leigh was delighted when she entered the office and saw that Mr. D.R. Jenkins was a weak willed, bean counting tech nerd. Leigh immediately had complete control of him.

Leigh used his computer and pulled up pictures and diagrams of Mariposa park High School and had Jenkins study them. The school was one of those schools built in the 1960's in which the walls were mainly windows on a small brick base. It was built in an open ended box design. The Gym and Auditorium on one side, the classrooms on the other and the Cafeteria at the back with the open side facing the parking lot.

After studying the design, Jenkins said, A twenty barrel mixture of nitrates with six barrels of Thermite and two dozen cylinders of Propane chained around it all should do it. Placed on a medium size flat bed truck pulled to this central location it would not leave anything standing and kill all inside most likely. I could place a switch detonator in the cab and we have it all here next door. It will take less than an hour for me to build it."

Leigh answered, "Good, now send an email to your boss and tell him you have an out of town family emergency and you will be taking tomorrow as a personal day."

An hour later the fake Eric was driving a truck bomb back to the warehouse with Snow Ball beside her sitting on a huge tarp. She wasn't giving a thought to the now dead Mr. Jenkins who she left behind in a sealed barrel, but kept nervously glancing at the detonator switch on the dashboard of the flat bed, wanting to get this part done.

She soon arrived at the warehouse and had Matt raise the roll up door and drive the truck in. She then gathered her three minions around her and cast a spell on them that took away all their free will making them her complete puppets. They would now die without a word at her command.

She looked at Matt, Jared and Kinzey and said, "Good job on the set up, everything looks like someone was living here for a month. Now set up the lights, generator, laptop and video equipment over there in front showing the living area."

Once the video and lap top were set up she made a video of the fake Eric saying that everyone at Mariposa Park would pay for all the pain they had put him through at 8:40am today. Then she downloaded it into a burner phone and scheduled it to be sent to the T.V. station at 8:37am. Leigh then went to her minions and, looking at the boys she said, "Go home and meet me at school ten minutes before the first bell in the morning."

Then she looked at Kinzey and said "You're getting a sex change." Leigh changed her into a duplicate Eric Jones, but in his regular style of dress. Then Leigh changed back into her normal self and instructed Kinzey.

"Stay here until 7:00am and drive to the dirt road behind the school. Cover the truck with the tarp that is on the seat and wait inside until 8:20am and then drive to the school, pull over the sidewalk and park in the center courtyard.

"Then roll down the window and stick your head and shoulders out. Then look at the camera over the gym door and stick up your middle finger at the camera. Then push the red button at exactly 8:40am. Do this exactly and only I can stop you."

With the new fake Eric programmed, she knew only a head shot would stop him from doing as she said. She called Dianna's and ordered a driver to come pick her up.

Willow was deep in thought as she entered her school. She was pondering her Seventeenth birthday the day before. She wasn't thinking about all the gifts she received or the wonderful party they had last night at 300 East. No. She was thinking about how she flashed bright blue light and how concerned everyone was, even if they tried to hide it.

Wee Lo was in her usual place, sitting on her right shoulder, but she was silent in thought too. The pair made it to Willow's locker through the mad normal rush of students in the standard din of chatter and yelling. As she was getting her books for her morning classes, Jared and Matt came up and Jared leaned on the locker next to hers.

Jared slyly grinned and said, "Willow you look hot today. Do you have an extra pencil?"

Willow responded without a word and handed Jared a pencil while thinking, "What is this asshole's deal?"

Then Willow shut her locker and turned to leave, but Leigh came up from behind her and got in her face screaming, "YOU SLUT! JARED IS MY BOYFRIEND! QUIT FLIRTING WITH HIM!!" Then Leigh slapped Willow's face, hard.

Willow noticed Wee Lo, hidden from all others view, glowing bright white and preparing to blast Leigh. Wee Lo shouted in an a voice only heard by Willow, "I'M GOING TO FRY THAT LITTLE WITCH!"

Then Willow shouted, "NO!"

Willow acted quick to keep Wee Lo out of the confrontation and punched Leigh in the stomach. Willow didn't punch her like a girl but the way Eric would have with his years of fighting experience. Leigh doubled over with the wind knocked out of her. Then Jared and Matt grabbed Willow's arms and Wee Lo started to blow up, but an adult's voice stopped all the activity by yelling, "STOP!"

Willow saw the command came from Diane Bishop, the new school counselor.

Ms. Bishop a.k.a Dianna Hobs said, "I saw the whole thing! It was clearly a setup to intimidate Willow. Leigh, I have been at this school for five weeks and I'm already sick of you and your crew's bullying tactics."

Wee Lo backed down and Willow couldn't believe how clearly Ms. Bishop saw the situation with Leigh, when most of the other faculty just turned a blind eye toward Leigh and her actions. It was a pleasure to finally hear Leigh being held accountable.

Then Ms. Bishop opened the door behind her and said, "Good, this room is empty. Leigh, Jared and Matt get in here. We going to have a talk. Willow, please wait for a minute here and I'll call you in when these three are ready to apologize."

Willow watched as Ms. Bishop entered the room last and shut the door. Then Wee Lo whispered in Willow's ear, "Looks like I'm going to like this woman."

What Wee Lo and Willow didn't know was that this room was specially selected and prepared by Dianna for her evil purposes. The room was only not used, except for storage, but it also had an exit to the outside.

Dianna and a few of her minions had disabled the alarm on the exit door. The exit door was in a blind spot of the surveillance cameras so it was easy to sneak in the eight powerful Witches, all she could gather with so short a notice.

While she was gathering the witches, the night before her minions emptied the room of everything except nine metal double door book cabinets in which they placed cold iron plates to block Fae magic. Now, hiding behind those nine evenly spaced cabinets around the room, were five female and three male Witches, who are sometimes called Warlocks. Each had their
familiar with them which were an assortment of snakes, cats, and birds. Onyx and Snow Ball were behind the ninth, waiting to join their Witches at the right time.

Dianna entered the room and, in a hushed voice said, "Jared and Matt, get out of the way by the windows. Leigh, stand on my right. Listen everyone, we will only have one chance for this. Wee Lo is too strong for the ten of us to kill, but if we all hit her at once we will be able to push her back through the portal.

It will take her some time to get back and by then Willow will be dead and we'll be long gone. When I say, 'Now Willow,' come out and hit Wee Lo all at once. I was lucky enough to catch Willow talking to her pet bug. Wee Lo is on Willow's right shoulder."

Dianna went to the door and opened it to find Willow waiting on the other side and she said, "You can join us now."

Willow entered the room and walked toward the center where Ms. Bishop and Leigh were waiting. When Willow joined them the two Witches took a step backwards and Dianna said in a loud voice, "Now Willow.."

From all sides the group emerged and Onyx and Snow Ball quickly joined their Witches. Then Willow saw a bright flash of ultraviolet light and she saw Wee Lo pop out of sight. In terror she looked at the Witches and thought, They are WITCHES AND THEY KILLED WEE LO!"

Diana then spoke in soft soothing tones, "Poor, poor Willow. She thinks her pet insect is dead. The bug isn't dead, just sent home. You will be dead in about 13 minutes and I will love thinking how your Godmother will cry her little bug eyes out for you.

"You see, we will leave you soon and "Eric Jones" will drive a truck of explosives to just outside that window. These two big strong jocks will be holding you so you will get a good look as "Eric Jones" kills you and most of your school mates. Isn't it ironic how you will die at your own hand, but it will not be suicide? HAHAHAHA!"

Jared and Matt came over and grabbed her so hard she couldn't break free as they picked her up off the floor. Willow wasn't afraid, nor was she worried about dying, but she was furious over being once again the target for hatred and undeserved ridicule. The rage built in her, greater than she had known even as Eric. The fury was fueled even more by all the innocents that would be killed just to hurt her.

With the Witches gathered in front of her preparing to walk out to their transportation, Willow felt the burning fire of pure emotion balling up in her center and it exploded outward. What came out of Willow wasn't an emotional outburst but a huge ball of Wizard's fire as hot as a nuclear furnace.

The ultra bright ball of Wizard's Fire that was born of Willow's Wild Magic left only melted and twisted cabinets and dark shadows that were ten Witches and their Familiars on the scorched walls. There were also two small piles of ashes where Jared and Matt had stood.

Willow stood there with blue static charges of residue magic running up and down her body. Through the haze of what just happened she knew she had to get out of there and the only safe place she ever had was the bookstore with Erin. So, in the daze of shock and confusion, she headed out the exit door. From somewhere she had the presence of mind to pull the fire alarm on the way out to her car.

As Willow, on autopilot, drove down the street away from the school she didn't notice a flatbed truck traveling in the opposite direction towards the school. As Willow was making the turn towards the bookstore, she did catch a glimpse of the entire student body making their way onto the football field.

The Teachers and Student body of Mariposa Park High, in a well rehearsed procession, lined up on the playing field of the stadium. They'd had several recent drills due to protests and riots that recently plagued Charlotte. So all that practice served them well when, 9 minutes later, a huge explosion leveled all but one outer wall of the school.

The Mariposa Stadium was constructed in a large hole so a few students suffered only minor injuries from the blast. Not so for the students and faculties' cars in the parking lot. Most of the cars were totaled by the blast and debris.

Willow drove the short distance somehow in seven minutes to the bookstore and left her half parked car with the door open as she ran into the book store. With the ringing bell announcing her entrance she stood there just inside the door still with blue charges of residual Wild Magic running over her body.

Erin and Aaron were at the counter and saw Willow standing there sparkling. They ran to her and then there was a loud boom that shook the floor of the bookstore. Willow's eye went wide and whimpered, "The school!' and started crying.

As Erin and Aaron got to her and put their arms around her, there was a pop and Wee Lo appeared in the air in front of them. Willow, with a wailing sob cried, "Wee Lo you're ok!" Then Willow just passed out.

Aaron excitedly inquired, "Wee Lo, what the fuck happened?!!"

Wee Lo answered, "We got ambushed by that bitch Leigh and nine other powerful Witches. They didn't have the juice to hurt me, but they were able to knock me though the portal and I just got back. I homed in on Willow and entered back at her location. So all I know is, she was left alone with those Witches at the school."

Erin told Aaron, "Lets get Willow up to her bed and examine her to see what's wrong with her."

Seeing the blue sparks that were still running over Willows body, Wee Lo said, "She is in a Wild Magic Stupor. Our girl had to release a tremendous amount of magical energy to have this much residue Magic still sparking. I have never seen this in a Wizard before but I have seen it rarely in the most powerful Fae Folk just for a few seconds.

This is amazing and I don't mind saying more than a little frightening. It's only one day after Willow's Indwelling so she is nowhere near full strength yet. A Wizard with this much power could have Cosmic effects, but Willow will be alright once she sleeps it off, which will take time.

She will be out for hours and wake up refreshed, good as new, but hungry as Hell. Actually, from a Magic standpoint, she will be stronger than ever, but her health isn't the issue. Her safety is. Her environment needs to be controlled. Considering that with the amount of Wild Magic she has she can not get overly upset and definitely never pushed into a corner or POW!"

After the trio got Willow tucked in her bed, Erin and Aaron went downstairs to discuss what they needed to do. They left Wee Lo to watch her. Knowing full well, they couldn't force Wee Lo to do anything but that.

Erin said, "One of us needs to call Father and tell him what we know so far."

Aaron answered, "What do you mean "One of us call?" Ged is your father and I'm not calling him to tell him Willow got captured by ten powerful Witches. Take my advice and start off by telling him Willow is safe in her bed. I'm going to try and find out what happened at the school."

Erin said, "Coward!" but she knew Ged was going to blow his top at the news and issue a Red Alert. He will demand answers yesterday to questions that we don't even know yet. Erin's concerns about what Ged would do shifted to what Wee Lo said. "Willow's Magic will have Cosmic Effects."

Willow was now peacefully sleeping, being watched over by her Godmother. Blissfully unaware of the totally new life she was about to start...

We Never Break A Promise 7
By
Warm Hearted
Proofed and edited by Catherine Linda Michel

Fiona, with Ged's arm around her, watched Willow sleep in the huge, four poster bed with loving smiles on their faces. Then Fiona said, "We have our baby back with us and the cursed promise that kept her from us was destroyed with that school of hers."

The Willow's Grandfather replied, "Yes, but she cannot stay here. We need to get her to a Wizards academy as soon as possible, but we'll have to stay here. You know there are spies everywhere and they are watching our every move. The only safe place for her is at an academy.

You saw how she was still sparking with residue Magic when they carried her sleeping, off the plane. It had to have been over five hours since she expelled her Wild Magic. Fortunately the warrens on the academies would keep her Wild Magic from erupting again.

I'm a little overwhelmed that she was able to release that much Wild Magic only one day after her Indwelling. Even the legends of the most powerful Merlins of the Old Order pale in comparison. I fully agree with Wee Lo's assessment of Willow, that being the child of two very powerful Arch Mages. That having her parents magic, along with the Magic of that despot Wren's, focused on her through that amulet as a baby.

Then, she grew up in constant emotional pain, physical struggle, the sense of being hopelessly alone and unloved, finally almost beaten to death as an object of hate and disgust. You well know that even a little emotional pain for a child Wizard will increase their ability to draw Magic. So how many times will all that Willow went through multiply her drawing ability? I have no idea.”

“That brings us to two questions. First, what was the target of all that Wild Magic and second, how far was it felt? You know we felt it very strong here 800 miles away, so how far did that ripple in the magic travel?"

Far from the peaceful scene of the grandparents watching their
granddaughter sleep, one of Ged's questions was being answered. When the Witches poked a hole in the portal, to push Wee Lo through it, the portal fabric was still weak enough to let some of Willow's Wild Magic through. So it sent ripples not only through the realm of the Fae, but also the home of the Demons. The ripple was strong enough to alert the residents of both that some new, very powerful being was the cause.

In the Realm of Chaos, the Physical Laws were always in flux, so light, darkness, solid, fluid, gaseous, void, mass, motion and rest were always mixing and churning. It was like a nightmarish lava lamp. The only natural residents were Demons, but they had Familiars there as a prized delicacy.

Zehgp was there in his normal, constantly changing, natural forms being bombarded with questions, acquisitions and challenges. This was the normal forum of the Demon's counsel. No order was the order, but Zehgp understood he was in trouble. He had made a deal to oversee the demise of a certain wizard child. A job in which he has failed because all those he enlisted to do it are now dead.

Demons hold their deals sacred because that is the only way they can keep their supply of Familiars flowing. They would have to revert back to feeding solely off a subsistence diet of offal that leaks through from other realms. Demon food is made of chaotic emotions like panicked fear, confusion and demented rage. Familiars are the only beings that have these emotions that can survive in their realm.

So Demons make deals that will eventually be paid with the ownership of a Familiar. The biggest deal ever made was to shut the Fae portal. Demons have tremendous power, but it hurts them to use it to do a designed task when its in another realm. Piwet made the supreme sacrifice of being locked for a set time as one being long enough to shut the portal.

Shutting the portal was a huge, involved task which took the hideous task of creating something... the Power Amulet. The Power Amulet pulled all the Fairies back to their home realm and closed the portal behind them. Only the most powerful Fae could cross it again.

Piwet had to make a deal with a weak evil Wizard to do it from the Earth side. The Wizard wanted the Amulet because it's design could steal magic from Wizards, giving that power to the Wizard holding it.

The Wizard, Loki, used The Amulet for a century after the portal was closed, to kill off all but the last Merlin. Loki was finally killed and the last Merlin took the Amulet to study it and to keep it safe.

The Wizards discovered that, after the closing of The Portal, something strange was taking place. They discovered that without the large amount of Fae magic in the world, no new Exemplar Wizards were born.

The last Merlin knew that cracking the code of The Amulet was vital. So he worked on nothing else and he locked himself away to do it. The Exemplar succeeded and discovered how an Exemplar working alone could reopen the portal, but reopening it would close the Demon's portal forever. The last Merlin liked that side effect greatly, but before he could carry out the plan he was killed. As he died he locked all his knowledge and skill in the amulet. The last Merlin's last act sealed the amulet so that only another Exemplar Wizard could unlock it.

Piwet knew all this, but kept it only to himself and looked for the Amulet for over 1,500 years. If he found it he would hide it. He couldn't destroy it because would take more power than any demon had, but Piwet was happy to collect his reward, even though he might have caused a potential catastrophe.

Demons cannot use their power together. One Demon can only have one target and the more power it takes the longer the Demon has to stay in a non-chaotic form which is extreme torture. So Piwet was greatly rewarded for his pain.

For closing the portal The Familiars would give Piwet any Familiars that were found guilty of a capital crime by the Familiar High Council. Piwet randomly received a large number Familiars that he would sell to other Demons. Piwet was the Warren Buffet of the Demons now, but other Demons still could get Familiars in private deals.

The only reason a Familiar would make that sort of deal was the
possibility of being rewarded greatly. So the Demon's reputation of never breaking or cheating in a deal was all important. If a Demon did that, no Familiar would trust them enough to put themselves in such peril. So Zehgp was being judged for doing the unthinkable.

Zehgp had to think fast or he could end up being a clock on Earth and the thought of accurately marking time in perfect order for all time terrified him. So he spoke up. "The Familiar at stake in the bargain is dead. There can be no payment so the contract is voided.

All I have to do is return what was given, The Amulet is in escrow until the bargain was completed. Since that Wizard is dead with no children, I just need to find the closest relative and by virtue of returning it, the transaction will be voided."

They answered, "Your solution is very twisted and convoluted, but legal. You did well Zehgp, but Piwet screamed, "We can not do that!" The counsel knew by that outburst that there was a secret that they needed to know and questioned Piwet. Not wanting the Amulet to fall back into the Wizards hands, Piwet confessed.

Val Morgen, a thin, small statured young man was sitting alone at a small table in a beautifully landscaped, small walled garden, finishing his breakfast. He was wearing only a robe and leather slides. Val, although being small framed, was still very handsome and had a look of aristocracy about him.

If anyone had the dubious pleasure of knowing Val they would know there wasn't a thing weak about the small man. Val was young, but very powerful and had a great family heritage that he was proud of which it helped him rise to the top so quickly. At the young age of 22, Val was already the second highest Witch in the High Coven.

Val was destined for greatness because he not only had power and the name, but he was always heartless when taking what he wanted. Val's other important attributes were his great talent for methodical, meticulous planning and his great ability to exploit any weakness in others for his own ends. Just like his great ancestor who had killed the last Merlin. So he was Dianna Hobs' worst enemy, one who had caused her many sleepless nights.

They both had tried to kill or remove the other a few times, but Val was much stronger than Dianna so she failed and Val's attempts failed because of the powerful alliances that Dianna had formed in the High Coven over the years. In their battle of youth and power against age and experience they were too evenly matched and had to call an uneasy truce for the time being.

Val and Dianna butted heads regularly in meetings because of their opposite views as to what the direction the Dark Witch community should take. Dianna wanted to reclaim past greatness at all costs but Val took the stand that the constant conflict with the Wizards was a shameful waste of resources.

Val truly felt that it would be much more beneficial to have a détente with the Wizards and not go for the big kill. His plan was to diversify the Dark Witches resources and use the synergy of many small wins to produce a much larger cumulative reward in time. This long range thinking was new to the Dark Witches, but many of younger, powerful Witches liked it. So all in all, Val was an unusual type of Witch.

If all Val's wisdom and patience were not enough to make him unusual, he also had Jack, his Familiar. Jack was a rare Will-O-Wisp Familiar. Will-O-Wisps were one of the few magical creatures native to Earth. There were only three Familiar Will-O-Wisps in existence and only one in service on Earth at the moment, Val's Familiar, Jack. Will-O-Wisps are very different than other familiars for three main reasons.

First, Will-O- Wisps only select Male Witches to join with. Second, being Magical beings in the non-Familiar form, Will-O-Wisps have much more Magic than other or mundane Familiars. Last, is in how they feed off their Witches and that's why they only choose Male Witches.

Will-O-Wisp Familiars don't grow nipples on their Witches which male Witches find embarrassing at first. Will-O-Wisps, being primarily spiritual beings, enter a female host and, if needs warrant it they can take control of any Mortal or weaker Witch female. They feed off the life force in their Witches cum when the Witch climaxes in the host female. Witches have ever complained about feeding their Will-O-Wisp Familiar.

At the small table, Val was drinking his morning coffee and going through his mail, throwing away unopened invitations from husband seeking Witches. He was the most allegeable bachelor in the Witch community, but Val didn't want some status seeking Witch, debutant wife.

Val thought, 'I know it would help my reputation with the High Coven if I had heirs. Dianna has her brats... three of her four are in school in Europe, but her oldest, a spoiled slut of a Witch, is my age. That little pampered party girl even tried to make a play for me. When I do take a wife she will be something special, completely loyal to me and have the skills to really help me.'

Then Val was hit with a powerful wave of blue Wizards Magic. He wasn't hurt, but it had him on his feet with his defenses up. He magically scanned the area, ready to engage a powerful Wizard in a death struggle. He was only slightly relieved when he found there was no close threat.

He picked up his phone and called one of his staff Witches and she said she felt it too. She was already having Val's team call other Witches in different locations to try to find the source. Then she said what Val already knew, "This can't be good."

Val had only two personal staff minions in his residence to care for his needs. He had a large staff, but he would rather have them working in the field rather than getting in his way. That's why he had a very nice, but very small residence in New Orleans.

Val got dressed and started making phone calls. After two hours he found out that eight of the members of the the High Coven were called away by Dianna Hobs on some secret mission that no one had any information on. Val sat with a worried look on his face and was seriously considering calling Dianna to see if she was in any mood to share information.

Val finally decided that what had happened was important enough to call his rival and see what she was willing to share. As he reached for his phone it rang, showing Dianna's private number. Val answered it immediately and said "This is Val Morgen."

A Man's voice responded, "Hello Mr. Morgen. This is Nick Cunningham, Ms. Hobs personal assistant. I'm sorry to bother you, but I'm calling you on a matter that could be beneficial for you and I feel it requires quick resolution on your part. May I continue?"

Val didn't hesitate and answered, "Yes Nick, please continue."

Nick continued, "Ms. Hobs has been unaccounted for three hours and her minions, a few minutes ago, started to resign. Since the meaning of this occurrence was obvious to me I convinced the most valuable staff to stay and made very minor preparations, then I called you.

To better explain the situation I need to speak to you face to face. There is much I need to tell you, but this is as far as I dare to share over the phone. I was the last person to see Ms. Hobs that we know of, and that was shortly before the disturbance I'm sure you know about. Through the reports I have gathered, the center of that disturbance was at the last known location of Ms. Hobs.

When Ms. Hobs' absence becomes generally known there may be
complications in defining who is truly in charge of the Organization. I feel you're the most likely candidate, but there are others who may disagree with me.

I feel if you come here now Sir, and take charge of the administrative staff, it will be a forgone conclusion that you're in control. I know how messy situations like this can get if the leadership doesn't act with strength and expediency. So Sir, will you be coming here to take control or can you suggest some other course of action?"

Val, impressed with Nick on many levels answered, "Yes Nick. I will be coming as soon as I can get a flight out to Charlotte."

Nick answered, sounding truly pleased, "Excellent Sir. I'd hoped you would be coming so I took the liberty of booking a First Class window seat on the 3PM Delta direct flight from Louis Armstrong to Charlotte. That should arrive at approximately 5:34pm our time. If all is suitable Sir, I will meet you at the airport?”

Val, pleased said, "Yes that's fine and you can fully brief me then."

Nick responded, "Yes Sir, certainly. Do you require anything else Sir?"

Val said, "That is all until we meet."

Nick said, "Very good Sir, I will be waiting for you. Good Bye Sir and have a good flight."

Val, hanging up, thought of Nick, "Most Witches think Nick is a minion kiss ass, but I know different. The way he presents himself is a crafty smokescreen. He is actually a very skilled, Mid-Ranked Witch and his Familiar is a chameleon, which is unusual but not as unique as mine.

"Nick was very loyal to Dianna and he could not be bribed to betray her. I know of a case of a powerful Witch that had him kidnapped and planned to torture information out of him about Dianna. The Witch that had him kidnapped received a package the day after Nick was kidnapped, filled with her minions cut up into neat little pieces with a note from Nick saying just, "Bon Voyage Miss" She went missing the next day.

So Nick is certain Dianna is dead and he has done very well in assessing the situation. He respects my abilities. Nick is a year younger than me, but he is better at his job than a lot of older Witches have been, so my age isn't a factor to him. Therefore he knows that if I don't take control quickly, there will be a lot of wasteful infighting that will just delay the same result of me ending up in charge.

Nick knows how things work and knows I couldn't take control quickly without going there or he would just come here to me with his help and information. Nick is smart, but he is badly shaken with the information. He knows he wants me there, on site, right now to start fixing it. So this must be major bad and I do need to get there now.

Val was impressed that Nick knew that, when he would fly, he always required a window seat so Jack could remain invisible, forming himself to the window. Jack interrupted Val's grading of Nicks skills and said, in their telepathic language, "I love North Carolina."

Val Smirked and retorted, "Yeah, you just hope we can go to the Brown Mountain Will-O-Wisp breeding grounds so you can get you a piece of mist."

Jack answered, "Like you don't enjoy feeding me more than any Witch I ever had, you Whore Hound"

Jack and Val were a very good match and they enjoyed each other more than most Familiar, Witch partners do. Jack was more like Val's Wing Man than his Familiar. Val was truly going to be one of the great Witches and win a place in history.

Jack then said, "We will be landing in 45 minutes and I should feed before we land so I will be at my best. Do you see any flavors you like?"

Val scanned the occupants of first class and first thought he liked the flight attendant, but then he spotted a young small woman sleeping on the shoulder of a young handsome man. Val nodded his head toward the sleeping woman.

Jack left the window and quickly darted into the young woman. She woke up instantly, unbuckled her seat belt, rose and walked to the restrooms, leaving behind her still sleeping partner. Val rose then and walked to the rest rooms.

Val entered the restroom that the women had just entered, unnoticed by the other passengers and turned the handle to "Occupied." There, waiting for him on her knees, was the young woman. She immediately unzipped Val's pants, removed his cock and worked it hard with her hand and her mouth.

Once Val was erect she expertly gave Val a quick blow-job, drinking in every drop of his cum and licked him clean. Val enjoyed it as always and Jack was well fed. Jack received no erotic pleasure from the act though. To him it was just feeding.

Val dried his cock on a paper towel. Putting his cock back he zipped up and opened the door, checking if anyone was watching. Certain he would be unobserved he exited and returned to his seat.

Then the young woman repaired her hair and makeup quickly and returned to her still sleeping partner, sitting down carefully so as not to wake him. Then Jack darted back to the window well fed and the young woman fell back to sleep on the man's shoulder.

A few minutes later the flight landed and the new Mrs. Harvey, returning from her South American honeymoon, woke up with a strange yet familiar taste in her mouth. As Val passed her carrying Jack in his carry on, he smiled at her. At Val's smile she proudly flashed her new wedding ring at him and Val smirked.

As Val entered the arrival area of the Charlotte Airport, a man who he recognized as Dianna's personal assistant Nick, came up to him and addressed him.

"Mr. Morgen. I'm Nick, the late Ms. Hobs personal assistant. If you will give me your luggage claim I'll have the driver load them in the car. I took the liberty to have our household limo here to transport you to where you would like to go. Does that suit you Sir, or would you prefer some other means of travel?"

Val answered, "No, that is suitable. Here is my claims check."

Nick answered, "Very good sir and sir I hope that you do not hold any ill feeling towards me for any past actions of mine or those of my former employer."

Val answered, "No Nick. I have no ill feeling towards you. You were just serving your former Mistress. Nick you aren't a minion are you?" Val asked, knowing the answer, but as a test.

Nick smiled and said, "No sir I'm a Witch. My personality and gifts were perfectly suited for my Familiar, which is a Chameleon. I'm just a Mid- Level ranked Witch, but if I may risk sounding boastful, I'm perfect for my profession as personal assistant. Sir, the car is ready if you are ready to leave."

Val said, "Yes, I would like to go to the last known location of Dianna before she disappeared. Nick, you can fill me in on what you know she was involved in on the way there."

Nick answered, "Very good Sir. This way."

Nick Followed Val to the car, talking in hushed tones on his phone as they walked to the car. Nick let Val enter the limo first as the driver Charles held the door and Nick followed. Once in the car, Nick gave a very detailed, condensed account of all he knew, which was a lot since he was there for most of it. Val listened silently and looked very concerned at the recounting of the energy waves... the small one that came first and the very large one a day later that he felt 640 miles away.

Then Val asked, "When you left Dianna, Leigh Wright, the eight Witches and ten Familiars at the school to take out this Willow and Wee Lo of Fairy Circle, how long was it before the Magic blast?"

Nick answered, "Less than ten minutes."

Val then asked, "Then how long before the Mortal explosion?" Nick then said, "At the scheduled time, which was less than fifteen minutes later."

Val then asked, "No one has seen Dianna or any of the Witches or Familiars since then?"

Nick answered, "No. Neither do we have any information on Willow or the Fairy."

Val summarized out loud, "So none of our people have been seen and we are fairly sure they are dead, but the magic I felt in that wave wasn't Fae Magic and a hundred Fae Folk could not generate that big a blast. So Dianna was right. This Willow will be a very powerful Wizard. She was wrong however in thinking she must be killed before her Awakening at all cost. Now she is dead and she left me a big mess to deal with."

Nick hesitantly said, "Mr. Morgen, this may not be the time for me to offer this so please forgive me, but I do know all of Ms. Hobs contacts and resources and I'm sure I could be a great help to you in your important work. I also know you presently do not have a personal assistant, and I respectfully offer my services in this capacity."

Val looked at Nick and smilingly said, "No, I do not have a personal assistant at the moment. I haven't found the right one yet, but Nick, some of my requirements for a PA aren't in your skill sets. I'm sure we can find some other position on my staff that your skill will be of great benefit to me."

Nick hid how revolted he was at the offer to be some underling gofer and he respectfully asked, "Sir, not to press, but if I could gather the skills you require, would you give me an interview for the job?"

Val laughed and said, "Ok Nick old boy. If you can show me that you can meet the my requirements I will not only give you an interview, I will hire you without the standard 90 probationary condition."

Nick, smiling said, "Thank you Sir."

Then the limo came to a stop and Charles, the driver said, "Sir we are here at the school."

Val said, "Good. Nick, while I examine the site, which may take some time, I need you to find me a companion for supper tonight. I want her to be no more than 5'2”, With a very good shape, pretty face and young. Can you do that?"

Nick replied, "Sir, if I may touch your hand I can get a clearer picture of what you want."

Val answered, "Nick you're a Reader too? You just impress me more and more. Yes, you may touch my hand."

Nick had plans to read more than what kind of woman Val wanted to entertain. He was going to read all Val's likes and dislikes and what were the "special skills" he was looking for in a personal assistant. Nick touched his hand and his mind filled with all Val's likes and dislikes and a link was established so Nick would know what Val wanted every minute of every day.

Val exited the car with Jack looking at the large hole that was once Mariposa Park High School. Nick told Charles, who was a low level Witch, to wait outside the car until Mr. Morgen was ready to leave. Nick pushed the button that put up the screen that prevented the anyone from seeing in the back of the Limo.

Unseen, Nick's chameleon Familiar Annie, came out from Nick's inside jacket pocket and rested on Nick's shoulder. Annie then said over their telepathic link,

"Nick, I guess, considering what Mr. Morgen wants in a personal assistant, you will take the offer to be a member of his staff."

Nick, sounding revolted, slowly said, "I will not Annie. I can't be some mid management flunky. The idea revolts me, but it would be an insult if I refused it and it wouldn't be good to insult the new Head of the High Coven."

Annie responded, "As I see it you don't have any other option. You knew that Mr. Morgen was going to be the head of the High Coven anyhow and he has a reputation of dealing very nastily with anyone that helps his rivals."

Nick knew of only one option. It was a very drastic and distasteful one to him, but being just a second rate underling was much more distasteful. So the tall, very handsome Witch decided to put aside the revulsion he had and gamble it all. If he did win, his rewards would be more than he ever could have hoped for before.

Nick took Annie in his hand and held her up to his face and asked, "Annie, can you do it?"

Annie answered, "Yes, I can do it in just a few minutes, but you know if I follow all the requirements, you may not ever be able to return to the way you are now or even want to."

Nick said, "Yes Annie, I understand completely. Mr. Morgen wants his personal assistant's actions to be real and he would spot any fakery. I also know he considers this position more as an audition for another position that comes with greater rewards and power."

Annie then warned, "Yes, but that new position will come with
responsibilities that will totally and forever make the change I make to you permanent. Now I've said all this, are you still willing to go through with this?"

Nick said, "Yes. Do it quickly so we will be finished before he returns."

Val and Jack inspected the site and they quickly found the center of the blast site. Val used a shadow magic spell that takes some time to work. Once he had completed the involved spell he went into a trance-like state, standing there stiffly facing the place where Willow had been held prisoner.

Val saw the past images and heard the specters' conversations and was intensely interested on the events as they transpired. Val saw the staged altercation with Leigh. Then how the ten Witches pushed the Fairy through the portal. Then he witnessed Willows Wild Magic blast them into oblivion and the young Wizard pulling the fire alarm and leaving. Val then saw
the minion, still under the control of the dead young Witch's spell, blow up the school.

Val, awakening from the trance, shook his head and said to Jack, "Dianna was so stupid, but why am I even surprised? She always acted heavy handedly and reactionary with no ability for long range planning. She really screwed the pooch on dealing with this Willow.”

Dianna knew, even without such a powerful Wizard as this Willow will turn out to be, that the Wizards have a slight edge over us. Open confrontation would not go well for us and war is always an expensive waste. She would have done much better if she would have made overtures of peace with the Wizards by declaring this Willow under the High Coven's Protection.

If Dianna had done that we could have secretly strengthened our position for the inevitable return of the Old Order. The smart Witches always knew that the Old Order would return one day. It was just our misfortune that it will return our life time. but we did alright in the time of the Old Order. We just had to work harder for it."

Jack agreed, saying, "I was around then and I kind of liked it. With all the magic beings here I had a lot of fun leading dimwits into quicksand thinking they were chasing a Leprechaun to his pot of gold."

Val, walking back to the limo, quickly summarized what his immediate plans were to Jack,

"Well, for now we don't need to think what we we'll do if the Old Order returns. We just need to figure out what we need to do now so we can come out of this situation with some skin left. First, we need to contact what is left of the High Coven and tell them the of the jeopardized position Dianna's rash actions left us in. So lets get to Dianna's old home and get started."

While Val and Jack were inspecting the blast site, Nick and Annie were busy. Nick learned, in reading Val, what his "special requirements" were for his personal assistant and they required Nick to drastically change.

Val Morgen wanted a personal assistant to be his perfect woman. Val wanted a young, very petite, five foot tall woman with an angelically innocent, beautiful face. She was to have thick, wavy, long blonde hair, pouty full lips and large, sapphire blue eyes.

Her shape should be athletic, but still curvy with a tiny waist and a firm teardrop shaped butt. Her perky breasts needed to be B cups that looked larger on her small frame. She also was to have soft very fair skin and smooth thighs that were to have a heart shaped gap at the top. Her voice would sound slightly high, but lyrical.

Her mannerisms and body movements would always be fluidly graceful and she would carry herself like royalty. She would always act as a perfect lady in a very old fashion proper way. She would a meticulous, detailed manager who could intimidate subordinates with almost sadistic pleasure.

She would have the skills to run his home to his standards of perfection, taking charge of all his meals and the rest of his domestic needs. In addition she would be the perfect event planner, while being his perfect companion at dinners and parties.

Val's personal assistant would instinctively know what he wanted and do it without being told. She would never act prideful about knowing though and would always respectfully verify with him what she has already implemented. In addition, her personality would also adapt to what he wanted her to be for any situation.

Her knowledge of his desires would also include what he wanted sexually from her. She would then either submit to his advances, or take charge when he wanted, to perform whatever he desired. She would truly enjoy him fucking her and always react naturally in the way he desired. She could go from softly moaning, to screaming like a sex starved, nymphomaniac slut. All her reactions had to be for real and she had to be truly
feeling that amount of pleasure.

During the nine minutes it took Annie to transform Nick, Annie had put Nick to sleep so he would not feel the pain of his body being ripped apart and remade into Val's prefect woman. Nick was now truly the embodiment of Val's dream girl, right down to her DNA.

Annie said, "Nick, wake up. It's done."

Nick's long eyelashes fluttered as she opened large, beautiful, sapphire blue eyes. Nick then felt all the knowledge of Val's feeling rush into her. She could not read his thoughts, but she knew what he wanted from her.

Nick could tell Val was still thinking of her as a man because he had no idea of how she had changed. She took a few minutes and inspected her new form as she had felt that her body had changed and she knew she was truly a healthy young woman. She knew that Val would want sex very soon after seeing her, knowing that what he really wanted was a wife to bear him heirs. He'd want to test drive the potential candidate for a time first. He didn't want children right away, so Nick magically tied her new tubes, rendering her infertile until the time was right for her to conceive.

She saw she was dressed to Val's preferences and as she moved, she noticed she felt quite different. Everything was much larger and heavier. She could not sit all the way back and have her feet touch the floor. She saw she sat with her knees together now without thinking, though she knew she didn't have the time to waste considering her changes, so she picked up her new phone and started doing her job.

When Val and Jack returned to the limo, Charles opened the door and Val started to enter, but was stopped short by what he saw. In place of Nick he saw a young, petite, beautiful blonde dressed in a dark blue, well fitting, skirted business suit.

She was very sexy, not slutty and her innocent big blue eyes were looking at him with a perfect smile with gleaming white teeth. She had very long, blonde, thick wavy hair pulled back and clipped, perfect pink, medium length nails with matching lip stick. She had a scooped collar, white blouse that showed a little cleavage and a heavy, gold linked necklace with matching dome pierced earrings.

Val looked at her and questioningly said, "Nick?"

The vision said, "Yes Sir. I hope you had a productive visit."

Val, standing there staring at the young woman and still trying to take in what had happened answered, "Yes it was."

Then he silently told Jack, "Check her out and see if she is for real."

Jack darted from Val's side inside the "new Nick" and just as quickly returned. Jack then said to Val, "Damn! Val, she is real down to her DNA and she has magically tied her tubes. So she thinks you will want to fuck your new personal assistant and not knock her up."

Val thought it was very erotic that this beautiful girl who is now much smaller and weaker than him, was the big buff man who towered over him when he picked him up at the airport less than three hours ago and answered Jack, "She's right."

Nick felt a new, warm butterfly feeling in her lower abdomen and knew it was the spell that made her new body mirror the level of sexual arousal that Val was feeling towards her. Then Nick knew exactly what Val wanted her to do. Nick said, "Charles, you may stand in front of the car and take a smoke break, but stand far enough away so we can not smell the smoke."

As Val was getting comfortable in his seat Nick asked, "Is that alright Sir?"

Val looked at Nick and said "Yes. Shut the door Charles. Ms. Cunningham will call you when we are ready to leave."

Charles answered, "Yes Sir, Thank you."

When the door shut Nick slid over next to Val and unzipped his pants, taking out his nearly hard cock and stroking it gently, doing exactly what Val wanted without a word. Nick felt her body react in concert with Val's. When Val's cock became rock hard and ready, she felt her new pussy flower, dripping wet and demanding to be filled.

She then kicked her dark blue, 4" heeled, red soled pumps off her stocking covered feet. Then she knelt on the seat facing Val and pulled up her skirt, revealing a garter belt holding up her silk stockings and no panties. No panties with a garter belt was just what Val loves a woman to wear. She paused for a second, giving Val a look at her wet, lightly haired pussy with her vaginal lips open, revealing a slick, pink slit.

Nick unbuckled Val's belt and undid his pants, and Val leaned up for her to pull them down to his feet. Nick then mounted Val resting most her weight with one hand on the back of the seat next to his head. With her other hand she took his very hard cock and guided it in her very ready, flowering pussy. Nick with her knees on the seat straddling Val, started pressing his cock up in her. Nick felt her new, very empty feeling, pleasurably filled by Val's hard, smooth cock.

Nick started pumping faster and faster and she loved the feeling of his cock filling her hot, wet, empty canal. The pleasure built in her quickly and soon she was out of control, lost in orgasmic bless and moaning like a $5,000 whore just like Val wanted. She had orgasm after orgasm, moaning and screaming and it was all for real.

Val, thinking how good Nick was, thought as he felt his climax building, "I think we will both enjoy Nick in this new position. That statement works on many levels. OH FUCK! I'm CUMMING HARD!"

Finishing up, Nick carefully dismounted Val so as not to disturb his apparent closed eyes bliss. She opened the center console and took out a wet wipe, cleaned herself and took a paper towel from the dispenser next to the wipes and patted dry. Then she pulled her skirt down and smoothed it. She then slid her shoes back on and fixed her makeup and hair. She looked fresh as ever very quickly.

Still, it took all her will not to just lay there in the seat in the huge afterglow she had. She saw Val open his eyes and look at her and smile. So she carefully cleaned him and replaced his underwear and pants back, all zipped and buckled.

Then she asked, "Are you ready to leave Sir?"

Val nodded and Nick took her phone, texting Charles

"Would you like to go to the late Ms. Hobs' local residence, or somewhere else, Sir?"

Val, smiling real big at the perfectly professional way Nick was now behaving only a few minutes after she was screaming in sloppy wet orgasms she could not have possibly faked. Val Said, "The late Ms. Hobs place will be fine.'

Val thought, "I'm really impressed. Nick so far seems perfect. Only time will tell, but I can't keep calling her Nick. I always thought Nikki was a cute name and she really does look like my idea of a Nikki."

Val looked at his new employee and said, "You're Nikki Cunningham now."

Nikki answered with a smile "Very good Sir."

After arriving at the house, Nikki introduced Val to the staff and remaining minions. They all were silently surprised at the personal assistant's new appearance. Then Val took control of all of Dianna's old minions so they all served him now. Then Nikki showed Val the house. As Nick she had already had the servants redecorate Dianna's old bedroom to be a suitable man's room. By the time they got to Val's bedroom, all his things were unpacked and placed as per Nikki's instructions.

Then Nikki asked, "This is your bedroom if it meets with your approval?"

Val said, "Yes, it will be fine."

Then Nikki questioned, "My bedroom adjoins this one through that door, but I will move if you wish Sir."

Val said, "No, that will be fine, but just bathe and dress there. You will sleep in my bed until I tell you otherwise."

Nikki proudly answered, "Yes sir, as you wish."

Seeing the obvious pride it generated in her at him telling her that she was to sleep with him made Val very pleased in his new personal assistant/mistress. The he gave her instructions of what meeting he wanted set up for the morning. Then he told her, after she had finished her tasks, to dress for dinner and that were going out.

She smiled broadly and said, "Yes Sir!"

Willow woke up feeling refreshed, but she was starving. She opened her eyes and was surprised to see she was in a strange bedroom. Wee Lo was sleeping on the pillow beside her in the four posted, king size bed that she woke up in. Then she saw her Grandmother sleeping in a chair at the side of the bed. Willow softly said, "Grandmother?"

Instantly Fiona and Wee Lo woke up and Fiona said, "Willow, are you alright?"

Willow answered, "Yes Grandmother. I feel very good actually, but I'm starving."

Wee Lo flew in the air and did a loop-the-loop, so happy she sprinkled Fairy dust and shouted, "YES!"

Fiona laughed and said, "We will feed you right away and I will tell your Grandfather and the rest that you're doing very well. Are you up to a visit from them?"

Willow Smiled and said, "I would love to see them all, especially if they are bringing food."

Fiona answered, "I'll tell them. They will be very pleased. Would pancakes, bacon, juice and hot tea be good?"

Willow's mouth watered and said, "That sounds good, as long there is a lot of each."

Soon Willow had a tray filled with a mansized breakfast in front of her and her loving family around her. She told the story about what happened at the school the day before between bites. Willow wolfed down eight strips of bacon, five pancakes and a pint of juice.

She was surprised she couldn't eat more, as starved as she felt, but she was now full at the end of her tale about her confrontation with the Witches. Willow leaned back smiling contently while she enjoyed her family and sipped the hot tea. Then Wee Lo made a off color remark about how sexy Aaron would look with wings and four inches tall . At the comment Willow laughed and blew tea through her nose and they all laughed.

Then Erin asked, "Willow, are you really doing well as you seem? You're not hiding anything from us are you?"

Willow looking puzzled said, "Yes, I'm fine except I need a shower and a gag for my for my bimbo Godmother. Why did you ask Erin? Should something be wrong with me?"

Then Aaron unveiled the elephant in the room, saying, "Willow, you just produced a massive ball of Wizard's fire which destroyed ten powerful Witches with their Familiars and two of their minions.

Then you saved the student body and Faculty of your school and still had enough strength to make it home on your own. That would upset most Wizards twice your age, but you act like it wasn't anyhing. So YES, we are worried about you."

Willow was silent a moment then she said, "In my whole life until I met Erin and started working at the bookstore, I was always the target of undeserved abuse. I was moved from one bad foster home to another. In some of those homes the abuse was just verbal, but in others there was physical abuse along with verbal.

In school it was no different, so the only way I could survive was to use what I had to protect myself. That's why I used my brain and worked so hard to excel in my grades so they couldn't say I was dumb. I used my brain that I developed and learned to use the size and strength I had as Eric to defend myself.

I got so tried of all the unjust and undeserved pain that others took so much pleasure in inflicting on me. So when Leigh and Ms. Bishop cornered me and told me how they planed not just to kill me, but also blame me as Eric for killing everyone at school, I guess I did what I always did. I instinctively used what I had to fight back and I don't feel bad for doing it. They were evil and they had no concern that they were going to kill so many just to hurt me. So I'm glad I disintegrated them."

Wee Lo Jumped and did another loop and shouted, "THATS MY GIRL!"

We Never Break A Promise-Part 8 (The Conclusion)
By Warm Hearted
Proofed and edited by Catherine Linda Michel

FROM THE EDITOR: This is the final chapter of this book. It's not the end of Willow and her family and friends though, just the end of this chapter of her life. It's been fun to help get this story proofed and ready for posting and I thank Warm Hearted for trusting in my ability to help polish her already great story. I hope all of you have enjoyed reading about Willow and her amazing transformation and story. I know there's going to be a lot more coming from Warm Hearted in the future and I look forward to seeing what she comes up with next. Please remember to kudo and comment, as those things are a writer's lifeblood and the only pay for all the hard work that goes along with getting the idea for a story and the effort to write it and get it ready to be read by you, the readers. On Warm Hearted's behalf I thank all of you who have followed the story and commented. Happy Holidays!

FROM LAST TIME: "I got so tried of all the unjust and undeserved pain that others took so much pleasure in inflicting on me. So when Leigh and Ms. Bishop cornered me and told me how they planed not just to kill me, but also blame me as Eric for killing everyone at school, I guess I did what I always did. I instinctively used what I had to fight back and I don't feel bad for doing it. They were evil and they had no concern that they were going to kill so many just to hurt me. So I'm glad I disintegrated them."

Wee Lo Jumped and did another loop and shouted, "THATS MY GIRL!"

Several months later:

As Wee Lo examined Willow's new effort on the easel, she said, "Goddaughter, it's amazing. It's like a window to the past. I feel like all I would have to do is to fly in there and join my brothers and sisters in the Equinox Dance. I think that dance is what I miss the most from the time of The Old Order, but one day I may get to dance it again."

Willow answered, "I think I did a fair job, but I think you're biased. I think though I like acrylic pencils better than water color."

Willow examined her work again and thought, 'Yes, I like this medium better and I like the subject. Learning the history of the Old Order is my favorite course here at Eagle Nests Academy. I can't believe I've been here almost a year. It's only two weeks until my Awakening and I'll be eighteen and have control of my Magic.'

While we sleep we are taught all our lessons Magically, leaving our awake time to pursue things that interest us personally. I still like reading, myself and I read a lot in the vast library here, but I also like Art and Music and I'm one of the soloists in the Nest's Choir. I shocked the hell out of Erin when she came to my Piano Recital because no one in our family could play music. So I do love it here at the Nest and I'll hate leaving.'

I'll stay here until I learn how to use my magic effectively, probably another year. Although I will have to move to the campus where Magic isn't dampened. Here on the Pre-Awakened Campus, Magic only works in our beds while we are asleep. I like how it works here. So Wild Magic isn't a problem.

Although there are some Sleep Magic mishaps. When I found out about Sleep Magic I got worried because, while we are Magically Sleep Learning, we still dream. When I was told that Sleep Magic was Wild Magic triggered by our dreams and could change us. I was a little relieved, learning that the changes only lasted until we went to sleep again. This scared me because of my reoccurring dream of being Eric again.

I haven't had that dream since I've been here and I figured it was triggered by the stress of still having to regularly confront the same people that Eric was tortured by. Sleep Magic is rare here in the Nest. The only case I know of personally was April Fisher, who normally has small breasts showing up one morning with a pair of DD's. She returned to normal the next morning, saying her back still hurts and she never wanted big breasts again."

Willow's suite at the Academy was indicative of the wealth and
prominence of her family, but no one knew about her past or the
expectation that she would be an Exemplar Wizard or her history. Willow still used the last name of Sparrow because the story of the tragedy of the Cranes and their infant daughter was still talked about regularly. So the other students just thought she was named after that poor infant that the Evil Wren killed, along with Willow Crane's parents.

Willow had a separate bedroom, a sitting room with a grand piano, a floor harp, and a dressing room connected to a huge bathroom, but Willow wasn't pretentious and often had other students there for dinners or just hanging out.

Willow took most her meals in the cafeteria with her many friends. She had a very different life than Eric did since she was respected by all the students and faculty of the Nest.

Once a rude, self involved male student referred to her as "the little princess," resulting in him being verbally ostracized by half the student body. Months later he still can not get a date.

Willow had no problem getting a date, but she didn't have a serious relationship with anyone. She found she liked tall, dark men who were respectful, yet fun. She was still a virgin although she had come close to losing her virginity a couple of times. She was able to stop after her disappointed dates made it to second base, but one almost stole third.

Willow was saving herself for someone that she loved the way Erin loves Aaron. After putting away her art supplies and cleaning up, she went to her harp and started playing and singing an old Irish ballad. Wee Lo said, "Willow, you sing beautifully. You sound like a Fae with your bell-like soprano voice. Please sing me something else."

Willow smiled and thought it would be a good time to give Wee Lo the surprise she had been preparing. She found, in the library, a song that Fairies sing on special occasions like their secret Equinox Dance. The dance was only seen by a few who just happened on it to their misfortune. Fairies can be very mischievous with their punishments.

Willow started playing her harp and as soon as Wee Lo heard the melody she started crying. Then Willow started singing Amha'n Aos Si, which was at the top end of her high soprano range. Wee Lo just sat there, mesmerized by the song, with her tiny mouth open. Soon her wings wrapped around her while she was sitting in a tight ball with her arms around her knees pulled into her chest.

Sobbing, Wee Lo said, "My Goddaughter, you honor me so much. Willow I could not love a daughter more than I love you and I know you love me as much. It has been many centuries since I have heard the Aos Si and the sound of you singing it took me back to the dance once again, but it was very strange. Seeing the dance in my mind, you were dancing it with me as a fairy, which I know could not ever happen."

Willow started crying too when Wee Lo hugged her face as much as she could and kissed Willow on the forehead. Wee Lo told Willow tales of the olden times and Willow loved to hear Wee Lo telling of the lives of Fairies in the time of The Old Order. Wee Lo spun her tales until it was late, so Willow went to bed thinking how she was born too late and how wonderful the life of a fairy must have been.

Willow lay in her bed sleeping peacefully and dreaming of Fairies in the time of the Old Order. Then she started to glow brightly. She dreamed of flying through fields of flowers and sitting on toadstools. She, in her utopian dream of being a free Fairy, was singing the Aos Si with a Fairy choir backing her up. Then her Godmother, a little taller than she, took her hand and Willow joined the rest of the Fairies in the dance.

Willow was awakened from the dream to the sound of Wee Lo screaming for her.

In a panicked voice Wee Lo was screaming "WILLOW WHERE ARE YOU?"

Willow opened her eyes and she was under some heavy fabric covering, but she saw some light some distance from her and started to crawl towards it. She was surprised at how easily she could maneuver under the heavy fabric as she made her way to the light.

Hearing Wee Lo shouting in distress, Willow answered, "I hear you Godmother and I'm crawling out from some kind of tent."

When Willow got free of the fabric she saw Wee lo standing over her on a giant pillow.

Wee Lo, in a confused voice said, "Willow? Is that you?"

Willow answered, "It's me, but how did you get so big?"

Wee Lo, in a voice that conveyed pure amazement replied, "Willow! you're a Fairy!"

Willow answered, thinking she was still dreaming, "I'm a Fairy? I must still be dreaming."

Wee Lo, calming just a little said, "Willow, it must have been Sleep Magic, but There has never been a Wizard able to transform into a fairy. The Merlins could change into animals and other humans, but Fairies aren't of the Earth. So the Magic would have to be stronger than any Wizard has ever had. Magic strong enough to change your very being.”

“Willow, what happens to a Wizard through Sleep Magic can easily be recreated by them once they Awaken and they learn how to use their Magic. Let me check and see if you just changed into a copy of a Fairy, which would make more sense."

Wee Lo flew around Willow and looked through her Magic vision and said, "WILLOW! YOU'RE REAL DOWN TO YOUR DUST SACKS UNDER YOUR WINGS!"

Willow said, not nearly as shocked as Wee Lo, “This is just Sleep Magic so I will be back to normal by tomorrow. I want to see how I look as a Fairy, but how will I get to the mirror? It looks like a mile away now."

Wee Lo calmed down with Willow's calm assessment. Then Wee Lo got excited that her Goddaughter was a Fairy now, even if it was just for a day. Wee Lo explained, "Willow, you have wings now and Fairies don't have to learn to fly, we're born with the skill. So just fly to the mirror."

Willow looked over her shoulder and watched as she flapped her wings. Then, with a smile on her face, she took off and easily flew over to her vanity mirror with Wee Lo giggling, following. Standing in front of her mirror she looked at her naked form as a Fairy. Wee Lo waved her hand and Willow instantly had a Fairy dress on similar to Wee Lo's.

Willow saw she looked the same, but with translucent wings and she was now just a little shorter than Wee Lo. Willow jokingly said "Damn! You were the only person I knew shorter than me. Now I'm shorter than you!"

Wee Lo, picking up on the humor retorted, "I always said you looked like a giant wingless Fairy. Now you're a proper height and you have a proper set of wings. You're perfect and if there were any boy Fairies around I would have a hard time keeping them off of you."

Willow laughed and said, with love in her voice, "Now I do look like your real daughter."

Wee Lo grabbed Willow in a Hug and picked her up off her feet in a big hug saying, "You have no idea how long I wanted to give you a real hug."

Willow, with false distress answered, "Hey watch the Wings. HAHAHA."

Wee Lo let her go and said, "Lets go for a Fairy Frolic." and flew out the window with Willow following."

They flew up very high and left the campus, then dove down into the surrounding woods.

The day was a sunny Indian Summer day with a few flowers still blooming and they drank nectar from Morning Glories. Then they skipped over a pond and flew with carefree abandon. Willow knew no one at the school would worry that she was gone, since she would often spend time hidden away in with an old book.

After hours of play, they rested on soft leaves in the sun and giggled and talked and Wee Lo commented, "Willow, when the Old Order returns you can change into a Fairy and dance with us. I will be so proud to hear you sing for all the Fairies."

Willow answered seriously, "If I can change into a Fairy like you think I will be able to do and the Old Order returns, I promise that I will, on my birthdays and we never break a promise."

After they played all day, Willow and Wee Lo sang together well into the night, Willow laid on her bed, exhausted. She went to sleep and was soon returned to her normal form while Wee Lo watched. Wee Lo thought, as Willow returned to normal, 'One day Goddaughter, we will do this again and I hope it will be soon.'

Val and Nikki were sitting at a table for two in the Capital Grill Restaurant in downtown Charlotte. Val liked the place because it reminded him of some of the restaurants he liked in New Orleans. The establishment's name wasn't descriptive of it's romantically intimate, fine dining atmosphere or price. Val and Nikki often frequented it to discuss business privately without distractions, but Val had planned to do more than business tonight at the dinner.

Nikki, closing her presentation said, "So with our contacts, when the Cuban Cigar and Rum importation restrictions are removed, we will be positioned to control the new market. We must watch it though, because the market will diversify quickly so, to maximize our profits we need to sell our holdings while they're still at a premium. Val, does this strategy meet your approval?"

Val answered, "Yes. We'll do well in this as you said until the market diversifies."

As always, Nikki sought Val's permission to implement the already completely prepared and in place plan, but what has changed is Nikki no longer called Val "Sir" when they were alone. This thrilled Nikki to have Val's permission to use names like darling or love as the situation warranted. Nikki liked the liberty because her feelings for Val had changed from being just her employer to one that was as close to love as
a creature like Nikki could have.

Nikki naturally knew Val was through with business and was ready to order, so she asked if she could freshen up before dinner arrived. Nikki waited for Val to stand and come and hold her chair before she rose, picked up her clutch and made her way to the restroom.

It has been almost a year since Val first arrived in Charlotte with Jack, his Will-O-Wisp Familiar, and met Nick Cunningham, the late Dianna Hobs personal assistant. It was very hard for Val to remember this five foot tall, graceful, vision of beauty sitting across from him as the very tall young man he first met.

Over the months, that Nikki has been his personal assistant, she has proven herself smart, innovative, competent and completely loyal. Nikki has been even better in her other role as his mistress. Val thought about how their sex and their relationship has evolved over the months.

It started out with Nikki being just his whore, but it changed quickly as Val's respect and dependence on Nikki grew. The tension releasing sex sessions mutated into a type of casual date sex, to what it is now, sessions of very romantic love making. Val loved Nikki as much as a creature like him could. So Val's Familiar, who was fed by the life force from his Witches seed, was actually getting a little portly.

So when Nikki was gone, Val took out black velvet box that had a three carat, canary yellow, diamond set in a platinum engagement ring. Val had use his magic to hide his intentions from Nikki because of her gift of knowing what he wanted without being told. So Val was sure it would be a complete surprise to her when he asked her to be Mrs. Valentine Morgen.
He saw Nikki making her way back and quickly replaced the ring in his pocket.

When Nikki returned to the table she had a box of her own. Nikki's box was long and made of dark oak and had the Morgen Family Crest on it. Val rose and pulled out her chair and she seated herself, then Val asked, "What do you have there?"

Nikki answered, "It's something I found for you, not on Ebay. I hope you like it."

Val knew that Nikki had lately started buying him gifts, just as he had for her, so it wasn't unusual for her to get him something, but Val knew his gift for Nikki would top whatever she bought him so he let her go first. Val thanked her and opened the oblong box and in it he saw a dagger with a brass handle and an Obsidian blade.

Val saw the handle was a piece of bone with his Family Crest carved in it. Val touched the crest and he sensed immediately what it was. It was the blade that his venerated ancestor had killed the last Merlin with. Val was shocked speechless, but when he found his voice he just asked, "How?"

Nikki answered, "I traced it down through the contacts I developed. As you know my Darling, I have many. Once I found it's location I, well let's say, you know how persuasive I can be when I need something. I hope you like it. I truly want to please you in every way."

Val looked at the blade, looked at Nikki and said, "Nikki. This gift proves to me that what I'm about to do is so right."

Nikki looked at Val puzzled and wide eyed as Val pulled the small box from his pocket and said, "Nikki Cunningham? Will you stop being my perfect personal assistant and be my perfect wife and the mother of my children?"

Nikki's Familiar whispered in her ear, "See I told you, you would never be Nick again."

But Nikki ignored her Familiar and cried, "YES! OH YES!"

Val sat at his desk the next day in the office he took over from the dead Dianna Hobs. Val and Nikki thought it was best for him to run things from Dianna's last HQ to make the transition as seamless as possible and it worked. Val was now the undisputed head of the High Coven.

Val wasn't pondering Coven matters at his desk though. He was looking at the dagger, the gift from his bride-to-be Nikki. Nikki was gone picking out a wedding dress. She was also getting the license in SC, which was only a few miles away from Charlotte. SC had a much shorter waiting period for marriages. They would be married by the end of the week.

Looking at the Dagger Val felt very strong residue energy emanating from the bone emblem in the handle. He realized then that the bone was from the skull of the last Merlin and added to the dagger after his death.

Then a thought hit him and he mind spoke to Jack, "Can we use shadow magic and see some of the history of the blade?"

Jack floated down over the dagger and said, "Yes, but there is more than just residue Magic on the dagger. There is a link to another object here and we will see both. It's not dangerous so I suggest we do it. I love a good mystery."

So Val and Jack worked their joined Magic and soon they were seeing long past events.

The pair witnessed an old Wizard placing a part of his being into an amulet hanging in the middle of a tripod. While the Wizard finished a sealing spell, a beautiful woman dropped a cloaking spell and appeared.

If the old Wizard wasn't so intent on the amulet he would have seen through the Witches cloaking spell, but he was so involved with the amulet, she was able to get close enough to drive an Obsidian blade into his heart. The Witch left the amulet on the tripod, fearful of its power and ran out of the room.

Val and Jack then saw, in fast forward, the history of the amulet as it was handed down from Wizard to Wizard. Most of the Wizards were afraid to try to use it, but some tried and found it could steal the power from other Wizards. There seemed to be a curse on whoever used it and they would soon die after they employed its power.

This curse prompted other Wizards to try to copy their own version of the amulet, but they only achieved a minimum of success. The more powerful Wizards could create an amulet that could steal other Wizard's power, but that was all. Those weak replicas came to be known as Socra Amulets. At the end of this very quick history they saw the Amulet used by the Wizard Wren to kill the Cranes and steal their baby. Then they saw Wren give a Demon the Amulet in some bargain.

Looking up from the dagger Val said, "WOW!" and Jack said, "That was fucking amazing!"

Val asked Jack, "So am I right in what I felt that the Demons want The Amulet of Power because an Exemplar Wizard can close the Demon portal trapping them, and closing their portal will open the Fairy portal?"

Jack said "Damn straight Val, and if I knew where the Amulet of Power was and where this new baby Exemplar is I would give it to her gift wrapped. It would be well worth returning the Old Order to get rid of the Damn Demons."

Val replied, "I know for a fact that if I could deliver on closing the Demon portal I could control the Familiar Council and with the control of the Familiars I would control all the Witches. So I think I have our new game plan, Find the Amulet of Power and get it to this new Exemplar. Then make sure she survives until she can close the Demon portal. it's very Ironic that Morgan killed the Last Merlin, and her ancestor will make sure the first new one survives."

Piwet had worked diligently for almost an Earth year, if time had any relevance in Piwet's constantly in flux universe, but he knew he needed to act now. He had devised a plan that would not only save him from punishment, but also make him even more wealthy. So he called a High Council Meeting to present his randomly twisted plan.

In the counsel meeting Piwet spoke, "I know my past actions are in question, but I have a diverse plan to not only return The Amulet of Power to our safe keeping, but also prevent the Fairy Portal from ever opening again. In addition to all this, it will provide us with a much greater supply of Familiars to feed on."

"In their jumbled chaotic way the Council expressed doubt Piwet's plan could be real, but they had interest enough to hear more so Piwet accommodated them and told them more, leaving out any details.

"I have found two Wizards who are the closest relatives of the dead Wizard that made the bargain with Zehgp. I have a Witch ready to tell the two relatives that that one of them will be awarded The Amulet Of Power, but it will take many years for our probate court to decide who has the better claim, which is all true.”

"My Witch will make them both a bargain with the stipulation that only the first Wizard to accept will win. The other will lose by default, which also is true, because the winning Wizard has to kill the other to accept the bargain.

The bargain is to kill the new Exemplar Wizard and bequeath to us the Amulet at the time of their death. So the Exemplar will die before she learns to use her power well enough to be a threat and the curse will dispose of the winning Wizard after he or she is no more use to us. This alone will not solve the problem permanently, so that brings us to the rest of my plan.

I also propose that, in the bargain with the Wizard, we stipulate that they must use The Amulet to kill all the Arch Mages, greatly reducing the chances for the birth of another Exemplar. Finally, I will convince the Familiars to kill all the Fairies, thereby removing any reason to reopen the portal.

Then I will arrange a bargain with the Familiars to send us all
Familiars when they return after the death of the Witch that they serve. I will include in the bargain with the Familiar High Council that they rule that not serving a Witch is a capital crime, but they will only serve a Witch after they have Four offspring.

The Familiar Council will also make it a capital crime if the Familiar fail to reproduce Four offspring after they go through six breeding cycles. As this ever-changing body knows, I get all capital offenders, but this new bargain will be a tremendous new source of Familiars. I will give Our High Council twenty percent of the additional Familiars. So this is my plan and I'm prepared to put it in place upon your approval.

There were sounds like Godzilla in a junkyard emitting from those present and it eventually shrank to the normal ever present background sounds. Piwet gathered that they had two main challenges to his plan, so he answered them with confidence, but with no substance.

"I understand your assumptions that I have flaws in my plan so let me clarify the ways I have fixed these apparent flaws. To the assumption that, "The Familiars would never destroy their food source," the answer is simple. We just give them the recipe for what we feed our Familiar livestock. I know they think it's barely edible, but they will find it better than starving.

To the second assumed flaw, "Why would they do anything for me so drastic.” Yes, they will see that this bargain will turn them into our breeding stock. So they would normally refuse any such bargain, but I plan to offer the Familiar High Council immunity for them and their offspring from the requirements of the bargain. I assure you, they will be happy to take the deal when I put certain incentives in play. But at this time sharing what these incentives will be would prove counter productive. I assure you they will motivate the proper response and you will know very soon after, what the incentives are and I'm sure they will meet your approval."

The High Counsel approved Piwet's plan and he went to his stock yard. There he viewed hundreds of Familiars, all fearfully waiting their inevitable fate. They all knew they soon would be spending the rest of the rest of their long life in agony and torture.

For some time Piwet had been holding back his supply of Familiars to cause the price to inflate like some oil merchant on Earth, but his plans had changed for his stock. Familiars have a genetic defect that can cause Familiars, in less than 1/100 of one percent, to mutate into Fairy and Familiar killing machines called Drows.

Drows normally live for only about three days, but can be killed only by a joint attack of many Familiars or Fairies. While they live they look like a drug addict's nightmare and can kill hundreds of Familiars or Fairies. Their horrible appearance is like a giant scorpion with dragonfly wings and razor spikes on their thorax.

Piwet's grand plan was to change all his stock into Drows that are under his control and release them into the land of the Familiars and Fairies. Piwet was going to extend the length of their lives for as long as he needed them as Drows.

Then he would change them back to his Familiar livestock, but after they run rampant for a while the Familiars would be willing take his bargain, no matter how repugnant it was. They would have no choice if they wanted to live.

After the Familiar High Council take the bargain he will send his Drows with the Familiars to destroy the Fairies. While this is going on, his plan to destroy the Exemplar Wizard and the Arch Mages would be implemented. With all confidence of success, he began the transformation of his Familiar stock into Drows and sending them through the portal.

Roth Herring looked at the screen of his laptop as he worked on a new story for his blog. Roth's article was one of those poorly written epistles of hate, which presented the author's personal feelings as documented facts. The only thing unique about the shaved head covered in amateurish prison tattoos, and the very dimwitted hate mongering of Roth was that he was a Wizard.

Roth was a very weak Wizard, but he was the president of the Vale, NC Chapter of The High Aryan Tradition Enforcers or HATE for short. It took all of Roth's weak Magic to make his body imposing enough to convince weak minded individuals into following his idiotic doctrines.

Roth had spent most of his 32 years in prison and had a reputation for being insanely dangerous. Roth's few friends and followers would joke that you could not dig a hole in South Mountain State Park without finding a body that he buried. Frequently Roth would go into rants, blaming his time in prison on imaginary conspirators that had a vendetta against him because he knew the truth.

He truly thought that the Wizards High Council (Which he called the Illuminati to his Mortal followers) and the liberal non-white people who controlled the government, were working together to silence him. Roth's narcissistic world view never took into account that his main source of income was selling illegal guns and cooking meth so his actions didn't figure in his sociopathic logic on why he went to prison.

Roth was also like so many other self-involved, dull witted, and prestige hungry people, he would often use violence to get what he wanted. He had a tear tattooed in the corner of one eye and it wasn't there for show. He had connections with many other criminal, white supremacy groups located all over the county, most of which owed him big favors.

So he was very suspicious when he saw, on his security cameras, a man dressed in an expensive suit, walking up to his door. Roth pulled out his 14 inch long double barreled shotgun from its place under his desk top and went to the door.

Holding the gun hidden against the wall in his right hand he opened the door with his left and confronted the man as he walked up the steps of his old single wide mobile home.

Threateningly Roth said, "What the fuck are you here for?"

The man answered calmly, "I'm Keith Collingswood and I'm with Shay, Kline, And Collingswood Legal Firm and I'm here to discuss a possible inheritance with you."

Roth, deluded as always, thought it was a ruse by the FBI, Federal Marshals, or the NSA so he said, "What asshole would die and leave me anything?"

Collingswood answered " One Lea Wren, a second cousin of yours I believe."

Roth, now somewhat interested said, "Yeah, she was my cousin, but she died a long time ago so why are you just coming around now?"

Collingswood answered, "it's an involved story and the inheritance comes with some conditions, but if you allow me in, I will explain."

Collingswood, being briefed on Mr. Fisher's paranoia, fabricated a lie to expedite this unpleasant meeting along. Faking apprehension and looking across the road at the woods, Collingswood lied. "Driving in I noticed what seems to be a utility van across the road in the woods. It was strange because there were two people in the front seat watching
this trailer with strange looking binoculars."

Roth, hiding it from Collingswood's sight, slid the shot gun into the back of his pants, covering it with his loose shirt, then motioned Collingswood into the trailer quickly.

Upon entering, Collingswood wished he'd concluded his business outside.

The smell was horrible. There were piles of dog shit all over the floor from Roth's Pit Bull, some of which had turned white with age. Every piece of the old, filthy furniture had either old pizza boxes or dirty plates on it, with Brown German Roaches on every wall. To complete this decor of filth, there was a constant swarm of flies.

Roth jokingly excused the condition of his domicile by saying, "It's the maids day off."

Collingswood didn't commit on the filth, but it took a herculean effort to avoid vomiting. He did go professionally into the reason he was there and said, "Mr. Fisher, there was a certain amulet that your deceased cousin put up as advance payment for services that became impossible to be carried out. Said amulet was turned over to the probate court of the contractors country, but there are some problems and it might take years for the amulet to be released. The first problem is that you and another cousin have equal claim to the amulet. So until the event of one your deaths, the amulet will be held in probate.”

“The other problem is, after one of your deaths it still would take a large amount of money to pay the legal fees and investigation costs to prove true ownership, but before you worry over all those problems, I may have a solution.

I have a client who is willing, at the time of the death of one of the heirs, to pay all expenses and expedite a very quick release of the amulet to the survivor. If that survivor will then contract to use the amulet to remove a troublesome Wizard quickly of certain others, then sign a will bequeathing the amulet to my client, my firm will arrange the needed resources and information needed for the survivor to carry out these tasks. This offer is being made to both of Ms. Wrens survivors.

Mr. Fisher I'm ready to give you now all the information you may need to contact the other survivor if you are willing to sign a contract that states that the last survivor will carry out the contracted tasks immediately upon receiving the amulet. Mr. Fisher, I need your answer now. So is it yes or no?"

Roth, thinking for a second said, "Ok, so you know about Wizards and I'm guessing that you're a Witch and your client is a Demon. I know you will not tell me if I'm right, but I know I am. So the deal is, if I off some cousin I don't know, since Lea was the only one I knew. Then use Lea's amulet, that I heard about from my mom, to kill some Wizards that are causing the Demon some shit. I get to keep the amulet for free?"

Collingswood said, "That is correct. Any other questions, because I need your answer?"

Roth then said, "But this Will... shit I'm not good with it. After I do what you need me to do, why won't this Demon just off me?"

Collingswood replied, "My client had me put a stipulation in the Will stating that he will not, nor have anyone else, harm you. He knew that could have prevented the heirs from agreeing, so he added that clause."

Roth smiling said, That amulet has some real juice and it's not like I haven't took a contract before. So, fuck yeah. I'll do it. Show me where to sign and give me the intel on my target."

With his business completed with Fisher, Collingswood knew his partner Shay was doing the same with the other cousin. Collingwood drove quickly to his Embassy Suite Hotel to strip, shower, and probably burn the clothes he had on while in Fishers home.

Roth opened the information packet on his target and read that she was Debbie Hawk and she was living with a Devon Johnson in St. Louis, MO. After reading what he needed, Roth picked up a burner phone and called a friend in St. Louis. When his friend answered Roth said, "How the fuck are you Bo? Are you ready to return that little favor I did you? Great, I'll send you what you need to know the usual way. I need it done in the next three days and bro... I think you will enjoy this one. It's chocolate covering vanilla."

Hanging up the phone he thought, "Hell, Bo will love taking out a fucking race traitor, so he'll probably get it done in one day."

Piwet, looking at his herd of stock, moved over them and they
continued to change. Soon they were 723 Drow, perfect killing machines, but these were completely controlled by him and he could control them from home through the Demon portal. So he would not even have to go into the Familiar and Fairy Realm. Piwet changed them in one other way also. Normal Drows had a very short life of just three days, but his Drows life came from his Magic and they would live as long as he needed them
to.

Piwet would then open the portal and let them loose on unsuspecting Familiars and Fairies. They would kill and eat many at first, but once filled, they would still kill anything near them.

Piwet also had other plans for the Drows. His plan was to bring them back his Realm to replenish his stock when their job was done. He would soon be richer than ever. Piwet would soon send a Familiar minion to strike his deal with the Familiar High Counsel. He thought, 'Soon they will be ready to do anything just to survive.'

Mr. Stacy looked very nervous as he walked through the rough project back to his car after Ms. Hawk signed the contract. He was more than happy to drive away past the drug dealers and homeless that inhabited the depressed neighborhood.

Back in Debbie's apartment Devon, her boyfriend, came out of the bedroom where he was hiding, listening to Stacy's proposal to Debbie. Devon was a small time Shot Caller for a third rate street gang that ran the complex that Debbie lived in. Debbie was a Wizard, but so weak she could not hope for any better than Devon.

Devon said, "Damn I thought he was Five-O at first, but he was just a suit with a deal. Debbie? Was he saying that you got some family that died and left you some amulet, but you got to bust a cap in someone to get it?"

Debbie answered, "That's right baby. He talked about an amulet that will give me a lot more juice and it has enough to help me make you own this town."

Devon recapped, "So this necklace is the shit and it will boost your Voodoo so I can be the main man in the city. Let me see who we have to off."

Devon took the packet of intel on Roth Fisher and read it carefully, saying when he finished, "Ok, we will need to take out this cracker, skinhead mothafucca. It may take a little bit, but this if this necklace is as bad ass as you say I will do it."

Debbie answered, Yeah, it's some bad shit. I can steal power from some strong ass Wizards and then I can take out anybody that stands in our way, with no one knowing we did it."

Devon said, "Fuck! That's some bad shit! Ok, it will take a few days to get some heavy firepower, because these country skinhead fuckers will have all kinds of Prepper shit. Then you, Me, Big H, Crazy mike and Bang-Bang will go down to NC and take care of some business."

Three days later, with their new guns in the trunk of Devon's pimped white out 1969 Eldorado, Debbie, Devon, and his crew pulled away from the curb, heading for N.C. but they didn't notice the white man wearing a hoodie walking to end of the block. The white man peeped around the corner at the end of the street and hit the send button on his cell phone.

When the smoke cleared there wasn't much left of the window glass of the apartments facing the street, but there was more glass left than there was of occupants of the pimped out white 1969 Eldorado.

Val Morgen was in his office with the new Mrs. Morgen at his side, as always. They were in a video conference with all the highest Ranked Witches in the world. Val had just finished explaining how the return of the Old Order was inevitable and his plan to utilize the synergy of present holdings to protect what holdings they could.

There were a few objections to just giving up, but after some heated debate all were convinced that Val's plan was the best course of action at the moment. So Val outlined his future plans to approach the Wizards High council with his proposed treaty.

Suddenly there was a wavy burst of energy and Ignis Jack's brother, Will-O-Wisp appeared in the office. He quickly melded with Jack and then he left as quickly as he had come. Will-O-Wisps can come to Earth for short periods without a Witch host, due to their spiritual nature.

Val, with other Witches watching intently over the conference video, looked on with deep curiosity, wondering what had just happened. They didn't have to wait long because Jack faced the camera and spoke in an audibly shaken voice and proclaimed the news his brother had delivered.

"My brother Ignis has just brought me news from the Realm of the Familiars that is apocalyptic, both to Familiars and Witches. it's my sad duty to tell you all Witches and Familiars alike, the Demons are now in control of the Familiar High Council. Now as the Demon's puppets, The Familiar High Council has enacted several new laws.

The first is that all familiars are only allowed one trip to Earth as a Witches Familiar. On their return at their Witches death, they will be given to the Demons. Secondly, All Fairies will be destroyed and Familiars will only have some tasteless gruel that the Demons provided the recipe for.

Thirdly, All Familiars will be forced to breed as soon as they are mature enough. They have a short time limit to reproduce four offspring. Once they meet their quota, they will be arbitrarily assigned by the High Council to a Witch, without any consideration given to talents or abilities.

The reason the High Council gave over control to the Demons is because right now there is a plague of Drows that are killing many Familiars. These Drows aren't natural because they do not die in a day or two and there are hundreds of them.

My brother believes they were created by the Demons and controlled by them, because when the High Council submitted to the Demons' demands, the Drows started helping in removing any opposition to the new laws.

As you can imagine, there are many Familiars rebelling against the new laws. My other brother, Hinky Punk, was killed in the rebellion. The remaining rebels have formed an amazing alliance with the Fairies. These dastardly circumstances have caused conditions so horrible that Fairies and Familiars are fighting them together.

The screens of the video conference erupted with everyone expressing their concerns on how these new laws would just make the Witches pawns of the Demons. Val was finally able to still the clamor and say, "You're all right. We need to take action as soon as we can to help the Rebels and we must do anything in our power to thwart the Demons plans to take over. But to act in haste could be worse than not acting at all. So we need to gather more information and see if we can formulate a plan.”

“The best thing you all can do now is rally every Witch powerful enough to cross the portal and prepare them to fight for our lives, because that is what this will be. Don't be deluded, this fight will be bloody, but the stakes are very high. I have no doubt that, if we lose this war we will be the last Witches. The Demons are selfish and, no matter how the new Familiar law reads now, as soon as they win, the Demons will soon change it. I truly believe the Familiars here on earth now are the last that ever will be allowed to come here if the Demons win.”

All the ruling Witches were in complete agreement and quickly ended their feeds to get busy preparing for a joint life or death struggle. Once the last screen went blue, Val and Nikki went to work calling Witches that were Val's subordinates, the ones that were powerful enough to cross the portal with enough power left to fight once they arrived.

Nikki was interrupted by a minion who she gave a look that should have turned the minion to stone, but she softened after the minion whispered in her ear the reason for the disturbance. Nikki nodded her head when the minion finished and quickly left the room.

Val looked at Nikki with a curious look on his face and Nikki said, "There is a Mr. Collingswood here, requesting a private meeting with you immediately. The reason he isn't beaten and bleeding in some alley right now for his impertinence, is he says he represents the Demons and the High Familiar Council. Shall I have him shown in?"

Val face darkened and he just nodded. Nikki went out and returned with Mr. Collingwood. Then Collingwood, with the attitude and demeanor of some aristocrat talking to the kitchen help, explained why he was there, "Morgen, so as not to waste time I have a letter for you to read from my employers."

Collingswood handed Val a envelope with The High Council's unbroken seal on it. Val opened the letter and quickly read it. The letter informed Val of just a small portion of what he already knew, but the kicker was a thinly veiled threat. They said that Jack would be taken from him and he wouldn't ever have any other Familiar if he didn't do all that Collingswood told him.

Collingswood said, "Morgen, are you going to agree and to the terms and do all that I say?"

Val thought a second and said, "It looks like I don't have any choice. What do you need me to do Collingswood?"

Collingswood, in a firm venomous tone corrected, "Mister Collingswood, Morgen! Now, let me explain what you need to do in simple terms so you will understand it. I will send to you a Wizard, who will be in possession of a certain amulet.

Your job will be to use all your resources to help this Wizard
accomplish their mission. There is a contest currently going on so I'm not sure of the identity of the winning Wizard, but they will have this special amulet so that is all the proof you will need."

Val smiled at Collingswood and said, "I agree to help the Wizard with the amulet to complete their mission. If I'm successful may I have one of your cards so I can contact you?"

Collingswood handed Val a card while saying, "If your not successful I doubt that you will be able to contact me, but I also doubt that you have comprehended that, considering your intelligence level."

Val took the card and thought, as Collingswood quickly left, "Yes. If I'm successful I will contact you personally."

Willow prepared for her Awakening, which would happen in a few minutes. She thought this day would be very different, but the war going on in the Realm of The Fairies changed everything.

There would be no parties and all her family was in a life or death struggle in the Realm of the Fairies. Even her ever- present Godmother Wee Lo was gone to fight. Only Erin remained behind to protect her. Even the academy was closed due to all the students needing to return to their families and most of the instructors went to fight in the war.

So parties and birthday cakes seemed disrespectful to Willow, considering the dire events unfolding. Even her Grandparents were in the war, as were all of the Wizards strong enough to be any good in a fight. Besides Erin, the only Arch Mage left on Earth was Aaron, who was on a secret mission for the High Council Of Wizards.

So Willow was impatient for the eight minutes to pass so she would Awaken to her magic so she could help. She thought, 'I'm going to be Super Wizard, but until I Awaken, I'm useless, no, worse than useless because Erin is having to stay here to protect me. I know they say it will take years for me to learn to use my Magic to its full extent, but I have beaten the curve on everything so I just know in six minutes I will beat the curve again and be powerful enough to save my family. I have to
because I will not live alone again."

The time of Willow's Awakening finally happened and Willow felt her Magic come alive in her. It was like when your leg falls asleep and the feeling comes back into it, but it was a new member of Willow's body she never had felt before. Soon it was fully awake and Willow felt it move in her body.

The outward signs of Willow's Awakening were very anti-climatic. There were no light shows or explosions, just a small blue flame over the top of her head that faded quickly.

Willow said to Erin, "Is that it?"

Erin answered with a smile on her face, "Yes, that's it. You're now a full Wizard."

Willow immediately walked to the training field, the only large space where Magic was not dampened on the academy campus. She squared off facing a huge concrete block and she concentrated on her new ability to feel her magic. She then pushed her Magic out her hands and said, "MOVE!"

To Willow's surprise, the block just sat there and Willow moved to a smaller block and tried again and still nothing. She franticly moved down the line to smaller and smaller objects until she got to a big foam rubber ball and she successfully rolled it four feet.

Erin shouted "Great Willow! That took me 3 weeks to do. If you keep up your practicing you will be moving that big block in less than a year."

Willow screamed, "LESS THAN A YEAR? THE WAR WILL BE OVER AND EVERYBODY WILL BE DEAD!"

Erin said, trying to comfort Willow, but doubting the words as she said them, "Willow, you don't know that. We might win."

Willow said, crying with frustration, "Erin please don't lie to me. I heard how bad it is and I know if I don't get in the fight soon we don't have a chance. Once, when I was Eric, I almost killed myself because I was so alone. Then you found me and I learned what it was to have people who loved me.

I will not be alone again and I will end myself if I lose all those that love me ...I PROMISE!"

Erin, in shock and terror said, "WILLOW! DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU JUST PROMISED?"

Willow flatly answered, "Yes Erin... completely."

Willow just turned around and started practicing her Magic again.

Roth saw a UPS truck pull into his drive and he watched as the driver left a package at his door. Roth put on blast protection armor under a hazmat suit and, using long tongs, opened his door and brought the package in. Roth then put the package in a gloved safety box, opened it and found the Amulet of Power along with a letter.

After reading the letter he picked up his phone, called the number and a woman answered, "Hello this is Nikki Morgen."

After explaining who he was, the woman set up an appointment for him to talk to Val in six hours. Roth hung up and took out his "court suit." A 380 hand gun, and his boot knife and got ready for the meeting. Then, giving himself time enough for Charlotte traffic, he left in his old rusted Doge Ram truck with the hand painted Confederate Flag on the hood, to meet Val.

On arriving at Val's house 25 minutes late he was escorted in to Val's office with Val and Nikki waiting for him. Roth looked at Nikki lustfully then, with disdain, Roth looked at the smaller darker man. Roth then with a smirk and looking at Val asked, "You a Mexican?"

Val in a very courteous way answered, "No. My father was English and my mother was Italian."

Roth then smiled, "Italians are good. Even Hitler had Mussolini as an ally, I just don't like working with Wetbacks, Niggers, or Jews."

Val, offering a chair then said, in a jovial, understanding way, "I completely understand. Now please mister Fisher, have a seat."

Roth went to the expensive looking chair and sat down, making sure his boot knife stayed covered.

Then Val said, "I have a lot of ground to cover concerning the Amulet so you might find that chair uncomfortable. Nikki? Will you make our friend here comfortable?"

Roth watched cautiously as Nikki picked up a pillow from the sofa and walked to behind him, but he really like this sexy blonde getting him a pillow for his back and leaned forward so she could put it behind him.

So with Roth looking down, Nikki pulled a Rugger LR22 cal. target pistol loaded with hot load hollow points and equipped with a silencer and calmly double tapped him in the back of the head.

The 22 hollow points had enough force to penetrate the back of his skull, but not enough to exit. They just flattened out and bounced around in his skull making his brains, soup. The two shots instantly killed him, leaving only two small entry holes and very little blood.

It always pays to be neat.

Aaron was waiting in Val Morgen's board room for about 20 minutes when Val and his wife Nikki finally entered the room carrying the Amulet of Power. Val had told Aaron the full story over the phone when he set up the meeting with the Wizard. Val knew Aaron was still in Charlotte, so it was easy getting him to the Mansion before Roth.

Val walked in and gave the Amulet to Aaron saying, "I have my
helicopter ready and waiting for you on the pad outside the rear door. I suggest you hurry. Minutes count right now."

Aaron couldn't believe how accommodating the Head of the High Coven was being, so he had to ask, "Why are you doing all this? You seem to be working very hard to bring back the Old Order."

Val just smiled and said, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Now you better get going. We both have a lot to do."

Aaron actually shook Val's hand, which made Val feel that he was making the right decision. Then Aaron left to get the Amulet to Willow, leaving Val and Nikki alone.

Val said to Nikki, "I want you, while I'm gone, to see if you can help the acting head of the Wizards Council to hammer out the treaty with us that will work, if we win. I don't know this low ranking Wizard, but more than likely he is some brainless, middle management type. All the powerful Wizards are already fighting in the war."

Nikki responded, You know I'm more powerful than I'm rated. I can make it to the other side and still have enough juice left to fight at your side, where I should always be."

Val turned to Nikki and softly said, "No. I want you here keeping things going and keeping our baby safe."

Nikki, shocked said, "How did you already know I'm pregnant?"

Val hugged and picked up Nikki and said, "Don't be mad at Jack, but he told me the moment it happened on our wedding night, when you untied your tubes and ovulated."

Val then kissed Nikki deeply and said, "I need to go. Our army is waiting for me to go through the portal. I'll do all I can to make sure our child has a future and I'll be back as soon as I can. I love you, my former male, ex-personal assistant, beautiful wife and mother to be."

Nikki started crying and said, "Val, please be safe. I love you too, my Husband and father of my child."

With one more kiss, Val pulled away from Nikki and left.

Willow worked on her Magic until 2am with Erin pleading with her to get some rest, but Willow ignored her until she was so tried she couldn't think. Willow then went to her bed and just collapsed. She woke from a dreamless sleep at 6am and went back to the training field.

Willow had some success and she was up to moving a five pound block of wood. If things were normal, this would be a huge advance for a new Wizard in such a short time, but it made Willow furious and made her push herself even harder. She was pushing so hard Erin was deeply worried that she would hurt herself.

Erin said, "Willow, if you push too hard you could cause yourself injury and it will take time for you to heal before you can practice more."

Willow, hearing Erin, just pushed herself harder knowing that Wee Lo and all she cared about except Erin were locked in a life or death struggle that she knew that she could stop when she had control of her Magic. Willow was so intent on mastering her Magic she didn't see Aaron's arrival.

Aaron went to Erin and told her the story of the Amulet and how he had come by it and Erin said, "So Wren killed that Wizard not to make a Sorca Amulet, but to steal this Amulet of power."

Aaron said, "Yes, we had the story wrong, but it makes more sense that Wren, using this Amulet on Willow, gave her enough Magic to become an Exemplar."

Erin agreed and told how Willow was working so hard that she was worried for her. Erin pointed out, "Willow is so intent on learning to use her Magic so she can help that she has not even noticed you're here."

At hearing this Aaron walked in front of Willow and Shouted, "Willow!"

Willow Stopped and looked and saw Aaron and said, "Aaron? Why are you here? Is the war over?"

Crashing Willow's hope Aaron answered, "No Willow, the war is raging and not going well. I will be going there once I give you this."

Aaron held up the Amulet and Willow recognized it and screamed, "Why did you bring that abomination to me. That evil thing killed my parents and made most of my life a living hell!"

Aaron explained the true story of the Amulet of Power, how the knowledge of the last Merlin was locked in it including how to close the Demon portal and opening the Fairy portal for all time.

Willow looked at it differently and was about to take it from Aaron's outstretched hand, but then she pulled back in disgust and said, "No. It's responsible for so much pain in my life. I can't bring myself to touch it."

Aaron gave the Amulet to Erin and said, "See if you can change her mind, but I need to go."

Aaron tenderly kissed Erin and said, "I hope you can get her to use the Amulet soon. It's not going well for us and I need to go and do what I can. I love you and I have a question for you when this is over."

Erin answered "I love you too and please don't be a hero. I will be there soon, I hope."

With that Aaron popped through the portal.

Willow, watching all this, looked at the Amulet and felt shamed that she was letting her personal feelings get in the way of helping. “Give me the damned thing.” she said.

Erin handed Willow the Amulet and Willow took it by its heavy gold chain.

Willow, holding it up, looked at the amulet and seeing it looked like a crystal that was filled with swirling colors and sparkles. She hesitated for a second, but then placed it around her neck.

There was a burst of light from the Amulet and it surrounded Willow. She then felt herself traveling without moving and she saw the world turn into swirling colors and lights. Then it just faded into a plain, flat, desert landscape with only an old man standing facing her to break the sameness.

Erin saw Willow put on the Amulet and watched, speechless, as a sphere of color consumed Willow. Erin worried tried to touch it, but was pushed back. Erin's Magic had no effect on the sphere so she could only stand there helplessly and hope her niece wasn't harmed or imprisoned in the sphere of changing, swirling color.

Willow, seeing the very old man in front of her asked, "Where am I?"

The old man answered, "Where you need to be."

Then Willow, agitated by his cryptic answer asked, "Well who are you then?"

Then the old man answered, "Your Master who is tired of his Novice's foolish questions."

Willow then asked, "My Master?"

The Master answered, "Yes, and I have the almost impossible task of training such a disrespectful Novice to be an full Exemplar to fulfill the prophecy and free the Fae folk."

Willow then understood this was the Last Merlin and he was going to train her to do what she so desperately wanted. She then submissively said, "Master. Please teach me."

Then the Master said, "Much better my Novice, so lets get started. It will take some time for you learn what you need to know."

Master and Novice went to work. They worked and worked and worked. Willow was amazed how she never got tired or needed sleep. She thought she must have worked non-stop for three weeks and she wasn't tired, hungry, or even needed a bathroom break. She also noticed that nothing in this realm ever changed. It was always day and the same nothing never broke the sameness.

Willow learned to do many things. She lost all sense of time, but she knew she must have been with the Master for months. She worried a lot about all her family if the war was over, but she didn't dwell on it because she knew she needed to complete her training to help those who were left.

After Willow raised a mountain and blew it to rubble for the fiftieth time the Master said, "Novice, you finally have that. Now lets work on transformations. Witches have the ability to completely change their form, although Wizard's strengths are in other areas. So most Wizards can only make slight changes to their form. As an Exemplar you will have need to change into other beings, so we will work on this."

What must have been weeks later, Willow could change into anyone. She even transformed into her old Eric form briefly. The Eric form made Willow very uncomfortable, but she did change into Erin and Aaron a lot.

The Master then said, "You seem to be proficient at transforming into humans now, but Exemplars can't fly any better than any other Wizard. So it will help you to be able to fly. Not just to get somewhere quickly, but to give you an higher vantage point. Because, just as any other Wizard, your magic is limited to what you can see. So pick a winged
creature and work on transforming into this being."

Willow thought of the time the Wild Magic that turned her into a Fairy and how she loved flying with Wee Lo and being with her as a Fairy. Willow remembered what it felt like and how the world looked to her. Then she focused her Magic on being a Fairy again.

Willow quickly shrank and became a Fairy again. She opened her eyes and flew up to face her Master. The Master sounded surprised when he said, "Novice, you have a great talent and I'm pleased, but you chose a Fairy. I have never witnessed any other Exemplar with the ability to do become one, so why did you choose one so difficult?"

Willow explained that her Godmother was a Fairy and how her Wild Magic had turned her into one once. The Master smiled and nodded, then set Willow to start working on other skills. Willow was about to change back and get started, but her Master stopped her and said, "No Novice. You will continue this part of your training in your chosen form so you will be able to use your Wizard's Magic while you are in this form."

So Willow stayed a Fairy and went back to work.

The Fae, the Rebel Familiars, and Wizards Alliance was losing the war. The Alliance greatly outmatched the Familiar Council forces, but the Drows gave the Council's forces overwhelming superiority. So the Alliance, after great losses, were pushed back to their strong hold on Rainbow Mountain. On the peak of the mountain the Alliance was making a last stand.

The Rebels had lost half their number in battle... more than the Fairies or the Wizards, but their casualty numbers were high also. The tactics of the Familiar Council were devastating, the Drows would spearhead the engagements. Some Drows would fly in and clear the skies of attacking Fairies while other Drows would kill everything that stood in their way on the ground. The Familiar Council forces would then just follow, doing any clean up needed.

The Alliance was on top of their Mountain, fighting off a new offensive, when a Drow force broke through one side of the Alliance line and was starting to flank the Alliance's weaker Left side.

Ged and Fiona were on a high vantage point, bravely making themselves targets so they could cast fire balls effectively at the advancing Drows. Wee Lo was doing a great job leading the Fairy swarm, keeping the Drows in the air at bay, while Aaron was casting energy bolts and barking orders to the troops.

Even with all this effort, the Alliance was losing ground. Then there was a clap of thunder, signaling a huge opening in the portal and over 700 Witches and Familiars came through.

Aaron wasn't sure if they were friend or foe until Val ran to him and asked, "Where do you need us?"

Aaron said, "The left flank, they're breaking through there."

So Val's forces took the left flank, throwing lighting bolts and casting death spells on Drows. The Familiars with Witches were more powerful than Familiars alone so the Witches' Familiars didn't fight themselves. They just supplied their Witches with power. Soon the Familiar Council's forces were pushed back.

The Alliance forces started cheering and Aaron went over to Val and shook her hand again, but Wee Lo landed and cut short the celebration by saying, "My scouts just reported that a very large body of Drows are approaching from the East and will be here in three hours."

The mood went somber and, just then, a lone Drow flew in and stung Ged and Fiona with its scorpion tail before it was killed. In Shock Aaron looked at Ged and Fiona's bodies being carried down and laid at the command post.

Willow, back in her normal form was mutating sand into water, then to mercury, then to steel. Then The Master came to her and said, "Novice... no, I should call you Willow now because your training is complete and you are now an Exemplar. Willow you are an Exemplar more powerful than I, and you will be a more than formidable force. I'm sure your future will be great, but you have one more task.

To release the Fae from their prison you must first release us from ours. You have to destroy this Realm Of The Amulet. I have waited for this for longer than you can imagine, so destroy this realm and set yourself and me free so you can go change the world and I can finally find peace."

Willow looked at the Master and understood that he imprisoned himself in this world of sameness until an Exemplar would come to fulfill the Prophesy. Now was that time, but how would she destroy this world?

Willow shut her eyes and felt the energy of the Realm Of The Amulet. She saw what it would take to cancel it. She thought, "This will not be hard. All I will have to do is reverse the energy flow to nullify it."

Willow opened her eyes and said to her former Master, "Thank you for suffering so long for me to come. I PROMISE that I will always try to make you proud of your Novice. I hope you will find peace at last, you truly deserve it."

Willow's former Master said," I will find peace and you have already made me proud by your promise, because we never break a promise. Goodbye Willow. Fare ye Well."

Willow then called her Magic and nullified the energy that was the Realm Of The Amulet. When Earth reappeared to Willow she had a heavy gold chain around her neck, but no amulet. Willow saw she was still at the training field of the academy and Erin was still standing there looking at Willow and worried.

Willow said, "Erin how are you still here? I must have been gone well over a year."

Erin answered, "Willow are you OK? That energy ball covered you less than 30 minutes ago."

Willow realized then that time passed differently in that world of sameness she had just destroyed, but she didn't take time to explain this to Erin. Knowing that if she wasn't gone that long the war was still going on and she still could make a difference.

Willow said, "Come Erin. We have work to do."

Willow located Aaron in the Realm of the Fairies, then punched a hole in the portal, transporting Erin and her to Aaron's side. Upon arriving, Willow and Erin saw two Wizards reverently laying Fiona's lifeless body next to Ged's. Erin looked at her parents laying dead there and ran towards them but Aaron caught her and held Aaron, bursting into tears.

Willow, seeing this, fought off doing the same as Erin. Then Willow, using a skill she learned as Eric to bury his feelings to deal with the danger of the present situation, she thought, 'I will grieve later. Right now I need to get justice for this.'

Willow went into a cold calculating rage. She saw that the battle was raging and that the new Drows were joining the main force. The sky was full of them and the Fairies were losing the air battle. So she climbed to the highest point and prepared her battle plan.

Aaron saw Willow up on the pinnacle and shouted " Willow! Get down from there!"

Willow didn't answer Aaron, but Wee Lo saw her there and left the battle to protect her. Before Wee Lo could join her Goddaughter, Willow opened up. Her Eyes and hands turned into bright blue fire and she started freezing Drows in the air and they fell to their death in little pieces.

Willow then spotted Wee Lo coming towards her with two Drows on her tail. The two Drows never made it to Wee Lo. They were vaporized. Then Willow Shouted to Wee Lo,

"Godmother come and get behind me and tell the Fairies to fall back to the base."

Seeing Willow vaporize the two Drows with no effort at all, she knew this wasn't the same Willow she had said goodbye to a week before and did what she said. With Wee Lo behind her and the other Fairies safe on the ground, Willow opened up with her big guns.

Willow raised her hands and covered the sky above them in a dome of Wizard's fire. The dome filled the sky and charcoaled Drows fell from the sky like rain. Then Willow turned her attention to the forces on the ground and blasted them over and over again until all the Familiar Council forces drew back to the safety behind a barrier of rocks, out of Willows field of view.

Willow then went down and knelt by her grandparents bodies and wept, being held by Erin, Wee Lo, and Aaron. When six Wizards took their bodies back to Earth Willow was able to put aside her grief again to face the problem at hand.

Aaron looked at Willow and asked, "Willow? Is that really you?"

Willow answered "Yes. It's me, but I have spent a long time in a realm where time doesn't pass, being trained by the last Merlin. So I'm the same, but I have changed because now, I'm the Exemplar of Prophecy."

At that, all the Fairies and Wizards save for Erin and Aaron went to one knee and bowed to her. Val, seeing this, thought, 'Dianna was a stupid bitch, thinking she could kill this woman. This Willow is a force of nature so we just need to stay out of her way and not piss her off.'

Willow started watching Fairy scouts returning without Drow
interference and a thought hit her. She asked if Aaron would call the commanders of the Alliance to the tent that was set up as a command HQ to discuss a plan.

With the head of the Familiar Rebels, Wee Lo, Val Morgen and Aaron Crane all looking at Willow wanting to hear what Willow had to say, she didn't keep them waiting "I think we can win this war quickly if I can get to the Demon portal and close it. "I don't think I can get there over land, there are just too many for me to kill them all. They would just overwhelm me with their sheer numbers.

Since I cleared the sky though, they are afraid to fly because if I could see them, I could kill them. So I have some questions. How far is it to the Demon portal?"

Wee Lo answered, "You can see it, about ten miles from here."

Willow answered, "Good. Not far at all. I have a way of getting there, but I will need Wee Lo and one other Fairy. I also need something from the rest of you. I want you to have a party. I want you to make the Familiar Council Forces think that you are honoring me in a premature victory celebration so they will think that I'm here taking bows and we are way too over confident. If this works, the celebration will not be
premature at all.

Wee Lo soon returned with her sister Pee We and Willow introduced herself to her. Pee We quickly informed Willow that she knew all about her. Then Willow explained her plan. "As long as the Drows think I'm still here they will not attack normal scout missions. I think the Council Forces are waiting for the Demons to do something. I'm afraid what the Demons will do is send a force of their own to help the Council's army.

I know this will be very painful to them, but they know they are in danger of being cut off from all other worlds forever and they will eventually make that sacrifice. I don't believe we can stand against the Council's forces with direct Demon involvement.

So, since they aren't attacking scouts, I'll go with Wee Lo and Pee We and get in striking distance of the Demon Portal and shut it, locking the Demons away and opening the Fairy portal at the same time. Any questions?"

Aaron spoke up, "Willow, I don't think a Fairy scout mission will distract them enough not to see you making your way through their lines."

Then Val added his objections, "Don't you think it would be a better plan for us to spear head a rush through their weakest point and get you to the Demon portal, even though we would lose a lot in doing it?"

Nodding Aaron said, "That sounds like our best plan, good thinking Val."

Willow just smiled at both Aaron and Val and shrank down into a Fairy.

Aaron was speechless and amazed, but Val said what Aaron was thinking, "WHAT THE FUCK!"

Looking at the Fairy form of Willow Val said, "I hope you don't hold what Dianna Hobs and Leigh Wright did to you against me?"

Willow laughed, "No, I don't. You already proved you're nothing like them."

Willow, then eye level with Wee Lo and Pee Wee said, "Come on girls. We have a job to do. Godmother and Pee Wee, just watch my back, but don't engage. Just let me know if you see a Drow heading towards us."

Willow took off straight up and flew very fast. So fast that Wee Lo and Pee Wee had a hard time keeping up with her.

Once they were past the main body, Pee Wee spotted a Drow take off to come after them and shouted, "WILLOW! FIVE O'CLOCK LOW!"

Willow saw the Drow and turned it into ice. It fell killing two other Drows it landed on. No other Drows took off because they thought that even with Willow at the Alliance base, she could still kill them if they rose above the rocks that they were hiding behind. They were sure it was Willow doing it because no Fairy had that kind of power. So Willow's plan was working.

Soon Willow could see the Demon Portal and it was beginning to activate. She was sure the Demons would be coming through soon. She saw it open and only one Demon came through.

Piwet came through the portal, hating every step he took in the form he used of a part goat, part human, and part lizard. He was sent by the High Demon Council to look and assess the situation and report back about what new measures the Demons needed to take to win their prize.

Willow was relieved when she saw it was just one Demon that came through. She knew she could well handle just one. She thought back to what her Master said about Demons and how they hated doing something orderly.

Willow smiled and pointed both hands at the Demon and pushed him through the Fairy portal to Earth, changing him into the atomic clock at Greenwich England that was used to set all the worlds clocks by. Then she focused on the Demon Portal.

Willow read the energy and smiled and thought, 'This will be easier than destroying the Realm Of The Amulet.'

Then, with no light show or tremendous test of power, Willow just flipped the Magic switch and the Demons portal was shut for all time. She said to the Fairies, "All done here. Lets go back."

The two Fairies looked almost zombie-like in confusion. The Old Order had returned, fulfilling the long awaited prophecy. The great Exemplar was looking like a normal Fairy and acting like she had just carried out the trash. The trio flew back to the Alliance camp, seeing that all the Drows were either dead or dying, having been cut off from the Demon's Magic.

They made it back without incident to the Alliance camp and discovered the party was still going on. Wee Lo noticed that the Familiars were gulping down massive quantities of the Magic food the Demons provided the recipe for. Confused, she asked one of the Fairies and they just giggled and whispered something in Wee Lo's ear, who deeply laughed.

Willow asked, "What's so funny?"

Wee Lo, talking low answered, "The Familiar's hated the bland tasteless food the Demons recipe produced. Apparently a Fairy, not happy with being asked to make it for them, took a piss in it.

When it was served to them they loved it and they asked what was done to make it so flavorful, they were told "Fairy Essence" was added to it. So since then, "Fairy Essence" was added to all of it. It was then discovered that if a lot of piss was added to it, it became like Familiar wine and they would get drunk."

Willow laughed and went into the Alliance Council tent, still as a Fairy. She explained what had taken place and that all the Drows would be dead in less than an hour.

When she finished her report a message was delivered to them from the High Council of Familiars. They were asking for terms of their surrender.

The Wizards and Witches were willing to offer them terms for their surrender, but the Rebels felt they were Demon loving Traitors deserving to die, and The Fairies said that they would never forgive them planning genocide of the Fae Race. So it was a tie for a short time until the Witches Familiars convinced their Witches that the Council Would be a danger as long as they lived. So no terms were granted.

The party ended for a short time as the Fairies and Rebel Familiars made short, brutal work in wiping out the last of the Familiar High Council forces. Then the party started again and Lasted for hours, with all the Familiars getting drunk on their food laced with "Fairy Essence." The Fairies loved serving them "fairy Essence" and even Willow, who hadn't as yet changed back, made a contribution of Essence for the Familiars Pleasure.

Willow was still sad, even though she enjoyed the party. She stayed in Fairy form because it comforted her being with Wee Lo and the other Fairies. it's hard to stay sad when you are a Fairy surrounded by so many other Fairies.

Being a Fairy with other Fairies made her grandparents death seem distant and unreal. Then Wee Lo in the midst of a dance, stopped and said, "Goddaughter, you may have been born a Wizard, but you're a Fae through and through. The first time I saw you, remember I said you looked like a giant wingless Fairy. So Brothers and Sisters, what say Ye? is my Goddaughter a Fairy?"

With a high pitched Fairy shout Willow heard an unanimous, "YEA! A FAIRY FOR TRUE!"

So Goddaughter, the Wizards think you are one of theirs, but we know you are truly a Fae, hiding in Wizard form. We have no doubt, but so your brothers and sisters will know what a special Fairy my Goddaughter is, come chorus and prepare to sing the AOS SI."

One of the Fairies said, "We have some of the chorus left, but all the lead singers have long since passed."

Wee Lo said, "Oh you're so wrong. Goddaughter, take your place."

Willow flew to the tallest mushroom and stood there as the chorus started vocalizing the most beautiful music she had ever heard. Willow the Exemplar, The hero of Rainbow Mountain, and the Restorer of the Old Order was very nervous when she opened her mouth to sing the AOS SI.

The Fairies fell still and the sound of Willow's Fairy voice blended with the chorus perfectly. Soon there was a cloud of Fairy dust creating beautiful patterns in the night sky, the likes of which hadn't been seen for over 1600 years.

**** Epilogue****

Over the next one hundred years much happened. All the Fairies left their realm to live on Earth, leaving the Familiars, happy with their gruel and regular shipments of "Fairy Essence" to spice it with, kept going to Earth to be paired with Witches. There was a joint council made up of Wizards, Fairies, Light Witches, Dark Witches and Familiars that was formed and all hostilities between the Groups were ended.

Aaron's and Val's mutual respect had a lot to do with that. So did Val's understanding of how war always hurt the bottom line. Val and Aaron would even become sort of friends and invite each other to social events like Val's, Nikki's and Aaron and Erin's kids birthday parties. There were 11 a year. Aaron and Erin had 3 kids and Val and Nikki had eight.

With the Fairies back and the Light Witches out of hiding, the Earth's environment improved quickly and climate change was reversed. The World governments, with so many Wizards and Witches in high places, actually started getting things done without all the bickering.

Money was channeled into research in never been seen before amounts, which led to the greatly improved life and healthcare of the Mortals. The first main breakthrough was the creation of a very low cost, efficient hydrogen fuel cell. After that, things just fell in place like on the PBS show Connections, one new invention led to another.

The Cheap power led to the Replicator, which could turn energy into inanimate things like food or clothing. Yes, like on Star Trek. Like so much Sci-Fi it was prophetic, not fantasy, and yes, there was even a Federation of Planets. This Federation wasn't of alien races, it was all human. because Mortals discovered the "Gravitational Wave" and the first use was commercially was the creations of the flying cars, yes, like the Jetsons.

When it was discovered how to use the gravity wave technology to block gravity and to make things fly, it was also discovered how to produce it to make things heavier and heavier. Then eventually they learned to make something so heavy that they could fold space. Yep, you got it. Like in Dune.

The Mortals lives became more focused on the arts with all their needs met. Similar to the teaching at the Wizard Academies, Mortals discovered sleep learning. Crime just about completely disappeared, because of the advantages that became available to everyone.

If you didn't like how the Earth society focused on the Arts and Sciences, you had options. The Mortals could go to some other planet they might like better. There were almost 400, almost exactly earth-like planets colonized now, and they all had different cultures and lifestyles.

The types of cultures ran from the hard working, rustic, self reliant farming planets to planets with lazy cultures where the residents spent most their day cerebrally hooked into individually designed virtual reality generators.

The present population of Earth was less than a billion Mortals, but there was a population explosion in the Earth's Magical population. There were almost as many Magical residents as there were Mortals. Earth was the only place the Magical cultures resided.

In just one hundred years, with so many Fairies back, new Exemplars were born and the New Council of Merlins was reformed with the oldest Exemplar, Willow, as the Head Merlin. Willow was still considered very young at 118 years old, but she was the oldest and most powerful Merlin.

Willow was also the Restorer Of The Old Order and the Hero Of Rainbow Mountain. Even the Familiars and Dark Witches wildly celebrated her birthday as a holiday. She was so honored by the Dark Witches they would warn their children, "If you don't behave you will end up like the wicked Leigh Wright!"

Willow was in Charlotte, N.C. for the 100th Year Celebration of the Victory Of Rainbow Mountain. They all celebrated it on her birthday, even though the victory was two days later. Willow was waiting to attend the dedication in an hour, of Erin's old book store, as The Willow Crane Museum.

Willow thought she would walk to the book store to take a look at her old home. She saw the place where the Walmart where Eric applied and was turned down. It was long gone. Now an art studio stood on the land. With the advent of flying cars, all the roads were replaced with Green Ways and bike paths so Willow retraced Eric's steps on that day. She came to a small foot bridge that crossed a park and Green Way.

Willow realized this bridge replaced the overpass that Eric was going to jump off into traffic on I85 to kill himself. She thought, 'Eric, you were hurting so bad then, but you never would have met Erin if you had jumped and if you had never met Erin, I would not be. So thank you Eric for not jumping."

There was a flutter over Willow's right shoulder and it was Wee Lo. Wee Lo said, "Hello my Goddaughter. All is set for the Fairy Circle tonight. There are going to be over two million Fairies there to hear you sing, so please don't be late."

Willow said, "I'll be there on time. “I PROMISE!"

The End.

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