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At the table, with his hands clasped and resting against his mouth, Quinn stared straight across the way. Guinevere sat at the very end. Her shoulders up to her ears, sitting in the silence.
The male witch's brows furrowed, his lips in a tight line while studying the child.
They sat in silence. Awkward silence, really. For Guinevere at least. She fidgeted in her seat, uncomfortable as she wiggled around.
Her confusion was evident to Quinn and though he didn't intend to make the child uncomfortable, he was also trying not to scare her by blurting things out. He needed to contemplate on how to approach what he needed to discuss with Guinevere.
Alas, the silence became too much for the child. She peered over at the male witch, her voice so tiny in a whispered, "Did I do something bad?"
The question instantly made Quinn sigh, shutting his eyes and lowered his hands as he straightened. He tilted his head, staring at the gray-eyed child.
"It's not that you did something... bad, Guinie..." Quinn paused, frowning as he tried to word things better. "It's... It's more like you did something---impossible."
Guinevere's brows furrowed, curiosity in her face now and she tilted her head. "Im---Impossible?"
Quinn nodded.
"What's---what's that mean?"
"It just means..." Quinn raised his brows. "That when something happens that shouldn't."
Again, he reiterated to Guinevere that it wasn't bad. Not this time.
Pursing her mouth to the side, Guinevere peered over at Quinn. Again she whispered her response.
"But am I in trouble?"
"That's hard to say, Guinie."
"Why?"
"Because... Because this is mind-boggling. Even for a witch like myself. Witches aren't even capable of doing what you did, Guinevere."
The child blinked a few times. She was feeling more and more guilty and now she wasn't sure what to do or say. She sat there, pouting.
Quinn noticed this and sighed again. He assured Guinevere that she wasn't in trouble. That he shouldn't have said it like that. He didn't mean to make it seem like what she did was bad but it was still just hard to comprehend because Quinn and Talon, along with the rest of the coven, was supposed to be able to help Guinevere with things like this.
As she is a werewolf half-blood child who inherited her father's and grandfather's special abilities, Guinevere apparently was born with more than the two werewolves before her. Guinevere's abilities were unnatural. Even for them.
"But why?" Guinevere frowned. She didn't understand. She didn't even know that she was not supposed to have magic at all. Her father and Gampy had magic but nothing like hers, apparently. Guinevere just thought this was normal.
But here was Quinn, one of the paired witches to guide her and her magic, telling Guinevere how unusual her magic was. Impossible, as Quinn said.
"Q...?" Guinevere's tiny voice made the witch stand and walk over to her. He knelt in front of her, turning her in the chair to look at him.
Quinn brushed the side of Guinevere's head. He sighed again; something he does a lot with this child.
"I'm sorry, Guinie. I didn't mean to scare you. That's my fault as the grownup. But we're going to figure this out, okay?" He waited for the pouting child to nod slowly. "Talon and I won't stop wanting to guide you with your magic..." The man grinned, shrugging a shoulder. "Even if Talon gets jealous that you're better than her."
He hoped to make Guinevere smile and that would have normally worked except Guinevere seemed really confused and unintentionally hurt because of how her present to her Uncle Micah was presented earlier.
It was the reason why Quinn and Guinevere were having an isolated discussion in the main house.
The party for the alpha had been in full swing when the coven arrived (with a few extra witches to join them). The new witches were welcomed and had been introduced to the alpha and his family---the King and Queen were presented to the coven and they all bowed instinctively. Sebastian might have winced a bit.
After their greetings, however, Mrs. Bumpkins waddled over and inquired the whereabouts of Guinevere.
The woman placed her hands on her hips, lips pursed as usual.
"Perhaps you should take a rest from your long trip before jumping into magical affairs, don't you think, Mrs. Bumpkins?" Eleni suggested.
Mrs. Bumpkins' face softened as it always did with the queen. The witch sighed that she found it best to get business out of the way before pleasantries.
"She's five years old, Eleni." Mrs. Bumpkins reminded the queen. "Her Life Path does not go beyond this year. Reason being is your Moon Goddess can't see it. She was unable to thread anything for the child."
As alarming as that sounded for them all, they knew this. They knew that the sole purpose of Sebastian's and Ike's existence was Guinevere. The Moon Goddess was able to see as far as Guinevere being born to Ike and Gesa but beyond the child's fifth year of life, the Moon Goddess was blind.
Mrs. Bumpkins believed this was because of how exceptional Guinevere was. The witch thinks maybe the deity can't see Guinevere's future because the deity wouldn't be around long enough to see it.
There was the worry---based on the discussions Mrs. Bumpkins and Quinn had with the Moon Goddess---that the world as they knew it was going to disappear. Piece by piece it would diminish and take everything and everyone with it.
Of course, this was shared with the King and Queen who suggested this did not go beyond their party. There was no need to cause a panic when nothing was confirmed; however, their Majesties did want to prepare for such pandemonium. Which was why the coven would leave for "training" for months at a time. They were in search of a solution to the deterioration of their world---hoping to prevent it.
Mrs. Bumpkins raised a brow at their Majesties. "I believe you both don't need me to tell you it's not a coincidence our world is headed for non-existence with a werewolf child like your granddaughter around. With her abilities, perhaps the Moon Goddess feels Guinevere is the answer."
Sebastian's brows furrowed, jaw clenched. He growled as he told the witch that he would not allow Mrs. Bumpkins to interrogate his granddaughter on solutions to what could only be called 'dooms day'. He reminded the witch Guinevere was still a child and Sebastian wanted to keep her that way for as long as she was able to be.
"Whether you feel business should be taken care of, Rolla," Sebastian narrowed his eyes and Mrs. Bumpkins frowned; not unusual for whenever the pair argued over---sorry, discussed---things.
His Majesty narrowed his eyes further. "Guinevere adores her Uncle Micah. This is his celebration and Guinevere being taken away to be mentally prodded for answers to saving the world does not settle me any."
Eleni rested her hand on Sebastian's chest. She patted it gently, whispering something that made Sebastian glance her way. He grunted, shooting Mrs. Bumpkins a look before walking away.
The queen waited until her husband was at a good distance before turning back to the scowling witch. Eleni tilted her head, pursing her mouth to the side and clasped her fingers together in front of her new party dress.
"My husband might seem a bit brash, Mrs. Bumpkins, but you must understand Sebastian is only looking out for Guinevere. As a chosen child of the Moon Goddess, Sebastian spent the first years of his childhood isolated from everyone and everything."
Eleni paused, seeing the acknowledgment of this on Mrs. Bumpkins face. Her scowl now into a frown at least.
"And then as an adult, he was constantly under someone's eyes. The same can be said for our son. Tristan was just seven years old when he was taken from us. For his own protection because of what he was and who he was."
The queen sighed, acknowledging that she knew Mrs. Bumpkins was just trying to help and Eleni appreciated that. She pointed out, though, that there was a time and place for everything and today was definitely not that time or place.
"Again," Eleni's brows rose, noting the witch's frown deepen. "I understand you are only looking out for all our well-being but Guinevere is our granddaughter. She's still a child. And we'd like to have her experience being a child for as long as possible... before whatever she is meant for comes to pass."
Mrs. Bumpkins pursed her lips to the side. She stared up at the queen, shaking her head slowly. The witch humphed, "Spoken like a true queen, Eleni dear."
Eleni laughed. "I've had some years to get to this point, I assure you."
Mrs. Bumpkins disagreed, believing Eleni was always this way. So thoughtful, insightful and graceful. A true queen before the title was even revealed to her.
"I will set aside business then, Eleni Dear," Mrs. Bumpkins complied with the request by the queen. Her lip curled, making it known that only because Eleni asked this of her.
Eleni took the woman's compliance. She knew the witch was easily annoyed with Sebastian, just as he was with Mrs. Bumpkins, but the two had that mutual respect for one another even if they never voiced it. It was just a personality clash for the pair.
"Thank you, Mrs. Bumpkins," Eleni smiled. The queen suggested for the witch to take her seat at one of the tables spread out. "We'll be presenting Micah with cake in a few minutes then give him his presents."
Mrs. Bumpkins nodded, waddling beside Eleni who slowed her pace enough to keep the older woman from huffing and puffing as she walked. Mrs. Bumpkins asked about the flavor of cake and then asked if the queen minded if Mrs. Bumpkins whipped up buckets of ice cream for the occasion.
Eleni laughed, taken back to when the witch had her own ice cream parlor and Eleni used to work there. "I don't think it's a birthday without ice cream, Mrs. Bumpkins."
"Very well then!" Mrs. Bumpkins waddled on, calling to her son and Talon to help her conjure up buckets of ice cream.
"Ice cream?! We want ice cream!" There was suddenly a horde of children running for the small witch. Mrs. Bumpkins' eyes widened, yelping when the werewolf and human children knocked her over.
The queen laughed behind her hands, shaking her head as Mrs. Bumpkins had disappeared under the pile of gleeful children.
Quinn appeared, raising a brow and asked the queen if she'd seen his mother.
From under the pile of children, Mrs. Bumpkins' hollered for her son's assistance. Quinn, pretending to not hear his mother, stared at the amused queen. "I'm sure I heard her only minutes ago..."
"Quinn! Quinn, I'm right here!" Mrs. Bumpkins shouted. She yelped when one of the children accidentally bumped her nose.
Quinn squinted looking upward. "There it is again. I swear I can hear her voice..."
While the queen shook her head, grinning at Quinn's enjoyment of pushing his mother's buttons, Mrs. Bumpkins felt the complete opposite. Her threats against her son were muffled from the pile of happy, hyper children.
Quinn turned, raising his brows as he stooped a bit and could see part of his mother's face through a gap in the human pile.
"Oh, there you are, mother!" Quinn grinned, "What on earth are you doing down there? As if you weren't low enough to the ground already... how do you expect me to find you like this?"
The witch growled, narrowing the eye Quinn could see and it changed to a violet hue. Quinn's own eyes widened when the children started giggling as they were slowly rising into the air. Some flipped upside down and others twirled around.
Mrs. Bumpkins sat up, grunting as her neon violets settled on her son. The children were slowly being pulled back down to the ground. They laughed in delight.
"You're a real uilebheist, Quinn. If I didn't love you so much I'd turn you into a slug."
Her son straightened, tilting his head as he grinned, "Aw, Mom. You say the sweetest things. You're my favorite little monster, too."
Mrs. Bumpkins sneered up at him, holding out her hands and demanded he help her up. Quinn obliged, kissing his mother's cheek after saying he loved her very much. The woman grunted, claiming that she hardly sees that. But then she patted his cheek, grinning that she loved him too.
While the pair and Talon worked on conjuring up buckets and buckets of ice cream, everyone was being settled into their seats. The King and Queen gave a speech in honor of Micah, their alpha, and then heard Micah share a few words of thanks.
After the singing of 'happy birthday' to their alpha, everyone was passed around a plate of cake with ice cream. There were ten cakes made for the occasion due to the size of the community and everyone chatted away, eating their delectable dessert.
It was after the presents were announced that things had taken quite a turn.
Micah was seated at the front with an odd looking pointed party hat he felt obligated to wear as Guinevere made it for him. It had a pretty pink bow pinned at the top.
The alpha was opening presents, presenting them up in the air for those in the back who could not see. People clapped and cheered, everything that was expected at a party.
When the alpha opened his last present, revealing a tiny white onesie with the words 'Alpha In Training' written on it, everyone 'awed' and Olivia was so taken by the onesie that she placed it on her belly, asking her son how he liked it.
Micah grinned, thanking everyone for the gifts he received. He was cut off when Guinevere's voice cut through.
"Wait! Wait, I haven't given---given mine yet, Uncle Micah!"
Curious, Micah lowered a brow and turned to where Guinevere was wiggling herself through an open space. She had a small box that was oddly wrapped in her hands.
Micah glanced at her parents nearby who both shrugged. They, too, seemed surprised by this and probably expected the party hat to have been Guinevere's present. It was expected of a child, anyway.
Nearly out of breath, a beaming Guinevere approached the alpha. She panted, "This is for you!" and placed her small boxed gift on the man's lap.
Micah stared at the box, seeing all the colorful stickers Guinevere decorated it with. He glanced up at the gray-eyed child, bouncing in her spot and bit her lip.
Micah grinned, gently tapping Guinevere's nose and made her giggle. The alpha sighed, "Well, let's see what's in here." He glanced at his niece again, telling her that he thinks this might be his favorite present and didn't even know it yet.
Guinevere smiled, saying that she hoped he loved it because she thinks it would make him very happy.
"Do you now?" Micah chuckled. He lifted the lid after tearing off the gift wrapping and stared into the box. His brows furrowed a bit, a small smile tugging at his lips as he reached in and pulled out what was inside.
It was a piece of paper, colorfully scribbled a little outside the lines. It was in the shape of a circle but in the middle of the paper was the word 'Treun' written in a child's penmanship.
Micah smiled, unsure of what he was holding, but thanked Guinevere and told her that he loved it very much. The child laughed, shaking her head that it wasn't done yet.
Unsure of what she meant, Micah frowned, asking her and watched the child run up to him. She pointed at the center of the circle paper, explaining that it was a badge.
"A Treun badge!" Guinevere proudly beamed.
"Ohhhh," Micah's brows rose, nodding as he held it up as if to see it better. "It's very colorful. But what does Treun mean?"
Guinevere pursed her mouth to the side, shutting an eye as she looked upward. She hummed then said that she remembers being told it was a weird word for a fancy word that meant 'brave'.
Brows furrowed, Micah had to think about this and then asked if by brave Guinevere meant 'Valor'.
"Yeah!" Guinevere bounced excitedly. "That's the word! I couldn't remember how to say it but I remember that's what it meant!"
The alpha's sad grin went unnoticed at that moment by the child going on and on about how her uncle deserved to have the badge and that it was the only gift Guinevere thought would make her Uncle Micah feel extra special. The others noticed the alpha's face but refrained from intervening. Guinevere didn't know about the great alpha, Valor Balthasar, other than that he was her great-uncle.
Micah smiled, nodding again as he thanked Guinevere for the badge and that he'd wear it proudly. The child giggled, shaking her head that that was silly.
"That's not what it's for, Uncle Micah!"
"Oh?" Micah raised a brow, holding out the badge. "Then you tell me what it's for."
Guinevere pushed his hand back, instructing him to put it against his heart. The alpha sighed, complying with the child's request. He placed the paper badge on his chest, shutting his eyes when Guinevere asked him to.
"Okay... Now you have to think really, really hard about the---the---um, that word that I said."
"Valor, you mean?" Micah peered an eye open and was immediately scolded by the child that there was 'no peeking'. Micah chuckled, shutting his eye again.
"You have to think really hard, Uncle Micah. You have---have to feel it! Feel how bad you want your brave!"
Micah's brows furrowed, grinning as he explained to Guinevere that he didn't think the word 'valor' was hard to say. Guinevere huffed, "Uncle Micah, you're not feeling!" and the man sighed, "Okay, okay! I'll feel. Give me a second."
To appeased the child, Micah concentrated, thinking about how the 'badge of valor' he was given was not deserved.
Not when it held a name in it that Micah's heart ached at. It was instantaneous to think of his father; how much Micah missed him and wished the man would have seen Micah turn out as he did. To see Micah grow out of the bouncing bumbling boy he was to the alpha Micah tried so much to be as the man before him.
A tear trickled down Micah's cheek, sniffling as he grinned when Guinevere softly whispered, "Uncle Micah...? Are you okay?"
"Yeah..." the alpha opened his eyes, twinkling as he assured the child he was good. He was just missing someone very dear to him.
Guinevere eyed him carefully then asked if he was still okay to see the rest of his present. Micah nodded and followed the instruction of the paper badge being filled with love enough for Micah to bury it. At the odd request, Micah chuckled and asked if Guinevere was sure he had to bury such a pretty colorful badge.
"You have to! Otherwise you don't get your gift!" Guinevere urged, digging a small hole already. She didn't mind getting her white dress with red Polk-a-dots and just as white tights dirty.
Off to the side, Gesa and Ike sighed, looking upward. It took them forever to wiggle their daughter into that outfit.
After the hole was revealed to be deep enough, Micah was asked to drop the badge inside and they buried it. Micah glanced at Guinevere that this was probably the strangest gift he'd ever gotten.
"But I haven't given it to you yet," Guinevere's nose scrunched in confusion.
"Can I know when you'll give me this gift?"
Guinevere nodded, "Uh huh! But you have to dig out the badge first."
The laugh from the alpha made Guinevere smile. She wiggled her fingers in front of her, pleading for the man to dig! dig! dig!
Micah complied, smiling as he actually found this game a little more than amusing. It was when he reached the buried badge that his smile wilted. His eyes widened at the paper badge now smudged with dirt and it was... black and white. All the color that Guinevere had decorated it with was now gone.
He looked up at the child beaming as she leaned over and asked if it worked.
"Um..." Micah frowned. "Gwen, I'm afraid the dirt might have taken the pretty colors you used away."
Guinevere beamed, nodding that her gift worked then. There was confusion until Guinevere explained that with all the love sent into the paper badge and it being buried, the dirt took the color from this badge and put it back where it belonged.
So confusing this child was. Micah didn't know how to respond. He just shook his head, saying that he didn't understand.
"C'mon!" Guinevere jumped up, not caring about dusting off the dirt on the dress. "C'mon, c'mon, Uncle Micah!"
She grabbed at his hand, tugging at him to follow her.
"Guinevere," Gesa frowned, stepping from where she was waiting. "I think it best if you just give Uncle Micah your gift now."
"But I am, Mommy!" Guinevere blinked. "I'm trying to give Uncle Micah his surprise!"
Micah stood up and shook his head, grinning at Gesa that it was okay. That he didn't mind playing along with her daughter. Gesa sighed, grinning in thanks and then proceeded to ask Guinevere to give the gift then.
Guinevere took her uncle's hand, tugging him to go with her. She called for everyone to come along to see the surprise. Micah chuckled that Guinevere was an odd little thing and she just beamed up at him that she knew that.
She tugged him all the way towards the forest. They stopped about ten feet from the tree line and Micah raised a brow, looking down at the child with her hand still in his. She smiled widely, her big gray eyes sparkling.
"What now, Kiddo?" Micah asked.
Guinevere pointed, "You get your present, Uncle Micah! You get your badge back!"
"What?" Micah frowned, blinking until his ears picked up on rustling of the trees and footsteps.
He turned towards the noise, away from Guinevere's beaming face, and his green eyes widened, tearing as he stood in stunned silence.
"Happy Birthday, Uncle Micah!" Guinevere cried, unable to understand the shock her uncle was in.
Micah wasn't the only in shock; having heard the sobbing cry of Ursula and her other children. The alpha took one step forward... then another. His brows furrowed at the figure emerging from the forest, covered in dirt from head to toe and looked around in confusion.
Micah's voice barely came out in a whisper when he choked out, "Dad?"
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AN: BOOM. *mic drops*
Xoxo Always,
SAMiAMiz