1.10 Paranoia

Lilli desperately missed Venice while she was tour, but Venice called her every day, and they talked for as long as the world tour schedule would permit. It was a very busy time in Elba as well, Lilly Wong-Lum had passed away suddenly, this had left Lawrence and his twin Ernest, in the care of step-father they hardly knew.

Ernest had begun dating Casey's sister Alycia, and the other sister, Bernadette was seeing some kid named Martin who lived outside the town limits. While Casey spent almost all her spare time at the Jettstar household, Lilli had hardly seen the other two.

And Lilli had the itchy feeling that she was being watched, on more than one occasion. Lilli hadn't mentioned that to Venice over the phone, it was probably because there was no moon, which always darkened her mood.

Gladys had called, she couldn't convince any of her children to return to Elba to take over the junkyard, and asked Lilli if she wanted to lockup the junkyard until she returned in a month. Lilli told Gladys that she enjoyed talking to the townsfolk, and the trading and repairs every Friday, so the agreement for Lilli to look after the junkyard stayed in place.


Bernadette dropped in a few days later to ask Casey for some advice about the end of term school dance, Marcus was invited to the conversation, and Bernadette was on her best behavior, a pleasant night was had by the small group

Marcus asked Casey if she wanted to go to the school dance. Casey's response was "How about we stay here and eat slugs instead?". Marcus replied "Really?, that bad?". Casey explained to Marcus, that she would want to punch half the kids at the dance in the face for being mean to her in the past, and that she hadn't worn a dress or skirt since she was child, and wasn't going to get back into the habit.


Lilli was getting ready to close the junkyard for the day, when she got that someone is watching you feeling. She had a few large boxes of books that she had taken home last Friday to sort in the car. The boxes had been sorted into some sort of order now. Mechanical manuals in the first box, Historical books in the second, everything else in the third. Lilly carried the boxes into the office, pulled the door closed and locked it.

She sat on the chair beside the office to catch her breath, she never used Horace rocking chair, she felt it was disrespectful.

A tall handsome fairy appeared from behind the office, his hair was the same color as Lil's, his eyes the same, yet it still took her a few moments to recognize him.
 "Jasper, I hardly recognize you, you have grown so tall, are you well? why are you here, have you been disowned as well?", Lilly poured out. "Greetings to you big sister, yes it has been some time, yes I am well, no I haven't been disowned yet, If mother knew I was here to warn you, I would be charged with treason, did I answer them all?" responded Jasper.

 Jasper explained that since she had left, he had gone from fourteenth in line, to ninth. Amaranth, had been bitten in her bedchamber by a poisonous snake, and Evanthe had drown in her bath, he suspected Valerian had a hand in both. Mother who had become increasingly paranoid, had disowned Alder, Aster and Heather in the space of a week. Mother had been ill for a few days, and suspected one of her disowned children, had summoned a Black Valkyrie.

"You were the only person to ever show me kindness Lilliana, without expecting anything in return. You also saved me when Sorrel pushed me off the bridge to drown me. Should the Valkyries end the other three, I would feel no regret, but if they took you before I could repay my debt to you Lilliana, I would be most annoyed."

Lilliana remembered that little Jasper had always insisted on settling debts, and eye for an eye. Jasper explained that he had easily found Lilliana, from the location information that was part of her wedding record in the great tomes of lineage. He had somehow convinced the keeper of that particular tome to 'lose' the page until a new King or Queen sat apon the throne.  

It would make it so very much harder for anyone else to find her without that information, and that it would be wisest to  move, and keep moving. He also told her that his debt was more than fairly settled, and that their paths would most likely not cross again.

As soon as Jasper left, Lil pulled out her mobile phone and dialed Gladys. Gladys was on friendly terms with almost every resident of Elba and Lilli asked  who the most powerful witch in town was, as she was in need of strong protection magic. Lilli had to reveal her ties to the royal fae lineage, and what sort of trouble she was in to need such help.

Gladys asked her to hold for a few minutes, she might have something better. Gladys told Lilli to expect a visit tomorrow days from a very colorful lass by the name of Morgana.

The next day when Lilliana answered the ringing of the doorbell, she knew immediately that it was Morganna. Other than spectacularly cheerful clothing, and the gigantic shock of blue an purple hair, Lilliana could actually taste the power surrounding this girl, It tasted of both witch and fairy magic, it carried the flavor of earth, fire, water and air, all at once.

"I came as soon as could, your highness..", Morgana bowed as she spoke. Lilli interupted "Don't, just.. please don't, Lilli is fine.". Morgana straightened, "Yes M'lady...Yes Lilli."   

 

Lilli invited Morgana inside, and asked why Gladys had sent her, instead of a local witch.
Morgana explained that her mother was both a fairy and a witch, and that her father was a pure blood mage. Mages were very similar in appearance and physiology to humans. Morgana the explained that half breed offspring of mages, if they inherit any power, it was usually less than twenty five percent of the parent's maximum potential had. She was an extremely unusual child, as she had not only received mage powers twice the strength of her fathers, but her mothers witch skills as well.

Lilli gave Morgana the complete details of what she needed and why. Morgana quickly wrote a list of components she would need to place both wards and traps on the lot and began to inspect the house and lot. Lilli ventured into the garden to retrieve the life fruit, and the death flower, marking those off the list, she created the fairy dust herself, and returned to Morgana after gathering the remaining items on the list. Morgana was examining the paintings on the deck. "This one, I think is highly appropriate.", she told Lilli.

Lilli gave the ingredients to Morgana, save the dust. She knelt on the decking beside Morgana as instructed, and created a soothing aura. Morgana swelled with power, absorbing Lilli's aura into herself as she cast. Lilli struggled to stay upright, and then when she thought she could take no more, the spell was complete.

Morgana gave Lilli back the now enchanted necklace. The mage explained "The wards are cast, surrounding the entire lot, should any fairy, maligned intent or not, enter the lot, you will feel a slight tingle from the pendant. Should that fairy bear any ill-will toward any member of the family, the tingle will be intense, and the trap triggered."

 Morgana went on to explain the effects of the trap, and how to deal with any fairy caught in it. "I suggest if you have a large safe or somewhere else to store the painting, do do, the spell will crumble if the painting is damaged, or removed from the lot. Only the necklace alarm will work however, anywhere within the town limits, the other functions I explained to you are also limited to the lot."


Morgana stayed for dinner, the only payment that she would accept. When Lilli and Marcus took the dishes upstairs, Morgana leaned forward across the desk and asked, "I can taste your self-loathing from here, why do you hate yourself so, little one?", shocked by the question, Casey growled "What? What are you talking about!", not sure if she was irritated because it was such a rude and unexpected question, or because it was true.

"Is it the darker side of your nature, your wolf blood that you fear?", Morgana continued, as if the first question hadn't affected Casey. Casey snapped "I hate it, I hate it, I never asked to be.. a cursed werewolf!", surprised that she had finally shared her feelings about it. "You have no idea how it feels to be a freak."

"I burned our family home to the ground at age four, at five I put my mentor into hospital for a month, because I did't want to do my lessons. At six my family happily handed me to over the mage council, because the were terrified of my power that I had no control over." Morgana told Casey "I know well enough what it is to be a freak."

"Why are you telling me this?, demanded Casey growing angry at the mage. "The human boy, he loves you unconditionally, and accepts who and what you are.", Morgana explained.

"I know!", Casey said quietly. Morgana added, "And you will always feel like a worthless, unimportant freak, until you can do the same.",  "I know!" Casey repeated. "It took me many years to realize this and be at peace with myself, I'm hoping to save you some time.", Morgana explained as she rose from the table.

After the dishes had been taken care of Marcus took Casey across the road to teach her how to fish, Marcus was surprised to find Casey was a natural, and even though he had been fishing on several occasions, she was already catching more fish than he. Casey blushed when Marcus told her that she was really good at fishing. "Are you sure you haven't done this before You're really good at it!", he said. Casey responded, "No this is my first time fishing, except when I went hunting with Berny and Alycia, we tried to catch them with our teeth.. ", instantly regretting mentioned the pack hunting trip.

"It's like most things, you will get better at with practice, and its nice to see you can spend time with those two without you all trying to kill each other!". Casey smiled, it was one of the few good memories of her sisters since aging up.

 When they crossed the road back to the house, Casey was carry three times as many fish as Marcus, "See!" said Marcus, "I knew you would be good at this!", Casey's face lit up with a smile, that remained until she fell asleep.

 "Marcus?, sweetheart, darling, my paramour, my knight in shining armor..", Casey continued until she was out of suitable phrases. "Marcus, can you help with my homework, so we can talk about the end of term dance?"

 "So you are serious?, you want me to take you to the dance?" Marcus asked again. "Yes!", replied slightly annoyed at him asking the question. "But don't think you'll see me in some girly designer dress!", Casey retorted. "But its a formal event!, Marcus stated. "It will be a non event, if I can't get my head around these questions!" Casey said grumpily.

 

The school dance finally arrived, Marcus and Casey arrived half way through, to find almost all their school companions there, except Lawrence. Lawrence was in his second dance with the third single girl, when he tripped and sprained his ankle so badly, that he was taken to hospital. Oy was only a four hour event, as the Llamas were playing against the home town Eels at Elba stadium late afternoon.

Casey wanted to leave after the first dance because she felt everyone was watching them, but Marcus convinced her to stay. "Of course they are all looking! The most handsome boy in the whole school is here dancing, with the most beautiful woman in the whole world, and not only the most beautiful, but the only one clever and creative enough to design and make her own outfit for the dance!". Casey positively glowed in the deluge of compliments.

At last, there where no interruptions, and they enjoyed their first passionate kiss

The kiss didn't make it into the top five, most pure, most passionate kisses ever, but they were both quite pleased with it, and besides, they had plenty of time to practice and perfect it.

Chapter Notes:

Old Boney was teaching Bull to play dead...when suddenly....

 

I didn't know this could happen, because i usually have life span maxed.

Every one at the house came to mourn Boney, except Bull, who waited for an appropriate moment to Hi-five the reaper.

Needless to say, I ended up not being able to dismiss or re summon bones, nor could I delete her cabinet while it was still in use. So I saved the game, the next day I was able to delete the cabinet.