"Please hold me."
Well, I didn't argue and took Yasaka into my arms. "It's okay to be sad, even if it's a happy occasion." I noticed her conflicted expression.
"Yes, but I mostly wanted someone to hold me back from chasing after the train." Yasaka quirked a melancholic smile with a forced bit of humor. " My – our little fox is gone. It's too soon, maybe we should wait a year."
"You don't really mean that." I ran a hand through one specific tail of hers.
"I don't." She pouted. "But saying it makes me feel better." She wiped away a few tears forming at the corner of his eyes. "After her father died, I never thought I would have something like this again." She looked up at me. "Even when we first met, the thought we would have come to this point was such a foreign thing that I never gave it any consideration. When my little fox came home and apparently found herself a 'daddy'."
"To be honest, I didn't think I would be adopted like that either." I said softly.
She let out a little chuckle, sniffling her nose. "I'm being serious too. When I first said I wanted to pursue you, I was being somewhat flippant. On paper, you were everything I would want in a partner. And seeing how quickly Kunou became attached, I thought it was worth giving a shot."
"And here we are." I smiled.
She gently pulled on my cheek with a strange look. "I'm very emotional right now, so I wanted to get this fully off my chest without you thinking it was without care." I realized that she was building into something else. "At every point along the way, you proved yourself to be a wonderful partner and father for Kunou. So, for the second and last time in my life, I'm going to say this to another man." She reached over and pulled me in for a deep kiss.
It wasn't overly sensual, both it contained a flurry of emotions and affection.
"I love you." She whispered, breaking the kiss.
"I love you too." I rested my head against hers.
I'm trying to remember the last time I saw her flush this deeply, and I'm coming up blank. In any other circumstance, I probably would have teased her, but I didn't want to ruin the moment.
It was nice to feel like a real family.
Yasaka let out a long breath, fanning her face as she calmed herself down. "Look at me, I'm a mess right now."
I took her hand into mine. "Would you like me to take you to spend the day to take your mind off things?"
Yasaka let out a sigh. "Honestly, I think I just need to get away from here for the time being. And as loath as I am to say it, probably throwing myself back into my work would be best to take my mind off things."
While that doesn't sound like a healthy way of dealing with the new 'distance' between her and Kunou, I couldn't exactly say I would do something dissimilar.
I throw myself into my own things when there's something bothering me to take my mind off it.
"Whatever you need, I'm here to help." I reassured her.
She looked at me then looked away. "I feel like I'm going to ugly cry any minute and I don't want you to see me like that."
"It's alright to cry as much as you want. But It's impossible for any aspect of you to be called ugly." I gave her a little smile.
Her lips twitched, and despite the tears swelling in her eyes, she was forcing herself not to smile. "Stop it, don't make me laugh when I'm like this!" She playfully smacked my shoulder.
Unfortunately, I had a few errands I needed to run here. And secondly, it seems she wanted a little time to herself to deal with her turbulent emotions.
I snapped my fingers, opening up a portal back home for her. She looked at it and quickly pulled me in for another kiss with a warm smile despite the red eyes she still had from the tears.
I watched the mother of my daughter walk through.
She said she never would have imagined this situation beforehand, and I could agree with her.
I wonder what my younger self would have said if he could see where he would have ended up?
But I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I'm happy with my life right now.
I wanted to hurry up and finish my errands, so I quickly adjusted the portal and had it deposit me in Diagon Alley not far from my objective.
I had a wand to acquire, and I was always giddy to get ahold of a new treasure. And not just any treasure, but a treasure personally forged just for me with things gathered by my girls.
After walking for a few minutes, and only being about a block away from Ollivander's, I felt my Kaleidophone buzzing and I quickly took it out to see that Artoria was calling me.
"Wilhelm." She quickly spoke after I answered, her face appearing on the screen.
"Hello Artoria, something wrong?"
"Not in particular, I just wished to speak with you." She shook her head at me over the call. "Yasaka returned and she realized she forgot about a matter she was going to handle while she was over there. I offered to settle it in her stead."
"A matter? I'm already here, unless it's not something I should know about, I wouldn't mind running any errands." I offered.
"I am aware, but I also wished to spend some time with you." She pushed her hair behind her ear, smiling warmly. "I did not wish to intrude upon your time with Yasaka, but I admit I am curious about what it is like over there in my home."
Ah, well, I couldn't blame her. She spends most of her time in Japan or Skyrim these days, was she feeling a little homesick?
And I wouldn't say no to spending time with Artoria when I was just doing some small things.
"Where are you right now? I'll open a portal right away."
"Give me a moment, we are about to reach the house." She replied and I waited for a few moments as the scenes on her screen changed. "I am ready, please."
I quickly dipped into an alley to avoid the few eyes around and opened a new portal as I turned the call off.
Artoria walked out and I happily accepted a hug from her. But I was mildly surprised to see she wasn't alone, well rather the person for whom followed her.
"Arthur Pendragon." I looked at the young man descended from Artoria's bloodline from my birth world.
It had been awhile since I've interacted with him as our paths didn't cross very much. He was basically under Artoria's purview while serving his 'punishment'.
I can't say I'm particularly enthused to see him as what his group tried to do to Kunou isn't something I would forget anytime soon even if he didn't directly have a hand in things.
"Lord Schweinorg." He bowed.
"Yasaka had a matter she needed taken care of. Do you know where this 'Gringotts' Bank' is?" Artoria asked me. "Arthur here will be handling the menial task."
I walked out the alley and they followed and I looked back and forth to get my bearings. "Down that way a few blocks, it's a white building, you won't miss it." I pointed.
Arthur bowed and silently went about his business.
I didn't question Artoria in front of him, but as soon as he was out of earshot, I raised an inquisitive eyebrow at her. "Sending the unpaid intern in your place, huh?"
She smiled. "If there was one lesson I learned in my life, it is to delegate responsibilities."
"Is that what we're calling it?"
"That is what Agravain always called it." She nodded to herself. "He required a break regardless. Mayhaps he would have overworked himself without orders to cease. I have been forcing him to perform less strenuous tasks."
He basically already knew our 'secret', considering how we didn't really hide things in front of him, so I wasn't going to point out his sudden appearance here.
"What exactly is he doing? This is the first I'm hearing about Yasaka having something going on. Is it something I shouldn't know about?"
"Nay, it is merely something small not worth mentioning." She shook her head. "Yasaka requested Caster to send a letter on her behalf to these Goblins for a commission. Arthur is merely retrieving the items."
Ah, more stuff for the upcoming war.
Makes sense, she's been doing this all over the place and across multiple worlds. I didn't need to be kept in the loop for something of this level.
She slid her arm around me, leaning up against me. "But that is another matter and I trust Arthur to handle it on his own. Do not allow me to interrupt what you were doing."
"I only had a few errands, nothing important and we're close by." I said as we began to walk to the wand store. Artoria took in the sights with a hint of amusement. "Did Mordred tell you about what happened?"
Artoria let out an exasperated sigh. "Yes, Mordred was quite excited to regale me with his tales of victory. He was especially proud of himself for nearly killing Lancelot. I am conflicted on how to feel about this, but I am also pleased to see Mordred so happy."
I suppose that's what matters in the end.
"What is your first task?" Artoria asked.
"I'm going to pick up my wand."
"I see." She responded. "I recall mention of such a thing. However, I do not view you as someone requiring the use of such an instrument."
I shrugged. "The Magic here is essentially built around the use of a wand. Enough to the point where some spells need a complete rework to utilize without having one." Magic is Magic, it would be stupid that a spell completely doesn't work without a Wand. But the fact that everyone here used one, the spells were tailored made and derived from the utilization of one. "Speaking of, apparently Merlin had a hand in spreading this particular branch of Magic."
"I am immediately filled with unease." She said dryly.
"They pretty much worship him here. 'Merlin Damn it' and such phrases are rather common. I think I heard someone curse saying 'Merlin's balls'."
She let out the most authentic groan I've ever heard from her. "That sounds like something he would intentionally devise."
The more I hear about him, the more I want to meet him.
After I kick him in the balls, repeatedly, for his hand in what happened to Artoria. While she has said she doesn't blame him, I'm much more selfish and unforgiving.
"Here we are, Ollivander's Wand Shop." I briefly introduced as the store came into view. It was still in one piece, so that's good. It looks like all the damage was fixed…..again.
"I am intrigued at the idea of a store such as this so openly selling such magical items." She looked at it with clear interest.
I held the door open for her as we went inside.
"Welcome – oh, it's you." Ollivander was quick to recognize me. "I suppose you are here to pick up your wand."
"You would guess correct." No use playing coy.
He looked at me sighing, but then he eyed Artoria with a strange look in his eye. "Are you here to get yourself a wand as well, young Lady?"
"I may be a Lady, but I am far from young, Good Sir." Artoria replied.
"Of course, my apologies, Miss…?"
"Artoria Pendragon." Artoria introduced herself.
"….of course you are." He cleared his throat. "You should be careful about introducing yourself as such."
"You're not going to question it?" I asked. And considering how they view Merlin, well, I would think the Pendragon name would be…..held to a certain standard?
Were there even any living Pendragons here?
"If the little time I have spent in your presence, I have learned not to question things that appear in your vicinity, Mr. Schweinorg." He said with a blank look. "Well, it's not every day I presumedly have someone from a very dead and royal bloodline come into my shop. Miss. Pendragon, are you perhaps looking for a wand?"
Huh, so the Pendragon bloodline was long gone here. I suppose his reaction makes sense then.
"Nay, I am no Magus."
"Witch." I corrected.
"Witch." She repeated. "I am merely here to accompany Wilhelm."
"You call yourself no Witch, yet in all my years….." He shook his head. "I doubt there is a wand in my shop that would not accept you as its owner."
She did mention she tried to learn magic in the past. She also mentioned she is forever put off the subject due to her teacher being Merlin.
"I suppose I will retrieve your wand then, Mr. Schweinorg, for I fear for my shop the longer you are here." He quickly disappeared into the back.
"….what did you do to this poor man that has him so defeated?" Artoria looked at me.
"….nothing."
"He shattered my dreams and ambition." Ollivander rejoined us, holding a particular box in his hand.
"Oh don't be melodramatic." I rolled my eyes.
"I was not." He replied without missing a beat, setting the box onto the counter. "I'm retiring."
"…. congratulations?" I blinked.
"I will be searching for a suitable apprentice to pass my craft onto." He let out a long sigh. "Do you know why, Mr. Schweinorg?"
"I have a vague feeling I'm going to be blamed for something."
"Because of this right here." He ran a finger across the box. "This is my greatest masterpiece. I can say without a shadow of a doubt, nothing I make will ever come close to this. During the process of creating it, I don't even remember half of what happened, it was as if the wand was using me to craft it rather than the other way around. And what I get is…..something I don't believe should ever be wielded by mortal hands. I don't know what items you gave me, Mr. Schweinorg, but this wand is not something that should exist. And I say this having held the fabled Elder Wand in my hands before."
"The whatsit?"
"The Elder Wand." He paused, blinking. "Oh yes, you're not from around here. It's a tale about how Death gave away a Wand it personally crafted from an Elder Tree." He waved his hand dismissively, clearly not wanting to repeat the story or legend or whatever it was. "But I digress, this is my finest work, and I will never be able to top it."
"I don't quite know what to say to that. I'm sorry?" I offered.
He sighed again, sliding the top off the box. "Take it."
Though he sounded flippant about it, there was the genuineness of anticipation clear on his face. He was not someone who made baubles to sit on shelves for admiration, he created tools that he expected to be used.
Both Artoria and I looked down at it. It was a light pale in coloration, and almost completely unassuming, but it had a certain….aura to it.
I also felt oddly drawn to it.
Almost subconsciously, I reached for it and as soon as I held it in my hand, I felt the World Tree within me stir and grow.
My hair blew up as Magical Energy swirled around me. It wasn't like any of the other wands I held before it was…..it felt like an extension of myself oddly enough.
Everything settled down rather quickly without any overt reactions.
"Thank Merlin, I had thought for sure my shop would have been destroyed." Ollivander whispered. "I do not know what you gave me, but it's 11 and ½ inches, with the peculiar ability to be rigid or soft depending on the situation. However, I sternly warn against touching any Dark Magic such as Necromancy less this wand turns on you."
"Trust me, I already knew that." But the warning was appreciated.
Truthfully, I didn't know what to expect about a Wand, or even really put much emphasis on wielding one, but….it felt rather comfortable in my hand.
"Thank you, it's perfect." I held it up and cast my first spell. "Lumos."
A bright light erupted at the tip and even though I barely put a spark of my Magical Energy into it, the room became too bright to see properly.
"Nox." I quickly canceled it.
At one end, there was life, at the other, there was death. And the wood used was from something nearly equivalent to the World Tree.
It was a complete cycle contained within a Magical Focus.
It was no wonder my budding World Tree was responding so openly or that I had such a resonance with it.
"Are you satisfied, Mr. Schweinorg?" Ollivander asked me.
"Completely." I nodded.
The Old Wand Maker smiled warmly, his earlier words perhaps only being partly true as the time I spent with him, it was clear he had a certain sense of humor. "I take pride in my work, Mr. Schweinorg. I have said it before and I'll say it again, I have never failed to match someone with a wand. If this is to be my greatest creation, then I can say without any doubt in my heart, I'm also satisfied."
The pride of a crafter who achieved something bordering impossible. I wouldn't call it a Divine Construct, but it's not something a human should honestly be able to make.
"Are you really going to retire?" I asked, feeling a tad guilty if I ended up ruining his motivation.
"What? Don't be ridiculous. Now get out of my shop and never come back."
[***]
"I have a feeling that the wand maker did not like you." Artoria spoke as we walked won the street.
"What gave you that idea?" I asked.
"A hunch." Artoria replied, a rare amount of sarcasm in her tone. "You seem pleased with your new wand."
Right, my eyes barely left it since I acquired it. "It's a good treasure."
Not as good as my Staff of Magnus, but it had its strengths in other areas that I was already imagining. Plus, it would be better suited for certain spells from this place and I would put in some effort to pick up a few that I found useful.
"I sometimes forget you are a Dragon in some aspects."
"I could say the same to you." I gave her a little grin.
"I do not hoard."
"Say that the next time we have a meal."
She puffed up cutely. "There is nothing wrong with how much I consume."
I merely kissed her forehead, not answering.
"Agree with me, Wilhelm." She demanded.
"Oh look, there's Gringotts, should we go check on Arthur?" I changed the subject.
She huffed cutely, but still slipped her hand into mine. "Mayhaps it would not be remiss since we are here. I am curious about these Goblin creatures."
"Huh…"
"What concerns you?" She looked at me.
"I could have sworn there were guards at the front entrance…" Oh well, they must be on break or something.
It only took opening the door and stepping inside to figure out why there were no guards at the front.
It was because they were on the ground, mostly.
Some weren't.
The ones that weren't were currently holding their weapons up, pointing at Arthur.
Yup, that seems about right. I had a little headache coming on in anticipation for handling this mess.
[Hey, look at the bright side.] Ddraig spoke in my mind.
What's the bright side?
[It's not your fault this time.]
….Oddly enough, that does make me feel a little better.
[***]
A/N
If you want to read 10 chapters ahead or support me, visit my p.a.t.r.e.o.n.c.o.m / astoryforone
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