This Is Stella's Reality

July 24, 2015

"Are you sure I can take these?" Wanda asked. She was holding a small stack of my books. Herbs and Properties. The Art of Transfiguration. Magical Theory.

I smiled at her. She seemed so overwhelmed by this new world. But eager at the same time. There was a deep hunger for power and knowledge deep inside of her that I wished to stoke the flames of.

"Certainly," I answered. "You must learn the basics before you can hope to put them into practice."

She nodded quickly and let her fingers run over the spines of the books. With every breath she took, I felt the thin wisps of the mind stone breathing with her.

Her eyes soaked in every ounce of information Loki and I gave her. She was powerful but blunt like a dull blade. I could hone her. She was moldable. With my influence, I could sharpen her into what I knew she could be.

We joined the boys back out in the rolling fields of the island. They were throwing knives at the trees off in the distance and sometimes at each other.

I rolled my eyes, "If someone gets hurt, I'm not helping you."

"We'll be quite alright, goddess," Loki said with a wicked gleam. He flipped a dagger in his hand and blindly threw it into the trunk of a tree.

Not to be out done, Bucky scoffed and did the same, winking at me as he threw it. "Hey, doll," he said as he wrapped his arm around my waist. "How'd the book search go?"

"Good," I said, "she has homework to do."

Wanda smiled shyly, "Homework I'll be happy to do."

Loki inspected the books I had curated for her. He nodded with approval. "These will start you off nicely. If you are confused by any of the subject material, I can be available to you as can Lady Stella."

She nodded with those wide eyes of hers. Cute and innocent, ready to take on the unimaginable depths she was about to plunge into.

"Care to stay for lunch?" Bucky asked them.

Wanda looked shocked and awkward, unsure if she should say yes or not.

Loki didn't have such reserves. "Yes, we would like to," he answered for the both of them.

The four of us walked inside and pulled wine, cheese, dried meats, veggies, and bread from the pantries. We settled on the couch and chairs in front of the fireplace and placed the food on various plates there.

"How's the outside world?" Bucky asked.

"Boring," Wanda said simply. "Nobody is ever around, and those who are around don't talk. Thor and Bruce are the only ones that try to hang out with Pietro and I."

I nodded, "They're very sweet. They'll take good care of you and your brother."

She smiled and turned back to her food. "Tony has tried to give us everything anyone could ever want, but," she sighed and let her voice trail off.

"It's a jail," Bucky supplied. More forcefully than he needed to, he stabbed a serving fork into a slice of cheese. "Can't go anywhere without cameras following you. Can't leave without telling everyone you are. Twelve foot fences caging you in. It's a jail."

"A nice jail," Wanda tried to say.

Loki huffed a laugh. "Have you left since you first came?"

She stared at him for a moment. "Um," she sighed softly, "Vis and I went to the store once."

"In order for your magic to grow," I began, "you must not feel weighed down by others. My magic grew exponentially since leaving the compound and coming here. I am sure training here a few times a week is good for you, but in the long run, you must find your own space."