Damien's Novela

Chapter 15

Valeria's pov

"Okay, Mirabel.I'll teach you - who was that?"

My ear was turned to the sky. 

"What?"

"Follow me."

I ran into Damien's house and ran up the stair to the guest room. I slammed open the door and found a middle aged man laying on a bed. Selkie ran inside after me and pulled me by the arm, closer to the man. 

"Master found him in a Somnolienta Fae nest. He's Lady Mira's papi."

"Oh? I guess I'll help heal him then. Mira, can you go back to the garden and fetch me a thistle branch, some parasol moss, a sprig of lavender, and a cup of honey."

"Master didn't put a bee hive in yet."

"Dumbass Damien at it again. Aphid!"

"Mistress! It's so good to see you again!"

"I need honey. About a cups worth."

"Got it! I'll be back soon!" 

Mirabel ran out the door to the garden and Aphid vanished. 

"Lady Valeria, is Miss Mira your Vita Socium?"

"She is, but she hasn't matured enough to distinguish witch's smells as of now. I'll be patient and wait until she has matured."

"Couldn't you claim her now?"

"I could, but I won't. I'm curious to see a freshling experience their Vita Socium's scent for the first time. Ah, I remember mine. Big, strong, no nonsense woman. She was an absolute joy to be around."

"Valeria, I'm back!"

I shut up as Mirabel ran in with jars full of the ingredients I needed. Looks like I'm taking so things to go. Aw, my Vita Socium is such a little overachiever, she's so cute! 

"Good job Mirabel. I'll take any leftover ingredients with me when I leave."

I started grinding the flowers and moss into a fine powder. I put it under a stasis charm and pushed my hair out of my face. 

"Here."

I turned my head to Mirabel and took the light green headband from her. I pushed my hair out of my face completely and set my goggles around my neck. 

"Thank you Mira. I love it."

"Mistress! Here's the honey you asked for!"

Aphid appeared with three of her workers with a jar each of honey. I don't like honey myself, but I know Damien does so he'll take the leftover honey. I took my powder mix and slowly poured in the honey bit by bit. I kept adding honey until the powder was completely dissolved. 

"Selkie, a bit of heated milk please?"

"Okay!"

Selkie ran downstairs. I continued to mix the solution. 

"Why do you keep mixing it?"

"Honey is an annoying ingredient for potions. It's great for healing, but it can't be put under a stasis charm like everything else. I'm still not sure why, but I think it's due to the sweetness. Most other ingredients are bitter to the taste, but honey is relatively sweet. I keep mixing to prevent it from going stale. As I mix, magic seeps from my core to the potion, which is what give the potion the ability to do anything. Potion crafting is all about intent. If you want to help somebody a healing potion would be strong, but if you don't care about the person your helping, the healing potion would have the opposite effect and turn into a poison."

"Okay, I didn't know that."

"Now you do."

"Lady Valeria, milk is here!"

"Thank you Selkie. Mirabel, I'm using warmed milk, but for this potion, you could use pretty much any type of beverage you want."

I poured the honey mixture into the glass and mixed it until it was thick, but not honey thick. 

"Mirabel, prop his head up."

She did so, but a lot slower than I would've expected. I tilted his head back and slowly poured the drink down his throat.  Mirabel moved and I laid him back down. 

"There. He should be up in a few hours."

"Really?"

"Yup. I think I'm going to attend to Pandora to see how she's adjusting."

"I think I'll check on Hugo."

"Your familiar?"

"Yeah! He's a Fire Sprite."

"what form did he take?"

"A fire fox!"

"He sounds cute. Were you foraging for food for him?"

"We were, but Damien protected me from the unicorn."

"Dumbass Damien. Well, is there anything you want to know about witches? I'm open to any and all questions."

"How many years have you been alive?"

"Seventeen, in this lifetime."

"How many lifetimes did you experience?"

"Three."

"How?"

"When a witch dies, they stand before the Witches of Old. A witch can reincarnate as many times as they want, but if they do it they retain all their memories of their past."

"That sounds convenient."

"That's what I thought my first time. It is, but it's also not. You remember your families death, the coming and goings of countless familiars, the lost lives of friends, and more horrible things. I learned to cope and to always look at the bright side of things. Mama Sofia could tell immediately I was on my third life as a witch. She was a curious old hag. She questioned me on my knowledge when I was six, and that's when we met Damien. I don't think he remembers me at all back then. He was a tiny, scrawny five year old boy. I went to investigate what happened at his home town, but I didn't find anybody. It was a ghost town."

I shuddered at the memory of the desolate town.

"There was no signs of life anywhere. I even went into the houses, but I didn't find anyone. Not even a single drop of blood. Which leads me to believe that a witch invade his town and abducted all the humans. I've made it a goal to find this witch and find out why. Do you have another question?"

"Yeah, um, why do the Fae call Damien a Defect? It sound rather mean spirited, but I don't know the meaning behind it."

"In the most basic of terms, a defect is that something is wrong with an object. Take a...strawberry. If you see a strawberry with seeds and leaves, that what is considered normal. But a strawberry without seeds and leaves is a defect. Years ago, I was eleven, coming to visit Damien and Mama Sofia, but I ended up having too step in and save Damien. He was only ten years old and not proficient at magic yet. 

He was being attacked by a crazed Fae, masquerading as a witch. His core was damaged that day. Like a cut on skin, his core was badly fractured. I tried to heal him, but I wasn't able to. In the eyes of Fae, witches with no or a damaged core are seedless, leafless strawberries; a Defect. Damien's magic seeps from his core with every bit of magic he produces. Once a month he has to take a potion that will strengthen his core enough so he doesn't lapse into a magically induced coma."

"I saw that happen. He went really pale and passed out in the kitchen. I brewed the potion he needed, but that really scared me."

"I bet. I first saw it happen, I nearly passed out myself. I helped Mama Sofia create the potion Damien needed, but I thought he would never wake up. He looked like a ten year old ragdoll. After that happened, I got him set up with Selkie as soon as possible. Familiar act as a set of backup magic for their Master. I think I spilled enough information on Damien for one day."

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