Farah Dowling WRITOBER 2O22

To the moon and back

“You’ll need to journey far with me, tis true,
And thus, abandon this Earth completely,
For tis to the moon’s sphere I must lead you,
Set nearest to ours, since the remedy
For his sad affliction, there, you may view,
That which will cure his madness most swiftly.”
LUDOVICO ARIOSTO, Orlando Furioso
 
Farah Dowling arrived at your desk immersed in a conversation with her two best friends. They were discussing lessons, and she was trying to convince Saul to leave the pond to the water fairies' special class for a couple of weeks and postpone his combat with trident training.
“It’s not like we are going to go to war with merpeople anytime soon. There’s no urgency, and I’m just asking for a couple-”
Farah stopped in the doorway, stunned. In front of her office door, right next to your desk, you were smiling at a stunning blonde, who had a hand on your forearm. The blonde had just said something, and now was chuckling seductively.
The Headmistress cleared her throat. You and the beautiful woman turned your heads, you immediately taking a step backwards, and her looking a bit irritated at the interruption.
“Um, Serena,” you stuttered, “these are, er, miss Dowling, the Headmistress of Alfea, mister Silva, Headmaster for the Specialists, and professor Harvey. Serena is a, er, very powerful light fairy, we met at the convention about Runic Applications and she, um… came by to say hello.”
The Headmistress had her lips pursued as you spoke, but she shook Serena’s hand cordially enough.
“I promise I wasn’t distracting her, Headmistress” she said. “At least not too much, I’ve been here only a couple of minutes” she added, winking at you.
“I’m sure of it. My assistant is unremitting when it comes to her work duties.”
You blushed, pleased by her compliment. And… had you imagined it or she had a tinge of possessiveness in her voice?
“Yes, she is clearly very dedicated” Serena replied. “It’s lucky for you that such a skilled fairy accepted to work behind a desk for your sake, Headmistress.”
Farah’s eyes narrowed and you opened your mouth to explain that the Headmistress had also offered you an apprenticeship along with the assistant position, when Serena added: “Which brings me to the reason that brought me here.”
She extracted a scroll from her handbag. “I’ve found this in the old Solarian Archive, where I work. It was in the Metamorphosymbiosis Section, but I can’t decipher its runic system. After your intervention at the conference I thought you were the fairy I needed. Would you consider helping me crack the code?”
You took the scroll and looked at it, forgetful of all the rest. This kind of intellectual challenges never failed to bring you excitement. You recognized most of the symbols, but couldn’t interpret a single line of the text. Oh, that was going to be fun.
“I’d love to help” you murmured, fascinated, your eyes still on the paper.
“Great!” you heard Serena say in a thrilled voice. “So how about we compare notes on it at dinner later in the week? My treat” she continued, flashing you a brilliant smile.
“I- yes, of course” you answered.
“Perf!” she said, leaning in to kiss you on both cheeks. “I’ll call you soon.”
She turned and looked at the three teachers. “Mister Silva, professor, it’s been a pleasure. Headmistress, I hope you won’t hate me too much for stealing your assistant for one night.”
Farah straightened her back, looking at her office door. “She is free to spend her free time with whoever she wishes” she said rigidly.
“Of course” replied Serena with a smile. “Maybe I’ll see you again the next time I drop by to say hello. Thank you for your welcome.”
“Feel free to come whenever you wish” said Ben when Farah didn’t reply.
“Thank you, professor.”
Serena turned to blow you a kiss and then left, her heels echoing in the hallway.
“I promise the research on these runes won’t endanger my work or our study sessions, Headmistress” you said quickly, searching for Farah’s eyes.
She didn’t meet your gaze. “Don’t worry, as I said I know how dutiful you are” she said darkly, before adding: “Let's continue our discussion in my office, Saul.”
They went inside and closed the door, leaving you wondering if you had done anything to offend her. Maybe she was still weary of strangers after the whole Blood Witches mess?
You delved into work and tried not to think about it.
When she left for dinner she politely wished you a good evening, but she still didn’t meet your eyes. It hurt. She didn’t know, of course – couldn’t know – but you had been in love with her since… you didn’t even remember since when.
She was the most stunning fairy you had ever met. The most powerful, kind, wise. And that golden hair… there were days when the sun shone that you couldn’t tear your eyes off the natural reflections of her hair.
You were contented to be her protégé and to nurture a mild, very proper friendship with her, because you knew that she was out of your league.
This sudden polite coldness was catching you of guard. What had you done? And how could you fix it?
Well, without more information there was nothing you could do. Not hungry, you decided to skip dinner and stay a bit more at your desk studying the mysterious runic scroll. At least working on that would keep your mind off depressing questions about miss Dowling’s behavior.
The following morning Farah was about to have breakfast when she was joined by an unusually serious Ben at the canteen.
“Farah, could you come with me for a minute?”
“I will be in my office in ten minutes, Ben. Can’t it wait till I have some coffee, at least?”
“Well, I just came from your office, I thought I’d find you there. But I don’t think you’ll be able to get inside.”
“What?” asked Farah, frowning. “What do you mean?!”
“Well… there’s… I don’t even know how to describe it without sounding completely mad. Just come and you’ll see for yourself.”
Farah grabbed a cup a coffee from her trail with a longing look at her eggs and followed Ben.
When they arrived at the assistant room's doorway she looked around from behind Ben’s shoulder. Seeing nothing, she started to say “What’s the problem? I don’t see-” when her eyes caught a movement under your desk.
She held her breath as Ben stepped backwards, opening an arm as if to protect her.
A huge, majestic lunar lioness was facing them, growling softly.
“See?” Ben said. “When I tried to cross the room and hide inside your office it almost attacked me.”
“But how on the Seven Realms has a lunar lioness arrived here? It’s practically a mythical animal by now, I didn’t even know a specimen lived on this planet.”
“How would I know?” asked Ben. “I had never seen one before today.”
“Neither had I” said Farah, admiring the animal. It was splendid, its coat a bright silvery-white.
“Are you sure it’s aggressive?”
“Here, I’ll show you” said Ben, taking a couple of strides towards the Headmistress' office.
The lioness roared loudly, adopting a defensive stance.
“See?” Ben stopped quickly, raising his hands.
“And yet…” murmured Farah “I don’t perceive a vibe of offensiveness from it. It’s more like… it’s protecting something.”
“That would be your office door” replied Ben. “But it doesn’t make sense… unless one of its cub got lost and is stuck inside?”
“Maybe” said Farah, thoughtful. “Let me see if I can use mind magic to relax it…”
She took a few steps forward, putting herself between Ben and the lioness.
“Farah, I don’t think that a good ide- Farah!”
Ben shouted when the lioness put its large paws on the Headmistress shoulders, as if to look in her eyes.
Ben was already gathering his earth magic when Farah, feeling the surge of power behind her, said: “Wait, Ben.”
The lioness wasn’t attacking her. It seemed to just stand there, sniffing her.
Farah allowed it, perfectly still, careful not to startle the animal. After a few instants she suddenly noticed the particular perfume coming from the lioness' hair. Her eyes went wide, and she searched for the lioness’ gaze to confirm her idea.
“Oh, gods” she murmured.
“What?” asked Ben, terrified. “What’s happened?”
Farah explained.
“Are you telling me that beast is your assistant?” Ben asked, disbelief evident in his voice.
“It has her eyes” Farah said softly. “And I think I recognize her scent.”
“Oh. Well, then maybe she only has to smell us to recognize us and then-”
The lioness jumped forward, moving to all four to face Ben, putting itself between him and Farah. It threw its head back and roared again, menacingly.
“Get beck, Ben” Farah ordered with urgency. “Just get back! I don’t think she likes you.”
“But I was her favorite professor!” he said in an outraged tone, before correcting himself: “Well, after you, at least.”
“I don’t think she’s in her right mind at the moment” commented Farah as she tentatively raised a hand and rested it on the lioness' head. She slowly moved her fingers behind the furry ears and scratched gently.
Ben almost shouted again when the lioness started making a sound, but then he realized... it was a purr.
“Unbelievable” he murmured, watching Farah run her fingers in the lioness hair and smile.
Without thinking he took a step to look closer and the lioness immediately stopped purring to give a low warning growl.
Ben stopped, and the lioness started walking in slow circles around Farah’s legs.
“She’s protecting you” he said, stunned.
“I think so” answered Farah.
“Wait” exclaimed Ben. “Now that I think of it- didn’t that blonde girl yesterday talk about some kind of runic spells of metamorphosymbiosis?”
Farah’s eyes run to your desk. “She didn’t say they were spells, but- yes…”
Ben went to your desk, retrieving the scroll that still laid on top of it.
“She must have decoded it. Maybe during the translation she inadvertently pronounced a part of the text and… this happened!” he said, gesturing at the lioness.
Farah looked down at it. “Yes” she answered, her voice vibrant with equal parts pride, exasperation and sweetness. “This must be it.”
“What’s the plan then?” asked Ben.
“Let me see what I can get out of that scroll. Maybe I can find a counterspell.”
“Do you want my help?”
“I think she would be much calmer if you weren’t too close to me. Maybe it’s better if you leave for now. We wouldn’t want her to eat you, after all” she chuckled. “That would really upset her when she’s back to normal.”
Ben let out a strange sound, something between a scoff and a laugh. “Are you sure?”
“She won’t hurt me, Ben” said Farah softly.
“Fine. But send a mental call if anything happens.”
Farah nodded and Ben, with a last look at the lioness, put down the scroll and left.
Farah went to pick it up and then walked in her office, keeping an eye on the lioness who was happily following her, its tail high in the air.
When Farah sat on the leather couch the lioness jumped on it and curled next to her. Farah couldn’t resist and scratched its head a bit more, relishing the vibration of the purring against her hand and her left thigh.
Then she started working on the runic scroll, and she was halfway through traducing it when she heard voices behind the glass door.
“Saul, I told you it’s a bad idea-”
“But I want to see it! Just for a minute!”
Someone knocked. “Farah!”
“Come in” she said, smiling. When Saul and Ben entered the lioness put its head on the Headmistress' lap, growling against them.
“Holy shit” murmured Saul looking at the picture in front of him. “That’s incredible! Look at it.”
Farah was petting the lioness’ head to relax her, and the animal had started to purr once more.
“I told you, she protects her” said Ben warily. “Well, you’ve seen it, can we go now?”
“She thinks you’re her cub” Saul stated, ignoring Ben and staring at how the lioness had buried its nose in the Headmistress' crotch.
“No,” said Farah, trying to move away and tapping lightly on the animal’s head, “not there. Bad.”
The lioness looked into her eyes, clearly wounded by her reproach.
“I think… Farah, I think she thinks you're her mate” murmured Ben, amazed.
Farah quickly looked at him. “What?”
“She- a lioness wouldn’t do that with a cub.”
Farah felt her head spin.
“I think Ben’s right, actually” Saul murmured.
“But why would she think-?” Farah didn’t finish the sentence and blushed violently.
“Well,” said Ben diplomatically after clearing his voice. “I think we should go now. Let us know if you need us.”
“I- yes, alright” answered Farah, still disoriented and flustered.
Once they were gone she tried to focus on the translation and not to dwell too much on the thoughts that were cluttering her mind. Could it be that you-?
But no, of course not, she shouldn’t go and delude herself with inane daydreams – you were just having some strange, animal, instinctive reaction to her presence; you liked that Serena, you were going on a date with her in a few days, and she had no business pining after her own assistant.
She turned all her attention on the scroll and, after a couple more hours, the translation was complete. She muttered the counterspell and next second you were there.
Farah stared open-mouthed at the suddenly human, extremely naked girl lying on her couch with her head on her lap, apparently still fast asleep like the lioness had been.
She couldn’t stop her eyes from roaming on your chest, down to your mound, over your long, perfect legs. Her heart was racing and her mouth was suddenly very dry.
She looked away guiltily and then she magically conjured her coat to cover you.
Once the coat was on you like an odd sheet, she gently called your name. You stirred, your arms reaching for her waist and your face snuggling deeper on her lap.
She called you a second time. You stirred again, inhaling as you started to wake, and you seemed to sniff the air. Still half-asleep you recognized the Headmistress’ scent and you suddenly realized you weren’t in your bed.
An instant later you were wide awake, blinking in confusion. When you understood where you were you jumped away, squeaking; then you noticed you were naked and quickly retrieved the coat to cover yourself.
“Gods! What-?” you said in an hoarse voice.
“Calm down. It’s alright. I’ll explain” murmured Farah in a calming tone, pretending her heart hadn’t stopped at seeing you naked again. “How… how much you remember about last night?”
You looked perplexed for a moment. “I haven’t been drinking, if that’s what you think. I have no hangover” you said, trying to remember more. “I was upset because… well, I was upset. I decided to work on the scroll Serena brought me-”
It all came back to you and your eyes widened. “Oh, gods, the scroll! I translated it out loud and the runes shone and I knew I had messed up and activated some kind of spell… oh, gods, what have I done?”
“You don’t remember anything else?”
“I remember a sort of… vivid dream” you said, frowning. “I was on the moon. Walking and-”
“And?”
“And looking for you” you said, blushing, very conscious of your nakedness under the coat.
The whole situation was surreal. You were naked on the Headmistress’ couch, covered only by her coat. How did you end up there?
“I see” murmured Farah slowly before looking into your eyes and explaining: “You metamorphed yourself into a lunar lioness.”
“Oh” you said, not really knowing what to make of it. “A lunar lioness, wow. Did I- um, harm anyone?”
“No” she answered, and then added, chuckling: “You roared a couple times against Ben and Saul, that’s all.”
“Did I? Why?” you asked, your face finally starting to open in a smile.
“You seemed… quite possessive of me” she said, smiling back with a shade of shyness you had never seen in her eyes.
“P- possessive?”
“Yes” she said, and she continued: “You didn’t want them to get close to me.”
“Oh.” That actually made sense. But you couldn’t quite tell her that you wanted her for yourself, right?
“To be honest, you spent most of the day with your head on my lap, purring.”
You blushed harder than ever.
“Headmistress, I don’t know exactly what I did but please accept my apology-”
“There’s no need to apologize. It was animal instinct. I understand” she said kindly.
“But still-” you said, anguished.
“No. You have nothing to apologize for. I…”
She looked away, her hands clasped together in her lap. “I quite enjoyed it, actually.”
“You did? Oh. I- I’m glad, I guess. I imagine it was like having a big cat, or something, right?”
“It’s not just that, I… I liked that you were so… protective of me.”
Wait. Was that some color on her cheeks? Could that mean that she…?
Taking the biggest risk of your life, you called her by name for the first time.
“Farah?”
Her eyes run to you, the surprise of hearing you saying her name easy to read on her face.
Brushing away your terror and giving her all the time to turn her head, you leaned in and gently covered her lips with yours. You were kissing her softly, not forcing her to do anything, just waiting for an answer. You were starting to think she wouldn’t respond, when she literally growled and snatched you up, pulling you in her lap and opening her mouth to deepen the kiss.
You let the coat fall and straddled her, sinking your hands in her glorious hair.
You were kissing like two wanderers almost dead of thirst who had finally found a spring of water. When you parted you were both breathless.
“May I ask you something?” she said, her eyes closed, her breath short, her forehead against yours.
“Anything you want.”
“Do you think I’m your mate?” she said in a whisper.
You took her head in your hands and kissed her brow, then her closed eyes.
“That’s a way to put it, I guess. Yes” you murmured.
She shivered against you.
“Do you know that lunar lions mate for life?” she continued in a pained voice.
“I know” you whispered softly before capturing her lips again. “I... I have loved you since I met you, Farah.”
She let out a teary breath and finally opened her eyes. “I can’t believe you’re saying this.”
“Then believe what you have seen. Believe the lioness.”
She traced your features with trembling fingers. “I love you too, you know?”
“You do?”
“Of course I do. I’d have never let it go this far-” she stuttered, “if-”
“I know, I understand” you reassured her, your heart in your throat. “No one could accuse you of being a flirt.”
You kissed her, and then you started to explore every inch of her body, slowly undressing her, covering her skin with kisses and soft nips.
When you reached her center she was oh so wet for you.
You sucked her and she whispered your name in a hoarse voice that was reducing you to a puddle of emotions. She stopped you right before she came and guided you up so that you could straddle her again. You moved against her, your movements becoming more and more urgent, as her hands held your hips.
When you exploded against her you felt her whole body tightening around yours, convulsing as she breathed out your name.
You stayed on the couch, hugged to one another, her fingers tracing lazy circles on your back.
“What about Serena?” she suddenly murmured.
“What about her?” you asked, surprised.
“Weren’t you- aren’t you going on a date with her this week?”
You put your hands on her shoulders and forced her to look at you.
“Farah Dowling” you said, bemused. “Are you jealous of me?”
She blushed in the cutest way ever and she looked away, clearly embarrassed.
“It’s just- if I am your mate, I am allowed to be a bit possessive, too” she joked, trying to hide her discomfort.
You chuckled. “You have nothing to worry about” you whispered, leaning closer. “I was never interested in her. I only have eyes for you, Farah” you murmured against her lips. “So don’t worry. I love you and only you, to the moon and back.”

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For anyone who might be interested: the Furioso's epigraph is from canto XXXIV: 63-68.