Whenever, Wherever

V. Plans and Promises

        "Just when I thought I knew everything about you," Anne laughs gently as she sips her tea. You can't help but flush in response as you sit on Sebastian's bed. You know it will be a while before Renee shows up to join the two of you, so you make yourself comfortable.

        "I know... Merlin, I don't even know when it all started, I can't pinpoint anything! It just..." You trail off before huffing, holding your face in your hands. Anne eats up the talk and shifts her body to you, eyes more lively than they'd been in years.

        "I don't know why you're embarrassed, Ominis is a fine gentleman. He's certainly not hard on the eyes, although not my type. He's kind, gentle, I mean that alone would give you plenty of reasons." She tries to reason with you but you can't shake the weird sense of guilt you feel. 

        "He's more than just easy on the eyes Anne. Even before puberty destroyed my life and elevated his, his freckles and smile and- merlin, listen to me. What If I've been hit with a spell?" You sigh but continue, "I guess I feel bad is all... he doesn't have a large group of people he trusts, and here I am doing all that I can to be near him. I feel like I'm being deceitful and selfish like I'm taking away yet another person he trusts because I want him for my own." Anne seems displeased with the way you word it and thinks for a moment before clearing her throat.

        "I think it's unfair to view it as deceitful. And it is not wrong to be a little selfish. People are allowed to want things. People in your case." She grins and you laugh, nodding.

        "I just don't know what I'm doing anymore. I'm in love. I love him, I really do. Merlin, it feels so good to say. I love Ominis," You're ashamed of the way it feels as the words roll off your tongue. 

        "I see it is a reward to be early- you what? Ominis?!" The color leaves your face and Anne covers her mouth, hiding a gasp or laugh you're not sure.

        "You repeat nothing, Renee. You're never here on time, let alone early so let this one slide." You demand, but you're truthfully begging. She grins wickedly, sitting beside Renee at the table, and shrugs.

        "I can be persuaded. Although I could have been fooled, I was under the impression that you were secretly together." She tests your reaction and you're appalled by the way you can't hide how pleased you are that she would think that. Anne and Renee laugh at your turmoil but Renee clears her throat, pulling out a piece of parchment and the a jar. The jar is lined with goblin metal and it causes you to shiver. 

        Renee begins carefully explaining to Anne what her power can do, and how she's been testing it on herself, and only recently yourself. Anne's eyes fill with doubt and worry but you give her a careful nod and it seems to help. 

        Carefully, you roll up your skirt, revealing a relatively nasty gash on your knee. Anne watches anxiously as Renee's eyes glow and she concentrates her power into the wand. She points the wand to the wound, nearly touching it. Slowly, a swirling mix of grey and red balled up at the end of her wand. As it does, you can see the wound begin to heal and close, even the skin around it losing the infected red color. She pulls away prematurely, not fully healing the gash, but leaving it as though you'd merely fallen on a gravel path and not off a cliff escaping poachers. 

        She moves slowly, and methodically, and holds her wand to the opening of the jar. The magic reacts with the goblin metal and zips into the jar. She quickly puts the top on and you all watch it slowly swirl in the jar. 

        "That's... pain?" Anne speaks just above a whisper as her eyes glimmer at magic. 

        "Yes. I can promise you now my knee feels normal." You assure her and nod to Renee.