3 Thousand Years Good Night

chapter 45: morphed

Arlene's house

"Well, young lady!" Said the light brown haired woman. "I hope your grandmother didn't feed you more hocus pocus, did she?"

Arlene looked at her mother, eyes glistening with the fate of the woman before her. She knew she beared Vienna's curse.

Ms. Moretz looked at Theon and smiled warmly. "So, who's your new friend here? he's another boy or is he Axel in blonde mode?" She laughed at her own joke.

"I am Theon of the Northern Isles, Madam." Bowed Theon.

"Oooh," Ms. Moretz blushed. "A gentleman." She placed her hand on her chest and smiled again. "Well, you don't have to call me 'madam', oh that's so old timey... Renata will do." She winked. "Come in, come in... you're just in time for my apple pie!" Arlene's mom hurried to the kitchen beaconing them to follow her which they did.

"You guys wait up, I'll go fetch Uncle platipus er, i mean, Uncle John. I hope he's hungry enough to get off his bed." Renata chuckled.

Arlene directed Theon to his seat and she chose the one next to the immortal prince.

"That smells heavenly!" Remarked Theon.

"Ah, yes. My mom makes the best apple pie there is. It's right there in the oven." Arlene pointed at the cubical machine in the corner and smiled, but there was a hint of depression in her smirk that Theon noticed.

"It's going to be fine, Arlene. Vienna will be defeated and we will all be free." Smiled Theon, rubbing Arlene's hand for comfort. "Oh and please enlighten me on another occassion about this oven machinery."

Arlene smiled back at Theon but the prince shifted his expression from reassurance to vigilance. His blue eyes widened urgently and he seemed to be deep in concentration.

"What is it?" Asked Arlene, furrowing her brows. Trying to be vigilant with her own mortal senses.

"One of the canaries followed us here." Wisphered Theon.

Arlene's eyes widened. Now, Vienna knows where she lives, now, Vienna knows her family, she isn't forgeting that it's also Mel's family. If the witch wanted leverage, she would come for her family to trade in for Theon. What if she abducts them too? She knew her phone wouldn't work... she needed to contact Mel or any other witch with a powerful protection spell, but how?

"Use your magic, Arlene!" Said Theon, staring intently at Arlene's eyes. "The cloaking spell. It's now or never."

"What?!" Arlene frowned. "I don't know how!"

"You were present when your grandmother made the aura cloaking spell, right?" Said Theon. "You know the spell."

"That's for cloaking auras, Theon!" Said Arlene frantically. "Our auras are cloaked already! We have to cloak ourselves visually and hearing-ly."

"Like i said, you were there when Mel cloaked us, you know how to pronounce her encantation, we just have to warp it." Said Theon. "my father tried to teach me the magic that my mother familiarized him with, one of the first things he thought was the cloaking spell and i still have it memorized."

Theon looked at Arlene urgently. "The crow, it's closer than before."

"Just tell me the damn spell!" Shouted Arlene, in a panic. This is her house, her mother and her great uncle is here... she had to try something to save them.

"Ut moroii nostritei nostrorum non videri" said Theon, nodding at Arlene.

"Ut moroii nostritei-- and what?" Asked Arlene, trying to memorize the encantation.

"..nostrorum non videri.." continued Theon. "You have to be the one to cast it, Arlene. You're a witch, embrace it. Furthermore, you are particularly gifted in cloaking spells, remember? You can handle this."

"Ill try." Declared Arlene, she knew this was a one shot chance to save her family, she was too late to save Axel, so, failure isn't an option here. She will never forgive herself if this went against their favor and so, she began her chant and Theon went along with her as a support.

"Ut moroii nostritei nostrorum non videri" said Arlene.

"Ut moroii nostritei nostrorum non videri" repeated Theon, holding Arlene's hand, all the while hearing the familiar lullaby of the crow lurking outside.

"Ut moroii nostritei nostrorum non videri" wisphered Arlene, closing her eyes. "Ut moroii nostritei nostrorum non videri." She repeated, this time more determined in herself.

"Ut moroii nostritei nostrorum non videri" chanted Theon and Arlene together. "Ut moroii nostritei nostrorum non videri" they repeated at the same time.

"Wait!" Announced Theon. "The spell, it's a success."

"What?!" Arlene half screamed half wisphered.

"The crow, i can sense its confusion. It can't see us. No, it can't see the whole house!" Said Theon, curving a smile.

"It worked?!" Said Arlene, eyes widening. "I did it! I really did it!!!"

Theon's smile widened into a grin. "Indeed!"

"Oh My Gaawd!" Arlene clapped her hands, tears of pride were glistening in her eyes. "I really did it!!!! Oh my gawd!! Oh my gawd!"

Theon looked at Arlene brightly. "Well, it's what is to be expected from--"

"Theon?" Arlene's beaming countenance faded as he saw the change in the prince again. "What is it? What do you hear?"

Theon's smile completely faded. An alarmed expression filled his face. "The bird, i didn't hear it go away."

"So, it's still there?" Wisphered Arlene.

"No," Theon shook his head. "I can't hear any wings flapping in the air."

"It landed?" Asked Arlene fearfully.

"Worse." Said Theon. "It's heart beat changed dramatically... it tranformed."

"What?" Arlene's eyes widened.

"Something..." Theon stared at his side, looking at the window, shocked of what he saw. Arlene followed his gaze, and there by the window, staring at everything but looking at nothing was a mahogany haired woman in her 30's, humming the same lullaby as the other crows. Luckily, judging by her expression, she could not see them.

Her face was faintly wrinkled, and her hair was slightly wavy. Her nose was crooked and her eyes were cold and gray. She had this ghastly demeanor about her that creeped Arlene out. Suddenly, Arlene felt an unwavering tinge of darkness and hatred. This woman frozed the two people to their core. Who was she? Arlene wondered. Finally, Theon wisphered the worst thing he could utter.

"Vienna."