Charmed (Watty Awards)

Chapter three: earning trust

"Beckie, isn't it?" Ciara asked and the child nodded, her brittle golden hair a delightfully washed storm about her face.

It could definitely use a good combing, and that thought prompted Ciara to note that the little girl was motherless. She hadn't known if Kathy up kept her as well.

(Probably not she thought than again grandmother had her way around things. )

Rather abandoned according to the limited information Kathy's attorney had shared.

The Attorney hadn't been a lawyer of any sort but of course it would be completely up to Ciara to figure these things out. The magic had already been spreading throughout the mansion and over Earth.

If Ciara could tap into her imagination just for a second it would be long before she knew the clues.

Kathy planned out the entire happenings. It was just up to Ciara to be a little more open-minded!

Had that portal of her mind been closed for too long? Could she remember her granny's old ways? Would the voice of the guardian be enough to translate the fued?

nothing is to be known just yet..

Ciara wasn't alone the eagle engraved into the door was more than a living creature,the ducks,the trees,the books,the carpet,the glasses,the water,the ants under the huge stone rocks in the garden and every element around her drowned in despite.

Kathy kept thing running smoothly and organized.

The little girl's voice quivered as she jerked out, "Yes. My-my brother hurt himself."

Brother? That was right the girl had a twin, Ciara suddenly remembered.

"Where is he at, darling?"

"By-by your goldfish pond," Beckie informed, drawing a tiny hand up to cover her mouth before she mumbled, "Vince" says you're a witch. You-you won't turn him into a frog, will ya?" Unbelievable Ciara gazed. Face unreadable.

If the child had not been so serious, Ciara would have giggled.

"Of course not," she quickly assured, extending her hand which Beckie hesitantly accepted.

..Ciara hesitated then a grin grew across her face. Ciara wander why the girl was being told such stories. All was still and silent. A deep breath.

"Let's go find your brother," she suggested, closing the large door behind them, the delicious scent of freshly baked gingerbread cookies, bread and citrus tea herbs vanishing, the lovely and heady scent of the gardens filling the void.

"How badly is he hurt?"

"He can't get up," Beckie informed, skipping to keep up with Ciara's steps.

For a moment, she contemplated picking up the child and carrying her, but she was already frightened. No need to add to her uncertainties.

Beckie told her, "Brandy got too close to the edge of the pond when he tossed in the lucky penny when he make his wish." We weren't trying to intrude just in need of some luck miss. The little girl dashed to say. Inhaling and exhaling as if concentrating on not getting into trouble.

"I see," Ciara eased out, hoping that the boy wasn't hurt too badly.

She relaxed as they rounded the last corner of the garden leading to the goldfish pond and she spied little Brandy sitting on the wooden bench.

"Ut oh," he blurted out as he dusted his blue eyes over Ciara's svelte form. "Now we're in big trouble. Beckie, I told ya not to get her! I don't want to be a toad-"

Glancing at Beckie How is it can you live with the suspense. Beckie shouted brushing past him. Sutters I don't want to..to.

Ciara froze they hadn't had her at ease at all. She almost laughed her grandmother's death been something magical. The children uttered.

What was it with ghost and unearthly things around here, was it a good idea to help them,of course they are on my property. Ciara thought and stated those stories were only meant to scare you,OK.

"Calm down," Ciara instructed, discarding Beckie's hand and bending on one knee to inspect the damage.

Didn't look too serious - just a skinned knee.

"Can you walk?" she asked.

Brandy shook his head positively, his blond curls wiggling in the process. He looked almost as frightened as his sister.

"Let's go inside the mansion and we'll put a patch on you-"

"You sure you won't cast a spell on me? Vince-"

"Who is Vince?" Ciara wanted to know, wondering what she could say to calm the children. She took a deep breath and wonder had it been a good idea.

"He buys and sells our daddy's cows, and he tells the other cowboys what to do," Beckie filled in, her eyes never leaving Ciara's.

Ciara's gaze shifted to Brandy as he added, "Vince says you're a witch and that you cast spells."

Ciara drew in a deep breath, then challenged, "Well, if that were true, then why did you and your sister chance a visit to my goldfish pond?" Koi blessed you she said trying to make light of things for her own sake than the childrens. They looked around not know what that had meant. Beckie's eyes went sharp.

Brandy batted his eyes swiftly, then told her, "Cuz we had to take a chance. We had to make a wish. Vince said that your pond is magic."

"I see," she eased out, her lips forming a smile which seemed to melt some of the fear in both herself, Brandy and his sister.

They were such little things - seven, possibly six, she guesstimated.

Terrible thing, being without a parent at that age. She knew as she'd been there herself, and if not for her dear Granny - well, she didn't want to think about where she would have ended up.

"Beckie and Brandy, I promise that I'm not a witch, and I certainly have no desire to turn you into toads," she told them, glancing at each of them as she spoke.

"But you're named a witch," Beckie felt inclined to point out.

"That's just a name - Northwitch, Ciara Northwitch," she explained, waving her hand in the air, her attention suddenly on Brandy's injury. "Just like Beckie Robertson and Brandy Robertson."

Ten minutes later she had patched his knee and both children were settled at the round oak table enjoying a tall glass of cold milk and the still-warm gingerbread cookies.

"We'll have to call your father," she pointed out, hoping that they wouldn't be in too much trouble.

"He's not going to be happy," Beckie sighed, then she lunged forward and bit into her third gingerbread boy.

"Well, if our wish comes true, it will be worth it," Brandy comforted her.

"That must have been some wish," Ciara smiled. "New bike? New toy? A pet? Instead of ranch animals?"

"Nope," he told her, shaking his head negatively.

Beckie took a big gulp of milk, then supporting a white mustache blurted out, "We wished that daddy's mean old fiancé would go away forever. He just can't marry her. If he does, we're running away from home. To Kansas, or neverland just like Dorothy. Maybe we'll find the Land of Oz or maybe just a nice Deck of spades."