Magic's Lure

1: Before

Mary and Johnathan had been sitting inside their small cottage right beside the blazing fire, trying to withstand the bitter cold of outside's storm.

Rain had been pouring their nonstop since sunset, the wind howling loudly and the trees swaying back and forth in a melodic dance. It was crazy that during the day, the sun was high in the sky and the birds were chirping a song in the summer breeze. It was a beautiful day. All was still, until night fell and now it's chaos.

Johnathan cradled Mary in his arms. She was worried about the horses in the stables and if they were holding out well in the storm. She also weeped for the chickens in their pens, afraid they'd be hurt. Who knew how damaging the winds and rain could be with how savage they sounded outside. She even felt bad for the cat, Sage, who she despised (but Johnathan loved) who was out in the barn with the horses. Surely the smart, clever cat could survive on her own and would be just fine.

Mary was always empathetic towards the animals and spent most of her time tending to them when she wasn't caught up with housework. Johnathan worked as the local blacksmith in the village and earned enough money for them to live a comfortable life. He established his very own shop at such a young age, and he was doing very well off. Him and Mary always talked about having a child someday too, dreaming of starting a family along with their financial success.

They tried so many times, but they were always let down.

"Everything's gonna be fine, baby," Johnathan cooed, kissing the top of Mary's head. "They'll be fine out there. Surely this storm soon will cease soon."

All of a sudden, there was a pounding knock at the door.

Johnathan sat up quickly, pushing Mary aside. That could not be something smashing against their house because of the strong wind: the knocks were too in rhythm, and he sensed urgency in it. Someone was right outside.

He rushed to the door as Mary trailed behind him. Opening it, he almost fell to the floor in astonishment, amazment, pity, and fear.

There was a baby, wrapped in a white blanket, in a basket, on their doorstep. Attached to the basket was a soggy piece of parchment, and Mary could barely make out what the words on the paper said as they had bled from the rain.

Johnathan instantly picked up the baby and brought it inside to shelter it from the hazardous weather. Who in this kingdom would dare leave a baby out in a perilous environment? Someone of pure evil, he thought. No normal, moral person would do such a thing as this.

As he set it on their small wooden table near the windowsill next to cupboards where Mary kept their small amount of jarred and preserved goods, Mary squinted at the paper and attempted to decipher what was written on it. "H...e....r........n.....a.....m......e.........i.........s........G........a.....i.......a....?

She paused.

"Her name is Gaia, Johnathan! The baby's name is Gaia. That's all that's written on here.......only her name. Nothing about her, age or her parents. She looks like a newborn!"

"This poor girl," He said, picking up the crying baby. He rocked her gently back and forth, comforting her. He could not believe this precious, beautiful baby had been abandoned by her mother and father in the storm.

Mary was looking at her husband attempting to calm baby Gaia. She couldn't help but love the sight of them together, and the intense love it made her feel for her husband, and the love she already felt for Gaia who had just been dropped off on her doorstep minutes ago. She could not give this baby up, she couldn't leave her or give her away. It was almost fate that she showed up at their house, but Mary did not want to feel positive emotions about an infant practically being left to die. It just wasn't right. If the least her birth parents could do was give her a name, then Mary would raise Gaia as her own, and show her a happy, healthy, quality life. She would show Gaia that her life is worth everything, that she belongs in the world after all.

"Johnathan," Mary began. "I think.."

"I know," He said, cutting her off. "You don't need to say it Mary. I just know. She's ours now."