Just a Little Bit of Magick • ONC 2020 • ✓

Flamelilies and Mother Dear

I woke up with a pounding headache and dried tear tracks down my cheeks.

The sun seemed to have only just come up. I stretched, feeling my back click as I rolled off the bed, landing with a thump.

I groaned.

Despite the early hour, London was already awake with various buses and motorcars hooting at each other and the faint sounds of music echoing over the rooftops.

I shuffled to the window and unlatched it, poking my head outside. The few people down below me looked like dolls, hurrying about their business.

A faint breeze ruffled my hair and I sighed, turning away to grab a coat.

I grabbed a bun from the breakfast table on my way out, scoffing it down in a very unladylike manner. Mother would be so proud.

Not.

I made my way through the streets, wandering aimlessly towards the centre of town. The noise of the river drew me in it's direction and I quickened my pace, yearning for the soothing coolness.

The bridge was almost empty; only a couple of pedestrians walked past, completely ignoring me. 

I walked along the bridge, fingertips trailing the balustrade. My hand brushed over an engraving it the stone. I stopped, leaning in to examine it.

There, in the parapet of the bridge, someone had carved a flamelily. I glanced around. The bridge was empty. 

Pressing my fingers to it, I drew on my magick and whispered, 'Aperio.'

The emblem flashed gold and a doorway seemed to open in the air. I stepped forward, hand grasping the worn handle of the thick wooden door. 

The door swung open and I stepped through into a medieval hallway, like the ones in the castles of my childhood.

I followed the wall on my left, passing no one, hearing no one.

The corridor got brighter as I walked along it, stained glass windows appearing far above me.

At the end of the hallway was a set of double doors. I crept up to them, placing my eye to a crack in the wood.

I scanned the area I could see, -which wasn't much- there was no one there.

I pushed one of the doors open and slipped in, scanning the area for threats.

What I saw stopped me in my tracks. 

The 'room' was a giant hall, shaped like a cathedral with multiple wings and a ceiling stretching up as far as the eye could see.

The walls were stone and punctuated with more stained glass windows, depicting events from history and fantasy scenes of unicorns and magick users.

I wandered down the main nave, head swinging back and forth to try and take everything in.

At the end of the hall was a fountain set into the ground, the water barely running. It had a mosaic bottom, the tiles portraying a young-looking girl with closed eyes and long brown hair in a fan around her head. In her clasped hands she held what looked like a faé stone, tendrils of magick seeming to branch out of it.

A hand appeared on my shoulder and I jumped, turning towards it's owner, and subconsciously drawing on fé which rushed to my fingertips.

The person was a woman in a forest green kirtle.

'Mutter?! Wie bist du hier?'  Mother?! How are you here?

She smiled at me, then pulled me into a hug, 'Ich habe für lange Zeit für dich gewartet.'  I've been waiting for you for a long time.