West of Words (Alec Lightwood)

🗝 Chapter Twenty-Three 🗝

Varian didn't know what to say.

It was an honor to even be a Secondhand Warlock when so few of them have ever existed in the world. But now, Varian was being offered the chance to become a Warlock, and the idea made him nervous.

"Ragnor, I-"

"I know." Ragnor interrupted with a smile and the offer of a seat. "It's a lot, but you're the only person I could ever trust or want to trust with my magic."

Varian blushed in near embarrassment, but mostly a masked pride. "Thank you Ragnor." He bowed his head.

"You do not even know what all of this means just yet." Ragnor smiled, swelling with pride for the young soon to be Warlock in front of him.

Varian looked up at him, "Teach me, please."

When Varian had originally told his baba  that he was going to be learning much more powerful spells while in the company of Ragnor Fell, he was mostly joking. But now that he sat in the house in front of Ragnor he realized that he truly was going to be learning something almost as new and wonderful.

Ragnor nodded. "Of course."

He moved away, motioning for the boy to stay seated while he hurried off. Varian watched him go, finding himself growing more excited with every moment that passed. When Ragnor returned he had a few books and papers in his hands, and Varian could feel the magic seeping from them.

Warm, and soft, and so like Ragnor.

Varian watched as he lined the books up on the table in front of him, as well as the documents. "These are what you'll need to study." Ragnor's hand was soft as he touch the covers of the book, and Varian noticed the harsh blue and grey that say in the air around him. Ragnor was remembering something sad, and Varian was glad that he was there with him.

The conversation continued, Ragnor explained every step of the process, what would happen, and how it would go. Time moved differently in the house, Varian did not feel tired as him and Ragnor talked for hours.

The light of the afternoon turned into the dark of the night, and Varian smiled through it all. The dark changed into the morning glow, and Ragnor said something that would have been disconcerting if mentioned right in the beginning of this entire conversation.

"I hate to say this." Ragnor muttered, Varian was already neck deep into the conversation and going for all of it. "But it will hurt, a lot."

Varian winced, but nodded almost leaning into the words that Ragnor said.

Ragnor stood, his hands lacing together behind his back as he started to pace. "The process of becoming a Warlock is more spiritually than anything else, but it is still changing what you are." Ragnor paused, smiling down at the young man sitting at the table beside him. "How do you think you'll look with white hair?"

Varian tried to pull away, smiling as Ragnor ruffled his hair. "I think I'd look decent."

Ragnor smiles brightly, "I agree." He turns Varian's chair around, smiling down at the boy as he places both hands on the sides of his face. "Little horns too." He mutters, moving Varian's head and tapping the space just on the edge of his hairline.

"Horns?" Varian laughs loudly, shoving the man away in a light joking way. Without even thinking he adds; "I wonder what he'd say to that."

And suddenly the gloom of what the sunrise brought slammed onto Varian, and he frowned. He had spoken out of turn and Ragnor noticed it.

"'He,' who's 'he'?" Ragnor asked, excited to gain a glimpse of Varian's life outside of the updates from Magnus.

"No one." Varian's answer was quick, and the blush that passed across his cheeks instantly gave away his denial. He shook his head, breathing in and forcing a smile onto his face. "Will I gain your green skin?"

Varian hoped that Ragnor would continue their previous conversation, and ignore the way his cheeks flamed up pink and he ducked his head as if he found the floor more interesting, but he had no such luck.

Ragnor kneeled before Varian, placing his hands in Varian's. Successfully pulling his attention from the floor before Ragnor asked. "Who is 'he'? And why do you care about 'his' opinion?"

Something that Varian always commended Ragnor for was his self assurance and his ability to stand up for what he believes him, and if Varian was raised by Ragnor he was sure he would have turned out the same.

"'He' is Alec, and 'he' is off the table." Varian felt happy at the first thought of Alec, before, as if suddenly, realizing that today was the wedding, though the thought never really left his mind.

Ragnor noticed the way that Varian seemed to shrink into himself, and he sighed, patting the boys legs before groaning loudly as he stood. It seemed as if every joint in his legs popped as he did, and Ragnor chuckled lightly.

"I won't pry, but your father told me anyways." He sighed. "A Lightwood."

Varian looked up suddenly, mentally cursing his baba's  name.

"He's getting married, and you've fallen much to far in love." Ragnor spoke frankly, once again starting to pace back and forth. "Did I ever tell you the story of Elizabeth Crawley and I?"

Though Varian was still peeved that his baba  had shared something so close to home, and he did not want to hear a story of love and romance, he shook his head to spite himself.

"She was getting married, and I showed up to the church moments before." Ragnor paused his pacing, smiling to himself as he remembered the woman. "Her father protested, but her mother smiled. The decision was for Elizabeth and her alone, I would not force either direction on the situation."

Ragnor turned, looking at Varian in a way that he hoped was reassuring, Varian reached a hand out, noticing the tears in the corners of his eyes threatening to fall.

"Liza smiled, and sprinted down the isle to me. And the way she kissed me-" Ragnor trailed off, his free hand reaching up to brush his lips. "I'll never forget it, it was like it was just her and I, off on an adventure all our own."

But Varian did not have the confidence of Ragnor Fell.