Enchanting Winter

“You are trying to tell me I’m a witch?” Willow clarifies with a laugh and the room stays quiet waiting for her to process the information. “That is ridiculous.”

“It is the truth Willow.” Nicholas offers.

“There is no such thing as witches. Magic doesn’t exist outside of fairytales.”

“How would you describe what happened outside?” Duke William asks.

“A freak weather event.”

“Willow your mother-”

“Don’t-”

“Your mother entrusted us with your safety because she knew you would soon inherit your magic. She knew you would need us.”

“Are you saying my mother was a witch?”

“A Wiccan. Your mother was able to borrow magic from those around her. But your father he was a full witch.”

“Aren’t all witches supposed to be female?”

“A common misconception.” The Duchess chuckles. “Those stories come from the natural realm.”

“What exactly is the natural realm?”

“It is where you have lived with you mother. The place is not entirely void of magic but you won’t find many magical beings living in the natural realm by choice.”

“And were are we now?”

“The magical realm of course. It is exists alongside the natural realm on an alternate plain.”

“You realise how crazy that sounds right?” Willow scoffs.

“Willow, somewhere deep down I know you believe this is true. Has anything ever happened that you were unable to explain? Something out of the ordinary? You were born in this realm Willow. You lived in this realm until you were two.”

“I don’t understand, if this is a magic realm why do people age? Why do people die?”

“Witchcraft draws on the forces around us. You cannot have light without dark. It is not our place to change the order of things Willow.”

“If my mother was Wiccan how did she find this realm?”

“Your father loved the natural realm a little too much. We agreed to let him attend college in the natural realm and that is where he met your mother. He loved her almost instantly and even more once he found out of her love of all things witchcraft. He brought her here one summer and within a few months the two were married and then a few more months later you arrived.” The Duchess explains.

“My mother said you didn’t approve of her. Said that you cast her out.” Willow says defensively and everyone feels the room turn cold.

“Calm yourself Willow.”

“Please understand Willow that your grandmother and I have made many mistakes in our lives and one of them was how we handled our grief. Losing our only son was a blow we were not ready for and we took our anger out on your mother. We blamed her Wiccan magic, we blamed her for Henry not being strong enough, we blamed her for the accident. If we could apologise to her now we would because she took you. When we realised you were both missing we instantly regretted our actions. Until your mother’s death we were unable to trace you. When your mother died it was like a beacon went up alerting us to your presence. Do you remember what happened in the moments before she died?”

“I don’t want-” Willow squeezes her eyes shut and let out a freezing cold breath.

“Show me Willow. Show me the memory.” Cassius urges her and unbeknownst to Willow Cassius uses his magic to play the memory on the wall of the parlour as if they were watching a movie.

Fighting the memories and the magic that wants to escape becomes too much for Willow and she collapses. Cassius catches her before she hits the hard floor and holds her against his body.

“I think this may be too much for Lady Willow.” Cassius says holding Willow bride-style in his arms. Her small frame fits perfectly into his arms and she cuddles agains his chest.

“I think you may be right.” The Duke nods solemnly. “Miss Day see that Lady Willow is not bothered. Lord Black, would you mind taking her to her room?”

“Not at all Your Grace.”

Cassius murmurs sweet nothings into Willow’s thoughts as he carries her upstairs with Miss Day following ever so closely behind him. The lady’s maid is babbling on about something or other but Cassius is paying her no mind. His attention is solely focused on blushing form asleep in his arms. He knows Willow couldn’t possibly remember him but there hasn’t been a day that has gone by that he hasn’t thought about her. He was eight when Nora took her from this realm. While he wanted to follow he knew the Duke and Duchess would have none of it. At eight Cassius was already charged to the Winters after his mother and father abandoned him and his brother. The Black brothers are unlike the others in Winter Grove, Cassius had already begun his change and the Duke wouldn’t let him travel. Few know their true nature, few care to know considering the men’s social standing and popularity with the Duke.

“Thank you my lord.” Miss Day says after Cassius gently places Willow in the centre of her bed.

What he would do for just a few more moments with her. He gently brushes a strand of her blonde hair off the porcelain skin of her face and has to fight the urge to press his lips against her own.

“Call me when she wakes.” Cassius demands of Annabelle and she nods furiously.

“Of course Lord Black.”

Cassius moves to leave Willow’s side and the room temperature drops.

“Is that...?” Annabelle looks at Willow with wide eyes.

“I believe it is.” Cassius smiles down at Willow. “Be calm m’lady.”

“Stay.” A sleepy Willow murmurs extending her hand. Cassius takes her hand without thinking immediately her cold magic pulsing. Willow’s grip tightens around his hand and Annabelle gasps.

“Oh my. Look sir.” Cassius follows Annabelle’s gaze to their intertwined hands and is genuinely shocked when he finds their hands completely encased in ice.

“I guess I’m stuck.” Cassius says not bothering to hide the smirk on his face as he settles on the bed next to Willow.

“Do you think that is appropriate sir?”

“You are welcome to inform the Duke Miss Day, but unless you have an ice pick handy...”

Annabelle moves to the door asking for Jonathan’s assistance.

“How can I-” Jonathan stops short at the sight of Willow and Cassius’s frozen hands. “Oh my. Miss Day why don’t you go and ask the Duke for his presence and I’ll stay here.”

Annabelle hurries from the room and Jonathan stands stoically over looking the situation.

“Worried I would force myself upon her?” Cassius glares towards Jonathan. Originally Cassius had petitioned the Duke for permission to collect Willow but instead the Duke sent a lowly footman. Cassius tagged along, careful not to reveal himself to Jonathan, but just desperate to see Willow again after so long.

“Your words not mine, my lord.” Jonathan says his stoic facade slipping slightly.

“Where is she?” The Duke and Duchess enter the room in a flurry and gasp at the of Cassius and Willow’s ice encased hands. “Well, I never.”

“I apologise Your Grace but it appears I am stuck in Lady Willow’s room for the foreseeable future.”

“So it would seem.”

“This is ridiculous. You cannot be thinking of letting him stay in her room unchaperoned?” Blair scoffs from the door way.

“Miss Carson, what exactly are you insinuating?”

“Yes Miss Carson, I’d like to know also.” Cassius narrows his eyes in her direction. He submerges himself in her thoughts, all thoughts of power and ways to make Willow’s life hell. “Those are some nasty thoughts Miss.”

“Stay out of my head Lord Black.” Blair sneers.

“Enough! Leave.” Blair looks like she is about to protest but the Duke silences her with a flick of his wrist. “Miss Day, you may take your place on your cot and Lord Black I give you my blessing to stay with my granddaughter, not that she is giving you much of a choice. Please fetch me the moment she awakes.”

“Of course Your Grace.” Cassius nods solemnly before resting back next to Willow. Once everyone other than Miss Day has left the room Annabelle covers Cassius with a blanket for which he thanks her before they fall into a comfortable silence and eventually sleep takes them.

Cassius wakes before Willow feeling her hand clench around his own. Her grip and the ice tighten unbearably and he finds himself inside Willow’s head.

“Willow. Wake up if you can hear me m’lady. I need you to wake Willow.”

“Cassius?”

He smiles to himself when he hears her murmur his name.

“I’m right here m’lady.”

Willow slowly opens her eyes blinking away the light. Cassius raises his non frozen hand to draw the curtains shut with his magic.

“Dammit.” Willow groan.

“Problem?”

“I thought this whole magic thing was a dream. Some sort of horrible dream that I would just wake up from.”

“Horrible?”

“Well what else? I feel like I have fallen into a Harry Potter novel.”

“Hardly.” Cassius scoffs. “Don’t get me wrong. I enjoyed the books and J.K. Rowling is one hell of an author but she got quite a few of her facts wrong.”

“Really?” Willow laughs. She tries to sit up but find herself stuck. Finally she sees her hand frozen to Cassius’s and her heart begins to race.

“Stay calm Willow. Your anxiety heightens your magic. Until you learn to control it you-”

“I don’t want to learn to control it! I want to go home!”

Annabelle hears the commotion and rushes into the room frantically tying her apron. It makes Willow wonder if the poor girl sleeps in her uniform.

She probably uses magic.

Willow mentally rolls her eyes. Willow tries to pull away from Cassius but finds it impossible.

“Let go.”

“I wish I could m’lady.” Cassius smirks and his words stab Willow’s heart.

Jerk.

“You have sharp tongue Lady Willow.”

“Get the hell out of my head!” Willow shouts angrily.

“Lady Willow, you really need to calm down.” Annabelle says from the corner of the room.

“She has a point.”

“I said, get out of my head!” Willow’s anger send the ice that had once frozen their hands together ricocheting around the room like tiny knives. Annabelle gasps as one catches her arm leaving a small trail of blood on her uniform.

“What on earth is going on?” The Duke and Duchess enter the room followed by Nicholas, Blair and a few servants.

Jonathan is immediately at Annabelle’s side checking her cut.

“I’m honestly fine Mr Clark.”

“I’m so sorry Anna.” Willow flops to sit on the edge of her bed.

“I’m fine Lady Willow. Do not worry about me.” Annabelle offers Willow a smile but it is one Willow doesn’t return.

Cassius stands tense watching over at Annabelle with a stoic expression. His eyes lock with his brother’s and the two Black men are quick to leave the room.

Typical.

“Willow, what happened?” The Duchess sits next to Willow on the bed.

“I…I’m not sure. One minute my hand was frozen to…and then I got angry. I wasn’t thinking, I just got angry and the ice shattered.”

“She is a liability Aunt Elizabeth. How can we be sure someone won’t be brutally injured?”

“Enough Miss Carson.” The Duke offers her a stern look. “Be of use and use your magic on Miss Day would you please?”

Blair rolls her eyes as she walks across the room to Annabelle’s side. She barely even looks at her as she flicks her wrist and if Willow hadn’t been watching she wouldn’t have believed it. Annabelle’s skin healed almost instantly, the blood on her uniform the only sign of the cut.

“Thank you Miss Carson.” Annabelle bows.

Blair doesn’t even acknowledge Annabelle or the other servants as she leaves the bedroom.

“Leave us.” The Duke commands and the servants are quick to scatter.

“I hurt someone. I’m a monster.”

“No!” The Duchess wraps her arms around Willow. “No my darling, you are nothing of the sort. Sometimes it is believed that the offspring of a pure Witch and a Wiccan has unstable magic, but whilst unstable it is not uncontrollable. You will make an amazing Witch Willow. After all you are a Winter.”

“I didn’t ask for this.” Willow says softly. “I didn’t want any of this.”

“School starts in four days. You will attend as Lady Willow Winter of Winter Grove. Every Winter has attended Imperium Academy, now you will too.” The Duke says, he takes his wife’s hand and the two walk towards the door.

“Did you not hear me? I DON’T WANT THIS. I didn’t ask for it. Just take my magic away, let me go home.” Willow narrows her eyes at her grandparents. Never did she play entitled teen with her mum, she didn’t have to, they knew each other too well.

William gently guides his wife into the hallway before looking back at Willow. He pulls the door shut with a bang and Willow hears it lock. His voice booms on the other side, every syllable causing Willow to cringe.

“THIS IS YOUR HOME WILLOW. IT IS ABOUT TIME YOU ACTED LIKE IT.”