The Cat (Complete)
Peter stood in front of them, "You are a mage!"
I walked towards the King, "No. I am something else."
I stopped beside him, still looking at the King, "Well met your majesty."
He smiled, "Well, now I know how you got past all their traps."
I laughed, "Actually I did not use magic. That would be cheating."
I looked at Peter, "Shadow is with the prince."
I looked back at the King, "The mages that are involved with this will not bother with kidnapping any more. They have lost too many followers. I can safely take Elizabeth and your wife someplace safe until I deal with them."
Peter cleared his throat, "You are going to deal with them?"
I looked at him, "You told me, my father was supposed to keep them in check."
The king cleared his throat and looked at Peter. He nodded and the King looked at his wife, "go with him Mary."
I held out my hand for Elizabeth, "You are not afraid of the dark are you?"
Elizabeth took my hands as I began to walk, "um, only a little."
I smiled down at her as her mother fell in behind us, "Well in that case I will let you use some friends of mine."
I led them down a set of stairs and along the hall to the panel I had entered through. I looked at Elizabeth, "can you keep a secret?"
She nodded and I touched the center of a small carved flower. The panel opened and her mother gasped. I led them into the small space and had the queen pull the wooden handle that closed the panel. The space instantly went black. Elizabeth was squeezing my hand tightly. I knelt and moved Elizabeth closer, "Just past the edge here is a ladder down. It goes down about twelve feet to another passageway. Your majesty, if you would wait for me to return?"
I felt her shift, "Please hurry, I do not like the dark much."
I shifted Elizabeth onto my back and slipped onto the ladder. When I got to the bottom, I knelt and helped her off. I pulled a tiny box from inside my shirt and put it in her hand. I moved her thumb to open one end and a dozen tiny fireflies appeared. Elizabeth giggled while I stood, "I will be right back."
I climbed the ladder and stopped at the top, "Majesty?"
I heard her moving towards me and held out my hand. I helped her onto the ladder and listened as she slowly made her way down. When I heard her moving off the ladder I quickly slipped down. At the bottom, I found mother and daughter both watching the fireflies. I reached out and took Elizabeth’s hand, "take your mom’s hand."
I led them down the passageway with fireflies flickering around us. When I reached the end of the passageway, I knelt and had Elizabeth open the box. All the fireflies flew right into the box and she closed it. I led then into the grotto and across the bathing room. As soon as the queen reached the other room she stopped in surprise.
Elizabeth clapped, "that is really pretty."
Shadow jumped up, "I did not hear you come in."
I grinned as I walked to the display and pressed the diamond on top. The front of the case became clear and then we were looking through glass. Gem stood and stepped closer, "That was the most impressive thing I have ever seen."
I grinned, "I could show you something more impressive. It would not be as flashy as this display though."
Gem laughed and kissed my cheek, "Nothing could be more impressive."
Kaira laughed, "Wait until he shows you the four seasons."
I looked at Kaira and grinned, "Do not give it away imp."
Kaira laughed again, "That is was where he found me."
I smiled and turned to Shadow. She was standing by the queen as she held her son, "Cousin?"
Shadow looked at me and I smiled, "Can you stay and protect them?"
She nodded and I looked at Elizabeth, "Elizabeth? Why don’t you look in my workroom? Kaira can show you where."
I looked at Kaira, "Stay with them imp and try to stay out of trouble."
She grinned, "Where is the fun in that?"
I heard the queen and my cousin snicker as I grabbed the air where Kaira had stood. Kaira had skipped back next to Elizabeth. I grinned and held hands with Gem, "Would you walk with me?"
She smiled and nodded. I led Gem out, stopping to open and then close the entrance. I took the back way; through alleys and slip throughs. When I stopped we were a short way from momma’s kitchen door. I waited, listening to the sounds around us. I laughed and stepped out into the alley, "Archie, your wife is not going to like you back in the alleys."
A tall skinny man stepped out of the shadows across the alley. He was grinning, "Is that you street rat? Momma said you might show up."
I held my hand out to Gem and she stepped forward. Archie looked at her in surprise, "You have a girl urchin?"
I grinned and looked at Gem, "Gem, this is a friend. His name is Archie."
I looked at Archie, "how many others are around?"
Archie shrugged, "A few, here and there. Duke Tonis has several guards in the shop."
I nodded and turned to led Gem to the kitchen door. I knocked and opened the door to find a woman mercenary pulling out a short sword. I grinned, "Not you too. I thought you were contracted to guard Baroness Marish."
She grinned as she replaced the sword and stepped back so we could enter, "The Baroness sent me here."
I looked at momma by stove, "Kaira is safe at home. I have someone there with her."
Momma chucked, "protecting her or guarding her?"
I grinned and Gem giggled. I turned to Gem, "this woman with momma is Teresa."
Gem nodded to her and I looked at momma, "It is time for me to be what I am supposed to be."
I thought about the magic that surrounded me and gestured down my body, pulling and twisting it a bit. My black clothes shimmered and turned from black to shinning white, all except a small black cat high on my chest. I held my hand out, pulling strands of magic together and shaping them into a softly glowing dove that flew from my hand as soon as I finished.
The door into the dinning room opened and George poked his head in, "momma, the duchess asked if you made any scones."
George looked at me and grinned, "Back again?"
I smiled and looked from him to momma as I took Gem’s hand, "How would you like to move your shop? I promise your customers will follow, for the view if for no other reason."
George looked at momma who was looking at me strangely, "Your home kitten?"
I grinned, "You have not called me that in a long time. Yes, my old home."
Momma looked at George and nodded. I pulled Gem behind me as I followed George into the other room. Both, Duke Tonis and his wife were there. The Duke was sitting at one table with another noble and his wife was sitting at another table with three other ladies. There were six guards spread around the room watching.
I waved at the Duke; I had known him since I was little, "I was going to show Momma Seriff and George a new place for their shop. Want to tag along? I can promise a nice surprise when we get there."
He grinned, "It is not in one of your alleys is it James?"
I smiled and shook my head as I led Gem towards the door. Almost as soon as I stepped through the door I saw and felt magic as it began weaving a web. I reached out and changed the pattern before pulling on two strands of magic that hid the mages. I recognized both and knew they were not bad like some of the others.
While they glared I made a throwing gesture and their staffs disappeared. I released Gem’s hand and started walking across the street towards them, "this is something you were not expecting."
I used my finger to draw a glowing glyph and tossed it skywards. Both mages followed the glyph with their eyes. When they looked back their eyes were wide and I was close to both of them. "When I was a small boy and had started doing magic I thought I wanted to be a mage. My mother was not happy about the broken broomstick I had decided to use as my staff but she understood. She asked me a question, she asked if the magic came through the staff or just into me. She asked if I cast my magic through the staff or just on its own."
I looked back and forth between them, "did you know the first spell a magic user does is almost always destructive? Mine was not, I had been watching a squirrel and shaped a rock into its likeness and then animated it."
I looked at the mages again, "I was only a small boy and wanted a companion."
I pulled the small black onyx cat from my pocket and held it in the palm of my hand. I looked at the mages, "beautiful isn’t it?"
While they watched I breathed on it and I wove magic into the small figurine. The cat’s head came up and looked around before it stood and stretched. It turned and walked up my arm to my shoulder and lay against my neck. I sighed and held out my hand, pulling in strands of magic.
A mage staff appeared in my hand. I looked at the staff, "did you know that a mage who practices a lot of destructive magic goes through several staffs in his lifetime?"
I glanced at the mage to my left. He was staring intently at the staff, it was his. I looked back at the staff, "You see, destructive magic makes the center of the staff brittle and spreads discord with each spell."
I held the staff out to the mage and he hesitantly took it. I pulled in the strands of magic again and this time the other staff appeared in my hand. I let my hand move over the wood, "the staff of a mage that practices creative magic is different. It tends to get stronger, there are even reports of it taking on a life of its own to help the mage."
I held the staff out to the other mage and looked at them, "The two of you have never harmed me or mine. In fact, from all I have heard you are good men. Go back to what you were doing and stay out of this."
They looked at each other and finally nodded before turning away. As they walked up the street I saw Gem’s grandmother and the other two mage women. I turned and walked back to Gem and momma. Momma was looking up at the glowing glyph and Gem laughed, "We might as well post our banns."
I grinned and faced the street. I used my finger like I had with the glyph and elegantly wrote out our proposed engagement. I signed my name and looked at a smiling Gem. For the first time I saw her staff as she summoned it and then stepped up next to me. Her staff was a pearly white and glowed faintly as she pointed it and let her name appear beside mine.
When I took her hand the onyx cat woke and walked to the edge of my shoulder. Without waiting it leaped and landed on Gem’s shoulder. I could almost hear it purr as it lay down. She looked up from the cat and grinned, "My own cat to carry around."
I grinned back and looked at her grandmother as they arrived, "Grandmother, we were going to visit my old home. Would you join us?"
She smiled as she glanced up at my glyph and the banns I had just signed with Gem, "I would be delighted."
I took Gem’s hand and started leading the way. It was not far and was still on the main street of the city. At first it looked like a blank wall, in truth it was the end of a large stone warehouse. I released her hand and placed my hand on the wall. There was a shimmer and suddenly two tall wooden doors appeared.
I looked at everyone and smiled, "This was my home, welcome."
I touched one of the wooden doors and pushed on strings of magic, both doors slowly opened. Inside was a foggy haze on each side with a clear aisle winding into the building. I laughed and took her hand again. I started pulling her with me and she only hesitated a moment before going with me.
I led them to the center of the building where a large clear cobble stone area was with another path leading towards the back. I pointed to the four stone pillars, (They were only three feet high). The first pillar that had been to the right as we came in started glowing and the fog lifted.
That whole corner of the warehouse seemed to come alive. It was as if spring had returned and filled that part of the warehouse. There were trees and bushes, grass and a tiny creek. Bird song filled the air and the fragrance of a spring day rose around us. As the ground became visible they saw the small deer and rabbits as well as squirrels and other small creatures.
A small red squirrel came scampering out and up my leg. I smiled, "This is Trickster. He was the first thing I ever made, my first spell. He was my companion for a long time."
When he rubbed my face, I nodded to Gem and he quickly jumped across to her arm. I gestured and another pillar towards the back started glowing and the area that was in fog started clearing. As it cleared everyone with me could see the small meadow and a lynx walked towards me out of the brush.
Again they heard birds, saw animals and smelled the summer flowers in bloom. I knelt and embraced the lynx as it came to me and butted my chest. I looked at Gem, "This is Sir Lynx."
Gem laughed, "Well met Sir Lynx."
I stood and gestured to the other pillar towards the back and it began to glow. As the fog cleared, they saw a forest alive with the colors of fall. The trees were alive with birds of every color while the animals on the ground moved around through the leaves. A troupe of six otters played in a small stream.
When the scene was completely clear they came to the edge of the display and chattered at us. Momma Seriff laughed, "They already sound like customers."
Everyone laughed with her and I turned to the last pillar. As it glowed and the fog lifted everyone was quiet. It was winter, snow covered the ground and the branches of evergreen trees. We could almost feel the cold of the snow. The birds that moved around were brightly colored and called softly to one another. There were white rabbits and a pack of four small wolves.
At the front was a large black cat. I laughed, "That is where you went."
I looked at Gem, "That is Christopher, my cat."
Gem grinned as Trickster ran down her leg and past Christopher. I looked around at everyone, "This was my home."
I looked at George, "do you think a shop right here would work?"
George looked around, "It would be bigger than our shop. Where are we going to put momma’s stoves?"
I laughed and pulled several strings of magic and momma’s stoves appeared in the center of the clearing. A gesture and the weaving of magic brought stones into being and they wove together making a chimney that climbed up to the ceiling. I laughed at momma’s expression, "This way you get to visit with everyone too."
More magic brought stone tables into being with wooden chairs around each. I looked around and made low shelves for momma and brought everything from their shop. I grinned at momma, "I believe the Duchess wanted some scones and a nice pot of tea would be in order."
Momma gave me a dirty look and then moved towards the stove. I felt the stirring of magic and turned to start walking back to the street, "Stay here, I will be back."
I walked into the street in front of the warehouse and waited. It was not long before twelve mages turned a far corner and walked closer. The people on the street always know when there is danger and today was no exception. The street emptied quickly, all except the mages and me. I felt a stirring of magic behind me that was different and turned to see two mages I did not know, one older and one younger.
They had a look that sang in my blood. I turned back to the mages in front of me and reached for the strands of magic that their staffs were pulling in. With a twist and a shove the staffs disappeared, all but one. I looked at him, "Do you really think your staff can save you?"
He glared and gesture while cursing. A huge ball of flame appeared and rushed towards me. I pulled a couple of strings of magic together and it stopped moving. I looked past it at the mages and they shifted uncomfortably, "using magic in this manner is very easy to counter."
I gestured to a large stone carving on the roof across from the warehouse. It was of a hawk and made from red stone. I pulled the strings of magic around the fire ball and it started for the stone. I concentrated and wove several strings together that made the ball change into a glowing sphere. When it struck the stone it seemed to just sink in and then the red hawk began to glow.
When the glow faded it mantled its wings and screamed. The mages blanched as I kept looking at them, "You have broken your sworn word. You have betrayed the king and the people of this country. I give you two days to reach the border before I start hunting you. Do not even bother going home."
They looked at each other, all except the one still holding his staff. He continued to stare as he murmured another spell. I pulled in a strand of magic as the two mages from behind me stopped off to one side. I made a loop and tossed it as the mage facing me started to gesture. He squeaked as a shimmering appeared around him.
The spell he cast hit the shimmering and shattered into sparks that began zooming around him. Every time one of the sparks hit the shimmering sphere two would bounce back. He gestured with his staff and it suddenly exploded and all the sparks stopped moving. Suddenly they all headed for his flame covered body.
Wherever they hit a black spot appeared and he screamed louder. Finally the shimmering faded and disappeared as the blackened body of the mage dropped to the ground. I looked at the other mages, "Why are you still here?"
They looked at each other again and then turned to start running. I looked up at the large Red Hawk that was still mantling and held out my arm. It dropped from the roof and opened large wings to glide to my arm. I turned carefully to face the two new mages, "Welcome. Can I help you?"
The older mage was leaning on his staff, "that was very impressive."
The younger mage was grinning at me. I bowed my head and gestured to the doorway into the warehouse. They both followed as I led the way inside. I could hear their murmured words but not clearly. As we came into the new tea shop Gem stood and walked to me with a big grin on her face, "We just had a visit from a colorful dragon."
I grinned and then laughed as I looked at George, "he is called George and unlike you, is very shy."
George started and then laughed with everyone else. I looked at a rafter high overhead and lifted my arm. I looked at the Red Hawk, "you would be more comfortable up there."
He tilted his head as if thinking about my words. He finally crouched and sprang away and started flying up to land on one of the larger beams. Gem watched the big hawk fly and then looked at me with eyebrows raised. I grinned, "Did momma teach you that or do all women learn it?"
Gem grinned as everyone laughed again. I turned to the two strangers, they were both turning their heads every which way while grinning. I cleared my throat, "I did not introduce myself. James…"
"William Sin’clair-Macgarth."
I looked at the older mage as he absently flicked his wrist and sent his staff away. He bowed to Gem’s grandmother, "Mistress."
She waved her fingers and he grinned before looking back at me, "My name is Samuel George Mac’garth and I am your uncle."
I looked at the other mage and he bowed, "Terry Joseph Mac’garth your cousin."
I smiled and bowed before Gem slipped her arm in mine, "The mages we felt?"
I shrugged, "One I was forced to kill but the others all ran away."
I felt at peace here like I always had. I sighed and looked around as the two new mages sat at the table with Gem’s grandmother. Momma Seriff was busy at one of the stoves and everyone else was relaxing at various tables. I sighed and looked at Gem, "I have to go."
She looked at me, "The mage Grimias?"
I nodded, "He is the last."
She bit her lip, "Until the next time."
I smiled, "I am staying here. I am not going to hide what I am anymore. I am not a mage, I am a wizard. There may be a next time but if they know what I am and that this place is under my protection they may stay away and find someplace else."
I looked into to her eyes and smiled, "want to help me with a spell?"
She grinned, "You need help?"
I nodded, "I want to bring everyone from the grotto here. I can open a portal and hold that end open but I need someone to hold this end and keep it open."
She pursed her lips as her staff appeared. I focused my thoughts on the grotto and my kitchen. I twisted and pulled several strings of magic as they seemed to struggle against what I was doing. A glowing square formed in front of us and slowly it cleared. Shadow and a frightened Kaira both stood in front of the queen with daggers drawn.
I tightened my hold, "Bring them through Shadow and hurry."
She only hesitated before pushing Kaira towards me. Kaira shimmered and disappeared before she was suddenly stepping forward. Gem held her hand out, "Move behind us Kaira."
Shadow pushed first John and then Elizabeth through. She hesitated and the queen hurried past her. Shadow did not wait and was following on the queen’s heels. Through the portal I could see my display still sitting there and smiled before pulling another set of strings of magic. The display shifted and slid through the portal.
I looked at Gem to see her straining a little, "On three. One, two three!"
I released the portal at the same time as Gem and put my arm around her. She sighed and shivered, "I do not know how you have the strength."
I gave her a squeeze and turned to see everyone. The Queen had gone to the table with the Duchess and John and Elizabeth were being pulled towards Sir Lynx and Christopher by Kaira. I grinned, "Sir Lynx is Kaira’s favorite."
Gem smiled and reached out to push the diamond on my display and the area around the display was filled with bird song and the smell of flowers. I looked at George and the others with a smile, "My latest piece."
Momma came from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. Gem’s grandmother and the other mages gathered around the display. I kissed Gem’s cheek and whispered, "Have someone put it in a good place. If you follow the path to the back you will find where I am putting my shop. Above it is living quarters."
Gem looked at me with questions in her eyes. I caressed her cheek, "I have one more mage to see."
She nodded and then sighed, "Be careful."
I smiled and let my arm slip from around her. I was walking out before anyone even realized it. In the street outside, I turned and started walking towards the richer section of the city. Mage Grimias would be expecting me. I was not worried about being seen and walked through the city calmly.
I knew when I felt someone behind me and only glanced back before continuing. Shadow slipped up beside me, "did not think anyone noticed did you?"
I smiled, "It does not matter if they noticed."
She kept looking at me and smiled almost to herself, "you are awful confident."
I grinned at her and kept going, "He knows I am coming so why sneak?"
When I reached the street Mage Grimias lived on, I stopped. The whole street was crisscrossed with spell traps. I glanced at Shadow, "You might want to stay here. He placed a few traps in the street."
She grinned, "how about if I just follow in your footsteps?"
I nodded and turned to start a drunken path down the street. It ended at the courtyard into his manor. I looked at Shadow, "Now the fun starts."
I concentrated and then reached out to pull the strands of magic apart. I twisted and pushed and twirled them until they surrounded the manor but did not enter. The front door burst open as the wide eyed mage stormed out throwing a ball of fire and lightning. I pulled and gestured at the strings of magic that made up the ball and it shimmered and then turned into a large white cat that dropped to the ground.
Shadow’s throwing spike spun through the air only to burst into flames before reaching the mage. He gestured to Shadow and a shadowy figure sped towards her. I pulled the strings apart and a small amber Chipmunk dropped to the ground and followed the cat towards me. The Mage glared and started another spell only to frown with a look of both surprise and strain.
When the huge ball of flame began to form, lightning shot out to strike anything close. I shook my head and reached out to start reweaving the strands of magic. Mage Grimias was showing more signs of strain and could not seem to release the magic. Finally it broke free and burst into a shower of sparks.
Out of the sparks flew a dozen snow birds that left a trail of tiny snow flakes behind. Mage Grimias dropped to his knees as his staff shattered into dust. I sighed and walked forward. I reached inside him and change the strands of magic I found. When I stopped in front of him he looked up weakly, "You have not won."
I shook my head, "The others are gone. I will know if anymore come. As for you, your days of magic are over."
I looked around and began to weave strings of magic and when I finished I tied them to him. He jerked as if burned and then jerked to his feet and started running. Shadow watched him go, "what did you do?"
I smiled and knelt to pick up the cat and chipmunk, "He will not stop running until he reaches the border. Any time he tries magic it will feel as if he is burning and the harder he tries the worse it gets. If another mage tries to help him, my glyph will appear. If he continues they will both be sucked dry before flames consume them."
Shadow nodded, "good."
I stood and turned to the street with a sigh, "One last thing."
I reached out as Shadow watched me. The strings of magic I pulled apart did not resist and came apart easily. I finally nodded to Shadow, "Time to go home, you can tell his majesty it is over."
She slipped away before I had gone a block. The flock of snow birds followed me as I walked through the streets drawing a crowd. I stopped outside the warehouse that would once more be my home. The snow birds swept down and through the door. I used my finger and carefully moved the strings of power. Over the wide doorway glyphs appeared.
I walked through the door and down the path knowing I was walking home.
This story was taken from one these sites, check them out to find more sex stories:
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