Ophelia couldn’t shake the feeling that had come over her suddenly, looking around a bit as she had set up the field, only really noticing Mitch was in there with her when she had turned and saw him working on a different  side of the field. She closed her eyes a bit and nodded to his request, “Alright. It shouldn’t be too much for me to do considering all you have to do.” She said, and she placed the last bit of the field up. “I really hope it isn’t defective.” She mumbled before crossing to the door and opening it.

“I’m going down to start on dinner.” She said. When Mitch offered to help she nodded, “It’s always nice to have an extra set of hands in the kitchen.” When they got down into the kitchen she started seasoning the chicken and she placed it in the skillet she had began cooking with on low heat. Her attention was captured when he said her full name, and she turned her head visibly to look at him. A confused look crossed her face briefly before she gave a second of thought and shook her head. “In my personal opinion, no. No that wouldn’t be grounds to be called a traitor. Everyone has a breaking point, Mitch… rash actions are to be expected.” 

She listened to his explanation, her hand tightening on the spatula in her hand and around the handle of the skillet. If she didn’t already have a reason to hate Issack, that would have made her. She let out a deep breath and loosened her grip as she looked at the cooking food. “It doesn’t surprise me that he’d do shit like that.” She muttered.

Her mind was heavy as it was, but the fact Mitch had been so off bothered her more than her own issues. She turned down the heat a little more on the skillet before she turned to Mitch and looked at him. She set down her spatula and walked over to him and held out her hand to him. “Mitch. As much as words might seem comforting, I would rather show you this. You’ll have to forgive me, I’m no good with this magic…” she apologized before taking his other hand in hers, looking up at him.

“I don’t like seeing you so troubled, so maybe seeing this will help a little.” She closed her eyes and took a breath. “You’ll feel a small pull and then a push. We’ll  be exchanging energy for the duration of the spell, okay?”

She took another deep breath after he acknowledged her explanation and she drew some energy for a moment before pushing her energy towards him as the memory came in. It was fuzzy at first, the clarity coming in more as the pulse between them became constant and more consistent. It wasn’t the memory she had intended on sharing, but it was what came through.

[I]The 17 year old Ophelia smiled from the dead oak tree she was sitting under a tree looking up from her father’s spell book as she watched a 12 year old Bianca and their two younger brothers, at the time 9 and 10, as they ran around playing tag in the garden. Their parents had been in a meeting with the council of witches about certain issues that had arose over the last few months. 

“Ophelia! Ophelia!” Bianca smiled brightly as she flopped down in front of her sister, laughing. “Romeo and Brutus are excluding me again, so can I have another lesson? Mother doesn’t know if I will ever get full understanding  of old magic… she and I together can’t get this tree to come back. Mother said it’s been dead since before even you were born.”

She smiled a bit. “Mother doesn’t want me teaching you anymore. I have a high aptitude for dark magic too, Bianca. Plus, I don’t want mother mad at me for teaching you old magic the way I taught it to myself.”

Bianca sighed. “Well, maybe then you could try to bring this tree back? Never hurt to try.” 

Ophelia sighed and got up, seeing her sister’s  face light up as she placed her hands on the tree. There was still some life in it, she could feel the weak pulse, and she began drawing energy from the air around them as well as a few strong gusts of wind only to hear more than one gasp of shock. She hadn’t realized her eyes had been closed until they opened and she saw the vibrancy in which the tree had been brought back and when she looked back to the house she saw her mother, father, and the witch council staring at her.

“Sarah, watch the children.” Her father said as he approached Ophelia and offered his hand out to her and she hesitated before he spoke again. “Come Ophelia, the council and I have much to discuss with you.”

Ophelia took his hand and they went inside, her father pulling out a seat and she sat down, looking at the cloaked figures around her. “Terrance, why is it, in our talks for her betrothal, did you never bring up the fact she is a necromancer?” the eldest asked and her father spoke.

“Because until today I didn’t know she was. Until just now. Sarah had a feeling it would take necrotic magic to bring that tree back, but I never expected it to come from my balanced soul daughter.” He said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

“I fear that the vision will come true…” the eldest said again. “Ophelia may never marry, just knowing you are possibly the Death Witch that our only clairvoyant has seen coming, no warlock will want you.”

Her father’s  grip tightened on her shoulder as the house shook. “Leave my house!” his voice was dark and the council looked at him. “We no longer work for you. My daughter is perfectly capable of marriage, and she is twice the witch any of you will be. The Lockhart clan will no longer be aiding your council, Sybil.”

The cloaked figures headed out, the eldest speaking, “You will regret this, Terrance.” After that they were gone, and Ophelia looked up to her father, whose eyes were dark. 

“Father, what did I do wrong?” she asked, and he watched as she stood, and he shook his head, wrapping his arms around her.

“You did nothing wrong, sweetheart. Don’t worry about the council, but you have to promise me one thing.” He said, looking at her. “So long as I’m alive to help you, you won’t use your necromancy in excess. It could easily corrupt you, and I don’t want that for you. Your soul is eerily well balanced, and I don’t want to see you lose that.”

She nodded. “Of course not, father. I promise. Just so long as you promise me to never stop fighting your affliction. You’ve finally come out of it.” 

He smiled and kissed her forehead. “It’s a deal.” He moved towards the stove and looked back. “Help an old man with dinner?”

Ophelia smiled and nodded helping her father cook.[/i]

The vision faded out slowly, and reality set back in and Ophelia slowly pulled her hands away from Mitch’s and she didn’t allow her own confusion to show. The memory she meant to show him was the one she’d been having nightmares about… not when her father turned his back on the witch council because they had deeply offended him as she later found out. She went back to cooking in almost complete silence at first, but for once it bothered her and she started humming again. She hadn’t intended to show him her before everything started happening. She never intended to show that part of her to anyone because she knew she’d never be that way again.

She went to speak after a moment, but her words fell short. That memory hadn’t been one she would have likely shared with anyone because it was the first time the term Death Witch had been used in reference to her, and unfortunately the clairvoyant had been correct. When she spiraled out of control, that was what she had become. Finally words came, “Dinner is almost ready, mind getting out a couple of plates?”

--

Checkov’s eyes narrowed unnoticeably at the lack of respect that Issack was showing towards Kathleen, and he became extremely glad that Dana had taken the reigns and had began talking to the young witch and having a relatively normal conversation. He saw the smile that Dana gave too. “Excellent. I’m glad that you are enjoying your lessons. What are you two currently working on? We haven’t had her turning in an itinerary for the last few months so we don’t even know what she’s teaching you anymore.” 

Atticus was mostly listening to the elders as they spoke to Kat. Issack definitely set him on edge, and his total lack of acknowledgement towards Kat bothered him more than it probably should have. If given proper time and the right circumstances he knew that any witch could probably rip him apart. However, his attention was drawn back when Issack addressed him. He shrugged briefly. “I honestly don’t know why my name has never been brought up, but I have been here about 25 years.” He answered, politely.

Checkov spoke next, “He hails from the West originally isn’t that right, Atticus?” 

Atticus gave a nod. “Yes, I do. At least from what I can remember.” He said. He knew that Mitch said to not give Issack any reason to think he was worth something to him. Maybe having spellbound amnesia was a good way to ward him off. “I start remembering things from about 20 years before the fall of the coven, but it wasn’t all too bad there. Just don’t necessarily care for the wolves.” He said.

“Darlin, wolves aren’t the biggest enemy either.” A thick, feminine southern drawl came from the entrance. Atticus watched as Checkov immediately  stood and greeted the beautiful brunette woman. Her green eyes sparkled brightly, and she was dressed in a floor length, form-fitting black dress. Her hair was done down in curls, and he watched as she kissed both of Checkov’s cheeks before she smiled to Atricus. “Hunters are far worse this far north.”

“Cassandra! What a pleasant surprise, we were just about to sit down for dinner. Would you care to join us?” Checkov asked, and she smiled.

“Why! Of course! I see I have taught you some southern hospitality.” Atticus stood and pulled out the empty seat to his left and the woman smiled. “My, my such a gentleman. Thanks, sugar.”

Once Cassandra was seated, both Atticus and Checkov sat down again too and Cassandra looked around the table before a frown over took. “We seem to be missing a few.” She stated, but she smiles to Atticus and Kathleen. “Oh! You must forgive my terrible manners! I’m Cassandra, I’m the leader of the South vampire coven. So lovely to see new faces.” 

Checkov interjected before Atticus  or Kathleen could introduce themselves. “Cassandra, this is Kathleen Emerson and Atticus Slater. Kathleen is my newest coven witch and Atticus is derived bodyguard.”

Cassandra gave Checkov  a look. “Hush now, let them speak for themselves, Checky.” She smiled to the waiter who gave her a glass of blood – wine and then turned her attention back to Kathleen and Atticus. “Since you’ve both been so graciously introduce to me by Checkov, is it safe to assume that y’all know Mitchell and Ophelia? Love those two to bits. If nothing else I know Atticus must at least know Mitchell, being a proper Southern  gentleman and pulling out a seat for a lady.”

Atticus nodded a bit. “We do. They declined the dinner invitation though.” 

Cassandra set a hard look to Issack, “I can’t [i]imagine [/i] why. Where is your lovely daughter, Issack? Got her locked ‘way again?” she hissed, but Atticus interjected before things could get ugly.

“So, Cassandra? Kathleen has been taking lessons from Ophelia.” He said, moving back in his seat a bit when Cassandra looked across towards Kathleen, and he noticed Checkov mouth a thank you to him. He gave a curt nod before listening to Cassandra speak to Kathleen.

“Oh my word! You have a wonderful teacher, sugar. So , Kathleen, tell me about yourself? Checkov and I have been touch and go lately, and I have been dyin’ to meet you.” She smiled, brilliantly towards Kat.

Atticus watched as Cassandra moved her seat between himself and Kathleen and he smiled a bit at the interaction before Checkov addressed him. “Good one, Atticus.” 

“Thanks sir.” He said, and Checkov looked to Issack. 

“This one here has the gift of verse. Got a silver tongue  on him.” He chuckled.

Atticus shook his head. “I wouldn’t say that sir. I do appreciate the compliment though.”

Checkov chuckled. “Now you’re just being modest. When we found you, you had managed to fool a hunter into thinking you were human just with your words. A good skill.”

Atticus just took up his wine and took a sip. “Well, we do what we must to survive, and to be honest, the hunter wasn’t all that bright.” 

Checkov dropped the topic, and Atticus looked to Issack. “So, what’s it like in the East? I haven’t been far enough East to reach your territory I suppose.” 

Just keep a good level of conversation going, Att, it will make it easier. He kept telling himself that, but he had to admit he was quite relaxed seeing a vampire doting on Kathleen quite a bit, and then he heard something that made him smile. 

“Oh, sugar!” Cassandra smiled to Kathleen. “Do tell me more. You are quite intriguin.”

At least someone was trying to keep Kathleen in a good mood aside from himself.