The Lost Mage

by Difar, Amy

  She smiled. “I understand all languages.” She looked back at Darakin. “This storm was your creation?”

  “Yes.”

  “It was a bizarre storm.”

  “I know. I don’t really know how to balance the rain, thunder and lightning.”

  “True, but how resourceful of you to return to your shamanic roots.”

  “Thank you. Actually, Mrowley here gave me the idea.”

  “What an astonishing little creature he is!”

  Mrowley preened at the praise of the gorgeous nymph, again ignoring the word “little.”

  The dryad looked back at the place where Nora still stood, watching. “You return without her?”

  “Yes. We’ve realized that we don’t fit in each other’s worlds.”

  Darakin and Mrowley both turned to look at Nora, who burst into tears as she saw their faces.

  Dude? I … I can’t … I mean, thank you for wanting to take me and I know I would’ve liked to hunt all those mousies, and that village that makes all that rat stuff sounds awesome and I’m really gonna miss having someone to talk to, but I can’t go.

  “No?” Darakin looked at the cat.

  Look at her. I can’t leave her. Please, don’t be mad. I’ll stay and keep her company. Is that okay?

  Once again, a feeling of loneliness welled up inside the mage, but his heart was breaking at leaving Nora alone, so he reassured the cat, saying, “Of course, Mrowley.” He gave the cat a hug and then stooped to put him on the ground.

  Mrowley turned to leave but the dryad spoke up. “So, you have the opportunity to stay with someone who actually understands you and to be free in the woods to hunt as you please, yet you choose instead to remain tethered to a person who has to guess at your desires? And you do this all because her sadness is too much for you to bear?”

  Yes.

  “What a noble creature you are! I would grant you a blessing, cat, before you return to her.”

  A blessing?

  “Yes, like a wish. What would you like?”

  Ooh! A big mousie. No wait, a steak. Oh wait, no – a giant lizard. But not like the gooey one. A roasted one. Or maybe a …

  The dryad laughed. “Such simple wishes. I can do much more and will. I grant you long life. You will live far beyond your kin’s norm so that you may keep your human company for many years to come.”

  No lizard then? The cat asked in disappointment.

  “Mrowley, she’s given you much better than that. Now thank her.” Darakin said, his voice breaking with emotion.

  Thank you.

  “You’re welcome, Mrowley.”

  The cat turned and ran toward Nora, who cried even harder as the cat jumped into her arms. “You’re staying with me?” She hugged him.

  Yes, the cat squeaked. Can’t … breathe … again.

  At his cries, she loosened her grip. “It’s a steak dinner you’ll be having tonight, Mrowley.”

  Yay! I am getting my wish.

  “I don’t know what you’re saying, little kitty, but I’ll do my best to make you happy.”

  Mrowley purred and rubbed against her hand. So you should.

  Darakin turned away from the scene to face the dryad again. “You’re sure about this?” she asked him.

  “No, I mean yes.”

  “Well, which is it, mage? Yes or no?”

  With a mournful look back at Nora and Mrowley, he sighed. “It’s yes.”

  With a shake of her head, she began chanting in her tongue. When she’d finished the incantation, she drew an arc in the air with her hand. A swirling cloud of mist appeared before them. Darakin took a step toward it.

  The dryad made a chastising sound with her tongue. “I would have expected noble behavior from you, not the cat.”

  “But it’s their world, both of them. I don’t fit in here.”

  “That may be, but you don’t seem the type of man who would leave your child behind.”

  “Child?”

  “She’s with child, fool. You don’t see it?”

  “See what?” Darakin asked in confusion, looking at Nora’s slim figure.

  “The flush in her cheeks. The swell of her breasts. The glow radiating from within her? That’s the presence of the baby.” She made a sound of disgust. “Men are so blind to what’s before their eyes.”

  “Nora’s pregnant?” Darakin asked in awe. “How come she didn’t tell me?”

  “Maybe she doesn’t realize it yet. Or perhaps she wants you to stay for her, not for the child. Women have pride, you know.”

  “Well, just tonight I had thoughts of her being my wife. I do love her. But I feel so ineffective here.”

  “Sometimes, you must look past your own comfort for those you love. You proved this evening that you are a powerful magical being. Few could have summoned that storm without years of working at the shamanic practices.”

  Darakin looked at the shimmering portal. Home was within reach, but he looked back at Nora, standing there, clutching Mrowley. She wasn’t even attempting to wipe away the tears falling from her eyes. His eyes fell to her belly. His son or daughter was growing in there – a precious result of their love. He knew then that he couldn’t leave. He needed to be with Nora and to watch their child grow.

  “I want to stay.”

  “This is your last chance, mage. I return home now.”

  “I know. Thank you for the offer, but I’m staying.”

  With a smile, the dryad turned and disappeared into the misty ring, which then dissipated and was gone.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Nora stood, frozen in place as Darakin turned and walked toward her. “What … what happened? She wouldn’t take you?”

  He stepped in and gave Nora and Mrowley a gentle hug. “I can’t leave you, Nora.”

  “Really?” She seemed to melt against him in relief and he hugged her tight.

  After a minute or two, he asked, “Why didn’t you tell me about the child?”

  She took an angry step back from him. “That’s why you stayed? That’s exactly why I didn’t tell you. Plus, it’s really early. I wasn’t even sure yet. How do you know?”

  I tried to tell you, dude. I told you she was having hairballs.

  “Hairballs? How does that mean you knew Nora was pregnant?”

  “The cat figured it out and you didn’t? He knew I was having some morning sickness.” She turned and started walking away. “Well, you should have gone with the dryad then, because I’ll no’ have someone staying with me from pity.”

  “Pity? I’m not staying out of pity. That’s our child!”

  “Aye, you couldn’t stay for me, but you’ll stay for the baby?”

  He caught up to her and held her in his powerful grip. “Nora, I love you. I’ve been thinking … I mean there are certain circumstances that a man …” he sighed in frustration.

  “Look, I’ve not made any demands of you, you should’ve gone home.”

  “I didn’t want to. Not really. When I picture myself at home now, it’s always with you and Mrowley by my side. It doesn’t seem like home without you anymore.”

  He bowed his head. “I don’t know if I’d have stepped through even if the dryad hadn’t told me you were with child.”

  “She knew?” Nora asked in surprise.

  “Yes, she said something about an inner glow. And now that she said it, I can’t believe how blind I was to miss it. There’s nobody in any realm that I’d rather have a family with, Nora. Please? I know we’ll have misunderstandings and things won’t be easy at times, but I love you more than anything, and I’d started picturing you as my wife even before I knew.”

  “Are you … are you asking me to marry you?”

  Darakin fell to his knees in the mud and looked at her in surprise. “I think I am. I mean, yes! Will you marry me?”

  Nora fell to the ground next to him. Mrowley jumped free and landed in the mud.

  Do you have any idea how long it’s gonna take me to get my fur clean? He
licked furiously at his fur. And this isn’t even good tasting mud.

  “Quit complaining, cat, or we’ll give you a bath.”

  Nora laughed as she knelt next to Darakin.

  “Is that a yes?” he asked her.

  “Yes!” she threw her arms around his neck.

  The two of them hugged and kissed while Mrowley alternated between cleaning himself and changing positions, meowing in frustration at not being able to find any non-muddy ground on which to bathe.

  Finally, Darakin pulled back from Nora. “Let’s go home.”

  “Yes, let’s.” She picked up Mrowley.

  “Oh! I’ll carry him. We don’t want you straining.”

  “Jaysus, you’re not going to be one of those men, are you? I’m pregnant, not disabled.”

  Hey! What strain? Are you calling me fat?

  “Well, you have put on a few pounds now that you’re a housecat.”

  Mrowley wanted to protest, but he found life as a housecat so pleasing, that he didn’t. The trio started walking out of the woods.

  “So, what are we going to name the baby?” Darakin asked.

  “Well, a lot of people here name babies for their ancestors. What are your parents’ names?”

  “Karkin and Darani.”

  “Oh,” she laughed. “Maybe we’ll name them for mine, Patrick or Margaret.”

  “What’s wrong with Karkin and Darani? In my society, we use pieces of the parents’ names to make a name for the child. That’s how they got Darakin.”

  “Yeah? Well here a child named Darkark or Karkani or anything like that might get made fun of.”

  Mrowley laughed. Darkark.

  “Alright, cat. Quit laughing. Besides, it would be Darkar, not Darkark and those were my parents anyway. Our child would be Dara or Norkin or maybe even Anor.”

  Nora groaned. “Those are even worse.”

  The rain had stopped and they emerged from the forest into the moonlight of the late spring evening. The trio walked out of the park and off to start their life as a family.

  The dryad watched them walk away. The portal she’d made had only led to a different area of the same park, just in case Darakin had been foolish enough to step into it. It wasn’t often that she felt the need to intervene in the affairs of mortal beings, but something about the sad, young woman; the confused but brave mage who went out of his way to save a society from a demon, even though they made him feel like an outcast; and a cat that would give up his own dreams to keep a human company had stirred her interest.

  She smiled as she saw their future – a future filled with their child and happiness – oh yes, and mousies. She laughed outright as she heard the words of the cat on the wind.

  Hey Darakin?

  “Yes, Mrowley?”

  Did you tell Nora the good news?

  “What good news?”

  About how I’m gonna be with you guys for a really long time!

  “Oh yes. That good news. Nora, you’ll be happy to know that Mrowley has been granted an exceptionally long lifespan by the dryad. He’ll be with us for many years to come.”

  Nora smiled and hugged the cat. “Oh, that does make me happy! I wish I could thank her.”

  They walked a few more steps.

  Hey Darakin?

  “Yes, Mrowley?”

  What about Mrowley as a name?

  “Sorry cat, we’re not naming the baby Mrowley.”

  Nora choked as she heard Darakin’s reply to the cat.

  Why not? I am a noble creature, remember?

  “Yes, you are.” Darakin laughed, gave Mrowley a pet and put his arm around Nora’s waist. The group faded from the dryad’s view.