Love and Other Magical Adventures

twenty three

We got camp made and a blanket around our guest, whose name was Sayid, pronouns he/him. His emotions were temporarily dampened, leaving him feeling less terrible overall, though it would wear off soon. He accepted a cup of hot cocoa from his seat on a small boulder, wrapping his hand around it. Feebur had taken over his lap, which was of course always a comforting thing.

"My family was slaughtered by thieves five years ago," he began his story, stroking the ball of fluff purring under his hand. His language was one I didn't know, and the translator charm did its thing. "I was but nine, and returning from the well the day they struck. There were eight of them, and I could do naught but watch from the brush." He ran his hand back through his curls and Feebur made questioning beeping sounds until the petting resumed.

Sylvie and I were sitting on a similar rock to the right of him, sharing a blanket, and she reached out to pat his knee on our behalf. It had stopped raining though the moon barely made its way through the heavy clouds.

He stared into the fire with big and serious eyes, not seeming to notice the contact. I thought his detachment was probably more from retelling a terrible story than what Grim had done. "They didn't have to kill them. My dads were gentle men, they told them to take whatever they wanted, to take everything, only to please leave the kids unharmed. But they killed them all, even the little ones." Now grief crept back in, and his eyes welled up. He was just a kid, despite the fact that he was occupying a body that was almost grown.

"There are terrible people in the world," I said, as if we didn't all know that. "We're sorry this happened to you." Sometimes it helped to hear, and I had to say something. Sylvie's sadness and pity were visible and I squeezed her hand.

Feebur slept now, snoring loudly Sayid went on. "I stayed with my cousins for some time, but there wasn't enough room or enough to eat. Mostly though, my uncle had never considered me or my siblings family because we were taken in, and not blood relations. He also didn't like...other things about me." He noticed his hot chocolate in his hands and took a drink, wiping his mouth after with the back of his hand. "I've just been going around on my own since then. It's not been so great." He ran his sleeved arm across his eyes. "I mostly just can't do it anymore." He looked up at us now, wanting us to understand. "I don't want to be dead. I just need some relief from the hurting. I can't take any more of the visions of that day playing over and over in my mind."

Sylvie put her hand on his knee again. "We truly understand," she said emphatically. I nodded my agreement. "I was captive for six years, two of them no different than a bird in a cage. Probably most birds have it better."

Her voice was steady but just the thought of what she'd endured made me so grateful she was sitting there with me, safe, happy more often than not. I gave her a little side hug with both arms, kissing her cheek, tucking a strand of hair behind her adorable pointed ear.

She gave me an appreciative look and went on. "It was no life, and truth be told I was not planning on continuing it much longer. But Lorali and her partner freed me, and she healed not only my physical scars but much of my emotional ones." She turned to me, her face soft, the deep red of love taking over her aura now. "She's incredible," she added softly, holding my eyes with her purple ones.

"Says you," I said, touched and getting even more emotional. This precious being, how could anyone ever harm her.

The corner of her mouth rose and she returned her attention to him. "She can likely help you too. Not by making it go away completely, but by making it less agonizing to carry inside you."

He hardly dared believe her as he looked to me as if for confirmation.

"I'll do what I can," I affirmed. "No promises, because as we all know, minds are tricksy and often dangerous, and no amount of magic can completely restore one. At least no magic I've ever seen. But I think I can make it better. And for what it's worth, you are not alone in being plagued by memories in your mind's eye."