softness is not weakness ...

My name is Addison Maxewell and I am a 20 year old familiar that lives among witches. I am currently a Healer in the Coven's infirmary.

[shdwlynx-deactivated20190604]

Tessa watched as Addison threw a punch at the punching bag, It wasn’t bad, but it was a little weak. Nothing she couldn’t work with, though. “No, that wasn’t bad. All we have to do is work on your stance and stamina. That means you’re gonna have to put in some extra work and try to exercise more often and maybe eat a little healthier. If you want to be a strong fighter, you have to start with getting strong.” She shifted, getting into a proper fighting stance. “Let me show you a few moves you can work on though.” She put her hands in front of her face, and with a calm exhale, throwing a punch that made the bag swing. Then another. Then another. “See? Now you try.”

[addisonmaxewell]

Addison listens and watches intently, taking notes as she does so. She nods, then mimics what Tessa had just done. They do this for the next few hours until she is too tired to continue anymore. It was only the beginning, but she could already feel her muscles aching. She liked it though, it was a good ache. It meant that she was getting stronger -- for her baby, for the familiars, for her.

Laying in her bed, she lays her hands on her stomach and sighs. She hadn’t wanted this before, but now that she was given the chance to be a mother, there was nothing she wanted more. She lays like that until she falls asleep. 

[shdwlynx-deactivated20190604]

Tessa shook her head up and down, resting her hands on her hips. “Yeah, show me what you got.” She slapped the bag with one hand. “Hit this sucker.” 

[addisonmaxewell]

Shifting from foot to foot anxiously, she stares at the bag with great wariness because she knows that there wouldn’t be much force behind her punches. Addison has to take a deep breath as she positions herself awkwardly and balls her hands into fists. The first hit is considerably weak, but she’d been expecting that.  She continues to hit the bag, alternating from left to right and right to left until she glances at Tessa. “I’m mimicking movies I’ve seen, I’m not going to lie to you.” 

[lena-eldridge-blog]

Startled to find someone standing next to her, Lena turned her glare upon the girl who seemed to have appeared from nowhere. Realizing her mistake, she shook her head and found a smile. “Thank you, that’s very kind. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to give you such a rude look. I’m afraid I’ve been a bit on edge what with the murders and all. No need to give up your sandwich, though, I’ll just go to the kitchens and find something there.”

[addisonmaxewell]

For a brief moment, the familiar thinks that maybe she’d said something wrong when Lena turns her glare upon her. However, that doesn’t last when her glare becomes a pretty smile. With a small smile of her own, Addison holds out the other half of her sandwich. “I don’t mind, honestly,” she says, “I’m not as hungry as I thought I’d be, so if you want it, you’re welcome to have it.”

[shdwlynx-deactivated20190604]

Tessa laughed. “Well, it doesn’t hurt to ask, right? Anyway, since you haven’t done any fighting before, we’ll start with some stretching so you don’t pull anything and then we can start doing some basic things with the punching bag.”

[addisonmaxewell]

Addison disagreed, but she didn’t say so out loud. There’d be no point to it right now. She listened intently, however, and nods to show that she understands. “Okay, so ... just punch it? Like right now?”

[avery-hughes-blog]

Avery sighs sadly. “I don’t think I ever talked to her. I feel terrible because we so easily could have been friends. She didn’t deserve this, at all.”

[addisonmaxewell]

“Everyone says things like that when someone passes away, but honestly, if you weren’t friends before, it’s not likely it would have happened ever. Grief just makes us think of what we could have done differently,” she looks at the witch, “You’re right though, she didn’t deserve this.”

Addison smiles faintly, “But, surely they’ll find out what happened.”

[shdwlynx-deactivated20190604]

Tessa smiled as Addison rushed out her door, turning to put on something more appropriate for their training session. Opting for a pair of leggings and one of her many workout tops, she walked through the bustle of people leaving the service. She was there a few minutes later and greeted by Addison. 

“Great.” She set her bag down along with two water bottle she had picked up from the kitchen on her way there. “Okay, so first things first: do you have fighting background at all? Like maybe some kickboxing or something?”

[addisonmaxewell]

Addison stared at the witch blankly. “No.”

[shdwlynx-deactivated20190604]

“Now?” She looked around her, but then gave a shrug. “Yeah, sure why no? I don’t have any plans for tonight. How about you go get changed into something more workout-appropriate and I can meet you in the training room in maybe 15?”

[addisonmaxewell]

Addison nods excitedly before excusing herself out of the room and rushing towards her own. Her heart was beating erratically in her chest as she dodged people walking in the hallway. It had worked, she was going to learn how to fight. Maybe right now it wasn’t much, but in due time, it would mean everything. Rushing into her room, she doesn’t take long to find her way out of the dress she’d been wearing. Within a matter of minutes, she’s in a pair of shorts and an old t-shirt that she’d stolen from Cristian awhile back. 

Fifteen minutes later, the young familiar is standing in the training room with an eagerness about her. “I’m ready.”

[eviebrxnnan-deactivated20160723]

“I tend to think every subject is important, you never know what life will throw at you so it’s best to be as prepared as you can possibly be.” Holly quipped back, her eyes glued onto her plate as she cut her pancakes in neat triangles, sticking her fork in and eating one.

She looked up immediately however as soon as Addison started talking more in details about those runes and while the familiar might not have thought she was providing much information, it was already more than Holly knew and the brunette nodded excitedly. “Thanks, that’s really helpful actually.” she said, downing her orange juice and darting to her feet.

“Well, then I guess that’s what I’ll do.” Taking her plate she hurried out of the kitchen, thinking she’d finish quickly and head for the tunnels once she was done.

[shdwlynx-deactivated20190604]

Tessa let out a laugh–probably the first one since the Feast. “Hey, when I’m done with you, you totally can if you want to. You’d be the best fighter in the club. Not to toot my own horn or anything.” She gave her a wink. “So, when would you like to start?”

[addisonmaxewell]

“Now.”

Addison shoots her a hopeful glance, chewing on her bottom lip. Maybe that was pushing it, but it was like everyone said, there’s no time like the present. “Please?”

[eviebrxnnan-deactivated20160723]

“Time and patience. I have plenty of patience when I want to but I lack the time. It seems my schedule gets more hellish every year. It’s almost magical.” she said well aware of the easy pun in her words as she heaved out a theatrical sigh.

“I knew about the tunnels but not that they were spelled with runes, no.” Holly said, walking to the refrigerator to retrieve a carafe of orange juice, she poured herself a glass and then gestured to the cabinet to ask Addison if she wanted one too. “And you wouldn’t happen to know which spells were used, would you?”

[addisonmaxewell]

“Punny,” she cracks a smile. “It’s not for everyone and I only really need to know it because I work in the Infirmary where it’s important to have potions on hand. Most of the time, I get stuck on making them so I’ve had lots of time to practice.”

“No, thank you,” Addison says in reference to the juice, but she cocks her head to the side as she thinks of what she knows about the tunnels. Most people didn’t typically wander in there since they were pretty hard to navigate. She knew them like the back of her hands, however. “I know some of them, but runes can be difficult. It’s not like you can just slap one on and call it day. They’re intricate, often times they’re paired with other runes in order to make them stronger. There’s the Hagalaz rune which turns away evil spells and storms, I know that one for sure.”

Furrowing her brows, she adds, “Best thing to do though is go into the tunnels and look at them yourself.”

[shdwlynx-deactivated20190604]

Tessa listened as Addison talked, nodding though she couldn’t see her. The younger woman had a very good point: familiars weren’t always treated with the proper respect that they deserved. It was like some unspoken truth that everyone knew about it, but completely avoided. Tessa thought the treatment was unfair and, frankly, disgusting. These were the people who had visions and told the witches when trouble was coming. They are their protectors as much as their friends, but they are looked down upon. She wished there was something she could do about it, but the most she could honestly do was treat familiars she thought they should be treated: as equals. 

She smiled, walking closer to Addison so she was only two feet away from her. “Okay, I’ll teach you to fight. You’re absolutely right, you should be able to feel as power as you are, and I’m more than happy to help to get to that. But–” she gave her an almost pointed look. “You have to promise me you’re learning purely for the purpose of protection and not to do something dangerous. Like use it for some secret underground fight club.” Tessa cracked a smile, but kept her voice just a little stern. 

[addisonmaxewell]

When she hears that Tessa has agreed, she flashes her a bright smile and turns around quickly to thank her, “Of course, Tessa, this is just for defensive purposes only. I promise not to do anything rash like join some fight club.” She lets out a gentle laugh. “I mean, this is the first time I’ve ever been rash about something? Do you really think I could join a fight club?”

However, she planned on doing something exactly like that.

[shdwlynx-deactivated20190604]

“You want to learn to fight?” That was not what she had been expecting, but then again, she hadn’t really been expecting anything. Tessa was all for people knowing how to fight and protect themselves, but the request from Addison was still a bit surprising. She had just never expected it from this particular familiar…but time were difficult, and maybe she wanted to be able to protect herself. Tessa crossed her arms over her chest, moving away from the door. “Addison, I’m all for people learning how to fight–I believe it’s an important skill to have–but I have to ask: is there any reason why you want to learn? Or is it just ‘cause?”

[addisonmaxewell]

“Just because?” 

Looking around the desperately as if the answer is written somewhere on the walls. Why did she want to learn how to fight? To protect herself, of course, because it seems like no matter where she went, she was being harassed by someone. There was a familiar dead and it wasn’t the first time it happened despite what everyone thought. 

... because of Alain Ivy. 

Her eyes darkened for a moment and she had to turn away from the witch before she caught the look on her face. Addison took a deep breath then began to talk. “Every day I walk through these halls and people -- no, witches -- think that I’m worthless. They treat me like I am worthless and I am tired of it, Tessa.” she glances at her. “For once I would like to feel more powerful than I actually am. Or maybe for once, I’d like to feel powerful like I actually am.”

[shdwlynx-deactivated20190604]

Tessa tilted her head a little, bemused by the request to talk. It wasn’t that the two women had never spoken to each other, but it had mostly been on a more acquaintance term. ‘Private’ was not something they had done before. But Tessa nodded anyway. “Yeah, of course. Come in.” Pushing the door further open, she motions for Addison to come in, closing the door behind her. “What’s up?”

[addisonmaxewell]

She’s able to breathe a little easier once she walks through the open door. However, now it’s a matter of convincing the other woman to help her out. Flashing a smile at Tessa, she brushes a few strands of hair out of her face. “Thank you.”

“I know we’re not the closest of friends, but I just didn’t know who else I could actually trust with this,” Addison admits sheepishly as she fidgets with the hem of her dress. It wasn’t as if Tessa were the only guard, but she was one of the few that actually had a good heart. If she refused, the familiar wasn’t sure what she would do. 

“Would you teach me to fight?”

[shdwlynx-deactivated20190604]

The funeral for Samantha Ashe had been an equally sad and beautiful ceremony, and many members of the Coven had shown up to pay their respects to the family. Tessa had, of course, attended, but had’t really been in the mood to stay after for food and socializing. Instead, she had snuck back in her room to just be alone or get some shut-eye. The witch had only just changed out of her dress when she heard the knock on her door. “Addison?” She asked, surprised to see the familiar at her door.

[addisonmaxewell]

When the witch opens the door, she’s unsure of whether she’s making the right choice. There were better ways to go about this, and she was sure if Sabrina found out, she’d probably implode. It was too late to turn around, however, and if she were being honest with herself, she didn’t want to. Shifting from foot to foot, she gives a weak smile before asking, “Is it alright if I come in to talk to you?”

“Privately.”

[elderkemp-deactivated20150702]

Morgan picked up a few more glasses, smaller ones, this time, and held them in her hand. She nodded again, half-smiling at Addison. Now she felt like she had reached a dead end, and she felt like everyone she asked would just lead her someplace different, and it was discouraging altogether. “Thanks, Addison.” it was then that she began to lose hope in the Coven. Someone should have stepped forward. Someone on that very premise could be hiding something. This was making her doubt her place as an Elder. Morgan turned on her expensive heels and began walking back towards the house.

“I’m already tired of playin’ Nancy Drew.”

[addisonmaxewell]

The Coven was bustling tonight with the funeral coming to a close. If they weren’t outside still mourning the death of Samantha, they were gathering inside for food and drinks. Addison was thankful for the noise, however, because it means people would notice her as she walked through the halls. She passed bedroom doors until she came to the one that she had memorized earlier that day. With a deep breath, she raises a curled fist to knock on the door three times. “Tessa?”

[elderkemp-deactivated20150702]

“Smart girl.” for not wanting to discuss it openly, of course. If the killer were around and heard it, they could have targeted her next. Morga nodded understandingly. She didn’t want to seem like she was milking everyone for information but, as an Elder, she took it upon herself to find out who did it. “Thanks, that’s all I was wondering on that matter. Seems like no one’s powers have picked up on it.” the older woman shook her head, finishing off her first glass.

[addisonmaxewell]

Raising her glass to her lips, she takes another sip of the tea before setting it down on the long table. If she were to be honest, she’d tell the Elder to turn her gaze on the Ivy leader. However, she wouldn’t dare try something like that. Addison furrowed her brows, at least not so brazenly. “No, someone probably did see something, it’s only a matter of who you ask and who they’ve already told. If a familiar saw it, they told an Elder. It’s sort of an unwritten law that we have to tell an Elder.”