Old Flame
An Old Flame
The candles flickered gently, their flames dancing as they burned. Slowly but with a purpose.
The flames reflected off a gleaming crystal ball in the center of a table. The woman looked over the ball, focusing as images were conjured before her, reflected in the glass.
Some she had expected, checking on loved ones, focusing on ensuring she had a safe path to travel between the village and her more secluded home in the darker part of the woods for the next day…
But what came next surprised her. Her eyes grew wide as the image of a man was reflected on the glass. A large wrench in hands being used as a walking stick as he looked around him, a look of determination in his eyes.
Is… Is this correct? Her hands shook as they hovered over the crystal, waving them over to see if the image would remain.
The image was as strong as ever. The man was still there. She could see his eyes now.
Eyes she knew and missed.
Robert…?
“Andddreeeaaaa! Your caaaandles!” A voice hissed from the shadows.
“Scrying, Brother.” She retorted in response, turning back to the crystal, sighing, seeing the image was fading. She closed her eyes, whispering her thanks before blowing her candles out. There was a dim lantern she had on for her own protection but she knew the candles bothered him.
Andrea knelt down, offering her hand, a gentle smile coming to her face.
“Sorry about that. I… I saw him.”
“Who?” Sebastian slithered out of the shadows, cuddling up to his sister carefully, not wanting to cause her any sanity loss if he could avoid it.
Andrea hugged him, nuzzling him as he gave a little chirp.
“Robert. I-I mean I think it was him.”
Sebastian gave a sharp gasp before coughing a little.
“I ssshouldn’t have done that.”
Andrea shook her head, hugging him again. It was an odd arrangement. Sebastian was stuck like this but she still was able to enjoy his company. It was part of why her house was so far out.
That, and she liked keeping to herself.
But I won’t be by myself if he’s here.
If…
If he still likes me.
“Sssstop lookin like that.” Sebastian spoke, up giving his best serious look as he could manage, wriggling out of her hold.
Andrea hugged herself, giving a sheepish look.
“Yessss it’ssss that obvioussss I’m your big brother for ssssshadow’ssss ssssake!” He hopped up onto her table, tapping her crystal ball with his beak. “I made disssss for you!”
“You think… he misses me?”
“Andri I know for a fact he does!.”
Andrea felt her cheeks heat up as her ears lowered a little.
“How about disssss? I’ll watch your boyfriend-”
“SEBASTIAN!” She shrieked a little.
“And do some Terrorbeak LOVE SERVICESSSS!”
Andrea felt her face heat up more, covering it with her hands.
“Oh my goodness…” She whispered. “You are too much.”
He slithered off the table and onto her back, nuzzling into her hair.
“I love you!”
“I love you too… Okay, Big Brother. You have a deal. But if you screech in his ear…” She gave him a playful look. “No chin scratches. For a year.”
Sebastian fell off his perch with a shriek.
oooooo
Robert sighed, wiping his brow with his sleeve. He looked up at the darkening sky, trying to recall the cycles from when he was younger.
Let’s see… Tonight should be the full moon. Which means I can avoid getting killed by the darkness.
The man smiled, nostalgia in his eyes as he looked upon the moon. It brought back memories.
“Oh, there she is.” Sebastian smirked, nudging Robert towards where Andrea was standing in the garden behind their home.
Robert blinked, noting she was leaning over what looked to him like a bird bath.
“Andrea?”
She jumped, looking to him, giving a little wave, a shy smile coming to her face.
He tugged at his tie before going up to her. It was daytime but there was a pale light coming from the bird bath.
“What do you have here?” He asked as she looked down into it. He followed her gaze, eyes going wide.
The moon reflected back at them. He looked to her as if asking permission as she nodded. He poked at the water as the reflection rippled but the moon stayed.
Andrea giggled quietly at the bewildered look on his face.
“The moon, even in the day time. Amazing.”
“The moon dial’s a lot of fun to use.” She blushed a little. “As the moon changes, the water amount does too. Pure moon water, perfect for making salves or elixirs with.”
“Incredible.” He murmured, gazing at her reflection in the water.
“Wonder if she still has that thing…”
“SCREEE!”
He jumped as he grabbed up his wrench, dropping into a defensive stance. A shadowy image flickered across his vision. A terrorbeak, as it flickered into a semi-solid form in front of him, hissing as it tried to make itself look bigger.
He moved back, confused when the creature didn’t try to attack him. Instead, the terrorbeak attempted to clear its throat.
“Robbie!! Been foreveerrr!” It hissed in a very familiar tone, as strained as it was. Robert’s eyes grew wide in horror.
“Sebastian…!?” He gasped, moving closer looking him over.
Good heavens…
What happened since I was last here?
“I know.” Sebastian sighed. “It lookssss really bad. But I promissse it’ssss not! … Well, okay I can’t do a lot without handsssss but I’m useful!” He tried to puff himself up a bit. “Sssseee?”
“Good heavens, what happened!?”
“... I ticked off the king.”
“Sebastian, no. You didn’t.”
“I did.” He gave a sad sounding chirp. “And Andrea moved far away sssso I could live with her sssstill when Melly’ssss not around.”
Robert frowned, kneeling to his level, tilting his chin up.
“Well, I’m certainly glad to see a familiar face. Even if it took a moment.”
Sebastian perked up, slithering onto his shoulder, giving a happy chirp.
“YAY!”
Robert chuckled.
“So, how’s it like being one of those?”
“Weird!”
He stood up, balancing Sebastian on his shoulder.
“I see… So, where’s Andrea? If it’s not too abrupt to ask.”
“HA! That’ssss why I’m here!” Sebastian laughed maniacally, a laugh that made Robert shiver a bit.
Even with that warped voice, I know Sebastian’s “I’m about to make your life Hell!” laugh.
“Why?”
“Terrorbeak Love Ssseervvicesss!” He cheered.
“...Eh!?”
Sebastian shrieked a little, making Robert, move faster.
“Mush human! MUSH! THAT AWAY!”
“UWAH! Hey!”
Robert, despite it, found himself laughing as he was guided through the moonlit fields, down an old pathway that had been cleared.
“Incredible…”
“Mm-hm..” Sebastian grinned.
Soon, they passed through a veil of vines as a small cabin was revealed.
“Out back.”
“R-Right.”
This garden was different from the one he remembered. It was more covered, the trellis’ built to ensure there was cover as the plants grew. The large moon dial in the center of the garden flowed with water as it pooled over, running across the ground, illuminating it.
Standing over the dial, her hands hovering above it, was Andrea. Robert’s heart skipped a beat as he took in her image.
She was a bit older herself but it was clearly her. Her hair flowing gently in the breeze as she gazed down at the moon’s image.
Andrea’s gaze was focused as she moved her hands over the dial, for her, the images changing and flickering… until she saw his own leaning over it.
Their gaze met in the water before both looked up. Robert felt his eyes get misty as he gave her a gentle look.
“I found my way back.”
Andrea’s eyes welled up with tears as she reached up, cupping his face in her hands. She opened her mouth to speak before biting her lip.
Robert smiled gently, cupping her cheek in his hand.
“It’s okay. I know it’s been a long time…”
Andrea shook her head before she threw her arms around him tightly, causing him to stumble back a bit before bringing his arms around her.
“A-Andrea…” Robert murmured, some tears escaping. It had been so long, he thought for sure he would never see her again.
“My Robert.” She mumbled. Robert’s gaze softened hearing her voice. Quiet but it was still her’s. Her voice that he missed so dearly.
He tightened his hug around her, burying his face in her hair. Back on Earth he always thought about how this moment might turn out if he got a chance.
He never imagined it would be like this… and he was so relieved she was right there in his arms.
“I know I’m not as young as I was and the beard probably has to-”
Andrea put a finger to his lips, a playful look in her eyes.
“I like whiskers.” She whispered.
Robert felt his face heat up before burying it into her hair again.
As always, she sets my heart a flutter.
“We have a lot to catch up on.. I have so much to tell you.”
“And I you. A-Are you here for… For a few days?” Andrea pulled back a little, worry in her eyes. Part of her worried he might vanish again.
Robert gave her a gentle smile, touching his forehead to hers.
“I’m here forever.”
Andrea’s eyes grew wide, tears running down her face before a bright smile broke out on her face as she closed the distance between them.
Robert brought his arms around her, holding the kiss for a moment before pulling back gently. He laughed quietly.
“You sure you want me around? I owe you for all this lost time.”
“You put up with Terrorbeak Love Services . I’m sure my brother didn’t make it easy on you.”
“No, he didn’t. But it was worth it.” He cupped her face in his hands, brushing her tears away with his thumb. “Look at you. So beautiful.”
Andrea blushed a little, nuzzling his hand, a quiet sound escaping her.
Robert grinned, kissing her head.
“I see you still purr like a cat.”
“Oh shush.” Andrea hugged him tightly, tucking her head under his chin. “You owe me extra hugs.”
“I do.” Robert looked over to the moon dial. “Especially since I know I interrupted your scrying.”
“In my looking glass and even the moon all I saw was you.”
He closed his eyes, keeping her close.
Even if he still had to get used to this world again, it was already home to him.
He was finally home as far as he was concerned.
Andrea smiled giving him a kiss on the cheek.
“Welcome home Robert.”
Robert nuzzled her, stroking her hair, sitting down in the grass, content to enjoy the last of the moonlight.
“It’s good to be home.”
I’ll explain everything later. For now… I want to be here in the moment with her.