PART III - CHARMING REALITY

Vanis took his time returning to Ogre House, enjoying the darkness and looking at the stars in the moonless sky above. As he walked, he slowly came to realize how relieved he was that the situation with Callie had been positively resolved. Going in, he had no idea what the outcome may be, and assumed it likely his friend would have been taken into custody and sent up the chain-of-command, assuming Xera and the others even believed her. He laughed again at Callie word-smithing a solution, and while Vanis really had no authority to speak on behalf of his father, there was enough plausible deniability to keep Xera and their staff out of harm’s way should it be necessary.

As he approached the house, the shadowed form of Lena could be seen worriedly pacing, wringing her hands together and wearing an almost terrified expression.

“Vanis!” Lena squealed, seeing the Warlock approaching. “Where’s Callie? What happened? Why isn’t she with you?”

Vanis attempted to pad the air, hoping Lena would calm, but to no avail.

Grabbing his tunic, Lena glared daggers. “You said you’d keep her safe!” she snarled. “What have you done? Where is Callie? Tell me now!”

With a burst of martial expertise, Vanis broke Lena’s grip on his shirt. He spun his housemate, and pinned her arm behind her back, putting a slight submission hold on her to hold the Elf sill. “Lena! Calm down and I will tell you what has happened.”

“But…”

“Lena, everything is fine. Take a deep breath, please.”

Lena struggled for a moment, but was held firmly in place. Finally, she did as told, working to calm herself, and with a nod she said, “I’m good.”

Vanis was frustrated with himself. He hadn’t meant to get physical with his friend, but it was an instinctive reaction borne of many years of basic self-defense training he’d received growing up. Not enough to unlock a perk, but a fair amount of several different techniques. Under almost any circumstance, Lena would surely defeat him in any hand-to-hand combat, swords or no, and it was only surprise and the fact she was so distracted by worry, that allowed him to get the upper hand.

“I’m going to release you now,” Vanis said quietly. Lena nodded and slowly he released his grip, prepared to jump back if Lena became aggressive again. The Bladedancer simply bowed her head, face still wrought with worry.

“Tell me what happened,” Lena said quietly, almost a whisper.

“Come with me,” Vanis said, turning to walk away. “We’ll sit.”

Reluctantly, Lena followed obediently along, her eyes downcast. Why had she gone off on Vanis like that? Why was she so worried about Callie? It was a question that had been vexing her ever since meeting the little Gnome, and she couldn’t figure out a clear answer. Sure, she was happy to be helpful. But there was something else that seemed to be driving her to be so overprotective. In the end, though, all she knew was that Callie had to be kept safe, even if it meant busting her out of captivity.

Leading the way into the empty garden, Vanis gestured to a quiet area next to a pair of trees. He sat down on the soft grass, back against one tree, and pointed for Lena to sit next to him. Reluctantly, Lena sat, immediately realizing how tense she had been and how tired she was. With a sigh, Lena leaned her head back against the tree and looked up at the stars. Ever since Callie had informed everyone else in Ogre House that she was going to the Commandant tonight, Lena had been clenched up tight with worry about what might happen. Vanis had said everything is fine, though, right?

“So what happened,” Lena finally said, finally managing to calm herself a bit. “Do we need to break her out or anything?”

Vanis patted his friend’s leg gently. “They believed her. She’ll be staying here.”

With a rush, all the tension Lena had been holding released at once, seeming to drain away from her like a rushing river. She visibly deflated, relief evident. “Tell me everything.”

Vanis nodded. “First, we speak no details about Callie’s background. Those conversations are restricted to inside our bunkhouse. Commandant’s orders. Understand?”

Lena swallowed, and then nodded in agreement.

“Because of her ‘memory loss’, the Commandant gave Callie a choice. She could either continue training, or be moved to a non-combat position under the Logistics officer, Captain Kela. That would still satisfy her Curse requirements. Callie chose to remain in training, and it was her choice alone.”

“Alright,” Lena said. “Where is she, though?”

“Master Healer Tasi was present at our meeting, as was the rest of the senior staff. Tasi wished to do an examination, and I escorted Callie to the medical tent. I was no longer needed, so I was dismissed. Tasi will let it slip that Callies memory loss is permanent, and the rumor mill should do the rest.”

“You left her there?” Lena said, her voice and tone rising.

“She is in excellent hands, and perfectly capable of finding her way back. I wouldn’t expect her to be long.”

“I should be there,” Lena said, struggling to rise. “She might need me.”

Vanis sighed, a part of him terribly amused by the effect that Callie’s minor charm was apparently having. “Sit down, Lena,” he said sternly, almost as a command, before adding a more-friendly, “Please.”

Halfway standing, Lena stopped, hearing the firm tone in Vanis’s voice, and returned to her seated position, once again thumping her head against the tree. “Fine. We’ll wait a little bit, but if she takes too long, we’re going to go get her.”

They sat in silence for a bit, Lena fidgety and nervous, obviously wanting to be doing something. Vanis realized, though, if not for the fact that he was actually in the meeting between Callie, Xera and the others, he’d likely have been dealing with the same anxiety that Lena was feeling while waiting for news. He laughed quietly to himself, recognizing the subtle effect Callie’s charm was having on him as well.

Vanis had known all his life that children were an eventuality. But, even if it hadn’t been expected as the heir-apparent, he still looked forward to fatherhood. When he had been courting Governor Solva’s daughter, Karira, they had spoken many times of plans for parenthood and she had wanted daughters. Vanis had been about to formally propose, but the worsening news of the Demon raids seemed to distract from the affairs of the Royalty, and thus he had never been able to put together the moment he wished to. Of course, this was before the Humans had exiled themselves behind their walls, which immediately ended the courtship, and made it unlikely to ever rekindle.

“What’s so funny,” Lena asked, looking at Vanis. “I can tell when you’re thinking something is funny. You do a thing with your forehead.” She gestured to her own.

“Tell me, Lena, why are you so protective of Callie? We all care for her, but you go far beyond simple caring. Why is that?”

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“I do not!” Lena snapped in return, but then her face turned puzzled. “Do I?”

“You do.”

Lena shrugged. “I don’t know. I just want to make sure she’s safe, and I’m able to protect her to do that.”

“She mentioned her sparring match with Pixyl at dinner tonight. How did she do?”

“Fine, I guess. She scared the hell out of Dregorio. Honestly, she was quite good for someone with no training, actually.”

“Remember, I saw her sparring with the Lamia yesterday. For a beginner, she’s more than just good, Lena. Both the Major and Master Trainer said as much.”

“Ok, so she can swing her swords and shoot a bow. So what?”

“Lena,” Vanis said quietly. “She’s an adult, with adult skills that are being honed. She doesn’t need you fretting over everything.”

“But…”

Vanis raised one eyebrow questioningly, cutting off Lena’s argument.

Lena fumbled her hands together in thought for a few moments, thinking back to all the events of the last few days. Vanis was right, Callie was an adult in body and in mind. But in a way she was still a child in this world, knowing nothing about it and apt to quickly get into trouble if not watched over. That was Lena’s job; her responsibility. Wasn’t it?

“I just have to take care of her. That’s what I need to do,” Lena finally said.

“She needs a friend, Lena. She doesn’t need a parent. You need to back off and let her breathe, or she won’t ever be able to stand on her own.”

“I don’t know if I can do that, Vanis,” Lena mumbled. “I understand what you are saying, I really do, but there’s a part of me that feels compelled to protect her. I’m not sure why.”

Vanis nearly jumped when Lena used the word ‘compelled’ to describe her behavior, and he quickly tried to flatten his expression.

“What?” Lena said, catching the change in her friend’s posture.

“Hmm?”

“You have another look on your face. I’ve seen this one, too, when you know something. Like when you knew Pixyl had Poison Resistance. What aren’t you telling me?”

“Tell me,” Vanis began, trying to quickly change the topic back to Lena and away from him, “have you ever wanted to have children? To be a mother?”

“Absolutely not! My mother was atrocious and my childhood was awful. I wouldn’t want to risk the same for one of my own. Children deserve better than I could ever give them. Hell, I don’t even want to settle down and get married. That’s not for me.. Then she added a puzzled, “I think?”

“Are you sure? Your need to protect Callie seems quite maternal from where I sit.”

“It does not!” Lena hissed at the merest suggestion, but then paused, “Wait, is it?”

Vanis nodded in assurance.

“No! You’re wrong,” Lena snapped defiantly. “It’s simply that I have to take care of Callie, that’s all. That’s it.” She looked up at her friend, once again seeing that knowing look he had on his face. “What? You know something!”

Vanis debated telling Lena about the charm, but was worried he would be betraying Callie’s trust, as he did promise to make every effort not to reveal the secret. Every indication was, though, that Lena wasn’t going to let up on the mothering without a detailed explanation.

“Tell me, Lena, why would you feel compelled to do so for Callie, when you’re quite adamant you haven’t a maternal bone in your body?”

Once again, Lena shrugged. “I don’t know. I mean, if it wasn’t Callie, I suppose someone could be beguiling me. But that’s not happening here. I just have to …”

Slowly Lena’s voice trailed off, a perplexed look on her face as she started to actually hear the words she had been saying. Compelled. Have to. Beguiled. Slowly the pieces started to come together. Something was making her this way!

“That little…” Lena suddenly snapped out, rushing to rise to her feet. “She’s charming me! You knew this! I’m going to kill her! I’m going to kill you both!”

“Sit down!” Vanis snapped, quickly grabbing Lena’s arm and forcefully pulling her back to the ground with a thud. This wasn’t quite the reaction he was expecting, but then again, he hadn’t really been sure what her reaction might be. He’d need to fully come clean, and would have to apologize to Callie later, and hope she would forgive him

“Vanis, what do you know? Tell me or I’ll …”

“If you sit calmly and allow me to fully explain, I will tell you. Will you make that promise?”

Hesitantly, Lena nodded, working to push aside her sudden anger at the little Gnome, and a small amount of side-anger towards Vanis for not being forthright from the beginning.

“Yes, she has a charm trait. It was revealed to her yesterday, and she approached me worried about it and what it was doing to you. She was hating herself because of it, and we had a long conversation about it.”

“Hating herself? Why?”

“Because, her only other experience with charms was what Juniper did to her that first day, Lena. You can imagine how the idea she was using one, even without knowing it, would have made her feel. As for the charm, It is quite literally called ‘Childlike Charm’, and it is a racial trait. More importantly, it is not something she is able to discontinue using, unlike Juniper’s Seduction charm. It’s always active, and I presume all Gnomes have it, or at least younger ones.”

“‘Childlike Charm’? What does it do?” Lena asked, a shadow of confusion crossing her face.

“Much as it sounds. It triggers a person's nurturing instincts, and those around Callie will tend to see her as a child in need of assistance and protection, and of minimal threat. But it has some …”

“That little …” Lena snarled, interrupting Vanis. “Why didn’t she tell …”

“Let me finish,” Vanis interrupted back, “because this is important. As I was trying to say, there are some limitations. It doesn’t affect anyone Gnome-sized or smaller, but more importantly, it’s a suggestive charm.” Vanis stopped talking to let that last bit sink in. He could almost watch in real-time as Lena put the pieces together, and the sudden horror that washed over her face.

“No! It can’t be! That means … But I’m not …”

Lena suddenly felt faint, like the blood was rushing from her head. A charm that played on one’s maternal feelings? A suggestive one at that? If it was suggestive, that meant somewhere in her subconscious, part of her wanted to be a mother. Oh no!

“It’s truly a suggestive charm?” Lena finally said weakly.

“I’m afraid so,” Vanis quietly replied, seeing that she had realized the implications. Then lightly, he added, “I am so sorry.”

As this revelation sunk in, Lena reviewed how she’d been behaving towards Callie. She remembered the panic attack she had that first day when Callie had overheard their conversation and walked out of the house. She saw, clear as day, the constant need to know where Callie was and if she was safe, or to escort her to places she needed to go to. All of it … just like a mother would do for a small child.

“Fuck!” Lena whispered quietly as the ramifications fully settled in.

“Are you good?” Vanis asked hesitantly after a bit longer, seeing his friend obviously grappling with the sudden change in her life-perspective.

“You said she can’t control it? It’s always active?”

“That’s right. A trait.”

“Are you being affected, too?”

“I certainly am, although now that I’m aware of it, I am able to at least sense if I’m doing something out of character. But the truth is, I’ve always wanted to be a father someday, so in that regard I’m not really shocked by the results,” Then Vanis added with a laugh, “I just didn’t think my first child would be a pink-haired Gnome.”

“Me either, I suppose,” Lena said quietly, still seeming to wrestle with things. “What of the others?”

“Pixyl is too small. As for Xin, Lizardkin don’t directly raise their own children, so I suspect she isn’t affected either. Tazrok probably is, but he’s already fiercely defensive of anyone that is small, and I don’t think Callie’s charm would have much additional influence on that.”

“What do I do, Vanis?”

The Warlock looked at the pleading look on Lena’s face, and once again patted her leg. “Remember that despite her size and the influence she’s having on you, Callie is an adult. Let her be one. If you must, try to picture yourself as her big sister, rather than her mother. Give her the space she needs. And please, don’t confront Callie about this, at least until I tell her you know. She feels absolutely dreadful about what it is doing to you. What it’s doing to both of us, for that matter.”

Lena nodded in agreement, becoming very quiet and introspective, and Vanis leaned back against his tree, trying to give her some time. He closed his eyes, listening to the nighttime insects chirp in the darkness, and thought back on all the events of the day. So many things had happened so quickly, with a day of training, the exciting Druid reveals, and Callie’s disclosure to the officers, that he quickly realized how tired he was. He tried not to, but he found himself drifting slightly, not really asleep, but certainly dozing. Soon, however, that dozing faded and sleep consumed him, as it did Lena.