Farah stepped forward and placed a hand on Elizabeth's back. She felt much better already having her heightened mental awareness back. Though she immediately felt the mixed emotions coming from everyone around her. It was overwhelming at first, but she quickly got used to the feel of it again.
Her fingers delicately took the sword from Elizabeth, and she handed it back without looking. She felt Andreas's hand brush hers for a moment as he reclaimed his weapon, then Farah wrapped both arms gently around Elizabeth. Her strength had returned with the reuniting of her body and her magic. "Darling, I would have done it," she murmured softly.
Elizabeth let out a sigh as someone touched her. It was grounding in a way, to remind her where she was and the reason for her actions. But having Farah hug her was nearly enough to make her melt. “I know you would but I didn't want you to. I was more than able to handle this for you. You were too shaken, it would have been too personal for you.” she explained. “You have your magic back, sweetheart?”
Elizabeth's words were true, too true. Farah winced slightly. It was her anger that had led to his. Her out-of-control emotions caused the death of the blood witch. As wicked and awful as he had been… No. Farah had her magic back, and Sebastian could never do anything like what he'd done to anyone else ever again. It was enough of a relief.
"Yes," she answered, and four collective sighs of relief came from behind her. Farah glanced back to see Saul, Andreas, Ben, and Rose all watching them intently. "May we have the room?" Farah asked. Reluctantly, the two other couples left, shutting the door behind them. Then, Farah turned back to Elizabeth.
"I want to show you what he did to me," she whispered. "To explain why I was so upset and didn't want you to touch me. But I'll only show you if you say you want to see it. It's… It's awful, darling. And if you don't want to see it, I understand."
Elizabeth allowed herself to smile softly at the confirmation and nodded in relief. "Finally, a bit of good news." she said as she turned to face Farah. Though she raised a brow when she asked for them to be alone. As the fairy explained, her other brow joined the first in understanding. "I… would like to know what happened." she admitted softly, already bracing for whatever it could have been. "If you don't want to go through it again, you don't have to tell me. Or show me." she assured not out of fear but out of concern for Farah.
Farah offered a small smile when Elizabeth turned. “Indeed,” she remarked.
Though as the mood in the room shifted, Farah’s expression clouded. “Don’t worry about me,” she assured the other woman. “I’ll be alright.” Without further hesitation, Farah’s eyes glowed and she searched back through her recent memories until finding it. With a deep sigh, she projected the memory to Elizabeth.
While it looked to Elizabeth like she was standing off to the side and watching the memory, Farah was back in her own body, experiencing it all over again. When it was done, Farah pulled the memory back and came back to reality gasping and trembling slightly
Elizabeth raised a brow at the assurance, not quite sure if she beloved it or not, but didn't have a chance to say anything before Farah showed her the memory.
She watched in silent horror and disgust as the now-dead witch, she had to keep reminding herself of that, manipulated Farah. By the time the memory had finished, she felt nauseous. But the look on Farah’s face made her push the feeling away and gently reach out to hug her again. This is why I said you didn't have to show me right now.
Farah tried to keep herself under control, but as she felt the blade cut her skin and his tongue lapping up her spilled blood again… She shuddered violently before firmly shutting the memory out.
Elizabeth’s arms wrapped around her, and Farah stiffened for a moment before accepting the embrace. She read the woman’s thought without even realizing it, and she responded out loud like Elizabeth had spoken too. “I told you I wanted to. If I didn’t do it now, I worried I wouldn’t have the courage to revisit it later.”
Elizabeth didn't mind that Farah heard that thought and nodded slightly at the reply, tightening the hug slightly. “I understand that. I just… At least we don't have to think about that again. He’s dead and you have your magic back. No one can get back in your head.” she affirmed, though there was one doubt she was trying to push down.
Farah made a soft noise as Elizabeth tightened the hug. The fairy couldn’t tell if it had been intentional or not. The reassurance from the other woman was comforting, but Farah felt the flare of doubt. After spending so much time with only her thoughts and emotions, getting everything back was nearly overwhelming.
“Tell me what you’re worrying about,” she murmured into Elizabeth’s hair. “Please.”
“Sorry.” she whispered, loosening her grip when she heard Farah’s sound of discomfort.
Elizabeth sighed at the question but she wasn't too surprised that the mind fairy picked up on it. “I just… He had those cuffs on him. How could he get into your head like that? He shouldn't have been able to use any magic, right?” she questioned, already having a suspicion but she didn't want to voice it.
Farah smiled faintly at the apology. “You have nothing to apologize for,” she assured her woman in her arms. “It just was a surprise, that’s all.”
Though Elizabeth’s questions made her tense. Now that she had her magic back, she’d been able to feel so much more from the memory. Particularly the familiar magical haze surrounding it. A trace of power Farah was all too familiar with. “You’re right,” she answered plainly. “He couldn’t have accessed any kind of magic with the limiters on.”
The suspicion Elizabeth felt was like a thread, and Farah easily tugged it to unravel. “What you’re thinking is correct,” she supplied, her own heart dropping in her chest.
Elizabeth let out a disappointed huff at the confirmation of her fear. “Can you block her now that you have your magic back?” she asked, recollecting the incident at the office. “I mean, can you protect yourself more now?”
“Yes,” Farah answered softly. “I should be able to. My mental shields have already been put in place. They were down before only because I’m used to my magic automatically reinforcing them. That’s how she got though.”
A look of soft worry and concern appeared on her face. “I should teach you,” she murmured. “Rosalind would easily break into your mind if only to torture me. I couldn’t let that happen.” Farah hesitated a moment before looking firmly at Elizabeth. “In the meantime, I could cast my own shield around your mind as well to keep you protected. But only if you allow me. I don’t breach your mind.”
“Good.” Elizabeth sighed at the assurance, letting go of some of the stress from that worry. She already hated to think of Farah in that kind of position again.
She raised a brow at the offer and looked at the mind fairy. “Can you teach me? I don't have any magic.” she wondered. But she nodded at the second part of the suggestion. “Go ahead. I trust you, Farah. Cast your spell.” she acquiesced willingly. If she was going to trust anyone to protect her from magic like this it would be her.
“Indeed, I can,” Farah replied simply. “It doesn’t take magic to have a strong mental shield. I’ve taught Saul and Andreas how while I taught Ben and Rose. It’s rather simple. But while you’re practicing, I don’t want you to be vulnerable.”
A slightly bemused expression came over her face at Elizabeth’s remarks. “Witches cast spells, my darling,” she corrected with a small smile. “Fairies channel magic. Sometimes we use runes or wards or incantations, but we draw our power from the nature around us.”
With that, Farah’s eyes changed colors. She slipped into the other woman’s mind, just enough that her magic would work. A strong shield built around Elizabeth’s previously vulnerable mind, and when it was done, Farah immediately retreated her presence. “There,” she murmured. “Now I feel more at ease.”
Elizabeth nodded at the answer and smiled softly. “Then I would be honored to have you teach me.”
She laughed at the correction, tempted to roll her eyes but decided against it… this time. “Specifics. Isn't it all still magic?” she pointed out well aware that her perspective came from growing up without even a hint that magic was a real thing.
“Thank you. So do I.” she said gratefully before raising a brow as a thought came to her. “Can you still read my mind because it's your shield?”
Farah flushed lightly. "Alright then," she murmured. "I'll teach you. We can start tomorrow if you like."
The fairy arched her eyebrows at the laugh. She'd forgotten about Elizabeth's lack of familiarity with the magical world. It was common knowledge to her. "I suppose," she agreed, almost reluctantly. The magic that blood witches used and the magic that fairies used were very different, so much so that common practices for blood witches were usually outlawed in the Seven Realms.
The light flush that had appeared on the fairy's face deepened. "Yes, I could," she answered honestly. "But I won't. Not without your permission." Farah only got a feeling for a person's emotions and vague line of thoughts when she was near them. She had to tap into more specific powers for telepathy and anything similar.
“Tomorrow is fine with me.” Elizabeth couldn't help but chuckle at Farah’s blush and leaned forward, placing a soft kiss on her cheek. “Thank you.” she whispered.
She nodded gratefully at the assurance and smiled. “I appreciate that. But don't worry, Fa. I trust you.” she smiled sincerely.
Farah remained still as Elizabeth kissed her cheek. The feel of the other woman’s lips on her skin made Farah’s heart race. “You’re welcome, darling,” the fairy whispered back.
“Of course,” she replied. “I’d never-“ Farah stopped speaking abruptly and felt her cheeks heat up quickly. “You… just called me Fa,” she murmured. “I thought you ‘probably wouldn’t use it much.’”
Elizabeth smiled at how red Farah had turned from the kiss and her using the nickname. “Probably not often but it seemed like a good time just now.” she smirked. “Besides, your reaction is something I’ll remember for a while.” she added with a chuckle.
At the smirk and Elizabeth's words, Farah only blushed harder. "I'm not used to actually being called that by anyone but Rose," she admitted. "Saul too, on occasion. But really, that's it…" She trailed off and tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear. "I suppose it was as good a time as any."
From outside the door, a muffled voice of Andreas called out. "Hey, so, whenever you two are done fucking each other's mouths, can we come in?" It was immediately followed by the sounds of a scuffle and Andreas saying, "Ben, control your fiancée!"
“It just felt right.” Elizabeth smiled assuringly, though she still wasn't sure how often she was going to use the fairy’s nickname.
At the call, she glared over at the door. “Hey! Keep that up and you're quickly going to become the submissive one in your relationship!” she warned before shaking her head at Farah. “No offense but Andreas is kinda starting to piss me off.” she chuckled.
Farah smiled back. She didn't mind Elizabeth using the nickname. It had just caught her off guard. The moment had been incredibly intimate.
She too narrowed her gaze and looked toward the door. But Elizabeth's remark surprised her, so much so that she had to cover her mouth to keep in her laughter. She bit her lip, the amusement evident in her eyes, as Rose's laughter came through the door too.
The fairy scoffed lightly. "None taken. He can be like that. You learn to accept it, even with the crude remarks. How much longer should we keep them waiting?"
Elizabeth chuckled softly as she saw Farah trying not to laugh. “As long as you want. Remember I was in the Marines, I can handle crude comments all day. I just hope I didn't get him too mad at me for that.” she admitted.
She was glad that she had a friend in Rose and, hopefully, Saul. She liked Ben in the brief time she met him but she didn't want to make an enemy of Andreas no matter how much he annoyed her.
Farah lowered her hand from her mouth, revealing her lips pursed in a smirk. "I suppose it would be rude to draw it out much longer, wouldn't it?" She hesitated for a moment. "I haven't forgotten, but darling, what does being in the Marines have to do with crude comments?"
She shook her head. "It all depends on if he's in the mood to take a joke. From the way he was acting earlier, I would think you'd be fine." Andreas varied from being cocky and suave to being irritable and touchy. Somehow, Saul put up with both sides of him.
