#randymarch

Klaus had failed to remain awake. He had tried so hard to avoid deep sleeps and rested his eyes every now and then as a strategy to rest but not to sleep.

With the light orbs still illuminating his room in the dormitory, Klaus was hunched over his desk and fast asleep on top of the assignments he had been doing.

An empty cup of tea, which he had calculated to be his tenth, sat on the top right corner of the table. His glasses were clasped within his right hand as he tried to rub the sleep out of his eyes. He had only wanted to simply rest his eyes for a moment, but he was now, unknowingly, in a deep state of sleep, with his head propped up onto his right arm and his mind fading back into his memories that had become his nightmares whenever he fell into a deep slumber.

**

Klaus hadn’t been faced with a situation like this before. While deep inside he was swirling with anger, he could only helplessly stare at the irreversible damage that had been done.

“No,” Serge’s whispered, his voice shaking as he spoke, “No!” he yelled, his heart pounding, his breathing shallow, his hands shaking and tears swelled within his eyes, beginning to spill over, “No!” he repeated, unable to control the raw depth of his emotional turmoil in this moment.

The streaking tails of tears ran down his face and fell off his chin and onto the stone statue in front of him, “Randy!” he cried, painfully, hoping the statue in front of him would hear him, “This wasn’t supposed to happen!” he screamed, trying to tear off the stone with his bare hands.

Serge’s attempts to tear off the stone was in vain. No matter how hard he pulled and scratched at the stone, not a crumble of it fell off. He reached into his pocket and withdraw his wand. Raising his wand, he stood back and aimed the tip at the stone and took a breath to speak an incantation.

Until.

“Stop that you idiot!” Klaus stood in front of the tip of Serge’s wand and pushed him back, knocking his wand from his hand and sending Serge tumbling to the lilac grassy floor below with hard thump, “He’s not covered in stone, he is stone!”

Klaus’ breath was also shallow from the anger and pain that raged within him, “I had warned you this would happen but you didn’t listen? No! You never listen, and now Randy has been petrified because you were too cocky with your abilities!” without missing a beat, his words were direct, sharp and clear.

Serge had stayed where he had landed on the ground below and could only look up into Klaus’ eyes that were welled with tears too but his amethyst eyes were as sharp and terrifying as the anger within his voice. Not even the stars above burned brighter than the anger that reflected within Klaus’ eyes.

Serge couldn’t say anything and looked down at the ground beneath him.

Behind him, a giant serpent laid slain across the grassy meadow in the northern forest that was part of the Gedonelune Royal Magic Academy’s grounds and where the three were students. The meadow at the scene of this tragic night was mostly a beautiful scene day and night. Pale lilac flowers bloomed at the tips of the long grass but melded into a dark violet halfway down the stalk before disappearing into the earth below. Serge and Randy favoured this spot because of its natural beauty but now it marred by blood, death and tears.

The surge of anger within Serge dissipated and was replaced with guilt, sorrow, pain and a sense of helplessness. It was nothing he had ever experienced before and truly began to believe that this was his fault. Regardless that is was a mistake, his mistake was a costly one.

“It…it was an accident,” he pleaded in a whisper, “Believe me Klaus, this…this wasn’t supposed to happen. I didn’t mean to hurt anyone.”

Klaus didn’t want to hear it, “What did you think was going to happen when you started to recklessly experiment with magic well beyond your experience? At the very least, you shouldn’t have dragged another person into your foolishness,” he snapped.

“Do… do you think I wanted this to happen?” Serge asked Klaus.

Klaus was losing his patience with Serge, “I doubt his family are going to accept that as an excuse, Serge. I warned you not to experiment with dangerous summoning spells and I told you not to drag anyone else into this. Mistake or not, you summoned a basilisk and foolishly tried to handle the creature by yourselves, a creature that is well beyond the experience of two students, regardless of your rare abilities,” Klaus’ sharply replied with his eyes still piercing through Serge’s, full of anger and pain, “You’re lucky I was here to defeat that beast otherwise who knows who else may have been hurt.”

“We weren’t supposed to summon a basilisk,” Serge assured him, “I didn’t mean to hurt anyone! Look, we can still save him. There has to be a way to undo the spell!”

Klaus gritted his teeth as his patience grew even more thinner, “Ridiculous!” he yelled, “I can’t believe you right now.”

Serge rose to his feet and with desperation in his voice shouted, “I want to save him! There has to be a way.”

Klaus Goldstein is a genius wizard and despite being a student was already a certified wizard knight and topped all of his classes. His aptitude for wizardry impressed the ministry so much that he had a guaranteed career once he graduated from the academy.

“There is no cure for a petrification spell!” Klaus reminded him.

“I will find one!” Serge said determinedly.

“Even if you do, who knows how many years that will take!” Klaus replied.

“No!” Serge refused to accept that as an answer, “I will find a way to undo what I did here tonight, even if it takes my entire life. He’s not dead in there!”

Serge was overwhelmed with emotions and Klaus’ anger toward him only grew and had no sympathy since he had so recklessly dabbled in magic well beyond his abilities. In Klaus’ mind, Serge had killed someone tonight.

“You do that on your own,” Klaus said, “I warned you not to be reckless and warned you not to drag innocent people into your cockiness, you didn’t listen. Even if it takes you years to undo the spell, who knows how much time he would have lost and how many loved ones would have passed away. Randy may not be dead, but being petrified is a fate the same as death. You killed someone tonight, Serge. Regardless of it being a mistake, you killed him,” Klaus said harshly, “You killed him,” he repeated.

The weight of those words stung Serge in the heart and the guilt, sorrow and pain he was already feeling multiplied. He didn’t just lose one friend, he lost two. Klaus really thought he was a murderer. The intent within Klaus’ voice was unlike anything Serge had ever heard. Serge used to rile Klaus up for fun, but they both knew it was all in good-humour but that wasn’t the mood. The atmosphere was permeated with a morbid tension and Serge was the villain, Randy was his victim and Klaus was the protagonist. Yet, Serge couldn’t disagree with Klaus’ perception since magical creatures were his speciality, Serge would agree it was a fate worse than death since petrification was simply being frozen in time where one is neither dead nor alive. It was he who wrote the summoning circle wrong and summoned the basilisk that petrified Randy. More tears escaped from his eyes as the reality of the situation began to sink in more.

“You’ve killed him,” Klaus repeated, muttering through his clenched jaw as another surge of anger welled within as he turned his back on Serge and looked closer at the petrified state of his friend, clenching his fist, Klaus added, “I should’ve stopped you from these reckless experiments ages ago.”

Serge listened to every word that was being spoken and the weight of those words would become his burden. In that moment, Serge Durandal no longer existed and he adopted a new name, Randy March. It was now his life mission to find a cure for petrification. As Klaus remained with his back turned, Serge couldn’t bear this scene any longer. He wanted to get started, to find that cure for petrification and free his friend. Disappearing into the wilderness, Klaus was left alone with Randy’s statue, the slain beast in the meadow and Serge was never heard from again.

***

“Ugh!” Klaus abruptly woke up.

Sweat formed across his forehead and his hands were slightly shaking.

Looking around the room, he quickly realised that he had simply had had another one of his nightmares, which he had wished was just some fiction of his imagination, but was actually a memory of that tragic day almost six years ago now. Randy still remained petrified and, until a couple of months ago, Serge was never seen or heard from again.

“Why did he show up there of all places?” Klaus asked out loud to no one.

Klaus knew why he reliving that particular memory and it was one out of two traumatic memories that he was reliving in his nightmares. The other was reliving the night he had almost lost someone he had come to love with his entire soul, heart, mind and being to a madman trying to use dark magic to resurrect the dead. Which is when he saw him again – Serge Durandal. Klaus couldn’t understand why he had shown up, why he had helped him save Asana’s life and how did he know Azusa? Were they collaborating? Was Serge dabbling in dark magic to find a cure for petrification? Why did Serge help him despite their falling out on that night? So many unanswered questions ran through his mind.

The light orbs floating above him were still illuminated and the halls outside his room were quiet with all the other boys living in the dorm still fast asleep. Outside, the moon glowed brightly but there was a faint stretch of sunlight beginning to form at the bottom of the sky. Klaus looked to the clock that hung on his walls and it was quarter to five in the morning.

After waking up, there was no way he was going back to sleep. Not that he couldn’t if he tried, but he didn’t want to sleep and have his mind wonder back to force him to relive his traumatic memories. He sighed with exhaustion. Not having a proper sleep pattern was beginning to make him restless but he’d prefer feeling restless over being forced to relive painful memories.

Quarter to five was about the time he woke up every day. He preferred it. When the other students were asleep, the dorm building and the academy was a lot more tolerable because it wasn’t loud and it wasn’t crowded. He didn’t have to swiftly step into the gaps between the crowd to get to where he was going. He didn’t have to stop to have pointless conversations with others. As an added bonus, he had time to revise his schedule for the day and get started to have everything completed. Though, he’d be lying if he said that he wasn’t exhausted and didn’t wonder how he was going to pull through the day contently. But, sleep wasn’t an option right now.

Klaus grabbed his cloak and headed to the kitchen first to have breakfast. After that, he found himself walking the hedged lined courtyard that separated the classrooms from the living quarters. He was bound for his office, but decided to detour to the girls dormitory. Her window was on the garden side of the building, overlooking the forests and springs in the distant north. But, he looked at the building, convincing his mind that she was sound asleep within the safety of those walls. He found himself doing this most mornings ever since he almost lost her two months ago.

Despite the fact that she was Azusa’s victim of choice, Asana barely dwelled on nearly being murdered by a dark wizard practicing dark magic. If anything, she looked happier and healthier than when she had first arrived at the academy. She was proud that she was able to help clear the initial rumours that Klaus was the one practicing dark magic. She was proud that she was able to discover her rare abilities she had never known about. She was proud that her magic wasn’t useless and had helped someone in need. She wasn’t bothered at all and Klaus had come to admire her tenacity even more. But, Klaus, was bothered.

Not only had he nearly lost someone he fell in love with and the fear of losing her a new feeling he was experiencing, but how embarrassed he was to have had become so overwhelmed and emotional about losing her that he had failed to protect her when she needed him the most, that he had forgotten to focus his magic and for the first time felt completely powerless. But, Serge returned, under the name of their petrified friend, Randy March. The first time seeing him since Randy’s petrification and he was the one who broke the barrier, helped him to save her life, stopped the attack and discovered that the Azusa attacking them was just a copy, which he had made, of the real person, who was now long gone.

“Serge,” he muttered, “Why did you come back?”

Klaus didn’t understand why Serge had returned or why he had chosen to help him save Asana. He also didn’t understand how Serge knew Azusa, a man guilty of practicing dark magic and willing to commit murder to see through to his goal. He wanted to know why Serge was using Randy’s name to disguise himself. These questions kept being repeated in his mind and he was desperate to find the answers but since that night by the spring, he hadn’t seen Serge to ask those questions.

After spending several minutes in a trance, thinking about the incident with Randy, the incident with Azusa, Serge and staring at the dorm building thinking about Asana, he was interrupted by someone walking up to him.

“What are you doing?” it was a familiar voice, one he didn’t need to see the face of the owner to know who it was.

“Nothing,” Klaus replied, “Why are you up so early?” Klaus turned his attention to who had come up to him.

Elias had a hand full of books, “There is an exam soon so I wanted to get some studying in before class starts today. You look awful though.”

Klaus gave his brother a fierce glance, “Is that really the first you thing you say to me? Most people begin with ‘good morning’.”

“Well,” Elias blushed in his usual awkwardness that Klaus still found odd but was used to it by now, “I’ve noticed you’ve been keeping your lights on late at night most nights now and you’ve…well…,” he trailed off.

“Well, what?” Klaus prompted, his eyebrows narrowing at his brother.

Elias didn’t want to say it out of fear of brotherly repercussions, “…You know what, never mind.”

“If you have something to say, say it,” Klaus crossed his arms waiting his answer.

Elias glanced away, “Well…You’ve been grumpier than usual.”

Klaus imagined that Elias was aware of the incident involving Randy and Serge six years ago, but if he wasn’t Klaus wouldn’t be surprised since he wasn’t the type to get involved in other people’s business, even if it was his own family. Klaus and Elias had always been close and even if Klaus wanted to hide the truth from his brother, Elias would see through him. Elias had helped Asana to clear his name during that mess with Azusa and it warmed his heart, though he’d never admit it, to know that his littler brother believed in him. Of course, Elias did know that he was romantically involved with Asana, who happened to be Elias’ age, in his classes and they had become friends independently of Klaus. But, Klaus was older and was not going to share his burdens when he knew that Elias, his little brother, had so many of his own to carry.

“You should get going with your studies,” Klaus made it clear he didn’t want to talk about it.

Elias knew what he meant, but also knew by that one sentence that he was also struggling but not willing to share it with him, “…Well,” Elias trailed off, beginning to walk away, “You are okay, right?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Klaus now glared at his little brother.

Elias kept some distance between them and was ready to walk away but said one last thing before he left, “…Well…um…,” he began, awkwardly, his face a shade of light red, “…Make sure you’re getting plenty of sleep. It’s uncomfortable watching you work so hard to the point you aren’t resting properly.”

With those last words, Elias quickly bolted in the direction of, no doubt the library, within the walls of the ancient castle that was now the main building of the entire school. Klaus watched his brother’s body fade into the distance and couldn’t help but be warmed by the fact that he cared, but this was not something big brothers share with their little brothers. With one last glance of the girls dormitory, Klaus quietly disappeared from the scene and walked, tiredly, in the direction of his office inside the castle with a mind full of questions and flashbacks to the incidents involving Randy six years ago and the recent mess with Azusa.

As the day continued on, Klaus felt exhausted and felt as though he was going to collapse, especially after covering Professor Schuyler’s practical magic class. Asana, who had been watching from the distance, was worried about him as much as Elias was too. During the last class of the day, the Headmaster had asked Klaus to cover his Magical Beasts lecture, which happened to be Asana and Elias’ class.

“He’s exhausted, I can tell,” Asana commented, “Other people might not be able to, but it’s obvious once you know him well enough.”

Elias, who was sitting next to her, agreed, “He was awake all night. He has been up late most nights lately. I’m worried about him but he won’t ever talk to me about it. Maybe he’ll talk to you.”

Klaus heard them muttering before he was about to get started with the topic of the lecture, but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he quickly skimmed through the lecture notes the Headmaster had left for him and the instructions was to cover the topic of incurable spells and curses that could be cast by magical creatures.

“Timely subject,” he sarcastically thought and had to bury the flashbacks of the basilisk from that night six years ago and Azusa’s summoning of a Nue, a foul and murderous creature born of dark magic.

He understood the instructions and was motivated by the incident six years ago and Azusa’s attempts to slain a unicorn with a Nue to educate this generation of wizards about the costly impacts of messing around with magical creatures beyond their experience. Which is probably what the Headmaster also had in his mind when he prepared the material for this lecture.

“Take your seats,” Klaus clearly and sharply instructed and not one student dared to not to follow an order given by The Emperor.

After giving everyone a moment to relax and find their seats he began, but the bright lights was making him feel very dizzy but he powered through it to the point that no one, but Elias and Asana, could tell that he wasn’t feeling well.

“Today, we will discuss the magical abilities of magical creatures and the consequences of underestimating their impacts,” he informed the class, “The magical capabilities of creatures varies between having weak abilities to incredibly strong abilities. For instance, winged-rabbits and carbuncles tend to have weaker magical abilities compared to creatures like dire wolves, fairies, mermaids and dragons. However, human and magical creature conflicts exist and no matter the degree of magic each creature is capable of doing, do note that if you fall on the wrong side it may very well be the last thing that you ever do. Why do I say this? Any ideas?”

No one raised their hands to answer his question and no one, but Asana and Elias, were aware that his speech and movement was slower than usual. Asana couldn’t focus on the topic of the lesson for she was worried about Klaus collapsing in front of everyone.

“No one?” asked Klaus.

Usually silent, Yukiya decided to answer Klaus question from his usual spot by the window, “There are a few reasons why humans with magic shouldn’t underestimate the abilities of magical creatures. I can give three examples. One, humans still don’t know a lot about the magical capabilities of a variety of magic creatures. Two, magical creatures are often used to make powerful contracts and when used incorrectly can be devastating to the wizard or wizardess. Three, magical creatures can possess the ability to curse and kill depending on the creature.”

Klaus accepted the answer, “Good answer,” he continued, “Magical creatures are also unpredictable and, often, it is up to the nature of the magical creature in question if it wants to be friendly or not, for some creatures they embody darkness and will kill or curse without hesitation, this can include dire wolves, werewolves, vampires and chimeras, while others are creatures, born from light magic and have that choice, such as winged-rabbits, carbuncles, fairies, mermaids, unicorns and other intelligent creatures.”

The lecture continued until the last bell of the day echoed across the school, and somehow Klaus made it through the lesson without fainting even though he struggled to see clearly in front of him by the end of the lesson. As the students cleared out of the classroom, unaware of how dangerously drained he was, only one person remained behind and Klaus could sense her presence. After overhearing her and Elias talking, he didn’t want to open up to her either and decided to gather his cloak and muster what energy he had left to make for a quick escape back to his office.

Barely able to stand straight, Asana watched him leave through the teacher’s door near the desk in the classroom. Immediately, she followed after him knowing that this was his attempt to hide whatever he was feeling from her too. She ran to catch up to his side, dodging a hall full of students, who, thankfully, were too frightened of Klaus, who they had nicknamed “The Emperor”, to stand in his way.

“Don’t you want to see me today?” she asked, catching up to him and standing by his side.

“I have a lot of work to do today,” Klaus insisted, but it was a lie.

Asana glanced up at his face and could see the redness within his amethyst eyes and the bags underneath them. His usually perfect and smooth ivory-skin showed some stubble and coarseness that she didn’t even think was possible for someone as regal and respectable as Klaus. It worried her because she had never seen him like this before.

“You look worse than what you did yesterday,” she said.

“Is that so,” Klaus didn’t argue with her, “Elias already told me that this morning.”

The lecture room wasn’t far from his prefect office and he nudged the door open with a slight push of his hand and Asana followed him through, closing the door behind her and locking it.

“Why did you lock it for?” he asked.

“Because, we need to talk,” she said.

Klaus took off his cloak and hung it on a hook on the wall near the door. Asana did the same with hers and put her bag on a vacant chair inside of his office. Klaus went over to his small stove to brew a pot of tea but before he could choose the flavour from his box, she stopped him.

“I will do that,” she said, “Go sit.”

“And if you don’t make it correctly?” he asked.

“You have taught me how to make tea the way you like it,” she smiled up at him, “I’ve basically mastered it,” she amused and gave him a cheeky smirk.

Knowing he wasn’t going to win when she was this persistent and not having the energy to do so, he yielded and sat down at his usual seat on his side of the desk where he worked.

Although he was exhausted, her energy somehow increased his own. The sparkle in her eye, the brightness in her smile and her overall beauty, simple yet divine, had attracted him to her. But, her kindness, strength and understanding personality truly captured his entire heart and soul. She brought a lightness back into his life that he had been missing for so many years. Little did she know it, but in a way she was saving him too.

“I have a different flavour of tea that I’d like for you to try,” she said and waited for the water to boil.

“What kind of flavour?” he inquired, not keen on trying something new.

Asana didn’t answer immediately for she had a plan.

Earlier, in magical pharmaceutics, she had enquired to Professor Merkulova about teas that can help a person sleep better and ease their minds. Observantly, Professor Merkulova had figured it was about Klaus’ restlessness and had handed her a blend of valerian root, black rose petals, camomile and lavender that were great for relaxing the mind, boosting pleasant dreams and helped the drinker to get as much sleep as their body needed to recover.

She had to follow the recipe and cooking method for the brew to work as intended. The water had to boil before putting in the leaves and steeped for at least two minutes before straining the mixture into a cup for consumption. She waited for the tea to be brewed before answering his question. He didn’t bug her in that time and went about his work.

Pouring only him a cup of tea, she walked over to the right side of his body and placed a hand over his right hand that was moving a quill across the papers on his desk. He stopped writing and looked up at her. The steaming cup of tea in her left hand and she looked at him with loving eyes.

Moving a lock of his golden hair from his forehead, she began to speak, “You looked like you were going to collapse in that last lesson Klaus,” she said, concern riddled in her voice, “I’m worried about you.”

Klaus didn’t want her to be and swivelled his chair around to face her directly. His right hand clasped onto hers that she had placed over his and was now using to brush aside his golden locks of hair, and gently he brought the back of her hand to his lips and placed a sweet kiss on the back of her hand, “I’m fine, really,” he said, trying to convince her.

“You’re not though,” she saw right through him, “This is a magic blend of valerian root, black rose petal, camomile and lavender. I made it during Professor Merkulova’s class today to help relax your mind and let you sleep until you are refreshed again. I made it so that it’s sweet for you.”

Klaus gave her a soft smile, appreciative of how much she cared for him but this wasn’t something magic tea could fix. With her in his presence, giving him the kind of love that no one else could, was more relaxing to him than she even knew. She was becoming that one person who was breaking down those walls he had built around him, that he had sworn he’d never let anyone in but, she was becoming an exception to that rule.

“I don’t need tea,” he said, grabbing the cup she had brewed and placing it on the desk.

“But—,” she protested him not drinking it, especially after she was just trying to help him.

In her distraction, Klaus tugged on her arm and pulled her close to him. The unexpected tug had her lose her footing and she fell forward into his arms but he caught her almost immediately.

“K-Klaus?” with their noses almost touching, she could see the fine lines in his skin, the redness in his eyes and the dark bags underneath them much more closely and in more detail.

Immediately, Klaus felt her body relaxing and she let herself gently rest against his frame. He was bigger, broader and stronger than her that her tumble into him didn’t even hurt. Looking deep into her rose-quartz eyes, he could clearly see the detail of her lashes, to the slight curve on the upper eyelid and their roundness. Despite seeing her eyes flickering with surprise, by his unexpected tug, and concern, which she had for him, her eyes were so different from his own but they were full of light and wonder that he could stare and get lost into for a long time. To think that he had come so close to never seeing them again, haunted him in ways she couldn’t imagine.

With a swift movement, Klaus swept her feet off the ground so that she was propped onto his lap and made it easier for him to embrace her entire body. Without saying a word, he closed his eyes and rested his forehead against hers taking in everything he could sense with his own body and senses. The warmth of her body seeping into his, her relaxed and comfortable breathing, a sign that she completely trusted him, the feeling of her cute nose brushing against his, which was larger and straighter, the tickle of her chestnut hair against his forehead, the way her fingers lovingly and gently brushed through his golden locks, knowing the way she was looking at him right now, the sweet scent of strawberry shampoo in her hair and the sweet floral scent that was absorbed into her skin from the perfume she wore, the loving and sweet smile she always flashed at him, the way her mind, body and heart trusted him, the light thumping of her heartbeat and her melodic voice, although she wasn’t speaking, he could hear her internal thoughts like no one else could. He had come so close to losing all of her, but with her safely in his arms and feeling all her warmth, this ensured him that she was really alive and his mind began to relax.

“…K-Klaus?” she called out his name, but didn’t want to disturb what he was doing especially if it was relaxing him.

He felt her breath on his lips and a smile curled at his lips.

All his armour fell off around her and after a moment, he began to speak, “…I almost lost you…,” he whispered, “…I don’t want to ever lose you…”.

She could feel his breath on her lips too and, even though his eyes were closed, she smiled at him, “You’re not going to,” she whispered back, her fingers still lovingly tussling through his golden locks, “I’m right here and I’m not planning on going anywhere so long as you’re here.”

“Well stop doing dangerous things,” he retorted but gave a small humorous laugh, “At the very least, think before you act.”

Asana laughed with him, “…Same to you.”

She suspected that this was why he was losing sleep and asked him if that was the case, “Is this why you haven’t been sleeping? Because of what happened with Azusa?”

Klaus opened his eyes and looked down into hers, “…Yes, and no.”

“Then what is it? Will you tell me?”

Klaus paused for a moment but chose to be honest with her, “…Had it not been for another person that I haven’t seen for a long time, and that I didn’t expect to see there, you would have died. I couldn’t break through the barrier to get to you and was overwhelmed by fear that I was going to lose you that I couldn’t focus my magic properly. I’m embarrassed to admit that I failed to protect you when you needed me the most and after you had so bravely fought for my innocence as well. I keep thinking about that night and how and why things turned out the way that it did. It’s the first time where I felt so afraid and worried that I was going to lose someone I care about so much.”

Asana remembered that night as clearly as Klaus had and never knew it bothered him so much. Despite being the person that was almost murdered, she didn’t think of his rescue as a failure and disagreed with him, “But you did save me Klaus, in more ways than you know,” she insisted, “In the end, you showed up and you did protect me. I was scared but as soon as I saw you, I wasn’t afraid anymore. Your magic was amazing and inspiring that I hope to be somewhere on your level one day.”

“How can you seem to be okay with what happened that night?” Klaus wondered, her response something he was expecting to hear her say but could never understand her way of thinking, “You’re so…weird.”

“Hey! That’s so mean!” she chuckled, but then her voice reverted back to having some seriousness within her melodic tone, “Why dwell on something that didn’t happen? Yes, I could’ve died, but in the end I didn’t and I get to live another day. I also don’t regret my actions. I helped clear your name and a unicorn’s life was spared. After losing my family when I was young, I often do wonder how I survived but I did and that’s what’s important. There is no use spending my energy thinking and fearing what could have been a different outcome. Besides, my mother always told me to keep smiling no matter what because being in the light is better than being in the shadows. I add my own philosophy on the matter too. That being, even the darkest moments of our lives can be temporary if we will it but happiness should always be permanent for it makes our lives fuller.”

Klaus was silent after hearing her response. He never once doubted her tenacity but on the surface she can appear to be quite airheaded, but underneath her happy exterior he was sure that her intelligence and wisdom came from a traumatic period in her own life. All he could do was stare into her eyes to try and make sense of what kind of a person she was and who she would end up becoming.

“…You really are a mystery to me sometimes,” Klaus eventually remarked.

Asana wasn’t sure if that was a compliment, “Was that supposed to be a compliment?”

Klaus flashed her a soft smile, “Yes, this time that was a compliment.”

Klaus watched her hand move across to cup his large cheek into her hand and felt her thumb glide across the dark bags that had formed underneath his eyes, “You need to rest Klaus,” she remarked, “I’m right here with you but I sense that my brush with death isn’t the only thing on your mind, right?”

He remembered Serge being there that night and remembered Asana calling him Randy and wanted to know where she had even met him, “Where did you meet Randy?” Klaus asked, curious as to how the two could have crossed paths.

He watched her closely and saw her remembering how she met the man who, unknowingly to her, was the same person she looked up to and the same person that he had loathed for a long time because of that incident six years ago.

“He was very strange,” she recalled, and that didn’t surprise Klaus at all, “You were in custody at the time that I met him. I couldn’t sleep and there was a disturbance in the northern valley. Magical creatures and animals were escaping the area in droves and I went to investigate. Randy was the first person I had seen there and he kept asking if I was a magical creature or a spirit. He had come from his dorm to investigate the disturbance in the forest too. I didn’t know then that Azusa was behind the disturbance, but he was there too.”

“Did the two seem friendly?” Klaus asked.

Asana nodded, “Apparently they were roommates in the dorms. But, you also heard him say that Randy had made that shikigami for him too.”

“Yes, I heard him say that,” Klaus said.

Klaus knew that she was telling the truth but if Serge had been roaming the dorms, he surely would have seen him but it was entirely possible for Serge was a strange and unpredictable person who probably took great measures to conceal himself so that they wouldn’t meet.

“If Randy is who you are concerned about, I wouldn’t worry because I don’t think Randy was involved in the incident with Azusa,” she continued, “If you think he’s dangerous, I don’t sense a malicious vibe from him at all. He tore the shikigami and even wanted to help capture Azusa so that he didn’t hurt anyone.”

Internally, Klaus wanted to be angry that she was defending him but knew that it would be unfair to her because she truly had no idea who he really was and what he did six years ago. He wondered if he should tell her. Unaware, his soft and loving stare into her eyes had changed into a glare.

“…What’s wrong?” she asked after seeing his soft stare turn into that glare, which only a few months ago scared her, but not anymore, “Did I say something wrong?” she removed her hand from his cheek, afraid she had offended him.

Usually always aware of his emotions, he quickly realised that he was glaring into her eyes, “…It’s nothing,” he replied, his answer short.

“Is it because Randy helped you that you can’t sleep?” she wondered.

For Klaus, that was a complicated answer but for her to understand he would have to explain, “It’s complicated,” he answered, “I’m truly grateful for his help, working together we were able to stop Azusa and the Nue, and no one was killed.”

He didn’t like Serge using Randy’s name in place of his own since it wasn’t his to use and it was his mistake six years ago that cost Randy his life. He didn’t like the idea of Serge sneaking around the academy after disappearing six years ago. Inside, that same anger he felt six years ago began to burn once again.

“…Six years ago,” Klaus began to speak, breaking the silence, “Something happened in the northern valley in the meadow not far from the spring where Azusa tried to slay that unicorn and almost killed you. There were two other students and myself. One of the students attempted to summon a magical creature using a summoning circle but had written a component incorrectly and he hadn’t checked it before performing the spell. The other student, my roommate and closest friend here at the academy at the time, lost his life that night. The one who had performed it, disappeared and I haven’t seen him since that night. I was full of rage at him for being so reckless that I accused him of murdering our classmate.”

Klaus felt Asana’s body relax once again and watched her big round eyes flicker with surprise, “I didn’t know, I’m sorry,” she said, sympathising with him as she didn’t know about the traumas he had been through, “That night with Azusa must have reminded you of that night, huh?”

“Yes,” Klaus agreed, but unknown to her it was more so because Serge had appeared.

“…If I can ask,” Asana began slowly, “What…did he accidentally summon?”

If Klaus didn’t want to talk about something, he would simply not talk about it but was comfortable sharing this much of his memory with her, “A basilisk. If you directly look that creature in the eye you will die instantly. However, if you indirectly stare at it, you will be petrified. My friend was petrified that night.”

Klaus watched her eyes widened with fright as he recalled his memory and shared it with her, “…There’s no cure for petrification, right?” Asana asked, remembering the lecture he had given in class moments ago, “I read that in the textbook just now in class.”

“That’s right,” Klaus said, “Maybe, someone will find a cure one day. Though, until it is found, he remains, to his day, in a state of petrification at his family’s house. I keep remembering this memory because of where I almost lost you was almost in the exact same location.”

“It makes sense now,” Asana understood why he was so restless, “I get it now.”

Klaus didn’t need to elaborate any further but felt relieved he was able to tell her the bulk of the memory without dragging names into the recollection of his memory of that night. Although that was a difficult memory to openly discuss, he found himself relaxed and comfortable with her right by his side. It was another reason why he had fallen in love with her, because she had come to understand him and who he was so quickly.

“I’m so sorry for your friend, Klaus,” she apologised.

He felt her hand gently cup his large cheek again and felt her press her forehead against his, “I’m hopeful someday that someone will find a cure and we can release your friend together. But, in order to do that, you need to rest first otherwise I’m scared you’re going to collapse. You may be a gifted wizard, but you are still a human being that has his physical limits just like everyone else.”

Klaus agreed with her, “I know.”

“That tea will help.”

Klaus didn’t think so, “I don’t need the tea,” he assured her.

For a moment, he released his left hand from where it helped to embrace her body as she laid upon his lap. Grabbing his quill, he jotted down words on a piece of paper and then neatly folded it and sent it flying out of the open window on the opposite side of the room. Outside, the orange shades of the afternoon light was dimming into darkness as night began to fall across the kingdom.

“What was that about?” Asana watched it flutter away like a butterfly.

“Help me sleep tonight,” he said.

Asana’s eyes widened as he asked that and he could see her mind going to dirty thoughts. It amused him, but that was not what he was asking, though it was the perfect opportunity to tease her, “Good thing you locked the door,” he teased.

“Wait…,” she protested, thinking he was going to do things to her and her cheeks turning red by the suggestive thoughts going through her mind, “That’s not—.”

Before she could finish speaking, he lifted her up in his arms, carried her across the room and laid her down on the sofa inside the office, on the opposite left side of his desk and below the windows of the office, where he sometimes took a nap during his breaks and breathed in the fresh air that drafted through the cosy room.

“K-Klaus, wait…,” Asana half-protested.

Her shifting eyes were amusing to him but he gave her a gentle kiss on her forehead before climbing over the top of her. Somehow, that kiss had her no longer protesting, even though Klaus could see on her face that she thought he had intentions to make love to her.

He chuckled, “One day,” he said, placing a gentle kiss on her cheek and then on her lips, “Not today though.”

“Huh?” she was confused, “Then what do you want me to do?”

“Stay with me here,” he said.

“Huh?” she sounded her confusion once again, “But…the tea?”

“I don’t need the tea,” he repeated, “…You.”

His body gently pressed against hers and with a couple of shifts they found some comfort laying together on the sofa. He buried his face into the crook of her neck and closed his eyes. He could feel that she now understood what he meant as her body comfortably relaxed underneath his and she wrapped an arm around his body while the fingers of the other hand lovingly stroked through his golden locks.

“…I get it,” she whispered, with a smile forming across her face “Sleep well. I’m right here with you,” she said, and kissed him on the forehead too.

A delicious smell of nutmeg, ginger and burning wood clashed, filling the spaces of the open spaced in warmth, shielding those inside the cottage from the snow cold temperatures outside.

Golden light off the flames raging in the fireplace reflected off the glittery baubles strung decoratively around the ceiling high Christmas tree, along with garlands of tinsel and colourful lights. Likewise, the vintage, cosy home had been decked in Christmas decorations too.

Garlands made of green leaves, fruit and lights dangled off the low awnings of the arches that separated each room in the open home. Tinsel with dangling golden stars wrapped around the banister of the staircase, stockings hung off the fireplace and the dining table had a Christmas themed tablecloth and decorations layout. A wreath had been fixed to the front door and a cheery display of Christmas lights designed the exterior of the home.

“Goodnight,” Asana and Serge sang their children to sleep and kissed their heads once they drifted off into dreamland, proud smiles working their way onto their faces.

Gently grabbing hold of his wife’s hand, Serge and Asana quietly left the room, turning out the lights and closing the door, so that their little children could get some rest before opening presents in the morning.

“They are too perfect, wait until Randy sees how much they have grown since he last saw them?” Serge smiled, looking downstairs to where his brown-haired friend was soundly sleeping.

“It’s been two years since we freed him from petrification, has he spoken about how he’s coping with everything?”

Serge shook his head, but it was not entirely true that Randy hasn’t spoken about how he’s coping with all that’s new, “He only talks about it every now and again. I think the hardest thing he copes with is having lost his father during those years and then losing his mother last year. He likes being here with us, though.”

Going to a closet, Asana pulled out a heap of wrapped presents from Santa for the kids, but Serge grabbed the entire sack and carted the haul downstairs, quietly moving to not wake up Randy, snuggled on the fold out couch. Neatly, they stacked the presents.

“The kids made gingerbread cookies for Santa,” she smiled, the memory of their adorable and energetic faces when she helped them make the crispy cookies for Santa.

A childish smile spread across Serge’s cute face, “I can’t wait to eat them all! I loooooove their sweets,” they smelt delicious too, the nutmeg and ginger lingering in the air.

She smiled and looked up to him, “After we eat them and give the carrots to the rabbits outside, are we going to keep our tradition upstairs?” Wrapping her hands around his neck, she kissed his cheek.

“Aww,” he pouted that he only got the kiss on the cheek, “I want more,” his bright smile embraced his features, and as she pulled away he grabbed her wrist and pulled her against him.

Their lips clashed as he kissed her passionately, suddenly that childlike nature of his had disappeared and his maturity schooled his features. One of his large hands cupped her cheek, along with a bunch of her brown wavy locks of hair, and the other supported her waist. “Nmm… Serge…,” she faintly moaned.

He pulled away first, savouring her sweet taste, and bumped his head against her forehead. His candy orange eyes sparkled with moisture as he looked into her rose coloured orbs, and smiled cheekily. “I have a present when you get upstairs anyway, so let’s hurry up because I want my present from you.”

He slipped away from her and headed towards those delicious cookies and the carrots the kids had laid out for Santa and his reindeers. She was wary of that smile he wore. “When you smile like that, I get scared,” she admitted, and joined him at the kitchen counter.

“Don’t be scared of me,” his grin showed his white teeth but she knew underneath his grin, he had something planned, “I guarantee you will love it!”

They ate the cookies, making such to leave a few crumbs to show the kids he had been. The carrots laid out for the reindeers were handed to the family of rabbits who had a burrow in the nearby woods. Now, it was time for Serge’s surprise.

Earlier in the day, he had set up their bedroom for his Christmas surprise. Using magic, he made a magic tool that could sense a person and programmed it to change their clothes into something sexy, except this was themed sexy Christmas. He followed her up the stairs, to watch her clothes transform.

She opened the door, and she became shocked at the sight before her, not quite yet in line with the sensor trip. Their bedroom floor had been covered in a blanket of snow, the roof had disappeared and a light rain of snow fell to the ground without piling the snow too high. Around the wood of the bed were strings of lights and thick comfortable blankets piled on top of silk red sheets. The ordinary purple wallpaper turned into a delicious and colourful design of candy canes, stars and snowflakes. She was stunned.

“Serge, what is this?” she smiled, stepping further into their bedroom and crossing the trip sensor. Suddenly, a light of magic enveloped her body and her comfortable pyjamas changed into a revealing red stain bow-tie outfit. “Arghh!” she screamed, and glared at him, “What kind of a present is this, Serge?” she growled at him.

“This will explain everything,” he pulled out a present from his pocket, and smiled cutely at her, “See, I love you soooooo much that I got you two presents for our little tradition,” he handed her the small gift.

However, the outfit she wore left little to the imagination, and she covered herself with her hands. Made from red silk, her strapless tied into a bow tie from the front , tied over her breasts and just covering the nipples. Her slender stomach is exposed, thankfully he had made sure the snow covered room was warm, and red satin G-string matched the top, and tied like a bow. She was a present waiting to be unwrapped by him.

She looked down at the wrapped gift and back up to him, not willing to remove her hands from her exposed body, “You open it,” she suggested, watching his lips curl into a mature grin, one that always made her weak at the knees.

“Fine, fine, but I don’t get why your hiding from me. After all, I have seen everything,” he teased tugging on the string of the tie around her breasts. “Ready?”

She watched him unwrap his second gift. Inside, was a mixed tape but he jokingly had only one song on it. Using his magic, he made the room soundproof and suddenly a familiar Christmas song played through the room. ‘All I want for Christmas is you…,’ she recognised it as Mariah Carey’s voice. She wasn’t a fan of this song, and heard her husband laughing.

“…Is this a joke or is this you hitting on me?” she wondered, giving him a maddened glare.

He grinned, and stepped closer to her until her back hit the wall. She loved her sweet candy-loving husband, but she loved it when he turned passionate like this. That childish nature to his maturity made him very appealing. When her back hit the wall, and he held her hands against the wall, “It’s obvious, right?” he whispered in her ear, brushing his sweet lips up and down her neck and across to her lips, “There’s one present I want, and I’m ready to unwrap my present now,” his lips attached themselves to hers.