The Schooling of the Spell Caster

Glenda gave a long, slow look at Quinten and said nothing. Instead, she looked back at Daniel and the girls. "Let's get out of here. We have much to talk about. And I want to see Grace and meet that gnome of yours. Shall we go?"

Quinten rose. "Now see here!"

Glenda made a shooing motion at Quinten. "Let's go. Now."

Daniel didn't need another invitation. He opened the door to the office and held it. "After you, ma'am."

They left the office, with Amy, Jasmine, and even Amber, all running their hand over his bottom as they passed him.

Roger was last and smirked at Daniel playfully. "I won't do that, son. Don't worry!"

Daniel chuckled, liking Roger even more. He closed the door as he exited. As he walked away, he heard Quinten in his office.

"Fuck!"

Amber led them back to their suite. As they walked in, Bitty leapt off the couch where she had been lying between Grace's open legs. She wiped at her mouth. "Oh, err, hi! Welcome back! I was... I was just..."

Grace stood and wiped at her crotch before bending down and pulling on her pair of black leather pants. "Glenda! Good to see you again. Roger. You're still looking fit for an old man." Bitty grabbed at a few bottles she had placed beside the couch on the carpet. To Daniel, they looked like her mana potions.

Glenda and Roger headed over to Grace and they hugged and laughed for a moment. Daniel looked at his ladies and they shrugged.

Bitty rushed into the kitchen with her stolen bottles of Night Fae mana and Daniel and the ladies got everyone sitting down. Roger sat and then stood up and looked back at the couch and wiped his ass. "Hmm. A little wet."

Daniel saw Grace blush, and it startled him. He made a questioning look at her and she mouth "later" to him.

Bitty came back out, minus her potions, and holding a tray with a steaming pot of tea, fixings, and some biscuits she had made, she called gnome bread.

Glenda took a bite and then stared at it. "Shortbread. This is shortbread. What did you call it, Bitty?"

"Gnome bread. We don't call it that. It's derogatory."

Glenda laughed, and it sounded like little bells ringing. "Oh, I suppose it could be seen that way. But only if you really wanted it to be. Shortbread came from the dwarves. They didn't have a problem with the word short."

Bitty grumbled and said nothing.

They sipped tea, and Grace and Glenda caught up a little. Finally, Glenda put down her cup and turned to Daniel and his ladies, all together on the other couch, holding hands.

"First, congratulations on forming your circle. I was worried there for a while. You were so close. I couldn't see what was stopping it, but then I watched Daniel free that curse from Amber. Amber, my dear, I had no idea you carried that. I would have removed it all those years ago. The curse was a subtle little thing but ultimately a powerful one. It built strength over the years. Slowly growing."

Amber looked down at her feet.

"How do you feel now?" she asked her.

Amber looked up. "Better. I feel like I've stepped outside for the first time. I was so used to feeling angry. Upset at everything. Now those feelings are gone, and I feel... I feel a little lost, to be honest." She looked at her circle and Daniel. "But with the circle and Daniel, I'm not having any difficulty adjusting. But I remember how I was, you know. I keep moving to that again, but it fades so quickly. Like a lost memory."

Glenda looked a little guilty. "Well," she started and looked at Roger, who nodded at her. "I, ah, erased your memories of that day. Most of them. The horrors of it, for sure. I thought it was a kindness at the time. Perhaps I also stopped you from recognising the effects the curse laid on you. And healing properly. I apologise, Amber."

Amber looked shaken and Daniel squeezed her hand and sent a feeling of love down the bond. Amber gasped and looked at Daniel.

"But you, Daniel," interrupted Glenda, looking him square in the eye. "You saw it right away, didn't you? Having magic sight is not known amongst humans. It's unheard of. Impossible, really. Or to most fae, too, to be honest. Only the fae queens can boast that particular talent. And a few magical creatures. But you are most definitely human, Daniel. Like your parents. Human as human can be. Except now you carry great power. Isn't that strange?"

Daniel frowned. "I know nothing of all that. I can do what I can do. I can't explain it."

"Neither can I. With your permission, I would like to look more into that. I think it is important to understand. If only for you to be able to control it better. And understand the limitations. You all need to be at the top of your game. And soon. You'll only be here at the Academy for less than a year. After that, you will be on your own. You need to be ready for that. Everyone will be out to get you." Glenda looked around the room and saw nodding heads.

"Wonderful. You understand. Are there any questions?"

Daniel cleared his throat, and he looked at Roger before speaking to Glenda. "Your husband, is he bound?"

A sad expression crossed Glenda's face. "No, dear. I could never do that to him. I love him too much. And he isn't a spell caster, anyway. But I could have bound him. Witches can bind any man. But they only crave spell casters."

"You've never had a circle?" asked Daniel, uncertain if he was being impolite.

Glenda laughed. "No. Witches like me don't require circles."

"Like you? What do you mean? What kind of witch are you?"

Glenda looked at Roger.

"Go ahead, love. Tell him. Tell them all. They have a right to know before you train them."

Glenda sighed. "I would have your oaths first. I would bind you to secrecy."

Daniel shuddered. Binding Oaths were old school magic that anyone could do. If you broke the oath, you would pay the consequences. Depending on the oath, the penalty varied. For very serious oaths, the penalty was death. Instantaneously. He looked at his ladies and then at Bitty and Grace.

Grace raised a hand up. "Don't worry about me. I already made the oath to her. It's safe. You'll need to know what she is before she teaches you. Trust me."

They all agreed after hearing Grace and the oaths were made. Daniel felt the oath bind to him and with his sight he saw a sliver of silver light reach out between Glenda and him.

Glenda shuddered and then moaned a little.

Grace laughed. "For her, oaths are a little erotic. Gives her a tingle."

"Grace!" admonished Glenda, and then laughed. "It's true. Love it. Okay. I'm not a witch. Not exactly."

"What?!" came a chorus from all of them, except Grace and Roger.

Glenda peeled another laugh of bells. "I'm more than that. I'm a Seer." She looked at Grace for a moment. "This is why I had you swear an oath. That I'm a seer is something the world cannot know. I would be in more danger than normal. There are many people in this world that would happily capture me, chain me to a wall, and force visions from me for their benefit.

"I can see the future. Sometimes. Not well, but enough to help steer things. But I do witchcraft, too. But here's the secret of witches. They are really just spell casters, too. Just specialised with ritual magic. It's all the same thing, really, when you boil away the water."

Grace raised her eyes to the ceiling, but then nodded a little. "Kind of true. There are nuances."

Glenda scoffed. "We've had this discussion many times, Grace Gales. You know I'm right."

"Mostly right."

"Yes, mostly right."

Grace growled and Daniel sensed this was an old and sore topic between them. "Witches form circles. Only witches can do that. It proves my point. There are nuances. It's not enough to simply say, anyone who can do magic is the same. They're not and you know it."

Glenda winked at Daniel. "Nonsense. It is all mana manipulation. Simple as that."

"Bullshit," declared Bitty, surprising Glenda. "Magic has many forms. The user must manipulate it with the skill that makes up who they are. Those skills can be divided into classes. There are spell casters, witches, seers, warlocks, sorcerers, and many other variations. I agree they all use mana, but how they access it and manipulate it is within the code of how they are made up." She pointed at Grace. "She's correct." She pointed at Glenda. "You are not."

Glenda stared at Bitty. "It's truly amazing how gnomes are now." She looked at Daniel. "You broke their curse, didn't you?"

Daniel gawked at her. "How did you know?"

Roger answered for her. "She saw it in a vision. Perfect timing, too."

"Perfect timing?"

Glenda laughed again. "My most powerful visions are when I am being pleasured. Roger had pushed me to a new height. When it happens, I drag Roger into it. His pleasure was immense. So was mine. Thank you.

"But to answer your question, Daniel. I am not a witch that forms circles. Nor can I bind a spell caster unless I go to great lengths. That process will ensure the male is bound but will hate me for all their life. I love Roger. I could never do that to him."

Daniel looked uncomfortable. "I am bound, and I don't hate them. Amy and Jasmine were in love before we formed the circle. We've always assumed that love made it different. Were we wrong about that?"

"No. Not wrong exactly. Love plays a part, but there is something else at play. Something I cannot see, despite my efforts. I am blocked by something powerful."

"Like Syn?" offered Daniel.

"No. Not her. By being a seer, I can see the games the gods play, more or less. Their cause and effect, mostly. Syn is watching you all very closely. Even helping from time to time. No, it is something else. I've never felt it before."

"What does it feel like?"

"Power. All-consuming power. But not bad. Not intentionally. There's something lurking behind all this. Some power at play. I would say it is amused. But that's the problem with seer visions. They are often filled with images my mind conjures to explain concepts I cannot understand."

"Is it Quinten?" asked Jasmine.

Glenda laughed again and this time Grace joined her. "That fool? No. He's being manipulated by his so-called One God. Either he's blind to it, or a willing contributor. Not sure what's worse. He has a role to play. A minor one.

"What I see most of all, when the visions come, is war. Massive war. And fire, always fire. The world is heading toward a massive confrontation. And always I see you, Daniel, with your three witches standing proudly beside you. While all around you, there are flames."

"And Grace and Bitty?"

Glenda looked serious then. "Funny you should say that. Before, my visions were just you and the witches. Since you formed your circle, I catch glimpses of Bitty and Grace now, too. Somehow, they are part of your circle, and not part of it.

"Your circle is unique. Amber, you know that. Your mother was an expert in this. Never in my lifetime has a circle formed with a willing and loved spell caster in the centre. Although, I'm sure it must have happened before. Who can say? There's no record of it."

Bitty nodded her head. "The gnomes never found anything like that. Not once."

Glenda stared at Bitty for a moment and then resumed speaking. "Interesting. Where was I? Oh, right, circles. The weakness of all circles is the spell caster. They are hostages, and an unwilling participant. They may think they want it, but subconsciously, they are screaming as the trapped slaves they are, beholden to the whims of the witches who claimed and coerced him. Bound spell casters will fight the circle even while fighting for it. It's a horrible existence, and it always leads to violence and death. There is a reason all civilised nations kill witches on sight. They are an abomination. Make no mistake.

"But you are different. I sense and see nothing but greatness."

"Except for the world burning part," muttered Daniel.

"Yes, except for that," agreed Glenda.

Jasmine was watching Roger. "And you, Roger? How do you feel about it?"

Roger looked thoughtful. "I love Glenda with all my heart. We both know she could bind me. What we don't know is what would happen after that. I may feel everything is the same, but perhaps I would be a bound slave, with my subconscious angry and vindictive. We won't risk it. Simple as that. Besides, we love each other enough for a lifetime or two. We don't need anything else; do we love?"

Glenda gently shook her head and gave a warm smile to Roger. Daniel used his sight and could see a tendril from Glenda extending to Roger but not connecting to him. Instead, it wrapped around him and caressed him, harmless but caring. He smiled.

Glenda raised an eyebrow and Daniel, having no reason to hide what he had seen, described it to them. Glenda and Roger looked at each other in delight.

"Close enough, I say," murmured Glenda. She looked pleased.

Amber frowned. "I wish I could see that."

Daniel took her hand and used his sight, pushed it through their bond, and Amber gasped.

"How did you do that?" stammered Amber.

Daniel shrugged and did the same thing to Amy and Jasmine. They gasped and looked around at everyone, their eyes seeing something new.

Glenda stared at him. "Amazing. So many new things of wonder. A human, powerful in magic, and with the ability to see past the curtain of reality to the magic that lies behind it. Fascinating.

"Okay, tomorrow we start your training. The classroom is here in this suite. I know this suite and by the smell coming from outside in the garden, you ladies have already been busy planting and nurturing. This will be perfect. Get your rest. Tomorrow will be a busy day."

"I'll be staying for the training, Glenda," Grace said into the lull in the conversation. "So will Jason and Brian."

Daniel perked up at that and stared at Grace. She caught him staring and her cheeks were tinted red.

Glenda looked from Grace to Daniel and nodded. "I suspected you would. Roger and your team can teach the fighting stuff. I'll do all the witchy stuff. Roger and I should go.

"Amber, tomorrow I will speak to you about everything that happened between your mother, your father, and Gwydion, all right? You have a right to know. I'll answer all your questions. Until then, see you all tomorrow."

Glenda and Roger rose, and everyone walked them to the door. They hugged briefly and Daniel shook Roger's hand.

"Will I see you tomorrow as well, Roger?" asked Daniel.

"I go where Glenda goes."

"Um, if you don't mind me asking, what class are you?"

Roger pulled a small piece of wood from his pocket and suddenly it expanded into an ornate long bow. "Ranger."

"Oh!" replied Daniel, in surprise.

⭐

Later that night, Daniel lay in bed with everyone curled up next to him. It was a mass of limbs. On his chest was Jasmine, once again claiming her spot. Amy had her head on his shoulder. He could sense they were all asleep except Amy.

"What is it, love?" he asked her softly.

"It's Glenda and Roger. I find it so very sad they can't bond like us."

"Hmm, I actually think they can. They fear what they don't know, but we have already proven that love forms a greater bond with witches. I think if Glenda loves Roger, and he loves her, the bond will not be enslavement, but a permanent bond of love. I think they're scared. They've seen what circles can and will do with bound spell casters. But theirs is different. I'm sure of it."

Amy said nothing for a long time. "I think you should work with them on it. See what you can do."

"I will if they want it. I won't force it on them."

"Do you worry about her vision? Of us standing there while the world burns?"

"Hmm. No. I don't understand it enough, to be honest. How true are visions? Must they come to pass? Can we not find a better path on our own?"

"Gods, the fate and destiny argument. I hate it."

"Good, me too."

They fell into comfortable silence, listening to the snoring of the others. Someone tooted, and Daniel and Amy had to muffle their laughter.

Amy kissed his shoulder. "Everything is so much better with Amber in the circle. Isn't it?"

"It sure is. She's remarkable. You all are."

"I love you, Daniel Davies. Sometimes I feel my heart will burst with just how much I do."

Daniel kissed her forehead. "I love you too, Amy Albright. In the exact same way."

⭐

The next few months passed quickly. Every day at dawn, Glenda and Roger would arrive and begin the day's lessons. Glenda taught spell work and ritual magic, and Roger taught self-defence and fighting techniques. Grace helped with both, and Bitty made corrections that surprised Grace and Glenda the most.

Gnomes from around the Realm would show up on some schedule managed by Bitty and meet with Daniel. He had quickly decided early on that he would only accept a quick thanks and then he wanted them gone. Bitty understood and, as the Emissary, smoothed everything over. Daniel just hated the attention and repeated he only did what was right. The gnomes never stopped coming, however.

Grace disappeared for a time and returned with Jason and Brian. They took a spare room in the suite and soon joined in the training of the young spell caster and his witches. Their suite was filled to capacity, but Daniel never felt happier. He loved having people he trusted around him. Gone were his lonely days as a farmer in Acron. Now his days were filled with teachings, sparring, and laughter.

They had a cooking championship once. Daniel won, but he suspected Bitty let him win, and she finally admitted it when he swore off giving her any more mana specimens. Since then, their meals improved dramatically. Bitty was a chef of the highest order.

Amy, Jasmine, and Amber learned to cast spells like a spell caster. The few spells they could manage made them much more comfortable and gave them a stronger sense of security. They walked with more confidence and that confidence extended into the bedroom. Every night was a foursome now. A sextet when Grace and Bitty joined in. Which was also most nights.

Bitty appeared one day with a piece of paper and showed Daniel. It was a bank statement. Bitty had opened an account for them and deposited the profits from the sale of Daniel's mana potions, which was right when Daniel first learned about what she had been doing. The demand was extraordinary for the stuff. Daniel had been so pleased he had pulled Bitty away for an entire evening alone, and the next day, Bitty was walking funny for the first time.

As she said, "I've never been so fucking fucked as I was fucked last night..."

The days blurred together, and they lived in a microcosm of peace and bliss. Their relationship grew stronger. Trust blossomed. Everyone fit together in ways that surprised them all. Smiles were so common that finding anyone not smiling was a cause for concern.

Clothes became optional in the suite. Sex became open and honest. The first time Daniel walked in and found Jason balls deep in Brian, he turned and walked away. Now he barely looked despite their incessant groaning.

The ease of using spells had become second nature to Daniel and the girls. Their ability to defend themselves with a variety of weapons and household goods surprised them all. But as Roger said, sometimes you just needed to know how to punch someone in the face.

Jason even learned things from Roger.

Brian discovered Glenda's love for having two men at once and discovered Roger had been watching Jason and him for a long time. Glenda loved to brag about being airtight every night, and Daniel scratched his head until Grace explained it to him.

Soon there were only two rooms being slept in. Daniel, Amy, Jasmine, Amber, Grace, and Bitty in one, and Glenda, Jason, Brian, and Roger in another. Two families living under one roof.