Brew 10

Blaise stood in the middle of his living room. The house bare; his belongings packed-some already loaded in the carriage bound for the capital, others stored away in the loft in case he ever returned. Leaning over the desk to close the window, Blaise caught his reflect in the glass. His eyes narrowed as they traced the scare beneath his eye.

The shard from the teacup Aria had thrown had cut deeper then expected. Even after using his healing ointment, a faint scare remained. It might fade over time, but it would not completely disappear. A permanent reminder of what was lost between them.

With a quiet sigh, he locked the latch.

“Come now, Master Blaise,” the driver called from outside, his voice cutting through the morning stillness.

Grabbing a small bag and his suitcase, Blaise stepped outside. He paused, taking one final look toward the forest before turning to the driver. “Can we stop at the cottage near the village entrance before we set off?”

The driver nodded, motioning for Blaise to hop up beside him. “Ten minutes,” he warned. “We’ve got ground to cover.”

The carriage rolled forward, gravel crunching under the wheels as they set towards the entrance of the village. Soon Mama’s cottage came into view.

Pulling up outside, Blaise climbed down with bag in hand, and knocked on the door gently. Mama opened the door, eyes softening as she saw Blaise standing before him. “Hello Mama,” Blaise spoke up, trying to keep his composure. “Though I guess this is goodbye.”

Tears welled up in her eyes as she pulled him into a hug. “You’ve been a delight to have in the village, child,” she whispered. Pulling back she cupped his cheeks. “You’ll keep in touch, won’t you?”

“Of course,” Blaise assured as he held up the bag. “I have a favour to ask. Could you keep this? In case... Aria ever comes back.”

Mama looked at the back, then the scar on his face. She nodded and took it without saying a word.

“Thank you,” Blaise whispered, embracing Mama once more before the driver called him back.

Blaise sat comfortably beside the driver as the driver began to pull away. He looked back at the village, his eyes widening as the villagers had gathered outside – waving and shouting goodbyes. His heart swelled, though it felt bittersweet as Aria wasn’t there.

He turned back in his seat, lips pressed into a tight line.

“We should reach the capital by tomorrow lunchtime,” the driver said, glancing up at the clear sky. “It’s so quiet out here. You can hear the birds sing.”

“Mm,” Blaise replied, noncommittal. He closed his eyes, letting the wind and birdsong wash over him.

“What’s got you so glum?” the driver asked after a pause, casting a glance his way. When Blaise didn’t answer, the man laughed, slapping his knee. “As, I see it now. You’re leaving the girl you love behind, aren’t you?”

“Something like that,” Blaise muttered, sinking into his seat. Did he love Aria? She was beautiful, kind and curious – and she had made him feel seen in ways few others had. But she was a fae and he was a wizard. Their worlds were too different.

After what happened, he certainly learnt that the hard way.

“Well,” the driver chuckled, holding up his hand to reveal a worn wedding ring, catching the light, “us humans, we rush. There’s this pressure to find love early, to settle down quick. But you – you’ve got time. You can wait for something real. And when you find it, you have the equivalent of a human’s lifetime to enjoy it.”

Blaise stared ahead, silent.

Love had never been a priority to him. His magic always came first however looking back on the past few weeks, this certainly didn’t feel like the case. He had spent more time brewing tea and watching the stars then studying his spell works.

His time with Aria, felt more precious to him then his magic had in the short amount of time he had spent with her. It felt like home.

Blaise bit his lip, tears slipping down his cheek. “Yeah.” He whispered. “A lifetime to love.”