Early Gift

“Stop,” Lief said, his hand pressed on his chest. “That’s it.”

“50 minutes and 20 seconds,” Aine said, staring at her pocket watch. “That’s a new record.”

Two months had passed. Lief and Aine had continued their deal. They had made some progress, but Lief knew they were still miles away from the one true love potion.

Lief sighed. “Still not enough.” He sat on the counter, pushing aside some of the bottles. “But I suppose it is an improvement. You have to work harder though.”

“Please…I’m already working harder,” Aine retorted. “Thanks to you, I am now meeting two suitors per week and brewing two draughts of love potion per week.” She pulled out a bottle from one of the drawers. She shook the bottle, which contained what seemed to be tiny glittering wings. “I’m running out of fairy wings, too. And Cistine had been sick for a while, so she can’t help me procure more. You have to get me fairy wings soon. That was also part of the deal.”

“Sure. I know my ways in the black market.”

“You do? I guess that’s one of the perks of being more than 500 years old.”

“Again, you don’t have to keep repeating the 500 part.”

Lief… Cheddar’s voice suddenly rang in Lief’s ears. He was using his connection as Lief’s familiar to send a telepathic message. As they were usually together, Cheddar did not always use that means of communication. However, lately, Cheddar had been sending distant messages regularly. The Book is summoning you, Cheddar’s voice continued.

Lief sighed.

“What?” Aine asked. “Something up again?”

“The Book. I suppose I need to write something about you again.” Lief clapped his hands, and the Book appeared.

“And what will you write about me now? That I managed to make your heart beat for 50 minutes?”

“Sure. So Love can find out exactly what I’m doing.”

“You know…you haven’t really told me much about Love. Or about your curse. What is Love even, anyway?”

“It’s not something you need to know.”

“We had a deal.”

“Again, I promised to talk about myself. I didn’t promise to tell you everything.”

“Don’t you think I at least have the right to know about your curse since I’m trying to free you?”

“Then perhaps I’ll tell you…once you’ve freed me.”

Aine clicked her tongue.

“So now…” Lief took the quill from his cloak’s pocket. “What do I write about you?” He twirled the quill in his fingers. “There is nothing really. Honestly, recently I feel like the Book’s summons are becoming too random.”

“Then how about we do something you can write about?”

“What?”

“Let’s go somewhere.”

“Where exactly?”

“Take me somewhere.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Come on. It’s been a while since you’ve displayed your magic to me. Show me something interesting again.”

“I’m not wasting hearts again.”

“I gave you love potion just now. You should also do your part of the bargain.”

“I can’t just keep wasting hearts just because you feel like seeing magic.”

“Do you know what next Monday is?”

“Do I have to know?”

“It’s my birthday,” Aine said, making Lief pause for a moment. “So take me somewhere nice,” Aine continued.

“I’m not one of your servants, just to be clear.”

“But I am your soon-to-be savior. I will break your curse, remember? I should deserve a birthday gift.”

Lief sighed. “Where to?”

“Yes!” Aine clapped her hands in celebration. “You decide.”

Aine grabbed Lief’s arm as he clapped his hands.

***

Aine opened her eyes to a vast expanse of…sand. Her face fell. She looked around the familiar terrain. Nothing but sand dunes everywhere. This was the East End of Berwin, the small desert that separated the land from the ocean.

“Really…” She clutched Lief’s arm tighter, tight enough to make him groan in pain. “Of all places…the East End?”

Lief struggled to free his arm from Aine’s grasp.

“What do you expect we could do here?” Aine continued, finally releasing Lief. “Can’t you have taken me to another kingdom? How about Erlantz?”

“That would could cost way too much hearts. You’re not that important for that much hearts.”

Aine kicked his leg, and Lief almost stumbled. “You could have at least picked a better place. This is not worth my love potion, and definitely not something I deserve as a birthday gift. I demand something else.”

Lief sighed. “You are always so demanding.”

He clapped his hands thrice. Hearts appeared around them, and in an instant, stems of plants began to sprout from the ground, pushing away the sand. From the tips of the stems, red flower buds began to pop.

As the buds began to open and bloom, Aine’s mouth fell open as well. She spun, and around them, blooming in that vast desert, were red roses. She shrieked in glee. That was magic. All around her was magic.

She ran toward the nearest rose, but as she touched it, she felt nothing. She tried to grab the flower, but her hand slid through it. She waved her hand, and it passed through the flower like she was trying to grasp air. It’s the same with the hearts. She turned toward Lief with a questioning look.

“I am not able to make something out of nothing,” Lief said.

“So these are?”

Lief clapped his hands, and in an instant, the roses vanished. “Illusions,” he said. “Not real.”

“Hmmm…still fascinating though I must admit.”

Lief clapped his hands again, and the roses reappeared.

Aine beamed. “This is just sooo amazing! How long do they last?” Aine asked.

“Depends on how much hearts I’m willing to waste.”

“Can you waste just a tiny little bit more for me?” Aine winked.

Lief sighed. He clapped his hands once more, and colorful butterflies suddenly appeared, their tiny fluttering wings hovering over the roses.

Aine screamed and jumped in glee, running around to chase the butterflies.

***

She winked at him, and Lief sighed to hide the smile forming on his lips. She looked too happy even though she found out it was an illusion. He clapped his hands once again to create butterfly illusions, and he just stood there as she pranced around, like a kid who was gifted a set of new toys.

He then remembered the Book. Yeah, I’m supposed to write something, right? He clapped his hands to make the Book appear. He looked back at Aine, who was now examining a butterfly closely. He took his quill and wrote the words, “She’s like a kid when she is happy.” And I’m glad she is happy. Lief stopped writing. What the hell am I doing?