Chapter 4

“All right I’m only doing this once ok,” Cassidy explained to an eager Jayna who quickly ran off to set up three bottles on three boxes a safe distance away from the main house. “So Brita is?” Cassidy asked Callie who was standing nearby while Jayna set up.

“Honestly she’s taking it pretty well all things considered,” Callie shrugged. “She’s not known for her charm. This is actually just how she usually is most of the time.”

“Well now I feel sorry for you.”

“Don’t be. Growing up with her built up my resistances.”

“Sure,” Cassidy said with a giggle.

“Does that look good!?” Jayna shouted a distance away.

“Yes dear now come back over here where it’s safer,” Cassidy answered. Jayna began a jog back over to where Cassidy and Callie were standing.

“Ready?” Jayna said eagerly as she stood next to the couple.

“I know I am,” Callie said with equal excitement. “I love watching you strut your stuff.” Cassidy blushed a little and took a stance, grabbing her staff with a loose grip.

Jayna begged to see some kind of fire magic, but Cassidy managed to talk her down to lightening magic, something that would be a little less destructive if Cassidy missed. It was a less likely magic to miss too. Fire tended to focus on large explosions, whereas lightening was more precise in its aiming. Which isn’t to say that it couldn’t hit more than one target. It could, it just took a little bit of finesse, but the result could be just as impressive to onlookers.

Cassidy outstretched her staff and focused. For this to work she would need to will where she wanted the lighting to go before she fired the spell off. Cassidy was pretty practiced though, so this wasn’t as big of a deal as it seemed. With the course plotted in her head in a clear vision Cassidy began to channel the spell. She channeled the magic in her own body outward forming the various ambient energies in the air and earth around her into concentrated lightning based magic and she moved this magic to be temporarily stored in the crystal at the top of her staff. It would only be there for a moment though. Just long enough for Cassidy to focus the energy into the specific spell she wanted, and to imprint the path she wanted it to take.

The whole thing took only a moment, only long enough for Cassidy to take in a deep breath, and as she exhaled she released the structured lighting energy into a bolt that fired from the crystal in her staff. In an instant the lightning bolt shot from Cassidy’s staff to the first bottle in the line of three. After a second that bottle exploded with a crack, and the bolt jumped to the next bottle, and after a similar delay onto the next. As the last bottle exploded the bolt shot back into the crystal on Cassidy’s staff. The crystal crackled with lightning for a moment before Cassidy used some of her magic again to reshape the lightning magic into something she could absorb back into her body. It was not only a way for her to not waste her own stores of magic but to also keep the stray lightning bolt from hitting something it shouldn’t.

As Cassidy exhaled feeling the magic swell in her Callie gave an applause and Jayna cheered.

“Awesome!” Jayna said excitedly.

“Yeah babe great as always,” Callie echoed Jayna’s excitement. Cassidy blushed.

“Thanks,” Cassidy brushed the praise off.

“Can you do it again?” Jayna asked hopefully.

“What did I just tell you?” Cassidy sighed.

“I know,” Jayna said in defeat. “It was worth a shot. I’m gonna go fore mom flips out on me.”

“Yeah good idea,” Callie chuckled as Jayna ran off back toward the house.

“This whole thing is crazy to me,” Cassidy said tying her staff to her back with some rope.

“Yeah I guess it can be. I didn’t want to ruin the whole appeal for you. You always seemed so fascinated with this stuff, but it’s got just as much problems as the stuff you got back home.”

“I’m realizing that now. Speaking of back home I learned that I’d be the one collaring you.”

“Let’s not dwell on it,” Callie said with a nervous giggle. “Didn’t we just say it was a stupid old tradition with a ton of baggage?”

“Oh no you’re not getting off that easy. You were so sure of yourself, but now I know you were just deflecting this whole time.”

“Here we go,” Callie said with a sigh. “Listen kitten if you really think you can handle it then sure I’ll let you try putting a collar on this.”

“You did just watch me eviscerate some bottles right?”

“And it was very impressive how you slayed those inanimate objects sweetie.” Cassidy stuck her tongue out indignantly and the two shared a laugh.

“Anyway, regardless of the drama, the plan's still the same. Which means I’m still stuck as the bride’s maid. Never the bride.”

“Yeah just with even more walking on eggshells.”

“We’ll be fine,” Callie brushed off the concern. The two were slowly making their way back to the house where everyone was gathering for a dinner. Of course Brita was the main focus of the dinner but some of the more distant relatives, Callie included also got some attention from others who hadn’t seen them in a while.

For the most part it seemed a lot of the Callgahorn remembered Cassidy’s melt down, even if Jayna had more than forgiven her for it everyone else gave her a wide berth. Everyone gathered in the public floor where tons of food was laid out buffet style from the various different smaller family groups, and had situated themselves among the tables that were spread out among the open room. Even the cuccobos were taking part in the copious amounts of food. Cassidy was busy trying not to be noticed while filling her plate of the local cuisine when strangely Marta, Jayna’s mother, approached Cassidy with a smile and a plate of cookies.

“Cassidy?”

“Oh hi,” Cassidy said in shock that she was actually being addressed by someone. “I’m sorry but you’re?”

“Marta,” Marta said with a strained smile. “Jayna’s mother.”

“Oh,” Cassidy said in a mild panic.

“She seems to have taken a shine to you,” Marta said relieving some of Cassidy’s tension.

“Oh yeah,” Cassidy sighed with relief. “She seems very interested in magic.”

“I’m trying to keep her away from it. Til she’s older you know.”

“Oh,” Cassidy said with new nervousness since she had just been showing off lightning spells to her moments earlier.

“Don’t worry dear. You didn’t know so I’m not mad.” Not for that anyway, Marta was still too upset about her daughter’s birthday to be mad at her for showing her daughter magic. “I wanted you to know that everything is ok between you and our family,” Marta lied but her smile seemed genuine to Cassidy. “I made some cookies, just for you.” Marta handed the small plastic container full of peanut butter cookies.

“Oh wow,” Cassidy said surprised. “Thank you so much. Gosh, you know I was so worried that Jayna would still be mad at me from that. I’m so glad we can put it all behind us.”

“Of course dear. I’ll let you go eat with Callie. It was nice to catch up with you.”

“Ok, and thank you for the cookies.” Marta smiled and waved as Cassidy jogged with the box of cookies in hand toward the table with Callie and her sisters. Marta snickered to herself. Getting back at Cassidy was almost too easy. Marta wasn’t particularly well adept at magical things. She normally didn’t trust magic. It’s why she was trying to steer Jayna away from it, and why she had some disdain for her other daughter who collared herself a partner from a family known for their alchemy. Though having that on hand did have its benefits. One of those benefits being sneaking a potion into the cookies for one disruptive Miqo that could stand to learn her place. She didn’t quite know what the potion would do, she was only given the vague hint that it may make her act less mature.

“What did Marta want?” Callie asked as with concern as Cassidy approached the table.

“Oh actually she was giving me some cookies,” Cassidy smiled. “A peace offering I guess.”

“Where’s our peace offering?” Brita said bitterly. “She is getting us kicked out of the house.”

“I don’t think she can make enough cookies for that sis,” Allyson said as she cut up a piece of meat on her plate.

“You want one?” Cassidy offered a cookie from her container with a hopeful smile. Brita silently shook her head. Cassidy shrugged and began eating one of the cookies.

“Shouldn’t you have dinner before dessert?” Allyson asked in a joking manner.

“That’s one of the benefits of being an adult,” Cassidy swallowed finishing off the cookie. “You can eat dessert before the main course and nobody can tell you no.

“I suppose that’s true,” Allyson snickered as she took a bite of a piece of cake and she and Cassidy shared a knowing giggle.

“Where is Tris anyway?” Callie asked Allyson.

“Still at the house,” she explained. “We live on the other side of the island, by the future husband to be actually. Workaholic that he is, Tris thought he could sneak in a few more days before coming down. Maybe he can ride with Mark.”

“Is Mark not being here a thing?” Cassidy asked eating some of the rest of her food saving the cookies for later.

“It’s a superstition.” Brita explained. “For partners to be in the same house leading up the ceremony. It’s bad luck.” Brita said almost rolling her eyes as she did. “It’s stupid.”

“A lot of it is stupid,” Allyson agreed. “But we make the best of it.”

“You’re cheery attitude is annoying sometimes,” Brita scowled.

“Brit!” Callie admonished.

“I – Sorry Allyson,” Brita apologized.

“It’s ok dear,” Allyson’s smile never faded despite Brita’s lashing out.

“Oh shoot,” Cassidy shot up abruptly. “Where’s the bathroom at,” Cassidy started fidgeting. All three sisters pointed in a general direction and Cassidy quickly ran off.

“What was that about?” Brita asked Callie. Callie just shrugged.

“Maybe she just got distracted,” Callie offered.

“She’s so tiny,” Allyson gushed a little. “I’m surprised she can hold anything at all in there. I think it’s adorable.”

“Hey keep your eyes on your prize that one’s mine.”

“And she’s a real keeper to. I like her. So cute.”

“She is pretty nice when she’s not freaking out on us,” Brita agreed backhandedly.

“Oh Brita. Never a compliment without an insult to follow,” Allyson admonished. Brita waved her hand in agreement.

“It’s ok Ally. From Brit I think that’s as close to a glowing endorsement as I’m gonna get.” Brita smiled and stuck her middle finger out to her sister, and the three laughed together.