29 Introductions Are In Order

Unknown

A mirror reflected Edward returning to his wife. In front of it was the shadowy figure in his rectangular throne.

"My Lord, his power is only increasing, we must eliminate him!" a raspy voice cried in desperation.

Darkness obscuring his emotion, the shadowy figure turned to his servant.

"Are you faithful?" the shadowy voice spoke in a monotone voice but it carried a strange strength to it.

"Only to you My Lord," the raspy voice replied, with no hesitation.

"Then why do you question me?"

The raspy voice turned silent for a moment.

"Do you think me arrogant for not attacking him?"

"My Lord-"

"Do you believe that I would lose to a boy?"

"N-no that's not-"

"So I will repeat what I have already said. Why do you question me?" the voice asked forcefully, the ground shaking as he spoke.

As the raspy voice quietened, its owner looked down at the floor.

"I dare not to," he responded, stifling his frustration.

"Good."

***

Anglo-Saxon England, Norfolk, Norwich, 1070

A small house sat next to a farm, the light of the afternoon sun shining down on it. Inside, a man and a woman spoke to eachother.

"Then where do we go now?" the woman asked.

"Wherever my wife would like to," the man answered playfully.

These two were, of course, Edward and Cynewise.

"I am interested to see the world. You have explored so much without me," Cynewise sighed, giving Edward obvious hints.

"I noticed. It was a lot quieter without you around," Edward laughed.

He continued laughing away to himself until Cynewise came over with a cloth.

"Why do you- Ow! Ow! Stop it!" Edward begged as Cynewise kept hitting him with the cloth.

She chased him around the room, until he tackled her to the bed.

"Unhand me, fiend!" she demanded, with fake anger.

"Then you mustn't hit me anymore."

"Fine. I won't," she relented.

However, the moment Edward let her go, she began hitting him with the cloth again.

"Ow! You promised!"

"No, I didn't."

Once again, Edward pinned her to the bed, this time holding both of her arms down. He looked at her green irises, and she his blue.

Then they couldn't help themselves.

***

The couple first travelled across the continent. Germany, Italy, Greece, visiting their past and future: Holy Roman, the Roman and Byzantine Empire.

After that, they explored outside of the continent, China, the Mayans, America; they visited everywhere they wanted to. To them, time felt like a road: they could move forward or reverse, whatever they felt like.

Sitting on a small hillside, the two watched the sun set on a bunch of marble blocks that were beginning to become the Taj Mahal. Sighing, Cynewise turned to look at Edward.

"What is it my dear?"

"I want to see something."

"Of course, anything you ask."

"I want to see the worst event in history."

Edward couldn't help but feel taken aback.

"I will grant your request, but why?"

"To appreciate the best even more."

Looking deep into her eyes, Edward thought about it for a moment. It's true that he had been privileged enough to see all the good in the world, but of the bad? Not much.

Had he taken it for granted?

"You are a strange woman."

"Indeed, but you are a strange man."

Edward smiled at her and took a deep breath before holding her hand to apparate with her.

A heavy heart in his chest, knowing where he was going, Edward travelled to a place he'd never wanted to visit.

***

Poland, Oświęcim, 1944

An invisibility spell cast on them, the couple looked in the tyrannical stone walls and barbed fences that loomed above, blocking all light from sun or sky. Trapped inside were men, women and children that could only be likened to skeletons, well-fed guards with red armbands beating and spitting on them. Of those that were beaten down, most struggled to get up, but some didn't get up at all.

Cynewise couldn't look at it any longer as she placed her head on Edward's chest.

"Why? Why would they be so cruel?"

At this moment, Edward could not find an answer. He thought of the wars and conflict he had experienced, the men he had killed, and he found no reason for it.

'Did I not see those people as humans, this world as real, until I saw this? Above all, did I enjoy it?'

Thoughts flooded his head, only serving to confuse him further.

***

Modern Day Britain, Somewhere in Surrey, 1996

Gathered around a table was all of Edward's students, Richard, and Anna. In front of them was Edward with his arm wrapped around Cynewise.

"Everybody, this is Cynewise, my wife."

Immediately, chaos ensued.

"Where did you meet, Lady Cynewise?" a charming Jason asked.

Before she could even answer the question, a dishevelled Alissa eagerly asked a question, as she stared at her with frightening vigour.

"What's your favourite magic?"

Not long after, Alissa perked up.

"Wanna play a game with me? I've got Dominos in one of the drawers."

As for Luke...he said as much as usual.

"..."

While the group kept bombarding Cynewise with questions, Richard and Anna stood back with Edward.

"Shouldn't you help her?" Richard chuckled.

"No, she's enjoying herself," Edward returned.

Eventually, Edward spared his wife his student's interrogation, and announced that they would have a party to celebrate her arrival.

***

The group partied throughout the night with food, drink, and games. However, as they partied, they suddenly felt the ground rumble beneath them.

Getting closer to the door, they saw orange lights out of the window, upon walking outside, they saw 2 huge dragons made of flame flying through the night sky.

They turned to see the culprit dancing with a stupid grin on her face - Alissa.

"Alissa, what are you doing?" Jason asked.

Drunkenly, Alissa stumbled over to the others and pointed at the sky.

"Fireworks!"

Then she dropped to the ground, falling asleep with her face planted in mud.

Everybody was shocked into silence.

"She seems nice," Cynewise said.