Anselmo's magic

"I'm assuming he has a mark?"

Lilith took a deep breath before responding.

"Yes, right here, on his, his, neck." she traced her fingers over the thin branding engrained over the soft pale skin that would one day become an adams apple.

The sleek minimalist design of a skull split down the middle, damning her precious child to a life of danger and risk.

Anselmo placed two fingers on the image causing the baby to cry on contact, Anselmo chuckled.

"I think he prefers your touch over mine."

"Well, I am his mother." she laughed, throwing him over her shoulder. She patted his small back lightly as she made shushing sounds in his tiny ears.

Just then, the door creaked open, causing Anselmo to jump slightly before realizing it was Finlay. He shut the door behind him and walked over to his son. He managed a smile as he placed a soft hand on the child's head, causing his crying to ease almost immediately.

"A daddy's boy, I see." Anselmo chuckled.

"I don't know about that." Lilith scowled jokingly.

Anselmo beckoned the two into the center of the one room house; there sat a red velvet couch across from a faded wooden rocking chair. A fire pit sat in the center of the room with a thick brass cauldron hanging from a chain over the fierce red and yellow flames.

Anselmo sat himself down in the rocking chair, motioning for the new parents to have a seat on the couch. After the two were seated, Lilith handed their baby off to her lover. Finlay took the baby in his arms carefully as he looked into the eyes of his new son with a sense of pride, unfortunately muffled in a blanket of fear.

Lilith rubbed her frozen hands together desperately; she then gripped her olive green shawl closer around her firm yet feminine frame. Anselmo picked a ceramic mug filled with some sort of translucent green liquid up from a crate which sat beside his chair.

"Would you two care for a bit of green tea?"

Lilith nodded immediately.

Finlay, lost in the fact that he now had a child, did not respond.

Anselmo bit back a small laugh as he leaned forward to fill an extra mug with the pale green liquid from the cauldron; steam wafted up from the ladle as he lifted it into the air to fill the mug.

He handed the drink to Lilith, who accepted eagerly before sitting back into the couch with the various glowing corked bottles lining the wall behind her creating a green wash over her tired face.

"I'm sure you know I have some inkling of an idea of why you two are here, I mean, Lilith and I knew before you were ready to admit it, Fin."

Finlay gave Anselmo a dirty look as he said this, but stayed silent. Lilith gripped his thigh before mumbling a warning through her teeth. Her delicate blue eyes reflected the warmth of the fireplace yet somehow simultaneously the iceness of her defensive nature. Finley turned his head back to Anselmo, now holding his son a bit tighter against his chest as he gathered his words.

"That's most likely what I would have concluded, yes."

Anselmo nodded silently.

"I'm assuming y'all came here for protection, as most halflings do."

Finley took a deep breath, his chapped lips quaking. Lilith spoke up for him just before he could force a wavering teary eyed response.

"We want our son to be happy, that's all." Her voice was hushed as she said this. A small strand of ginger frizz fell in between her piercing eyes.

"Happy and safe" Muttered Finley as he ran a cold finger lightly against the baby's cheek; Joey slobbered a bit onto his fathers coat in response.

Anselmo cleared his throat loudly, his gravely cough seemingly banging against the walls. He then leaned over the arm of his chair slowly to set down the empty mug.

"Well, as I'm sure you're aware, there's a reason why halflings are basically extinct."

Finlay had nearly scooted off the edge of his seat by the time Anselmo had paused. Lilith gripped his shoulder pulling him back into the couch with a sigh.

Anselmo cleared his throat yet again. "But, I have been looking for a way to provide us with some protection.. without sacrificing our freedom or identity." Anselmo paused yet again, biting his lip he looked down at his lap before continuing.

"But as for now, the only way I know of is to live under the cover of the spirits." He inhaled deeply before looking back up, his eyes now puffy and slightly reddened.

Surprisingly, a slight smile crept upon his face before he continued; he placed a hand gingerly on Finlay's shaking leg.

"But your son is lucky." His eyes seemed to light up as he said this, his eyebrows raised furrowing into his deep toned forehead.

"How so?"

"Well, one of his parents is a changeling… that means I can hide his mark completely. He'll still have to live in the circle, but he won't have to face the spirits everyday. You, Lilith, and any offspring you have together will be able to have their own inner dome away from the spirits whilst still benefiting from their protection."

Finley grinned through his worried expression. Joey gripped his father's shirt in a fist before letting out a sudden ear-wrecking wail. Lilith chuckled at Finlay's response. Nearly jumping ten feet into the air, Finlay looked as if he'd been attacked by a bear.

"I believe he's hungry, I should let him nurse." She then turned to Anselmo.

"May I sit on your cot?" she gestured to the cot which sat in the opposite corner of the one room house.

"Of course, I'll explain the spell to Fin, I'm sure you already understand it."

Lilith nodded in response before taking the baby from Finlay gingerly. As she shuffled her way across the floor, her leather boots spreading half melted snow across the wood, Finlay took a shaky breath before turning his focus on Anselmo.

"So, this protection circle you speak of, the spirits, the, the, ..inner dome. It's not all bullshit is it?"

Anselmo smirked.

"No Finlay, it's no scam. In fact, you're seated in one as we speak."

Finlay's head whipped around faster than a lighting bolt. Anselmo chuckled.

"Lilith must have told you I'm a halfling, I couldn't be the most renowned mage in the two realms if I were dead, now could I?"

"N-no, I suppose not."

"Now…" Anselmo cleared his throat yet again with a gravely huff before continuing.

"If you are to take me up on this, you're aware the children will never be allowed outside of the dome as long as their scent is hidden?"

Finley sighed, fumbling with his own fingers for a minute. Glaring down at his lap, he gathered the words he needed.

"It doesn't matter, does it? There's no purpose if they're dead." he paused momentarily, staring vacantly across the room his gaze nearly piercing through Anselmo sending a chill down the mage's spine.

His eyes focused, seemingly gathering his livelihood back into his body before he opened his mouth yet again.

"We will do what it takes." he bit his lip, averting his gaze to meet eyes with Lilith, who clutched their child against her chest letting him drain the nourishment straight from her own body.

Anselmo looked at Finlay, hoping to draw his attention away from Lilith and into their conversation. Finlay fixed his gaze back upon Anselmo.

"I know it's hard to believe, Fin, but I've known Lilith much longer than you. She may be human, ..but there's something about her magic- I can't describe it, but she's a force to be reckoned with. Just because life's more dangerous now doesn't mean disaster must follow. You've got a strong other half, partner, don't put it to waste."

Finlay looked back across the room, this time at his son.

"I'd rather not risk it." With this, the new father stood up with a profound stiffness. Averting eye contact with the mage, he made his way to his beloved. He shuffled across the wooden floor and took a seat next to Lilith on the cot.

Anselmo, too, stood from his seat before speaking.

"Well, y'all haven't got much time I suppose."

"Right you are, Ani."

Anselmo smirked at Lilith in response to her sarcasm.

"So, our intentions are?"

"Well, there are a few conditions that must be met. After all, it's only fair."