Maev and the Search for Power

Maev let out a sigh. Magic was simple. She knew the correct sequencing, conjugations and permutations. She prided herself on having the appropriate level of intonations and movements from wand-craft to reading spell books and even advanced arts with a staff. All were child's play to her. But what she couldn’t do was cast a spell. Nothing. Not one iota of a spell that would help her pass her eleven plus exams allowing her to be on the mage path.  

A movement to her left caused her to look over. A cat had found its way onto her windowsill. It paced back and forth before sitting down and staring down at her.  

“Sorry, no mice here” she told the cat. The cat pawed at the window. 

Maev gave another sigh and turned back to her book. She could hear her parents scolding her, “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail!” Maev shuddered. What good was it? It’s not like she was going to get selected for the mage track. Neither of her parents were mages. No one in her family had ever been one. But mages held a very high station in society and her parents, always wanting the best for her, would kick, shove and do just about anything to get her to be one. If only it was just up to what you knew, she groaned inwardly. Other kids as early as their fourth year had already shown traits of the skills needed to be on the mage track. For one, their spells, even the most basic ones, worked. No matter how hard she tried or concentrated, her spell casting never worked. Sure, she had outstanding marks because her technical skill was flawless. But when it came to the eleven plus exam, they’d see right through her. She just wasn’t mage material. And then it would be off to business school to be an accountant like her mum, dad, grandparents and all her relatives before her. <Sigh> 

Just then there was a crash. Startled, Maev jumped up from her seat. The cat had knocked over a lamp on her nightstand and was now staring at her rather nonplus. 

“What? How did you..?” but before she could finish the question the cat answered. 

“I got tired of waiting on you to open the window!” 

Maev staggered backwards.  

“It’s, you’re a...” 

“Yes, a talking cat. Why so surprised? You live in a world with dragons, elves and orcs and your tongue tied because you’re seeing a talking cat?” The cat jumped off the nightstand and gracefully made his way over to Maev and sat back. 

“What, what do you want?”, Maev asked. 

“Same thing you do.”  

Maev scrunched her face in puzzlement. 

“To be able to cast spells,” he said flatly. 

“How, how can you do that?” 

“All you have to do is come with me and I’ll show you.” 

Maev wasn’t sure about this. Maybe her brain had fried after all those hours of staring at the book. Or maybe she was asleep, and this was all some sort of bizarre dream. 

“It’s not a dream,” the cat said. 

“You, you can read minds?” The cat jumped up on top of her bed, then leapt to the windowsill. 

“No, but I can read yours because what you’re thinking is written all over your face. Listen, we don’t have a lot of time. Do you want to pass your exam or not?” 

Maev took a deep breath. She did want to pass the exams. Being an accountant didn’t sound that exciting and she certainly hadn't enjoyed her Maths. But her parents had always warned her not to go with strangers. Who was this cat and why was he here now? 

“I’ll answer all your questions on our way,” he said as if reading her mind again. Am I really that obvious? she thought. 

Ah, ta heck with it. It’s just a cat. What harm could he do? 

“Alright, let’s go!”, she said with a hint of excitement. 

“Fine then. Grab your ruck sack. We’ll need it. Now take ahold of my collar.” 

Maev reached out and just as she touched his collar the world around began to spin. Slowly at first then it sped up until everything was a blur. Then just at once it stopped and with a thud she landed on the ground. She rubbed her head then rolled to her side and threw up. 

“You’ll have to get used to teleportation if you’re to be a wizard or whatever class you end up being selected as.” 

“I, I thought you couldn’t do magic,” Maev said as she wiped her mouth. 

“I can’t”, the cat answered. “This collar is endowed with a teleportation spell. It allows me to go pretty much wherever I want so long as I know exactly where it is I wish to go down to the smallest detail.” 

“Sounds like it could be dangerous,” Maev said as she slowly got up. 

“I have a photographic memory. So not for me,” he sniffed. 

“Where are we?” Maev asked. 

They had landed in a narrow alley laid with dirty, white bricks. To her right the alley seemed to dissolve into a white blur in the distance and to the left she could see people walking back and forth. 

“Precisely where we need to be,” he answered shortly. “Now come on. We haven’t much time.” 

“Where are we going?” 

“Oh, do stop asking such whining questions and follow me.” The cat took off in a scamper heading out the alley to the left. Maev shrugged her shoulders and followed until he came to a stop at the corner. 

“Now, here’s the plan; you’re going to go into this pub, walk over to the bartender...hello are you paying attention?”, the cat snapped for Maev’s mouth was wide open as she stared in marvel at the massive factory down the block to her left spewing smoke clouds into the sky. In the distance there was a rumble of a storm, and she could just make out sharp bolts of colorful lightening that seemed to smack against some form of invisible wall. 

“Hm? Yes,” Maev said trying to turn her attention to what the cat was saying as one eye strayed to her surroundings. She had never been out of her little town of Abindon-on-Cumbria. It was just a cross of two roads, a church and her school. Not much else really. Now it seemed like this cat had transported her to some far-off fantastic planet. 

“Ahem,” the cat cleared his throat to ensure he had Maev’s full attention. Once he was sure he continued. 

“It is vitally important that you remember this. You are the grandniece of Elysant Theleta.” 

“Who?” 

“Elysant Theleta,” the cat repeated. “She is your great aunt.” 

“My aunt? How on earths will they ever believe that?” 

“Of all the people I could have picked you came the closest to her in appearance. Same lilac eyes, deep purple skin color and that thick thornbush hair. You’re like a younger twin.” 

Maev nodded 

“Ok, so you’re there to pick up a bauble.” 

“A bauble?” 

“Yes, a bauble!” the cat said impatiently. “And do not let them bring it to you.” 

“Why not?” 

“Do you want to be a magic wielder or not?” 

Maev nodded. 

“Good! Then stop with the questions and let’s get a move on. You have to go back to her private quarters. If they refuse, then tell them that she demanded it. Tell them they don’t want her to return and be cross with you and them.” 

“Where is she?” 

“Heavens if I know but the gods willing not here. Now open your rucksack and let me inside.” Maev pulled the bag off her shoulders, set it down and unzipped it. The cat jumped in, and she closed it leaving a small gap open. 

“Are you okay in there?” she asked in a whisper peering in through the crack in the zipper. 

“Wunderbar. Now get a move on. And remember. Do exactly as I told you. Do not deviate at all!”  

Maev firmed up her lip, nodded, picked up her ruck sack and headed to the door of the pub. 

She slowly pushed open the door and was greeted with the unpleasant taste of pungent smoke and stale mead.  

“Is there a problem?” 

“It smells awful.” 

“It’s a small price to pay for your newfound abilities,” the cat said dryly. 

Maev made her way up to the bar where a short, fat cyclops turned around to face her. “Sumptin I can ‘elp yew wit miss?” 

Maev swallowed hard and bit her bottom lip. She had never seen a cyclops before. Sure, in books she had read all about them but the shock of seeing one now standing there right in front of her caused her to shiver uncontrollably. Her tongue felt like it had crawled back into her mouth and down to her stomach. A swift kick into her back by the cat brought her to her senses. 

“Uh, yeah, ahem, yes, I am the grandniece of Lady Elysant Theleta. I’ve come to fetch a bauble for her.” 

“Iz that right, eh? Maybe if yew tell me whut it is I can go and find it for ya.” Maev wanted to run. She wanted to bolt out the doors to be anywhere but here. Her chest suddenly felt so heavy she couldn’t breathe. Another kick in the back caused her to start coughing. 

“Yew awright? Maybe some water will ‘elp.” The cyclops took a glass, filled it and handed it to her. 

Maev took it in shaking hands and slowly brought it to her mouth.  

Just put the edge to your mouth and drink. Easy!, she thought. But all she could see was the water sloshing about like a small storm with the cyclops one eye staring at her suspiciously through the bottom of the glass. By the time it got to her mouth half of the water had spilled on the bar and the other half had made it onto the front of her jumper. 

“There yew go,” the cyclops said with a bit of cheer and took the glass back. 

“So a bauble is whut yur aunt sent you ‘ere for is it?” 

“Great aunt,” Maev clarified through chalked lips. 

“Right then. Well, I reckon yew know where ta find it, eh?” 

Maev nodded vigorously wanting nothing more than to be far from the cyclops and this place. 

“Awright den. Off yew go,” the cyclops said with a smile and motioned with his head to her left. 

Maev’s eyes trailed in the direction the cyclops had motioned. She returned a thin, nervous smile then darted to the end of the bar, rounded the corner and walked down a dimly lit hallway. 

“Oi! One question luv,” the cyclops called after her.  

Maev screamed to a stop and closed her eyes tightly. She then, very slowly, edged her way back to the corner of the wall and peered around it. 

“Whut’d you say yur name was?” 

“My name?” 

“Yeah, so when yur Great Aunt comes back I can let ‘er know yew wuz ‘ere.” 

“Maev” 

“Right. Go on den.” 

Maev hastened down the hall and stopped at the door.  

“Is this the place?” she asked in a very low voice. 

“Open the bloody door!” the cat told Maev shortly. 

Maev’s hand shot out, turned the knob and pushed open the door. A warm sense of fragrances from sharp cinnamon and berries flowed out of the room, and she felt as if she were being lifted off the floor and floated inside. The room was amazing. The walls were rich mahogany. Narrow candles floated above golden sconces that glowed brightly enough to illuminate the entire room. A golden lamp with a slender glass chimney adorned a simple vanity table on the far left. To the right was a bookcase that took up the entire wall. Maev hadn’t even noticed the cat had managed to pull back the zipper on her ruck sack, leapt out and was attempting to push open a chest tucked in the corner. 

Maev, entranced, continued to explore the room as the cat started to pull things out of the chest. Along the far wall was a fireplace and above it was a picture of a stern man. His eyes seemed to follow Maev and she took a step back, stepping on the cat’s tail. 

“Will you please watch where you’re walking!” 

“I-I’m sorry! It’s just that the painting seemed to...” 

“Yes?” 

“It seemed to move.” 

The cat looked up at the painting which frowned back down at him. 

“We haven’t much time. Open that chest of drawers.” 

“Am I looking for something particular?” she asked. 

“A small figurine.” 

“Like a statue?” 

“Yes, and do hurry” 

Maev sorted through night clothes, socks and knickers which caused her to blush. She opened the next few drawers but couldn’t find anything. 

“There’s nothing here.” 

“Blast! Where could she have hidden it?”  

“Why can’t you just ask Elysant Theleta where she has it so she can give it back to you?” 

“If I could do that then I wouldn’t be skulking around in her room with you!” 

Maev sighed and walked over to the bookshelf. This was turning out to be an utter disaster. All she wanted to do was pass her eleven plus exams to be able to qualify to go to the School of Spells & Incantations. And now she was stuck with a talking cat in some women’s bedroom.  

Her eyes roamed across the many books. One was titled “The Ravager”. Another was titled, “The Lass and the Search for Power”. Now that title struck Maev as odd. She started to reach for it when her hand struck a bookend knocking it to the floor. 

“Oh!” she said startled. I really hope I haven’t broken it, she thought as she reached down to pick it up. As she held it up in her hands the bookend looked like a tiny soldier. He wore a tricorn hat turned up to one side. In his hand he held out a rapier that at this size resembled a toothpick. 

“Is this what you’re looking for?” Maev asked. The cat popped his head out of the chest. Upon seeing the statute his eyes went wide and he scrambled out of the chest. 

“Have it here!” he demanded. At first Maev bent down to give it to the cat but then she hesitated. 

“What’s this?” said the cat in mild indignation. 

“You promised to make me be a wizard.” 

“And that I shall. One of the most powerful wizards this or any world has ever seen! Now, just give me that statue.” 

“I will. Once you make me a wizard.” 

“I can’t do that until you give me the bloody statue!” sputtered the cat. Maev eyed the cat suspiciously.  

“I have your word?” 

“Yes, yes, you have it.” 

Maev bent down and handed the statue to the cat which he snatched from her hand. 

“Ow! You cut me,” she said, and she put her finger in her mouth. 

But standing in front her now was no longer the little mouse catcher that had broken into her room. Instead, stood a tall, lanky elf with faded white skin, glimmering crimson eyes and a knowing smile. 

“You’re, you’re...” 

“A dark elf. Yes, this is the form I have here. For now. Now let’s see what else we have in this chest that could help us,” the dark elf said then turned back to the chest. 

An elf. A dark elf. Maev’s mind reeled. He was just a little cat and now this? Maev started to reconsider how simple she thought magic had been and the strange depths that it could change someone or something. 

The dark elf began throwing different nick knacks out of the chest discarding each one with a comment of “no, not this” or a “interesting but not what we need”. 

Maev just watched on in awe as a small unicorn toy landed at her feet followed by what looked like a wand, then a ruby crystal. Several small papers like confetti sprung out at one point. They floated in the air above her before exploding like fireworks and disappearing. One though, a deep hue of magenta drifted like a feather above her head. Without thinking she reached up and grabbed it. 

“Aha! Here it is!”, the dark elf said. He turned about to show Maev but the girl was gone. 

“Oh dear.” 

******* 

Maev blinked and opened her eyes. Her throat was dry, and she rubbed her eyes from sleep. It had all been a dream! A curious and wonderful adventure but just a dream! She leapt up from her chair, sending it crashing against the far wall of her room. She had just fallen asleep pouring over the equations for spell-making. She shut the book and tossed it onto her bed. 

She was done with magic and wizardry. The life of an accountant seemed very appealing. No excitement and no crazy adventures with a stupid cat or elf or whatever he was! She knew her parents would be crushed but she wasn’t going to pass the review anyway. 

Maev opened the door to her room and walked across the hall to the bathroom. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. After having been in that pub and that women’s room nothing smelled quite as good as home. She bent down, turned on the water and splashed her face. She hoped she hadn’t slept the entire night. That would mean it was time for school and she had to get ready. 

She looked up and reached for her toothbrush. In the mirror, staring at her was a girl with yellow eyes and straight long flaming red hair. She held up her hand in shock to see her skin was red and scaly. 

“Oh...my...gods!”