Fox, Satyr, Dragon Pt. 02

"If I'm not back after sundown, you are to go to Foxcastle and get help." Seymour said, then ran.

"Coach, come on!" Sasha struggled in the grip of a golem after having managed to get halfway through. "COACH!"

Seymour was gone. Sasha and Natalia stopped struggling so the golems would let go, then sat down. "Get rid of this monster, Lilo. Out of my sight." Sasha snapped.

Lilo picked up the dead naag, and carried it off into the forest before returning empty handed a moment later.

Sasha tightly wrapped her arms around her knees and began crying while chewing on her bottom lip. "We shouldn't have come. It's my fault."

"We had no way of knowing naags would attack!" Natalia hugged Sasha from the side. "They don't attack humans."

"Unless you trespass." Sasha said. "Weren't you paying attention to where you were going?!"

"Of course I was!" Natalia suppressed the hot rage that Sasha's accusation caused. She's lashing out because she's worried. She'll apologize later. "And so was Jack. Maybe the naags were hungry."

Sasha didn't respond and Natalia didn't try to get her to talk. So they waited in silence, growing increasingly anxious as moments turned into minutes and minutes turned into an hour. Natalia got up and was contemplating fighting the golems when Seymour returned with Jack in his arms.

"At ease." Seymour said to the golems so Sasha and Natalia wouldn't be stopped.

"Jack!" The two exclaimed. Seymour gently lowered Jack to the ground, resting her head on Natalia's lap. Sasha got to work immediately in checking for injuries.

"Is your vision blurry? Are you dizzy?" Sasha frowned at Jack's bruised ribs. "What's your father's full name?"

"I don't have a concussion." Jack winced, but didn't protest, at Sasha checking to see if her ribs were broken.

"Answer my questions."

"My vision is fine. I'm not dizzy." Jack said. "And Da's name is Declan Jack Sarkan. Yes I got his middle name. They thought I was gonna be a boy."

"Name still suits you." Natalia brushed Jack's hair. Then the relief at seeing Jack alive brought on her tears. "Why didn't you send Linda as a distraction?" She sobbed. "Why you?"

Sasha began crying as well but she didn't stop working. Jack's ribs were just bruised, thankfully. And she only had cuts and scrapes. Her legs, however, were ruined. Bent in impossible directions, even for prosthetics as magically advanced as hers.

"You're my girlfriend not Linda's." Jack said.

Seymour snorted. "Meathead."

"Damn right." Jack reached a hand up to cradle Natalia's cheek and smiled. "A Sarkan protects their own."

Natalia didn't have anything to say to that. So she just cried and combed Jack's hair with her fingers.

"Besides. Bran really likes the golems. Can't let them get damaged." Jack said, attempting to lighten the mood.

"He likes you more, you fool." Seymour said. "We'll have to leave her legs on, Sasha. Better to not risk it until professionals are on hand."

"Okay." Sasha nodded. "Coach, it's too dangerous to travel back tonight. We should wait for tomorrow. If Jack can cope for the night."

"Sure can." Jack said. "Or should I say... Sar kan."

"You're spending too much time with Bran." Sasha said after snorting. "That's not even how you say your surname!"

"My surname. I can say it how I want." Jack grinned, happy to have made at least one of her girlfriends smile. "Coach, if you don't mind, could you carry me to the tent. I'd like to be alone with my girls."

"Sure thing, Jack." Seymour picked her up. He held the flap for Sasha and Natalia after putting Jack down. "All of you are performing admirably on this trip. And I mean that."

After Seymour left them, Natalia mumbled something unintelligible. Sasha frowned. "What was that?"

"I didn't do shit." Natalia said, louder this time but with her head still hung low. "Jack you killed a naag. And Sasha you're healing her. And both of you did so well on the boat. I'm just a deadweight."

"The attack plan for the boat ride was yours, Nat. Jack was in charge but you planned it. And your illusion was amazing!"

"Yeah!" Jack said. "And you're the one that found the herbs Sasha needed. Not me."

Sasha cuddled up to Natalia to kiss the side of her head. "I didn't even find any!"

"I guess."

"Nuh-uh. None of that moping bullshit." Jack gripped Natalia's hand. "We're all badass bitches. Say it with me. I'm a badass bitch."

Natalia laughed, just once, and shook her head.

"Say it!"

"I'm a badass bitch."

"Again!" Sasha cheered. "All of us!"

"I'm a badass bitch." They all said in unison.

"I love you two." Jack laughed. Her face turned serious afterward, but in a kind, pleasant way. "I mean it. I love you."

Natalia smiled and kissed Jack. "I love you, too."

"I love you." Sasha said, doing the same.

They were quiet for a time. Then when Sasha left to quickly grab them all a snack, Natalia asked a question. "Weren't you scared, Jack?"

"A bit." Jack said. "But I didn't piss myself this time."

"You're amazing."

"I know." Jack said, though she buzzed with excitement at the compliment. That never got old. Especially when a significant other said it to you. "But you know what sucks?"

"What?"

"Lost my legs. Again." Jack gave the finger to her broken prosthetics. "Fucking history repeating itself."

"Are they still affecting your fein? Even though they're broken?"

"Yeah." Jack said. "Couldn't even get the flare spell off. Just sat on my ass hoping one of you would find me before something else did. Imagine that. Kill a naag and then get eaten by a normal mountain lion."

"We have those here?"

"No. But imagine."

Chapter 16: Repetition

"I swear I only took two flasks, Mom!" Sasha exclaimed as she and Anette walked through the infirmary. It was the afternoon after they had arrived in the morning. "And I only used one."

"Then where are the missing two?"

"How should I know?!"

"Did you lock the supply closet?"

"Yes!" Sasha snapped. "Did you?"

"Yes!"

"Then they're somewhere else in your closet because when I went to grab the flasks, there were only two in the spot you told me I'd find them in."

"Absolutely not. I am meticulous in where I keep my supplies."

"I don't know what to tell you." Sasha tugged open the door and walked down the hall to Jack's private room. "Hey, Bran. Hey, Jack. Oh yay! They got your prosthetics off."

"Yep." Jack said. "Hello, Professor Blackvine."

"Hello, dear. How are you? Are your parents on the way?"

"Mom can't make it until tomorrow but Da and Quinn are coming. " Jack said. "He's bringing new legs."

"Wonderful." Anette smiled. "Seymour informed me you killed a grown naag by yourself. Didn't think you could continue to surprise me, yet here we are."

"Thank you, Professor."

"Branigan." Anette said. "You should be in the library."

"Processing new materials can wait." Branigan said. "If students need help finding a book, the golems will do just fine."

"And students looking for someone that can quickly answer a question while they are studying?"

"Fresh outta luck for today, I'm afraid."

Anette frowned. Branigan wouldn't neglect his job like this. Unless....Anette's frown disappeared instantly. "Congratulations, you two. How long?"

Branigan smiled. "Little over a month. Right, Jack?"

"Yeah."

"How about Sasha and Natalia?" Anette asked. "Are you dating them as well? Or just their girlfriend?"

"Three's a magical number, Anette."

"Wonderful! Truly, truly wonderful!" She hugged Sasha, went around the bed to hug Branigan and Jack, before returning to Sasha to hug her again. Her happy expression sobered when she remembered what she'd have to do next. "I'll have to report this to Headmaster Blackvine."

"Do you have to?" Branigan asked. "Immediately?"

"Well. I suppose it can wait." Anette shrugged and she misunderstood Branigan's wink as meant for her agreeing to keep the secret. Sasha rolled her eyes first but did wink back at him.

"Considering no one is panicking," Sasha said. "I'm guessing fuckstick was found?"

"Yes he was. Returned late last night." Branigan said. "According to him, fuckstick took a mini staycation at one of the hotels in town."

Anette sighed. "Branigan, you cannot call a student that."

"Sure can. Watch me." Branigan said. "Fuckstick let everyone shit their pants with worry because he's a selfish fucking fuckstick. Fuckstick has a complete disregard for school rules, as if they aren't already relaxed for eighth years. Fuckstick is sure to have been behind-"

"Enough, Branigan." Anette's jaw clenched. Branigan, of all people, disparaging a student for disregarding school rules? "You are reasonably upset with Lucas for his behavior with the girls. But you are going too far."

"Am I? Hmm. I've got an idea that might not be too bad. How about I humiliate him in front of a classroom filled with his peers?" Branigan asked.

"A momentary lapse in my judgement. Not repeated, like you are doing."

"It's not a lapse if I'm doing it on purpose." Branigan stood, feeling antsy. "Let me finish my sentence. But I'll go ahead and use his name since you're so fixated on respecting a psycho. Lucas is sure to have been behind Jack and Natalia being attacked."

All three women stared at him in shock. Jack broke through her surprise first. "Where the hell did you pull that from?"

"He conveniently goes missing for about the same time frame the girls and Seymour are gone. He just left earlier and came back earlier." Branigan said. "Four flasks of kelpie blood conveniently go missing, when Sasha only took two to use as distraction bait. And by complete coincidence, Natalia and Jack are the ones who got attacked by the naags. His ex and a girl who embarrassed him."

"You know about that?" Jack asked.

"Sasha told me awhile ago. I thought it was funny." Branigan said. "Not so much anymore."

"Branigan, you're being ridiculous." Anette said, voice strained.

"Well, Mom..." Sasha said slowly. "I did say there were only two flasks when I went to get them."

"Sasha, please don't join Branigan in his craziness." Anette said. "Natalia and Jack accidentally delved into naag territory and everything else is just coincidence. Lucas was stressed with school work and took a small break."

"Hell no we did not walk into naag territory by accident!" Jack said. "I was extra careful to watch for signs. I've wanted to kill a naag ever since one took my legs but I'd never want to do it if my girlfriend was around to possibly get hurt."

"Then how do you propose Lucas was not attacked by the kraken?" Anette raised an eyebrow. "Go on. Add to your insane theory."

"He left in the morning." Branigan said. "Carl hates the morning."

"And Lucas' return? Answer me."

"Well the lake monsters only tried attacking us because we're weak students. If it was just Coach Seymour then he would have been just fine." Sasha said.

"Sasha, are you suggesting Lucas, your classmate, is powerful enough to ward away the lake monsters all on his own? A Diamond Beak Kraken?!"

Sasha, Branigan, and Jack were all silent.

"On top of all that, Lucas would have had to instigate the naags into attacking Jack and Natalia instead of himself. This matter is no longer up for discussion." Anette said, firmly. "And you, Bran, will cease acting the way that you are against a student of Foxcastle."

"What? This school isn't capable of producing evil?"

Anette paled. "Branigan!"

"Fine!" Branigan snapped back, gripping the back of his chair. "I'll treat him normally, just like you. I'll pretend like he's not intent on, at the very least, making my girlfriends utterly uncomfortable."

"This is one of the many reasons why faculty and student relationships are so closely watched."

"You're Sasha's mother." Branigan said. "Fucking act like it. You should be as livid as I am."

"ARTHUR BRANIGAN STONE DON'T YOU DARE SPEAK TO ME LIKE THAT!"

"I will." Branigan didn't raise his voice like Anette. But his fists were clenched hard enough for his knuckles to begin paling. "If you think for one second that I'll value this job over someone I care about, you have no idea who I am."

Jack and Sasha were stunned into silence and inaction beyond opening and shutting their mouths.

"I know exactly who you are!" Anette clenched her own fits. "It's precisely why I am so terrified of what you will do if you aren't called out or controlled. If you aren't chai-" Anette shut her mouth.

"If I'm not what, Anette?" Branigan cocked his head to the side. "Say it. Finish your words before you choke on them."

"I misspoke. I am sorry." Anette unclenched her fists. "I'll go."

"No. I will. I'll go do my job. Like a good little dog chained to the yard he's meant to guard." Branigan didn't smile. Nor did he cry. Instead, his face was neutral. All the emotions that had been on display a moment before were locked away and a mask wasn't even offered to cover their disappearance. Consciously or not, Branigan showed them he was capable of chaining himself just as Anette wanted. A masterclass in self-control. "Sasha. Jack. I'll see you two later when the other Sarkans arrive." He squeezed Jack's hand and brushed Sasha's cheek. Then left.

"Sasha, dear." Anette wiped her tears. They returned. "Go after him. He shouldn't be alone right now."

"What was that all about? It's like you stepped on a landmine with him..."

"Sasha, all will be explained in time. You're his girlfriend now so you have a right to know." Anette said. "Please just have patience with him until he's ready to reveal things. Please do not press him to talk. He needs guarding and care not-"

"Controlling and chaining?" Sasha asked. She had no clue what was going on but even then she hadn't liked the way her mom had said those words to Branigan. What was wrong with him wanting to protect his girlfriends? Anette should be on his side.

Anette took this chastisement silently and opened the door for Sasha. Her daughter left after kissing Jack and ignoring her entirely. Anette sighed. "You too, Jack. Please be patient."

"I will."

"I'll have Natalia come. She's likely done with the report on what happened."

"Okay."

"Okay." Anette said. "Take care, dear."

"Professor Blackvine?"

"Yes?"

"Branigan's tattoos." Jack said. "They're not just tattoos, are they?"

Anette chose to not insult Jack's intelligence. "No. But you will continue to pretend that they are. And you will not mention this to Sasha and Natalia. Or him. I'm begging you."

"Understood, Professor." Jack nodded. A pit formed in her stomach as all kinds of horrible guesses ran through her mind. Is he cursed? Did a spell backfire? Is it some kind of illness borne of corrupt magic? What's wrong with Bran? "Tell Natalia to hurry."

Anette nodded and did exactly as Jack asked.

***

"Branigan!" Sasha caught up to him just outside the infirmary wing. He waited for her to fall into step beside him before he kept going without a word. "Can we go to your cabin?"

"Sorry, Sasha." Branigan smiled. "I really should be getting back to work." He saw that there were people within earshot. "But I'm more than willing to help you with your school work if you accompany me to the library."

The smile looked so real. Even his eyes twinkled. Had she not been witness to what had just happened, Sasha would have been convinced. "How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Fake a smile in the way that you do."

"Practice." Branigan said. "Doesn't work on my mom, dad, and Uncle Balraj. Because they know me well enough."

"I can't wait for that then." Sasha stopped walking at a hallway intersection, forcing Branigan into stopping as well. One way would lead to the library, the other towards the lakefront. "And for that to happen, we need to spend time together. You've blown off a day of work already. Come on, Bran."

Branigan looked at the hopeful girl in front of him, her blue eyes staring at him earnestly. He knew that she was mainly aiming to cheer him up, not just simply hang out with him to get to know him more. "Jack's dad and sister should be here in two hours. We've got until then."

"Sounds good." Sasha smiled. They walked through the school with a respectable distance between each other but whenever the hallways were empty, Sasha would momentarily hold his hand then move back away. "You mention your uncle a lot. Big fan of his?"

"The biggest." Branigan smiled. "To be honest he's more of an older brother to me than an uncle. Despite the age gap between us."

"Definitely sounds like it." Sasha said. "What does he do?"

"He's a doctor." Branigan said. After a pause, he added, "The normal kind."

Sasha raised her eyebrows. "Your uncle can't do magic?"

"He can." Branigan said. "But his fein is too weak to handle his core, making many spells an impossibility. If I had to gauge him, I'd put him at a second year student's level."

"Oh. Wow." Sasha blanked. She wasn't sure what to say to that. It seemed impossible that someone in Branigan's family could be weak.

"Birth defect, Sasha. Not temporary issues like many Dra, such as Natalia, face. Nor is it because of something like magical prosthetics like Jack." Branigan said. "His bad luck but he doesn't let it bother him. I'd bet a fortune to say he's happier than all the so-called powerful Dra that I know."

"How'd he graduate from Foxcastle?"

"Lots and lots of accommodations were made for him. It was a struggle, but he made it through until his fifth year, then opted to not take the Upper Year exams. He spent his sixth through eighth years of schooling in a normal school. Then medical training." Branigan said. "I'd like you to tell Natalia and Jack about this."

"Why?" Sasha asked. She would have anyway. But it felt odd to her that he was telling her to.

"So you three will take my family off the pedestal it's been put on."

"...We haven't done that."

"You have, Sasha. I've grown up a Stone. I know how people look at us." Branigan said. "It's the same way people look at you for being a Blackvine or Natalia for being a Fox or Jack for being a Sarkan. It's ostracizing, right?"

Sasha knew she wasn't just called Princess Blackvine because of her demeanor. "Yeah."

Branigan opened the cabin door for her and let her in first. "I don't want my girlfriends to keep me apart."

The door was shut. They were finally alone. In this cabin, locked off from the world, they were just two people in a relationship. She hugged him tight with her arms around his neck, kissing his cheeks before resting her chin on his shoulder. She felt him nuzzle into her and sigh. "Then let your mask go, Bran. Let us in."

He stiffened. She hated that he stiffened. But she understood. It would be hypocritical of her to expect him to drop his act when she herself hid things. In time, she'd show more. She'd just have to trust him to do the same.

"I don't mean now." She added since he had remained silent. At least he hadn't pulled away. "Whenever you're ready."

Branigan squeezed harder, then relaxed. His hold was still tighter than moments ago. A grip reminiscent of his intent to remain reticent. "Okay."

"And I don't mind if it takes you awhile." Sasha said. "Because I know it's big."

"How?"

"The night your mom made me and Nat dinner. And we both asked you to date us." Sasha said. "When we got back to our dorm, I said your surname while focusing my fein. Natalia and Jack don't know."

"You did what?" Branigan pulled away just far enough to look at her face, eyes narrow with concern as he studied her. "Why would you do that to yourself? Were you okay?"

"I overheard my mom talking about how worried she is about you. And when I saw how sad you got when you asked how your dad is doing... I got curious. You're part of an old family, like mine. I wanted to know what it would do. It ruined me that night and into the next day. I couldn't think straight." Sasha said. Her eyes welled up as she remembered the feeling. As if her soul itself had forgotten how to breathe. "House Stone wasn't always like that was it?"