happilyeverbeginning | Say that you want me every day/That you want me every way (scrooge x magica)

Entry tags:

Say that you want me every day/That you want me every way (scrooge x magica)

It had been one week since the "disloyalists" were punished, and the effects were still being felt. Slave and comrade alike were terrified to be in Magica's presence, lest they say the wrong thing to set her off and receive anything similar to what the husband and wife had gone through. No one was even sure what they had done - there were plenty of rumors, but the only thing anyone was sure that those two somehow proved they didn't belong in the coven.

It was perhaps because of this overwhelming fear that very few took notice that the formally ranked lowest slave, Scrooge McDuck, was being allowed privileges even highly-respected witches had yet to achieve. The castle library was filled to the brim with books, scrolls, parchments, some of it old as time itself. They had languages from around the world, scientific concepts that many couldn't fathom, and untold power lurking in the chapters. In the wrong hands, this room could've been used to destroy all the witches and warlocks in the land.

But it was in Scrooge's hands, so why worry? With her duties done for the day, Magica headed for the library - enjoying the shriek that came out of an older slave that accidentally made eye-contact with her - to see him. Her future husband was set to arrive soon, and as a result she wanted to spend as much time with her real lover as possible - that she'd be admitted, anyway. She also wanted to check up on his progress - surely a brilliant mind like his could improve leaps and bounds with the right setting. (Plus, she was a smidgen jealous that some musty tomes got him more excited than seeing her naked form, dammit all to hell.)

She knocked twice before entering. "I do hope I'm not interrupting anything."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"I'm fairly certain I'm twenty-five," he answered.

"Fairly certain" because he'd been the only one to really keep any sort of track. Slaves were typically first bought when they were five years old. He had kept track of the number of winters since then.

"I honestly don't know when exactly I was born, but I guess that it must have been in the fall."

"And that's young for mortals... right?" Magica tried to think of how long twenty-five years was. To her, it was short. But, after doing the math... a strong-willed mortal could live up to one hundred years. But slaves weren't supposed to have strong wills, so that probably had an effect of their life-span. This wasn't something she had ever thought about in great detail before - after all, she didn't care.

Her eyes darted about as she kept adding, dividing, subtracting. Maybe if she really control of things here, Scrooge could live to be one hundred.

But then he'd die. And that... that was unacceptable.

He'd already spent 1/4 of his life. How fast would the other third go? Fear welled up in her stomach - it was a foreign feeling. This needed to be fixed. "I... I need to start researching." She almost staggers, because this was something that had never been done before, so far as she knew. She needed to make a mortal... immortal. "Have you read anything here? Even just a glance?"

"I think so?"

He watched her distress climb all over her face, growing more worried by the moment.

"Not yet," he said. "I've been trying to get everything cleaned and organized. Everything was pretty much shoved randomly onto shelves."

He took her hand in his and wrapped an arm around her back to steady her. Something was very, very wrong.

"How about you take a rest while I get you some tea?"

It was taking all of Magica's mental strength not to fall to her knees. Where did she even begin looking for such a spell? Would it even be a spell, or a hex? Curse? Potion? Those of the magic had long lives merely by being born, how did one transfer that? How long would it take to find a way, if a way existed? Would it be too late?

She almost didn't hear Scrooge at first. No, she had to find it. She would find it. If a way didn't exist yet... she'd make a way. She'd use the other slaves as experiments. And if each and every single one of them died to make it happen?

That was an acceptable loss.

"I... I can't rest. Not now." Who knew when ever again? "Have you began organizing them? Are they in any order at all now?"

He shook his head and attempted to be firm, knowing he was treading on thin ice: "I have to insist that you take a moment to rest. Whatever it is can wait."

She looked dreadful.

Hearing him actually take a stand with her, however small, was enough to jar her. She blinked at him, surprised, before taking a breath.

"... Very well. But... just for now." She ran a hand down her face, trying to get herself to a chair. "One cup. That's all I'll allow."

He was taking a stand for her. That was what made the difference.

There was nowhere in the library that she could sit down, so he guided her back to her personal drawing room. He adjusted his grip in the open areas, however, to something less intimate. He was already pushing his luck by touching her publicly.

As soon as he'd sat her down, he hurried off to retrieve the tea. However, he made sure to add a few drops of whiskey to help her relax. In addition to that, he brought a plate of cucumber sandwiches. She'd looked like she'd been about to faint, so some food might help.

When she was alone, Magica thought. She'd have to throw herself into her research - something she hadn't done in ages, since nothing had ever been so dire. The other magics would be suspicious, and if they found out the reason for her research, they would question her leadership. They'd need to be distracted - or led to think she was doing something else.

Yes, that could work... a lie powerful enough for them to believe.

She looked up as he returned, eyes falling to the sandwiches. Always going and above. She wouldn't lose him, she'd die first.

"All your other chores will now be suspended. The library will be your only concern until further notice."

That was surprising, but she did say she had something she urgently needed to research. It made sense.

"Yes, Mistress," he said, slipping back into his servant role as he set the cup and saucer down on the table before also setting down the sandwiches.

Magica took the cup and had a long, steady sip. Would the curse she put on his bloodline interfere with the plan? It was too important to leave out. Maybe she could locate other McDucks and experiment on them. There had to be a good handful out there somewhere.

"The organization is the most important part of the library. I need to be able to find what I need at a moment's notice..." She trailed off as she realized he'd actually need to understand the contents of what was inside the books and scrolls and such in order to do that. He could read, but could he understand?

"... Go to the library and pick a tome. Any of them, I don't care which."

He didn't bother asking why. She had to have a reason for it.

Instead, he did as ordered, picking up a small tome from the top of one of the stacks, mentally bookmarking where it had come from. He returned to her drawing room and held it out to her.

Magica snatched it the moment it was close, and flipped it open. This was a tome all about water spells, controlling it, using it, how impurities would affect the outcome, magical creatures that made their home in the oceans and lakes and rivers, so and so forth.

She then held the open book out to him, fingers between the pages. "Can you read this? Any of it?"

He leaned in, squinting his eyes to better read the pages. His eyesight wasn't the best but it was largely because the pages were so old.

"It has to do with some kind of magic," he said after a moment's careful scrutiny. "I don't know anything about magic, but this looks like it has to do with water judging by all the references to it."

Had it been any other servant, Magica would've smacked him with the tome, probably yelling something along the lines of "IT'S A TOME IN A SORCERESS' LIBRARY, OF COURSE IT'S ABOUT MAGIC!"

As it was, this was a start. "Good. I need you to get familiar with the contents if it's all to be organized properly. You need to understand what's written. And that might mean continuing your education..." Hm, a new problem. She closed the book, drumming her fingers on it. "Educating a slave on purpose... I'll need to find someone who's easily bribed and can keep their mouth shut."

"Oh, please no, Mistress!"

Scrooge fell to his hands and knees, losing any and all composure.

Reading a book was fine, but any slave who learned magic was to be executed on sight. Magic was for the elites. The teacher (if they were a witch or wizard of the coven) would likely get a slap on the wrist at worst, but the slave was not allowed to live.

Magica blinked once, twice, three times, in rapid succession. She'd never seen Scrooge beg before, and it was quite pitiful. But it also helped, in its own way, now that she wasn't the only one going hysterical. As the superior being, it was up to her to take charge. Quietly, she placed the book aside, and then knelt before Scrooge.

"Look at me." A command, yes, but said softly, as she held his cheeks with her hands. "You belong to me and me alone. No one else is allowed to touch you. I would never let that happen. No slave, witch, warlock, mortal, or anything of this earth and beyond will ever take you from me." And that damn well included death.

He focused wild eyes on her as best he could, looking more like a frightened animal than anything else.

"It won't matter that I'm yours," he whispered, shaking uncontrollably. "Slaves aren't allowed to learn magic. Anyone who sees me will kill me."

He was finally having a taste of a somewhat decent life. For the first time ever, he actually wanted to live.

Edited 2018-09-25 02:25 (UTC)

Damn if he didn't have a good point. She couldn't be with him 24/7, and some of the magics would think they were doing Magica a favor by taking out a mortal that knew spells. She loathed admitting defeat. If there was a loophole, it wouldn't be found now.

"Very well... I'll look for another way. You won't be taught." Now to calm him down. She kissed his lips, then his cheeks, murmuring as she pulled him into his arms. "There's no need to fear. I won't let anything happen to you. I do what I must for you. You're mine." And wasn't that a comforting thought?

He leaned into her touch, quaking. Good. She understood. She knew she could ask him to do what she liked but not that. Anything but that.

He nuzzled her hand as the shivering slowed down.

There was some dark amusement to be had here. He still wasn't broken enough to obey every order without question. There were many slaves who probably wished for death. But not this one, no no. He'd fight for his life - even if it meant begging and sobbing. It was a sliver of the man, not the slave.

She continued to hold him as he trembled, lovingly stroking his head, fingers running through his feathers. "There, there... I didn't mean to give you such a fright. I'll make it up to you."

"I'm sorry, Mistress," he murmured, knowing that such displays were unseemly. Really, he'd put her in an awkward position.

She ignored the apology, cupping his face again. "Tell me, what would make this life of yours easier?" Remembering the "magic words" from earlier, gently trying to coax him into letting her spoil him. "I must make amends, so what can I do?"

His mind once more longingly flitted to the idea of a second threadbare blanket.

"Just the scrub brush, Mistress," he told her.

Bah. "... If you do think of anything else besides that, you will let me know." One more pat to his cheek, and she let him go. She rose back to her chair, intending to finish off her tea and sandwiches. "The better work you do, the more wishes you can earn."

"Of course, Mistress. There's nothing I want more than to serve you to the best of my abilities."

Though a blanket would be nice. Sleeping atop the one she'd had on her bed had felt amazing. And the pillow...

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject