guidance.

[Morgan Le Fey]

Morgan was in the shop. she had been working there for a while. after a couple of days shut so she could spend time looking after elvera she had reopened actually glad of a little break from the hubbub. Elvera was doing great like she knew she would but she had a lot to do if she was going to cover take the classes this term, tealeaves, dreams and palmistry. she was reading through Elveras lesson plans and was getting ready to cover the classes. it had been a while since she had been at the school, the last time she had been covering evera when she had been sick, just before Aine had been born. she had reached the end of a long class on the mounts and decided she needed to take her mind off it. she put the folder on the coffee table and headed to get her lunch. it was finally quiet upstairs and she hoped both mother and baby were having a nap. one week olds were hard work. she headed up to the kitchen and started making a sandwich. once she was done she headed back downstairs and made a tea ready to tuck into her lunch when she heard a noise. apparently someone had come into the store whilst she had been gone. she put her things on the counter. "hello. can i help you?" she asked heading over to the girl wondering what she was after today.

 

[Ai Nightray]

Ai wanted nothing more but to talk to someone. Anyone. The burden she had been carrying within her heart was getting heavier and heavier, and every time she tried to release some, she would always end up getting the same results as always. She couldn't find anyone to talk to. Who could she talk to about a problem such as this?! Pregnancy. It was way too a big of a problem for someone such as her to handle alone. Not only was she young and now currently single, but she was emotionally weak. She could not bear the burden that has been placed on her shoulders and yet she was not heartless enough to end the problem in what others may consider a simple way. No. She was only a little over a month and she had only found out. How could she have not done so? It had been her first time and she and Jeremiah had not been careful. The instant she missed her period, she took the potion. The sweetness she had tasted was something she would never forget.

The instant she found out, she scribbled a letter, a letter to her older brother figure. Ryuuji-niichan. He was disappointed and worried. Grace and Shiloh found out soon after and then Jeremiah. Of course he was shocked, but aside from worrying about his sister's wrath, there was nothing else he paid attention to. He had not worried about her the least bit and she guessed that she should have expected that considering that they had already broken up a few days or weeks after their first time. Now, she had a burden in her chest that she wanted to release, but couldn't talk to anyone about. She could not worry Ryuuji-niichan, and she didn't want to burden Grace and Shiloh any more than she already have, especially since Grace and Jeremiah were siblings. Conan was out of the question because they have not exactly made up yet. It was too confusing to be with Liam and too shameful. And she was left with one. Professor Le Fey. Ai considered her to almost be a mother more than anything, so she had decided to pay a little visit.

The girl had dressed herself comfortable in denim jeans, a pair of blue sneakers, an aqua-colored shirt under a white sweater to keep her body warm despite the different temperature in New Zealand compared to England. She wandered through the Makutu Mall until her eyes had finally landed upon the shop she had been looking for. The Inner Eye. Ai had been planning to buy things for school that she needed for Divination, but she wanted to visit her professor more than anything, especially since she knew that the woman had given birth not too long ago. As she entered the shop and noticed no one by the counter, she had opted to take a look at the merchandise and soon enough, a woman had approached her. Ai flashed a small smile of courtesy as her right hand was now unconsciously wandering and drawing circles on her belly. "Good day. I was wondering if Professor Elvera Le Fey is around. I was hoping to visit her," she smiled politely as she extended her left hand out for a shake. "I'm one of her seventh years, Ai," the girl said and waited for a response.

 

[Morgan Le Fey]

As the girl turned around Morgan sensed some kind of familiarity with her. Had she taught her at her last brief stint st the school. She couldn't remember. It did seem like she knew elvera even if she was a little distracted by something. "good afternoon. I can go an see if I can find her if you want though I think it is nap time. And she usually goes down when the kids do. she said. She wasn't willing to wake her daughter up as she didn't get much chance for sleep at the moment.
As the girl shook her hand and introduced herself she realised where she had recognised her from. Ai, she was one of elveras favorite students. And one of the students she would be taking next semester. ah, Ai the seer, elvera often talks about you, I am Morgan her mother. she said happy to meet the girl who had given elvera the best news she had had about seven months ago, a couple if months into her eight month pregnancy. " she gave birth a week ago on New Years, but it shouldn't be long until one of them wakes up she said breaking the good news to ai you can wait here if you want to. I was just about to have lunch, would you like anything? she asked gesturing to the sofas with the table in the middle containing the file of lesson plans what she was still going through.

 

[Ai Nightray]

Ai felt comfortable here, which was certainly a whole new feeling. It had been such a long time since she had felt comfortable in a place she had rarely visited. Well, for the most part, she only visited the Inner Eye to buy herself some school supplies. Nothing more, nothing less. But now, she was not only there to buy some school supplies, instead she was there for a much more important purpose. She was going to visit her professor, but as it is it seemed that she had come in a bad time. The girl smiled sheepishly at the older woman. "No, no, it's fine. It's really nothing urgent," she assured the woman. Well, it wasn't really, she just needed someone to talk to that's all, and she wasn't going to bother her professor for something that can be put off for another time. Ai visibly blushed at the woman's words and the fact that she now knew that Professor Le Fey talked about her at home. "I'm not exactly a seer yet, I suppose. Though I had been training under Professor for more than a year now. And it's finally nice to meet you, Mrs. Le Fey," the younger smiled politely though beamed at the news that her professor had already given birth not too long ago. It was something to be happy about indeed, then so suddenly, the thought of her giving birth had entered her mind. And she could feel herself slightly panicking at the thought, would she be able to handle it? Would she be strong enough to get through it? The thought of not being able to make it or the thought of losing a child scared her. She was snapped out of her little trance when the older woman had spoken to her once more. She shook her head to come back to her senses before taking a seat on one of the sofas. "I guess some tea would not hurt?" she said sheepishly. She had been wanting more and more of those drinks lately after all.

 

[Morgan Le Fey]

Morgan was glad whatever was worrying ia was not urgent enough to require her to be woken up. And was a little surprised when ia seem slightly embarrassed that elvera talked about her. If was a good thing. Elvera would ask her advice on how to direct both Ai and Bryce no their training. And she had obviously talked about her when she was describing how she had found out she had gotten pregnant. "please, just Morgan. Mrs le fey makes me sound like a grandma, besides I never married" she said joking slightly as she was a grandma and had been for for eight years now as little Aine was not that little any more.
She could tell there was something cirtainly distracting the girl so what else could she do but get a teapot when the girl said some tea would be nice "of course you can have some tea, do you take milk, sugar or honey a at all?" she asked. Before adding a couple of scoops of a home blend tea and adding hot water with a tap of her staff. Leaving it for a moment as the aroma started to fill the room. "sorry about the mess, I have a lot of lesson plans to look through before the start of semester" she said closing the files and putting them in a slightly messy pile at the end of the table. "so Ai. Could I help answer your problem whilst my daughter is, um otherwise engaged. You do seem to have a lot on your mind". She said hoping that she could help the girl as she seemed so preoccupied and sharing of her problems would most likelly.

 

[Ai Nightray]

Ai couldn't the smile and small chuckle that escaped past her lips as Morgan had told her to refrain from calling her Mrs. Le Fey. Well, the Hufflepuff had to be honest though that her initial calling of the woman was rather impulsive and even if it seemed disrespectful, she would gladly honor the wishes of the older. She gave a small grin and nodded. "Very well then. If you insist, I will call you Morgan now," she said. The young girl watched as the older left to prepare tea and she couldn't help but give a grateful smile. "Uhm. No. Just tea, please," the Hufflepuff said with a sheepish smile as she wondered if she was already being a bother. But then again, she really couldn't stop her cravings and she wasn't that much in favor of it either. Not like she had much of choice about it though. Ai couldn't help but the calming aroma of the tea as they waited or the tea. She merely gave a small shake of the head at the professor's words of apology. She didn't mind t all and it was really understandable in her opinion. Though one reaction that she would never expected nor stopped was her sudden flinch when asked about the problem she was currently facing. "H-how did you know?" the younger asked while mildly shocked about the situation she found herself in today.

 

[Morgan Le Fey]

Morgan nodded when Ai said just tea please, it reminded her vaguely of Sapphire when she first came into her care who would only take her tea black for fear that if she couldn't see the bottom someone may have poisoned it. sapphire really had come a long way from the scared little girl who didn't talk who broke into the shop one night to a published illustrator and tattoo artist. "just tea, that is easy" she sad tapping her staff on the floor and summoning a pair of cups and a milk jug s even if Ai didn't want milk she did.
She tried to hide a smile at ai's reaction to her question about hr problem. "because people don't come and track down their professors in the holidays unless they have a problem with something. And i have been around for a long time, and have grown skilled at reading people, they seem to have a sight dreaminess to their aurora when they are thinking about something else. she said. she had grown intuitive over the years, maybe part of that was due to being a seer, maybe part due to her age and maybe part due to helping people who were damaged she was used to recognising people who had problems. what she didn't know what what was the problem, she could probably try and see the girls past or future if she really wanted to, but that was just a trick of youth, and incredibly impolite. with wisdom came restraint. she took the teapot as she waited for Ai to talk and poured the tea into two cups. "now this is my version of a muggle tea called arctic fire, it has black tea, cornflowers, peppermint, with a little bit of grapefruit and peach" she said passing Ai her cup was her favourite tea at the moment and she hoped the girl would like it too, it wasn't too much different from normal black tea, it was just a little more fragrant and slightly more summery.

 

[Ai Nightray]

Ai flashed a grateful smile at the woman's hospitality. Morgan reminded her a lot of Professor Elvera, but then again that was a considerable matter. However, the older also reminded her of Grace and Shiloh when Jeremiah had first brought her into their household. The two had been very welcoming and over the years that they had taken her under their wing, she had grown close to them and also love them as family. But, she had disappointed them greatly with her stupidity. She could not even begin to think why she had gotten herself into this predicament. How could she be such an idiot to let herself get pregnant? It was too much to handle. And now, she was listening to how Morgan had figured out that she had a problem, a problem bigger that she was. "I see. So I'm that obvious, huh? Well, I really was going to visit Professor Elvera though, problem or no problem," the Head Girl said with a sheepish, innocent smile. She was trying to evade the topic really, even by a little. She didn't want people to judge her for what her problem was now. She knew what people thought of girls who get pregnant at such a young age with no known father for the child. A tramp. Ai didn't want to be called as such ever. She knew who the father was and she was pretty d**n sure that she made the point clear and he knew that he has a child. He just chose not to care about her, but at least he cared for the child to be able to say that he will help her financially. It was better than nothing. She was snapped out of her trance when the professor had brought in front of her the tea she had asked for. "Thank you, Morgan," she said as she took the cup in her hand and took a sip, letting the taste settle in her mouth. Surprisingly, she had liked the taste better when compared to her usual that contained sugar and milk. "It tastes great," the girl beamed before letting her cup settle on the table as she tried to decide whether she would tell the older woman of her problem.

 

[Morgan Le Fey]

Morgan smiled when ai asked if she was really being that obvious chuckling slight and shaking her head. "don't worry I am just good ar reading people" she said before taking a bite of her sandwich chewing and swallowing in her own world wondering what it could be that was in the girls mind. Maybe she had had another vision or woke thing and that is why she was wampnting to see elvera, she remembered Eden saying when she was training she had to go and see her supervising teacher after each time she saw something no matter how small and insignificant it seemed. "you are more than welcome. I was making some anyway. are you sure I can't get you anything to eat?" she asked. Taking a sip of the tea herself. It was a good blend. She had finally got it right, now she just needed to remember what she had put in it and what quantities. She would be forever trying to get it right and earthing for the arctic fire dragon. "I am glad you like it! it is a new blend that I am trying to figure out. the problem isn't I am not 100%sure on the proportions infused" she said taking another bite of the sandwich glad to talk to someone who wasn't family.

 

[Ai Nightray]

Ai looked at Morgan as she chuckled telling the younger of her skill in reading other people. It had never been a skill that the Hufflepuff had and it envied her a little. "Reading people, huh?" she whispered softly as an afterthought before letting her thoughts wander, her right hand clutching her cup of tea as she continued to sip it eagerly and her left ribbing her stomach absentmindedly. "I... If I was half as good as you are in reading people," she mumbled to herself more than anyone, not noticing that she was letting her thoughts slide, "I... I would probably be in less trouble," Ai sighed as she half-smiled and realized that she was letting her thoughts out in the open. "N-not... N-not that I'm in a-any trouble," she quickly added in hoped that she would be saved for the time being on any questions that might be raised. But then again, she had the feeling that her little secret won't be much of a secret for much longer. And then again, she needed someone to talk about it too, but she half-expected Professor Elvera to know it but apparently Ai couldn't bear herself to disturb the new mother. As Morgan had yet again ask her if she wanted anything to ear, she shook her head and brought her cup to her lips only to find out that her tea was already gone. "No, I'm okay. I'm good with the tea. Although, would it be a bother if I have some more, please?" the Hufflepuff said while smiling rather sheepishly. It was a little embarrassing after all. Though Ai could not help but wave a rather dismissive hand at the thought of Morgan's tea being anything other than delicious. And so, she smiled rather comfortably. "It's perfect, Morgan. I love it," Ai told the older woman with as much assurance as she could before looking over at her cup and started fidgeting a little and decided to ask a question or two at the older woman. "Uhm... I have a little question," she said as she continued to look at her cup before gulping and voicing her thoughts rather hesitantly. "Is... Is being a mom hard?" she gulped and bit her lip lightly as she knew that she was touching, walking, dipping or swimming on dangerous waters or whatever that expression was. "Well, I know the pregnancy and giving birth are hard... B-but how about raising a child?" she stuttered out though mostly sighing about what was going on through her brain. She might as well have laid out the cards and told Morgan about her pregnancy, right? But then again, it was not that bad to test things out right? "O-oh... I... It's just that my mom died when I was little. S-so I really haven't had a talk like this," she said, her eyes on anything besides Morgan as she bit her lip hoping that this would cover up the facts. Well, while it was true, her questions really were more inclined to the fact that she was carrying a child more than anything really.
​

 

[Morgan Le Fey]

Morgan smiled indly when Ai said she wished she was as good as reading people. "Unfortunatly it is a skill that comes with age. When i was your age I was also rather poor at reading people." she said. falling in love with her twins fiance, causing them to bak up and her and her sister not to talk to each other for years. only to be left by him a few months later. "and don't worry about any trouble. I am not one to judge people on what trouble they are in" she said. "I juat help people out of it" she said. it was true she had helped a lot of people out of it over the years no matter what their situation. She poured some more tea into Ai's cup as she asked for it. and made a note to give some of it to the girl before she left.
she could see the younger lady was starting to warm up to her. as she said she had a question. the following question was a little surprising. "um" she said trying to formulate and answer. "well, i must say i was not a good mum for years, I only started raising elvera when she was twelve, and my other girls years later." she said. sure she may be a rather motherly figure now, but it hadn't always been the case. "if it is hard or not it depends who you are asking. I would probably say it can be the hardest thing you can do in life, especially in the early days, but it is also one of the most rewarding." she said. being fair and trying not to be too bias either way. she knew if elvera was being asked right now with the twins only a couple of weeks old she would say it was very hard. but one week was not time to get into any particular rhythm or really have anything to be proud of other than getting them both to sleep at once. she put her arm around the girl. "are you sure you are okay" she asked sure there was something more on her mind other than the fact that her mum had died years ago. not that it wasn't sad, she knew what it was like to loose a mother hers had died about nine months ago, she had been lucky morgause had lived a full life, but where was something about loosing a mother that shook you up no matter how old you were. any child without a mother was sad, but something must have brought i to mind now. "Oh Ai, I am so sorry. that must have been hard" she said not sure what else to say, but feeling like she should say something.

 

[Ai Nightray]

Ai remained silent for a while as she tried to contemplate on Morgan's words. Reading people was something the Hufflepuff had never been good at, but then again, she had never been able to understand herself in a good sense so she supposed it was one of the reasons she couldn't read other people. After all, she couldn't even read herself. It was one silly wish to be able to determine whether people meant well or not. It used to be such an easy task for her, or was it really? Of course it wasn't. All she did was push people away, and when they had seen her at her vulnerable point, she could welcome them. She knew her mistake. She didn't trust so easily and yet she trusted too much. A total contradiction is it not? But for her it made a little sense. In simpler words, it could perhaps be said that she simply didn't know who were the right people to place her trust upon. Obviously, she had not done a great job in choosing people. Though perhaps, if only for today, she was making the right choice. Well at the very least she hoped she was as she listened to Morgan's answer to her questions. Being a mom. It sounded heavy in her head. Would she manage? Or would she crumble? She was practically alone after all. Her mind snapped back to reality as she felt warmth around her and someone asking her if she was okay. Then she couldn't help but ask herself. Am I okay? Ai found herself unable to answer for a few moments and she unconsciously shook her head as an answer to Morgan and to herself. Was she okay? No. She was not okay. Who would be if they were in her place? "No, no. It's okay," the girl said in a hurry as the woman apologized. Ai didn't need to hear them anymore. She had already coped up with the death of her parents thirteen years ago. "I mean, it's still sad that Otou-san and Okaa-san left early, but they're both in a better place now, so it can't be that bad," the girl said as she smiled sheepishly and yet genuinely unlike the fake smiles she used to give when she was asked about her parents. Now, she could truthfully say that she had gotten over her parent's death despite her sadness that they were gone. "They were the best parents ever. I'm still sad about it, but I'm happy for them too. 'Till death do they part and together forever and all those stuff. At least it was true for them," the Hufflepuff muttered with a hint of envy in her voice. It was true though wasn't it? Not all marriages last a lifetime. At the very least, even if it was short, their love didn't die out and neither of them had to suffer separation from each other. Her mind trudged on dangerous waters once again and she had finally firmly decided. Perhaps she could trust Morgan and Professor Elvera. Both were so kind and she already found the latter as a mother figure of sorts. "Morgan... If... If I-," Ai was completely nervous about this, to the point that she was nearly stuttering. This was the only way to find out if she could trust her after all. The woman had to know her story. And if all was clear, she would tell the woman about her condition. "If I tell you something... everything... You promise not to judge?" she asked with a hint of uncertainty. The last time she trusted someone like this, she had ended up pregnant. What more could she lose if she turned out wrong with her decision right now? She didn't know. But perhaps something good will come out of it? "My story really isn't a fairytale. Can't even be considered pretty," she grumbled out as a warning to the older woman though it could be said that perhaps the woman has seen, heard, known or experienced things worse that the Head Girl could ever imagine. But then again, to a naive seventeen year old, she considered her life a nightmare.
​

 

[Morgan Le Fey]

Out of Character:

so sorry this is extremely late, my muse went on holiday, but i think it has returned just in time for exams (like normal)

when Ai said that everything was okay, it that she was glad that her parents had died together and not had to undergo separation she got the distinct feeling that this was something that she had learned to tell herself to make it less painful, and it was something that deep in her heart she didn't believe. of course morgan could be wrong, she was wrong more often than people gave her credit for. not sure what to do she took another mouthful of her tea and let Ai sit in her own thoughts for a minute.
it wasn't long until the younger girl started to talk again. this time she seemed more nervous, as though what she wanted to say was something incredibly secret and she was breaking some kind of vow saying it. she put her cup down, on the table and looked ai calmly in the eyes, her green and violet ones so much like her daughters connecting with the dark brown eyes of the girl, no, young lady. she nodded and looked down slightly, whatever this important thing was it seemed had enough to say as it was, and having an old lady stare at you when you said it would make it worse. "I promise i won't judge, I have no authority to judge you, what you say in here stays in here if that is what you wish" she said ready ing herself to hear the worst. as Ai said that her story wasn't a fairy tail she nodded. "not many peoples lives work out like fairy tails. and not all fairy tails are pretty. she said "actually if you go back to the original tales very few of them are" she said putting a reassuring arm around Ai's shoulder. "but remember, the stories with the best endings usually have the most twists and turns, life not being pretty means you haven't reached your happily ever after yet, but it will come, and your ever after will be a new beginning. she said. trying to be reassuring, but once the words were out she realised that it sort of sounded a bit cryptic
"it wasn't too long ago when a young girl sat on the same sofa you are sitting on with her life fallingapart, and now she is a published artist, and she is living her happy ending, or rather happy new beginning in America". she said referring to one of her adopted daughters, Sapphire, she she hadn't seen in a while.

 

[Ai Nightray]

Out of Character:

This is awfully short and I apologize! And even more so.... THE LATENESS!! SORRY!

Ai had slowly gotten used to talking to Morgan. Normally, Ai would have hesitated to tell anybody about these kinds of things. After all, they were very private and while it would have been kind stupid to tell somebody she barely knew about information such as these, she couldn't care any less. She had lost almost everything after all, what else did she have to lose by telling this woman about her life. Besides, the Hufflepuff could really use some words of wisdom right now and though Gracie and Shiloh were older than her, Ai doubted that they'd be able to tell her some stuff that related to motherhood. After all, both of them were young and though they had raised her in the past four years, Ai was already a teenager back then and spent most of her time in school. This was different. Ai was having a child. Her own flesh and blood. And she was quite adamant about raising this child herself. Screw her dreams of being a magizoologist because she would not go on such jobs to leave her child alone. And so, after Morgan's wise words and her own deep breath, Ai smiled a rather small smile. "I suppose lives falling apart is a portion of everyday life," the younger said as she took a sip of her tea, inhaling its fragrance as well as savoring the flavor that lingered in her tongue before she set the cup down. "I'll tell you everything," she said and true to her word, Ai did tell Morgan all that had happened in short but accurate detail. She was orphaned, disowned by relatives, and disowned by her own twin brother. She told her about meeting Heath and how she had fallen in love with him, Liam's cruelty and how Miah had saved her a couple of times. About her brother figure, Ryuuji, and how they had barely talked and of course, about Taylor. She didn't know how long the time had passed between the two of them, but she continued on with her tale, because if one wanted to understand her, then they must know what happened to her, what she went through. And finally, she told Morgan of her break-up with Heath because she had placed responsibility before him and how Miah had tried to fill the hole that the Hufflepuff had left in his wake. "Miah and I broke up a couple of weeks ago. And now," Ai paused, she had gone too far and this was the vital information she had kept from Miah, himself. She needed help. She needed guidance. And perhaps, Morgan would be able to give her just that. "I'm pregnant."
​