Curate, connect, and discover
It's been a few months and besides the adults not knowing how to adult, everything has been fine. Honestly, do they not know how to feed a child? Davenport had to get a milkflower so the baby wouldn't starve to death one time.
Lucretia, he later learned her name, was actually pretty okay with keeping everyone in check, but she’s off traveling for general supplies more often than not.
Magnus, surprisingly, is next in line for being calm. Despite his burly figure, he carves new wooden ducks every week and made most of the furniture in the house, including the crib.
Merle is definitely the worst. Kravitz didn't know if that “I can fuck an onion” spat was real or a goof, but it turns out, that wasn’t even the most questionable if not disturbing thing he’s done. Kravitz feels bad for Davenport on those… special days.
“Can you make him adore literally anything else?” Davenport once said after he came back for a report.
“Come on, this isn't A Midsummer Night’s Dream. There's no special flower that can magically make someone love something else,” He dismissed him with a nonchalant wave of the hand, but after Davenport left, Kravitz thumbed through his spellbook because he sometimes ran into Merle in the woods and would greatly appreciate not to. For many reasons.
And last on the report of his new neighbors was the devil. Okay, admitidadly, he wasn't horrible for a baby, but there were other complications with him nonetheless. For one, he wasn't scared of Kravitz. Two, the infant actually pet Davenport when the bird was distracted. Three, he wasn't scared of Kravitz. Four, he created chaos wherever he roamed. Five, he wasn't scared of Kravitz. And that's just the beginning.
Davenport started playing with the kid against Kravitz’s wishes (“YOU DID WHAT!”), and turns out, now the child has four parents. Admittedly, one is a bird, but nevertheless, a parent.
Around five years after they moved in, the four humans went on a picnic.
The guardians started chatting, “Oh, Magnus, I saw a few dogs last town that let me pet them, and one of them gave me a newspaper.”
“I KNEW IT! DOGS SHOULD VOTE!”
“How the hell did you come to that conclusion?” Merle squints at him.
“Dogs can now read. Dogs. Should. Vote.” He glares at the small man.
Lucretia closes her eyes and furrows her eyebrows, but her small smile gives away her amusement.
The child, however, starts wandering towards the cliff’s edge. He starts picking flowers and putting them in his braid. His foot suddenly slips on the ledge and Kravitz groans, summoning vines to catch him and put him back on the grass.
Davenport gives him a sideways look, one brow raised, before nodding his head the other direction and looking to the side in a “okay then” motion before turning back to the humans.
It only got worse when the kid figured out television. He would watch romantic comedies, then cooking shows, then some overly dramatic series, then another romantic comedy, then a cooking competition, then a sitcom, and then repeat. Kravitz didn't even know there were that many shows. It wasn't long before the child started nodding along or arguing with the judge’s opinion on the cooking shows.
He got up from the couch during the show one day and recreated the dish himself before yelling, “That's how you do it, chucklefucks! Not that shitty-ass ‘oh, I’ll put this in for three minutes then plop in on a plate’ method.” He mocked the contestant with a low and goofy voice. “You gotta realize it's a full creation! It needs seasoning! Fuck!”
Kravitz snorted from the trees maybe a little too loudly.
The kid froze and his head snapped towards his direction. After a few minutes, he turned off the tv and went upstairs, leaving the food on the counter.
Kravitz could hear a muffled scream from the bedroom window and he grimaced because the kid had definitely heard something come from the forest.
———
“I covered for Davenport one day. Just one! And look where it got me!” He kicks a pebble into the brush.
He hears a shout.
“Nope. I’m out. I swear, if that's Merle, I’ll personally carve my eyes out.” He reverses his direction, mumbling, and walks away at the same pace as before.
But before he could get very far, he hears someone's snickers grow into a bellowing laugh. “So you’ve met him too?”
Kravitz freezes, takes a long breath, and turns around with a pained look.
“I’ll take that as a yes. Hi! I’m Magnus!” He was just as loud as Kravitz remembers him.
“... hi?”
“It's really nice having someone else besides the Tres Horny Boys around here,” his smile never wavers.
Kravitz pauses. “I’m sorry, who now?”
He laughs again, “Tres Horny Boys, me, Merle, and Taako.”
Kravitz stares at him. “... taco.”
“Yeah, the kiddo. The one with the blonde hair?”
“Someone named their kid Taco?”
It takes Magnus a second to register that, “Oh! HAH! No, no. It's spelled T-A-A-K-O, not like the food or anything. Sorry about that. It's confusing at first.”
“Okay, sure, why not.” He pinches the bridge of his nose.
“So is this your side of the forest?”
“What?” He looks up.
“Well, you’re a fairy, judging by your horns, and you know Merle and what he… gets up to in these woods, so you must have territory near here, right?” He elaborates.
Kravitz thinks of the impenetrable wall of poison-tipped vines created to separate his domain and keep it safe from the King’s forces that have been persistently attacking and dying from the barrier’s defenses and says, “Yes.”
“Great! Let's discuss what we can and can’t do, because I respect your boundaries and will tell Merle to stop if he's been… exploring your woods.” Kravitz thinks Magnus’s smile literally could not drop. He was probably cursed to always smile. The only reasonable answer.
“Uh, well. I would prefer no unpleasant run-ins with him, but other than that, I think you guys are okay. I’m not very demanding.”
“Great! I just gotta pick a few more berries, then I’ll be out of you hair. The kid really likes to cook, even if he never admits it.”
After a moment of silence where Magnus turns back to the bush to pick some blackberries, Kravitz twists around some branches to get ready to travel by tree and says, “Goodbye, Magnus.” before disappearing into the leaves.
——–
Taako knows he saw something. There's no doubt. It laughed. He’s not going insane.
“What the fuck.”
He’s pretty sure this is the same person who saved him from that cliff. After a while, he disregarded it as a dream, because moving vines— but it felt so real.
He took out a notebook Lucretia got him after a trip. She always gives him one when she returns.
Plan: meet shadow person.
Steps: ???
Great.
Steps: ??? Follow/go into forest. Maybe Bird knows something, since he lives there. Where does Bird live? Does he have a family??? More intelligent birds??? Is shadow person a bird?
No, that doesn't seem likely. Only humans could make that noise.
Steps: ??? Follow/go into forest. Maybe Bird knows something, since he lives there. Where does Bird live? Does he have a family??? More intelligent birds??? Is shadow person a bird? Ask about shadow person. Follow Bird? Would that be okay? Probably not. Do it anyways.
He has a plan.
He internally countered, only like 5%.
He returned with, shut it, me.
———
Lucas was very glad he took precautions. He secretly swapped the kid with another to ease the kingdom when the prince was safe after sixteen years. Of course he put on a show of burning all the spinning wheels, but he wasn't faking when putting in the effort towards destroying his magical neighbors. While his forces hammered against the barrier for twelve years, he looked towards ensuring the growth of his kingdom.
This provided a problem when the Prince felt more like a Princess.
Her mother instantly fitted her with all the correct clothes, pronouns, and procedures.
Her father had more work to do before being comfortable with this change.
He then saw an opportunity to make everyone happy.
———
“Uh, do you know where the castle is?”
Taako was trying to find Bird when this high-and-mighty horse rider just waltzed onto his favorite berry bush. He looks him over, “After you bumbling about, I’m surprised you even found someone.”
He has a pained smile when he says, “I’ve never came around here before. I usually like to have a moment of freedom when visiting new places, but I— uh…” he groans and hides his face in his hands. Peeking out, he continues, “I got lost in my thoughts, then I got physically lost.”
Taako snorts with a smirk, “I’ll make you a deal— you get your four-legged friend off of the best berry bush in this entire forest, and I’ll point you in the right direction.”
“Oh sh— sorry, I didn't know I was on a plant.”
“You’re lucky it wasn't one of Merle’s… adored plants."
The poor kid seems to be deciphering that.
“You don't want to know.”
“Okay….” He pulls on the reins and the horse backs into a clear patch.
“C’mon, a kid like you shouldn't get lost in the forest.”
“But… you're also a kid?”
“Yeah, but I live here.”
“Oh.”
Taako hears the sound of hooves and wooden wheels on the path and he rushes ahead, jumping up and tackling her.
Lucretia greets him with a surprised yelp, then laughter. “Taako! Don't do that!” She sat him down beside her before noticing the other person. “Oh— who’s this?”
“Random dude that stepped on my elderberry bush then asked me to point out the castle.”
“Oh, just follow this path, then take the first two left branches before turning right,” She motions to the road behind her.
“Thank you, it's been hours and my mother is probably worried,” He flashes a relieved smile.
“I wouldn't want to hold you any longer. Besides, I gotta take this rascal back home,” She ran her fingers through Taako’s hair.
“Sorry for stepping on your plant.” He took the reins and galloped down the road.
“Strange kid,” Lucretia mumbles before wrapping an arm around Taako and finishing the tail home.
———
After a long, unexpected trip, Barry was immediately ushered to the Queen and King, where the Queen squished his face and started treating him like her own son, checking if he was okay, complimenting him, and pulling him towards the room he’s staying in.
“Oh, you simply must meet my daughter— she's absolutely lovely. I’m sure you two would get along. It'll get boring in the meeting room with all the adults, so you two can chat. You are only three years apart. I’m sure you’ll get along swimmingly.” She kept on rambling, never giving him a chance to say anything.
Before he knew it, he was sitting on his bed and alone in the guest room.
Reflecting on every insane thing that happened that day, he thought, I’m going to sleep.
———
“Yes, m’am,” “My pleasure,” “No, I don't mind,” “It was a pleasure meeting you,” were only a few things she says day-to-day. It gets horribly boring, so she's packing and leaving. This isn't the life for her. She on her way to order fifteen blankets to tie up and escape out of the window, but before she could, she was called into the meeting room.
Sighing, she opens the large door to find herself with another two rulers. She quickly plasters on a smile and curtsies before sitting to the side of her father, like her mother, and facing the other royalties.
“You must be wondering why we called you here so late, Princess,” the foreign King addresses her.
He chuckles, “No, no. It's quite the opposite. We have come to an agreement that an arranged marriage with our two kingdoms will help both of our empires advance as sisters.”
Haha, back up. Her mind said. “Sorry?”
“Lup, darling, I know this is sudden, but it's a good solution. We can't have a bachelorette first in line, and this will give you enough time to get to know him. It was bound to happen, so this is the most ideal situation. Besides, I saw him earlier, and he's pretty cute.” The two queens lock eyes and giggle together.
[Tres Hory Boys make an appearance!! (sorta) I got like 5 of the birds so far, and the other two are deffo gonna have a major role, but probably next chapter. I have no idea where I'm going with this story, but I love it, so yeah, enjoy!!!!]
Kravitz slowly regained feeling. He wished he hadn't. He couldn't remember much of last night other than he met Lucas again, they discussed strategies, and then he took a sip— oh. So that's why he came back.
That was the only thought he could muster in his semi-unconscious mind before pain woke him up. The air stung against his wound. He didn't believe it until he reached back and felt the stumps of where his wings were. Thoughts flashed through his mind so quickly that he couldn't finish them.
They all revolved around Lucas.
After about an hour of trying to steady his mind to find a spell— any spell— he remembered the first one he ever cast. Grabbing a nearby twig, with pain searing at the stretched cuts, he made it grow into a staff.
Digging his new tool into the dirt, he pushed himself up. He stumbled a few steps forward before sliding onto a rock to rest. He knew he couldn't stay here. After a few quick breaths and determination, he stood up, leaning on the wood like it was his lifeline, and started to stagger into the woods.
He didn't know how long it took to get him to his nest, but he almost collapsed from exhaustion. Kravitz remembered why he came here and sloppily knocked over scrolls until he found a healing one. He unfurled it while black dots started to grow at the edges of his vision. With one look at the symbol, he traced it on his palm then reached towards his back.
Kravitz sharply sucked in his breath, then exhaled when the pain subdued. He decided now was the time to take that rest.
The last thought he had before falling into a day-long sleep was revenge.
———
Lucas had brought Kravitz’s wings to the king. He didn't know why he couldn't end everything there and then, but something at the back of his mind convinced him that doing that would end with a worse situation— for whose side, he didn't know.
He was, as promised, married into royalty, then became King when the previous passed away a few days later. Although Lucas had a wife, he pursued his studies rather than acquainted with her. He was more well-known for staying in his laboratory than running the kingdom. Most decisions were passed onto the Queen, so everything ran smoothly and without much change for the time being.
In the experimentation chambers during those years, no one checked on the King’s work, because the King had attained absolute authority.
That was their first mistake.
———
Kravitz grew stronger both physically and magically. He didn't need to lean on his staff anymore, even if he still kept it around, and found himself studying spells more often than not. He was searching for a spell that he forgot the name of, but knew it was the one thing he needed most.
He was talking his daily stroll to rest his mind and improve his stamina, all that good stuff, when he heard distressed calls. It came from two ravens, one under a net, and another trying to get the first free. Kravitz only took a second to spot the largest threat, a human with a spade. It seemed like he was trying to hit both of the birds, but kept on missing when the untangled one pulled the stuck one out of the way.
Kravitz found the spell.
He raised his staff and watched as black mist swirled around the two ravens. Their limbs grew in length and their feathers either shrunk into their skin or fused into clothes. He let them decide their own appearances, he wasn't that cruel, and was faced with an intimidatingly tall woman with a black feathered cloak tied to a regal dress, and a smaller than average man with a dark red suit and black shirt.
“Not what I expected,” Kravitz said looking at their chosen forms once the human ran away.
“Yeah, uh, what the fu—”
“We are grateful for your assistance— I might have not gotten him out in time.”
“Don't sweat it, but I do need a favor,” he skipped straight to the point.
“Of course.” The taller being wore a raven’s skull, but under that, Kravitz knew the all-business gaze she held, for he had the same one.
“Okay, so wait, are we just going to ignore—” The smaller one started.
“It's a spell and it's reversible, but, like I said, I need to ask something of you.”
He narrowed his eyes at Kravitz.
“Look, I’m sure you know of the neighboring kingdom. I need you two to be my eyes and my wings,” He held both of their gazes.
“I assume we're going to transform into birds again?” She asked.
“I wouldn't hold you in an uncomfortable form,” He tipped his head down and rested both of his hands on top of his staff.
“So we’re going to be spies?” The smaller one said dully.
“In a sense, yes. I know it's a little late now, but may I ask for your names?”
The two glanced at each other, somewhere between confused and thoughtful.
“You can make one if you need to,” He reassured.
“If that's so, I’ll be Queen,” She said with a hint of a smile.
“Darn, okay, uh. What do you think, Queen? I’m leaning towards something starting with a ‘D’,” He used exaggerated hand motions, getting a feel for his new form.
“Davenport?” Queen suggested.
His face lit up at the suggestion, “Perfect.”
“Will you take my offer?” Kravitz held out a hand.
They glanced at each other and each shook his hand.
“It’s good to get that out of the way. You can call me Kravitz.”
———
“Should we report this?” Davenport squawked to Queen when he met her on the castle’s wall.
She didn't look up from the throne room’s window. “It doesn't seem right.”
Davenport shrugged his wings, “I mean, we can always lie to him—”
Queen looked up, “No— what? No. I mean, the Queen hasn't changed any schedules or skipped any meetings, but then a child comes into the equation? It seems suspicious. I don't know though, maybe it's a human thing. They don't wait on their young to hatch— they just come into existence. Or maybe the King took care of them in her place? No, they would need to switch positions… right? Humans are weird.” Her gaze trailed back on the Queen.
“I’m pretty sure they're not birds, Queen.”
She looked back at him, “Yes, I know. They're humans.”
“No, I meant— okay, you know what. Sure,” Davenport spread his wings, “I’ll report this to Kravitz,” and lifted off.
———