The box

-Joshua POV-

“Oh come on, pumpkin, you know I’m a big boy. Look at me!” I say to Crissie. She needs some practice, in my opinion, but she doesn’t let me be her ‘target’. Although I’m a Beta wolf, a big one too, she still thinks I’m not strong enough. But I want her to get better, stronger and faster. She needs to find out who she is.

“You know I’m 6.5 feet, right? And you.. uuhh.. 5?” I say sarcastic, “... well, if you’re afraid to fight me, fine. I get it. If I were you, I would be scared to…” I’m provoking her, I know I am. But I’ll have too.

“Oh shut up, you! You’re an annoying piece of shit. But fine! I’ll fight you. But not today! We are going to have a chat with my parents. I want you to be there. So, chop chop! Follow me..” Crissie says.

I sigh and shrug my shoulders. “Alright then, I don’t have a choice I guess. But talking with your parents is a good second on my wishlist. So, I’m not complaining…” I smile at Crissie and run towards her. I grab her hand and squish it gently. “It’s gonna be OK, pumpkin. I’m sure of it.” I say to her. I know she’s nervous. Not about the talk with her mother, she adores Crissie, but to find out who she really is.

Crissie looks up at Joshua and says: “I know, but I’m afraid to find the answers. I’m happy everything goes right now. I’m just Crissie, and I like that.”

I nod. I can imagine how she feels, but I’m certain things goes the way the Moon Goddess has attended to. We arrive at her parents house and we walk in.

“Mom? Dad? Anybody home?” Crissie yells around the house. It’s quiet in here.

“I think they’re outside. Get some fresh air or something. Although I hate the cold, my parents love it. We can wait, until they come back.”

“That’s fine. Let me grab some wood, I see the fire almost has gone out. I’ll be right back.” I walk to the backdoor, right to the woodshed. It’s november, and you can tell. It’s starting to get cold, especially in the early mornings or late evenings. It’s almost 6 p.m., I guess her parents made a fire before they decided to have a walk so it will be warm the moment they got home. In that case, it won’t take long before they’ll head home.

With my arms full of wood, I stumble back inside. “Crissie? Would you mind to help me? I can’t open the door.” I left the backdoor open, but the door from the utility door is shut.

She opens the door for me, and I walk to the living room. “Thanks, pumpkin.”

Crissie gets the fire going, while I make us some tea. When I’m in the kitchen, making the tea, I hear her parents come home. At the sound of their voices, I can tell they’re surprised Crissie’s in the living room. She planned to have dinner at the packhouse, but she changed her mind.

I walk back to the living room with four cups of tea. “Hey Joshua, you’re here too? I’m going to make supper. I guess you’re both dining here, am I right?” Crissie’s mother says enthusiastic. I nod at her: “Yes, ma’am. If you don’t mind..”

“Oh come on. Any friend of Crissie is welcome. But stop with the ‘madam’ talk, I’ve told you; you can call me Debby. I made a big pot of tomato soup, give me around fifteen minutes to finish, and we can sit down to eat.”

I smile at her, in some kind of way she looks a bit like my mom. She’s always busy in the kitchen, making food. Debby is a sweet woman. She never talks bad about anyone and you will never catch her of gossip. She just hates that.

We have some small talk with Ben, Crissie’s father. He’s the calm type of guy. He gladly sit down to listen at you. He’ll give you advice, but never pushes you to do the things the way he thinks is right. He’ll let you make your own choices. I’ll like that about him. My father was the opposite.

Debby walks into the room with a big pot of soup. “I made us some bread as well, it’s warming up in the oven. Please, Crissie, would you mind?” and Debby points out at the bowls at the table.

Crissie smiles, “Off course, mom. I’ll dish up, no problem.”

When everything is ready and we all sat down at the table, Ben starts the prayers. Although I’m not very religious, it’s common for us, wolves, to thank the Goddess for the food.

After the prayer, Ben looks at us and asks: “So, what is the occasion? I thought you were planning to eat at the packhouse, what changed your mind?”

Straight to the point, that’s Ben. Crissie takes the lead. “I’ve something to tell you, both.” She looks at me and I nod at her, trying to encourage her. She sighs and continues: “I know I’m not your own child, not by blood I mean. And I’ve always be different. You’ve raised me the best you could, but it was difficult; not being a wolf like the two of you. I’m a human, and that’s just not the same. I can’t think like you, I can’t mindlink or move as fast as you. But I’m happy. You’ve always encouraged me to do the things I like and to be the person I want to be. Well, it turns out I’m not only a human.”

She paused, trying to give her parents some time to digest. Ben’s the first one who responds: “What do you mean, you’re not only human?”

Crissie doesn’t say a thing, but holds her left hand upside down. Her palm is facing up right now, and within a second a small fireball is dancing in her hand.

“What the hell…” Ben’s looking at her hand with disbelieve.

“I’m a mage, dad. Well, that’s how Joshua used to call it and now I can’t get rid of it. In the books I’ve read, they call it ‘master of magic’. But I think a 'mage' is a nice denomination.”

I look at Crissie and I can see she’s nervous. She’s biting her lower lip, what she always does when she’s nervous. She lets go of her fireball and lets her hand rest in her lap.

Debby still isn’t responding, I guess it’s a bit overwhelming. The first time I Crissie do stuff like this, I was shocked as well.

“Masters, we thought they were almost gone. The last known case of a master of magic was around fifty years ago, they used to live south. I don’t understand.” Ben says, trying to understand what’s going on.

“Well, I don’t get it either. But I need answers. Do you know anything about my birth parents? Or do you know anything about masters?” Crissie asks her father, nervously.

Without saying, Debbie stands up and walks away. Three minutes later, she comes back with a small box in her hands. “We found this in the same basket as you, that day in the woods. Maybe it’ll give you some answers.” Debby says with a broken voice. “We were not sure when to give it to you. I’m so sorry if I should’ve done it before, my darling. But you’ve never showed interest in your live before us, so I kept it in my room. Here.”

She hands the box over to Crissie. “Have you looked into it, mom?”
Debby nods. “Yes, but I haven’t opened the letter.”

“Letter?” Crissie asks.

Debby smiles. “Yes, you’ll see. Open it when you’re ready.”

Crissie is studying the box but she isn’t opening it. So I ask: “Why don’t you open it, pumpkin?”

“I will, but not now. I would like to enjoy this diner with all of you, before it gets cold.”

I smile, that’s Crissie. She’ll never do something to her parents that can be considered as rude. She’s raised well.

But than Ben says: "I do know something about masters, or mages, my dear. I know there are good ones, and bad ones. A bit like witches. But the difference between them is that the power of witches is handled over through the mothers and the mages get their strengths from the fathers. Besides, witches has four elements to work with: Earth, Fire, Water, Air. The power of mages is more versatile."

Crissie nods. "I've read something about that, about the power of mages. It turns out I like fire, and the book said I have to find my true self. So that's what's I'm trying to do."

"Your mother and I still don't understand why you're left alone in the woods. But we think the parents were not from the same kind, and decided that it was better for everyone if they gave you up. And it makes more sense now we know you're a mage, Crissie."

"Why?"

"Because, mages will never procreate with somebody not their own. They want to keep their bloodline pure. If somebody did and their leader finds out, they'll kill the mother with the baby still inside her. I think your parents have saved you."

I can see Crissie's shocked. But it's all coming together now.

“Alright, Ithink this is more than enough for now. Shall we eat? I’m starving.” I say, and I’m ready to attack the delicious looking food in front of me. Debby nods and says: "Yes, that's a good idea. We'll talk later."