14th Question: Not So Normal Life - Part 2
Chapter 14. Not so normal life - part 2 (End)
AN: I really apologized of the long no-news from me. My life turning upside-down, much worse than the way how my PC died forever sending me to get a new CPU with all data lost… over two older siblings I have which are the only siblings I have after the death of our oldest brother 7 years ago, I was hurled by two of them diagnosed with an illness. My oldest sister who got some kind of a tumor and my older sister who got Glaucoma, the first threatened her ability to have lineages and the second threatened her ability to see. So yes, my life really throws me off the stairs, let me fall hard on the ground before spiraling out of control as the stairs somehow falls on top of me. Therefore, I apologized for they who sending me private messages over this story or the TDWP: Beauty not A Beast, of how late I replied their messages let alone to pick up where I left off. My old CPU died with all data inside the hard-disk cannot be extracted. Luckily I still have my notes which consisted with ‘Question-series’ and my own original ‘hopefully-would-be’ novels. The TDWP: Beauty not A Beast fortunately still 1st chapter, give me times and I could use my imagination to continue the story.
Secondly, I still am in my way to find a beta, a person who truly wants to beta and not someone I email 10 times and give them four - six months to beta less-than 5000 words chapter and yet disappeared without even a confirmation or a message that saying ‘I’m sorry, I cannot do this’ bla-bla-bla. So if there are any of my readers, who want to be my beta, contact me or leave a review. Until I found a Beta(s), I will put my usual warning of this chapter is UN-BETA-ED.
And to Eustacia83: Thank you for your kind review. As I have no idea how to reply your message, this is the 14th chapter and will be followed by more chapters as when I write this message I’ve finished 15th chapter and already work with the 16th chapter. So please kindly leave more reviews. All the best lucks, Arakan.
Not So Normal Life - Part 2.
Andy was working hard, or tried to. Her Queen a.k.a. Miranda demand Andy to find her replacement in less than two weeks and trained the new assistant complete with a casual wiggle of her fingers while Andy’s daughter secured in Miranda’s left arm. With Emily (and Nigel) got a fainting-fit, all clackers seems determined to casually breezing into the Outer-Office followed by the poorly concealed ‘peer-and-peek’ into Miranda’s office. The thespian gasps of how the Queen of Fashion, strongest arbiter in the Fashion World, the Snow-Queen and of course the renowned title of all, the Dragon-Lady, Miranda Priestly, does come into the Runway with a baby. From time to time the baby got picked up by the Editor - in - Chief from inside the baby-crib or even from the top of her desk that had been cleared (by Andy) from any books, papers, folders, binders, pictures or any stationary and items that could hurt the baby-girl to be placed on her lap or simply tucked safely in one of her arms while the editor continued writing and Miranda bestowed the infant -that would always tilted her small head back to gaze up to the famous Snow - Queen’s icy-blue eyes with a joyful laugh- with a genuine smile warmed enough to melt any ice mountain on South Pole.
Many had decided the end of the day are rounding the corner by such smile, Andy on the other hand tripped several times and twice already walked face first to a shelf and another to a wall. The brunette glared dagger to the Editor, oh Andy wouldn’t have trouble anymore to read Miranda and she knew her Queen does those provocative and tantalizing smiles to torture her to no end. The twinkling in those icy-blue orbs and a ghostly tiny smirk tugged on the corner of Miranda’s lips enough to confirm Andy’s accusation.
Closing the door to Miranda’s office to give them same privacy, “You are the Queen of Devil,” hissed Andy as she put the pictures Miranda wants. “This is the Chanel’s pictures you want and could you stop doing that?” A fair eyebrow rise is the only respond Andy got. “Don’t look so innocent to me, Miranda. Continue doing that and before lunch only me who still sane and conscious enough to work!” Andy hissed harder, sharper. “After lunch I bet my ass the phones would put any Christmas Trees in shame as those phones would be lit up endlessly by designers, models, even to some gossipers in four other different continents!”
“Really Andréa, would you stop be so dramatic?” Miranda drawled with a sigh completely overlooking Andy’s protests. “I shared your sentiment, darling, with a plus. In next 15 days or so, you won’t walk down these halls again. You won’t be behind your desk again.” Dropping her cool façade, Miranda let the sadness she hid whole these times after she make her decision, to be seen by her lover.
“Miranda.” Andy feels remorse to be so insensitive. “You won’t lose me.” Tentatively Andy extended her right hand it seems satisfy the Editor who reached for her offered hand. “I know, my darling,” lifting up Andy’s hand Miranda lowered her own head eyes continued holding Andy’s widened orbs as she pressed her lips on the back of Andy’s right palm. “Please humor this old woman a bit, she have no good track-records over partners. What she has from all of her former-partners are mostly nothing but a dilemma, a problem, and a mess.”
Andy cringes slightly, “…I’ve my own problems, Miranda.”
“No my darling, your problem is not same with the problem they brought to me,” Miranda tightened her hold on Andy’s wrist wishing they aren’t inside her office so she could hug her distressed lover. “Remember who I am, Andréa. Remember what I capable to do. And believe me when I said your problems have been faced by me for decades.” Seeing Andy’s interested look Miranda got up, rounded her desk and stand in front of Andy, “their problems, my darling,” she reached down to take Andy’s other hand and held it tightly, “effect my ability to trust.” A soft “oh,” escaped the brunette while Miranda quietly whispers, “in the end what I know was to push them away, to push everyone away sans my girls. Partners I mentioned didn’t notably implicate my official partner in public or by the law. I had friends. I had lovers. I had a family.” A pause, Miranda looked away evidently to calm herself and to harden her eyes that glazing, “…yet whom you see with me now… are the only people I have.”
“Oh Miranda.” With a choked sob Andy released Miranda’s hands opting to wrap her arms around the Editor that stiffened for a second due to the surprise before hugging back Andy as tight as the brunette does to her. Andy understand Miranda’s statement, pleased how her lover slowly opening up to her, and even without the details Miranda’s insinuation brought tears to her and more understanding of how Miranda so overprotective over her daughters and they who really stayed on her sides. Although the fact that the last-part of the discovery, of ‘they who really stayed on Miranda’s side’ Andy doubts that before her and her own daughter, Miranda have no one sans her daughters.
“Why are you crying, silly girl?” Snaking her right hand up and fingers buried into brown tresses, “I’m sorry, Andréa.” Miranda closed her eyes, feeling miserable. “It seems to indulge myself with my own selfishness, to enjoy my time with our little Alexandra while having you here, pretending you’re on our sides and not running around to do all those mundane works, exhausted you.”
A harsh sniff, “Don’t be!” Andy pulled away hurriedly wiping her tears away and with a quiet murmur the ruined mascara and makeup went perfect again. “It’s fine. I was simply doing my job,” catching a doubtful look on Miranda’s face, “besides,” Andy leaned forward letting her lips hovering before Miranda’s, “I have lots of incentives.”
Miranda chuckled throatily into the kiss wrapping her arms around Andy’s waist while her younger lover’s arms wounded around her neck. They spent few quiet minutes simply savoring each other lips and mouths and pulling away each time the couple feels the kiss turned deeper and too passionate. They still minded they are inside Miranda’s office and even Andy could lock and put a soundproof spell on the door with her magic, neither want to rush the relationship, content to follow the flows.
A happy gurgle at last pulled them apart -for now- their eyes landed on Alexandra who sinking into a comfortable chair that Miranda demanded for Emily to bring it into her office, the child was covered by several layers of baby-blankets to keep her warm. Mismatch orbs are gazing up at them with what the two women recognized as an endorsement, the child give a ‘Kyaa!’ before disappearing under the blankets, the bump visibly moving, rolling around before settled down after finding a comfortable position… tiptoeing closer Andy lifted up the edge of the blanket that placed on the very bottom of the multiple-layers, shifting slightly to allow Miranda to join her to see their baby girl curled into a tight petal position and her little body bit-by-bit glowing with several colors at once before those lights gone.
“What happen to her, Andréa?” Miranda asked worriedly.
“I am not sure.” Andy replied carefully shifting the blankets so she could see her baby-girl better and examine her daughter she tilted her head to the side, confuse. “I see nothing changed on her.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“Like I said, I am not sure. Even I have my own research; I’m not a brilliant researcher at all.”
“How about Fred and George?” Miranda suggested.
“No, they are great to find information but not for such complicated information let alone what belongs to the ‘ancients.’” Huffing Andy lowered the blankets again, “…either I spoke to my mom… or to my friends…” momentary looking to Miranda, Andy dropped her gaze down, “Miranda.” She just has time to say that before a finger appeared under her chin and tilted up her head to meet Miranda’s cool eyes. “Do what you decided to do, Andréa. Especially when it comes to our Alexandra, leave all the politics and safety-measures to me.”
“You sure?” Andy wasn’t that convinced. “It could be ugly and nasty.”
“Ugly and nasty for them,” Miranda arched her eyebrow challengingly, “while me? Really Andréa, I’m Editor - in - chief of Runway. Everything under my rules and commands are appealing.”
“I really wished to say that’s to a certain extent, is a lame statement. If I heard anyone else said that to me, I’ll say cheesy, however, I too know so much how everything and everyone received your touches always basked in spotlights,” said Andy, “you really have hands of Midas, Miranda.”
“I’m glad you think that way. Now leave Alexandra in my office, as long as she is on my side no one and nothing could harm her.” The already arched-eyebrow went higher on Andy’s stunned look, “really Andréa, why would I bring such child into my office if I not already considering about her status?” with a sharp sniff that remain elegant -seriously, how come someone could sniff in elegant way? Miranda could apparently- Miranda tilted up her chin. “I am using your rules, darling. You might only say few of it when you cured my palm. They won’t do anything reckless as long as Alexandra with me, in their eyes, I after all is completely a non-magical person.” Confidently she went on. “Do not worry, darling. You take care of our baby in things I certainly have no idea what let alone what to do, but aside of those magical issues let me take care of it.” For second time Miranda was surprised as Andy lunged forward this time kissing her within inch of her life, not that she mind. “What’s that for?”
“I love you.” Andy said breathlessly blinking as Miranda's eyes darkened. “Miranda?”
“I think you need to run along now, Andréa.” The Editor growled. “Every time I heard how you love me make my chest flutter, but hearing you so breathlessly saying that to me a second ago, run along now or I commit a crime by disturbing our child with-” Miranda didn’t have a chance to finish her ‘threat’ as Andy, got her face turned red as bright as traffic light, squeaking out, “I’m off!” A soft pop and the brunette disappeared from Miranda's office leaving the Dragon Lady staring the empty spot not a foot away from her that till a second ago occupied by her lover… “…ah…so that is what my girls begging for me to ask Andréa did she could do the ‘teleport’ thing.” Chin between her thumb and forefinger, a slow yet visibly a devilish grin slithering its way to Miranda’s lips. “Interesting, very interesting…”
Even return to her seat and resumed her works, Miranda’s brain somehow in its enigmatic way, still able to analyze, evaluate and calculate steps they or Miranda need to do, yet a new feeling crawling into her heart as her eyes gazing out of her office to see a glimpse of her lover and to the comfortable chair to see a tiny hand sticking out from under the blankets, waving…clearly searching something or in this case someone. Miranda offered her little finger eyes lit up as tiny fingers wrapped around her little finger. “A new feeling indeed,” she mused quietly to herself, for what she would do is to protect her family. Her once small family, which only has her and her girls now, expands. The step she would take, decision she would made, is not as a single mother anymore and certainly not as a lonely head of family anymore.
She has Andréa now. She has Andréa and Alexandra to enter her immediate-family-members. She got twin Weasley’s boys that clearly ensnared her girls as charming brothers. She has them to be protect, shields, cares and loves. “With all costs,” using her free hand to grab her mobile-phone, Miranda make sure Andréa still busy carrying out thousands-tasks and Emily to mend the office-phones. No, if the Brit continued unconscious would be find, it give Miranda longer time as she punch a new number in her speed-dial. Her call got picked on first dial, “Miranda Priestly…ah Commander Harper. You do learn from Andréa I didn’t like small talks,” a chuckle and the Editor’s eyes darkened matching the wick devilish grin she got. “Do you have any idea where I could find attorneys that could work with ‘Magical’ issues? It would certainly help us…”
(-*-)
Just like Andy fear, an hour before lunchtime all phones already lit up like a Christmas tree, ringing continuously and her devilish-lover seems pleased over something, so pleased she is that Miranda strode out of her office with Alexandra tucked safely in her arms. “Coat, bag, get me Roy down in 10 minutes, cancel my lunch-plan and make new one for me and Donatella somewhere good and close to the Central Park in thirty minutes, that’s all.” As usual the Editor gives her instructions in speed of machine gun, lover or not, Andy knew she need to accept such side as one-full-package of being Miranda’s lover. Although Andy cannot help but smile hearing an extra “please,” uttered in loving whisper, she too cannot stop herself before whispering back, “be careful and be safe on the road, my girls.” Brown orbs peered up in time icy-blue gives a fleeting look and a subtle nod of the Editor’s head before Miranda stride away leaving the smell of her perfume invading Andy’s nostrils and the brunette felt like her head got dunked into a pond of finest wine.
“She’ll be the death of me. I’m sure of it.” Shaking her head side-to-side Andy returned to her desk contemplating should she used some charm to filter the irritating calls… peering over her computer screen and saw again Emily fainted after seeing Miranda coming out with Alexandra.
“Good.” With a smirk Andy looked around casually scanning the place making sure no one was there or even passing by as she rested her palm over the top of the desk-phone with her wand that hidden inside her right sleeve between her palm and the phone. Murmuring a charm she learned years ago her smirk widening as the incessant calls ended. “One task down, and a million to go,” she muttered to herself hiding her wand again and stared to her computer screen while making a call to cancel Miranda’s lunch-plan including to reserve a place for two famous Fashionista to have lunch close to the Central Park.
(-*-)
Miranda was smirking into the glass of wine she request for her lunch, her friend Donatella a typical of Italian’s woman had make a fuss as soon as she who came faster than Miranda and waiting for a minute saw the Fashion Maven entering the restaurant regally with Alexandra tucked protectively in her left arm, squeal out loud.
“Miranda ma belle!” Donatella went to her, meeting her halfway to their table, kissing her friend’s cheeks and look down gazing to a pair of sleepy dual-eyed baby and squeal again. “Who is she? Who’s this beautiful baby’s name? Where you get her!?”
It does entertained the Editor to no end, “let us have a seat firstly, and I will let you play with Alexandra,” replied Miranda as usual in her quiet tone and ignored how her friend squealing and sighing dramatically, “Ah, Alexandra, what an incredible name.” Both Fashionistas took their seats completely oblivious of how entire restaurant staring at them with eyes wider than saucers and even the maître d' distracted several times in process jotting down their requests to sneak a fleeting look to the baby that continued rested on Miranda’s left arm. The Editor really refused to let go her youngest daughter, so much that she requested for her steak to be cut by petrified chef before got served on her table.
“Ah, what a magical tale,” Donatella sighed after Miranda informed her the ‘how’ she got Alexandra of course with edited-story. “But my darling, I could feel this child is not a normal child, a special and gifted child instead.” She said picking up her wine glass with little finger sticking out smiling playfully to Miranda who smirking wider into her wine glass.
“I know, my dear. As an Italian you do aware of few fairytales actually are real.”
“Oh yes,” the designer drawled. “I heard it from my grandmother who heard it from her own grandfather that his wife is a Bella-Donna, an Italian witch.”
“And you did tell me few things you kept inside your homes and office that worked to protect you.”
“I did, didn’t I?” Smiling knowingly, “what you wish to tell me, my dear friend?” Donatella asked, already sensing the questions Miranda have inside her mind. “You know anything I have could be used by you.”
“I was wondering would an Italian-witch’s magic work differently with most of wizards.” Miranda inquired, looking down to Alexandra who giving a healthy yawn and seeming stretching before sucking her left thumb, Miranda looked up, jaws flexing. “My baby girl here including the birth-mother is in danger of some British Wizards.” Her hints enough to prompt several curses escaping the designer in front of her, “them,” Donatella sniffed haughtily. “Always think their ‘magic’ greater than others. Us, the Italian same like the Greeks, have our powers come from our ancient ancestors, of course our magic work differently with them. Why, even Asian’s magic is far older than them and definitely superior than most of us.” She looked serious all of sudden. “No need to worry my dear and no need for more explanation. I could sense the dire situation of your ‘girls.’ Let me make few calls and I’ll fly those little trinkets straight with my private-jet to New York. Expect my call before the end of the week.”
“You have my gratitude, Donatella,” Miranda tipped her head regally. “How I could pay this debt?”
“Oh darling,” Donatella’s eyes immediately fixed to Alexandra and with a childish hopeful look, “may I hug and once in awhile have little Alexandra to play with me? I promised I will keep her safe. And of course, I want to see this Andréa!” She gushed excitedly.
With a warm laugh Miranda offered Alexandra, “by all means, Donatella, I encouraged if you took her to see your collection,” she watched her friend picked the baby-girl carefully and only after the designer have a firm hug around Alexandra the Editor relaxed her form. “Apparently my genes magically infused to her and such she already helping me to correct several photo-spreads, why, this morning Alexandra practically set the photo-spreads of Hermes in flame, angered by those oh, I don’t know, amazing level of incompetence.” She drawled chuckling throatily as the famous designer seated opposite of her squealing and coo all over confused looking baby-girl wondering whose this woman who hugging her make so much noises.
Miranda kindly warned her friend over things that disturbed Alexandra; it is no use for her friend to get turned into a giant ice-statue just like few victims already endured, yes?
(-*-)
Back to the Elias-Clarke, Andy however spent her time to fix everything, all damages that happened due the shocking revelation of how Miranda Priestly arrived with a baby. As expected, even with her spells she still swamped by endless calls. She replied most of them with nothing but “No comment.” From ‘New York Times’ to ‘London Mirror’ and what shocking is a call from ‘Vogue’ that wished to interview Miranda of the baby she have when there is no sign she was pregnant for last nine months or was she tried to create a new trend that even a businesswoman like her should never left her child in hands of babysitter?
“I’m sorry. I don’t know. And no, Miranda won’t give any interview.” Even with Andy closed the phone her mind is racing over the last topic, “…should a businesswoman bring their child onto their office and not leaving them in the hands of a babysitter?” She rubbed her chin, tapping it repeatedly, deep in her thoughts as her spell working to filter the phone-calls.
“Personally I would love if a big corporate such Elias-Clarke have a daily-care, Andréa.” As usual startling Andy to no end, Miranda stride into the Outer-Office dropping her coat and bag on Emily’s empty desk as the First - Assistant has her lunchtime leaving Andy alone for some time. The brunette didn’t mind, she prefer working alone, her time as Lt. Commander of 19th Division placed her inside her own office, so to share an office area with another person really make her uncomfortable. “Miranda!” Andy squeaked, kicking out of her chair to snatch the coat and bag from Emily’s table and stored it inside the small-closet behind her own desk, snatching her notepad and entered the Editor’s office closing the door behind her. “Welcome back.” She greeted Miranda who flicked her eyes up in process to take her own seat.
“I’m back.” Miranda relented, smiling warmly before went serious again. “What we misses?” she inquired bringing brighter smile from Andy as the ‘we’ Miranda used refer back to the editor and the baby-girl that seems flushed. “Not much aside of calls from panic and hysteric mass in publishing world, a call from Irv and…” she trailed off to stop, staring to her daughter who got a red face and seems glowing in happiness. “…what happen to her?”
“She received too much love from one particular Italian-designer,” Miranda drawled taking a sip of her Pellegrino and sigh. “Donatella is really an Italian woman through and through. She cannot stop gushing and cooing all over Alexandra,” placing down the glass Miranda used her free hand to signal for Andy to take a seat on the empty chair in front of her desk. Andy quickly seated herself wanting to hear what Miranda actually plan and from how she hints it, clearly the Editor gives some ‘information’ to the designer. Doe-eyes bulged when Miranda finished her information, “No way!” Andy gasped. “A Bella-Donna? Donatella’s great-grandmother is a Bella-Donna? Miranda!” Andy swayed forward, staring to her lover in shock. “Do you know how really rare and powerful a Bella-Donna is?”
“Quite.” Miranda said simply already busy perusing through the stack of papers on her desk.
“They are really strong!” Andy cried out insistently. “A Bella-Donna is like Merlin in female version! They are gifted by birth, bless by heaven to wield so much power that make them even mortals, equal with member of Races! They didn’t need to enter an academy as long as they have strong willpower! They didn’t need verbal spells let alone a wand!”
Without pausing on her task, “Donatella does told me that,” said Miranda looking up to her younger lover before focusing back to the papers at hand leaving Andy got dumbstruck look in return. “What she told you then?”
“That aside of the British, France or whatever magic in Europe, the Italian and Greek’s ancient magic far superior than them, including Asian’s magic too is very powerful. Although in Asia, most of gifted children entered sacred-grounds such a shrine instead attending a magical academy but it doesn’t mean they don’t have such schools.”
“…wow…” Andy breathed, “…and you said you have no idea at all about magic.”
“Correct.” Miranda pointed the expensive Mount Blanc fountain pen she holds to her lover. “I have no idea at all about magic, but I never said I didn’t know their existences.”
“…and what you actually plan, my love?”
Miranda’s smirk is pure devilish finding her -as usual- surprise everyone, in this case her lover, again. “Didn’t I tell you few hours ago leave the protections of our girls to me, darling?” She asked playfully. The puzzles instantly created a perfect image, all dots connects, “you want to use the Italian’s magic to protect us,” Andy gasps, once again marveled of how her boss and now her lover wouldn’t do anything half-baked. Once Miranda decided something she will go through till she got the satisfaction result.
Letting loose an approval “Mmm,” Miranda looked down shifting another paper, and write something on the new page of paper. “You do what you need to do and I do what I need to do. So, what’s with the calls and the sudden thoughtful muse we interrupted by our arrival?”
Chuckling of how easy Miranda switched the topic, Andy explained several calls that come to her desk and express how few topics those callers brought up stirred her instinct as a journalist. She had shyly explained her instinct as a journalist basically formed by her well trained experiences as the investigator in her time in army, which perks up Miranda’s curiosity, “are you a detective, love?”
“Short of,” Andy grinned. “‘Blackbirds’ actually divisions that worked for intelligence and information gathering,”
Now Miranda’s eyebrows hiked up. “C.I.A.?”
“In away,” Andy answered vaguely though her eyes sparkling recalling her days in uniform. “We are more like a Shinobi, a ninja-type mixed with a military police. We worked undercover most of the times, local polices and the FEDs in this nation mostly know us through their higher-ups. Blackbirds are elites. We mostly backup the local polices or FEDs when it comes to a case that hold too much mystery, usually involving magical-beings but most often than not we even got normal cases from around the world. Depending on where we got stationed.”
“Go on.” Miranda whispers not wanting for her lover to stop, it is an opportunity for Miranda to learn her lover better and she could see the passion and fire filled Andy’s eyes.
“As example, myself, stationed on Great Britain, all crimes that related to the magical and races of course went to my hands. Perhaps by the novels the girls have you learned of the Auror’s existence, yes?”
“I do.”
“Blackbirds actually are a modernization-type of the actual Police of such world, the Enforcers and so we too referred as the Enforcer. Like UN forces placed on conflict-areas, we, the Enforcers placed in areas where the land has ancient power by history and even by myth. In Asia as example, China, Japan and what shock even me, Indonesia, have such powers by myth, legends and facts.”
“How you know it?”
“Look to their ghost-and-supernatural-stories, as irrational ways as it sounds those places have it. True, other places such even this nation have its own myths and legends, although Asians have more closed-types of such organizations and communities, they does exists.”
“Let me guess, Bali? Or the Borobudur Shrine on the Middle Java?” Miranda asked half-jokingly but on Andy’s mysterious smile she cleared her throat, “what else, darling?” A pause and quite tentatively the Editor ask, “Were you…miss that life?”
Andy didn’t answer immediately instead she looked to Alexandra that regained her snow-white complexion and currently playing with Miranda’s Hermes scarf. “…now I have you, Caroline, Cassidy and Alexandra…” the brunette closed her eyes inhaling and exhaling few times, “…methinks, I’ve take a quite long vacation.” Looking at her lover with determination look, “forgive me Miranda,” Andy clenched her jaw, “but I think, I will fly to D.C. and speak personally to Commander Harper for she had offered me an opportunity to work in away, as an Enforcer again.” Her expression softening but not her eyes that now hard and sharp, a look that quite pleasantly surprise Miranda for she never thought her lover have such strong side let alone how Andy appeared more beautiful. “I hoped I could use a bit privilege to be stationed here on New York, but if I am not able to do so, I’ll find away to always return home to our home. Whole these times…I am afraid, and yet even I could defend myself, I have no shield and sword to protect me, to protect people I love and care. I need it. I need my shield and sword again Miranda. Back then, I wasn’t prepared and I spent years in grief.”
“It is time for you to move on.” Miranda concluded nodding her head few times; placing down her pen she stretched her right hand across the table to her lover who took it with two palms. “You have my support, darling.” She blinked back tears, worry for Andy’s well-being and yet she knew if Andy could manage to go back to wear the badge, they would be more protected. “Promise me to be careful.”
“You have my word.” Andy vowed lifting up Miranda’s hand and pressed her lips to the inside of the Editor’s wrist and palm. “I’ll need to leave as soon as possible.” She looked up meeting her lover’s worry eyes. “I need to work with the loose-ends, to speak with my mothers, to my friends, and face my nightmare.”
“Don’t search him like a madwoman, Andréa.” Miranda warned her sternly.
“I won’t.” Andy replied in matching tone. “My highest priority is not to search him. I am more than happy to act like he never exists. But he does, Miranda, and one day he could be our biggest problem. Before that day come if it’s really come, I want to be prepared. This time, I will not let him to harm anyone I love again.” Brown eyes glowing, shimmering and crimson colors all of sudden like a waterfall trickling down from behind her eyelids above the eyes covering the warm chocolate orbs with its bloody colors as if seeking bloods of the person, of they, who had tortured her for years. “This time I’ll make them, personally, regret they ever exist.”
(-*-)
Even her lover had left for quite some time now; Miranda was still staring to the empty chair in front of her table. She was pondering quietly what she learned from Donatella when she brought up a topic of a Nymph which earned a sudden understanding look from the designer as she studied Alexandra back in restaurant, murmuring now she understand why Alexandra have a crimson eye instead brown-eyes like her birth-mother. Of course Donatella has met Andy few times and she had praised how the brunette is ‘quite catching.’
“‘A nymph my dear is one of races you shall never cross. A nymph by some myth born out of the Goddess of Earth and Goddess of Water’s loves and affections to each other. A nymph is the symbol of their love, their mercy and kindness. No one knew was it the truth, but a nymph have dark-side that lurked within their shadows and you only saw it when their eyes turned into a bright crimson, as red as a blood. The Eye of Hells. For when in such condition, a nymph does not want water but bloods of their foes, their enemies they have marked. In such condition they are not a nymph, they are what within ancient term of races called as the ‘Dark Elves.’ Elf is the Guardian of Nature and nymph is one of the guardians; lower than Elf for them usually a mix-breed with a mortal, not purely a pure-blood. A Dark Elf is alike but not same with a Vampire. They do not drink bloods of innocents. They only sought bloods of their enemies. And not like a Vampire, they are part of the nature for the nature too has its own punishment and cruelty. It is a part of them, a part of every member of the races. A forbidden side yet within their souls, lay dormant most of the time, but when they are threatened, hurt, that monster would awaken with a roar. Unless they found their targets, their enemies, they won’t return to sleep.’”
Slowly a sinister grin crept up to form on Miranda’s lips, “your mother really know how to surprise me, Alexandra,” she said with a hint of cheerfulness resting her right palm over the baby’s head stroking the child’s soft-hairs while eying the retreating back of her lover as Andy make her way out of the Outer-Office to find her replacement and wanting to have a meeting with the Hell’s Carrot a.k.a. the Twin Weasley. “Again and again, always exceed my expectations.” Once Andy completely out of her view Miranda momentary looking to their daughter that rested on the comfortable chair next to her chair, icy-blue widened slightly to find Alexandra seems magically growing now she didn’t look like a five-weeks old baby anymore, but a year and a half. The baby-girl now was seated on the chair, surrounded by blankets and clutching Miranda’s wrists with her tiny palms, mesmerizing dual-orbs holding the Editor’s eyes with a look that far too mature for an infant.
“Oh my.” Miranda clicked her tongue in mock disapproval. “I need to call Donatella to adjust your clothing-size, darling.” Swiveling her chair around to face her daughter Miranda picked up the baby-girl chuckling softly, “you may grow up but not too much, everyone saw you in my arms so be sure to keep a form that enough to keep up with today’s shock, yes?” Miranda really have no more doubt, completely convince that her youngest daughter completely understand of her words.
The child laugh, lifting up her hands to take handfuls of silver-locks tearing the delicate baby-shirt in process that cannot cover her new bigger form, giggling out, “mormer.” Miranda arched elegant eyebrow, Alexandra sounded like half-murmur and half-gurgling, “I take it you tried to say ‘mother,’” she mused, kissing the child’s nose and got a smug grin. “Well, well, looks like the day you will join your sisters, Andréa and I to conquer the world won’t be that long.” Resting her baby-girl that now not so little anymore against her chest, Miranda gazed up, humming a lullaby while mussing aloud, “Now, I wonder what kind of step I should take and whom…I should take care of…”
AN: I really apologized of the long no-news from me. My life turning upside-down, much worse than the way how my PC died forever sending me to get a new CPU with all data lost… over two older siblings I have which are the only siblings I have after the death of our oldest brother 7 years ago, I was hurled by two of them diagnosed with an illness. My oldest sister who got some kind of a tumor and my older sister who got Glaucoma, the first threatened her ability to have lineages and the second threatened her ability to see. So yes, my life really throws me off the stairs, let me fall hard on the ground before spiraling out of control as the stairs somehow falls on top of me. Therefore, I apologized for they who sending me private messages over this story or the TDWP: Beauty not A Beast, of how late I replied their messages let alone to pick up where I left off. My old CPU died with all data inside the hard-disk cannot be extracted. Luckily I still have my notes which consisted with ‘Question-series’ and my own original ‘hopefully-would-be’ novels. The TDWP: Beauty not A Beast fortunately still 1st chapter, give me times and I could use my imagination to continue the story.
Secondly, I still am in my way to find a beta, a person who truly wants to beta and not someone I email 10 times and give them four - six months to beta less-than 5000 words chapter and yet disappeared without even a confirmation or a message that saying ‘I’m sorry, I cannot do this’ bla-bla-bla. So if there are any of my readers, who want to be my beta, contact me or leave a review. Until I found a Beta(s), I will put my usual warning of this chapter is UN-BETA-ED.
And to Eustacia83: Thank you for your kind review. As I have no idea how to reply your message, this is the 14th chapter and will be followed by more chapters as when I write this message I’ve finished 15th chapter and already work with the 16th chapter. So please kindly leave more reviews. All the best lucks, Arakan.
Not So Normal Life - Part 2.
Andy was working hard, or tried to. Her Queen a.k.a. Miranda demand Andy to find her replacement in less than two weeks and trained the new assistant complete with a casual wiggle of her fingers while Andy’s daughter secured in Miranda’s left arm. With Emily (and Nigel) got a fainting-fit, all clackers seems determined to casually breezing into the Outer-Office followed by the poorly concealed ‘peer-and-peek’ into Miranda’s office. The thespian gasps of how the Queen of Fashion, strongest arbiter in the Fashion World, the Snow-Queen and of course the renowned title of all, the Dragon-Lady, Miranda Priestly, does come into the Runway with a baby. From time to time the baby got picked up by the Editor - in - Chief from inside the baby-crib or even from the top of her desk that had been cleared (by Andy) from any books, papers, folders, binders, pictures or any stationary and items that could hurt the baby-girl to be placed on her lap or simply tucked safely in one of her arms while the editor continued writing and Miranda bestowed the infant -that would always tilted her small head back to gaze up to the famous Snow - Queen’s icy-blue eyes with a joyful laugh- with a genuine smile warmed enough to melt any ice mountain on South Pole.
Many had decided the end of the day are rounding the corner by such smile, Andy on the other hand tripped several times and twice already walked face first to a shelf and another to a wall. The brunette glared dagger to the Editor, oh Andy wouldn’t have trouble anymore to read Miranda and she knew her Queen does those provocative and tantalizing smiles to torture her to no end. The twinkling in those icy-blue orbs and a ghostly tiny smirk tugged on the corner of Miranda’s lips enough to confirm Andy’s accusation.
Closing the door to Miranda’s office to give them same privacy, “You are the Queen of Devil,” hissed Andy as she put the pictures Miranda wants. “This is the Chanel’s pictures you want and could you stop doing that?” A fair eyebrow rise is the only respond Andy got. “Don’t look so innocent to me, Miranda. Continue doing that and before lunch only me who still sane and conscious enough to work!” Andy hissed harder, sharper. “After lunch I bet my ass the phones would put any Christmas Trees in shame as those phones would be lit up endlessly by designers, models, even to some gossipers in four other different continents!”
“Really Andréa, would you stop be so dramatic?” Miranda drawled with a sigh completely overlooking Andy’s protests. “I shared your sentiment, darling, with a plus. In next 15 days or so, you won’t walk down these halls again. You won’t be behind your desk again.” Dropping her cool façade, Miranda let the sadness she hid whole these times after she make her decision, to be seen by her lover.
“Miranda.” Andy feels remorse to be so insensitive. “You won’t lose me.” Tentatively Andy extended her right hand it seems satisfy the Editor who reached for her offered hand. “I know, my darling,” lifting up Andy’s hand Miranda lowered her own head eyes continued holding Andy’s widened orbs as she pressed her lips on the back of Andy’s right palm. “Please humor this old woman a bit, she have no good track-records over partners. What she has from all of her former-partners are mostly nothing but a dilemma, a problem, and a mess.”
Andy cringes slightly, “…I’ve my own problems, Miranda.”
“No my darling, your problem is not same with the problem they brought to me,” Miranda tightened her hold on Andy’s wrist wishing they aren’t inside her office so she could hug her distressed lover. “Remember who I am, Andréa. Remember what I capable to do. And believe me when I said your problems have been faced by me for decades.” Seeing Andy’s interested look Miranda got up, rounded her desk and stand in front of Andy, “their problems, my darling,” she reached down to take Andy’s other hand and held it tightly, “effect my ability to trust.” A soft “oh,” escaped the brunette while Miranda quietly whispers, “in the end what I know was to push them away, to push everyone away sans my girls. Partners I mentioned didn’t notably implicate my official partner in public or by the law. I had friends. I had lovers. I had a family.” A pause, Miranda looked away evidently to calm herself and to harden her eyes that glazing, “…yet whom you see with me now… are the only people I have.”
“Oh Miranda.” With a choked sob Andy released Miranda’s hands opting to wrap her arms around the Editor that stiffened for a second due to the surprise before hugging back Andy as tight as the brunette does to her. Andy understand Miranda’s statement, pleased how her lover slowly opening up to her, and even without the details Miranda’s insinuation brought tears to her and more understanding of how Miranda so overprotective over her daughters and they who really stayed on her sides. Although the fact that the last-part of the discovery, of ‘they who really stayed on Miranda’s side’ Andy doubts that before her and her own daughter, Miranda have no one sans her daughters.
“Why are you crying, silly girl?” Snaking her right hand up and fingers buried into brown tresses, “I’m sorry, Andréa.” Miranda closed her eyes, feeling miserable. “It seems to indulge myself with my own selfishness, to enjoy my time with our little Alexandra while having you here, pretending you’re on our sides and not running around to do all those mundane works, exhausted you.”
A harsh sniff, “Don’t be!” Andy pulled away hurriedly wiping her tears away and with a quiet murmur the ruined mascara and makeup went perfect again. “It’s fine. I was simply doing my job,” catching a doubtful look on Miranda’s face, “besides,” Andy leaned forward letting her lips hovering before Miranda’s, “I have lots of incentives.”
Miranda chuckled throatily into the kiss wrapping her arms around Andy’s waist while her younger lover’s arms wounded around her neck. They spent few quiet minutes simply savoring each other lips and mouths and pulling away each time the couple feels the kiss turned deeper and too passionate. They still minded they are inside Miranda’s office and even Andy could lock and put a soundproof spell on the door with her magic, neither want to rush the relationship, content to follow the flows.
A happy gurgle at last pulled them apart -for now- their eyes landed on Alexandra who sinking into a comfortable chair that Miranda demanded for Emily to bring it into her office, the child was covered by several layers of baby-blankets to keep her warm. Mismatch orbs are gazing up at them with what the two women recognized as an endorsement, the child give a ‘Kyaa!’ before disappearing under the blankets, the bump visibly moving, rolling around before settled down after finding a comfortable position… tiptoeing closer Andy lifted up the edge of the blanket that placed on the very bottom of the multiple-layers, shifting slightly to allow Miranda to join her to see their baby girl curled into a tight petal position and her little body bit-by-bit glowing with several colors at once before those lights gone.
“What happen to her, Andréa?” Miranda asked worriedly.
“I am not sure.” Andy replied carefully shifting the blankets so she could see her baby-girl better and examine her daughter she tilted her head to the side, confuse. “I see nothing changed on her.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“Like I said, I am not sure. Even I have my own research; I’m not a brilliant researcher at all.”
“How about Fred and George?” Miranda suggested.
“No, they are great to find information but not for such complicated information let alone what belongs to the ‘ancients.’” Huffing Andy lowered the blankets again, “…either I spoke to my mom… or to my friends…” momentary looking to Miranda, Andy dropped her gaze down, “Miranda.” She just has time to say that before a finger appeared under her chin and tilted up her head to meet Miranda’s cool eyes. “Do what you decided to do, Andréa. Especially when it comes to our Alexandra, leave all the politics and safety-measures to me.”
“You sure?” Andy wasn’t that convinced. “It could be ugly and nasty.”
“Ugly and nasty for them,” Miranda arched her eyebrow challengingly, “while me? Really Andréa, I’m Editor - in - chief of Runway. Everything under my rules and commands are appealing.”
“I really wished to say that’s to a certain extent, is a lame statement. If I heard anyone else said that to me, I’ll say cheesy, however, I too know so much how everything and everyone received your touches always basked in spotlights,” said Andy, “you really have hands of Midas, Miranda.”
“I’m glad you think that way. Now leave Alexandra in my office, as long as she is on my side no one and nothing could harm her.” The already arched-eyebrow went higher on Andy’s stunned look, “really Andréa, why would I bring such child into my office if I not already considering about her status?” with a sharp sniff that remain elegant -seriously, how come someone could sniff in elegant way? Miranda could apparently- Miranda tilted up her chin. “I am using your rules, darling. You might only say few of it when you cured my palm. They won’t do anything reckless as long as Alexandra with me, in their eyes, I after all is completely a non-magical person.” Confidently she went on. “Do not worry, darling. You take care of our baby in things I certainly have no idea what let alone what to do, but aside of those magical issues let me take care of it.” For second time Miranda was surprised as Andy lunged forward this time kissing her within inch of her life, not that she mind. “What’s that for?”
“I love you.” Andy said breathlessly blinking as Miranda's eyes darkened. “Miranda?”
“I think you need to run along now, Andréa.” The Editor growled. “Every time I heard how you love me make my chest flutter, but hearing you so breathlessly saying that to me a second ago, run along now or I commit a crime by disturbing our child with-” Miranda didn’t have a chance to finish her ‘threat’ as Andy, got her face turned red as bright as traffic light, squeaking out, “I’m off!” A soft pop and the brunette disappeared from Miranda's office leaving the Dragon Lady staring the empty spot not a foot away from her that till a second ago occupied by her lover… “…ah…so that is what my girls begging for me to ask Andréa did she could do the ‘teleport’ thing.” Chin between her thumb and forefinger, a slow yet visibly a devilish grin slithering its way to Miranda’s lips. “Interesting, very interesting…”
Even return to her seat and resumed her works, Miranda’s brain somehow in its enigmatic way, still able to analyze, evaluate and calculate steps they or Miranda need to do, yet a new feeling crawling into her heart as her eyes gazing out of her office to see a glimpse of her lover and to the comfortable chair to see a tiny hand sticking out from under the blankets, waving…clearly searching something or in this case someone. Miranda offered her little finger eyes lit up as tiny fingers wrapped around her little finger. “A new feeling indeed,” she mused quietly to herself, for what she would do is to protect her family. Her once small family, which only has her and her girls now, expands. The step she would take, decision she would made, is not as a single mother anymore and certainly not as a lonely head of family anymore.
She has Andréa now. She has Andréa and Alexandra to enter her immediate-family-members. She got twin Weasley’s boys that clearly ensnared her girls as charming brothers. She has them to be protect, shields, cares and loves. “With all costs,” using her free hand to grab her mobile-phone, Miranda make sure Andréa still busy carrying out thousands-tasks and Emily to mend the office-phones. No, if the Brit continued unconscious would be find, it give Miranda longer time as she punch a new number in her speed-dial. Her call got picked on first dial, “Miranda Priestly…ah Commander Harper. You do learn from Andréa I didn’t like small talks,” a chuckle and the Editor’s eyes darkened matching the wick devilish grin she got. “Do you have any idea where I could find attorneys that could work with ‘Magical’ issues? It would certainly help us…”
(-*-)
Just like Andy fear, an hour before lunchtime all phones already lit up like a Christmas tree, ringing continuously and her devilish-lover seems pleased over something, so pleased she is that Miranda strode out of her office with Alexandra tucked safely in her arms. “Coat, bag, get me Roy down in 10 minutes, cancel my lunch-plan and make new one for me and Donatella somewhere good and close to the Central Park in thirty minutes, that’s all.” As usual the Editor gives her instructions in speed of machine gun, lover or not, Andy knew she need to accept such side as one-full-package of being Miranda’s lover. Although Andy cannot help but smile hearing an extra “please,” uttered in loving whisper, she too cannot stop herself before whispering back, “be careful and be safe on the road, my girls.” Brown orbs peered up in time icy-blue gives a fleeting look and a subtle nod of the Editor’s head before Miranda stride away leaving the smell of her perfume invading Andy’s nostrils and the brunette felt like her head got dunked into a pond of finest wine.
“She’ll be the death of me. I’m sure of it.” Shaking her head side-to-side Andy returned to her desk contemplating should she used some charm to filter the irritating calls… peering over her computer screen and saw again Emily fainted after seeing Miranda coming out with Alexandra.
“Good.” With a smirk Andy looked around casually scanning the place making sure no one was there or even passing by as she rested her palm over the top of the desk-phone with her wand that hidden inside her right sleeve between her palm and the phone. Murmuring a charm she learned years ago her smirk widening as the incessant calls ended. “One task down, and a million to go,” she muttered to herself hiding her wand again and stared to her computer screen while making a call to cancel Miranda’s lunch-plan including to reserve a place for two famous Fashionista to have lunch close to the Central Park.
(-*-)
Miranda was smirking into the glass of wine she request for her lunch, her friend Donatella a typical of Italian’s woman had make a fuss as soon as she who came faster than Miranda and waiting for a minute saw the Fashion Maven entering the restaurant regally with Alexandra tucked protectively in her left arm, squeal out loud.
“Miranda ma belle!” Donatella went to her, meeting her halfway to their table, kissing her friend’s cheeks and look down gazing to a pair of sleepy dual-eyed baby and squeal again. “Who is she? Who’s this beautiful baby’s name? Where you get her!?”
It does entertained the Editor to no end, “let us have a seat firstly, and I will let you play with Alexandra,” replied Miranda as usual in her quiet tone and ignored how her friend squealing and sighing dramatically, “Ah, Alexandra, what an incredible name.” Both Fashionistas took their seats completely oblivious of how entire restaurant staring at them with eyes wider than saucers and even the maître d' distracted several times in process jotting down their requests to sneak a fleeting look to the baby that continued rested on Miranda’s left arm. The Editor really refused to let go her youngest daughter, so much that she requested for her steak to be cut by petrified chef before got served on her table.
“Ah, what a magical tale,” Donatella sighed after Miranda informed her the ‘how’ she got Alexandra of course with edited-story. “But my darling, I could feel this child is not a normal child, a special and gifted child instead.” She said picking up her wine glass with little finger sticking out smiling playfully to Miranda who smirking wider into her wine glass.
“I know, my dear. As an Italian you do aware of few fairytales actually are real.”
“Oh yes,” the designer drawled. “I heard it from my grandmother who heard it from her own grandfather that his wife is a Bella-Donna, an Italian witch.”
“And you did tell me few things you kept inside your homes and office that worked to protect you.”
“I did, didn’t I?” Smiling knowingly, “what you wish to tell me, my dear friend?” Donatella asked, already sensing the questions Miranda have inside her mind. “You know anything I have could be used by you.”
“I was wondering would an Italian-witch’s magic work differently with most of wizards.” Miranda inquired, looking down to Alexandra who giving a healthy yawn and seeming stretching before sucking her left thumb, Miranda looked up, jaws flexing. “My baby girl here including the birth-mother is in danger of some British Wizards.” Her hints enough to prompt several curses escaping the designer in front of her, “them,” Donatella sniffed haughtily. “Always think their ‘magic’ greater than others. Us, the Italian same like the Greeks, have our powers come from our ancient ancestors, of course our magic work differently with them. Why, even Asian’s magic is far older than them and definitely superior than most of us.” She looked serious all of sudden. “No need to worry my dear and no need for more explanation. I could sense the dire situation of your ‘girls.’ Let me make few calls and I’ll fly those little trinkets straight with my private-jet to New York. Expect my call before the end of the week.”
“You have my gratitude, Donatella,” Miranda tipped her head regally. “How I could pay this debt?”
“Oh darling,” Donatella’s eyes immediately fixed to Alexandra and with a childish hopeful look, “may I hug and once in awhile have little Alexandra to play with me? I promised I will keep her safe. And of course, I want to see this Andréa!” She gushed excitedly.
With a warm laugh Miranda offered Alexandra, “by all means, Donatella, I encouraged if you took her to see your collection,” she watched her friend picked the baby-girl carefully and only after the designer have a firm hug around Alexandra the Editor relaxed her form. “Apparently my genes magically infused to her and such she already helping me to correct several photo-spreads, why, this morning Alexandra practically set the photo-spreads of Hermes in flame, angered by those oh, I don’t know, amazing level of incompetence.” She drawled chuckling throatily as the famous designer seated opposite of her squealing and coo all over confused looking baby-girl wondering whose this woman who hugging her make so much noises.
Miranda kindly warned her friend over things that disturbed Alexandra; it is no use for her friend to get turned into a giant ice-statue just like few victims already endured, yes?
(-*-)
Back to the Elias-Clarke, Andy however spent her time to fix everything, all damages that happened due the shocking revelation of how Miranda Priestly arrived with a baby. As expected, even with her spells she still swamped by endless calls. She replied most of them with nothing but “No comment.” From ‘New York Times’ to ‘London Mirror’ and what shocking is a call from ‘Vogue’ that wished to interview Miranda of the baby she have when there is no sign she was pregnant for last nine months or was she tried to create a new trend that even a businesswoman like her should never left her child in hands of babysitter?
“I’m sorry. I don’t know. And no, Miranda won’t give any interview.” Even with Andy closed the phone her mind is racing over the last topic, “…should a businesswoman bring their child onto their office and not leaving them in the hands of a babysitter?” She rubbed her chin, tapping it repeatedly, deep in her thoughts as her spell working to filter the phone-calls.
“Personally I would love if a big corporate such Elias-Clarke have a daily-care, Andréa.” As usual startling Andy to no end, Miranda stride into the Outer-Office dropping her coat and bag on Emily’s empty desk as the First - Assistant has her lunchtime leaving Andy alone for some time. The brunette didn’t mind, she prefer working alone, her time as Lt. Commander of 19th Division placed her inside her own office, so to share an office area with another person really make her uncomfortable. “Miranda!” Andy squeaked, kicking out of her chair to snatch the coat and bag from Emily’s table and stored it inside the small-closet behind her own desk, snatching her notepad and entered the Editor’s office closing the door behind her. “Welcome back.” She greeted Miranda who flicked her eyes up in process to take her own seat.
“I’m back.” Miranda relented, smiling warmly before went serious again. “What we misses?” she inquired bringing brighter smile from Andy as the ‘we’ Miranda used refer back to the editor and the baby-girl that seems flushed. “Not much aside of calls from panic and hysteric mass in publishing world, a call from Irv and…” she trailed off to stop, staring to her daughter who got a red face and seems glowing in happiness. “…what happen to her?”
“She received too much love from one particular Italian-designer,” Miranda drawled taking a sip of her Pellegrino and sigh. “Donatella is really an Italian woman through and through. She cannot stop gushing and cooing all over Alexandra,” placing down the glass Miranda used her free hand to signal for Andy to take a seat on the empty chair in front of her desk. Andy quickly seated herself wanting to hear what Miranda actually plan and from how she hints it, clearly the Editor gives some ‘information’ to the designer. Doe-eyes bulged when Miranda finished her information, “No way!” Andy gasped. “A Bella-Donna? Donatella’s great-grandmother is a Bella-Donna? Miranda!” Andy swayed forward, staring to her lover in shock. “Do you know how really rare and powerful a Bella-Donna is?”
“Quite.” Miranda said simply already busy perusing through the stack of papers on her desk.
“They are really strong!” Andy cried out insistently. “A Bella-Donna is like Merlin in female version! They are gifted by birth, bless by heaven to wield so much power that make them even mortals, equal with member of Races! They didn’t need to enter an academy as long as they have strong willpower! They didn’t need verbal spells let alone a wand!”
Without pausing on her task, “Donatella does told me that,” said Miranda looking up to her younger lover before focusing back to the papers at hand leaving Andy got dumbstruck look in return. “What she told you then?”
“That aside of the British, France or whatever magic in Europe, the Italian and Greek’s ancient magic far superior than them, including Asian’s magic too is very powerful. Although in Asia, most of gifted children entered sacred-grounds such a shrine instead attending a magical academy but it doesn’t mean they don’t have such schools.”
“…wow…” Andy breathed, “…and you said you have no idea at all about magic.”
“Correct.” Miranda pointed the expensive Mount Blanc fountain pen she holds to her lover. “I have no idea at all about magic, but I never said I didn’t know their existences.”
“…and what you actually plan, my love?”
Miranda’s smirk is pure devilish finding her -as usual- surprise everyone, in this case her lover, again. “Didn’t I tell you few hours ago leave the protections of our girls to me, darling?” She asked playfully. The puzzles instantly created a perfect image, all dots connects, “you want to use the Italian’s magic to protect us,” Andy gasps, once again marveled of how her boss and now her lover wouldn’t do anything half-baked. Once Miranda decided something she will go through till she got the satisfaction result.
Letting loose an approval “Mmm,” Miranda looked down shifting another paper, and write something on the new page of paper. “You do what you need to do and I do what I need to do. So, what’s with the calls and the sudden thoughtful muse we interrupted by our arrival?”
Chuckling of how easy Miranda switched the topic, Andy explained several calls that come to her desk and express how few topics those callers brought up stirred her instinct as a journalist. She had shyly explained her instinct as a journalist basically formed by her well trained experiences as the investigator in her time in army, which perks up Miranda’s curiosity, “are you a detective, love?”
“Short of,” Andy grinned. “‘Blackbirds’ actually divisions that worked for intelligence and information gathering,”
Now Miranda’s eyebrows hiked up. “C.I.A.?”
“In away,” Andy answered vaguely though her eyes sparkling recalling her days in uniform. “We are more like a Shinobi, a ninja-type mixed with a military police. We worked undercover most of the times, local polices and the FEDs in this nation mostly know us through their higher-ups. Blackbirds are elites. We mostly backup the local polices or FEDs when it comes to a case that hold too much mystery, usually involving magical-beings but most often than not we even got normal cases from around the world. Depending on where we got stationed.”
“Go on.” Miranda whispers not wanting for her lover to stop, it is an opportunity for Miranda to learn her lover better and she could see the passion and fire filled Andy’s eyes.
“As example, myself, stationed on Great Britain, all crimes that related to the magical and races of course went to my hands. Perhaps by the novels the girls have you learned of the Auror’s existence, yes?”
“I do.”
“Blackbirds actually are a modernization-type of the actual Police of such world, the Enforcers and so we too referred as the Enforcer. Like UN forces placed on conflict-areas, we, the Enforcers placed in areas where the land has ancient power by history and even by myth. In Asia as example, China, Japan and what shock even me, Indonesia, have such powers by myth, legends and facts.”
“How you know it?”
“Look to their ghost-and-supernatural-stories, as irrational ways as it sounds those places have it. True, other places such even this nation have its own myths and legends, although Asians have more closed-types of such organizations and communities, they does exists.”
“Let me guess, Bali? Or the Borobudur Shrine on the Middle Java?” Miranda asked half-jokingly but on Andy’s mysterious smile she cleared her throat, “what else, darling?” A pause and quite tentatively the Editor ask, “Were you…miss that life?”
Andy didn’t answer immediately instead she looked to Alexandra that regained her snow-white complexion and currently playing with Miranda’s Hermes scarf. “…now I have you, Caroline, Cassidy and Alexandra…” the brunette closed her eyes inhaling and exhaling few times, “…methinks, I’ve take a quite long vacation.” Looking at her lover with determination look, “forgive me Miranda,” Andy clenched her jaw, “but I think, I will fly to D.C. and speak personally to Commander Harper for she had offered me an opportunity to work in away, as an Enforcer again.” Her expression softening but not her eyes that now hard and sharp, a look that quite pleasantly surprise Miranda for she never thought her lover have such strong side let alone how Andy appeared more beautiful. “I hoped I could use a bit privilege to be stationed here on New York, but if I am not able to do so, I’ll find away to always return home to our home. Whole these times…I am afraid, and yet even I could defend myself, I have no shield and sword to protect me, to protect people I love and care. I need it. I need my shield and sword again Miranda. Back then, I wasn’t prepared and I spent years in grief.”
“It is time for you to move on.” Miranda concluded nodding her head few times; placing down her pen she stretched her right hand across the table to her lover who took it with two palms. “You have my support, darling.” She blinked back tears, worry for Andy’s well-being and yet she knew if Andy could manage to go back to wear the badge, they would be more protected. “Promise me to be careful.”
“You have my word.” Andy vowed lifting up Miranda’s hand and pressed her lips to the inside of the Editor’s wrist and palm. “I’ll need to leave as soon as possible.” She looked up meeting her lover’s worry eyes. “I need to work with the loose-ends, to speak with my mothers, to my friends, and face my nightmare.”
“Don’t search him like a madwoman, Andréa.” Miranda warned her sternly.
“I won’t.” Andy replied in matching tone. “My highest priority is not to search him. I am more than happy to act like he never exists. But he does, Miranda, and one day he could be our biggest problem. Before that day come if it’s really come, I want to be prepared. This time, I will not let him to harm anyone I love again.” Brown eyes glowing, shimmering and crimson colors all of sudden like a waterfall trickling down from behind her eyelids above the eyes covering the warm chocolate orbs with its bloody colors as if seeking bloods of the person, of they, who had tortured her for years. “This time I’ll make them, personally, regret they ever exist.”
(-*-)
Even her lover had left for quite some time now; Miranda was still staring to the empty chair in front of her table. She was pondering quietly what she learned from Donatella when she brought up a topic of a Nymph which earned a sudden understanding look from the designer as she studied Alexandra back in restaurant, murmuring now she understand why Alexandra have a crimson eye instead brown-eyes like her birth-mother. Of course Donatella has met Andy few times and she had praised how the brunette is ‘quite catching.’
“‘A nymph my dear is one of races you shall never cross. A nymph by some myth born out of the Goddess of Earth and Goddess of Water’s loves and affections to each other. A nymph is the symbol of their love, their mercy and kindness. No one knew was it the truth, but a nymph have dark-side that lurked within their shadows and you only saw it when their eyes turned into a bright crimson, as red as a blood. The Eye of Hells. For when in such condition, a nymph does not want water but bloods of their foes, their enemies they have marked. In such condition they are not a nymph, they are what within ancient term of races called as the ‘Dark Elves.’ Elf is the Guardian of Nature and nymph is one of the guardians; lower than Elf for them usually a mix-breed with a mortal, not purely a pure-blood. A Dark Elf is alike but not same with a Vampire. They do not drink bloods of innocents. They only sought bloods of their enemies. And not like a Vampire, they are part of the nature for the nature too has its own punishment and cruelty. It is a part of them, a part of every member of the races. A forbidden side yet within their souls, lay dormant most of the time, but when they are threatened, hurt, that monster would awaken with a roar. Unless they found their targets, their enemies, they won’t return to sleep.’”
Slowly a sinister grin crept up to form on Miranda’s lips, “your mother really know how to surprise me, Alexandra,” she said with a hint of cheerfulness resting her right palm over the baby’s head stroking the child’s soft-hairs while eying the retreating back of her lover as Andy make her way out of the Outer-Office to find her replacement and wanting to have a meeting with the Hell’s Carrot a.k.a. the Twin Weasley. “Again and again, always exceed my expectations.” Once Andy completely out of her view Miranda momentary looking to their daughter that rested on the comfortable chair next to her chair, icy-blue widened slightly to find Alexandra seems magically growing now she didn’t look like a five-weeks old baby anymore, but a year and a half. The baby-girl now was seated on the chair, surrounded by blankets and clutching Miranda’s wrists with her tiny palms, mesmerizing dual-orbs holding the Editor’s eyes with a look that far too mature for an infant.
“Oh my.” Miranda clicked her tongue in mock disapproval. “I need to call Donatella to adjust your clothing-size, darling.” Swiveling her chair around to face her daughter Miranda picked up the baby-girl chuckling softly, “you may grow up but not too much, everyone saw you in my arms so be sure to keep a form that enough to keep up with today’s shock, yes?” Miranda really have no more doubt, completely convince that her youngest daughter completely understand of her words.
The child laugh, lifting up her hands to take handfuls of silver-locks tearing the delicate baby-shirt in process that cannot cover her new bigger form, giggling out, “mormer.” Miranda arched elegant eyebrow, Alexandra sounded like half-murmur and half-gurgling, “I take it you tried to say ‘mother,’” she mused, kissing the child’s nose and got a smug grin. “Well, well, looks like the day you will join your sisters, Andréa and I to conquer the world won’t be that long.” Resting her baby-girl that now not so little anymore against her chest, Miranda gazed up, humming a lullaby while mussing aloud, “Now, I wonder what kind of step I should take and whom…I should take care of…”