"What the bloody hell are
you doing?" Lord Shalafae's voice was shocked, his pale brows
drawn together in a confused frown. He met his daughter's bright eyes
in the mirror as she applied a ruby colored lipstick, and she grinned
broadly. "And why are you a child?"
Morrigana giggled, finished
with her make up. She spun on the stool to face him, kicking her
small feet. He walked towards her, still frowning, waiting for her
answer. Her voice was high pitched and girly. "Oh, Daddy, you
said I'll always be your little girl. What's wrong with me being like
this?"
She jumped off the stool,
dashing to him, holding her hands out. Ulrin bent, opening his arms,
and scooped her up instinctively. She wrapped her arms around his
neck, kissing him soundly on the cheek. "Would you like me to
shift back?" Every word was cheerful, and he found himself
smiling, despite his confusion.
"Don't change," he
whispered, kissing her cheek. "Stay like this for a while."
She laughed, squeezing his neck, and kissed him soundly on the mouth.
Ulrin tasted sweets and cosmetics, and chuckled. "All right, my
child, tell me why you're dressed up."
She hung in his arms, her teeth
sparkling white against her dark lips. "When we were down on
that planet, I found out about a fun little custom they have. Aunt
Kyra says it's actually being spread amongst a whole bunch of
industrial societies."
Ulrin frowned, remembering the
smoggy planet in a pocket dimension, but had no idea what his
daughter was talking about. "And what is this custom?"
"They call it trick or treating.
Everyone gets dressed up, and goes through neighborhoods, collecting
candy. It's mostly for kids, hence me changing. But young kids go
with escorts, and I want you to come with me." Morrigana
squirmed, and he let her down. "Dress in something nice, Father.
Let's go." She spun in a circle, the black satin dress flowing
around her.
He shook his head, staring in
amazement. His girl rarely was this excited about primitive customs.
Now that she'd named it, he recognized the old tradition. It had
started long ago as a way to help youngsters to cope with death, to
give it a friendly face. To think that mortals still did it astounded
him. "And what shall I dress as, my darling?"
She shrugged, her pigtails
bouncing. "I'm a witch. You're just my daddy. So a suit, I
guess. Or one of your elaborate robes."
He laughed loudly. "Oh,
no, I won't let them see those. A suit it is." Ulrin used his
magic to create an approximation of an outfit the mortal men wore on
the planet. It felt odd, but he would wear it to please Morrigana.
She came back to his side, and
reached up to take his hand. Morri held an orange bucket, and her
aura danced with joy. "Thank you," she whispered, then he
whisked them back to a metropolis.
"Anytime, my love.
Anytime."
They arrived at the edge of an
expansive neighborhood, bare trees reaching for the moonlit sky. The
air was brisk, almost cold, and the air buzzed with the voices of
groups of kids. Ulrin squeezed her fingers, allowing her to take the
lead.
Morrigana led him along the
sidewalk, a few yards behind a group of early teen kids. The group
turned left up a walkway to a house. Ulrin watched as the kids rang
the doorbell, announced "Trick or treat!" and received
candy in their bags. He smiled, chuckling to himself, amazed by these
mortals. What other customs had they adopted?
Morri dropped his hand, and
skipped to the door. The housewife was still waiting in the doorway,
smiling over the girl's head at Ulrin. "Trick or treat!"
Morrigana crowed at the top of her lungs. The woman echoed the
greeting, and gave the youngling a double handful of individually
wrapped candies. Ulrin arrived then, placing a hand on the back of
Morri's head.
"Don't forget to thank
her, sweetie."
Morri beamed. "Thank you!"
She spun, heading back to the sidewalk.
The housewife smiled at Ulrin.
"They're so adorable at that age. Is she your only one?"
Ulrin smiled deeply, and
nodded. He couldn't tell this woman that Morrigana was his heart,
that she was everything to him. She was more than just his daughter,
and mortals couldn't understand that. Instead, he watched the black
haired girl waiting impatiently at the sidewalk. "My one and
only. She prefers it that way." He bowed his head slightly.
"Thank you," and he joined his daughter.
He found himself smiling with
pride, his heart aching with his love. She played to her role,
laughing and excited, every inch a little girl. People were dazzled
by her, commenting to Ulrin about her lovely hair, or her eyes, or
just how precious she was. He accepted graciously, and could only
smile deeper and deeper. He loved Morrigana, and would give her
anything she asked.
The evening wore on, the girl's
exuberence staying strong. Whenever the bucket filled, Ulrin would
send the candy back to their castle. Her eyes sparkling brightly,
Morrigana thanked him for letting her keep everything. "Why
wouldn't I?" he asked, to which she only shrugged, and darted
off to the next house. He shook his head, amazed that this tiny girl
was really a lethal assassin.
And all his. Forever.
Hours passed, the groups slowly
leaving, house lights turning off. Only then did Morri slow at all,
her booted feet working slowly along the cement. Eventually the girl
stopped, her hand chilled in his grasp, and she yawned.
"All done?" he asked,
kneeling beside her. Her silver eyes were drooping, the black kohl
dust smeared across her cheeks. Had she gotten so engrossed in being
a child that she even tired like one? Mutely, she nodded, and wrapped
her arms around his neck. Ulrin sighed contentedly, rising, and
transported them home.
Morrigana was asleep in his
arms, her cheek nestled on his shoulder, her breath stirring along
his neck. He left her candy on an end table, then curled up in bed
with her, Morri's tiny mouth parted as she snored softly.
Was it wrong that he wanted to
ask her to stay this way? Kissing her hair, he didn't think so.
