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They were newly wed, Julia and Magnus laid in the damp grass outside their home, staring upward at the countless stars and constellations. Amber eyes watched quietly as a star flickered, her fingers laced with her husbands, squeezing as she shot forward pointing upward.
“A shootin’ star! Magnus, make a wish!!” Julia beamed shutting her eyes as she silently asked for something.
Magnus cocked a brow, his own hazel eyes fluttering shut as he sat forward making his own wish. When he felt another squeeze to his hand and a soft weight on his shoulder, he glanced to Julia who was pointing up at a star cluster.
“That’s the Big and Lil’ Dipper. Both mama and baby are up there always adventuring.” Her words were sweet, spoken with a smile that Magnus would never become tired of hearing. Shifting himself so he could wrap an arm around her form, he paused.
“Why’re they up there?” Magnus wondered genuinely, he never got to hear stories about the constellations as a kid. Pursing her lips, Julia turned to him questioningly before the soft smile returned as Magnus rubbed the back of his neck.
“I never really heard them as a kid, I knew of them not about them.” Magnus chuckled, slicked back brunette curls falling in front of his face a bit as he continued.
“There was this one time though with ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ that we would stargaze with the rest. He really liked it. “
“Who?” Julia frowned, confused, the name seemed to have been disrupted by a ring to her ears before brushing it off. She didn’t want to give him a headache, seeing as they happened when he tried to recall memories from his past. It really did pique her curiosity, however, as to how he found Raven’s Roost with no memories and just his name on his tongue. Pushing Magnus to lay back, she situated herself close beside him, lacing her fingers with his once more. He could feel the ring on her finger, a goofy and content smile splattering like paint across his face as she stared.
“There’s many myths and legends but..” And she continued for what was about an hour, telling him about all the different stories she knew about each and every constellation. Though she did throw the joke-
“He was told ‘No dogs in the clouds!’ And yet? The brave fighter brought two dogs who ended up being valiant companions who helped with hunts and chariots.” She grinned hearing Magnus rumble with a laugh, the smile never leaving his face. With each day she fell more and more in love with this man, glad that he had somehow stumbled into her life. Despite the cold creeping to their damp clothes, she didn’t care. She was with the most amazing person, however, she snapped from her concentration as Magnus spoke.
“We should head in, ya know...before we both get sick and Stephen gets mad. Ya know when we first met.” He laughed and slowly stood, pulling Julia up to her feet and into a sweet soft kiss. Folding up the large blanket, she chuckled.
“Magnus Burnsides you truly are a Prote▒▒▒▒▒.” She hummed pressing another kiss to his lips, Magnus didn't mind the haze from the remainder of her words there. What mattered was that it was getting cold and he didn’t want them sick...again.
Once they brought everything inside and changed clothing, Julia had been lighting a few candles her hair loosely tied back into a ponytail, a red bandana resting itself against her head. When Magnus, however, snuck up and pressed a kiss to her cheek, she jumped before laughing, falling into a dance-like motion with him. Round and round they went in the room, Magnus humming an old tune he knew as he gently guided his wife around. Blush tinted lightly to his cheeks as he hummed, pressing their foreheads together.
The two of them were slow dancing in a burning roomThe candles made everything cozy and content until his voice broke the silence.
“Can I ask what you wished for?”
“I’ve got what I’ve wished for...I have a happy life with you.“ She smiled, Julia’s voice was as soft as a song and as loving as anything he could ever imagine. She was his life, his heart, his home. Magnus couldn’t ask for anything more. Dipping her mid-dance, he pressed a gentle kiss to her lips as the image of the two zoomed out into what looked like the replay of a memory.
His voice chimed, echoing with that of the memory.
“I remember I said-”
“I love you, Jules.“ Magnus echoed the memory, a tear rolling down his cheek as his fists clenched. Glancing downward at the young girl holding the Chalice close to her, he sucked in a breath turning a heel until she spoke, voices echoing with her own.
“You could have your happy ending Magnus. You can go back and fix it all now, this...is what you deserve. Your happy ending.“ She spoke, eyes hazy as Magnus paused glancing over his shoulder at the two lovers slowly dancing, flames creeping up into the corners of the image as he tore himself from the thought of even taking the offer.
“That’s not what Julia would have wanted.” He frowned, there was a tone of defeat underlying as he spoke, however, it was true. It’s not what Julia would have wanted, she would want him happy even if anything happened to her. As he started to walk off, something made him freeze. He listened to the continuation of the memory, flames cracking softly as he listened.
“My wish? Psh Jules, I can’t tell you or else it won’t come true!” He grinned as she rolled her eyes. Caving in, Magnus twirled her.
“My wish is to grow old and happy with you. Live a happy life full of adventure.“ The voice faded as the fighter...the Protector willed himself away from the memory, June following close behind as he stared straight ahead. This was his now, his present. You can’t change the past no matter how much your heart begs or what is offered. If something in the past is changed the future will suffer greatly. He could have that happy life, the end he so did deserve but-
It wasn’t what she would have wanted.
Julia wouldn’t have wanted him to go back in time and play with whatever gods there were. Fate works in odd and mysterious ways and this was the way fate herself weaved his path.
Magnus Burnsides, The Protector strode forward, Julia’s voice echoing in his ears as he stared ahead determination to save Refuge clear. He had to push forward and he was going to. Though he lost someone who was his other half, he gained a family throughout this journey.
Reaching back, he adjusted the Red Bandana around his neck a small star cluster embroidered into it.
“I’m going to make you proud, Jules.“ And with that?
The protector continued his journey.