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Coco had witnessed all manner of magic. Both wonderous and horrific. She had seen magic born of affection and that born of cruelty. She had seen magic crafted for the most vulnerable and that which crushed all but the one it was meant to serve. Magic could never be just one thing. It was too vast to truly limit without harm. It all came down to the witch who crafted it and the truths held in their hearts.
For Coco there were three fundamental truths about magic; it was meant to help people, to bring happiness, and to make the world vibrant. This was the magic she wished to bring into the world and inspire in others. However, it was not her favorite kind of magic.
No, tucked away in the most covetous part of her heart was a love for a magic born of a different impetus. It came from ego, and selfishness, and spectacle. This was not a magic meant to serve others, though it did aid in ways far past its effect. It did bring happiness, though it was meant to elicit other emotions entirely. Although, it was true that it was vibrant. It was always so very, very vibrant. A small part of Coco thought maybe it was wrong to love magic like this when it challenged her own philosophy of magic, but, then again, it was not her magic.
It could never be her own. Not just due to how she believed magic should be used, but because no matter what she did it never came out the same. When she tried to craft this magic she adored so wholly all on her own, it lacked its vibrancy, its happiness was hollower, and its help was little more than a reminder. It was her favorite magic in all the world—no other magic could compare—and it would never be her own.
Coco could not let this deter her though. She sat hunched over her work bench with a golden, palm sized medallion in front of her and a woodcruor wand in hand. Her movements were slow and meticulous as she burned the sign into the metal surface. It was not a sign she commonly drew. It wasn’t a sign anyone really drew. This was a sign that was almost entirely known to only one witch. Perhaps, at another time, Coco would have been shaking her head at how ridiculous it was, but in this moment, she held it with the upmost reverence. This seal needed to come out perfectly.
The witch for whom Coco drew this seal could never abide anything less than technical perfection. She held a narrow, exacting standard that Coco could not fall short of, not in this spell. It was not a spell meant to help others, though it was intended to bring a great deal of happiness, and it couldn’t be anything less than vibrant. In other words, this was not Coco’s magic, but it was her favorite. This seal was meant for the witch responsible for that magic. It was only for her that Coco would strive to achieve casting magic in this way.
Coco was completely unaware of the tender smile that would not leave her face was she toiled away.
The love Agott held for magic was somewhat singular. There were not many in this matter who she could consider a peer. Even Master Qifrey and Beldaruit, the Wise of Teachings himself, didn’t quite meet the mark. There was no doubt how fundamentally their passion for magic ran through them, but for Agott it was different still. There was a time in her life where that difference made her feel inadequate and insufficient. She thought it might be better if she could find it within herself to abandon her trivial fancies. If she could be more like her mentor, and his mentor. If she could be more like Coco, who resonated with the same passion.
However, she could not change her love of magic so easily. She would always fall back to it in times of frustration and weakness. It brought her comfort and clarity. So, as she watched those witches who were all so blindly radiant, she struggled to accept this deficient part of herself. Driven by the need to reconcile this, she turned to one of her greatest strengths.
She spent hours going over seal after seal, pulling out each component of their construction. Every seal she could possibly remember was crammed into her head so that she could analyze and breakdown a seal to instantly understand its function. She constantly poured over books to refine this skill. A feat, oddly enough, she could manage only because the way in which she loved magic. This was a realization she came to much too slowly. Once she did understand though, and she turned this skill towards analyzing the way other witches regarded magic, she found even greater truths.
Drawing seals was not just about knowledge or technical skill, though the both certainly helped. Who a witch was, their passions and fears, were just as important. A witch could not completely divorce themselves from the seals they drew. Therefore, every seal held a little bit of that witch inside it. Either in the way the sigils were drawn or the purpose that drove its creation. She only needed to look at a witch’s seals to understand them. All those things that tied her mind up knots—expectation, self-degradation, even love—began to come undone. The lines were straight and clean. Much like those of the witch who would never leave her mind.
Agott could hardly believe there was time when she thought Coco was undeserving of the world of magic. The two had become inseparable in her mind. Coco was her magic and her magic was Coco. Where she was always ready with a bright smile, her craftwork was blindingly radiant. Where her magic was compassionate and generous, she was just as willing to offer a hug or the cloak off her back. Her signs were straight and true. She was strong and driven. The solutions she came up with were unorthodox and simplistic, the same as her own origins. Her energetic and eager passion for magic may have made it seem as though she was easily taken in by any wonderous spell, but, just like herself, it was not to be so easily discredited. That love for magic is what drove her to be fiercely protective of the gentle, joyful magic she wished for the world. It was all one in the same.
As a person who loved magic in the way Agott did, it was impossible to not admire Coco’s own love for magic. Therefore, not admiring the witch herself was equally as impossible.
All of this weighed on Agott’s mind as she burned a seal into a small, golden medallion. The signs she drew were of Coco’s specialty, simple and straight. It was for her that this seal was to be drawn. It was supposed to be her magic. However, Agott knew she could not remove herself from the spell if it were drawn in her hand. Even though she still casted magic in her selfish, flashy, exacting way, she had learned that it didn’t have to be an inadequacy. For it was all of this, all or her, that would create this spell in the most reverent replication of Coco’s own magic. For no one else loved magic the same.
When Agott sat back from her finished work, she was surprised how easily it had come to her, how quickly and surely her hand had moved. She knew it was because she drew for someone else, even in her most selfish way. A fierce pride and bliss filled her chest.
The wedding was held in the spring. The dragons were migrating from their winter roosts and could be seen flying over the plains. Wildflowers were in full bloom, adding color to the green hills and filling the air with pleasant aromas. The weather was neither cold nor hot. Poor weather was far from sight. There were hardly any clouds in the open sky at all. As the evening settled into night, the stars were visible in great abundance. This was the magic that world chose to show them, as if it knew that today was meant to be a day for great magic.
A round platform had been constructed at the top of a large hill with great care. Olruggio had inlaid it with some of his stones of the glowstone path. The surrounding area was lit by the gentle light of his crystalized flames; the light was dim enough to not overtake the stars. Richeh had used her crystal ribbons to tie the flower arrangements and dust the area in sparkles. Tetia had been responsible for collecting the flowers themselves as well as the overall design of everything, serving as the officiant for the ceremony. Qifrey had cooked the food, and crafted water sculptures of various animals to give life to the scenery.
Even in the dark of the evening Coco was as bright as the sun. Her long, verdant green hair was held back with a crown of woven flowers and delicate chain. She was dressed in white with gold metal accents and green, floral embroidery. The cloak draped over her shoulders was cut more for ceremony than practical use. Its taper starting high around the elbows gave it a more open face than a typical witch’s cloak, but it invoked the same silhouette. Her dress struck the perfect balance between elegance and rustic simplicity. It was constructed of hand-woven fabric and lace combing elements of her home village and the motifs commonly used by witches. A belt of braided rope adorned with multiple tassels cinched around her waist and safely held the gold medallion with her half drawn seal.
There was no denying her beauty as she moved through the gathering of friends and family. One could barely notice the scar that covered her left cheek beneath the wide, toothy grin that never left her face. Her hazel eyes glowed golden in Olruggio’s torchlight. It almost looked as if they had a light all their own. She was a goddess, a personification of beauty and happiness. She stole attention no matter what she was doing or where she went. No one could blame Agott as her eyes unashamedly watched her, never moving to anything else. Coco would certainly be the last person to complain. She desperately sought those very eyes as she stepped up onto the platform, greedily drinking in the vision before her.
Agott’s dark purple eyes did not reflect the torchlight the same as Coco’s. If Coco was the sun, then Agott was the moon—bright enough to light the night, but not so much to hurt the eyes, cool and peaceful. Yet, the emotion in them was no less intense. It could’ve burned Coco for all the heat in that stalwart gaze. It was unfair. She could hardly catch her breath, not with that smile that shaped her lips. It was closed, small in many ways, others might consider it deficient given the occasion, but Coco knew better. She knew this was a smile that only she could pull out. It was wasn’t small, it was tender and loving. It never failed to send her heart racing, quickening to match the pace set in Agott’s own chest.
Agott was as stately as ever as she stepped on to the platform, her left foot striking the stones exactly when Coco’s did. The light from the glowstone path caught the gold accents of Agott’s robes, striking a greater contrast between the star patterned embroidery and the deep, navy blue of the base fabric. The color was saturated, regal. It complimented the elegance of her posture and countenance. Her dark curls were neatly tamed, adorned with a headpiece of golden chain and star shaped pendants. The striking image of a gallant prince in every detail.
The two witches approached each other with resolute steps until they came together at the center of the platform. They were surrounded by gentle light and warmth of the love of all their friends who came to celebrate them. All of it faded away as they stood merely a handsbreadth apart, eyes locked onto one another. Coco felt a giggle bubble up from her chest, but it only came out as a stuttering, breathless sound. One corner of Agott’s mouth quirked up a little higher than the other. A small dimple dented her cheek. It took everything in Coco not to lean in and plant a kiss right on that dimpled cheek. Instead, she focused her energy in pulling the medallion from her belt and placing it in her palm as Agott did the same with her own.
Medallions securely in place, they each brought their right hand up to eye level and clasped them together. They had to be careful that they did not hold tight enough that the medallions touched. That would come later. As they bent their foreheads towards their interlocked hands, Agott took the moment to steal a kiss across Coco’s knuckles. Coco gaped at the gesture, untoward given the order of the ceremony. She meant to scold Agott with a look, but she knew it held no bite, that her eyes reflected that same playful glint that shined in eyes of amethyst.
“This is the hand of your best friend,” Coco began with the vows, redirecting them to the proper course. Her voice was light, teasing as she forced direction.
“This is the hand of your constant companion,” Agott swore back. There was a joy in her voice untouched by any playful reprimand Coco could give.
Their voices joined together for the next line. “As this hand holds yours, it holds half a seal to bind an unyielding promise.”
Attached to each medallion there were three ribbons. As Coco and Agott spoke their vows together, they each picked up the blue ribbon with their free hand, the ribbon of loyalty.
“This is the hand that will give you strength and hold firm.” This part was spoken by Agott alone. She draped the ribbon around her thumb and over Coco’s wrist.
Coco spoke next, “This is the hand that will give you comfort and cherish you.” Coco repeated the same wrap with her own ribbon.
They switched which bitter end they held, Agott taking Coco’s ribbon and Coco taking hers. As they completed the first bind they recited together, voices intermingling once more. “The hand that, no matter time nor obstacle, will always reach for you.”
The second ribbon they grabbed was gold. It was the ribbon of union. Coco was the first to do the wrap this time, weaving it around in the opposite direction. She spoke alone as she did so, “From the first moment of acquaintance to the moment of commitment.”
“From the constant promises and assurances to the agreement,” Agott said, following suit with her gold ribbon.
“You have been many things; challenger, rival, teacher, friend, conspirator, lover,” Coco proclaimed. With every designation Coco couldn’t help giving Agott a pointed look, replaying a lifetime of memories together. Laughter danced over every consonant sound. She took Agott’s gold ribbon, which now lay on her wrist and placed it over the blue ribbon as though starting a braid.
“Through it all the patience, forgiveness, and tenderness to endure every tempest and soothe every fear,” Agott said, eyes steadily staying Coco’s. She no longer hid from all those embarrassing memories of their past. Not like she ever could under Coco’s keen eye, but she had grown comfortable with it, assured in their relationship.
Once Agott had finished her half of the braid, they completed the second bind and spoke together once more, “To reach the honor of swearing myself your wife.”
The third ribbon started with another joint declaration, “You are the stars, the gift of the silverwood.”
The final ribbon was green, the color that represented prosperity and magic. Coco could swear she felt the weight of all it carried. She thought of all the work she put into crafting this medallion. When she spoke next her voice was firm, resolute. All of her heart poured into the words. This was not just a matter of love, but one of magic. The two had always been one in the same for Agott and herself.
“To be the earth, ever changing yet firm.” Coco began to wind the final ribbon into place.
“To be the fire, both sword and shield,” Agott recited. Her voice reflected Coco’s own resolve, lifted by her lilting accent.
“To be the water, nurturing and providing.” Their left hands brushed against each other as they passed off the ribbons for the next bite.
“To be the wind, uplifting and overcoming.”
As the third ribbon was braided into the other two, they spoke together. “By tetrad and covenant.” Their left hands reached underneath their interlocked arms. They each took hold of the bitter end of the now complete braid of three ribbons that wrapped around their hands. “May our paths always be intertwined.”
With a firm tug, the ribbons pulled tight around their hands, slipping harmlessly past smooth skin. The binding forced their palms together and the medallions that were held apart finally came together. On each medallion was only a half drawn seal, one that could only be completed by the face of the other. Each half was meticulously crafted with all the love and intimate knowledge of the witch for who it was meant, and to come together in a combined spell that transformed both halves into one whole. The casting circle could not be completed without the other, and now that they were joined together the spell activated.
Light erupted from their joined hands, shooting up to illuminate the night’s sky. All heads immediately turned from the two witches bound together at the center of the platform to the dazzling display overhead.
Agott only watched the spell itself for a moment. She assessed it immediately, ensuring it went off as intended. She found no deficiencies, no places of improvement, no faults. She turned her eyes back to Coco, for this is what she truly wished to witness. Coco, who loved magic with everything in her heart, stared up at their spell with a smile that overtook her face. The smile was wide, showing a full row of teeth as her bottom jaw hung agape. It pushed up her cheeks, crinkling her eyes that still were brighter than anything else. This is what Agott loved. She loved the way Coco loved magic. She didn’t care about the spell half as much as the smile that it brought. There was no point in watching the spell when the only reason Agott drew it was for this smile. She had never felt more fulfilled by magic in her life. Her chest ached with how happy she felt, with all the love she held for the witch she now called her wife.
Coco knew her now wife all too well. She watched the spell until its beauty filled every empty space inside her, then she dropped her gaze back down to Agott, knowing that she would be watching her instead. They shared a smile as their eyes met. Then, unable to contain all of her love, Coco pulled Agott into her by their clasped hands. As all their friends and family watched their spell—the culmination of all their love, understanding, and trust—they shared a kiss. It was long and lingering as they savored the moment.
“Agott, I love you,” Coco whispered, pulling part just enough to give space for the words.
“I love you, Coco” Agott intoned back.
Just as the medallion that longed to be completed, they pressed back together for another kiss as the spell overhead began to disperse, but that was just the magic. Their love was engraved in the stars.