Growing

The tiny hand fit in hers, as if it were made to be there. Biara smiled as she and Astariel stood hand in hand within the casting circle. Runes and wards dotted the floor around them in the sparse stone laboratory, protecting those practicing magic from accidental backlash if a spell were to go awry. Biara crouched down, close to her daughter.

"Close your eyes little one, and speak as I speak," she said softly. She watched as her daughter's fel green eyes closed and the little girl stood rigidly beside her, excitement showing in her pose as she was about to cast her first real spell. After a moment's hesitation, Biara began to say the words to a spell. While the spell was simple, magical phrases could be complex, especially for one as young as Astariel. At three, she had already picked up more than enough words to cause mischief with magic, and Biara thought this little experiment was in order.

As she chanted, Astariel said the words with her. It took only a moment for the Magistrix to feel the magic growing within the little Sin'dorei's body. She could feel her daughter's essence reaching out, shaping force almost as if it were a natural talent for her to do so; just like with Biara herself.

Motes of magic danced in the air before the two, spreading out in sparkling blue patterns until they took on the shape of a pony. It was an illusion of course, but it didn't stop the gasp of delight that came from Astariel's lips as she opened her eyes and took in the image. The illusion danced and pranced before the two, silent and beautiful. Astariel clapped her hands together in delight, laughing as she watched it.

Biara stood up, her arms folded as she watched the little girl twirl around the magical illusion, delight on her face. After a few moments more the illusion began to fade into sparkling glimmers of light that drifted on the air. Astariel ran through them, scattering them and trailing some in her red hair, laughing the entire time. To Biara's surprise she ran over and hugged the Magistrix's leg tightly.

"I love you mommy," she said, her face buried in Biara's dress and her little arms wrapped around her calf.

Something tightened in Biara's chest as she heard the words, and it took a moment for her to catch her breath and speak. "I love you too."

So this is what it was like, to have someone love you unconditionally. To have someone love you without an ulterior motive. To know they care, simply because they wish to. Is this what I've been missing all this time?  What my parents could have given me, had they lived? What my cousins could have given me, had they grown to understand who I was inside?

Biara leaned down and hugged her daughter tight, not letting the girl see her tears. The girl was too young to understand that Biara's tears were not of sorrow for once, but instead spawned from the love and joy she felt in that singular moment of time. For once in what felt like forever, she was whole.