March Simile Challenge - As Stubborn as a Mule - Tekia - original

[tekia.livejournal.com]

Title: As Stubborn as a Mule
Fandom: Original
Prompt: March Simile Challenge
Warnings: none
Rating: PG
Summary: Word Count: 2897 - Medina was thrilled to learn that she was special. Only she didn’t expect to be held back by something so simple.


“It’s easy. Watch.” Medina let the other woman reach over and take her fingers in her hand. She brought their joined hands up and began the spell that was supposed to open a circle of fire. She frowned in concentration and wondered why she just couldn’t make it work.
Her tutor, another Fire Mage, Tiff, easily created the circle and flames bellowed into the sky.
Medina smiled at the sight, loving the beautiful colors and filling with envy. Why didn’t it work for her?
“I just don’t know, Tiff.” She sighed and dropped to the nearest cement block. “It doesn’t work for me at all. Maybe I’m not a Fire Mage at all.”
Tiff laughed, her chuckle deep and throaty. “Dear, if you weren’t a Fire Mage, you wouldn’t be able to control fire the way you do.”
Medina scowled. “Control fire, huh? I can light candles and bonfires. You said this was the most basic of spells, this fire circle.”
Tiff patted her on her shoulder. “You’ll get it. You’re a bit old to be just now learning how to control your magic, but it’ll come to you.” She straightened, her long hair blowing in the night wind. “I’ve got a date tonight, so keep it up and I’ll see you next week.”
Medina nodded, mindlessly tracing the spell before her. Tiff’s heels clicked across the roof, growing softer as she approached the door and disappeared. Medina repeated and repeated the pattern until she could do it with her eyes closed.
She stood and once again began trying to bring the spell to life.
When she couldn’t hold back a fourth yawn, she decided to call it a night and head home. Careful to lock the door behind her, Medina hid the key over the sill and made her way down the narrow stairs, then out to the street for home. She shoved her hands in her pockets and lowered her head, least she meet someone’s gaze.
She wasn’t a people person. In fact, would rather be alone for the rest of her life rather than have to deal with anybody else ever again. But that was life, so she dealt and suffered through her low paying job and endless responsibilities.
Once home, she locked the door behind her and sighed into the darkness. Why wouldn’t the magic work the way it was supposed to? She snapped her fingers and a tiny flame burst to life on her fingertips, flickered, and disappeared as she dropped her hand. It just didn’t want to follow her instructions.
Dumping her bag on the kitchen table, she undressed as she made her way toward her bedroom, leaving a trail of clothing behind her to be picked up in the morning. Nude, she climbed into her bed and buried her face in the pillow, her favorite, and let sleep claim her.
She didn’t remember her dream, she rarely did, when she woke, but she felt even more tired than before she laid down, her eyes heavy and body weak. Scratching at her hair, she looked around the room and her eyes lit on the clock and she moaned, throwing herself back on the bed. She had a few more hours before she had to be up for her morning shift at the department store.
She slipped back into a dreamless sleep and, when her alarm went off, was refreshed and ready to face the day. She found her uniform on the floor and sniffed at it before deciding it was clean enough and dressed.
For a few moments she fussed with her hair, looking at herself in the mirror to see how she would look with it up before she let it drop down her back and pulled a brush through it. A tie held it out of her face and out of her way.
Her shoes were a bit of an adventure to find, but find them she did and then her keys were in hand and she was out the door.
Nine hours later, she was walking through back through the door with hands full of food that should last her until next payday. She dumped the bags on the kitchen floor and frowned at the mess that was her kitchen. Shrugging, she picked out her snacks from the bags and sat in front of the television.
When her food was gone and the commercials came on, she went back into the kitchen and made herself clean. She hated cleaning and would gladly suffer company if only said company was a maid. Food put away, cloths in the washer, Medina sat at the island table and chewed her lip. In her mind, she practiced the spell, reciting the words that she would later trace out with her fingers, perfecting them.
She doubted that she would ever get the spell to work. Things like that always happened to her. Practice makes perfect right? Not really. She had practiced and practiced daily and had yet to summon this ring of fire.
Tiff had told her to repeat the words, slowly, in her head while tracing the runes with her fingers in the air and summoning the fire to obey her, but it had yet to appear before her.
On the flat surface of the table, she traced the words, etching in black, charred grooves, the words in their ancient language. Maybe it would help if she knew what the words meant.
Standing, she went to her desktop and flicked on the monitor. She looked up the language and found it hard to find. It didn’t surprise her, not really. Before the magic had suddenly appeared in her life, she didn’t believe it existed. Hell, nobody she knew had magic.
Fairy tale stuff, right?
She finally found a source and greedily soaked up what she could. Then she found a dictionary. Unfortunately, it translated the language to Latin, not English or even Spanish. Scowling, she dug out a notebook and began writing.
Hours later, she had forgotten what she had started translating and was enjoying herself merely writing down words that caught her fancy. Once she did remember, she quickly found the words.
Dancer of Life, Eater of Matter, Obey my Summons.
Dance to my Will, Do as I Command.
Simple, really, merely bending fire to one’s will. She was stubborn, her mother had always told her so called her as stubborn as a mule, so why couldn’t she do this?
She put her pen tip to her philtrum and thought on that for a while.
Two days later, she met up with Tiff once again. Tiff showed her the circle of fire, how it was done and how it should appear. Medina smiled at the beauty of the fire. It always pulled a smile from her and she dearly wished to see her own fire do that. She jumped to her feet, shrugging off her coat and quickly etched out the spell, reciting the words in her head, but nothing happened.
Taking a deep breath, she did it slower, then faster, then carefully, being sure to trace every rune perfectly, but still nothing worked. Growing frustrated, she walked away from Tiff and paced the length of the roof.
“Maybe you just can’t do this one. You have master the other spell, the ball of fire, after all.”
Medina turned to her new friend and scowled. “But this spell should be easier, you said so.”
Tiff smiled, looking unsure. Medina turned her back on her, knowing it wasn’t Tiff’s fault that she wasn’t able to do this spell.
Fisting her hands in her hair, she let the wind touch her upturned face, trying to calm herself. It would do nothing but turn her face red and wet to get emotional over this.
Tiff came up behind her and draped her arm over her shoulders.
“Why don’t we move on and forget about this spell? If you can’t do it, you can’t do it. There’s no need to force it.”
Medina shook her head. “No, I will get this spell to work, no matter what.”
Tiff gave a short laugh in her sensual voice. “No, if the fire doesn’t want to obey, then it won’t. It’s like a cat.” She shrugged and pulled her to the center of the roof. “This is called the rope of fire. It’s more difficult than the ball in that the rope is flexible and can be used like it’s a solid object.”
She demonstrated and spoke the spell for Medina’s benefit. Medina gasped in wonder at the rope as Tiff used it as a skip rope, her feet and body looking light and delicate as she skipped in her impossibly high heels. Medina clasped her hands together and brought them to her lips.
“That’s wonderful!”
“Be sure to write down the spell so you can practice.”
“Right.” She dug out her notebook and wrote the spell as precisely as she could.
“Very good,” Tiff said as she looked over Medina’s writing. Then she showed her the spell once again, bringing her rope of fire back to life. Medina copied her actions, keeping a firm hold on her magic. As she learned the spell and motions she wasn’t allowed to put magic into it, lease it escape and cause havoc.
Working until she had the runes memorized, Medina practiced her spells and Tiff felt it was enough for the day.
“I’ll see you Thursday, alright? Then we’ll put magic into that spell and see your fire rope.” She smiled and brushed an air kiss along Medina’s cheek. “Don’t let the other one bother you, hear?”
Medina smiled and nodded and watched her leave. As soon as she was out of sight, Medina dropped to the cement block and cradled her head in her hands.
Was it pointless to try? Because she couldn’t do the circle of fire, which Tiff had likened to a smoke ring, wouldn’t she also not be able to do this rope of fire? Never mind that she could do that ball of fire.
Jumping to her feet, Medina shot her arm out and traced the spell, spoke the spell, forced the magic, and still nothing.
She shook her head wildly until her hair was in disarray and her cheeks were flushed. Then she did it again, and again, and again.
Then she screamed. Why wouldn’t it work!?
She kicked at random debris on the floor, setting a fast food cup on fire just because she could and finally tired herself out. She marched back the to center of the roof and began again.
The first drop of rain caught her attention and she realized that she had been there for far too long. She picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder as she ran for the door. Securing it, hiding the key, she rushed down the stairs and out to the street below and for home.
She nearly stumbled into her house, locking the door behind her and toeing off her shoes. Quickly, she undressed, and plopped onto the bed, rubbing her eyes and throwing her hair out of her face.
Another day without success, but there was always tomorrow. Sighing, she slipped under the covers and tugged the blanket over her head. Didn’t she have work early again?
Morning came too early and she took her time cleaning herself and dressing before heading out the door. As she drove through town, she traced the runes on the steering wheel, thoughts miles away.
After work, she found herself turning her car toward Tiff’s house. She knocked on the door and wonder just what she was doing there. When Tiff didn’t answer right away, she looked down at her feet and rubbed the tip of her shoe through the dirt gathered on the cement. Maybe she wasn’t home.
The door opened and Tiff smiled at her, glowing.
“Hello, darling.” She stepped aside and waved Medina inside. Medina followed her into the kitchen where she sat at the bar and Tiff brought her a drink. “What brings you here?”
“Do you think something is missing in me?”
“What?”
She shrugged. “You know. You said the spell was easy, but I can’t do it. Is there something that I’m missing?”
Tiff stared at her for a long moment before she slapped her hand on the table. “No. There’s nothing wrong with you.” She stepped around the table and took Medina’s hands in hers. “Maybe there is something you’re missing, but I think you have to figure that out in yourself.” She pulled Medina out of her chair and spun her around.
“You’re so pretty. Let me dress you up.”
Medina pulled away. “No,” she said, shaking her head, “I don’t think so.”
“Oh, let me, please? You’d be so fun to dress up. I never had a little sister.”
The way her smile transformed her face was Medina’s undoing. Blushing, she nodded her head. Tiff gave a shout and pulled her into her bedroom. “I’m going to make you a woman any man will kill for.”
Medina would never admit it to anybody else, but being fussed over by Tiff was fun. She’d never had any abilities with makeup or clothes, and Tiff was a natural. She sat Medina on her toilet and applied so much makeup that it looked like Medina wasn’t wearing any at all. Tiff moved on, going into her closet, leaving Medina to admire herself in the mirror.
She looked exotic, her naturally dark eyes suddenly smoky and erotic. Her new, upswept hair set off her high cheek bones. She touched a finger to her cheek, unable to hold back a smile.
“Hurry up! I have the perfect outfit for you. After this, we’re going out.”
“Out?” Medina sought out Tiff and paused in the doorway when she saw the little back dress. “It’s beautiful.”
“It’s too small for me, but it’ll fit you just right. Get undressed.”
“Wait. You said out.”
Tiff waved her hand as she walked out the door. “We’re going out.”
Feeling trapped and excited, Medina changed and once again admired herself in the full length mirror. The dress hugged her body just right and gave her a flutteringly feeling in her stomach. Tiff had also left out dangerous looking heels that Medina had to sit down to strap on.
She balanced her way out of the bedroom and Tiff grinned upon seeing her.
“Gorgeous.”
Tiff was more striking than ever before. She too had an upswept hairdo and dark makeup. Her clothes were silk and framed her long legs wonderfully. She grabbed her purse and keys.
“Let’s go. You’re going to have fun tonight, alright?”
Medina flushed as she smiled. “Alright.”
Tiff drove them to a local bar filled with smoke and loud music. Holding hands, Tiff pulled Medina through the crowd and to the bar where she refused to drink a beer. The music made her heart beat and she discovered that she liked being amid all the noise and celebration. Tiff disappeared for a moment, only to return, flushed of face, to drag Medina out onto the dance floor.
Letting lose, Medina danced with the others, laughing, drunk on excitement. She danced until her feet demanded she sit. Moments later, Tiff joined her.
“Girl, you have Latin blood in you. The way you move is so sweet.”
Medina flushed. “I don’t know how to dance.”
Tiff laughed. “No. You don’t know need to know how to dance. You’re a natural.” Then she slapped Medina on the back. “It’s that Latin blood!”
Hours later, Medina led Tiff out into the cool night air by her arm. Tiff waved and flirted with men as they left. Once in the car, Tiff sobered and looked over at Medina.
“I think I know what you’re missing.”
Startled, Medina looked over at her. “What?”
“You’re lonely, aren’t you? You looked so happy tonight. I’ve never seen you smile so. Or so carefree.”
Medina looked down at her folded hands. Was she lonely?
Then she smiled, sadly. “I’ve never not been alone. How am I supposed to know if I’m lonely if I’ve never known togetherness with another?”
Tiff reached over and squeezed her hands between hers. “A circle is something whole, something unending. Maybe it is that you’ve not known true love.”
“Have you?”
Tiff smiled and Medina had never seen her look so youthful and innocent. “I have.” Then she shook her head. “But this is about you. Maybe you need happiness before you can make the circle.”
Medina thought on that later as she undressed for the night. She carefully folded the dress and put it aside, slipping out of the heels and rubbing her feet to sooth their ache.
Was there something wrong with her?
Then she shook her head. It was no use dwelling on this. She didn’t like people, right? She liked doing her own thing, without having to answer to anybody. Right?
Then she looked at her empty bed with longing. Maybe she did wish for someone to hold her at night. A strong hand on her shoulder.
She flopped down and covered her eyes with her arm. Seconds later, she jumped up, dressed in sweats and stepped outside to practice the circle of fire. This time, she wouldn’t stop until she got it right. Until her fire filled the night sky.