Love Charms by Multiple Page B

daughter.
    “Sir, I’m pleased to meet you.” Derek
stuck out his hand. Raven’s father was an imposing figure. He held his ground,
knowing it was the only way he’d respect him. “I’ve come to ask for Raven’s
hand in marriage.” How was he, usually a confident man, suddenly feeling like a
child? Maybe it had to do with the important question of the day.
    “I’ve heard you took our vow. That’s
quite a big step, son. We will welcome you into our family, but understand it
will be with hesitancy until we’ve established trust. I know my Raven loves
you, and I want her to be happy. If you’re the person that makes my daughter
happy, I’ll accept this request. So it shall be.” He didn’t sound enthusiastic,
but gave Derek the benefit of the doubt. He did go as far as coming to ask for
Raven’s hand and taking the vow. The least he could do was try to accept this
mortal into his daughter’s life.
    He turned his attention to his daughter.
“What of children? Shall you be breeding this Season of the Witch?”
    “Daddy, we aren’t even married yet. We’re
going to go slowly. We’ll get married in a bit, maybe next warm season, and
then we’ll breed the following year. We still have a lot to talk about.” Always
about the breeding-- when would it stop? She already knew that answer, but she wasn’t
ready. That always seemed to be the most important question to them.
    “What of Samhain? The perfect time to
celebrate, don’t you think? You could commence it during that time.”
    Raven rolled her eyes. “We’re combining
two worlds here, Daddy. Let me go slowly, okay?”
    “Samhain?” Derek asked curiously. He
obviously had a lot to learn about Raven’s other world.
    “It’s an important holiday, part of our
“Season of the Witch”, a time to celebrate new beginnings and let go of the
old. Each community of witches has different things they celebrate, their own
holidays of sort. We don’t have a lot, but basically it transitions us into
“Season of the Witch” – that happens to be our breeding season. There’s a
lot I’ll fill in over the next few months, but basically our life will continue
on as it’s been, on the mortal side of the world.”
    Her father groaned. “Whatever…I’m just
saying, tradition isn’t such a bad thing.” She could learn to bend a little
more, try to do things more traditionally. But she was always so ready to
modernize and meld into the mortal world. Why couldn’t she be content in their
world, like he and his wife were?
    “Derek and I think maybe we’ll do a
private little ceremony, and just do a reception or party for each separate
side of the family, so it doesn’t raise flags.” She hated that it had to be
that way, but it was truly the best answer for everyone. There was no need to
raise alarm or red flags when questions were asked.
    He nodded. “Yes. Yes, I can see that
makes sense.”
    Raven’s mother finally joined the
conversation.  “Am I ever going to have more grandchildren?”
    “Mom, stop. Maybe next year, okay? Let us
get married first!” She felt the pressure for children every time she came to
visit. Why was everyone in such a hurry?
    Derek laughed. “My parents are the same
way. They think I’ve been a bachelor too long. No need to worry Ma’am, children
will be in our future.”
    The door opened after a quick knock.
“Hey,” Ziara announced as she and Benji joined them. Her husband, Jork, was at
home watching the kids so that Ziara and Benji could break in Derek gently.
They knew too much too soon would be overwhelming. Besides, Derek had already
met the two of them.
    “I’m starving,” Benji said. When wasn’t
he starving?
    “You’re always starving.” Ziara laughed.
    “I have a dashing bulldog figure to take
care of. I can’t let myself go now, can I? I have ladies to think about.” He
grinned with a big sloppy smile. Their mother was a good cook. There was no
reason he couldn’t enjoy some homemade