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SAWYER OF SOLARIA wasn't too fond of the light, despite being one of the princesses of the Kingdom of Light. She kept the curtains in her room drawn shut most of the time she was in there. Sawyer could feel her magic thrum under her skin as she gripped the handle of her Specialist Sword. The childish part of her thought it would be cool if her sword turned into an off-brand Thor's hammer whilst the mature side told her to get a move on and go train with Eric and Ezra.

She would definitely try out that Thor idea sometime.

Setting the sword down, she pushed off the pile of letters from her mother off of her bed. Christ almighty, Sawyer swore that the pile wasn't that big. She'd get Ezra to burn them all later.

Speak of the Devil, Ezra Knox knocked on her door and walked in afterwards, "Hey, stranger. Are you coming to train or make paper cranes?" She squinted at the pile of letters that were now gathered on the floor near the foot of Sawyer's bed. 

"If I knew how to make those, I would've done that by now," Sawyer picked up her sword, gesturing to the pile of letters with it. 

Ezra chuckled and walked further into the room, crouching in front of the pile and pulling out one of the letters. Sawyer watched her read it's contents and the Knox glanced at her, "This one isn't your mother's, though."

Sawyer's brow furrowed and Ezra handed her the letter. It had an Alfea stamp on the top of the page beside the usual 'Queen of Solaria' one that made Sawyer want to throw herself off a cliff. Grimacing, she sat back down on the bed and read the letter:

To Sawyer of Solaria,

Ms Knox, I'm sure you're aware of who I am. I would like to personally request you to return to Alfea. You have a flawless record and technique, which makes you an excellent example for the current Specialists at this school. 

I do hope you consider returning. Alfea could use your skills.

Sincerely,
Rosalind Hale, Headmistress of  Alfea.

Sawyer rolled her eyes, crumpling it and throwing it in the bin. Ezra's eyebrows raised at her, "Not gonna consider it?"

"Nope. It means seeing the bane of my existence," Sawyer stood up, walking past Ezra and out of her room. The fire fairy's brow furrowed before she followed after her, down the stairs and out into the house's back garden. 

"She's your sister," Ezra mused to her as she sat down in the garden chair, snapping her fingers. Sparks of flame appeared every time she did so, falling onto the grass below. Sawyer thought back to the last time she did that habit, remembering how she had to shock Ezra's hand in order to prevent her from torching their dorm in Alfea to the ground.

Ezra Knox hadn't yet graduated. She was currently a second year. Same as Stella.

Sawyer grimaced at the mere thought of her name.

"And?" Sawyer mused, plopping down on the grass with her arms keeping her sitting up, her sword on the ground beside her. "I probably don't have the physical nor mental restraint to prevent myself from disintegrating her." She glanced around, eyes squinting as the sun's rays hit her face. "Where's your brother?"

"He's at the shop. It's just you and me today," Ezra turned to her with a bright grin, Sawyer returning it's brightness despite not being too fond of the light. The youngest Knox stood up and held a hand out to Sawyer to help her up. "Let's do this."

Glancing up, Sawyer smirked before swinging her leg at Ezra's legs, sweeping her off of her feet. The fire fairy landed on the grass with a thud and a groan, "Oh, you mother--" Ezra pushed herself up, sending forth a controlled trail of flame towards Sawyer.

The adopted Knox jumped up, hissing as her left foot caught a lick of the flame, "It's like you have no regard for your garden." Sawyer put her hands on her knees, breathing heavily. 

Ezra raised her eyebrows at her, giving her a look of disbelief, "You have no regard for the safety of my legs. Christ, it's like you want to handicap me."

"All's fair in love and war, kid," Sawyer smiled teasingly, the kind of smile that would make one feel safe and comforted, brandishing her sword at her. Ezra found it insufferable most of the time, but when Sawyer was still schooling in Alfea, that smile affected the masses, regardless of gender.

Ezra returned the smile sarcastically, grabbing hold of Sawyer's sword and channeling her magic through it, making it unbearably hot. Sawyer hissed before groaning, jogging to the door of the house before jogging back, waving her hand around, "One; do not call me 'kid'. I'm two years younger than you. Second; wear gloves, you dolt."

"So you can roast my hands like a roast dinner, yeah, nice one," Sawyer jumped up and down, waving her hand around, glancing at Ezra with slight disbelief. "Asshole."

"You have the weirdest way of saying 'I love you'," Ezra fired back. "Let's go again."

Sawyer readied herself for the blow that would definitely come. Ezra threw a punch and she leaned back to avoid it, blowing some of her hair out of her face. The fire fairy wondered why she wasn't charging towards her with that usual Sawyer recklessness and she only realized when her eyes turned a light blue. Ezra was sent flying back, landing on the grass again with a groan, "Honestly, kill yourself."

Sawyer towered over her, her sword pointed at the base of Ezra's throat, a tired and worn-out smile on her face, "You also have the weirdest way of saying 'I love you'." Sawyer held her hand out to Ezra, who grabbed her hand tightly and pulled her down, rolling out of the way so that Sawyer landed on the grass hard.

The girl groaned and Ezra smirked down at her, flipping her off. Before Sawyer could retort, the doorbell of the house rang. Both of them took off into a run towards the door, Ezra putting a computer chair in Sawyer's path. She jumped over it with ease, and sent one of Eric's sneaker boxes soaring towards her with her electro-telekinesis. Ezra smacked it away and Sawyer slid under her arm when she tried knocking her down.

Sawyer smirked victoriously as she gripped the door knob and turned it. 

Ezra saw the regret on Sawyer's face as soon as she opened the door. She wasn't exactly being helpful either, turning around on her heel, "I'll leave you two be." 

Sawyer cast her eyes to the ceiling, sighing, "Hello, Your Majesty."

Queen Luna, a.k.a her mother, a.k.a the she-devil, a.k.a--

"I'm your mother, Sawyer, there's no need for the formalities," Luna smiled, causing a grimace to form on her face. 

"I've lived with the Knox's since I could walk, you've barely been a mother," Sawyer spat, looking the woman whom she had the displeasure of being related to up and down. "I don't even know who my father is."

Luna glanced down at the steps up to the Knox house door. She looked back at Sawyer, "I take it that Rosalind has written to you."

Sawyer scoffed, shaking her head and taking a step back, "Why'd I even open the door?" She went to close the door, but a bright flash of light blinded her vision and she winced, stumbling back. She caught herself by leaning against the archway to the living room and the kitchen. 

Blinking rapidly to clear her vision, Sawyer found Luna inside the house, the door shut behind her, "Why are you so stubborn?"

"Coming from you?" Sawyer raised her eyebrows, and she watched the woman close her eyes and take a breath. 

"Have you accepted her offer?" The woman questioned.

Sawyer looked away before looking at her, "No. Heaven forbid. Why would I go back there?" She shuddered. "The decor is probably even more hideous than it was when I was there."

Queen Luna made a face of somewhat agreement. She clasped her hands together, "I know you're going to just deny her again, however, Rosalind has... essentially pleaded with me to ask you in person."

Sawyer's brow furrowed, wondering just how this woman seemed to have no idea of the dysfunction between her and her mother. "I'm here to ask for a favor, Sawyer."

"Oh, this is rich," Sawyer scoffed, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms. "Humor me, mother, what are the details?"

"Rosalind believes that Farah and Silva have left her a school of weak children, thus she wants someone with your skillset to teach them," Luna explained. "I offered to hire someone else, but she insisted."

"And what will you give me in exchange? If I should accept."

"Details of your father and his family, along with several sacks of gold," Luna proposed and she watched a glint appear in her daughter's eyes.

Sawyer bit the inside of her cheek. She didn't even know who her father was, much less that side of the family. And the gold? Sawyer's moral compass was fucked anyways. "I'll do it. On one condition." Luna sighed. "Don't even think about asking me to keep an eye on Stella."

"It seems like we've come to an agreement," Luna said, staring at her daughter. She had her hair and her father's eyes. She looked a lot like him. If only she was a light fairy. Sawyer would be able to meet her expectations in the blink of an eye.

"Seems that way," Sawyer brushed past her, arms crossed. She opened the door, feigning a sweet smile as she gestured to the outside. "Now, get out."

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