I guess I should start this journal off by saying hello and introducing myself. It is the polite thing to do after all.
Hi there. How do you do? My full name is Harmony Paige Charming. I am 7 and a half years old, and I live in Moonlight Falls. I like classical music, my favorite food is PB&J sandwiches, and my favorite color is red.
So…what else is there to say?
I dunno what I should write here. Momma said that I should write as much as possible, but what if nothing is possible?? She said I should write my feelings, but right now I am mad because I don’t know what they are.
😫😫😫
What do I feel? I just had my after school snack, so I’m not hungry or thirsty. I’m not cold, and I’m not hot. What other feelings are there? Love, maybe.
Oh, I know. I can write about the people that I love.
Of course I love my parents. Momma works during the day, so Daddy is home to greet me when I get back from school. He helps me with my homework when I need it, and we also play games, go outside and explore the forest, or play with my all of the stuffed animals in my room. He also reads me a bedtime story every night, and he also tells me stories about my grandparents, and great-grandparents.
I also love my Momma. We are both super powerful magical witches. We always spend every full moon together, when our powers are the strongest. And she has even let me ride my very own broom in the practice arena. And also too she owns the library! That is pretty cool. I feel proud that my Momma loves her job. And she always has a new story for my teddy bear to talk to me for Story Time.
I have two very best friends that I love too. Although it is a different kind of love.
I think.
I dunno.
Feelings are very confusing.
But anyway, one of my very best friends is Briar. Her parents are best friends with my parents, so of course it makes sense that we are best friends. Briar also has a very funny sense of humor. She can make me laugh like no one else can. She is the only child in her family, like me. Briar is a year younger than me and Luther, so she isn’t in the same grade as us. But we still play together at recess.
My other very best friend in the whole wide world is Luther. He is one of the sons of the Alpha in Daddy’s wolf pack. Even though Daddy isn’t a werewolf he is still part of Ryker’s pack. It is a really long story, and maybe I’ll write it down later. I dunno if I even understand it fully. But for now, I will stick with talking about my friends and family.
Everyone likes Luther. He’s not the most most popular boy in school, but I can say for sure that he is the most liked. Luther has a big family. He has 5 brothers and sisters. That’s a lot. He has two older brothers, Riley and Owen, and an older sister, Everly. Then there is Luther. We are the same age (but his birthday is 2 months before mine). And finally there are Zale and Zahra. They are twins like Riley and Owen. And like Daddy. He is a twin with my Auntie Autumn.
I can talk about them next!
I also have a whole family that I love, but they don’t live in Moonlight Falls like I do. We have to take a train to visit them. It isn’t a very long train ride, but Momma and Daddy let me sit next to the window so I can see everything that goes by.
I love spending time with my whole family.
I have grandparents that are Daddy’s Momma and Daddy. Gramma Stella and Grampa B are the bestest. Every time I visit them, we all go on walks by the beach and to the park. It is fun exploring a place that is different than where I live. And it is fun because every time I am with them, we have a fun adventure.
Daddy also has two sisters. Auntie Autumn is super duper smart. Like the smartest person in the whole wide world. Momma and Daddy told me that she invented some important thing that helped the world environment. I don’t really understand how it all works. But what I do know is that whenever I get to visit, Auntie Autumn plays crafts with me, and always has the neatest art projects for us to do.
Daddy also has another sister Auntie Lillow. Actually, her name is Willow, but I call her Lillow.
And this last summer that just happened Auntie Lillow got married to my now Uncle DeShawn. And I got to be in the wedding. I had a pretty dress that matched Auntie Autumn’s dress. My hair style matched Auntie Autumn too. They even let me wear a little bit of makeup. Plus, the best part was, I got to walk down the runway dropping flowers as I walked.
So, I think that is enough for now. Wow, I wrote more than I thought I would. It has been like a bajillion pages.
I still don’t know how this will help me with my magic, but whatever.
We sort of played around with magic in Lincoln’s story, but just a tiny little bit when we saw things from Mira’s point of view. We sort of dipped our toe into the shallow kiddy pool, so to speak. Well, now it is time for us to dive right in! Magic is an important part of Harmony’s life, and it is going to be a major focal point for the Generation 4 story.
Even though there are supernatural elements that allow me to bend the laws of physics, magic has some very strict regulations that have been set in stone and cannot, under any circumstances, be moved. This special chapter lays out those unwaveringly rigid laws.
Different Types of Magic
But first, before we discuss the rules of magic we first need to examine the various types of magic. Here in Moonlight Falls, the distinct types of magic are based upon the supernatural being that is casting the spell.
One type of magic is Gypsy Magic. The best example of this type of magic is Bert’s curse being stuck in the mirror. Gypsies are extremely secretive, and not welcoming to outsiders. Therefore there is not much known about Gypsy Magic. What we do know is that it is not as versatile as the other forms of magic, but when used it is very very powerful. Gypsy Magic is also dark and gets power from the mysterious blurred line between this world and the afterlife.
Another type of magic is Fairy Magic. The fae are very connected with nature and the elements, so it only makes sense that this type of magic would rely on the natural world around them to be the source of their magical powers.
Finally, we have Wizard/Witch Magic. This type of magic is centered around emotions. This is the most common, and the most versatile, type of magic. But it is also extremely fickle, meaning that it takes a level head and a clear mind to cast even the most basic of spells. Furthermore, Mira proved that just because you have a human parent doesn’t automatically make you any less powerful of a witch (that was a lie made up by Grendel to give cause to eliminating all humans from Moonlight Falls). Harmony is extremely gifted (she is part Crumplebottom, and let’s not forget that she is Maleficent’s great-granddaughter ), but her overemotional trait hinders her from becoming truly great.
The Rules of Magic
Now we can discuss the rules of magic. Magic has only three laws and these laws are set and cannot be manipulated or broken in any way, shape, or form.
Thou Shalt Not Tamper with One’s Emotions
The first rule means that you can’t manipulate someone’s emotions. You can’t make someone fall in love with you. You can’t make someone hate someone else. Basically, you can’t influence internal feelings. Yet note that this does not apply to the outer physical appearance. Thank you to Becca for pointing this out by transforming Lincoln into a beast.
It is also worthy to note that a werewolf’s imprint is not the same as an emotion. An imprint is more like a stamp, or a marking, put on another. That can be changed (although it took both Mira and Flint’s combined magical powers to do so). The “stamp” that Camilla put on Ryker was gone. There were feelings that were associated with the imprint. Those emotions faded once the marking was removed, but were very fully gone.
Thou Shalt Not Tamper with the Principle of Time
The second law basically states that Time is an ever present entity and therefore cannot be moved. You can’t slow down, or speed up, time. You can’t stop time. And you can’t go back in time. Along those same lines, you can’t change someone’s age. You can’t make yourself younger, make someone older, or stop/slow down the aging process. Changing someone’s appearance to look younger, is not the same as actually being younger. You also can’t make someone live forever. Immortality is only achieved by transformation into a vampire (and even then, vampires can still be killed).
Thou Shalt Not Tamper with the Afterlife
The third law is pretty straight forward; you can’t bring people back from the dead. Once their spirit has crossed into the afterlife, that’s it. There is no going back. It is interesting to note, however, that ghosts are not technically dead. They are sprits trapped between words that have not yet passed on. Therefore ghosts can be brought back to life. It should also be noted though, that this is not easily done successfully. Furthermore, turning ghosts back into humans can only be done using Gypsy Magic, since it draws power from the blurs between this life and the afterlife.
So, there you have it. I am really looking forward to exploring the various elements of magic as we travel though Harmony’ story. Having such a strong magical, supernatural, presence in the story is something new for me. And if you have any questions, comments, or concerns please feel free to let me know.
Of course, as always, have a great day or night depending on when you are reading this.
Ever since I could remember I have had big dreams of becoming a rock star rock god. Making awesome music and having hordes of groupies hanging onto my every word and ever ready to remind me of just how mind blowingly awesome I am.
Then I was hit with a dose, well… more like a spell, of reality. I won’t sit here and say that Becca’s cursed was the best thing to ever happen to me. Or that I am glad that it happened. Being a beast sucked. Plain and simple. Because I was a beast, I missed out on so much of my life, and of my family’s lives.
Yet, I won’t sit here and become a bitter pessimist either.
As a beast I leaned some very tough lessons; mainly what a shitty, selfish, and obnoxious person I was. They were hard lessons to lean, but I am a better person as a result. I learned how to be a better friend and a better listener. I now understand what it means to be a member of a family (werewolf or not).
I have a wonderful extended family here in Moonlight Falls.
Flint and Renatta have warmed up to me. I still have a ways to go before they can fully call me a friend, but I’m working on that everyday. And who knows where I’d be without Bert’s guidance (no matter how annoying he may have been).
Ryker now knows the whole truth about me not being a werewolf. Yet, he still considers me a member of the pack. I’m not a beast, and I’m not nearly as fast as I used to be, but I still run with them during the full moon. Remember Rule #1: You never abandon your pack!
Above all, my saving grace, my rainbow, is Mira. I am not exaggerating when I say that she saved my life (literally more than once). Mira also showed me what it means to love and be loved in return.
I still can’t believe that she beat me to proposing! It was a magical (no pun intended) afternoon. It was the first day of Spring. Yes…I said Spring. Since order has been restored in Moonlight Falls so have all of the seasons.
Anyway, I was enjoying the nice weather as Mira read under the trees. We have taken our picnics at the same tree where Mira’s mother’s ashes were laid to rest. Euclid has since passed, and his ashes are scattered here as well. This is a very special place for both of us, but certainly for Mira.
This was not the first time Mira read Sense and Sensibility while I sat and listened. Hell, it wasn’t even the second or even third time. I was laying with my back on the on the blanket mindlessly staring at the white clouds in the sky. I was only partly listening to Mira reading. Truth be told, I was planning on my own perfect proposal. I was thinking of maybe playing her a song on the piano. Then I would look into her rainbow-colored eyes and ask her to grant me the honor of spending the rest of our lives together. I was trying to come up with the perfect song to play, when Mira interrupted my thoughts with, “Linc, sweetie, did you hear my question?”
I looked at her and she had a ring box in her hand. Oh my plumbob! I started to jump up and down like an excited school kid.
“Linc Ryan, I mean Charming. I keep forgetting that. Sorry, where was I?”
“Yes,” I exclaimed for the whole forest to hear, “Yes, I will marry you!
Mira and I had a small private wedding. Just the two of us, the sunshine, and the giant oak tree that has become such an important part of our lives. Since Euclid has passed the tree seems to have grown bigger. There are also more and more flowers sprouting up with each of our visits. And although they were not here with us physically, Mira and I could feel the spirits of her parents as we vowed to love each other until death do us part.
Mira has taken her passion for reading and turned it into a lucrative career. Mira is a celebrated illustrated author of a very successful series of children’s books. That income has allowed us to buy the library, give it a modern facelift, and turn it into the center of our community.
With Mira working I have become a stay home dad with Harmony.
Harmony is my reason for living. Hell, she is my reason for everything. Having Harmony was the first step in reconnecting with my family. For the longest time I had been terrified of how my family would react to me after all this time. That fear had paralyzed my from reaching out. Mira had encouraged me, but was never pushy. After Harmony was born, however, Mira started to be less subtle with her pressure. Even Bert was becoming relentless (or more accurately, more relentless than usual).
When I was cursed as a beast I had left without a word. Only Autumn knew the real reason behind my sudden departure, and even then I was worried about what she would say to me when I had finally gathered the courage to give her a call. That first call was nothing short of terrifying. I didn’t know what to say. I have never been a good talker, and I am an even worse listener. Yet somehow, that first conversation lasted for hours. Better still, that opened up the door to more phone calls. Then an invitation for us to come to Twinbrook so the whole family can meet Mira and Harmony.
To say my parents spoil their granddaughter is an understatement. The whole extended family adores Mira and little Harmony. And after a few hours we were all talking, and laughing, and joking around as if I had never left. It was like nothing had changed. Almost.
Things between Willow and I are not the same. She has had no problem not hiding the fact that she holds a lot of resentment towards me, which breaks my heart, but I completely understand. She is nothing but kind and polite to Mira. Harmony has taken a special liking to her Auntie Lillow (as she calls her). At least Willow will be cordial with me when Mom and Dad are around. Yet, there is a sense of coldness that I am not sure will ever go away.
Harmony truly is my special little Sweetling. She is nothing short of a miracle. She may have inherited my blonde hair and blue eyes, but that is about all she got from me. It was very apparent, even at a young age, that Harmony had inherited her mother’s magical abilities. She was showing great potential to become a Master Witch, even as a toddler. She was casting spells before she could even walk. Imagine my surprise when I was in her room watching her play when all of a sudden her toys started coming to life. Her dolls and stuffed animals were dancing around her, and her toy dragon began shooting magical fire out of its mouth!
In fact, everyone we spoke with was amazed at how proficient Harmony was at spell casting. We were unbelievably proud of our little Sweetling. So, when her magic tutor asked to speak with us, I was not at all surprised.
Master Aberdeen also taught Mira and her cousins when they were Harmony’s age, but this was the first time I was speaking with the man outside of Harmony’s usual lesson time.
Master Aberdeen got right to the point, “It is no surprise to all of us when I say how incredibly talented little Harmony is. I knew it from the moment that she was brought before the Council of Magic when she was still just a baby. Yet, there is something holding her back. She is over emotional.”
I wasn’t sure what that had to do with anything, but I could tell that it was important to Mira. There was obvious concern in her voice when she asked, “How can we help?”
“Harmony must learn to control herself!” the master spoke with intensified apprehension. “At this point it has become a concern for her safety. And for the safety of others!”
“Hold on s minute.” I was not going to sit to the side anymore. I wanted some answers. “She is just a child. Is this because she is a girl? What does Harmony’s feelings have to do with being a good witch or not? What makes her so dangerous?”
“Well, more than you might think,” this so-called Master Aberdeen’s tone of voice was a bit too arrogant for my liking, but I heard him out nonetheless. “Magic is not as simple as turning on a light switch. It takes a clear head. Free from distractions. Harmony is excitable, and that causes her spells to, at times, go berserk. So far there has been no major harm. Just a few broken elixir bottles and a cracked bookcase or two. But what would happen if next time she wishes to cast a spell, but hurts one of the other students instead? For the safety of the rest of her class I cannot risk that happening. I will continue teaching Harmony, but it will be one-on-one only!”
I can’t believe what I just heard. Harmony was at a friend’s house, so I was free to be as loud and as angry as I wanted to be. Still, I was trying very hard not to be one of those Stage Parents who thinks that their child can do no wrong. Or will lose their minds if their child is not cast in the lead role. But how dare Master Aberdeen say that Harmony is a threat to others! The nerve of that guy! I refuse to believe that my sweet precious daughter is capable of causing harm to anyone.
Mira, being the level headed one, kept calm as she tried to explain, “The master does have a point about magic requiring a calm peace of mind. And I think that I may have a few ideas for ways that Harmony can learn to relax her wild emotions. We can do family yoga. We can practice meditation or go on long hikes by the beach like we used to. And I want to encourage Harmony to keep a journal. If she can get her feelings down on paper then she can rule her emotions; not the other way around.”
Harmony will be a great witch. I have no doubt about that. She could very well take over for Master Aberdeen one day.
But still, I can’t help but wonder: will she be able to reach her full potential?
I guess only time will tell.
So, this is it; the end of Generation 3 Lincoln Charming in Beauty and the Beast.
I’m not sure what I can say that hasn’t already been said. But again, thank you to everyone for their continued support. I’ve recently had this bust of creative energy, so it won’t take me too long before I start the next generation.
Side Note: if anyone has any ideas as to how I can minimize, or remove altogether, the ads at the bottom of the page, please let me know.
Once Upon a Legacy 