When I woke up the next morning she was still there. Her eyes closed as she slept. She was actually pretty cute and I watched her for a while before Anna opened the door and came in waking her up. She saw me staring at her with a small smile and smiled as well blushing as she did. Anna picked me up, to my annoyance, and began to start feeding me. Not sure what mashed thing I was eating but it was sweet but also bitter. 

     I must have made a face at the taste however because she was laughing while floating in front of my face. I stuck out my tongue at her and she gave me a look of mock outrage before laughing. I giggled and smiled which made her embarrassed. She flew up and sat down on my head. She didn’t weigh a lot but I felt her sitting there, she started floating down things in front of my face. Some shapes, animals and words, the shapes I could verify, since they were familiar to me. But the animals were mostly unfamiliar to me, there were a few I could guess like a dog, cat, chicken. I wrote out each word and she floated down a pair of words that I assumed meant good job.

     “Please bring the … that was … for Miss Lillianna to …” Anna said to the device. 

     “Yes ma'am,” replied someone on the other side.

     I didn't understand some of what she said but thankfully I didn't have to wait long. There was a knock on the door and Anna picked me up. Putting me in my crib, holding onto the bars, I stood up. My Spirit friend floated over to the door to see what was going on.

     “Here is … this was … by Ulbert, we can … … … so that Miss Lilliana can …” the man said gesturing behind him. 

     “Over here.” Those were new words but I guessed what Anna meant when she pointed and the guy and another carried something over there. I wasn't sure what it was, however, whatever it was had some magical things in them, there were four bar-like objects that each had something in them. I watched the guys set whatever it was, occasionally I looked over at Anna each time however she looked at me, her brow furrowed. 

     Does she suspect I can see? A loud noise provides the perfect distraction and I turn my attention to it.

     “Careful.” I think Anna says. “That is … for … Miss Lilliana to tamak(use?).” My spirit friend came back and sat on my shoulder nuzzling my face. I couldn’t help but smile, I felt a strange connection with her. Maybe because we can see each other? Or share the same powers? 

     I’m beginning to figure out what they are making. I'm not opposed to having a playpen if it’ll allow me to move around freely. I haven't shown anyone I can walk yet, albeit with assistance. I'm not exactly sure how long they took but eventually they finished and left. Anna went over and examined the playpen, tugging and pushing things before nodding in satisfaction and picking me up. She carried me over to it, my spirit friend hitching a ride on my shoulder. Anna set me down in the playpen and I began to explore. Anna brought over some toys, many of which were in my crib, but apparently I received some new ones. 

     They were all soft toys, probably due to my condition. I spent a little while examining them before I returned my attention to my spirit friend. She was doing something, it looked like holding something, I reached out and felt her holding a small animal of some kind. Anna doesn't seem to notice, but she's not paying attention. I turn back to my friend and see her smiling and giggling. 

     I wish this magic was a little more useful, what's the point of seeing it if I can't do anything with it. I wish I had read more fantasy stuff on earth, maybe I could have gotten some ideas. Closing my eyes I started to wrack my brain, I was more of a sci-fi nerd as opposed to a fantasy nerd. I played some video games but again it was more RTS than RPG. Come on Lilliana, you had a bunch of friends remember something they said. 

     My head was starting to hurt but I kept thinking, it was getting harder to hold onto the memories of my previous life. Now that i really thing about it I'm not sure if I'm forgetting or those memories didn't come with. Please let me remember…

*****

     I woke up in my crib, the moment my eyes open I see my friend sitting on my chest. There was a look of concern on her face, tear tracks ran down her cheeks. When she sees me wake up she smiles and starts to rub her face against my cheek. I reach up and pet her hair. i feel bad that I made her worry. Her energy resumes its normal flow as she continues to hug me. I'm confused, last thing I remember I was sitting in my playpen trying to remember my previous life.

     She ends up falling asleep while snuggling me. I watch her for a bit and eventually drift off to sleep myself. I'm woken up to the doctor coming into my room with Anna. I couldn't see my friend which made me worried for a second, but when I moved my head I saw she was nestled in my hair. She smiled and mouthed something to me. I smiled too and looked at the doctor.

     “She seems to be good now, tell me what you saw(?)” The doctor said to Anna.

     She went into an explanation which I surmised was about how I collapsed and slept until now. The doctor examined me pulling out an assortment of different magical devices and pointed them at me and around me. I looked around the room to disguise the fact I was trying to see what he was doing.

     “I am not seeing anything wrong. Keep a(n) eye/watch on her, and tell me if anything happens.” I think the doctor says, before he's escorted from the room by Anna and some other maid. She picks me up and feeds me. I ate carefully as I didn't want to take a bath right now. When she sets me down in the playpen I sit with my back facing her so she can't see what I'm about to do.

     I'm tired of not being able to communicate with my friend, I motion for her to come over, which she does. I tap her finger then tap my ears. She immediately gets what i was trying to say and flies over to sit on my shoulder. She puts her and on my ear and sends some energy into me. I still wasn't able to hear her but there was a small popping noise, as well as a warm feeling. Looks like were on the right track, I send my energy into her, she does this cute little shiver and smiles but otherwise nothing happens. Her eyes lit up and I saw light gather at her mouth, she began to speak, and i could hear something. It sounded like a radio station that wasn't quite in range.

     Apparently she saw something in my face because she got a little excited. That gave me an idea however, I began to focus on my power and moved it in my body. Thankfully I had practice moving and condensing it, else this would have been super difficult. As i began to condense energy around my ears the static returned, my hearing became a little more sensitive before there was a pop. Something settled into place, my hearing became even and normal again.

     Occam's razor, in hindsight it made sense. Thinking that magic was something more special than it was I made it more difficult than it should have. My new hearing was much the same as before but I could hear sounds that I hadn't been able to. Anna's breathing, the sound of people walking in other rooms, the clack of something outside, the small rhythmic ticking of a clock(?). But more importantly, and the whole reason for this experimentation. I look down at my friend, hopeful and eager, which I guess was plain on my face. She smiled and floated up hovering in front of my face.

     “Can you hear me now?” she said. My eyes went wide and I nodded. I didn't expect her voice to be so musical and beautiful. “I’m glad. Hello Lilli, my name is Titania. Nice to meet you.”

*****

     It's been a week since I first heard Tani's voice, its still as beautiful as ever. She spent much of that time teaching me how to speak, well write since I can't actually talk yet. I was happy to finally be doing something else. The language was fairly easy to learn, it is spoken much like English from my previous life, though writing it was a little difficult. It was like a mix of some various other languages. While my knowledge still had gaps I could understand the important stuff. My lack of sight made it hard to learn everything, Tani promised to try and help me come up with a solution. As a stopgap measure she drew pictures for me of the animals. so I could at least get a general idea.

     “So you’re from a place called earth?”

     Yea I was a researcher there, I was looking for alternative forms of energy. Our planet was beginning to run out of what we were using and countries were preparing to go to war for what little was left. 

     “That's funny, I'm a researcher too. I'm actually looking for someone who can help me with that. It's actually what drew me here in the first place.”

     What are you trying to do?

     “Well, first a bit of an explanation. My people need spirit energy to live and which is declining. We are trying to figure out why the energy is diminishing. But our efforts have come up with nothing.”

     How do we get more spirit energy? 

     “No one is entirely sure. Hence why I am looking for a research partner, we know there exists a repository of knowledge. But we have been unable to get there. I am fairly certain I know how but the requirements are very specific.”

     How did you figure this all out?

     “In the Fae forest, there exists an ancient tablet. It is the doorway to the repository. We were able to translate a passage on it and currently the head researcher is working on deciphering more.”

     What's it say? 

     “It says that the master of all magic, with the ensorcelled eyes, will be able to find the entry.”

     Ensorcelled eyes?

     “We think it's a unique pair of magic eyes that makes the bearer master of magic, able to freely shape and control it at will, as well as see and deconstruct magic itself.”

     That sounds like my eyes.

     “I suppose that's a possibility, we won't know until your powers mature, however.”

     How do I do that?

    "Learning magic is a start."

     Just as I was about to ask about magic my siblings came in the door.

     “You two, how many times have I told you to be careful with that door?” Anna said in a stern tone.

     “Sorry Anna,” they said in unison.

     “I wanted to see Lilli. We finally got back from our journey.” Andi walked over to my playpen and stood at the edge of it trying to get my attention but I ignored him. “Lilli, it's big brother.”

     “You might as well go to him, you know he’ll just mope if you don't,” Tani said.

     Yea I know but he's so rough. With an inward sigh I went over.

     “Buh?” I said, and his face broke into a big goofy grin. Try as I might, I can't be upset with them. He picked me up and rubbed his face against mine. His skin is so rough, it kind of hurts a little. He takes me over to the bookshelf, or at least where the books are kept.

     “Since he was a young boy Leoric wished to be an adventurer. He practiced every day hoping to enroll in the academy. But they told him he was too weak, and to try again in a year. So he spent another year training and went back. They told him again that he needed to be stronger. So he spent another year training, moving on to a real sword. His friends were already challenging dungeons and he wanted to join them. He goes back to the academy, and they tell him he's almost strong enough to come back in a year. He decides that he is strong enough, he learned to use a sword, and he studied monsters. Thinking he was ready he went to a dungeon, and he wasn’t ever seen again.”

     That was kind of a bad story. It was kind of dark for a kid's story. It's a pretty simple moral, but I think it could have been done better..

     “Kids don't really know what's good or bad at that age. So stories like that are meant to scare them,” Tani said. "But you, my little cutie, are special."

     Tani… I felt my face blush. But I forgot where I am. I hear a happy squealing and am snatched up by Lia who starts to cuddle me. Even Anna is struggling to contain herself. I gave Tani a look and she just giggled and cuddled my neck. Surrounded by so much love I giggled and hugged back.

     “Ok, you two it’s getting late she needs to have her afternoon nap now,” Anna said after a moment.

     “Awww. Ok,” they both said defeated, “bye Lilli we’ll see you tomorrow."

     Anna hurried them out of the room when it became apparent they weren't gonna leave. Lia put me in my crib before she left, Anna raised the side before she sat down in her chair. I wanted to practice walking but I knew she would just make me lie down. Tani settled herself on my chest I watched her body rise and fall with each breath I took.. 

     Tani?

     “Yes Lilli?”

     Can you teach me magic?