Aim to Engage 2023

14 Anisa of Geloria

"Anisa!"

A boot in my ribs accompanied the shout. I opened my bleary eyes, to the firepits and Jelora. The bitch. Not that I would dare to call her such to her face. She ruled the kitchens, I'm just the drudge who turns the spits. Everyday. The evening's meat was my responsibility.

My hip ached where it pressed into the fieldstone floor. And when I wasn't quick enough to get to my feet, Jelora yanked me up by the hank of dirty hair raining down my back.

"If anything burns, I swear it is the last time, you stupid lazy lump of laziness."

I was used to her threats. I massaged my head with one hand as I grasped the nearest handle. It would be a hard day. All four pits were burning hot already. How had I slept through the noise as they were readied?

I grunted as I pushed the right angle handle around half a turn. What was the occasion? Nothing from the gossip mill yesterday indicated a feast of this size. Two boars, a full elk carcass, and over a dozen swans and geese over the fourth fire. Who was the guest of honor?

"They've found her," a knight whispered to Jelora.

My eyes and ears are sharp. They had to be. To keep myself alive, I needed to know what Jelora's mood was and what the King's plans were. I knew of the search. I also know of the gathering of dark. I'm sure the King's good intentions to protect us were real. But dark magic needs powerful light to combat it.

No one in our kingdom was capable. I knew what I would do. Bow down, make it look like we welcome the enemy, and when they are in our house, thinking we are the adoring subjects they crave, turn their energy against them. My fingers tingled at the thought, and a familiar spark traveled down the spit handle dropping into the coals.

"I have instructions to take her to the King after we clean her up. She hides herself well. She might not even know her own power," the knight confided to the angry cook.

"Where are you going?" Jelora demanded.

"To fetch her. That drudge, what is her name?" The knight was coming around the chopping tables toward me.

"Anisa. Miserable brat. Never can catch her napping, but I swear she is naught but useless pile of sloth," Jelora sneered.

I turned away from him to hide my face. I'm not a sorceress. No way I'm the one who was part of the prophecy. The great white source of power and right. I felt his hand on my shoulder. Curiously gentle, not like Jelora's pinching claws at all.

"Anisa, you are to come with me." He turned me toward the doorway between the pantry and the dining hall.

Jelora grabbed my arm pulling violently the other way.

"She's mine. How am I to see the meat doesn't burn?"

The knight let go of me and took to large steps toward the head cook. He grabbed her elbow, twisting sharply and her wail, echoed from the vaulted ceiling. I fell backward as she released my wrist.

"I don't care, but rest assured, if the meat burns, it will be you who pays the price, not one of your drudges." The knight bent his knees, and his arms scooped me up off the floor. "I've had enough of her. Jelora will be held accountable." His whisper was for my ears alone.

I peeked over his shoulder and raised one hand. The sparks came without effort andG hit her back. She stumbled into the fire, falling over the triple spit of roasting fowl. I thought it was a fitting punishment as her skirts caught fire.

The knight never stopped.

"That wasn't called for, Anisa."

"Perhaps not. She will recover. The burns will serve to remind her of your warning."

"You are the Great White Witch. The King ordered her name to be kept silent as we searched. Anisa the Sorceress of Geloria. You are the one."

"I can't be. I'm a drudge, the firepits are my home." I stared up at him in disbelief.

"And well hidden you were. Almost impossible to find until the King's wizard questioned the serving boys. You did well protecting your friends from Jelora's belittling anger."

"I couldn't let them suffer. Jelora is evil."

"And there is greater evil coming." He pushed his way through the passage, past the dining hall, and into the main entry of the palace. In a trice, we were in the women's bathing area, and the maids there, tore my rags from me and pushed me into the water.

"Leave her here, Sir Toric."

"You have the clothes?"

"Aye, she'll be presentable."

I stumbled and then let myself sink. The water was hot, and masses of dead tangled hair floated away from me. I can't believe I'm going to be clean. Clean for the first time I can remember since before I landed in the orphanage.

I didn't recognize myself when I saw my reflection in the bathing pool. Pure white gauze with slivers of deep turquoise draped over my shoulders with a wide belt of gold leather at my waist. My hair rippled almost to the floor. Dark russet with red highlights, it crackled with electricity until one of the bath maids put a generous portion of oil of rose attar in her hands and worked it through my thick waves.

They led me into the throne room.

"Anisa of Geloria, I bow before you." The King's crown almost slipped from his head as he bowed, straightening abruptly to keep it in place.

I shook my head, not believing him. I wasn't the Great White Witch.

"Will you help us?"

I shook my head, not wanting to believe my little sparks were a sign of something bigger. And then I took a deep breath.

"Why not?"

Evil comes in many forms.