The Dragon Curse

The witch (pt.2)

I was walking around in the city and tried to be cautious. I was looking for the witch who was my mother's best friend for years and just hoped that she might know where the book was. I was really worried about Seán and Mark. Especially Seán. He was going through a lot and I wanted to help him to ease the pain... to be there for him like Linda was. I don't know what was this feeling I had, but all I knew was that I wanted to be with him. I heard a lot about him, mother would tell stories about her life with him. I found his personality really charming, he is kind, loyal, and helpful for all I know. They really loved each other with mother and it broke my heart when she told me the story about losing each other.

As I was walking I reached a little cottage at the edge of the city. I walked up to the door and knocked on it hoping that Martha was home. After a few minutes, an old lady opened the door looking at me with her brown eyes. Her grey hair was braided decorated with little flowers and she wore a long brown skirt with a white blouse. She was slightly shorter than me so she had to look up at me as she talked.

"Evelien." she smiled at me and gave me a quick hug.

"I'm so glad to see you, Martha," I said as I hugged her back then she invited me in.

I looked around in her little house and there was nothing much since she lived her whole life alone. There was a bed at the right wall, the fireplace was on the left and in the middle of the house was a table with a single chair. She told me to sit down, but I insisted on it and let her sit instead of me.

"What a pleasant surprise," she said as she took her seat at the table.

"Martha, I need your help," I said standing in front of her and she waited for me to explain. "I really need mother's book. Do you know where it might be?"

"It's here," said Martha, and I was relieved that I didn't have to look for it.

"May I have it, please?" I asked her politely, but she shook her head.

"Linda told me to only give it to you when the time comes," she said.

"It's really important." I continued, but she shook her head again. "Seán is back. And he needs my help."

At that, her eyes widened and she looked at me with happiness, but it soon faded away when she realized what my problem was. She took a deep breath and she stood up.

"Still, I made a promise to Linda," she said and it made me sad, but then I remembered why I came here.

"Seán needs my help." I started. "He will turn back to a dragon and then he will follow Linda's faith, he will be slaughtered. I can't let that happen for Linda's sake."

"I hate to say this, really." she started as she walked up to me and grabbed my hands. "But I can't give it to you until you are ready."

"I am, trust me," I said and she took a deep breath. "He is like one of us. He is in danger just like us, witches. If the people find him they won't hesitate to kill him. If I let him die then it means that I betrayed my people, and I made a promise to Linda that it will never happen. Because I am a witch just as much as you are and everyone else from our kind."

After I finished I looked deeper into her eyes and she was about to cry. She proudly smiled at me and slowly let go of my hands to walk up to her bed. She kneeled on the floor and moved one of the wood boards, reviling a hiding place. She reached inside and took out a big brown leather covered book with the same symbol on it that was on my arm. She stood back up and came back to me to hand me the book with tearful eyes and an even bigger smile on her face than before. I took the book and she placed her hands on it.

"You are ready," she said and wiped a single tear away from her face. "Now you are truly part of our family. Use these spells wisely and always remember who you really are."

"Thank you," I said and I felt like I was about to cry, but I tried to hold it back.

She came closer to hug me and I accepted it, hugging her back tightly. When she let go of me she smiled at me once more, then she nodded, so I turned to the door to leave her house. I went outside and started walking back to the city, but looked back once more to wave to her and she waved back.

I finally had it. I was taking my steps quickly and safely at the same time since I had to protect the book. This was Seán's only hope to turn back to human, so I had to take this seriously. I tried to avoid people as much as I could and took the fastest way out of the city, so I would arrive back home in safety. I was walking through the forest once I was out of the city when I heard a loud roar coming from the distance. I stopped in my track and thought for a moment before I heard another loud roar, but I couldn't identify it. Then I had this weird feeling and I started to panic because I thought about the worst scenario that could happen. I started walking towards the sound and it was getting louder and louder until I reached a cave. There was a big rock in front of the entrance and whatever was inside the cave it was trapped. At first, I thought it was a bear, but the roar didn't sound like a bear's. As I slowly went closer to the rock I saw a green-scaled tail trapped under the rock and now I was worried that what I thought became true.

"Seán?" I asked and that was when I saw a vibrant blue eye through a crack.

He moved around and tried to move the rock as well, but it was too heavy for him. I had to figure out something fast to help him out, but I didn't have anything to help with. I looked at the book in my hand and then I had an idea.

"Don't worry, I know how to get you out of there," I told him and he seemed to calm down at my voice. "I will come back, I promise."

I heard as he gently growled and with that, I turned around and started running. It was pretty hard in this dress, but I had to be quick. I couldn't hear Mark's voice, so I assumed that he might be hurt or unconscious, but then I assumed the worst he might be in bigger danger.