The Dark Witch And Her Knights

24

A rough coarse scraping feeling had drawn me from my cozy sleep. My hand rose to cover my face only to find something velvety soft. When I opened my eyes they almost closed with tears at the sight of Stella. I reached out petting and purring to her.

"Your familiar is quite the scavenger."

I turned to the mouth of the cave viewing Arbor watching over us. He nodded to the table indicating what he was talking about. There lay a few pears and an apple no doubt foraged by Stella.

"I thought she was trying to lead me to my death."

"She does seem to hate you." I turned to look at her preparing to pounce on Ageus resting on a high ledge of the cave. She would never reach him but that wouldn't stop her from trying.

"You should dress so we may return. It is already late in the day."

With long-forgotten modesty, I rose from the sheets of the floor. My clothes had dried nicely overnight and it was obvious Arbor had flipped them for me. The black veins branching out from my heart had vanished. All that remained was the symbol of the curse, a black X over a rose over my heart. I dressed and began shaking out the sheets before folding them and placing them back in the trunk. The sound of the lid shutting drew Arbor's attention back to the inside of the cave.

He approached me and took my hand in his. My knuckles were shadowed with kisses of affection before he entwined our fingers. The gesture was warming to the frail thumping organ in my chest that had been slowly dying. I called Stella to follow and he whistled to Ageus.

Like love-struck kids, we left our nest of protection hand in hand. For hours we remained so, talking back and forth trying to learn a little more about the other. I told him of my home and family. He told me about his and how they were long dead. We discussed favorite herbs and spells. Great adventures he had experienced traveling the lands. He promised one day he would take me to meet a Fey. The thought was exhilarating and a bit frightful. Nor had I ever believed they were real. Even knowing my life was doomed by a prophecy he still asked what I had always dreamed of doing with myself.

It was hard to answer since I never had the privilege. The privilege of dreaming.

I always knew somehow, deep down in my gut I never had a choice. Eventually, I would have somehow joined a profession that helped heal others. I am a servant of the universe. I would take it in stride and do my best to stay true to myself. So I told him as much. I feared asking what he dreamed of. I feared what his answer would be. A warlock of three hundred years, The Grand Wizard of the Wood, The Walker of Worlds, had probably accomplished more than I could fathom dreaming of.

Night had encroached upon us but we were creatures of the shadows who preferred the moonlight to the sun. It was late when we finally reached the cabin. I almost ran to it in delight when Arbor had held me back. He proceeded to check all his wards were intact before he deemed it safe enough. He slipped the old iron key into my hands and nudged me forward.

Inside the cabin was dark. A quick snap of my fingers had the candles blazing with life. I intended to collapse on the couch when a gasp was wrenched from my throat at the sight of Gavrial patiently sitting there with Godfrey purring in his lap. Arbor was only a foot behind me and moved to push me back at the sound of my outburst.

The sight of Gavrial should have relaxed him but he was visibly still tense. He turned around and pulled me closer to him. His hands wrapped in my hair as my chin slid over his shoulder. "Go to your room and wait for me," he whispered in my ear. The whole time my eyes trained on Gavrial as he scowled at the fond protective interaction.

A single hand squeezed my rib cage trying to coax me. I tore my eyes from Gavrial and turned in the direction of my room without sparring Arbor a glance. Inside I shut the door knowing that's what he wanted. I scoped his shelves and belongings for a jar. Finding a container of pine I quickly dumped the entirety of it on his desk.

I whispered into the jar,

"With walls as thin as smoke,

Don't let them choke,

So I may hear all words spoke."

I then pressed the jar against the wall near the door jam and placed my ear on the base listening carefully.

"Why have you come Gavrial?" Arbor asked in a cold tone I was not familiar with.

"Has my Master completely forgotten himself between the legs of a teenage girl or is this all part of your plan to save the kingdom?" he responded coldly.

"Jealousy is not your color prodigy," Arbor slyly tried to deflect but yet didn't deny it for it was partly the truth.

"What did you do to get her to turn against me so?"

"I did not," Arbor cooly replied.

There was silence for a moment.

"Witch hunters are sweeping through the lands."

"We have already crossed paths with them."

"Since you live they shall return. They are not regular men. These hunters are different. I dare say magical. It is time to move on and fulfill the prophecy."

"I intended to do just that until I found you within my cottage and passed all my wards."

"It was you who showed me how to walk right through those wards. I see The Princess has come into her power then?" He redirected his conversation.

"S-She has." The crack in Arbor's voice was evident.

"At what cost?"

"It doesn't matter." There was a shuffling in the room and I could no longer tell what was happening.

"If you hurt her in any way, you know the dark half of the foretelling shall fall upon us. What was the cost?"

His words came out strangled. "Her innocence."

"Was it forced?" No reply came and I heard Gavrial ask again. "Was it forced?" Still only silence. A loud thump reverberated through the jar and another.

Dropping the glass I pulled open my door to find Gavrial over Arbor raining down vicious blows to his Master. I pushed him with a strength I did not know I possed and fell over Arbor protecting him from any further assault. Gavrial's wrath had already been unleashed as he grabbed at my blouse and yanked me out of the way. The material tore open revealing the mark of the curse drawing his eyes straight to it.

His sights turned back to Arbor who was rolling onto his back.

"You cursed her?" He accused.

My hand reached for his arm attempting to stop the blow he was ready to hit Arbor with.

"It is not his fault." He looked at me with baffled disgust and yanked his arm free of my grasp. His eyes fell back to the mark.

"No wonder you would defend your rapist," he coldly spat.

He rose to his feet dusting off his coat before exiting the cabin. The door loudly slammed behind him.