The Witch's Room

by Stephanie Haggarty

  The witch’s Room

  Published by Stephanie Haggarty at Smashwords

  Copyright 2018 Stephanie Haggarty

  Smashwords Edition, License Notes

  This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favourite eBook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One:

  Chapter Two:

  Chapter Three:

  Chapter Four:

  Chapter Five:

  About the Author:

  Chapter One:

  Turning over in bed, Daphne looked at her younger sister. Edwina looked so peaceful asleep, so unbothered by the world. Her face was so angelic. Daphne scrunched up hers. If the situation were reversed, then there would be no problem. It just wasn’t fair that the world treated them differently.

  She listened to the commotion down below. Her father and brother were already up and packing for their trip to the nearest town. She listened as they exited the house. Their voices rose up into their bedroom window.

  ‘Hopefully, this will take us through the winter,’ her father said to their mother.

  ‘It always does,’ her voice was quiet and soothing.

  ‘Hold the fort while I’m away.’

  Avoiding the floorboards that squeaked, Daphne stared out the window and down at her family. Eric was already on the cart with their father climbing onto it. Her mother was standing beside it. Then the two of them rode off through the early morning mist. It could be a week before they sold all their pelts.

  ‘Wake up Ed,’ Daphne said as she shook her sister’s shoulder.

  ‘What?’ she was annoyed and turned away.

  ‘I have to tell you and mother something now that Father and Eric are gone.’

  ‘Wha? Later,’ she pulled the thick wool sheets over her head.

  ‘No, now.’

  The pair descended the curved wooden steps and as Edwina was about to fall asleep again at the table she heard her sister speak.

  ‘Mother, I have to tell you something.’ The sound of her distressed voice opened her eyes. ‘I’m with child’.

  ‘Oh, dear Lord!’ cried their mother after a moment. ‘How? Who? When?’

  ‘I haven’t received my bleeds in six weeks.’

  ‘It’s one of those men Eric hangs out with at the Tavern, isn’t it?’

  Daphne gulped and before she could say anything her mother continued, ‘Don’t worry the women of Evelyn can get rid of it.’

  ‘What those damned witches?’

  ‘How can you even say that? Those women provide a valuable service to the community. And you need it now.’ Daphne began to tear up. ‘You should know better than to believe what comes out of the mouths of those types men.’

  Then she turned to Edwina. ‘You’re not in the same boat as your sister, are you?’

  ‘No, I’m still a maiden.’

  The look on their mother’s face was harsh. ‘I will not have a disgrace for a daughter. Damn it. No one is going to want you now. Why did you do this yourself?’ Then she calmed herself as her eldest daughter began to cry. ‘You will go to Evelyn and they will fix everything. I can’t go because it will look suspicious. Edwina, you will accompany your sister. If people ask, say she’s coming down with the pox.’ Then she left through the front door. Daphne was silent as tears fell down her face.

  ‘Who is it?’ Edwina asked. Her sister shook her head. Why wasn’t she saying? Her stomach clenched as she thought that how the child was conceived. What type of man would hurt her sister like that? Their mother shouldn’t have blamed her if that was the case.

  She couldn’t place a time when Daphne was alone with a man here. Unless it didn’t happen in the house. Maybe it happened in a few moments of stolen privacy. Maybe behind the Tavern? And Daphne was not one who could count on looks to ease her passage through life. A child out of wedlock would mark her out. At least someone can hide their lost girlhood.

  Then their mother re-entered the house. ‘The mule is saddled up. You two will ride along the cliffs until you get to Evelyn. It will take you all day, so you need to leave now. Edwina, I need to talk to you. Daphne, pack some food; the women are not a charity you will be expected to do chores in exchange for their services.’

  Outside the house, Edwina and her mother talked. ‘Did you know about this?’

  ‘No, I only just found out.’

  ‘Mr. Cole will not have his son to marry into a family that has a tainted daughter. Make sure your sister comes back without it.’

  ‘I will.’

  ‘Don’t let her out of your sight.’ Then her tone changed slightly. ‘I have to admit. I’m surprised that she managed to find someone to lay with. I would have thought it would be you in this position.’ Edwina knew exactly what her mother was referring to. How could two full blood sisters look so different from each other? It was almost like the Lord himself had taken the beauty that should have been halved between the two of them and gave it all to her. h seemed destined that Edwina was made divinely beautiful so that she could secure a rich man.

  She thought of Eli Cole, the only son and heir of Mr. Cole the biggest landowner in the region. According to her mother, how Edwina played herself would decide how her life would turn out.

  ‘No, I will be with her all the time.’

  ‘Good. Also, find out who it is. And never speak of this outside of Evelyn.’

  They went back inside, and the two sisters got dressed in their winter garments. It was always windy along the coast no matter what time of the year. So just like their father and brother, the pair set off, but in the opposite direction. They carried with them food in a knapsack, a knife for defence and the order to follow the white stone path and not stop for anyone. Their mother made sure to mark Daphne’s skin to give credence to their story. After all, a person infected with pox needs to look like they are contagious.

  The woods gave way to open plains and they turned to travel parallel to the cliffs of Evelyn. Their trip along the most well-known but seldom travelled path was uneventful.

  ‘How much longer?’ Daphne whined. Edwina rolled her eyes, a lot sooner than seven, eight months, she thought. ‘You can see it in the distance,’ she pointed ahead of her to the singular stubby mountain that was highlighted by blue skies.

  ‘Really? We’re only halfway there.’

  ‘It’s going to be sunset when we arrive remember?’ Her sister’s hands tightened around her waist. ‘This wouldn’t be an issue if you didn’t get yourself into this mess.’ She added.

  ‘You think I wanted to be in this position?’

  ‘Well, why did you sleep with a man you’re not married to?’

  ‘I didn’t think,’ her voice stopped, ‘I didn’t think that you could become pregnant on the first time.’ Then Daphne hugged her sister, ‘I didn’t think it’d happen to me. Not like this. You’re not going to tell Father, are you?’

  ‘No, this is women’s business.’

  Chapter Two:

  They came up to the shadow of the mountain just on dusk and had made good time by reaching the entrance by twilight.

  ‘I thought this place would be more impressive,’ Daphne said, as they climbed off their mule. They stared at a small double hung wooden door. It was connected to a weathered wooden fence. It was not a place where the sisters expected to find a coven of powerful witches. They knocked and heard the scurrying of someone. The top half of t
he door swung back, and a hooded figure leaned over.

  ‘What do we have here?’ cracked an old woman’s voice.

  Edwina opened her mouth and closed it. A witch! And she looked everything like an old crone out of a storybook.

  ‘Cat got your tongue,’ the woman began to cackle. The laugh sent shivers down her spine. That laugh had to be an evil spell, she thought. She wanted to turn and run, but she promised her mother that she’d see her sister through all of this.

  Edwina began to talk but was instead made a squeaking noise.

  ‘What was that? I’ve got poor hearing girl.’

  ‘I want to help my sister,’ this time she was stronger.

  ‘See wasn’t so difficult,’ the old woman stepped down from a stool and vanished under the door. Then the lower half of the door opened. ‘Come in. Bring your mule in as well. The thing looks positively spent.’

  They walked up into the enclosed compound and found that the place was seemingly empty.

  ‘It’s a straight line to the main hut girls, I’ll take your creature to the stables.’ They watched as the severely bent over old woman took hold of the reins and hobbled off into the darkness, her cloak gliding over the ground. Edwina found it disturbing that this crone was a child of the Lord like her. They saw the large stone dome in the distance, it had a column of light shooting up out of its roof. She had never seen such a building before.

  They headed towards it, a few times they almost tripped on the dirt and cobblestone path. Once next to the stone building, they could hear women talking inside, but there was no immediate door. They walked around a little and found it, it was glowing around the edges from the fire inside. They knocked.

  ‘Come in,’ said a female voice. They entered a well-lit and incredibly warm room. They also saw that there were about fifteen women sitting about. In the centre was the fire with a large pot was standing above it. Edwina looked above the pot and saw a hole in the ceiling of the dome. It looked intentionally built by how the stones were placed around it.

  Daphne looked about her, the women ranged from teenagers to the old and greying. So many, she thought. They looked so normal, she would not give them a second glace if they were to pass her by in a street. They all stared at them as they entered.

  ‘Who are you?’ one of the older ones asked.

  ‘My name is Edwina, and this is my sister, Daphne.’

  ‘Where have you come from?’

  ‘The village of Pollie.’

  ‘Why are you here.’

  ‘For my sister. She needs help.’

  ‘What trouble is she in?’

  Daphne flushed, she didn’t want so many strangers knowing her shame. Her sister seemed to be thinking along the same lines.

  ‘We can’t help you if we don’t know what your problem is.’

  You’re witches, Daphne thought, shouldn’t you know by instinct?

  ‘My sister is pregnant and does not want to be.’

  ‘Is this true?’ the woman looked at Daphne.

  ‘Yes,’ she said lowering her head.

  ‘Why could you not say it yourself?’ The woman’s words remained unanswered until she spoke again. ‘Unless you don’t want to get rid of it.’

  Edwina turned to face her sister.

  ‘Does he know?’ the woman continued.

  ‘No,’ she replied. ‘And if he did, he wouldn’t want it,’ her voice was quiet. ‘It’s best that it doesn’t happen.’

  ‘Well you’re not the first and you’re not the last to come to us with this problem.’

  Then another woman stood up and walked over to them. ‘Come with me. I have the answer in the apothecary.’

  They exited and after rubbing their faces dry from sweat, they entered another dome. They almost gagged. The smells were so overpowering that their noses were in the those of being assaulted. In the moon’s light, which entered through a hole in the roof, they saw the various herbs, flowers and, stalks that were hanging from the ceiling or sitting stacked on shelves. The entire room was covered in dried vegetation, except for one spot. It was where a small dead fireplace and accompanying bench resided.

  ‘How far along are you?’ the woman asked.

  ‘I was supposed to bleed a month ago,’ Daphne looked around the room and then up at the skylight above them.

  ‘You’re in luck. It’s early and only a few days ago another come for the same treatment. I have some spare set aside. I can make up the potion in moments and you can be gone from this place in a few days. But I recommend that you stay until you stop bleeding for safety’s sake.’

  ‘What do we have to do in payment?’ Edwina said.

  ‘Chores that no one wants to do. Cleaning chamber pots, hauling seaweed from the beach, removing ashes from the fireplace. Things you’re capable of doing when your sister is incapacitated.’

  The pair sat on a bench as the herb woman chopped, scrapped and mushed various types of plants before putting them in a small pot of boiling water. If it wasn’t for the skylight they might have suffocated from the burning concoction.

  Daphne sneezed just as her sister asked about the history of the place. ‘My mother said that you’ve been here for over three hundred years.’

  ‘Almost four hundred if you count the founder’s life of solitude. She came here as a young woman to perfect the art of magic and to help establish peace and order to this chaotic world.’

  ‘During the war of the seven kings,’ Edwina continued.

  ‘Yes, this place was far enough from the danger but close enough to help the poor souls that fell victim to it.’

  ‘But she didn’t help them. A king to rule all the kingdoms was never found.’ Daphne interjected. ‘In fact, it seems that she lured men to their deaths.’

  ‘It does seem like that. But the world will always order itself from chaos.’ With some difficulty, she churned the thick paste that was in the small pot and added some more water. ‘It’s also why we came to be here ourselves. We all had a calling to help in our own way. And by keeping the room closed we keep away the violence that brought those men here.’

  ‘I’m not sure what you mean?’ Edwina asked.

  ‘To get into the room you have to shed the blood of a willing victim in an act of violence.’ Daphne blurted out as she made a slicing motion with her hand across her neck.

  ‘But that doesn’t make sense. I thought she was trying to help.’

  ‘She was a complicated woman to understand.’ The herb woman replied as she brought over a bowl and handed it to Daphne, ‘Drink.’

  Edwina watched as her sister took a mouthful and pause, a look of disgust come upon her.

  ‘Drink it all or it won’t work.’

  Edwina watched as her sister drank it all. Lord knows how she didn’t throw up.

  ‘You should start feeling the cramps in a day or two,’ she took the empty bowl back. ‘I’ll take you to a hut, so you can sleep.’

  Just before they fell asleep Edwina asked how she felt.

  ‘I can feel it churning deep inside me, like diarrhoea.’ Then she slowly turned away from her and the fire.

  Chapter Three:

  There was a knock on their door. ‘Come out,’ called another female voice. ‘You’re to help me pluck seaweed from the ocean.’

  The pair exited their dome to see that the day was clear and of decent temperament. The woman herself was in her mid-thirties and had auburn hair bound tightly in a bun. ‘Eat something and hurry up. I want to get the south field done by lunch.’

  With wicker baskets on their backs, they descended a steep path that was so worn out that the sides came up to their shins. When almost to the bottom they could see the task at hand. The dark seaweed sodden water churned and pounded the rocks with each wave.

  It reminded Daphne slightly of what she drank last night. ‘Are you serious?’ she said looking at the violence beneath her.

  ‘Don’t be so adverse,’ said the woman as she continued down. ‘That water ain’t so bad, it�
��s the weed you have to be careful of. Slippery little ropes they are. Drag you right under if you’re not careful.’

  They reached the bottom, a strange flattened stone area that seemed too unnatural for it to have been formed by nature.

  ‘Look, Ed,’ her sister whispered and pointed. ‘There’s the Witch’s Room.’ Looking straight up the sheer vertical wall, they saw that there was small dome on top. It almost blended into the landscape.

  ‘Yes, it is. But you can’t go in there. Nothing good comes from that place. Now don’t be useless and help me cut some weed.’ From her wicker basket, she took out a knife and commanded the sisters on how they should grip and slash the long-leafed seaweed.

  For hours they helped the woman pull out the long, wet strands, cut it and place it on the rocks to dry. After having a break for lunch and seeing that the woman was impressed with their success they began talking.

  ‘How often do you harvest the ocean?’ Daphne asked biting into an apple.

  ‘Every few days.’ The woman bit into a loaf.

  Daphne’s eyes grew wipe. ‘How is that possible. Wouldn’t you have exhausted them by now? Father and Eric can only hunt once a week.’

  ‘No, weed can grow back overnight.’

  This place truly was magical. Daphne thought. Where else could such a fast-growing plant exist?

  ‘We’re ahead of schedule. Once we haul it up I’ll get you to help plant it in our herb garden.’

  ‘Why not use fish as fertilizer?’ Edwina asked.

  ‘Not many fish around here to be honest. Hard to catch, but when we do, we eat them.’

  ‘So, you do this every day?’

  ‘No, just in the lead up to winter. It needs to break down in the soil first. Really powerfully stuff it is. Finish your food and we’ll climb back up.’

  On this journey, the sisters started to become more attuned to their surroundings. The gulls watched them like a second set of keepers, the grasses rustled in tune with the breaths of the ocean and all the while the Witch’s Room loomed above them.