by Cale Madison
I watched as Vyri shed her clothes, dipped a sizeable, wooden ladle into the cauldron and retrieved a spoonful of dark liquid. She raised it to her lips and sipped, quickly returning for another scoop and then another. After fifteen scoops, I noticed her wrinkled skin beginning to tremble, as if beetles were crawling beneath her flesh. Her disgusting, matted hair tumbled to the dirt, replaced with luscious locks of brunette and her face appeared to gain youthful years before my very eyes. The bones protruding from her spine sunk into the skin, realigning her hunched back. Within seconds, the ugly hag had transformed herself into a gorgeous, young woman.
“Now, Alana and Teigra.” the leader announced.
“Thank you, Supreme Raine.” the other two witches recited together.
Following Vyri were Alana and Teigra, each drinking ten spoonfuls of the cauldron’s potion to become gorgeous ladies once again. Their wrinkles decreased, sinking into their cheeks to disappear completely and their once glazed, lifeless eyes now shone brighter than the sun’s midday reflection on the sea. Their protruding spines vanished back into their bodies instantaneously and the white-haired leader now nearly resembled Aketa in her beauty and charm.
Impossible...
“Feels wonderful to be myself again!” Odessa proclaimed, admiring her new physique, “I shall dance into Orson’s Hollow tonight, perhaps to be courted by the Knights’ Guard or a Tuskan noble for a change! I will dance in the pale of the moonlight with the dryads and journeymen of other countries! Ohh, what a wonderful day!”
“You will do no such thing. We must complete the ritual, first and wait two moons before we can leave. You know this.” the Supreme witch argued, “But wait...that smell...what is that? That odorous stench of sweat and steel. Could that be a...”
She sniffed the air, stepping towards my direction as she peered into the dark of the forest beyond their campsite. Her blue eyes glared as she caught my scent and returned to the other witches to retrieve a wooden stick, which lay alongside three others.
“Raine, what do you smell?” Teigra asked.
“We have company, girls. Look alive.” she hissed, her eyes glaring into the dark woods.
The witches would easily discover me in my hiding place, so I calmly stepped into the light to reveal myself. The five women stopped in their tracks, examining me as if I were a new species of creature they had just discovered in their woodland home. Raine approached me first, crooning, “Wandered a little far off the path, my friend. Why are you here, all alone in our wood?”
I thought quickly, realizing exactly how I could distract the witches in a second’s time. “Oh, my word...I’ve heard of the lovely Ladies of the Wood, but the stories do no such justice. For you are all so remarkably beautiful. Truly captivating, all of you! Look at your wonderful hair, your youthful complexion! You’re not at all like the stories make you out to be.”
The lesser witches blushed and smiled to my kind, flirtatious words. If there were any moment to gain leverage over a witch, this had to be the ideal moment. They were standing in a semi-circle around the bubbling cauldron with the wooden cages behind them. Not amused in the slightest, Raine then asked, “You’ve come here to pay us compliments? Hardly, I would think...tell me, why are you really here? Are you a knight?”
I kept my eyes fixated on Odessa, the only liability of the troupe. She locked eyes with mine as I moved towards her, saying, “I’ve come for her.”
The other witches groaned and sighed in jealousy as the red-haired witch squealed with sudden joy. You could barely tell that she was once a disgustingly vile hag only minutes prior - her eyes gleamed with wonder, her lips were full and wet and her white skin was dotted with red freckles. The closer I stepped towards her, the more intrigued she became.
“Look at his chin!” she said to the other witches after a thorough examination, “Look at his brown hair and his blue eyes. I want this one, Raine! I will not settle for another. No other nobles in Tuskan can amount to him. My noble sir!”
“Knight.” I corrected the swooning witch, “Knight of the Tuskan Guard.”
She squealed again as I said this, then looked me over, “You do not dress, nor act the part of one but...nevertheless, I thank you for your kind words, sir knight. You may court me, as you please.”
“Here she goes again.” Teigra said to Alana, rolling her eyes, “First to love, last to learn, as usual.”
From where I stood, I could see the insides of the witches’ cauldron clearly: meatless bones of children and pointed, elven ears floating in boiling, black water. Blood covered a table beside their shelter, where I noticed several dismembered ears and the small, mutilated genitalia of young boys. Skalige had reached the cages in the distance and was now whispering for them to remain silent. I regrouped myself and returned to distracting these vain, despicable creatures.
“I want you and only you,” I said to Odessa, “because you are, by far, the fairest and most beautiful of all of Tuskan’s women. You must be the loveliest, most stunning of any witches I’ve ever met.”
As I said this, Teigra began to angrily snap at Odessa, “You’ve hexed the stupid boy! What spell did you use on him? The poor, stupid fool! He doesn’t know what he truly wants!”
“This is not the work of hexes or spells, Teigra! He wants me because I am the most beautiful and he knows true beauty when he sees it!” she announced as she held me closely to her, “You all are blinded by pure jealousy! Keep talking, sir knight. Tell me more about my youthful beauty! Say it loud so these girls can hear it!”
I waited as they argued, analyzing my next move as the witch pulled my body close to hers. I ran my fingers through her flowing, red hair and whispered, “I will make you happy for the rest of my days, Odessa. I have a vineyard on the countryside...an estate large enough for three families and their elders.”
I began to sway with her, imitating an intimate dance as I continued to proclaim, “We will dance to the melodies of musicians, living our lives the way that we were intended to. Let me steal you away from this place and make you my wife.”
Every sentence brightened the witch’s face, her youthful eyes watering with false hope as she fantasized about her fate with me. Once I had moved her backside to face the forest, I sneakily plucked the key from her waistband and then spun her around, nonchalantly tossing it into the woods behind us. The other witches were busy avoiding eye contact out of spite and did not notice Skalige uncovering it in the bushes.
“Enough of this, you two.” Raine hissed, “He will ruin everything that we’ve built together, Odessa. Don’t fall victim to the lustful lies and promises of man again, you fool. This one reeks a foul stench.”
“Why shouldn’t I? I don’t care how he smells. I’ve finally found someone who cares and you’re so quick to belittle me. I don’t wish to hide in this dark forest any longer! I want mountains and dancing and joyful music! I’ve decided that I’m leaving this covenant to live with him!” Odessa proclaimed, smiling from ear-to-ear. It seemed strange to me that someone would be so desperate for love as to fall for the first man to flaunt her way.
“You’ve had men before.” Teigra interjected, “This one, he is no different.”
“You do this every month, Odessa! When will you learn?” Alana added, putting her hands on her hips like a scolding mother, “You’re just as much as an idiot as the boy! You two deserve each other!”
“Don’t do this…” Teigra muttered.
“Let her go, then. She is not welcome here anymore.” Raine ordered, “Leave in this man’s company and learn for yourself, Odessa. They care not for us, only for our young bodies. He will learn the truth when you cannot complete the ritual without my help. When the Blood Moon rises, they will both beg for our mercy. Teigra, refill the cauldron!”
In this moment, the Supreme pointed to the cages and spotted my partner sneakily releasing the children. She howled in anger and began to chase them as they fled into the woods. Alana, Teigra and Vyri turned to us and began to adva
nce closer. Odessa fought against them, still believing me to be her betrothed. As the four women tangled together in a flurry of hands and nails, I casually escaped in pursuit of Skalige, the freed children and the Supreme.
I caught up to my company, following closely behind as they crossed the swamp to steer clear of the vengeful hag at their heels. Nearly two dozen children each broke away from Skalige to ascend sturdy trees, swing from vines and then vanish into the shadows above. As I turned to watch the fleeing children, my arm became snagged by a sharp, flailing branch, ripping open my tunic and tearing the skin beneath it. My companion, with all of his determination, continued to run at breakneck speed with me behind him. We hadn’t gotten far before the five witches stepped into our path to intercept us from progressing further. A powerful, arcane force grasped my arms and legs to hold me and Skalige in place; it felt as if two strong men had their fists wrapped tight around my limbs and I couldn’t budge, no matter how hard I resisted.
“You never learn, Odessa, you fool.” Raine said to her as they approached us, “Men are the swine of their pitiful species, forcing us to breed with them...welcome them home from war and clean their wounds with our legs spread open. All they’re good for are lies and more lies...”
The Supreme appeared behind me suddenly, jabbing a broad knife onto the open wound on my shoulder blade, whispering, “Cut them and they squeal like the little pigs they are.”
“We should turn ‘em into pigs like we did with those huntsmen last spring!” Teigra suggested, sending shudders down my spine, “We’ll lead them along on leashes, let ‘em eat the useless scraps we leave behind.”
“Snip their fingers and toes, one by one,” Alana whispered over the Supreme’s shoulder, “each for the number of kids we lost.”
“It’s a start...” Raine replied, locking her eyes with mine. She called for Odessa to pronounce our final judgement, who approached us with tears streaming down her face. The scorned woman wiped her eyes and looked deeply into mine. I could feel the hatred seething from her quivering lips. She stooped low, scowling as she unsheathed the sword at my side and then ran her pale hand along its fuller. I watched, fearfully as the steel began to melt and dribble into a silver puddle in the grass.
“Let’s hear the piggies squeal! Squeal!” she cackled.
Rumblings in the forest quickly erupted from all around us - vines launched out of the murky water, snagging us by our throats and arms. The witches burst into laughter as they began casting their first spells. The branches snaked tightly around my waist and legs, rooting me to the ground. I strained against my bonds but could not budge.
“This is our forest.” the Supreme rasped, “You humans drove us into the dark woods,
then you try to steal from us? Force us to hide for centuries until you catch us and burn us on stakes? I think that we should make these piggies squeal, girls, starting with the big one. He doesn’t look like much of a screamer.”
She then raised her knife and brought it to Skalige, where she then began to unfasten the belt along his waistline. Neither of us could shout, only choke out screams against the cold, slimey vines wrapped around our necks. The other witches peered with anticipation as Raine lowered the knife and started to pull down my friend’s garments.
Before they could have their way, a faint, sharp noise rang through the forest above us. A blackened arrow impaled the Supreme, driving straight through her left eye socket; this was followed by a barrage of others that quickly caught Alana as she attempted to flee. Odessa lunged for me but two arrows pierced her heart and throat, dropping her lifeless corpse into the dirt. Teigra lay on her back with seven arrows protruding from her spine and legs. The vines released us shortly after they were each slain, crumbling into the blood-covered marsh like headless snakes. Skalige, looking astonished, turned to me without a single word to say...all he could think to do was pull up his trousers and appreciate our saviors. Neither of us could talk in that moment, as we found that at least fifty elves had appeared in the trees above, watching us with loaded bows.
***
“For what are we, if not nettles to be swept away in the changing winds of time? I am no prodigy. I am merely a man, protecting what is mine. ‘Vent a’ terre,’ says the horseman in black. The horseman rides as swift as the wind, as fast as a hurricane. I don’t remember his plight, I don’t remember his name.”
Aketa read from Atri’s Westward Journeys in her bedchamber, sitting in a cushioned chair that faced the open veranda. The late noon sun was beginning to set in the distance, casting brilliant glows of light before becoming overtaken by rain clouds. She could hear the marching of soldiers in the courtyard far below.
Opening the door to one of the room’s two closets, the curious woman discovered a cabinet containing dozens of elegant gowns and dresses. One such outfit she placed to her body and then turned to face the mirror. She looked it over in disgust and whispered, “This is the latest fashion? Why on earth would someone wear this?”
Curious, Aketa then began lacing the corset to her waist. She realized that these types of outfits require more than one person, so she improvised by using the closet doorknob. She fastened one string to the door, hiking her leg up to allow her to squeeze into the tight girdle. “Good lord...” she said to herself after realizing that she could hardly breathe.
She returned the corset to its place in the cabinet, immediately scolding herself for venturing in the first place. The other dresses were just as tight in the midsection, offering little to no room for its wearer to respire. Two swallows suddenly found their way into her bedchamber, where they joyously fluttered about, singing their songs - a beautiful distraction.
“Shoo, you two!” she snapped as they began to soar around her head.
Then, a knock at the door.
A panicked Aketa began stuffing the dresses into the drawers as she called out, “Yes? Who is it?”
“An errant, sent to fetch you for a council with Her Majesty, the Queen.” a voice answered on the other side. She lay the book atop its cushion and approached the door, asking, “What? I wasn’t aware of any council?”
Upon unlatching the iron lock, a violent force propelled her backwards and onto the floor. A tall man, dressed in a black tunic with a mandragora mask that covered his face, rushed into the room with a small dagger drawn. Aketa struggled to clamor away, kicking with all of her strength. Her ankle collided against his jaw, nearly knocking the mask off. As he toppled over, she crawled to her feet and hastened towards the closed door, screaming for help.
The assassin tossed a rope around her neck before wrestling her to the ground again. She swung her elbows and fists, fighting to break free of his grip as he dragged her towards the veranda. Her screams were choked by the taut rope that constricted her throat, her vision blurred by each time her head knocked against the hard floor. Before he could pull her into the sunlight, Aketa managed to clash her hand against her only bedroom mirror. By the time that the assassin could turn his head, she had already buried a jagged shard of glass into the back of his thigh. He wailed in pain, releasing her instantly as he clutched his bleeding leg.
The sounds of the struggle caught the attention of several Tuskan Guard, including Ivan, who barged into the room to find Aketa laying beside the shattered mirror. The masked man fled through the veranda, leaping over the railing to then slide down the tower’s shingles. A trail of blood covered the floorboards and the veranda. Ivan immediately took chase, following the culprit’s path as he attempted to escape by rooftop. The knight shouted as he ran, “Stop where you are! I said, stop!”
The assassin scaled one of the palace’s tallest towers, using window crevices and statues to his advantage. By the time that Ivan reached the base, he realized that the man sought to escape via banner-ropes that connected to an adjacent tower. Thinking quickly, the knight launched his sword into the air. The blade sliced through the rope with ease, severing the assassin’s plan as he leapt from the tower. Without the rope, he plumme
ted down, landing hard on his side before rolling across the fragile shingles.
Ivan’s men gathered at his back, drawing their swords as they prepared to apprehend the masked man. He sped away, sprinting towards the ledge in an attempt to vault between wings of the castle. His wounded leg prevented him from perfecting the leap. The Tuskan guardsmen watched as the assassin fell nearly ten stories to his death in the palace courtyard.
Aketa sat on her bed with her palms placed on her temples, rubbing vigorously as she tried to process what had just happened. Sir Ivan entered the room, angrily scowling as he reported, “He’s dead. Bastard thought he could jump between towers.”
“Wh-who was he? Why...why would he try to kill me?” she asked, completely petrified.
“Could be that he thought you were the queen? You two look nothing alike, but it’s a possibility. Have you and Caine made any enemies lately? Know of someone who would do this?” he asked, lowering himself to eye-level with her.
Aketa shook her head.
Ivan then turned to one of his guardsmen and ordered, “Find the king and queen. Make certain they are aware of the situation and are under watch. Make haste!”
Once the room was clear, Ivan leaned in and asked her, “What do you know? You can tell me. Has anyone been following you? Anyone suspicious?”
“No, I have no idea. I don’t.” she repeated before rising to her feet to wipe her eyes, “He wore a mask. I never saw his face.”
Ivan rubbed his eyes, swearing under his breath.
“What?”
“An assassin manages to infiltrate the palace and would’ve killed you if you hadn’t screamed. He didn’t attack the king or queen but he could have, just as easily. I’ll make sure you have men standing guard at all hours.” he assured her, “I should’ve seen that something was amiss. If I learn anything more, I’ll let you know, and don’t walk around the mirror until I have it cleaned. Stay in your bed for now until I call for maidens.”