Clara walked to Madame Alaxia’s with Luan by her side. Clara didn’t trust the witch with one fiber of her being, and Luan wouldn’t let his little sister walk alone through the Dark Forest.
“Is it true that the Dark Forest has portals to other lands,” Clara asked, trying to make the eerie silence of the forest leave. Luan nodded without saying anything. He was focused on getting Clara to Madame Alaxia.
Clara, however, wasn’t at all. The idea of letting the witch probe through her mind gave Clara a great deal of uneasiness in her stomach and strife with her brother. For some reason, she couldn’t find out why Luan wanted to see the witch.
The forest sounds shortly began to lull Clara into a soft trance. Her eyes began to droop and her legs started to slow. It seemed like night as she trudged along, but she knew otherwise by the few golden streaks that touched the forest floor. Following close behind Luan, Clara looked for any sign of the witch’s cottage. Squinting her eyes from the dark, Clara made out the small hill with the large tree. The dwelling of Madame Alaxia’s was a delightful surprise to Clara as she had often thought a witch’s home to be dark and demise-like.
“Look there she is,” Clara said, nodding towards a hooded woman. The woman was sitting on one of the lower branches of the tree, reading what appeared to be a spell book.
“Madame Alaxia,” Luan said, his voice suddenly small. “We have come for your assistance.”
“Yes what is it you want,” the woman said. She sounded exasperated, impatient. She didn’t even look up from her book.
“We need you to tell us why my sister is having these certain nightmares,” Luan said, taking a step closer to the tree. As he looked up into the face of the witch, Clara couldn’t help but notice the small spark of interest in his eyes. Madame Alaxia was a dainty, young woman. As she shed the hood of her bear hide cloak, she revealed long curls the color of charcoal framing a fair-skinned face. Defined green eyes glared down at Luan, but Clara noticed her brother not even flinch.
“And what will you pay me,” Madame Alaxia said, slamming her spell book closed.
“We don’t have much,” Clara said, awakening Luan from his obvious infatuation.
“What do you have,” Madame Alaxia said leaning towards Clara.
“I have one nolki,” Clara said, revealing one gold coin from her boys trouser pocket. “That’s-”
The nolki was ripped from Clara’s hand by something small and quick. Perched on Madame Alaxia’s shoulder was a small bird.
“Thank you Javier,” Madame Alaxia said, taking the coin from the bird’s mouth. The bird abruptly vanished. Clara looked at the witch in bewilderment then at Luan. He seemed to be out of his trance and was staring angrily at the witch.
“Madam Alaxia will you tell me what my dreams mean now,” Clara said.
Madame Alaxia ushered Luan away from the tree and slid down its trunk, stepping lightly onto the ground. “I will. Come with me Clara, Luan.”
Clara shivered as the witch said her name. She didn’t bother questioning how Madame Alaxia had known. It was a witch after all. Luan only looked dreamily at Madame Alaxia’s walk.
They followed Alaxia around the tree until they came to a set of large doors that stretched towards the sky. Clara watched in awe as the witch incanted a spell that made the doors open in burst of blue sparks. Madame Alaxia walked into the dark interior of the tree and turned to face them.
“Come now, Clara,” She said. “Your brother can stay here.”
Although Luan looked more disappointed than wary, Clara got a reassuring nod from her brother to go on. Clara let out a soft sigh and followed Alaxia into the tree. The large doors shut forcedly behind her, making her jump. Alaxia let out a quiet chuckle making Clara turn red in embarrassment.
It was completely dark into the hollow of the tree. But somehow Clara managed to follow Alaxia down a stairwell that fed into a spacious loft. On the left side of the room was Alaxia’s home while on the other was her study. Everywhere Clara looked there was something bubbling or popping in a glass vile. She could feel the magic wrapping around her.
“Please, sit,” Alaxia said, motioning towards a large pillow placed in front of her.
Clara walked warily over and sat down. Alaxia leaned then smiled at Clara and picked up the bowl filled with various items. Clara watched in interest as Alaxia began pounding the contents of the bowl with a small mallet until it was a thick blue paste.
“Hevet kujet myrat severanti layney ei meyalai,” Alaxia chanted. Clara jerked away as the witch reached towards her face with a blue pasted hand. Alaxia grunted in frustration. “You must let me make the markings or I will not be able to see what you’ve seen.”
Clara hesitated a moment and leaned forward. “Please don’t hurt me.”
Alaxia let out a small burst of laughter, quickly containing herself. Still smiling, she took more of the blue paste and made the markings of her spirit, a snake, with the blue paste.
The paste felt cold against Clara’s fair skin, making her shiver. And when Alaxia recited her incantation Clara cringed as she felt something nudging in her head, some unexplainable force trying to pry its way into her mind and body. Realizing it was only Alaxia, Clara let down her guard, allowing Alaxia to seep further into her mind.
“You dream very vividly, a sign of the future,” Alaxia said. Her voice was distant and flat. “You are dreaming of what is in store for your village…Rune. Someone is asking for the Divinity of Light. Do you know where that is?”
Clara shook her head ‘no’. She shuddered at the sudden flashback of the Wicked chasing her, asking her where the same thing was, the Divinity of Light.
“You want to go to Arlynn because you think people will accept you there,” Alaxia said. “People of your village think you are a demon. They won’t listen to you, except for your brother. And Jasper will listen to you.”
“Madame Alaxia, why do I have these dreams? Why me?”
“You are not from here,” the witch said slowly. “You come from a distant land.”
“That’s impossible,” Clara was beginning to get irritated. The witch was prying through unnecessary things. “I was born and raised in the Village of Rune.”
“You were taken by a mage,” Alaxia said. “Someone by the name Samuel Lockert.”
Clara stared in disbelief. “No. You’re lying.”
Alaxia’s eyes shifted from somewhere faraway to Clara’s frightened stare. “I would not lie to you.”
Clara broke into a nervous sweat, her heart beginning to race.
“I want my brother, I want Luan-”
“You need to finish the bond Clara, you need to save Noradia from the Wicked or all shall die,” Alaxia said loudly.
Clara began to imagine a barrier, blocking out all outsiders from entering her mind and that Alaxia would get out of her head once and for all. Alaxia let out a shrill scream as she was thrust back into the wall.
“Demon,” She hissed, swiping her long nails across Clara’s cheek.
Clara let out a cry at the sudden pain, her hand reaching up to touch where Alaxia had scratched her. Warm blood leaked onto her fingers from the small gash.
“Demon,” Alaxia repeated. “You are a going to bring trouble to all of Saunyadore.”
Clambering up the stairwell to the entrance, Clara bumped into sharp objects along the walls of the tree. She felt the warm fluid drip down her arms as she came to the two doors.
“Luan,” Clara shouted, banging on the doors. “Luan help me!”
There was an answering banging on the doors that let Clara know her brother was there. There were fast footsteps as Alaxia approached with magic billowing in her hands. Clara instantly felt lightheaded as fear drove itself in front of logic.
“Let me leave,” Clara shouted stepping away from the glowing Alaxia. “Just let me leave.”
To Clara’s surprise, Alaxia let her magic fade away until only her hand glowed a bright green in order to light the small foyer.
“I will let you leave,” Alaxia said. Her tone changed suddenly, a warning, threatening air. “But you will leave for Arlynn as soon as I release you. You bring nothing but trouble, there are many powerful people looking for you.”
Clara stepped towards the witch, unaware of her actions as they were only guided by curiosity. “Why are people looking for me? I’m only a tender at a tavern.”
Alexia smiled knowingly. “You will see for yourself-soon. Just make sure you have left the village before the sun passes beneath the top of this forest.”
Clara nodded and Alaxia opened the doors with the same burst of blue sparks. The only light that leaked through the trees blinded Clara as she stepped out from the tree, she doors shutting slowly behind her, enclosing Alaxia behind them.
“Luan,” Clara said, looking for any sign of her brother. The sound of swift footfalls came from behind her. Quickly turning around Luan collided with her, knocking them both to the ground.
“Clara, are you alright- what did she do to you,” Luan said, eyeing all the bloodied gouges on her arms and cheek.
“I’m fine,” Clara said as Luan hauled her to her feet.
“What happened in there? I heard you calling my name and banging on the door,” Luan said, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. “Are you sure you’re alright?”
“I’m fine,” Clara said.
She wasn’t fine, however. She was more than distraught. The Great Witch of the Dark Forest, Madame Alaxia, had just told her that she was going to have to leave and finish the bond or Noradia and all of Saunyadore would be vanquished by the Wicked. Clara felt like throwing up.
“What happened in there,” Luan said, rubbing Clara’s back. “You look like you just saw an Alaha forest spirit.”
Clara looked up at her brother…or was it her brother. Taking his hand she led him over to the small pond at the foot of the hill. Sitting down she recapped the entirety of what had happened down in the witch’s tree bunker.
Alaxia watched from a knothole in the tree as the young woman and man made their way to the small pond. The girl was stronger than she had imagined. The force that had surged from the girl when Alaxia had been prying into the girl’s mind had been overpowering.
“You did well, my love,” a man revealed himself from the cloaks of the shadows.
“She’s just a girl,” Alaxia breathed. “I thought we were dealing with someone older.”
“She’s not as young as you think,” the man said, sliding next to Alaxia, wrapping a strong arm around her waist. “She deceives all.”
“I don’t think she remembers anything, Vasilis,” Alaxia said. “Her brother, however…I could tell he knew more than she did. He’s hiding something from her. And it looks like he just told her something important.”
Alaxia let out a childish giggle as Vasilis leaned forward placing a kiss on her cheekbone.
“Alaxia,” he said, stroking her arm. “How could I ever repay you for bringing me back?”
Alaxia turned away from watching the brother and sister argue and faced Vasilis. His strong features and roguish face made her squirm in her robes. How she had longed for him body when he had left for the war. With a grin, Vasilis took Alaxia’s hand, leading her to the bed.
“Come Alaxia,” he breathed. “There will be more than enough time to get her. You did tell her to go to Arlynn City.”
Alaxia took one last look out the knothole before submitting herself to Vasilis.
)
