Young Writers Society

Hope Y'all like this!

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I gently pour the bright pink dye into the bottle while Arkeyle snooze on the window sill letting out loud snores that make me chuckle. I finally fill the bottle and place a cork firmly into the top before placing down the pot. I had plenty of dye left over so I could finally dye that skirt I had been meaning to finish, I had been wanting to color it purple but pink would do just fine. I maneuver over to the shelf and pull out a tiny drawer on my shelf that holds my business cards and the label for the bottle. I scribble out the label before pasting it on and tying my business card to the bottle with a ribbon.

“Finally done with all the orders,” I sigh letting my hair down from it’s ponytail.

“Sir you still have prayers,” Arkeyle tweets, staring at me with her piercing green eyes.

“I know I know but those can wait,” I say, gathering up all the orders into a neat little line.

“You’re going to put them off until the last minute again and lady Floresa is going to be disappointed in you,” Lady Floeresa had been bogging down on me more due to the upcoming triple full moon.

“Oh but she’ll be getting the most lovely ceremony in a couple nights she won’t mind,” I insist as I spin over to my spice rack which was stuffed full due to the upcoming triple full moon.

“I think he should do what he pleases,” Maragold purrs as she appears in the doorway.

“I agree with Marigold,” I joke as I place the pot on the stove to begin dinner. “Plus lady Floeresa loves me,” I laugh opening my chill box.

“The other gods don’t think as highly of you,” Arkeyle huffs, fluffing up her feathers.

“They wouldn’t dare do a thing so out of lady Floeresa’s favor, they would be in to much trouble,” The gods could threaten him all they wanted, they could storm in and put knives and spears to his neck but as long as lady Floeresa stood over him they wouldn’t dare push farther. “Now Arkeyle be a doll and go get me one of the zuccinies,”

Despite what Arkeyle said he had remembers lady Floeresa’s prayers and he even did a rosemary burning for her which he could feel she much appreciated. Arkeyle scoffed at this but just another reason for me to smile. I began the dying of my skirt before bed knowing due to the thickness of the fabric cand the spell I was weaving into it I would have to leave it over night.

I dance through my cabin as I clean up after my ongoing witling and stone carving projects, it would probably be easier to clean as I go but I enjoyed listening to the sounds of music filling my ears as I went along room to room. I flicked my fingers and books rearranged themselves on the shelves and my potion bottles settle themselves neatly where they should. I touch up the gears on my leg and my arm before taking them off and settling myself into bed. I would have deliveries the next morning so I had to sleep earlier.

The next morning I gather myself up wrapping up in just enough clothes to be warm in the early spring morning and so that I could be cool in the spring afternoon. I carried my morning tea in the canteen Icihko had kindly crafted for me at their forge. I sipped the sweet tastes of lavender and cinnamon as I walked lazily through my forest. Most birds sung for themselves others for lovers and some for me. I granted those who sung for me good health as a thanks.

A wolf mother came to join my walk not speaking at first. I let her scratching behind her ear as we strolled through the wood I knew well before she finally pipped up asking my assistance in healing her young cubs.

“I will do anything for my children,” She tells me a say look in her crystal eyes.

“I would do the same for mine,” I pat her head once more. “Lick each of your cubs behind their ears and they will be well in four days time,”

“Thank you sir, how can I repay you?” She asks and I tap my chin.

“Loyalty is all I ask in return,” I smile and she gives a slight nod before sprinting off back into the woods.

I finish my walk with no other interruptions and arrive in town where people are just beginning to start their days. I walk to my usual spot in the center of town pulling my folding table from my bag, a couple of the people on the street stop to stare but most continue walking for they knew who I was. I begin my set up and while I wait for people I begin my drawings.

I sketch the new people who will visit. One in particular catches my eye, he is going to be a man shorter than I with a grumpy face. I wonder if he’ll be as sour as he looks, most aren’t btu there’s always outstanders.

“Maggie!” I cheer as the kind old woman approaches my stand clutching her shawl.

“Hello, Sele! How are you, dear?” She asks as I place the cloth bag holding her arthritis potion on the table.

“I am most well, very excited about the moon festival,” I smile handing her the bag.

“Oh I imagen, have you ever seen one?” She asks sliding coins onto my stand.

“I’m afraid I haven’t, despite my years the last happened very shortly before my birth,” I click my tongue shaking my head which causes one of the clips in my hair to come loose.

“I was only three durring the last, I’m glad I’ve gotten to live long enough to see it again,” Maggie was barely older than I, only by three years exactly. “I presume you’ll be at the festival to preform and such?” She asks as he hands her her change.

“Why of course it would be a crime if I didn’t!” I smile pushing golden hair out of my eyes.

“Wonderful I look forward to seeing you, now you have a good morning,” I smile as young Daisy bounces up to my stand.

“I thought she’d never leave!” Daisy grins as she places a small jar on my table.

“Is this your healing salve?” I ask opening the jar and scooping out a bit of it.

“It is! How it is…wait that’s not right-,” she pauses before smiling once more “-anyway

what do you think?” She asks bouncing on her toes.

“It’s amazing for your first try! It could probably use a bit more Cornglow,” I say handing it back to her as she gives a determined nod.

“Selene do you think I can be good a witch as you?” She asks putting it back in her bag.

“If you find a patron that fits with you and practice you’ll be an amazing witch,” I say as she runs around the cart to wrap me in a hug.

“Thank you Selene, have to get to school but can I come back later for another lesson?”

“Of course, also you don’t have a thing to worry about with that test,” I chuckle with a wink making her burst into a smile, she thanks me one last time before running off to join her friend Mida.

So I continue my day doing my morning sales before my morning performances. People gather as I draw rues in the dust with my foot tapping them lightly once I’m ready for the finally of my act which many gather to see. People tip with coins but it’s always those who tip with notes and prayers that I like best because while money was something I had plenty of it was stories and more personal things I treasured. I played my lyer with a traveling singer who had magic flowing in her voice. A seamstress asked if I could sew a blessing into her clothes and I accepted. My friend Salima came with sandwiches for lunch and as always I offered him pay but he only accepted a fortune reading or a story.

I finally finished selling the last special order when I decided to do one last performance before I gathered my things to go home. I pulled my tamborine from my bag and began my dance. The night crowed gathered and as I allowed balls of light to begin floating I heard a shout through the crowd. I flicked my wrist and the person shouting at me was illuminated much to their surprise.

“Can I help you?” I ask not stopping my dance as they storm through the crowd.

“What are you doing! You can’t be doing magic like that without a permit!” The man was the grumpy man I had drawn from this morning, I chuckled at his scrunched up face as I finished my twisting and appeared through the mist I had set off.

“You must be from the city, we require no permits darling,” I chuckle tapping his nose.

“That’s ridiculous how could they let a witch of your like run around in such a way?” He huffs his bright blue eyes narrowing as I chuckle softly.

“Oh because they know I will do what I please with or without a permit, if we had them!” I giggle giving him a wink as the crowd drops money flowers and notes into the bag I had set out.

“And why do you say that, you’re a performance witch,” He huffs folding his large arms.

“Am I? Vonarin of Coldstein,” I smile as his face goes slack with shock and the few people still remaining chuckle. “I think you ought to think before you speak,” I say as I begin packing up my stand.

“Well then why not wear a aura stone?” Vonarin asks sticking his nose in the air.

“I haven’t a single need to,” I say as an young woman hand me a flower in return I give her a cursed stone for her husband and his mates.

“Your just a red witch aren't you? You probably own none,” He rolls his eyes, I do as well.

“I own them in forms of bracelets, necklaces, rings and earrings I just haven’t a use of them since I settled,” I say as he pulls a green aura gem from his neck with it turning grey shortly after he removes it.

“Well I am a green witch, care to see if you fare well against me?” I smile, most assumed green and cyan was as far as witches went, he was one of those people.

“Oh please sir tell me if a fare!” I laugh as the stone turns shinning violet.

“You…,” his eyes are wide and my smile is as well.

“First impression are so misleading don’t you think hon?” I say as I shove my table into my bag. “Tell me it’s not my performance that made you stop is it?” I turn to him as he looks me up and down.

“I know I’m handsome darling, no need to stare,” I chuckle as he goes lobster red.

“I-I- no that’s-! I just I’m rather shocked is all! And I um..” He stutters as I close my bag and pull a pin from my hair allowing my hair to fall out of it’s bun.

“You need to talk to me, but you’re not in the right state right now. Come find me when your ready to be civil,” I drop the pin and his stone in his hand. “I expect that pin back before or at the moon festival it’s one of my favorites,” with that I turn on my heels and I’m gone before he can speak.

~

I can’t get the violet witch out of my head, I could even before I met him in person. For days I had been having dreams, they filled my head and my mind was muddled with the shinning face of a stranger. The dream always went the same.

I woke up at the base of a large mountain, I was beginning to climb with no ropes or even my wand when a figure, a fairy, would appear first holding her hand out to me. I knew her face so I didn’t take it and I kept going. Over and over I would die weather it be by avalanche, freezing to death, exhaustion or falling. I called out for my team but no one came, instead a stranger would appear offering help, that’s when I would wake up in my bunk with a start.

Emora would ask what ti was and I would say nothing going back to sleep. For month over and over I kept having it until the night after I begrudgingly took the two person job in Ithiraca. I didn’t want to take it but something in my gut told me I had to even though I would be going with Kevona.

So now I sit in are fancy hotel room as she rants at me about curfew. It was so stupid we’re adults like we need a curfew just cause we’re in a new place, i’ve been a million new places and none of ‘em are anything special.

“Why were you even out so late!” Kevona snaps putting her hands on her hips.

“Got stuck in a conversation with some street witch kay?” He mumbles taking out his glass eye.

“Street witch? You mean that weird guy with the cart?” She asks tossing a pink braid behind her shoulder.

“Yes, he’s a witch,” I say turning away from the mirror.

“Really? I though he was some bullshit fortune teller or something,” She says as I walk over to one of the beds. “What kind is he?”

“Just an orange witch,” I don’t know why I lie, why should care about that guy?

“Oh, alright. He gave you a hair pin though?” can she stop talking I’m tired.

“Yeah want’s to talk with me I guess,” I flip over promptly ending the conversation.

The whole time I tried to get to sleep thoughts bounce around my head. I felt bad for yelling at the witch, not just because of his violet witch status but because my outburst was unwarranted. My day had been full of stuffy travel and filling out paper work for the mission and when I saw what I had assumed to be illigal activity I finally snapped. I felt bad that I took it out on some random person I had never met but what was done was done and I doubt I can fix it now. So I just lay waitng for sleep to take me so I can get my mind off this madness.

The next morning I get up before the sun. I drag myself out of bed for a morning workout before getting dressed, then telling Kevona to get out of bed. She takes a half hour before we’re finally out hunting for the stupid voloka the king wants. The forest is thick with life and a pack of wolves snaps at us as we past, Kevona does a sleeping spell to get past them and all the other animals.

I hate every part of the journey, the animals seem to especially hate us and I ended up dressing to lightly and was half way to freezing. I also don’t understand why the king want’s this voloko so badly, it wasn’t all that special only granting defence against birds as far as I’m aware. But none the less we trek through the forest as the sun finally begins to come up.

It reminds me all to much of the treacherous hikes my father dragged me on in the dead of night, the dirt floor the steep trail and the animals that now seemed like they had a serious vendetta against us! But finally as I’m about to say we should move onto the next section I hear a shriek.

I run forward and quickly a burst of air nearly knocks me down. I imedietly signal for Kevona and she begin weaving a spell while I begin distractions. My hand crackle with lighting as the scaly bird like creature inches forward. It’s shining bright red and blue with eyes darker than midnight. I dodge around it’s posioned talons and finally get a good hit on it with a zap of lightning promptly knocking it out of the air. But just as Kevona is about to finish he spell theres a huge flash followed by wind that rams me straight into a tree.

“You dare invade upon my forest and attempt to harm one of my children!” The tone is

booming but her recognize the honeyed voice from the night before. “Who dares?” the man from the night before steps into view as my vision finally begins to return.

“The king has demanded the beasts capture!” Kevona shouts rising from the ground.

“The only beast I see here is you!” He snaps as I fianly manage to pull myself from the

ground. “If the king wants to kill one of my creatures in my forest he can come and do it himself!” He snaps picking up the voloko from the ground and plating it on his arms, claws digging into it.

“Sir please if you attempt to stop us we will have to report this to are king,” I say and he

looks over at me his electric yellow eyes narrowed in rage.

“Go ahead tell your precious king that he has trespassed in the forest of Lady

Floeresa’s guardian witch!” when the words meet my ears I nearly fall back down out of pure shock.

“Sir please we can’t go back empty handed!” I say as his face softens slightly.

“I understand that and you won’t, but your hands will go back filled with a letter from me and some gold as compensation. If he has further issue he can come speak with me personally,” He smile pushing golden hair out of his face. “Now how would you two like breakfast?”

Soon despite are initial hesitation, we sit in his kitchen with a literal lioness sitting in the door way. He throws her a slice of some of the meat he was cooking while laughing at something I apparently couldn’t understand.

“Why…why do you have a lion?” I ask looking at the lion in the conner.

“Because she’s sweet, why do you have pets?” he says as he sets two pitches on the table. “What’s the name of your bird Kevona?” he asks after patting her shoulder.

“M-margie, how did you?” He chuckles setting out a bowl of chopped up fruits.

“Well come you’re both at least yellow witches surely you can tell at lest simple things like patron animals,” He says as I hesitantly reach for a strawberry. “They’re not poisoned dear,” he laughs popping one in his mouth.

“That’s reassuring,” I grumbles popping and apple slice in my mouth.

I gaze around the kitchen, it’s a large with plenty of counters, cupboards, shelves and a table in the middle of it all. Spices hang from the window sill where jars of various liquids sit, some covered others not. He can smell a pricey healing salve and he saw a blessing stone on the tiny table by the fire palace. The house smelled of lavender, rosemary and honey along side the smell of baking bread. The whole place made him feel tired.

“You should really be getting more sleep,” He says placing a loaf of bread on the table along side a plate of meat and jars of jam and butter. “You need a bit more iron,” he says pointing at Kevona who raises her eyebrows at me.

“Right and you’re…” I’ good at detecting the lack of vitamins, most green witches are, but there was nothing with him. “You might want to stop prying,” I grumble taking the slice of bread Kevona hands me.

“I’ve been told that,” he chuckle sliding into a seat at the head of the table.

“So um I…didn’t catch your name,” Kevona says as she sips her bright orange juice.

“I never gave it would be why, my name is Selene but you two may call me Sele, it’s only the youngsters that call me by my first name!” he laughs pouring himself water and juice.

The breakfast is nearly silent not because of lack of topics but because we were to busy eating. Much to my surprise the guy could cook and bake just as well as he could dance. He finished before us and promptly began working clean up thanking them when they gave him compliments.

“Though I can’t take all the credit, my friend Aoba makes the jam for me!” He smiles after I said something about the strawberry jam.

“Sele I must ask with a witch of your capabilities what are you doing in a town like this? You could have made a huge name for yourself,” Kenova mumbles after swallowing another slice of bread.

“I could have, but I’ve always liked being a silent help,” he explains as he takes my plate.

“But you could have so much more glory than this!” I add which just make him laugh.

“Glory is far to over rated! Living a life that satisfies me and helps other people is the life I wish to live-,” He pauses turning back to them “-I would rather help people in the dark than stand alone in the light,” he explains before turning away again. “Glory always separates you from people, from my experience. I wish for the opposite,”

He asks them after if they want to stay for a game of cards, Kevona choses to go saying she needs to go write a letter but I chose to stay. He was an interesting fellow and has a fantastic poker face. Through out I wanted to ask him about my dreams but every time I came close my throat closed up nerves creeping up and stopping me. I also was tempted to apologize for my actions, but I didn’t know if that would make him mad so I kept my mouth shut

As the morning shifted to afternoon he explained he had to get started on work and said I could stay and watch if I wanted he didn’t care either way. I knew I should get back to town but I couldn’t help but want to listen to him talk, he could speak of the most mundane things and I wanted to listen. I asked him about the clothes he dipped in a white potion and listened as he explained the blessings he was weaving into it. I hadn’t heard of half the things he explained and when I asked he told me the same thing.

“Floeresa allows me a very loose definition of magic. It allows me to do more than other witches, it’s like this for all guardian witches,”

After the conversation would drift elsewhere and by the time they were barely quarter of the way done with talking the sun began to set. He was sitting at the loom as he told a classic hero’s tale while I watched him work a spell into the cloth.

“I really must be on my way,” I say pinching my nose as he nods.

“You really must, I’ll be at the festival in two days but if you wish to see me sooner I will be here most afternoons and evenings,” he says not looking up from his loom. “I ask you to remember my pin please,” he looks up at me the warm light of the fire making it loo like his lavender skin glows.

“Of course, yeah I’ll return it at the festival, Kevona wants to go,” I say as I step over the lioness that slept in my path.

“I look forward to seeing you there, Vonarin,”