Outcast

2. Cursed

" You have no business with our child, witch!" Jarin exclaimed his brows furrowed as he wrapped his free arm around his wide eyed wife.

" Is that so?" Helena mused her hand still on her hip a mocking smile on her lips.

" Indeed. Get the hell out of here before I have to use force." Jarin continued in a deep growl a fierce look in his emerald green eyes as he raised his knife defensively in front of him like any animal would bear it's claws for it's young..

Helena gave an amused laugh the noise a slow huff of breath as she flipped her thick black waves of hair behind her shoulder.

Helena was a short woman with long royal purple robes draped down her pleasantly curved body. She had catlike yellow eyes that seemed to stare right through your soul and tall heels that clicked whenever she walked. She would have been a beautiful woman to the people of the town if not for her possession of magic.

Magic was looked down upon and feared by all. Helena knew this and used this to her advantage. It was still a miracle she was even still alive. Witch hunters were ever frequent in the small town of Winter Wind.

 Winter Wind is a small village of under a 200 residents who all have to deal with the harsh colder months. The town being appropriately named thousands of years before for the many feet of snow and bitter winds plaguing the lands for eleven out of the twelve months of the year. The one month that isn't ice ridden was called The Bloom. Flowers sprout up along undulating hills and the unforgiving winds and snow die down into a warm breeze and grassy fields. 

That was the month Riyah was born.

" You and I both know that if you don't have the use of my powers your beloved boy will die. Don't fool yourselves." Helena's nonchalant expression suddenly turned serious. Twisting her fingers in a fluid motion, smooth as an ocean's wave, she used her magic to make the deadly knife fall from Jarin's firm grip and fly aside. Jarin gawked in shock, eyes darting from where his hand previously held the blade then to the floor where it had dropped strides away. 

" Y..you.." Jarin shuddered knowing she was right. He didn't bother picking up the knife that was now halfway across the room.

" See? It's much better when we aren't pointing weapons at each other." The raven haired witch said as she took another step toward the family. Her silk robes swung gracefully around her ankles as she strode purposefully towards them, her golden gaze dancing with unbeknown secrets and false promises. Helena sneered inwardly at how naive these people were. How many lives had her powers shattered? How many innocent unfortunate mortals fell into her deceptive clutches? Not enough to quench her never ending need for the amusement of a life in her hands it seems.  

As the family and the sorceress faced off Victoria pushed her husband back and met Helena's mystically hued gaze with desperate bravery, the plea of a mother for her progeny to survive this ordeal .

" Can you heal my child? If so what is the price? I will give you all I have if that's what it takes." The tall blonde mother questioned her expression tired, defeated, with only a small flutter of hope to secure her child to salvation.

" Yes indeed. Victoria is it? I have heard of your beauty. The stories whispered throughout town are true." Helena looked Victoria up and down sizing up the rumors to the real deal. Helena noticed her pure blue gaze, her silvery strands that fell effortlessly in place, her long lithe body that any woman would die to achieve. A twinge of envy pierced Helena's heart briefly before her trained expression of bemused "kindness" was back into place. Victoria took a small step towards Helena now, her pale slender fingers bunching up in Helena's dress sleeve as her azure orbs stared in impatience as Riyah heaved another harrowing cough. 

" Thank you. But can you please save Riyah? That is what is important. Please" Victoria pleaded tugging on the silk fabric urgently with a flushed puffy eyed face. Helena gently pried the other woman's  fingers from her robe and her grin widened in confidence at her plan working so splendidly.

" Ah yes. Excuse my imprudence." Helena straightened her robes and continued.
She held up a finger with a smile. " It only comes with one price."

 " And that is?" Jarin interrupted with a frown, his fists clenching at his sides in anxious fear.

" At sixteen he will come and find me to retrieve what he had lost. That is all."

Victoria and Jarin both exchanged wary glances and then looked back over the suspicious witch.

" That is all?" Victoria asked as she clutched her child closer to her chest as he continued his coughing fits.

" Yes." Helena replied with a clap of her hands.

" Then heal our son." Jarin insisted not looking at the enchantress, his startling emerald gaze downcast and full of only slightly suppressed suspicion.

" Then the deal has been made." Helena's facade of a friendly smile twitched into a full sneer of her victory as Victoria and Jarin both took her outstretched hand. Once they shook hands a spiral of golden-green light twirled magnificently between their touches. Victoria and Jarin both sighed in relief. 

 Green beams of light surrounded Helena's body and she took Riyah gently from his mother's arms. The green light enveloped the baby's frail form and suspended him in the air. Sparks of magic flew In every direction as Riyah heaved one last cough before a sweet smile and a healthy laugh escaped soft pink lips.

Victoria and Jarin both watched in awe as their child seemingly flew in the air batting at beams of light like a cat as if no illness had damaged him at all.

Helena grinned and made Riyah lower back down into his mother's outstretched arms.

" P..pretty!" Riyah spoke his first words his wide green eyes filled with adorable elation. Victoria and Jarin both laughed and hugged each other with their healthy little boy sandwiched between them.

Helena watched for a minute more before pulling the hood of her cloak over her head and turning around and with a smirk disappearing in a cloud of smoke. Only a diamond necklace was left in her place with a note attached.

Victoria was smiling broadly at her husband and kissing Riyah's forehead when she remembered something. Her heart swelling with joy and a need to thank the woman for her kindness Victoria  parted her lips about to speak as she spun to face her. 

" Thank you Hele.." She stopped when she noticed she was gone. She tilted her head in confusion before shrugging and returning to the warm joy of hugging her now healthy child and husband.

If only they had known the curse that had been put on their beloved one.

They would have never thanked such a thing.