The Magic of Rue

Ch 5: Scary Faery Man

Kian POV

I watched her carefully as I cleaned the blood from my body with pond water.

Honestly it wasn't all that bad considering what I have seen, been through, and done on battle field. But being told what to do irked me. Especially when it was by a lesser being, such as a swamp witch.

She was nervous, hands shaking every few moments as she shoved what looked like twigs and a few herbs in her massive hair.

Strange. She was strange. I don't think I'd ever seem a woman hold things in her hair.

Altho I've also never encountered a woman that looked quite like her.

Do all swamp witches look like this? Did she do something?

As if sensing my scrutiny she glanced over at me and smiled sheepishly "I'll be there in a moment customer! I just need to get a few more things." She frowned, "do u want something to eat, it may put some color back into you... my pond doesn't seem to be helping with your complexion."

I stared at her before looking at my reflection in the pond. My complexion as she put it was completely fine nothing-

...wait a damn minute, "witch." I growled, "there's nothing wrong with my complexion."

Her brows rose, "you look like death."

"I am death."

She tried to hold back an obvious laugh and choked a bit. "Perhaps you just need some sun then?"

I snarled.

She dropped her things along with her stupid smile, averting her gaze, "right. Sorry. Ive just never seen a faery like you."

I sneered a bit, "make a habit of spying on fae?"

She shook her head frantically, somehow not ejecting the things she put in it. "No... just avoiding them if I see em."

"What do they look like." I demanded more than asked, knowing what court was spotted near here cold be important."

"Well...I've only seen about six. One had pink hair! That was really interesting."

Spring.

She sat a safe distance from me, showing me everything she intended for the medical spell. "Two had golden hair and looked healthier than you... like the sunshine. It was pretty but they were...." she trailed off with a shudder.

Summer. I watched her start prepping the ingredients "the other three."

"Hmm one had orangish red hair. And he blended well with the trees..."

Autumn.

"The other two had white and silver hair. They were pale... but not like y-"

I glared at her and she immediately silenced.

Winter.

"Did that help customer?" She asked shyly. "I don't notice much about them, just focus on not being seen."

I didn't answer her, "show me all the ingredients. I need to be sure your not trying to poison me."

~~

Rue POV

My heart practically leapt out my throat like Andy into the pond.

How well does he know herbs and spells?

Would he realize that the mixture would ultimately knock him out?

Was I going to die.

The Fae are ruthless beings, everyone knew that. They were feared by practically ever witch in existence.

And this one didn't seem to have a good temperament. At all.

Shakily, I shower him.

There wasn't another option.

As he observed them, I observed him.

He really was strange looking. Different from the Fae I had seen. His long hair like midnight, pulled back in a ponytail with the underside cut close to his scalp. His arms and torso looked lethal, even with his wound dripping blood. Strange squiggly scars covered parts of his body. Words maybe. The fae have their own language... they don't share their literature or teach their language though. No one on this side of the dimensional rift knows much about fae culture besides the murderous tendencies.

At least as far as I'm aware.

His sharp features looked as lethal as his blades. His yellow eyes reminded me of an owl as he studied the herbs.

At least they would have if they didn't have a dangerous edge to them, pupils turning to silts as he focused on something.

A predator.

That's exactly what the large man was. A predator in the shape of a man.

"Fine." He rumbled, those alarming eyes boring holes into me. "Start with the regional treatment then I will let you add yours. None of this should cause me harm and if it gets me back faster. Better."

I clapped my hands, trying to disguise my relief as anything else. "Perfect! Thank you customer. My name is Rue and I will be healing you today."

I sounded dumb even to my ears but it was better than my anxiety catching his attention and making him suspicious.

Something told me if he was suspicious, it would hurt.

"I don't care. Just get on with in Swamp Witch."

"Actually I'm the first ever pond witch... I don't think the swamp title suits me."

He just stared at me.

"Righttt.." I mumbled, getting to work, "you don't care."

Not caring was way better than suspecting.

Please scary Faery man, keep not caring.