A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

To Win a Witch's Heart

Happy pride month everybody

Photo Credit: u/inkvine83 on Reddit

Deep within the woods, a fox trotted softly into a cozy little cabin.

His nose twitched as he noticed two things immediately. One, tea had been brewing not moments before. Which meant that a visitor had just left. And two, momma was in a good mood.

A middle-aged woman hummed to herself as she drifted about the cramped kitchen area. Her greying hair pulled back out of her softly wrinkled face. She paid the fox no mind as he jumped onto the counter next to her.

In the blink of an eye, a young boy sat in his place, legs dangling off the edge of the counter. "Who was just here, momma?"

The woman didn't even turn to look as she answered, "A guest, Robin. Now go wash your hands before you muddy up the kitchen I just cleaned."

Visitors were nothing new, Robin thought to himself as he did as he was told. Despite the secluded nature of their home, they often entertained those who had come out on a witch hunt. Men of all sorts who had entered the forest in search of a wicked old crone that needed to be killed.

When instead they met momma, all kind smiles and hospitality, their mood changed right away. But then they had a different problem to deal with.

Robin watched over and over as momma's wooden smile dropped the moment the hunters left their home. Watched her roll her eyes at their promise to return before setting up new wards to ensure that they wouldn't.

Sometimes Robin asked why she couldn't just ensure that they would never be found in the first place.

When he did though, momma would just laugh and ruffle his hair. "Because of you, baby boy," she would say. "If anything ever happened, I wouldn't want you stuck out here where nobody could find you."

Robin thought that was silly. Nothing bad would ever happen, he wouldn't let it. But any time he said that, momma just clicked her tongue and told him that he shouldn't have to worry about that. So he didn't push. He just tried to get stronger so that he could ask again.

That being said, Robin could tell that this visitor had been different.

For one, momma didn't have her usual tired look. In fact, she seemed more alive than Robin had seen her in ages.

"Was it a nice guest?" Robin asked.

"Sure was," Momma replied with a twinkle in her eye that Robin didn't recognize.

Maybe momma finally met a nice hunter. Robin didn't think that was quite possible but sometimes momma brought back fairy tales from the village, and the hunters were always heroes in those. So there must be good hunters out there somewhere.

"Am I gonna get a daddy?" Robin asked.

He was young, not stupid. He knew exactly what those hunters wanted from momma. He also knew that momma was too proud for that. But all the fairy tale kids had a momma and a daddy. So he had to ask.

Momma threw her head back and laughed. "You ain't ever getting a daddy, and you know that, boy. Now go make yourself useful. Supper isn't cooking itself."

Robin frowned and got to work washing vegetables.

He didn't ask any more questions until the two were seated at their little wooden table. "Tell me about the guest please," he said at last in between bites of rabbit stew.

"She was real sweet," momma answered after a long pause.

Robin's eyes widened, "A girl? I didn't know girls could be hunters."

"She weren't a hunter, boy."

This confused Robin. What other reason did people have to come see them, he wondered. So he asked.

Momma smiled, "She was out gathering herbs and got lost, didn't even know we were here. Good thing she did find us though, cause she'd busted up her ankle trying to get home. I was able to help her and point her home."

"I wish I could have met her," Robin said.

"Maybe you still will, I told her to come back tomorrow."

Robin's jaw dropped, "Someone's coming back?"

Momma tsked, "I said maybe, now quit gawking and eat your soup before it goes cold."

The next day a fox approached a fair maiden deep in the woods.

The woman smiled at him and crouched down, "Hello little one, what a beautiful fox," she cooed. Then she wrinkled her nose and shook her head, "No wait, not a fox. You must be Robin."

Robin stood up, gaping at her, "How did you know?"

She gave her a mischievous wink, "Your momma told me all about you, did she send you here?"

"No," Robin shook his head, "I'm here by myself, I have questions."

She grinned, "Okay, ask."

"What do you want with momma?"

"She's a very kind woman."

"What do you think of momma?"

"She's a very lovely lady."

"What do you wish for momma?"

"I want nothing but the best."

"Will you stay with momma?"

"If only she says yes."

Robin fell quiet and thought for a long moment. "What's your name?"

The woman laughed, "Ella, Ella White."

"Miss White," Robin said, trying out the name in his mouth. "Don't you have a home?"

Ella shrugged, "No one would miss me. She has been kind to me like no one else has. And I would like to see where things go. But you and your momma have a quiet life here. I won't intrude if I am not wanted."

Robin crossed his arms, "Are you gonna take momma away?"

She shook her head quickly, "Of course not, love. And I never could."

He scrunched his face up and thought hard about what that meant. "Could I have a momma and a mommy?" He said at last, a hint of awe in his voice.

Ella laughed, "That might still be a ways off, but we'll see."

"Okay," Robin nodded, "And momma likes you?"

"I sure hope so."

"Then you can stay."