The Prince's Witch

𝐸𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑛 | 18

Mabel woke the next morning with something heavy lying upon her legs. She knew she and Theodore had made their way into his chambers the night before, but whatever that was on her legs was too big to be him or her familiar. Slowly she opened her eyes to a big brown dog lying on her legs.

"THEODORE... THEODORE!" Mabel yelled causing him to step from behind the separator shocked and confused.

"My Love what is wrong?!"

"WHAT IS THIS BEAST! GET HIM OFF OF ME! WHY IS HE NOT MOVING?!" She panicked as he laughed walking over to the bed and petting the top of the dog's head. Only then did he lift his giant head and body for Mabel to pull away. quickly she moved her entire body to the head of the bed.

"Now Mabel, I know you are not scared of a dog. Is it not you that has a giant snake for a familiar? Look at him curled up in the corner.... What do you feed him? Should I fear he would eat my dear Duke?"

"I will assure you my Prince Onyx will not even try to eat thy dog. What the bloody hell is he? A horse disguised as a dog. Now I need to ask. Why is he so big. I have only seen dogs on the smaller size. He can take my entire head in one bite." Mabel spoke making Theodore laugh. It was nice to know they agreed that both were scared for each other's pets.

"Duke is a Mastiff. The only big dog you will find roaming the halls of the castle. Trust I, my Mother and Queen Mother hate him as well. Both are always speaking of him killing their tiny yapping dogs or the cats. He was a gift from my father on my one and seventh birthday."

"He is only one year of age? And so big...."

"How long hav you had Onyx?" Theodore asked looking back at the snake. He was so big he looked just as old as Mabel, but just as Duke size can fool one.

"Onyx came to me when I first came into my powers. Of course, I was scared of him and myself because I did not know what was going on. Ruth did not tell me of my powers, and I came into them at an early age. Most witches do not receive their true powers until the age of one and five. I received mine at the mere age of eight. Image walking up on a giant snake in the woods looking for herbs and it follows you back into thy home. Every time I turned he was there and one day I was so scared that my powers blew away half of my shack...."

"Where was Ruth?" Theodore asked as she shrugged her shoulders. Slowly he sat on the bed touching her small feet as Mabel smiled at him.

"I do not know. Tending to her brothel I supposed. I told thee I was raised by myself; from the time I was old enough to care for myself. I always knew Ruth did not love me, but I didn't know she had other plans.... I had a dream, Theodore. The night Ruth was burnt. All she wanted from I was want was within me... my powers. The strange that is when she burn I saw myself. My death and the town folks yelling burn the witch while thy Mother stood back and laugh."

"My that will never happen. I will take my Mother's head before she lay a finger on you or our child. I do not know of her problem and why she will not come to terms that you are no harm to her or me. But you are my wife and I will protect thee with my life. Also, you will become Queen sooner than you may think. My Father the king shared his plan with me. He is working on thy title and plans to make I the King. He will not tell me why...."

"I should not say but you deserve to know. The King is sick...."

"How do you know?" Theodore asked as Mabel took his hand. Her eyes started to glow causing him to stare into the beautiful purple glow until she closed her eyes. When opened them again to their normal grey.

"I have many powers, Prince Theodore. The reason some will truly fear me... the reason I never told you are all of them until now. I am the most powerful witch that ever walked to earth and there be evil after me. I have seen it. I have also saw of a Prince with no face that always protected me. The face did not become clear until I met thee." Mabel said showing him the cut on his hand now healed. Theodore was amazed. He loved Mabel but something about the conversation made him love her more. They were getting the time they needed to actually talk to one another without it being time-related.

"Well, that should tell us all thee need to know My Love. I will protect you to the end. Tell me more about thy powers. I know you have the powers of the earth; I have seen you use them in the field with the flowers, and you can move things with your mind as well."

"Yes I have shown you my healing powers, I can read minds, and shape things into reality. I can do more that I wish not to because it is quite on the dark side of magic. A place I will not venture unless I have to My Prince. Although I would like to share something with thee." She said as Theodore nodded. Quickly Mabel stood running to dress. She came back with a smile and offered him a hand as he called for Duke to follow. Except she stopped them at the corner where her snake was curled up touching the creature as she whispered something only he could hear.

Just as Mabel the snake's eyes started to glow purple as a light formed around them, and just that quick they were no longer in their bedchambers. "Teleportation. I think you have witnessed this as well. I can teleport myself without thought but with others... It takes my magic combined with Onyx's...."

"Wait the snake has powers...."

"More than you ever will know Master." Someone said from behind Theodore which made the Prince quickly turn to the man with snake eyes standing behind him. He did not know how to take it as he hurried to Mabel's side causing her to laugh.

"He frightened the bloody hell out of me too when he first turned human. Familiars come to witches for two reasons. To protect and serve us... their masters. You have my blood deep in you one reason Onyx is never near when you are. Or one of the reasons you say he pops up out of nowhere. He is meant to protect you as well." She spoke as Theo stared at the man.

"The same reason I kept seeing the snake in the fields when I was a boy. Not one believed me. I would tell my Mother about a giant snake and the servants. None of them would believe me because they could never see him themselves. I started to believe I was crazy, but this... This I cannot explain. Animals switching into humans." He spoke as Mabel smiled. "Show me more. Like how you grew flowers from the earth."

Mabel nodded as she closed her eyes opening them to the beautiful glowing purple. Just as he saw her in the field the first day they met she started to chant and dance within the field. Flowers of all types grew around them as Theodore smiled watching as she happy spun about the flowers.

"I thought I ought to find you two out here." King Roland spoke making Mabel stop and bow with Theodore. "This is the same spot I would find thy mother doing the exact same thing. You are truly her daughter. The only difference is I found her bare most of the time." He said making Mabel laugh.

"That is how I found her the first we met. Is there something you were looking for King?"

"No, I needed to get away from thy Mother yelling. She is trying to demand me The King to overwrite your betrothed. I would watch her if I was thee." Roland said. Theodore nodded just as Mabel stepped by his side.

"His Majesty may I hold thy hand?"

"No, you may not Duchess Mabel. I know what you are doing. Your powers cannot help I. Thy Mother and Grandmother mask illness until the two of you came of age to rule...."

"But they did not hav my powers My King at least let me try." She cut him off saying the shook his head stepping back and looking between the two with a soft smile.

"After the two of you take my place...."

"What of the Queen?"

"I will handle her. Come... Onyx nice to see you not in thy snake form." Roland spoke making Onyx nod. "Yes, I know of Onyx he was thy mother familiar. A sneaky little bastard if must I say so myself. He always loved to frighten Theodore in his younger days. Anyways breakfast is ready... come let's make the Queen mad. Shall we?"

Thoughts???