WITCH - The Queen

Chapter 77

Agathe

Agathe's fingertips tingled with happiness. She barely managed to stay seated in her seat in the chic carriage. She would have loved to jump for joy. Or kiss someone! She and her guards traveled on fast horses into the swampland to the castle of the vampires.

(But Agathe didn't want to kiss her guards... And for that, she would have to jump on one of the horses from the carriage, not pushing the soldier off his horse while doing so, and then kiss him. That was a bit too much of a good thing for her. No.)

The carriage was plainer and narrower than many of her other carriages. So that it could withstand the speed of the horses. The dark wood was decorated with engravings on the inside and the narrow seats and back walls were particularly well upholstered. They had to because otherwise the passengers could be injured during the rapid ride.

(Agathe was also happy to do without a blue butt.)

And Agathe did not want to be received by the vampires with a bump on her head.

Agathe was ready to reap the rewards of her hard work. Franka and Heinrich: Dead. Coletta and her kid: Dead. As requested. Now, all she had to do was quietly seize the country. And make Annemarie and her family disappear...

And there was more to celebrate. She carried something precious in a golden casket with her. Three years ago, she had commissioned a couple of witches to develop a protective spell against the manipulation of the centaurs. The researchers, a respected profession in the kingdom, had finally made it.

Julia

The small group was on its way to the Pale Redbacks. Julia was accompanied by her former servants, Josefine, Flordelis, Jane, Cleo, and Tiyam. Flordelis' brother was kind enough to carefully carry Finn on his back and told the wolf one joke after another. Finn and Marko, who walked next to them, laughed heartily.

The rest of her group stayed behind to sew the first capes and run more errands. Fiete, Pelle, and Alwin had promised to take care of more weapons, which meant that some soldiers could expect an unpleasant visit.

Peter sold his paintings and much of his clothes. (Not his jewelry, though, even though it was probably the most valuable. But he couldn't let go of the glimmer and glitter.)

Julia was excited and nervous at the same time. How would the Pale Redbacks react? Could she convince the centaurs to help her? And what would they expect in return? Julia still remembered well the offer that was made to her. But she didn't plan to live with the tribe...

Peter

He knew it was just jewelry. But his collection was of great importance to him. To give it away, to sell it, would be the same as selling away a part of his personality. The personality for which he had fought hard.

Flora tried to convince him to say goodbye to the precious things, but he couldn't. And Julia didn't expect it from him either. She had assured him that he had already done enough. But Flora saw it differently. Yes. They needed the money to stop his mother. But he couldn't.

"These are just things!", Flora said gently. "Let me sell the jewelry. You don't have to see it. But we need the money. Peter. Be reasonable. We all make sacrifices. Your sister has already given me all her jewelry. But these are wooden beads. No real pearls. No gold. No silver! Even your glass jewelry is more valuable. And there is so much that needs to be bought."

Peter shook his head and pushed aside the box with his wedding jewelry. "No. I won't. No. This jewelry means a lot to me, Flora. And even my jewelry wouldn't be enough for everything. I didn't spend a lot of money on this jewelry at the time. It's less valuable than you think. It just looks very valuable."

"But it would be enough for more. Warm blankets, and supplies. Should everyone starve to death? Freeze to death? It's getting colder with each passing day. We need every coin we have." Flora sighed and left him alone.

Peter slumped down on his bed and wiped the tears from his face. What was he supposed to do? Julia wouldn't expect him to sell something so important to him. No. She never would. Sighing, he got up, put on his coat, stowed the box safely in a well-hidden inner pocket, and took the bundle with all the drawings he still had. Together with Gisele and Liam, he made his way to the villages. Lavinia took care of Pepe and Maleen during this time. The two children had given him a few of their own drawings so that he could sell them as well.

The cute drawings of elves who were too fat and something that was supposed to be a wolf wouldn't sell for much. But he had thanked them greatly.

Liam and Gisele also carried things they wanted to sell. Gisele carried a sack full of knitwear and clothes that Maleen no longer fit into. Liam also wanted to sell old clothes from Pepe.

They would not accompany them to the queen, but they helped where they could. In the hope of one day being able to return to their homeland.

Peter stroked the valuable box. Maybe he was exaggerating, but he trusted Flora to sell his jewelry secretly. He had seen the worry in her eyes. Worried about her son's fate, after having already thought he was lost once.

Peter's mother had never looked at him like that. She would never have done anything to make sure that he was fine. She would never have sacrificed riches for him. Riches meant nothing to her. The queen didn't care about him. If he had died, she would not mourn.

(c: sasi)