I Will Always Love You - Empires SMP S2 AU: Nature Wives

Chapter 3: Grandma's Lectures (Katherine)

"Have you heard about the Elders yet?" Shelby asked her Grandma, bouncing around the cauldron as her grandma prepped the tea.

Katherine grinned over her own cup of tea, slightly amused at Shelby's excitement.

"Yes, I did," Grandma Guinevere's eyes twinkled as she poured another cup of tea, handing it to Shelby, "I heard them coming even before the morning,"

Shelby's jaw seemed to unhinge from her head at this, "But- but-"

"I'm a Nature Witch, deary, it is highly expected of us to tell the times of these things, now either put your tea down or drink it before you spill it,"

Shelby tipped the contents of her wooden cup into her open mouth and abandoned her cup on the edge of the table, before coming to sit next to Katherine, lifting Tortoise from his favourite napping spot and onto her lap so she could sit down next to her princess.

Tortoise peeled back an eye lid, eyeballing Shelby, before slipping out of the witch's grip and hopping away from the table, displeased that his nap had to be disturbed.

"What sort of familiar is that?" Guinevere snorted, pouring herself a cup of tea from the steaming pot on the fire and coming to sit opposite the two girls, "He can't even sit on your lap without giving you the devil look,"

"I think he's lovely," Shelby defended her beloved frog, looking over at Tortoise, who had – somehow – found himself a spot on one of Shelby's bookshelves.

Guinevere shook her head at her granddaughter, sighing to herself, before turning her attention to Katherine.

"Shelby talks a lot about you, you know?"

Katherine nodded, "I talk a lot about her too,"

Shelby's cheeks flushed red, "Oh, Tortoise! How d'you get up there, buddy?"

Both Guinevere and Katherine laughed as Shelby got up from the table to go over and 'help' Tortoise down from the shelf.

"You're good for her," said Guinevere to Katherine, looking over to where Shelby was trying to coax Tortoise off the shelf, "I can see that both of you are good for each other,"

"What kind of magic did you need to see that?" chuckled Katherine, meeting the old lady's eyes.

A twinkle of youthful cheekiness flashed across them as Guinevere replied with a grin, "Old age,"

Both of them laughed. Shelby turned round, looking quizzically at them. Tortoise took the opportunity to jump down from the shelf, onto Shelby's hat, sending it tipping over her eyes.

"On the more serious side, however," Guinevere continued as they both watched, bemused, while Shelby tried to get hold of the cheeky frog, "If you hurt Shelby, or let any harm come to her, know that I will come for you,"

Katherine smiled at Guinevere, expecting to see the cheeky twinkle dancing in her eye, but was met with hard amber eyes that strongly resembled Shelby's.

Katherine couldn't help but swallow, thrown by this unexpected shift in tone.

Shelby, with Tortoise now safety gathered in her arms and a face flushed red with effort to prove how hard she had worked to get him to sit still, wandered back over to the table to find Guinevere staring her princess down.

"I hope you're not scaring Katherine, Grandma," snorted Shelby plopping herself back down on the chair, stroking Tortoise, "It's rude to scare guests,"

Guinevere straightened herself, getting up from the table, gathering her's and Katherine's empty cups and carrying them over to the cauldron, "Not at all, deary. I wouldn't dream of it,"

"Good," Shelby nodded, taking Katherine's hand and dragging her upwards so they were all standing, Tortoise still clutched tight in her other arm.

"Thanks for the tea, Grandma!" Shelby called to Guinevere as they made for the door of the hut.

"Wait a minute, Shelby!" Shelby halted, bringing Katherine to a stop as well, glancing over her shoulder at Guinevere, who was bent over the cauldron, wand in hand.

Shelby pulled a face at the back of her Grandma's head before turning to Katherine.

"Gimme a sec, wait outside," Shelby instructed Katherine, who nodded and stepped outside onto the small porch.

Shelby made to shut the door on Katherine but hesitated, standing on her tiptoes to give Katherine a quick peck before disappearing inside to answer to her Grandma.

Katherine was left outside – alone – on the porch, with only the wind, that was tickling her bare arms to keep her company.

She looked out to the Evermoore, now a hub of sprite activity and a hive of colourful, mismatched huts, and recalled, fondly, of the time when it was only Shelby's little hut in this clearing. She watched, fascinated, as sprites bustled from one place to another, the crowns of their wooden heads bobbing up and down as they walked.

Katherine smiled, impressed at how hard Shelby had worked to restore this place to its thriving glory. Her eyes travelled to the small rickety pier, which floated haphazardly in the water, a small rowing boat docked at the pier that sat in the shade of the tree that was bent over the little dock, framing it.

Katherine narrowed her eyes as her eye travelled up the trunk of the tree, noticing a figure leaning against it, the shadow of the tree covering his face, shielding it from recognition.

The figure must've felt Katherine's questioning stare on him because he looked up, Katherine flinched slightly as pure, glowing red eyes locked onto hers. He got up from the tree and stood up straight, right in Katherine's line of sight, red eyes glowing devilishly in the shadow.

He was holding something in his hand, Katherine couldn't tell what it was until he tossed it in the air, the sun catching light on a metal surface. He caught it again and stepped forward. The light of the sun should've flooded over his face, allowing Katherine to identify him, but as he stepped forward, he carried the shadow with him, extending the shade further until he was standing in his own grim bubble of shadow.

Katherine's breath caught in her chest and her stomach started to do panicking cartwheels as he inched closer, each step getting bolder and bolder, the darkness swirling menacingly around him as he strode, red eyes glaring at Katherine.

Katherine watched – unable to move – as the guy made for her, dagger drawn and red eyes glinting with malice.

"Katherine? Are you ready to go?"

Startled, Katherine spun round only to find that Shelby had finished chatting with her grandma.

She glanced over her shoulder for any signs of the shadow figure on the sun-lit path.

No one was there.

She looked back down at Shelby who was now analysing Katherine with a concerned gaze.

"Yeah, I'm ready," Katherine stepped back off the porch so Shelby could step out of the house.

She closed the door firmly and turned to Katherine, "You would tell me if anything's wrong, right?"

Katherine nodded, "Of course,"

"If you hurt Shelby, or let any harm come to her, know that I will come for you,"

"Shall we go then?" Shelby implored, taking Katherine's hand, "I just need to go grab my broom first,"

Katherine nodded, allowing herself to be lead away round the back of the house, but she couldn't help but glance back at the path, searching for the shadow.

He was there.

Watching.