WITCH - The Queen

Chapter 93

Julia

They spent the night in the forest. For this purpose, Julia had, again, created a house of tendrils and leaves. But while her friends slept peacefully, she was once again startled out of a nightmare. In doing so, she accidentally woke Leopold, Josef, and Finn, who looked at her in confusion. Josef stretched himself in his black cat's body and rubbed his head against her arm. Then curled up again and slept on.

"Another dream?", Leopold asked, hugging her. He was careful not to crush the little cat that lay between them and was already opening one eye again, grumbling grumpily.

Julia nodded. She leaned into the embrace and took Josef on her lap. He made himself comfortable and closed his eyes again. "I was back in your home village. It was terrible."

Leopold kissed her forehead and stroked her tousled hair. "I love you, Princess. I won't let anything happen to you", he whispered to her. "Not here, not in the castle, and not in the woods of my homeland."

"I know. I love you too", Julia replied, clinging to him. "But that doesn't help against the dreams."

"And I'll protect you too!" Finn muttered tiredly. Until now, he had only watched the two of them. "If need be, in my wolf form."

"What?" Leopold looked at the young wolf in shock. "I thought you couldn't change into your wolf form. Can you do it?"

"Finn?" Julia asked, just as frightened. Finn defiantly pouted, held his head up high, and crossed his arms.

"Finn?" Julia repeated. She kissed Leopold's cheek, then freed herself from his embrace, handed him the sleeping Josef, and sat down next to Finn. "Can you turn into a wolf?"

"Yes", Finn said softly. "But it takes a long time. I'm not really made for it. But, theoretically, I can turn into a wolf. Practically, on the other hand, it is associated with many painful complications. But if I have to, I'll do it."

Julia shook her head. "No, Finn. I don't want that. I don't want you to suffer."

Finn hugged her, smiling. "You are more important to me than my own well-being. You and Marko. And he would also risk everything when it comes to you."

She shook her head. "Still. I don't want that. But thank you, Finn."

He nodded tiredly.

"We should go back to sleep", Leopold murmured, holding out the hissing cat to Julia. Josef had woken up again and was not thrilled to have Leo as a pillow. Laughing, Julia took him from her boyfriend.

"Grumpy cat!", she whispered into one of his cat's ears. The cat meowed innocently and began to purr.

"Very grumpy!" Finn rolled his eyes.

"Really...", Leopold grumbled, shaking his head. Then he looked at Julia. "Come back to sleep. With the stubborn dragon, if you have to."

She nodded tiredly. Josef, on the other hand, purred innocently.

Leopold

What annoyed Leopold the most was that he couldn't scare away Julia's nightmares.

He felt powerless. Even with a sword in his hand, he could do nothing about what tormented her at night. (Besides, it would just look silly to wave a sword over a sleeping woman.) He could fight now. But what good was that against nightmares? It didn't even help against his own, which sometimes haunted him. Leopold also dreamed of bad things. He dreamed of the kidnapping, which he could never undo. He dreamed of fire. He dreamed of losing Julia. Would the feelings of guilt ever go away?

And worse was to come.

When they finally reached the steppe and the tent camp came into view, it was shielded by a magical protective wall. Leopold did not see any magic. For him, the tent camp lay quietly in front of them. Almost quietly. A few centaurs paced back and forth in front of the tents. They hadn't discovered them yet, as they were still a long way away.

"The air shimmers... Is this magic?", asked Fiete, confused.

"Shimmers? Where?", Peter muttered. Finn and Marko also looked around in confusion. Leopold raised his eyebrows and looked at Julia. She sighed.

"It looks like some protection", Josefine confirmed. "Did something happen?" While everyone was nervous about this discovery, the dragon girl looked rather pleased.

Leopold put his arm around Julia. Why was the camp hidden? Did something happen? Or was it just wise foresight?

"A ward", Julia murmured. "And a strong one at that. Cleo probably doesn't have good news for us."

Cleo definitely didn't have good news. When they reached the camp, they were greeted with joy, but Cleo reported an attack on centaurs, which is why she now protected the camp from intruders.

"Everyone is ready to fight, should the need arise", Charlotte added.

"If we are attacked, we are counting on the dragons to set fire to the attackers", Cleo explained. "But everyone expects to have to draw the sword. We have already drawn up a plan with the centaurs and harpies in case we are discovered along the way."

"Good", Julia said. "You can explain it to me afterward. While eating? Marko's stomach has been rumbling for a good hour."

Marko grinned embarrassedly. "A few fruits are not a meal!"

Leopold couldn't agree more. Apart from a strange apple, he hadn't eaten anything yet. The two dragons, on the other hand, had eaten two yellow deer on the way. It hadn't been a pretty sight.

"Gladly!" Cleo confirmed anxiously. "Did you succeed?"

"Indeed!" Now, Julia was beaming with pride. "Sirens and merpeople have joined us. They will be waiting for us in the forest of the elves. By the river. Between two villages. Grünhain and Kleewies. There is a clearing, which is well protected by dense trees. Charlie and Joris, two humans, will be waiting for you there. With our new allies."

Cleo nodded. But she didn't get around to answering, as she was almost run over by Pelle and Alwin. The two dragons had just returned from their own hunt. Alwin immediately clung to Julia. Leopold groaned annoyed. Fortunately for him, Pelle noticed this and freed the laughing Julia from the cuddly dragon.

Later, Cleo practiced with Julia sword-fighting and magic. Leopold, on the other hand, practiced with Marko, who was far superior to him, and finally threw him on the floor grinning. He threw himself at him laughing when Leopold was distracted by one of Julia's spells. "Marko, get off me!", growled Leopold.

His friend grinned mischievously. "I won!"

"Yes, yes. You did. Down with you. Go cuddle with Finn!"

"Good idea!" With a wink, Marko climbed down from him and held his hand to Leopold.

"You're such an idiot!", he grumbled and let himself be helped to his feet.

"A passionate idiot!", Marko corrected him.

"Guys? Discipline!" Cleo shouted to them. "Leopold? Take care of your balance! Don't get distracted! Otherwise, someone will actually knock you over in a fight!"

Julia took her chance and tried to knock over the now-distracted Cleo. But Cleo was bigger and stronger than the little princess. And so it turned into just a clumsy hug. Cleo laughed amusedly.

The next day, the large group was already about to split up. Therefore, Cleo took the last opportunity to teach her sister something in peace. Julia had improved. Especially when dealing with magic. Here she was superior to Cleo every time she mastered something new. And she had also become more skilled with the sword and brought Cleo into trouble sometime later. Leopold heard the eldest daughter of the Witch Queen cursing while laughing.

But Leopold had no time to watch her. He continued practicing with Marko, who gave him a lot of trouble. But that didn't bother Leopold. This only meant that he could get better. Soon after, they were practicing with two harpies, including Falk, who presented a very different challenge. They used not only the sharp claws on their hands but also the claws on their strong bird feet. It took some time, but Falk overpowered his opponent, Marko, wrestled him to the ground, and sat on top of him.

"Justice!", shouted Leopold, laughing.

Markogrumbled and growled angrily, trying to free himself. Unsuccessful.

(c: sasi)