In the central square was set up a small wooden stage, the same they would use for local festive activities. Verina's idea was to concentrate the people's requests during that afternoon, so that her absence wouldn't burden the region's daily life.
What she wasn't expecting was the sheer number of clients she would get that day. She had a bad feeling when she noticed people from other villages among the others, but once she sat down on her comfortable chair, next to the princess, as if she was a Queen receiving gifts instead of a worker, the sight of the long line waiting for her services worried her quite a bit.
Jill, having realized beforehand that it was going to be chaotic, had already put the city guards to use, making sure the line wouldn't break and there were no irregularities. He then ordered the first visitors, chosen by him for a specific purpose, to come forward.
«Witch! Witch!» was the chant of two younglings, approaching with their mother to the stage; in her hands was a big tray of fragrant cookies, whose sight lifted Verina's spirit.
«Yes, children, it is I, the Witch!» she grinned, as she made appear a brand-new leather ball in her hand. Seeing that, a dozen more children of all ages broke the line, passing through the helpless guards, and reached the stage. Verina's initial smile suddenly stopped, overwhelmed; Kara noticed, and remembered how the sorceress didn't deal well with people and events. She retrospectively reconsidered their second day: that anxious woman probably felt at ease with her now, but her reactions toward the rest of the world were still difficult...
The witch threw the ball far, making the kids laugh and scream as they ran to get it. Feeling that threat disappear, Verina exhaled in relief.
«You still don't like kids, don't you?» said the first client, finally reaching the stage with all her baked goods.
«It's not that I don't like them, they are just... difficult to...»
«Tolerate?» laughed the baker; Kara, caught by surprise, couldn't stop herself from doing the same. The witch gave her a joking side-eye.
«Lady Verina, Your Highness... I suspect the two of you haven't had lunch. I know these are not much, but I hope you'll enjoy them.»
Kara stood up, and got the trail with a smile. «They look very nice, I thank you kindly. They smell delicious; don't you think, my beloved?»
Verina emitted a small, acute sound, hearing that endearing word; the baker gave her a satisfied look, feeling her desire for gossip grow. The witch knew that, but silently accepted that's how things would go from then on; «Thank you, Beatrice. It is deeply appreciated.»
«I still needed to thank you properly for that anti-pests spell; it was essential for our business.»
Kara took one of those warm cookies and bit it; they were as good as the palace's ones, if not better. Surprised, she hummed happily, handing two for Verina to eat.
As the woman left, another one rapidly approached: it was a man in his thirties, with a visibly broken arm adjusted with sticks and cloth.
Kara soon realized the kind of job Verina did, and why she couldn't leave that place behind: aside from a few atrocious, impossible requests, like love potions, luck spells and fortune telling, there were many things in those little towns that required a specialized help that wasn't easily available -medicines for chronic illnesses, potions for failing crops, spells to help with business activities, etc.-; life can be unpredictable, and small settlements tried to always be as auto-sufficient as possible, having all kinds of skills developed by their inhabitants... but with a powerful witch at their disposal, a lot of fairly normal requests were forwarded to her, instead of other professionals that now were unneeded and had slowly disappeared.
«Say, Verina,» said Kara, eating the last butter cookie, while giving a recipe to an old woman «are you sure you can't see the future?»
The witch summoned a small fan, exhausted «I'm sure, it is impossible. Please, never believe anyone who tells you otherwise. What magic can give us is insight on possibilities; but they are as fleeting as specks of dust.»
«How unfortunate... I would have liked to know my future...»
Verina stood up, reached the princess chair, and bent over to her side, speaking softly, her words tickling her ear and her heart «I'll do my best to make it as wonderful as it can be.»
Kara blushed, as Verina stretched and returned to her seat. The requests continued.
