Elia Sully and The Prophecy

Quite the Charm

...

I felt like it was a really bad idea to give our names to this stranger, especially when she didn't give her name. "Jason, I wouldn't–" Piper started to say, but Jason was quick. "This is Piper. This is Elia." He gestured to us. "This is Leo. I'm Jason." He said. When hearing Jason's name, the woman's eyes locked on him and she looked like he had offended her in some rude way. 

It was quick, and in a brief moment she appeared to be smiling again. "Jason. What an interesting name," She complimented him. "I think we'll have to make a special deal for you. Come, children. Let's go shopping." She offered.

...

Something definitely felt off, and it came from the princess. She was smiling at us as if nothing was bothering her. I felt it before, but I couldn't describe it. The moment she spoke, I was willing to agree. "Shall we start with the potions?" The princess asked. "Cool," Jason replied. "Okay..." I found myself shrugging hesitantly. 

"Guys," I heard Piper's say, 

"we're here to get the storm spirits and Coach Hedge. If this princess–is really our friend–" She began, but the princess cut her off. 

"Oh, I'm better than a friend, my dear," She said. "I'm a saleswoman." She looked so convincing that I almost believed her. But I decided that friends were much better than saleswomen. Who would want to listen to a person trying to convince you to buy an item you're not interested in? She was giving us a detour. "Don't worry. We'll work our way down to the first floor, eh?" Leo nodded in agreement without hesitation. "Sure, yeah! That sounds okay. Right, Piper?" He asked.

I could see Piper giving him a warning look. She was uncomfortable here, too. "Of course it's okay." The princess insisted. She put her claw-like hands on Leo's and Jason's shoulders, guiding them to the cosmetics. "Come along, boys." She said.

I decided that after this, I would avoid stepping into a department store. They took too much time. I wanted to go down to the first floor and get the storm spirits, Coach Hedge, and also free the golden eagle, but the princess insisted for me to wait. I DID NOT want an explanation of every item she had here.

"And here," the princess gestured to a counter. "is the finest assortment of magical mixtures anywhere." It was full of strange bubbling liquids and weird smoking gasses in vials on tripods. There was a display shelf lined with crystal flasks, and some were shaped like animals. The scents of the strange and colorful liquids inside were mostly terrible. Some had swede, flowery scents, but others had the scent of something awful burning.

The princess showed us a blood-red liquid in a test tube with a cork stopper on top. "This one will heal any disease." She explained. "Even cancer?" Leo asked. "Leprosy? Hangnails?" He continued. "Any disease, sweet boy. And this vial," the princess then gestured to a swan-shaped vial with a blue liquid inside, "will kill you very painfully."

"Awesome..." Jason sounded dazed as he replied. "No, not awesome." I disagreed with him. The princess looked like I offended her. She might have killed me right then and there. "Jason," Piper said. "We've got a job to do. Remember?" She sounded less confident. "Job to do..." Jason muttered, repeating Piper. "Sure. But shopping first, okay?" He offered. The princess turned and smiled at him. 

"Then we have potions for resisting fire–"

"Got that covered." Leo interrupted her. "Indeed." The princess agreed. She looked at Leo, examining him. "You don't appear to be wearing my trademark sunscreen...but no matter. We also have potions that cause blindness, insanity, sleep, or–"

"Wait." Piper spoke up. She was still staring at the red liquid inside the vial. "Could that potion cure lost memory?" She asked. The princess narrowed her eyes. "Possibly. Yes. Quite possibly. Why, my dear? Have you forgotten something important?" She asked curiously. I started to realize what Piper was thinking...