The Dragon And The Fae

6. Wisps

She came to the conclusion that there will always be a part of her heart that would always preserve the child in her, the theory applicable not just for her but for every adult in all the parallels. Well, that’s the best excuse she could come up with this phase of missing Mawa. Sure the witch could be a real potty mouth but Mawa treated her back to life when she was just an inch away from death and fed her when she was nothing but a bag of bones. But she would never admit this to that witch for she will make sure Rovena died of a slow embarrassing death, if such a death exists.

It has been six days of playing prisoner in the castle with no progress. There were no demon attacks or sightings. Everyone was getting restless and she had a slight notion that if this continued, soon Ryke would see her as disposable.

And she didn’t leave her room, mostly to avoid annoying questions and inevitable interactions. Someone would bring food to her room and she ate. They hadn’t lock her up, in fact she did it herself. The thought of going out of the room to make playmates twirled her head. And Ryke hadn’t demanded her of anything, so that was a plus. In fact she hadn’t seen Ryke after that night. Fine by her, she was not going to go after him for anything.

Besides, the charming blond whose name she learned was Eric always came to her and gave her a bitter cup of coffee and company for sometime. At first, she thought he’d poisoned her with bitter herbs but then he surprised her by taking a sip of the liquid from her cup thus proving his point of ‘aromatic magic potion of natural high’. Now he was more like a persistent menace which grew on her. Even the bitter coffee grew on her. She doubted he was sent in so he could spy on her but he wasn’t going to get that far.

Today, she just decided to take a walk in the woods. It was a decision made on a whim and no body had forbidden her from wandering within Chama. Dried leaves crunched beneath her shoes and twigs cracked. She could hear the wildlife croaking and hissing. So there was no lack in the food department for the dragons, not surprising considering the vastness and thickness of the forest.

She slightly panted from her uphill exertion and valerie itched beneath her. At first, she thought they would ask her about Volor since it had made a brief appearance during her duel with dragon fly but it must have slipped his mind, counting volor for an ordinary dagger. But then it was not a common practice to summon swords. She hadn’t let Valerie or volor to be seen yet, she didn’t know what conclusion would be made and what consequences would take place. Not until she had explained and not until her safety was guaranteed. It was not like they were torturing her now, still she just didn’t trust anyone. Not even Ryke with his ethereal blue eyes. But not giving Valerie her freedom was taking a toll on her. She felt chained and weakened.

Her eyes fell over a small green hut amidst the forest that she almost missed it. Eric had told her that Ruka lived in the forest and not in the castle. She wanted the isolation typical of witches. Purposefully, she strode towards the hut. She had been meaning to see this witch.

She impatiently knocked once, then twice. The small yard was overgrown with flowers. She recognised periwinkle, plumeria, yarrow amongst the thick bed of flowers.

The door opened slowly. “Beautiful, isn’t it?”

She raised a rudden brow and then gave a terse nod.

“Come on in.” Ruka opened the door wide for her.

She stepped in, her foot working restlessly. “I came for answers.”

“I figured.” She gave a wrinkly smile and proceeded to pour a yellow hot liquid into a porcelain cup. “Passionflower tea.” She said when Rovena gave her a wary glance. “You could use it.”

She fingered the handle of the cup looking at the blue walls decorated with many runes, some of which she recognized. “It could be poison.”

Ruka sat with her own cup of tea. “Could be. But then if you can't have faith in my tea, I suppose my answer to your questions will be as poisonous with that perspective.”