꧁༺ 𝓑𝓵𝓪𝓬𝓴 𝓫𝓵𝓾𝓮 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓰𝓸𝓵𝓭 ༻꧂

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 17

"What do you want," she growled, "and who are you?"

"I am Truett Yihhou." He explained. "My mother is Jhao-kii Yihhou, your old friend. I have travelled with my friends to meet with you so you can help us reach the Hall of ᚷᛟᛞᛞᛖᛋᛋ Íᛚᛁᚨ."

"The Hall of ᚷᛟᛞᛞᛖᛋᛋ Íᛚᛁᚨ?" The witch scoffed, insulted by this sudden request by a random man and his band of pirate friends that just showed up at her door uninvited and who claimed he knew Jhao. "Hah! Who the fuck are you to walk up to my door, kid? You sure you know Jhao?"

"Yes, I'm very sure I know my own mother." Truett confirmed. Of course, the witch didn't believe him for a second.

"Mhm, sure," she humoured, "you know all about her. How come she never told me about you, hm? Never heard of Truett before."

"That's because she conceived me years after you left." He told her, being as honest as he could. He only had the information and the stories about Ada from his mother to go off of, so he knew he was definitely born after Ada's departure, as his mother always talked about Ada as if she was a lifetime ago. "At least, she always talks about you that way."

"Does she, huh?" The witch eyed the young man suspiciously. He certainly didn't look Qaæyan to her. In fact, he looked more Poyöisian, like she was. And he did have some defining features she remembered Jhao having: his perplexingly positioned nose, his slightly lazy eye.

Still, with her secretive, untrusting personality, she was very sceptical. Again, these people were strangers to her. She'd never met them in her life, and she'd met many in her life, even with the isolation in such a depressed forest.

"Yes, she does. Please let us in. Please help us. We've come all this way to reach the hall... also Winchester accidentally stepped on a leaf ring." Truett pointed to the small, traumatised figure hidden by the muscle of Chris's arm.

"Oh, sweet Ília." The witch sighed. She was not in the mood to deal with faeries, not at this time of night. "Get in. All of you."

Reluctantly, she hastily waved everyone in, and they all piled up into the small mage's hut, which was surprisingly not that small at all. There was an obvious difference in space on the inside than out. The whole hut seemed so spacious and pleasant, contrasting to the outside of the hut, which was a small, damp home with wood and earth to put it all together, hardly any room for living space.

There was a fire already going, a pot being held by a chain and a hook above it. Two comfy looking chairs and a fluffy rug were positioned in front of the fire, perfect for occasions like warming up. The was a lovely wooden dining table in the centre of the hut, decorated with a candelabra and a fruits basket. Next to the dining table was a little kitchen, but a kitchen for witches. The kitchen had a brewing stand - for potions, of course, and tea -  a small rack for cutlery and another one for kitchen ware, a cutting board, herbs, flowers, and much more.

Over all, it was a cozy little home that the witch had worn out well. Dianè did wonder, though, how this woman managed in total solitary directly next to the land of the faery people without getting herself killed by them. Then again, she was a witch. She probably befriended the faeries and lives at peace with those crazy things.

The witch set the ten pirates down with some herbal tea, one that she knew would subside their complex stresses. As she sat at the head of the dining table, she looked around her house at the pirates scattered around it, patiently waiting for the woman to say something. Ada's gaze lingered on the blonde one for a moment too long, admiring his beauty.

"So," she began, "what is it you pirates want from me again?"

"We need you to help us reach the Hall of ᚷᛟᛞᛞᛖᛋᛋ Íᛚᛁᚨ." Chris replied bluntly, not wasting anytime with the matter at hand.

"Why?"

"Because we need to converse with one of the light mages that is the brother of Dianè so he can show us where our missing friend is."

She sat their in silence, a small look of disbelief and amusement on her face. "Is that really it?" The witch inquired, hoping that Chris was just joking with her. "Is that really all you're going there for? Just for that?"

"Yes. What's wrong with that?" Leon shot back.

"What's wrong with that?" She repeated in absolute shock. "What kind of question is that?! You're asking me to send you up to the place where only immortal beings roam to worship, praise, and commune with the great goddess Ília that is almost impossible to get to just to talk to whoever the fuck Dianè's brother - and Dianè - is to find out where your friend is?"

"Yes. We are. Got a problem?" Leon was almost defensive of their case, or maybe just defensive of the fact he was doing immeasurable things just to find you.

"I do, actually. Also, aren't you wanted? No, don't speak. I don't want to talk to you, no matter how pretty you may be. You're asking for the impossible to do the simple."

"If we could've done that simply, why do you think we're here, huh? Why do you think we came four countries over just to get you to help us find (y/n), our friend?"

"Because you're all psychopaths! I don't think you understand how many people in my life have come up to me asking for absurd things like that when there's an easier route to their problem."

"Well clearly there isn't if you're our last resort, the only one that'll find him fast enough!" Leon shouted loudly, his anger evident in his voice and his haunting glare.

Ada supposed that the blonde man did have a point. If it were that easy, they'd probably be seconds from finding this (y/n) person, or have already found you. But they didn't think a map would do the job? Did they really have no clue on your whereabouts? How did they even lose you in the first place?

Leon glared her down, his muscles tensed, his veins popping out from they audacity of the witch. He was not fond of people like her, the ones who reminded him of his brother, not matter how small the resemblance. He hated how this woman belittled their choice in movement to save you from whatever danger you could be in.

"Fine," the witch groaned, "since you're so persistent to find your little 'friend', I'll possibly help you. Even if I do, it won't be a quick task. You'll be stuck here, helping me prepare for the ritual that I'm not even sure will work."

"Fine! That's fine with us, as long as you do it quick, and you start now." Leon retorted.

"I'll take however long I need to, and if you truly believe in finding your friend, you'll abide by those rules."

"We'll take anything," Chris cut in, preventing Leon from doing something they'll all regret, "just tell us what you need us to do, and we'll do it."

The woman hummed, appreciative of at least one defining adult figure here, not all the small minded children she was currently surrounded by.

"In the morning." She announced, rising from her chair. "You go upstairs and find yourselves a bed to sleep on. Be warned that some of you may need to bunch up together in one bed."

"Upstairs?" Bear asked, dazed by the whole conversation. "Where's the upstairs?"

With the flick of the wrist, and without the pirates noticing, she used magic to reveal the staircase behind the lot that lead to the hidden bedrooms she only used when necessary, which unsurprisingly wasn't often.

"That staircase." She stated.

"Oh."

"Now chop chop. Off to bed. I have no time for games with you stupid pirates. I'll tend you all in the morn."

With that, they were off to bed.