The Crystal Ball

Chapter Two: The Witch

Mitchell and I met down by the front tables of the Inn with our bags all packed and ready to go.

"Madam, leaving so soon?" I turned around quickly, feeling an unwelcome presence too close for comfort. It was the Innkeeper, Derwin.

Derwin was a tall, muscular man who, for the last few days, found me very intriguing. He was a native to this land, Yupree, so he was not used to see foreign women, like me.

Yupree used to be a thriving city. A beautiful place where people would come to visit and trade but now it was just used as a stopping point for anyone who wanted to get back into the kingdom of Errandite. It had fallen to poverty and unemployment because there was only an Inn now.

When I was younger my mother, Helena, and I would come here to visit with my aunt, Trisha. They were twins but only fraternal. My mother is short and plump with dark brown hair. Her skin a light brown and dotted with freckles while her sister was dark with tight pink lips and hair so light brown it was practically blonde. But now my mother, the queen of Errandite, would never visit here. Which is why it was the perfect place for Mitch and I to spend our time.

Derwin took a step closer to me as I lost myself in thought. I was only snapped back to reality when Mitchell cleared his throat loudly.

I blinked twice and shook my head to gather my thoughts "I'm afraid so. My family is surely missing me and I haven't been home in so long. You understand don't you?" I smiled my most innocent smile and then took a step closer to Mitchell and away from Derwin. "My fiancee and I must get going now."

Mitchell took this chance to wrap his arm around my shoulder and turn both of our bodies away from the keep. We made our way across the Inn to a back door that housed a very short and very round witch. She had plump cheeks and what appeared to be soft skin. Considering most witches in the kingdom were older and had boils, wrinkles and bump covering their bodies from head to toe, she seemed to be among the younger witches. She was a mean little thing who definitely did not like me. As Mitch and I walked in she stood up from a stool and nodded at each of us in turn. "You're late." She said in what some would say is a rude tone, and they would be right. The words came out like venom.

"I'm so sorry ma'am. Derwin, the keep, stopped us as we were making our way here." Mitch stepped up to her and pulled a small leather bag out of his robe and handed it to the mage. "This is the last of my gold." She shook it twice and then looked over at me.

"It's not what we agreed on. Do you take me for a fool?" Her eyes pierced through me. "You promised more for the late travel..." I felt my airways tighten as she furrowed her eyebrows. What is happening? I looked over at Mitchell who was eyeing me suspiciously.

"M-" Is all I could croak out before her eyes closed all the way and I knew exactly what was happening. She was choking me. My hand immediately went to my neck, scratching at it trying to find a way to stop whatever was happening. I felt the world slipping away as I was lifted off the floor. Finally Mitch realized what was happening.

"Please please stop!" Mitchell dug his hand deep into his robe and pulled out another bag of gold. He thrust it at the mage and then ran over to me just as she opened her eyes again. I felt my feet touched the floor and my lungs start to contract. It was as if I couldn't get enough air, like all of the air in the room just was not enough. My legs soon gave way under the reality of what just happened and Mitchell caught me just in time as I was about to fall over.

"Amillee... Amillee are you okay?" Silence. "Say something!"

"I-I'm fine... Just in shock." My voice was raspy and low. It came out as a whisper because anything more than that just hurt my throat.

"May we leave now?" Mitchell held me close to his side as I regained my balance. He was looking fiercely over at the witch.

"Of course. Through here." She waved her hand at the wall on the other side of the room and then turned away from us, counting all of the gold she took from Mitch.

A portal opened up against the wall by the door. It was pitch black except for some dark purple flecks of light.

I scoffed, which hurt a lot more than I thought it would, at how easy it was for her to give us what he payed for in the first place. We grabbed our bags not looking back at the horrible witch who had stolen our last gold and walked with Mitchell through the portal.