Standing from his seat, the apprentice turned to see his mentor glaring at him. The Enchantress sat at the table, Zel in the seat beside her and the small crowd behind continued to glare.
"What did you talk to that man about?" The Enchantress pressed.
The apprentice gave a sideways glance to Zel, unsure of whether he should disclose this new information. Deciding it was not the right place – nor time to do so, he simply gave her a tight smile, avoiding her eyes.
"I asked them... if they had a healer here," he scrambled. "You know- for Zel."
The Enchantress, clearly disbelieving in his answer, narrowed her eyes at him. With a sigh, she decided to interrogate him later – maybe in an environment where there were not so many glaring eyes.
"So," she started, watching the boy take his seat and pick up his now-cold roll of bread. "Did you get any information?"
"Plenty," he responded, taking a bite out of his meal. "There is a healer here- I think we should visit her as soon as possible."
With a nod, his mentor stood, her haste almost knocking the table over.
"Let us go now then," she stated. "I do not wish to remain in this place." Her eyes wandering to the crowd of glaring villagers nearby.
Munching on the last of his bread, the boy stood – taking hold of Zel's hand. The three travellers then left the pub, the Enchantress hoping that the mad villagers would not pursue them. One step into the open, and the trio was met with the same gaze from the village people outside.
The travellers trudged on, attempting to ignore the stares, glares, and mumbles from the villagers. The apprentice screened one side of the road as the Enchantress skimmed through the other – each seeking a sign for the healer's residence.
After a few minutes of walking awkwardly, the boy finally spotted the place they sought.
With a slanted roof made of thatched hay, at the far end of the village was the healer's hut – the words quite literally engraved on a wooden signboard above the door. With a spark of hope, the apprentice ushered his mentor and the ill child towards the Healer's Hut – finally, they might be able help Zel feel better and maybe gain some more information about the child and the Witches.
Wandering through the door of the healer's hut, the travellers were met with the sight of a single elderly woman sitting against the back wall, in front of her was a table of medical equipment – most of it made from wood while some glistened metallic. The woman's white braid glistened as she turned the page of the book in her hands.
The old woman raised her sight from the book to consider those that walked through her door. Upon sighting the child, her eyes widened with familiarity and she stood up – rushing over to close the door and draw the curtain over the single window.
The Enchantress and her apprentice stood still, baffled at the elderly woman's actions as she flittered around the small room and ushered the child to follow her to her station of tools.
"You," the old woman exclaimed. "You're still alive!" She pat the girl's shoulders and searched her for injury, giving a shaky smile when noting the lack of physical abrasions.
The travellers watched in wander as she picked up a thin, wooden bowl – a hemisphere that she closed off by stretching a piece of thin hide over the opening. She rested it against the girl's ribs, placing her ear against the tool and listening for a moment. She repeated this action a few times- checking her back and sides, before sitting back and even considering to acknowledging the Enchantress or the boy. The old woman's brows furrowed as her lips tugged into a slight frown.
YOU ARE READING
The Unordinary Life of the Enchantress
Adventure{INITIAL DRAFT, constructive criticism is welcome and encouraged} "I swear on the life of my men, that I will never fall back on my word to bring down this worker of mischief- and bring down this inhumane creature!" The new king preached. The Enchan...
