Black Roses

Chapter 1

<<< Prologue done! Chapter 1 here we go. Again, I will always love feedback, do not hesitate and enjoy! Also, I have decided I'm going to be posting weekly, twice a week if I'm not busy. >>>

They call her by many names: Witch, The Lost Shadow, She Who Calls the Darkness, Mistress Midnight, The Crow Caller but she only truly answers to one, Zaria Crow. They also say she was alone as a young child, with nothing but the night and crows to help her survive. With her trust in the woods, she now lives there in her cottage surrounded by her garden of life and death. The village children sing and dance about how one leaf would either kill you instantly or revive you of hunger. To be certain you would live all you had to do was not venture to her. A simple rule to follow.  

Zaria hummed to herself, a tune she remembered from long ago, but its origin was unknown. She ambled through the forest plucking new plants off the ground, mossy rocks and small bushes for her garden which was blooming like any flower bud in Spring. She heard many rumours when she travelled around the town. The hood of her cloak was always down, covering her face. Sure, it gave the villagers a fright to see a moving cloak with black hair flowing out when they believed there was no face. Then again she only visited at night, never in the daylight. She hated the sight of curious eyes, but then she would be a hypocrite as usually curiosity got to the best of Zaria. 

Usually too afraid the bakery usually left her bread outside on a dish. In return, she would leave a few herbs and seeds, it was their decision if they would take them or not, either way, they were safe. When she couldn't be bothered hunting, she would visit the town butcher, again who left her a good portion of meat and in return, she would leave herbs and spices.  She never really needed money as people normally left items at their doorsteps and were too frightened to use her herbs she left them as a trade. The stories surrounding her were just too much and the people weren't eager to find out if they were true.  Although, despite how horrifying the rumours were they were generally true. 

Yes, her garden was full of some of the deadliest plants to mankind, but it wasn't like she wanted to kill. Zaria didn't go around forcing nightshade down people's throats. She was abandoned when she was young and wasn't expecting anyone to help her as a teenager now. She was lucky enough to be breathing til this day because of these plants, and she wasn't planning to destroy them now, no matter what anyone said. Her garden was a barrier of protection from the evil that lurked in the forest. There were common tales about vicious wolves, gruesome trolls,  terrible ogres and mischievous pixies and fairies. But Zaria was old enough and had lived long enough in the forest to know they weren't real. Just stories to keep narrow-minded children under control.

Pushing away memories of her ruthless reputation that the town had created she felt around her waist for her daggers. They were another thing that had protected her. Zaria had found them with her on her first few days in the woods, they were her only protection before her garden. She counted six and another in her woven basket, two on her waist, a pair on her thighs and another couple in her boots. All of them were engraved beautifully with black roses and vines on the hilt. They were the same roses on her silver pendant that always hung around her neck. Glinting in the sun she quickly tucked it back under her shirt. Such things had been with her since she could remember, but she never questioned why. Living alone meant there were other, more important things to be worrying about than a necklace and several daggers. 

Zaria tied her silky night-black hair back into a loose ponytail, she brushed away some loose hairs as she gathered some blueberries, her favourite, to snack on. With her garden in sight, she started jogging, it was getting late and she needed to start packing for her trip to the village. She would need at least a days worth of supplies. The trip would be long and she was planning on staying there for a day. Yes, it was going to be her first time going in the day. She wasn't sure if she should be excited or nervous.

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