Snow White lives like Robin Hood

Chapter 6:

CHAPTER VI: THE DEAL

"Nononononononono!" I screamed as we ran full speed ahead through the wall. I closed my eyes, waiting for the inevitable and painful impact.

“Sshh. Relax Tori, we are here now. Open your eyes!” Gwyn whispered. I felt her death grip ease and I rubbed my wrist.

“I thought you were going to kill me by throwing me against the wall or something.”  I accused.

“Don’t be silly Tori.” She said as she patted my shoulder and went to sit near the table in front of us. I followed suit, looking around as I went. We were inside a dimly lit room. Surrounded by old books, the smell of musk and what looked like a full chemistry set, with different sizes of glass vials and jars full of mysterious liquid. Across us, there was something brewing.

"Is that a cauldron?" I've never seen one before. Well, not in real life anyway.

"Yes. That is a cauldron." A voice came from seemingly nowhere. I side-stepped a bit closer to Gwyn, half expecting a man that looked like Dumbledore or Merlin to appear out of nowhere, instead a bald man with a goatee descended down the staircase that was hidden behind a tall shelf full of books. He looked...normal. Well, aside from the pointy goatee. I found that comical. But miraculously I kept myself composed.

"Hello." I stepped forward and offered my hand. He took it graciously and shook it.

"Well, who do we have here?” He stepped closer to me cautiously. I studied his features carefully. Aside from the bald head and pointy goatee he also had dull, grey eyes with golden specs for irises. Gwyn was right, I’ve never seen anyone with eyes like those before, they were beautiful, hypnotizing even. But his eyes looked a bit tired as well, almost as if they’ve seen enough horrors of the world. They were magnificent, but empty. “I am Venei."

I couldn’t stop staring at his eyes. Maybe this was a power of his? Hypnotizing people? “I’m Tori.” Miraculously, I found my voice. He nodded and walked back to where the cauldron was. He opened the lid and took a peek inside.

“I knew I was going to have visitors, I prepared some refreshments for us. Here, drink this.” He filled the three wooden cups with the liquid from inside the cauldron. It was still smoking as he gave me one cup. I looked at the creamy white liquid, then back at him.

“What is this?” I asked as I took a sip of the drink. The moment the liquid touched my lips it was as if I was transported from here to heaven and back. Oh my goodness, I could feel my heart beat faster and I felt happy. I momentarily forgot about why I was in Venei’s secret lair.

“Is this what unadulterated bliss feels like? Or maybe I’m being drugged?” I asked myself silently. I realized I didn’t care, I just wanted more. I gulped more of the sweet concoction. In just a few seconds I’ve drank every last drop of heavenly bliss. Dang it, now I’m scared to ask for more. I don’t want to seem greedy.

“Oh my, what’s in this? What do you call this drink?” I licked my lips as I set the cup down. Gwyn and Venei looked amused.

“That’s called ‘The Flutter-bee’s milk’. It’s basically a mixture of cow’s milk, cocoa beans, a bit of sugar and rock salt, and the milk of a flutter-bee. Venei here makes one of the best flutter-bee’s milk in the kingdom.” Gwyn said as she took a sip from her own cup and sighed as she slumped back in her chair. I had the overwhelming urge to grab her cup and drink the contents but Venei interrupted my heinous plan.

“It’s one of the best you’ll ever get to taste, and is extremely rare. Here, let me get you some more.” Venei offered me another cup, this time I drank slowly.