No Matter What

Chapter XIX

I was about to accept the dangerous offer, I wanted to know what had been crossed out from the list the medic had given me, but I was interrupted by Arthur.

"Thank you for your offer, but we really need to hurry. We need a crystal jar, that's all, then we should be on our way."

"Very well," the woman said.

She went into a small room and came back with the material we asked for. We paid for it and she handed it to me, she froze when her hand touched mine.

"Are you okay?" Arthur asked.

She was looking off somewhere, completely dazed.

She came back. She shook her head and pulled her hand away.

"You poor child," she said, her head still turning from side to side.

"What?" I said, "Why? What is it?"

"I am so sorry you had to go through all this for... for... Well, you chose it."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, "You had a vision, didn't you? Didn't you? What did you see? Tell me! Tell me!" I had already began to cry. I was scared out of my mind.

"Gwen, let's go," Arthur said.

"Tell me, you witch! What happens?"

"Honey, I can't tell you that," she said sadly.

"Vermin! That's what you are! Good-for-nothing! Here, take your money!" I threw golden coins at her, "Take it! Go on! Now you can tell me!"

"Gwen, let's go," Arthur said one more time.

"Say it!"

"I can't"

"GWEN. WE LEAVE. RIGHT NOW."

The Oracle and I turned to him. Arthur had never used that tone of voice before. At least not with me.

"I'm sorry," he said, "We have to leave."

I nodded. I picked up the coins from the ground and put the sack in my bag and we left. Only one more ingredient. We would now travel to the Enchanted Woods. We walked with a fast pace.

"I'm sorry for that," he apologized again, "That witch uses dark magic to know all that she knows, and that kind of magic always has a significant price. I just don't like the idea of messing with it."

I felt guilty for not telling him that the ingredients we looked for were for a dark magic potion. He would have never agreed to it, though, I knew him very well. He always did the right thing. I can only remember one time he broke the rules. For me.

***

It was a sunny afternoon in the village. It was that time of the year in which we all dressed up like ghouls and monsters. It was the hallows' evening. The rule is clear: after sunset, no one comes out of their homes until the sun rises again. No exceptions.

But I was a curious child. I needed to know what went on outside at that prohibited time.

The Blacksmiths always stayed at my family's house. We would protect each other. That night, I did the opposite.

"Arthur," I whispered. The whole house was asleep, including him.

"Arthur," I called him again. He started to wake up.

"What?" he whined. His ten-year-old voice was much higher that it is now.

"I have a proposal."

"Oh no, Gwen! Not another one of your ideas! I'm sleepy."

"C'mon! It'll be fun!"

"Fine. What is it?"

I whispered my wish into his ear.

"No! Are you crazy?!"

"Shhh!"

"Sorry. Gwen, we can't do that! It's against the rules!"

"So, what? Don't you want to know why they made those rules in the first place?"

"No! I just follow them! I don't need to know why!"

"You really have to shush. Arthur, c'mon! Let's do it! It'll only be a while!"

"I'm not going, Gwen."

I tisked and got up.

"You're no fun," I said, leaving, "I'm going! With or without you!"

As I opened the door, he said, "Wait! Gwen! I'll go with you."

I was surprised. He was almost crying, he was so scared. We did it. Nothing happened. I was, truthfully, slightly disappointed. Arthur felt very guilty and only felt better after confessing. He took all the blame and punishment. He always did.

***

After a while of walking, we reached a big mountain. We would have to hike over it in order to get to the other side, where the Enchanted Woods was located.

We began walking up and soon ran out of breath. The way up was steep and full of big rocks we had to climb over. The air got significantly colder, we could see our breaths. Arthur climbed ahead of me.

"Keep talking. Keep moving," Arthur said, "It'll heat you up."

I was trembling, "Okay."

"We can do this. Don't give up."

"Okay."

"You have to say more than just okay, Gwen," he kept climbing, so did I.

"Oka—I mean, yes, I will."

"How are you feeling?"

"Cold. Really cold."

"I know, me too. Keep talking. Keep moving. We'll get there."

"I am so glad you're here."

"You would have been successful either way. You're stronger than you think."

"I went through a lot in this trip."

"I had expected so. I'm sorry I was right."

"Yeah."

"Oh my God, there it is! The Enchanted Woods!"

I climbed all the way up to where he was. It was beautiful.