The Queen's Curls

-1863- Purpose

The hinges on the door squeak, announcing her next client.

In the doorway stands a girl, maybe seventeen or eighteen years old, with a very frightened look on her face.

"Please, I'm begging you," the girl says to the woman behind the counter. "Please let me hide here. They'll kill me if they find me!"

The parlour woman's smile was soft and kind as she said, "Come with me, dear. I have just the place for you."

The women make their way to the back of the store where the parlour woman opens a door that seemingly hadn't existed beforehand. As they head down a narrow set of stairs, the new client starts to wonder if she could trust the parlour woman, but not a moment later, they had reached a landing.

"Have a seat, miss," the parlour woman says, gesturing to one of the lush looking sofas spread about the room. "You're safe here, I promise."

"Thank you," the girl says, taking a seat beside the parlour woman. "Why are you helping me?"

The woman smiles and puts a hand on the girls shoulder. "I think that everyone should be given a chance to hide from something if they want to." She sighs. "But I can't keep you here forever. You're going to have to go back outside at one point or another."

The girl looks down at her hands and back up again. She then sticks a hand out and says, "I'm Ester White. What's your name?"

The parlour woman hesitates. "I have gone by dozens of names. Which one would you like to call me?"

The girl smiles. "Whichever one is your favorite."

This seems to take the parlour woman by surprise. She grins and shakes Ester White's hand. "My favorite name that I've gone by is Charlotte Elizabeth Hemlock."

Ester White cocks her head. "That name sounds rather odd. Where are you from?"

The parlour woman smiles. "I am from the year 2020, and I was born at sea, so I really don't know where I'm from."

The girl's eyes widen and her back straightens. "Are you a witch?"

The parlour woman laughs a laugh full of wonder and mysteries and everything in between. "You could say that."

"I've never met a real witch before. I've been told my mother was a witch and that she was burned when I was only a year old."

"Do you happen to be the daughter of Agnes McCanthy and Elmer White?"

The girl's ears seemed to perk up. "Yes! Did you know them?"

The parlour woman smiled sadly. "Unfortunately, no. But I did know your grandmother on your mother's side, and she was also a witch. She was one of the only witches I knew that could control her healing process. I'd imagine she'd still be alive now."

"Oh! She is. I just visited her last week. She's doing quite well, actually."

"That's very good to hear. Now, how old are you, dear?"

Ester White furrows her brows. "I just turned eighteen two days ago. Why do you ask, Charlotte?"

The parlour woman smiles. "Eighteen is the age where most witches perform their first ritual. It usually involves summoning a familiar."

Ester White's eyes narrow in suspicion. "Are you saying that I should become a witch?"

The parlour woman shrugs. "I don't see why you shouldn't."

"But I'll be burned!"

"Only if you get caught. If you're secretive enough with your work, you'll be able to live your life to its fullest."

Ester White gives this some thought. She could go back outside to the people who want to sell her off to some old raisin of a man, or she could perform her first ritual, and go on with her life. She decided to go with the latter.

"Have you done your first ritual?" she asks the parlour woman.

The woman nods and whistles. Not even three moments later, a very large raven and a rather small owl swoop into the room, followed by a cat with horns, and a very large snake.

The woman pets the raven on her shoulder and says, "The fates were very kind and gave me not one, not two, but six familiars. I had to earn most of the later ones through some very unorthodox things, but the very first one I received, at my first ritual, was Vivian here." The woman scratches under the bird's beak and it coos softly.

Ester White looks around and says, "Where are the other two?"

"Out running errands for me. Having a monkey and a butterfly make getting certain things — such as information — very easy."

"Do you think I'll be able to perform the ritual here?" The girl looked around at the walls and the furniture cautiously.

"Of course you can, dear. This is where I did my first one, too. Here, I'll show you what to do."

***

The two women emerge from the secret door followed by five animals: a large raven, a large snake, a small owl, a cat with horns, and a beautiful wolf.

They make it to the front counter and stop. "Thank you so much, Charlotte," Ester White says to the parlour woman. "I think I finally know what I want to do in life."

"And what might that be?" the parlour woman asks, rummaging around in a drawer on her side of the counter.

"My purpose is to help witches realize that they shouldn't be afraid anymore. That they shouldn't be afraid of who they are."

"That sounds wonderful, Ester. I am very proud of you."

Ester smiles and reaches for her purse. "I need to pay you for—"

The parlour woman raises a hand to silence her and smiles. She hands Ester White a ring with a stone as black as ebony upon it. "I would like you to give this to the third witch you help, and tell her that Karma will visit her soon. That is how you will pay me."

Ester White takes the ring and puts it on her right middle finger. "Thank you."

The parlour woman smiles. "Goodbye, Ester White, and may the wisps of time be kind to you on your journey of purpose."