Breaking the Spell

Wizard in the Woods

The next night Evelyn tossed and turned, mumbling in her sleep which was very unusual. Evelyn never in her life had a nightmare or even a troubled night. She awoke with a gasp and sat up, covered in sweat. It was one in the morning. She rubbed her head and afraid to go back to sleep she swung her legs around and into her boots. A lit lantern guided her down the hall to the steps, where she carefully crept down. Her heart quickened with excitement. She had never left her room at night without waking Rosy.
The moon was full and bright and there wasn't a cloud in the sky; she could see the entire farm and shadows casted by the barns.
 It enticed her. She had never seen such a night. She moved out to the porch, silently closing the door behind her. She knew the aunts would throw a duck fit if they knew she was outside at night, alone. It made her want to go further. They told her of evil beasts and criminals who hid in the woods, but never in her life had she seen or even heard of one.
She twirled in the yard and danced to the fence where a cow stood chewing hay. She patted its head and skipped merrily to then end of the property under the apple tree. She laid on the grass and listened to the night.
Owls cried and small critters rustled, but no giant beasts. She smiled. Oh aunties, you only told those stories to protect me, but you never told me how magical the night was! As she watched the twinkling stars, a noise made her sit up. She lowered the lanterns light and looked around carefully. It sounded like someone talking in the woods behind her. There was a gate on the back fence that lead to the woodshed, but it was in the forest, a place where she had never stepped foot in. I may as well take a peek. She thought. She cut down the lantern even more and snuck to the gate. The voice continued, and around the bend of the path through the trees she could see flickering lights.

Maybe I can get just a little closer…

She slid between the bars of the fence and slowly walked just before the bend, then positioned herself behind a large tree. Her heart pounded in her ears, she was so nervous and yet so curious.
She managed to not make a sound as she got a closer look, and when she did she held her mouth. A man in a long black robe sat on a tree stump surrounded by candles and strange symbols written in the dirt.
She knew she should turn away, but something about him seemed harmless, safe…
His voice came again, deep and resonating as he chanted a strange language. She leaned in coser to listen...

SNAP

Her heart jumped to her throat and her face grew hot. His head lifted quickly and turned to her. Dead silence. Tears stung her eyes, how could I be so careless! She crouched behind the tree, praying he wouldn’t find her.
“Who’s there?” His voice demanded rather than asked. She wondered if she should try and run. “I feel your presence, who are you and how did you get here?” What? He’s on our land, how did HE get here? She wondered about his strange question. Maybe he doesn’t know he’s on our land. “SPEAK!” He shouted. Evelyn stood quickly, shaken with fear. She stepped out from the tree. “Come, witch!” He demanded, he stood and stepped from his circle of candles. Evelyn looked around desperately as she made her way to the path, only a few feet away from him.
“I… I’m so sorry I interrupted you.” Her voice quaked. He stood in silence, his face entirely shrouded by the large hood. He muttered something as he outstretched his arm and opened his hand. Evelyn saw a flash of purple and then all went dark. 

~

Jareth caught the young girl as she fell over, fast asleep from his spell.

“Damn… damn it all!” He cried. “Those stupid women, are they trying to ruin everything!” He held her close to his chest and carried her up the path and headed back to the house. She looked so innocent, so lovely by the moonlight, he couldn’t stop stealing a glance at her perfect face. Her hair was long and wavy, shining in the moonlight. Her lips were round and pink, so soft... he shook his head and gave a pained sigh.

He stormed up the steps and crashed through the door.
“Wake up, wake up!” He shouted. A moment later Ginny and Rosy came running down the steps.
“What is it?” Rosy asked. Ginny gasped when she saw Evelyn’s limp body in his arms. “Oh God!” They cried.
"She’s fine!” He laid her on the couch. “She is under a sleep spell, she was spying on me in the forest.”
“Why, that’s not like her at all.” Rosy clasped Evelyn’s hand. “Evelyn… she wouldn’t.”
“Well she did! I thought she was a witch who had breached the protection spell while it was weak, but I was wrong. She was hardly even afraid.” He turned away and pulled back his hood.
“Please, Jareth, we had absolutely no idea… I swear it will never happen again.” He looked to Rosy with fierce eyes.
“Pease understand that the fate of thousands of people rest on the safety of this girl.”
“Perhaps if we were told why--” Ginny started, a question they had asked many, many times before.
“No, just do your job and don’t ask any more questions.” Jareth was hot with anger the aunts knew not to pursue it. They looked to each other and back to poor Evelyn. They could only hope he didn’t tell the queen. “I’m going to finish what I started, and then I am going to place some alarms. Should she choose to leave again, I’ll know.” He said dangerously. His gaze fell upon her once more before he headed out the door.
Ginny and Rosy sat in silence for a long moment. Both of them were shocked.
“I… I wonder if this is the first time she’s done something like this.” Ginny whispered. “You think this is the first time?” Rosy shook her head.
“She made it that far without waking us, there’s really no telling.” Ginny worried her lip and tapped her foot.
“We should set some alarms of our own, so we can know before he does.”
“Like what?”
“Oh I’m not quite sure… set some marbles on the floor? A bell on her door?”
“Ha! She would only trigger them once before finding a way around it. No, something more subtle...”