The Witch's Retribution

Chapter 2

Violet sat on her heels, her sapphire dress pooling around her as her lilac magic fluttered around the tiny child before her. The child laughed and spun around, trying to capture the magic with chubby hands. From the corner of her eye, Violet watched her twin speaking with a young man, the two close enough to touch yet neither made a move to. Acacia stood closer to the stables while Violet kept close to the path that led up to the castle, ears perked in case their elder brother called them back.

Everyone stood on high alert these days. It wouldn't be long before Sage's wife-to-be would bless the castle with a royal baby. It had been far too long since they had had one born into their family, and everyone was both terrified and excited with the news. Babies were born all the time in Railark, and it was common knowledge that delivering one with magic was a dangerous task that usually ended well. Yet everyone worried more when it involved the royal family. The small percentage of deaths that did occur during childbirth always rose up in someone's mind especially where the much-loved family was concerned.

The lilac tendrils of her magic wove around the giggling toddler, and Violet turned her attention away from her twin. "Isn't it pretty, Noelle?" She asked and smiled when the girl nodded and grabbed at the magic which slithered between her chubby palms.

The child, who was barely a year and a half, belonged to a certain knight and his wife, but Violet found it odd how the child looked nothing like her supposed father. Still, that could simply be the rumors from town speaking. Either way, she wouldn't be the one to ruin Sir Joseph's and Erin's marriage. For their daughter's sake, she hoped they would stay together forever. For her brother's...

"Look at them." Violet said aloud, interrupting her own thoughts as she looked back at Acacia. "Pretty soon she'll be married and living off on her own somewhere. Just like Lily." She turned back to Noelle, brushing at the dirt on the child's blue dress, the white shoes already turning brown. It seemed impossible to keep Noelle out of the dirt. "My family is getting so much smaller now. I'm not sure I'll be able to adapt."

"Really, Violet?" A soft voice said from her shoulder. "I was thinking our family was growing larger, not smaller."

Violet looked up to see her brother's fiancee standing over her, her usually neat blonde curls piled atop her head in a messy bun with a hand over her swollen belly, straining against her gray dress. "You would think that, Mari." Violet stood and lifted Noelle into her arms. "You're helping expand it."

"Everyone has to start their own lives at some point." Mari pointed out.

Violet winced as Noelle stuck her hands into the princess's raven hair and gave a vicious tug. Gently, she pulled away the toddler's hands. "I suppose."

Her eyes lit up with worry when she saw the young man place a hand on Acacia's arm, knowing how much her twin hated to be touched. Acacia's rosy magic flared up, dangerous in its brilliant color, and lashed out at the man who jerked back with a muffled cry. Violet didn't know if he was injured or not, but there was no mistaking the panicked tears pooling in Acacia's eyes, noticeable even from a distance. The situation was all too familiar, and the older twin waited for the inevitable crumbling of yet another of her sister's relationships.

"Oh no." Violet heard Mari murmur, used to the familiar scenario as well, but Violet's eyes remained locked on Acacia, protective rage surging through her though she knew she couldn't blame the young man. It was just how her twin was, and her aversion to touch, though well-known to most, was easily forgotten.

He surprised them all when he reached out to Acacia, lips moving to form a question, before he brushed away her tears. He kept his touches light and careful, ready to pull away completely if Acacia wanted him to. Acacia's fingers twisted in her pink dress, wrinkling the soft fabric, but her shoulders slumped with relief. Violet let out a deep breath. "Oh, thank the Gods. I'm not sure what I'd have done if another man had run from her."