When Magic Speaks - NaNoWriMo 2020✔️

10

Piri was never late. In fact she was so punctual that she was normally half an hour early. But today Piri was late. Marma paced back and fourth across the lawn, so much so that she was now creating divots in the dirt. She bit at her fingers as she scanned the valley for her, she had to be coming any minute now. Marma was never usually this nervous, it caused a great deal of discomfort. But in circumstances such as this, panic was the only logical answer. As Marma's feet travelled back and fourth over and over again, she finally spotted a head of dark hair peek above the rolling hills to the west. She stopped, squinting, her fingers to her lips. Sure enough it was Piri.

The young witch quickened her pace once she laid eyes on the wild-eyed redhead, almost skipping across the valley. She looked as though she didn't have a care in the world. Though her concern grew once she finally approached Marma.

"Marma?" she inquired, tilting her head to the side. As if she didn't know. "What's wrong?"

"We need to talk." It had only been a day since they'd met and already they were acting like they'd known each other for years. Marma was speaking like a frustrated lover, begging for Piri's ear to listen. Piri reached down and grabbed Marma's hand, pulling her off in a brand new direction.

"Come on," Piri hummed, her gaze glued on an overgrown forest ahead of them. "We'll talk at my secret hiding place."

"Secret hiding place?"

Marma allowed Piri to lead her into the bush, although there was a reason for it being overgrown. As far as anyone in Hural knew, this forest was off limits due to the sounds that emanated from it. Weird humming sounds and shocks like lightning. They'd assumed it was a kooky old hermit trying to generate electricity but as Piri lead Marma farther and farther into the forest, she had a sneaking suspicion it might've been something else.

The grass beneath their feet was surprisingly soft, like walking on cushions. The tree's branches were surprisingly large, almost big enough to set up suspended treehouses. The air felt stranger in here, warmer. And as Piri proudly trotted along the path of weeds and mushrooms, they came to a clearing. Before them stood a short but very charming stone tower, its bricks splashed in peach and grey tones. It looked newly abandoned, clean and well taken care of from its exterior, but abandoned.

"It's...what is this?"

"It's my hideaway! My home away from home." Marma watched as Piri grinned up at the structure, happily skipping to the front door. She looked over her shoulder at Marma when she realized she wasn't being followed. "Are you coming?"

As intrigued as Marma was, she still needed to have this conversation with Piri. She needed answers. Still, she followed Piri inside and after just one look, she fell in love.

The inside of the tower was a fully fledged home, stairs to her right leading to a basement cellar and the stairs before her leading to a loft. Marma followed Piri up the stairs as she admired the open living room before them complete with a rug and fireplace and mismatched couches. To their right, a cramped but quaint kitchen with knobby wooden shelves and dishes dangling from the ceiling panels. It was incredibly cozy in here. Marma couldn't help but notice tiny twinkling orbs hanging in every corner of the room, reflecting bright lavenders and pinks across the room. She watched as Piri walked over to the rug. "Isn't it adorable?"

Marma sighed. "I-it is very cute, but..."

"Yes yes, you want to talk." As Piri sat down on the floor she patted the space in front of her, her eyes beckoning for Marma. Marma couldn't resist. As strange as it was that she'd chosen the floor rather than the perfectly good couches on either side of her, Marma came over and sat across from Piri, crossing her legs. "What did you want to talk about?"