Chapter 1
The screams of burning witches filled the air as their skin melted off, flesh by flesh. People were running helter skelter as the king’s soldiers destroyed the market place, they entered people’s homes dragging out the females and placing tyres on their necks, children were being separated from their mothers, As the king’s words echoed throughout the village
KING GAIUS: Suffer No witch to live, we will kill them all, we will make them suffer as they have used their demonic powers to try to take control over us. Kill them all and hang their heads on the gate, this is a warning to all you little nasty creatures!
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Allegra: And that was how the dream ended
Mathilda: So you are saying a day will come when the king will evade the village and kill us all?
Allegra: Possibly.
Freya: Don’t say possibly, its one of your premonitions but in a dream…. But when will it happen?
Circe: it’s a premonition, it can happen in a few days, decades or even tomorrow.
Freya: so we need to act fast right? We need to stop this bloodbath from happening….i don’t want my head hanging on a gate… (sighs)
Circe: you think I want my head hanging on the gate? (rests one hand on the table) I’m so scared think I might have a concussion (rubs her temple)
Mathilda: we can’t stop it, no one will believe us, and we can’t even tell anyone we are witches
Freya: we don’t have to
Circe: there’s no way we can explain this to someone without revealing our identity, and we also can’t trust anyone……….the king already has a big reward for anyone who catches a witch…and I don’t want us to be traded for a big bounty.
Mathilda: we just need to lay low and be very careful…now you girls go set the table, let’s start today’s trade. Freya bring out the bread from the oven
Freya and Allegra leave the room
Mathilda: (sighs and rubs her temple)
Circe: I know that look, you are worried
Mathilda: I’m worried about my girls, anytime Allegra has a premonition it always comes true….what if this is what will separate our family in quest for survival, or even worse kill my girls.
Circe: I know much those girls mean to you (holds her hand) they’ll be fine, we’ll be fine(hugs her)
Mathilda: I hope so
Circe: I know so (The smile she was wearing falls. She is worried still)
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Freya: I just hope we make enough sales today…I need me a new scarf (stacks the bread)
Allegra: isn’t he cute?
Freya: who? (Looks across while tracing Allegra’s eyes) Damon?
Allegra: yeah (smiles and nudges Freya’s elbow almost causing the bread in her hand to fall))
Damon waved at her and she smiled shyly
Freya: oh please stop staring at that sheep farmer and help me stack the bread
Allegra: he’s not just a sheep farmer…..he’s more than that you know..My soon to be husband
Freya: the fact remains that he is ,He sells feeds to pig farmers
Allegra: Stop I say (turns sharply to freya)
Freya: what (carries another pan of bread) that’s his job
Allegra: we sell bread (she rejoins)
Freya: so? It’s a less irritating job (shrugs)
Allegra: I like him and I know he likes me
Freya: or if he doesn’t we can just spell him (scoffs)
Allegra: we are not using magic to make Damon fall in love with me…..
Freya: it’s either that or that lady gets him
Freya points to Damon who was pecked by a red haired girl
Allegra: he doesn’t like her
Freya: and how sure are you?
Allegra: I just know(she says ribbing the bread lightly)
They are joined by Circe but didn’t feel her presence
Circe: know what?
They both gasp in fear
Freya: Aunt Circe, you scared us….
Circe: Don’t fret. (she looks at Allegra who is still staring at Damon and rubbing the loaf of bread)
Circe: (turns to Freya) she likes him?. Yes?
Freya: yes, she likes a pig farmer (chuckles softly)
Allegra: he’s not just a pig farmer (turns to them)
Circe: he’s a pig farmer?
Allegra: (she grunts and walks away)
Freya: I don’t know. I just don’t like him (dusts her gown)
Circe: Because he smells?
Freya: yes but apart from that-wait, how did you know?
Circe: there’s something off about him? (clicks her tongue and points to her nose) cat nose
Freya: oh, but Allegra has refused to see that…And I want the best for her…
Circe: (chuckles softly) we all do…..don’t worry, the answer I just a sniff away (winks)
Freya: (laughs softly) Sniff…Okay (winks back)
At the palace…… the king is seen at the dining table, enjoying his meal with his beloved. A guard Rushes in and whispers into his ear. Immediately, he wears a smile. He tells the guard to give access to the fore gates because of his visitor
King Gaius: ha-ha, terrain , ( he stands up from his seat and stands still as his visitor approaches him )so beautiful of you to honor my invitation……(smiles)
Terrian: anything for an old friend….(walks up to the queen) my lady (Reaches for her hand. He takes it and plants a gentle kiss on it)
Gwen: (blushes) welcome…..pleased to have you around….
King Gaius: let’s have a seat and dine together
They sat at the dining table….Didn’t take a minute before the maids came to pour wine in their glass.
Terrian: the palace has changed, how long has it been since I left for my trades….. (chuckles softly and sips his wine)
King Gaius: of course it has…..
Terrian: and Liam
King Gaius: He has grown into a fine young man and I hope he doesn’t change
And they all laughed
King Gaius: he has gone on one of his adventures and he’ll be back in a day or two.
Terrian: I heard he’s yet to pick a maiden to be his wife…. (picks up his fork)
King Gaius: oh yes, he keeps ranting this nonsense about not finding the right person and waiting for true love… (rests his back on his chair) I knew his mother was the one the minute I saw her…
Gwen: (blushes) you flatter me your majesty
Terrian: she does have incredible beauty…kids these days ,(chuckles) they were born yesterday and they feel they already know everything…..what does he even know about ladies….I’m sure you remember you and I had a share of the maidens back in the days. (laughs) we shagged a lot of them
Gwen: (clears her throat)
Terrian: (laughs awkwardly) oh don’t worry he’s a good boy (sips wine)
King Gaius: very good boy (winks at terrain)
And they started laughing before it went silent…..Terrian broke the silence
Terrian: so I see you’ve done a lot of burning at the stakes….saw some number of skulls and hanged skeletons…Grievous offenders? (sips wine)
King Gaius: (clears his throat) they are witches…..and I forbid the existence of witches in my kingdom
Terrian: they are humans like us, I think you should be excited that something like the supernatural is around you…. They are not just witches, they are gifts…Maybe protectors
King Gaius: they are nothing like us…….i bet you don’t know a thing about the supernatural until it bites you in the face…they are nasty creatures with demonic powers, and its my obligation to keep the villagers safe…..you talk about protectors. You make me laugh.
Terrian: but you’ve killed half of them and left the remaining villagers with memory of the traumatic events and display of madness ….some won’t be in their right mind anymore, seeing a fellow human burnt to crisps… (sips wine)
King Gaius: I didn’t do it for them to enjoy. They should be scared to not try anything stupid. As long as I remain king, I will spare no witch to live, be it a little child. I will kill them all (stands up in anger), and why are you supporting them all of a sudden, have they bewitched you my friend?, have they poisoned your mind? Tell me now so we can find a solution and break their hold of you..
Terrian: I’m a man with no enemy, at least I think so, but I’m also a man who trusts only my instincts and deal with people with a single mind… I just feel you should take a break from this….the tension in the air has thickened, anyone can see it at this point, I Felt it immediately i walked into the village….the town square needs to be rid of those bodies…
King Gaius: no one tells me how I rule my kingdom, those bodies will remain there to serve as a warning, and to remind them that more is to come if they move ahead of themselves……(walks away)
Gwen: I’m sorry, he has quite an anger
Terrian: I know him better than you do , my lady, I feel tired…..i should take a rest….and thank you for giving me a room to rest my head for tonight
Gwen: I’ll have the maids prepare your room….its my pleasure (bows slightly)
Terrian: thank you….and tread safely….(walks away)
Gwen: (smiles)
Later that night, in the queen’s room….she removed all her jewelries and trinkets….and walked to the balcony
Gwen: if its not safe here, where is safe?
Gwen’s shadow: nowhere, we just have to hide from the world like we’ve always done…..
Gwen: (whispers) hide from the world
She went back to her room and stood in front of her mirror…and her eye color shone red brightly in the mirror
Gwen’s shadow: the eye spell should last for a while….
She backed the mirror and her eyes turned to blue.
In the village
Mathilda: Freya, Allegra let’s clear the dishes
Allegra: (jumps and gasps from her sleep)
Mathilda: Allegra, (rushes to her) what’s wrong
Allegra:(Gasping for air as she grabs mathilda’s arm) someone is coming, someone dangerous
