The Winter Witch

“Long ago, there were beings who could control the elements, Snow, Fire, Earth, Wind, Ice, Plants, and as such, if they were strong enough could control the very Seasons that they were tied to. Those who were seen as the most powerful would be deemed a title that connected them to a season, and with such a title was seen as the most powerful of all and defend those who had no such powers against the darkness. The monsters from the shadows of night. Those who did were revered by kingdoms and those mystical in nature such as the Sidhe or Elven-folk. Because of this, many would look up to those who held such magic in high regard.”

Enya looked up at her mother with silver-grey eyes as she was pressed up against her mother’s side as she read the girl a bedtime story. “But Mom, if they were seen like that, how come there’s no magic now?”

Her mother, Gwen, paused to look down at her child with sky blue eyes, her pale blonde hair twisted into a braid that draped down her back. “Oh, there is, we just don’t see it.”

Enya didn’t believe her. “It sounds made up to me.”

Her mother chuckled. “I guess it would, but Enya, just because you don’t see it, doesn’t make it real. After all, the Sidhe leave in our very forests, just beyond our village. You’ve heard many stories of those telling you should never go near the fairies right?”

“But then if it’s real, then how come no one in our village talks about it?”

“Well,” her mother began. “There is a reason for that, but it’s not a very good one.”

“Did someone with magic do something bad?”

Her mother’s expression became sad as she closed the book, placed it on the bedside table and then picked up her daughter and held Enya in her lap. “Not too long ago, a decree was made that the use of magic was to be prohibited. In many small kingdoms, the reason for this is because those who held power, but not magic, wanted to misuse such power for themselves, or simply wished to get rid of those who did. And because of this, a great war broke out, and many lives were lost. The only ones who truly won regardless of the side were the monsters that prospered on negative emotions and grief, which only added more to the conflict. That was until one being made the fighting end and defeated the monsters. No one was sure how they had done it for they used a type of magic that was never seen before.”

“So they didn’t have any element?” Enya asked.

Her mother shook her head. “I don’t know, it was before my time Sweetie. But this person who had such power was aiding the previous King of our country. Where he banned the use of magic, as it was deemed not wise to fall into the hands of greed. As such, those who were not human went back to their lands and cut themselves off from humans or those who had magic and were human went into hiding. Never to use it again.”

“That seems sad, a lot of them must have built a life and just… have to leave it behind?”

Gwen held her daughter close as she ran a hand through her daughter’s copper-red hair. “It is sad, though the current King has been doing what he can to try and strengthen relations with other nations so that the misuse of magic won’t happen again. But such a thing is a long road. Many regions fear that if a normal human has such power it could mean war again, or something far worse.”

Enya hugged her mother, the way she spoke sounded so sad. “If I ever met someone with magic I wouldn’t be mean to them.”

Gwen looked at the book before her blue gaze turned to look outside as she hugged her daughter back. “I’m sure if you did they’d appreciate it.”

Then they turned to see the bedroom door open after a knock, where a muscular man with dark red-copper hair opened the door. “Dinner’s ready,” he said with a smile as a fox rested on his shoulders. The man was Arthur, Enya’s father.

“Alright, thank you, Dear,” Gwen then let Enya down so that they could go eat in the other room. Enya was about to rush off and follow her father only to stop when seeing her mother looking out the window, something had flown by that caught her attention as she looked on with a faint smile before seeing her daughter watching her with a curious stare and smiling at her. “Come on,” she said as she took Enya’s hand with one. “Let’s go see what your father made for dinner, I bet it’ll be just as good as last time, if not even better!”

Enya returned her mother’s smile with one of her own. “Yeah.” Before they then left Enya’s room, closing the door unaware that what flew by wasn’t necessarily a bird.