They passed the river at half past five. The sun would begin to set soon. Gianna was unsure of how the journey would look now, being that they were entering dangerous territory. Furthermore, she was following Death herself. This had to be bad luck, she thought to herself. It was almost comical. While she was racking her brain over the whole thing, she was even more confused because Marg—no Death—was so lively despite her job. Most of the trip after they had their spat the witch had been having conversation with Cosmos—the snail sitting on her shoulder. This all was crazy, down to the personality of Death herself. At least I am almost to my husband, Gianna thought. It will be all right once we meet. I’ll never have to see Marg until, hopefully, years down the path, when I am old and gray.
The two women continued the path. The sounds of nature surrounded them. It was eerily still. Gianna spoke up. “It is always so quiet here?” Marg turned to her, and Gianna noted the gleam slightly fading from her eyes.
“No… not always.” She turned away, continuing to walk forward. “It’s unnervingly quiet today.”
Just then a scream was heard from twenty yards away. The trees were so thick in this section of the forest that it made it hard to see past just ten yards. Suddenly, there was heavy footfall coming right towards them. Marg quickly swung towards Gianna, shifting both of them out of sight from whatever was coming. Taking a mixture of herbs hung from her dress she crushed it up and blew heavy into her palm.
“What are you—” Gianna tried to ask about the weird ritual occurring in front of her, but Marg cut her off.
“Shh. Relax, it masks our scent.”
A figure ran past them, frantic, panicked and evidently scared. Although they ran past quickly Gianna was able to see that the figure was that of a young man dressed elegantly. He seemed clumsy in his movements. The most horrid thing about him was that his eyes were missing from their sockets. Gianna thought she mistook it at first. No way… She looked at Marg to see a reaction and only saw anger. She was terrified at that moment. They knew each other and Death seemed displeased, no, fuming at what she was witnessing.
Marg then turned to Gianna, their faces inches from one another. From that distance Gianna could see no lie on the witches’ face. Marg then shifted Gianna behind her.
“Phillip?” She said loudly, trying to get the attention of the young man.
“Who’s there! Is that you Marg?? Please, gods say it’s you!”
There was a load thud. It sounded like the man tripped a fell. Marg took Gianna’s arm, leading them both to the man’s voice. When they finally reached him, he was pathetically slumped covered in dirt. His hands were feeling the ground around him, clutching anything he could.
“Yes, I’m here Phillip. I’m right in front of you.”
“Am I going to die?”
Gianna looked at Marg at that moment seeing a sad look cross the witch’s face. “No, of course not. You know that. I told you you would live a long life.”
“BUT YOU NEVER TOLD ME I WOULD GO BLIND! THAT MY MOTHER-IN-LAW WOULD DO SUCH A THING!”
The air was still. Gianna dared not to move or even look at Marg’s face.
“No, your right but I did tell to not continue seeing that woman. I told you it would not end well. You know I am unable to tell others the full extent of their fate… That is what the deities demand of me.”
“SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!” The man was having a full breakdown at this point. Although his eyes were gauged out Gianna could tell he was sobbing. He had stopped reaching for the ground around him. He just sat there silently.
“I am sorry Marg. This—this is not your fault.” He stated in a voice seemingly sapped in energy itself.
Marg stepped forward at this, still weary of reaching out to the man, not wanting him to be frightened by the sudden movement. “I know, I know you are Phillip. You have always been kind. Too kind. I’m going to take a step towards you. Is that okay?”
Phillip now shifted his head to Margery’s voice nodding a brief okay. His voice was very soft and still, cracking slightly. “That is okay. I—I don’t think I should be alone right now.”
Marg took Phillip in her arms, being careful to rest his head on her shoulder. She then looked towards Gianna and smiled sadly.
“…Phillip, I do not want to alarm you, but I have a friend with me. Her name is Gianna. I am her guide.”
Phillip seemed to slump further into Marg’s arms, trying to hide his face the best that he can. “I am sorry for startling you. I am sure my appearance is frightening. I apologize that we must meet in such a manner.”
“No, of course not! I am sorry for not making myself known earlier. You startled me only briefly.”
Marg then helped Phillip to his feet, guiding him ever-so-slightly forward. “We must get you healed up. Your eyes might get infected if you don’t bandage them up soon.” Marg then turned to Gianna. “I’m sorry Gianna, we might get to your destination later than I would have hoped. I must drop Phillip off at Opals, she and Amethyst will be able to heal him properly. Their place is on the way.”
Gianna nodded at this and helped Marg carry Phillip. The three talked amongst each other until they came upon Opal and Amethysts residents. It was later in the evening by this time. The sun was beginning to set in the west. Gianna found herself growing more anxious the closer they got to her fiancé’s home. She didn’t want to imagine what she looked right now, especially after carrying a blind, bloody, and dirty man across Vales. She looked over at Marg, who was doing the brunt of the lifting. Her hair was starting to stick to her face. A fresh sheen of sweat coating her skin, giving her a glowing appearance. Her eyes broke away from Marg’s direction when she suddenly heard a door slam in front of her.
“What the hell happened?!” Gianna could see an old woman cut across her porch walking towards them. The old woman was wiping her hands on her apron. “I don’t see you for months and then you come to me with this fool. Bring him here. What happened?! The old women went up to Phillip, taking his face in her hands. “You’re lucky you have such a nice bone structure. You’ll make being blind a whole new fad.”
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“…Thanks Amethyst.” Said Phillip, giving a little smile for the woman.
“He ran into a nasty… mother-in-law…” Marg said. Her eyes were fixed on Phillip with worry.
“Haven’t we all.” Amethyst said with a hearty laugh. “And who do we have here?” The old woman’s eyes met Gianna’s.
“This is a friend, Gianna. I’m helping her through Vales.” Marg said matter-of-factly.
“Well, you look like you were dressed in Sunday’s best. Come on in. I’ll see what I can do.”
The four of them made their way into the little cottage. It was quint, Gianna noted, the decorations modest. The kitchen seemed to be in a state. With pots and pans stacked up in the sink, leaning towards the left. Gianna felt that they could topple any second. The living area was small. A fireplace was set in the middle of the room, providing all-around heat. Cushions lined the floor in a scattered manner. Gianna looked to her right as she passed the threshold of the door and saw what appeared to be an altar. Crystals, candles, and trinkets surrounded a humongous thick book. The page the book was opened to read: “Spoons, pots, and stumps and other cooking musts.”
Amethyst cleared a space on the ground and went over to the kitchen. She opened one of the cabinets and pulled out a handful of tools, some of which Gianna had never seen before. As she knelt a door slammed behind them. There, standing in the doorway was another older woman but this one was a lot shorter, pudgier, and Gianna felt, could be a lot meaner. This must be Opal. She thought.
“Now what do we owe the pleasure Marg?” The woman Gianna assumed to be Opal stated while walking towards Marg.
“Phillip found himself in an awful situation. I figured I’d drop by and visit the best healer in all of Vales.”
“Funny how you didn’t call be the best carpenter when I built you a brand-new floor.”
Marg grinned at this. “You know I hate lying Opal.”
“You—” Opal chuckled at this and drew Marg in with a big hug. “You kid are going to be the death of me.”
“Well, I can assure you that’s not the case.” Marg said with a wink. She then looked over at Gianna who was standing awkwardly to the side.”
“Opal this is—"
“Where the hell have you been Opal?” Amethyst said, interrupting Marg. “I know you weren’t doing what you were supposed to be doing and helping me out with cooking.”
Opal let out a snort at this. “Are you going senile already Amethyst. The coven needs an extra pair of tools, so I went out and carved them some more.”
“Shut up you old goat. You said that that was supposed to be for tomorrow. You forgot again didn’t you. I told you to write stuff down.” Amethyst said jokingly.
In the time that they were bickering Marg made her way to Gianna. Both were watching the sight. Although Gianna was in these two strangers home, she felt completely at ease. In fact, she felt quite silly about suspecting Opal of eating her flesh to steal her beauty.
“Quite the sight isn’t it.” Marg whispered to Gianna.
“Who? Phillip?” Gianna responded, highly aware of how close Marg was standing next to her.
“No, the two kooks over there tending to Phillip. Shockingly, they’re like this all the time.”
Gianna turned to her, a slight grin tugging at the corners of her mouth. Before she could stop herself, she replied to Margery, “No, really…?”
Marg was taken-aback by this. Her grin seemed to grow and the twinkle in her eyes came back. “Was that a hint of sarcasm? It seems Gianna that I might have rubbed off on you in the short time that we’ve known each other.”
The two of them were interrupted by Opal at that moment. “By the way, when were you going to introduce me to your friend.”
“Her name Gavina.” Amethyst said confidently. “She’s taking Marg on a little trip!”
Marg sighed at this. “GIAnna… it’s Gianna. And I’m guiding her through Vales to her betrothed.”
“See I told you… senile.” Opal chuckled out.
Phillip let out a soft groan. The medicine Amethyst was applying seemed to be helping stop the infection. Taking a wet cloth that she had on his eyes, she scanned the wound.
“It’s better. Won’t be great but at least you won’t look completely unsightly.”
Marg chuckled a bit, trying to lighten the mood. “I’ve seen you look worse after our sparing sessions back when we were younger.”
“You are just the one to crack jokes at a time like this you cynical witch.” The man said with a grin, sniveling a little. “You mean the sparring sessions I won?”
Gianna was thoroughly confused at this point. Sparring? Rich clothes? The witch and this stranger knowing each other as children? “Wait are you royalty or something?” As the words struck her lips, she looked at the man one more time and his distinct dark brunette hair, jawline, and olive skin. She had heard of stories of a young prince of a neighboring kingdom who had desired to live the life of an honest man in a village. She had not known it was a village near her. Before she could stop herself, she yelled out, “Your Prince Alessandro Phillip! The prince who wanted to live among the pigs!”
“Is that truly my legacy?” Phillip said with a chuckle. “And please call me Phillip, I despise the name Alessandro.
“Heh… I’m starting to like this non-magical girl.” Opal laughed out.
“But if he’s a prince, how do you know him, Marg?” Gianna inquired, now looking at the witch.
“Ah, that is a question…” Marg said, now the one avoiding eye contact with the woman. “You could say I have lived a full life?”
Phillip laughed at this. “What, my childhood friend is nervous to share secrets of themselves, although your such an open book with those mushrooms of yours.”
Marg quickly turned to Phillip beat red. “Phillip! I—”
Phillip then took hand to his mouth, facing the direction (somewhat) of Gianna. “Child of a famous seer assigned to the palace! Would you believe it? Ran away because her father wanted her to get married and give up her craft.” He stated the last sentence with a shrug.
Gianna peered over at Marg, who was now nervously scratching the back of her neck. “A witch who was once appointed under the royal family. Who would have thought…” Her mind was in a stumper. Every little thing she had known about witches had been proven false right in front of her. What a strange day.
“It’s not that shocking…” The witch frowned, muttering under her breath.
Phillip snickered at this, along with Opal. Opal shuffled over to Phillip and clapped him on the back, letting out a huge roar of a laugh. “Yeah! Our little unkempt Marg was once an upper-class toffee-nose, dining with the dukes and duchesses. Oh, if your father saw you now!” Opal was now keeled over in a fit of giggles.
Gianna now put a hand to her lips, silently cursing at her comment. “Er, sorry, that came out a bit harsh.” She looked again at Marg and saw a crease forming between her eyebrows. The two locked eyes at that moment.
Marg’s face seemed to ease as the two peered at one another. Pulling her eyes away and letting out a deep sigh, she waved her hand. “Yeah, yeah and when he dies, he’ll probably be turning in his grave every time his name is mentioned in association with mine. Hilarious.”