As always Tom got held up in some chatting nonsense, Ezra mused. Soon he found the need to relieve himself, he headed towards the brush that was surrounding the edge of the great forest. The full moon and cloudless night helped him along his way. The air was still and quiet around him, a stark contrast to the noise and merriment that was at his back. Not wanting to leave obvious marks in the snow he walked along to try to find an inconspicuous spot. Walking along he saw what appeared to be a bit of a green bush under the thin layer of freshly fallen snow. He rubbed his eyes when he saw that. Thinking it was a trick of the light, or maybe he was more intoxicated than he thought, he walked cautiously closer, and narrowed his eyes. The closer he got the more it hit him. It was a green bush in the middle of dead winter. It couldn’t be.

“Was that crone telling the truth? Or was I right, and she really is some sort of old witch?” He asked to the empty night sky. Not even hesitating he dropped to his knees and crawled under the bush to see if she was right.

Expecting his hands to keep hitting frozen ground as he kept crawling forward, he was surprised to find it becoming warmer to the touch and damp. He was able to stand rather quickly to what appeared to be the great forest but with strange towering mushrooms where his eyes were used to seeing great aged oaks. He walks forward while turning in circles.

Amazed by the stark contrast in flora his eyes darted to the skies to see it held the same inky color and full moon he had left behind. Looking around as he walked on he almost passed by a hunched over figure nearby gingerly picking through various mushrooms in a small boggy clearing. Startled to see someone, he called out a tentative “Hello?” The figure stopped its actions and sat up slightly. “Oh, thank goodness I wasn’t seeing things. Hello, I’m a bit lost, could you tell me how to get out of here?”

The being tilted its head and stared at him through its shaggy long red hair. Ezra smiled awkwardly, not used to this sort of reception. “Uh, I am lost. Can you please direct me out of these, um, woods?” he asks again.

“I can see that” it said in a quiet scratchy voice while standing up. When it arose, the figure of an imposingly tall and gangly woman wearing a brown sack fashioned into a makeshift dress was shown before him. “At least it's the figure of a woman”, his inner monologue told him. “The hair covers all but the mouth otherwise.”

After an audible gulp Ezra continued to ask nervously “well, do you know how to get out of this place to the nearest town?”

An uncomfortable amount of quiet passed. Only broken by the occasional splashing and clicking noise of some unknown creature. The long hair slightly rustled suddenly as she nodded and a soft “I do” was heard.

“Thank the heavens!” he exclaimed “Can you show me the way out?” A slender pale arm came out from under the folds of the sack dress as she pointed a red-brown stained finger behind him. “Keep straight for about 500 paces, you’ll see the clearing.”

He turned around, and started walking in that direction, “Thank you very much for your help!” he called out to the figure as he walked away “By the way, what’s your name? I want to be able to thank my benefactor.”

The same slender arm waved him away “It’s not important,” she said “Just stay out of here in the future, she doesn’t like strangers crawling about her” she continued with an eerie cackle.

He turned around with his mouth slightly agape sounding a little concerned “Wait- WHO doesn’t like strangers?” Thinking to himself he had found an insane person.

“This bed” she replied while placing her forehead on a nearby stalk. “She doesn't like strangers.”

He looked at her with concern filling his eyes. “Are you saying this place is conscious?” He started to quietly curse his luck, thinking he finally found his magic place, only to be confronted by someone quite touched in the head.

She tilted her head and he could see the glimmer of a smile under the slight part in her hair. He stared at her for a moment growing more confused, then his face lit up. “Wait, did you just-” he started to laugh “is the forest actually alive? Then that’s amazing, does this mean every forest has always been alive?” he wondered aloud.

“You really should get going, the night beasts roam about for food and it’s not safe for anyone.”, the woman said while smiling her eerie smile.

“Oh. I uh- yeah, I should get out of here” walking backwards towards the direction she had pointed he again asked for her name.

“It is Arrundrelle, Drelle in the common tongue” she slowly replied while walking the opposite direction from him. “Just do remember to not mention me in town, just say you got out of here on your own.”

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

While still walking backwards he nodded affirmatively “I will, but why?”

She yelled over her shoulder “BECAUSE HUMANS HATE WITCHES” and continued walking deeper into the forest.

He stared in shock for a moment before running back to her walking figure and yelled out “Wait! Witches, like real witches?” She stopped dead in her tracks and coldly answered “Have you heard tales of false witches about?”

Stopping to catch his breath he managed to get out “No, I mean like- real magic and stuff?”

She stared for a long time at him through that thicket of hair before answering slowly “Yes, child”.

His eyes grew wide with wonder as a grin spread across his face “Can you show me? A spell, a potion or something, anything!”

Drelle started walking away muttering “Why?, What? Am I some sort of trick animal for your amusement?”

He started shaking his head quickly “No, please, I just never met a witch before and-”

“It’s not something we publicly admit to” she cut him off. “Why not?” he started “That doesn’t make any sense” he asked confused “Why would anyone want to hide having magic? If I had magic, oh the things I would do.”

Raising her face to the sky to give a hearty laugh she then turned so that they were facing and poked him in the chest. “Child… in this realm witches are beings that practice magics without the king's approval are law breakers. You need a license to practice spells and brew potions, we are branded criminals.” His eyes widened, and he looked at her with shock. “They brand you as criminals? that’s not fair!” he yelled angrily. “I still want to buy a potion from you, damn that stupid law and all that. ''

Reaching into the folds of her sack dress she pulled out three small bags. “Someone wants to see the inside of a jail cell, I see. Still, coin is coin though. I have a few basic healing, anti-poison, and one experimental.” He took a small bag from inside his jacket and asked the cost of them. “Ahh, 3 silver shall do for healing, and 5 for the anti-poison.” Taking a Half Guinea out of the sack he asked how much for the experimental one.

“Not for sale to your sort”, she swiftly replied while snatching up the gold coin and examining it in the sunlight. Her mouth scrunched up as she scratched at it.

“Oh, really?” he looked surprised then his face lit up. “Can’t I try it, please?”

Glowering and stomping her bare foot in the mud she shook her head no “Child, this is dangerous stuff-”

“I know, but I’m curious, please?” he interjected.

“Child, may I ask you a question first.” She asked him while holding her hand up to halt his movement. A smile formed on him as he nodded excitedly. “You obviously aren’t from this side of the world, where do you hale from?”

“Well I am originally from England, —-pool to be exact, but I guess I’m passing through?” he added with a nervous laugh. One of her brown stained fingers reached up and was scratching her chin. “Eng-land? I do not know of an Eng-land.”

He looked markedly confused for a moment then his eyes widened “Oh, so this world is completely separate from the one I came from!” he said in an awed tone. She took a deep breath and rubbed her temples with her thumb and forefinger. “Well now,” she exclaimed after a long wait, “this WOULD explain quite a few things.” The shaggy fiery mop rustled about as she rapidly shook her head. “Boy, do you know I thought I had stumbled across an insane errant Relmer. Well, I may still be correct..”

He tilted his head in confusion and her speech quickened as she spoke on and he interjected with “Explain things?, like what?”

“First, child, tell me your name and we will figure this out.” She said with a deep sigh then started chewing on her fingertips.

“My name is Ezra,” he replied with a smile.

“Your boots did not quake in fear when you heard the name Drelle, all Realmer fear my name alone, so I am curious, what brought you here?”

“Greenery in the dead of winter. Beyond that I cannot really say, besides what must be magic. Why should I fear your name Drelle? Are you some sort of criminal or evil in this world?”

“Those of us who become very good at what we do often become..ahh.. easily susceptible to very biased and COMPLETELY untrue rumors.” Her chin scrunched up for a moment as she pouted before returning to its usual slacken deadpan expression. She suddenly leaned closer to him and he could finally see that her eyes were an odd shade of dark yellow with red pupils.”Very strange” she whispered while those eerie red pupils quickly scanned over his face. “Might I look into your eyes Ezra?”

“Um,okay.” he tilted his head, confused again. The hairs on the back of his neck started to stand on end as an eerie feeling crept up his spine.

She took his chin in her hand and looked deeply into his eyes. Again they were surrounded by a quiet that was only broken by her occasional grunts and his breathing “Ahh, so that’s the deal then” she chuckled aloud while tapping the side of his jaw. “This could prove very useful, or dangerous. I still wonder though, the common language of the Realm, How?” She started to toss her head side to side as if she was in some sort of deep internal debate.

“What’s the deal? Useful? Dangerous, realm? I don’t understand” He replied in turn, his eyes grew wide in confusion. The sensation of her cold skin on his made his breath quicken and his fear rise quickly.

“Child, I don’t think anyone would understand what I saw, but first...” The grin that was spreading across her face while she spoke caused no end of concern for Ezra.

“I think I need to know what’s going on.” He started to interrupt her, but faltered when he saw his words weren’t quite registering with her.