Cassandra trudged through down the slightly overgrown forest trail, her boots were getting sucked into the mud with each step and she was drenched in sweat. She really hoped that her information was right, and that the Witch had not moved her hut to another location. It was remote enough here that she had to feel safe right? It had taken her nearly three hours of marching to get here and if she didn’t find anything soon she was turning back.

Another five minutes of marching saw her having to stop for breath. The mud was growing more and more unbearable, it had rained for several days prior to her trip out here and she had expected it to be bad but not like this. As she leaned against one of the larger trees and caught her breath a scent filled her nose, it was a sweet almost candy like smell intermixed with fresh bread pulled from an oven. As Cassandra caught her breath she began following the smell, down a slightly less worn path until she arrived in a clearing. The oppressive dark forest opened to reveal an open meadow shining with the weak midday sun peeking through the clouds. She could see about halfway through the meadow a Cottage with a thin column of smoke drifting out the chimney. The meadow was blooming with flowers of so many colors and varieties that Cassandra had never even seen in her studies at the castle. She followed a path of stones through the Meadow toward the Cottage and up to the door. 

It was large for presumably a single person, at least twice as large as the homes many of the farmers lived in outside the city but nowhere near the size of the Manors that the nobility lived in. Glass windows were present, some of them open to let a gentle breeze flow through. She could hear humming from inside as she approached the door and gently knocked upon it. The humming stopped and she heard footsteps approach the door. 

The door opened to reveal a young woman with Snow White Hair and pale skin and dressed in a robe of soft gray cloth. Her eyes drew Cassandra’s attention though, for they were Solid Gray no pupils of any sort simply gray orbs that had a softness to them she had not expected.

“Yes? I had not been expecting a visitor so soon after the rains. What brings you here?” The woman asked, a puzzled expression upon her face.

Cassandra stared for a moment longer before remembering to speak, she had been expecting an elderly woman not someone her own age. The Gray Witch had been here since before her Grandfather had taken the throne…

“Ah yes, I am Princess Cassandra of Eleras. I came seeking your expertise in helping my people be cured of a sickness that has taken hold of our city.” Cassandra explained.

“A sickness? I was there in the markets not two weeks ago and heard tell of nothing spreading among the city. Come in and explain. Remove your boots though I just cleaned.” She said, gesturing to a woven mat just beyond the doorway.

Cassandra obliged and followed her inside, it was cramped on the inside but not overwhelmingly so. Dried plants and produce hung from the ceiling in strands and potted plants could be found on many of the open surfaces within. Shelves of books could be seen within one room and Cassandra felt a pang of jealousy, the castle had a library to be sure but since the Witch Hunters had become a part of Eleras, many of the tomes on Alchemy and healing had been taken and burned. She hated them nearly as much as her father but they had been defeated by a neighboring kingdom and one of the conditions of their survival had been allowing the Witch Hunters to operate freely. Cassandra had been able to receive a bit of heretical teaching from her Father, that which he had learned when he was still a boy from his teachers, but it hardly compared to the knowledge such tomes offered. 

The Witch led her to a small sitting room with two carved wooden chairs and a small teapot and cups. She poured them both a cup of a dark liquid, though it smelled sweet and had swirls of white within. Cassandra sat across from the Witch and took a sip of the drink, it was sweet like cream with a bitter aftertaste she did not recognize. She shook her head and looked at her host with a degree of worry, for she did not have time for this.

“I apologize for my insistence but people need aid that no other can provide but you, my lady. Please.” She said, her voice quivering as she spoke the last word.

The witch took a long sip of her drink and stared at her intently. After a moment she gestured for Cassandra to continue speaking. 

“It is not a widespread sickness yet but it has spread rapidly among those it first infected. The Royal Alchemist attempted to cure a handful of the first who became ill but his mixtures seemed to do naught but cause pain. Two Dozen have perished already and more have become sick in recent days.” Cassandra said, her voice shaking as she remembered those who the Alchemist had attempted to cure. The screams as they passed haunted her mind.

“I sense this is personal for you. Tell me what symptoms those who are sick show.” The Witch said as an orange and black striped cat walked into the room with a quill and notepad in its mouth.

“Those who become sick first show a high fever and exhaustion, followed by boils upon the skin within a days time. This continues for around two days before the boils disappear and the patient seems to improve before they begin vomiting, almost always with blood mixed into it. It moves fast and most who were initially infected are dead within a week.” Cassandra explained, going through the symptoms she had seen back then.

“I see… and do those who are sick share any commonalities? Do they draw water from the same source or frequent the same areas?” The witch asked.

“No. We believed it at first to be a befouled well but the infected were from different parts of the city and they did not interact much. It has infected Nobles and commoners alike… even…” Cassandra trailed off as tears welled in her eyes.

“Someone close to you has fallen ill, I would imagine.” The witch said, her voice soft and understanding.

Cassandra nodded as she composed herself. “A young noblewoman, a close friend and… more. She contracted the fever only yesterday. I had planned to come to you earlier but the rains…” Cassandra again trailed off as her composure broke and tears began flowing down her face. 

She remembered Ariane collapsing, her face red as Cassandra helped her to her feet and carried her home. She looked in so much pain when Cassandra had left and she was not aware of anything beyond her feverish mind. Cassandra would move the heavens themselves to save her friend.

“I am familiar with diseases like this. This is not a blight of the body, it is one caused by Magic. Or rather the lack of it. Witches refer to it as Hunter Blight since it follows the Witch Hunters wherever they go, affecting those who have magic in their blood more harshly than others. Your grandfather received my protection against such things and I would imagine it has carried on to you as well. For those who are already infected I fear I can only offer them strength to fight. No cure exists beyond keeping them as strong as we can. Come.” The Witch said, as she led the crying princess into another room. 

They entered a room with shelves containing bottle after bottle of dried plants and other items with a large black cauldron within the center. The witch snapped her fingers and a flame ignited beneath the metal as water appeared within it. Her cat came and brushed against Cassandra’s legs, begging to be picked up which she obliged. She thought for a moment before taking over two dozen of the bottles off the shelves and emptying their contents into the Cauldron. All the while she was speaking in a language that Cassandra did not recognize as her voice took on an otherworldly echo. Once the water began to boil a green steam rose from its surface and the liquid within began to glow an eerie pale gray. After an hour of this the Witch ended her chanting and dipped a ladle into the mixture, breathing in the fumes as she brought it to her face. Seemingly satisfied with it she held it out to Cassandra with an eager expression. Cassandra took a hesitant sniff of the pale creation and her face recoiled uncontrollably. It was bitter like ginger root but taken so far it made her eyes water. As she pulled back she realized there was a second scent mixed in with it, a crisp cool feeling beneath the bitterness like mint.

“This will help those suffering. Relieve the body as much as it can and allow them to better fight off the sickness. I will aid in its administration. Allow me to fetch my things and we shall be off.” The Witch said as she hurried out of the room. 

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

Cassandra went to put on her boots and as she finished lacing them up the Witch emerged with a bag slung over her shoulder and a dark gray pointed hat with a wide brim that hid her face. She carried a canteen and looked up at Cassandra with excitement.

“Now then, You will be able to see the real me but those around us will see me as simply another commoner. Address me as you would one of your subjects and we should evade the notice of Witch hunters. Should be a short trip to return to the city.” She said as she pushed the brim of her hat up to see the Princess.

It only then occurred to Cassandra how short the Witch was in comparison to her. Her head barely reached Cassandra’s shoulder. The princess was tall for a woman but The witch was still noticeably shorter than many of the other women she knew. She could see the Witch’s shoes were little more than glorified slippers and she had gloves which had no fingertips, though whether that was by choice or not was unclear. All in all without her robe and her hat one could almost mistake her for a peasant. Except her eyes… and her ears. As the Witch adjusted her hat she could see the Witch’s ears that had previously been hidden by her hair, They were held back closely against her head but they were elongated and pointed. 

“It took me several hours of trudging through the Mud to get here, are you ready for that?” Cassandra asked.

“Oh, No. I have much quicker ways of getting around. Let us step outside and I’ll show you.” She said with a smile. 

Cassandra followed her outside and along another stone path to a large circle of stones engraved with runes. She may not have been versed in magic but she could recognize runes well enough. The Witch tapped one of the runes and stood in the center of the circle with Cassandra. There was a brief moment of silence before the Wind rushed around them and Cassandra could not see anything beyond the boundaries of the rune stones. It was like being surrounded by a rushing fog, only there was no sound. When the fog faded they were not standing within the runestone circle any longer but within the edge of the treeline overlooking the City of Eleras. Cassandra looked on in disbelief. She knew Magic could do the impossible but she had never expected it to be so…. Easy. Or at least it seemed so. The witch waved her forward and they walked toward the city together. 

As they approached the Gate she saw a familiar face and groaned in exasperation. Phillip Wilgrain, Captain of the Guard and heartthrob for many of the noblewomen within the city. He had been trying to catch her attention for years despite her repeated and clear vocalizations of disinterest. He was not a braggart or an ass like many of the Knights were but he simply could not let it go. Despite that they maintained a friendship of sorts and he had helped her study the finer points of swordplay despite her mentor's insistence that women not learn the blade. As she approached though she could see his face was downcast and he had dark rings under his eyes. She had not known him to neglect himself like that before…

“Phillip?” She called out as she approached, placing a hand on his shoulder.

He looked up at her and she could see a deep sadness in his eyes, a haunted look.

“Phillip, you look like you have seen death. What happened?”

“It’s Owain… He… He has fallen ill. First Ariane and now my brother… I stayed up over the night to make sure he was… I…” Phillip’s voice cracked as he caught himself before he broke down.

She was familiar with their story, they had left their parents due to a condition Owain had and set off on the road together before they had found their way to Eleras and been recruited into the Guard. She had never learned what Owain’s condition was and she had the good sense not to pry. But Phillip and Owain shared a bond that bound them closer than any she had seen before or since. Cassandra cupped his face in her hands and forced him to meet her gaze. 

“We can help. Come with me and I can explain. Can you leave?” She whispered, eyeing the Guardsmen behind him that were inspecting the wagon of a foreign merchant.

He gave her a quizzical look before nodding. But the promise of aid, from she who he knew would not lie to him, seemed to set a fire in his eyes. He turned to the guardsmen and spoke with them for a few moments before he gave them a salute and began walking alongside Cassandra and the Witch.

“Did you do it then? You went to find her?” He asked, using a hushed voice as they walked.

“Yes. She gave her friend here a draught that should aid in their recovery. It isn’t a cure but it is as good as we can get with this according to her. It’s caused by the Hunters.” She explained, giving him the short version.

His gaze grew dark at the mention of the Hunters. They were a nuisance to the guard at best. They raided homes for suspected heresy and they performed execution by burning of those who they had any “Evidence” of Witchcraft for. Much of the Guard disagreed with the Hunters and viewed them as tyrants. But there was naught they could do, each Hunter could fight ten normal men to a standstill and there were dozens of them within the city. The three of them hurried towards Ariane’s family home, a noble manor just outside the Castle grounds, and entered. Ariane’s parents were out attempting to find cures for their daughter, so only one of the servants who had been tending to Ariane was present. She left at Cassandra’s request and the three of them gathered around Ariane’s bed where she was feverish and restlessly sleeping. She already had boils forming on her skin and her face was clenched in pain. Cassandra gently brushed her hand along Ariane’s face and the sleeping woman awoke, her eyes blurred as tears formed in them.

“Cassie… It hurts. I feel like I’m on fire…” Ariane’s voice was raspy and shaky and Cassandra offered her some of the water her servant had left on the bedside table.

She drank the water slowly, her eyes clenched with pain each time she swallowed. The Witch approached and pulled her off to one side while Phillip remained by Ariane’s side.

“Her condition has progressed much more quickly than I feared. Even with my potion I fear… she may not have the strength left to fight. I will still gladly give it but… prepare yourself for the worst I am afraid.” The Witch said, her face was downcast and Cassandra could tell she hated to be saying those words.

The Princess caught herself before she could break down entirely but she felt her eyes well up regardless.

“I understand. May I give it to her?” She asked, choking back tears.

“Of course. No more than two glasses worth. Make sure she drinks slowly.” The witch said, handing her the canteen.

Cassandra returned to Ariane’s bedside and poured a glass of the white liquid. There was no way the canteen could hold as much as she poured but that didn’t matter. She held the glass out to Ariane, her hand trembling as her friend looked at it.

“Cassie… I can’t drink anymore.” Ariane said.

“Please, I went to the Gray Witch, she told me… She told me that it would help you fight the disease.” Cassandra said her voice breaking as Ariane took the glass.

The bedridden woman slowly drank the mixture and Cassandra poured another glass, half full this time and held it to Ariane’s lips. She didn’t manage to keep it down for long, within minutes she was vomiting. Cassandra looked up at the Witch to see her remove her hat and hold it over her chest, her face downcast while Phillip looked away. 

“Can you truly do nothing?” Cassandra asked, looking at the Witch, her voice pleading for any aid at all.

“This is an ailment that attacks magic, you can prevent it but not cure it once it takes hold. For her to progress at this speed means she had magic in her blood. She would have made a fine witch.” The young woman said, and Cassandra saw her eyes were wet with tears as well.

Cassandra picked Ariane up and placed her on the bed. The sick girl looked up at her with bright eyes.

“I always wanted to run away and be a witch… Guess I should have run sooner huh? I love you Cassie, thank you for tryi…” Her voice trailed off as her eyes grew unfocused and breathing slowed to nothing. 

Cassandra clenched Ariane’s hand as tears came in earnest. She buried her face in the bed sheets as she wailed for her friend. She had loved Ariane, they had been together for three years now and here she was rapidly growing cold within Cassandra’s grasp. She didn’t know how long she knelt there at the bedside crying, she only grew aware that time had passed when she awoke to the morning sun on her face, a blanket draped over her shoulders. Ariane’s eyes were closed and her free hand had been placed upon her chest, she looked so peaceful one could almost imagine she was sleeping. Her skin was cold beneath Cassandra’s fingers and the princess stood, placing her other hand upon her chest. She picked up Ariane’s body and cradled it in her arms as she walked out to the main hall of the estate. She saw Ariane’s parents, both with their eyes red and bags under their eyes, look up at her as she emerged. Both came over to her and placed a hand upon her shoulder as they led her to the garden behind the estate. A freshly dug hole stood in one corner of the garden, and she could see Phillip and Owain sitting on a bench off to one side. Owain was pale and looked exhausted but he was alive. On the other side of the Garden she saw Ariane’s siblings rise and begin walking over. 

Cassandra walked to the grave and gently placed Ariane within as her mother knelt down and placed a single acorn within her cold hands. She could hear others saying words of memory and remembrance but her mind was blank as she watched the others slowly bury the love of her life. 

In her pocket Cassandra fingered the rings that she had purchased for the two of them, a silver band each with a diamond set in them.

 Now she would never get the chance to ask.