Esadora had some time before her belly and body began to bloat with change. To think, that she had a coven of her own? One that might last for many years to come? All it cost was a simple agreement that her power be given to the witch goddess upon her death. This of course was an eventuality in any case. No matter which of the witches inherited her power, the goddess inevitably acquired the power sooner or later.

She rolled bones and took care as she traveled, "Be on alert for all manner of enemies. We have traveled far from the sight of the Grand Coven. We are on our own."

The young stayed close together like scared hens. Which worked well for Esadora, they were easier to protect this way. As they were, they were not going to be useful in combat should the witchblade's strike. Although she supposed they were far from harmless, the young witches were capable of some magic. But the bulk of them would have to rely on Esadora, Maud or Elizabette. Maud traveled in the back, appearing weak and clumsy as she traveled in an effort to bait out those who struck. She did not need to act much, she merely needed to ache and act as if the travel took a toll on her, which it did.

Elizabette towered over the other witches and took the front. The giant of a witch could grow larger should she devour flesh and she had flesh to spare in the event it came to that. If there was an attack from the front, it would likey be raiders, highwaymen or some sort of mortal military. An attack from the rear would most likely be the witchblades, in which case they would not find Maud easy prey. Those who attacked the girls in the middle would face the wrath of the matron of death. Esadora watched over them gently offering bits of encouragement here and there as a motherly figure. Some had skill with herbs and potions. Esadora was happy to hear them brag, she needed to know what they were good at. Although she had more respect for those that hid their abilities.

One such witch that seemed to bare a little talent, seemed to touch trees every now and again.

Perhaps she was appraising them or simply curious? Esadora would find out.

"Little one you touch trees often, have you skill with them?"

The young witch nodded, perhaps a teenager. "Yes matron. I can talk to them if I need to. With time I can make trees walk."

Esadora was interested, "Such a skill is useful, but doubtless there was little room in the bog for you to practice your craft."

The young witch nodded, "Yes matron. I was hoping to go to a place with trees that I could corrupt. Trees that I could bend to my will that were not already taken."

Esadora looked to another of the young, "And you, little one. You seem to take a liking to animals."

The witch had frizzy hair with bits of twig, leaves and even some sort of dropping. She nodded, "I was hoping to find a place near a cave that I could command bats. I have a knack for giving them commands."

Esadora was familiar, "When I was young I communed with spirits. I could help you learn to command animals, you'll find it's far easier than spirits."

Esadora planned to make the young girls useful. Making certain each had a talent or ability that would be a boon to the coven. She would instruct them on the basics, but not so much where any could be a threat to her. It would take patience if any of them ever hoped to have a chance against her. But then it wasn't much different than Esadora and her matron. As it turned out Esadora had a different talent than her matron and she used her ability to speak with the dead to give her strength. The dead could whisper forbidden knowledge and drawing power from the spirits was not something every witch could learn.

In time one of them would find some way to kill her. But signs of talent began now. Often showing as signs before any of them could learn to be any real threat. The witch that commanded trees could one day shape them into a collossus of wood. But not before learning how to make small tree elementals that followed simple orders. Even she could one day be a threat, but it seemed she was better suited to follow. The child who spoke to bats might one day be able to fuse creatures together or give them great strength. The child might call swarms. But it was not something she could do yet. There were many like them, untapped with potential. None a threat to Esadora.

One of Esadora's mightiest and secret techniques was simply preventing death. When one should die, they simply did not so long as she spoke the words. It might not last forever, but it might be enough for them to find some sort of healing or new body to possess. She had many spirits on patrol who invisibly kept watch over the coven. If she needed she could call up corpses to fight. Although there were not many she could feel beneath the earth. It was spiritual attacks that most mortals could not counter. If she so desired she could hex a victim to have a heart attack a short moment later. It's the main reason why Elizabette still served Esadora. While she was strong and physically powerful, Esadora could certainly end her.

x x x

Travel lasted for days which extended into weeks. Until at last they found a place where they might take refuge. There was a small town of woodsman, which they did not aim to bother. They would instead target a city or place with many lives that could go missing and none would say a thing. They would need to act carefully and slowly. Not only this, there were spirits of the wood. Esadora observed the spirits and noted them.

"We are close to elves... But they do not stray this far. We will unlikely find a place better. Go now, set up for yourselves a place to stay. Until you are older and wiser you will need to stay near your matron. This shall be your new home."

It was uncorrupted land near trees and a river. The river was clean running water, which witches often hated since it messed with their magics. But on the other hand it would also serve as a shield against others. Running water weakened most forms of scrying magic. But perhaps it would keep them from being noticed. The town nearby was a logging town of little note. Lorndrum it was called. But the great city of Xing lay to the southwest. Esadora rolled the bones repeatedly. Following unknown rules in order to roll the bones. Few understood what she could or could not ask the bones.

After her findings she announced.

"We will survive in this place at least 10 years. But a greater number than even that. The coven will grow and become stronger. It is decided."

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

There was not cheers, but relief among the girls. Their long journey had come to an end. Only now to be replaced with lots of work. Making a domain for themselves was difficult. The land was resistant to curses and it was clear to Esadora from the start what the problem was. She motioned to Maud to follow.

Maud had already guessed the issue, "A family of druids?"

This place had a family of druids nearby, or at least near enough where it woudl be a problem. Two miles away she supposed. Druids could live out in the woods on their own and their power varied greatly depending on their pacts with spirits or nature. Even so Esadora would easily crush druids. They were not ready to face a true Matron.

Esadora smiled with darkened teeth, "Yes, sister. Shall we greet them?"

Maud considered the situation, "The experienced druids will not be corrupted, it is best to kill them before they warn elves or Xing."

Esadora agreed, "But their young might prove useful.

Esadora observed that there was likely a child with them. Her spirits telling her such things.

Maud looked back to the little witches. "We are not going to protect the young?"

Esadora had to act quickly and she would have to keep her distance. "There is little time and it is not far. Elizabette is with them."

It was a risk, but risks like these needed to be taken for better of the Coven. It was unlikely that anyone would react quickly to the witches. Her ghosts would warn her relatively soon after they saw anything. It was best to act now.

The druid family from the signs they could see as they got closer was a family of four. It seemed they enjoyed the company of woodland creatures. Many of them served as scouts and alarms. They posed little threat to Esadora and even less to Maud. Maud simply used her hypnotic eye and gestures on the beasts to have them believe everything was fine. Animals were often easier to give mental suggestions than people.

They came across a cave which did not seem to go deep in any particular direction, but it seemed to be some type of home. It smelled of animals and plants. A few dreamcatcher charms littered the ceiling and relatively few wards were needed. The thick walls did in fact offer some small protection from magic and the running river nearby would offer some additional minor protection assuming a threat came from that direction. It did not seem like anyone was there, but the witches did not stay close to the cave. They observed at a distance using spirits.

Maud looked to Esadora who simply agreed mentally, We wait.

It took hours before the first druid returned. Then some time later came a woman with two children. Teens by the look of them. The girl sang happily and prepared plants. It was a beautiful white haired girl. One that Esadora considered a moment, there was magic within her. It seemed she had a little brother. All four of them had returned home. Which was enough for Maud and Esadora to act. Waiting only a moment after the druids entered their cave to step out into the open. “They will smell us.”

Esadora smiled, “That is fine.”

Maud cast magic upon them, “I will use a stronger spell to reduce the smell. But they may still smell us. Expect an attack, sister matron.”

Esadora stepped into the cave. The little boy stepped out to greet them. Only then to have a lost and confused face on him. He looked like he wore skins and plants. There were fish being cooked and the smell of herbs being mixed into a stew.

Before he cried out Maud looked the child over. “Boy. What is your name.”

He seemed to be in a strange hypnotized state. “I am called Yursic. I do not have a last name.”

Maud muttered his name and added power to the hypnosis, “What is the name of your parents and sister?”

The little boy resisted, but could not stand long. He sweat and grunted. Knowing full well that his instincts were telling him not to tell her. But knowing your name only made witch magic stronger. “My sister is Eflanna. My dad and mother are called.”

He stuttered a moment and babbled until what appeared a sabertooth tiger came thrashing out of the mouth of a cave. Beside it an enraged root covered elemental. Esadora was ready for them. Her eyes flashed with power as she spoke words in ancient tongues and spirits of the dead bent to her will. She cast magic that forced back the tiger with a pulse. And then she muttered magics that caused the root elemental to begin to wither and dry out. More spirits rose taking the form of phantom warriors.

“My sister, do it.”

Maud grabbed the child and handed it to Esadora. “Blood of your blood. Be bound!” She completed a ritual using the child's blood. Causing a strange light to go over the tiger and another light to come out of a dark part of the cave.

The tiger turned into a man who squirmed until at last he stopped moving. It was the boy's father. The woman in the back fell to the ground unable to command her elemental. Maud quickly took a knife and slit her throat. They kept the children.

Esadora noted the teenage girl quivering in fear, but also bound.“They will make useful breeding stock.”

Maud looked to the child, “You shall be renamed Kai. You will live under this new name. Hear and obey.”

The child nodded.

The girl looked as if she wanted to say something. Esadora made a threat, “If you speak child I will take your voice from you.”

She grit her teeth and then spoke in anger the words to summon up moon fire. Only then to fall silent. A skeletal hand came out of the wall and gripped her neck. Esadora came before her and reached to her throat choking her silent. At last she slept.

“These two will make fine prizes.” Maud said. “They have magic within them. They can be taught.”

Esadora smirked at the teenaged girl. “She will be useful. Perhaps I will use her when I must restore my youth. Until that time you are right. Ah and I nearly forgot.”

Esadora reached into the girl's very being and ripped something out. “Your voice is no longer yours, girl. You'd best do without it.”

The deed was done. No one would be in their way now. Maud knew what they had to do now, “We must return to the Coven. They may be in danger.”

x X x

Much to the surprise of Claire the matrons had stepped away from the remainder of the Coven. She had to agree this was a good place for a settlement. The witchblade had to follow them at a distance so great that the spectral spirits of Esadora could not sense them. And supposing they did get sensed, they had enough distance to escape. But much would be lost of the witches learned of their location now.

Claire observed the tracks, they took more steps in preventing themselves from being sense magically than by traditional means. “It seems that the matron has separated from the main group.”

Her partner was covered from head to toe in cloth. “So it would seem.”

She could only make guesses as to why. “They found a threat or a prize. Who can say. It's not often the matron separates from the group.”

The clothed man went by Nathan although you'd never get a name out of him considering there was always a chance a witch could use it. “Should I strike at the witches?”

Claire considered. “I personally would wait, but this is a good chance... I'll leave that decision up to you. We'd be sacrificing the fact we know they're here.”

Nathan didn't care. We wouldn't strike again for many years in either case. And if they move we can still follow.”

That was true. And she supposed there wouldn't be a better time to do it. “Strike at range and get out of there. I'll remain here to report to the remainder of the witchblade order where to find the coven after I've confirmed their settlement. One of us needs to report to others where they've hidden themselves.”

Nathan understood and drew a bow. “If I don't return. Assume the worst. Keep watch.”

Claire nodded, “Die well if you must die.”

He smirked then took his bow and moved in. Using his spiritual energy to sense for unseen spirits as he ran forward. Claire waited until he was out of sight before frowning and looking behind her. “Why are you following me?”

A shadowed figure took the shape of a red skinned man, who was certainly no demon, but making a mixture of demon and human appearance. “Tidings huntress. I have come seeking permission. Permission to speak.”

A smile and yellow eyes faced her. The figure was an illusion nothing more. Something so subtle few could have noticed it and yet meaningful in making its presence known.

Annoyed she began. "Speak."

The figure smiled and made its introductions, "I have come to bargain and pact, as is my station."

X x X

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