Witch Waves

Night Musings

Gwen did not sleep a wink all through the night. All she could think about was Janessa's child was under her roof tonight. She was feeling all sorts of emotions. She remembered the fateful day so vividly, like it was yesterday.

Nineteen years ago, Janessa walked into the Apothecary and gave her the news about the pregnancy.

"Gwen, I am pregnant." Janessa said happily.

Gwen stopped mixing the potion she was working on. "Oh my! That's wonderful." She clasped her hands happily. "How far along are you?"

"One week." Janessa said shyly.

Gwen frowned. "Really?" She asked dryly. "Are you messing with me now?" No one is so certain about a pregnancy until after a month.

"No, I am very sure of it. There is a little life growing in my belly." Janessa patted her abdomen gently.

Gwen eyed her friend's belly. "I'm a soul witch. I should be able to check it." Gwen moved closer to Janessa and placed a hand to her belly. At first, she felt nothing. Soon, Gwen's eyes widened, she sensed the energy of another human. "Oh my word! There's truly life here." Gwen straightened up, "So the both of you got together last week, huh?"

Janessa blushed and lowered her head. When she raised her head again, she wore a serious expression. "There's something else I have to tell you. I discovered some grave thing today." Before she could go on, the door opened and a royal guard came in. He moved with a sense of urgency.

"Captain Andell?" He was addressing Janessa.

She stood up and saluted.

"You've been summoned to the Royal House." He said.

Janessa narrowed her eyes at him. "Is there a problem?"

He first looked at Gwen, then shifted his gaze back to Janessa, as if to say that it was not something he could say in front of Gwen. "We should leave now." He said.

"It's fine, Nessa." Gwen shrugged. "You can just drop by tonight and we would finish our discussion." Janessa smiled back.

Janessa gave her a quick hug and kiss and left immediately with the guard.

But that was the last time Gwen saw Janessa. The next morning, she had stopped by Janessa's house, only to meet the whole family in sorrow. It was Sebastian, Janessa's brother that took her aside and told what happened. He told her Janessa became a savage last night.

When a witch was regarded as a savage, it meant they had lost their cognitive abilities. Hence, they became a threat to the well being of others as they could use their magic anyhow. And so, the savages are captured and their powers are taken from them.

Gwen remembered how horrible the news was. It did not just add up for her. Janessa had just been alright the day before, but then it changed to a whole different story.

The situation was even sadder as Janessa had run away from them after her powers had been taken away and they could not find her.

Gwen remembered how the Andells searched for days and months until they finally gave up. But she had kept the information of Janessa's pregnancy to herself. About a year later, she got a letter from Janessa. Gwen jumped up from her king-sized bed in which she had been lying. She moved across the room to her vanity drawer. She pulled it open. "There you are." There were two letters. She opened the first and began to read:

Dear Gwendoline,

How long has it been? I miss you so much.

I am settled in Diesel Town with my newborn. She is absolutely beautiful. I named her "Kelila", but I also call her "Wild Bush". Hilarious, isn't it? I call her that because she has so much hair on her head and it's all pouring down in waves and curls, just like her father's.

I know it would be surprising to receive a letter from me after hearing that I became a savage. I received some stability in my mind when I started my last trimester. It is still a wonder to me how my baby survived all through that time. I think the stability is somewhat connected to my baby. My body is not fully healed from the delivery of my child but I am hanging on.

I just wanted to let you know that my baby and I are still alive and I have a feeling that we will pull through this.

I trust that you would keep the content of this letter to yourself.

I love you through the sun and back.

Janessa.

Gwen folded that one and picked the second one.

Gwendoline,

I am so miserable. I feel so horrible. My little child is now eight but she has gone through so much at my hands. I have hurt her so much. She is even more grown than her age. This is not the life I planned to give my baby when I discovered I was pregnant. I want to give her the life of Royalty she deserves. But my mind is so frail.

I have noticed something, Gwen. When I am not myself and I am wild, and I hurt myself and obtain a sore, I realize that my sanity seems to return until the wound is healed. You know, while my body was recuperating from delivering my daughter, my sanity returned until I was fully well. I will continue to monitor my processes so that I can discover what hex was used on me and break it off.

And if it is what I think it is, I will send my child to you when she is at the ripe age to be admitted into Dalphia. I am sorry to be such a burden, but you're the only one I can trust with her. Please help me and give her the best that I could not give her.

I am sorry I have not asked about your husband, Germaine and Dayne, your little boy. I trust you all are in good health.

I love you to the sun and back.

Janessa.

Gwen put the letters back in the drawer and sat on the edge of her bed. "Janessa..." She sighed. "It is not only Dayne I have now. I have Waylon too, my pretty girl that runs about, scattering everything. You would have been that perfect godmother but you aren't here now." She chuckled lightly. "Germaine and I haven't been getting along so well these days. He is seeing other women now and I am supposed to do nothing about it." Gwen glanced back at her husband's side of the bed. "If you were here, you would have encouraged me, friend. I miss you too. But I am glad because Kelila coming here now means I would see you soon. It's only a matter of time." A tear escaped her left eye and she wiped it away.

Gwen stood to her feet. "No more tears, Gwen. We're about to give Nessa's child the time of her life."

She began to make a mental to-do list. Introduce Kelila to her kids in the morning...Make breakfast...Send an excuse to the Apothecary...Take Waylon to her parents'... Help Dayne and Kelila with their Dalphia registration forms...Take them to the boutique and supermarket...Cook Dayne's special pasta and meatloaf, that would be lunch...Take the evening Airbus to Dalphia...

"Now, that's pretty much a lot to do." She chuckled. She glanced at the clock. It was four a.m. already.