FROST

THE WITCH OF THE FOREST

The rain has stopped pouring for a while but the clouds didn’t budge out from the sky. It indicates that it will rain again, soon. The enchanted forest, there is nothing so enchanting in here.

This place is home for the boycotted, exiled creatures who are living peacefully and who will die peacefully here too.

There was this brunette, who is roaming in the dark forest, looking for special herbs she wants. She is so familiar with the place that the forest respects her to be here. She picked a golden yellow flower and plucked it, keeping it safe in her small jute bag.

After rechecking the list that she got everything she wanted, she left the place back to her cottage. The little dark creatures admire her charming beauty but they do know that she is not an ordinary witch.

She stands a few inches away from the door of her cottage and mumble a few unfamiliar words to open the door. She cast a spell on the entrance to keep the man of her dreams and his daughter safe from the intruders. 

Just the way she opened the door, she closed it with the same spell. The brunette put the bag on a small wooden table and went to the small bathroom. She changed her clothes and wore a maxi gown made of thin cotton. If someone notices too carefully, they can see her bare skin contrasting with material she wore.

Splashing water over her face, she gazed at her reflection in the mirror. Is she nervous? Yes! Because it’s been a while she performed witchcraft and she is anxious because one mistake will put her in danger.

The forest is enchanted, not because of the creatures but the magic it stored for years. Her magic is not ordinary and if someone smelled her witchcraft from miles away, that will be the end of her life.

As soon as she stepped out from her dazed thoughts, she went to her room to glance at the sharp angular faced, handsome man who she thought will be her lover for eternity.

Her eyes softened but constrict when she noticed the little baby in his arms.

Father and daughter were sleeping soundly. This made her heart set on fire but she knows well that she can’t harm the child, just to satisfy her ego. She could have been the mother of his child but destiny had unique plans for them.

She is lonely in this forest that keeps reminding her every day that there is a hope. And on the other hand, this man differs completely from her. Who got the love he deserved but still he is alone.

She closed the door carefully, not to interrupt them sleeping. She went back to the room and placed the ingredients separately on the slab. Her eyes focused on the trunk which is hidden away from the normal eyes to catch it.

She opened it and her eyes glowed a purple hue. An old, torn book interested her when she took it out and placed it carefully on the slab.

As she was about to open it, a voice alerted her, and she gasped loudly.

“What are you doing?” Elijah asked while rubbing his eyes.

Carmen turned and faced Elijah, “I am doing witchcraft.” not fully mentioning what she has in her mind.

“What kind of witchcraft?” he enquired.

“I told you that i will help you. All these I gather to create some potion for you to stay while your journey.” he stated while going through the book.

Elijah snatched the book from her hand and looked into it but the language written in the book was far away from his knowledge.

“What language is this?” he frowned.

“It’s ancient welsh! You won’t understand. Now just hand me the book. I still have to find the recipe.” She looked determined and took the book from Elijah’s hand. Elijah was observing her every move.

“Are you staring at my back?” she hissed.

“You come easily, you agreed to help me, or my daughter specifically.” he knows where he is pointing the arrows.

“So, you don’t trust me?” Carmen asked without averting her gaze away from the book.

Elijah grabbed her hand from the wrist and dragged her to a corner, “you know me, right? Then you be knowing what it cost tricking me?” his eyes are red in anger.

“I saved your life, Elijah! Why would I want to trick you?” she stated in disbelief.

“What is in your mind? Just tell me the truth.” his gaze pouring dangerous aura.

Carmen gulped down the sticky saliva and replied, “I am creating immunity boosters for both of you. For you to escape, I will create a portal. But the portals are dangerous and they will suck your energy. That potion will help you fight with the portal’s energy.”

After hearing her reason, Elijah let go of her hand.

“Why are you doing this? I thought you hated Silver and so our daughter.” he is not finished yet.

“I hate you Silver haired queen because i can’t stand her near you. She took the most precious thing from me. And about your daughter, she is yours too and this is the mere reason I have let her stay here or I did not try to harm her.”

She continues, “Elijah! I am helping you because it is my duty. I want to help you even if you are wrong. Your daughter is a cursed blood but since you choose your path. I agreed to help you because I don't want to see you dying.” her words are heavy in emotions.

“Just because what you saw in your visions doesn’t have to be real. My daughter is not cursed.” Elijah stated in a low voice.

“She is not yet but she will be. And my visions never proved wrong. I have ancient warlocks blood flowing in my veins. I trust my power as they trust me. What I predicted for your daughter, it will come to haunt you one day.”

She added, “Elijah! As a father, I understand your concern towards your child but no one has fought fate and won. I am the biggest example of this.”

Elijah’s gaze softens, “i am sorry but i am overprotective of my daughter. I don't want anything to happen to her. She is the only one I have as a family. As you are special to me, things are not the same like they used to be before.” she almost cried.

“Don’t worry! I will never let anything happen to you and your daughter. In a few hours, the potion will be created and you both have to drink it. More, I can do you a favor.”

Elijah looked hopefully at her, “what?”

“I will make her invisible, so the cailleachs and other creatures won’t find her.”

Carmen's words of promise were nothing but a blessing to Elijah.

He knows what Carmen is going through because of him but she is helping him escape this place forever, endangering her own life.

He can’t thank her enough for her kindness, no in this birth.

“Thank you, Carmen!” he smiled at her

Carmen returned the favour and started working on her potions. Elijah helped her occasionally with the spells. Since he is not much aware of the knowledge of witchcrafts, he takes the safe side to stay hidden.

Carmen created the potion but it will take some time to become activated. It’s almost dark as the sun sets but it doesn’t bother the dark enchanted forest as it hardly sees the sun rising and the sun setting in the ocean.

Carmen loves the warmth of the sun but she is outcast by a powerful witch to see the sun again. As soon as she steps in the sun, she will die. That’s why she dressed heavily before stepping out in the sun, and that when it is unavoidable for her.

She is not the same woman she was before she met elijah. Almost 50 years back, she met him in a war. They were on the rival team. And become only survivors of the war. To escape, they ran away to Antarctica to hide. There the little love story started and it changed Carmen in a different perspective.

She is very obligant to Elijah for changing her tasteful attitude to a sweet and kind person. But it was too late to save herself. She was overthrown by her own sister and exiled from the caravan.

This thought made her furious and he burned her hand in the fire. Suddenly, she spat out into reality and realised that it was just another nightmare. She was alone in the room and noticed the dawn coming up.

Knowing that not enough time left. She took out a pendant from her trunk and gazed at her.

Perfect!