The Witch’s Regrets

The beginning of the end

Prologue

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Natasha Volkov ran as fast as her little legs could carry her. Her heart was pumping. She had to escape. Had to run.

“I’m going to get you!” Her father, Luka Volkov’s voice taunted her.

“No!” She screamed back at him running faster. Just a little faster, she saw her escape.

“I’m going to get you!” Her father taunted her again.

“No!” She screamed even louder, she dared not to look back and see his face. Then suddenly he teleported in front of her, and grabbed her.

“I got you!” Her father said merrily.

“No! That’s cheating!” Eleven year old Natasha declared upset that her father used magic in their game. Her father just laughed, which made Natasha so mad she tackled her father to the ground.

“Hey!” He shouted surprised, Nat heard her mother laugh in the background.

“Serves you right Luka. Our daughter has your temper.” The father and daughter rolled around in the snow.

“Okay! Okay! I’m sorry солнышко.” Luka pleaded for mercy as his daughter banged her tiny fists on his chest. “Mercy!” He screamed out, and Nat heard her mother laughing.

“Never,” she screamed back laughing. Nat’s dad went in for his secret weapon, he started tickling her. “No!” She screamed, and started laughing.

“Mom! Help me!” Natasha cried out for help. Nat heard her mother laughing. Soon her mother jumped on her fathers back. The three of them were rolling around in the snow. They were laughing, and smiling.

The three of them lived in a small wood cabin near a lake in Siberia. It was freezing, but thanks to being a witch Natasha’s body chemistry kept her warmer than regular humans.

“No! Not my sweet love! She betrayed me!” Luka cried out.

The small family finally wound down several minutes later.

“Brrr it’s so cold! Let’s go inside and have some hot chocolate huh?“ her mother suggested, and Natasha dashed off for the small cabin. Natasha was so happy with her family, despite the fact that her parents often traveled for work. Nat was never left alone with strangers. Her mother would stay home when her father left, and vice versa. Then there were the blissful times like these when both of her parents were home.

“Mom when will Alexei and Aunt Anya come over again?” Nat asked when they sat down at the table with their chocolate. Anya wasn’t Nat’s aunt just a close friend of her mothers, who liked to be called aunt. Alexei was Nat’s only, and closest friend. The two often came over when Nat’s father had to leave on Official Coven business.

“I don’t know sweetheart, your father just got back,” her mother said as she looked lovingly into her fathers eyes. Her father looked right back. When they started kissing Nat started making gagging noises. Svetlana started laughing at her young daughter.

“Oh you laugh now, солнышко. Just wait until you are in love.” Her mother said. Natasha wanted to say something negative about love, but that would be a lie. Nat wanted a love like her parents, who fell madly in love without the wick bond. It was so romantic.

“Oh no! My daughters only love will be me!” Her father boomed and picked her up, Nat started giggling as he swung her around.

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Natasha never would have known that was the last happy interaction she would have with her father. As a family. If she had known Nat would have linger in her fathers embrace a little longer. Laughed a little more. Told him that she loved him, just one last time. But that’s the thing about change, a person never sees it coming. Especially children.

Later that night Luka got word that his father was ill and could no longer lead the Russian coven. Misha was calling his son to lead the coven.

That night for the first time ever Natasha heard her parents arguing. It woke her up. It was a small cabin, so Natasha heard everything.

“Luka, I don’t want us moving there.” Her mom was saying.

“Svetlana we have no choice. You’ve known since you met me thirty years ago that I would lead the coven.” Replied her father in a firm voice.

“That was before we had a daughter, you know how your family will treat her,” her mom was saying. What were they talking about? Natasha didn’t understand.

“My family would never treat my daughter badly. You shouldn’t insult them like that.” Daddy’s voice was scary, he never talked to mommy like that. Nat didn’t like it, she crawled out of bed. She approached the kitchen door where they were talking, and saw daddy’s face. He was scary looking. He never looked at mommy like that, he only looked at mommy with love in his eyes.

“Luka, you don’t know how they talked to me when you weren’t around. Why do you think I won’t return there. Why I left there as soon as I could? You were the one who followed me! Not the other way around!”

“Stop this now!” Her father said, and some of his magic came out. Her mother let out a sound of surprise. Nat came running out of the room.

“Mommy!” Nat came running into the room, and found her mother up against the wall.

“What happened?” Nat asked her parents. The room was silent. Natasha looked between her mother, and father. Her fathers face was a mixture of anger, shock, and guilt. Her mothers face showed shock as well, but had a lot of pain, and betrayal on it as well. Before her father could utter an apology her mother ushered Nat out of the kitchen.

“Mommy what happened?” Nat asked her mother. Svetlana didn’t respond, she just walked Natasha into her room. Where once the door was shut, her mother place a magical barrier.

“Mommy?” Natasha was scared.

“Nat let’s go back to bed,” Nat nodded climbing back into bed. Nat was surprised as she felt her mother climb in alongside her. Her mother used to sleep with her all the time, but not for many years. And never when daddy was home. She would sleep with daddy. Nat was scared. She didn’t like what was going on. They were so happy just hours earlier.

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They left the next day. Natasha didn’t know why until several years later. But her father told her mother that Luka was taking her whether Svetlana came or not. Her mother knew she had no choice but to comply. The Volkov’s were one of the strongest witch family in the world, only to be rivaled by the McGregor’s in Ireland.

Her mother Svetlana was born to peasants close to three hundred years ago. She was discovered to have magic by the Volkov’s, and trained at their coven. It takes a witch or wizard over twenty years to complete their training. Luka was Svetlana’s teacher, and already over two hundred years old. Luka fell in love with her, but she resisted him. Her mother wanted to wait for her wick, like any young witch does. Luka respected her wish, and let her go her own way.

It wasn’t until they were both on assignment thirty years ago that they came together. Her mother didn’t tell Nat more, and she didn’t want to know more. Hearing about her parents having s.ex is just wrong. However, they loved each other enough to create a baby. Her. That enough says how strong their love was, the moon goddess rarely blesses anyone who aren’t mates with children.

That’s what her parents told her. Nat soon found out there’s a different viewpoint. Her fathers family called her an abomination. The second she stepped into coven lands her life became hell. Especially by her fathers mother. Natasha wasn’t allowed to call her by anything other than Mrs. Volkov. When her father introduced Nat to his mother she put on a fake smile, and told her she was happy to have her granddaughter here. When her father left the room Natasha was given a slap and called her a полукровка.

Natasha never heard the word before. So when she asked her mother what that meant her mother started crying. Natasha didn’t understand so she pulled out a dictionary, and looked it up. The word meant half-blood. That doesn’t make sense, her father was a witch and so was her mother, so how could she be a half blood. Natasha dismissed it from her thoughts, until her grandma called her полукровка the next day after her father left the dinner table.

“Grandma?” She started to ask, when she got a harsh slap on the cheek.

“Never call me that name again you vile creature.” Her grandma got up, and left the table. Her grandfather had watched the whole encounter without saying a word. Her mother had been away on coven business all day.

“Grandfather?” Nat asked when the tears finally cleared from her eyes.

“Yes?” He asked as if he didn’t witness the cruelness of his wife.

“What does полукровка mean like grand- Mrs. Volkov calls me?” Nat asked. Mr. Volkov stared at her for a moment.

“It means half-blood or dirty blood. It’s a term witches use for when people have bastard children who are not their wick.”

“Dad doesn’t view me that way,” Natasha said firmly.

“He will when he meets his wick,” her grandfather predicted. Natasha sat there, and wanted to tell him that he was wrong. But she couldn’t, her father had already become a man she didn’t recognize. When they arrived he hadn’t even talked to her except sitting down at the dinner table. Where her father ignored her.

“Thank you for educating me Mr. Volkov,” Natasha said and walked out of the room.

This was just the beginning of her hell.

солнышко - sunshine, it’s a common term of endearment for Russian children.

полукровка- half blood