"Uncle please, I don't understand what is going on! Why do they keep calling me a witch?"
I struggled against the aggressive men dressed in the signature paladin uniform as they forcibly dragged me out of my room. He ignored my plea and looked over at a man I had never seen before standing beside him. The men stopped in place and forced me down on my knees. From the ceremonial garbs he was wearing I knew he was a cleric. He looked down on me with a crazy grin on his face as his strawberry blonde locks beamed from behind. He was fairly young, had it not been for his clothes I would never think him to be of his rank in the clergy. He slowly leaned down and grabbed my face. I winced as he tightened his grip, droplets of blood forming against the nails he dug in. He brought my face only inches away from his own.
"Why do you look so frightened? You have nothing to fear if you have nothing to hide. Your fate will be judged by our great and loving saintess."
He released his grip and they resumed to move me out the door. I continued to resist and shouted for those who in blood I would call my family. Lexy stood unaffected filing her nail as her mother gave me a satisfied smirk.
"If I were you I would save your tears till your sentencing, although even that would not gain you mercy."
I wasn't sure who said it, but it wouldn't have made a difference anyways. No matter how thick blood is, it is thin enough to drain one dry.
~
I hovered outside the duke's office, listening to the voices coming from behind the door.
"Why don't we accept Baron Nigel's offer? That girl should be grateful for the chance at a comfortable life!" the duke's wife, Juliette, shouted.
"Just be patient Juliette, things will fall in place as they are meant to." this time it was the duke's voice.
Baron Nigel is known for his many marriages, which ended with him selling off his wives. Not to mention he is sixty two years old.
I'm not surprised that Juliette would try something like this. More importantly, I wonder what the duke meant by "fall in place"?
I wanted to listen in longer but I heard footsteps headed in my direction. Not wanting to get caught by the servants, I knocked on the door.
"Duke it's Laemise, may I have moment?"
Before a response could be given the door swung open. Juliette looked displeased, as usual, to see me.
"What brings you here at this time?" she said with a similar attitude to her daughter.
"As I said, I was hoping to discuss something with the Duke."
I didn't let her temperament get to me.
"Excuse m-"
"Come in." The duke stopped her.
I nodded and stepped past her.
I looked straight at the duke who was sitting neatly at his desk scattered with documents. Unlike his children who resembled their mother, he had dark brown hair and the same honey brown eyes as I did. I probably passed more as his daughter than his own one.
"What is it you wish to speak about?" he asked as he took off his glasses.
"I'd like to discuss my future."
"Your future?" he repeated with narrowed eyes.
I gulped, even with this new conviction his stern presence made me nervous.
Come on Lae, you can do this. No you have to do this.
"I would like to enlist in the war effort."
The room was silent for a good while.
"Have you gone mad?" Juliette finally shouted.
I am tired of these people thinking I am some sort of nutjob.
"Where is this coming from?"
Unlike Juliette, the duke maintained his composure, but even I could tell he was taken off guard.
"I want to follow in grandmot-, I mean the former duchess' footsteps and serve my kingdom." I lied.
He looked unconvinced, and I prayed he would not catch on.
"I wanted to enlist before, but since the former duchess became ill I decided it be best that I nurse her in that time." I argued.
"What exactly can a useless girl like you do compared to Ayla?"
My fist tightened at Juliette's use of grandmother's name so informally.
"As the duke may know, I have a good abundance of mana that the late duchess taught me to use for such situations. I believe I can be a good asset for the intelligence branch."
The duke took a second to ponder before looking back at me.
"Very well."
"Dear!" the duke's wife exclaimed.
Even I can admit, I wasn't expecting that. At least not so easily.
"Mother did exclaim about your talents, and reconnaissance is an area we are needing to strengthen. For the sake of the kingdom I will agree on your request. However, you will also need clearance from his majesty. Not anyone can join the intelligence branch. I will go ahead and bring it up to him."
"Y-Yes I understand, thank you for your benevolence your grace."
I bowed my head and scurried out the room. I couldn't contain myself much more than that. Thanking that bastard really left an awful taste in my mouth.
"Hold it."
I didn't realize that the duke's wife had followed me out.
"Yes, duchess?"
She narrowed her eyes and didn't say anything at first.
"What are you planning?"
"I don't know what you mean?" I played dumb.
"You expect me to believe that you willingly want to join this blood ridden war?"
I'll give her some credit, she is smarter than she looks. Although not by much.
"A-All I want is to honor my grandmother. My life is meaningless otherwise." I stammered trying to appear meek.
"How unsightly, don't think I'll remain idly by and let you do as you please."
With that she turned back and slammed the door shut from the room that she came.
A little dramatic don't you think.
~
After my chat with the duke I spent some time in grandmother's study doing some research, although it didn't do me much good. I had already read these books several times before as it was one of the few things that filled my time. I was hoping that I had missed something regarding witches but nothing.
I took a seat at my desk staring out at the chilly night view of the duchy. I pulled out the book I had hid underneath my gown and plopped it on the table. I wasn't able to find out anything new, but I did come across something that may be of use to me. I furrowed my eyebrows at the ugly looking book. It was covered in fur and at the center was a beastly looking mouth with parts of it's fangs peaking out. This book is known as "the protector of words". It is a pretty rare magical item that only opens to it's master. I had remembered once stumbling upon it when I was a child. It tried to bite my hand off and after that I ran out of grandmother's study in tears, leaving me quite traumatized.
"It has been a while hasn't it." I said to it.
The book supposedly destroys all it's contents once it's master dies. It was a shame I couldn't read through grandmother's entries in the case she had been hiding something from me, although I would have felt guilty had I did. Nevertheless, it will be a good place to store my own findings like future events that had taken place.
I crossed my arms and tilted my head to the side.
"So how exactly do I activate this thing?" I asked aloud.
I tried knocking on it but nothing.
Hmm. What about this?
I took out a letter opener from my desk drawer and poked hard at my index finger. I held it out for the drops of blood to pool at the center of the book. Most magical items need blood to bond, so it was worth a shot.
"I was sure that would work-"
Suddenly I started to hear growling as the mouth of the book opened and a tongue slipped out. It was quite the sight.
"More, more!" the book began getting louder.
I threw my body on top of it, hoping that no one was passing by.
"Shh, shh! I'll give you more just be quite!" I whispered nervously at it.
The growling continued but thankfully the shouting stopped.
Maybe this was more trouble then what it is worth.
I squeezed out more droplets of blood into it's mouth.
"Yummy!" it said and I couldn't help but cringe.
"I'm your new master, I guess?" I hesitantly told it.
The book rolled it's tongue back into it's mouth.
"Master." it spoke before opening to a empty page.
I sighed in relief at my success. I dipped my pen in some ink and began writing away. In my first life, when grandmother was bedridden she had me read to her the war time reports everyday it was published. After her passing, I continued reading them, as if it were a novel and I was awaiting the final chapter. Who knew it would became useful to me. I jotted down every single detail that I read in the reports. Once done I hid the book underneath my pillow and laid down beside it. It was a bit unsettling sharing my bed with it, but the closer it was the better.
I glanced up at the bare white ceiling, pondering through my endless thoughts. The last couple days had taken a toll on my mental well-being, but I couldn't afford to waste a single second feeling sorry for myself.
After my uncle turned me over to the temple, I spent two months in prison while undergoing a trial. I can still remember the shocked sounds of the audience when it was revealed that my mana harbored forbidden magic. Not much longer after that they branded me a "witch" and set my execution date. I felt so helpless, no matter what I said in truth, the verdict had been determined. Most likely long before I even realized it.
Was this all part of some bigger scheme and was my uncle the one to instigate it? Or was it the temple? Who exactly is my enemy? It could be everyone.
Endless questions with no real answers. Not a single person did anything to save me at that time, not that that came as a surprise. Besides grandmother, who had passed at the time, I had no one else in my life to rely on.
At some point all I could hear was the word "witch". I had thought, just like the other nobles of this land my mana was that of a paladin. Witch was the last thing I would have ever thought. They were figures of old tales. Ugly, lustful and evil creatures that tormented the "kind" humans of the world. With the grace of their so called "saintess" the witches were banished to the darkest depths of the world.
"You should be careful dear, with that horrid hair color of yours you might be mistaken as one."
If only I could make more sense of Juliette's words back then. I grabbed a lock of my hair and began twirling it between my fingers. After she had said that, I went crying to grandmother that I didn't want purple hair anymore. She had Harold purchase a potion of hair dye the next day.
Although Juliette had said that, I had a feeling it wasn't because she knew me to be one at that point in time.
If purple hair was a trait of witches then that would mean my mother was a witch. I thought back to that faceless figure that haunted my memories.
Witches couldn't have been extinct until recently then, or that my mother had been living in hiding unbeknownst to the temple. Was my mother also executed by the temple?
With an outstretched hand I mustered up my mana. A gleaming purple butterfly fluttered around before landing perfectly atop my finger. I moved it close to my lips and shut my eyes closed.
~
"Mana is the magic that lies deep inside special individuals. They are gifted with a great strength and even greater burden. Everyone's mana is different, think of it as your twin that you ate in the womb being resurfaced."
The sword grandmother gripped onto began to dazzle with a white hue. With eyes widened in amazement, my tiny hand reached out for the glistening weapon. As soon as I did, grandmother slapped my hand away. I whimpered and rubbed the top of my hand.
"C-Can I use magic too grandmother?" I held back the tears.
"Of course you can child, why else would I be telling you this."
"H-How! How do I do it grandmother?" I ignored the sternness in her voice and asked eagerly.
"Have you not been listening; you have to figure that out for yourself."
I groaned dissatisfied with her reply.
"I will guide you partially there." grandmother sighed.
I straightened myself out and looked readily in anticipation.
"Start by outstretching your arms."
"Right." I stretched out my arms.
"Now close your eyes and focus on the energy surrounding your body, think of it as your aura."
"Right." I closed my eyes and thought hard about my "aura".
"Now try to redirect that flow to the palms of your hands."
"Righ-"
"Child you do not need to reply, just focus!" grandmother scolded.
I winced at her tone but did as she said.
This fuzzy feeling in my chest, this has to be what grandmother is talking about. Focus on it and send it to my hands.
I could feel the palms of my hands burning and nervously opened one eye.
"Wow grandma look I did it!"
A glowing stream of purple light circled in between my hands.
"Don't look so excited yet child, you were only able to complete a portion of what you should be able to do."
I looked at her with a depressed expression.
"Now with that ball of energy shape it to mirror your soul."
"B-But how do I do th-" I started but shut my mouth after looking at grandmother's scowl.
Just as I was about to close my eyes again, I caught the sight of a majestic creature settling down on grandmother's shoulder. It flapped its purple and black wings ever so gracefully. With the image fresh in my mind I shut my eyes and concentrated real hard.
"Child."
"Child open your eyes!"
Grandmothers touch pulled me back to my senses and I gasped at the sight surrounding us. Hundreds of gleaming purple butterflies fluttered in the air. I looked to grandmother who stared blankly at what I had done. I felt my heart drop.
"Grandmother I am sorr-"
All the butterflies in the world couldn't have been able to catch my breath more than what I witnessed in that moment. Missed with a blink of an eye, for the first time in my life I saw my grandmother smile.
~
I opened my lids at the sensation of cold trickles running down my cheek.
"Geez, why am I even crying." I sat up and wiped the tears from my face.
I had experienced it once already, but it seemed like my grandmother's passing still held some weight in my heart.
Slight rays of the sun slipped into my room, not realizing how much time had passed with the start of a new day. I swiftly stepped out of bed and headed towards the bathroom. As my nightgown fell to the floor, I stared in the mirror at my bare appearance. I turned around and placed a hand over my right shoulder blade.
"Three years. I have three years to figure out my next step, before it is too late."
Dear grandmother, I wonder was it in that moment of my childhood that you knew I was a witch?