Everyone was still looking at me with pity, among the V.I.P.s stood tall my nemesis, I saw Sid walking nonchalantly to me, wearing a creepy smile, predatory even, until we were infinitely much closer than I would ever be comfortable with, then he leaned onto my shoulder and whispered hot breath beside my ear.
[Sid] Who would have thought that the fiery leopard had no teeth, nor claws to defend herself, you are next my dear.
[Lizzie] (Also whispering with anger) If you dare, I promise you I will rip your cock whole, teeth or no teeth involved.
[Sid] (Whispering) Breaking you will be so sweet, I'll send the dogs after you, not today, not tomorrow, but soon, do not even think about leaving the village, I'll know.
He left me there, strength leaving my body, telling me that the danger was gone by its state of exhaustion after an intense alert period. Gaspar was able to drag me home, Gramps was working, so only the two of us were there to chat over a meal prepared by my guest.
[Gaspar] There you go, try to eat something at least little one, you are way too pale and we need to plan how to get out of here, history will not repeat itself if I can help it.
Should I tell him about the voice inside my head? Would he believe I've got broken out of despair? Shit, I need more information, I can not expect to resolve this alone, if so, Whom do I ask? I don´t think I'm insane, it was far too real, far too coincidental, something is looking for me, but why me? Why now?
[Lizzie] Denied, do not pretend that would not be a suicidal strategy, I've got something else in mind uncle, do you know who ventures inside the forest?
[Gaspar] (Little wrinkles beside his eyes showed concern) The forest you say? Trade men like me or Gabriel only enter into the first layer, a couple of ten kilometers or so, to hunt game or get wood or the like, then you got the village druid who lives after that, where the monsters and beast become more numerous and dangerous, around here you also can encounter adventurers who take odd jobs, last, there is the Morte family who dwells in the big old mansion next to the cemetery, you should know their kids from school, a bunch of lunatics if you ask me, the lot of them, for some reason they disappear into the forest for who knows why, Vilma the druid told me once that she saw some of them going further inside, where the fae walks upon the earth, even she is careful when traveling those paths, and it is part of her job to be a mediator between the folk and the fairies, rare as it might be.
[Lizzie] Rare? How rare are we talking about?
[Gaspar] I have never seen the little critters myself, but I know they are around, someone is stealing all my left socks I swear! usually, you won't be able to see them unless they want you to. Deep inside the forest, it's different tough, somewhere in this huge forest, bards sing of a blurring of this realm and the next, where fae are plenty among the trees, there´s where you need to be careful, that's why it is forbidden, I don't know from where this curiosity came, but hear me child, do not enter the forest, nothing good will come out of it.
Answers only brought with them more questions, if a Fae is calling for me, why does it need me to go to them? (neutral pronoun as they gender its unknown if it has one at all), Why do Morte members go into the deep forest where faes reside? What´s their connection? Who can I rely upon? The best shot would be Vilma, but if she is not in town how I'm supposed to reach her? My uncle is not an option, he made himself clear about it, Adventurers maybe? Too expensive to even consider, I do know Mallory Morte tough, we talk from time to time, She is weird indeed, but fun to watch if anything, she could introduce me to her family perhaps?
[Lizzie] So you are sticking to scape uncle? You know Gramps is a hard nut to crack, why don't you oversee everything, I'm too exhausted, I think a nap would do wonders.
[Gaspar] Damn, we still have to tell Gabriel about everything, yeah you better leave that to me, see you tonight little one.
After my uncle left, I gathered the amenities I would need for a trip to the forest into a backpack, just basics though, water, food, clothes, and the like, I hoped either Vilma or the Morte would have the rest since they are used to wander inside. The trip to the market failed, nobody has seen Vilma the last few days, that's plan A to the bin, plan B I guess. I walked a whole lot until I arrived at the distant gothic mansion, it was set far from the village, and was quite a large a piece of land even if you excluded the cemetery, the mansion itself was a thing of beauty, four stories high, taller even than the baron´s residence, decorated with ample balconies and fine terminations in the darkest and gothic (Perhaps rococo) style, a lot of the windows had light in them, how many candles would you need to do that? I don't want to even think about it. The gate was a phenomenon itself, huge, ominous, and tenebrous, the thing opened in silence, like recognizing a timely arrival.
[Lizzie] AAAAAAHHH! Sudden, sudden, too sudden, what's the matter with this gate?
[Mallory] (Appeared from who knows where, maybe she was there from the beginning) Obviously the gate recognized you and let you in, I have talked to it about you after all, welcome Lizzie.
[Lizzie] AAAAAAAAAAAAHHH! WHERE DID YOU COME FROM? Shit, Mallory you know you shouldn't scare me like that.
Mallory was my age, black short hair bob style, it was so pitch black that it ate the light around it, maybe it was my imagination, maybe it was the fact her skin was so fair and pale, that the contrast made me perceive so, or the fact that she always wore black dresses, almost as dark as her hair, but not quite, her hair was almost a thing of fairy tales.
[Lizzie] What do you mean it let me in? things can not make decisions Mallory.
[Mallory] Uh? They can´t? Maybe I'm wrong then Hahaha!
[Lizzie] Duh! it's obvious Mal! Anyways, could you let me in? I want to speak to your parents.
[Mallory] Wooah, that's not something you hear often, come Lizzie (She said while walking away while I follow), what's your business about? Did you kill someone? Do you have a funeral coming? Should I prepare a party? The intrigue it´s eating me!
[Lizzie] Why the hell would we throw a party if that's the case? Nothing like that, just wanted to ask if they could escort me through the woods.
We were almost at the front door when Mallory turned around looking at me with a heavy stare, distrust evident in her expression.
[Mallory] What makes you think we can help you?
The hinges of the door opened in a flash at Mallory´s back, revealing her mother Trisha, a tall slender woman, with long black hair, as black as Mallory, put with paler skin, for a moment there I mistook her for a vampire or something.
[Trisha] That´s no way to talk to our guest querida, after all, she is one of the few girls who talks to you in the village, make yourself at home darling, mi casa es tu casa.
yeah that´s Trisha, for some reason she liked to talk in Spanish from time to time, she seems to think we all can understand her mixed sentences, but it´s not that hard if you go by context at least. I silently made my way to the reception, it was so weird to be in here, there were armors on the walls, a stuffed bear on its two back paws, awe-inspiring paintings, and a huge chandelier on the ceiling, these things were watching me, I have no proof but no doubts either, I'm feeling small, so small...
[Trisha] Querida, do tell me why you have come seeking for us.
[Lizzie] I... I want to venture deep into the forest, but it´s too dangerous to go alone, so...
[Trisha] The forest, how intriguing, everything has a price as you should know by now, dear, what are you looking for?
[Lizzie] I would rather keep it a secret, reaching the druid in the forest should be alright, I think she can help me once we arrive there.
[Trisha] So sad my dear, we Morte love secrets, and yours seems to be extra juicy, nobody wants to enter the forest you see. Spill it out, be truthful and we shall aid you, Vilma barely knows where she is standing. (An aura of tranquility seemed to irradiate from the woman, a kind of stillness even, really resalted the corpse look)
Do I want to tell what's happening in my head?, they are weird enough to not take me as a madwoman, but it is too cheap a price for a favor this big, it's a dangerous place after all, what I´m missing here? Only one way to gather clues I guess.
[Lizzie] A voice of sorts has made its way inside my mind Madam, its will is calling me into the forest, that's what I know at least.
[Trisha] Ah! Que maravilla (She says with an impossibly large smile across her cheeks, somewhat scaring me), Mallory I think we may have a new sister soon, why in the seven hells didn´t you tell your mother that your friend was from a Wicca family? We need to prepare everything, my dear, ready yourself, Mallory will guide you to wherever it is you are going.
What does that mean? We are Wiccans in my family? What does it even mean? There is so much I do not know!