"Calm down, my child! You are not well."
Sylvia heard a tender voice coming from behind the thin and long white curtains around the room. Her eyes frantically looked around, taking in her surroundings.
She was in a small bed, dressed in a simple white cotton dress. The thatched roof of the room looked simple and was not very tall. The large windows allowed bright sunlight to enter the room and provide some natural warmth.
She also noticed many scented candles placed around with glass bottles of different shapes.
"Wh-where I am?" She asked, looking sceptically in the direction where she saw a silhouette of a man behind the white curtains.
She saw him grinding something, his back facing her. She didn't understand what he was doing, but her heart was thudding loudly in her chest.
"You are safe here." That was all he said.
She was confused by his calmness. There was something different about this place, but she couldn't pinpoint what.
"Who are you?" There came her next question.
The man didn't asnwer right away. He stopped grinding before taking the paste he had ground in a glass. Then he poured some water into that glass before mixing the contents well with a spoon.
He then turned and stepped out from behind the curtain.
Sylvia was surprised to see a fragile-looking old man with white long hair and a long beard. Every inch of his skin was covered in wrinkles. His white dress complimented his pale skin.
And his sharp light blue eyes looked straight through her soul. Sylvia shuddered at the intensity of his gaze. Her hands clutched the bedsheet as she held her breath.
The man took slow yet firm steps in her way. Stopping near the bed, he passed her the glass he carried in his hand.
"Take this. It will help with your fever and also give you some energy to your tired body."
Sylvia stared at the yellowish liquid with a weird sense. She didn't want to even breathe the air in this place until she confirmed her safety. And this man was asking her to drink something she didn't know.
Sylvia suddenly tried to get out of bed, only to stagger on her feet. She would have fallen on the ground if a strong hand was not clasping her arm to support her weak body.
Sylvia was amazed that the man who looked like he might snap his bones if he moved around was holding her with such strength.
She slowly sat back on the bed, feeling dizzy.
"Now will you take this?" He asked again.
Sylvia didn't know if she should trust him. But if she was here in what she assumed was his house, then she might just give him a chance.
She took the glass from his hand and began drinking the weird-tasting liquid. Her nose scrunched up in displease, yet she finished the whole content before giving the glass back to him.
She wanted to puke out everything she had in her stomach but blinked rapidly, taking longer breaths to control her nausea.
The old man placed the glass aside before he went to sit in a chair across from her. She watched him carefully. Her eyes narrowed at him.
There was something strange about that man. But what?
"Let me clear your confusion. I found you unconscious by riverside two day ago."
"Two days?!!" Sylvia almost shot out of her place in shock.
"Calm down. I don't mean to startle you." He told her. "You were in and out of consciousness for these two days. You may not remember it."
Indeed she didn't remember it at all.
"I was at the river to get some water. I looked around but you were alone so I brought you at my home. I treated your fever but your body was too tired and needed rest."
Sylvia wanted to doubt his story, but his words felt genuine. But then, something struck her.
Her black eyes darted around the place, searching for something.
Her wand!
Where was it?
Panic began to settle in her chest. What if this man had found it?
The man's light blue eyes observed her for a few moments before he said, "Your belongings are safe in that closet. You can check if anything is missing."
Sylvia gulped. She didn't understand why she felt so unnerved by that man.
"What is your name?" She asked to mild down his suspicion.
"Regnar." He said.
Sylvia nodded her head. "Sylvia."
"Sylvia...?" He waited for her to give her last name, but when she didn't, he left it to it.
He stood up from his chair and asked, "Hungry?"
Sylvia meekly nodded her head.
"Get freshened up. I will get you some food. But be careful. Your body is still healing." He left the room with that said, leaving Sylvia dumbfounded.
She didn't understand why it was all happening to her. What kind of sick game her fate was playing with her?
She sighed before getting out of bed. Ten minutes later, she stepped out of the room after getting freshened up. The delicious aroma beckoned her forward. She followed it mindlessly and ended up in what looked like a small and simple kitchen.
Regnar turned around in time to see her lingering awkwardly at the door. He gestured for her to step in and take a seat at the small dining table.
He served themselves some cooked beans and rice before sitting across Sylvia.
"How do you feel now?" He asked in between the bites.
"I feel better now. Thank you!"
"What were you doing in the forest? You were drenched from head to toe."
"I came to Greenfield to visit my... friend's uncle." Sylvia told him everything, keeping a few things to herself.
"Hmm. I think he must be back now. That girl said he would come back after two days right?"
Sylvia nodded her head. She believed so. "I will go and see him after finishing the food."
She thought he didn't want to take care of a stranger anymore and wanted her to leave as soon as possible. She didn't blame him. At least he was kind enough to help her and didn't leave her to die in the cold out there.
"You are not completely better yet, Sylvia. Give me the address and I will go there myself."
She eyed the man with uncertainty. As if reading her mind, Regnar smirked.
"Don't get fooled by this appearance, young lady. This old man still has bones of iron and the strength of an elephant!"
The corner of Sylvia's lips twitched before she burst out laughing. After many months, she heard the ringing sound of her own laugh.
"Okay, sure!" She agreed nonetheless.
*
*
*
In another realm, an old man with peppery hair and a beard stood at the large window. His eyes were narrowed at the town of wonder that spread in front of him.
Standing at the tallest point of this world of Larnwick, Mr Devera thought about everything that had happened recently.
And only one name kept bothering his mind.
Sylvia Ibsen!
He always knew what kind of a troublesome witch she was. He had warned her family many times about her, but they failed to realise the seriousness of his threat.
When Sylvia escaped from Larnwick, everyone thought they had gotten rid of her. Little did Mr Devera know that she had left after sowing the seeds of rebellion in the mind of his own son!
And look where that had brought him and the legacy of his family!
His son had surrendered all his powers and turned into a human- a muggle- for the sake of his so-called love, who happened to be also a muggle.
What a shame!
A wizard as powerful as Oscar Devera fell in love with a speck of dirt like a human!
He had planned to kill that woman and kidnap his son, but again that witch came in his way. If it wasn't for Sylvia, then Mr Devera would have succeeded in his plan of getting back his son.
But she made him fail!
And now everyone would pay the price. He had already sent his people to attack Malvadogar- the place where his son sought refuge.
But when Mr Devera got the news of Sylvia's escape, all he could see was red. He wished he could go there himself and hunt her down only to teach her a lesson of what happens when someone tries to be an obstacle for the Deveras.
Alas!
He had almost caught her in that restaurant. He was sure his people would get her. Yet again, he had to face another failure.
His people were still searching for her. He wondered where she could hide when she had no one to help her.
His fists curled behind his back as anger surged through him.
But for how long she could hide from him? Sooner or later, she had to commit a mistake and step out in the light.
And then...
A bunch of flowers placed in a vase near him lit up in fire before the burnt smell hit his nostrils. But he didn't care. That was what he would do with her once he found her.