Hara and the Witch

Chapter 12: Away on a Broom

Realising pretty quickly that she had found herself in a prize mess, Hara inhaled sharply. She had hoped she would get that box of pastries Reginald had promised before leaving town, but she was suddenly doubting it.

'Plim, pay Drom. Find out what you can.' Hara felt the dove push off her shoulder with a prompt squeak as she grasped Marigold's hand and turned to the one person she had really hoped wouldn't catch up with her.

'Mere. I'll be right back,' she said to the woman standing breathless in the doorway - why was it always doorways with her? - grabbing the ivy blade and tiny breastplate and rushing into the square, only just restraining herself from diving out the window.

And then she ran, dragging Marigold along after her.

'Where'd you leave that broom of yours?' she yelled over the bustle of the square and the pounding of her feet.

'R... Reginald has it,' Marigold said faintly, dodging a group of artists and pulling Hara out of the way of a pigeon altercation.

'REGINALD!' Hara yelled at the top of her lungs, charging towards the distant bakers stall, her feet moving so fast it almost felt as if hey weren't touching the stony ground. They splashed through a puddle made by a boisterous fountain, ducked around a few oblivious children and twice more Marigold pulled Hara out of the way of swooning couples who she just assumed would move.

Not once did Hara let go of Marigold, not even as they came upon Reginald's stall and she reached out for the broom and Marigold's stuffed satchel, snatching it out of the surprisingly calm baker's hands. He said something to Marigold but Hara didn't hear, pausing only long enough to swing the bag over her shoulder; then, with a slight change of course, they were off once more.

'If I get on,' Hara called, trying not to pant too loudly but struggling to breathe now, 'will your broom know what to do?'

'No!' Marigold yelled indignantly, pulling her hand out of Hara's and grabbing the broom herself. She sprang onto it and was in the air before Hara had even registered the loss of her hand - but there it was again, reaching down from the sky and pulling Hara sharply onto the broom as it coasted a few feet off the ground.

And then they were flying and Hara wanted to take it in, every second, but she really couldn't breathe.

She gasped, sucking in lungfuls of burning air, Marigold sailing higher and higher until they were lost in a patch of clouds.

'What did Reginald say?' she asked, watching the rise and fall of Marigold's own breathing in front of her as they slowed down and hovered amidst the clouds. Marigold didn't answer and as Hara gazed around in wonder she heard a noise that didn't quite sound like a gasp.

'Marigold?'

'He said the heroes... were back.'

A second before Marigold turned around to look at her, Hara realised she was crying. Her face was drenched, sweat and cloud kisses combing with the tears that were falling fast.

'Oh...' Hara felt her gut twist as she watched her friend's eyes continue to well. 'Oh Marigold. I'm so sor-'

'That was her,' she whispered, face crumpling as she let out a sob. 'Back in the shop. She's the one who...'

'Went after you? That was... Mere?' She felt sick, her heart falling, all her exhilaration gone in a second as she tried to connect Mere, her- no, not her Mere. If Mere had ever been Hara's, she certainly wasn't now. She would never have admitted it, but despite everything Hara had always known she would have joined Mere if she had only asked. Even with her broken heart, her fury, her new world... She had never forgiven Mere, but she had never quite stopped loving her, either. Not even when she told herself she had.