Affinity Witch

Chapter 14: Traveling with Schön

Sabrina walked a few feet behind her mother as they made their way to the courtyard, the last stars winking out of sight as the sun began to rise in the distance. The trip to the Zurasammen coven would take the entirety of the day, and she wanted to be off early, although that might have had more to do with escaping her mother than any real need to be up with the sun.

Shifting the bag she carried from one hand to the other, Sabrina stifled a grunt. The bag held far more clothes than she could possibly wear, given that she was only spending two nights away from the castle, but her mother had insisted. And in the end, it had been easier to let her have her way and pack whatever she wanted in the large valise than to try and dissuade her.

Sabrina seriously doubted she would be able to repack everything in the same organized manner, but she'd worry about that later. Perhaps there was some sort of shrinking spell she could use, miniaturizing her belongings...or she could conveniently "forget" a few items at the other coven and not even bother trying to squeeze the numerous dresses back into her bag.

Along with the soft-sided suitcase, Sabrina was also taking a pair of brown saddlebags, currently resting over her mother's shoulder. The saddlebags held food prepared by the Hexen cooks for her to eat along the way, although she could always stop at a tavern, if she chose.

A grey mourning dove cooed gently from an overhead windowsill as Sabrina and her mother approached the stables. The scent of warm animal bodies, hay, and wood shavings tickled Sabrina's nose, and she felt a jolt of excitement speed through her.

She'd never traveled so far away before and certainly hadn't imagined doing so by herself until she was significantly older. It wasn't exactly a dangerous quest—the roads were well-used and kept free from brigands, and her mother had given her a map with small villages neatly labeled where she could stop if she needed to—but it was still a journey on her own, nonetheless.

"Good morning, Louisa," her mother said as a tall woman rounded a corner, leading a lovely dappled grey horse with dark, inquisitive eyes.

Tante Louisa was responsible for helping animals adjust when they moved into the Hexen sanctuary, which regularly took in abused, neglected, or unwanted animals from the surrounding villages. Once the animals came to live at the castle, they were free to remain as wild or domesticated as they chose, healing from the trauma they had suffered and establishing relationships of their choosing, both with the Hexen witches and the other animals in the sanctuary.

Tante Louisa returned her mother's greeting, then halted the horse, patting the creature's neck as she did. Sabrina had always liked animals, and she'd frequently wished she could have spent more time with them, but between her actual work and her own pressing interests, there never seemed to be enough hours in the day.

Tante Louisa turned towards Sabrina.

"This is Schön,"she said, patting the horse affectionately, and Sabrina thought the name, which meant "lovely," was perfect for the dainty mare, who blinked her long black eyelashes curiously as she studied Sabrina and her mother.

"She's very much looking forward to getting out and exploring the countryside, and she'll take excellent care of you, Sabrina. She does ask that when you reach the Zurasammen coven she have her own stall at night and be turned out to pasture during the day with other mares." Tante Louisa glanced at Sabrina. "She also likes to be talked to, even though she won't be able to reply in a way you can understand."

Sabrina nodded, committing the instructions to memory. "I'll take good care of her," she promised, extending a hand and allowing Schön to sniff it, which she did, blowing a soft puff of air over Sabrina's skin before extending her chin and allowing Sabrina to scratch it.

It was quite a treat to be able to ride a horse, as they weren't ridden just for fun or whenever a witch wanted—such an act was seen as taking advantage of the creature and not allowing it to be truly free. Instead, a witch with an affinity for speaking with animals consulted the horse about the proposed trip, and the final decision involved whatever the horse found acceptable.

For a brief moment, Sabrina wished someone would treat her with as much care as the Hexen treated their animals, allowing them to interact with others in their own timing and not forcing them to do things they found unpleasant. It was unfortunate she'd been born the daughter of the Sprechen rather than a horse ultimately taken into the Hexen sanctuary.

Tante Louisa settled Sabrina's valise behind the saddle that was already situated on Schön's back, then arranged the food-filled saddlebags where they could be easily reached.

"The Seers predict nothing but sunshine for the next few days," Marlene said to Sabrina, "so you shouldn't run into any bad weather. If you do, however, go to the nearest village and find an inn where you can wait it out." She showed Sabrina a pouch filled with coins before slipping it into one of the saddlebags. "Hermann and his coven will give you all the supplies you need for your return journey."

Her expression became more serious, and she took a step towards Sabrina, placing a hand on her arm. "If you need to send me a message while you're gone, Hermann and Jessa can assist you. Otherwise, I'll look forward to your report when you return."

Sabrina nodded, and when her mother offered her a quick hug, she returned it without lingering, attempting to act as if she completed diplomatic missions for the Hexen all the time. Taking Schön's reins from Tante Louisa, Sabrina led the horse into the courtyard, then carefully guided her through the door in the wall as the first rays of sunlight flickered over the Neckar River.

The breeze was still cool, given the early hour, and Sabrina ran her hand over Schön's neck, excited and a bit nervous. Putting one foot in the stirrup, she swung up into the saddle as gently as she could, then turned and looked back at the castle. Her mother was standing in the doorway, and she raised a hand in a farewell gesture. Sabrina returned the wave, then guided Schön towards the road.

"Here we go, girl," she said, straightening her shoulders and allowing her hips to move with the rocking sway of the horse's walk. "I'm sorry I can't understand you the way Tante Louisa does, but I'll do my best to communicate with you. I'm grateful for your company on this trip. There aren't very many people I enjoy spending time with, but animals are different."

Schön nickered and bobbed her head, which Sabrina took as a good sign, and she let her eyes wander over the surrounding countryside. Clusters of wildflowers waved their colorful petals above rich, green grass, and occasionally a squirrel or weasel darted across the road, earning a reproving huff from Schön. Soon, the sky shifted from the oranges and corals of sunrise to the crisp blue of a lovely autumn day, and dragonflies fluttered their iridescent wings against the air.

And of course, there was the Schwarzwald, an ever-present fixture on the other side of the river, tall trees growing so close together Sabrina could barely see between them. At one point, she would cross a bridge that would put her on the same side of the river as the forest, but she wasn't worried. Being near the forest had never been a cause for alarm, and witches only found themselves in trouble when they attempted to enter it.

The morning passed swiftly, and Sabrina nodded or said hello to the few travelers she passed, some on foot, others riding horses or sitting in carts pulled by mules or oxen. She was mindful of giving Schön plenty of opportunities to drink water from the river, and took a mid-morning break, allowing the horse to graze while she did a few stretches and tried to keep herself limber, hopefully avoiding becoming too sore after riding, since she wasn't accustomed to the activity.

When it was time for lunch, Sabrina stopped beneath the shade of a large oak, enjoying the bread, cheese, nuts, and dried fruit jerky the Hexen had packed for her as Schön enjoyed the abundant grass. While the outdoors weren't as comfortable as being inside her workroom, even Sabrina had to admit the change of scenery was nice.

Plus, she'd read enough books about scientists to know sometimes you had your best ideas when you were doing something completely unrelated to your usual experiments. While she was first and foremost a diplomat on this trip, she certainly wouldn't mind having an unexpected breakthrough with her affinity, perhaps seeing something especially vexing from a different perspective, leading her to to solve a problem in a new or creative way.

And, if nothing else, she was away from the watchful eye of her mother for a few days, a rare respite she thoroughly intended to enjoy.

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