The Owl House: Emperors and Thorns

Witches Before Wizards

"No."

Eda sits on the kitchen table and drinks from her mug as King sits in a high chair and stabs a fork into a yellow blob with eyes sitting on a plate. Cerise had set her book down to take a drink of apple blood as well.

"Teach me some spells. When do I get magic staffs? Was I supposed to bring my own runes?" Luz gasps excitedly, "Do you have a dangerous magical quest for me?"

"One question at a time, Luz." Cerise told her, not looking up from her book.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down, kid. Being a witch doesn't happen overnight. Also, you're wrapped in a bathrobe and wearing the dirtiest traffic cone I've ever seen." Eda adds.

Luz pulls her hat off, blowing on it to reveal that it was a traffic cone with a severe layer of dust as King laughs.

Eda pulls her mug away, some apple blood left on her upper lip, "But a magic staff, huh? You really want one?"

"More than anything." Luz's eyes sparkle.

Eda wipes the apple blood away, "Magic staff, come to me!" she holds out her hand, nothing happening for a moment until several things are heard crashing in the distance. One by one, the group slowly turn to the sound as Eda's staff appears and smacks her in the face, clattering to the ground. She grunts and picks it up, spinning it before tapping it on the ground, "It's early." she excuses, "Now, witches are awarded their staffs from school. With me as your teacher, you and Cece will be taking a different approach." she drops a bag of potions onto the floor, "You'll have to work for it." she leads Luz and Cerise through the living room, the former holding the bag, "I run a few businesses. On weekends, I offer rare human treasures that Cece and Owlbert drag over from your side of the realm." she grabs a toy sword, hitting a button near the pommel.

"I shall smite my enemies! Ages six to eleven."

Eda tosses the sword over their heads, "But most days I sell only the finest homemade elixirs and potions."

Luz pulls out a bottle from the bag, reading the label, ""Snake oil."."

"No one wants an un‐oiled snake. Now, follow me."

...

The trio head out to a balcony.

"Today you'll deliver packages and sell potions to that town over there, Bonesborough." Eda points her staff to the town, "You'll have to be careful. I have rivals everywhere who'd love to take my business down and you two along with it. You wanted a dangerous magical quest? Sister, you've got one."

"We won't let you down, Miss Eda." Luz turns to salute Eda, dropping the sack of potions off the balcony in the process. The three watch, Luz wincing when it crashes loudly on the ground.

"I'm sure."

"Maybe I should carry the bag for now?" Cerise suggests.

...

Eda pushes Cerise and Luz out the door with a new bag of potions, "Remember, never befriend a man in sandals and always measure twice, cut once."

"You got it!"

"Uh..."

"Good luck!" Eda slams the door close, dusting off her hands as she looks at King, "I hate to interrupt your power nap, but you have to go with them.