WitchHunter ✔️

Strife

Candor

Fortress quiets down around midnight, when the gambling tables shut down and the bar staff have swept and mopped. As Hunters, we're required to live and sleep in Fortress at all times unless on a mission, which is why I retire to my room between Cozy's and Hale's every night around 11. Now, just after midnight, I swing my legs out of bed, still fully dressed in common clothes, and slip on my boots.

The door swings open silently, the squeaky hinges fixed my first night here with a little dab of lantern oil. I make my way through the quiet of Fortress, my ears open and alert, searching for any sign of anyone being awake. This place is creepier than I remember it being, especially at night. It's probably just me. I've seen more now, experienced more. No one ever talks about how growing older really makes you more afraid. Maybe it's just me.

I escape Fortress easily enough. There are no guards patrolling, so it's easy even for me to scuttle down the hill and into the relative safety and anonymity of town. Just like every night since we've been back, I take a left at the bakery and follow the ruin wall back two blocks to the two story home on the corner. A large half circle window spans the entire front of the house, just below the roof, allowing moonlight to drift into the rafters that overlook the first floor.

I look around, ensuring I have no onlookers before letting myself slip quietly inside. The breeze hits me as soon as I enter, the wind blowing steadily through the moon-lit living room. I glance up; all the panes of the window are latched closed. Avenna's angry cries drift out from the hall, carried on the wind. They grow louder as I approach, until a burlap doll whizzes past my head as I enter her room. It's a wreck in here, even though we only keep the bare minimum in her room, precisely for this reason.

Jules sits on my 2 year old's bed, holding Avenna in her lap as the small girl screams up at the ceiling. Her eyes grow bright blue when she opens them, her curse active and strong. Jules's hair whips around her face, carried by the maelstrom our daughter has whipped up. Her body is hunched over, exhausted. It must have been a long day.

"Avenna Mae Nash, that is enough." I boom, and the wind stops abruptly, scraps of paper and straw falling to the floor like confetti.

"Daddy!" The little blonde shrieks, snot caking her hair to her face as she struggles out of her mother's grasp and runs to me.

I kneel down as the slimy toddler throws herself into my arms. Jules runs her hand through her disheveled hair, a frown on her lips.

"Sweetheart, why don't you go take a break. I'll put Venna to sleep." I tell her gently.

My exhausted wife stands, lightly brushing her hand through my hair before leaving the room. I carry Avenna back to her bed. Her fussing has all but stopped now, aside from a few sniffles. She crawls under her blankets and looks up at me with her pretty blue eyes. "Avenna Mae, why were you being mean to Mommy?"

She simply shakes her head in response.

"When Mommy tells you to go to bed, you go to bed. Do you understand Avenna?"

She smiles up at me, letting out a giggle.

I shake my head. This isn't going anywhere. I lean down, kissing her forehead. "Goodnight, Lovebug. I love you."

"Love, Daddy." She grins, closing her eyes. She's tired. She was only up because she wanted to see me, but I wasn't here. I shut her door, releasing a sigh. Jules won't be happy. I trudge up the stairs to the balcony that overlooks the living room and then to our closed bedroom door.

Inside, Jules has changed into a white satin nightgown, an expensive birthday gift I had gotten her in Vetton. She sits on our bed, her back to me, combing out the wind knots in her strawberry blonde hair.

"Hello, Sweeting." I say, my voice low. I press my hand against her back.

"Oh none of that. I've had it with that stupid name. I'm not just one of those women that you and Cozen go pick up on the town." She tries to bat me away with her comb but I sit next to her on the bed, wrapping my arms around her thin shoulders.

"Of course not. You're my wife and I love you very much."

She gives me a look, and I know what's coming. "Candor, I'm tired. It's so hard not having you here."

"I know, My Love." I take the comb from her hand, running it gently through her hair. "You're amazing for being able to do this."

"I can't do it." She throws up her arms. "Candor, she fought me for hours tonight just for you to come home and her to go right to sleep! I'm so tired of telling her that Daddy can't be here right now. I'm so tired of being the bad guy."

I run my fingers through a particularly silky section of hair. "I know, My Love. This isn't an ideal situation. You have no idea how much I wish I could be here with you."

"Sometimes I think we should have stayed in Vetton."

I knew these words were coming. Our lives in Vetton, under Hale, were far simpler. "I have a duty, Jules, and Hale needs me."

"We need you, Candor." Jules's eyes are frustrated and pleading. "Your daughter needs you."

My hand rubs absently up her back. I don't want Venna to grow up like this, her mom always stressed and her dad never around. I want to be here, helping my wife raise our daughter. "I'll talk to Hale. Maybe he can convince Velius to allow it."

"From what I know about Velius Dag, that's a slim chance."

"From what I know about Hale, I'd say it's pretty good."

"You sure have a lot of faith in Hale Arsen."

"Of course. Don't you?"

She gives me a wry smile. "Enough to follow him across the sea to this place."