'You're absolutely gorgeous,' the quester said, looking into the eyes of her beloved and kissing her. The sun was hot on her skin and witch's hand was warm in her own. She grabbed the black pointed hat off her head and swung it into the air.,
'You really are just my favourite person,' the witch smiled, returning the kiss and laughing as the bird landed on her shoulder, twittering contentedly as she spoke with gild geese.
'Apparently,' Plim cheeped, 'there's a whole society of princes scouring the forests for us. A-' she coughed '-pair of love birds told me.'
'Plim!' Hara snorted, shaking her head and trying not to giggle.
'We're off on another adventure, then,' Marigold said. Hara looked at Plim and the two nodded slyly.
'This way,' the friends said, leading the witch through her garden after them.
'My... garden shed?' Marigold said, stepping through the door and looking around curiously as the two watched her expectantly.
'Ta-dah!' Plim said, swooping through the air and filling the shed with lilting birdsong.
'...'
'The...' Hara pointed and Marigold inhaled sharply, sinking slowly to her knees at the sight of what they'd done.
On a bench sat a long, slanting stick, the wood grain bright, almost glimmering, a thousand stories captured within it. Around it were laid out twigs of a hundred varieties, willow and birch and holly and wisteria, each bundle tied with twine, waiting until it was needed; there were also other things laid out on the bench, bowls of dried flowers and moss and...
'Oh...'
The pieces of Marigold's old broom lay to one side.
'Plim thought you could use some of it in the new broom, as as a kind of...'
'Memory,' Plim trilled proudly. 'And here-' she swooped low before Marigold and dropped a feather, soft and speckled with a rainbow of colours '-one of my own... if you'd like it.'
'Will you help me make it?' Marigold whispered, eyes and heart so, so full.
'Of course!' Plim screeched, dipping in and out of the skylights and singing with delight.
'You try and stop us,' Hara said, taking Marigold's hand and kissing her on the cheek.
'Only- only if you have time, though,' the witch whispered and Hara snorted, but Marigold let go of her hand and pulled something out of her pocket, holding it up for Plim who swooped down and examined the thick piece of silvery paper. 'You might be pretty busy,' she explained, nudging her head towards a blanket covered thing leaning against one wall.
Quirking her head (and giving Marigold another kiss), Hara trotted over and pulled off the blanket to see...
'My... my telescope.'
'AND MY BOOK VOUCHER,' Plim screamed, flying around the shed, making the loudest scream of joy imaginable.
'There's no one I'd rather watch the planets with,' Hara said, sobbing into Marigold's shoulder before picking her up and twirling her around, Plim sitting on her head.
'There's no one I'd rather read books with!' Plim yelled. 'And go shopping for books with!'
'There's no one I'd rather fly with,' Marigold said, catching sight of her awaiting broom and laughing, tucking her head against Hara's chest as she spun through the world.
The end.
YOU ARE READING
Hara and the Witch
FantasyHara and Plim have been questing together for years, adventuring beyond their homes and discovering the world as paid questers (they've also dethroned a few kings along the way). When they are asked by a witch of few words to take on a job, they thi...
