THE RISING OF THE WICCA

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A couple of weeks later, most of those who had the plague were cured. There were very few deaths. Evanora could feel a weight lifting off her shoulders, people were looking at her smiling and nodding acknowledging the trouble she went through along with everyone else assigned by the king to tour the kingdom and heal the sick. She took a deep breath and could feel the cold almost freezing her lungs yet she felt calm, a small smile tugging at her lips. Then it was time to meet with the king.

Rokan called everyone to gather in his study once they were back at the castle. Evanora used the little time she had to wash up and change. Once she was ready, she headed to the study.

Everyone sat around a large table while Rokan stood from his desk and stood at the head of the table.

"How did it go? " He simply asked and Duman took that as his signal to tell Rokan everything that was going on during the last two weeks. He assured that they broke the spell that was chaining the kingdom and causing the people to fall sick, that he and Evanora managed to save most of the people, and that they arranged for proper funerals for those whom they failed to save.

He told him about the symptoms that lingered after breaking the spell and how they managed to heal it with the help of the maids and healing magic.

Rokan was satisfied with the news they brought yet he advised them to stay alert, he asked Theon and Brianna to keep patrolling and to report to him immediately in case a similar plague was found. Despite having the kingdom under threat by both the Larth kingdom and dark magic, Rokan managed to settle things down. Evanora admired his way of interacting with the people around him.

"Duman, you are free to do as you please. You are free to leave if you wish so, I think we can manage for now with Evanora by our side." His voice brought her back to reality.

"About that, I'm sorry but I cannot stay here any longer." Evanora looked at him while announcing to the entire room.

For long quiet moments, they held each other's gaze while the two knights and wizard watched silently. Once Rokan regained his voice, he asked to be left alone with Evanora.

"I would like to have a word with the witch" Hearing his request, everyone else rushed out.

Cold silence engulfed the only two people left in the room.

"You cannot stay here any longer?" Rokan broke the tension, repeating her words.

"I finally finished what I came here for, there is no meaning to staying. I will be going home tomorrow morning."

"You want to go back to how things were before? Living alone in the shadows?" Rokan asked.

Evanora stood up from her chair and walked to the window, closing it and hugging herself to keep warm from the cold breeze.

"I will leave for the Tower in a couple of weeks, I'm just stopping home to gather some things."

"I thought we were going to discuss that together."

"There is no need for that, this is my fight. I will do things my way."

"You know things can be much easier if you learn to depend on other people for help from time to time. Stop being so desperate for a fight."

Evanora found his words sarcastic, how can he expect her to trust others?

"Have you ever been desperate and helpless Rokan? So weak that you had to listen to your sisters screaming in utter pain while you were locked up in a prison cell? So powerless you had to watch your mother being dragged out by her hair onto the streets? I need to go there, I need answers, I need to get stronger, I - I need..." tears filled her eyes.

"You still want to atone to your family...but you have never done anything wrong, Nora. It was never your fault." he finished her sentence for her.

"Being weak is wrong, knowing my father did this and not facing him is wrong. If I want to solve this once and for all, I have to face him and do what needs to be done, you know that more than anyone Rokan. I need to go." Evanora sounded desperate with every word, clenching her fists to her chest and squirming in invisible pain. Rokan's face twisted.

"But you don't need me." He murmured in a taut voice, Evanora wondered if it was a question or a confession. She took a step closer to him.

"I will come back, I will never stay with those people, causing harm to others as they please, for their own sake..it's disgusting." a sad shadow fell on her face before she raised her head and continued,
"I just need answers and power. Then I will come back." She smiled at him as he searched her eyes. He then took the last step to close the gap between them. He rested his forehead against hers, shutting his eyes tightly.

"I promise." She whispered.

"At least stay here till it's time for you to go." He pleaded with her.

"Okay,"

"And let me go with you to your cabin to get your things."

"Okay," Evanora said again, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips, she slowly reached for his cheek and caressed it.

The two of them rode Rokan's horse, heading to the enchanted forest before the darkness completely fell upon them. Soon after they started riding within the forest, loud thuds were heard from a distance before a loud howl. Aragorn ran besides them till they reached the cabin in the middle of the woods. 

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