The Demon and the Witch

Chapter 1

She hung up the phone, promising her grandma she would see her in a bit. She quickly hurried to her bedroom, leaving Gustavo to finish his dinner in peace. Her door fluttered open before she reached it, and with the flick of her wrist, her skirt, shirt and cloak were placed neatly on her bed; ready to be worn. She stripped quickly, leaving only her undergarments on. She lifted her hand, and with the command of two fingers, her dirty clothes flew into the laundry basket. Dressing up quickly, she took a look in the mirror; making sure her clothes were neat and wrinkle free. "Gustavo!" She shouted down the hall from her open bedroom door. The small kitten ran in leaving a trail of water behind him, no doubt from dipping his entire head in the water bowl, which he did often. Freya chuckled, picking the small animal up an laying him on her bed.

"Ill be right back." She gave him a small kiss on his forehead, whispering a safety charm as she did so. Gus meowed in appreciation before getting comfortable on his owners bed.

"Okay." Freya mumbled to herself. She took in her surroundings, letting her senses feel the beings around her. She felt connected to nature, to life. With a deep breath, she closed her eyes and mumbled a spell. "I am not here, nor there." With the snap of a finger, she was not longer in her bedroom. She opened her eyes, and what she saw made her smile. There it was. The castle stood high up on the mountain, blocked from civilizations innocent eyes. In front of her were the gates to said castle, the bridge let down and welcome to visitors. Warlocks stood at either side of the bridge, clad in their covens battle armor. They took notice of her sudden appearance and both gave a small nod of acknowledgment. Behind her, was the village; her coven. The moon had settled in the sky, and at night, the village was beautiful. Lights twinkled in the lamps parallel to the road, the shops were colorful and very much still open, and the restaurants contained some of the best food Freya had ever had. She loved it here, this was her home. Her friends greeted and waved at her as they passed, promising to talk more after the meeting. She hurried along behind them, wanting to sit next to her grandmother, just like everyone else. 

The walk into the meeting hall was fairly quick. She hurried along the bridge and entered into the castle. It was smaller than it looked on the outside, giving the perception of large kingdom. The elders lived here, high up on the mountain for protection. The elders were made up of 8 people, 8 powerful beings that grant wisdom and power. Freya's grandmother was an elder, as well as a councilmember for her coven and the covens all around the world. She is a powerful woman, someone Freya looks up to greatly. 

Finally the young witch entered into the busy meeting hall. Witches and warlocks sat at the round table, waiting for Freya's grandmother to start the meeting. Eyes looked up at her when she entered. They knew she was the reason for the tardy start to the meeting, and it ticked them off. Freya rolled her eyes, having no problem being the center of negative attention. It's been like that since she was little. Accusing eyes always watching but not saying a word. 

Freya crossed the room, ignoring the eyes on the back of her head, she mad a beeline for her grandmother, who opened her arms in welcoming. Freya buried  her head in her gamma's arms, feeling the love and protection she craved. "Hello, beautiful girl. How are you?" She kissed Freya on the top of her head, smoothing down the young girls straight black hair with her hands. Freya smiled and nodded her head.

"I'm good, Gam." She kissed the old woman on the cheek and took her seat next to her. She picked her head up, and stared down anyone who dare look at her funny. She was a powerful witch, and although she has a few months until she comes into her true power, folks did their best not to poke her. 

"Good evening, friends. I am afraid we are going to get right into it tonight." The high priestess stood up, her face was not longer that of a happy grandmother. instead, it held fear. Freya grew alarmed and sat up in her chair more. What could it be? Were there humans wandering around again? Did the demons find us? They haven't had trouble with demons or humans for years.

Gam sighed and for a split second, Freya thought she had glanced her way. She shrugged off the odd feeling, and waiting for her grandmother to continue. "The council meeting last week was very informative. I have decided to tell you this information now and not before because, something is coming. Something I have kept you ignorant of because..." she paused, sitting back down in her seat. "...because I am scared." Freya heard gasps around the room but she didn't care. What was going on? What would scare her grandmother like this. "King Aemon has begun to raid covens to the north of us. We will be next."

Shouts of outrage and chairs being pushed back filled the room. Warlocks and witches feared for their kin, feared for their life. Freya took a look at her grandmother. She could see the stress rolling off of her, she so badly wanted to make her feel better. But there was nothing she could say or do, nothing she could conjure up with magic that would make this better. King Aemon ruled over the demons, using fear. For years he has been trying to rid the population of witches. Between witch hunts and infiltrating covens, Aemon will stop at nothing to kill them all. 

"What are we going to do?" Freya spoke. Silence followed. Freya looked up and noticed everyone staring at her. Staring at her as if this was her fault?

Someone scoffed, glaring at her with a hate she's never noticed from him before. Sean, an older warlock fixed his eyes on her. What the hell did she do? "What are we going to do?" Sean mocked, rolling his eyes. "I'll tell you what, we give him what he wants and.."

"Enough!" High Priestess's voice boomed through the room. Sean flinched, sitting back down in his seat, with a sour taste in his mouth. "You choose your words carefully, Sean." Gam spat out, an anger rising in her like tsunami. Freya suddenly, felt very odd. What was going on? She felt betrayal in the air, she felt as if they all knew something she did not. She did not like this feeling. 

"No, Gam. Let him speak. What does King Aemon want?" Sean looked Freya in her eyes. She could feel his embarrassment as well as pity. Why would he feel bad for her? 

"I apologize, Freya, for I was out of li.."

"Don't give me that, Sean!" She stood up from her chair, and met eyes with everyone in the room. 

"It's has something to do with me, doesn't it?" She knew the answer before she had even asked. This just confirmed her suspicion. "The nightmares and daydream..." She mumbled off angrily. 

"Darling please, understand." Gam looked at her, apologetically. "We could not tell you." Freya glared at her grandmother. When she first started getting the nightmares, she confided in her grandmother. The high priestess told her it was nothing, a symptom from being around humans for too long. Witches don't get nightmares. 

"No! I thought I was going crazy. I confided in you, in all of you." Freya said brokenly. The eyes of the other elders held regret and pain. "I knew something was coming, I knew it was coming for me."

Freya couldn't take it anymore, the eyes full of pity directed at her. 

So she ran.