Just One Drop

Chapter 10- The Witch

Author's note:

This is what Morina is supposed to look like, played by Carice Van Houten.

Braith's POV

"You called for me, Your Majesty."

Morina entered my study quietly, her long, dark red hair up in an untidy bun.  She wore a long red gown, bejeweled with onyxes, and a leather pouch hung around her waist. She was a witch of great renown, probably about 360 years old (30 in human years), and fairly powerful. Definitely useful to have around.

"Yes, Morina, I need several things from you today."

"Tell me what you want and I'll fix it."

"To start with, tell me what you know of a certain Felicia Winters."

She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. A sunset-like red mist appeared around her; her aura. The warm and musky scents of sandalwood and smoke filled the air.

She opened her eyes again, ever so slowly.

"16 years old, birthday on the 6th of November. Father is Gerald Winters. Drug addict, alcoholic, the real deal. Mother was Annelise Winters, dead for years now."

"Tell me about her upbringing."

"Both she and her mother were abused from the early stages, it got worse when she died, though. Felicia built walls around herself; she was alone and unloved. She liked to read fantasy and sci fi, and planned to become an artist as she loved sketching. She wanted to move out as young as possible."

"Any boyfriends, or other relationships?"

"Nothing friendly or romantic was going on, I'm afraid."

I tapped my fingers on the desk slowly, and studied the lightly amused look on Morina's face.

"You already know my issue, don't you?"

"I may or may not have seen something in the flames."

I didn't bother asking what she had seen; she was a very stubborn woman, and if she thought I was meant to know, she would tell me.

"I have something for your ailment, Your Majesty, but I warn you against using it. It will have dire consquences."

"Yeah, yeah, just- give it to me." I said abruptly.

All I had heard was 'Bla bla bla, dire consquences, bla bla bla.' I mean, really, nothing bad would actually happen.

She sighed, but produced a vial out of her leather pouch. The glass was a dark blue colour, with the inscription 'Amor in odium, ut signaculum super sortem'. I spoke fluent Latin, and had I been paying attention, I would've easily deciphered it. It meant 'Love into hate, seal your fate', and perhaps I would've been more careful if I had read it. Or not.

All I saw was the thick, dark, liquid inside, shimmering with a golden tinge.

I took the vial from her hand, twisting and turning it, watching the strange, magical, liquid move slowly.

"And you're sure this'll solve my problem?"

"Yes, but-"

"Great. Thanks Morina, you're free to go," I said, waving her out.

She sighed in exasperation, but turned around, and left the room.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. I sighed, frustrated at this turn of events.

"Come in!"

Edmure entered slowly, bowing low in my honor. "You are expected in the royal office, my prince. There is an important meeting you have to attend."

"Another one?"

I hated those meetings. They were awfully boring.

"Yes, I'm afraid."

I looked down at the glass vial in my hand. I guessed that would have to wait.

"Well then, what are we waiting for?"

Felicia's POV

I wiped my hand across my forehead, feeling the heat across my palm. I could feel my veins and the beat of my heart through the thin skin. My breathing came ragged, like I had been running, though all I was doing was cleaning. The Great Hall. Alone. Trying to beat my speed record.

Maybe it did actually count as a workout.

I smiled to myself. This was the only activity that actually satisfied me anymore. Not even drawing helped. Not that I had any inspiration to draw anymore.

I felt my arms begin to go numb; the feeling was strange and I wasn't sure I liked it. I gasped for air. It felt as if something was tightening around my neck, blocking my air supply.

Small stars began to appear in my line of vision. What were stars doing on the ground? I tried to tell them to get back up into the sky, but I don't think they listened. More of them appeared.

Suddenly, the doors opened. I didn't look to see who had entered.

"Felicia!" A voice called my name.

The voice was familiar, something in the back of my head told me. I wasn't listening.

A pair of hands pulled at something around my neck. All of a sudden I could breathe again. Wait, I couldn't breathe before? I didn't have more time to think about it, as I was scooped up into someone's arms. I looked up at the person's face.

'Tristan...'

"Breathe, Felicia, breathe."

I breathed. The stars began to disappear, feeling started coming back into my body.

'You can put me down now, Tristan. I'm okay,' I wrote, smiling, though I knew my lack of breath and small shivers contradicted my statement.

He looked at me worriedly. "You have to be more careful! You could've really hurt yourself. Your choker caught on the edge here."

He gestured towards the edge of a large candelabra standing in the corner.

"And then it tightened here."

He put his hand on my throat softly.

I would've told him to stop worrying so much, that I could take care of myself, but from the way he was looking at me in distress, I knew I couldn't.

'I promise I'll be more careful next time, Tristan.'

I smiled at him and he smiled back, embracing me in a warm hug.