The Good Witch in Black

New Life, New Problems

That night, I got a nice spot sharing a room with Griselda and Babba. As I started to fall asleep, Griselda's voice slipped into my ears from the top bunk where she lay.

"Hey Melissa?" I groaned and glanced up. "Yeah?" "I know...we don't know each other very well. But I just wanted to say, I think you're a great kid, I really don't want to see you get into any kind of trouble around here." She yawned softly as she drifted off, I lay there for a moment, taking in what she said.

"Thanks, Griselda." She yawned again. "Anytime." And with a smile, I fell asleep, wondering what my new life held in store for me.

~

The next morning after washing up in the witch showers and getting dressed, I followed Griselda out to the garden where I'd get my first broom and learn how to fly it.

"The first thing to know about a broom is that if there's magic in your blood, it'll agree with you. That's why most normal people are known to get hurt really badly if they try to ride one. Since you've never been truly aware of your magic, it might disagree with you. Just a little."

So much for a pep talk. I thought as I gently sat down on my broom. "Okay, we're giving you about a minute to get used to sitting on your broom before we put you on the catapult." My head whirled around. "CATAPULT?!?!" And I guess brooms can read senses 'cause I shot off like a rocket.

I can't say I really remember screaming, all I remember was wind, a few birds, and lots of splinters (from crashing into wagons and wheelbarrows). When I finally screeched to a halt back where I started, the broom flung me off and I crashed into Griselda. I didn't really have any energy to whine about the pain, I used it all up during my takeoff.

"No offense, but that was hilarious." And despite how bad I felt, I couldn't stop the smile that came to my lips at the sight of a witch's joy.

~

Sometime later, after a well-needed trip to the nurse, I head off to the throne room. This looks like the place. I hesitated before pushing open the huge double doors.

The room was huge, like colossal huge. The ceiling seemed to soar like a bird above my head, and everything was sparkling clean. I remembered right then that Griselda said the witches were found of throwing parties in this room when the king was in a good mood.

"Ah Melissa, you're here. Come in come in." I gulped before slipping inside, shutting the door behind me. Rumplestiltskin himself sat at his throne, his eyes staring intensely at me I wanted to sink into the floor. He innocently curled his finger.

"Come closer." I gulped, there was lust threaded into his voice. But since he was the king, it's not like I had an option to stay where I was, so I carefully walked across the smooth floor and came to a standstill at the little step up. He looked me over for a long moment, his hungry eyes made me squirm.

"Turn around." I hesitated before making a slow 360 degrees turn, he pointed to the spot directly beside him. "This'll be your spot, so we're never too far from each other." An unpleasant shiver slipped through my body as I made my way over with legs like Jell-O. When I finally stopped he gestured wordlessly to the seat alongside his throne and I sat, avoiding his piercing gaze at all costs. Just when I was about to get situated, his small hand slid over mine and I barely glazed out the corner of my eye to see his blue bug eyes burning into my soul.

"I'm glad the witches took you, Melissa." The witches had told me before that he wasn't a man to be messed with but it was in that moment, the way he drew out my name like it was his most valuable possession, that made me realize I was a gem under his care alone and that wouldn't change any time soon.