Tavern of Witchita

2 | Heading Out

Smooth mahogany locks tied up into a ponytail, Narra glares keenly at the purple bubbling liquid inside the pot.

The pungent smell of the brew makes her scrunch up her face. Dropping in a sprig of an herb, the tonic inside increases bubbling and cools down into the usual tea consistency. The nasty stench before had turned into the soft aroma of herbs.

Satisfied with the results, the lady picks up a quill from beside her and dips it into ink. Turning to the sheet of paper seated on a slanted side of the counter, she jots down a few words.

“Test one,” Narra mumbles aloud.

She takes out a ladle, scoops, and pours a small cup for herself. Bringing it up to her lips, she drinks slowly as to not burn her tongue. A hot feeling goes down her throat. It tastes earthy and fresh as it should be.

The bell above the entrance door jingles as a pink-skinned, horned man enters the tavern along with a softly smiling white-haired vagabond. Setting aside her cup of tea, Narra greets the two customers.

“Welcome back.”

The two sit down in front of the counter, both request their separate drinks and Narra provides them with their orders.

“Well, you two are here early,” she comments, covering the cauldron with its lid. “What's the plan for today?”

For the past couple of days, her two most valued customers have been getting along fairly well. Before Norman, Horns was almost the only person who came here often. She would have other occasional customers, but not so much.

Horns glances at Norman then returns his gaze to the woman in front of him.

“Norman is continuing his travels later this afternoon and I'm going along. I was wondering if you wanted to come along since you're always stuffed in here.”

‘Why would I?’ - Is what she wanted to say but instead, the girl dwells upon the question more than she intended to.

The soft voice of a woman echoes within her ears. She knows it's just an illusion from her brain. The question upsets her. It forces her to give a straight answer.

Narra narrows her gaze so much as it could be mistaken for a glare. Her lips form a slight grimace as frustration begins to build up from such a small question.

It's not as if this is a one-time opportunity. Knowing that getting mad would bring no help, the world around her vanishes as she allows herself to fall deep into thought.

It's like two separate parts of her consciousness are debating inside her brain. One is negative, it's a stone-cold voice that advises against this move, “because you will fail and lose what you have right now” and “you will look like a fool. Stay put inside your tavern and everything won't be too dangerous.”

The second voice is softer and more gentle, “Hey, it's a beautiful day and you've got a good opportunity to help her. You have the ability. March ahead, I'll see you in the winner's circle.” Both suggestions convince her equally, but she has to choose one.

In the end, she doesn't need to think too much. Narra needs to know about what happened back then.

“Sure,” she answers finally. Her tone is light yet it carries an eerie vibe.

The two customers seem troubled at the time it took for her to decide but they quickly brush it off.

“Great. ” Norman sips his tea. “Take your time picking what you need. We're off an hour before dawn.”

Hand taking hold of the dirty yet soft fabric, she drags it off the mirror. The lady is met with her reflection. She looks different. It's merely a change of clothing but it's foreign to her. Narra still keeps her braided hair but the ordinary tavern uniform she wore is replaced with a dress Horns provided her with. A ‘Bonnie lass ensemble’ as he calls it.

The dress is white and the skirt clings in a light blue shade, layered with a darker blue frock. It's really pretty. Even if the dress is kept covered by a navy blue cloak, it should keep her warm and comfortable throughout the journey.

She and her friends would leave in mere minutes.

To leave this place, this long-time home of hers, is it right to do so?

The inside of her chest tightens. Narra gives the mirror another glance: worry and distress clearly sketch her features.

...

Taking in a deep breath, Narra takes the time to calm herself down. This is the first time she is heading off after all, especially with a motive in mind...

The calls of Norman and Horns can be heard from outside.

“Narra, we're here! Are you ready to leave?” her demon companion yells.

Narra goes and stuffs the last few things she needs into her bag. A few herbs, a couple of cups, and other main necessities.

Her heart aches at the sight of an unattended tavern. The aroma of earth, wood, and plants provided her with a sense of comfort.  She isn't leaving for good, that's for sure. The girl knew she couldn't stay much longer. There's a whole world ahead of her riddled with diverse land, traditions, and people. The kingdom of Chrono has so much for her to see but she isn't off for tour seeing, she's off in search of an answer.

For her mother and her untimely fate. For the mistreatment of her and her race. For the amount of anguish her mother had to go through to survive and protect her daughter. It's all unfair.

The king…

Yet it concerns her that she'll be putting her friends in danger because of her personal needs. They all have their reasons, most likely. It can't just be her.

Stepping out of the tavern with her friends, the group saunter through the thick forest that she calls home. The ground beneath them scrunches as their boots stroll past.

All the trees are tightly knit, just one strand in a massive web of life. The scent of the earth and water drift through the air as cracks of sunlight seep from the woods.

It's strange. The forest would usually be so dim and eerie, a sight and feeling she's already used to. But now, the trees seem to radiate a sense of happiness as if to wish her luck on her journey.

A gentle smile forms from the girl's lips as a sense of reassurance scatters throughout her body.

Off they were.