The Witch of Northester

Crawling Underneath Our Feet

I came back to town a little shaken up. Fresca came out of the shop, excited to see me. "Guess who's here?"

"Who?" I hadn't the faintest clue.

"That cute guy that was here yesterday?" She sucked in a breath, pinching lips closed before hissing, "I think he likes you!"

Remember him from the night before, I blushed. I couldn't get him out of my head, resting against him as he carried me to the inn. His smile. His eyes...the warmth that emanated from him. The sincerity in his low tone. The glow of firelight caressing his features.

Sure enough, when I stepped into the shop, Kelan stood tall at the counter. He turned and smiled when spotting me. "Good afternoon, Zelda."

Fresca seemed to back away. "I'm just...going to tend to the customers outside."

We had none, but I didn't argue.

Kelan came over, giving me a sly nod. "How are you feeling?"

"Better?" I couldn't quite meet his eyes, afraid he'd see the red in my cheeks. Instead, I tucked and beelined for the counter, not looking at him until I was safely behind it. "I managed to get Helda back."

He looked confused.

"My horse," I explained, starting to feel my heart thrum in my ears and my breath catching. "She ran aways, but someone found her."

"That's good." He nodded, still smiling.

"Can I...do something for you?"

"Well, as you know, I'm new around here." He began to peruse the left side of the shop, where the herbs from Mrs. Potts had been strung up last night. "These are new."

I smirked. "How could you tell?"

"Jasper?" He brought a wry smile to my attention. "Northester could use a few of those."

I looked at him curiously. "You know stones?"

"A little. My father was a salesman. Travelling, of course." He played with the jasper, tossing it up and down against his palm. "He used to tell people jasper was good for wisdom. It had healing qualities for the soul."

I tilted my head, excited. "Where...where did he work?"

"The city." He seemed so matter-of-fact about it.

I slumped. "Of course."

"The offer still stands." He let go of the stone, boots scuffing the floor as he came over. He seemed to tower over me, and I felt his breath against my neck. I was almost afraid to look up, to enhance the moment further. "I can take you away from here."

I bit my lip. A part of me wanted to say yes. "I have too much holding me back."

"Maybe that's a problem," he started. "You're afraid to let go of the past."

"I have duties here."

"You have nothing but heartache here." He whispered. "Come away with me, and I'll set you up for life."

Something seemed to snap me to reality. I shook my head, rearing back to cross my arms in defiance. "Who are you, Kelan?"

He blinked, surprised.

"You claim you're a sailor, but want to take me away from my home? As if you're set up for life?"

"You won't come with me for fear I'm not who I claim?"

"You haven't CLAIMED anything." My eyes narrowed.

Kelan nodded, understanding. "That's fair. My mother lives in the city. I'm going back to take care of her."

I shrugged. This means nothing for me. "Why me?"

He frowned.

"I'm assuming you're trying to find a wife to take home to your mother? To please her?" I nodded. "She's dying. You want me to help."

His face paled at that. Clearing his throat, he gave a brief nod. "I...heard about you and your practices. Doctors refuse to listen to anything. They say it's best she go, but...I know better."

This was something new. "They know about me in the city?"

"They talk, just as your folk in Northester."

I looked around. "There aren't many city people coming to see me today."

He smirked. "You have to know who to talk to."

Nodding, I asked, "I'll go with you to help your mother, but I can't leave Northester. Not for good."

Still, he seemed to perk at this, grinning broadly. "You might change your mind once you get there."

"Well see." I smiled back.

Fresca came back in after he had left, purchasing some mint for a headache. "He's so cute!"

"He wants me to go to the city with him," I put in.

She looked appalled. "Are you considering?"

"Just to help his mother. She's sick." I started untying some of the dried herbs.

"But you're considering." And here, Fresca sounded almost...angry?

"What's the problem? I'd only be gone for a month," I laughed. "Might give this town a chance to miss me."

"Yeah, but...there are people here who need you."

I frowned. "I haven't lost sight of that. The shop will be open. You'll just be taking care of things while I'm away."

Fresca didn't look nervous, but she did seem a bit jittery. "I don't know if I can do that."

"Oh, you'll be fine." I smiled.

"I think you should stay."

"Fresca!"

"I know you like him. I like him. But...the city?" She hissed. "Northester is more superstitious than ever! You go to the city to help someone and then come back...they'll shut you down for good!"

I scowled, starting to feel angry. "How do you figure that? If I go away, and I'm accepted in a prestigious place like the city and my practices aren't frowned on so hard, maybe Northester would be a little more openminded."

"Or they'll see it as their duty to shut you down for good." Fresca gulped. "As the church claimed before...'the devil roams the earth, seeking those whom he might devour'."

I'm disgusted. "It is disturbing how easy they feel with twisting their own text."

"Nonetheless," Fresca breathed low. "Unless you want that same river your mother's ashes were thrown crawling under our feet, you'll stay here in Northester and figure things out."

"I have few days," I nodded. "I'll think about it."

But the idea of that river didn't leave my thoughts all day.