Witch | ksj

8. Help the Thief

Chapter eight: Help the Thief

Lia stirred upon feeling something warm and soft touch her skin. She tried to squirm away but a hand hold her still.

"Stop moving" hissed a harsh voice.

Slowly, Lia opened her eyes, lashes flattering open. With the thought of being dead, she gasped for air and jolted upwards.

"Am I dead?" She whispered, eyes wide open as she scan the place she was in.

A room.

"W-What?" She said in a shakey tone.

"Sister!"

A small body collided to hers, short arms wrapped around her.

Lia was shock but her surprise was soon replaced with unknown pain. Jeongguk was crying hard as he hug her, small shoulders shakes along with his sobs.

Lia hugged her brother back, this time, she could not help but cry.

"Thank heavens you're alive, Gguk!" she wailed. The boy hugged her back, before breaking it and cupping Lia's face into his tiny hands.

"I am well, sister, I truly am" the young boy ensure her.

Their moment was broken when another person emerged. Lia subconsciously hug her brother, taking his small form away from the man's gaze.

There she realized where she was. From the wooden windows, the smell of newly baked cookies, even to the random books scattered someplace.

She's at the witch's home!

"Is my hospitality isn't enough proof that I am no threat, human?" said his silky cold voice upon reading the fear in Lia's eyes.

Lia's gaze flickered back to the man, before Jeongguk got her attention.

"He helped us, sister" said the boy, "He cleared the fire, tend your wounds, and gave me food" the raven head boy happily told his sister.
"He said we can stay here as long as we want! Can we stay here? Please, sister? I dont want to go back to the village, the people there are bad and monstrous!"

Lia stared at her brother, before her eyes flickered back to the man.

But can they trust a witch?

Witches are known cunning and deceitful beings. Surely, the witch won't help them without anything in return.
And Lia fears he'd ask too much from her. She can bargain with anyone but never with beings like the man in front of them.
Powerful beings are unpredictable. He might ask her something she could not give.

But seeing the hope and plea in her brother's eyes, Lia do not have the heart to tell him no.
And besides, they have nowhere to go. They have no penny to sustain them for a long journey to another village, an uncertain quest to find another home. They have nothing but themselves. No clothes, no home, no food, nor even a single penny. How will they survive with angry men chasing their trails?

But how can she tell the boy that they can't stay with a witch, or more so, live with one.

The world is indeed cruel for the unfortunates.

"Gguk" called the witch. His sleek and observant eyes turned to her brother, and he smiled.
It's not the threatening smile he used to give her, but rather an amused one.
"Will you please leave us for awhile to talk?"

Jeongguk immediately nod and skipped to the door, despite Lia's protest.

She does not want to be alone with the witch, but her brother just left her without second thoughts!

"You can eat the cookies on the table, hun, but not too much" the man even said in which they heard the boy replying yes from somewhere outside the room.

Seconds passed before the man turned back to her. He's serious and intimidating, but instead of giving her harmful threats or hexing her or even cursing her, he goes through some drawers then came back with a little box in his hand.

The witch sat on the side of the bed, not far from Lia but not too close either, while the female rest her back on the wooden headboard, eyes not leaving the man.

"Your bruises may have healed but the smoke you've inhaled have impaled your lungs" said the man as he fumble through different vials.

Lia sat there in both astonishment and fear.

What if he's just pretending to help us then poison me for stealing his herbs?!
She shivers at her own thought.

And as if he heard her, the witch turned to her again, sharp eyes penetrate her soul.

"What a barbaric thoughts you have" said his silky voice.

Lia gasped, now she felt more scared...

He can read minds?

The witch smirked, holding up two vials, "It's a peppermint and catnip to stop you from feeling nauseous, human, herbs dont poison... Unless"

He intended to not finish his words, and chuckled upon the fearful expression that etched Lia's face. He's enjoying scaring her.

"Drink this and you'll feel fine," said the witch as he poured the vial's content into a tea cup.
A tea cup that emerge out of thin air.

Hesitant, Lia still accepted the tea, and drank from it.

"Finish it" said the witch.

She sighed and drink all of its portion. When the tea's gone, Lia noticed some dark marks on the bottom of the cup, but the witch was fast to snatch it from her grasp.

The witch examined the cup and he shook his head.

"Pity" he said.

"What?" Lia questioned.

The man stared at her, intimidating her yet again, then look away.

"You can't go back to the village, you're being hunted by those men. If they learn you're in their territory, they won't hesitate to kill the both of you" said the man as he stood and walk towards the bedside table, putting all the things there except the cup in which Lia drank from.

With buffled head, Lia ask, "But why? Why are they suddenly going after us? We did nothing wrong!"

The witch's sharp eyes turned back to her, "Did you not, really?" He taunted.

Lia bit her lower lip and look away.

"W-Well... Except only to you.." she mumbled.

The witch laughed, his cold tone mix with a little taunting.

"Good that you know" said the man and turned his back to leave.
But before he could actually go out of the room, Lia spoke again.

"Then why are you helping us? I stole from your garden. I am a thief!"

The man's head slightly turned to her direction, but not enough to fully show his expression.

With a cold chilly voice he said, "Exactly why you're here. You are a thief, human. My thief."