Katja woke early the next morning and changed clothes in the bathroom, forgoing a dress in favor of soft but sturdy breeches and a long-sleeved tunic. While it was summer, Wolf had told her it could still be quite chilly in the deepest parts of the forest, so she was going to take an overcoat, as well.
Reaching into her wardrobe, she paused, turning her head to look at the trunk under her bed. If she was going to wear her mother's ring, why not her cloak, as well?
Carefully packing the cloak in the bottom of her knapsack, Katja added other things, such as additional socks, an extra shirt and pair of pants, a small sewing kit, shoelaces, and a bag of coins from the sale of her jewelry. She wasn't certain why she'd need money for a venture into the forest, but it seemed better to bring it and not need it than to leave it behind and wish she'd brought it.
She would stop by the kitchen on her way out and carry as much food as possible; thankfully, finding drinkable water in the forest wouldn't be a problem and, given Wolf's senses, they would be able to forage for berries and edible plants, as well.
As she packed, she found herself glancing repeatedly at the bedroom door...it seemed odd none of the Hexen Seers had foreseen her leaving—and going into the Schwarzwald, of all places—and she half-expected a knock to ring out at any moment. None came, though, and she finished organizing her provisions, doing her best to put the concern from her mind. She didn't actually want to be delayed by a Seer, or forced to defend her decision to leave publicly, of course; but still, it would have been nice to feel like the other witches cared whether she stayed or went.
Done with her packing, she summoned a Helferin and directed it to relay messages, one pair to Tante Gerta and Tante Maedra and a second pair to Tante Winola and Tante Hedda. She planned to start with the last two witches to see her mother alive and, as Tante Maedra was currently the Sprechen, she'd asked them to meet her in the Sprechen's office in half an hour about something involving her mother's ring.
As Katja hitched the straps of the pack higher onto her shoulders, Wolf trotted out from behind the wooden screen and pricked his ears, his tail wagging.
"At least we don't need to bring extra provisions for me," he said in a tone Katja knew was intended to be teasing.
Even though she appreciated his effort to lighten the mood, she also couldn't help taking a long look around her bedroom; while she didn't want to dwell on it, there was a chance she wouldn't return from the forest, and she wanted to appreciate the space that been her home one last time.
As she and Wolf stepped into the hallway, Katja placed a hand on the wooden door.
"Thank you," she whispered to the room. "I hope I see you again soon."
And with that, she and Wolf made their way to the Sprechen's office, where her aunts were waiting, concern pinching their faces.
"What's going on?" asked Tante Gerta, her eyes quickly taking in Katja's traveling clothes and knapsack. "Your message said it was about your mother's ring?"
Katja nodded as she closed the door behind her, then looked at Wolf, drawing comfort from his unwavering gaze.
"I learned something about the ring," she began, causing both of her aunts to glance at one another in surprise before turning their attention back to her.
"One of the benefits of my affinity for metal is I can learn a lot about the origin of a piece when I touch it," she explained. "I hear the metal's particular song, but I also learn a lot about where it came from and where it was made."
Technically, that wasn't true, but Katja couldn't very well say she'd come by the information from Wolf without needing to explain what, and who, he really was. It didn't seem that different from her ability to hear the song of a given metal, so she hoped it sounded plausible enough to keep her aunts from questioning it.
Judging by how they nodded their heads in unison and gazed at her expectantly, they believed her, which was a relief.
Taking a deep breath, Katja said, "I learned my mother's ring was made in the Schwarzwald...by the Waldkonig."
Tante Gerta gasped. "It can't be!" she said in a garbled voice, raising a hand in front of her mouth. "It's not possible!" She cast a stricken glance at Sprechen Maedra, as if waiting for her to agree, but the Sprechen simply gazed at Katja and nodded for her to continue.
"I want to go into the forest," Katja said, "to the Waldkonig, and find out why he made this ring. I want to know how my mother came to own it. I need answers, and the forest is the only place I have a chance of finding them."
"Do you hear what you're saying?" implored Tante Gerta, her eyes wide. "You sound just like your mother did before she left. You can't simply walk into the Black Forest and demand to speak with the Waldkonig! You'll be killed! We're not allowed in his territory. We don't even know if he's still alive."
"I think he's still alive," replied Katja, "and I don't believe he'll harm me. In fact, I think he sensed the presence of the ring here, and that's why the vine attempted to cross the bridge—he's searching for this ring."
"That's ridiculous!" snapped Tante Gerta. "You can't leave, and that's the end of it! Maedra, forbid her to go!"
Sprechen Maedra held up a hand, and Tante Gerta immediately fell silent.
"Part of me wants to tell you to forget about the past and let go of your need for answers," said Sprechen Maedra. "But the rest of me knows that isn't my place. You must make your own decisions."
Tante Gerta dug her fingertips into her hair, shaking her head and muttering to herself, but Sprechen Maedra asked, "How will you find the Waldkonig?"
"Most likely, he'll find me," admitted Katja, a shiver of fear coursing up her spine, "but Wolf has an excellent nose. I'd planned to let him sniff the ring and then lead me onwards."
Sprechen Maedra nodded. "It appears you've thought of everything, then."
"I'm not leaving forever," Katja said, feeling as if some explanation was in order, offering her aunts something they'd never received from her mother.
She raised a hand to touch the scar on her face. "There's just so much I don't know about my past and about myself, and even though it's dangerous, if I don't at least try to follow the only lead I have, I'll regret it every day for the rest of my life."
"I understand regret more than you know," said Sprechen Maedra. Giving Tante Gerta a pointed look, she added, "We both do, don't we?"
Tante Gerta scowled but eventually gave a begrudging nod.
"Go with our blessing, Katja," said Sprechen Maedra. "I'm sorry to say we'll have no way to help you if you need it, even if you send up a flare and we're somehow able to see it. I believe you have the best chance of going into the forest unharmed, seeing that you're attempting to return the ring to the one who who created it, but the rest of us must continue to honor the boundaries our foremothers established with the Waldkonig."
Katja nodded, even though she didn't actually plan on giving her mother's ring to anyone.
Regardless, she appreciated Sprechen Maedra's honesty; for once, it didn't feel like everyone was trying to protect her or saw her as some fragile, breakable creature. The look in the Sprechen's eyes as she stepped closer to Katja was one of respect, as well as sadness.
"Good luck, Katja," she said, extending her hand. "May you and Wolf return soon with the answers you seek."
"Thank you," said Katja, taking the proffered hand and giving it a firm shake. "I hope for that, as well."
She then turned to Tante Gerta, who was sniffling loudly but otherwise not trying to hide the tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Be careful," the elder witch admonished, her voice cracking.
Surprising even herself, Katja stepped closer and gently wrapped her arms around Tante Gerta. "I'll be careful, and I'll come back as soon as I can."
Tante Gerta squeezed her fiercely in return, then as Katja pulled away, the other witch added, "We'll keep your workroom for you, just as it is. No one will move in or disrupt your things. The same goes for your bedroom."
"Thank you," smiled Katja, gratitude flooding through her, and both of her aunts returned her smile, then wished her well one final time before she stepped out of the office and closed the door gently behind her.
Releasing a deep breath, Katja nodded at Wolf, then headed to the kitchen; thankfully, it was empty, and she quickly filled her pack with dried fruit, nuts, and a few potatoes. She could find tubers and other vegetable-like plants in the woods, which reminded her to include a small, collapsible pot for boiling food or water. She filled her canteen before grabbing two cherry tarts and an apple for breakfast.
Katja and Wolf then made their way down a long corridor that would eventually take them to the courtyard and Tante Hedda's shop. They'd gone almost halfway down the hallway when a door opened and a figure emerged, and Katja only barely managed to stifle a groan when the flickering sconce lights revealed the identity of the other witch.
"Just keep walking," she whispered to Wolf.
He nodded, but the hair on the back of his neck rose, nevertheless.
Katja thought perhaps Elise simply might pass them by, but, unfortunately, the other girl came to a stop directly in front of her, blocking the way forward. Katja tensed, but didn't feel as scared as she usually was, seeing that Wolf was right there beside her.
"I suppose you thought that was funny last night," hissed Elise, her blue eyes blazing. "You probably laughed about it all night long, me being publicly humiliated at a festival!"
Katja considered a myriad of responses before finally settling on the truth. "I don't think anything between the two of us is funny, Elise. I never have."
She gazed pointedly at the other girl. "I don't know what I ever did to make you hate me so much. If I knew how I'd offended you, I would gladly have apologized a thousand times over. All I wanted was to be your friend, and to have you as mine. But clearly that didn't work out."
Elise pursed her lips and dropped her gaze to the ground, and Katja thought that might be the end of it. Instead, Elise inhaled slowly before tossing her head and gesturing towards Katja's knapsack.
"Where are you going?" she asked.
"I'm leaving," replied Katja. Remembering her earlier concerns about being seen by those with the gift of foresight, she titled her head to one side. "I'm actually surprised you didn't already know that, given your affinity. Did none of the Seers see me going?"
Elise shook her head, and a familiar ache blossomed in Katja's chest. So it was true...even the Seers paid her no mind and couldn't be bothered to keep up with her future. Looking down at Wolf, Katja gave him a half-hearted smile as he whined sadly and gently bumped his head against her leg.
Swallowing down yet another painful truth, Katja turned back to Elise. "I don't know when, or if, I'm coming back," she said, "so, goodbye, Elise. I wish we'd been able to be friends."
Elise didn't respond but Katja hadn't really expected her to, so she stepped around the other girl, Wolf at her side, and continued on. They hadn't gone more than a few steps, though, when Elise called out, "Wait!"
Katja turned around, knowing she was likely playing right into Elise's final chance to bully her. Wolf pricked his ears and sat down on his haunches, his amber gaze daring Elise to make even the slightest wrong move.
Elise took a step closer. "The Seers didn't know you were leaving because they can't see you," she said.
Katja blinked, not having expected that, but Elise nodded.
"It's true," she said. "Being a Seer has been nothing like what I expected. The future exists in so many possibilities, and we often don't know which one will come to pass until it's almost on us. I learned early on the Hexen keep a close watch over their own, but one thing that was impressed on all of us, one thing we were all sworn to keep secret, was that the Seers are unable to see you. Or any part of your future."
Katja was dumbfounded. Why couldn't they see her? Her mother had been a member of the Hexen. Witch blood ran in her veins.
"I don't understand," she finally whispered.
"The fact that none of the Seers could see you made you incredibly interesting in their eyes," continued Elise. "No one knew what it meant, but everyone agreed on one thing...you must be the most extraordinary witch born in ages, meant to do something far beyond our wildest dreams. They were all so certain it meant you were destined for greatness in some way or another."
Elise rolled her eyes, then shrugged. "I couldn't live up to their dreams about you, and I hated you for it...for being different in a way I could never be."
Katja truly didn't know what to say, but she managed to choke out, "Thank you for telling me. I really appreciate knowing the truth."
Elise offered her a tight-lipped smile. "You're welcome. And good luck on your journey. Who knows? Perhaps by going somewhere other this castle, we'll finally be able to see you. Unless you go into the Schwarzwald, of course." She shook her head. "We can't see anything involving the Black Forest, not in the past, present, or the future."
Something tightened in Katja's chest, although she wasn't sure why. Just because the Seers couldn't see her future, while they also couldn't see anything involving the Schwarzwald, didn't mean the two things were related.
Did it?
There was no time to dwell on that now, and Katja thanked Elise again before she and Wolf made their way outdoors to the castle courtyard. She could see the outlines of Tante Hedda and Tante Winola through the windows of the shop as she walked closer. Once they'd made their way inside, Tante Hedda flipped the sign on the shop door to "closed" before firmly locking it. She and Tante Winola turned expectantly towards Katja, and she watched their eyes take in her knapsack.
"It seems you are leaving us," observed Tante Winola. "To seek out the Waldkonig, I presume?"
Katja felt like someone had struck her in the stomach. "How did you know?"
"After all the research you did on him, as well as everything you read of your mother's, it was obvious you wanted answers...and those answers were never going to be found here in the castle." Tante Winola smiled sadly. "I wish you wouldn't go, but I also understand why you have to."
"I feel the same way," said Tante Hedda, stepping beside Tante Winola and placing her arm around the smaller woman's shoulders. "What's your plan?"
Katja told them, and they both agreed it made sense.
"At least you won't be alone," smiled Tante Hedda, gesturing towards Wolf. "If anyone can lead you through that cursed forest, it's Wolf."
"I'll take care of her," he assured the older witches.
"And we'll be back before you know it," said Katja, even as the space behind her eyes began to burn and her throat constricted from the force of holding back tears. "I just didn't want to leave without saying goodbye...just in case..."
She couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence, but she didn't need to—Tante Winola and Tante Hedda hurried forward and drew her into a hug, both of them wishing her well and promising more dinners together as soon as she and Wolf returned.
Katja savored the weight of their arms around her, the smell of parchment that somehow always clung to Tante Winola, and the scent of sawdust and lemon she always associated with Tante Hedda. Eventually, she lowered her arms and stepped back, running a hand over her face to wipe away the wetness from her eyes.
"Thank you both for everything," she said, as the women bent down and hugged Wolf, whose tail managed a weak wag, even as it drooped towards the floor.
"We love you, Katja," said Tante Winola, straightening and taking Tante Hedda's hand in hers. "We'll see you soon."
"I love you both, too," smiled Katja, her chest feeling so warm, she was surprised tendrils of fire didn't start curling out of her torso. "Take care of each other until I come back."
The elder witches grinned and tightened their grip on one another, assuring Katja they would. In a way, knowing there were people in the castle who cared about her made it that much harder to leave—why had she only found a family now, when she stood the greatest chance of losing them?
On the other hand, knowing people believed in her and loved her and cared whether or not she came back also made Katja feel better about leaving...it filled her with a purpose, a reason for getting through whatever lay ahead.
She had to make it through the Black Forest because people would miss her if she never returned to the Hexen. After so long of feeling like no one even remembered she existed, it actually felt quite good to know her absence would be noticed.
"Wolf," said Tante Winola, bringing Katja's attention back to the shop, "as you return to the Schwarzwald, remember, your past doesn't define you. Whatever you did before, whoever you used to be, you made a choice at some point to be different, and that's who you truly are. Don't continue to seek punishment for something you no longer deserve, groBe böse Wolf."
Wolf trembled so violently, Kajta worried his legs might fail, leading to him collapsing on the ground. She herself couldn't do more than blink at the librarian in shock, even though a small part of her wasn't surprised.
"You knew?" asked Wolf, the words catching in his throat. "How?"
"Katja isn't the only one who reads legends about the Schwarzwald," smiled Tante Winola.
Wolf closed his eyes, and Katja wanted to reach out and place a hand on his back to offer him comfort, but she also knew this was something Wolf had to work through himself.
"Why didn't you say anything?" he finally asked, opening his eyes again.
"Initially, because I wasn't completely sure who you were," replied Tante Winola. "But once I became more certain, it just didn't seem right to force you to relive things that were clearly behind you. I considered it, of course, numerous times, but..."
She shrugged. "Hedda and I had who knows how many conversations about what to do, and we always came to the same conclusion—Katja trusted you and believed in you, and she knew you better than anyone. If she'd found a way to give you a chance, we certainly couldn't do less."
She gazed directly into Wolf's pain-stricken eyes. "The details of your past shouldn't be the currency you're expected to pay in order to gain access to a new future. You'll never make a new life for yourself if you're constantly made to recount things that happened over two hundred years ago.
"When you and Katja return, Hedda and I would love to hear whatever you're willing to share, but know that discussing your past isn't a requirement for our friendship. Your actions since we've known you have more than proved you to be a good person."
"I don't know what to say," managed Wolf in a tight voice barely above a whisper, "other than, I'm so sorry. And thank you."
Tante Hedda and Tante Winola both smiled and wished them well, and Katja and Wolf made their outside and across the courtyard, Katja walking with single-minded purpose until she reached the wooden bridge. Stopping halfway across, she turned and gazed at the place she'd lived for years but that had only become home to her in the past few months.
Bidding a silent farewell to the castle and the Hexen she cared about, she resolutely crossed the bridge.
(Artwork by Tama66 from Pixabay)