♪♫❝ ᴸⁱᶠᵉ'ˢ ᵃ ᵇⁱᵗᶜʰ ᵃⁿᵈ ˢʰᵉ'ˢ ᶜᵒᵒˡ ʷⁱᵗʰ ᵐᵉ
ᴵ'ˡˡ ˡᵉᵗ ⁱᵗ ᵇᵉ, ʰᵃʳᵈ ʷᵒʳˡᵈ ᵗᵒ ᵖˡᵉᵃˢᵉ
ᴵ ˡⁱᵛᵉ ᵐʸ ˡⁱᶠᵉ ˡⁱᵏᵉ ᵉᵛᵉʳʸᵇᵒᵈʸ ʰᵃᵗᵉˢ ᵐᵉ ❞♪♫
— 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚋𝚘𝚍𝚢 𝚑𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚜 𝚖𝚎 ʙʏ 𝙶𝙰𝚈𝙻𝙴
━━━━ •┈••✦ 🖤 ✦••┈• ━━━━
˖⁺‧₊˚⚜️♛⚜️˚₊‧⁺˖
𝐻𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑤𝑎𝑙𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 down the castle when he bumped into a familiar dark-haired girl.
"Hello, Golden Suck-up." She greeted him with a cocky smile.
The blonde crossed his arms. "What do you want?"
The two teenagers hadn't talked much since their last and first mission together-they had ignored one another like usual.
"Well," Annika began. "I was hoping you could help me... outta here?"
Either Hunter was tired to care, or he was feeling rather bold because the next thing Annika knew was him declining her request and walking along like a typical day in his life.
"Sword." Annika reminded him in a sing-song voice.
"Fine." Hunter groaned and turned to her with furrowed brows.
They both knew that she still had shit on him, and if he tried to tell what she told him, then he knew no one would believe him, which was a point she had made back at the Knee.
─── ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆ ───
"Will this plan of yours actually work?" The boy raised a brow as he watched the girl climb the castle walls behind a narrow section of the castle.
After Annika forced Hunter to wait for her to get dressed in a plain and inconspicuous outfit, she dragged him out to a hidden spot he didn't know about until now.
"Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't lookouts supposed to look out instead of talking and judging?" Annika retorted.
The blonde looked around the area after he grumbled to himself.
When the brunette was about to climb down the top of the wall, she looked back to Hunter. "Don't forget what we agreed on."
Hunter returned her a look that read, 'You know I'm not that stupid.'
"Just making sure you don't snitch on me while I'm away," the girl replied to the boy's expression before disappearing to the other side of the wall.
─── ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆ ───
Annika was in awe at Bonesborough even though she had visited many places in the Boiling Ilses, but mostly Bonesborough since it was the closest location to the castle. She would feel like a child in the biggest candy store whenever she wandered the Boiling Isles alone.
And the arranged trips that Belos organized always made her like a child who desperately wanted to buy a particular toy she had taken an interest in, but the adult she was with refused to get her the toy.
Annika walked toward the narrow alleyways and took her scroll from her pocket to hex Lilith.
......
🥀Po1son0usR0se🥀
Hey Lily!
Guess where I am?
......
Annika's following hexes were sent with a picture of her standing at her current location.
......
Chilly.Lily
𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴...
Anni?
How did you manage to get there without being caught?
ʳᵉᵃᵈ
🥀Po1son0usR0se🥀
I have my ways
ʳᵉᵃᵈ
Chilly.Lily
Stay where you are.
I'm coming to pick you up!
ʳᵉᵃᵈ
🥀Po1son0usR0se🥀
❤️
ʳᵉᵃᵈ
......
Annika's smile widened when she spotted a familiar blue-haired witch waving in her direction.
"Lily!" The teen ran to her in excitement.
The pale witch who mirrored the same smile was now bear-hugged by Annika.
"I've missed you so much."
"Anni, you're gonna kill me if you don't let go of me now."
Annika let go of Lilith and rubbed her hand on her neck. "Sorry."
"So, how have you been?" The pale witch asked.
"Good." The brunette replied and returned the question to the older witch, who gave her a similar reply.
"Nice t-shirt." Annika complimented the older witch, who looked down at her shirt with pink cheeks before thanking the younger witch.
The two witches continued to converse like old times but soon stopped when Lilith's expression became serious.
"You should probably not be here so out in the open." She commented.
Annika nodded.
"Are you inviting me to the notorious Owl House?" The teenager dramatically asked.
"Yes, I am. And because you are my favorite witch, you get to have the tour for free." The older witch joked.
"Well, then, lead the way, Lily!"
─── ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆ ───
"Lulu, are you cheating on me?!" An owl tube Annika soon recognized as Hooty from Lilith's hexes, asked the blue-haired witch with an accusing tone.
The teenager leaned to whisper into the older witch's ear with an uneased look. "What the fuck is that thing?"
"Now, Hootsifer, don't be rude." Lilith lectured the bird tube (it was hard for the girl to decipher what he was) before officially introducing the two to one another. "Annika, meet Hooty; Hooty, this is Annika."
"Hi." The brunette greeted Hooty with either a confused or nervous tone; she wasn't sure if there was a difference in this case.
Hooty's only greeting to the teen was a scowling glare.
"Can you let us in, Hootsifer?" Lilith asked, attempting to make Annika feel less uncomfortable about the current situation.
The owl tube opened the door, still scowling at the brunette before the two witches entered the house.
Annika grinned when she looked around the house. "It looks comfy." She commented.
Lilith soon did the same; the teen's beam was contagious regarding the witches' relationship.
Their grins soon faltered when they heard an accusing voice. "What is she doing here?"
A familiar-looking tan girl pointed her finger at Annika with an adorable demon by her side.
The older teen's eyes momentarily widened when she saw the human girl.
"Luz, she's a friend," Lilith explained.
"Lies!" King shouted.
"Yeah, she's the crown princess." Luz agreed. "Someone who directly serves Emperor Belos." She pointed out.
Instead of grimacing, Annika slipped her mask on and raised a brow. "You do realize that Lilith was the head of the Emperor's coven, right?"
"Lilith changed. You clearly haven't. I saw you trapping those witches!" The human girl claimed, and King nodded in agreement.
"What's all the ruckus about?" The infamous Owl Lady asked with an entertained look which quickly switched to a glaring one when she saw Annika. "Who let her in?"
"Can everyone please calm down?" Lilith queried and stood between the other occupants and the brunette.
"Lily?" Eda gave the blue-haired witch a questioning look.
"Edalyn, could we discuss this in a private space?"
The Owl Lady stared at the older teenager with suspicion.
"You know I can just leave." Annika informed Lilith.
The older witch shook her head as she touched the older teen's shoulder. "I haven't seen you for a long time."
"Okay, okay, we'll talk." Eda agreed. "But as long as someone keeps watch on her."
"I'll do it!" Luz called voluntarily.
"I'll join too!" King followed.
Lilith agreed to Eda's condition, and the two walked away for a private conversation.
When the two left, a stuffed animal hit Annika's body-the girl didn't flinch.
"Attack the enemy Francois!" The adorable demon yelled.
"What are you doing here, or a better question, why are you here?" Luz repeated her unanswered questions.
The older teen opened her mouth to answer the human girl's questions but was quickly interrupted.
"I won't let you steal my Lulu!!!" Hooty, who appeared out of nowhere, angrily squished his face to Annika's.
The older teen looked irritated. "Okay, first off, I'm not stealing Lily from you." She pushed the owl tube away from her face. "If that were the case, then you would've been the one stealing Lily from me, not the other way around." She ended her reply with a mocking smile.
Hooty gasped and left the room shocked as he tried to process Annika's retort.
The older teen continued. "Second of all, I didn't come to spy."
Luz was unconvinced.
"Thirdly, I'm here for Lilith, not you. I have better things to do in my life than being some undercover spy just to milk information out of you, Noceda."
"How do you know my name?" The human girl asked.
Annika looked at Luz unimpressed. "Are you seriously asking me that?"
˖⁺‧₊˚⚜️˚₊‧⁺˖
"I know Annika is known for doing bad things relating to Emperor Belos, but I promise she's a sweet girl," Lilith explained.
"You heard what King and Luz said; she was on a witch hunt, trapping wild witches like they were worthless bugs." Eda tried to reason.
The older Clawthorne wore a worried and guilty look. "I'm sure she has her reasons."
"And what would her reasons be?"
"I- I don't know. She doesn't talk about her feelings that much." Lilith rubbed her temple with her fingers.
"Then what do you think makes her trustworthy? How do you know she's not gonna snitch on us?" Eda asked.
"We've talked to one another, and she hasn't done anything."
"Maybe that's what she wants you to think, Lily."
Eda's words hurt Lilith, which the Owl Lady noticed and immediately apologized.
Lilith sighed. "It's fine. I understand everyone's concerns, but I've known her since she was little, Edalyn, and she's like family to me. And just like how you would do anything for King and Luz, I would do the same for Annika."
Sympathy filled Eda's eyes. "Fine, I'll let her stay, but that doesn't mean I trust her."
Lilith took the younger Clawthorne's hand by hers with a grateful smile. "Thank you, Edalyn."
─── ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆ ───
The children were getting along in the other room; that was if going back and forth counted as 'getting along.'
Luz and King tried to confront Annika about her deeds, but the older teenager denied the allegations. And yes, the older brunette knew she could've told the younger brunette and the short demon that she did help those trapped witches in the end.
But she had multiple reasons for not telling them; the first was because telling them felt like going into a somewhat vulnerable spot.
The second one was because she didn't trust them, especially when they didn't trust her either. And the third reason was that she was used to hiding feelings, emotions, and intentions so she wouldn't get hurt again.
"I've officially decided you're the worst than the Golden Guard." The human girl remarked as she pointed at the older girl.
The older teen's eyes widened, and her mocking beam faltered. "Human, that's... the nicest thing you've ever said to me." She smugly replied.
King groaned. "Can we kick her out? She's so annoying."
"I do my best," Annika replied.
"Anni?" Lilith came out to the living room with Eda.
The older brunette turned her head toward Lilith. "Yes?"
The older Clawthorne sister let out a sigh of relief and went to sit on the couch. "Will you sit with me?"
"Why, of course!" Annika exclaimed.
Luz and King were confused at the older teen's sudden attitude change.
The human girl ran up to the Owl Lady, who leaned on one of the entrance walls, and King was right behind the human girl. The Owl Lady thoughtfully stared at Lilith and Annika, who were conversing with one another.
"Eda, you're not planning on kicking her out, are you?" Luz asked.
Eda sighed. "What can I say, some things just hit close to home, but that doesn't mean I trust her." She pointed her thumb out from the entrance. "I'm gonna go take a nap; yell out if anything bad happens."
The adorable demon went to another side of the living room to speak with his army about his next attack while the human girl nodded and looked at the older teenager and Clawthrone. They seemed so wholesome and happy together.
But it was hard to look at Annika's happy face without remembering that she was the crown princess, the Emperor's heir to the throne, someone who joined in doing bad things for the Boiling Isles.
Unless...
'Was she someone like Lilith who thought she was doing good for her the witches in the Boiling Isles?' Luz wondered as she subconsciously squinted her eyes at Annika.
She nodded.
Maybe she was like Hecate from 'The Good Witch Azura,' a villain who eventually became Azura's ally.
Luz soon shook her head.
No. That didn't seem to be the case. Because if it were, then she would admit to trapping those poor witches.
The human girl sighed. Sometimes she wished things were simple-she genuinely wanted to believe that the heir was a good, empathetic person toward others.
˖⁺‧₊˚⚜️♛⚜️˚₊‧⁺˖
Annika would say that her day with Lilith went relatively smoothly, even if she was suspiciously stared at by the human girl, who she ignored.
"I should probably go," The older teen informed Lilith after checking the time on her scroll.
"Okay, do you want me to walk you home?" The older witch asked.
"I'll be fine, Lily," Annika replied before giving Lilith a hug that she immediately returned.
"I'll miss you." The blue-haired whispered into the older brunette's ear.
"I'll miss you too." The older girl returned.
Annika walked out the door with a slight grin as she waved to Lilith. "Bye!"
"Bye!"
A glaring Hooty soon greeted the older brunette when she left the house. "I don't wanna see you ever again! You hear me?!" He yelled at her as she ran away from him. "Don't ever come back."
"Love you too, Hootsifer!" Annika teasingly yelled out to Hooty, who, once again, gasped in response.
She snickered when she didn't hear another word from the owl tube.
˖⁺‧₊˚⚜️˚₊‧⁺˖
When the older teen left the Owl House, King cheered as he held his stuffed bunny. "Finally, the enemy is away from our house, Francois!"
Lilith frowned at the tiny demon's cheer.
─── ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆ ───
˖⁺‧₊˚⚜️♛⚜️˚₊‧⁺˖
After Annika successfully avoided the coven scouts scattered around Bonesborough, she heaved herself on top of the castle walls when she reached her desired destination.
But her eyes widened in surprise when she found herself staring at someone standing on the other side of the narrow section, which caused the girl to lose her grip on the stones she was holding onto.
Annika yelped as she fell onto the red grass.
Panic struck the teen girl. Did a coven scout wander to this area of the castle? Was she going to be in trouble again? The only other person who knew of this place was her, Lilith, and... Hunter.
Annika climbed the wall again, only to fall in surprise when she saw someone who had also climbed the wall. And when she looked up, she found herself staring up at Hunter, furrowing his dark brows.
"You." She pointed. "You scared the living shit out of me." She said in between heavy breaths. "Were you trying to kill me?"
"Are you coming up or not?" The boy asked, leaving the girl's comments unanswered.
Annika grumbled as she climbed the wall for the third time. When she had reached the top, Hunter climbed down from the wall to wait for her on the ground.
"Why are you here?" The girl asked when she had reached the ground.
The blonde crossed his arm. "I was worried."
Annika gave him a weird look.
"What?"
She pointed at him. "You? Were worried..." She then pointed at herself. "About me?"
Hunter gave her a confused look. "No. I was worried that if you didn't come back, Emperor Belos would start asking where you went." He explained. "Or did you forget that if he finds out I helped you sneak out, I'd also get in trouble?"
Annika was unconvinced but didn't push it since she felt like being nicer to the boy that evening. "Right, how could I forget?"
The girl then walked away from him with a smile gracing her face. "Good night, Hunter."
The blonde was confused by her reaction but didn't know how to respond, so he returned a wave when Annika had already turned her back. "You too?"
━━━━ •┈••✦ 🖤 ✦••┈• ━━━━
𝐀/𝐍: my reminder to you to vote and comment. Have a wonderful day/night 💫