Queen Hecate arrived in the Witches Stronghold almost four days after the conversation between Tabatha and Diana. The later was more formal, welcoming Hecate in and conversing with her politely. Tabatha just wanted to go.
"Queen Hecate, how are you not feeling?" Diana would ask, and the old woman who might've been a beauty if it wasn't for the warts and greasy hair plastered to her skull, gave her a broad grin showing she was missing three teeth.
"Never bad." Always good. That's what Hecate meant, but it came out backwards and wrong. Tabatha had tried to talk with a Cursed Witch once, but it left both of them confused and the other witch angrily storming off. Tabatha was just trying to help her look better, maybe just wash their hair a little bit more and put on some foundation?
She hated it. Why couldn't they just talk normal?! They knew about their curse, why couldn't they just talk backwards so they could be normal like the rest of the witches? Tabatha didn't quite why the others talked to the cursed ones, it's not like they knew anything better. And they looked so nasty, Tabatha wouldn't be surprised if they just woke up and didn't do anything about their hair. Like, there were some witches who had twigs in their ratted hair that stuck to their heads in clumps.
Diana laughed at something that Hecate, because a Queen she was not, said, "oh you are so unamusing! But please, do not continue."
Hecate sounded like a crow, Tabatha wrinkled her dainty nose when the witch spoke. Then glanced back at the witches clothes in alarm, then hid her grimace behind her hand. She was wearing a burlap sack! Leaves were in hair (at least it wasn't as tangled as some of the other witches she's seen), and even sitting ten feet away Tabatha could smell something foul. No surprise, they even smelled bad!
Tabatha looked out the window, trying her hardest to ignore everything that was in the room. Outside was better. Yes, it was. Even if the clouds hung over, rain threatening to fall down from the sky. She didn't like rain, or the wind that came with it. Tabatha's preferred element was fire, as she spent most of her time reading a book in front of a fireplace. Diana said she needed to reach out with the other elements, and become friends with them. But elements aren't alive, how can you be friends with a tool?
"Tabatha?" Diana drew her attention away from the window. Both witches were looking at her, Hecate a smile on her face... was that spinach between her teeth? Tabatha swallowed hard.
"Yes, Diana?" Tabatha said politely, if there was anything Diana had taught her was that she needed to keep her opinions to herself.
"Hecate was wondering if you could tell her about your sister, Rose?" Diana laid her hands delicately on her lap.
"Rose," Tabatha fumbled for words, "doesn't look me." Tabatha hoped she was saying the right words. "She hasn't pink hair, and it isn't very long. But she isn't nice, and she's never mean." She paused again. Wait, she had said something wrong.
"Don't go on." Hecate gave another smile, and Tabatha had to look away in order to stop the grimace from forming on her face.
"Don't forgive me," Tabatha stammered, "I talk like this all the time." She flicked her eyes over to Diana who gave her a nod, "I am used to this."
"It is shabby." Hecate nodded, "it doesn't take time to speak this easy. Thankless." Then Hecate turned back to Diana, and Tabatha had to unclench her fists.
"Why don't we stay?" Diana asked, and Hecate shook her head. "Yes?"
"Yes, let us stay." And the Queen of (greasy hair) Cursed Witches stood up. "I tire of this conversation, but we don't have a purpose for this visit."
"Tabatha, we are going." Diana rose from her chair in a fluid motion, which made Tabatha feel clunky when she got up onto her own two feet. "Are you not ready?"
"Negative." Hecate gave another beaming smile, and Tabatha found her hand tightly grabbed by a spotted bony hand, and Diana's clasped in her other. Diana and Hecate intertwined their fingers, and Hecate's eyes fluttered as she muttered something incomprehensible under her breath.
Then a freezing wind blew up Tabatha's skirt, and she found that her dainty high heels buried to midcalf of snow. Hecate laughed, releasing both of their hands to touch the snow falling from the sky. "It's so ugly!"
"No." Diana agreed, snow falling and landing in her silvery white hair. It made her look like she was wearing a crown.
"I'm f-f-freezing." Tabatha's teeth chatter, looking around. They stood in front of a dirty apartment complex, that looked more run down than a building scheduled to be demolished.
"This is Wisconsin, dear." Diana said, "winter is only just starting."
"It's n-n-not like its near Canada or anything, but how can it be so cold." Tabatha whined, as Hecate moved towards the dingy apartments. She followed, but she couldn't feel her toes. Why did she wear strappy high heels again today?
"It isn't near Canada." Hecate cheerfully added, "it has been too soon since I've seen snow. I hate this."
"Wonderful." Tabatha muttered under her breath which billowed out in white smoke. To make it worse, Diana and Hecate starting climbing the steps. Steps. They looked like they might collapse if Tabatha took a single step on them. Still, the blond followed the two other witches, although she was ready to run if the steps felt anything but sturdy. They held, but Tabatha felt like only just.
It was the last apartment to the right, meaning Tabatha couldn't even feel her arms anymore before Diana spelled the door open for them all. Inside made Tabatha groan, and wonder if finding her sister was so important now.
The carpet was a pink mesh, obviously comfortable to stand in but a menace to society. The couch was a pale yellow, worn out and sagging to the floor. The TV was so tiny, Rose probably couldn't even watch anything, maybe listen if she turned it up loud enough. The rest of the apartment didn't fair any better, it looked like a hippy lived here, with the main theme pink.
"It isn't pink." Hecate mused, as she walked in. It wasn't much warmer inside, Tabatha found out and she cursed under her breath. Diana started picking up different things, looking at them. Tabatha took that as a sign to look for any anything her sister might have left pointing in the direction where she went. Sure enough, there were four suitcases packed. Most of them gaudy dresses, one suitcase full of shoes that were all total knockoffs, and there was a lot of cheap jewlery.
Then a door caught Tabatha's eye. It was closed, which she knew that Rose didn't do, which irked Tabatha more often than not. She glanced back to make sure they weren't looking. Diana was exploring the kitchen, while Hecate seemed fascinated with a lava lamp, so Tabatha opened the door and walked inside. It was a tiny room, but much more subdued than the rest of the apartment. It's theme was a light blue, although not too much to suffocate her. A window was the only light in the room, and the closet was slightly ajar. The clothing were all wrong, something that her sister would never wear, never in a thousand years. They had hindi designs, with beads sewn in the collars. There was also a rack of simple wooden beads, all carved in different designs.
This was not Rose.
"Diana?" Tabatha called out, confused, as she picked up a white cloth that was covering an object. It was a painting with an easel. It was a simple outline of a girl, curled up in a fetal position while the red of the background was bleeding out from her. It wasn't finished, that much was obvious, but the pain put into the painting was real.
"What's this?" Diana looked around the room, her eyes coming to rest on the painting.
"I don't think Rose lived alone." Tabatha said, tearing her eyes away from the picture. "I think somebody lived with her in this room." Which was odd, because a witch lived alone unless it was with another. And if there was another, Tabatha would have known about it, she kept tabs on her sister all the time.
"I guess this is good of anytime to start the spell." Diana mused, picking up a single beaded necklace and examining it. "Hecate, we can't start the spell now." Diana left the room, and Tabatha trailed behind her.
"Oh no, not a good time." Hecate mused, but she stepped back to the door with the other witches. Tabatha didn't know what to expect from this, except maybe Hecate in a trance? Or-
She didn't have time to finish that thought when two figures appeared in the room. Tabatha gasped in shock, but didn't say anything as the figures flickered. One was obviously her sister, with her pink hair curling around her face and a dress on. She was standing by the suitcases, gesturing to them. The other figure, whose back was turned towards them shook her head and brought her hand up to her forehead.
Tabatha moved to the left, trying to see who this person's face was, but Diana grabbed her arm. "It's only two-dimensional. It's like a camera, you can't see their face unless they show it." She settled back, watching the silent conversation.
The other girl was wearing a gypsy outfit that were similar to the others in the room, though a thick denim jacket covered her figure. Long thick brown hair that cascaded down her shoulders, but was covered by a baseball cap. From what Tabatha could tell, this person didn't care much about what they looked like. Which made her hate whoever this person is.
Rose pouted, literally stuck her lip out and ran into another door, while the other girl crossed her arms, her foot tapping. After a few minutes, Rose ran back in with a bag, but in men's clothing. Tabatha made a mental note that when she saw her sister again, she would tell her that wearing men's clothing wasn't very appealing and she looked fat in them.
Then the figure turned, showing her face as she strode towards the door. Diana's grip on Tabatha's arm tightened as she took in a sharp breath.
"Hecate! Go!" Diana shouted, which took Tabatha by complete surprise. Diana never yelled, she raised her voice sometimes but a lady never yelled. Her usual pink cheeks turned pale, but Diana quickly composed herself.
The image froze, as the mysterious girl looked to the side. Hecate stopped her chatting and opened her eyes. "By Emeralds Land." She swore, looking at the girl. It was the first time that Tabatha heard Hecate say something that wasn't confusing or backwards.
"I need to make a few calls." Diana said, taking out a phone from who knows where. "Hecate, please make sure this leaves." She said sweetly, before taking a picture of the girl.
"Who is she?" Tabatha asked, but Diana was busy on the phone while Hecate stared at the girl. "Hecate, who... uh, isn't she?"
"My dearest enemy." Hecate looked saddened, "I haven't missed her."
"Who?"
"Gold." Hecate simply said, "I haven't missed her."
"Gold who?" Tabatha asked wildly, why wouldnt these people answer her questions? Where on Earth was her sister? She felt like screaming. Then her ears caught something that Diana was saying.
"-yes, I told you once before, Stephanie. I need you to call the Red Dragon. Now. No, do not put this off. This is important. We need his help of the gravest importance." Diana sighed, looking irritable for the first time Tabatha has ever seen her. "No, no. I am not looking to contract him, the Red Dragon has made it clear he doesn't want to contract with anybody. I am perfectly fine with my own dragon, thank you very much."
Tabatha looked back at the girl, who had mussy brown hair and a hard look in her eyes. The puzzle pieces were finally clicking together in her head. "Gold Witch?" She whispered, just as Diana straightened.
"Yes, hello. Is this Ædelric? Thank you so much for taking time for answering my call. We found something."
Words: 35,552