"Cathellyn!" I stop in my tracks as I hear my name being shouted. Turning my head to the direction of the voice, I can see Ethan riding Snow towards me from afar. A smile crept onto my face as I watch him ease down the horse and walking towards me.
I cross my arms, "How come you're always late? I thought you wouldn't come today."
He puts a hand behind his neck and gives me a meek smile, "Sorry, Cat," he calls me with the nickname he gave me. "But I think you're too early."
I scoff in disbelief and kick him in the shins, making him wince. I try not to laugh with him hopping on one leg and rubbing his shins, trying to ease out the pain.
He laughs. "I was just joking, Cat!" He puts down his leg.
I roll my eyes at him. "So," I sigh, "What are we going to do today?"
"I don't know. Hunting maybe." He lifts his shoulder and drops it.
"Already did," I say, motioning my stuffed sack.
He sighs and scratches the back if his head, and suddenly he brings it back up and gives me a coy smile.
I look at him with my eyebrows furrowed, anticipating his thoughts. "What?"
He doesn't say anything and his smile just grow larger. Ethan takes my hand in his and pulls me towards Snow. My eyes widen and my cheeks redden from the sudden contact but I don't pull back. He whistles to the silver horse and the horse comes over to us, meeting in the middle.
I look at him. "You're taking me for a ride?" I never rode Snow before as I had no purpose to.
"I'm going to show you something," his voice full of excitement. I raise an eyebrow at him but he just motions me to ride Snow. I sigh and climb up, Ethan following soon after. Fortunately, the saddle is enough for both of us to sit comfortably. He sits in front of me, his back facing me.
"Where are we going?" I say, my head cocking to the side so I can see him better.
He looks at me over his shoulder, still having his smile. "You'll know soon enough." He turns away. "And you might want to put your arms around me."
I open my mouth to protest but Ethan heels Snow and the horse lets out a loud neigh before shooting its front legs out. I let out a half laugh and half shriek and quickly circle Ethan's waist to prevent myself from falling. And I swear I see a smile from him. The horse drops its legs and breaks into a fast canter.
The trees become blurry as Snow trudges through it and the wind whoosh through me. I stiffen my knees to the saddle to keep myself from fumbling around and my heartbeat rises erratically. We swiftly pass through the white forest and I tighten my grip on Ethan, and I feel a soft hand on mine, but it is gone soon after.
Not long after, Snow slows down to a gentle trot. Losing the blur, I look around. It's not much change with the same snowy ground and icicles on the trees but for some reason, it is colder here. I feel goosebumps rising on my body and a shiver running down my spine as I sit up straighter.
Snow comes to a sudden halt and I was almost thrown off. I bring my head to Ethan's side to see what is in front of us as he covers my vision. A small wooden cottage made out of cobblestones and wood. It looks worn out though, whoever made it lived a long time ago.
There is a tint of mold on the cobblestones beneath the snow and vines crawling on the sides like green hands engulfing the small cottage. My mouth drops slightly as my mind raced with questions. What is it doing in the middle of the forest? Who in the right mind would make a house here? Is there even anyone here?
Ethan gets off and looks at me with a smug expression. "After you left yesterday, I ride around the forest for a while and I stumble upon this." He says, motioning the cottage.
I blink a few times before getting of Snow, eyes not leaving the cottage. "Did you go inside?"
He shakes his head and I look to him. "What do you think is in it?" I ask.
He smiles at me. "Guess we are going to find out." I return his smile and we both walk towards it. When we reach the wooden door, I reach for the doorknob but before I can, the door flung open by itself, the sound of slam echoes throughout the small house. I jerk back my hand and turn to Ethan.
He nods at me with a surprised and excited look. I swallow a spit and slowly make way into it, bracing myself. The only light in it is from the door and windows, allowing us to see briefly.
The walls are covered with racks filled with vials of different sizes with strange colors and contents. One of it storing a severed wolf head, to my surprise. I scrunch up my nose at a somewhat rotting smell that lingers throughout the house. In the middle of the house is a rusty cauldron. A few unlighted lanterns hang from the ceiling.
I step into the house slowly, Ethan following soon after. As soon as both of us got in, the door slams back shut, the sound echoing again. My heart turns into a frantic beating at the sudden noise. The air suddenly got thicken and I see Ethan's hand gripping the hilt of his sword slowly while his eyes scan the house for any signs of danger.
I tighten my grip on my spear as we walk towards the cauldron. Every step we take creaks the wood beneath us and with the silence, the small creaks seem like loud fireworks.
We close on the cauldron and suddenly something sprang out of it. I gasp and Ethan unsheathes his sword, the metal's voice ringing. The shadowy figure slithers in the darkness where the light can't reach. Judging from its size - a human? The figure lets out a coarse laugh and it jumps from the shadows, revealing her face.
Wrinkles cover her face and her mouth bears no teeth as she smiles widely. Her back is hunched but that doesn't stop her jumping up and down with laughter as she circles us.
"Guests! Guests!" she beams with a smile.
She stops prancing around and comes closer to us. I look to Ethan and he looks as baffled as I am.
The old woman takes hold of both of us. "Come! Come young ones, you must be cold!" She whistles a tune and the fire is lighted in the lanterns and the fireplace, giving off illuminating light in an instant.
She forces us into a seat at the table, which we both slumped into, sending dust everywhere. I cough and try to wave it off my face. She left and went to the cauldron where she chants something and plates of food comes out of it.
She turns back to us with the plates floating on her back. I watch in awe as the plates take place in front of me and Ethan. He slowly slides back his sword and looks at me with awe. "Magic, " he whispers.
The old woman sits in front of us as a plate lands in front of her. "Why, of course! What is a witch without magic?"
My eyes widen. "You're a witch?"
She looks at me with an obvious look. "Yes dear!" She opens her hand at the food. "Eat up now! You must be hungry."
I look to Ethan and he just nods and takes a bite out of stale bread. He cringes but he forces a smile to the old woman and chews slowly. She seems happy enough as she claps her hand together in giddy.
I give her a fake smile and do the same. The bread almost breaks my teeth. And I wonder why she doesn't have any.
She stares at us with a big smile on her face. "It's been so long since I met anyone and Oh- I just miss talking to people," she says.
I put down the half-eaten bread and forcefully swallow the other half. "Then why do you stay in the forest?" I try to push the fact that she is a witch.
She sighs. "Let's just say, the people don't like me. I have been here for over a century," she mutter, her smile transforming into a sad one.
Ethan brings his head up. "A century? Then why are you not-" he stops, not knowing how to tell her.
But the woman just smiles at him. "Dead?" She lets out a short but loud laugh and leans forward to us. "I almost died once, but I traded my life for some other. A sacrifice. That way, I can live forever," she says with a smile as if she said something normal. I jerk back from her words. Ethan doesn't move but I can see his face turns pale.
"Now, don't go running about telling people about me, though I would really want more guests," she sighs, closing her eyes.
Suddenly it shoots open and her head jerks to me. Her eyes widen like saucers and her face turning white, she violently takes my hand into her grip and studies my palm closely.
I wince at her iron grip and try to pull back but her grip just tightens, if that is even possible.
Ethan stands up and grips the hilt of the sword. "Let her go."
She mutters something to herself before looking me into my eyes. "You-You're born in the winter. A winter born." She stuttered and she lets go of my wrist.
I pull back and stand up. "Yes! Yes, I am! What does it have to do with anything?"
She looks to us with bewilderment, her body shaking. "You d-don't know? If there is a winter born, great deaths will take place. Well, y-you may not be the one. No, no, you're probably not," she grips her own hair "there are others that born in the winter too but," she looks back at us, "one of them is a winter born and that one will bring death to the people."
I open my mouth but no words come out and I feel my breath getting heavier. Ethan takes my hand gently. "I think we better be going now, " he snaps at the wide-eyed witch.
He pulls me to the door but the witch and I do not break our gaze. Her eyes filled with fear and anger. I do not look away until the door shuts as we step outside to the snowy ground.
Ethan calls out a Snow and the horse comes trotting to us. I climb on soundlessly, thinking the witch's words. Ethan follows and breaks Snow into a canter. I stay silent and just close my eyes, and let the wind take me.
We eventually stop at the river, where he picked me up. I jump off and Ethan looks at me with a concerned look before following me. I sweep my hair back in frustration. "Do you think it is true? That I will bring great death?"
He shakes his head. "It's just an old myth, Cat. A story. That witch is crazy enough to believe that," he puts an arm around me and I let him bring me closer.
I let out a sigh and look at his emerald eyes. "I know, but what if it's real. What if I'm the winter born? What if I will bring death to the people? What if-" I stop when I feel something hot trickling down my cheeks. I didn't even realize I'm crying. I curse myself for being so weak. I'm a hunter, I shouldn't be crying for some lunatic myth.
Ethan pulls me into his arms and encircles me with his warmth. My eyes widen in shock but my mind allows him. I realize how I miss this feeling. I put my own arms around him, 0"I don't want people dying for me, Ethan." I burrow my face into his chest like a small child.
He strokes my hair gently. "Everyone will die, Cat. But you will not be the cause. Even if it is, your life is worth a thousand of mine," he comforts me slowly.
I shake my head at the thought of Ethan dying for me. I will not let that happen. He is the only one that really knows me and he is the only one that doesn't judge me. The only one that will stay by my side. "When I was born," I say in a low voice, "the people call me Winter Born too. I didn't know the meaning till now."
He brushes his hand onto my hair. "I'm sure they don't either."
"Probably," I mutter into his chest.
He pulls away gently. "You're not the Winter Born," he brushes a lock of hair out of my face. "I shouldn't have brought you there," he sighs.
I shake my head. "No. It's all right." I assure him.
I look at the setting sun behind him. "You should probably go now. " I don't want him to go but the last time I was late I got a beastly mother in my house.
He looks too, at the setting sun. "Yeah," he turns back to me and slowly take my hand, and placing a kiss on my knuckles. I smile now, the peck doesn't feel weird anymore. He bids farewell and rides Snow to the cave under the mountain.
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There. TAKE IT!! * Throws chapter at you *
This chapter gave some problems and I don't feel good writing it. Mainly because I'm having a fever and gosh dammit school is coming. I might not update as soon as I used to but I'll try. I was planning to stop mid-way but I fell in love with writing and something in me screams in hysteria if I plan to stop. Nonetheless I will continue it but not as often. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE READS. YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW I APPRECIATE IT.
AND PLEASE HIT THAT STAR AND FOLLOW ME IF YOU WANT MORE.
BYE BYE.