Chương 34: XXXIV. Witchmarks

Spring 16th, 1380 ASSETS MINTED: 26G 0S 95C (+10G (Carrots), -1s (Nana)) UNMINTED: 424g (+486g (Crops sold), -100g (Jasmine's Cut), -50g (Glass Vials)) DEBTS NO CHANGE TASKS ROLE QUEST -1/6 STOCK 15 [Common] [Carrot Seeds] (15x planted, 0 and 15) 01 [Common] [Lettuce Seeds] 50 [Poor] [Potato] @ 7S = 350*. 75 = 262. 5S (20G, 5S) 50 [Poor] [Blood Potato] @ 7. 5s 3 = 1, 125s = 112g 5s 135 [Poor] [Blood Carrot] @ 1g 3 = 405g IN FIELD 054 POTATOES (Likely Poor - 27, 27) - Spring 16 - Harvested (Most gave double!) 135 CARROTS (Likely Poor - 0, 135) - Spring 16 - Harvested 135 CARROTS (COMMON - 0, 135) - Spring 17 135 CARROTS (Likely Poor 0, 135) - Spring 18 143 GREEN CLOVER (Common, Fixing Soil) I kept waking up during the night. My thoughts wouldn't stop racing, and I kept imagining Cynthia screaming at me, even if I told myself it was actually a bear. Amaril couldn't come quick enough, and overall, I had maybe one or two hours of sleep. Much like my Academy Nights.

I slid down the ladder to make myself some tea and looked outwards to the fields. I had help now, so maybe I could tackle finally clearing out the acres. Mirchie ate her breakfast of mixed greens noisily, before hopping out the front door. I followed behind… and moved to the barn. I renamed her Rattlejack last night, and then just moved her somewhere that wasn't out in the open and wasn't rattling in my kitchen. She just stood there, unmoving, unblinking… screaming that it was my fault.

Again, it was actually a bear, but I don't know if it made it better. Work did though. Cyn–Rattlejack was still shaking about. I didn't examine her last night, but now Amaril's Gaze was protecting me. SKELETON (UNNAMED) A Skeleton is a [Lesser] [Night-Thing]. Often found in crypts or other desecrated places, these creatures are weak individually but can become something more. TYPE: [Night-Thing] [ANIMA ANALYSIS] The world dies over and over again, but the skeleton always gets up and walks.

ANIMA: 50% ANIMUS: [COMMON] [BEAST] [ERROR! NON-SAPIOD ANIMUS PREVENTS COMPLEX COMMANDS. QUALITY IS ONE STEP LOWER.] QUALITY: [Poor] CONTROL: Basic VARIABLES: [One Allowed — Not Set] It had only been the night, and she was already at 50%? Wait, I didn't name her? I quickly set her name to Rattlejack, and hopefully, that would stick. Her bones chattered as we stepped out to the fields. I didn't need much help with harvesting, but I absolutely needed help with the field itself.

The bone tools were also drained, and Mirchie had left them out in the middle of the fields. Good Protector, that rabbit was not earning her keep. I cut my finger, letting my blood drop atop the tools. Each shimmered with my Symphony before floating in the air, and I rubbed my finger over Cyn–Rattlejack's skull. She absorbed the [Anima] but stood around as well. I chewed on my lip, and handed her the axe. Cynthia – Rattlejack grabbed the axe.

Both of her hands held the shaft, bladed head pointed towards me like if I was a target. I stepped out of the way and Rattlejack didn't move.

"Can you clear this field for me?" Rattlejack did not move.

"Flora's Piss, don' tell me your ONE variable is ya can hold an axe?!" I said, and Rattlejack, of course, didn't tell me that. The screen did though. I was warned twice about using a non-sapient soul but this was fairly limiting.

"Fine, MIRCHIE!" I shouted, and for once the rabbit appeared as I called.

"Can you take Cynthia around and have her clear out the twigs in the field? And please don't let her – or the axe – collapse on the fields this time." Mirchie's nose sniffed at me, eyes narrowing down.

"I meant Rattlejack. What did I say? Nevermind, go do it," I told Mirchie. Mirchie's ears flopped and stared at Rattlejack. Her nose twitched, and the skeleton began to follow her. For my part, I harvested the carrots and potatoes. 25 of the 27 potatoes spawned two! Individually, they were slightly cheaper than a carrot, but I now had 50 blood and normal ones in my hand. Of course they were poor potatoes, but I could start buying manure. Stolen novel; please report.

I replanted the carrots, and would likely have to buy more seeds when I went back into town. Which I had to do anyway since Maddy wanted to see me before my initiation with Lady Hawthorne. I kissed Mirchie goodbye and let her chew on more of the growing clover, and avoided Cynthia's path as she worked on clearing out the sticks. Oakheart was very quiet in the small hours of the morning. Maybe Nana would still be serving breakfast at this time and I could get some of her blueberry flatcakes as my meal of the day.

Madeleine had just gotten to her door and unlocked it when I pushed my way through.

"Now this is a more expected hour to see you, Chérie," Madeleine said, and grabbed my arms again. She again kissed the air beside my cheek – but stopped when something from upstairs let out a pained caterwaul. Madeleine released me, jerking her head to the stairs. Guilly ran from underneath the table, glancing at me once and then diving underneath a helmet.

"One moment, chérie. I must attend to that. There is some tea brewing if you would like to help yourself. I do not have any other snacks," she said, and immediately turned around and ran up the stairs. She was gone for awhile. The tea she was brewing was Lemon-Chamomile and it was getting cold. Thankfully I could reheat it, and Guilly rested on my lap as I found a comfortable seat and read one of the new books Maddy had in stock.

It was another Elvish Romance, where Julianna had to pick between the [Royal Knight] that she grew up with even if she was a [Princess], or the [Prince] of another elvish family. I had just gotten to the part where Julianna and the Knight were horseback riding, her feeling his chest underneath the gambeson. The Watcher's Gaze reflected over their skin and he smelled so warm and inviting.

Her arms wrapped around his muscles and stroked his strong che–"Chérie," Madeleine said, and I threw the book up in the air – and Guilly with it. Thankfully, the cat caught herself and landed with a lazy plop, slowly crawling to a beam of Amaril's Gaze and warming her stomach with it. I immediately shut the book and stood up. I tried my best to cover the title, but Madeleine's piercing eyes caught it. She clicked her tongue, but then stroked my cheek.

"You are freezing, chérie. And even more of your hair is going white. Come, come. Maman is going to dye it." Madeleine's upper floor was neat and tidy. Her apartment had a nice feel to it; the Martivian flag hanging on the wall, an enchanted piano right underneath, and trinkets and valuables that must have been important to a [Witch] but looked like knotted together twigs underneath glass. She waved her hand over the Piano and the notes began to play.

She patted a central chair in front of her rather large vanity, and I took a seat. There was a kitchen to the side, and the house looked fairly modern for Oakheart standards. I wouldn't be surprised if she had one of those fancy washrooms too, rather than using an outhouse or the public latrines. Only one door was actually closed, with a chalkboard outside. I could see 'Evangeline' and what looked like a timetable, but I figured it was rude to ask or even get up to see it. Madeleine poured oil over my hair first.

Her fingers rubbed into my scalp and she slowly began to work on the knots. My reflection revealed a startling truth; more than half my hair had gone white, and my skin was becoming rather pale – and I spent all my time under Amaril! Madeleine sorted my hair into two sides, one where my long strands of red still stood, and the other that was so white it could have fallen snow. She went to her cabinets and examined her bottles. I looked back at my reflection, and of course, She was there, in the corner of my eyes.

I swallowed, and leaned my head back on the cushion.

"I raised Cynthia's skeleton the other day, Maddy."

"Oui? I too must ask you not to raise me, or any of my Coven, if that were to come. Unless you are truly able to conquer death, demoiselle. Maman would not mind living an eternity as a [Revenant]."

"A what?" I said, turning my head.

"Well, you'd still need [Anima] to live, but I want to create a [Blight] to sustain the farm." She nodded her head and pulled out two bottles.

"But… I need to explore Lyrelle Forest to have some targets. I was thinkin' I could ask Addy, if you knew a way to do that?"

"... The [Paladin]?" Maddy said.

"Yes, the [Paladin]! I know it's bad, but the only other choice I have is Lord Hawthorne, an' I don' think he wants to help."

"Uh huh…" Madeleine said.

"How is this more important than you raising the dead, demoiselle?"

"It's a bear inside of Cynthia," I said.

"And if I want to make the farm better, I have to do it." Maddy clicked her tongue.

"Sure, chérie. I do not actually carry Angry Farm Girl Red in my dye cabinet. So, you have two choices - 'Carrot' or 'Crimson'?" she said. Carrot was a more orange color where the reds didn't peak as highly. There was a subtle wash of orange that created this vibrancy, and likely, it matched my own strands the best. Crimson however was a deeper form of red. It looked bloody and raw, and it's depths were heavy.

It would make my hair seem bolder, but it would definitely clash with my eyebrows, unless Maddy dyed that too. Thankfully, they weren't going white… yet.

"Addy would call them both red," I said.

"I prefer Carrot… though, Missy is gonna call me carrothead again." Again, Madeleine clicked her tongue.

"La, what is your interest in those men anyway? You don't read romance to me, Ashley Hart. You read Tragedy."

"Tragedy? You sayin' I won' get married?"

"Chérie," Madeleine said, pouring the dye atop my white hair.

"If you had wanted a solution for your problem, you would ask me to turn you to a bird, or come with you myself. I can afford to close the shop for a few hours. But you always wish to involve that [Paladin] … and now the [Vampire Lord]? If you wished for the former, you would have to stop being you, and if you wished for the latter… well…" Her fingers rubbed into my scalp, moving the dye about my hair. It seeped into the long strands of white.

"I just don't want to owe you anything, Maddy. We're friends, and if you – " I began, but she put her finger on my lips.

"I understand, chérie. Maman too didn't want to feel indebted to her sisters. Age and wisdom solves childhood inadequacies, not conversations. But you know you do have another choice, right?"

"Another choice?"

"Yes. Lady Hawthorne. That is a relationship where you would be equals, and she seemed fond of you. She did invite you to dinner, probably to make a plan to kill her father. That is in the nature of a [Vampire]."

"Wait, that's why she's inviting me?" I said, trying to pull away from the chair, but Madeleine forced me back down. Her hand then reached for a wand – and she cast [Water]. Of all things, [Water]. It flooded my hair and the dye set in place. It wasn't a perfect match, but my hair was red again, and not red-and-white. I, however, was still pale and cold as ice. Her hand stroked my cheek.

"Chérie, then indebt Mistress Hawthorne to you in her silly little plan, and see what it is like. You'll see that in a good family, no one wants to be the debtor either." She released my face and went back to working on my hair.

"Did you read the medical book, [Docteur]?"

"... No. I don't like medicine that much," I said. Madeleine hummed, but didn't stop her work.

"Chérie, when you ascend, everyone will think you are a Priestess of Nyla. If you don't want to be executed right away, you will need to know [Medicine]. Please, listen to your maman, and start planning for the future rather than just the immediate problem. The issue with making everything a future problem is that others don't." Madeleine released me, and then kissed my cheek.

"Good luck, chérie. I will be here when you get back. Don't die on us yet. Your sœur has some interesting plans for the business… one that even includes buying that old thermae. And a Vintnery…" she said.

"Might even convince a [Witch] not to move to the swamps."