CONTENT WARNING: Consumption of alcohol, but all in good fun. Also the usual discussion of murder and discrimination, not in good fun.
Daniel
We have a massive order of fish coming up - no fish in particular, just whatever we can catch. We're getting paid a fair bit of money for it, which is the only reason we took up the offer. Owen said in his order note that fish oil is a useful treatment for many conditions - rheumatism, gout, even tuberculosis. On top of that, it's generally a good supplement to help with deficiencies in certain things that can lead to illness, at least, according to him. Even then, it's way too many fish for that. Maybe Father is right when he says not to question it so long as we get paid.
I head to the inn for a drink to help take my mind off how exhausted I'm going to be later. It's a lot busier than usual for this time of day. There's a lot of chatter concerning an upcoming event Volpe plans to hold; there's posters all over the place. Pamphlets, too, in an attempt to recruit witchfinders. I suppose threatening teenagers' lives isn't working out for him anymore?
The relative silence of the witches over the past few years has changed from comforting to suspicious for many people. What at first seemed like a successful attempt to drive them out has only led to fear of a quiet uprising.
I hear one man in particular talking with a certain level of excitement about it all. The simultaneous downside and upside of the inn is the way the booze loosened people's lips - my own included.
"Do you want to really know what it's like to work for Lord Volpe?"
The inn falls silent, and everyone's eyes are upon me.
"He pays well and it helps keep the witches at bay. What else matters?"
"What matters is he forces teenagers to work for him, and threatens to kill their entire families if they don't agree. The people who work for him end up soulless killers before they're thirty. How much he pays shouldn't matter."
"So it's okay for witches to be soulless killers, is it? What about them?"
"I can assure you that most of the people killed by Volpe's crew have likely not hurt anyone, let alone killed anyone. We got sent after people with hardly any proof of their magic. Witchfinders aren't defenders of the people. They'll go after anyone Volpe deems his enemy, and that could be any of you - especially you ladies."
"And what of those who have no choice? Families to feed? Do you blame people for doing something they don't necessarily want to out of desperation for money? How else are they supposed to survive?"
"There's plenty of things you can do to make money that don't get people killed. When my father quit his job as a witchfinder and saved me from it, we took up fishing."
"Sir, if you don't mind, I have to serve my cust-"
"Oh, save it, will you? I know we shouldn't have trusted you the moment I saw that fancy coat! 'Give a man a fish...Teach a man to fish...' How does that work for those of us that can barely afford a rod?"
"I don't mean it like that."
I don't know how I'm supposed to get through to these people...
Unless...
I know what Gideon's like. He doesn't like having an excess of money; it reminds him too much of his witchfinding days. He isn't sure what to do with the huge sum Owen is giving us, but if these people are struggling for money, I do have an idea.
"Alright, then. If you're all struggling for money, my father and I have an enormous order of fish we need to fulfill, and the three of us can't do it ourselves. Our customer is exceedingly rich, and we'll be paid handsomely. We'll have plenty to spare. We're already being paid seven thousand Simoleons."
"Seven thousand?"
I show everyone the written receipt. Some seem to take interest, others seem to pass judgment. I guess it does sound a bit tall, but it's worth a shot.
"One moment - I feel like I've seen you around Withernham. Don't you and your father sell fish at the markets on the weekends?"
"Indeed we do."
The customers mumble amongst one another.
"How do we know you can trust you?"
"Well, think about it- who can you trust more, a fisherman or a noble?"
"And what about us women? My husband would never let me go fishing with him. He says it's a man's escape from his wife."
"You're welcome as well, of course- could be a nice escape from your husband." The lady in the russet coat giggles to herself.
"I'll tell you what - anyone who's interested, come to Courtyard Lane, Willow Creek tomorrow morning. You can help us fulfill the order. I'll put in a good word with our customer- I'm sure he'll be happy to pay you all a little extra."
"Well? What do we think?"
"Sir, if you're going to hold up my business like this, I'm going to have to ask you to leave..."
Owen
"What's wrong, Dr. Annorin?"
I feel an overwhelming sense of frustration that I just cannot put my finger on.
"Oh, nothing. Your pulse is normal. It seems to me you're in particularly-good health-"
That sound again.
"Are there birds in here?"
"Sometimes they fly in through the bedroom window. I'll go chase them out in a second."
My patient gives me a concerned raised eyebrow. The squawks are getting louder, and there's some kind of soft thudding.
"What kind of bird is that? That's definitely not a sparrow or a blackbird, is it?"
Valravn! I told you to keep it down!
"I'm not entirely sure. Perhaps an exotic bird took a wrong turn during migration...Anyhow, it was a pleasure. I shall see you in a few months for another checkup."
When my patient leaves, I take a look at the commotion in the bedroom...there's a heavy scent of 'dusty' bird all over the place.
Feathers all over the place. Valravn did say they had healing properties, so I can at least gather these up. It doesn't seem so bad until I see the state of the furniture.
Right on my bed sits the remorseless culprit, and I'm fairly sure I can see a few droppings on the blankets. I bought up hundreds of copies of Volpe's grandfather's book under a pseudonym merely to attempt to get it out of circulation! Why couldn't she claw at those instead?
Well? What do you have to say for yourself?
I'm bored.
Bored? What do you mean, 'bored'?
Well, you won't let me go outside, so I have no way to satisfy natural instincts and urges.
And why do you think I won't let you go outside?
Why does it matter? Gryphons my age should be out hunting and looking for a mate! I've been stuck in that damned orb for almost a thousand years and I'm doomed to never find a mate. The least you could do is let me hunt!
I thought you said you didn't need to eat?
I don't, but I like to. It satisfies an urge. I used to live by a river and hunt fish.
And here I am, a well-respected physician, trying to reach a compromise with an ancient legendary creature with the mentality of a spoiled lap cat.
Valravn sits on my shoulder and looks straight into my eyes, like a puppy begging for a sausage.
How many fish would you like?
Lots. As many as you can get your hands on.
How is a tiny little thing like you going to eat more than one fish?
You forget that this is not my true form, don't you? Ah - I know! If you acquire as many fish as you can, I will invite you into my orb and I will show you my true form.
I'll admit, I've been insatiably curious about Valravn's true form. Despite her...difficulties, we've something of a close bond with one another. I get a sense of calm around her, as if she feels safe with me. It'd be fascinating to see what's inside of that orb. I wonder if it's just an ethereal plane, or if it has its own landmass of sorts?
Okay, fine, it's a deal. One more rule - no more attacking my furniture!
Volpe
It is not too long now. If Robert hurries up and tidies the place like I told him to, then I should be right on time to host the recruitment event in the evening. Thankfully, the weather is still in my favour.
It seems I am losing my grip on the people of Henford. The years of relative silence has made people forget about the ongoing threat, I believe. Many of my men and women believe we are close to our goal, but I do not. I know that they are still out there, either in hiding or living quietly among the good folk of Henford. There are people like me who have lost friends and loved ones to the recklessness of witchcraft who deserve some element of closure.
I still have a reliable amount of loyal partners, but the young folk don't bring in results the way they used to. Even the threats don't work on them. For one, they seem to think they can just do whatever they want. Secondly, even with Owen Annorin's constant donations to the poor, the poor still insist on remaining poor- a waste of money earned from a lifetime of hard work. It used to be the threats to their families that kept the young people loyal, but now many of these people on the streets have no family left. Some would even prefer to live the way they do than earn a decent wage working for me. Well, I have no time for the work-shy. Someone recently ordered over one hundred copies of my grandfather's manual, so it seems that not all hope is lost.
Katlego
This must be Lord Volpe's mansion - the sly fox's den. It's still quiet, so I am assuming he is still preparing for his event. I try to keep my distance and survey the layout of the place, but someone calls out at me - a man in a fanciful suit.
"You there! Lord Volpe's recruitment event will be taking place shortly. I must check that you are not carrying anything on your person with which you could do harm to Lord Volpe."
I would have expected Lord Volpe's bodyguard to be more intimidating. Thankfully, my way of harming Lord Volpe is entirely immaterial, so I let him go ahead and pat down my clothes. He lets out a deep sigh, looking deeply into my tattoos. I half-expect him to turn me away there and then, but he doesn't. He appears to be looking at them with intrigue rather than concern.
"May I ask a question?"
"Go right ahead, sir- though I believe you already know the answer to your question."
The man stretches, wincing. "Very well. You see, Miss, I am Robert, Lord Volpe's butler."
"What an awful job to have."
"Indeed," he hisses. "Now, either you have taken a wrong turning and underwent my check on your belongings to be polite, or you are here because you want to get at Lord Volpe. May I ask which?"
"Both, actually."
Perhaps trusting this man is not a wise idea, but I don't believe he is lying about being a butler. His hands are calloused, his back is causing him issues, and his eyes are sunken. There's no doubt he's Lord Volpe's overworked butler, and this man would have no reason to defend him.
"Wonderful. Just so you're aware, if you did just so happen to cause him to lose his life, I would do nothing about it. He's old enough that nobody would question him collapsing into a heap in the middle of an event."
"What? Goodness, no, I wouldn't do such a thing! I despise the man as much as you do, but I do not wish to see him dead."
I think back to Samuel Annorin and to my mother's letter. I would never take the life of another human being, but I know for a fact that many would kill Lord Volpe given half the chance. Samuel Annorin's death would not have solved Oskar's problem nor mine. I only meant to show him for who he truly was. Samuel Annorin wore a veneer of a successful man whose success was entirely built off of hard work. On the other hand, everyone knows where Lord Volpe stands; there's very little left to the imagination. Samuel Annorin did not enjoy the benefits of nobility the way Volpe does despite his social standing. Volpe makes his intent clear - to kill every witch he can get his hands on.
There's a dark and heavy question in my mind I cannot shift nor answer...
If anyone were to try and kill Lord Volpe, would I think anything of it?
"I merely plan to make an embarassment of him, that's all."
"He already does that to himself."
"Never mind, Miss. It's getting late. Quickly - I'll find us somewhere we won't be noticed."
* * *
I expected a bigger crowd than what's gathered there.
"Thank you all for your attendance. I am most grateful in these trying times. As you all know, there has been little in the way of witches these past few years. Now, much of that is thanks to my loyal partners, the witchfinders, as well as to myself and my grandfather Gianni for the wisdom written in his book. However, it is not all a cause to celebrate- silence is suspicious, and I fear that the witches are planning something in quiet."
"As you may know, I have no qualm or prejudice against anyone without the scourge of magic in their blood. Everyone else is welcome among my ranks, no matter what colour, age, birthplace, and gender. I understand how difficult it can be to find work in these trying times, especially for those of you with other obstacles to obtaining work - and know that if you work hard, I will pay you fairly. I believe all of us should be united in every aspect against our common enemy. Regardless of what beliefs you harbour about the person sitting beside you, know there is only one kind of person that you should be fearing, and that is the witches and their descendants."
He makes me want to vomit. If Lord Volpe was welcoming to all, then why did he spend so many years specifically targeting teeenagers from families he saw as poor? I'm tired of his speeches, and whatever Apliros will cause him to say will be far more entertaining. Robert looks on with excitement as I weave the spell between my fingers, focusing on Volpe. My stomach fires up with excitement, and Nia flutters her wings.
"You see, for what they did to my dear young children, I love each and every witch in Henford and beyond. I have always had a long-lived love for those with magic in their bloood, and I would do everything in my power to-"
He's noticed, hasn't he?
"Goodness, did I just say that? My apologies, I must have gotten my words muddled..."
The chuckling and mumbling in the crowd is something me and Robert cannot help but laugh at.
"Lord Volpe, are you sure you're well enough for this? You must be getting on a bit now. Your heart is in the right place, but your mind is going."
"Did you really think all those glasses of red wine were going to help you get your point across, Lord Volpe? Good heavens, I don't think you're fit to run the witchfinders at all."
"Of course I'm fit! It was a minor slip of the tongue! Anyhow, as I was saying, the truth is that I am incredibly jealous of witches and their wondrous abilities. I, too, wish I could shift into the shape of a creature. I would become a common housecat and no nothing except cough up hairballs and lick my backside all evening-"
Oh, this is incredible. I really do need to use my powers more often, don't I? Somehow, I don't feel the usual guilt using them upon him. After all he's done, I don't think making him say strange things is anything I ought to feel bad about.
"That does it! It seems we have a traitor with us tonight. Which one of you is it? - Well? Which one of you?"
Perhaps I should have thought more about this. It wouldn't surprise me if Volpe had each and every one of them killed until someone came clean. My chest quivers, but I have no choice. Even if they are here to witness Volpe's call to slaughter, they haven't done anything yet. I've gotten away with magic for years through my work as a cunningwoman - there's every chance I could be their pathway to a better line of thinking, and there's only one way to find out if that's the case. Robert begs me not to go, but I tell him to leave. Nia fluffs up her feathers and leans over in a threat pose as I make my way towards the crowd.
"Well, since you asked so nicely..."
He turns to me with a look of utter disgust across his features.
"You...I know you! You're the jezebel that cost Samuel Annorin his job as well as his ability to walk! You're the one who collaborated with that vile vampire, aren't you?"
I try to quell the quivering through my entire body. I cannot lose a single drop of confidence here.
"Indeed." The crowd all gasp in horror as I aim my hand towards them. "I am Katlego. Some of you may know me. In fact, I may have healed some of you who could not afford the cures of Owen Annorin. I may have helped you learn more about your past, present and future. You may have asked my divination cards about the path your life would take. All of that was given to you by a witch."
Their eyes are as wide as dinner plates.
"One moment- you're the Katlego Anansi? The one who took down Samuel Annorin of all people?"
"It wasn't just me, but yes, that was in a large part due to my own efforts."
"And just what are you hoping to achieve?"
"May I remind you, Lord Volpe, of how many people want you dead? Luckily for you, I only wish to talk to you and to your guests."
There's something about the stern face of a rich man that sets off a certain feeling in my chest...What was it Oskar called it again? Schadenfreude?
"Unfortunately for you, if you were to put me to death, the people would no doubt revolt. I am one of only two affordable healers this side of Henford. I give spiritual guidance for those who want an alternative to what the Peterans and Jacobans offer. My arcane abilities and my spiritual knowledge is far too useful for me to be put to death, whether these people would admit it or not."
"So in a way, you've been mostly using your magic for good means. And I suppose the herbal remedies you make, that is because of your life as a witch?"
"Precisely."
The crowds mumble amongst each other. Some don't agree and still don't trust me.
"But you just meddled with the very words of someone else. How can we trust you?"
"You can trust her." An older lady with a worried face chimes in for a moment. "I have friends who I believe are only alive because of Miss Anansi. Whether or not I completely trust the dangers of her magical abilities, I'm not so sure- but as a person, yes, you can trust her."
In a sense, it's rather heartwarming. To think that Samuel Annorin tried to get the entirety of Henford to despise me, there are people who, though quietly, have considered me something of a blessing to this place since my name was cleared. Thanks to the combined efforts of myself, friends, and the likes of Gideon and Oskar, former strangers who sought only to defend my place here in Henford...
Cunningwomen have always gotten away with magic in some form, but to know that some minds can be changed, that is a big step forward. I always believed there were good souls out there that did not want us dead, and I'm thankful that I've been able to potentially change a few minds. Admittedly, quite a few people still don't trust me nor Lord Volpe at this point and take their leave.
"I don't like the thought of someone who can meddle with the mind the way you can, Miss," one man explains, "but if your herbal knowledge has kept plenty of people alive who would otherwise die..."
"Healer or not, this woman admitted to messing with my thoughts! In the wrong hands, this woman could cause utter chaos!"
Many people leave in the middle of his ranting. I know that the more Lord Volpe loses his grip on the population, the more that he will do whatever he believes is necessary- but we cannot keep living in the shadows forever. Today, I only found out that these people are not entirely against magic because I worked up the courage to say something.
Volpe turns and scowls at me.
"Scowl all you like, Lord Volpe. I've already had one ridiculously-rich man try to remove me from this place. The last time I was exiled, I was welcomed back with open arms. When my home was burned down, it was rebuilt. You cannot kill me, you cannot break my spirit and I will only keep coming back. There's little you can do about me."
Owen
Owen. Wake up. It's time.
Why are you waking me at such a ridiculous hour?
Come to my orb. It is about time that I showed you my true form.
Right now?
Yes, now. I promise you'll be back before your wife is awake.
An almost sickly-feeling excitement rises within my stomach. I just wonder how big she truly is - the size of a house, or even bigger still? What patterns and colours will she have? Oh, the thought of seeing an ancient creature in the flesh - anyone would dream of such a thing, and yet I will be lucky enough to witness it.
Place your hands on the orb, and think only of it and myself.
I do as she instructs, and the glass surface of the orb is warm underneath my fingers. I try to free my mind of everything except for her and my image of the inside of the orb...I imagine it to be a vast wasteland of bright pink, but it is nothing like that at all.
There's an eerie breeze here, and everything seems to be tinted in bright pink. There's a pond, trees, and an enormous rock. This beautiful, ethereal forest...all of this exists within this orb? What a magical place. I almost don't want to leave at all.
Beautiful, isn't it? Look up.
I gaze up through the trees at the peculiar sunset, but I don't see her. I hear the heavy swishing sounds of beating wings followed by a shrill screech. I freeze in an amalgamation of fear and anticipation.
I still can't see you.
Look harder, then.
A giant silhouette of a strange creature materialises, and there she is - Valravn, the ancient gryphon, my familiar, in all her glory- and she's beautiful. The barred feathers of an osprey and the stripes of tiger on her back legs...It's like nothing I could have imagined. She is a truly magnificent creature.
The ground shakes a little as she lands, the final beat of her wings blowing a gust of wind that almost sends me to the ground. I feel a strong sense of pride and of confidence, and I cannot tell if it is hers or my own. Her eyes are a striking blue, like cut sapphires. She is a little smaller than I imagined - but if this is what size gryphons are at her age, then how enormous would they have been when they were fully-grown? In this strange place with a creature once thought long-dead, it feels as if I am lost in time.
I can't believe it. As a child, I always dreamed that one day I would see a real gryphon, and now...
I reach out to her, gently placing a hand on her beak. She leans into it a little, slowly closing her eyes and opening them again.
I see the pride and power of our family name reflected in her image. With her on our side, nothing can stop us. Nothing can perturb us. All of my recent concerns are washed away and lost in the mesmerising patterns of her feathers.
You are truly magnificent, Valravn. I hope you know that.
I get an odd sensation inside of me, a kind of warmth akin to laughter.
It is dragons who adore flattery. Gryphons, not so much. Anyhow, time here is not as it is in your world. I can feel it in your mind; your curiosity is overwhelming, as it always is. So, ask away.