Since I've started writing this story, most people don't make it past the prologue, so I've decided to just summarise it here for people who don't want to read the prologue chapters and want to get straight into the main part of the story.
If you do want to read the whole prologue, (thank you < 3) then start here.
Áine is born to parents Brádach and Saoirse. She is a newly-born witch, and her father is fearful for her future, as he writes in his diary. He actually hopes that she doesn't have magic at all (there's a chance that even a child of two witches won't be born with magic) because he always fears for his own life and his family's. He doesn't want her born into a world that will tear her apart, and instead of actually doing anything to try and change that world, he merely just hopes that Áine won't have any magic.
At about three years old, Áine discovers her first spell and is mesmerised by the light in her palms! Her mother is overjoyed! Her father, not so much. Saoirse wants Áine to embrace her gift instead of hiding it from the world, and Brádach would rather she hide it from the world and not be killed. Saoirse is writing a grimoire for her daughter for when she's older.
Five years later, and Áine is helping her mother out with her herbalism and potion-making. She's confused as to why some people hate witches considering she finds them and herself fascinating. After they go hunting, Áine tells her mother about how her father would rather she stop using her magic.
Saoirse basically tells her, in politer terms, that her father is full of shit. Saoirse knows that people might kill them because of magic, but the problem with not teaching a child their power because you think they'd be better off without it, is that they never learn to control it (something very familiar to another character you'll meet later). She also wants to teach Áine how to defend herself.
Saoirse teaches the children the basics of magic. On the evening, Áine hides behind a tree and witnesses a commotion outside of a jeering crowd and a woman tied to a stake. She can hear the crowd yelling 'witch', see them burning her, and can smell the burning flesh... She's horrified, and she realises she is fortunate to have a home and a family when many other children like her don't have that.
Saoirse is angry that Áine went outside to see it happen, but she apologises. Saoirse also argues with Brádach on the matter. Áine gets angry that they're arguing and accidentally casts an Ignis (Inferniate) spell.
Ten years pass, and Áine is a teenager learning under her mother Saoirse. During practice, she creates such a powerful fire spell - a spell she has learned to tame the thing that people to use to kill people like her- and accidentally manages to burn off her mother's eyebrows.
Saoirse tries to be sure that she has taught Áine all she should know, from casting spells to the birds and the bees (Áine states that she does not need to hear that again!) They go to help out a neighbouring poor village by giving them fish that they catch. The peasant families are thankful for them, so in return they lead witchfinders off the scent of them to help protect them.
After years of practicing mental shifting and 'thinking like the wolf', Saoirse finally teaches her how to physically shift. Áine has an amazing time with her mother in wolf form and seeing the world through the eyes of an animal.
When Saoirse and Áine get back home, they find a letter on the table from Brádach saying that he feels bad for his inaction concerning the witch-hunts, and that he is going out to make the world 'a safer place' for them. He, of course, gives half-hearted apologies and tells them not to go looking for him.
Saoirse goes after him, since she doesn't want harm to come to him- and Áine tells her not to, but Saoirse knows that Áine probably wants to go too and would rather that Áine stayed where it was safe.
Three weeks pass, and no sign of either parent's return. Áine looks everywhere around neighbouring villages and places and asks around, and nothing. She has a feeling both were killed as witches were often killed alongside their partners. She tries to live by herself and remember what Saoirse taught her, either until one or both return or until 'the Moon will guide her' from then on.
Years pass, and Áine is twenty years old. She is tired of this lonely life and wants to lead as full a life as she is able to. She feels she's full of useful knowledge to help others and has no chance to actually use it. In the back of Áine grimoire is a map showing her country and the surrounding countries and areas, one of which is Henford-On-Glimmer. It'll be a while on foot, but not impossible.
After a long travel, made shorter by a kind farmer who took her part the way on horseback, she ends up in the small town of Withernham. She notices a large church-like building, and figures it's the best place to go for someone who's in need of some kind of assistance, and for someone who's part of a marginalised, ostracised community.
