The Tale Of The Noble Witch

Chapter 01: A Shadow

1st person POV

I woke up in the middle of the night and looked at the stars as I pondered about my life as a noble lady.

Although being a witch is not any better than being a lady, I felt that being a lady is much harder than a witch.

Because when I was a witch I could sleep peacefully in the bed provided by lady Megistus.

Due to my lack of sleep, I often hear voices in my head and images that are non-existent. I could not extinguish reality towards a dream sometimes and sometimes I just want to go back to my land.

The night was quiet. People screaming outside my gates seek shelter due to rain falling from the sky. I walked over to my bed and left the window open with the hope that the rain would fall all night long.

"I wish the rain would just fall endlessly. In these nights I can sleep peacefully."

I lied on my bed, feeling exhausted and empty.

A shadow formed right in front of me but it doesn't fluster me anymore. I got used to hallucinations and voices every night.

Even if an assassin comes to my bed to end my life, It would be according to Lady Megistus will.

I was tired of being alone and not having the ability to talk to anyone. I sat on my bed and stared on the shadow in front of the window.

"I am not a monster. I- too was born in this land with these same people and I was the same as everyone else."

The shadow flinched as I spoke but it never respond to me. I continued speaking to the non-existent shadow in front of me.

"I hate how humans regard people with magic as monsters. I hate how they thought of people like me as tools and objects to be owned and manipulated. I hate their disregard for the true essence of magic."

I was speaking gibberish but the shadow won't disappear before me.

"I hate how human minds are so shallow and narrow. I hate their disregard of the fact that magic is something that they could never understand, because magic is something they had no part of"

"I wish that everyone would just disappear before me and let me live the quiet life I wanted."

I didn't realize it but tears are already flowing from my eyes. The second I realized it, the shadow was standing in front of me.

He embraced me as I cried.

For the first time ever since I came into this world, I finally had a goodnight sleep.

The rain continuously fell from the sky that night but it wasn't sad nor gloomy at all.

I woke up by the sound of clattering carriages. I looked outside the window and the sun was already in the middle of the sky.

I noticed a pendant beside my bed. The jade in the pendant had the same color of the sky and a shade of deep blue the same as the ocean.

I picked it up and went downstairs to look whose carriage are entering my territory.

It was the Palace Knights.

Without saying a word, I followed them to the carriage.

The carriage rattled as we galloped through the forest.

It took hours to arrive at the palace and when we arrived, the sun has already set.

I was escorted to the Noble's meeting room.

I was embarrassed because of my state. I felt weak due to lack of sleep but I tried to pull myself together.

I was forced to kneel in front of the King, Queen and the Crown Prince.

I could feel everyone's gaze are fixed on me, They are looking at me with contempt and mockery. Lady Dahlia Damascus stood beside the Duke as the victim.

"Lady Wynter Winchester of Winchester County, you are here given with a chance to prove your innocence"

I knew what was coming for me, no matter what I say... They only see the sick woman as the victim.

"Before we start the questioning, may I shamelessly ask your majesty and your highness to grant my request so we can proceed with assurance that I speak no lies." I said, looking at their eyes with full of certainty.

"Granted." The King replied.

"Please put a temporary Slave spell on me. If you do that, I will not be able to lie to my master. Thus only the truth would come out from my mouth."

They were taken aback with my words but the King agreed so everyone lost the chance to go against the king's orders.

The slave spell was cast upon me, the excruciating pain covered my whole body, I wanted to shout but I don't want those who wronged me hear my cry of pain.

I heard the huge door opening and footsteps getting closer to me.

The painful process finally ended I felt like I was about to pass out, I hear footsteps running closer and closer to me.

I looked back only to see Sia with tears in her eyes sliding on her knees to embrace me.

"Wyn!! Are you crazy! Why would you do this?!" Sia cried.

I looked at the duke, he was looking at me with widened eyes but Lady Damascus' hands were enough to stop him from coming to me.

He clenched his fist and looked away from me, a little annoyed.

"Step back. I can do this Sia. Trust me." I said, pushing Sia to the side.

I kneeled closer to the ground and waited for the King to question me.

"In the power of slave spell cast upon you, you shall answer your master with the truth and only the truth."

The King then started to question me about my crimes without any hesitation.

"Lady Winchester, you are betrothed to the Duke Fannar Nightingale."

"Yes."

"You noticed that Lady Damascus became closer to the Duke Fannar."

"Yes."

"Out of jealousy, you poisoned Lady Fannar with a poisoned wine."

"No."

"Explain yourself."

"When my magic awakened, I could no longer feel human emotions. With the fear of hurting my own blood, I decided to stay away for their sake until I regain the ability to feel any emotions at all. I couldn't have been jealous even if I tried. I possess no ill feelings toward the Lady Damascus. I did not poison her wine."

"Father! This is enough! She already told the truth! Stop questioning her!" Sia exclaimed, standing in front of me like a protector.

The King sighed and looked at her rebellious daughter, "Both of you are dismissed." He said in a disappointed manner.

Sia helped me stand up, she gave her coat to me and supported me to walk.

"Halt." The Crown Prince commanded.

I stopped walking because of the slave spell. I turned to look at him and saw him looking at me with a playful smirk on his lips. He sat cross-legged and full of arrogance.

He looked at me as if he knew that I wasn't Wynter Winchester.

"After all that happened today, Do you still wish to marry my dear brother Fannar Nightingale? No, did you even want it in the first place or was it only for the sake of the people you're indebted to." He asked in an intimidating manner.

He was looking me as if he knew something but the uncertainty in his eyes are as clear as water.

"No, I- no longer need to follow anyone's order. I would never marry the Duke." I replied, turning my back on everyone.