No Other Choice

Blood On The Walls

"Kelsie, build up the fire. That nasty cough Selsa has needs a tonic. Let's go a bit lighter on the mint this time, add some feverfew as well", Mariel swept past in her long midnight blue gown. As High Priestess she needed to maintain a certain facade, her duties required her to be ready at a minutes notice to receive visitors well into the night. I had been her apprentice for a year, many times I have had to stay over while helping to entertain visiting witches from sister clans.

"Mari, is there honey in this recipe?" rooting around in the cupboard I scooped up some along with the jars of herbs.

"I wasn't going to add it but on second thoughts her throat will be a bit sore tomorrow so add a dash". I settle down in front of the fire and swing the bubbling cauldron of water toward me. Adding mint to a mortar, a dash of  feverfew, I set about crushing it with the pestle. I don't want to go overboard, if I make it too fine it won't strain when I make tea with it. 

As I tip the herbs into the water, a knock sounds at the door. Tingles race up my spine, I know only one person could be at the door. Reanna is the only one in the coven who has enough power to be felt through the door. I let Mariel answer, the last thing I needed was to ruin the tonic and give Reanna's followers another thing to ridicule me for. My craft had never been strong, an anomaly considering my mother was a Priestess of the coven. She oversaw our protection, weaving spells and counter- curses to keep ill intending witches at bay. She was as strong as they get, excluding Reanna and Mariel of course.

"Kelsie, I need you to go to my sitting room please. Ree and I have private matters to discuss", my musings stop as I looked up to see she hasn't opened the door yet.

"But Mari, the tonic will be ruined" I protest.

"That's unimportant now, head in and don't come out until I call you child", her voice has taken on an edge of anger. She has never spoken to me like this, and that reason alone has me tripping over my own feet to get into the sitting room. I hear the key turn, she's locked me in!

"Mari, delaying will not save you", Reanna's voice drifts through the door. Mari hasn't even opened the door yet, I shouldn't be able to hear her. Someone was using the craft and for the first time in my life it left me unsettled.

"Not delaying dear, just setting some affairs in order. Why don't you come in?" I could hear the front door open and close, followed by chairs being pulled out from the table in the kitchen and being settled into.

"You know why I am here, your precognitive powers are strong. Why didn't you flee?"

"I saw you had one last chance to reconsider this path. I must confess, I had more faith in your goodness than you obviously did. Are you sure you want to choose this? You are a very powerful witch Ree, maybe stronger than even I but your Sight has never been great. Do you know what awaits you at the end?" My heart starts to pound, something was wrong. They seemed to be battling with words, undercurrents of hatred, fear and resignation flowed under and over the bland words they spoke.

"You are forever trying to hold people to your image Mari, the world isn't so black and white. A world of gray lives out there and some take great comfort in it. One last chance, will you submit to the Kings rule and tell him what he wishes to know?"

The King! What did Reanna have to do with the King? He was the witches sworn enemy, the abuse and tyranny he imposed on us and the land cemented our animosity. Witches from all clans had worked together for decades to try and bring him down. Was Reanna working for him? It was long suspected he had his own people of the craft, how else did he survive the spells, curses and hexes flung his way? Every now and then a nasty return to sender was sent back to a poor unsuspecting witch with minimal protections with devastating results. Family members had died, luck turned bad. Only the Priestesses of our coven were allowed to work magik anywhere closely related to the King, and Mari the only one to work it on him. Which was rare indeed. But Reanna working for him? Impossible! She was tipped to be the next Priestess, many whispered the next High Priestess once Mariel passed on the mantle. She was meant to keep us safe and strong, not turn us over!

"Reanna, he is a terrible man. He can't provide you with what you wish, his lies are poison! I ask you to reconsider, you have a wonderful place here. Our life is beautiful, our people wonderful. Are you sure you want to sacrifice all of that for sweet word a disgusting fat King whispers to you?" I could hear the sadness in Mari's voice, it made my heart ache. What was going on? The hairs on my arms stand on end as a power surge lights up the house.

"Don't you DARE Mari", Reanna screamed. The power surge grew, almost to a painful degree. "You could have taken me in, but instead you chose that powerless fool! If only you apprenticed me, I would have followed you forever! But instead you humiliated me, left me in the dirt. He lifted me up, he will give me anything I want. Don't cry because the consequences of your actions have come to call", I feel the fireball forming in her hands, I 'm tapped in the power swirling in the house. I feel lit up, more full of magik than I had ever before. Almost unconsciously I try to draw power out of her attack, maybe I could help Mari.

"She's here?! After all this, you still try and make a fool of me? You have signed her death note Mari. She falls with you", she screams the last word. I back away from the sitting room door, what had I done?

"YOU WONT TOUCH HER" Mari's voice thundered through the house, "She is mine and I protect what I own. Hear me Reanna, you power is great but I shall not touch her for she has the ability you so sorely lack. Her craft is that of the light while you chose the dark. Turn back from this path now and wrongs shall be turned right", I could hear the rhythmic pattern in her words, Mariel was weaving a spell. In fact, I had never felt a werking so strong before, I felt it pulling on my small reserves and the life force all around me.

"You use your last defence to protect that fool?" the shock in Reanna's voice was evident, " What is it about her Mari? Actually, don't worry about that answer. Goodbye Mari, I'll take good care of the coven". A huge crash shook the house at that moment, fragments of something pelted against the door of the sitting room. Someone was screaming and as my hand busted open from slamming on the doors I come to my senses and realised it was me. A thunderous battle was taking place in the kitchen and I knew with a dread deep in my soul that Mari wasn't coming out of this alive.

"Mari, Mari?!! Reanna, leave her alone, Mari!" my throat gives out as I scream her name over and over again.

The doors blast open underneath my fists and I stumble back. Reanna is standing there, dressed in her customary black, shredded from the fight. I look beyond her and see a body on the ground, blood pooling beneath it and splashed up the walls.

"Oh my Goddess! Oh no, Mari no! Reanna, what have you done?" a keening noise builds up in my throat.

'You are not to question me, you pathetic thing. Your mentor died while you huddled in here, fitting for someone so bereft of the craft. What use are you if you can't protect the High Priestess? Don't worry Kelsie, I'll send you to join her". Reanna's hands came up, a ball of flame nestled in them. I helplessly back away, my mind scrabbling to think of a deflection spell but all I can hear is white noise.

"Goodbye", she smiles and throws the ball at  me. I scream as I fall back and watch as the ball bursts apart before me, not even leaving a mark.

"It can't be", she spin and stares down at Mari. "You fool, you cast a death protection spell on her ?" I gulp, mind reeling. A death protection spell requires  enormous amounts of energy, carefully harvested and stored over years. Enough power to have blasted Reanna to the next kingdom, but instead Mari had used it to protect me. Before Reanna can think her way around the spell I take off, aiming for the door that led out the back. Ignoring the blasts she sent my way I disappeared into the night.