A Different Kind of Witch

by Carol A. Robi

  There was a momentary period of silence, a tense period, and Sophie half expected Maseke to react angrily.

  ¨I understand,“ Maseke said instead, her tone dejected. “Thank you anyway for always being there for me-¨

  ¨Don’t talk like that,” Sophie’s father interrupted.

  “I do not know, but something tells me I don’t have long.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “What's going on, Masi?¨

  ¨I’m not sure- I think the Witches of the High Coven have done something more than just cursing the house against all use of magic. I find myself talking sometimes..”

  “Talking?”

  “Yes- talking a little too much. Especially when I'm excited, or my emotions are heightened..¨

  “Could it be? They must be enchanting you food,¨ Siobhan said.

  ¨I don't know,¨ Maseke shook her head. ¨I thought it was the food, so I stopped eating. I haven’t eaten in three days.”

  “It’s not the food?” Sophie had never heard her father sound so terrified.

  “It isn’t the food, Lucky. It isn’t the water either. It is..¨

  Maseke’s voice was so small, so quiet, that Sophie now saw her for the young woman she was. Her frail shoulders shook slightly, involuntarily, and her young face of twenty two now barely seemed older than that of a teenger, matching the terror stricken faces her parents now bore, the faces of young people that had gotten in way over their heads, and now found themselves trapped.

  ¨The air,¨ Lucky whispered terrified.

  “I suspect so too,” Maseke said, her voice barely audible above Siobhan’s sobs.

  ¨But I can't stop myself from breathing,¨ she cried out exasperatedly.

  ¨Of course not!” Shi managed, swallowing a gulp.

  “What do I do?”

  Sophie’s mother seemed at a loss for words, and so her father spoke up again. “Just hang on as long as you can. Keep yourself calm.¨

  ¨But how? I can't even make myself some calming tea.¨

  ¨You always relied too much on your magic, Maseke,” Sophie’s mother took up again. “Now tap more into your human self- take deep breaths frequently, do yoga, meditate- keep yourself as relaxed as possible to buy yourself time, until your child is born at least.¨

  ¨And then what?” Maseke asked exasperated. “How long can I fight the enchantment's effect before they finally have me talking too much- revealing too much?¨ Even Sophie’s hair now stood on edge. Maseke could not be allowed to talk, for it’d implicate her parents.

  ¨Just as long as it takes for us to contact your mother,¨ her father said.

  ¨Would you, Lucky? Would you do that for me? It too will be quite dangerous..¨

  ¨Not if done correctly. We’ll take every precaution, and for that you have to buy us time.¨

  ¨I’ll try hold out as long as I can. Thank you, you two. You’ve always been the best friends one could ever hope for.¨

  ¨Don’t talk like that Maseke,” Sophie’s mother said sadly. “You know your mother. She’ll find a way to save you.¨

  ¨She hasn’t been able to save me these past six years. I doubt I’ll ever see her again, to be honest.¨ They all wished to reassure her otherwise, but even Sophie now knew that it was not only a possibility, but a reality. Maseke had died without being reunited with her mother.

  ¨Have some faith Masi- hope that things will one day change-¨

  ¨I've hoped for years, Lucky. I've hoped so much that my heart aches. It has been my first thought every morning and my last every evening. Hope is for fools.” Her voice was cold and unrelenting now. “I’ll try hold out as long as I can, friends, but I think it's time we stopped communicating like this, or at all, now that it is becoming harder for me to keep my secrets. The last thing I want is to expose the two of you. I pray though that you’ll always hold me and my own in great regard.¨

  ¨Of course, Masi. Spirits be with you. We’ll start the process of contacting your mother immediately.¨

  ¨Bye,¨ Maseke said, before taking a very familiar white bone knife in her hands and using it to rip the image in the drawer into two.

  Maseke barely had time to re-sheathed the sinister knife onto a leather hold strapped around her thigh, when the wave assaulted her. Sophie spied the anguished folding of her face and body, even before she let out a cry involuntarily. That she was in immense pain was unarguable, her cries the proof, as was her body movement, folding into herself almost twice.

  A very worried Jan ran into the room almost instantly, a towel draped around his waist hurriedly, soapy water droplets clinging to his skin and hair as though he’d been midway through his shower.

  “Masi!” He called, dropping to crouch beside her and pull her into his arms, where he half cradled her as she rocked in the gruesome pain only she could feel.

  ¨Are you using magic again?¨ He accused softly, though he still cradled her lovingly, brushing back her thick brown tousled mane now wet with sweat.

  ¨Just a simple spell to open the drawer,” she lied. “I remembered the magic restrictions in this house only too late-” she broke down here.

  ¨Oh darling!” He showered her hair and face with tender kisses. “I'm so sorry,¨ he cradled her tighter. ¨I’ll send another petition for this stupid curse to be lifted.¨

  The image began to evaporate slowly again soon after, and Sophie moved on.

  She flipped quickly through the next few memories, which were mostly images of Jan and Maseke spending time together as lovers. Gauging by how smitten Jan was by Maseke, Sophie doubted he killed her.

  Sophie moved on into yet another room, Maseke’s baby bump now unmistakable, a scuffle outside attracted her attention, as well as Maseke’s attention, and the two LEs in the room with her playing a game of cards.

  Sophie rushed to the window, and only had about a couple seconds to take in the mayhem outside, before the taller three figures in the room rushed to the window too, and blocked her view. A crowd of supernatural reporters were arriving in drones outside, heckling excitedly as Jan Sanguine tried to push past them.

  A few moments later, he stormed into the house, a distraught look on his face.

  ¨Jan!” Maseke cried out startled, rushing into his arms. “What is it?¨

  ¨My father,¨ Jan admitted slowly, his face distraught. ¨He is dead.¨

  ¨Oh,¨ Maseke said listlessly. “Finally.”

  Everybody in the room stiffened, even Maseke herself. She hadn’t meant to say that. At least not aloud. The enchantment she’d talked to Sophie’s parents about was clearly at work- every time her emotions were heightened, she said or expressed the truth despite herself.

  Jan's eyes narrowed.

  ¨What do you mean by that?¨ Jan thundered. ¨He is my father!¨

  ¨I know. I did not mean it .. Yes I meant it!¨ She seemed to be in a personal battle, one side speaking hurriedly, and the other trying to atone for itself. ¨I have to relax. I have to relax,¨ she began to say over and over again, walking around the room in circles. The rest in the room were just as startled as Sophie was. Maseke looked absolutely insane, talking herself into calming down, while shaking her head continuously, rasping random insults.

  “Masi?” Jan now looked worried, approaching her slowly.

  ¨Don't you touch me, you monster!¨ She lashed out in a scream, before slapping her palm over her mouth the moment the words were out. Jan looked like a lost puppy now, unsure of what was going on or what to do.

  The very pregnant girl then rushed out of the room, shutting her bedroom door behind her.

  Chapter 33

  Maseke spent everyday behind her locked bedroom door meditating.

  Jan was pitiful, pacing outside her door for hours on end, intermittently knocking on her door and calling her out, or at times deflated enough to sit on the floor, his back against her door, and his face a myriad of pain and confusion.

  “Talk to me, Masi?” He called, but on the other side of the door Maseke remained silent, her ey
es shut, her knees folded, and her face calm as she chanted a mantra to herself in a low voice.

  On the first day, Maseke nearly starved herself. She feared that if she opened the door, Jan would force himself inside and refuse to leave.

  ”You've got to eat, Masi,” he tried to reason with her.

  ”I know, but I can't risk you barraging in here,” she said.

  His impatience had given in to frustration.

  ”Would you please tell me what is going on?”

  ”Go away, Jan..” she called with a small voice, also frustrated.

  ”You do know that the only reason I haven't knocked this door down is because I'm trying to be understanding,” he sounded dangerous now, but his body seemed relaxed, even his arms that now rested on the door frame.

  Maseke gulped. It was true. Jan was an Avalon, and a simple door couldn't keep him away.

  ”But if you dare starve yourself, bringing harm to you and the baby, I'll break this door.”

  ”I'm coming for the food,” She said defeated, making her way to the door. ”Please don't force yourself in. I just- I need time.”

  Jan stepped away from the door momentarily, but he was only two feet away, which might as well be inches away, for a being as fast as he.

  Maseke opened the door and looked at him almost distrusting, but he didn't step forward.

  ”Are you alright?” The concern in his voice was heartbreaking.

  ”I am,” she now seemed unsure of herself, as though rethinking the idea of locking herself up. But she knew better than that. This spell on her emotions would be her undoing, and she had to stay away from them all.

  ”I made you a sandwich,” the Count said, lifting a tray to her. And so went on their daily lives for weeks, Maseke locked up inside her room, only opening the door to receive a tray of food from her lover.

  There were no memories of the late Councilman Sanguine's funeral, so Sophie assumed his foster daughter had chosen not to attend, or hadn’t been invited.

  The memories did get less bleak. The baby was near. Only Maseke refused to leave her room, claiming she’d birth the child in her room, by herself.

  ¨That's insane..!¨

  ¨I am insane!” She countered Jan’s outrage, the door still remained shut between them, each of them leaning against it with frustration on either end. Star crossed lovers.

  “I am insane- sure I am, to think this stupid realm will not take my son away from me, or strangle him as he leaves my womb. No one is touching this baby!¨ She argued.

  “I understand,” Jan’s voice was heartbreaking as he admitted this. “But- you need help. You can’t just birth a child on your own.”

  “But what am I to do, Jan?” She asked.

  “We look for a trusted Witch- maybe a Ngata Witch..”

  “No, no one can be trusted,” a frustrated Maseke countered. “Old loyalties are dead now, everyone has too much to lose. Even- even if I still had friends, I couldn’t risk it.”

  “But you can’t do it alone, Masi. Let’s get some help, a human midwife even, if necessary-”

  “That’s treason. You know it is, for if it’s a boy- he might..”

  “Perform magic, I know,” says a frustrated Jan, still pressing his forehead to Maseke’s door, for she’d refused to let him in. “But if she’s a girl, she’ll be born normal.”

  “But there’s no way to know that with certainty,” Maseke argued. “This has no precedence, a Wailer and an Avalon having a child. What if the Wailer gene that doesn’t wait until one’s fourteen triggers her Avalon nature at birth. We can’t take the risk with a human midwife. I’ll have to do this alone..”

  “Masi you’re being ridiculous. You know nothing of child birth, and blood makes you squeamish.”

  “I have no choice!”

  “Don't be ridiculous! We do have a choice. I’ll go get a Witch or Faery midwife-”

  “Don’t!” Maseke threw the door open, startling the Avalon leaning against it. But he quickly recovered and stepped into the room before she could close the door again, and then he pulled her into his arms and held her there imprisoned.

  “Listen!” He said firmly, ignoring her squirming. “I’ll be there. If she makes any wrong move, I’ll stop her- I’ll kill her.” His voice was firm and convicted. “Do you honestly think I’d let anyone harm my child?¨

  ¨But how far are you willing to go to protect your child, Jan? That's the difference between you and I. I'd do everything, to protect this child. Would you do the same?¨

  ¨Of course. What kind of question is that?¨

  ¨Think before you answer, Jan. If your father were still alive, and was to put his hands around our child's neck and squeeze to kill it, would you kill him to stop him?¨

  ¨Of course..¨

  ¨Think very carefully Jan, and answer me honestly.¨

  ¨I'd try to overpower him..¨

  ¨And there it is. Because the truth of the matter is it would only take a fraction of a second for your father to snap its little neck. The only way to actually stop him is to be a fraction of a second faster in snapping his neck. There is your answer for you, Jan. I'm birthing this child alone, and that is the end of the discussion.¨

  And birth her child alone she did.

  Sophie watched it all, half traumatised by all the blood and gore.

  ¨It's a girl!¨ She screamed loudly, happily crushing the baby to herself, even as her guards rushed into her room. They looked a little put off by all the blood, but each of them smiled, having grown fond of their prisoner. Luckily Jan was sensible enough to cut the cord and get her airway clear, and soon a cry filled the room, in chorus with the happy laughter and congratulations being thrown about.

  ¨My dear daughter, you are saved! You’ll never be hunted down and imprisoned, for you’ll be an Avalon after all!¨ Maseke was crying and laughing at the same time, and Jan was embracing his small family happily.

  The personal team of guards led by Jan didn’t seem to dislike their charge. Maseke had managed to make them all her friends, though they seemed wary of her at times, as though they expected her to play a trick on them at any moment. But despite their apprehension, no one could stay away from the delightful child. They watched her and played with her while Maseke napped, even changed her diapers. They smuggled in baby items she might need, as Maseke was under house arrest, and questions would be raised if Jan suddenly began shopping for diapers.

  One afternoon as Boke napped and her mother soaked in her bath, Sophie walked over to the cradle and stared at the chubby red face nuzzled under a shawl. One could argue that the child was still young, or explain that she was unusually pale because she never left the house. Regardless the explanation, Boke was unusually pale. To put it correctly, the child was unmistakably white. She bore all the features of a Caucasian child- her straight thin blonde hair, her fair skin tone- everything about her, even her unusual eyes, was borrowed from her father’s lineage.That didn’t seem to catch anyone by surprise, and so Sophie assumed that the rule of mixed supernatural race children also covered their physical attributes. As a girl, she ought to take after her father, and as a boy after her mother.

  What then had gone wrong to alter this?

  Chapter 34

  Sophie’s stomach rumbled as she stepped through another door. She was just then wondering how long it’d been since she last ate, when a very angry Jan walked through her!

  ¨You lied to me!¨ He was saying. Sophie was still recovering from having someone walk through her as though she was nothing but air.

  Maseke looked up startled at the tone of his voice.

  “How many lies have you told?” Jan was across the room in a matter of seconds, managing to scare everyone in the room, and Boke began to wail.

  Maseke settled the sobbing child back onto the soft mat they were sitting on, laid over the bare floor, before turning to the Avalon with forced calmness.

  ¨What did I lie about?¨ Her voice shook only slightly, more from anger, perhaps b
ecause of his sharp tone, rather than from fear. Sophie couldn’t fathom how she didn’t fear this monster. As handsome as Jan had been back then, and angry Jan was a very ugly Jan. He now bore fully black eyes, as though his pupils were all there was to his eyes.

  ”Your mother!” He threw something, and upon closer inspection, Sophie discovered it to be a long tooth.

  Maseke jumped, grabbed it almost maniacally, as a child would protect a favourite toy, then held it tight against her chest.

  ”She came,” Maseke then sobbed quietly, hugging the tooth to herself. ”She finally found me-”

  ¨You knew your mother was about, and you didn't tell me!¨ Jan accused.

  ”No!” Maseke claimed. ”I had no idea- you've only just brought me the proof. But honestly, Jan, do you expect me to willingly sentence my mother to death? Are you crazy? She is my mother, or have you forgotten!¨

  ¨She is a terrorist, and I am a Law Enforcer. Or have you forgotten?¨

  Maseke's eyes blazed with anger now, and Sophie found herself whispering inaudibly for her sake. Please- please relax. Watch what you say.

  ”And you're supposed to be my gaoler, or have you forgotten?” Maseke's voice was growing colder by the minute. ”You're supposed to be watching that I don't turn out terrorist like her.”

  ”Yes, that's my job. But you and I both know that I'm more than your jailer. I love you-”

  ”Love me? How can you say you love me, yet you despise my mother- she who is responsible of everything that I am!” Maseke was screaming now.

  ”I do not- I don't hate her. I don't know her, but I can't hate her when I love you.” Jan was a heartbreaking vision, standing so lost on one end of the room, looking at his hands, unsure of what to do.

  ¨I don't hate her, but I must report this-”

  ”No!” Maseke cried.

  ”I must, you understand I must. If I don't, we'd be guilty of Aiding and Abetting. My name could see to it that I'm acquitted, but you- I'd be required by law to arrest you!¨ Maseke laughed bitterly at his face, stretching her hands towards him.

  ¨Then arrest me, Enforcer!¨ She taunted him. ”Arrest me, for I won't ever give up my mother.” He slapped her hands away, before running his hands through his long lifeless hair in frustration.