The Knight's Mother and the Young Witch
The cool grass was a wave of relief for the gasping boy. With a controlled breath, his father sat beside him and placed his wooden sword on the earth.
“You’re getting really good, Max.” He said with a smile.
“I still can’t beat you, though!”
His father laughed as he rose and helped Maxwell to his feet. “Size and age play a role too. Trust me, there will be a day when you swiftly defeat me.”
Their conversation had carried them inside. Maxwell’s father opened the cabinet that hid his armor and placed their swords beside it. The boy’s eyes shifted to a picture of a woman. Her golden hair, tied in a ponytail, gracefully flowed in the summer wind and her blue eyes shone brighter than the sun above her. The image warmed him.
“Hey dad, did mom like knights?”
His father looked back to him, but Maxwell kept his eyes focused on the picture, cheeks flushed in embarrassment.
“Everyone loved her because she loved everyone. She was incredible. Kind, caring, beautiful, anything you wanted in a woman, she had. Needless to say, whenever she was around, everyone was happy.”
“I wish I remembered more of her.” Maxwell squeezed his shirt. If it weren’t for the picture, her face would be a mere blur to him. To forget the appearance of someone so important, as if they never existed…
His father patted his shoulder. “She loved you.” He then chuckled. “She spoiled the both of us rotten. I don’t know how I got so lucky with her. I have an idea of what you’re thinking Max, but don’t worry. She’s always with us.”
“How is she with us?”
“I see her in you, and she said she saw me in you. You have her melancholy and emotion. Then you have my curt stubbornness. You’re really gonna be something, Max.” His voice softened. “I bet she’s with us right now, smiling at your hard work. She’ll always be with you Max. The both of us will.”
“H-How did she die?”
His father scratched his hair. “She was great at putting a mask on, but she was critical of herself. Her kindness and beauty was loved by all but her. Ultimately, that gnawed away at her until there was nothing left.”
Maxwell finally looked to his father. His eyes were wet.
He swallowed and wiped his nose. “Tomorrow, you’re going into town to help out a couple friends of mine, and you’re going to socialize a lot.”
“Dad!”
“Think of it as training. A knight is more than a fighter; he is also a diplomat. Come on now, lets pray.”
His father gave the picture one last glance and put his hands together. Maxwell followed suit, but a thought entered his mind.
“Hey Dad, everyone goes to the mountains to pray, why don’t we ever go somewhere like that?”
His father smiled and looked to him. “Because the Great One is everywhere. We don’t need to meet him in a certain place.”
“I still don’t understand what I’m supposed to pray for.”
His father smiled. “Ask for knowledge and be humble. He will reveal things to you when needed. Have faith.”
Maxwell nodded and closed his eyes.
...
Everything hurt.
His ribs clawed his muscles as he inhaled. The desperate gasps failed to relieve his lungs. They screamed and burned his chest, desperate for air. Maxwell cracked his eyes open.
What greeted him was unexpected.
The wide purple eyes of a child. She fell off his lap with a gasp. “Woah! That actually worked! You’re alive!”
Maxwell hurled forward, grasping at his chest.
“Take it easy, mister! Just calm down the air will come!”
A cool relief brushed his shoulder blades and She rubbed his back. “It’s okay, Max. It’s okay.”
Finally, a cool breeze travelled through his throat and filled his lungs. Their burning calmed as he exhaled heat. Maxwell leaned back into the tree and She wrapped Her arms around him. He looked to the girl before him. A familiar looking basket was beside her.
“That’s mine.” Maxwell said flatly. She looked at him with confused eyes then looked towards the basket.
“Oh! You hid it well! But I’m a good tree climber!” A toothy grin formed on her small face.
Maxwell couldn’t help but smile back. “That belongs to a friend, so I need it back.”
“Oh, that makes sense.”
Silence fell over them and the cool wind slithered through the trees. Maxwell’s head ached as he tried to recall what had led him here. A massive black spot filled his memory. His chest tightened and he felt himself a stranger in his body.
How did he get here?
Wasn’t he fighting…
“It looks like you killed Oglal!” She said.
Furrowing his brow, Maxwell looked past the girl and saw it. Despite being dry, it still held its deep red. The blood trailed down the mountain like a river, and a mess lay mangled in the grass at its conclusion. Maxwell lurched forward and looked back to the girl. “What did you do to me? You know who that demon is?!”
Her eyes darted around and grew wet. A pain gripped the knight’s heart. “M-M-Master told me to stay away from him. T-That he was bad. I’ve only seen him when he visited master. He always looked at us weird. He was weird!” She played with her fingers. “I saw a lady and followed her here. Then I saw the two of you.”
Two?
Maxwell leaned closer.“Two of us? Who was the girl?”
Seemingly forgetting the knight’s frustration the girl’s eyes glowed and she slapped her hands together. “She was beautiful! Long blonde hair and glowing blue eyes!” She then looked down to the ground. “But she went away after I saw you.”
A cold sweat gripped the knight’s back and he glanced towards Her. She remained unflinching, giving the child a warm smile as She rubbed Her head against his shoulder.
“What did you do to me?”
“Oh! Just some healing magic. Had to shock your heart so it would work again and fix some bone fractures…” The girl’s face grew red.
“Magic? Who are you?”
“I-I-I wasn’t supposed to say that! M-M-Master’s gonna be mad.” Tears formed in her eyes and she started wiping them.
“Hey-” Maxwell coughed. “I won’t tell anyone. I owe you, after all. So, who are you? I’m Maxwell, a… knight.”
Her ashen hair, tied in twin tails, brushed her coat as she looked to him. “I’m Alice, the apprentice of the War Witch.”
The knight’s heart ached at the confirmation.
To meet such a nice child, and for her to be involved in something like witchcraft…
“Its nice to meet you, Alice. I’m sorry, I should be more thankful for what you’ve done.”
Her face grew red. “I… uh…”
“Alice, what’s going on here?!”
Surprised, the knight and the apprentice looked to the newcomer.
“M-M-Master!” Alice chirped.
Maxwell swallowed as he examined the witch. Brown hair ran down her back and her hourglass figure was covered in a well kept uniform. She appeared older than Maxwell, but still had a youthful face. Her red eyes widened.
“Get away from him, Ali-” Her eyes trailed past the two. Maxwell could tell she saw the corpse. To his surprise her face grew pale and she covered her mouth.
“That’s odd for a witch to grow queasy over such a thing. Especially after what we’ve heard of them.” She said as She sat straight.
“See, master?! He killed Oglal! I had to help him!”
The witch looked to Maxwell with wide eyes. “No way. No human could just kill a demon like that…” She grew silent, eyes darting left and right as if a flurry of ideas raced through her head. Finally, they fell back on Maxwell. “Knight, I have no doubt that you would slaughter us where we stand. What is stopping me from running a blade through your throat while you’re weak?”
“M-Master!” Alice cried.
“Nothing.” Maxwell said flatly. She squeezed him close. “She won’t hurt you.”
With a furrowed brow she walked between Maxwell and Alice.
In a swift motion she knelt before the knight. “I will complete your healing on one condition. You will act as our guard.”
“Your guard? Alice said you’re a war witch, so what would you need me for?”
She dug her finger into his side and harshly whispered. “Max let her heal you before you smart off!”
The witch nodded. “We have a journey to make, and some muscle would be helpful.”
“Where at?”
The witch grew smug. “I imagine the location will be beneficial to you. Plus, I have a lot of questions for you, and you for me, I’m sure. Do we have a deal?”
Maxwell bit his lip. She whispered in his ear. “We don’t have much of a choice, Max. I’m with you no matter what.”
“We do… witch.”
