Chapter 7: The Witch

The two woman stood in the clearing outside oak house, assessing each other. The woman looked Bitsy up and down, standing in front of her was a fairy woman, intelligent, strong, lush, sensuality radiating from her very being, then she threw back her head and laughed wickedly, a little piece of fluff, a toy for males to play with, nothing more, she was no threat, her magic a simple fairies magic. Bitsy saw in front of her an incredibly beautiful mature woman, also a very wicked, evil woman, Bitsy saw the cruelty, the almost animalistic qualities of the woman and it took all her willpower not to shudder as she looked at the witch.

The witch sneered at Bitsy "You WILL release, your hold on WindWhispers, at once, he belongs to ME, then I will be on my way." Bitsy shook her head, "I can't release WindWhispers, he is a fairy, he belongs to himself and to no one else. it's you who must let him go." The witch slapped Bitsy hard across the face, knocking her back a step. "Bitch, don't argue with me, do as your told!" Wiping the blood off her lips, Bitsy quietly said "I'm not arguing, I'm simply stating facts." Bitsy let the witch hit her several more times, main'taining a firm control over her blue glow. The witch grabbed Bitsy by the hair "you little slut, don't you realize I could kill you, right now, then I wouldn't have to worry about your releasing my pet." Bitsy put her fingers on the witches wrist, as her hand started to glow light blue, she said "he is a fairy, not your pet! also, you will never touch me again." pulling the witches hand from her hair, Bitsy intensified the glow.

The witch screamed in pain, trying to pull her wrist from the fairies touch. Quickly casting a spell out at Bitsy, the witch laughed as she saw the fairy slam back into the oak tree. All the noises of the forest had stopped, no sound came from the animals, the birds tucked their heads under their wings, hiding. It was as if the very forest had suddenly stilled.

Flying into the air, Bitsy laughed at the Witch, "nice try, but it wasn't good enough" as a blue glow flew from Bitsy's fingers, it surrounded the witch. With a look from her eyes the blue glow grew, pulsing around the witch, Bitsy watched the witch wreathing on the ground trying to get away from the blue light. With a scream of rage, the witch vanished. Bitsy heard an evil voice echo through the clearing "I'm not finished with you, Bitch, not by any means." Then all was quiet.

In the study at the keep, Collin had just commented to Brand that there was a problem, when the large window flew open. Keebler came flying into the room, almost falling several times as he tried to come to a stop. Trink grabbed Keebler by the back of his collar, holding him down as his wings still pumped furiously. "Got an angry husband after you? boy?" snorted Trink. Gasping out breathlessly, his eyes almost starting out of his head, "Bitsy and the witch are fighting in the clearing at oak house, I was going to visit, the witch had Bitsy by the hair, her face was bleeding." rambled Keebler, trying to breath and talk at the same time. Everyone stood up at once, heading towards the window, the old woman stood in their way. "I will bring the child to your lair, Marluxion, if possible." then she was gone.

Brand grabbed Collin by the arm, "what can that old woman do against a witch? we need to go to the clearing." Calmly, Collin gave instructions on what he wanted done, then turned to Brand, That old woman is Marti'en, one of the ancient ones. She has more power in her little finger, then everyone in this room and Bitsy put together."

Marti'en stood watching Bitsy and the witch fight, she cackled to herself as she heard Phoebe the witches parting threat to Bitsy. She'd always enjoyed a good cat fight and this was going to be a grand one. She really had expected to find a beaten, vanquished fairy, it pleased her greatly that the child had survived.

Bitsy sat on the ground, fighting back tears of anger and frustration, but most of all confusion. At least now she knew who her enemy was, who had been watching her, invading her home, feeling out her powers. She looked up, instantly on guard as she saw an old woman enter the clearing. Marti'en held out her hand "come child" Bitsy realizing she was in the presence of an ancient one, knelt at her feet. Marti'en touched Bitsy's head and they both disappeared.

Appearing in the center of Marluxion's visiting room, Bitsy and Marti'en, looked at the assembled group. Bitsy's confusion continued to grow as everyone started to talk at once. Keebler flapping around like a demented chicken was quickly getting on her nerves and she stepped back away from everyone. Leaving the room for a moment Brand came back, then gently took Bitsy in his hands, he sat down, cradling her in his lap, he carefully washed the blood from her face, brushed the dirt from her hair, "where else are you hurt, brat?" he asked quietly. She shook her head, but at the look he gave her she finally said "I think I have a scrap or two on my back, from hitting the tree. He gently turned her over, and carefully washed the scrapes.

Marti'en and Marluxion had been watching Brand, the whole time. She turned shaking her head, "this isn't good, old friend, we need her to save WindWhispers, she can't do that if she loves another, it will take every ounce of love she has in her body to free him." "I think she has enough love and joy and caring in her, to save WindWhispers and still save a part of her heart for the human, Marti'en, if not, then by the time this is all over, her heart will be a broken bit of tiny pieces, we won't be able to repair." said Marluxion sadly. The two talked quietly for a short while, coming to decisions, making plans.

Banging her cane on the floor, everyone turned and looked at Marti'en. "We will now discuss, in a calm and rational manner, what exactly has been going on." she said giving Keebler a very pointed look. Giving her an injured look in return, Keebler sat down. Looking at Marluxion she said "Your lair is sadly lacking in guest accommodations." Suddenly the room was full of couches, huge overstuffed chairs, pillows, tables with candles flickering, large plates of food and bottles of fine wine, water, juice and anything else one could think of. Settling herself down in one of the chairs "there that's much better, one shouldn't live in an uncivilized manner, even in an uncivilized time." She grinned at Marluxion, then turned to Bitsy, "you will start out first, we want to know what's been going on."

Bitsy started to get up but was pulled back down onto his lap by Brand "you can do your talking from here, brat." To tired to argue, Bitsy stayed where she was and started to speak. "I've known for quite a few weeks that someone has been watching me, watching Brand, watching all of us, this person had also been going into oak house, both physically and mentally. I put a stop to that as soon as I realized what was happening. I thought at first it was someone with a few powers being nosy, until I really paid attention, then I could feel the evil, it was as if it almost had a stench to it. It wasn't until this morning that I found out that it was a witch and that WindWhispers some how is involved in all this." She then went on to tell them about what the witch said and did.

Finally letting her frustration and confusion out, Bitsy said "what do I have to do with WindWhispers, how can I release him, when I don't hold him? Does this have anything to do with what he told me once, before he left, that I belong to him? She turned angrily to Mar and Marti'en, "the two of you know a lot more about this, why haven't you ever told me? why didn't you warn me? what if I hadn't be ready for the witch, she said she could killed me and she was right, she could have if I hadn't sensed her evilness and fought back."

Brand stared down at Bitsy then at the two, wondering if what she had said was true, had they known the witch might attack his brat. Looking up at him, she started to cry, "yes, its true, they do know what's going on, that attack in the clearing didn't have to happen." It slowly sank into Brands reeling mind that she had just read his thoughts. Seeing the look on his face she slipped off his lap and limped over to the table and poured herself a glass of wine. Keeping her back to everyone she took a few deep breaths and got control of herself. She quietly went and sat on one of the couches, waiting to hear what the others had to say.

So now we start at the beginning, said Marti'en A thousand years ago, the forest fairy folk had a king and Queen, they were good, kind, and ruled with love and care for others. They had a son, as the son grew, he became more evil, more ruthless, everyone feared him, even as a child. He grew to manhood a cruel, vicious, man waiting to gain the throne. Growing tired of waiting one night he killed his parents. disposing of their bodies, he proclaimed to one and all, that the King and Queen had abdicated and left, placing him in their place on the throne. Eventually he married a woman just as evil as he was and the lives of the forest folk became one of servitude and pain. Their children carried on the legacy of horror, until the gentle kind magic of the very existence of the fairy race was balancing on the edge.

Finally my sisters and I stepped in, we are not allowed to interfere in the affairs of other races, unless the race is in dire peril, we can direct, subtly, we can give and take away certain favors, we can help the land and the seasons, but to step in and alter events to come, is very serious and takes all of our powers together.

We stepped in and destroyed the evil and what we thought were all his descendents, we cast the fairies to the four winds, giving them the time they needed to recoup their will, their magic, their essence of being a fairy. Many hundreds of years passed, and finally bit by bit the fairies of the forests returned. The forest fairies were watched by us very carefully.

Finally we saw what we had been looking for, a male fairy child, with the special spark of leadership, with the destiny to be what the fairy folk needed. Eventually to become a King who could give the fairies back something they had lost. This was WindWhispers!

Keebler started making hysterical noises in his chair, everyone turned and stared at him, with a pout he stopped and collecting another plate of food and a goblet, went back and sat down, giving everyone a very injured look he ate, as Marti'en started to speak again.

We taught the child and later the man everything he would need to be a good and kind King to his fairy people. His magical powers were exceptional, we taught him to use those powers, for good, for the fairies and for the land. We also knew that he would need a Queen that was just as good and just as powerful as himself. Knowing he had a certain interest in a very young fairy, we watched her grow and saw all we need to know, We promised this young fairy to WindWhispers, as his future consort. She was sent to Marluxion to learn to train her magic, for her powers might one day actually exceed those of WindWhispers. Of course by now we all realize this was Bitsy. Marti'en held up her hand, as Brand started to speak. Let me finish, then you may stomp around all you want young man.