Freya splashed water on her face. She’d had visions before but nothing like this and she’d always put them down to just a memory being mixed up in her creative brain rather than a prediction. She squeezed her eyes shut trying to fix the vision in her mind but it was fading, she could see the outline of a group of people but couldn’t see who they were but she knew they were in danger and something was coming. Something bad was going to happen and she didn’t know if she could help them.
‘Freya, you okay?’ Alex said, knocking on the door.
Freya dried her face, checked her reflection and opened the door, smiling at the frown on his face, ‘Yes thanks. Sorry for being so dramatic I suppose it’s been an eventful few days.’
Alex crossed his muscly arms and looked down at her, ‘well you are one of those travelling boat people who gives Tarot readings. I mean what else should we expect. You’re weird. You play your character well.’ He couldn’t hide the twitch at the corner of his mouth.
‘Be careful, Alex,’ Freya mirrored him, stood up straight and crossed her arms staring up at him, grateful he was making light of it, ‘one day I will read your cards so you better stay on my good side.’
Alex smirked, ‘Oh no. I’ve told you before. I’m keeping my feet firmly on solid ground. No incorporating rituals or pentagrams into my building’s young lady.’
‘Once you’ve stopped flirting children, I have to go. We have a delivery and I don’t trust anyone else with my fresh mussels. Frey, I can drop you home now or you’re welcome to hang about here? I’m a bit worried about you being on your own.’ Ali called over her shoulder as she finished putting everything in the dishwasher
‘No, it’s okay,’ Freya realised her foot wasn’t hurting at all now, ‘I feel fine.’ As Ali came over to inspect her, clearly not taking her word for it.
‘Maybe it wasn’t as sprained as they thought, maybe that doctor just wanted to get his hands on your as…’
Alex pushed his sister laughing, ‘stop picking on her you thug.’
Ali laughed, ‘okay but be careful. No moving the boat today, just chill. If you don’t promise I’m going to lock you in the cellar.’
‘Well, firstly Ali you don’t have a cellar and I need to upload the photos so once I’m settled I promise to be a good girl and rest.’
Freya thought she heard Alex mutter, ‘that’s a shame,’ under his breath but he’d turned and walked to his bedroom as he turned the handle he said over his shoulder, ’Listen sis we both know she will totally ignore us and will lug coal and all sorts. Probably have to de-ice the windows and whatever else these boat people do.’ He raised his hands to air quote ‘boat people’.
Seeing Freya’s glare he carried on, ‘I was planning on working from home so I will grab my laptop and extra warm clothes and I will take charge of our ward and sort the boat out and make sure she rests.’
Freya was about to protest, even though a day spent with Alex wasn’t the worst plan, when Ali walked past and high fived her brother, ‘sold.’
‘Erm, don’t I get a say in it?’ I called as they both disappeared into their rooms, ‘NO.’ was the collective reply.
***
‘Wow it really is beautiful on the canal. I should come here more often,’ Alex said as they walked over the bridge after managing to secure a parking spot in the village.
‘I love it. I will have to move on soon though.’
‘Oh yeah, I forgot you have to move every few days, otherwise the canal police come and harass you.’
Freya laughed as she stepped onto The Queen of Wands and unlocked the padlock, ‘well it’s not quite like that. There isn’t much they can do if you don’t move on but most of us follow the rules.’
‘They should walk the plank from their own boat in punishment.’ Alex said, as he pretended to fall in as he stepped into the boat.
‘Right, get what you need and then I insist you recline on the sofa. I have instructions from the boss and I don’t how she would know if you disobeyed her but she would.’
Freya opened her mouth but Alex was having none of it and made her do exactly as she was told. She enjoyed watching him clean out and set the fire whilst she was covered in blankets as the boat was, as predicted, freezing. She couldn’t deny she very much enjoyed watching him flex his muscles which she was sure he was doing on purpose.
Hours later she received permission to make them some food and closed the curtains as darkness fell. She gasped.
Quickly at her side, it didn’t take long to cross the space of a 50ft boat, ‘What is it Frey?’
‘I don’t know, I saw something go past the window. It was nothing, probably just a deer or something.’
‘Oh yeah, just a deer, us normally home dwelling humans just have deer wandering past our windows all the time.’
Freya elbowed him, ‘Ha ha.’ She turned away to finish heating up the pasta meal she had in the freezer when she couldn’t be bothered to cook but shivered. Something felt wrong but she didn’t want to worry her friends. Whatever it was it didn’t feel malicious but something was coming.
Alex left after dinner, as she promised she was okay and could manage on her own. Fifteen minutes later she was shuffling her tarot cards when there was a knock on her window.
‘What have you forgotten?’ Freya called as she opened the hatch.
She screamed.
***
‘I told you not to go sneaking past,’ hissed Penelope.
‘Nonsense. We needed to know what was happening. We cannot hang around all night.’ Drakon said in his usual haughty manner.
‘We don’t want to frighten her to death. Finding out what she is will be enough.’
‘You’re quiet, have you not anything to add?’ Drakon looked to Kasha, who just shrugged.
Drakon raised his eyebrows at Dominique as Aland whined.
‘Right. He’s left. I’m going to speak to her. I will let you know when it’s safe.’
‘Well don’t take all night,’ grumbled Drakon, ‘hanging around here is not something I’m prepared to do for long.’
Penelope’s hand hovered as she raised it to knock on door or whatever a boat door was called. So much relied on this. They had waited so long. Could this woman be the one of the people they have been waiting for and what would this mean for all the witches.
Feeling the impatience of Drakon she tried to close her mind to the others. After all these years she had to work hard not to feel them with her, their hopes, dreams and anxiety. She didn’t think they could survive another. Maybe it was their time to end. Maybe witches were supposed to die out.
She shook herself, no. No this was not their fate. They had suffered so much but they had helped so many over the generations. How much worse would life be for others if they had not played their part from the shadows.
She knocked harder than she intended and waited to see what destiny had in store.
***
The hand over Mary’s mouth stifled the scream as she was dragged behind her homestead. She felt as if her heart had stopped. She could smell the pig pen, the horse manure, wet hay and other smells assailed her senses now she couldn’t see. The rough hood scratched at her face but her hands were bound tightly and the hiss of warning her to keep her silence.
Despite the fear and not knowing the danger she was in, Mary felt exhilarated as she was guided through the back streets. She knew where she was of course, she knew every area of the village. She could and was, walking it blind. Behind the old cooper’s yard they stopped and she heard a creaking noise.
Mary jumped as someone whispered into her ear, ‘Go down the stairs.’ Maybe she was wrong because she didn’t think the cooper’s shop had a cellar.
The hessian sack was pulled from her head and she carefully stepped down the wooden steps into the dark, dank smelling earth, the light of a single candle guiding her way.
There were three hooded women waiting for her as the door closed above her and the candle flickered. She didn’t recognise the stature of anyone or their shoes. When you were a shy person you spent a long time looking at people’s feet. How could that be that she didn’t know them. She knew everyone in the area.
Mary stared at them waiting, her stomach clenching. She had only just discovered the book, who would care for it if she was killed. A fresh wave of fear washed over her as she realised the danger she was in. The witchfinders didn’t do things in secret. They wanted everyone to know what they were doing, who they were accusing and they relished the spectacle and fear.
The quiet voice startled her, ‘Be still child, you are not in danger from us.’
The three remained hooded as they told her of unbelievable stories which in her heart she knew to be true. The witches, their covens, their magic. All true, just as the Witchfinders had told them. But not dangerous, not evil, not out to hurt the world but to help it as they could. To heal and to nurture.
‘Are not any witches you have seen persecuted and killed good people? Healers?’
Mary nodded, not trusting herself to speak but despite her fears she had to know, ‘Am I a witch?’
Mary didn’t feel like a witch but what would that feel like? She had no special powers. Had never been able to speak up for herself or avoid the beatings. She had always been told she was nothing but now…
‘No.’ came the reply and her heart sank, despite her thoughts she had hoped to be something, ‘you are something even more special. You know what you are, Mary.’
Mary inhaled, was what she had thought in the library true? Was she the guardian of the witches but what could she do to help. She was powerless. Always powerless. She didn’t know anything.
The woman who had spoken this time walked forward and reached out to raise Mary’s head with her head still bowed, ‘I cannot let you see me. These are dangerous times. You have been chosen as the guardian of the book and you must protect it with your life. You must be brave, Mary. Do you think you can do that?’
Mary nodded, she had to do this. Each name crossed through the list was a dagger in her heart. If she’d been lucky enough to have children and they had been killed she knew it couldn’t have hurt more. It was unthinkable she would not be brave for them.
‘I want to help,’ Mary cleared her throat. Be brave Mary she told herself, ‘But what can I do? I cannot even protect myself.’
‘None of us are strong alone Mary. Strength comes in being together. Drawing on each other’s abilities. You are the Guardian of the book and therefore it is our job to protect you.’
‘But I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with the book? How am I to protect them? How do I keep them safe?’ the words came in a desperate rush. She wanted to believe them but doubt filled her heart.
‘Spoken like a true Guardian. We have much to tell you, but not here. We are all in danger. Tomorrow night you will meet, Tobias. This is very important Mary. You must bring the book but tell no-one where you are going. You will never return here.’
Mary felt the thrill like the day she was allowed to step into the library and make it her own. The future she thought she would have would be no more. It was dangerous but she was alive.
‘But people will be suspicious in these times. Questions will be asked even if someone such as myself goes missing.’
The silence stretched out before the woman finally answered, ‘Child you are so much more than you know.’ She sighed, ‘we have no time for this. As far as your family is concerned you will have become lost in the woods and ravished by the wolves. It has happened many times before.’
Mary shuddered, she’d seen the bodies of the people who had suffered such a fate.
‘You must return home now.’ The woman lifted the hessian sack back on her head and whispered, ‘remember. Tomorrow night. Your life is about to change forever, Mary.’ The woman kissed her forehead and then turned her around, back towards the steps.
C.L. Peache 