The Witch's Apprentice

OK! Hello everyone and thank you for coming to look at 'The Witch's
Apprentice'. First of all, I would like you to critique it, and second,
for those of you who had read it first, I had not realized that the
last sentence was undone. The chapter is not yet finished, I just
wanted to post it. Thank you!

~Artemis Ryder~

Chapter One

A raven landed on the window sill and watched a girl scrubbing the
floor. Her arms were muscular with all the work she was given, but her
bones stuck out of the skin. Silver scars ran up and down her body,
whip lashes lay dormant on her back. Every now and then the girl would
wince, and turn around to rub her back. She dipped her hand in the
water and wrung out the cloth. She yawned bringing the hand holding the
rag up to her mouth. Slyly, she squeezed some of the dirty water in her
mouth, trickling it over her dry, chapped lips. She smiled and started
singing getting back to her work.

"Oh yonder where the hills may go
The clouds roam the sky,
With puffs of silk and tears
Raining on the gentle village folk.

Oh yonder where the hills may go
Water lives in great lakes
Fish jump and swim
Not knowing what life is without it.

Oh yonder where the hills may go
People eat stuffed boar
And spun sugar
Licking their lips clean.

Oh yonder where the hills may go?"

"Arianna, you chit! What do you think you are doing?"

The girl-child looked up at her, her mouth closed and grim.

"I was working, Melba."

"What have I told you time and time again? No singing! In this house we
don't sing. You work for me? you don't have fun. Understand?"

"Yes ma'm."

"Good, now get back to working, waif." In a totally different voice she
called, "Rocio! Are you ready to go to the village?"

"Yes mother! I'm coming."

Rocio walked down the stairs - running was beneath her - and walked
over to her mother.

"Ready mother."

Arianna stared at her. Today she was wearing a salmon pink gown that
contrasted badly against her fire-red hair.

"What are you staring at? Jealous that I am more beautiful than you
are?" Rocio said in an arrogant voice.

Arianna shrugged her shoulders and got back to work. It didn't matter
to her what Rocio said. She remembered a long time ago when two people
loved her. She remembered a beautiful woman stroking her hair, and man
that would toss her in the air. She didn't know who they were or how
she got to this place. She sighed; it wouldn't do any good trying to
think of things she didn't know of. Madam Melba slapped Arianna's
face.

"Get back to work!" she yelled.

"Yes mam."

Arianna turned around and started scrubbing the floor. Madam Melba and
her daughter left, leaving Arianna alone in the house. She waited a few
minutes to make sure they were gone, and lifted up a floor board. She
stuffed a hand in the hole and pulled out a book of spells handmade by
Arianna herself. Madam Melba didn't know it, but Arianna was training
herself in magic. She already knew the basics in magic - fire and
control -, but she was trying to learn more difficult spells. She had
watched Madam Melba do spells, but not so complicated ones that she
herself was trying. She fingered the tattered book and thought of the
spell. Her eyes opened wide and she raised her arms in the air. Arianna
dropped them at the highest point of the tension, and the room stood
clean. Mud disappeared, and the floor was polished to a high
sheen.

"I did it!" she said as she marveled the room.

It was clean and she did it all with what she had learned. Smiling, she
walked over to the loose floorboard and replaced the book. Her fingers
let the floor board drop down to cover her precious belongings. She
hummed and started singing in her beautiful voice. Arianna trotted over
to the kitchen and kneaded the bread not bothering to wash her hands.
It felt good squishing through her fingers. Once Arianna was done
kneading it, she separated it into three strands. She connected them
together at the top and started braiding it. Walking quickly to the
garden she picked some herbs to be dried and trotted back inside.
Arianna reached up to the rafters and picked some dried parsley and
chives. She sprinkled them over the dough, and put the bread in the
oven. They were having Royals over for supper that night for some job
that they wanted the witch to do. Arianna's job was to make the food
and act like a servant should. She looked at the sun and figured that
the bread would be ready by the time they should come home for supper.
While she was thinking about what she should make for supper, an idea
hit her as hard as a battering ram. Tonight would be her night for
escape! She had waited for an opportunity like this for years and
tonight she would be able to fulfill it. Arianna ran up to the attic,
her sleeping quarters. She packed all of her clothes, stuffing them
into a tough burlap bag. She ran down the stairs with the bag over her
shoulder, and snuck out to the stable. Arianna stuffed her bag in hay,
covering it up. Running back to the kitchen, she grabbed a chunk of
meat and stuffed it in another bag. After adding the salted pork, she
snagged an empty flask from behind a spell book. As an after thought,
she stuffed the book in her bag as well. Melba wouldn't miss it, or any
of the food for that matter. She was used to Rocio taking them up to
her room. She wouldn't even check if it was Rocio who took it. Arianna
didn't know exactly where she would escape to, but she thought she had
figured out how she would escape. When the Royals came over for supper,
Arianna would serve them crackers and cheese. After that, would come
the main course, meat and bread in this case. Along with the main
course would be a drink, wine of course, because of its high quality.
Arianna would pour a dissolving sleeping draught in the red wine
causing them to lose consciousness for a few hours, allowing her
escape. She would sell the salted meat and spell book in the village,
and with the money, she would buy a horse. She ran over to the cauldron
to make the sleeping elixir. She mixed Lavender Water and Cinquefoil
together, and added red dye to shield the potion from detection.
Sighing, she cleaned the pot after emptying the contents into a small
flask. She scrubbed the pot making sure that the sleeping draught was
all out, and hung it back up on the fireplace. After that was done, she
rambled over to the oven to check the bread. It was coming along quite
well, the dough was rising to its appropriate height and weight. A
trumpet called in the distance and Arianna froze.

"It can't be the Royals yet! It is several hours too early." she
muttered to herself.

Arianna heard a voice call from the door.

"His Royal Highness Prince Rylan Archer of Verathomn!" a man shouted in
a shrill glorious voice.

Prince Rylan knocked at the door.

"May I come in?" he asked politely.

"Yes, yes, of course, Your Highness. Come in, come in." Arianna
stuttered.

"No need to be formal, m'lady. I am the only one listening to
you."

"Of course, m'lord." she waited impatiently, wondering why he was here
so early.

He glanced around the brilliantly clean room.

"May I ask where the witch Melba is?"

"Of course, Highness. She and her daughter, Lady Rocio went out to the
market earlier today. May I do anything to be of service, Prince
Rylan?"

"Please, just Rylan. I am sick of everyone calling me Prince or
highness, or any of the sort. Actually, you could do me a favor."

"Yes, Highness?" Arianna asked eagerly.

"Take my horse when you run away."

"What?" she asked alarmed.

"I saw you packing through the window. Is the witch, Melba so evil
then?"

"I cannot say, m'lord. She gives me food and keep."

"I can see where the food went." He said sarcastically. "When did she
give you food, last year?"

"No!"

"Well?" he goaded, "when did you last eat?"

Arianna whispered "four days ago" so lightly that Prince Rylan had to
lean in to hear.

"What?!?!"

"Four days ago!" she said louder. "She gave me moldy bread and stale
water. Are you happy now?"

"Four days ago? How are you managing? I know people at the caste who
have to eat every half hour!"

"You learn? and get used to it."

"She's done it more than once?"

"Yes, sir. I eat every four days? and then only if she feels like
it."

When she saw his face she panicked.

"But if she doesn't feel like it, I still eat every four days. I buy
that food with the little money that I do make selling magic
charms."

Rylan just stared at her, a bewildered expression clouding his
face.

"Just make sure to take my horse, ok? I have another one, my main
mount."

"I can't take your horse."

"And? why not?"

"He is yours, highness. I will have money to buy a plain mare."

Rylan glared at her.

"It is my Royal command that you take my horse. She is the tall black
mare outside." When he saw her still wavering he said, "My horse isn't
good enough for you?"

"No, your highness! It isn't that? I mean, I just can't take
her."

"If you don't take her, it will be considered treason to the crown. Do
you want to be put in a dungeon? It can be arranged, you know."

"Okay, your highness. I will take your horse. What is her name?"

"Farah"

"Farah? Meaning good-looking? Does she take after her name?"

"Yes to all. She is gorgeous."

Arianna heard something from the back door and turned chalky
white.

"What is it?" Prince Rylan asked.

"There back. Nice talking to you. Don't even mention that we were
having a conversation. Don't notice me. Thank you, Prince Rylan."

"Rylan"

"Thank you Rylan, then."

Arianna dropped to the floor and picked something up just as Melba and
Rocio walked in the door.

"Did you drop this, your highness?" she asked picking up a gold
coin.

He just extended his hand and rolled his eyes. Arianna curtsied and
dropped the coin into his hand. She was very surprised at how arrogant
he was acting. 'Of course' she smacked herself. He would have to act
like this all the time at the castle.

"Prince Rylan!" Melba said, her voice turning honey smooth. "I didn't
expect you here so early."

"Yes, Madam Melba. I was just riding through the town when I stopped
by."

"Really? Did the wench give you anything to drink?"

"No" he looked apologetically at Arianna, but still sounding
snobby.

Melba kicked Arianna in the chest making her gasp for air. Rylan stared
at her. The way she was acting was that that happened all the
time.

"I am sorry, Prince Rylan. You have to whip your servants into shape.
This little chit has been a thorn in my foot for thirteen years."

Rocio elbowed her mother in the side.

"Oh yes! Prince Rylan, this is my daughter, Rocio."

Rylan just stared at Rocio. Her dress was skin tight, the bodice too
low, revealing too much cleavage. He nodded.

"Nice to meet you, Lady Rocio." He said quickly, trying to recover. "I
am so sorry? I was just recovering from your overpowering
beauty."

Arianna smothered a sman, Rocio was actually falling for it!

"Thank you Rylan. I know of my beauty already."

She scooted up next to him.

She whispered in his ear, "But do you want me to let you know of your
beauty, Ry?"

He stiffened not knowing how he would get out of this one. Arianna,
seeing his trouble, stood up and 'tripped' on her skirt, causing her to
fall down on Rocio. Rylan suppressed a sigh of relief and hoped Arianna
saw it.

"You little chit!" Rocio said.

She slapped Arianna across her already bruised face.

"I'm sorry, Lady. I tripped on my skirt. I didn't mean to fall on
you."

Rocio snorted and turned back to Rylan.

"You will sit next me during supper, right?" she rubbed his
shoulder.

"Of course? I would not give up your beauty to one of my attendants.
That would be silly of me. Shall we sit down?"

"Of course, Prince Rylan!" Melba said, waving him towards the
table.

He saw that the table was only set for three.

"Where will she sit?" he asked pointing towards Arianna.

"Oh, her? She doesn't eat with us."

"What if I want her to?"

Melba narrowed her eyes.

"I suppose that could be arranged. Arianna!" she barked. "You are going
to sit up and eat with us."

"Thank you, Madam Melba." Arianna said.

Arianna checked the sun and squeaked. She ran over to the stove and
looked in. The bread was perfect and ready. She took it out and lay it
on a wooden platter. Taking out a knife, she sliced it into small
delicate pieces and placed them on plates. She walked over to the table
and placed the plates down onto the table. Melba pointed to a wobbly
stool, indicating that Arianna would sit there at the table. Rylan sat
down on the stool.

"Oh no, your highness! Arianna sits there? you sit on one of the nice
chairs."

"No. I will sit on this chair. I like wobbly chairs. My chamber is
filled with them."

Melba sighed.

"Fine your highness."

Arianna walked over to the kitchen, thanking Rylan silently. She took
the flask out of her pocket containing the sleeping draught and poured
it in Melba's and Rocio's goblet. Since Rylan had been so nice to her,
giving her his horse, she thought that he would appreciate it if she
didn't put any elixir into his wine. She mixed it in, and carried the
chalices over to the table, placing them in front of the 'higher'
class. After doing that, she sat down. Prince Rylan took the first
bite, and everyone joined in. Melba was the first to take a drink, and
then Rocio did. Within five minutes they were out cold and snoring.
Rylan looked at her, a smile spreading on his handsome face.

"Sleeping Draught? Thank you for not putting it in mine. Go! Take my
horse!"

Arianna nodded, slipping out the door and into the stable. A brilliant
black mare peeked out of the stall, her bridle hanging from the door. A
saddle lay on her withers all ready to be ridden.

"Here girl." Arianna whispered.

Farah perked her ears. Arianna slipped the bridle over her onyx
forehead and buckled the throat latch.

"C'mere Farah."

The mare lifted one silvery black hoof and cautiously stepped out of
the stall. Arianna led her out of the small barn and into the thick
woods that surrounded the witch's cottage. She swung up onto Farah's
back and settled herself comfortably on the leather saddle. Pressing
her heels to the black mare's sides, she squeezed her into a canter.
Wind whipped by Arianna's face, hair swirled around her head. Arianna
heard an owl hooting in the woods, and the squeaking of mice. She
slowed Farah down to a trot and then to a walk. They were walking
beside water when the moon suddenly showed Arianna an image of the
Gods. Kelda, Goddess of Fighting, was walking in the hallway of a giant
castle. Her leather breeches were rolled up above her knee as if she
was getting ready for a run. She glanced behind her shoulder as if
someone was following her. Kelda's nostrils flared and her eyes
widened. The Goddess of Fighting unsheathed a silver dagger and threw
it in the shadows. The dagger hit something hard, and Kelda heard the
creature fall to the ground. She walked over to it and plucked the
dagger out of the creatures sickening skin. The image ended, leaving
Arianna and Farah standing beside the lake.

"What was that all about?" Arianna asked her mare.

Farah snorted as if to say that she didn't know. Arianna was very
confused.

"Well, we best keep going, unless we want Melba to come after
us."

She clucked the mare into a trot, and snuck away from the water. Kelda
re-appeared in the water, but this time she really was there. Her sad
grey eyes watched Arianna and Farah ride away. She sighed, she had to
talk to them some how. Arianna obviously didn't get what the vision
meant, and that only those who could See could see it.

Chapter II

"Rocio! Get up!" Melba whispered shaking the fox-haired girl.

"What is it mama?" she said groggily.

"That little witch gave us a sleeping draught."

Suddenly Rocio's eyes got very wide.

"How could she dare!?! I am going to beat her till a pulp when I see
her."

"That is just it, Rocio? I can't find her anywhere. She also put the
prince to sleep!"

What Melba didn't know was that the Prince had just fallen asleep, and
because he was tired. Rylan started squirming in the chair that had
once held Arianna.

"Shhh! You'll wake the Prince!" Melba scolded her daughter.

Rocio blushed.

"You know mama? He is totally falling for me! I am going to be sitting
on a throne in a couple months!"

"That is the daughter I know. We even have some noble blood in
us."

Rylan was listening to them talk taking every word in. They were trying
to snare him with her?