I was a barkeep. Luckily that meant I didn't have to be near the men unless I was serving their drinks. Madam Rose told me that being Barkeep is not just serving drinks but getting intell about anything and everything. We often had to train my ears. She did weird things to them, like throwing a bell father and father to see how far i could hear it, sometimes having one of the other girls use pillows, I can hear miles away now, even over the seas and storms I’m able to hear a sales call. From the mice in the streets to the Storms brewing days away. I can hear it all. It comes useful here too, I’ve heard it all. Cheating husbands, black market traders, rumors of a house burning down a few towns over…. I might know the answer to that last one. But it also has its downsides. I get really bad headaches when I'm not focused, everything is always too loud till closing. That and now i can hear inside the rooms, that's something i wish I could permanently forget.
“ Ya, hear the news” Some drunken men at the table to my left started talking about something that caught my attention.
“ Ah, there's a witcher in town, wonder why?”
“ Barkeeper, bring another!” I walk over to their table as I continue to listen.
“ We’ll hear there’s a kelpy not too far off from here. And maybe some sirens under the docks, people have been going missing as of recent.”
“ Don know maybe they will come to take on Madam Rose, Ya hear she’s a witch.”
“ Whatever it is, it ain't nothin good.” I state cutting in on their conversation.
“Wha” They all look at me surprised i spoke.
“ I say whatever a witch is here for is no good and you should do your best to stay away from it. Witchers are nothin but trouble.” I said looking at them.
“ Well now that just hurts.” A voice came from behind me, we all turned to look at the voice as the bar went silent. The man takes his hood off and we see him, A witcher, the same one from home. Everyone gasps leves their money on the tables then leaves, their smart. The only people in the cathouse now are me and the witcher. The other girls called it a day early so the rooms were empty and Madan Rose was out of the shop. It was just me , now a very familiar and scary looking witcher.
I sigh and go to clean the tables and clear the bar. I figured no one is gonna be coming back anytime soon after hearing a Witcher showed up, damn there goes business.
“ What no hello, You are my samed Knife-Tongued girl, even if ya hair is shorter now.” I look over at him before continuing to do my work ignoring the broot standing in the middle of the Cathouse.
“ What's been almost six months now eh? This is what you’ve been up to?” He asked, trying to strike conversation but now I was just annoyed.
“ Why are you here? If it's for the girls, I'm sorry to say they left early today.” I barked at him. He looked at me with a face of shock, then it turned to one of sorrow.
“ You know witchers are supposed to never show emotion.” He says softly.
“ Then why are you?” I ask, my curiosity betrays me.
“ Because I feel like I can be around you, You make me feel normal.. So just how weird are you?” With that I couldn't help but let out a chuckle.
“ That's fair witcher, I am quite rare.” I said as I started wiping the bottles.
“ I heard about what happened in your hometown, I’m sorry.” He said sincerely.
“ It’s fine quite some time ago.” I replied, putting the bottle away. In the distance I heard footsteps and a bag seemed to be full of bread, beer and apples. It was Madam Rose.
“ Well if you are here for The Blue Rose she will be here soon. I suggest you show some respect.” I said to him my eyes glowered as I did so.
“ How do you-”
“ Who’s this?’ Madam Rose has perfect timing as always.
“ The witcher that has just entered down Madam.” I answer her while I keep my eyes on the witcher.
“ Well you two seem well acquainted.” She says as she walks carefully over to me, her hand on her pistol ready to partake in a battle.
“ No, not really madam, I don’t even know his name.” I said while slowly reaching for my dagger.
“ Tis not like I know your name either Knife-Tongued girl.” He said his face had resorted back to its stone cold persona. Yet in his eyes I can see the amusement.
“ Well boy what's your name!” Madan Rose barked.
“ Colum ma’am.” He said, trying to be respectful. Oh boy.
“ Ma’am? How old do you think I am, brat I should beat you for that little comment of yours'' She starts yelling as the candles in the place flare up along with her anger. This doesn’t go unnoticed by Column.
“ I apologize, Miss. Rose. But I'm here because it would appear there is a witch in town, you wouldn’t happen to know anything about that now would you?” Column ash's eyes glared directly into Modem Rose.
“ No sorry I haven’t heard anything about sony witches.” She says taking a step back I’ve never seen Madam Rose like this, I’ve never seen her scared.
“ Ok. Well I will be back another time, But now Blue Rose I'm leaving with that witch's life.” Column spoke venomously as he walked out the cathouse. As soon as he leaves madam rose grabs my hand and takes me to one of the rooms the girls never use.
“ Madam, I don't think this is appropriate.” I state in shock.
“ What? Oh shut it, that's not why we are here brat.” She says as she lifts up the rug and opens what appears to be a cellar door.
“ Well come on!” She yelled from below. I climbed down and when i got down Madam Rose had already lit multiple candles, enough for me to see the many vials, books and herbs around this hidden room.
“ Madam Rose, what is going on? What is this place?” I asked her as she set down the final candle. Sighing she looks up to and and for the first time i see in her eyes tiredness and fear.
“ Do you know why I hired you?” She asked me
“ As payment for my map, which I haven't gotten by the way.” I replied.
“ Don't worry you will get your map soon, But no that's not why I hired you.” She sat down in an older chair before continuing, “ When I first saw you I thought you were just another girl of no use to me, but with old age I guess my eyes aren’t what they used to be, because it took me a second to see your energy, your chaos. I thought for sure you were a witch like me. But you have no clue, no experience in any of this. Yet you have so much power.” She stopped and looked at me.
“ Well hun, if you haven’t figured it out. I am a witch and a strong one at that. But I could never take on a witcher by myself. That's why you are down here. I'm gonna need your help.`` Madam Rose says starting strength into my eyes. I can’t move, I can’t speak, this is all happening so fast. What happened to my life? What is happening to me? What am I gonna do? What about my home? What of James? What will happen to Madam Rose?
“ Hey, Hey kiddo, calm down, look at me. Look at me.” She grasps my face gently before holding me the way a mother would hold their daughter after waking up from a bad dream. She slowly started rocking back and forth while petting my hair humming me a toon intel. I calmed down.
“ Are you ok now honey?” Rose said to me.
“ Yes but can we please stay like this just for a little longer?” I asked meelky.
“ Of course sweetheart. But I need to know. Will you help me?” she says softly.
“ How would I be able to help you, I'm no witch. I’m not strong like you.”
“ Well you're not a witch yet, but that can be changed, very soon.” She says, catching my attention.
“ What? How can that be changed.” I mumble
“ We do to you what my mother did to me, a ritual. That will awaken and greatly advance your magical energy. The downside is it will be extremely painful.” She says wincing as if remembering what has happened to her.
“ I don’t know if I can do that. I don't know if I can help, I'm not strong.”
I yelped, breaking from her warm motherly embrace and crawling backwards.
“ If you weren’t strong and capable you wouldn’t be working here!”
“Ok, I'll help” I meekly responded.clean pillows to cover my ears and hear what they were saying. Madam even went as far as rubbing herbs on my ears while mumbling something I can never understand. But whatever she did works.
“ Good, Now try to believe in yourself more.”
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