“ Learning”  

“ WAKE YOU! WAKE UP! WAKE UP!”  I screamed at sparrow and Niklaus’s bodies, but no matter how much I screamed no matter what I gave up. My baby boy was gone, my best friend was gone. Taken from me by the man I loved, taken from me by someone I trusted. And he still gets to live?

“ No!” I growled to myself the ground starting to shake and crack as a storm formed, it started as a trickle pure ran I started to get angrier.

“ This town has brought me nothing but pain. NOTHING! The ocean will swallow it whole leaving not even a trace of this filthy pathetic town!”  As I spoke words of anger the rain had turned to ink and the waves became the size of walls swallowing everything it could get its hands on. “ When all is said and done I will find the one who tainted this town and I will kill him. I will kill Alren!” I said walking away from a town that would soon be no more.

I have been walking for hours. The sky is now blue and I am heading east to the next town over to find refuge.  It wasn’t until days later that I was able to reach the City of Belladonna. Hungry and dehydrated, I made my way to a tavern. 

“ Whiskey,” I whispered, throwing a silver coin on the bar.

“ You're drunk?” The bartender asked skeptically

“ Is there a problem?” I whispered in a low tone, sending visible shivers through his spine.

“ no ma’am,” he replied and quickly got me my drink, but as he was about to put the bottle back I grabbed it and set it next to my cup. I set two more coins down in its place. It was only about five minutes until I was disturbed again.

“ What's a pretty thing like you doing here?” He said, propping himself up on my right side. 

“ Leave me be, I spoke barely above a whisper.

“ What was that little bitch, I'm going to need you to use that pretty voice of yours.” He mocked moving from my right side towards my left. He was about to speak when he noticed my scars. He then stumbled back from shock.

“ What the fuck is wrong with ya bitch!” he exclaimed. That was enough, I was about to speak when someone cut in.

“ Now that's no way to talk to a beautiful lady.” It was Bain. The rat-looking man backed away and ran out of the tavern. Bain turned to me with sorrowful golden eyes.

“ Let's get out of here and go somewhere quieter, ok?” He said, reaching his hand out for me. I reluctantly took it and we walked out of the tavern. After a while, we reached a nice river bed just outside of town.

“ Thank you,” I whispered, deep down I needed to get out of there, but couldn’t bring myself to get up.

“ Why do you whisper? I know I have very good hearing but you don’t have to speak so quietly?” Bain said. He was right; he had heard me whispering in that loud tavern, his hearing was unmatched. 

“ I can’t speak louder, I apologize,” I murmured once more.

“ Does it have to do with what happened 3 months ago?”  He asked not to look at me but towards the horizon, his eyes held an emotion I couldn't place. Was it guilt? Did he know something?

“ You know, when I found the Siren it was after the storm that came from nowhere, the one with the black rain and dark strikes.” He pushed to take a breath before continuing. “ When I found the beast she was already dead, eyes had burst inside her, and lines of lightning covered her body. It had looked as though her soul had been ripped from her body. Her stinger was missing too. She had already attacked someone, and if I had to guess that person took her soul in return.” He ended up turning his head to look at me.

“ Will you kill me if I tell you the truth?” I muttered

“ Have you killed anyone innocent?” he asked me, his tone now dark

“ Have you” I shot back in an undertone. He sighed

“ I don’t kill humans. But to repay you from before, I will give you a week to run or prepare yourself for death.” He said getting up and leaving. A week. A week? I had no clue where I was going to go from here, the nearest town wasn’t till 5 days away by wagon.  But Bain wouldn’t be able to touch me if I were in a seat of power. That sounds like more fun.

And with that, I made my way to the Belladonna Castel, the ruling place of the city. As I walked to the entrance the guards raised their weapons.

“ Drop your weapons and let me pass,” I spoke in a commanding tone, and just like that they dropped their weapons and let me through. I walked straight to the Lord’s room where I found the Lord and his three sons.

“ What the hell are you?” The Lord spoke.

“ I am here to make you a deal, one too good for you to refuse and if you do, I will just take it,” I muttered just loud enough for the men to hear.

“ And what exactly is this deal?” The eldest son speaks.

“ You will allow me to work and live here as the Castels Sorceress, all proposals and deals to do with the City will go through me and I will be your tool to better the city and bring power,” I muttered.

“ Ha! Fool, we already have a Sorcerer!” The Lord spoke.

“ Not like me,” I whispered with a smile coming across my face.

“ Come to me, Now kill them. Wait no, all of you bleed. Now stop making a mess.”  I spoke and all the guards in the room complied with me every word.

“ See I’m different because everything I say becomes true>” I murmured once more. The Lord and sons looked at me with shocked faces.

“ Ezekiel, take your new partner to her room and help her get situated.” A man in robes came and guided me to my chambers.

“ Are you the other Sorcerer?” I asked’

“ Yes, my name is Ezekiel and we will be working with each other from now on, if you wouldn’t mind I have noticed the way you speak. Does that have to do with your magic?” I nodded in response wondering where he was going with this.  “ Maybe I can find a way to fix it so you may speak normally if that is ok with you of course.” He spoke giving me a cheery smile.

“ Thank you,” I mumbled, he nodded and left my chambers. Days passed and rumors quickly spread of the New sorceress that lived at Belladonna Castle that could make any nightmare or dream come true. I quickly got the hand of my duties and gained much power within the palace. Me and Ezekiel also grew quite close, especially considering he was, in the end, able to help me with my voice issue. I now had a better grip on my magic and myself. 

“ Lady Cornelia you asked to speak with me.” 

“ Yes I did, do you know why?” I said teasingly

“ No I’m afraid I don’t” they spoke uneasily, I chuckled at their reaction.

“ You're going to help me with a certain witcher, and I know you are the perfect one for this task,” I said, smirking at them before me.

“ And why is that My Lady.” Their voices wavered slightly.

“ Because your Bains lover is silly.” I jeered.