Vervain shooed away Gretchen and Alex away, insisting I needed more rest. Gretchen seemed to smile at something as the door shut. Boyd walked back and forth across my legs before curling up beside me, purring up a storm. I petted him, and he gripped my hand with his paws, using my palm as a pillow.

“I’m surprised he bonded so well to you.” Vervain settled on the floor again, watching us.

“Nox said cat siths can bond to people.” I signed, pulling my hand free. Boyd chirped sadly and I gave him some ear scratches. “Usually that happens if the cat sith met someone in a different life, if they bond well it will follow that person for forever.” I leaned my head back, trying to remember the myths about them.

“Aren’t they known for stealing souls?”

“Not all, some just bond to a soul they like.” I felt the vibrations of Boyd’s body and thought back to when he passed, the despair I felt and knowing I was the reason he died such a harsh death in his first life. I rubbed under his chin with my fingers, fighting the sadness that still welled up. Vervain touched my right hand, turning it over to look at my palm and relax my fingers, four crescents were indented in my flesh from how hard I was clenching my fist. He touched the freckle on the edge of my wrist.

“Why exactly are you here?” Shouldn’t he be in the village, doing whatever he did?

“Gretchen came and got me, said something was trying to encroach on the property despite it being part of the Nokken’s territory. When she mentioned you were passed out, I got worried.” I frowned, could it have been one of the fae beasts? “So, what’d you name the spirit?” Vervain turned my arm back, touching a few of the freckles as he traced patterns on my skin. Each swipe of his finger-pads left my skin a little more aware to the coolness of the room. Wait, he asked a question.

“Altan.” He chuckled. “You can be a little literal at times, pet.” I stuck my tongue out and he used his thumb to push it back in with a slight smile. I bit his thumb in response and saw the widening of his eyes before hearing him mumble something under his breath, looking a bit flustered as he took a deep breath.

“Again, some would take that as an invitation.” I pushed his hand away. “Would you?” I asked.

“Your comfort is a bit more important right now, not my needs.” Kinda cheesy, but sweet. He was careful helping me lie back.

“I’m not, pulling you from your duties, right?” He stood, bones somehow not cracking despite the position he was in. Lucky, sometimes I breathe too deep and something pops. “Your health and safety are my concern.” Vervain leaned down. “Take it easy for the next few days, drink warm liquids and try to avoid excess movement.” I’ll attempt to walk later tonight. He stopped at the door.

“I can, help. With you attempting the duties of a divine witch.” He spoke softly. I sat up a bit, watching him as he rested a hand on the simple doorknob.

“Will that be a good idea?” I asked. He tilted his head back, looking pensive.

“The main line of Elrod became corrupt a few centuries ago, hence the gods stopped blessing them at my insistence.” My eyes widened, he could influence the gods? How? Who was he exactly? Vervain brushed some dust from his shirt, rolling his sleeves down. Also, cryptic lore.

“Perhaps it’s time for a new chapter to start. Divine witches are a must in a world as twisted and coiled together like ours.” I looked at my fingers, picking at whatever possible gunk was underneath, there was nothing, the nails just barely a shade off white and hangnails trimmed back, no doubt Gretchen’s doing in preparations for the festival. There was a barely noticeable rustle and Vervain bid me a good afternoon as the door shut behind him. I brought my knees up, mulling over the bit of information I had been given.

I pulled out my journal out from under the bed and began recording what had been said. I tapped the tip of the graphite stick against the paper as I pondered my notes. I underlined the hopefully correct spelling of the name Elrod, adding some question marks and just wondering if anyone here knew who the line of Elrod was.

Evening came and I shuffled out of my room towards the main area, I ignored the twinges of pain and felt the mild cracks and pops in my feet from my bones. I was greeted by Gretchen and Alex dancing in the kitchen while soup was cooking on the stove. Gretchen saw me and they separated.

“Sorry.” She said, looking a bit bashful.

“You’re a couple, don’t mind me since I’m intruding.” I insisted, I looked for an extra pot and poured some of the water someone had brought in and placed it on the stove near the soup.

“Boiling water? The Highkin did that.” I should really teach them about the safety of boiling water to drink.

“But, you don’t mind us acting like a couple?” Gretchen asked. I thought back to all the times I’d seen them act together, barely holding hands at times while here in the cabin they were practically coiled together like snakes. I nodded. “It’s your relationship, not mine.”

“Even if by account I’m a woman?” Alex said they were a man and I second that.

“Don’t tell me that people don’t like that you two are together?”

“The village hasn’t been as cruel as some others will when it comes to people like us, but some of the older generations…they would care less if I still claimed to be a woman but I don’t, being a man feels right and proper for me.” Alex said, bitterness coating their voice like dried, sticky syrup.

“They would care less if two girls were in a relationship cause one of them could still get pregnant and provide children but if they were like Alex, it draws in the potential for dealings with the Fae and chances of children getting stolen away.” Gretchen said, moving beside me to pull out the bread. “And the fact I’m the only girl of childbearing age left in the family.” She muttered bitterly.

“Has there been an actual case of children getting taken away?” I asked. “No, not for years but with rumors swirling down from the North about the royal line dabbling in Fae magic to supposedly strengthen their own magic.” Gretchen stated. “And the missing princess is fueling the old mindsets.” I pouted as the water began to boil, the low fast rumble ambient background noise to the thicker ‘glug-glug’ of the soup and the snap of a bit of wood in the oven.

“Has no one even attempted to look for her?”

“No one honestly knows what she looks like, hence all the women who go missing that bare even the slightest bit of features similar to those in the North. Gone forever.” Then why are they staying missing? Are they hiding in secret or, something worse? The thought made me shiver a bit. The conversation stilted when there was a knock at the door and Gretchen opened it, revealing Edgren. Panic was evident on his face as he stepped inside. His eyes roamed the room before settling on me and he breathed a sigh of relief.

“Rán, you’re okay.” He ignored the glare from Gretchen as he came further into the room and hugged me Despite me rearing back. He smelled of sweat, a strange musk and horse that made my nose wrinkle, did he have the poor animal gallop all the way here? I shoved at him, angry he thought a hug was a good response.

“Sorry, just, you went missing for a bit and I thought the worst when Gretchen came and got the elf.” He had the decency to step back from me and I used my sleeve to wipe at my face. I was feeling gross enough from my stay in bed, now I was coated in sweat from someone else. How the heck did Vervain not cringe at my scent?

“She was sick, the Nokken wanted to try and sober her up so they dunked her in the river. Our medicine wasn’t working and something was trying to come onto the property, two birds, one stone.” Gretchen spat out. Wow, she really did not like him.

“I’m surprised Hans wasn’t able to scare it off-”

“It wasn’t a threat, just something curious about the land. Please leave, we’re about to have dinner.” Gretchen began shoving him out of the cabin. He twisted to look at me as a bit of the earlier panic flickered across his face.

“Wait! Wait, Rán!” A hand clamped on his shoulder, Hans aiding his sister in taking the unwanted guest out. “Rán, don’t come to the festival, if you do, I will arrest you!” I stood there, utterly confused before anger rumbled in. The door shut behind him. Rude, he even asked me for a dance. What's with the flip-flop attitude?

“Ignore him, he’s always been an ass.” Hans leaned against the door. Dinner was served and I found myself stirring the contents of the bowl, mulling over the fact Edgren said he was going to arrest me at the festival. I shrugged them away, maybe he finally saw me as a nuisance, even better, I don't have to dance with him! A part of me cheered.

“How long was I out for?” I asked, ripping apart my bread.

“Two and a half days, I got the Highkin this morning after the, guardian tried to step onto the property at dawn.” Hans slurped his spoon, making a part of me inwardly cringe at the too loud noise. “Hasn’t been a guardian seen for a while.” He eyed me. I looked at my bowl and slice of bread.

“Their name is Altan.” I added, biting into the soft texture of the bread slice.

***

Nighttime creeped over the house, animals either waking up, Hans slipping out and into the barn, pausing to sniff the air.

"Careful tonight, and tomorrow you two. A storm's coming in." I sniffed the air too, curious. I could smell the mix of earthy scents-decaying plants, a hint of floral, the stream that was close by, and ozone was faint but getting stronger. I helped close the door behind Hans and followed Gretchen inside. Boyd climbed up on a table and chirped, getting a bit of affection from their grandmother, her hands shook slightly as she struggled to walk to a chair and I carefully helped her into it by the hearth, wrapping a blanket around her.

"Such a sweet girl you are." I smiled. "I can't wait to see the marvels you'll make." She gently touched the scabbed over marks on my arms and sighed, seeming sad. "Stay well child." I stepped back a bit before bidding her and Gretchen a soft goodnight.

I settled in bed afterwards, Boyd laying on my legs as he purred like an engine. I reached for him and got headbutts against my palm. He licked my wrist, near the edge of some fresh marks and trilled, seeming concerned. 

"I'll be alright." I wish I wasn't lying.