The shadows shifted as the sun began to make its way toward the horizon and the witch stirred from her sleep as a cool breeze ruffled her clothes and hair. She rose slowly, regretting her choice to nap in the last of the summer sun. She felt drowsier than when she’d lain down on the wooden walkway surrounding her home. Already autumn crept in, promising brisker weather and a quick change from what had been a perfect summer. She liked autumn but she would miss the easiness of the growing season.

Her thoughts turned to the village just outside her forest. The Goddess’ Forest did not exactly belong to her, but she was the only witch that she knew of that made their home there. Perhaps there were others far to the north or east, but this area was known to be her home. This close to the human farming communities and less than a day’s ride from the Karvo capitol, it was unlikely any other witches would even want her territory. She was somewhat apart, enjoying the closeness to humans more than most of her kind; witches were more partial to the isolation of the margins or hard to reach corners of the world. They were many, but compared to the humans whose numbers seem to grow exponentially each year, they were few and far between. They kept out of each other's way and away from society in general.

She would have to go down personally to the village soon. Winter was closer than it felt under the warm sun and she was sure there would be some handfastings that just would not wait. She wasn’t much needed to prepare the village for winter; Annise and her daughters were capable of that without her help. There were a few things she could take down, herbal teas for common fevers and coughs, some salves for when the cold dry air chafed the skin. There were other matters, too. More men had come during the summer, much to her displeasure, and she would need to appraise them before winter forced them to stay. If they were to be sent away, better to do it before it grew too cold for them to survive a night out of doors.

She had a few hours yet before sundown. She could visit tonight to make arrangements for some of the children to help her gather the last of the summer herbs in a few days time, and find out who would want to be wed on the equinox and who would wait until spring. She could commission someone to go to the city for her and pick up a few luxury items that she would want over her winter. Much could be done before midnight. Perhaps she would even have a meal with Annise, just the two of them.

She attempted to rouse her familiar but gave up quickly, knowing the cat had little interest in anything but sleep while it was still daylight. Her familiar stretched luxuriously as she padded barefoot away from him, flexing his toes. He watched her with golden eyes as she collected her things, pulling on a red hooded cloak over her white dress. His tail curled and flicked across the floor, and when she looked back at him, he closed his eyes again, looking quite content to resume napping. She raised her eyebrows at him, unimpressed, and pulled on her stockings and shoes.

“What if strange men attack me while I’m on my way to the village? There have been a lot of bandits lately in the neighbouring villages.” Yori snorted and rolled onto his back, stretching again as he yawned. He turned his back to her, tail thumping against the floor as he began to snore loudly.

“Hmph. Not a very good companion are you?” she said indignantly as she flounced out of the room. Paper screen doors snapped shut around her as she passed through the small house, left open to air her place out after a morning of hard work. She hated labouring during the colder months of the year and had resolved to giving the place a thorough cleaning before summer officially ended. The dark wood floors gleamed from her attention and the stone steps were free of debris and the build-up of algae and lichen. She’d even cleaned the dark tile roof of leaf litter and the lotus pond of all its muck. Yellow and orange fish schooled in the shallow water while turtles basked on rocks. Looking back, she was proud of the home she’d made for herself, and felt rather content between her quiet but productive life and the village she and Annise had helped cultivate from scratch. It would be good to see her.

Her forest was a pleasant one, not one filled with ominous shadows and sinister trees. For all her many years there, she had never seen malicious folk or spirits and the forest seemed healthy and peaceful. Light filtered through the canopy and kept the undergrowth lush. The last flowers of the season were everywhere, yellow and white and pink among all the green. A water elemental giggled in the distance, probably playing in the nearby stream that drained her pond. She saw a family of deer a ways off the path and she smiled at them, wondering if Yori would find them someday for his supper. She didn’t feed her familiar often, letting him hunt for himself. She was not overfond of red meat and Yori was an adept enough hunter to provide for himself.

At a brisk pace, the walk was relatively short, taking a little over half an hour to get from her clearing in the forest to the edge of the village. The forest ended somewhat abruptly, giving way to farmland as far as the eye could see. If one looked carefully, a faint glimmering at the base of the faraway mountains marked where the capital city of Yoshebi stood. There was a gentle slope into town and the villagers took notice almost immediately as she stepped out of the forest, as she had not visited since the summer solstice.

“Lady Mun! Lady Mun!” Children ran up the path in a small pack. Their ages varied but they were mostly younglings. What few teenagers there were stopped what they were doing but still attempted to look disinterested, as was their way. She smiled and offered her hands for two of the children to hold, letting them pull her along. She’d been there when each of these children had been born and even at the births of a few of their mothers and fathers but most of the villagers had not been born here, many of them transplants and runaways. The village had begun as a safe haven for wives and daughters running for their lives. Annise’s doing more than the witch’s, but she had done her part in keeping away vengeful husbands, angry parents, and even a few brothel owners.

“Hello, my darlings. Have you been good while I was gone?” They were earnest in their answers, clamouring for her attention. The witch smiled quietly amidst their chatter, and allowed them to walk her into town. She had a smile for each villager, many of whom greeted her as she passed. The children were her messengers, breaking off from the group to run down streets to find the few people that she had business with. They were her honour guard as she made her way into the women’s lodge; the largest building in town where many of the single women lived.

In the dining hall, she sat at one of the long tables and the children told her of their adventures while she waited. Tea and berry cakes came out from the kitchen, and the girl who brought them blushed when the witch complimented their maker and hurried away back to her duties. The baker appeared with loaves of bread and honeycakes for her to try, while the miller discreetly left a sack of flour for her by the front door. The butcher and her sons came with smoked fish and some kind of sausage she could not identify. Her boys were taller and seemed bolder than when she had last seen them, pleased when she told them so. The eldest was more than happy to take her shopping list for the city and it earned him a favour from her as she pressed a little extra money into his hand with her list, telling him that his girl in the neighbouring village would appreciate a silver pendant and a fine shawl from the big city. Flushing to his ears, he beamed at her and accepted her advice and her gift.

Many of the children promised themselves in two days time to help her with her gathering in the forest. The women who fished the lake promised to send their sons with fish for her through the winter, especially salmon if they caught it since it was her favourite. The town’s new blacksmith promised to come by and make sure there was firewood stored for her and the witch commissioned her for a new knife, something long and slender and curved. The blacksmith refused the witch’s money but it found its way into her pockets all the same with a little help from her small friends. There was a basket of eggs, some of the first fruit of the season in a small barrel, and a bundle of sweet chestnuts left for her by the farmers who could not stay long. There was much work left for them to be done, but they did not forget her. There were shiny stones and drawings from the children and a scarf woven by Annise’s granddaughter and embroidered by her daughter. Humble gifts but many as the town came to say hello. Her little friends were very busy this visit, taking charms and small amounts of silver and gold to leave with those that gave to her so generously when they could be filling their own winter stores.

The village was doing remarkably well despite the recent increase in mouths to feed. They were expecting an exceptional harvest season, one of the best in years. Many of the men occupying the village had come in search of work and had found it, and most would likely winter with them between the large harvest and the needs of spring. Some were becoming more than just hired hands, and that was where Yongsoon would be needed. There were three men she would have to evaluate before they could be allowed to make their home in the village; they all seemed nice enough, eager to prove themselves worthy. And from the gossip, only one couple seemed eager to be wed before spring. Perhaps winter would come quietly.

Dinner was served and the witch sat squished amongst the women of the community at the long tables, enjoying their company and the good food. She wasn’t a very good cook, so coming down to the village often felt like a treat. They chatted with her, carrying the conversation without her having to add much, accustomed to her taciturnity. Savouring the stew served to her, she made a mental note to remember to ask the butcher’s son to pick up salt while he was in the city. It would cost her more gold than her other items put together but it was hard to live without.

“Grandmother is hoping you will see her tonight,” whispered a woman who pressed in close, her lips almost brushing the witch’s ear, voice low so that the others might not hear. Not that it would have mattered, as her relationship with the village’s matriarch was an open secret. A smile curled the witch’s full lips and she stood without a word. The woman linked arms with her and led her away from the knowing smiles and children asking where they were going.