Annabelle (part 31)

Reader discretion: This chapter is a little steamy.

“Annabelle? Wakey-wakey.”

Annabelle felt someone gently nudging her while she slept, however she didn’t feel like she was done sleeping yet, so instead of opening her eyes, she grunted, “Go away.”

“It’s time to get up, my sweet,” Lydia’s sexy but dangerous voice whispered in her ear.

“I’m sweeter when I get to sleep.”

Lydia landed a healthy swat to Annabelle’s backside. “We need to get moving. Come on, get up,” she said dropping the sugary sweet tone she used to stir Annabelle awake.

“Ow…” Annabelle mumbled as she slowly opened an eye and saw Lydia turned with her back to her, getting a fire ready. She stuck out her tongue at her.

“Are you trying to catch flies with that tongue?” Lydia said chuckling as she put a tiny frying pan over the fire.

Annabelle closed her mouth and spluttered. “What? How did…”

“I saw your reflection, genius,” Lydia said, pointing at small mirror laying next to her sleeping bag.

“You put that there on purpose,” Annabelle accused as she got out of her sleeping bag.

Lydia gave a snort as she started scrambling eggs while bits of bread where floating in the air, toasting over a flame.

Annabelle sat up rubbing her eyes. It was after noon, but they had walked all night, taking advantage of the darkness. The previous night they had walked for hours in the dark, trying to get as far away as possible from the school. They had set up a tent in a clearing and Lydia had cast several protective enchantments around it, to make sure that they were hidden from others.

The tent was pretty amazing. It was round and tall, and it had a place in the centre that was meant for a cooking fire. This was where Lydia was now seated, making them breakfast whilst Annabelle dragged herself out of bed.

She still couldn’t believe that Octavia Sprytt had been her saviour the previous night. The woman who had shouted at the students, punished them if they had spoken up against her propaganda history lessons; how could she be working with Alexis? She had played her part well.

“Shouldn’t we wait until it gets dark before we move?” she asked, crossing her fingers that it made enough sense for Lydia to let her lay back down.

“Actually, after we’ve eaten, I am going to teach you how to make a new potion.”

“What potion?” Annabelle asked, somewhat interested.

“A camouflage potion, often referred to as the chameleon potion. It will allow the drinker to blend in with the surrounding environment for an hour.”

“That sounds pretty awesome,” Annabelle admitted.

“It is,” Lydia said, smiling. “Now come over here and eat.”

Annabelle sat down next to her.

“Gwen would never have taught me a potion that cool. I bet she doesn’t even know fun potions like that exist!”

She took the plate Lydia handed to her, and they sat in silence and ate for a while. Annabelle was still a little tired and so not very chatty. Lydia broke the silence.

“We should probably try to find some food, though. I didn’t bring that much, and it’s no good increasing it with magic. It doesn’t have as much nutrition.”

“I can do that, Aisling taught me how to survive in nature,” Annabelle said, taking another bite.

“Really?”

“Uh huh.”

“So… she taught you how to survive in nature, but she didn’t teach you how to find North?”

Annabelle shrugged.

“Must’ve slipped her mind.”

Lydia chuckled.

“I can hunt,” Annabelle said, grinning proudly.  “Or maybe if we can find water, we can catch fish. I find it is easier to kill fish, I don’t feel so bad after wards.

“There was a small lake on the map. If we find it, we can take a swim too.”

Annabelle nodded.

“As long as we’re careful not to be seen.”

*

After their meal Lydia helped Annabelle brew the chameleon potion, and they each took a sip so they could blend in with the nature around them as they made their way towards the lake.

It took them about three hours of walking to get to the lake, and the sun was setting as they approached. The potion was wearing off, but as it was getting darker they decided to save the rest for the next they. They would probably need more eventually, but they had already decided to use their potion ingredients sparingly. They could restock some of their potion ingredients themselves, but they did not have access to all of them in the forest.

The lake was in the middle of the forest and of medium size, and the water was really clear with a blue tint to it. It almost looked like the water was shining in the sunset. It was so beautiful it was breathtaking.

“Wow…” Annabelle said when she saw it. “I had no idea it was this beautiful. I just thought it was like any old lake.”

“Me too,” Lydia said, mesmerised. “It’s so… romantic.” She winked at Annabelle who blushed. Lydia grabbed Annabelle’s hand and led her to a secluded area by the edge of the water where they hid their belongings, took off their clothes and got into the water, naked.

“Finally,” Annabelle said, “fully emerging herself in the cool water. This bath will be the highlight of my day!”

“Will it now?” Lydia whispered into her ear as she got closer and wrapped her arms around Annabelle’s naked waist.

Annabelle felt a tickling sensation on many different parts of her body, which made her nervous. The truth was that Annabelle really had no idea what to expect from her intimacy with Lydia. Apart from the kisses they had shared, she didn’t really have any experience and she didn’t really know much about “the other stuff”. In her old world, women and men got married, and she knew, of course, what husbands wanted of their wives; but she wasn’t sure what she could do that would please Lydia.

What she knew from romantic relationships between women came from Gwen and Aisling, and although they did not hide their love and affection for each other, what went on between closed bedroom doors, Annabelle had no idea. She only knew that they often came out of said bedroom, looking very happy.

“Well… umh… what else did you have in mind?” she asked, trying not to sound too excited.

“Oh, I don’t know, I’m simply pointing out that a simple bath doesn’t necessarily have to be the highlight of your day?” She traced her hands up and down Annabelle’s back, softly. Then she placed both of her hands on her buttocks and squeezed gently.

“Oh… well, I supposed I’ll have to admit I have been a little unimaginative.”

“I think you have been.”

“Lydia,” Annabelle said a little embarrassed. “I don’t… I mean… I’ve never… umh…” She felt herself blushing even more as she tried to confide in her girlfriend.

“You’ve never been with a woman before?” Lydia asked her, her tone understanding.

“No,” Annabelle admitted shyly as she turned around to look into Lydia’s eyes.  “I don’t know what to do.”

“Then I suppose I’ll have to be your teacher again.” Lydia raised her eyebrow, and smiled at her.

“This is a different subject though,” Annabelle said grinning slightly.

Lydia kissed her passionately. It was a long, hard kiss, that left Annabelle completely speechless.

“There are so many things I can teach you,” she whispered into Annabelle’s ear. Lydia licked her earlobe and Annabelle moaned.

Then they heard voices near by. Male voices.  Lydia quickly let go of Annabelle and they both sunk down low in the water. Lydia motioned to a fallen tree that lay with the top half in the water, and they quickly, but silently, made their way towards it so they could hide. Being caught naked was the least of their problems, they had no way of knowing if these men were wizards from the order, or spies working for them.

Lydia held Annabelle close to her as they hid under the branches from the tree. She held up a hand slightly above the water and closed her eyes. It looked as if she was feeling the air.

“They’re not wizards,” she whispered as she opened her eyes, looking relieved.

“Oh, good. So they are no match for us?”

“No, but we still don’t know if they work for people in the order. We don’t want anyone to know which direction we’re going.”

Luckily the mortals did not stick around, but Annabelle and Lydia stayed hidden for a while after they couldn’t hear their voices anymore. When Lydia finally said it was safe to get up, it was dark and Annabelle was freezing. She stood chattering teeth. Lydia muttered a spell and Annabelle felt a warm breeze on her body, and she could see steam coming from her body.

“Wow, that’s impressive,” she said, complementing the older woman. “Can you teach me that?”

“Not now. I’m afraid you’re not skilled enough just yet.” Lydia winked at her. “It can burn and blister your skin if you mess it up.”

“Ouch.”

“Yeah, very ouch.”

They got dressed and made a small fire. Annabelle was just about plan how to catch a fish when Lydia waved her hand and a fish came soaring out of the water.

“What? Aisling didn’t teach me that!” She looked at Lydia.

“Well, I figured we lost so much time hiding, that I better just get it.”

“Wait a minute, you were going to let me catch it without magic and not tell me you could do that?”

Lydia giggled, actually giggled!

“You looked so cute when you were talking about the different ways to catch fish,” she said, grinning. “I wanted to see you in action.”

“When I see Aisling next, I will be giving her a piece of my mind,” Annabelle muttered. “I mean what is the point of being able to do all these things without magic?”

“Well, it might come in handy one day if you have to pretend not to be a witch,” Lydia said. “Actually, that is not a bad idea if we meet mortals on our way.”

“Pretend to be mortal?”

“Yes. We can’t do that with witches or wizards, of course, they will sense our magic, but mortals have no sensitivity to magical energy, and so they can be fooled.” She smiled at Annabelle. “We have to be able to make them believe we’re mortal, of course. Think we’ll be able to?”

Annabelle laughed.

“I’ll have no problem convincing anyone I’m a mortal,” she said, not telling Lydia she had lived as a mortal for the first twenty years of her life. She wasn’t ready for that yet. “The question is, can you?”

“I… well, of course, I can,” Lydia said, looking a little insecure.

“Good, because we have to pass a village soon, and I’d rather not go around it.”

“We can go through, we just have to plan our journey a little more carefully that day.”

“Can a witch or wizard sense each individual magical person, or can they only tell that there is a magical presence?”

“Both,” Lydia said, opening her bag and finding her spices for cooking. “We can usually only tell if there is a magical presence, but if we’re really close we can tell if a person is magical; however, there can’t be other magicians near by. In a room full of magicians, I would have to touch someone to be able to tell if they are magical too, unless the person was purposely releasing lots of raw magic, and only show-offs to that.”

“Why?”

“They want to show people their power. It is like a mortal flexing his muscles to show people how big they are.”

“Oh, yeah, that’s weird,” Annabelle agreed.

“Yes, well, enough about show-offs, why don’t you study the chapter I showed you about transfiguration while I prepare our meal.”

Annabelle sighed.

“Ya know… when I imagined you and I together on this journey, I didn’t really think studying would be part of it.”

“Tough,” Lydia said sternly as she started to prepare the fish. “You will be a lot safer once you learn to transfigure yourself.”

 

*

Once their stomachs were full, they decided to walked for another couple of hours before they set camp. Annabelle was a little disappointed that what they started in the lake didn’t continue after their meal, but she knew they had to get going. After they had set up their tent and Lydia had cast their usual protections, Annabelle managed to convince Lydia that she could collect firewood by herself.

“It doesn’t make sense that we both go. We’ll be much more efficient if we each do a chore.”

“You’re right, but promise not to walk too far.”

“I won’t.”

“I want to be able to sense your magical presence Annabelle, or I swear, I will take a switch to your behind. There are plenty of them in here, ya know.”

“Lydia, relax a little.”

“Annabelle…”

“I promise I’ll stay around the tent.”

She kept her promise and quickly collected the firewood they needed, while Lydia was still inside the tent. Then she quietly put them down outside and picked up a small stick and grinned. She had read about a trick in her transfiguration book, and she really wanted to try it out. She only felt slightly sorry for Lydia who had no idea what was going on.
Annabelle silently muttered a spell and watched as her stick turned into a snake. It was not dangerous, but it looked very realistic. She opened the tent and threw it in. She heard it land with a little thunk, and then she heard a blood-curdling shriek. She opened the flap to the tent just as the snake turned back into a stick. Lydia looked up at her with murder in her eyes.

“You!”

Annabelle grinned.

“I thought you wanted me to learn transfiguration,” she said innocently.

“Oh, very funny. Get in here!”

It was only now that Annabelle started thinking that maybe pranking Lydia this way might not be a good idea. She hesitated.

“Brat, get in here,” Lydia commanded and pointed at the floor next to her.

Annabelle winced as she realised she might actually be in trouble. She knew she couldn’t run away from Lydia, so she sighed and slowly crawled into the tent. Lydia grabbed her ear with one hand, and retried a hairbrush from her own bag with the other.

“Ow! No… no…” Annabelle pleaded. “It was just a joke!”

Lydia ignored her and hauled her over her lap, pulled down her trousers and underwear and immediately started to spank her with the hairbrush.

“Ow ow… I’m sorry. I didn’t know you would be that upset.”

“I am terrified of snakes!” Lydia argued. “And you knew you would get some reaction, so how’s this?”

“Painful,” Annabelle said, wincing as the brush came down on her bottom again.

“I think all this walking and hiding has made you crave some of my attention.”

Lydia put down her brush, and started rubbing Annabelle’s stinging bottom.

“I am, but I’d much rather get the attention you gave me in the lake earlier.”

“Oh, you would like a treat, would you?” Lydia asked, raising her hand and bringing it down sharply on the middle of Annabelle’s bottom.  “Did you think I would be giving you hugs and kisses for throwing a snake at me?”

“No…” Annabelle admitted.

“No, young lady, I don’t reward that kind of behaviour. That kind of behaviour gets you spanked!”

“But… but… it was a fake snake! I wouldn’t have thrown a real one at you.”

Lydia ignored that comment and continued spanking Annabelle with her hand.

The spanking wasn’t that painful. It hurt, but Annabelle also felt like it wasn’t as harsh as the spanking Lydia had given her before. There was also something about Lydia’s tone that made Annabelle think that she was a little amused now that she had gotten over the shock of the prank. She did not spank as hard, and she also rubbed her a lot. Previous punishment spankings had been much more painful and intense, which led Annabelle to think that maybe this wasn’t a full on punishment spanking.

“Hmmm… your bottom cheeks are all red and hot,” Lydia commented as she rubbed mentioned cheeks softly. There was a hunger in her voice that told Annabelle she could try to get her back into the mood she was in at the lake.

“Do you like that?” she asked, daringly.

“Do I like your bottom red?” Lydia said, smacking Annabelle’s right cheek, but this time slightly less hard, her hand lingering on her bottom, feeling the warmth from the skin.

“Yes,” Annabelle replied, slightly raising her bottom up.

“Miss Annabelle, are you flirting with me?” Another smack, slightly harder this time.

“Maybe…”

“I thought I told you I don’t reward bad behaviour.”

“But if we do something you like then I can reward you,” Annabelle said, feeling lust deep in her body. She wanted Lydia so bad, but she also needed Lydia to instruct her.

“You did say that you wanted to teach me? Tell me what we can do together,” she said, trying to rouse Lydia.

The older woman traced her fingers slowly over Annabelle’s bottom. “Well that depends on what we want, the possibilities are endless.”

“What do you want?” Annabelle asked, getting more and more turned on by Lydia’s touch. Lydia’s hand went further down and Annabelle instinctively spread her legs a little.

“Well, I think I know what you want,” Lydia whispered as she stroked two fingers between Annabelle’s legs.

Annabelle stiffened with the sensation. It felt good, very good.

“Do you like it when I touch you here?”

“Uh huh,” she moaned.

“I figured you would,” Lydia said softly. “Naughty, naughty Annabelle.”

Annabelle felt Lydia pushing a finger into her and rubbing her on the inside, then she pulled it out and gently pushed her feet further apart. She then touched a spot further to the front that gave Annabelle shivers.

“Do you know what this spot is for?” She asked as she carefully rubbed the area with three of her fingers.

“N… no… oh.” Annabelle moaned and lifted her hips, making it easier for Lydia to access.

“It is for pleasure. Just that. It’s just a pleasure button. We can rub it, or we can lick it, and it will feel really good.” She put her fingers inside Annabelle again and rubbed. “And this is another pleasure spot.”

“We have two?”

“There are many,  my love. It depends on each person and what they like.”

“How do you know these things? Should I be jealous?”

Lydia laughed.

“I’m not going to lie and say I have never been with another woman, I am a little older than you, you know.”

“I know.”

“I also learned a lot from books. My cousin Arthur had a lot questionable books and illustrations when I was a teenager, I used to borrow them when he wasn’t looking.”

Annabelle giggled.

“Naughty.”

Lydia pulled her finger out and smacked her backside sharply.

“Me? Never.”

They both laughed.

“Now, why don’t you take off all of your clothes, and then you can lie down on your back for me.”

“Do you want me to do something to you?” Annabelle asked, as she got up. She pulled hurried taking off her clothes, craving more.

“I think right now we can focus on you,” Lydia said. “I think it will be helpful for you to know what it feels like when I pleasure you before you do it to me. I remember being very nervous about pleasuring another person for the first time, I want you to be comfortable. Take you time.”

“Okay, but can you get naked with me?” Annabelle gave her a naughty grin.

“Of course, that is also important.” Lydia started undressing. “It is not just about the touching, there are many different factors that will make lovemaking special.”

“Lovemaking? That is not what Eylion calls it, she calls it fu….”

“Yes, I’m sure she does,” Lydia said, cutting her off. “I am more romantic… well… unless I am bursting, in which case I might use crude language.”

They were both completely naked. Annabelle was staring at Lydia’s breasts.

“Eylion says it’s called dirty language.”

“Are you going to talk about Eylion or are you going to lie down so I can fuck you?” Lydia said, impatient.

Annabelle giggled, but laid down.

Lydia laid down next to her, touching her, kissing her, and licking her all over her body. At one point she put one of Annabelle’s nipples in her mouth.

“I want to do that to you later,” Annabelle said, craving it.

Lydia chuckled.

“I knew you were staring at my breasts.”

“I can’t help it. They’re big and soft-looking. They want me to touch them, I know they do.”

“I think maybe you’re ready to come soon.”

“Come?”

Lydia moved further South, she put her mouth on “the pleasure button” and kissed and licked it.

“Oh my!”

“Let me know when you’re about to come, I want to look into your eyes when you do.”

“But I don’t know what that means.”

“You will…” Lydia said mystically.

She sucked the button, then circled her tongue around it. Annabelle squirmed at the sensation. How could she not know it was possibly to feel this kind of pleasure? This was much better than she thought it would be. Then she felt it, her muscles started to spasm.

“Now!” she gasped.

Lydia quickly got up. She put two fingers inside Annabelle, rubbing her inside, at the same time as she used her thumb to rub her pleasure button. She sensation got stronger and her entire body stiffened. She bit her lip.

“Look at me,” Lydia said, working her hands, keeping the climax going. “Don’t be afraid to make a noise, hon. I know you want to. You like that, yes?”

“Yes! Yes! Oh my…” Annabelle put a finger in her mouth and bit down on it, hard, while she moaned loudly, her entire body spasming. She kept eye-contact with Lydia for as long as she could, however, after a while she threw back her head and closed her eyes, feeling like she was about to black out from this jolt of sexual energy.

Afterwards she lay naked, panting, whilst her lover spooned her and kissed her neck. After a while, after Annabelle had relaxed a little, and she was just laying there, enjoying Lydia’s caresses, she finally opened her mouth to speak.

“That was crazy. I’ve never experienced anything like that… you know… that feeling at the end.”

“It’s a little different, isn’t it?”

“Yes, but a good different. Like… at first it felt super odd, but I didn’t want it to stop, and then it was just a wave of pleasure.”

“The first time I had an orgasm, I wasn’t even sure if I liked it,” Lydia mused, “but then I got used to it.”

“Is that what it’s called? Well… I thought it was great!”

“Of course you did, darling, and you’ll have many more. Just don’t focus too much on it, or it might ruin it for you. If you keep worrying about getting the big climax, you might not enjoy the part that is leading up to it.”

“I enjoyed all of it,” Annabelle said. She turned around and kissed her lover.

“Good, baby. Then we should do it again soon. I have so much to teach you.” Lydia kissed the tip of Annabelle’s nose softly.

Annabelle gave her a mischievous grin.

“Well… you know I’m an eager student; therefore, to further my education, I think I should study the female anatomy and conduct some experiments.”

 

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Annabelle (part 30)

As Annabelle sat it the darkness she tried to think of ways to get out of this situation. Well, at first she thought of all the different ways she could hurt the head bitch. She imagined running towards her and punching her stupid face, no magic but just pure muscle power; however, she’d probably hurt her hand, that is, if she even made it that far, which was very unlikely as the headmistress should create a magic shield against attacks. Then, once she got the violent thoughts out-of-the-way, she started more productive thinking, but that didn’t get her anywhere either. She had tried casting spells at the door, but it would not budge. She had tried using the spell that would let her stick her hand through wood, but that didn’t work either. It seemed like the door was warded against most kinds of spells. It was probably not unbreakable, but the spellwork required was probably too complicated for Annabelle to have even read about it yet.  She didn’t even know if anyone could hear her on the other side of the door, for all she knew, the door could have been sound proof. They certainly could not hear her in the castle above her.

Eventually Annabelle fell asleep on the floor, where she had bundled up her cloak as a pillow, now that fireballs were keeping her warm. She slept uncomfortably. She didn’t know a spell that would turn the stone floor soft, even if she had once done that. She woke up in the morning by the sound of someone opening the door.

“Let me out!” Annabelle shouted angrily, as Octavia Sprytt walked into her cell. Behind her Annabelle could see one of the women who pushed her into it the night before.

“Be quiet, girl,” Miss Sprytt said, using her magic to force Annabelle down. “I warned you to behave yourself.”

“I haven’t done anything,” Annabelle replied, her eyes welling up with tears. She hated knowing her enemies could see her cracking. She didn’t want them to see her cry.

“You know what you did,” Miss Sprytt said coldly, waving her hand so that a tray of food appeared in front of Annabelle.

“Here are some things that will make your stay more…. comfortable” she said, tossing a bag at Annabelle, before turning around and leaving her. Annabelle threw a glass from the tray after her, but it missed.

Miss Sprytt turned, used her magic to repair the glass and smiled at Annabelle.

“Remember, Miss Brown, good behaviour is rewarded”

She turned on her heels and left the room, and the minion outside glowered at Annabelle as she slammed the door shut.

“You can shove your good behaviour up your ass!” Annabelle shouted at the closed door, banging her fist against it.

*

After throwing a tantrum and screaming curses at all the members of staff she hated, Annabelle sat down and started eating the food on her tray. She was rather hungry. She wondered if Eylion and Lydia had guessed where she was, and if they were planning to rescue her. It seemed as if the headmistress had no plans of killing her yet as she had been given a decent meal. She then remembered the bag Miss Sprytt had given her. She had said it would make her stay in the cell more comfortable.

She opened the bag, which had been enchanted so it was bigger on the inside. She found a change of clothes, a blanket, a sort of thin mattress that she supposed she was supposed to put on the floor, a glass bottle of some drink, some nibbles, and a book. Annabelle opened the book and a piece of paper fell out. She quickly picked up the piece of paper and read it.

Tonight after dinner. Be ready.

That was all it said. So Eylion and Lydia knew where she was, but how on earth had they been able to get the note into the book in the bag without Miss Sprytt noticing it. She supposed that Lydia would be able to open the door, maybe even Eylion. She knew that they couldn’t get her out now, not until they were ready to leave. They had to pretend they didn’t know where she was until they were ready to execute the plan, otherwise they would risk the security being strengthened. All she had to do now was wait, and trust that Eylion and Lydia knew what they were doing.

*

Waiting for dinner time drove her out of her mind. Sitting alone in a dark, windowless cell was really boring, and the book she had been brought really wasn’t that interesting. Annabelle had gone through every page to make sure there weren’t any other hidden messages, but there were none. She spent the day trying to rest on the mattress she had been given, as she hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before, and she probably would need to be well-rested for her trip with Lydia. They would probably have to walk most of the night to get as far away from the castle as possible.

When she couldn’t rest anymore she would get up and walk around in her cell just for something to do and so she could stretch her body. When she was feeling extra ungrateful, she thought that Eylion and Lydia could have tried to sneak some form of entertainment into the bag as well!  Not having anything to do was driving her crazy and at times she’d find herself counting to sixty, making rips into her piece of paper for each minute. She had no idea how many hours she had been there or how many hours were left until dinner. It felt like she had been there for ages, and it made her even more angry knowing that the headmistress would probably leave her in there for even longer.

*

Then, just as Annabelle had laid back down on her mattress to rest som more, she heard a noise outside. Was it Eylion or Lydia coming to save her? Or was it the minions coming with her dinner? Annabelle got up grabbing her cloak, ready to leave if she was being rescued. The door opened with no trouble and Octavia Sprytt walked in. Annabelle felt a sinking disappointment when she saw her.

“Bring your cloak and come with me,” she said to Annabelle who had sat back down on the floor.

Annabelle looked up at her in surprise, her mouth open.

“Come on, girl. Hurry.”

Annabelle got up, not sure how she should react.

“What time is it?” she asked, confused. Was she getting out? Where was she taking her? To another cell? How would Eylion and Lydia be able to rescue her if they moved her?

“It is after the dinner, didn’t you get the note?” Miss Sprytt asked, still holding the door open. “Will you hurry up, girl! We don’t have that much time.”

“It was you? But…”

“Lydia is waiting for you upstairs. Now, move.”

Annabelle hurried out of the cell, and then she followed Miss Sprytt up the stairs and out of the dungeon. She wanted to ask questions, but she didn’t know what to say. Should she trust her? Would Lydia really be waiting for her?

The answer was waiting for her at the top of the stairs. Lydia stood there waiting for her, holding the satchel Alexis had sent her. She hugged Annabelle tightly.

“I don’t understand,” Annabelle said looking confused.

“No time to explain,” Lydia said, letting go of her.

“Annabelle!” Eylion came running down the corridor. She hugged her best friend.

“Well?” Miss Sprytt gave Eylion a demanding look.

“It’s done. They’ve been frogs for two minutes exactly, and they should remain so for at least forty-five minutes.”

“And the guards outside?”

“Anna, Tilly and Mina went to serve them dinner, they gave the signal. It should be all clear.”

“And I created the tunnel. Then we should get going,” Miss Sprytt said and nodded at Lydia.

Eylion hugged Annabelle one last time.

“I’m going to miss you so much. I hope we see each other really soon.”

Annabelle was lost for words and she felt herself starting to cry.

“Take care, Annabelle,” Eylion said before letting her go.

Then Annabelle felt herself change. She was shrinking, her entire body felt strange. She suddenly looked up at the three witches in front of her. They were all really tall. She looked at herself and saw that her hands were little, pink paws. Everything felt strange. Her vision was different, she suddenly had a wider sight and things looked lighter, and it was as if she could suddenly smell and hear everything. She felt like a super human, except she was in feline form.

“Meow,” she said, realising she had lost her ability to speak with her new form.

“Now, we will change,” Lydia informed her. “Annabelle, you will follow Octavia to the tunnel, I will come behind you. Then when we get to the tunnel, we will go through and you will follow me until I stop. Understand?”

“Meow.”

“Well then, we’ll be off.”

The two older witches changed. Miss Sprytt became a big tabby like Eylion once had been, and Lydia was completly black with green eyes. Annabelle noticed that the two cats were bigger than her. She compared size and realised she was kitten size! Not new-born, but definately a kitten.

*

They hurried up the stairs and Eylion followed them. When they got to the entrance hall there were frogs everywhere. There were a few students who hadn’t turned into frogs, probably because they were late for dinner. Annabelle had to fight hard against the instinct to play with the frogs. She really wanted to pounce at them.

“Dang! Someone must have opened the door,” Eylion said as she came up behind them. She ran over to the front door and opened it.

“Take care!” she called after them as they ran out the front door and into the park area outside.

Annabelle followed the big tabby cat between tree trunks, that were so much more visible to her with night vision. They headed towards the big stone wall that surrounded the school. Once they got to the wall the tabby stopped next to a hole in the ground, Annabelle stopped too and turned to see Lydia coming after them.

“Meow,” Lydia said, reaching out a paw and swatting it towards Annabelle’s hindquarters. She guessed that meant “Go on!”

Annabelle jumped into the hole which was more than big enough for a kitten to get though, and went through the tunnel, appearing on the other side of the wall. She was quickly followed by Lydia who had to crawl through. They had done it!

“Meow,” Lydia said, signalling for Annabelle to follow her. There was no time to stop now, they had to get far away from the school while the staff were still frogs. Hopefully nobody would realise that they had gone for a while after they returned to human form.

*

They kept traveling as cats for over an hour before Lydia finally stopped in the middle of a thick forest and transformed them back to human form. It was pitch dark for a human, and for a moment Annabelle felt like she was going blind, until Lydia cast a small, blue, light globe. It gave them light, but it wouldn’t draw too much attention if anyone happened to fly over them on a broomstick.

“Finally,” Annabelle said as she stretched her legs and cracked her neck, adjusting to her new form. “I’ve been waiting for ages for answers. What the hell happened back there?”

Lydia smiled at her and pulled her into an embrace.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered into her ear. “There was no time for explanations.”

She kissed Annabelle softly on the lips.

“We knew they had taken you when you weren’t in your room, but we couldn’t just storm into the dungeon and rescue you, not if we wanted to escape the way we did. I hated leaving you in there.”

“But Miss Sprytt?”

“Alexis’s inside spy.”

“You’re joking!”

“Nope,” Lydia said grinning. “You’ve got to give it to her, she’s a brilliant actress.”

Annabelle couldn’t believe it. How? Octavia Sprytt had been unpleasant from the beginning, she had punished students in her history class for trying to correct her lies, everyone hated her.

“But she was a total cow before we even knew we had to go to school! She was rude to Alexis. She punished the students in her class for telling the truth, she…”

“She kept up appearances, Annabelle. She did what she had to do in order to make Kendra Onbush believe she is one of her closest allies. I hope nobody suspects her of helping us today. We need a spy like her in there.”

“Did you know she was a spy?”

“Me? No, not until last night when we couldn’t find you. We were in your room when Octavia came to find you. She believed you were in danger and she wanted to check on you, but she was too late.”

“And then she just told you that she was a spy?”

Lydia laughed and shook her head.

“No, but I guessed. She seemed as shocked as we were to find you gone, and when she said something about you probably having been taken to the dungeon, I realised she was on your side. I could see the worry in her eyes.”

“Octavia Sprytt was worried about me?” Annabelle asked sceptically.

Lydia nodded.

“And then we told her of our plans and we decided to included your other friends to help us.”

“This is crazy,” Annabelle said, sitting down on a log. “So many secrets. I almost feel like pawn in some sick game.”

Lydia sat down next to her and put her arm over her shoulder.

“I know how you feel. I have been a pawn in my great grandmother’s game for too long.”

“But not anymore,” Annabelle said.

“No, not anymore,” Lydia said smiling. “And you know what? It feels great! I can’t believe I am away from her and other members of my family, it feels like I have been rid of something toxic poisoning my life.”

“Yeah, and now we just have to find Andromeda,” Annabelle reminded her. “Ain’t that gonna be a hoot?”

Lydia laughed.

“It is so far!” Annabelle complained.

“We’ve been locked in that castle for ages, and you complain that you have to walk freely in the open?” Lydia pulled her closer. “Just you and me, under the stars, nobody else…”

Annabelle blushed.

“Alright, that does sound nice,” she admitted. “But we’re still on the run, and we should keep going on a bit. While it is still dark, I mean.”

“Yes, but first we need a bite to eat,” Lydia said opening her bag. “You open your satchel, I can’t access anything in that, remember. You need to check the map the vampire gave you.”

Annabelle opened her satchel and retrieved the scroll of parchment that was the map. She tapped it twice with her finger and ink started flowing on the parchment, forming a map. She could see the red dot on the map which pointed to where she was, but the purple dot was on the side of the parchment and not on the map, which meant that they still had a really long way to go.

“We’ve still got a long way,” she said showing Lydia the map. She dragged her finger from the red dot to the purple like Christophe had shown her, and the map changed showing a larger area. “We have to go North-West.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Lydia said and handed Annabelle a sandwich.

“Lydia?” Annabelle said sounding worried.

“Yes, Annabelle?”

“How do we tell which way is North-West?”

Lydia chuckled.

“Oh, Annabelle, what would you do without me here?”

They both sat in silence for a while, eating their sandwich and enjoying the view of the starry sky. It was so beautiful, and Annabelle felt so lucky to sit there next to Lydia alone. Suddenly she felt like maybe this journey to find Andromeda wouldn’t be so bad; after all, she would be with Lydia. She imagined the many nights in the future when she would be lying next to her on the ground, under a blanket, enjoying the starry night sky. No, that didn’t sound bad at all, she was actually looking forward to it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Annabelle (part 29)

“This place is crazy,” Lydia said, following Annabelle and Eylion down a staircase.

They were leading her to the corridor outside the headmistress’ office.

“You already said that,” Eylion pointed out.

“Yes, but it is. And I can’t believe that they didn’t know about these passages when they chose the castle.”

“I know right, it totally makes sense that there should be passages in a haunted, old castle!” Eylion turned to Annebelle. “See? I told you that time, didn’t I?”

Annabelle nodded.

“So you don’t know why they chose Glasegrove castle?” Annabelle asked Lydia.

“No idea.”

“Oh…” Annabelle said, disappointed.

She had hoped Lydia knew something. It was all just too weird. The locket, the castle, and the fact that her mentors had given it to her of all people. There was no way they didn’t know its connection to the castle. And why didn’t it open?

“We’re getting close,” Eylion said as she stopped. “We should try to keep silent  when we’re near her office.”

The other two nodded.

They walked in silence for a little while longer, but it didn’t take long before they heard the muffled sound of voices. With Eylion in the front they walked a little longer before they stood directly behind the wall to the headmistress’ office. Her voice was much clearer now, and so was the voice of Octavia Sprytt.

“I tell you, Octavia, this has Alexis Nightshade written all over it.”

“We can’t know that, Kendra. We don’t have proof.”

“Then why is she gone? She was staying with her former apprentice, but their house is empty. Leda Clagarian is also missing, you know.”

Annabelle and Eylion looked at each other, confused. Missing? They didn’t mention in their letters that they were going anywhere.

“Well, that does makes sense if they found we had our people watching their house.”

“But how? How would they know? I had my best people keeping an eye on Alexis, and now she is gone.”

The headmistress sounded angry, very angry.

“I don’t know, Kendra, but we always knew she was a smart woman. Smart, and very sly.”

“Too true, Octavia. I wish I knew what she was up to, but I think we can be sure of one thing.”

“What?”

“She has a spy on the inside, it’s the only explanation.”

“You mean Lydia?” Octavia Sprytt sounded like she was doubting this very much.

“Of course not! Don’t be silly. Alexis is too smart to use that stupid girl. I keep her in the dark when it comes to matters of the order, and if she really were a spy she would work harder to stay here. Anyway,  I don’t need her anymore, the new potion teacher should arrive in two days time.”

“So you’ll just let her leave.”

“I’m not sure, she has been on the inside for a while. She might know too much.”

“And what do you intend to do about that?”

“I haven’t decided yet, but that’s not the most important thing right now. How can we get to Alexis?”

“Well, you have to admit she’s good at keeping her secrets. We have now idea where she is, what she is up to, or how to get to her.”

“She’s always messing things up for me! That was all she ever did in the order, going against me, voting against my legislations. I want to get her where it hurts.”

A bell rang in the distance.

“Come on, time for dinner.”

*

Dinner was rather uncomfortable. The few times Annabelle dared looking up at the teachers’ table, she found the headmistress glowering at her. She tried to focus on her plate instead, and occasionally she would join conversations with the others on her table. She found it difficult to focus on their conversations, she was too worried about getting out of the castle before the new potions teacher came to take over for Lydia. They hadn’t had much time to discuss it since they had to hurry out of the passages to make it to dinner in time, they almost forgot to use a cleaning spell to get rid of the dust on their clothes. They had agreed to meet in Annabelle’s bedroom after bedtime. Now that Lydia was in on the plan, that shouldn’t be too difficult. If anyone caught them, Lydia would pretend to catch Eylion out of bed.

*

Annabelle lay in her bed waiting for the other two to arrive. She had a book open so she wouldn’t fall asleep, but it was still a little early. It was after lights out, but they all felt it would be much safer if they didn’t meet until after midnight. It was still only eleven o’clock when she heard a knock on the door.
“That’s odd,” she muttered to herself as she got up to open the door; however, before she even reached the door, it swung open and one of the teachers came inside. Annabelle didn’t know her name, she didn’t teach any of her classes.

“Miss Brown, you are to come with me,” the lady said in a low, booming voice. She was of average hight, but quite wide, and she had a strong jaw on face with a severe expression. Her eyes were dark and scowling.

“Why?” Annabelle asked, confused. It was after lights out after all. She couldn’t think of anything so important that it couldn’t wait until the morning.

“Because the headmistress has ordered it,” the teacher replied, sourly.

“But…” Annabelle started.

“But nothing, Miss Brown. Don’t make me use force.”

Annabelle felt shivers down her spine, she had a bad feeling about this, but she put on her slippers and grabbed her cloak from a peg on the door, and followed the woman out of the room and into the hallway outside. Was she in trouble? Outside they were met with another of the headmistress’ minions.

“Where are we going?” she asked, wrapping the cloak around her. It was chilly.

“You’ll see,” minion number two said.

They walked down several flights of stairs, they were definitely not going to the headmistress’ office. Annabelle kept quiet, only because every time she tried to asked questions she was refused a proper answer. Why would the headmistress want to see her so late? And why not in her office? Would she make it back in time to meet with Lydia and Eylion? And what would they think once they came to her room and discovered that she wasn’t there?

The minions took Annabelle down a dark corridor and then down yet another staircase. Annabelle had a feeling that this one was taking them under ground.

“Are we going to the dungeons?” she asked, she started to feel a panic inside.

“Keep walking, girl.”

She didn’t really have a choice. If she stopped walking, they would force her to keep going, and she didn’t really know how she could escape two grown witches by herself.

They walked down a dark corridor with walls of stone as if it had been cut out of the rock, and they stopped in front of a wooden door. It had flap at the top that could be opened so one could look into the cell, because that was what it was, a cell, Annabelle knew that now.

Minion number one opened the door and minion number two gave Annabelle a push in the back.

“Get in, girl.”

“No way, I’m not going in there,” Annabelle said, refusing to move.

Behind the door was a tiny room. It was dark and dirty, and it smelled. The air felt humid and cold.

The two minions didn’t answer her refusal but simply worked together to push Annabelle into the cell. She fell on the floor, and before she had time to turn around, they had slammed the door behind her, leaving her in total darkness.
Annabelle screamed for them to open up the door, but to no use. She cast a spell and made a fireball that levitated in the air so she could see, and then she ran towards the door and started banging her fist on the hard wood.

“Let me out! Let me out!”

Nobody came. They had already gone back up to the castle. She was all alone in the dungeon, and Lydia and Eylion had no idea where she was. How would she escape this place now? What this what she had meant about getting Alexis where it hurt? And was this what the headmistress had planned for Lydia once the new potion teacher came? Or would Lydia have to leave without her once she couldn’t find her?

Annabelle sat down on the hard, stone floor and started crying. She made more fire balls to help against the cold and she leaned against the wall. She was so tired and scared, and she felt a raging fury towards Kendra Onbush. She had never felt this much hate towards anyone.

“That bitch is gonna pay.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gwen – A Winter Tale

It was a cold frosty morning when Alexis Nightshade was busy cooking in her kitchen. Said cooking, if one could call it that, involved using magic to get the ingredients to cook itself! She was also baking spirit cakes for the winter festival. This year she wanted everything to be perfect because this was the first year her apprentice, Gwen, was qualified to participate in the rituals. The winter festival rituals included some tricky spell work and until now it had been too advanced for Gwen. She had, of course, been able to watch along with the other witchlings too young to participate, and she had been able to do other things like making the traditional floating lantern to send up to the heavens at midnight, but this year she would participate in the magic rituals. Alexis had made her a brand new festival robe. She wanted to prepare early and show Gwen she was making an effort to make this a memorable evening for her, because unfortunately she had some bad news. Actually she had two pieces of bad news. First of all, Gwen’s mother had written and declined her invitation to watch her daughter participate in the festival for the first time, and even if nobody expected anything else from Wynne, Alexis knew another rejection from her mother would hurt. The second piece of bad news was that Alexis had to go away for a few days, leaving Gwen at home. Of course, that in itself was not the upsetting part. No, the upsetting part would be that Alexis had invited Andromeda’s apprentice, Leda, to come over and keep an eye on her. Alexis shuddered, she wasn’t looking forward to telling Gwen about that!

“Mo… mo…morning,” Gwen said, yawning. She walked into the kitchen resembling a zombie in a night-dress.

“It is almost 11 o’clock, Miss. Would you like to explain why you needed to sleep in today?”

Alexis looked at her sternly, pointing her wooden spoon at her apprentice.

“No, thank you,” Gwen said smartly.

“Hmm…”

Alexis gave her a suspicious look. She was almost certain that Gwen had stayed up past her bedtime, which she knew perfectly well was not acceptable as an apprentice needed her sleep. Magic is energy, and it is important for any magician to get their rest and to eat properly. Alexis had to be strict about bedtimes because although Gwen liked to sleep, she didn’t like going to bed. Everything fun seemed to happen at night. However, a mentor must always pick her battles, and today she decided to drop it because there were other things that needed to be discussed.

“You have a letter,” she said looking seriously.

“Is it from my mother?” Gwen said, suddenly looking more awake.

Alexis nodded. She handed Gwen the letter, which had been opened.

“I have already read it, I am sure you understand why.”

Gwen nodded. She took the letter and read it quickly, before she laid it down on the kitchen table, looking disappointed.

“Are you alright, my love?”

“Yeah… I guess. I mean… I already told you I didn’t think she would come.”

“Yes, but you wanted her to. That is, after all, why you sent her the invitation.”

Gwen nodded, looking sad. A single tear drop formed and ran down her cheek. Alexis pulled her apprentice into a hug and held her close. Being 200-years-old, Alexis couldn’t always understand what it was like being 21; however, she could understand Gwen’s need for her mother’s approval and love. She had never been there for her daughter, yet Gwen still hoped that one day she would change her mind and come back to be with her.

“Don’t let her ruin the festival for you, my love. It is your favourite day of the year, and you will do great in the ritual.”

“Do you really think so?”

“I do, and I will be the proudest person there,” Alexis said softly into Gwen’s ear.

She hugged her tight one last time before she let go and pointed Gwen to the table.

“Sit down and we will have breakfast, and later we can get started on our lanterns for the festival.”

*

After they had breakfast, Alexis felt like it was time to tell Gwen the last of her bad news. She took the plates from the table and put them in the sink whilst Gwen was blowing on a cup of freshly brewed tea. Alexis sighed, her back still turned. She had no idea how she could break the news without Gwen getting upset.

“Alexis, what is it that you want to tell me?”

Alexis turned and smiled at her.

“It’s that obvious, is it?”

“Uh huh.” Gwen narrowed her eyes at her and took a sip of her tea.

“Well… as you can see I have been preparing for the festival a little early. Your new robes are finished, I have baked spirit cakes, and I think we’ll have a great time.”

“Stop stalling and get to the point,” Gwen said, sensing more bad news.

“Right,” Alexis said nervously.

It was odd that Alexis should be nervous to tell Gwen something, that was not a normal part of the dynamics of their relationship. Alexis was always very much in charge as she was the mentor and Gwen was the apprentice. If anything, Gwen was the one who would get nervous about telling Alexis things, but that was usually when she had to fess up to having done some naughty deed.

“I have to leave you for a couple of days,” Alexis finally said.

“Where are you going?”

“Andromeda and I have to meet with some wizards in Dragonsdale on behalf of the order; however, we will be back in time for the celebrations. Don’t worry, I will be back in good time to see you in the rituals. I just have to leave you for a few days.”

She smiled at Gwen who was confused as to why Alexis was nervous about telling her this. Being home alone would be awesome! She’d stay up late, eat ice cream for dinner, and perhaps she’d sneak a peek at Alexis’ spell book that she knew was completely off-limits!

“So I get the house all to myself?” Gwen grinned. “Wicked.”

“Actually, no you won’t. Leda is coming to stay to keep you from being wicked.”

“What?” Gwen stood up. “You cannot be serious! That is so unfair!”

“What is unfair?”

“This! You asking Leda to come and baby-sit me as if I were a child. And you know how I feel about her! She is so bloody smug all the time because she is almost a fully qualified witch and I am way behind her in my magical education.”

Gwen crossed her arms and pouted. Leda was ten years older than her, and Andromeda had informed her that she would soon be done with her training. Leda probably wouldn’t leave her mentor for years still, because she still didn’t have much experience as a witch, but she’d be free of all the rules an apprentice would have to follow.

“Alexis, you can’t do this to me. Leda is…”

“Leda has got a good head on her shoulders, Miss.”

“She’s got a big head on her shoulders,” Gwen mumbled.

She sat down looking thoroughly depressed.

“This is so embarrassing.”

“Gwen, you know I love you dearly, and I trust that you have a good heart and that you have good intentions. I do not, however, trust that you can keep yourself out of trouble if I leave you alone for days.”

“I can! I really can.” Gwen looked at her mentor with puppy-dog eyes. “I swear it, Alexis. Nothing bad would happen, I would be really good.”

Alexis put her hand on her apprentice’s shoulder.

“Leda is coming to stay here while I am gone and that is final. You will do as she says, and you will behave yourself, do you hear me?”

Gwen grunted.

“Gwen…” Alexis’ voice had a tone of warning now. “I said… do you hear me?”

“Yes, yes, I hear you.”

*

The next morning after breakfast, Gwen and Alexis were in the living room working on their lanterns. Alexis had finished hers as it was a very simple and traditional lantern, but Gwen had decided to go for a more complicated design, hoping it would outshine Leda’s when they sent them up together. It wasn’t that Gwen hated Leda, their relationship was a complicated one. They had for as long as Gwen had lived with Alexis always had a lot to do with one another, as Andromeda had been Alexis’ closest friend since childhood. Perhaps in the future they would be good friends, but right now ten years was a big difference in age, and Gwen often felt like Leda treated her like her annoying little sister and not like an equal.

There was a knock on the door.

“I’ll get it, it’s probably them,” Alexis said as she went to open the door.

She quickly returned followed by two women. Andromeda was a tall, dark-haired woman, dressed in the usual outfit for a qualified witch. She was dressed in black; black dress, black boots, she had a black witch’s cloak and a black pointy hat. Furthermore, the woman positively oozed authority. Gwen knew from experience that Andromeda was a good person who also had a soft side, but she could appear quite severe from the outside, and that intimidated a lot of people. Heck, sometimes she intimidated Gwen too! Especially when she had done something wrong. She would never forget the time Andromeda took a switch to her backside in the forest. She had brought Leda and her to the forest to pick flowers and mushrooms for their brew, and Gwen had caused a little incident.  Yes, alright, she had pushed Leda into a pond, but, in her defence, Leda had asked for it by scolding her for not separating the flowers and mushrooms in her basket. Was it her fault that Leda had OCD? No! Had Leda had her way, she would have asked her to colour-code them too. The girl had been completely unreasonable, and thus, Gwen felt that it was within reason to give her a little push. Besides, while she was sitting with her butt in the pond, she was in the perfect position to get them a good amount of duck weed.

Leda was a young red-head who only looked slightly older than Gwen. At 31, she was almost finished with her training, but Alexis always reminded Gwen that just because a person had finished training, did not mean they didn’t have anything to learn. Leda would probably still need guidance from her mentor for quite some time, but Andromeda was loosening up on the strict rules an apprentice would have to follow. If there was anything Gwen was jealous about, it was that Leda could come and go as she pleased, and that no one told her to go to bed.

Alexis prepared tea for the guests and she beckoned Gwen to come over as well.

“Gwen, come here and we’ll have a chat before we leave.”

Gwen left her lantern on the table and sat down in the sofa next to Leda who smiled at her. Gwen was sure it was mostly so the older witches would think her mature.

“Gwen…” Alexis said seriously. “I will repeat myself so we are clear on this, while I am gone, Leda is in charge. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” Gwen said unwillingly.

“As long as you behave yourself there shouldn’t be any problems. Leda is simply there in case you need an older witch’s guidance…” she raised her eyebrow “or discipline.”

Gwen felt herself blushing. This was so embarrassing.

“I’m not going to cause any trouble, Alexis.”

“Good. I hope not.”

“But if she does, I’ll be happy to set her straight,” Leda added.

Gwen scowled at her.

“Leda, remember what I told you about being a mentor,” Andromeda said. “It takes patience and understanding. You are here to not only to keep her out of trouble, but also to be a companion. Alexis does not need you to correct everything, she can do that herself when she gets home. Just make sure to look out for Gwen’s well-being, that is why you are here. You are to protect her and keep her company.”

“Yes, Andromeda. Of course, I know my place.” She put an arm around Gwen and pulled her closer. “We’ll have fun, won’t we, Gwen?”

“Sure,” Gwen mumbled, feeling annoyed. It wasn’t that she was against Leda’s physical contact, but she knew that Leda was only doing it to look good in front of Alexis and Andromeda. Gwen had a feeling this was a test for her, an opportunity to show Andromeda that she was responsible. Gwen was a little tempted to try to sabotage her.

“But… what if Gwen misbehaves?” Leda asked looking at Alexis. “I don’t mean to say that I think there will be any trouble, of course,” she added quickly. “But as the person in charge, do I have the permission to discipline her?”

Gwen moved away from Leda and scowled.

“I am not going to misbehave.”

“Gwen, I don’t mean to accuse you of anything,” Leda said, smiling at her and ruffling her hair. “I only want to make sure Alexis and I are on the same page so I don’t overstep my bounds.”

“But… I don’t need….”

“Gwen, enough,” Alexis said sharply, giving her a stern look. She turned to Leda. “I hope there is no trouble. Gwen knows the rules, and she needs to follow them even when I’m not here. Should there be any misbehavior, Leda, you do have the authority to discipline her.”

Gwen gaped at her.

“Of course, you have to take the severity of the rule breaking into consideration,” Alexis continued. “I don’t spank her for every offence.”

“No, of course not.”

“I suggest that if she starts to get out of line, you give her a smaller punishment and a warning that she needs to behave.”

Leda nodded.

“But if she does something really bad or continues bad behaviour after a warning,” Alexis said, looking at Gwen, “then I think a spanking is in order.”

Gwen cringed. She hated having to sit there while her mentor was giving Leda permission to potentially spank her! Leda wasn’t even a proper witch yet! Yes, it was only a matter of time before Andromeda would send out invitations for her end-of-training party, but she was still, technically, an apprentice.

“Aleeexis… please don’t let her… it’s not fair.”

“Gwen, as long as you behave yourself, it won’t even be necessary. This is all up to you, you know. All you have to do is stay out of trouble.”

“I know,” Gwen said, pouting. “But… trouble… ya know… it sometimes happens. AND she doesn’t know how to spank someone,” she reasoned. “How can you trust that she won’t beat the crap out of me?”

“We have talked about this at home,” Andromeda said. “Leda knows, of course, that she is not allowed to bruise you, Gwen. She will not abuse her power, she will not be too severe.”

“Of course not,” Leda said. “Andromeda has explained. I know how it is done.” She looked quite happy with herself. And for a second, while looking at Gwen, she smirked!

Catching Leda in the moment, Andromeda added to Gwen’s amusements and to Leda’s horror, “You should know how it is done, you have been on the receiving end enough times, young lady.”

*

After their embarrassing chat, the four witches talked about the festival as they finished their tea. Then Alexis and Andromeda got up and put on their traveling cloaks, and Gwen and Leda followed their mentors outside to see them off. The two older witches hugged their apprentices goodbye and reminded them to behave before they mounted their brooms and left for Dragonsdale. Leda put her arm around Gwen as they went back inside.

“Let’s try to get along, okay, Gwen?”

“Yeah, okay,” Gwen agreed.

“Come on, I’ll help you finish your lantern, and then we can make the brew Alexis wants you to practise.”

Gwen really did want to get along with Leda, and she usually did, except sometimes things got out of hand when Leda was being bossy and Gwen felt like she was being patronising. However, it seemed that Leda was really making an effort to get along with Gwen. Leda felt like this was a test, a test to see how she would manage being responsible for an apprentice. If things didn’t go well it would reflect badly on her, if things didn’t go well, Andromeda might not feel that Leda was ready to finish her apprenticeship.

*

That first day went rather well, or it didn’t go too badly. They didn’t argue, much. There was a little disagreement when Gwen wanted to skip brewing the healing potion Alexis had asked her to practice and brew a camouflage potion instead. It allowed the drinker to blend in with the environment around herself, just like a chameleon, and Gwen thought it would be much more fun to brew, but Leda reminded her that Alexis had given them a list of work Gwen was to do while she was gone, and that did not include brewing a camouflage potion. She compromised by offering Gwen a later bedtime if she swore never to tell their mentors, and Gwen managed to negotiate in some ice cream and spirit cakes.

The next morning Leda woke up on the sofa and took in the mess around her. Her head was pounding. How did this happen? Yes, she had joined Gwen in some fun. They had ice cream, spirit cakes, and they played Water Bubble Explosion, which was a game Gwen had made up where they each wrapped water in a cocoon of magic, and then tried to protect their own bubble while exploding their opponent’s. Then she remembered that Gwen opened one Alexis’ bottles of elderflower wine, and she had decided to join her so Gwen wouldn’t drink too much. This could not be said to be a good first day! She looked at the time, it was almost noon, and they had barely started Gwen’s list. Leda felt a pang of guilt, Andromeda was counting on her to do a good job, but she had been so worried that Gwen would refuse to listen to her that she had given her way too much leeway. She should never have let the brat open a bottle of wine to begin with! And the spirit cakes? Those were for the festival. She got up and ran into the kitchen and looked in the box where Alexis kept the little cakes.

“Crap,” she mumbled to herself as she noticed how many were missing. Alexis would not be happy if she came home and saw this!

She went upstairs to wake up Gwen. She found her, fully dressed and fast asleep, in her bed, her bedsheets filled with crumbles and a half-eaten spirit cake in her hand.

Not being able to take the mess, Leda took the spirit cake from Gwen’s hand, and did a cleaning spell on the sheets.

“Gwen.”

“Hmgh… wha…?” Gwen mumbled, keeping her eyes shut. There was a little drool at the corner of her open mouth.

“Gwen, get up, it’s past noon.”

“Okay… I’m coming,” Gwen said tiredly before she went back to sleep.

“Gwen!” Leda shook the younger girl. “Gwendolyn, come on! You have work to do. I have work to do! I have to bake more spirit cakes, so Alexis won’t notice I let you eat them all.”

She shook Gwen again, and the brat opened her eyes, looking groggy.

“Leda… my head hurts,” Gwen complained, “and my tummy… I don’t feel so good.”

“Well, you shouldn’t have taken Alexis’ wine, and you shouldn’t have eaten all those spirit cakes.”

“You had some too,” Gwen said, weakly.

“Yeah… well… I shouldn’t have. Now, come on, get up.”

Gwen got up slowly, and she crawled out of bed with what looked like great effort. When she stood up, her eyes crossed with dizziness and she put her hands over her stomach. The little witch ran towards the bathroom, and Leda could hear her vomiting into the toilet.

“Great…” Leda said to herself, sighing. “Just great.”

When Gwen came out again, she helped her back into bed. Then she put a glass of water next to her.

“Okay, brat, you stay in bed, and I’ll brew you a healing potion. That should do the trick.”

This was not her day.

*

Leda made Gwen a potion that would settle her stomach and keep her from getting dehydrated. She almost had to force it down the brat’s throat.

“I’m not drinking that, it’s smells worse than the stuff that came out of my tummy!”

“You will drink it, young lady, or I will put you across my knee!”

“You wouldn’t!” Gwen said, eyes wide.

“Want to bet? I ought to spank you for taking advantage of my kindness last night!”

“If you do, you’ll have to explain to Andromeda why you joined in,” Gwen said, grinning mischievously.

Leda scowled at her. That evil brat! She probably planned this, so she could take her down with her if Leda told on her. She took a deep breath, controlling her temper, reminding herself that she was supposed to be the responsible one.

“Please, drink it, Gwen. It will make you feel better. Don’t you want that?”

Once she got the brat to drink it, she tucked her in, knowing the potion would make her sleepy, and turned off the light. Then she went back downstairs, used a cleaning spell on the living room, before she went to the kitchen and started baking spirit cakes for the festival. Once cooled down she put them in Alexis’ box, sealing it with a protective spell she knew Gwen wouldn’t be able to break.

*

It was late afternoon when Gwen came down to the kitchen. She felt much better after Leda had given her a potion. Leda sat in a comfy chair reading a book she had brought with her from home. She looked up.

“Are you hungry?”

Gwen nodded, she was starving.

She followed Leda into the kitchen and Leda took a plate of food out of the stove where she had kept it warm for her. Gwen sat down by the kitchen table and started eating.

“Gwen, after you have eaten you must do your work,” Leda reminded her.

“I will,” Gwen said, as she took a sip of water.

“I mean it, Gwen. We’re behind schedule. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to have to explain to Alexis that you didn’t get anything done while she was gone.”

“Leda, I said I would work,” Gwen said, rolling her eyes.

“I will look bad if you don’t. Yesterday’s potion wasn’t good enough, you’ll have to do it again.”

“Leda…” Gwen looked at her again. “Chill. I will work, okay?”

“Okay.”

And so after dinner, Gwen set up her cauldron over a fire in the kitchen, promising Leda she had nothing to worry about and that she could continue with her studies. After all, Leda was also an apprentice, she also had stuff to do, and Gwen could follow a simple recipe without anyone keeping an eye on her. No problem, everything would be fine. Super fine.

*

“Gwen…”

“Yeah?”

“Would you care to explain this?”

“Explain what?”

Leda took in a deep breath and counted to ten.

“Can you explain to me why you’re blending in with the colours of this room like a bloody chameleon?”

Gwen smiled at her sweetly and batted her eyelashes.

“Don’t worry, Leda, it’ll wear off after an hour.”

“That’s not what I meant, Gwen, and you know it,” Leda shouted at the younger witch. “You promised you would work, and by work I mean what Alexis wants you to do.”

“Yeah… well… Okay, I got a bit distracted, but I’ll do that potion now, okay.” Gwen said, putting away a tiny glass bottle with an orange liquid inside, which could only be the camouflage potion she had just made.

Leda had had enough.

“No, you sit down right there,” she said, pointing at the table. “And you will write five-hundred times, I will stop fooling around and do what I am told.”

“Five-hundred?!”

“Yes, five-hundred.”

“But…”

“No, Gwen, I am sick and tired of this nonsense. Our mentors will be back tomorrow evening and you haven’t finished anything on your list. You will take this punishment, and then you will stop messing about and do what you are told. Take this a warning. Anymore funny business and I will have to spank you. Do you hear me?”

“Okay, okay,” Gwen said. “I’m sorry, Leda.” She looked down at her feet.

Leda waved her hand over the table and parchment, a feather quill and an ink-pot appeared. She gave Gwen a gentle push towards the table.

“Go on. Five-hundred times, I will stop fooling around and do what I am told.”

*

Later that evening, Gwen sat in Alexis’ study reading a book about transfiguration when she head the doorbell. She knew Leda would get it, but she was curious as to who would come to her house this late. She silently walked towards the living room, but stopped just outside the door that was slightly open, peeking through the crack.

She heard Leda laughing as she came back into the living room with a tall man. It was Lucas Storm, the handsomest wizard in the village, and Leda’s boyfriend. Oh yuck! No wonder she had asked Gwen to go to the study, she was going to have a romantic date, in HER living room. Gwen had never understood why so many women went weak at the knees for the village wizards. Sure, Lucas was a decent guy and she really liked him, but she didn’t feel anything else. She would never get married!

“So… where is the little troublemaker?” Lucas asked kissing Leda’s neck.

Gwen felt like gagging.

“I sent her to work in Alexis’ study. She should be busy until bedtime, or I have promised her dire punishment.”

“I like it when you’re being all strict,” Lucas said, pulling his girlfriend closer.

Gwen rolled her eyes. She couldn’t look, she shouldn’t even be listening. Actually, studying should be so much more interesting than spying on Leda and her boyfriend.

“What’s this?” she heard Lucas ask.

“Oh that’s Gwen’s lines. I had to punish her.”

She could hear Lucas laughing out loud.

“What is it?” Leda said.

“You mean you haven’t noticed?”

“Noticed what?”

“The little hooligan has used a spell to copy the same line over and over,” Lucas said laughing.

“What?!” Gwen could hear the rage in Leda’s voice.

“Fuck,” Gwen said, forgetting she was just outside the door.

She realised her mistake and turned around to run away, not to the study because Leda would find her there, but she had to hide! However, her feet wouldn’t move. Blast it! Leda had heard her and put a spell on her, and Gwen wasn’t powerful enough to break her spell. It just wasn’t fair! Using her magic when she knew Gwen’s powers were too weak was cheating.

Gwen swallowed nervously as she saw Leda’s figure approaching the door, and then open it. If a look could kill.

“Are you spying on us?”

“What? No! I was just curious about who would visit us at this hour, it’s almost nine.”

Leda grabbed Gwen by the upper arm. Her grip was tight and she had no problem dragging the younger witch with her. She was taller than her, and she had a decade of magical experience on her, which meant that Gwen was no match. She knew she could not get away, even if she tried.

Leda dragged her over to the table where Gwen’s lines were. She let go of her arm, to pick up the parchment, but Gwen knew she was ready to catch her should she try to escape. You can’t really run away from a witch, not unless you have powers to equal hers.

“He’s right,” Leda said, in a dangerously low tone. “You haven’t written five-hundred lines, this is just the same line copied over and over. Why didn’t I think to check?”

“Well, you probably haven’t tried doing the same,” Lucas said, putting his hand on her shoulder. “I’ve done it plenty of times, until my master realised what I was doing. He made me do it over again, and I could not do that sitting down!”

He looked at Gwen and winked at her.

“Would you try this with Alexis?”

Gwen gave him an are-you-crazy look.

“No! Of course not. She’s not stupid.”

“Oh, but I am?” Leda said, her face looking red.

“No, that’s not what I meant,” Gwen said quickly, realising she was skating on thin ice. “I just meant that Alexis knows me very well and so she would notice.”

There was a long pause.

“So… emh… you guys probably want to be alone,” Gwen finally said, breaking the silence. “I’ll just go study.”

“Oh no, you won’t,” Leda said, grabbing her arm again. She turned to Lucas.

“Will you excuse me for a while? I have to deal with this.”

“Sure, baby,” she said, kissing her on her forehead. “Take your time. I’ll make myself a drink.”

“But…” Gwen tried, but Leda would have none of it and dragged her with her upstairs.

*

Once inside Gwen’s bedroom, Leda finally let go of her arm.

“Put on your nightgown and get ready for bed,” she said sternly.

“But it’s only nine o’clock!”

“And you are going to bed early, Missy. With a sore bottom!”

Gwen gaped at her.

“Leda, you can’t be serious.”

“Oh, I am very serious, Gwendolyn. You have been pushing boundaries since Alexis and Andromeda left, and I have had it. Take off your clothes, put on your nightgown, and brush your teeth. You have three minutes or I will get Alexis’ paddle brush and use that to spank you with.”

Gwen didn’t need telling twice. That brush hurt! Realising that Leda meant business, all she could do now was hurry and get ready. She grabbed her pink nightgown and went into the bathroom and got ready.

“You’ve had four minutes now, young lady, do I need to get the brush?” Leda yelled from the bedroom.

“No! I’m coming!” Gwen hurried out of the bathroom. She still had a little toothpaste at the corner of her mouth. Leda removed it with her finger.

She sat down on the side of the bed.

“Right, young lady,” she said, beckoning Gwen with her finger, “over you get.”

Pouting, Gwen did as she was told. Living with Alexis, she was used to getting spanked by now, but this was Leda, it was embarrassing. She could feel her face blush as she was lying over Leda’s lap.

“Right…” Leda repeated.

Gwen could tell she was nervous.

“Leda, if you are uncomfortable, we don’t have to do this,” she said.

“Nice try, brat,” Leda said, as she pulled up her nightgown. “This is happening.”

She pulled down Gwen’s underwear and went straight to business, spanking her bare bottom. It did sting a little, but it was nothing Gwen couldn’t take. The worst part about it was that it was embarrassing, but Gwen knew that she was getting off easy. Alexis spanked harder than this. Gwen could tell that Leda’s heart wasn’t really in it, she lacked confidence in herself.

She made sure to squirm and let out the occasional “Owwww… ouch, I’m sorry.”

When Leda finally stopped, she could feel a sting in her bottom, but she didn’t think the colour would be as red as if Alexis had given her a spanking. Many a times Gwen had gone to bed with a bright red bottom, and that hurt a lot more than her bottom did now.

“Have you learned you lesson?” Leda asked her, rubbing her gently.

“Yes,” Gwen said, sounding very chastised. “I’m really sorry. I’ll be good tomorrow, I promise.”

“Okay, then tomorrow we start anew.”

Leda pulled up her underwear and helped the brat up. Then she pointed at the bed, motioning for Gwen to get in it. Gwen did try to get out of having to go to bed early, but Leda was adamant. When the brat was tucked in, she turned off the light and went downstairs to spend time with her boyfriend, hoping Gwen would stay put so they could be alone.

*

Gwen had promised to be good, and she had intended to keep that promise. The only problem was that, because the first days hadn’t gone to plan, and because Gwen hadn’t even done half of the things she was supposed to do, Leda was being extremely strict. Gwen was used to being forgiven after she had been punished, but with Leda it felt like she didn’t have a clean slate, and now Leda suddenly expected perfection. It wasn’t really about behaviour, because Gwen made an effort as promised, the problem was that Leda expected her work to be perfect. This was a problem, because Gwen could only do her best. If Gwen had been perfect, she wouldn’t have needed a mentor. Alexis would never punish her for making an honest mistake, but Leda was suddenly on edge about how far they were behind schedule.

“Gwen, that’s the third time you’ve got this potion wrong! Stop messing around.”

Leda waved her hand and Gwen’s cauldron flew to the sink and poured the ruined potion down the drain.

“I’m not messing around!” Gwen said angrily. “It’s a difficult potion to make.”

“You’re not taking it seriously,” Leda said, replacing the cauldron. “Make it again.”

“I am taking it seriously,” Gwen replied, scowling. “And I am not making that again.”

“You will,” Leda said with a dangerous tone.

“I won’t,” Gwen shot back. “I have to practice my ritual spells for the winter festival.”

“You think you can be in the rituals when you can’t even make a simple potion?”

Leda laughed

“I will be in the rituals. Alexis already made me a new robe for the festival.”

“Sure she won’t change her mind once she sees how useless you are?”

“I’m not!”

“If you can’t do a simple potion, you can’t possibly have the magic required for the rituals.”

“I do have magic. I’m going to be in the rituals!”

Gwen was fuming. How dare she?

“Sure you won’t make a fool out of yourself?” Leda said, mocking her.

“I won’t! I can do this, I am ready.”

“Please, you’re so bad at magic your own mother doesn’t even want to come. She’s probably afraid you’ll make an ass out of yourself.”

That did it. If there had been any hope for the two of them two get some real work done before their mentors came back, Leda dragging Gwen’s mother into the argument ruined it all. It was a very sensitive topic for the younger woman.

“I’ll make an ass out of you!”

Gwen closed her eyes and muttered a spell to herself, focusing her rage on Leda. Then everything was quiet for a while, until…

“Hee-haw!”

Leda was a donkey.

“Shit….”

Gwen bit her lip as she opened her eyes. This was not one of her better ideas. She had just been so angry and she wanted to teach Leda a lesson. She hadn’t stopped to think that she knew nothing of animal transfiguration. She didn’t really know how to transform humans to animals, even if that is what she had just done, and she certainly had no idea how to turn them back!

“Leda, I am so sorry,” Gwen said horrified at what she had done.

“Hee-haw!”

“We’ll fix this!”

Gwen wasn’t sure how this kind of transfiguration affected the mind. Was Leda still herself in a different form? Or did she have the brain of a donkey? Would she able to get herself out of this situation? Why had she never asked Alexis questions about animal transfiguration???

Gwen took a deep breath, calming herself down.

“Leda, I don’t suppose you know a spell to turn humans back from animal form? Can you transform yourself back?”

Any hope she had for an easy fix to this problem was crushed with a loud, “Hee-haw!”

“I am so dead.”

*

Gwen went through all the books she had access to, trying to find out how to fix Leda, but she knew that the books that were probably the most helpful, were also the books she was not allowed to touch. She had tried to take a sneak peak at one of Alexis’ spell books the night before, only to find out that Alexis had put protective spells on her books, to keep Gwen from accessing them. How very irresponsible of her! This was an emergency. How was Gwen supposed to help Leda back into human form if she didn’t have the books with that kind of information?
A mentor would probably say something like, “By confessing to your wrongdoings and asking a qualified witch for help,” as if that was going to happen. The idea of Gwen willingly going to Alexis and Andromeda and tell them that she had turned Leda into a donkey was laughable. That was not going to happen. No, Gwen would have to come up with some other fix, and in the meantime, the donkey would have to stay in the back yard.

*

The dreaded return of the mentors came a lot sooner than Gwen had anticipated. Trust time to speed up when you need more of it!  Alexis came in the door and found her apprentice sitting on the living room floor, going frantically through the pages of a book.

“We’re back,” she said, smiling.

“Already?” Gwen said, looking up from her book.

“I missed you too,” her mentor said raising an eye-brow.

Gwen got up and hugged her mentor tightly. Alexis, a little surprised, hugged her back.

“I wasn’t gone that long, was I?”

“Please don’t leave me again.”

“Oh, it can’t have been that bad,” Alexis said, chuckling.

You have no idea, Gwen thought, still holding on to Alexis.

“Where is Leda?” Andromeda came into the living room, looking around for her apprentice.

Gwen’s tummy suddenly felt like there was a thousand butterflies fluttering around in there, and not in a good way.

“She… she went for a walk,” she said quickly.

“A walk? Now, at this hour?”

Andromeda looked disapproving.

“Yeah, she went with Lucas. I told her it wasn’t a good time and that you’d be back soon, but you know how lovers are,” Gwen said, lying through her teeth. She felt a little proud of how quickly she came up with her story.

“With Lucas you say?” Alexis asked, exchanging a look with Andromeda.

“Yes, with Lucas,” Gwen said, nodding. Then she decided that this was all Leda’s fault anyway, so she could get into trouble. “He was here last night too, but I’m not sure when he left because Leda sent me to bed early. Probably so I’d be out of their way.”

“Really? Andromeda said, raising her eye-brow at Gwen. “Then why, Gwendolyn, did we just meet Lucas without Leda?”

Gwen felt a chill down her spine.

“We came back with Lucas’ mentor and stopped to have a cup of coffee with the two of them. So why, Gwendolyn, would he say that he hadn’t seen Leda since last night? If they are supposed to be out walking, that is.”

“Eh…” Gwen was lost for words. What now?

“We also know about the lines you did not write,” Alexis added.

“Well… you see…” Gwen’s mind was racing. Was it possible to get out of this without punishment? What if Alexis decided to ban her from participating in the winter festival? What if they couldn’t fix Leda? What the hell had she gotten herself into?

“Hee-haw!”

“What was that sound?”

“Eh… I think it’s… I saw something in the neighbours yard a while ago,” Gwen said, still lying through her teeth, unable to accept that she had sunken so deep that there was no way she could avoid serious trouble.

“Hee-haw!”

Gwen coughed loudly.

“I will summon, Leda,” Andromeda said.

“No!” Gwen said quickly. “I mean… she… she said not to disturb her.”

“Did she now?” Alexis said, suspiciously.

“Uh huh.” Gwen smiled. “I think I got on her nerves. I’m really sorry about that. And I’m sorry I said she was with Lucas, I just… well I thought that sounded better than Leda needing time away from me! She needed a break, and she said not to disturb her so…”

“I am her mentor,” Andromeda said. “She might be a qualified witch now, but she still has to come when I summon her.”

“But… you can’t…”

“Gwendolyn,” Alexis said sharply. “Why don’t you want us to summon, Leda?”

“Because…” mumbled Gwen.

“Hee-haw! Hee-haw!”

“Because… Iturnedherintoadonkey.”

“Again, please?” Alexis said raising her voice.

Gwen took in a deep breath. It was time to face the music. She had no idea how to fix this, so she might as well get help from two experienced witches, even if they would kill her afterwards.

“Because I turned her into a donkey.” She looked down, looking guilty.

There was a long silence as Gwen looked nervously at the two older witches. She felt her legs twitching as if to tell her to run! Andromeda just stood there, mouth open. Gwen couldn’t really blame her. She had, after all, turned her perfect, bloody goody-two-shoes apprentice into an ass.

“Gwen…” Alexis took a deep breath. “How could you?” Her voice sounded constraint, as if she was trying very hard not to scream at her.

“Because… because…” Gwen felt defensive. “Because Leda was being mean to me!”

“Mean to you? She was being mean?” Alexis said looking incredulous.

“I don’t believe that,” Andromeda said, joining in. “Leda would never be mean, especially not to a young witchling in her care. She took this responsibility seriously.”

“Well of course the two of you would take her side! You always do!” Gwen said stomping her foot, which probably wouldn’t help her case. “This is exactly why I didn’t want to tell you, because I knew you’d never believe me over perfect miss Leda who does everything right. Well… she was being an ass so I turned her into one!”

She turned on her heels and headed for the stairs to her bedroom. She only got a couple of steps before she felt her body freeze. Alexis had used magic to stop her.

“Wait.”

Gwen rolled her eyes. Did she have a choice? Her foot was glued to the floor! So typical of a mentor to cheat!

“Explain what happened, please,” Alexis directed as she sat down in her comfy chair. “Make no mistake, nothing excuses transforming another witch into an animal, unless you were attacked, but I will, however, listen to what you have to say.”

Andromeda also sat down, giving Gwen her full attention.

Gwen walked slowly back to the two mentors and sat down on the sofa. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

“Well… we didn’t have a perfect start. As Lucas probably told you, I got in some trouble last night…”

The two older witches nodded, but they didn’t say anything.

“I promised Leda that I would be good today, and I was. I did what she told me, except she wasn’t happy. She was still upset about me being far behind, and she hadn’t really forgiven me for the first two days even if she had punished me for that. She expected my potion to be perfect, but it was too hard for me to master. She kept complaining and then we argued because she wanted me to do it again, but I said I wanted to practice for the festival.
“Leda said that if I couldn’t do a simple potion, then I wasn’t ready for the rituals. She laughed at me. She said…” Gwen paused for a moment, feeling sad. “She said that my mother was probably not coming because she knew I’d make an ass out of myself.”

Alexis gasped.

“So… well… I told her I’d make an ass out of her, and I turned her into a donkey,” Gwen said, finishing her story. She looked down at her hands, trying not to cry.

“Gwen…” Alexis said, a little softer.

“I never told her about inviting my mother, Alexis, or the letter I got back. Did you?”

“No, that was our secret.”

“Precisely! So how then would Leda know that my mother didn’t want to come and see me in the rituals?” Gwen’s eyes stung with unshed tears.

She knew she was in trouble, and she was terrified that Alexis would ban her from attending the festival, but Leda had read Gwen’s letter, it was the only explanation. It made her angry and ashamed at the same time. She didn’t want Leda to know about her mother, but Leda had found out that she wasn’t coming to see Gwen in the rituals, and she had used that against her. It hurt.

“Gwen, I think you should go to your room now. I need to have a little chat with Andromeda alone, and then we’ll… well, we will turn Leda back.”

*

Gwen was lying on her bed when Alexis finally came to her bedroom.

“Did you turn her back? Gwen said, sitting up.

“Oh, yes, that was no trouble,” Alexis said, sitting down next to Gwen on the bed. “They just left.”

“So I didn’t hurt her?”

“Only her dignity.”

“I’m really sorry, Alexis. I shouldn’t have cast a spell I didn’t know anything about.”

“No, you shouldn’t, young lady. That was very irresponsible, and dangerous.”

“I know,” Gwen said, looking sad. “I just got so angry at her. You know she read my mother’s letter.”

“Yes, I know, and I believe Andromeda is going to have a long chat with her about that. Maybe asking Leda to look after you was a mistake.”

“Does that mean Andromeda won’t let her finish her training yet?” Gwen asked, feeling a little sorry for Leda.

“No, of course not,” Alexis replied. “I’ve told you, after your apprenticeship there is still much to learn, but that will come over time with experience. She will get better, but I think that letting her practice mentoring on you was a bit unkind to her, you’re not the easiest apprentice, you know.”

“I know, but that is why you’re my mentor, because you are more than up to the challenge.”

“Flatterer,” Alexis said, shaking her head.

Gwen grinned.

“You’re still in trouble.”

Gwen frowned. She knew, of course, that Alexis would never let her get away with it, but it was a nice fantasy.

“I know I’m in a lot of trouble…” she started.

“A LOT of trouble,” Alexis pointed out.

“Yes,” mumbled Gwen. “But… You’re not…” she hesitated, fearing the worst. “You’re not going to ban me from participating in the festival, are you?”

Alexis’ heart melted at the worried look in her apprentices’ eyes.

“No, hon. I know how important participating in the festival is to you, and I did not spend all that time making you a new robe for you not to wear it! I didn’t do anything wrong, I deserve to see my girl in the rituals tomorrow night.”

“Good,” Gwen said, feeling relieved.

“But you are most definitely getting punished!” Alexis said, looking stern.

Gwen sighed.

“That’s right, my girl. So you can go and get my hairbrush tonight, because you have more than earned a proper spanking.”

*

Gwen came back into her bedroom holding Alexis’ wooden paddle brush. It was quite heavy, made with dark wood, and the surface was smooth. Gwen would have thought it quite beautiful if it wasn’t for the fact that she knew how much it stung when aimed at a backside!

She had changed into her nightgown and was all ready for bed. She walked over to Alexis who sat on a straight-backed chair in the middle of the room, waiting for her. Gwen handed her the hairbrush. It was weird that even though Leda had not really spanked her that hard the night before, the anticipated punishment from Alexis felt more right, evne if she knew that it would hurt more. It was probably because she was Gwen’s mentor, and they had a bond that Leda and Gwen didn’t have, she also knew that this time she really did deserve to be punished.

“Gwen, would you please tell me why you’re being punished?” Alexis said, holding Gwen’s hand in hers.

“Because I turned Leda into a donkey,” Gwen said, feeling ashamed.

“And why did you do that?”

“Because I was mad at her.”

“And that was wrong because?”

“Because I didn’t really know what I was doing, and I wasn’t able to undo the spell. It could have gone wrong, and I could have hurt her.”

“Right. And we don’t just turn people into animals just because we’re mad at them, do we?”

“No,” Gwen said quietly.

“But she hurt your feelings, didn’t she?”

“Yes.”

“But can you understand why Leda was frustrated with you today?”

Gwen nodded.

“Why?”

“Because… she wanted me to work and I tried to the things I wanted to do. I think she wanted to prove that she could handle everything, but she couldn’t. Probably because I was being a brat, and she didn’t really know what she was doing.”

“So you took advantage of her inexperience?”

“Yeah… I guess,” Gwen said. She kind of felt like she was digging her own grave. That was the problem with having these pre-spanking chats with Alexis, because that was always when she realised what a brat she had been. Why did she always have to realise these things too late?

“Well, I think we can both agree that you have earned this spanking, can’t we?” Alexis said, patting her lap and tugging Gwen’s arm.

“Yeah…” Gwen started, “But.. you know, maybe seeing as I have already seen the error of my ways, a spanking is not necessary.”

“Oh, no, my dear, ” Alexis said pulling Gwen over her lap. “You are not getting out of this. The next time you feel like turning another person into an animal, I want you to remember what you bottom will feel like once I find out about it. Then maybe you will think twice!”

Alexis rubbed her hand over Gwen’s clothed bottom. She usually started a longer spanking on a clothed bottom for a warm up, but Gwen knew that she would eventually feel both Alexis’ hand and hairbrush on her bare bottom.

Alexis raised her arm and brought down her hand, sharply. Gwen winced.

“Animal transfiguration is nothing to play with, Gwendolyn,” she said sternly. “It can be very dangerous. You will not try that again without me there or without my permission, do you hear me?”

She smacked her bottom again.

“Ow… yes. I won’t.”

“And you will never transform another person just because you’re mad at them.”

“No, I won’t.”

“Good.”

Alexis started spanking her for real now, raining down smacks on Gwen’s backside. It hurt, but Gwen knew that it was only the beginning, and Alexis hadn’t even removed her nightgown or underwear yet. Her mentor was never brutal, and she never punished her for no reason, but she could deliver a proper spanking that would leave a girl sore and sorry. Tonight was no exception. Gwen would, indeed, be going to bed with a red, sore bottom.

After a while Alexis stopped spanking long enough for her to lift Gwen’s nightgown and push it up to the small of her back. She also put her thumbs in the waistband of her white, cotton panties and pulled them down to her knees. She then continued slapping Gwen’s bare bottom with her hand, making sure to cover the entire surface, building a nice, healthy, dark pink glow, which contrasted nicely with her milky white skin.

Gwen was trying to lay still, but she could not help but squirm once Alexis was spanking her bare bottom. Her bottom was smarting pretty badly already, and she knew that it would only get worse once Alexis started using her hairbrush. Each swat made her whimper, but she had so far managed not to cry; however, it was only a matter of time. She always ended up crying when receiving a severe punishment, but it was more because of how emotional she got rather than because of the pain. Though it did hurt.

Alexis stopped the spanking and let Gwen have a break as she rubbed the younger woman’s reddened bottom.

“Am I getting through to you, little witchling?”

“Yeah,” Gwen mumbled quietly.

“We won’t be having this conversation again?”

“No,” Gwen said, her voice cracking. Now the tears started coming. “I promise I won’t transfigure anyone ever again.”

“I hope so,” Alexis said, picking up the hairbrush she had left on the floor next to the chair. “It unacceptable behaviour. It is bad form! And you could get into a lot of trouble with the law.”

Gwen had never thought about it that way.

“Why do you think witches need a mentor? Why do you think we mentors have to be so firm?”

“I… I’m not sure…” Gwen said, sniffing. She rubbed tears from her eyes.

“Because magic is dangerous, Gwen. Because witches and wizards need to know how to use magic properly, how to use it safely, and most importantly, how not to use it. Not everyone can do magic,  how do we protect those who can’t from those who can? And how do we protect those with power from themselves?”

Gwen thought about that for a second.

“By giving them proper training?”

“That’s right. That is the kind of responsibility I have. I need to make sure you don’t abuse your power and use on other people, but I also need to protect you from yourself. You could really hurt yourself if you don’t listen to me, Gwen, and I can’t let that happen.”

“I’m sorry, Alexis. I’ll never turn someone into a donkey again. I promise.”

“Good. Let’s hope so.” Alexis rested the cold back of her hairbrush against Gwen’s warm red bottom. “One last reminder, Missy. I might not have banned you from participating in the rituals, but you will definitely feel this when you ride your broomstick tomorrow!”

Then she started paddling Gwen’s backside with her hairbrush, and Gwen could not help but squirm as the unforgiving wood landed on her already reddened skin. It hurt! But Alexis kept landing swats to her backside until she felt her apprentice had been thoroughly punished for such a serious offence. Trying to transfigure another person when she had no idea how transfiguration worked had been extremely dangerous. She could have seriously hurt Leda in the attempt, and it was important that Gwen would learn that lesson and never try anything like it again.

Once the spanking was over, Alexis let the now sobbing girl calm down over her knee as she gently rubbed her red cheeks. She then helped the chastised girl up and pulled her into a warm hug. Together they walked over to Gwen’s bed, and, sensing that she needed her, Alexis got into the bed with the girl holding her close as she cried softly. Gwen, who always got really tired after a spanking, closed her eyes.

“Alexis,” she said quietly.

“Hmm? What is it, my love?”

“I don’t need her to come and see me at the festival tomorrow. She probably would have ruined everything anyway. As long as you will be there, I’m happy.”

“I will always be there, hon.”

“Even when I’m a hundred?”

Alexis chuckled.

“Even then.”

 *

The night of the festival they met up with Leda and Andromeda before entering the forest. They entered with other witches and wizards, walking along a path lit up with floating globes that looked like glowing water drops. Alexis and Andromeda walked in the front, Gwen was feeling nervous about the ritual, so she was walking a little slower, as if that would help.  Leda walked a little nearer Gwen and put her arm through hers. Gwen let her, knowing that Leda was trying to reconcile.

“You’ll do fine. I believe in you,” Leda said, supportively.

“Thanks.”

“Gwen, I’m really sorry for what I said about your mother not wanting to come. It was cruel, and I didn’t mean it. I should never have read your letter to begin with, I was just being too nosy for my own good!”

She really did sound sorry.

“Thanks,” Gwen said, giving her a smile. “I’m sorry for turning you into a donkey.”

“Yeah… about that…” Leda said sounding irritated. “Let’s never tell anyone about that, okay? It was embarrassing, I’d like to forget all about it.”

Gwen giggled.

“Are you sure? Because you know, maybe in the future when we’re like a hundred or something, it’ll be one of those stories we can look back on and laugh about.”

Leda raised an eyebrow.

“No… let’s forget it happened. Promise you won’t tell anyone.”

Gwen sighed.

“Oh, alright. I promise,” she said, crossing her fingers behind her back.

“Boy did I get in trouble though,” she said, remembering last nights spanking.

“Yeah, me too. Turns out, I’m not too old for a spanking after all. Andromeda said it doesn’t matter if my training is over because she is still my mentor, and as long as she is alive and breathing, she’ll take me to task if I need it.”

“Well, I never doubted that for a second,” Gwen said smirking. “I told you not to get to big for your breaches just because you’re nearly finished with your apprenticeship.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Leda sighed. “I guess I should have had a little more humility.”

Gwen nodded, glad Leda was finally seeing sense.

“Well, I learned one thing from this,” Leda said, stopping and looking down at Gwen.

“What?”

“I am never getting an apprentice! It is too much trouble!”

“Yeah, me neither,” Gwen agreed.

 

Annabelle (part 28)

Early the next day, Annabelle was woken up by Dorota .

“Rise and shine, young lady, you’re getting out today.”

“Give me five more minutes.”

Annabelle lay comfortably on her stomach, and her eyes were kept firmly shut.

“No, you’re going to miss breakfast.”

“I’ve been eating breakfast here for days, what is one more day?” The younger woman mumbled into her pillow.

“I’ve told the headmistress you can attend class today, the staff will be expecting to see you at breakfast.”

Dorota pulled off her duvet. Annabelle pulled her pillow over her head in protest, but was rewarded with a swat to her bottom.

“Ow!”

“Get up, young lady. There is more where that came from.”

Annabelle groanded loudly.

“Fine!”

She got up, looking sulky. She had been allowed to sleep longer while staying at the infirmary, having to get up early all of a sudden made her feel grumpy.

“Did Lydia check your homework last night?” Dorota asked, handing her a washcloth and steered her towards the bathroom.

Annabelle suddenly felt a jolt of happiness as remembered the night before. She had kissed Lydia, Lydia had kissed her, they were going to find Andromeda together.

“Eh… yeah. Yeah, she checked it,” she said quickly as she hurried into the bathroom to get ready. She couldn’t wait to see her again, and she had to talk to Eylion.

*

“Annabelle, over here!”

Eylion called for her across from the room as Annabelle walked into the dining hall. Annabelle sat down next to her, grabbed some toast and scrambled eggs, while looking around nervously for the headmistress or any of the teachers. They had a table by themselves and they were alone for the moment.

“How are you?” Eylion whispered. “Did you talk to Christophe? What did he say?”
Annabelle nodded, swallowing a mouthful of juice.

“Lydia busted us,” she whispered.

“What?!” Eylion looked worried.

“She’s coming with me.”

“What?!” Eylion repeated, a little louder.

“Will you be quiet?” Annabelle said, sharply.

“But… I don’t… I don’t understand.”

“She’s been asked to leave, it’s only a question of time. Christophe suggested she come with me, and she wants to go, she doesn’t have anything better to do. We’ll take her to the secret library later today to talk and plan.”

“Well… I guess it is safe to trust her. She seems to be on our side,” Eylion said, but she still seemed nervous.

Annabelle understood why, Lydia worked for the enemy.

“And if we can trust her, it will be a great help to you. Lydia knows her stuff. It’s not a bad idea to have someone like her by your side.”

Eylion took another piece of toast and nibbled on one corner thoughtfully.

“I kissed her,” Annabelle said quietly, looking down at her plate.

Eylion dropped her piece of toast, her mouth was open in shock.

“You kept that quiet! Why wasn’t that the first thing you told me?”

Annabelle shrugged.

“I dunno.” She blushed.

“Annabelle, she’s a teacher. How did she react?”

Annabelle smiled, and she felt butterflies in her stomach.

“Well… I did it first, and she didn’t pull away. And then… well… she got uncomfortable, she made this whole speech about how she didn’t want to use me, even though I had kissed her first. I wanted to.”

Eylion nodded in agreement, but she didn’t say anything. It seemed she was lost for words.

“But then as she left, she kissed me back. Like… softly…on the lips.”

Eylion smirked.

“Teacher’s pet.”

Annabelle laughed.

They heard people approaching and looked up. Their friends were coming over to the table to join them. Annabelle gave Eylion a look that told her to keep quiet, and Eylion nodded quickly. They would have time to talk later.

*

Annabelle suffered through her first double period in history.

“Look who has graced us with her presence,” Octavia Sprytt said sarcastically, as Annabelle walked into the classroom.

This was only the first of many times during the class where Annabelle felt like running towards her and slap her ugly, stupid face. Not only did she make everyone aware of Annabelle’s return, but she also continued to question Annabelle on their homework, and was thoroughly disappointed when Annabelle could answer all of her questions. Where a normal teacher would say “good job”, Octavia Sprytt grunted and continued to the next question, which was considerable harder than the first.

In potions class, Lydia, pretending to lean over and check Annabelle’s work, slipped a note to her where she asked to see her and Eylion after classes were over, before dinner. Annabelle showed the note to Eylion during their last break, and they agreed to go to Lydia’s office together. Lydia’s office wasn’t too far from the small hole in the wall that would lead to the passage ways, and Annabelle had to smile as she imagined Lydia crawl on the floor like she and Eylion had. They would have to find a better way in.

*

After lessons they hurried to Lydia’s office and knocked on her door.

“Come in,” said a voice, a voice that was not Lydia’s.

The headmistress! Annabelle froze, but Eylion gave her a push and they opened the door.

“Annabelle, Eylion, what can I do for you?” Lydia asked casually, her voice seemed somewhat cold and professional, making Annabelle’s chest hurt. She knew Leda had to keep her distance with the headmistress around, but she was very convincing.

“I wanted to talk to you about the paper, but I can wait until you have time,” she lied.

The headmistress gave her a suspicious look.
“What about your paper, young lady?” She gave her a cold gaze.

Annabelle felt her heart beating faster, afraid the headmistress wouldn’t buy her story.

“I…  I was wondering if I could have an extension,” she mumbled, looking down, avoiding the headmistress’s cold eyes.

“You have had days to work on this in the infirmary, young lady.”

“I was ill, headmistress,” Annabelle said, trying to sound submissive. “It’s been hard to keep up with the others.” This was, of course, not true at all. Lydia had made sure she kept up, she was even a little bit ahead, and her paper was already finished.

“Perhaps staying behind every day after class for a week will help?”

“But…” Annabelle started.

“Lydia, you can supervise her…” She gave Lydia a condescending look. “Well… for now.”

“Yes, headmissterss,” Lydia said, quietly.

“Good, you can start now,” the headmistress said. She pointed at Eylion “You, out. Annabelle has work to do.”

Eylion hurried out of the room, and the headmistress followed her. When she heard the door slamming behind her, Annabelle let out a long breath.

“Sorry,” she said looking at Lydia. “I didn’t know what else to say.”

“It’s okay, Annabelle. I was the one who put you on the spot.” Lydia put her hand on Annabelle’s shoulder and smiled at her.

“I actually wanted to talk to you without Eylion,” she said. “I wanted to talk about last night, about what we did.”

Annabelle blushed.

“You mean…?” She tried to get herself to finish the sentence, but she coouldn’t say the word kiss. She didn’t want to say the wrong thing. What if she mentioned the kiss, and then Lydia meant something entirely different. But what else had they done that she might want to talk about?

“I’m talking about the kiss. Well… the kisses,” Lydia said, using her index finger to push Annabelle’s chin up so that her eyes met hers.

“Lydia,” Annabelle said, looking worried. “Please don’t take it back. It happened. I… I kissed you first, but you did it the second time, and maybe you’re worried about being busted, but we’re leaving soon. I just… I just felt like you meant it too, and I don’t want to pretend like it didn’t happen.”
Lydia smiled at her.

“It did happen, Lydia,” Annabelle repeated, looking determined.

“It happened, Annabelle,” Lydia said, her hand brushing through Annabelle’s dark hair. “It happened, and I meant it. I’m not taking it back.”

“Good.” Annabelle smiled, relieved. “Okay.”

“But we can’t tell anyone,” Lydia said seriously.

“Uh… I sorta told Eylion,” Annabelle mumbled, embarrassed. “Sorry.”

Lydia blushed.

“Oh…”

“Sorry!” Annabelle said, “but I couldn’t keep it to myself. Eylion is my best friend, and she’s not going to tell anyone! No way!”

“Okay, I believe you,” Lydia said. She kissed Annabelle’s forehead. “I guess, expecting you to keep it from Eylion would be a bit optimistic. But no one else!”

“I won’t, of course, I won’t.”

“Good. And I will be promising Eylion dire punishment if she tells anyone,” Lydia said jokingly.

“She won’t Lydia. She’s a smart girl, we should give her more credit than that.”

Lydia ruffled her hair.

“Let’s try to find her then, you guys were going to show me your secret meeting place.”

Annabelle suddenly remembered why they had come to Lydia’s office to begin with.

“Right. I hope Eylion went there to wait for us. You’re gonna be impressed, it’s a proper hideout.”

*

Lydia’s office wasn’t far from the entrance to the secret passages, but when they came to the corridor, Eylion was not to be seen. Worried something had happened to her, Annabelle opened the door into the tiny storage room, and looked inside. Nothing. She went inside, pulling Lydia with her and closed the door.
“Eylion?” she said, not too loudly.

“I’m here,” she heard from behind the wooden crates. “Is it just you?”

“Yes, and Lydia,” Annabelle answered, making her way towards where Eylion was hiding. “You go ahead, so there’s room us too.”

Annabelle beckoned Lydia as she was sliding behind the wooden crates.

“Ahead where?” Lydia asked, as she followed Annabelle. “Where is she going?”

“There’s a hole in the wall behind that tapestry,” Annabelle whispered. She crawled down on the floor, looking at Lydia to do the same.

Lydia looked at her suspiciously.

“But… the floor is all filthy with dust. Annabelle, this isn’t one of your jokes, right? Because I swear… I will… I will take that broom over there and wallop you both!”

Annabelle hear Eylion giggle from behind the wall. She was already through.

“It’s not a joke,” she said laughing. “I promise.”

Lydia finally gave in and got down on the floor to join Annabelle.

“This is so humiliating,” she complained. “Wait… I remember this room, I came here with Octavia once, because she swore she heard something. She was hoping to catch some students out of bed.”

“Yes, that would be us,” Annabelle said grinning as she started crawling towards the tapestry.

When she got to the tapestry, she saw Eylion’s hand sticking out of the wall, holding it open for Annabelle. She crawled through the hole. It was tricky, because it wasn’t very big. It was just big enough for a person to crawl through if they lay flat on the floor, which meant one had to use ones elbows to move forward.

Once through, Annabelle turned and help pull Lydia through. She was slightly bigger than Annabelle and Eylion, so to her it was a little trickier to get through. Annabelle and Eylion started brushing off the dust from their uniforms, but Lydia just looked around with her mouth open, her entire front covered in dust from the floor.

“This is amazing,” she mumbled.

“This?” Eylion said, giggling. “This is just a passage, where we’re going is pretty amazing.”

Lydia looked confused.

“Where are we going? What is this place?”

Annabelle started to explain.

“These are passages that can take us to different parts of the school. They can take us up and down floors if we want. For example…” Annabelle hesitated, “if we walk that way, and down, we’ll get near the headmistress’ office.”

“Really?” Lydia, said sounding amazed.

“Yeah…”

“How do you know, did you see her?”

“No… we know because…” Annabelle didn’t finish. It was hard for her to tell Lydia how they knew, but Eylion helped her.

“The day Annabelle missed class, I found her in here, and we explored the passages some more on our way out,” she explained. “Then suddenly we heard the headmistress’ voice, and she heard you…”

Lydia’s eyes widened.

“You heard our conversation? After… after she found out I had let Annabelle go to the infirmary?”

They nodded.

“You heard her… umh…. you heard…” she hesitated.

“We heard her abuse you and… slap you,” Eylion said, looking sad… and a little guilty.

“I’m really sorry I got you in trouble,” Annabelle said, and she truly looked it. “I didn’t mean for that to happen.”

Lydia put her hand on her shoulders.

“It wasn’t your fault, Annabelle. It was not the first time she’d slapped me, but it was the last time. I am done with her and my family, if you can even call it a family. I kept following their instructions because I thought I needed them, even if they weren’t the family I wanted them to be. I thought that without a family I’d be nothing. I was scared to leave.”

“But there are other families you can join,” Eylion pointed out. “We haven’t got a family by blood, but Annabelle and I found a new one, and our family is the best!”

Annabelle nodded.

“It’s true. After my father died, I had a terrible time with my step-mother, until I managed to escape,” she said, looking sad. “She treated me really badly, but then I found Gwen and Aisling, and they took me in and gave me a home. That is what family is, not people who treat you like crap and who doesn’t appreciate you.”

She hugged Lydia.

“But… I thought you were a relative of Alexis,” she said, sounding shocked. “Annabelle Brown? That is your name, isn’t it?”

Eylion gave a laugh.

“Umh…” Annabelle took a minute to think. She realised she had messed up and told Lydia more than she should have. “It’s a long story,” she finally said.

“I’ll explain when we have more time.”

“But…” Lydia started.

“We really should get going,” Eylion pointed out. “We need to be out of here before dinner.”

“Oh alright,” Lydia said, defeated. “But we will talk some more about who you are, young lady.”

*

Eylion walked in the front and led them the way to the library. She stopped by the wall that was the opening.

“This is where you’ll be amazed,” she said, grinning. “Annabelle, if you would please open the door.”

“Door? What door?”

Annabelle loosened the tie of her uniform, unbuttoned her shirt slightly and pulled off her locket from around her neck. She always kept it hidden beneath her uniform as all items from home were supposed to be confiscated on their first day.

“How did you get that? I thought I confiscated everything,” Lydia asked, sounding as if she was doubting herself. “We did a nude check.”

Annabelle rolled her eyes.

“Don’t remind me, it was super embarrassing!”

“But…”

“We hid it outside, before we came into the castle,” she explained matter-of-factly. “Now pay attention to what it does.”

She pressed her locked to the symbol matching it on the wall, and the secret door to the library opened. Lydia just stood there gaping, Annabelle had to pull her inside by the arm to get her moving.

“Let’s sit down and talk,” Eylion said, pointing at the sofa. “This sofa is comfortable, this is where Annabelle was napping when she should have gone to the infirmary,” she teased.

Annabelle blushed.

“This is crazy,” Lydia mumbled. She seemed almost in a daze, but apparently her brain was still working for the next thing she asked was, “How can that locket do that if you had it with you from home?” She was very sharp, even when shocked.

Annabelle looked to Eylion who shrugged.

“We have no idea.”

“But… where does it come from?”

“No idea,” Annabelle repeated. Then she corrected herself. “Well… I got the locket from Gwen, Aisling and Leda when I got my powers, but they never told me it was special. I have no idea where they got it or why they decided to give it to me. All I know is that I need to keep it safe. When we first arrived we caused a distraction so that I could hide it inside a tree trunk on the grounds, along with some other stuff…” Annabelle trailed off, smirking.

“What other stuff?” Lydia asked, raising an eye-brow.

Annabelle and Eylion giggled.

“Well?”
|
“Remember the soup that made all the teachers talk backwards,” Eylion said, reminiscing. “Boy did we get into trouble, but it was SO worth it.”

She and Annabelle laughed. Lydia shook her head.

“You two…”

*

After they stopped laughing they started planning Annabelle and Lydia’s escape. It seemed more than possible now that Lydia was on her side. She knew they would succeed, and although it would be sad to leave Eylion behind, she couldn’t wait to be out of the school. Lydia made it clear, yet again, that she would be in charge, but Annabelle found that she didn’t mind so much. She trusted Lydia and her attraction towards the older woman grew stronger and stronger, and that made it easier to accept her leadership. And, after all, Annabelle was no fool. She knew she was in the habit of getting into trouble, and she knew her control and knowledge of magic was limited. Lydia was in full control of her powers, and she was a brilliant potion maker for her age, Gwen would be impressed. Lydia did receive an education growing up, but she had never had a proper mentor like she and Eylion had. Annabelle suspected that Lydia’s talent was mostly because she herself was extraordinary, not because she had a good mentor.

“I think we should go with the vampire’s idea,” Lydia said after they had been brainstorming for a while. “What’s his name again?”

“Christophe.”

“Right,” Lydia said, nodding. “He said animals can get through the protections, and he suggested it would be easy to escape if we went under the wall. My suggestion is animal transfiguration and escaping under the wall.”

Eylion nodded in approval.

“I think transfiguring into cats would be a good choice. Anything smaller and a bigger animal can try to attack us, and we’ll have to get away from the castle before we can transfigure back. And cats have excellent night vision.”

“But…” Annabelle looked at them both with a worried expression. “You guys… I have never learned animal transfiguration.”

“And that would have been a problem if you were going alone,” Eylion reasoned, “but you’re forgetting that Lydia is coming with you. She can transfigure you first, then herself, and when you’re on the other side and well out of sight of the castle, she can transfigure you back.”

“Really?” Annabelle looked to Lydia who nodded, smiling at her.

“And you have changed humans into animals before, Annabelle,” Eylion pointed out. “Remember when you tried to make the potion that turns humans briefly into frogs?”

“Oh… yeah…” Annabelle winced.

“What happened?” Lydia asked, looking at them both.

“Well… she did turn me into a toad,” Eylion said smirking, “and that is at least an amphibian! However… let’s just say I was a toad a little bit longer than I should have.”

“Oh dear… you couldn’t turn her back?”

Annabelle blushed.

“Well… no… see… she was letting me do the potion all by myself because Gwen wasn’t letting me do anything fun…”

Lydia buried her face in her palm.

“Of course. You two and trouble. I guess I should have seen it coming.”

“Yeah…” Annabelle agreed. “Well… anyway… after she had been that way for an hour, I had to put her in my satchel and go home and fess up. I got so scared, you see. I was terrified I had hurt her.”

“Well had it been up to me you both would have been spanked soundly!” Lydia shook her head at them. “But then… knowing your mentors, you probably were.”

They both blushed and nodded, looking down.

“Turning people into frogs, indeed,” Lydia mumbled. “What on earth would that be good for?”

Eylion suddenly brightened.

“That’s it!”

“Pardon?”

“That’s what we’ll do,” Eylion said grinning. “Well turn the entire school into frogs for a short amount of time, so that by the time they are back to human, you two will have had the time to escape under the wall. Even after they return to normal, they probably won’t notice that you’re gone for ages. They won’t know it was a distraction, they’ll think it’s some sort of prank by one of the students.”

Annabelle grinned mischievously at Lydia.

“And by the time they notice we’re missing, we’ll be far way.”

Annabelle patted Eylion on the shoulder.

“Brilliant plan, bestie. I knew we could count on you!”

Lydia looked at them in disbelief.

“Turn the entire school into frogs? How do you two come up with things like this? It’s… so…”

“It’s brilliant,” Eylion said, defending her plan.

“It’s naughty!” Lydia countered.

“Well how would you go about escaping this place? You didn’t think you’d just be able to waltz out of here all la-di-da, did you?” She rolled her eyes. “There are guards all over, but by putting a potion in the food, we can make sure that everyone who eats it turns into frogs. I’m the only one who’ll know.”

“I like the idea,” Annabelle said, supporting it.

“I think it’s best I’m the only one who knows about this plan. We should let our friends turn into frogs too, that way it won’t seem like they know anything.”

“Yeah, that’ll be best.”

“So… we’re… umh… we’re really doing this? Turning people into frogs???” Lydia looked at them both, almost begging for another plan.

“Lydia…” Annabelle sighed. “They won’t be frogs forever, just for fifteen minutes or so. Possibly thirty. And ya know… I can’t really think of a better plan. This one is pretty brilliant. It’s not like we can be stopped by an army of frogs!”

Lydia nodded. Annabelle grinned at her.

“If anyone deserves the honor of turning the headmistress into a frog, it’s you. Don’t you want to do something naughty, just this once?”

 

Annabelle (Part 27)

After Christophe left, Annabelle watched him fly over the walls surrounding the castle and she felt an emptiness. It hurt, standing there by the window and watching him fly further and further away until she couldn’t see him anymore, knowing that he wasn’t coming back. She had no idea when she’d see him again. Somehow, it had been easier being away from her mentors knowing that she had a connection to home through Christophe, but now that he was gone, she felt the homesickness more than ever. Tears ran down her cheek, she felt an ache in her chest and breathing became harder. She wanted to go home, but the anticipated journey would take her further away from it.

“Annabelle?”

Annabelle felt a hand on her shoulder. Lydia’s voice was soft, but Annabelle couldn’t turn around to face her because she didn’t want Lydia to see her crying.  Lydia could tell something was wrong, she came closer, standing next to Annabelle and put her arm around her. Annabelle caved in and leaned towards her and rested her head on her shoulder.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Lydia asked her, kissing her forehead.

“I miss home,” Annabelle said, hating herself for sounding so childish.

“You’re lucky,” Lydia said, making Annabelle turn to face her.

“Lucky? How am I lucky? I miss my mentors, but even if I get out of here, I can’t go home. I don’t know when I will see them again.”

Lydia smiled at her, and wiped tears off Annabelle’s cheek with her thumb.

“You are lucky. Your homesickness means that you have someone at home you love very much and who loves you very much. I don’t know what that feels like, I have never been homesick before. I’m not sure I could miss anyone.”

“Not even me?” Annabelle spoke before she had time to think it through, she hated that about herself.  “I mean… eh… if I left, but you could still stay here… wouldn’t you…?” She couldn’t finish her sentence. She felt her face turn red. She felt like an idiot.

“You know…” Lydia said smiling, “I would, Annabelle. I would miss you if you left without me.”

“So then you’re lucky too.”

“I guess so.”

They looked at each other for a while without saying anything.

“Lydia?”

“Yes?”

“How old are you?”

Lydia laughed.

“What kind of question is that? Why do you want to know?”

Annabelle blushed.

“Well… Christophe said that Gwen and Leda have met you before.”

“Yes, and?”

“Well… I was wondering if… eh…” Annabelle hesitated, she wasn’t sure why she wanted to know. “I guess I was wondering if you knew them because you were around the same age. It’s so hard to tell with witches, ya know. But I thought you looked a little younger.”

“I see,” Lydia said, still smiling at Annabelle’s curiosity. “Well… Gwen and Leda are not the same age, I think there’s at least a decade between them. And as for me…”

She waited, torturing Annabelle with suspense.

“Yes?”

“I am 31,” she said smiling.

“Oh?” Annabelle said, feeling relief for some reason. “So… then you’re not super old. Your only ten years older than me.”

Lydia gave her a suspicious look. “Why do you care if I’m young or old?”

“Oh… I dunno… I don’t, I guess. I was just curious.” Annabelle looked down at her feet. “I guess… it’s good to know things about one another if we’re going to be traveling together, isn’t it?”

“That’s true,” Lydia said, smiling.

“Did you want to check my homework?” Annabelle asked, changing the topic.

She and Lydia went over to where they had drunk tea, and Annabelle let her look over her homework. For the most part Lydia was happy with what she had done.

“You’re improving,” she said, smiling.

“But what I wrote for history is just BS,” Annabelle commented.

“It is,” Lydia said, not denying it, “but it’s BS Octavia Sprytt wants to read, so this is good.” She gave Annabelle an approving smile. “Besides, the structure of your paper is really good. I like how you have presented the arguments, and strengthened them with more information, even if like you say, it’s all BS.”

Annabelle yawned.

“I think it’s time for you to go to bed now. I should too.” She got up and pointed at Annabelle’s bed.

“Go on.”

Annabelle hesitated.

“When will we talk about… about what we’re going to do to get out of here?”

“We can talk about it tomorrow. I believe Dorota is going to let you out tomorrow. I will find Eylion so we can have a conversation with her too. We’ll need her help. But… I’m not sure where we can talk. We risk being overheard here, and although I trust Dorota, I think the less she knows the better it is for her.”

“Eylion and I know somewhere we can be alone.”

“Where?”

“I’ll show you tomorrow, it’s hard to explain without showing you.”

“Oh, but… oh, alright.” She sighed. “Well get into bed, young lady. If you’re getting out tomorrow, you can’t sleep in.”

She pulled Annabelle’s covers aside, and pointed at the bed. Annabelle got into bed, but she didn’t lay down. She sat in her bed, Lydia put her covers over her and sat down next to her.

“Will the headmistress want to talk to me when I come out?” Annabelle asked.

“Maybe, but I hope not,” Lydia answered. “If she does, just describe all the symptoms Dorota gave her, and tell her that you feel much better now.”

“Yeah… okay… but I don’t really wanna see her. Just looking at her makes me angry.”

“But if you do have to see her, keep your temper in check, missy,” Lydia said. She tapped her index finger playfully on the tip of Annabelle’s nose.

“Yeah… okay.” Annabelle said rolling her eyes.

“Brat,” mumbled Lydia. She smiled at Annabelle. “Now… goodnight!”

She looked at Annabelle softly, and leaned in to kiss her forehead. But Annabelle had a spontaneous idea and met her halfway and kissed Lydia on the lips.

The kiss lasted a little while. It wasn’t wet, there was no tongue, it was just Lydia’s lips on hers, soft and warm. When the kiss ended, they stared at each other.

“I should go,” Lydia said quickly.

Annabelle felt her heart break.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean… I shouldn’t have…” What could she say?

“Don’t be sorry,” Lydia said.

“I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable,” Annabelle said looking down at her hands. This was just too awkward. She had never wanted to kiss anyone before, and then suddenly she felt like it… and so she just did!

“You didn’t… I mean… I don’t want to use you, Annabelle,” Lydia said seriously.

“Use me?” Annabelle asked, confused. “How could you use me? I was the one who kissed you.”

“Yes, but I am your teacher,” Lydia reasoned. “I am in a position of power over you.”

“Not for long,” Annabelle pointed out. “Why do you care about the rules? You’re about to leave this place anyway. And we are both grown women. Besides… I was the instigator. I wanted to kiss you and I did…” she looked at her Lydia, she felt like she was on the verge of crying “But… maybe… ” she looked away from Lydia, “maybe you didn’t want me to kiss you. I’m sorry.”

Annabelle felt Lydia’s hand on her cheek. She stroke her cheek softly, and pushed her chin so that her face turned towards her. Then she kissed Annabelle softly.

“Goodnight, Trouble,” she said, as she pushed Annabelle down, tucked her in, kissed her on the forehead and left the room.

 

Annabelle (Part 26)

The following days Annabelle stayed in the infirmary as ordered. Dorota had said that she was contagious and they had to make that lie believable. It was terribly boring having to stay there as there was very little to do, and Annabelle had just been let out from house arrest. It felt like ages since she had had any fun and at times she could get in a bad mood, and her smart mouth had gotten her a couple of swats from the nurse who would have none of it. And being locked up in the infirmary did not stop the teachers from drowning her in homework. At night Lydia would come to visit her, and the first thing she did was check her homework, and make her redo anything she felt was unsatisfactory. Lydia was determined that Annabelle should get rid of her label as a troublemaker, and appear as a hardworking and obedient student.

*

The second day Annabelle was in the infirmary, Eylion had snuck out after lights out to visit her. They managed to have a brief chat about how things were going and what they would do to get Annabelle out of the castle for her big escape, but fifteen minutes in they were interrupted by Lydia who had come to check on Annabelle’s homework, and a stern looking Dorota who grabbed Eylion by the ear and swatted her in the direction of the door. The nurse escorted Eylion back to her room, and it was a while before she came back which suggested she took her time to “chastise” Eylion before she returned. After claiming her innocence to a stern-looking Lydia, Annabelle got off without punishment, which, in Annabelle’s opinion, was more than fair as she did not ask Eylion to break the rules, even though she had enjoyed her visit. Eylion did not come back after that.
She wondered when Christophe would be back with more news from Alexis, and she wondered if Gwen and Aisling new about what she was going to do. She also wondered if Andromeda was expecting her.

What if Christophe tried to find her while she was in the infirmary? Would he know where to go? Would he find Eylion and ask her? Annabelle would lie awake at night and ponder over these questions at night, worrying about what she would do once she was outside the walls of this castle and all alone again.
Then on the fifth night of her stay in the infirmary, as she lay awake thinking, she heard a tap on the window. She sat up in bed and saw a bat outside. Annabelle hurried out of her hospital bed, ran over to the window. She nearly fell to the floor as she stumbled over her book bag on the floor, Dorota had given her many a talking to about picking up her things and tidy them away. Annabelle studied herself and hurried to open the window. The bat flew inside, and there was a familiar “pop” as the bat turned into her friend.
“Christophe!” Annabelle hugged him. Her hands embraced him around his waist, as her head only reached his chest. Christophe was a very tall man.
“Always in trouble, aren’t you, Annabelle?” He said as he ruffled her hair. “It was good I had a letter to Eylion first so she could tell me you would not be in your regular chamber.”
“It’s not a crime to be sick, is it?” Annabelle said, smirking with a glint of trouble in her eyes.
“Oh, you’re sick? That’s funny, Eylion didn’t mention that as she recounted all of your adventures exploring the castle and breaking rules.”
“Show off,” Annabelle mumbled.
“She can’t help it, honey. It’s in her bones, just like trouble is in yours.” He gave her a wide smile.
They walked over to Annabelle’s bed and sat down.
“Did she tell you about our teacher? Lydia. She’s the headmistress’ great great eh… something grandaughter, but she’s on our side! She told me herself.”
“No, she must have forgotten that, but it doesn’t surprise me, we were counting on that. I know both Gwen and Leda have had dealings with her before, and when they heard she was a teacher at the school, they were very relieved.”
“Oh… Gwen and Leda know her?” Annabelle felt a little disapointed for some reason. “Does that mean… eh… is she… like… really old too?”
She looked innocently up at Christophe who chuckled.
“Honey, you are talking to a 400-year old man.”
“No way!” Annabelle said with wide eyes.
“Way,” Christophe said smiling.
“I was only wondering if she was a century old or something. It’s so hard to tell with witches.”
“Well witches and vampires are different from mortals. Witches live a very long time which means they age really slowly, and vampires… well… vampires are dead, and dead people don’t age.”
“Well it wouldn’t be too shocking if they did, I always believed that dead people were… ya know… dead, but you’re a living dead person! That’s just really weird.”
“I know, hon, it’s best not to think about it, you don’t want to exhaust your brain.”
He got up from the bed and coughed. Annabelle could tell it was for dramatic effects because vampires don’t cough to clear their air ways, vampires don’t breathe… they’re dead.
“I said I would return when I knew more about Andromeda’s whereabouts.”
Annabelle nodded.
“And I know I said that I wasn’t sure I would advice running away…” he brushed his fingers through his perfect, black hair, and scratched his neck.
“However, it seems Alexis has other plans for you.”
Annabelle sat up more straight.
“What are her plans? When can I leave?”
Christophe raised an eyebrow at Annabelle’s willingness to do something this risky.
“Well… she can’t help you out, she can only provide you with the information you need to find Andromeda. I have some things with me, I believe Leda and Alexis have been meeting in private to plan this without your mentors finding out.”
“Yeah, Gwen made it clear in her letter that she and Aisling wanted me to stay put and behave myself,” Annabelle said biting the nail on her thumb nervously.
“That they do, and I can’t believe I am helping Alexis with this, Aisling would kill me if she knew. I’m not scared of a lot of people, but if there is anyone who could make my death permanent, it’s Aisling. You should have seen her after I almost took a nibble out of you. That was scary.”
Annabelle smiled.
“Gwen told me that Aisling let you feed from her.”
“Yes, that was pretty decent of her. She softened up a bit when she realised how hungry I was. I hadn’t had a meal in a while, and even vampires gotta eat. My regular boy at the time had left me for another vampire, said I wasn’t dominant enough. Me!”
He flexed his muscles.
“Don’t I just ooze dominance?”
Annabelle shrugged.
“I dunno.”
Christophe sighed dramatically, and he even pouted. It wasn’t very noticeable, but there was a small hint of a pout on his lips.
“So… what have you got for me?” She asked, turning the conversation back to her escape.
“Oh right.” Christophe put his hand in one of the inner pockets of his coat. Today he was wearing a big leather coat, with a lot of pockets. Annabelle wondered what he had in it, that wasn’t for her.
He took out a scroll.
“A map,” he said, answering her puzzled look. “It’s a magic map that can only be read by you. Well… you and Alexis and Leda.”
“Really? How is that possible?”
“I believe Alexis took some hair from your hairbrush and used it in the ritual.”
He also took out a small satchel. It was of dark brown leather, and it didn’t draw a lot of attention to itself, which Annabelle guessed was the purpose.
“This is a brand new satchel made for you. It works the same way, you’re the only one who can open it. Leda put an expansion spell on it, so it’s roomier on the inside. There should be some clothes and other things you might need on the inside. If anyone tries to open it, it will just look like an empty satchel. Look.”
He opened the satchel and showed her the inside. It was a small and empty space. He handed her the satchel.
“Now you open it.”
She did, but now it looked different. The satchel was very roomy on the inside and she could see clothes, a couple of books, and there were smaller pockets with tools she could use for potion-making. There were also some glass bottles with potion fastened in little pockets on the side to.
“This is so cool…” She tried to stick her arm into the satchel and all the way down to the bottom, the tip of her index finger only just manage to brush over the surface.
“Have a look at the map,” Christophe said as he handed it over to her. “You will keep that in your satchel so it doesn’t get into the wrong hands.”
Annabelle opened the scroll of parchment. It was blank.
“This map’s not working,” she said looking worried.
“Tap it twice with your index finger. Tap it three times to hide it again,” Christophe instructed.
Annabelle tapped the map. Suddenly colours started pouring out from nowhere and ink of different colours formed a very detailed map.
“The red dot right here, that is you,” he explained and pointed with his finger. Then he moved his index to a purple dot on the side of the map.
“The purple dot is where you are going. Right now the map is showing you the closest surrounding areas, but if you drag your finger from your dot to the purple dot, if should show you the entire journey you will have to make. When you don’t have to do that and the red dot and the purple dot are both visible on the map at the same time, you are getting close.”
Annabelle dragged her finger from the red dot to the purple dot, and the map changed, suddenly showing her a much larger area. Suddenly there were mountains on the map, and that was where she was going.
“Wow… that’s… eh… that’s a long walk…” She looked at Christophe, wide-eyed.
He nodded.
“I don’t suppose there’s a broomstick in this satchel?”
He smiled and shook his head. “I’m afraid not.”
“Great… that’s just great.”
“You’ll be much harder to find on the ground, hidden among the trees. Remember, if you get out of this place people will be looking for you. You can’t hide in the air.”
Annabelle tapped her map three times and put it into her satchel.
“Oh, I almost forgot,” Christophe said, pulling something tiny out of a smaller pocket in his coat. “Alexis got you this stud.”
“A what?”
“A stud, a silver stud for you ear.”
He held out his hand and showed her what looked like a silver pin with a round ball at the tip.
“My ear?” Annabelle was confused.
“Oh my, you really are from another world, aren’t you?” Christophe commented. “The stud is to fasten on your ear, some people use it for decoration, but Alexis has put a spell on this so that your movement shows up on a map that she has made for herself. That way she will know if you have left the school and she can keep an eye on your movements until you make it to Andromeda’s. I think I should fasten it on the upper side of your ear, it’s much easier to hide by covering it with your hair.”
“How are you going to fasten that on my ear?” Annabelle asked, looking at the little silver pin suspiciously.
“Well… I’m going to have to use a needle and pierce a hole in it, and then…”
“What? No way!”
“Annabelle, don’t be difficult,” Christophe tried.
“Difficult? Difficult? How am I being difficult? I just don’t want to punctuate my ear with a needle.”
“People do it all the time.”
“People are stupid, it doesn’t mean I have to… I mean… will it hurt?”
“Not so much, don’t worry. And I promised Alexis I would do it, so… it’s happening.”
Annabelle cupped both her ears with her hands, looking worried. She knew she had to do it, but she didn’t like the idea of Christophe sticking a needle through her ear.
“Honey… just lie down.” Christophe looked into her eyes. His were gleaming now, they made her feel calmer. She felt sleepy looking into them. She laid down on her bed, feeling drowsy.
“Your doing some vampire hocus pocus to me, aren’t you,” she said looking around the room, it was foggy.
“Maybe,” Christophe said, grinning so wide his fangs were showing.
He took something out of his pockets, but Annabelle couldn’t make out what it was. She felt something wet on her ear, and she smelled alcohol. Then suddenly she felt a sharp prick on the upper part of her ear.
“Ow! Fuck!” She yelled.
It had hurt! But the sharp pain was brief, and it quickly turned into a stinging sensation. Her ear felt hot.
“There we go,” Christophe said. “All over.” He grinned at her.
“What?” she said rubbing her smarting ear.
“You have officially been earmarked by Alexis.”
“Shut up,” Annabelle mumbled, though she had no idea what earmarked meant anyway.

*

“What is going on in here?”
Both Annabelle and Christophe turned quickly to see Lydia staring at them.
“Fuck,” they both said at the same time.
“Who are you? What is going on? Annabelle is this man bothering you? I heard you yelling out in pain.” Lydia came closer, pointing a finger at Christophe, reading to cast a spell at any moment.
“No!” Annabelle said quickly. “Lydia, it’s not… he’s not bothering me, he’s… eh…” she looked at Christophe, not knowing what to say.
“Why were you yelling?”
“Because…” Christophe got up slowly, he had his hands raised. “Because I pierced her ear.”
“What?” Lydia looked at him incredulously.
“It’s true,” Annabelle said getting up and walking towards her. “Look.”
She showed Lydia her ear, now tagged with a silver stud from Alexis.
Lydia grabbed Annabelle’s arm and pulled her behind her.
“Why would you pierce her ear? Who are you? This castle is full of witches, and you’re…” she studied him closer. “You’re a vampire.”
She turned around quickly and checked Annabelle’s neck for bite marks.
“Lydia, chill,” Annabelle said calmly. “Christophe is my friend. We know each other.”
“But… I… I don’t understand…” Lydia suddenly looked very tired. This was all too much for her.
“If I may come with a suggestion?” Christophe said, calmly. “Why don’t we all sit down, have some tea, and talk about this. I’d be happy to answer any questions you may have, as long as you will give us your word that you keep this conversation to yourself. You will not, for example, tell your headmistress about this. As I understand it, you care about Annabelle’s wellbeing, and it is not in her best interest to relay this information to someone in the order.”
“I am in the order,” Lydia said sadly.
“Family ties,” Christophe said shrugging. “From what I’ve heard, your heart is not really in it, and your family is planning on finding a replacement for you here at the school.”
Lydia’s eyes filled with tears. She knew it was true.
“Come now, my girl, don’t be sad. Let Uncle Christophe make you a cup of tea and we can talk about what your options are.” He made a flamboyant show as he was filling water into a kettle and finding cups in the small infirmary kitchen.
Lydia turned to Annabelle and whispered,
“Uncle Christophe?”
Annabelle giggled.
“Darlings, can one of you witches get this water boiling? I don’t have the magic touch.”
Lydia helped him get the tea ready, she was still a little shocked that a stranger had made it into the castle.
They sat down in a seating area in front ofa fireplace. It was a cosy and small nook that Annabelle and Lydia used when they went over her homework, and when Dorota had time she and Annabelle had used it to play cards.
Christophe served the tea.
“How did you get in here?” Lydia asked Christophe as he handed her a cup.
“I flew over the wall as a bat. They’ve been thorough with the protection around the school, but there are holes in the spell work. It seems their spells don’t work on animals, if it did birds wouldn’t be able to fly into the school… birds and bats.” He winked.
“I also have a suspicion that it is possible to get under the wall without problem.” He gave Annabelle a knowing look.
“If a person were to, transform into something small, and use a small tunnel… they might be able to get in…” he studied his finger nails closely, “or out.”
Lydia put her cup down on the small table in front of her without drinking her tea.
“Why did you come here? Why did you pierce Annabelle’s ear?”
“I had something from her family, the stud was also from her family.”
“Why?”
Christophe chose not to answer her question right away.
“Let me ask you a question. Why are you here?”
Lydia was taken aback. “I… I was sent here by family, and I didn’t really have much choice.”
“And now they are going to send you away, that is the word.”
“How do you know this?” Lydia asked looking at him.
Christophe grinned. “My boyfriend’s father is in the order, and he’s been giving me lots of useful information. Such a good boy. His father has no idea however, that his son is a prancer, or that he has a thing for vampires.” He took a sip of tea.
“But enough about my delicious source, I want to know what you are planning to do once you are tossed out of here like a potion past its due day.”
Annabelle was shocked at how sassy Christophe could be with Lydia. She could sass too, but she’d never be this forward, if she was she’d probably get a good smack.
“I don’t know,” Lydia said quietly. “I’m not sure what my family wants me to do, all I’ve been told is that I have failed them here at the school, and that I have to leave.” She looked quickly over at Annabelle, a tear ran down her cheek. “I’m sorry, Annabelle. I don’t want to leave you in this place, but… but…”
“Oh, Annabelle is not staying, young lady. No no.” Christophe winked at her.
“I don’t understand,” Lydia said looking at Annabelle.
“Annabelle, is leaving, very soon.”
Annabelle was wondering why he was so very open about this with Lydia, she had been under the impression that it was top-secret, that only she and Eylion was supposed to know. The only reason Eylion knew was so that she could help Annabelle out, but stay put herself. Annabelle hated that, she hated having to leave Eylion here, and she hated that she had to find this Andromeda person all on her own.
Then suddenly she realised what Christophe was doing, telling Lydia all of this.
“Christophe, why are you telling her this?” Annabelle asked, but she already knew the answer.
“You mean he’s telling the truth?” Lydia asked. “Annabelle, you can’t be serious? Where will you go? You can’t go back home, they’ll look for you. It’s dangerous, you should stay here and just behave yourself and be safe. You can’t go out there on your own, you don’t even have full control over your powers. I don’t mean to insult you, but you are no match for a grown witch or wizard.”
“Which is why she can use a grown witch to accompany her on her journey,” Christophe pointed out. “Say… a grown witch like you.”
“Me?”
“Do you have anything better to do? You can’t stay here, they won’t let you, and you obviously don’t want to go home, wherever that is. Who knows what they have in store for your now. Why not go with Annabelle?”
Lydia looked at Annabelle. She didn’t look angry, she looked worried, but she had a soft look in her eyes, and Annabelle knew she could trust her.
“Where are you going, Annabelle?”
Annabelle sipped her tea, she felt the warm drink inside, and she decided to take a leap of faith and trust Lydia.
“Have you ever heard of Andromeda? I’m not sure what her last name is.”
“Of course, I have. Who hasn’t heard of Andromeda?” Lydia answered.
Annabelle looked at Christophe, she had no idea she was famous.
“Oh, well… I hadn’t heard of her…” then she realised she was giving herself away, she didn’t feel ready to tell Lydia about not being from this world. “I mean… I didn’t know she was like a big deal, just that she was Leda’s mentor back in the day.”
“What about Andromeda, Annabelle?”
“That is where I’m going,” Annabelle answered. “I’m going to find her, and… well… then I don’t know. You see, I’m afraid I don’t have all the answers. I’ve just been informed that if I can escape this place I should go and look for her, and I wanted to go with Eylion, but…” Annabelle suddenly felt a lump in her throat and she felt her eyes getting wet. “But Eylion says she can’t come with me. She says that she has to stay here and make sure that the order don’t win here at school.”
She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, and she wanted to beg Lydia to come with her, because suddenly the idea of going all that way to find Andromeda seemed possible, now that someone might come with her. She opened her mouth to beg, but she was interrupted.
“Please, take me with you.”
Annabelle looked up at Lydia, shocked at her words.
“What?”
“I want to go with you.”
“Really?”
Lydia smiled, her eyes were wet too. “Yeah,” she said, her voice cracking a bit. “I do. I don’t think I’ve been so sure of anything in my entire life. The idea of betraying my family terrifies me, but I really hate them, Annabelle. I really do. They are awful, and they don’t treat me well. My parents died when I was young, and the people who were supposed to take care of me have never really loved me, they just treat me like a pawn in their game for power. I want out, and this is my chance, so please take me with you.”
Annabelle nodded. “I will.”
Lydia looked as if she was thinking hard, then she said,
“But just so we’re clear, I am still in charge.”
“What?” Annabelle looked at her incredulously, and then at Christophe. “How can you even think about that now? Besides, we’re not going to be in school, you’re not going to be my teacher anymore.”
“That doesn’t mean you won’t need me to be in charge,” Lydia said, as-a-matter -of-factly. “I am older, I have more power, I am more responsible, therefore I should be in charge.”
“Why does anybody have to be in charge?” Annabelle asked.
“Because one of us needs the other one to be.”
“No, you mean you’re a control freak and you want to be.”
“You watch your smart mouth, young lady.”
Christophe laughed.
“Oh, if I could only be there to witness you to on an adventure like this.” He got up. “Ladies, I have to leave, I need to make it back to my tomb before sunrise.”
He hugged Annabelle.
“I guess we won’t be seeing each other for a while now that I have given you your bag, but I must say that I feel a lot better knowing that you will have someone with you when you leave this place, and I know Alexis will feel better to.”
“I’m going to miss you, Christophe,” Annabelle said hugging him tighly.
“Me too, miss Annabelle. Me too.”