A few days earlier
Triss shoved her clothes into her knapsack, she had wanted to stay until morning, but she had a creeping feeling that she wouldn't last that long. The residents of the town, along with the people of the inn, had been staring her down since she had arrived. They weren't stares of curiosity, as she so rarely faced, but those of fear and anger. They all had something against her, even though they didn't know who she was or where she came from. The thought of them judging her, just because of her markings, made her want to scream. She had never asked for this, she had never wanted to be a witch. She had wanted to be a simple farm girl.
With a silent grumble, she slowly slipped out of her room, careful not to disturb the sleeping guests. She had tucked her nightgown into her trousers, so she was fully mobile. She also had on a pair of ill-fitting boots, that were only about a size off, so she dealt with them. Even if she didn't want to deal with them, what choice did she have? She almost chuckled, but continued to pass down the stairs silently. As she passed the counter, she dropped a few copper coins on the bar, a sort of 'thank you for harboring an evil witch'. The bartender nodded, but didn't touch the copper coins until she was out of the door.
Triss made her way along the streets, the packed dirt making little to no sound underneath her heavy boots. She gazed up at the moon and frowned. The only other people that were out and about were the occasional street whore, and town guardsmen. She recognized a lot of the guardsmen from the bar earlier that day, and most of them gave her dirty looks as she passed. She didn't mind them, and kept walking along as she usually did. However, one of the guards had to be difficult. He walked up to her and held out his arms, pressing them against her shoulders to keep her from walking. She looked up at the guard and sighed, she hated using her power. It made her feel wrong, dirty. She would though, if he gave her any trouble.
Triss felt the piercing stares of the other guards, as they watched the young witch to see what she would do. The guard chuckled, he was taller than her, and looked down at her. She could tell he had a superiority complex.
"So, what's a witch like you doing out this late? Going to go sacrifice somethin' for your little spells?" His tone was full of disgust, his eyes dancing with bitter flames. Triss wondered, what had made him this way. He knew nothing about her, and he never would, but he despised her with a passion like no other. Despite her own anger at the man, she felt deeply sorry for him. They would never be the same, they would never understand one another. Even if they did, Triss knew it would be one-sided, no one could love her, or understand her, after she opened their mind.
The guard obviously didn't appreciate Triss' silence, he took her shoulders and shook her, the flames in his eyes dancing in a wicked inferno.
"I asked ya a question, you little witch!" he seethed, shaking Triss once more. Triss knew she was on her own, no one would go against the town guard and help her. She would have to help herself, unfortunately. With a mumbled apology she locked eyes with the guard, and in an instant she was in his head. He put up a small amount of resistance, but it wasn't anything she hadn't handled before.
Triss knew her eyes were a vibrant green now, but none of the other town members would realize that. She doubted they had any experience in magic, so they wouldn't be able to see her eye colors shift. Once inside of the guard's mind, she eased her way gently through the wall of anger he had put up. If she went to hard on him too fast, because she knew from experience that when she pushed too fast into fragile minds, it could cause them severe head pain. So ever so gently, she moved past the walls and to the source of his problems. The sight of which made her want to puke.
It was a giant ball of grief, a memory that was welled up so largely inside of him. It was this grief the sent off the waves of fury, which had caused him to act so violently towards her. The memory was muddled, but still very strong. She could hear voices on the inside, booming like thunder which made them harder to hear. Unfortunately for Triss, she had no way of reading into the memories, she could only get a strong pull of emotion from them, and then pull them to the surface. It made things easier on her, not knowing why he had this huge amount of grief deep inside, but it made it harder on him when she pulled it forwards.
Slowly, and gently, she pulled the ball between a rift in his giant wall of anger. In the real world, this probably only took a few seconds, but for her it felt like forever. Easing the ball through, watching as wisps of the grief took the forefront of his thoughts, it was all so exhausting for Triss. As soon as she could, she pulled out of the guard's head. Ashamed by what she had done, she turned away, knowing the other guards would be after her in an instant.
"Susanna!" the guard screamed, his voice cracking. He didn't stop screaming until he was out of air, and by then he was too deep in sobs to care. Onlookers probably shrank back in fear, knowing that this had a tie to the witch in front of them. Triss couldn't walk away, she wasn't heartless. She turned towards the man, watching with a heavy heart as he sobbed. Triss dropped to her knees in front of the man, and held his shaking body. He didn't resist, putting his head on her shoulder.
"Susanna...is...gone!" he yelled through sobs, and Triss nodded deeply.
"I know, Susanna is gone. She's gone to a better place, you don't have to protect her anymore. You don't have to hide your emotion." Triss blinked away her own tears as she whispered these thoughts into the man's ear. She felt guilty for this, but hoped it would benefit him in the long run. She stayed with the man, guards slowly but surely creeping up on her. They pointed the tips of their spears and swords towards her, and Triss realized that she needed to leave. She gave the man a last encouraging pat on the back, and fled, running past the guards. They swung at her, but she was nimble and moved around it. She didn't want to fight, she couldn't fight. With a fleeting glance at the man she would never see again, she ran into the night.
Triss panted softly, she had ran as far as she could for the night. She was done, she had no clue if the guards were still following her, she didn't care. Her legs gave out underneath her, and she fell to the ground, on her knees. She thought about the man, the one she had hurt mentally. She hoped he would get better, she clasped her hands together in prayer-something she hadn't done since she left home-for Susanna.
If she wasn't a witch, she would say she was lost, but as she sat there praying for the sweet soul of the guard's dear Susanna, she knew she wasn't. For days on end, she had been following a strong magical pull, like a fishing lure. It pulled her in this direction and that, always leading her to the right places. She never lost track of the pull, it was far too strong. After she was done, she sat with her knees clutched to her chest, looking up at the moon. Something blocked her vision of the moon, a dark shadow against it. It's long wingspan and hoots made it unmistakable. That was her pet owl, swooping down to comfort her as she usually did. Well, truthfully it probably wasn't to comfort her, it was to get food. The owl always knew the right time to do so though.
When the white owl came to a stop, sweeping down in front of her gracefully, Triss already had a ration prepared for it. She stroked the owl lovingly, and watched it as it fed upon the food she had brought out for her. She had never named the owl, but a sudden name appeared in her thoughts, and she knew it was time.
"Susanna," she cooed, continuing to stroke the bird.
"You will be called Susanna, in remembrance of the poor soul I'll never know." she said the last bit quietly, in a faint whisper that only she could hear. With a hoot of her own, Susanna accepted her name, she swooped into Triss' arms, and sat there until Triss fell asleep.
In the morning, Triss awoke to the absence of Susanna. The owl was a free bird, that only came around when one of them needed it most, so Triss didn't spend any time calling for her, or looking around. She had a quick breakfast, and made her way, deeper and deeper into the forest, closer and closer to the pull of the magic.
Present day
Triss was so close, she had been sleeping in the woods for the past few days, living off what she had left. She couldn't divert, the pull told her to go forward through the woods, and she eagerly listened. Susanna was flying around behind her, and sometimes when Triss looked back her feathered friend was long gone. Triss had no time to care, she was so close she could almost taste the magical energy flowing through the trees.
One more day, maybe just an hour, 'till she reached her destination. Triss started running, her hair flowing behind her as she made her way through the trees. She craved whatever the pull led to, she needed it with all of her being. She thought of what was on the other side, and it made her carry her feet in longer strides.
Witches? Friends? Is it my calling? she yelped with glee, and ran all the way until the trees broke into a clearing.
At least, Triss had thought it was a clearing. Where the trees broke sat a castle, in the middle of it all. It was giant, it was beautiful, it made Triss' mouth gape. She looked at it curiously, it was definitely the source of the magic pull Triss had been feeling. She looked around for a way into the castle, shifting her weight anxiously. When she found a way she started to run again, running and running until she made it to the bridge that connected the land to the castle. A hoot behind her stopped her from running right away, when Triss turned around she realized it was Susanna. The white owl looked curiously at the castle, and Triss nodded merrily.
"This," Triss exclaimed, gesturing towards the massive building, "this is going to be our new home, Susanna. The magic comes from here."Triss walked to Susanna, she swooped down so the bird could climb upon her arm. Her arm was covered in talon marks, but that wasn't Susanna's fault, so she never minded it. She stroked Susanna, a smile wide on her face.
"This is the place, no more running. No more controlling people, to benefit myself." Triss cooed, nuzzling the white bird against her cheek. With a thrust of her arm, Susanna took off, gliding lazily above Triss as she walked to the castle gates.
A collab featuring
@Meiyuki and
@shagranoz
Rebecca was just outside the main gate, getting some fresh air. Nature had always relaxed her. A slight tingling feeling whistled through her body- the presence of magic not her own. She turned around to see a woman with brilliant red hair standing there, and she knew that she was the source of the new magic. "Ah, a fellow practitioner of the arts. Welcome to Castle Bloodrose! I'm Rebecca," she said, curtsying. "Don't just stand there, come inside."
Triss hadn't been expecting a welcoming commitee, so when she saw a lady with decaying flesh on her face, she recoiled instinctively. The girl radiated magical energy, and when she said she was a fellow practioner of the 'arts', Triss felt a bit more safe.
"Oh, yeah. Thank you, Rebecca. I'm Triss." She did a brief curtsy, and followed Rebecca inside of the castle.
"How did you build this, in the middle of no where, without attention?""That, you'd have to ask Mistress Bloodrose herself. I'm new here, so I wasn't here for the construction process. She's a powerful witch, though, to have made a place like this and veil it from hunters." Rebecca led Triss to a small wooden door. "This is Mistress Bloodrose's study. She'll be eager to greet you personally, I'm sure."
Triss listened to Rebecca as they walked, but her eyes wandered over the walls. She was surprised to find that Susanna had come inside with them, but it was comforting knowing that her friend felt safe here.
"Mistress Bloodrose? So she heads the castle then?" Triss asked curiously, as they stood outside of the door to the Mistress' studies. It was quite daunting, knowing she would be facing a powerful witch.
"So, she's the oldest yes? Does that mean she knows a lot of other witch familes?""Yes, she heads the Coven. And she knows many old and prestigous families of witches. I've heard that this coven numbers Von' Strausses and Ruvinas among its members, but I haven't had the pleasure of meeting them yet. They're away on business right now." Rebecca opened the door. "Mistress Bloodrose, a new witch seeks to add her strength and knowledge to our own."
Medusa looked up from the dusty tome she'd been pouring over for the last several hours to see Rebecca and an unfamiliar witch standing in her doorway. Removing her reading spectacles she stood and navigated her way around the small clutter that had piled up during her research. Her study was spacious - although the sheer volume of bookshelves, desks, magical tools, and furniture gave it more of a cozy feel than a luxurious one.
Standing in front of the pair she surveyed the newblood. Smiling she extended a hand.
"You have me at a disadvantage it seems. I'm Medusa, what brings you to my humble abode?Without warning, Rebecca had opened the door to the Mistress' study. Triss froze like a frightened deer, and gulped down her fear. When Mistress Bloodrose walked up to her, and extended a hand, it took Triss a few heartbeats to extend her own and take it.
"I'm Triss, and don't mind me saying it, but your home in anything but humble. It's glorious here." Triss couldn't stop her voice from shaking, and she smiled slightly at her own awkwardness.
Rebecca smiled as Triss seemed to be struck by fear. It was always the same, meeting someone more skilled than yourself. "Don't worry yourself, Triss. She doesn't bite." The lich had never actually been inside the study herself, and gazed in awe. It took someone with a lord's power to even own a single book, and Medusa's collection was the most extensive she had ever seen by far. The witch was not only powerful, she had massive amounts of gold at her disposal as well.
Laughing Medusa nodded.
"Yes, I assure you I don't bite." She gestured to a pair of leather armchairs in front of her ornate mahogany desk as the returned to her seat.
"Triss is it? Well met and thank you for your remarks on our home, I do try to ensure it remains comfortable for all the witches that come to live under my banner. So how may I help you Triss?"Triss took a seat on one of the armchairs, and rested an arm for Susanna to jump on. It was so nice here, and Triss was glad she had the chance to rest after her long nights in the woods. When Medusa asked her about what she needed, Triss blushed, her cheeks matching the color of her hair.
"Well, I don't know actually. I came because the magic pulled me." she felt even more stupid when she admitted this, but when she opened her mouth to think of a different excuse, she closed it just as quickly.
"Indeed. This castle has many enchantments on it, and they naturally draw those with talent towards them. I've been meaning to ask how you laid them, Mistress. Quite a delicate web of spells." Rebecca sat down in the other chair and leaned back, the leather so soft she thought she might fall in.
"Thank you, it was alot of work and research. Going back to the foundations themselves. Runework carved into the base stones, powdered Demon's Bone mixed into the mortar. The delicate balance of the energies was quite the task!" Medusa smiled with pride, it was after all one of her finest accomplishments.
"It's been added to over the years, most notably our demonic defenders. Bound here by the esteemed Lorelai Von'Strauss herself.""Triss, what's your last name?" Medusa replaced her spectacles and retrieved a tome from her desk.
"I'd like to see if we can find your pedigree in here."Triss smiled brightly as Medusa told them about the defenses of the castle, it was secure, and intricate. The thought of being safe made Triss want to sigh in relief, but she would save that for much later. When Medusa turned her attention back to Triss, she froze for a second, but was able to ease back into things a bit faster this time.
"Last name? Felminah. I was born to two normal parents, so I don't think I have much of a bloodline.""Felminah... I don't see it here, no matter." Medusa looked back up at the girl.
"Bloodlines have to start somewhere after all. Now, I presume you're interested in joining our coven?""Join us, Triss. This is a place that you can make a home." Rebecca gave Triss an expectant look. "We always welcome new blood here. I mean, she even lets the undead in here, and you can't get much more disliked than that." A self-deprecating grin crossed Rebecca's lips.
As Rebecca talked, Triss had to busy herself with other things to avoid looking at the decay on her face. She felt the pressure of joining, and it made the room feel a bit hotter than it was.
"I am, I'm very interested in joining the coven. It would be a great honor." Triss knew she was laying it on a bit thick, but she meant what she said. It would be a great honor for her to be accepted into something she never thought she would find.
"Is that it, then? No tests?" Triss chuckled at the thought, obviously meaning it as a joke.
Medusa chuckled
"No, no tests. You're here to learn after all, a test would defeat the purpose no?" She retrieved her ritual dagger from its sheath at her belt.
"There is an Oath however, a simple one. Pledge yourself to your fellow sisters, their wellbeing and defense. Pledge yourself to the betterment and growth of the coven, and to honor those above you and respect those beneath you."She set her dagger on the desk between them.
"Spill a little blood and speak your oath, then you'll be one of us. A newblood."Triss gazed upon the dagger, its surface reflective. She realized how dangerous this was, signing herself over to a coven. She also realized how much she craved it, belonging to a faction of people like her, of witches united as brethren.
"Okay, I think I can do that." she muttered, reaching out slowly to grab the dagger. She bit back a frown, clutching it in her hand.
Triss' palm shook as she held it out in front of her, she decided that she would cut her palm, it would heal the fastest. With a nervous chuckle, she avoided the other witches' eyes, and sliced open her palm. The pain was sharp, but fast, and she saw the line of blood that followed.
"I...I pledge myself to my fellow sisters, to the betterment and growth of the coven, and to honor those above me and respect those beneath me." She closed her eyes, afraid she had done something wrong.
"Then welcome to the Bloodrose Coven, sister!" Rebecca was grinning from ear to ear at the Coven's newest member. "Come, I'll show you to the quarters, and you can pick out a room for yourself."
"Indeed, I'm glad to have you amongst us Triss." Medusa turned in her seat and retrieved a red key from a small bowl of them.
"Before you two run off, here's your key."Smiling at the two Medusa placed the key in the palm Triss had cut open. It glowed briefly as it touched her blood.
"That should attune itself to whatever room you choose." Returning to her book she waved the two off.
"Have fun getting settled, and try to make some friends."Triss looked down at the key in her bloody palm with the smile of a proud mother, she was one of them now. She clutched the key tightly, and held out her arm for Susanna, who gazed around the room before hopping on. As they left the study, Triss turned to Rebecca with a simple nod.
"So, what do you do, if you don't mind me asking." The duo climbed the stairs to the bedrooms. "Me? I'm a necromancer. I'm not the best one out there by any means, though. Probably the only truly impressive magic I've ever done is... this," she said, indicating herself. "And I was rather motivated for that. One does not embrace lichdom if one has other options. And I'd ask you the same question, Triss. What sort of magic do you specialize in?"
Triss gazed at Rebecca, her eyes traveling up and down the witch's body. Lichdom? What a strange term, Triss figured that she would have to ask Rebecca more about that later.
"Me...well I'm not really sure. I do this strange thing, in people's heads. It makes no sense to me, but I break into their heads, and I take their emotional memories and I bring them forward." Triss realized how confusing she must have sounded, and shrugged.
"I play with people's heads...make them do things they wouldn't do. Reveal things they wouldn't reveal. It helped me get by.""Mind magic? Well, that's a new one for me. All the other witches I've ever known manipulate the physical, rather than the mental." Rebecca shrugged. "Be that as it may, I'm sure Mistress Bloodrose has some tomes that will help you master your powers. Ah, we're here." Rebecca indicated a row of doors. "Choose any room you like."
Triss stopped alongside Rebecca, gazing at the doors in front of her. She wondered how many other witches lived here, and what they could do.
"I'm sure I'm not that special, you are the special one, being a necromancer and all." Triss smiled lightly at Rebecca, before trotting over to a room. She didn't see any differences between them, so she just chose one close to the end. She watched her key curiously, and pushed it into the keyhole of the door. It glowed briefly, and slid in. Triss brightened, and turned to Rebecca with a childlike wonder in her eyes.
"This is all amazing, thank you for showing me to Mistress Bloodrose. I'm glad I can be a part of your coven.""And the same to you. Come by my room any time you like." Rebecca indicated it with a graying finger. "Doesn't matter whether you want to learn more about magic or just talk, my door is always open."
Triss followed Rebecca's graying finger to a door, and nodded.
"Thank you, I'm sure you're a great conversationist. For now, I think I may need some rest. I've been sleeping on forest floors for the past three days." Triss chuckled, allowing the exhaustion she felt to overtake her. She twisted her key and slipped inside her room, giving Rebecca a final wave before shutting the door and smiling. Susanna hooted, and Triss opened the window to let her out. She sank onto the bed, not bothering on changing. With a final, happy sigh, she began to sleep.
