The Tattered Witch

Authors Note – From this chapter onwards, our story begins and would revolve around Alaska.

There would be no place diversions from Alaska, to New York and vice versa, as our main lead is now in Alaska till further notice.

It’s time to take us all on this bumpy ride, and the events that would lead to Adolph and Daciana meeting.

Happy Reading…

RUBY’S POV

(Early hours of the day, after leaving Daciana back at Helene’s Shack)

Trudging cautiously, dragging her feet effortlessly and tired too, Ruby kept running without stopping for once.

All through the dark light of day, and till now that the sun was coming out a bit, the snow flakes still dropping slowly, she hadn’t for once looked backed, as she she had the fear that she was probably being followed even when she could hear nothing.

Her mind was filled with different thoughts, tears flowing down her cheeks remembering how she had left Daciana, and ran for her life and freedom away from her sister, who helplessly had been dragged back by Helene.

Panting, she heaved loudly, hitting her foot on a tree trunk hidden in the ground, and die to her lack of focus she hadn’t noticed it and so in a swift motion she fell face flat to the ground.

“Arghhh…” She screamed loudly, her voice echoing around the lonely large forest that was filled with trees of different kind, and clutching her legs, she drew her dirty clothes up her knees trying to see if she was injured, but luckily she wasn’t, and straining her eyes she saw that the skin was just blood red, but nothing more serious.

She looked at her body once again.

Even though the stream of sunlight passing through the tree shades, were so little, she made efforts crawling as she tried to locate a more safer and lit up place, where she could check herself.

As she crawled on the bare ground, her knees sire, her legs tired from running all night, the soft crunch of dried grasses on the ground made her wistful, and some sharp wooden objects pierced at her skin, but still she kept on moving.

She crawled past faded, shredded tapestry autumn leaves, the crisp golden hues scratching at her skin, but still yet she persisted until she crawled to the place where she had been seeing a little bit of light streaming from the outside.

She was feeling dizzy, her limbs limp.and frozen from the cold, and sniffling her thoughts went back to Daciana.

She was going to kiss her so much, and the dawning realization that she was embarking on a tough journey without her little sister by her side, had her heart breaking over and over again.

She could have held on… But she didn’t.

Daciana’s powers were selective, and at that time she couldn’t do anything and she had just given up just like that.

“Fuck!” Ruby exclaimed slowly, sobbing uncontrollably as she looked at her body, spotting bee bugs, mosquito bites and some sharp cuts that she had no idea where they had come from.

Her skin was chapped, blood red all over, the coolness of the morning, seeping into her feets making them numb and lifeless.

Gnarled roots dipped in and out of the ground, piercing deep in her clothes as she sat on the bare floor, and Ruby could hear the hissing of snakes nearby, the cackles of crickets, birds singing too and she looked around the forest, fear and shock seeping into her.

The trees in the forest were ancient, roughened with age, and she could even recognize some particular trees in which she got some of her herbs from, but the situation she was in didn’t allow her any moment of luxury to check at all.

The raw earthy smell of wet wood, and the chill which the breeze and snow brought had Ruby shivering, rubbing her hands together frantically trying to gather up some heat to warm herself, before she froze to death here.

She was still looking around, eyes wandering about from left to right, keeping sight of any danger when suddenly she heard some noises.

It was from afar, really far but her witch’s sixth sense had picked up the noise, and closing her eyes trying to calculate the distance, Ruby didn’t see what was coming but she could sense that they were really near.

Fear once again overtook her, as she thought of two things involving this approaching vehicle, or whatever it was.

Was it Helene, and her gang?

Had she hired people to come look for her, in this deep forest? She asked herself in wonder.

Or what if it were strangers, bad strangers too…

No, no! She said slowly to herself, shaking her head.

She would go and check whatever this thing was, as she couldn’t conclude just yet without knowing anything.

Despite her fears, she still decided to keep her wandering thoughts at bay and look ahead at what awaited her.

Her eyes sharply opened, and she felt an influx of strength in her.

Rubbing her hands together for the last time, Ruby continued her crawl, out in the open, further into the place where she had seen sunlight streaming from.

Crawling albeit painfully, the thorns and sticks from the ground digging into her flesh her backpack on her back too, Ruby kept moving.

She lost count of the seconds or minutes that passed as she kept moving, but still she didn’t give up one bit, until finally…

She saw it..

The beginning of the end…

The start of everything…

A tared road, that had been somewhat covered in snow but still visible.

Ruby collapsed to the ground in a heap, in front of the road exhausted and limping.

Her face fell downwards again, the strength from earlier leaving her, and instead of being awake to know what awaited her, Ruby couldn’t fight the tremors or the dizziness that overtook her.

Her teeth chattering and with the cold her body had accumulated taking over her, Ruby gave way to unconsciousness and her eyes closing, the last thing she saw, before collapsing on the road was, Daciana her baby sister, who kept saying even as their hands parted slowly, “Go Ruby, may the gods guide you. Go Ruby may the gods guide you…”

…….

ADOLPH

The Jeep drove speedily down the lonely road, as they arrived the outskirts of Alaska.

Adolph stared at his wristwatch, a yawn escaping his lips as he noted that it was almost 6am, and he had no idea how many hours had passed since they had begun this journey and after the stops in the road, the hectic traffic as well as the road officers stopping to check the vehicles, they were finally at Alaska.

He tore his gaze away from the phone, and looked up only to find his mother’s gaze on him, as she stared at him unwaveringly.

He raised his eyebrows at her, surprised by her look and at the same time, confused as she was not saying anything.

Clearing his throat he said, “Mom, I thought you were sleeping.”

“Yeah, and I just woke up.”

“Cool.” Adolph said curtly still facing her, and then she asked him, taking his left hand in her hands and rubbing it gently, “You must be tired right? What am I even asking? You’re tired, I can see it all over your face.”

“Of course I am mom.” He laughed softly and added, “We’ve been on the road, for how many hours now, and still yet we’ve not reached.”

“We’re already in Alaska son.”

“But we could have been since. I would have used my plane, but then you and… and Uncle Fenris refused.” Adolph said with a sigh.

“Of course we refused, because the pack members would be confused and at the same time amazed, that you own such a gadget, they would be…” His mother started to say, but he interjected, “You said they were literates. You said Alaska, was medieval but then there have been remarkable changes and they even know what a car is. Surely they wouldn’t be much surprised to see a plane flying over. Or would they?” He finished sarcastically and this time his mother started laughing.

“You know what son, let’s just get to the castle first. In weeks you’ll become accustomed to your people, and you’ll get to know more about the pack members, and the clans too. Soon all these would make sense.”

“Of course.” Adolph scoffed, rolling his eyes.

“Yes son, and I’m just happy you’re finally coming home. Your father would be so proud of you. How you’ve managed to pull of everything, commanded respect from the people, even when they don’t really know anything about you… You’ve done well son.” She said to him, sniffling and becoming nostalgic all of a sudden and he just sighed.

Wrapping his arms around her shoulders, Adolph squeezed her body gently and continued to pat it, as he removed his gaze away from her but at the road ahead.

The journey continued smoothly for about 20 minutes or so, and Adolph still had his gaze by the window when suddenly he yelled, making his driver stop the car, “Stop moving!”

His mother alert, removed his hands from her shoulders, looking at him, but his gaze was far off looking outside.

Who was that figure lying by the roadside, in this bare cold?

He was surprised, and at the same time curious to know what the lady was doing out here in this cold.

Yes, it was a lady because he was already seeing her hair, which was brownish blonde in color and…

“Fuck!” Adolph exclaimed loudly, as he got out of the Jeep immediately, walking towards her.

“Adolph wait…” He heard his mother say, but he paid her no attention as he walked slowly towards the human figure on the ground.

Trudging along the lone road, packing a handful of snow in his shoes as he walked he kept on going still he was in front of her.

The lady, whoever she was, was unmoving, and she was in tatters too.

Her gown or dress rather had patched holes, and the light cotton was visible, so transparent that he could see her inner body.

Her head was bent downwards, and he could see no sign that she was alive and so he started to bend down wanting to check if she was alive, when suddenly he heard his Uncle shout, “Don’t touch her. She’s a Witch!”

Immediately Adolph’s descending hands froze, as he turned to look at Fenris who was walking towards him.

All the vehicles following them had stopped moving, and he could see the curious looks on everyone’s faces, as they all stepped outside.

Obviously they wanted to know what he would do.

“She’s a witch. Don’t touch her Adolph, let’s just go straight to the castle. Probably she’s returning from one of their night meetings. She would be fine.” Fenris added, as he stood in front of Adolph who was still bent.

“And how do you know she’s a witch? She’s bruised and battered for goodness sake. She’s in tatters, surely a witch knows better than to dress like this.” Adolph said, a smirk on his face as he recalled something.

- Alaska, a town filled with werewolves, witches, wizards, sorceress and sorcerers, and mystic beings –

All his life, right from childhood, his ability to transform into a wolf had been a mystery to him.

The hair that grew on his skin whenever he was angry, his sharp thinking abilities at school, the way his eye color did change from red, blue, green, even yellow sometimes, and the story that he was an Apex Alpha or whatever that meant at the time, had always seemed so surreal to him.

Sometimes he thought his life was a dream, and he used the reality of his business, amassing fortune and becoming so wealthy to remove his thoughts of his real heritage.

Not until his father had died though, and then reality struck.

Everything just like he had said, seemed like a movie but now it was crystal clear that it wasn’t.

Now, a supposed battered witch was laying on the floor in front of him, and even when he had no idea if she was a witch or not, the realization that she could really be one hit him deep and fast.

“How do you know she’s a witch?” He asked again, waiting for an answer and then Fenris said, “Her legs, she has the mark witches have. The symbol of Alaska’s witch coven. It’s there.” He said pointing out, and Adolph followed the hands and his eyes dropped at her ankle where he saw a small tattoo of a snake on a pole, and immediately he saw it, the dark drawing glowed red and then yellow and in fear he staggered back.

“You see…” Fenris said, but Adolph was still in shock.

“We have to leave her here. The people are talki…”

“We can’t leave her here. It’s cold, and she might be a witch or whatever you say, but she clearly looks like someone in distress. We are leaving with her.” Adolph commanded and stood up abruptly.

He didn’t know if she was alive, but there was something deep in him telling him that he just couldn’t leave this woman alone here.

Something was telling him that, a voice in his head and he didn’t know how or what to say still.

“What? No… No way!” Fenris stuttered, staring at his back while he walked, but Adolph was already giving instructions to his guards, “Pick that lady up, from the ground. We can’t leave her here in this cold. Put her in the van, she leaves with us to the castle!”

“Yes sir, yes sir…” They said obeying his instructions doing as they were told, while he climbed into his Jeep, his mother after him her mouth wide open too, ready to blast him with her own questions.

‘There was no way he would have left that lady there though, that was for sure!’