Undesirable

Chapter 9

The fact that my mother is making me meet with Messena is ridiculous. How could someone go from being totally against an idea, to literally pushing me out of the door and forcing my sister to escort me to make sure I go through with it? The possible Ladyship has only been dangled in front of her for a week, and it has already knocked her completely senseless. Now, Messena is suddenly a miracle worker.

We set off as soon as the sun starts to go down. Whilst everyone in Kephia knows about Messena and her 'gifts', Queen Octavia's guards don't. If they ever found out that people were going into the forest to meet a witch, they would brand them on site. No exceptions. I don't even want to imagine what they would do to the village for harbouring a fugitive.

As we walk to the forest, Ana spouts nonsense about how excited she is for me to finally meet Messena, and how she can't wait for my eyes to be opened to a whole new world of possibilities. I don't tell her that I'm not really listening, she is too busy talking to notice my lack of interest in the topic anyway. The only time she pauses to take a breath is when we reach the edge of the forest.

"So, I just keep walking straight until I arrive at her hut?" I ask. There is no map to Messena's exact location, no one dared to create one in fear it could end up in the wrong hands. Instead, you are instructed to enter at a certain point of the forest and told to walk in a straight line.

Ana nods, practically singing in delight, "Yes. Don't make a single turn or stumble off course. You just head straight forwards."

"Ok. I will see you when I get back then," I say. I have my fingers crossed I can get this over and done with quickly, and avoid getting lost.

"Remember, she likes to talk in riddles, so it's really important that you listen to every single word she says. You'll get confused otherwise," Ana reminds me for the tenth time. I'm already confused by why I'm going to see Messena in the first place, so I suspect listening to her intently isn't going to help that much. "And don't ask too many questions, she'll think you are up to something."

"I'm going to visit a witch in the forest to seek her help, and I can't ask her questions?" I scoff, shaking my head. This is going to be a very dry conversation.

"I am serious, Sav. This could be a make-or-break point for you, don't mess it up," She warns me, sounding like our mother.

"I won't. I won't." I roll my eyes at her dramatics. I'm not expecting anything good from this, I might as well just go and get it over with. Even if it's just to stop my sister and Mother from nagging me.

Turning to face the forest, I inhale deeply, preparing myself for whatever the witch is going to throw my way, and take my first step into the trees.

----

Ten minutes have past and there has been no sign of Messena. I've done everything Ana told me, and I haven't seen one living thing since I first stepped in here, not even a bird or a mouse. It is unsettlingly silent. The only sound I can hear is the ground crunching underneath my feet as I walk. Panic brews in my chest as I start to fear that Ana has taken me to the wrong point of the forest, and now I'm just walking into the middle of nowhere.

Maybe I should turn back. Start again. Or even better, forget about the whole thing and go home. I can just pretend that I met her and say that she couldn't help. It would be a simple as that. Besides, my feet are hurting beyond belief. I wish Ana had told me to wear more sensible shoes, my sandals are letting all the thorns prick the skin on my toes.

Turning around, I begin to head back to the edge of the forest, trying to come up with a believable story about what Messena could have possibly said. Normally, I can make up excuses within seconds, but today they all escape me. No lie is big enough to live up to the legend of the witch's name. I need to come up with something fast.