Gold Dust

Chapter 10

Gold rested on the cushion, watching boredly as the entertainers went through the same act, over and over again. Decked in the finest jewels, clothed in satin and gold trimmings, she was a sight. A plate filled with cold preserved meats, and a golden chalice filled with warming ale. Everything she wanted was at her fingertips.

And yet, she was bored.

"My darling, are thee not boding well?" A smooth voice spoke up next to her.

'Nay." Gold sighed, once again. "They do the same things, over and over again. I am bored, Ædelric."

"I have everything for thee, everything thou might possibly want. What more do thou desireth from me, and I vow upon my honor I will find it for thee." Ædelric proclaimed, and Gold once again sighed. Then she turned thoughtful.

"Ædelric, bring me some entertainment. I tire of the dancing and fire breath. Aye, they are interesting. But I cannot think of this for another second more." Gold said, then continued. "I must admit that our time is becoming more normal than not. I do not find it that it sits well with me."

"I will do anything for thee, my flower. Thou wish is my unbreakable command." Ædelric said, and Gold turned for the first time to look at him. He was determined, more so than ever. His own golden eyes glinted off of the torches on the walls, hardened with the quest before him. He too, was also furnished with many finery. Some of which Gold had made herself for him, over the past years. His youthful features contrasted with the way he held himself in check, with the body of a reserved fighter, with a younger mans face.

"Thank you, Ædelric." Gold gave him a smile.

"Anything, for my Witch." Ædelric said, before to seemingly vanish.

Gold waited, knowing that her contractor would come back with the end goal set in his mind. He knew of the world better than she, and of which Gold let him do what he will on the outside. Gold knew that he would come back, like always, and have a treasure for her. And on days which she felt like food, he would come with the bloodiest lamb and the freshest fruit. Ædelric truly kept her safe.

It took days, before Ædelric came back with anything unusual. They called him a Bard, and he sung stories. Of all of the stories that Gold had heard, she had never had them sung to her in such a way. Ædelric thought he was much to brash. However, Gold enjoyed every moment she had with him. The Bard kept her mind from wandering the empty hallways of boredom, and from him, did she grow an interest of the world outside of the cave.

Humans, loving and guiding the young children. Children being smart and finding them out of a spot of trouble. Trouble showing up at the last minute, causing the battle to lose. Losing lost magical artifacts that would make the world stop spinning. Spinning stories until Gold was immersed with the land outside.

Ædelric was not happy. Not happy at all. He roared in pain and anguish when Gold thought it would be for the better for her to break their contract. He lost his control, and the handsome man disappeared in a grotesque form, until a glittering red dragon, scales as dark as a moonless night, some brighter than blood. Ædelric ate the poor Bard, but didn't touch Gold. She was bored. So bored with just Ædelric around to keep her company. It wasn't enough. There was adventures outside the walls of the cave. There were magic yet to be discovered. Her sisters, she hadn't seen in what seemed like forever.

Almost immediately, Gold's travels turned sour. Bad things kept on happening, and Gold couldn't stop them from inflicting them on her, or others. Humans, as she found out, where much better conversationalists than just herself, so she need them to be trusting enough to have her around. Humans, their families, their towns and villages, were in tune with her. They didn't make her feel so alone.

And it was so good.

Gold longed for the sweet day for when she didn't have to leave. It was harder each time. But it hurt more when they threw her out, or tried to kill her. The faces pinched in anger. torches burning bright in the night sky. Sometimes, though, there was too much bloodshed, and Gold couldn't stand it anymore.

It was her own personal curse, she supposed. To fully feel alive, in a species that could only die. She would outlive every single human being. There was no way that she couldn't. It was hard enough as it was to be in communities where Witchery was banned, to find her very being persecuted. A book became her greatest enemy, the Bible. Witches were with the devil. They corrupted small children, it said. Witches brought their souls to be damned for ever in the pits of hell.

Gold remembered everything that came to her. How she had feasted with Roman soldiers who fought in a battle against the Greeks, days later. Journeying through Babylon with traders from China. Shivering in Mongolia, while Genghis Khan tried to locate the Gold Witch for himself, of his purposes of the empire he was building. Helping the Chinese build the wall that still stands today, burying her friends she made in it's dirt grave.

The more free Gold found herself, the more she loved the humans. Loved living a life of humans. Being a part of a community that didn't hex another at dinner, that bragged about how their Dragon found them a black pearl necklace, how they managed to make a poor human fall in love with them and follow them into the woods to never been seen again by their wife and children. She started to resent everything that the Witches stood for, the only ones she couldn't find guilty enough were the Day Witches, created to balance the world. They lived ordinary human lives six days out of seven. How Gold longed to be left alone and to be forgotten.

But it could never truly happen. Gold was a treasure. Something that glittered and looked well wrapped around a ruby or two. Something that people fought over, killed each other for. It was a harsh world that would never let her go. She was worth of trade for food, of wealth, of everything this world made it could belong to her with a flick of her wand. Gold didn't want that. It didn't hold her attention before, and it would never do so again.

If there was one wish in the world that Gold wanted, it was to be human.

"Get up!" Was the only warning before a bucket of soapy water fell onto Gwen, shocking her awake. Her dreams familiar, but slowly dimming from her memory. She moved hesitantly, Gull hidden beneath her long dress.

"What do you want?" Gwen asked, glaring at the pirate who had given her an unrepentant bath that she had longed for, for the past week she had been on the rocking ship.

"Cap'n wants to speak with you." The man said, his index finger pointing upwards. "Up on deck."

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