Prologue: The Witch

They call me Bells. Maybe because they think it's funny, or because they refuse to call me by my given name, Belladonna. Whatever the reason, I don't mind. I'm a 20 year old 'spinster' as they like to call me. Just because I haven't married when I was 15, doesn't mean I'm old. I swear, people think it's still the 15th century. It's 3010, for Goddess sake!

Anyway, Let me give you a little back story. I was born and raised in the Forbidden woods. My ma raised me with the knowledge of herbs and magic. She loved to help others and, oftentimes, people would venture through these woods just to seek her out for medicine.

Six years ago, my mother left me. She went to bring a tincture she made for a young boy who had cancer. She never came home. They claim she just vanished. That she just walked out of hospital and disappeared. I don't believe them. Why would I after they called us witches and tried to run us off so many times?

So, by the time I was 14, I was on my own. I hunt and gather my own food. I build or make what I need. sometimes, people venture into these woods to find me. I'll trade medicine for things I can't make- like salt. Rule #1, though, NEVER leave the woods...