Chapter 2 - Wicked Heart

The next day started with a heavy downpour. It was an unexpected turn of event for Celeste as she had to do some herb hunting. The only thing she had to do was to wait for her familiar Luna to arrive.

Faust, her snake familiar slithered its way back to her. It poked its head into the book she was reading curiously and watched her. "You are here, Faust." She smiled petting the dark snake. 'Reading' He whispered in her head.

"I'm reading yes, what were you up to yesterday?" She carried Faust in her hand and poked his nose lightly. 'Adventure.' He said hiding in her sash.

She laughed in content at her familiar. "Adventure?Hmm sounds fun. Don't you think?" She pretended to be deep in thought. Faust peered out of his hiding spot and gave her a boop on her nose. 'Fun' He said moving his head sideways.

Christian found his way to around the cottage with little effort. All his life he had everything at his disposal. Even though the life he is living now isn't suitable for a Prince as himself, he enjoyed it.

No one put pressure on him. He did not have to follow rules anymore. He knew that going back to the Palace was out of question. He sighed deeply and moved out of the cottage for fresh air.

It was still raining heavily. He wondered how the witch lived in isolation. He let the rain hit his body soaking him the process. The forest was covered in mud with that smell. He didn't know how long he stayed out, but when he saw a familiar voilet eyes cat moving through one of the windows, he crept back inside.

The inside was warmer than before. He moved to hearth and sat in front it absorbing as much heat as he could. The lady's presence filled the room he was.

He didn't turn back to know it was her. Celeste found the Prince soaking wet in front of the hearth. The embers of fire were dieing slowly. She stood rooted at her spot before moving towards the hearth.

Muttering curses at the hearth, she searched the kitchen for wood but found none. "Can't you use magic?" She heard the Prince hushed whisper. She gave him a skeptical look.

'Lux aeterna flamma ignis' She said softly under her breath. Her eye glowed bright violet. Flames rushed from her palms and engulfed the remaining wood. The room was bright from the fire.

The Prince looked at the now alive flames. It looked better than the normal ones. This one had different colour. It was yellow with red at the tips of the flame. It was interesting to watch with the sputtering of the rain drowning them to deep silence.

Celeste sat on her rocky seat beside the window enjoying the breeze of the rain. Luna climbed her lap and found a good spot to nestle her tired body. She ran her fingers through the tired cat's silky fur.

Luna found that pleasing and purred every now and then.

Faust, jealous of the attention Luna was receiving coiled around her shoulders and relaxed hissing at Luna. 'New friend' He said looking at the lonely Prince.

"Not friend Faust, his guardian." She said to him. 'Lonely. Comfort.' He said trying to move to his side. She grabbed him by his abdomen to her side. "No" She warned.

She continued staring out of the window with a frown etched on her face. "Celeste." She said watching the Prince. He watched her confused.

"My name is Celeste." She said. He mumbled her name testing her name on his tongue. "Nice to meet you Celeste." He said with a small smile on his visage. "You too Christian." She said petting her familiar.

"This is Luna and Faust, my familiars." She pointed to each of them. He nodded his head slowly and watched Faust warily. He wasn't too fond of snakes. As if she read his mind, she laughed lightly.

"Faust doesn't bite." She said letting him. "Do you bite boy?" She asked squeezing his tail. 'Don't bite. Friendly.' He replied her.

The clouds made way for the sun as the rain subsided. It's rays shone brightly in the sky.

"The sun is up." She commented. Christian observed Celeste. Though she had a dangerous aura around her, she was nice to be around with. She didn't talk much like the other Princesses back at home. None of them really caught his eye.

"I need to get some herbs." Celeste said to herself nodding and turned her head to Christian's direction. "You can come with me, am sure you can catch some game for tonight's dinner." she said disappearing to her room.

She came back with a fresh set of leather clothes for Christian. He took it without complaining wondering where she got those clothes. She wore her usual clothes with a cloak hiding her features.

They moved deeper into the dense forest with a comfortable silence enveloping them. She stopped occasionally to pluck some herbs. Christian had a bow and arrow in his hand watching out for any small prey.

Christian moved away from her when he spotted a squirrel. He crouched low and hid behind a hedge and shot it down. Grinning in satisfaction, he moved to pick his kill. He moved to her side once again.

She was busy picking a plant with red spots to notice him. When she turned, she shrieked shooting him with a blast of violet flame. He had no time to duck and it threw him to a nearby tree. He would be lieing if he said it didn't hurt at all.

It hurt him more than anything. She moved to his side with worry on her face. "Am sorry." She helped him sit. He watched her as she rub her palms together and said a foreign language under her breath.

Then she opened her bright voilet eyes then transfered her magic to his body. He felt his energy returning back as well as his strength to move. "Am so sorry." She said checking for further injuries. He never knew witches had emotions. This witch here was worried if she hurt him.

"Am fine, plus I got us some game." He said searching for it, but saw a heap of ashes. She smiled sheepishly. "The blast consumed it. I'll get one." She said waving her hand.

He followed her the rest of the walk. They came to a stop at a clearing. It was made of bushes. It had a dark aura seeping from it. "Where are we?" Christian tugged on her cloak. "This is where all the wild creatures can be found,but beware other creatures linger here." She said removing her cloak.

He took notice of a raven symbol with thorns on her left arm and another symbol on her forehead. She disappeared through the thick bushes. He felt a pull and he was on the other side of the bush.

Celeste was moved towards a wild boar. She sliced its neck with the claw she grew. She checked her surroundings before slinging the animal over her shoulders. She met a flustered Prince and pulled him out of the bush before they drew unwanted attention.

The room was warm by the time the arrived with the sun shining brightly at them. Celeste took of the boar while Christian watched her silently asking few questions.

Her familiars found ways to jump on her and Luna stole pieces of meat as she chopped them skillfully. "Why don't you use magic to do the work?"Christian asked her curiously.

She paused and looked at him in disbelief." Magic isn't the solution to all your problems. That is how come we have dark magic. "She chopped its piece of meat skillfully.

" Humans don't know how magic works and the rules governing it. They just use it for their personal gains. They end up killing their brothers. What pathetic creatures."She said the last part venomously. He flinched at her tone. The hatred she had for humans was deep.

Each strike she made with the knife got harder. The thought of humans was enough to drive her mad and the things they do is far too worse than any creature living.

She dried the meat outside and prepared breakfast for the two of them. After that, she returned to her table to continue the potion she was working on. Christian on the other hand went to take a nap again with hwr last words in his mind.