Her Beloved

I N T E G R A

My devotion to the oath I've engraved to my very soul will never falter. Vatic has become an astounding young man. I know in my heart that Stragis is proud of him wherever he may be. I always was and always will be even beyond I draw my last breath. As years pass by, my semblance of his stature slowly but surely dissipates and they're replaced by my beloved Stragis'. He's growing up to become a spitting image of his Father. That may be great on the surface but my boy still has things to be protected from. As his Mother, I will not let those things corrupt him. If it calls for me to keep him here inside the safety of our home forever, I won't hesitate to do so. 

          It may look disorganized and clatter-filled but it's not truly the case. My little sanctuary –my room or more like my workshop– inside our home is methodically set for my needs and whims. I know where every material is placed. My root crops are snuggled at the pair of cabinets situated at one corner of this area facing west, all my equipment is neatly tucked on the other side of the room, and the array of potions I've concocted all these years are securely stored in the space I meticulously put beneath the floorboards. Everything here is in order that even Vatic isn't allowed in. That boy and his curiosity can cause mishaps.

          "Mistress," Someone hisses with a tinge of elegance wrapped in every tone. "I know you noticed Vatic acting strange earlier. Aren't you curious?" Calista asks, prolonging her words to accentuate the hissing sound.

          Calista has been with me since she was a hatchling. I gained the trust of the Serpentinas as soon as I became a full-fledged witch when I was still as young as Vatic or around his age. I can't really remember now. Having her as my familiar is equally reassuring and terrifying. Reassuring due to the fact she's as reliable as I can hope for in a companion and terrifying not for me but for my enemies. With her help, I can become a freak force of nature if the situation pushes me to. For now, I'm just living a simple and peaceful life with my boy. Given the current situation, this is the most peaceful living we can acquire.

          "What do you mean?" Dodging the question, I pat her head and untangle her from my neck to prepare for my slumber. I did notice that as a matter of fact, but my child is peculiar so I'm guessing that's to be expected. Every growing child has their own odd behaviors, right?

          "He just appears to be overly excited earlier that's all." She burrows herself into her nest I placed next to my bed.

          "He must've learned some new trick of some sort from his battle books he always carries. You know how he acts if that happens." And I'm proud of him for that. Even though I can protect us both with my power, he's still adamant about training himself so he can protect us. As a precaution though, I taught him how to conjure the lesser magic of healing so he could tend to his injuries just in case he bruised or cut himself while I was out for Harvest.

          Calista slithers around her nest until she finds the spot she's most comfortable in. "That's probably it. I trust that Masid is looking after him diligently if we're not around." I nod in agreement and put out a sweet smile towards her to ease her worries.

          I didn't realize until very recently that Calista developed a commendable motherly instinct towards Vatic which I'm very much relieved of because there's someone else who looks out for my boy aside from me. As per Masid, I managed to make him come back as he is to accompany Vatic everywhere he goes and whatever he does. That Black Panther missing for almost half a decade did take a toll on my boy's young state of mind even though he tried his best to conceal it. Mothers know. There were times that I caught him blankly staring into the distance or even talking to and hugging the sheets Masid used to use. That's when I decided to make him come back. I'm glad I did. If it wasn't for that bond, Vatic may not have flourished like he did now and will continue to flourish because of that.

          "Mistress?" Another hiss from Calista. It's obvious that something's making her tiny snake gears turn. "When do you think Vatic can really talk to us?" She's most likely referring to her and Masid.

          It's true that I intended to have Masid as my son's familiar and anyone with a witch-descended bloodline has the ability to speak to their familiars instinctively but for some reason, Vatic is still unable to speak to him like Calista and I can. There's no spell that can conjure this kind of connection as it's supposed to manifest naturally. "It's probably because of his Father's blood." I wince, reluctantly pointing out.

          "That man still causes trouble even he's no–" Calista's words were cut short as she violently felt a sudden shift in my aura. "My apologies, Mistress. I didn't mean to disrespect." That taunting aura of mine immediately vanishes.

          "My theory is that," An excellent attempt to change the subject. "Once Vatic became more proficient with his magic, he'll be able to naturally open his channels so he can communicate with you and Masid." I smile.

          "I will wait patiently for that day to come, Mistress." She finally found her sweet spot and fell asleep.

          The choir of crickets singing their choruses throughout the cold of night adds another level of calm to my subconscious. I fell asleep not too long after. I may not be able to see the world like I used to but my very reliable familiar compensates for that. One of my enchantments I placed on both of us enables me to see through her perspective. It's not perfect but it comes with its perks. My sight through her can be blurry or shady at times but at least I can see heat signals which only snakes can do. That helps me see if there's danger looming around whenever I'm on my Harvest. I can save energy by prowling away from a family of grizzlies or a pack of rabid wolves instead of stumbling onto their paths and using witchcraft against them.

          Contrary to the common belief, I respect all living beings. If it isn't necessary, I won't end something or someone's life. And if it directly threatens me and my child, I won't hesitate to send them their way to kingdom come. That's why I came and stayed on this island and in town. I loved living there. The people were nice and the place was peaceful. I truly saw me and Vatic living our days there but the Gods didn't allow that to transpire. I was willing to offer my services to the townspeople until they turned their backs on us. Honestly, I had urges to exact my revenge on them but my heart couldn't fathom the burden for me and for my son if I went on with it. That's why I got us to live in this place. This place holds a special fragment of my soul. After all, this very cave witnessed how the inequitable love between me and Stragis was ignited and blazed as bright as the scorching sun. It was magical until the burn of its last embers.

          A sudden sensation of something being amiss lurks within my room. Someone's watching me. My consciousness unravels from my deep slumber as I open my eyes so swiftly that I think I heard a shattering of glass from the back of my head. As soon as I sense that there's a living and breathing flesh standing right at the edge of the foot of my bed, I instantaneously spring into action. I raise my hand as fast as I can and chant, "Elapmi sith redurtni." Multiple tree roots rise from their rest on the walls of my room and form five lethal spears hovering on top and around me, sending off unnerving crackling noise on their way. Without any moments wasted, the wooden spears launch violently toward where the intruder is.

          In my astonishment and somewhat… fear, I witness through Calista's eyes how the intruder maneuvers his body effortlessly, dodging and parrying every wood spear shot his way like it was nothing. There's no way in the heavens that just happened. There's this sense of familiarity dumps on me with those movements. "Thgil eht semalf." I mutter, triggering all the candles and torches in my room to burst aflame. To my horror, my suspicions were proven to be accurate. It's Vatic. He's the one who's standing at the end of my bed. He's the one who I thought was an intruder. He's the one I used my magic against. The realization hit me so hard that I felt every fiber of my bones melt and drain by the soil. I almost killed my child. I rush towards him as he seems to be glued standing where I originally saw him, looking at me with what I can fathom as sorrow in his eyes.

          "Vatic? What are you doing here?" I hug him tightly. Grabbing him by his arms, I scan him from his feet to his head to see if he's injured. The crackling noise of the tree roots once again echoes through the entire cave as they go back in place. As my sight brushes on his face, I see a slit on his right cheek. It's reddening. Blood. Will. Come out. "Calista!" I shriek, stirring my head towards my familiar's nest. I twist my neck so hard I feel a slight crack of a bone.

          "I'm fine, Mistress. The antidote is in effect." Her head is glued towards us to witness everything that's happening.

          Gently placing my right hand just above Vatic's wound and clasping the pendant with my left, I close my eyes and start to heal it. "Leah siht s'dlihc dnuow." And it's gone as quickly as it appears. "Vatic, my child, what's happening? Talk to me." Those eyes worry me so much. I've never seen him this distraught before. It's like he's trying to dig for answers from within my soul for the questions he's too afraid to ask. Did he learn something somewhere? But what? I'm sure I've stashed everything properly and discreetly so no one could ever find them especially him.

          His mouth opens ever so slightly but closes it immediately. I can sense the overwhelming tension eating him from the inside out. Is he manifesting his magic? I know some first-time witches struggle to control greater magic. His whole body trembles as if he's seeing specters. A single diamond tear fell from his right eye coursing down to his cheek where his wound was once a moment ago and down to his chin, his eyebrows furrowing. It breaks me into a million pieces seeing my boy in pain and I don't have even at least a single clue what's causing it. I just want him to talk to me. I need him to talk.

          "Ekam siht dlihc kea–" I stop myself from finishing the spell. I remember the promise I made to Stragis one moonlit night. I will never use magic against him. He made me swear not to use my witchery to our future kids as well. I fell for him harder for that and I don't even know why. I bit my tongue intensely, blood started to drip from my mouth. I notice Vatic eyeing my warm, red blood tracing its way out from the corners of my mouth and down my chin, staining the cream-colored nightgown I'm wearing as they are being claimed by gravity.

          Vatic flashes a fleeting expression at me before he loses consciousness. I can only picture it as a call for help but for what? Whenever he stumbles upon something uncertain for him, he always seeks my advice. This is different. Very unlike him. I need to get to the bottom of this. "Tomorrow we'll talk." I whisper in his ear. I cup his right cheek to wipe the traces of his tear off and I couldn't help but feel the stones in my throat burn. Crying, I haul my son to my bed with the assistance from Masid who just arrived at my room. He looks equally troubled as I am but I can't keep myself from questioning him. I give him a concerning glance.

          A deep, raspy tone reverberates from the crevices of my brain. "I may have an idea what happened, Mistress." He better have. He's supposed to be with my child at all times. "Please, do follow me."

          I rush out, grabbing Calista from her nest then we tail Masid toward Vatic's room. The cleanliness of his room is something to be in awe of but what empties the air off of my lungs are the pieces of paper scattering on his bed and some of them on the floor. I can see a familiar wooden box in my peripheral. I can feel my muscles numb, my flesh burns and freezes at the same time, and my sights blur. I take my time walking towards the letters as if I'm convincing myself that this isn't real. None of these are happening. I exchange a dozen looks between Calista and Masid, waiting for either of them to make me snap out of this dream –or nightmare. Reaching the bed, one single letter ultimately catches my attention. That first and only letter I wrote to Stragis. I bawl.

          "My Beloved." I hold the letter to my chest so it can be closer to my heart.