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The Black Witch 12

Chapter 12: Reconciliation

By Caleb WagnerPublished 2 years ago 8 min read
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The Black Witch 12
Photo by Claudia Chiavazza on Unsplash

The return trip from the temple was a surreal one. The lingering existential angst from meeting with a god was flavored with the astonished almost reverent stares of the guards. I followed behind one of the guards who continually stole glances at me over her shoulder while the two behind me bore holes in my head. They asked no questions about the expierence. I am sure they didn't know what to ask. I would not be able to answer the questions even if they had the right ones. The experience was too heavy. The quiet residential streets in the wanning sun only compounded my questioning of reality. The walk passed by in a flash as I wrestled with my view of reality.

The gate barreled through my rumminations and brought with it the image of Kuri. I needed to see her, I wanted to see her. The guards and I entered the estate. Inside the mansion we were greeted by Saki and the two other guards on her shift. "Do you know where Kuri is?" I asked Saki as I took of my shoes. She was taken aback by the speed of my question. "I do not." Her answer was matter of fact like always. I nodded at her response. In the short distance from the gate to the door I drew up a plan for this. The plan was simple; I would think "Kuri" and "I want to see Kuri" until she came out. I would plead in my head until she responded, it felt wrong to do so. Despite that it was my best option, I could not wait. While the meeting of the god and their words were fresh in my head we would reconcile. So I enacted my plan "Kuri. Kuri. Kuri I want to see you. Please come talk to me. I have something I need to tell you. Kuri. Kuri." I thought this repeatedly and held an image of her bewitching smile as the back drop. I led Saki and the other guards to a lounge room with these thoughts firmly at the forefront. It only took five minutes for Kuri to appear. She entered the Lounge room with a mix of annoyance and embarrassment plastered on her face. "What do you want? I can't think with the images and thoughts of me coming from you." That seductive voice had come back full force but now it bit me. "We need to talk about what I said on our trip into town. It needs to be a proper talk." I said trying to move straight into the point. "You think I would want to talk to you after how you called for me?" Her displeasure with the situation even more evident in her voice. I had expected that "I apologize for that. However, would you had talked to me otherwise? Like really talked to me? Because I feel that you would've kept me at arms length until you got enough answers to be satisfied, then you would have left." I tried to retort calmly but my frustration with the whole situation was starting to get to me.

The fact that I had bared any sort of claw or fang shocked Kuri. I took a deep breath. I collected my thoughts, in a much more understanding and level tone I began "Look, you are one of the only people, if not the only, I can call my friend. I know what I said made you uncomfortable and I apologize. I hate myself for getting carried away, but imagine how it felt for me to have a rare friend, in a world full of people who fear or hate me, just shove me away. You didn't just leave, you stayed and made it clear not to approach you." I could feel the quiver work into my voice, so I stopped and took a second deep breath. "I do not want to loose you. I thought hard about what was necessary to make this right. Even if you decided to up and leave right after I did. I decided not to let you go without a fight, so I went to talk to the god of darkness. No, I went to even just pray for good fortune in reconcilliation. I want my only friend, my best friend back. I want know what you honestly thought and felt when I said the thing that drove you away." I finished my small apologetic rant and looked up. There around me sat wide eyes, agape mouths, belonging to the guards and Kuri. In the moments after I finished my monologue all I could hear was the sound of my own breath with the faint sounds of maids bustling about. I decided to continue "I will not say anything that could be interpreted that way in the future. I am not expecting things to be perfect right away. So please, talk to me."

My last extra plea must have got to kuri, I heard her take a sharp breath in "Look Elliot, I pushed you away because I could not allow you to say something that may be seen as breaking an oath. I will not cause problems and what's more is I don't see you that way. You are fun to be around, a friend but not that close of one. We can speak more and joke around like we used to but it will take time. I'm scared you'll spring something emotional on me again. If you did and I accepted then what would we do when it is time for me to tackle the next mystery? What if that causes problems with your role here? What if you grow to hate me and you break two oaths to the gods? We barely know each other so I need you to slow down, limit your expectations, and not say foolish things in the future if you want to fix this." That sublime voice stabbed me repeatedly. I knew what she said was true. I knew but did not want to admit it. Part of me wanted to refute part of what she said using the god of darkness' words, but I felt that now was not the right time to do so. First I needed to be a friend if I wanted to love her and her to love me. I looked kuri in her eyes, they begged me to say the right thing while expecting the worst. I would be damned before I betrayed those eyes. "I will limit my expectations, slow down and not say foolish things. I swear on my life before the god of darkness, if I fail this I shall return to the darkness." All doubt and fear was gone from my voice. My words rang true through the room. A whisper sounded through my head "Excellent child, I recognize this." Kuri's face contorted to unadultered shock when the voice spoke. I knew she heard it, she recognized the whisper all to well.

The silent Saki spoke up "Should we have been here for such a conversation?" Her voice showed hints of being unassured for the first time. The emberassment that the guards had witnessed the scene hit Kuri and I simultaneously. I cleared my throat "Well it already happened so its fine, I ask that you keep this between us." I couldn't bring myself to face them so I stole glance out of the corner of my eye. The guards looked at each other, me and then Kuri. They decided unanimously "We understand!" I knew they did so out of fear and respect for Kuri, but it was welcomed. We all sat silent, our faces flushed when a maid scurried in with a tray of tea. She bowed out of the awkward room as quickly as she arrived. My stress melted as I sipped from a tea cup. I couldn't help but laugh. The laugh soon spread to the other occupants of the room. Through my laugh I looked at Saki and said "You all could have left... haha... I guess the conversations was too juicy huh?" Saki through her cackle responded "How do you expect us to move when it got so heavy so quick... hahahh" I looked at Kuri wearing a smile of relief and emberassment matching my own. I rasied my tea cup, with a toast "To friends." She raised hers in acknowldgment. We drank. Riding the initial laughing fit we all exchanged light conversation and jokes as the guards picked fun at us for the next hour. When the conversation died down with only soft smiles remaining on our faces; I stood up to make my exit. "I'm beat, its been a long day. Lady Kuri will you do me the honour of having luch with me tomorrow?" Kuri looked up at me with those eyes that drove me wild "I will Prince expirement." Her tone sounded satisfied, as if she were waiting for us to make up. I cast that thought away quickly "It's just her kindness showing through." I told myself.

The guards left with me. Trailing close behind as though they were following a friend. At my door Saki stopped me "Prince Elliot, I am happy you could reconcile with Lady Kuriga. Your sincerity and decivness impressed me. May you not mess up again. I appluad your victory, but remember that I am watching you." I could have been mistaken, but I thought Saki added the last bit as a joke. I faced the firey guard with a smile of bliss "I wish you all the luck. Hopefully I do not make you job hard or harm anyone." With that I went to bed dreaming of joyous day laughing with the woman I loved.

Fantasy
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About the Creator

Caleb Wagner

Hi, my name is Caleb Wagner. I grew up in small rural town in southern Ohio. Throughout my childhood I saw many sides to many different types of people. I have seen massive falls from grace and underdog stories time and time again.

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