The Black Witch

"How exaclty do you plan on doing that?" The simplicity of her plan drew out the question. "Hmmm, I'll probably show up at the castle, offer some gifts and strike a deal." Her response was casual. Almost as if it was nothing more than buying ingredients for dinner. Kuri turned to me and spoke a terrible sentence in a soft voice "I'm only getting permission to observe from up close so it shouldn't be too hard." Her eyes were reminscent of a researcher on the verge of recieving funding to experiment. With that she left.

I was left alone and dumbfounded. My empty room was kind enough to let me stew over where I had went wrong about the gorgeous witch. "Ah, I see. The problem was that she was interested in my life, my interactions, and perhaps how the constant hate would affect my psyche. It was less about me and more about my circumstances. That makes sense, we only just met and I guess at the end of the day she is still a citizen of this country and I am man." The thought sprang into my mind and wrecked any symblance of hope that I let myself imbue on Kuri. I wanted to be angry at her, I wanted to avoid the woman and ruin her expirement. I could shut myself in my room and refuse to give her what she wanted. There is nothing less interesting than one of the subjects doesn't participate in the experiment you wish to observe. Then a second thought crept its way in "It is not Kuri's fault. I put my hope in her, she never claimed to be my saving grace." This second realization left me hollow. I stumbled to my bed and let the exhaustion of the day pull me into sleep and away from my problems.

When I woke Kuri was still not back. My day was empty like I had expected my life here to be. I ate a breakfast that I had to prepare for myself because the cooks refused to do so. I read books on the history of the country, did calithstenics in my room, bathed and ate dinner that was left over from my wife's meal. This same pattern repaeted itself for a week, a week where noone spoke to me and I spoke to nobody. At the end of my lonesome week I sat on the roof of the manor alone staring at the blue miday sky littered with massive clouds intemittenly. The warmth of the sun kissed my skin and the view showed only the sublime view of the mixed medditerrain and gothic architecture. No citizen would approach or avoid me up here so I could forget their prejudices and be grateful for the oppurtunity to visit this fantastical place. The walled courtyard cut off the surrounding busy city from this massive mansion. I turned my gaze towards the castle situated at the center of the city, as it filled my sight I could make out the faint shape of a bird flying in the direction of my luxurious prison. "I wonder if thats my researcher." I thought in an attempt to disguise my excitement that it might actually be Kuri. My excitment was answered, as the bird came closer I saw that it was in fact Kuri.

Her graceful transformation was initiated just before she landed in the courtyard. Her landing the end of a calm float. From above I could see her pull forth the same witches hat from yesterday this time sky blue to match her thin billowing robes. As she approached the gate I saw my wife approach her with a well rehearsed bow which Kuri returned. From my vantage point I saw their breif exchange but I could not hear it. Their brief chat ended with my wife waving Kuri to the entrance of the mansion and leading her instep to the inside. As they turned I had instinctively retreated towards the center of the roof. I stood there wrestling with my desire to go see Kuri immediately. While she may see me as nothing but a subject and a toy; she was still the only person I had met that did not hold an aversion to me. I knew that going to see her would invite more problems than I cared to deal with. Staying on the roof was the choice I settled on.

After the internal struggle I laid on the ground facing skyward, without thought I began to humm songs of my homeworld. Songs that invoked such a strong sense of nostalgia that I could feel the tears welling in my eyes. This alien concert was for me and the guards that were on duty. I laid there with the sky in my eyes but images of home in my mind. There was not a soul here that would humm along or tell me that they loved that song. I pondered wether Kuri would pick up the words from my thoughts. "What are those songs?" queried Kuri from just above my line of sight. "Songs that are alien to this world. You can essentially read my mind, I'm suprised you can't see that." I told the disembodied voice. "Any direct thoughts are overhsadowed by how conflicted you are." That simple observation from Kuri stopped the songs in my head. The way she put my emotional state into a nonchalant sentence struck me like finally crashing into the ground after a long fall. The fall silenced my humms, and I sat up.

From the corner of my eye I could see Kuri stride towards me. The curious witch placed herself directly in front of me. I corrected my posture and she squated so that her blue eyes held my attention. "Ah, so I was correct. What are you do conflicted about dear Elliot?" Her voice said my name with such tender care that a baby held by a new mother would feel as though it had been wronged. That tenderness slightly annoyed me when I remembered that I was nothing more than a research subject. "You mean dear expirement." the thought reached my beautiful investigator as the conflict reared. "No, she is still kind to you and owes your hopes nothing at all." The second bit of internal dialouge seemed to miss Kuri. Perhaps because it was directed at myself. In only my second meeting with her I had pulled forth a new expression. The shine that normally held the center of eye faded and that devious smile retreated behind an emotionless mouth. "That's how you see me? In the week of my absence you've painted me a monster who see's you as a subject of research. How did you get that from our short conversation? How long have you been omniscient?" Her questions where twinged with pain and annoyance. Those questions made me feel as though I would be crushed by the guilt.

The overwhelming guilt hung around my neck, chaining my eyes to the ground. "I don't think you're a monster." My words were barely boyant enough to float above my head. The feeling that I had ruined what was possibly the only decent relationship I could have cast it's ugly shadow in my heart. It gently embraced me from behind, caressing my face it whispered "Ah, you fool. You should just give up." The demon felt as if it were guiding my soul from my body. The shadow burst as I felt a warm soft hand guide my head away from the ground. There in front of me a set of eyes I had only seen twice; eyes that invited me in and made me want to stay. "Elliot it's alright, I was so focused on that one thought I forgot about the bigger picture. I was hurt that you thought that and I am disappointed that you did, but there is no reason to despair. I think I understand that internal conflict a little better." I didn't know if she had seen the demon engulfing me or if she was that much more kind than me. That didn't matter. The only thought in my head was "I must do what I can so that I never make her comfort me while she suffers from a wound I gave her." The only words from my mouth were "I am sorry, thank you." Which she answered with a smile that painted the world in vibrant colours and a renewed shine in her eyes.

"What shall we do today my dear researcher?" I asked Kuri to lighten the mood. "Hmm, I think I'll zap you with some spells then dissect you my dear expirement" That devious smile told me with a playful tone. "Very well, as a lab rat I have no choice." I exhaled as overdramatically as possible. "How is that someone like you even exists? You are absolutely phenomenal." The brief skit was ended as I thought aloud to those blue eyes that would hold me for eternity. Kuri's face turned so red that even her tan could not hide it. "Shut up, you stupid idiot." Her normal deamonor of coyness dropped as her head moved to hide her face. I couldn't help but laugh at the beauty's embessament. A toothy smile sat itself on my face as my laughter faded "I'm hungry would you like to eat with me?" Kuri turned her head despite her still blushing face "Sure. If you'll eat a traditional dish so that I can see how it meshes with your tastes." Her normaly captivating voice now revealed bits of vulnerability. "Of course. I'd be happy to" I said letting the toothy smile grip my face even more which squinted my eyes shut.