An Uninvited Welcome [Finished]

The door swung open.

She stood a few paces behind the owner of the home, her fingers outstretched and fiddling amongst themselves. She was a nervous wreck. She didn't like this idea at all. Malefic chuckling was shared between both sides of the door. The owner and the guest. They hadn't even properly greeted one another. There was no need. Both sides knew who was who. Every quality about this occurrence was odd, bordering on unnerving.

Yet, the oddest quality of all was when the one before her leaned up as the outsider leaned down. She pressed her thin, pale lips against the cheek of the towering woman, eliciting another short giggle. Her lips quickly puckered, if only for a moment. How long had it been since she genuinely kissed someone? Too long. She felt needy. Jealousy? There was a tinge.

Her fingers separated from themselves, instead moving to grip her adjacent elbows. Her eyes fluttered back and forth, scanning over the front door, the floor, out the window, even at her own feet. Anything to not gaze at the duo embracing one another in such an insufferably adorable manner. She couldn't deny it was cute. The pale, petite woman gazing upward to properly view the curvy, significantly taller female. The sight alone was too much to bear witness to.

And then they spoke.

"Mhmhm. Always a pleasure to see you, Mother," the smaller one spoke. She couldn't see her face what with her back being presented to her, but she knew she was smiling her dreadful smile. Her fingers rested along the small of her back, politely clasped against one another.

"Indeed it is. And what has my delightful daughter summoned me for today, hmm?" the other replied, certainly taking her time to coax the words from her bountiful lips. The ever-sultry tone to her voice was incorrigible. The servant's knees shook as it seemed to echo within the confines of her mind; the place where she felt safest. Rather, just as the other was a guest to this home, so too was her voice a guest amongst her own thoughts.

An unwelcome one.

Her chest rose and fell, her breath a subtle shade of frantic. She could feel her cheeks swell with heat. It was the presence of the outsider. Alma. She had no last name. Many a time she'd been subjected to her sight, once even as far as her touch, and all times made her shiver and swelter. She'd made it a personal goal to stay as far from her as she possibly could. She half-heartedly feared that Alma would be the death of her.

"I've some ingredients to fetch. Too many and too... hazardous, to assign to Enndolynn," she announced, her tone quaint and her hands pressing against her hips.

"Oh? Poor little girl," she whined, mocking a saddened pout and pursing her lips. Alma's gaze was directed at none other than herself. Enndolynn. She no longer had a last name. "I suppose you want me to take her under my bosom and keep her nice and comfortable in your absence?" she added not long after, regaining her usual composure and moving her hands to her hips. The one behind the door nodded.

"Yes. It'd be quite gracious of you, dear Mother. And I would find myself quite... grateful... to you," she teased, herself tilting from foot-to-foot in a delighted, childish fashion.

"Ohoho! My sweet little Magnolia, flower plucked from the grace of humanity. I'm a gracious woman! And as your mother, it falls upon me to help you however I can," she chided back, wholly enticed with her daughter's words. And thus, the identity of the woman behind the front door would be revealed. Magnolia LeMaitre. She, and she alone, possessed a last name. Not only among the three looming near the entrance to Magnolia's home, but among the entire LeMaitre bloodline. The reasoning as to why should have been obvious to anyone who stood in Magnolia's presence for longer than a minute.

"Oh Mother, you're much too kind! I must thank you, I simply must!” she happily squealed. Her tone was too childish. It made Enndolynn's skin shudder. She'd heard the wide range of Magnolia's voice, the great array that it was, but this tone specifically gave her an urge to pluck her eardrums from her head.

"Oh, you wish to thank your mother?" the buxom enchantress questioned. Magnolia nodded feverishly, her hat nearly flying off of her head. Alma leaned back and laughed. "So eager to please! I suppose I can indulge." With that said, Alma spread her arms wide, the capelet covering her shoulders straining and struggling to keep its presence there. Not wasting a moment, Magnolia rushed forward. The side of her head mashed against the other's chest, her arms wrapping underneath Alma's and conjoining behind her to give her the hug she desired. The taller woman laughed softly, doing just the same behind the little one's neck. She even went as far as to press her plush, crimson lips against her forehead, her quiet laughter once again echoing through Enndolynn's ears.

Enndolynn's hand moved to her bicep, rubbing along its length in an awkward fashion. She was merely an observer to this display. A third party. She had little use to the situation. She was merely a reasoning for Alma's arrival. Though as far as Magnolia was concerned, that's all she needed to be. She delighted the presence of her Mother. It was utterly abnormal. The torturous petite had a penchant for calling one so corrupted her parent, as if she truly were. Did Magnolia actually think this? Or was the witch merely an underling of Alma's all along? She knew the latter wasn't true... it couldn't be. Not from how Magnolia spoke of her on occasion.

So odd. While not in Alma's presence, Magnolia did still, in fact, speak highly of her. But she spoke rationally as well. She could address her as more of an acquaintance, even a companion, as opposed to her Mother. But now? It was almost mocking to see her formal demeanor crumble and childlike manners instead replace them. She had to wonder if Alma's mere presence alone was some sort of infatuation hex. She wouldn't doubt it.

This hug was lasting far longer than it should be. Enndolynn took a step forward, her bare foot creaking the polished wooden floorboards beneath her. She didn't want their exchange to stop soon, but she grew tired of this sight in particular. Not long after, Magnolia separated herself from the other, chuckling once again. "Mm. I'm beginning to wonder if you enjoyed that more than I did, yes?" Alma questioned, her hands once again moving to her hips. Magnolia's hat tilted forward and her hands moved to her front. She was... contemplating? Or perhaps... Gods, was Magnolia LeMaitre acting nervous?

"Ahh... perhaps? I'd rather not answer," she taunted in a light-hearted fashion. Enndolynn's jaw nearly dropped. Her tone was... she could almost feel the heat coming off of Magnolia from where she stood. Magnolia LeMaitre was indeed nervous. "Maybe I can properly thank you when I return?"

Alma's hand moved to her chin, mimicking a deep thought before smiling down at the girl. She leaned in close, her lips nearly pressing against the petite's ear. Her voice was but a faint whisper, and Enndolynn could no longer pick up on her words. She did, however, manage to catch Alma's gaze. Her yellow, almost animalistic eyes, coupled with the soft pink hovering over her pupils... Enndolynn soon found it difficult to keep her legs from trembling. They leered with lecherous intent, all before Alma bore her teeth and nibbled at the lobe of the witch's ear, causing the girl's back to straighten and her wild tresses to frizzle up. The guest's eyes were still upon the servant's.

She pulled away and smiled, satisfied with the expression on Magnolia's visage. Enndolynn could not see it. "Make haste, dear. I would love nothing more than to indulge you once more." Magnolia nodded as Alma stepped to the side, the girl quickly following her urging and guiding her steps outside of the house. Her body straightened once again, Magnolia turning to face Enndolynn. She could see it now. That pink tinge to her cheeks. Alma was making her blush. The witch's eyes leered for a moment, before relaxing.

"Enndolynn. You are to address Mo-... Alma formally. Anything beyond or below Miss, Madame, Alma, or any combination thereof, and you will regret it. Dearly," she chided, huffing oh-so-slightly and turning her head. She was acting possessive. As if Alma was her's and if Enndolynn so much as stepped towards her wrong, Magnolia would make sure that she'd be punished. Concerning Magnolia, avoiding punishment would be a graceful gift, as obvious as it seemed. Enndolynn's thoughts trailed back to distant memories; her worst punishments had been simple slaps on the wrist or a thorough scolding. Never to the degree had this blighted woman given.

She watched her walk away with a hint of relief, following her trail out of the woods and into civilization. It'd be two day trek for one as light-weight as Magnolia. She'd likely come back with tales of twisting a thief's spine from their throat or rending some fearless wild beast in half. Disgusting. Her manner of gloating about such grotesque displays sickened Enndolynn, even if she politely smiled and listened.

"Now." The door shut, not by physical means. No one had touched it.

"Greetings, Madame Alma." Her first words today.

"Greetings, little Enndolynn. Do you only speak when spoken to?" Her smile was as genuine as it was with Magnolia. The servant could tell. A trait she'd picked up during her past life.

"It is for the best if I do. Typically." Her posture had straightened the very second the door closed. Her hands remained at her middle, politely together as she stared up at the tall woman. Her smile was empty, yet instinctive. Her feet wedged against one another, the girl almost stepping on her own toes.

Alma laughed at the remark. Enndolynn had lapses of wit every now and then, but she suppressed them as often as she could. Magnolia's was overbearing and surpassed hers. She had no reason to express it beyond the occasional slip. Alma reached for the top of her head, pulling her hat off and setting it down on a furnishing located next to the door. Enndolynn nearly giggled at its size. It would surely fall off in a matter of minutes, the apparel was so enormous. "Well! Do not fear me as you would Magnolia," she heartily stated, her middle finger prodding her chin as she relaxed from her laughter. She was teasing. The low, seductive tone soon made itself apparent.

"Fear me as me, Alma."

Her face was blank to the statement, beyond a simple shut of her eyes and a brief nod. However, within her thoughts, Enndolynn might as well have been screaming. She took a careful, oh-so-subtle step back. "Noted and obliged, Alma."

"Ahahah, it's adorable how well you hide fear! Tell me, what sorts of things does Magnolia do to you to make that so? Your composure... so calm and collected. But that's not how you feel, is it?" she questioned, sultry cackling resounding within Enndolynn's thoughts once again. Did her mouth even open to utter it? She was so lost in the initial threat that she hadn't noticed. "No. You're shaking now. Let down your mask, dearest Enndolynn. Show me every emotion you feel," she purred. A bead of sweat dribbled its way down the side of her neck, Enndolynn's lips trembling. Alma picked up on her so easily. Did Magnolia know as well? The two were so close in terms of ability, even if in different categories.

"I... I do not think Magnolia would advise such a thing, Madame. If I were to do the same with her, it will mean consequences."

The bountiful femme's arms slid over Enndolynn's thin, worrisome frame. She swore her throat was vibrating with those enticing little coos. Her entire body mustered enough body heat to light a furnace. "Magnolia will be gone for days, dear little Enndolynn. You may reveal your thoughts and feelings to me. Let me revel in them," she coaxed, before pressing her lips against her earlobe.

"I will it so."

Her nostrils flared. Enndolynn, acting only on instinct, quickly darted out of Alma's hold and sprinted for her room. Darting past her door and slamming it behind her, she pressed her back against the wooden barrier and felt her chest pulse at an alarming pace. A hand reached up to press against her front, calming her frantic breaths in the midst of her panic. "Clean the dishes, water the flowers, dust the tables, sweep the floor. Clean the dishes, water the flowers, dust the tables, sweep the floor. Clean the dishes, wa-" she repeated, before gripping her bangs and slumping against her door. Her head fell into her arms, her elbows pressing against her knees as she stifled a sob. All the while she continued the frantic rise and fall of her bosom.

A sudden ache against her hip made itself known to her, both bone and tender flesh throbbing with a vague pain. She hit the table on the way to her room. A tingle along her stomach only worsened her fears. She lifted her tunic, revealing the very affliction that kept her tethered to Magnolia like a dog on a leash. The curse. Its usual black was replaced with a deep violet. The difference was slight, but she squinted and managed to pick up on the vague difference. It filled her with fear. Did this always happen?

A trio of knocks roused her from her thoughts, her head turning and nearly smacking into the door behind her. "Enndolynn, dear? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cross the line with you, what little I know of it." Horse shit. She knew Magnolia spoke to Alma about her person.

"May I ask for some time alone, Miss?"

"It is granted. Magnolia left a door by the le-... excuse me, a letter by the door. It's a list."

Enndolynn replied. "It is for you, not me. Clean the dishes, water the flowers, dust the tables, sweep the floor."

There was a pause before Alma's next utterance. She likely took the words out of her mouth. Enndolynn knew what was expected of her, and Magnolia only needed to speak her directions once for her to know them. It was a habit the servant picked up during her time here. "Very well. I shall tend to the fl-"

"No! Allow me to do the flowers! I-... please. Please allow me to attend to the flowers. I know how Magnolia likes to water them. The, uhm. The dishes are a rather easy task, I assure you," she mumbled, shaking her head at the bumbling of her statement. Alma chuckled once again.

"You know best, little Enndolynn. I'm merely a guest, after all. Very well, dishes it is." The words were a relief. Heels clacked against wood as the enchantress behind the door finally guided herself away from her room. Enndolynn quickly stood from her position against the door, herself taking a step forward and falling against her bed. Kicking her comforter away and telling herself she'd clean it later, the girl shut her eyes and let out a comfortable sigh. Her bed would keep her safe through thick and thin. She hadn't gotten enough sleep last night. Her incessant dreaming, coupled with Magnolia's dreaded ministrations mixed into a depriving combination of insomnia and depression.

Perhaps these next few nights will serve to relieve her, if just a bit.

Time seemed to stop for a glorious few minutes as Enndolynn drifted to sleep. And then, nothing.

-

"Enn." No answer. "Enndolynn." Her eyes snapped open, but her vision was too blurry to focus on anything but the ceiling. Was that the ceiling? It looked a lot more... purple. "Enndolynn dear, up here." She hastily sat up, her head darting from left to right before becoming vaguely aware of a throbbing pain in her forehead. A pained moan seemed to escape the woman who'd awoken her. A hand reached up as Enndolynn mimicked the sound. She'd met temples with Alma in her surprised fit. "Nnh... oww!" the mature woman whined, bottom lip quivering as she rubbed the afflicted area.

"Ohh... s-sorry Madame Alma. I didn't mean to," she groaned, her palm sliding along the injury. Why was she looming over her in such a way?

"It is... fine. I suppose I deserve it." The words were, if anything, suggestive. They did nothing to assuage Enndolynn's worry. Or her head. "I was going to ask if you were hungry. You have not eaten, yes? Ghh."

"Oh. Ohh!" she shouted, rising out of her bed and nearly kicking her blanket off of her bed. Dressed in little more than a tattered skirt, the thought that she might have given Alma a daring glimpse at anything didn't cross her mind as she bolted out of her room.

"Enndolynn? What are you doing?" Alma followed, leaning against her doorway and watching the blonde servant go about her business.

"Magnolia left food out for me to cook. My apologies, I should have said so before I went to s-... Alma, what time is it?"

Alma looked up, tapping her chin and shrugging. "I do not know what time I even arrived, truthfully." Enndolynn's eyes grew to a size fit for dinner platters. Scrambling, she rushed outside, tripping over the dining room table in the process. Seeing that there was still light, she let out a comfortable sigh and wiped her forehead. She still had time to work. She calmly strode back inside, tentatively soothing her now-aching knee. "Enn dear, you're much too frantic. And... spur-of-the-moment. You must learn to relax, child. I'm here to ple- soothe. Soothe all of your worries," she corrected, moving a hand up to cup her cheek.

"I've responsibilities to uphold, I'm afraid." The way the servant spoke it, it closely resembled a bitter insult to the carefree sorceress. She walked back to the kitchen, hobbling a bit before shaking off the fresh injury. "Magnolia knows I am to attend to them. And if I do not, there are dire consequences."

Alma hesitated. She looked bitter herself, if only for a moment. "Oh? Hum." She turned her head, gazing at the glass pane window at the front door. "I have responsibilities too, you know."

"You do?" Enndolynn mumbled, rummaging through a cabinet in search of a pan. She turned her head to the enchantress, hands still at work.

"Yes. Yes, I do! I have my studies to uphold, and they're quite taxing!"

"Who directs your studies? Or is there someone who instructs you?"

Enndolynn quickly found the pan, extracting it from the cupboard's interior and setting it down upon their stone countertop. Her attention was directed at Alma, who remained silent and glaring at the floor. "I do."

"Then... are they studies as much as they are things you just enjoy doing?"

"They are not! They are complicated and require great knowledge of arcane arts in order to perform." Enndolynn hid a smile, her back turned to Alma as she ceased her work. She'd flustered Magnolia once, only once, by questioning her workings with Alma. Rather than her personal relationship with the woman, she asked about the sort of magic the two conduct in each other's presence. She was met with the witch's flushed cheeks and a delicious taste of her nervous stammering.

"N-nothing you would know of, child! Do not ask such things! I'll... you go fill the water bucket you wretched girl!" When she finally realized that Magnolia wasn't punishing her but merely sending her away in her embarrassed outburst, the mischievous grin that slid along her features could be thought of as little more than dastardly. She felt that sensation now. What a joy it was.

"I am sure they are not, Madame Alma." So brave was Enndolynn's tongue today. It would be the death of her if she didn't relent soon.

"Hush, child. What are you making?"

"Magnolia bought salted pork from the market not too long ago. It's surprisingly tender and well-preserved. And delicious too. You eat, correct Alma?" What an odd question. Did she truly have to ask if the woman ate? She hadn't a clue if she fed off of innocent spirits or solely cute, creamy custard dishes.

"When I feel like it. If you make it, I suppose I may share a few bites. You need it more than I do, dear," she replied. Alma's eyes now began to dart around Magnolia's home, taking note of its every feature. In particular, she rested herself against a cushioned chair in the living area, rocking lightly on it. "Ohh! This is so comfortable!" she hastily exclaimed, her voice shrill and cheery.

"The belongings of a dead man," Enndolynn quickly mumbled under her breath, placing a heft of meat into the metal pan and turning her attention to a small cooking station. It wasn't much at a glance. A rotating skewer, an open fire, and a tiny opening in the ceiling to allow smoke to billow out. With the meat still in the pan, Enndolynn would reach into another cupboard, grasping a flask filled what could only seem like black sand and setting it down. A drawer opened and a small hammer carved from stone and wood soon found itself next to the vial. Lastly, a wooden board was propped against the wall, pulled from the same container as the pan.

Alma watched from afar, intrigued by this process. Cooking, they called it. So many materials.

Enndolynn approached a small device near the floor. She tapped the nubby protrusion jutting from the wall. Once, then twice. A swift 'woosh' could be heard, and within seconds, a small fire would alight from the station. Alma nearly jumped out of her seat. "What?! What is-... how?!"

"Magnolia. She has a taste for... designs. And somehow the funds to pursue them."

"But... the fire. How is the fire started?" Alma was in disbelief. There was no reason the girl should have been able to perform such an amazing feat as create fire with a few taps of a finger and no magic.

"Again, Magnolia. She trapped a fire rune within the confines of a small device that reacts to kinetic energy. Tap it a few times and it alights in the area she designated it to. It's... wondrously convenient," the servant explained. Truthfully, she had no understanding of magic beyond what Magnolia showed her. Even something as simple as runes fell deaf upon Enndolynn's ears. There was only one rune she could have possibly cared about regardless. It burned against her skin at the thought.

Wretched whore.

"How inventive... Magnolia is truly a prodigy, isn't she?"

"I suppose." With the fire now started, Enndolynn extracted the meat from the pan and skewered it, placing it just above the fire's tickling touch and allowing it to heat up. In the meantime, her head turned from side to side. She needed something else. The smell of the delicacy was too much, and she knew it alone wouldn't satisfy her. Turning her attention to the cupboards once again, the servant opened them and reached inside, extracting a large sack with a hefty 'thump' against the floor. Alma's attention fell upon her once more.

Undoing the knot around the sack's apex, she'd reach in, then out. In her hand would be a dry, brown lump. A potato. She smiled and placed it atop the wooden board, tying the sack together once again and shoving it back into the cupboard. "Oh! It's been awhile since I've had potato! And that one is quite large... what do you plan on doing with it?"

Enndolynn's cheeks flushed at the question. "Oh. Uhm... well, I usually cut them into little balls and sear them. I use the shavings to make a broth. I know potato water sounds kind of gro-"

"Oooh! Dearie me Enndolynn, that's absolutely adorable! Do you do anything else with them?" Alma's hands clapped together, the woman squealing at the thought of the girl's cooking.

She smiled, a touch encouraged by Alma's words. She hadn't cooked for her, the few times she'd visited. Most meals had been pre-made or too simple to exemplify her culinary ability. "Well. I uhm... I really like spicy foods. So I put pepper on it," she nodded, gripping the vial stuffed with the seasoning and lifting it near her head. She gave it a few shakes before setting it back down, opening the same drawer that contained the hammer and taking out a knife.

"Oh? I always imagined you enjoyed sweet foods. Maybe even bitter ones," the woman teased, laughing to herself and causing Enndolynn to form a sour expression.

"Better than your diet," she mouthed to herself, placing the potato on the cutting board and cutting off the ends. She didn't skin it, instead beginning to cut the dish into decently-sized cubes with practiced expertise. While slicing off the corners of the fresh cuts, a hand reached over to turn the meat, allowing another side to be properly heated.

"It's so fascinating watching people cook. Does Magnolia cook for you?" There was an air of genuine enjoyment to Alma's tone. It served to encourage the one at work, having now cut out a few balls of the otherwise bland vegetable.

"Sometimes. Yesterday she made me french toast," she hummed, her voice oddly cheery for someone of her usual disposition. This seemed to surprise Alma. "It was my birthday yesterday. Before then, she'd make it for herself and allow me the leftovers. If not, I'd just make breakfast for the two of us. I'm typically up quite early, Miss," she continued, her tone seeming to take a much more serious nature as the words stretched on.

"Ahh. So I presume you do most of the cooking then? I suppose I should also say, happy late birthday, little Enndolynn," she teased with ginger smile, rising from her seat and making her way towards the smaller one. "I can help, if you'd like. I'm not an amazing cook, but I'm quite good at... being told what to do," she purred, herself looming behind the blonde.

The girl set down her knife, having finished shaving the last of her rounded potatoes. Her presence alone was mind-wracking. She felt as she had in the morning; invaded in both body and mind. "Alma?"

"Yes, what is it dear?"

"Why is it tha-" she began, before reaching a hand up to wipe it from forehead to chin. A question for another time. "Never mind, Alma." She seemed confused, the enchantress' hands moving and beginning to massage the troubled girl's shoulders. Enndolynn herself rotated the meat along its skewer one more time. The final stretch for the meat's journey before it'd be fit to serve.

The whispers against her ears were becoming more incessant than they were arousing. "Enndolynn, come now. Speak your mind. Let Alma wash away all of your troubles," she continued, and were it not for her having reeled back a moment ago, she likely would have went along with the coaxing. Rather, the girl took the pan, unfolding two notches from the side of the wall. She took the metallic stick spearing the meat and placed it on the cutting board, making sure it didn't touch the shavings. It proved difficult with the woman relaxing her back in such an assuaging fashion.

"Hum. Why so solemn, child? I'm trying to help, you know," Alma muttered, taking a step back and crossing her arms. Enndolynn turned, looking off to the side and shrugging.

"Maybe I cannot be helped, Madame." She gently placed the potatoes into the pan, bracing the sheet along the notches in the wall and allowing the flame to graze the bottom. She smiled, already beginning to imagine the scent. It lasted until she turned her attention back to Alma.

The woman looked nothing short of displeased. Far from angry. Something more akin to a child being denied. "Naughty girl. How am I to enjoy my time here if all I receive from you is brief utterances and a meal now and then?" she pouted, another hand reaching up to part her short, purple locks from her line of sight. Enn's shoulders raised, as if the girl were receding in herself.

"I do not know. I never imagined anyone beyond Magnolia could enjoy this place," she shot back, her voice shaky at the thought of such a sentiment. It'd be quite a feat if they could. Though considering the witch and the enchantress' similar demeanor, she found herself perplexed as to why Alma wasn't already enjoying this domain. "I find myself enamored with cooking. I had little opportunity to practice it years ago. It's... nice."

"I suppose you're telling me to scamper off and wait until you're finished?" the other quickly shot back. Her body screamed to say yes. Her lips even parted to begin the simple word, before the servant stopped herself and closed her eyes. She'd close her lips not long after. What would be the consequence of saying yes? Would it be easier to accept or reject? Alma was amused by the other's expression, but not necessarily pleased. She could see the servant's internal struggle.

"Of course not, Madame Alma. Your presence is much appreciated. Relaxing, even," she politely muttered, slowly turning herself back around and beginning to tend to the potatoes. The fire worked quickly, the girl rolling them within the pan so that other sides could be met with the flame's overbearing heat. Alma leaned in, her chin almost pressing against the smaller one's shoulder.

"Enndolynn. You're a sweetheart. But I can feel everything you can. Bottling it up inside won't get you anywhere. Please, talk to me. You have no worries. I will not harm you, nor will I relay anything to she who holds you." Again, the sheer genuine nature to Alma's every demeanor caught Enndolynn off-guard. How was she to take this? Alma could read her like a book, but Enndolynn's view to the other was jumbled. Jarred. A scrambled puzzle that was too far out of her league.

She clenched her eyes shut and looked back down, masking tears and moving a hand up to rub them away. Again she moved her food around, preparing the vial of pepper. "Perhaps... perhaps after dinner. And cleaning. Yes, Magnolia told me to clean, I must."

The mutter was met with a sorrowful sigh from Alma's plump lips, herself closing her eyes and nodding. "Of course, dear. Shall I set the table?" she encouraged, her eyes wandering about and seeking out the proper dinnerware. Without looking away from her pan, Enndolynn pointed to a counter to her left, bracing four ceramic platters and a couple of utensils. "Thank you dear."

"No. Thh..." Enndolynn began, her neck straining and her head bowing for a moment. Once recuperated, she swallowed and turned her head to face Alma. "Thh-... thank you." Her face was pale-stricken, her eyes blinking before swiveling back to the task at hand. Alma noted this.

Enndolynn found this strange. She'd thanked Magnolia so easily just yesterday after her sensual torment. Why now did she find it so difficult to thank the woman for her display of kindness? She didn't want to dwell on it.

She carefully lifted the pan, gripping its edges with a dishcloth to keep from burning her fingers. Setting it back down on the counter, she uncorked the vial and shook it just a touch, making sure there were no chunks of the stuff to catch between her fingers. Placing a bit of pepper within her palm, she'd slide the seasoning down onto the cutting board, taking care not to let it touch the meat. Wiping her hands with the warm towel and setting it back down, a pinch of pepper would find itself betwixt her digits, soon sprinkled atop the potatoes. Clanking plates and scratching silverware reverberated through her ears as Alma went about setting the table.

"Say, Enndolynn," the enchantress spoke up, rousing the servant from her idle act. "This pork. Is it buttered? I remember liking butter." Remember liking butter? What an odd thing to say. Alas, Enndolynn shook her head.

"I'm afraid not, Miss. We have no butter here. No way to properly keep it."

"Ahh. What a shame! You should ask Magnolia to think something up! I'm sure her prodigious self could find a way if she put her mind to it!" Another odd utterance. She closed her eyes and gave a quick nod.

"Indeed." It was painful to think of Magnolia in any positive way, but she supposed she could appreciate what she was provided. Or perhaps Alma's kindred demeanor encouraged her to do as such. Her fingers were shaking as she placed the last of the seasoning onto the food. She carefully picked the side dish from up and moved herself to the table, setting it down with a grunt. Moving herself back to the makeshift stove and tapping it again, she'd turn the device off and snuff the once-burning flame. Corking the vial of pepper and placing it back in its designated cabinet, Enndolynn smiled and moved her hands to her hips. Alma had taken the liberty of moving the meat onto a platter at the center of the table.

The meal was ready! It took far longer than she'd thought. "Err... Enndolynn. Do we have anything to drink?" Alma's question stunned her. She'd completely forgotten!

"Yesyes, just a minute!" she cheered, grabbing a duo of cups from the counter and darting outside. The sun seemed to be on the verge of setting; she would certainly have to eat quickly if she had any intention of doing what Magnolia expected of her. Her feet pit-patted against the ground as she walked along. Soon, he came into view.

Her dear old friend. "Greetings! Yesyes, I'm here. Alma is too," she nodded, turning the handle with a squeak and placing the cup beneath the faucet. "Well, Alma's not with me now. She's inside finishing the table arrangements." The water sputtered for a second, sending a light spray against Enndolynn's feet. She let out a whine and glared at the pump, having sufficiently filled the glass now. "Hey! Watch it, mister!"

The trickle weakened for a moment as Enndolynn moved the other cup under the running pump. "No, she wouldn't do that. Magnolia would kill her if she tried. Probably. I don't know... I don't even think she knows how to do that sort of thing. I'm more worried she'd put something else in there."

Another quick sputter soaked her feet. Enndolynn glared, turning the faucet off and huffing. "Fine! If you didn't want to talk, all you had to do was say so!" she shouted under her breath, turning back around and picking up the other cup. A swirl of purple vanished from the corner of the house, almost missed by the unsuspecting girl. She caught her breath and nearly dropped the water-drenched set of glasses. What was...?

She shakily stepped back towards the house. The path felt colder against her feet this time, but she discarded the thought as she bumped open the door and moved herself inside. Alma was properly seated and smiling, both plates set with a hearty slice of tantalizing meat, on top of a trio of pepper-grazed potato balls to go with. Forks and knives were properly set along with a cloth napkin beneath them. The enchantress even added a teasing touch by placing a candle between them. "Hello Enndolynn."

"M-Madame Alma! This is... a bit m-"

"Seat yourself, child. There is no need for any questioning. Come! Let us enjoy your meal!" Setting down a cup to Alma's left and placing her own above her plate, Enndolynn did as instructed, pulling her chair out and scooting it back in once she was properly settled. There was a question tickling her tongue. She opened her mouth to utter it.

"Alma. Did you... you didn't see me tal-"

"Banish the thought, sweet little Enndolynn. I was here settling the table for the two of us!" A sweet scent now made itself apparent, Enndolynn's tongue rubbing against the roof of her mouth upon catching whiff of it. Perhaps it was just Alma's natural aroma? It smelled familiar, truthfully.

"Ahh, of course Alma. I suppose we should begin eating then, correct?" she returned, eliciting a sole nod from the woman adjacent to her. Enndolynn immediately reached for her knife.

"Atdat! Before we do, actually... Magnolia does not require any sort of prayer before eating, correct? I'd rather you not pick up a bad habit out of my ignorance."

"She does not," Enndolynn shot back, now picking up her fork and knife before setting them on her plate soon after. The napkin settled into her lap, Enndolynn having already begun to carve a piece of meat from her generous slice.

And then, they ate. It was a spectacular meal the duo shared. Even if ingredients were sparse and the cooking was a tad shoddy, Enndolynn couldn't have asked for a better meal. Alma seemed to share the same sentiment as well! The two were overjoyed. "Mm-mm-mm! Delicious, Enndolynn! You truly couldn't have proved yourself a better cook." The statement brought a blistering crimson to her cheeks. Such praise!

"Oh dear, Madame Alma, I'm flattered. Thank you," she nodded, smiling shakily at the notion of the other's approval.

"Mm. Say! People usually talk during meals, right? Well, let's chat!" Alma practically demanded. She found it odd; eating with Magnolia, the two rarely uttered any words beyond asking for things to be passed and thanking the other afterward. "So. Tell me little Enndolynn. What kind of clothes do you like to wear? Surely you desire more than those dusty old dresses Magnolia gives you, correct?"

The girl moved a hand up, sifting her hair behind her ear and considering the thought. "Ahh? Well. I miss wearing scarves. Gloves are handy too! And... maybe a coat? It doesn't get cold often, but I dread the thought. Nice and fluffy... ooh," the girl babbled, that warm, almost greedy smile now plastered across her gentle features. Alma laughed and raised a hand, almost knocking her glass off of the table at the little one's expression.

"Well! Scarves are doubtlessly easy. Gloves even moreso, though you'll have to give me a generous look at those pretty little fingers of yours, yes? A coat, however... hmm. Well. I'll see what I can do!" the woman grinned, knowing for a fact she'd enticed the girl. Enndolynn's glassy eyes seemed to narrow, then widen. Was Alma... offering?

"You... you'll give me clothing? Why?" Her bottom lip trembled. She had no idea what to say. Magnolia gave her nothing but her room and her tattered rags of clothing. Even on her birthday all she received was breakfast. But now? To be offered luxurious garments at the hands of one of the witch's associates? She had half a mind to call it a ruse.

"Oh, a simple reason, lovely. Your smile is so bright! I can only imagine what you look like weeping with joy. Your solemnity blackens my heart... truly saddening to see. If I can put just the teensiest spark in those clouds above your head, I'm sure you'll shine like your own little star," Alma responded, punctuating the last of her words with a few twirls of her finger. The older one had long finished her meal, Enndolynn herself down to a few slivers if meat and single potato. She chewed slowly, feeling tears seep through her sockets and her throat stifle a hollow mewl. Alma's eyebrows furrowed. Both hands moved to the table, as if she were about to stand, but both her expression and body seemed to relax at once. Enndolynn assumed the woman knew now why she was on the verge of sobbing.

The assuring words were saddening to say the least. Disgusting thoughts of transferring servitude from Magnolia to Alma nearly made her vomit. Magnolia would kill her before she gave her to anyone else. She'd likely kill Enndolynn herself were she the one to utter such a betraying statement.

"I'm sorry, Enndolynn. You're... ahh. No. Please," she spoke, rising from the table and smiling softly. Moving herself behind Enndolynn, she'd carefully place her hands to the other's hips. "Rise, dear."

Enndolynn did as she was instructed.

The enchantress loomed behind her, humming a soothing tune near her ear. "You will relax, at the very least, today. I am restless, I have no use for sleep. I will perform your tasks today, as you will rest. But before that," Alma cooed, her words trailing off as she began to step backwards. Enndolynn followed, the woman guiding the servant to the seat she'd placed herself in before. "You are a troubled soul, Enndolynn. You need release. Tell me. Tell me everything. Tell me what you feel. Tell me what you know. Tell me of your life before this. Tell me of Magnolia. I want to hear everything. Please, Enndolynn."

Alma seated herself, Enndolynn cradled in her arms like a small child. Her arm was propped up, allowing the girl a generous view of the other's bosom as she spoke her mind. She couldn't keep her eyes open. Not like this. This was far too... enticing. Enrapturing. She faltered.

She told her everything.

She told her of her childhood, raised by her valiant father and sweet-hearted mother amongst their happy family. She told her of Ashura's story and how it encouraged her to become a knight. She cried telling her of the letters that her father sent her, reciting two of them by heart. She wept telling her of her old set of armor and how she'd decorated it. She told her of her band of knights and how she enjoyed their company, even if they weren't exactly a famous branch of the king's hand. She told her of the first time she killed another human being. She told her how they received a mission to check a forest near a small, happy settlement.

She told her how she nearly lost her boot in some corruptive, tar-like muck. How one elderly knight passed out against the ground, exhaustion and exertion overtaking his weary bones. How the dreadful screeches of some unimaginable beast resounded throughout the night in their effort to sleep. How they'd found a stone path that led to a house built into the earth.

Alma's eyes closed, her nostrils flaring with a sorrowful breath. The enchantress could feel a tear well in her eye.

"She... she came out. We didn't have a clue what she looked like. She tilted her hat over most of her face. My captain was mad. Fuming. He swore the second he saw the house, and when we saw the girl, he swore even more. She was so short... but one man had shouted that she was a witch and fled. He was killed seconds after. We drew our weapons... most of us did. They... those tar-beasts. They were so quick! Some struck before our allies could so much as grip their handle. But our captain was quicker. With three of our best men backing him, they fought. They fought so desperately. I had never seen my captain so angry and scared at the same time. Gods, if I could only tell his wife how many he'd killed... but they just seemed to come back. One died and another would replace it. There was a limitless source to these things."

"Everyone was dead when I finally realized that one of the beasts set its sights on me. I... I stabbed it. I don't know if I killed it. To this day I still don't know. I just... there was another behind me. It took hold of me when that girl approached. It didn't devour or dissolve me like it had all of my allies. It just held me still. I couldn't move. She talked to me... this child spoke to me like I was a plaything. A tool. She told me that she found me fascinating. I begged her to kill me. But she wouldn't. She... she..."

The girl closed her eyes, sniffling and moving a hand to the hem of her skirt. Her eyes were baggy, dark circles having formed underneath them from her consistent crying. The hand gripped the edge and lifted, exposing her naval to the other. The deep purple from before seemed to grow much lighter, its shade considerably more noticeable now. Alma gasped, her eyes wide and darting around every feature of the evidence of Enndolynn's subservience. The smaller one felt akin to a dog on its back, exposing its weakness. A glove-covered finger moved down, slowly easing towards the mark. Enndolynn was quick to shove her skirt back down and shake her head.

"It is the source of much... feeling. I cannot stand when I touch it, let alone Magnolia. I cannot imagine what would happen if you were to." Alma merely nodded in response, but she remained shaken.

"You... were not finished, were you?"

"She placed the mark upon my stomach. I... I attempted to take my life afterward. But the girl... she spoke once again as I held my captain's dagger against my heart. I could have plunged it in so easily and rid myself of this painful existence... but what she said. She knew every action I would try. I considered lashing out and stabbing her once the beast freed me, but when she made the claim before I did, I hesitated. I thought of my friends... my family. Who would live and remember my friends if they were to die so grotesquely? How could I die knowing that there might have been the possibility that I could free myself? I was bound to her. If I killed her, I too would die. I was her... Wight, I believe she called it. She told me her name."

Alma tucked her head. "Magnolia," the two said in unison. She nodded, her eyes spanning back to the speaking servant's stomach as Enndolynn shut her eyes once again.

"I could feel my very soul being tainted. That... no, this vile mark was the source. I laid against the ground, surrounded by the carcasses of my allies, torn this way and that. I retched. Over and over again. The smell was disgusting. Even moreso than the beasts who performed the horrid acts. I crawled to her front door and weakly beat my fist against it. I had already told her my name, but to her, I looked like little more than dirt. Dust. She called me the two for some time. I was bedridden for days. At times I couldn't even feel my own legs I was so weak. But she kept me fed and tended to as I grew used to the place's corruptive presence. The stench of death surrounded me. I will never forget the smell that hung around that slaughter field. I could almost taste the raw death. As I regained my strength, she told me..."

The seated one tilted her head, the one laying along her lap beginning to tremble. Enndolynn paused, a hand moving up to cover her mouth. She couldn't tell if the little one was stifling a sob or on the verge of vomiting.

"She told me to clean up the mess outside. She didn't do it herself. She didn't allow her beasts to come back for their second helping. Any animal that so much as sunk its teeth into their corpses would run and screech. Even the maggots would not touch their bodies. She waited for me to come back from the brink of death and tend to them. It's your responsibility dear, she said." Enndolynn's nose scrunched as the exact memory fluttered back through her mind. Her brow furrowed, but she quickly sank back against Alma's hand. "I did it. I had to. I couldn't bury them individually. Magnolia would not allow it. I... I had to put them all in a pile like some sort of battle-ravaged warzone and just... cover them up. Their names forgotten, their bodies defiled. Their remaining survivor broken at that point. No task in my life has been worse than coming to terms with that moment. I almost underwent death again I'd retched so many times. Pungent was the reek of murder and corruption. I... I cannot forgive her for it. I won't. Ever."

Alma reached up, her hand wiping away a few of her own tears. Before her laid the most succulent of emotions blending into the saddest taste to ever tantalize her tongue. She was crying, even if slightly. She hadn't done so in an almost immeasurable amount of time. Truly, this girl had faced adversity far greater than any other. It almost made her resent the little witch for a moment. This swirling pool of rage, depression, and hopelessness was unrivaled. She'd desired to feed off of what she could, but even this grew too overbearing a taste. "Enndolynn."

The blonde looked away, beginning to sit up before being urged gently by Alma to stay put. "Enndolynn, child. I'm... I'm sorry. Honestly so. I could not imagine knowingly making someone relive such accounts. Your happiness taken away from you in such a fashion... why. I'm crying, ahaha! I almost can't believe it," she cackled, a clear sense of pity evident within her tone. The girl continued staring off to the side, arms crossed and her vacant stare directed at Magnolia's room. "There is one thing I simply do not understand."

She looked up into the bestial gaze of her company. "Why do you not seek revenge on Magnolia? Why not kill her? Even if it means your own life, or that you may not see your family again, why do you make no effort to fight back?" This was a curious sentiment from Alma. Everyone else who had been through such harsh circumstances would have surely retaliated by now. And yet, both Magnolia and Enndolynn live on.

Enndolynn tucked her head. The answer was simple, but extremely difficult to utter. She pried her pale lips apart. "Because..." she managed, clenching her eyes shut. Alma leaned in her pupils practically dots with anticipation. "Because I am afraid to die. I don't... I don't want to die! How could I do such a thing?! I'd rather live in cowardice and servitude than die uselessly! I've contemplated death more times than I've smiled during my time here, and yet I'd never do the former. It's... I can't! I don't want to stop living!"

An astonishing answer to the woman, without a doubt. Had Magnolia really terrorized her this much? Likely. But perhaps this was within Enndolynn's true nature as well. Alma merely tucked her head and leaned in once more, pressing her lips against the troubled one's cheek. The girl writhed for a brief moment, before slackening in her arms and letting out a defeated whimper. Her nose and cheeks remained rose-tinted, shriveling with a desperate sniffle every now and then. Alma's aim was to revel in the flavor of her emotions and relieve her of her stress, but the girl's burden was so great that she couldn't help but feel she was now carrying a bit of it. Worst of all, she likely burdened the poor girl even more by coaxing her to admit it.

Alma stood, humming to herself and looking down at the mentally-exhausted youth. "Sleep now, child. I've put you through too much, and for that, I apologize." Carrying the sniveling girl, she guided her steps towards her room, budging her door open with a hip and taking note of its interior. How small it was. There was a sharp ache in the recesses of her thoughts.

Why did Magnolia make a two-room home before Enndolynn herself had even arrived? A question to be asked later.

She set Enndolynn down atop her bed, pulling the covers up to her neck, her sickly-pale face still exposed. Even in her weakest moment she found herself admiring the girl's features. Shimmering, golden hair with just the slightest curl, coupled with eyes blue enough to be sapphires themselves. The way her tresses had been styled almost seemed to resemble a soft wave making its course, the flowing locks behind them akin to the towering tidal wave that would soon follow it.

Her eyes remained open, even as Alma properly straightened. She rolled to her side, her gaze now fixated at the wall. While her stare remained looking towards Alma, she merely did not look directly at her. The enchantress seated herself at the edge of the bed, contorting to gaze down at Enndolynn. "You're not too troubled to sleep, are you little Enndolynn?" She shook her head, a soft scratching sound resounding between her hair and her pillow. "Perfect. Then... do you mind if I do something?"

"What would that be, Miss?"

"I would like to watch you fall asleep... surely that's not too odd of a request, yes? It's... very soothing to watch. Such a tranquil process of the mind easing and flowing freely amongst itself," she affirmed. Enndolynn figured she had little choice in the matter. She tucked her head back into her pillow and nodded, her grief-ringed eyes closing and beginning her soft, sleepy breathing. Alma rose from the girl's bed, herself now braced against the adjacent wall and clasping at her elbows. Truly, there were little things in this world that could be more adorable than this. The gentle raising of her chest to those button-like little nostrils dilating to let her idle breathing continue. The girl's mouth soon fell open in her slumber, a hint of drool curdling at the corner of her lip. The enchantress had to stifle a giggle to keep from waking the poor dear.

Once she felt she drank in enough of the sight, Alma shut her eyes and leaned off of the wood behind her, guiding her steps toward the chair in the central area. There was much to take in, all of which was told by the now-sleeping servant. Magnolia was as cruel as she bargained herself to be. She'd assumed the girl had been merely exaggerating at times, but judging from the raw disgust of the other's circumstance, that thought was now put to rest. But for now? There were chores to do. With a twirl of her finger and an ethereal purple surrounding its tip, a slew of platters and the lone pot began to rise from the table. The creaky front door opened on its own whim, Alma following the floating kitchenware into the moon-deprived night. She took a step back from the exit, noticing a broom braced against the corner closest to her. Another twirl of her fingers and the tool began to move on its own, sweeping along the dusty ground.

She could see perfectly fine. Such was a feature of her boon granted so many years ago. There was another, much more curious sentiment she was worried about. Heels clicked against stone as she moved towards it. The watering pump. As the dirty platters settled neatly beneath it, she reached out and turned the nozzle. It didn't seem to begin, but there was a certain rattle that shook her ears. "Now. What do we have here, hmm? She talks to you, but you remain silent to me?" she mumbled, the rigid, metallic serpent now beginning to gush with water. She found its silence impatient. "Speak to me. What things are you telling Enndolynn? And how dare you mock her!" she shouted, teeth clenching a bit as a wooden pan quickly moved itself beneath the pump. A plate moved itself beneath it, Alma's hands resting on her hips as the cleaning process began.

This will be a long interrogation.

Her attention turned to the note stuffed within her corset, Alma now having pulled it out and opened it. "Clean the dishes, water the flowers, dust the tables, sweep the floor."

Easy enough to remember.

-

Enndolynn awoke. Naturally, for once. No one had whispered her name and shook her shoulder. No one shouted for her from the kitchen. No one pulled her skirt up and began to move their fingers along the soul-staining blemish across her stomach.

No, this was a genuine awakening. In her sleep-drunk state, she hadn't noticed the new arrangement of her bed neatly against the corner of her room, nor the open dresser stuffed with her tattered, dusty clothes. When her board-creaking steps moved her from her dwelling to the home's central area, she found her eyes widening and her mouth agape.

The place was spotless. The tables were neatly adorned with a fresh cloth, the chairs now graced with padded seats and even the various items across the along the counter now possessing a bit of cloth beneath them. Everything was neat. Orderly. A complete and utter renovation geared towards perfection.

What would Magnolia say about this?

But most of all, there was one major addition to the household. A sleeping Alma. Her head tilted to the left, her eyes completely shut and her mouth agape. As her bountiful chest heaved, a creeping snore pried its way free from her nasal cavity, causing the girl to chuckle. Hadn't she said she didn't need sleep? This was definitely an amazing spectacle. A once boring home, now furnished with patterned cloth and a snoring beauty of a woman. She put her balance to her right leg, noticing something sticking out of Alma's lap.

A set of sewing needles and what looked to be an elongated set of cloth, colored a vibrant blue. Enndolynn caught her breath. It was a scarf. She couldn't believe it. Alma didn't go and grab the garments from some sort of market. She made them. Each and every set could be traced with a vague scent of sweat and dedication. She was fit to cry on the spot, but decided against it. She would repay this. A tireless night, without a doubt. She had to wonder where the luxurious decorations even came from. Alma was doubtlessly more than just an enchantress.

She tucked her head and smiled, moving her attention to the drawer containing the home's silverware. Taking out a sole utensil, she'd quickly go about her work. She looked down to a platter, freshly cleaned from yesterday. A sweet fragrance worked its way into her nostrils, Enndolynn surprised by the pleasant aroma. If the color pink had a scent, this would without a doubt be it. She turned her head back to Alma, smiling softly. Truly, a generous woman.

Minutes passed through the home as the buxom one's constant snoring rang, the interior heating up a good bit as Enndolynn finished the last of her work. Setting down a knife, its teeth and tip coated in red, she'd smile lightly and look up. This was certainly one of the happiest moments during her time here.

Alma stirred awake, her eyelashes batting as her pouting glance shifted to something a touch more dumbfounded. Mumbling lightly, she set down her half-finished work of cloth on the floor, rising from her seat and turning. A particularly warm feeling enveloped her, but it wasn't noticed in favor of something else.

Enndolynn was hunched over the counter, a sharp utensil drenched in crimson at her side. Her eyes widened as she slammed her fist against the chair and shouted. "Enndolynn! Gods Above and Below, not like this Enndolynn!" she screeched, stunned at the appalling display. The servant screamed and nearly jumped out of her skin, turning to face Alma. Amidst the shriek-filled home, a few dots of red would be thrown upward, then land against the floor with a squelch.

"What?! What?! What happened?! What did I do?!" she panicked, her eyes darting to and fro, before settling on the one who'd frightened her. And as Enndolynn would turn, all would be revealed. An unlabeled jar of thick, lumpy jam, strawberry to be specific, revealed itself, a trio of bread slices decorated with the sweet coating adorning a plate. Next to it, legitimate strawberries ready to be placed atop the slices, one sliding off now.

Alma heaved, her cheeks bloating and her eyes rolling back a bit. The surprise was enough to dismay her composure, both inside and outside. She wobbled towards the front door, her hip bouncing against the chair as she did so. Swallowing the lump forming in her neck, she took in a deep breath and moved her hands to her hips. "Ahh... apologies, Enndolynn. Merely presumptions... urff..." she grumbled, pushing her way outside and slamming the door behind her. It took little more than a few seconds later for a resounding grunt of displeasure to be heard, soon accompanied by a splattering noise against the ground.

Enndolynn winced at the sound. It was fit to make herself do the same if she had any idea what the poor woman had done. She didn't mean to make her do such a thing! She simply wanted to make her an appreciative breakfast for all of her hard work from the night before! Granted, she may have gone overboard by placing strawberries atop strawberry jam, but she thought it decorative and delicious nonetheless!

Alma swiveled back inside, her eyes sagging and the back of her palm rubbing away any trace of bile from the corners of her mouth. "I'm... I'm sorry Madame! I didn't mean to scare you!" The older one merely shook her head, attempting to regain her composure.

"No... no. It's okay little Enndolynn. It was a little farfetched of me to think you'd do something like that. You... uhm. You made breakfast, yes?" she managed, swallowing in an exaggerated fashion and straightening up now. Enndolynn nodded, her teeth sinking into her cheek.

"I did, yes. Are you sure you're in any position to eat, Alma? I can fetch you a glass of water if you'd like. I need to soak a rag anyway to clean the strawberries."

"That would be lovely. Would it be okay if I took the one with the strawberry atop it? It is, admittedly, quite cute." Enndolynn's face absolutely beamed, herself nodding as she looked about. She reached for a glass, heavy with that sweet scent that all of the dishes now possessed, and hastily made her way out of the door to fill it.

Alma, on the other hand, was still quite shaken. To think she'd immediately jumped to the conclusion that the girl had killed herself! And to elicit such a reaction from one as typically-composed as herself. It was perplexing... the two had rarely associated beyond the happenings of yesterday, but now she found herself crying and retching in her presence? This attraction was nothing short of... well. Attracting! And there was truly only one other she had something else of an attraction to.

Not a minute later did Enndolynn hobble back inside, a fresh glass of clear water being handed to Alma. She took it hastily, tilting her head back and downing half of it on the spot. The servant carried the platter to the center of the table, turning it so that the sole, strawberry-adorned slice was offered to Alma. The taller one seated herself, watching as Enndolynn knelt to the floor. "Uhm... dear? What are you doing?"

The girl looked up, a wet cloth in her hand. Almost immediately, Alma would see. Mushed strawberries. Enndolynn carefully picked them from the floor and wiped the juice-stained mess clean. The process wasn't long, but it did cause her back to ache just a touch. Already Alma had begun to eat, herself smiling all the while. "Mm mm mm! Enndolynn dear! This is delicious!" The girl smiled and gave a quick curtsy.

"Thank you, Miss. I'll admit, it's made with a hint of selfishness. I've been craving strawberries for quite some time, and Alma did not allow me to touch them for the time being." Alma leaned back, her legs crossing at the information.

"Oh, is that so? Hum," she teased, an eyebrow raising. Enndolynn paused for a moment, her face seeming to flush. Should she have said that? Probably not.

Her teeth chattered for a moment, the girl moving herself to a seat and beginning to eat as well. "It's... it's fair! Strawberries are my favorite food!" she defensively remarked, causing Alma to bounce with a few soft chuckles. Her hands reached over, an index finger lifting Enndolynn's chin for a moment. The girl clinched her teeth, stopping mid-bite. She released not long after, Enndolynn having swallowed her food.

"Yes, I suppose it is fair then." And with that, the enchantress rose from her seat, smiling softly and giving a wink to her companion. The servant's fears were far from assuaged. There remained one last slice of bread after she finished her first, herself eyeing it carefully. Alma had already begun to move towards the front door, pushing past it and going outside. The brief rays of sunshine that flowed inside told Enndolynn that it was morning, their cheery, lighter hue grazing her face.

It didn't take long to finish the next slice, and just as Alma had, Enndolynn walked outside and moved towards the pump, stuffing the last of her meal in her mouth and holding her platter at her front. Just as she reached the corner of the house, her ears tingled. Someone was talking. Not just someone. Alma.

"-ink you can really outsmart me? Alma?! My efforts were for naught yesterday, but I WILL make you talk by the end of tonight!" she shouted. Oh Gods. All at once, Enndolynn rushed forward, past Alma and towards the pump. She knelt down and began hugging it, staring up towards the taller woman.

"Don't hurt him! Please! He's my friend!" she asserted, her lips trembling as she dropped the platter. Not enough to shatter it, but there'd certainly be a shared twinge between the duo's ears as it hit the ground. Alma crossed her arms.

"I do not trust him. He mocked you yesterday! And on top of that, he's too stubborn to speak to me!"

"No he didn't! He was just... moody. And I was being incessant. I always force my problems onto him, it's only natural! And... and he only speaks to me! I don't know why," she continued. There was clearly a tinge of doubt present in her words. Alma's hands remained on her hips, looking back down to the pipe.

"I still do not trust him. But... if you do, I shall leave him alone," she muttered, seating herself and beginning to wash her plate off. Enndolynn did just the same, even rinsing off the rag used to clean the strawberry mess in the process. And thus, the two would move back inside. As Alma shut the door behind them, Enndolynn turned her head from side to side. Her eyes darted to and fro, the girl trying to decide on something to do. Alma, on the other hand, moved back to her seat and picked up the scarf, as well as the sewing needle stuck within. She had something to keep her busy. Enndolynn, however, did not.

"Ahh... Alma?"

"Yes, dear?"

"What am I supposed to do?"

"Well. What do you usually do when you've finished what's asked of you?"

"Magnolia always has something for me to do."

"Ohh. Hmm. That leaves you in quite the predicament then, doesn't it?"

"It does."

Alma turned her head to stare at the idle girl, lips pursed and her head bobbing to her left, then her right in a mock-thinking fashion. "Perhaps you can relax, then? I did say you could."

"I do not want to relax. I... I need something to do. I get lost in my thoughts if I don't, Madame."

"What's so bad about getting lo-" Alma began, before turning her head forward once again and stowing herself. She'd attempted to silence the words, but the damage had already been done; both Enndolynn and she knew why such an action shouldn't be undergone. The silence was awkward, to say the least. Alma hadn't a clue what she could assign the girl. She'd taken care of everything necessary the previous night, and hadn't even stopped to consider the consequences of doing such a thing for a subservient spirit as Enndolynn.

"Doesn't Magnolia have books in her room? Why don't you go grab one sweetie?" Enndolynn flinched, her shoulders raising and her teeth gnashing. Her wrists turned, fists balled up at her sides.

"I cannot. Magnolia does not permit me within her room, Miss."

"Oh? Then let me go grab one for you," she cooed, arising from her sewing and setting down the cloth project once again. Enndolynn shook her head.

"I truly wouldn't recommend that. I haven't a clue what's in there, and I don't thi-"

"Hush, child. You fret far too much. You remember Magnolia and I are practically equals, remember? If she can handle it, you can assure yourself that I can as well," she chided, turning to face the maiden with a hint of disdain present in her visage. Enndolynn supposed it was justified, even if the thought made her bitter. She reluctantly watched as the woman made her way inside of her captor’s room.

Something of a shriek would resound through her delicate ears, Enndolynn looming beside the door frame now. “Alma? Are you okay?”

“Absolutely terrific, dear! My oh my, I never thought I’d see a book like this again!” she happily shrieked. Now Enndolynn was enticed. "Here, I’ll come show you.” Alma strode out, cluing for Enndolynn to follow her outside. The stewardess did as such, her eyebrow raising at the ginger way the sorceress now presented herself. Walking a bit further down the carefully-carved stone path trailing around Magnolia’s house, Enndolynn turned her head behind her, gazing at the beds of flowers she’d neglected to tend to last night. A deep worry struck through her core.

“Madame. You watered the flowers last night, correct?”

“Of course I did.” Relief. Enndolynn’s shoulders sagged and a sincere sigh escaped her lips. “Now. Do you know what this book is, little Enndolynn?” The girl shook her head almost immediately. The cover was embellished in what looked like bronze, its language foreign and lost upon her eyes. The sight itself sent tingles down her spine. Was this what Magnolia delved into on the daily? “It is a summoning book! Gods, I haven’t seen one of these in decades!” she continued, hugging the book to her chest and emitting a girlish squeal.

“A… summoning book?” Chills. She was aware of one sort of creature Magnolia could apparently summon. Around them, they slept in anticipation for passers-by.

“Yes, a summoning book! Here,” she resounded, opening the book and flipping through the ragged folds of parchment. Over and over the process continued. There were hundreds of them. At last, it seemed Alma settled on one and turned the book to face Enndolynn. “Do you see this?” She certainly did. A detailed sketch of a creature born of stone, presiding atop a roof with its crimson gaze set upon the ground.

“Yes. It is a Gargoyle, correct?” Alma’s next immature utterance was enough to spike her eardrums.

“It is! Now, watch,” she commanded, setting the book down and entwining her fingers. In the next moment, she outstretched them, a saturated blue encompassing her hands like some sort of odd, flowing water. Enndolynn straightened and shook her head.

“You are...? No! Do not summon such a thing in Ma-“

It was too late. In seconds, a bright flash of light appeared, a small rip in the air seeming to form around Alma’s hands. Seconds later, there would be a creation of magic, stone, and evil presented before her.

In Alma’s palm.

The creature was barely the size of a hummingbird. As it awoke, wings outstretching and head turning, Alma would reach down and begin to pet along its cobblestone back. It let out a roar, comical for its size, and laid on its belly in her hand. “See? So cute, isn’t it? I’m honestly surprised Magnolia doesn’t keep any creatures around here! Especially with all of the potential this book provides to do so!”

Enndolynn began to open her mouth, before looking down and stopping herself. Maybe it’d be better if she didn’t properly know. “I don’t understand. Why is it so small? The picture depicts it as mountainous, draped atop a menacing castle.”

“Ahh, you see Enndolynn. While Gargoyles are often the most basic and effective of summons, you do not have to summon them in the sizes that they are believed to be. That’s, more or less, the fledgling mistake. While yes, it takes a little more concentration and effort, you can summon them to be as small, or big, as you desire.” The creature raised its head, looking over the fleshy surface it rested upon. “And what’s more? You can… influence, them, so to speak.”

“Influence? How is it possible to influence a beast? What about demons with their own intelligence?”

“The latter is much more… risky. The former is quite simple! You simply concentrate on what you aspire their purpose to be in the midst of summoning it! Do you want it to sit atop your staircase and guard your castle? Perhaps loom the halls of a dungeon in hopes of it catching any fleeing prisoners? Or maybe you’d like a nice pet that has an added boon of protecting you until its death? Some purposes are instinctive, some require effort from its owner, but all are achievable. A summoner without effort is a dead summoner.”

There was more to this than Enndolynn thought. She thought such creatures acted of their own accord, not the whims of those who summoned them. Of course, it made many things much more clear. One question tugged at her mind. “Alma?”

“Yes dear?”

“What is the most dangerous summon of all?”

Alma’s eyes glared for a moment, the yellow of her sclera brightening for just a moment. “Succubi.”

“Succubi?”

“They are cunning, seductive, and know their purpose. They will stop at little to achieve it. Even the most fearsome of warlords and battle-hardened beasts all possess one innate desire. To breed. Succubi deny that and instead feed upon their feelings. Their lust. Their passion. Their very soul.” Enndolynn’s eyes widened for a moment. Hadn’t Alma said something of the same nature when she was coaxing her into admitting her woes? Alma looked down to Enndolynn, tucking her head and shaking. “Do not dwell on it, little Enndolynn. My intentions are… reformed. Never to the degree that Succubi will stoop to.”

Enndolynn simply nodded her head. Another fearful thought to add to her collection of detestable memories. Alma sighed, realizing she had perhaps gotten a little too serious towards the other. She cupped her palms together, a brief hiss and another flash of light dissipating the summoned creature. "I'm sorry Enndolynn."

"You have nothing to be so-"

"No. Do not lie to yourself. I've caused you a great deal of grief in the sole day I've been here. I've forced you to relive the very reason you remain here, I've scared you half to death twice now, and I... I assumed that my recounts would cause you to end your own life. It may not mean as much to you, but to what I now know of you, to think that one whose presence is nothing but a baseless tedium to one as trou-"

Her words were stopped. Something that she had never expected occurred. In the wake of her blathering, an external force pressed itself against her.

Enndolynn hit her. Her clenched fist slid off of her bicep, the smaller girl gritting her teeth and attempting to hold back tears.

"Shut up."

Alma was stunned speechless, her eyes widened and her jaw hanging. This was more than a physical wound, as weak as the hit was. A boiling mass of frustration and anger was touching her. A wall of regret and spite so enormous that Alma feared it'd fall atop her.

"You... you shut up! I don't care how long you've been here! I don't... you're not a tedium! And you don't know me!" she shouted. Enndolynn was trying to say something, that much was obvious, but the scrambled circumstance of her thoughts was preventing her from properly expressing it.

"You're an idiot. An idiot for thinking you know me." How long had it been since she'd been insulted like this? "You're an even bigger idiot for thinking I'd kill myself because I spoke of meeting Magnolia, as if I don't go over the thought every fucking day of my life!"

Alma's bottom lip trembled. She'd been around the girl for such little time, and yet, it was as if her own offspring was screaming these forcible words at her.

"But." But? "You're not... you're not a tedium." Her body lurched forward, Enndolynn's head slumping against her side as if she were trying to shove her with her petty form. "You're the best. The best time I've ever had here. You did more for me in one day than Magnolia has in a year. You're not a tedium. You can't be. Not when I feel this happy." The sobbing began. Alma couldn't stifle one of her own. A single arm draped atop Enndolynn's back. She lowered herself.

Alma began to cry.

It was near-impossible not to. Not in the wake of the festering emotions twisting and tugging within Enndolynn. She was right to be fearful of her; she could taste the emotions that the girl felt, whether she wanted to or not. But the stewardess' balling frustrations and woes were too flavorful, too strong. Strong enough to make the carefree sorceress cry against the smaller one's shoulder. Her tears pressed into Enndolynn's shoulder, herself gripping her biceps as she mewled with sadness. "Enndolynn. Enndolynn, I'm so sorry!"  She cried out. She couldn't think of a particular thing to be sorry for, but shouting the words were instinctive. This was pity. She felt pitiful towards the girl.

Enndolynn broke. Her arms outstretched and wrapped around Alma's back, herself wailing and releasing all of her misery in one pained cry. She swayed, her powerful depression nearly compromising the stability of her legs. This was far too much. And yet, there was an inkling of happiness inside of her as she cried. Being able to dig her face into someone's bosom and howl with despair; she did not have this luxury with Magnolia.

Minutes passed as their burst of emotions began to die down, Enndolynn's nose running and her clothes damp with Alma's tears. Likewise, the bountiful woman's crumpled form found its garments stained with the blonde girl's waterworks. Alma eased back, guiding Enndolynn into her bosom and tentatively petting her head. There was only one thing running through the servant's mind.

"We cannot tell Magnolia of this."

Alma was shocked. Despite all of the previous concern with Enndolynn's situation and her own thoughts, the first thing on the other's mind was Magnolia. Truly, even if she was beyond reprise, this was a loyal girl. "Yes. We shall not."

Enndolynn's head sagged back into the buxom one's cleavage. Around them, nature tittered and shook. The wind was blowing, the chill grazing the duo's sides told them that much. An eye moved itself from Alma's bust, gazing to their side. She could see it. That sole red dot. They were watching. She held back a sniffle and sighed, adjusting her stance to be more comfortable within Alma's tender hold. "I truly am sorry. If not for you, my display of... weakness, I suppose I should call it. You are a powerful force, Enndolynn."

Her head tilted back, gazing up at Alma. "I am... powerful?"

The enchantress smiled. "Yes, sweet child. Very powerful. I... it is a very difficult thing to put in words. It's more of an understanding, yes? Yes. You, who fell from grace and serve the abominable. You are powerful."

Enndolynn was without words. She could think of no way to reply to this. "May we please go back inside, Alma?"

"We may."

Inside, Alma's steps would guide her, carrying the little Enndolynn. Inside the house of the abominable Magnolia. She would rest herself within the chair she'd slept in previously, Enndolynn strewn along her lap. The strain of crying was immense on both of the women. Twenty six hours had proven Enndolynn capable of moving a being who had existed for centuries. She who required no sleep, now having undergone it twice.

They slept, embracing one another.

___

Otherworldly circumstances and existences surrounded her regularly, whether in one plane of existence or another. She'd crossed paths with a four-armed abomination that called itself a prince. She'd met with a tentacle-laden maiden that wore clothes and spoke as something of a collective. Books of unknown origin and powerful contents had graced her in her younger years, guiding her towards this path of wretchedness and corruption.

She was the Maiden of the Horrorplane.

She was the Dark Priestess.

She was Magnolia LeMaitre.

She was being betrayed.

Her tongue clicked against the roof of her mouth in a mocking, motherly fashion. She'd arrived at her destination. She could do so at any time. Sometimes, she desired to arrive through arcane means, others, she humored herself with a relaxing trek and a gracious view of nature. She was powerful. A being of limitless choices and unpredictable habits. Some would call her crazy. Others would bend their knee and claim her their Queen. Most would die.

And here she stood in front of one who had been graced with her trust and had it stomped before her. She was cross.

Swords, spears, and axes loomed near her throat, her arms raised and her patchy, worn overcoat swaying with the wind. "You have betrayed me, Sebastian."

"The price of the witch's head is worth far more than any money you could give me. Any trinket you could sway me with! When this is over, the world will be rid of one more scourge, and I will be all the richer for it!" Greed. How baseless. She had dribbles of humanity left; she craved rich, expensive foods from time to time. She desired the luxury of a foot rub. Every now and then she'd even go as far as to consider a new residence. But, she had control.

These two-legged pigs did not.

"Am I a scourge, Sebastian? Or am I one of your best customers? Surely, when this is all over and I am dead," she began with a sickening, sadistic curl of her lips, "They won't find the bones of your wife you so graciously killed to fuel my need for such wares?" She didn't need them from him. She had plenty of decaying meat stored a few feet underground, courtesy of some woefully incompetent band of morons who dared to step upon her front yard one year ago. Well. There was. But, there was a twisted delight in finding out what a man would do for money. She told him she'd needed his wife's provisions in particular. She was the "perfect specimen". Truthfully? She could have done it with any old corpse, rotting or freshly dead. She had the means to pay him. The real currency was the impending dread buried within his mind. He did what he did for some bits of yellow metal.

There was hesitation present within his expression. All of the guards' eyes were on Sebastian now. "Is this true, alchemist?" one asked.

She'd revealed his darkest secret. This would be the second time he would kill someone for money. He'd summoned guards to stop her 'cursed business', as if he weren't the one who was running it. So stupid, the petty ones were. Honestly, she was flattered there was even a bounty present on her head. Gold gold gold. That's all it ever was with these simpletons. "You killed her! You forced your disgusting thoughts into my mind and persuaded me to do so!" What an excuse! Though... certainly, the thought had crossed her mind had he refused anyway.

"I did no such thing, I'm afraid. A lowly witch can only do so much, after all. I am but a fledgling. Which is why I suppose you must salt the ground before the sprouts bloom, yes? I must say, very smart of you Sebastian. To kill me as I experiment with my capabilities." She was keen, but that smile was ever present. Sebastian was wholly unnerved. His thoughts reeled over his previous encounters with this deviant. Had she ever spoken of her skill with whatever she delved into? No, no she hadn't! This was a stroke of genius. He would be crowned a hero for preventing another large-scale witch from existing!

"Ahh. You are assuaged? Good." Magnolia's fingers fluttered. "I advise you all to look downward. Watch in horror, and know that this is what happens when you dare cross paths with a Matron."

The dread was settling in. Magnolia had their lives in her palm the second they pointed their weapons at her. The ground beneath the tent began to darken, grass and cloth becoming pitch black and motionless. Hastily, arms broke through the ebony-tinted ground and raised, hands gripping the shaft of each weapon pointing at her and snapping them in half. Metal and wood would drop to the floor, but there would be no sound. Only the sight of the broken tools sinking into it. Panicked gasps and grunts began.

The boldest lashed out. A spire of sable immediately jutted from the ground. In an instant, the pained screeches of the tens of men would resound through the area, some gurgling on their own lifeblood and others shrieking as their life neared its end. The entire circle, bar a small surrounding of Magnolia's feet, would erupt in sharp, rigid shafts that impaled the immediate vicinity like some sort of pointed, black jungle. Most would be killed near instantly. Others would be graced with seconds more.  There would remain only two standing after it all.

Magnolia and Sebastian. He stood, stunned silent and his frame bending over. A rumble of his throat resounded and his breakfast would be spewed onto the black ground. "Now. Sebastian. What have we learned today?"

The man couldn't speak. His jaw trembled as he turned around and darted as fast as his thin, robe-clad legs could carry him. Magnolia hissed and looked down. She wasn't as accurate as she could have been; she nicked her thumb in the midst of it all. "Damn. Oh well." She showed no worry. A wall of thick, stone-like spires erupted in front of the traitor, circling him off and keeping him contained. He turned, bashing himself this way and that in futile motions. "I must say, I'm ashamed. In myself, that is. Your life is a petty one, Sebastian. I should have predicted your betrayal sooner. Regardless, I think I'll revel in this. Do you know what ingredients I need, Sebastian?"

"Let me out! Kill me! Kill me you whore!"

"Now now, we'll get to that dear. But first, I want you to tell me you're sorry. Not to me, of course! I know you hold no remorse for one such as I. Say it to the tattered corpses of... whatever band you called for me. Do you remember? I know you only care about your own life right now, but you should know some twenty-something men are dead because of you! So sad. They seemed so chivalrous too. Righteous, even!"

Saliva curdled at the corner of the man's lips. He was bestial. Again and again he threw himself at the confines of his ebony prison. "Hmm. Truly pathetic. Well! I suppose that's acceptable. You share one thing in common with your wife. You're expendable in the wake of those stronge-... actually. That goes for just about everyone, doesn't it? Redundancy, oh how I loathe you! Ahah!"

"You're sick! How do you sleep at night, you disgusting excuse of a human being?!"

"Quite simply. I tuck my head against my pillow, mull over how much greater I will be than almost everyone I cross paths with, a-" she began, her head suddenly lurching to the side as a dagger whizzed past her ear. She turned her head, smiling down at the burly man who attempted to ambush her. "Ohh, yes! So vigorous! Tell me, there is a hole in your che- two holes in your chest, and three more in your legs, and yet here you crawl?! Alive?! Oh, you were definitely the talk of the team, weren't you?" she goaded, closing her eyes and smiling. His mouth opened to utter a profanity, before another spike rose and speared the man from his mandible, jutting from the top of his head and dragging his face into the ground as it receded.

"That was rhetorical. Now, Sebastian. My mood is ruined. So sorry for you! I was going to make you suffer so beautifully! But I've lost track of my babbling. So, I'll simply remind you of what I require."

Magnolia seated herself, a rigid tendril rising from the dusky ground and curling to allow her to do so. She crossed her leg, tilting her hat back and pressing her fist against her jaw.

"I need a human soul. Care to donate?"