Sally's Story

Chapter 1:

The First Time I was Born

The first time I was brought into this world was on the 5th of June in the year 1805. I lived with my mother and father , until I was 5 when my father had passed away. My mother had found it hard with out him, and soon there were rumours were around that my mother had lost her mind with grief. Once she told me that I was the only thing keeping her from doing exactly what was being passed around. 3 or 4 months later, my mother became happier, she'd let him go, she had finally excepted that he had moved on into the next world. Not long after those last few months she was her self again, but our little family had a gaping hole left from were our father had once stood. The Elemental's guided my mother as best as they could, and doing anything to support her by giving her money, giving Counselling, to even spells that could help her just to keep up the life she had once lived when father was alive. In those days the 'superstitions' of witches was not believable, but there still was some which knew the truth about us, and they had they're suspicions about what me and my mother really were. We could not break any rules, and we had to denie what we were but we knew no matter what we said, it was too late to change they're minds.

1816:

The morning was warm,The sun shone brilliantly I could feel it heat my skin like the stove would in the winter's chill, keeping me safe, hugging me with its rays. It lit up orchard making the land look beautiful, the apples, red and juicy hung ripe for picking, my basket lay down by my feet nearest to the tree that held the swing and me up, the ropes where hard and strong under my hands, I felt safe , knowing that the rope will not break, seeing no fay in the rope. I took a deep breath in and tasted the sent of the air, fresh and pure, nothing polluting it nothing disturbing it. Then from my right a musky sent, blew into my direction. I looked over my shoulder slightly to see how far away he was from me.

Victor was walking towards me with two apples, one in each hand, he looked gleeful, happy to be free from his room, by the looks of things. A wide smile across his face making his face glow. loose light brown curls bouncing with every step he took, and his eyes as blue as the sky glittered with excitement. What could possibly be going through his head, I would not know, but I couldn't wait to find out what he was thinking, I was beaming with pride knowing what I could do know that I was able to do out of months of practice, and after being free from ghastly Mrs finch (the really incarnation of the horrid witches in the fairy tale books) was one of the best things that could have happened this year. I knew now though that I only had one more season of of secondary 'witching' to do before earning a more extravagant mask. For now it was just an eye mask flimsy and plain, it had a little crack it from the news of fathers death, but it will close up with time.

The thought of my father made me made me wince, I loved him so much, I missed him now, It would have been a perfect day with him here, but with out him it is a perfect but imperfect day, of my happiness, his lack of presence had torn a hole in my heart and it will never heal. I remember the times we spent here on the swing by the orchard, riding his horse along the main footpath skimming the edge of the apple trees, and on the swing with mother, dad pushing us, all of us laughing having fun. Mother never came here any more, she cry s a lot when ever she's near the apple trees. I sometimes cry too, but my father wouldn't want me to cry.

"Sally," Victor called "I have news from your mother, she wants to see you as soon as you get in, she wants to talk to you about something."

I turned as if startled by his presence. Humans don't have as good hearing or sight as Witches or Wizards, so by pretending to be human I had to lie to survive, the last time humans found out about us, they went on witch hunts to destroy us into extinction, Innocent people where killed, human and witch alike, but hardly ever men, humans had this odd assumption that it was women that ruled the witch craft. Male dominance, no one believes the women since they are a lower class, oh so they think, but in reality it was mostly women who were witches, there were fewer men, but ever since the Witching, the number of women witches had fallen, and had gone down to match the number of men in the witch community. I also struck me as odd that they called us witches, we call ourselves witches only because the name stuck, our actual calling was spellbinders, a name we earned well by putting our gift's to good use, our gifts were different to others, but we all have different categories or elements, Fire, Water, Air, Earth, Wood, Light and Dark.

Fire is what my Mother was categorised under. My father was was categorised under Dark, He abandoned his element to be with my mother. The elements did not care who you married or who you fell in love with , except for the Dark clang, they believed in the purity of they're bloodline, they did not want any 'impurity' infecting the power they had, Dark was one of the most powerful elements in the spellbinder community, the only ones who could dispute this power was the Wood and Light element. I belonged to two elements Fire and Dark ,but because I was a half breed I was disowned by the Dark clang but in time I will join the Fire clang, but it would never to be the same as being a full fire binder.

"What did she say?" I called back. I smiled at him gleefully, I loved Victor, even though he was human, I loved him like any friend would love they're friend, but when he smiled back, he obviously loved me differently.

"I'm not sure," Victor replied, he was nearly standing next to me now handing one of the apples "something about a dinner at Ms. Emeline's estate."

"Oh yes, I remember my mother talking about it yesterday,"I stated nonchalantly "aren't you and your family going?"

"Yes mother and I are going, but father has business to attend too." responded Victor, I couldn't help but notice how nervous he was, like he was worried about his father.

"Vic, what's the matter?" I used his nickname to comfort him, he knew I was there for him no matter what.

The crease in his forehead deepened and he looked away from me suddenly focusing him attention on sitting on the sing next to me and taking a bite out of his apple. I waited , I knew he will tell me in his own time, I would never force an answer from him, that would be most certainly unfriendly, and and rude of me to do. So instead I tried to search his thoughts.

This Witch business is insane, how can papa listen to such insanity from Grandfather, There's no such thing as Witches, their only fairy tales.

My breath was cut short, how?!?! and who!?!?!? was all that was running through my head, and why?!?!?! IT IS NOT POSSIBLE! Or was it? Was it possible that they have found one of us out? When I knew very well that Victors father did not believe we where real, what had made him change his mind?

"This may sound insane," Victor confided, he shook his head , laughing a bit, "but papa is going on a witch hunt, he believes that there are actual witches in our town, can you believe that?"

He had turned to me now, to wait for my answer and reaction to all this nonsense his father was up too. I had to pull myself together. He was waiting for an answer.

I smiled "The witches? As in Fairy Tale Witches?" I replied laughing, to me it sounded fake , strained, but Victor did not notice my anxiety "What nonsense, if there where witches then we would be able to spot one from a mile away."

Victor smiled relief spread across his face.

"I think we had better make our way home," I said "Mother will be waiting for me."

"The last one to your house is a dirty rodent!" Victor declared, the last subject forgotten now that I have given my opinion.

We ran up the hill my basket of apples under my arm. We gave up half way there, I was going to get there first. I always did , even with a basket to carry. When we had both given up, Victor (like a true gentleman) insisted to carry my basket to the estate, when we had gotten to the main building of the land, the house was bustling with activity. The maid's running up and down the stair case, ignoring us because of the work going on. I mused over this, wondering what was going on , until my Mother red hair flying, moved swiftly towards us.

I could not get use to my mothers presence, she filled the room with life and love , she did not even have to say anything, and she'd silence a room within a second of her arrival, and when she spoke everyone would listen, but not because she was harsh, or authoritative in any way , but because she was so graceful even when she spoke, and she spoke the truth when ever she could, she was a kind and helpful person of the community, and never spoke a word of gossip about anyone, and she was so beautiful that it would hurt to look at her. She had dark blue eyes that you could never see the end of, her lips were full and red, and her hair was a shocking red that you could admire from miles away, it fell just bellow her shoulders. Nearly every women who had seen her, had envied her instantly, and nearly every man who had laid eyes upon her had fallen in love with her, but there was only one man who she could ever love and that was my father. Her mask was a full one, a one to cover her face, It was a light red, gold feathers came out of the left side of it , the eyes where round circles, portraying her honesty, a gold outline framed them, and intricate patterns covered its surface with Floral veins and flowers all of the colour burgundy, and on the right hand side a crack which have travelled from her chin to touch just under the mask's eye. The wound which will most probably never heal, which had been inflicted by the news of my fathers death. Only I could see this mask, because of what I was, Only I could see the gold which shows her high status in the Spellbinder world.

"Sally, darling you have to get ready," she declared "Ms. Emelines dinner was cancelled and I have offered to have it here, where have you been?"

"Picking apples mama," I started "Mama, I have to-"

"Apples? Oh how wonderful!" Mama beamed "Oh darling, can I use them for apple pie tonight?"

"Of course mama," I responded " but Mama there something-"

"Thank you Sally Pie!" Mama thanked clapping and dancing around "Oh Mr. Downy your father wanted you , he wants you to say goodbye to him before he goes on his business trip, tell him I wished him the very best of luck for me would you?"

"Yes, I will Ms. Thompson," Victor smiled up at my mother "I sure he would be glad to here of your thanks."

"Oh Mr. Downy , you are such a gentleman," My mother smiled down at him, be fore looking around. "I afraid I must be off, there's a lot to do." She picked up the basket of apples, Victor had put on the table, I ran off the to kitchen.

"Mama!" I called after her, I frowned in the direction she disappeared too.

"Your mother is a right one isn't she?" Victor laughed, looking in the same direction I was looking at. I frowned at him as well. My mother was like any other mother to me.

"I'm sorry, Sal' but I have to go," Victor looked back at me, he looked as if that it might offend me leaving "Father is leaving and I want to say goodbye before he goes."

"Its okay Vic, I got to get ready," I smiled half heartedly at him, I was sad that he was leaving, I was having fun with him here, and if there was a lot going on then getting ready will be hellish for me. "and I'll be seeing you at dinner tonight, it will not belong before I see you again."

He looked happy now being reminded that he will be seeing me shortly again. He said goodbye one last time and turned to go the way we came. I watched him walk through across the pavement and through the gates so he could turn and wave, and then I rushed upstairs to get ready.

MadiMadz/Toccogirlx Stories : Sally's Story