The winter days were always freezing in Castanet but at two in the morning Molly could have sworn her toes were turning blue. Desperately knocking at the door, the cold seeped into her numb knuckles. Despite her attempts, there was no sound on the other side and eventually she resorted into exhaling hot puffs of air into her shaking hands.
How much longer did she have to wait? It was as if winter's frost was beginning to pierce her heart.
Sparkling, jagged icicles were latched to the azure roof of the cream coloured house. Indigo curtains drawn at the windows concealed the inside, provoking her curiosity. But Molly didn't understand. She was told that whoever was inside would help her, and he wasn't even answering the door.
She never would have been here if the witch kept her meddlesome head out of things.
Earlier that week, Molly sought out the witch of Fugue Forest. Crushing dead leaves and frozen twigs under her boots, she boldly ventured through the forest's tantalizing maze. It seemed like hours before she stumbled across a tangle of vines and discerned a silhouette of a dusty pink house behind it. Surrounded by a swamp, the house loomed at Molly and her newfound Harvest Sprite companion Finn.
Although its facade was unwelcoming and dreary, it was their destination.
The circulating rumour was that in her spare time - and she had quite a lot of it - she spent conducting scandalous experiments or pulling pranks on the occasional villager. If anyone was in possession Green Bell, it would be her.
Besides, if anyone had the ability to reverse Molly's curse, it would be the witch. The Harvest Goddess was unable to assist Molly, with her dissipated magic. And while Molly had met countless psychics and mediums, she had never come upon people with magic.
But inside the witch's house was nothing Molly expected.
For instance, she was immediately attacked by a voluptuous bright pink frog.
Naturally, she panicked. While rubbery feet scrambled around her face, Molly shrieked. Her hands flew to the top of her strawberry-blonde hair in blind attempt to pry off the reptile. "Finn! Get...it...off!"
"You slimy big reptile bully!" Finn cried, flying to her rescue. "Get off Molly!" To retaliate the frog's assassin, he threw his diminutive body into the frog's side. A cloud of glittering dust drifted into Molly's sight.
Finn's counterattack seemed to work, as the frog croaked, defeated and hopped off Molly's poor head. Then it bounced to perch on a vacant maroon shelf, positioned to menacingly glare at the pair. Its stomach swelled and puffed and seemed to give a big harrumph.
"Molly! A frog just harassed you!" Finn cried.
She offered no response, inhaling deeply repetitively to calm herself down from the tumultuous events. Then she examined the pink amphibian with wide chestnut eyes, only to receive another haughty glare in return.
"What kind of frog wears a black hat?" she said, confused.
Finn's eyes bulged open. "It's witchcraft!" he declared. "Molly - we have to restore her! Let's go see the wizard in Harmonica Town!"
Which brought them here.
"Where is he?" Finn seemed worried. He swarmed the darkened windows with a rancorous scowl that did not suit his childish face.
"The witch is a bitch," Molly muttered under her breath, but her tongue could barely move to utter the words. "T-turning herself into a stupid frog. I-I'm gonna...kill her…"
As soon as the last sentence flew out of her mouth, the door promptly swung open. Molly was surprised. Maybe all wizards didn't have grey beards and sported a pointy purple hat. Instead, she became face to face with a young man, blinking at her slowly with one amber and one emerald eye.
"You wish…" his voice crackled, as if he hadn't spoken in days. He paused to clear his throat. "To kill… the Witch...?"
There was a hint of amusement in his tone, although Molly was unsure if it was meer interest with his stoic look. She shuddered and nodded. The turbulent bite of the cold was causing her lips to turn blue while he simply stood there raising an eyebrow. It seemed like ages before the realization hit him.
"You're cold…" he murmured. "Come…"
He beckoned them inside. They slipped inside the comfortable vicinity of his home and Molly had never been so grateful to be indoors. She studied her surroundings as she vigorously rubbed her hand together, desperate to create heat between her frigid palms.
The first commodity that caught Molly's eye was the massive telescope in the corner of his room, adjusted to point toward the stars under a pristine domed roof. Then her eyes wandered to the countless books strewn in numerous locations. The pages were yellowed, decades old and carefully leafed through. Books were even stacked in towering piles wherever she turned.
"Wow," she said, dumbfounded.
"He only let you in because you said you wanted to kill the witch," Finn said in a sing-song voice.
"Yes… and no…"
Finn squeaked and darted to balance on Molly's shoulder. Chagrin from head to toe, he loudly whispered, "He can see me!"
"Who are you and why can you see Finn?" Molly inquired. Molly eyed her unnamed companion. He ignored her, striding towards the mystical amenity in the middle of the room: a crystal ball. Then he returned her gaze with a curious by wary expression, clearly unmoved by Finn's blatant remarks.
She waited for an answer, a gesture of the hand, a purse of the lips. But he remained silent and barely moving, so she piped up once more. "Are you a fortune teller?"
The thought running through her mind was: What if he knew how to help her with her curse?
His brow furrowed, so Molly tried again.
"Finn said you were a wizard and said you can help the witch."
This caught his attention. Now he met her eye steadily, analyzing her with utmost precision. "What has... Become of the witch...?"
"I wanted her help," Molly explained. "But she wasn't exactly there..."
"Was there... a frog...?"
Finn said impatiently, "Yeah, there was a frog."
"..."
"It's not my fault!"
"That's her... She tried using her magic to restore the Goddess tree, but her magic... backfired. " He frowned. "I cannot change her back."
"She had a couple of things I need," Molly said hotly. "Is there any way?"
He peered at Molly and she was uncomfortable under the mismatched colours of his irises. Tattoo-like marks were adorned underneath his amber eye, the mystical pattern reflecting a silvery shine under the light. Their gaze was broken as he abruptly swivelled around, navy cloak sweeping behind him. She caught a mild, heavenly whiff of cocoa butter.
As his tanned fingers lingered over the crystal ball, Molly could only decipher a cloud of images. Whatever was concealed within the crystal was only for his eyes, she knew. The nostalgia of fortune telling reminded her of her grandmother. As she blinked away tears, her nostalgia was ephemeral when the wizard cleared his throat. Conclusively Molly was reminded that standing in front of her was a mystical man in a mystical house instead of her grandmother.
"You're used to this," he noted. "You understand… what I'm doing."
"My grandmother was a fortune teller too," Molly replied.
"A misnomer…" he mused. "I am… Wizard…" He didn't elaborate but continued to observe the surface before his eyes. Molly studied him.
"I am able to restore the witch, but I require you to obtain certain items."
To commiserate, the wizard listed out a number of items essential to the spell and their locations. It would take weeks, even a couple of seasons if Molly and Finn were clueless with what to do. Being entrusted the task of finding all that was required, Molly and Finn sleepily thanked Wizard and returned to their home. "I don't know what kind of potion requires good cornmeal and perfect butter…" Finn complained. Even with the oddity of the quest, at the crack of dawn the next morning and weeks after, they embarked on a quest for the Wizard's ingredients.
One by one, the items were brought to the wizard, who always gave an approving nod and light praise. Upon visitation, the duo's meritorious efforts were not in vain as he gradually began brewing the spell in the corner of his house.
As she spent more time with him, Molly began to learn quirks about the wizard. While she was aware he was a bibliophile, she discovered that in his spare time he was immersed between the pages of his books from sensational literature to extensive Latin to ancient spells. She had never met anyone so studious before.
"You should ask him about your curse!" Finn suggested, but Molly was always too embarrassed to ask. With frequent visits and discussion about bringing back the witch, she troubled him enough.
She also learned that he was a taciturn individual who rarely smiled and often trailed off mid-sentence, lost in thought. The crystal ball gave him the ability to see into people's hearts and their desires, although he told Molly he chose not to invade their private feelings. Occasionally, however, a villager brought him an offering in exchange for advice and methods to win the heart of someone they adored.
In spite of the disparity between Molly and the wizard, they got along well.
She could only hope the wizard enjoyed her visits as much as she did.
"It is finished," the wizard announced one day moments after Molly had breezed through his door with a chirpy, "Hello!" He dropped a final hibiscus petal into the broth and then scooped the potion into a thermos.
Winter was on the edge of melting away into a cool spring and the time had soared since she stepped into the wizard's house that frosty night. She couldn't believe the day had finally come to restore the witch.
"So what now?" Molly asked.
"Let's go..." He strung a rucksack containing the spell book and the thermos in his left shoulder then drew up his hood, silvery hair concealed. Without glancing behind, he strolled out the door without bothering to lock it.
Finn and Molly exchanged surprised looks. Everything had happened so suddenly, they hadn't moved.
Finn was contentious. "You mean we have to see that scary witch?" He cried, but Molly soon followed.
As soon as they arrived at the witch's house, the frog pounced. While the wizard was unfazed, Finn shrieked and darted into the nearest cauldron he could find. When the frog leapt once more, the wizard's hand shot out and it froze, suspended in the air.
Finn reluctantly emerged from his hiding place. "I guess she isn't that scary this way," he commented.
"I don't think I've ever seen a frozen frog before," Molly said, reaching out a finger to stroke the bubblegum pink tongue frozen midair.
"Don't...touch..."
Molly guiltily retreated her finger.
Unscrewing the thermos, the wizard poured a plum coloured potion on the frog. Immediately she began to glow a faded violet. He began muttering an incantation under his breath and Molly could hear every word. It was the clearest she had ever heard him speak. The swirling magic was radiating off his fingers.
As the wizard pointed to the witch, he finally said, "Praeter naturam... mutare statum!"
There was a cloud of pink that filled the entire room and a clarion pop! Seconds later, there was a sharp snap of the fingers and the cloud instantly evaporated. In the place of the frog was a petite, frowning woman sporting a pointed hat with silvery hair curling unnaturally at the ends.
"I'm finally back to normal!" she exclaimed.
Molly expected her to be a benign witch with gentle smiles and bubbly laughter, but the second she turned to the wizard, Molly realized she was anything but.
"What the heck took you so long?!" the witch yelled. She began stamping her feet. "I was stuck as a frog forever! I had to eat flies! And I was all slimy! It was awful!"
The wizard must have been used to it, because he remained motionless with her vociferous banter. He gave her a small shake of his head and said with a quiet, stern tone, "Well, I told you not to use that spell..."
"So you left me as a frog to teach me a lesson?! That's just mean!" the witch pouted.
"Well, did it work?"
"Aaaaaaarghh! You make me so mad! I hate you!" She scowled.
Stunned, Molly and Finn stared at the bickering pair.
"I wonder if she likes frogs?" Finn questioned.
Catching his comment, the witch's golden eyes flashed. Placing her fists on her hips, she asked, "Are you trying to pick a fight with me?"
"No!" Finn and Molly protested at the same time.
She tossed her head and jabbed her finger towards her magenta door. "Get out!"
Throwing his rucksack over his shoulder, the wizard silently made his way towards the door. Not wanting to be left alone with an angry witch, Molly had no choice to follow. A silent and frightened Finn trailed after her.
As soon as they were outside, the wizard steadily met their eyes. "Well, I guess we're done here."
"You're not going to come back inside with me?"
He gave her a look that said, why would I ever do that? Dismissing the pair with a flick of his hand, the wizard softly said, "See you later."
And then he was on his way.
"He's no help!" Finn said when he was out of earshot.
Instead of making her leave, Molly lingered, pounding on the witch's door. "I need to talk to you!" she called over and over again until witch finally cracked the door open. Instead of condemning them to (another!) curse like Molly expected, she brightened at the sight of them.
"Oh! You're that human who helped the wizard," she said in a pleasant voice. The change of voice was almost startling, but the witch was unfazed. With a glittering smile she chirped, "I hate him, but you seem okay. So I'll talk to you. I'm Witch Princess!"
"I'm Molly," she introduced. "Ah well, the first thing, is, well… We were wondering if you had the Green Bell."
The witch raised an eyebrow. "The Green Bell? This old thing?" she questioned and out of thin air, a smooth emerald bell was hovering over her hands.
"That's it! That's the Green Bell!" Finn cried, his eyes bulging. Without a second thought, the witch handed it over, claiming she had no use for it anymore. Finn was ecstatic they had obtained the important object, no longer seeming terrified of the witch.
"What do you want to know?" The witch then asked.
Molly hesitated. "Do you know how to reverse any curses?"
The witch had to think about this answer. She flipped her hair once again and gave a shrill laugh. "Oh! You have a curse on you, don't you? I can tell. I used to curse loads of people!"
Should I be concerned? Something on Molly's face must have shown what she was thinking, because the witch laughed again. "Don't worry! I've been living here for years. As long as the Harvest Goddess, so I'm bored with cursing people. They never last!"
"They never last?" Molly questioned.
"Some do! What's yours?" The witch paused, studying Molly for a good minute. She felt briefly uncomfortable under the witch's cat-like gaze, knowing that she was examining her. Another part of her was curious to know if the witch could provide a sufficient answer.
But it appeared as though she came upon the utter conclusion because the witch's face fell. "You'll cause your true love to die if you kiss him? I'm sorry - I don't know how to help you." She was apologetic and bitter.
All the hope Molly previously held disappeared. "That's okay," she said, fighting back tears. "It's nothing I haven't heard. See you later."
"Chat with you soon!" the witch called as Molly left the house.
Tears brimmed the edge of her eyes but she smiled at Finn and shook her head. They retreated into the forest and returned home for the day to enjoy hot tomato soup with grilled cheese and herb tea. Normally it was one of her favourite meals, but tonight especially she was numb.
Why did she keep hoping? Why did she keep trying?
"I'm sorry Molly," Finn repeated many times throughout the night.
Molly kept brushing him off, not wanting to discuss the day's events. So he kept trying to cheer her up by fetching a bowl of ice cream from the fridge or opening the pages the book on her bedside table saying, "You need to smile, Molly!" The night stretched ahead of them and at once it was time to return to bed.
That night, as she peered out the window, the stars were twinkling a crystalline white. Finn was faintly snoring into a pillow, the light normally emulating off him diminished to a faded glow.
She was lonely, Molly realized. And she would always be lonely.
She hadn't realized how desperately she had clung onto the hope that the witch or Harvest Goddess could help her with her fate until the fact crashed into her: it was impossible to change what was destined. Helpless and feeling the heaviness within her heart, the inevitable hung in a gloomy cloud above her. A tear rolled down her cheek and she furiously wiped it away with the back of her hand.
It was stupid. She didn't even want love. At the same time, Molly would be lying to herself if she said she didn't want someone to hold her hand through the darkest of times. Everyone had people who came first in their life; everyone had people who they would turn to immediately in times of trouble. With her grandmother gone, she had no one. Not even Finn. She suspected that Finn wouldn't completely ever understand her, being a carefree Harvest Sprite.
"How can someone be my moon and my stars," she murmured into her pillow, eyes fixated on the night sky, "when even they eventually die?"
Defeated, Molly pulled the blankets tighter around her body.
As she drifted to sleep, she wondered if someone was watching the stars under the same sky too.
A/N: A little bit of a drag but introductions have been made, subplots have begun developing and nevertheless I hope you are intrigued to read more for next week! I am dumbfounded by the seven reviews that have popped into my inbox and the numbers of favourites and alerts - it was so unexpected. I am thrilled and I hope everyone will stick with me for a bit - and hopefully this story will catch the interest of some others. Let me know what you think and stay tuned!