Chapter 32
When Constance woke, she felt warm. She was wrapped in a soft, green velvet cloak and she could hear the sound of a fire crackling nearby. The woody smell of the smoke was mixed with the fresh, earthy smell of the leaf, strewn ground beneath her. She opened her eyes, and between the gently swaying tree boughs she could see the sapphire striped dawn sky. Constance rolled onto her side and could see two figures perched on a log beside the fire, talking softly.
The witch nearest to her turned her short-cropped head and at once saw Constance was awake.
"Good morning Constance" Roberta said with her insuppressibly wry smile "Glad to have you back with us"
"Constance!" said the second witch with delight, which quickly changed to concern as Constance tried to sit up and felt the forest spin "Careful. Your magic seems very unstable. You need to be gentle"
Constance's two friends got up and made there way over to her. They placed a hand under each elbow, Celeste's gentle and steadying, Roberta's firm and efficient and helped her into a sitting position, before settling down on the leafy ground at either side.
"So, what on earth have you been getting yourself into?" Roberta asked, fixing Constance with a friendly but slightly reprimanding stare.
"What she means" Celeste cut in, throwing Roberta and exasperated look "is please tell us what happened. We got Gwendoline's messages, but she didn't have time to tell us much. Just enough for us to know it was urgent to get you away"
And so, Constance, haltingly at first, began to recount the events of the past year. Her two friends sat solidly on either side, surrounded by the warm glow of the fire, and listening. They knew it was Constance's story to tell and so they listened mostly in silence. The only exceptions where when Celeste gave gentle phrases of encouragement when Constance faltered through the parts that were a little difficult to recount. Occasionally, Roberta would swear loudly at some of action of Mistress Broomhead's which angered her. Constance reached the point where she had arrived in the forest and felt the magic which had been drained from her return and then fell silent, finding she had no more story to tell.
"I was here for that bit; I have never felt anything like it" Roberta responded "You do know you felled a tree"
She pointed to the edge of the clearing, just beyond the fire and Constance could see a writhing network of roots wrenched out from the ground, and the trunk of a vast oak spreading along the forest floor behind, forcing the trunks of younger evergreens and saplings to bend to accommodate it.
"I did that?" Constance asked, stunned
Roberta nodded "Impressive stuff. I mean it terrified me at the time, but I can appreciate it a little more now I know it hasn't killed me"
Constance smiled, realising just how much she had missed both her friends' easy company. "But now you must tell me where am I, and what am I doing here?"
"Well" Celeste answered "Our part is a little easier to tell. As we said, Gwendoline contacted us saying it was urgent that we got you away. You needed somewhere safe you could be hidden immediately and then we needed to find something safe for you for the foreseeable future. I provided the first. This is the grounds of my family's home. We are governed by the laws of nature magic. As you know, Mistress Broomhead always viewed nature magic as something wild and exuberant and never took the time to understand it. So, you will be safe from her here. She will not be able to detect you. I think the bond between you breaking as soon as you set foot here is proof of that"
"And the second part I have seen to." Roberta continued "Speaking of which, it is getting lighter. I think it is probably time we got going if you can manage it Con?"
"I should be getting back too" Celeste said, getting to her feet and placing a kiss on Constance's cheek. "Mistress Broomhead won't be able to tell you are here, but I think mine and Roberta's houses are places she is likely to come looking. I should go and make sure my family are forewarned. I am so glad we have you safe. I'll be in touch to arrange a safe was to see you when you are settled"
Celeste bent to throw her arms around Constance for a final time before setting off back through the forest, as light and at home as a breeze moving through the trees.
Roberta got to her feet, brushing dried leaves from her clothes before casting a quick spell to extinguish the fire.
"Do you feel strong enough to move on?" she asked Constance.
Constance nodded and she Roberta offered her a hand to help her to her feet.
"I sent Morgana and your things on ahead, thought it would make things easier" Roberta said, as the two friends made their way towards the edge of the clearing. "Best if we transport ourselves first, then I will explain. Be gentle now, Con. You have much more power than you realise, and we could end up in the Antarctic if you don't calm things down a bit. Follow my lead on this one"
Constance took Roberta's proffered hand and allowed herself to be transported from the clearing.