A/N: Hi, can you see me now?
Happy belated Halloween... This was supposed to be part of a holiday special but something goofed.
Hope you are all well,
Dizzy XXXXX
Chapter Six: Into the Woods
The girls walked into the hall to get their breakfast, ravenous after the talking-to they received. Even Miss Tapioca's cooking appealed to them. The four of them being the last, got the scrapings of the gigantic catering bowl. Extra thick, sedimentary porridge. They squashed onto the end of a packed dining table to eat.
"We didn't get off that badly," Cordelia said as she lifted a spoonful to her mouth. She was entirely thankful that it had been Miss Cackle who did the speaking and not her mother, who had been conspicuous by her absence.
Enid rolled her eyes as she finished her mouthful then said, "Speak for yourself, I've got to go with Miss Drill today and she'll probably make me run a marathon. You've only got Miss Mould and art teachers are renowned for their cruelty!" Maud, Mildred and Cordelia grinned at Enid's comment, their eye's following the tide of girls leaving. The din in the hall also seemed to have subsided, signalling the end of breakfast, the beginning of their punishment and the arrival of Miss Mould. She walked in through the side door with a paint palette under her arm and paintbrushes in her hair.
"Come on my three," she called, "The other second years are waiting in the courtyard." Millie, Maud and Cordy rose leaving three unfinished bowls of porridge and a sulky Nightshade behind.
They all travelled along behind Miss Mould, the whole time Ethel shot them dirty looks or made snarky remarks. The blonde-haired teacher's pet was irritated that she had been included in the punishment and had no trouble repatriating the blame. She continued the entire time Mildred and Felicity collected ingredients; it was as if she'd been doing all the work herself.
"What else do we need?" Mildred enquired as Felicity pulled herself from a ditch and brushed mud off.
Maud glanced at the list, "Mandrake truffles and raven feathers." She paused and peered at the others anxiously, "They can be found in Hollow Wood." Cordelia instantly wanted to run away, back to the safer confines of the castle.
Mildred looked around at the pale and spooked faces before her. Deeply puzzled, she quizzed the girls on their reactions. Haughtily Ethel replied, "Every witch gets warned about going into Hollow Wood and to be wary in any woods now. But, of course, you're not a proper witch." With that Ethel and Felicity turned to leave.
As they were walking away, Mildred called, "Come on! Don't be such wimps. It's just a woods." Maud muttered apologies and began to follow the others, causing Mildred's eyes to fall on a silently panicked Cordelia. Saying nothing Cordelia followed Maud, much to Mildred's disappointment. She had assumed her previously trapped friend's need for adventure would have had her running into Hollow Wood, rather than away from it.
The unenthusiastic foragers trapsed back to Miss Mould dead set on going back to the castle. The girls put forward their case, Mildred wishing for a no. Surely anything was better as an alternative to double chanting?
Miss Mould was amused by the girls' fear. She had heard rumours about the woods, but she couldn't believe them. Enchanted woods were horrid, they did not have the beauty like the woods before her. "There is nothing stronger or more powerful than what is in here or in here," The art teacher indicated to her head and heart, "Being a witch isn't just about magic, its about who you are, what's inside you; you're imagination, compassion, selflessness. About being brave and overcoming your fear's no matter how afraid you are." None of the girls could argue with that. Not even Ethel. So, they turned and headed towards the woods, not unafraid but willing to prove themselves.
Miss Mould watched until the girls disappeared out of view, still vaguely amused. From what she had heard she expected so much. But nothing was impressive. Not the woods. Or the girl.
Cordelia was still not entirely sure. She knew her mother would be happy if they brought back all the ingredients, but her surroundings made her heart clench. She hung back at the opening of the woods, her fear threatening to overwhelm her. She had entirely agreed with Miss Mould's speech, but Cordelia had a lot more to overcome than most.
"Come on Cordy," Mildred said as she turned back. Cordelia shuffled her feet forward.
"Me and woods don't mix well, Mil," She replied, trying to force herself whilst wishing she were miles away.
Ethel glowered. For one of the oh-so-powerful she was weak. "Scared of trees, are we?" Her smug expression, which she shared with Felicity, was enough to convince Cordelia. Anger at others often propelled the girl into previously unimaginable circumstances.
The five girls ventured into the woods. Despite the drizzle and the cold, golden strands of dappled light highlighted the beauty of the woods. Flora of different types, emerald greens and bright ambers were all around. The ground was hugely uneven with rocks and roots. Although dangerous it had a certain rugged charm. The one thing missing, however, where any clues to the presence of a magical being or curse. The only curse being that this beautiful nature did not cover the entire earth.
The girls followed Mildred who had taken the lead. Being the most eager and, according to her, the most learned about her surroundings she was best suited to traverse the crooked path, telling them all about her mother's time in the girl guides. Particularly listing all the skills she had acquired over the years. Only stopping when she slipped and landed in a badger's set. The girls laughed as Mildred took in her surroundings.
"This place is about as enchanted as a multi-storey car park," Millie remarked. Ethel perturbed by Mildred's lack of fear, straightened her back and did her best to look brave.
"Come on Felicity, we'll get the raven feathers," Ethel commanded.
Felicity looked to the others for guidance, "Really? Shouldn't we stick together?"
"No!" Ethel said a little too quickly, "I want to get home before dark." Felicity glanced at Maud and Cordelia, hoping one or the other would agree to return home with her, before being dragged away by Ethel. The remaining three searched around for mandrake truffles, the other final ingredient. Mildred dug, Maud red her identification book and Cordelia gazed at plant leaves, cautiously brushing her fingers against them now and again. They were looking for quite a while before they found what they were looking for. This result made Mildred dig like crazy, leaving Maud plastered in mud and Cordelia chuckling.
"We should find the others, it's getting dark," Maud suggested as she straightened her askew glasses.
Mildred nodded, "Go on, I'm nearly done here." Maud wandered down the path in the direction they had all seen Ethel and Felicity go. Mildred pulled a thick weed out of the hole she'd dug to reach the truffles. "Are you okay, Cordy?" She asked as she reached to pull one from the dirt.
Cordelia exhaled deeply, "I suppose I am." She said little else. She didn't want to let Mildred in on all of her complex thoughts and feelings. Not just yet. Not in a woods. A strained silence followed. Mildred didn't push Cordelia any further, she could tell her friend was deeply uncomfortable. She knew why. Very vaguely. She had to mention it when they first met. But she didn't know the full story, that was something Cordelia would never discuss.
Both girls counted down until their friend rushed back to them. Maud's expression, on rushing back to them, made Cordelia's tension seem like elation. "Miss Mould's gone and Felicity's in some sort of trance," She said with wide, terrified eyes. Mildred stood up and brushed herself down, Cordelia gulped.
In the distance an animal screeched. Maud almost jumped out of her skin. Cordelia grasped Millie's hand. "Mildred!" Maud said, "It sounded like a monster." Cordelia turned her head, looking for any movement around them.
Mildred decided to reassure her friends, "It's not a monster, it can't be. It's probably just a…" All three girls whipped around as a bush near them began to rustle wildly.
A blonde ponytail suddenly appeared. "Ethel?" Mildred breathed. Cordelia instantly dropped Mildred's hand.
"So, sort of a monster," Maud muttered, visibly relieved. Cordy smirked, even though she was trembling.
"Have you seen Felicity? She's disappeared," Ethel asked. The others had never seen the teacher's pet so concerned in one day. It must have been a record.
Conversation followed concerning Maud's findings and what they should do next. Of course, Ethel muttered the word fault at least six times, angry at being dragged into the situation. As their disagreement subsided they found Felicity. She was staring skywards with her mouth wide open. She looked as though she were in a state of awe. All wanted an adult to take control, none more than Cordelia, who had too much of a lump in her throat to utter a single word throughout the proceedings. When they found Miss Mould in a similar state to their classmate, the young Hardbroom felt fit to collapse. She sat on a nearby oak tree root as Mildred, Maud and Ethel figured out a plan of action. The only thing she could focus on was the sound of her heart beating in her ears and the image of her mother's face. She was only roused from her self-imposed trance when Mildred shook her arm.
"We need you," She said, pulling the girl up. In the time she had been sitting there Ethel had become possessed and the others had set up a potion. Cordelia had grown used to passing time alone. "Hold my hand," Mildred commanded. She joined their circle.
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"Cheese!" Mr Hallow exclaimed once again, in the courtyard of Cackles, in absolute disbelief. He could not accept that his wife had allowed the academy to run independently after Esmeralda's incident.
Miss Hardbroom furrowed her eyebrows, "Mr Hallow, we were running a little low on ingredients and the second years, including your daughter, are doing a fine job of replacing them." If there was anything the formidable deputy headmistress couldn't bare it was somebody coming in and telling them they were running Cackles' wrong. The school was Ada's so much as it had been Hecate's life. Her patience, as could be imagined, was short.
"Where have you sent them?" Mr Hallow continued, ignoring his daughter's looks pleading him to stop.
Hecate glanced at Ada. The one question they had hoped he wouldn't ask. "Hollow Wood," She mumbled.
"Oh," Mr Hallow said, raising and dropping his hands to signify his further disbelief, "I didn't think it could get any worse, but it has. It really has." Mr Hallow paced a little causing Sybil to cuddle up to her big sister. They both knew that their father pacing was bad news. "Who is with her?" He added after a little while of thinking.
Miss Hardbroom began to list her students, "Maud Spellbody, Felicity Foxglove, Mildred Hub…"
"You've sent her out there with that Hubble girl!" Mr Hallow said, veins popping out of his face, "What about your girl?" He bated his breath. Hecate simply nodded. She had been scared all day sending her child to the woods, she'd thought it might be good for her to challenge her fears, now she was scared for herself too.
Another angry breath sounded, "You've sent my child into a woodlands with that – girl! After what she did!" Mr Hallow continued in an apoplectic state ranting and threatening the continuation of Cackles existence. Beatrice and Clarice winced and the Hallow girls comforted each other. Hecate wanted to run to the woods, take Cordelia and leave. But she couldn't. Both of them had no escape from this.
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"From deepest wood and darkest glade, do not flee or be afraid, take this thing that feeds of fear, make the hypnapillion disappear." The three witches chanted without much affect. They glanced at their classmates and saw no break in their trances.
"What did we do wrong?" Maud asked. At that moment Mildred noticed a glint in the topmost part of her eye. The hypnapillion was circling its prey waiting to feed of the other fear it could sense. Mildred began to stare at it. It was an oversized butterfly that's wings were made up of various bright, glittering colours. It was so beautiful for something so dangerous.
Maud saw the direction of her friend's eyeline, "What are you doing? Millie, don't look at it!" Maud would have pulled Mildred away if she could've without breaking the circle and dooming them all.
"Millie! It's dangerous," Cordelia added, in a mutual state of worry. Mildred, however, remained standing tall and staring at the creature.
She said, evenly, "It feeds off our fear and I'm not afraid of it. Remember what Miss Mould said, a witch is about being brave and overcoming your fear no matter how afraid you are."
Cordelia closed her eyes, in an attempt to empty her mind. It's impossible, she thought, I will never be able to rid myself of the fear of this place, of ancient creatures, not after before. That fear will never leave. Cordelia thought to her mother. The only comforting thought she had. She made the raven-haired witch feel real in her mind's eye, thinking of every feature to calm her.
"You did it!" Maud cheered. Cordelia's eyes flew open and she saw the others doing the same. Glittery remnants of the hypnapillion fell from the sky around them.
"We did it," Mildred said as she pulled her friends into a hug.
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"Come on Esme," Mr Hallow said as he mounted his broom, "Buh-bye Sybil." Thankfully he had finished ranting, however both adult witches were concerned about facing more of Ursula Hallow's wrath. It was as surely coming as spring rain. The two Hallows lifted off, as the youngest waved them goodbye. A shriek came then came into earshot.
"Esmeralda! Wait!" Ethel ran across the courtyard with Miss Mould and the four other girls trailing behind her. "Come back!" She continued to shout as her kin flew away, only being acknowledged by a small wave from Esmeralda.
Sybil walked over to her sister, "It's going to be alright Ethel. Esme will be okay in the non-magical world." Sybil's features had lightened up considerably from the day before and all the days since the incident. She knew her sister was safe and well now.
Ethel, however, was defiant, "I needed to see her! I could've helped her! This is all your fault Mildred Hubble, if we had left when I said I wouldn't have missed Esmeralda." Mildred looked nervous being the target for Ethel's anger.
"I'm sorry Ethel," Mildred mumbled, at a loss for words. They had all been happy and now everything was normal again. Miserable again.
Ethel was still not finished, "You have no idea what you've messed up."
Ethel turned to walk away only pausing briefly as Cordelia addressed her. "You can't hand out blame to others when you can't accept it yourself. If it hadn't been for you Esmeralda would've been here anyway. You shouldn't be able to forget that so easily." Ethel glared at Cordy and stomped away, Felicity closely following. Mildred looked to her friend with sympathy.
"Millie! Maud! Cordy!" Enid called running across to her friend's. Mildred and Maud greeted her with a hug. Cordelia approached her mother instead, as the others began to relive the day's terrors. She crossed the small amount of grass between them and stood before her mother. Ada looked on curiously as their eyes met.
Cordelia's eyes filled with water, "I hated it all," she whispered. Hecate pulled her child close to her. She held Cordelia tight with stiff arms and as much comforting feeling as she could muster. Cordelia closed her eyes and breathed in her mother's scent. Hairspray and earthy potion ingredients. Hecate felt whole.
Miss Mould approached and Ada turned to her. Hecate sensing the other woman approaching, the woman she was so suspicious of, pulled Cordelia to one side. Keeping her close but being more defensive.
"You didn't have any trouble Miss Mould?" Ada asked as the art teacher stood beside them. Mildred, Maud and Enid also came close, to find out what was happening.
Miss Mould smiled, untucking her sketchbook from her arm, "We had a very productive trip. All ingredients collected and some wonderful sketches." She held the open book before her colleagues, revealing her drawing of the hypnapillion. Miss Cackle took a step back and Miss Hardbroom's eyes widened significantly. Hecate could tell something had been wrong by Cordelia's actions. Any mother knew something's wrong when their child is crying. She definitely hadn't expected that though.
"You've drawn a creature that's been extinct for over a century," Ada said with a smile, yet very concerned, "What a very vivid imagination you must have. Good job you didn't bump into one." She smiled at the girls then glanced at her friend's child.
Miss Mould put the book back under her arm as she said, "Nothing a very brave, clever and brilliant witch couldn't have got us out of." She winked at Mildred who grinned back.
"Why don't we go inside it must nearly be teatime," Ada said leading the way back into the castle. Hecate rubbed her daughter's arm gently before letting it go and walking alongside her. She had dreamt of this moment, standing beside her grown up daughter in Cackles, since her baby was placed in her arms. Now, the moment was her and she could not, physically, be more glad.