Chapter 7: Mixing the Brew
Kay stood staring, disbelieving, at the contract. 'I just sold my daughter's life... for a guy...' she thought, suddenly disgusted with herself. As if reading her mind, Circe made a face; an oh-poor-pitiful me expression danced mockingly on the witch's lips. "Don't worry, dear, you've made the right decision..." she began, turning away from the girl to put away the scroll. As she opened a dark chest hidden in the corner, she gently deposited it inside. "It was either this-" Circe shut the lid, sending a resonating clamor throughout the chamber. She turned to face Kay from her position, continuing her statement. "-or watch your child die and lose the man you love..."
Kay inhaled deeply, slowly breathing out. She looked up, her eyes connecting with Circe's. "Do you even know how to care for a child?" she asked, the typical motherly concern seeming pointless. The sorceress scoffed at the question. "Believe me, my dear, I won't be in charge of your child until she reaches an age more reasonable for my purposes..." Circe seemed distracted, sifting through a shelf full of archaic, dusty books. Kay pressed on. "How, exactly, are you going to manage that?" The witch huffed, annoyed by the girl's pestering. Without turning, she answered the question proposed to her, trying to keep her cool. "I'm going to send her away to the witch's-equivalent of a boarding school; Maria will learn the basic fundamentals of witchcraft while in their care. And when she is of age, I will summon her and teach her all I know..."
Kay tried to smile, glad at least that her daughter would have a promising future, even if it did revolve around evil- and didn't include her. Kay watched as Circe continued to filter through her collection of tomes; finally the woman found whatever she was looking for. She smiled as she removed the text from it's place- she removed a glove and waved her naked hand over the book. Suddenly, as Kay observed, the cover flew open and pages whipped about, as if the book itself was searching for something within. The motion soon halted, and Circe skimmed through the document. She crossed the room, not removing her eyes from the matter at hand, and struck the air violently with her unclothed palm; instantly, a cauldron appeared, hanging over the vast fire. She once more cast her hand towards the appearance, and miraculously, it began to boil, an alien elixir within.
Keeping one eye on the book, the witch began summoning vials and jars, filled with extraordinary contents. They emptied themselves into the brew as Kay watched, fascinated. She whispered "What is this-?", her sentence trailing off. Circe answered with a cackle: "Why, this is what you have been waiting for, my dear! The answer to all of your problems!!"
Kay stood staring, disbelieving, at the contract. 'I just sold my daughter's life... for a guy...' she thought, suddenly disgusted with herself. As if reading her mind, Circe made a face; an oh-poor-pitiful me expression danced mockingly on the witch's lips. "Don't worry, dear, you've made the right decision..." she began, turning away from the girl to put away the scroll. As she opened a dark chest hidden in the corner, she gently deposited it inside. "It was either this-" Circe shut the lid, sending a resonating clamor throughout the chamber. She turned to face Kay from her position, continuing her statement. "-or watch your child die and lose the man you love..."
Kay inhaled deeply, slowly breathing out. She looked up, her eyes connecting with Circe's. "Do you even know how to care for a child?" she asked, the typical motherly concern seeming pointless. The sorceress scoffed at the question. "Believe me, my dear, I won't be in charge of your child until she reaches an age more reasonable for my purposes..." Circe seemed distracted, sifting through a shelf full of archaic, dusty books. Kay pressed on. "How, exactly, are you going to manage that?" The witch huffed, annoyed by the girl's pestering. Without turning, she answered the question proposed to her, trying to keep her cool. "I'm going to send her away to the witch's-equivalent of a boarding school; Maria will learn the basic fundamentals of witchcraft while in their care. And when she is of age, I will summon her and teach her all I know..."
Kay tried to smile, glad at least that her daughter would have a promising future, even if it did revolve around evil- and didn't include her. Kay watched as Circe continued to filter through her collection of tomes; finally the woman found whatever she was looking for. She smiled as she removed the text from it's place- she removed a glove and waved her naked hand over the book. Suddenly, as Kay observed, the cover flew open and pages whipped about, as if the book itself was searching for something within. The motion soon halted, and Circe skimmed through the document. She crossed the room, not removing her eyes from the matter at hand, and struck the air violently with her unclothed palm; instantly, a cauldron appeared, hanging over the vast fire. She once more cast her hand towards the appearance, and miraculously, it began to boil, an alien elixir within.
Keeping one eye on the book, the witch began summoning vials and jars, filled with extraordinary contents. They emptied themselves into the brew as Kay watched, fascinated. She whispered "What is this-?", her sentence trailing off. Circe answered with a cackle: "Why, this is what you have been waiting for, my dear! The answer to all of your problems!!"