Chapter 2: What Will Be Will Be
The two figures on horseback were slowing down as they drew near the secluded, riverside cottage, the sound of horses' hooves galloping on the dirt road loud in the tranquillity of the early morning. The one hundred and fifty year old shepherd's cottage/barn conversion, refurbished to a good standard, was nestling into the hills, with its lovely gardens, whitewashed walls, small windows and thatched roof. It was made before the half demon woman was born and she liked that about it.
Katinka dismounted and helped the little girl down as well, continuing with their daily explanations when she taught her niece about herbalism, witchcraft, the love of nature, life, the universe and everything, or whatever Gia was interested in at the time, "I'm sure we can help your little pal you befriended on your birthday," she reassured her. As a nature lover, Katinka didn't give her niece golf fish to keep in an aquarium for her seventh birthday, but they put some salmon for her in their little local pond, "parsley thrown into a fishpond will heal sick fish and…" she turned to find four people and a blonde boy in her front garden, where nobody was a second ago when she got down her stallion. Never a good sign, "get inside. Now," he ordered her foster daughter, already knocking two arrows in place to shoot out at the same time, no questions asked. If the visitors were not demonic, they wouldn't be hurt anyway. One of her arrows was blown up in the air, the other mysteriously disappeared in a bright blue light.
"I'm sorry to…" the tall woman with long hair started, but Katinka didn't let her finish. Gia was too important for risks to be taken. She knew that by now. She wasn't just her niece, there was something else about her. She couldn't pinpoint what, but she could tell the girl would play a major part in the fate of the world one day. She aimed her two other arrows at the other two people now. The tall woman blew up her arrow again before it could reach the only man amongst her visitors, but the other caught one of the smaller women in the leg, where she aimed it to.
"Phoebe!" Leo started towards the wounded witch, but before he could put his hand above her to heal her, she yanked the arrow out herself, not showing signs of any injury. Leo took the arrow from her, studying it.
"Orb the bow away from her," Piper suggested, not liking her sister being wounded by whoever was protecting the pure child. She could've been kept by demons as well after all.
"This is the famous demon killer arrow I heard about," Leo stood up, "and their enigmatic maker we weren't sure if it was a myth or not. A good demon, who's power is to make these arrows."
"Did you say orb?" Katinka caught on the connotations, holding her bow lower now by her own accord, "who are you? White lighters?" In her long existence she spent in the hiding, she had only seen white lighter orbs once when one of her fellow witches at a covet she used to attend decades ago in New Zealand asked for help from hers.
"We are the Charmed Ones," Piper let he know, "this is my husband Leo and our son Wyatt. I don't know if you've heard about us…"
"Of course I did. Let me introduce myself. My name is Katinka Turner. And I heard about you from my little brother, Cole."
After a long hour of the sisters trying to convince and prove Katinka that the procedure held no dangers for Gia, the kids were holding hands facing each other to start the course of action in the cottage's cosily old fashioned lounge with an open fire, long dining table, low ceiling and a wonderful panorama. Almost everything was made out of wood, but it also looked too simple, impersonal, as she couldn't keep any object from her past, it could've given away her origins. Or Gia's origins now, for that matter. She didn't need many belongings anyway, she spent most of her time in nature, she understood every little thing about it, even the language of the animals so to speak. But the long table she always wanted, so that friends could sit all around it and it made her sad, because she couldn't have long term friends. Not just because she would be afraid she would get caught, but also because her life turned dangerous from time to time and she didn't want anybody in the middle of it. But she could, at least, have the table, and the dream of a perfect life without the threat of demons.
The adults were also holding hands, forming a circle around them, all reciting the spell together, "What's his is hers,
What's hers is his.
Let their essences cross the line.
Offer up this gift to share…" with Phoebe hardly believing what was happening. She couldn't keep her eyes off the girl and she didn't know why. Her green eyes, her hair, her gestures, there was something about her. She was wonderful. And this child, the pure good their spell pinpointed to, was of demon origin, at least partly. Cole's sister didn't share much information with them about the lass, but Gia called her mom. If that child was good, could Cole not be? They were related after all. Not to mention the demon killing sister. She felt her heart freeze as she pondered the possibility of her being wrong about Cole and pushing him away…"switch their essences through the air," they finished the spell. They couldn't see anything happening, but the changes were supposed to be innate.
"Thank you very much for everything," Piper was grateful, but didn't want to spend more time in the awkward situation than it was absolutely necessary, "but we need to go now. If there's anything we can help you with, you know where we are."
"Just one more thing," Paige was curious, "I know you can't produce these things with the barrel loads, but can we at least have one of your arrows? You know, it could prove useful in some situations."
"Well, of course," Katinka went to a larger quiver she kept under the bed and picked out one of the most beautiful arrows she ever made, "use it with good fortune and blessed be," she handed it over to her ex sister in law.
Her visitors filed out the room, only Phoebe stepped back to ask her when the others couldn't hear her anymore, "if it's not too much to expect, could you please tell me where Cole is?"
Katinka smiled, "I hoped you would ask that, so I wrote down the address," she handed a piece of paper to her.
Phoebe arrived to Portugal by plane, telling her sisters she was sent by the Bay Mirror to interview some famous and idealistic musician, just in case her plan didn't go as she was hoping it would. Not knowing the language, she had some trouble finding the seaside village that was indicated as the location Cole was to be found at by her sister. Not to mention that the village was more like a rural community, stretching out, with several miles between houses. It was already getting dark when she stumbled upon the mansion hidden in a secluded landscape park of great beauty. The gate she drove through, along with the front door of the building was open. Shut doors were no use against shimmering demons. Everything was quiet and she wanted to keep it that way. She tiptoed her way into the living room and saw Cole standing by his bar, pouring himself a drink. As he turned, she put to use all her newly acquired skills, lifted her bow and released the arrow she got from Katinka, hoping she will not miss. It was an easy way of solving her problem forever. If Cole was evil, he would disappear out of her life for good. If he wasn't, she would know and could let him in again. It was unlikely that Katinka would've given them a demon killing arrow and told them where her brother was at the same time. However, she didn't get her hopes high just yet.
The arrow missed his torso, where she was aiming it at, but it struck him in the arm. He froze for a second, then stumbled backwards, knocking a few empty glasses over on his way to the floor. Phoebe gave a tiny shriek, it wasn't the reaction she was expecting really. She ran to him, if she was going to kill him again, at least he would die in her arms this time. Kneeling down, the overwhelming smell of alcohol coming from Cole's breath reached her nostrils and she realised a slight push of a finger would've knocked him over.
Cole removed the arrow from his arm, studying it. Barely understandable, he slurred, "you met your daughter then, I take it?"
The End.
