Disclaimer: See Introduction

Darkness

"Hecate?"

Ada was speechless. How was that possible? Of course she had heard of shape shifting spells, but students were taught to conjure them up with potions. How did they manage to teach a child a spell for shape shifting without any extra help?

Hecate, still in Ada´s form, climbed off the bed and faced the other witch.

"I…I feel…" the stuttering made Ada jump to her own feet and hurry to Hecate´s side.

"Are you alright?"

"Dizzy." She managed to say and her form started to once again stretch into all directions, making Ada take a step back again, watching in deep concern, how the form in front of her lowered down to her knees and finally shifted back into the scrawny child.

"Hecate!"

The girl kneeled on the ground and was gasping for air.

"I...m…sorry." she wheezed and hot tears started to gather in her eyes. She hasn't been

successful. She hadn't been able to keep the form for long enough. She would be punished. She would be forced to try again and again and…-

Her body tensed involuntarily, making breathing become even harder for her.

Contrary to her anticipations, a soft hand laid upon her shoulder and then warm arms enveloped her body.

"Shh…don´t worry, darling. Everything is fine. Just take nice deep breaths."

It took her a few tries, but finally Hecate managed to catch her breath, but the tears didn't stop completely. She turned halfway in Ada´s arms, obviously wanting to say something but not able to look at her directly.

"I´m sorry." She sniffed.

"Whatever for?" Ada questioned her, still aghast about the scene she had just witnessed.

Hecate lowered her head even further before speaking.

"I wasn't able to keep the spell in place for long enough." She explained quietly. "Five minutes is the minimum for spell maintaining."

Ada shook her head in disbelieve, Not roughly but sternly she put her fingers under the child´s chin and guided her face back to where she could look into her eyes.

"Now you listen to me, Hecate." Ada waited until she had Hecate´s undivided attention and eye-contact, before she continues. "You have nothing to apologies for. Those spells that your mother and the men from the Palace have forced you to learn, are too advanced for a child of your age. It is very extraordinary and frankly, almost unbelievable that you can conjure any of them and maintain them at all." Ada could see that Hecate wasn't sure if she should feel reprimanded or flattered, so she smiled warmly at her and added: "You are a very powerful witch, sweetheart, and I can see why they would like you to learn as much as possible, but it is dangerous. Learning such difficult spells can hurt you and I don't want to see you harmed, ok?"

Hecate cocked her head to the side, gazing at Ada curiously and thinking about her words. No one had ever expressed any concern for her. No matter what situation she had been in. Exhausted, hurt and in pain or sad. They either ignored it and let left her alone or they attended to her injuries, but didn't comment on them in a negative nor in positive fashion. What she did get though, was scolding and warnings.

She wouldn't have known what Ada´s words and feelings meant if she herself hadn't felt them. Concern for Morgana, fear for a fledgling she had found under a tree, nursing it secretly back to health with Mothers potions. Sympathy with other people that were in pain. Hecate had even felt concerned for herself a handful of times. She recognized those feelings as something special and not common, especially when bestowed upon her, and so she wondered if her mother maybe had been wrong. Maybe feelings of concern, fear and sympathy weren't dangerous and…what words had she used? A…abomi….something. Hecate couldn't remember the word but she did know that it was unkind and hurtful. When Ada was kind to her, Hecate felt warm and tingly and how could that be bad? In contrast to her mother´s words, Ada´s didn't make her cry. They made her stop crying.

"Dear? You still with me?"

Ada´s voice cut into her contemplations. It was soft and quiet and the corners of Hecate´s mouth lifted almost involuntarily. And to Hecate´s astonishment, that made Ada smile back at her.

"Ah, there she is." The older witch cooed. "Can I give you a hug?"

Hesitantly, Hecate nodded. Hugs were foreign to her, but if they all felt so wonderful as those Ada gave her, she wanted more of them.

Meanwhile in Alma´s office….

The headmistress didn't have to wait for long before she heard the sharp knock on her door that announced Lilith´s arrival. Alma took a deep breath, held it for a few seconds and let it out again slowly. She dreaded the upcoming conversation, but she knew that she needed to get it over with as soon as possible.

"Come in." she called and made her way to her office table. It would be better to keep this meeting as official and as professional as possible.

Lilith Hardbroom was a sight to behold indeed and her appearance certainly lived up to her name. In contrast to Hecate´s black, Lilith had reddish, blonde hair, but it was as beautiful as her daughters. It was full and thick, reaching down to her waist in soft waves.

Surprisingly, Lilith´s face was not at all what Alma had expected. Instead of sharp features and a scowl, the woman´s face was round and soft and her dark green eyes were round and open. With other words, Lilith Hardbroom was intimidatingly beautiful. Interestingly, her clothes didn't reflect any warmth or softness. Burgundy coloured leather covered the witch's body, practically from head to toe. Her bodice was skin tight and her skirt, though almost reaching her ankles, accentuated every single curve of Lilith´s body. Even her pointy hat and gloves was of the same material and colour.

"Well met, Mrs Hardbroom."

Alma greeted, bowing slightly, with her hand at her forehead.

"MISS Hardbroom."

Lilith corrected in a low voice and bowed her head, chose to forgo any other usual greeting though. Alma cleared her throat uncomfortably. Better to start on the topic immediately.

"MISS...Hardbroom." She began, inviting the other witch to sit down with a wave of her arm. When Lilith didn't react, Alma continued, squaring her shoulders.

"I assume you spoke to the Council and were told that we found your daughter."

"Precisely." Lilith nodded. "I expect her to be ready to head home."

The headmistress had met a lot of different types of parents. The overbearing ones, the protective ones and the strict ones. For now, Lilith Hardbroom didn't fit any of those categories. Alma wondered if she might have to open up a completely new category for Lilith Hardbroom alone, but she would call it she had no idea.

"Well…Unfortunately I must inform you, that your daughter has disappeared again." Alma didn't see herself as a seasoned liar, but she hoped that she was good enough at it to fool the other witch. She felt Lilith´s gaze bore into her and she tried not to fidget. Finally, Lilith spoke again.

"How, if I may ask, can you lose a child of five years within only a few hours?"

Alma gulped. Lilith´s tone was calm but cold as ice. It was almost amazing how her demeanour was a total contrast to her looks. It was not only intimidating, but also scary. Even for an experienced witch like Alma.

"We didn't think she would run from us, so we didn't take any extra measures to keep her confined. She didn't tell us why she was out there and we thought she had simply become lost in the forest." Alma observed Lilith carefully, searching for any kind of reaction, but there was nothing. "We couldn't know she was a run away. She is a bit young to be running from home, isn't she?"

Silence.

Alma could hear her bat breathing, that is how silent in had become in the office and she wondered if she had made Lilith nervous.

"My daughter is special." Lilith answered emotionlessly. "In many ways. Her reactions tend to be…overenthusiastic."

Alma hummed. What was she supposed to say without giving away too much?

Suddenly Lilith walked up to the table, her movements graceful and forceful at the same time. Alma had to force herself not to flinch away from the woman.

"I certainly can trust you to inform me or the Council if you should stumble upon my daughter again."

"Of course, Muss Hardbroom. If you leave me your contact details, I will make sure that you will be the first one to be contacted."

Lilith bowed her head and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Alma closed her eyes and let out a breath, she hadn't even been aware she´s been holding. The headmistress frowned and sat down in her chair, fiddling with a pen nervously. Something was not right here. What parent would be so clam about their missing child? Even if she was a bad mother, shouldn't she be more concerned about her child running away and potentially telling people and damaging her reputation?

Tapping with the pen against her chin, Alma pondered the situation but couldn't make head or tails of it. Maybe she should look into Ada and Hecate and ask the girl some more questions.

A few minutes later in Ada´s room…

Hecate had just stared to warm up again and chose another toy to play with, in addition to the raven of course, when there was another knock at the door, which made Hecate jump and raise her casting hand.

"It´s ok!" Ada hurried in front of the child. "It´s just my mother. Don´t worry."

Still giving the door a worried glance, Hecate nodded and lowered her arm.

Ada smiled and waved her hand, opening the door to let her mother in.

"Hello you two." Alma greeted, smiling broadly when she spotted Hecate next to the mountain of toys. "I see Ada has already started to spoil you, dear."

Ada shook her head at her mother. It wouldn't be wise to speak about any upsetting topics in front of Hecate right now. Her mother understood her daughters sign immediately and nodded, turning back to Hecate.

"Darling, would you mind if I borrowed Ada for a few minutes? I just need to talk to her about something quickly, ok?"

Alma almost had to laugh when she saw the sceptical and very serious look on Hecate´s face. She certainly hadn't learned those facial expressions from her mother.

"I promise we will be only a few minutes and right around the corner."

Hecate´s eyes moved from mother to daughter and finally landed on Ada.

"You promise?" she asked reluctantly.

"Of course I do." Ada told her. "And Pandle will keep you company."

Pandle gave a purr as an answer and Hecate nodded finally in consent.

Seconds after the door closed behind Ada and her mother and Hecate had started to play with the raven again, Pandle suddenly sat up and growled lowly. Hecate froze and shivered. She felt a cold tingle crawl up her spine and an insistent pounding started in her head. She knew what that meant. She knew what she needed to do.

Keeping the raven clutched in her left arm, she drew a circle with her casting hand around herself and closed her eyes, only to be swallowed by a black shadow.

After a moment, the sounds around her disappeared and the by now well known to her oppressing silence draped itself over her.

"Well met, Daughter."

Lilith Hardbroom´s smooth voice sliced the silence and Hecate opened her eyes to look at her mother appearing from behind a curtain of darkness.

To be continued...

AN: Please let me know what you think. I won´t continue to post if there is no interest in the story