"How could you let me forget my notebook, I'll never be able to explain my-" Vella began, before looking down at Johanna and Hilda. She could see immediately that the two of them were working on escaping, and despite the fact that they'd barely made even the slightest bit of progress, she immediately came to the conclusion that they weren't quite secure enough in their bindings. "...already trying to escape, after I promised I wouldn't hurt either of you? Tsk, tsk..."
Before either mother or daughter could offer up even a muffled shout of protest, Vella snatched away the letter opener, pocketing it before scanning the room quickly for anything else the two could possibly use to escape. Seeing nothing, she gestured to Dobrik and pointed at the center of the room, and Dobrik quickly grabbed the ropes binding the two together, using them to drag the two back to the spot where Vella was pointing.
"You should've just stayed put," Dobrik scolded them, glaring coldly at Johanna. Johanna shouted back at him, an angry yell through her gag that sounded like a harsh insult. "You're pushing your luck, I still haven't forgotten how you hit Vella."
I'll hit her again when I get free! Johanna yelled, narrowing her eyes at Dobrik before glaring over at Vella, who was already stretching out another strip of tape from the roll in her hands. Let us go right this instant!
"Don't worry, I'm just going to do something I should've done before," said Vella, tearing the strip free from the roll and walking back over to the two struggling captives. "No more dirty looks from you..."
Vella leaned in with the tape, pressing it firmly down over Johanna's eyes. Hilda let out a loud gasp, her own eyes widening in fright, while Johanna screamed as well, a mixture of fear and anger as her world suddenly went dark. Vella smoothed down the tape, and as she did so, Hilda found her nerve once again, protesting furiously as the woman tore off another strip from the roll.
Don't put that over my mum's eyes, you'll hurt her...! shouted Hilda, looking up at her mother again as she realized, much to her horror, that she'd no longer be able to tell how she was feeling by looking up at her face, and could only hear the screams and heavy breathing as Johanna tried to rub the new strip of tape off on her shoulder to no avail. Oh, mum, I'm so sorry...!
Hilda then looked back at Vella again, eyes once again wide with terror as she watched Vella lean toward her to steal her own eyesight. All the blue haired girl could do was shake her head, and Vella, taking no pleasure in blinding the poor child, let out a sigh and tried to be as calm and sympathetic as she could.
"Close your eyes," said Vella. "I'll put the tape on in such a way that it won't hurt you as long as they're closed."
Hilda continued to shake her head, not wanting to comply and be robbed of her sight... her only way to see how her mother was doing. Johanna could be heard protesting loudly, muffling numerous angry words under her gag, a few of which were clearly words that she'd normally never use in her daughter's presence.
"...if you don't close your eyes, I'll have to wrap this tape all the way around your head, and there's no way to keep that from hurting. It'll get in your hair, it'll be very tight, and it'll be very hard to remove, especially if I have to keep you blindfolded for the next few days. This is much easier for both of us. Will you do as I say?"
Hilda once again thought about refusing... but then she listened to her mother's cries, growing increasingly frightened... deep down, she knew Johanna wasn't begging her to comply, but was begging Vella for mercy... and as defiant and angry as she felt, she could feel her heart beating rapidly again, and new tears coming to her eyes as she looked back up at her captor. She clenched her fists inside their tape encasement, her entire body starting to tremble.
...please don't hurt my mum, muffled Hilda, trembling as she tried to enunciate her plea through the stifling tape. It's my fault we're here.
And after giving Vella one last pleading look, Hilda closed her eyes tightly shut, knowing it would be the last time she'd be able to see in quite some time. She could feel the tape being pressed over them, sealing them shut, and let out a frightened whimper, immediately feeling her mother's embrace tighten considerably.
Hilda, I'm here... I'm here... I'm here and it's going to be all right... I'm here...
Johanna's muffled curses immediately became quiet reassurances as she focused all her energy into protecting her terrified daughter. Hilda just shrunk into her mum's arms, trembling with fright in the darkness as she heard Vella back away.
"Our plans haven't changed. We'll release you both as soon as it's safe for us to do so. We won't hurt either of you, and while you're here, we'll take care of you as best we can. ...I hope now you realize the danger you've put yourselves in by meddling. As scared as you are now, this is nothing compared to what will happen if we don't complete our mission. ...Dobrik, let's go."
"Yes, we're already quite late..."
"...don't worry about it," said Vella, placing her hand on her familiar's shoulder and grabbing the notes she'd come to get in the first place. "I'm the one who forgot the notes... it's just... these two have given me so much stress..."
As the two began walking toward the door, as Hilda shivered with fright, Johanna could feel an intense rage boiling up within her, and despite the fact that she was bound, blindfolded, and gagged, she couldn't let her two captors leave without telling them exactly what she thought of them. As they neared the door, Johanna scooted forward as much as she could and screamed at them, demanding that they let her and her daughter go, telling them how ashamed of themselves they should be, that they're monsters and that she hopes their mission fails. The witch and her familiar couldn't understand any of it, but as Dobrik placed his hand on the door, Vella became curious... and as he opened the door, she turned back toward Johanna.
"Vella, we're already-"
"Go ahead, I'll catch up," said Vella, walking toward Johanna and Hilda.
"If you're late, the Committee will-"
Vella gestured toward the door, and a slight burst of wind pushed Dobrik out and closed the door behind him, leaving Vella alone in the room with Johanna and Hilda. The witch then reached forward toward Johanna's face, and with a flourish, she yanked off the tape covering Johanna's mouth, as hard as she could.
"Aaaaaaaaaaah! Bloody hell...!" cursed Johanna, her head whipping back slightly as the tape was ripped from her face.
"Just what is it that you're trying so hard to say to me?" asked Vella, reaching over and gently cupping Johanna's chin. "If it's more insults, that gag goes right back on... you know, you really shouldn't be insulting me. I'm doing you and your daughter a favor."
Johanna clenched her teeth, tempted to scream the harshest insults she could at Vella, especially while she could still feel Hilda shaking in her arms... but instead of reacting with anger, she calmed herself, keeping her embrace tight as she began to speak.
"You really think you're some kind of hero?" asked Johanna. "All you've managed to do so far is terrify a little girl."
"I'm no hero," Vella replied honestly, dropping her hand from Johanna's chin. "But I'm not the villain either. And as for your daughter, what she should be terrified of is what will happen if she continues to meddle. You'd do well to tell her to stop what she's doing and keep her home like a good mother should do. It's your job to protect her, isn't it?"
Once more, Johanna was tempted to lash out... Vella's insulting of her skills as a mother was enough to cause her face to flush with rage, and were her eyes not covered with tape, she'd be staring daggers... but again, she remained calm, softly stroking Hilda with her taped hands and keeping her voice quiet... she even managed a slight laugh, the memories of Hilda's adventures giving her a brief moment of joy.
"I couldn't stop Hilda from adventuring even if I wanted to," said Johanna, shaking her head. As Hilda heard this, she perked up slightly, and her trembling stopped, if just for a moment. "I used to want to. I used to be terrified when she'd get herself into trouble, I'd be so upset when she disobeyed me or lied to me... I still do get frightened when she's in danger, and I'm frightened right now, knowing how helpless we are..."
"Then why-"
"But," said Johanna sternly, cutting Vella off. "But now I know better... I don't want to stop my daughter from going on adventures, because that's what she is... she's an adventurer. My brave, strong, kind, curious amazing little Hilda, who'd never stop even if I told her to."
Mum... Hilda muffled under the tape, feeling tears start to form beneath her sealed eyelids. Oh, mum, I... I don't know what to...
"Even if it put her, you, and everyone both of you loved in danger?" asked Vella, leaning in.
"Right now, the only one who's endangered anyone here is you," said Johanna, her voice steady with determination. "I don't know what kind of magical things you're into, and the only reason I care is because my daughter Hilda does and she knows you're up to no good. What I care about is my daughter and what you've done to her, and I want you to know that you will never, ever break her beautiful spirit and that she's stronger than you'll ever be, even with all your magic. I will give you one chance, one chance to release us, and if you don't, I promise you, you'll have far more reason to be afraid than either one of us will."
"Is that a threat?" asked Vella, her voice rising. "You can't move, you can't even see, your bound and gagged daughter is in your arms right now, and you have the audacity to threaten me?"
"I will never let you get away with what you've done to my-" Johanna began, before Vella cut her off by clamping her hand tightly over her mouth. "Mmm...!"
"I am in control of this situation, not you!"
Johanna turned her head fiercely away, freeing her lips from Vella's grasp before leaning up defiantly, calling her out with all the strength and anger she had.
"You're a coward," Johanna said, in a burst of quiet fury. "My daughter is a hero, and you are a coward."
Hilda, once again shaking, but now with more happiness than fear, choked out a sob, her gagged lips beaming with a smile.
Mum, you don't have to defend me in front of her... she's not worth it... but... oh, mum, thank you... I... I still feel terrible... I wish I could get us out of this... you're the hero, not me. You're the best mum in the world and I love you so much.
Johanna's words stung Vella enough to make her lower her hand, no longer trying to silence her with it, though the next thing she did with her hand was to grab the roll of duct tape and slowly peel off a fresh strip. Vella could feel shame well within her, and she knew she'd much rather not have to deal with Johanna and Hilda at all... as much as Johanna's words hurt, the woman was right...
All of these terrible things will be worth it when everyone's safe, thought Vella, tearing the strip of tape from the roll. And once everyone's safe, maybe you'll understand. Maybe Hilda will understand.
"I have faced things far more terrible than anything either of you have ever heard of," said Vella, reaching toward Johanna's lips with the tape.
"I seriously doubt that," Johanna said bitterly. "You have no idea what Hilda and I have been through together."
"I know all about the trolls, what else is there to know?"
"Do you have a daughter?" Johanna asked.
"..."
Vella didn't answer, but knew exactly what Johanna meant as she began to press the tape back over the woman's lips.
Hilda, I love you...! Johanna muffled as best she could, her last intelligible words before the tape went back on.
Mum, I love you too! Hilda replied, wiggling in Johanna's arms just so her mother could feel that she was still there. I'm still okay...!
I know, it must have been hell for you both... thought Vella, clenching her fists. As if you don't know how hard this is for me. If you refuse to understand how serious this is, maybe I'll have to scare you even more.
"Remember what I said," Vella scolded, cupping Johanna's chin once more. "And remember this. All of it. Because next time you or Hilda interfere with any of my affairs, I won't be so merciful. Understand?"
Johanna refused to acknowledge any of Vella's words, and her covered eyes gave no hint as to what she was thinking. Vella grunted quietly in frustration as she released Johanna's chin and stormed out of the room, hoping the two of them got the message... hoping they released her threat was real.
If they try to mess with me again, I WILL hurt them... no matter how much I don't like it.
Johanna could hear the door open and close once more as Vella left for the last time, leaving her and her daughter alone. Unable to see or speak to Hilda, only able to hold her close, Johanna felt a deep despair, even as she tried to hold it back. She wanted to cry, she wanted to rage, she felt every negative emotion swirling in her body at once, tormenting her... and then she felt Hilda, struggling as hard as she could, shrieking as she fought to get free.
I can't let mum down, I can't let my friends down, I have to escape...! thought Hilda, her entire body jerking back and forth as she tried to break out of the ropes. Johanna could feel her legs moving slightly up and down, her body twisting back and forth an inch either way as Hilda attempted to break free, struggling with far more vigor than she had before, determined to prove her mother's kind words right. I'm not helpless, I'm not weak, I can get out...!
Hilda...! Johanna called out, trying to make herself heard over the sound of her daughter's grunts, shrieks, and screams. It's all right, you don't have to struggle so hard, please, Hilda, listen...!
But Hilda was determined to escape, and with Johanna's voice muted, nothing was going to stop her from trying her hardest, even as she felt her mother moving with her.
Oh, I hope this isn't causing mum any distress...! I don't want to bump her into anything... I can't even see where we are in the room! I just need to get loose from her, and then I can struggle on my own! It's okay, mum, you don't have to struggle with me, I'll get out, I promise I will!
Hilda could feel more tears stinging her eyes under the blindfold. She hoped that perhaps the tears would loosen it, but when she tried opening her eyes, nothing happened. She was trapped completely in the dark, and it was terrifying... and knowing her mom was in the same situation made things even worse. She kept calling out, just so her mother would hear her and know she was okay. She kept struggling, even as sweat started to pour down her face. She could feel her mother's tight embrace, but it did nothing to calm her down, not now... her mind and heart were racing, and she wouldn't stop, she couldn't stop, not until she was free... not until they were safe.
"Mmm...mmm..mmph...mmm..."
Hilda's struggles began to slow. Her breathing slowed as well, and she had to stop to catch her breath through her nose, causing her nostrils to rise and fall rapidly. As she did, she could still feel her mother holding her... and the tighter Johanna held her, the calmer she felt... and the less she felt like struggling.
Hilda...it's all right... it's okay to stop... it's okay to rest. Please rest, my dear Hilda. Please rest. Please...
Hilda just shook her head, trying as best she could to muffle her objections, trying to apologize for getting them both into this.
No, I have to get free, I got us into this, I got you into this!
Maybe Vella was right, as much as Hilda hated to admit it. Maybe she should've stayed out of this... or at the very least, kept her mum out of it.
This is all my fault!
Though Johanna couldn't understand her daughter, she could hear Hilda's muffled words punctuated by increasingly frequent sobs... and as she heard her daughter start to cry, she continued to hold her tightly, nuzzling her with her face, stroking her nose against the top of Hilda's head, doing all she could to keep her calm. She felt guilty as well, but she didn't dwell on it... she might've failed to protect Hilda from being taken hostage, but she could still protect her daughter from being afraid... from feeling despair... from losing hope.
Hilda, you are so brave.
"Nmm...!" Hilda cried out, squirming in frustration, tugging forward as much as she could. No, I won't give up... we made a few cuts in mum's ropes, if I keep struggling...!
Johanna, of course, already knew that the two had made some small nicks in her bonds with the letter opener before, and she'd tried to pull her hands free ever since... even when Vella had been talking to her, she'd been trying to struggle free.
But the ropes were as strong as ever, and Johanna knew that it was impossible for her and Hilda to escape. She didn't want to give up, she desperately didn't want to give up... but she'd already expended so much energy on their struggles before, and she knew it was a futile effort, one more likely to hurt or frighten Hilda than it would be for them to get free.
Johanna would never stop trying to protect her daughter... but she knew what she had to fight for now.
She tightened her grip on Hilda again, until she felt Hilda's struggles stop... Hilda cried out again, shaking her head, screaming out another apology... and Johanna just continued to hold her tightly, tenderly emoting under her gag, just making soft, reassuring sounds to try and calm her daughter.
Hilda slumped and bowed her head, sobbing again, Johanna held her tightly, swallowing the sobs that were forming in her own throat.
I'll always be here, Hilda.
She didn't stop making sounds, letting only a couple of seconds go between noises. She rarely tried to form discernible words, other than a few short phrases like 'I'm here', 'it's all right', and 'you're safe'. Hilda kept crying, sometimes sobbing so violently that Johanna could feel her daughter's chest rising with the force of the sounds she was making, but then she would calm back down, catch her breath, and let out another quiet sob, and Johanna would have to swallow another of her own sobs, knowing she'd failed to protect Hilda from this but trying desperately to be strong for her now.
And when Hilda finally stopped sobbing, when she just sat there in Johanna's arms, head bowed, thoughts racing in the darkness, that's when she heard her mum humming a song to her.
Hilda took a deep breath, feeling a strange sensation of relief. She felt a great amount of tension leave her body and mind, and though she was still quite frightened and consumed with guilt, she was able to, for the briefest of moments, stop focusing on it long enough to listen to Johanna's sweet humming.
Oh, Hilda... thought Johanna, as she continued to hum the song to her. I will always be here for you. No matter how far you go, or what adventures you find, I will be here and I will support you. No matter how much trouble you get into, or no matter how much trouble I get into with you, I will always love you and I will never blame you. You are my brave little girl, Hilda, and as soon as I can speak again, I promise I'll tell you.
Sitting there, holding Hilda in her arms, Johanna could feel her heartbeat return to normal. Hilda's was slightly elevated, but she could sense her daughter's calmness even if she couldn't see her. She wasn't afraid for herself, and now, she wasn't afraid for Hilda. She knew, despite Vella's threats, that everything would be all right. Maybe this feeling was only temporary, maybe she was only lying to herself to keep from sobbing and breaking down... but right now, knowing that Hilda felt safe was everything she needed, and she continued to hold Hilda tightly in her arms, humming to her, stroking the top of her head, and pushing the negativity from her mind.
Hilda was still so frightened, but listening to her mother's humming brought her a strange sense of calm. She was still so guilty, but knew, even without Johanna being able to tell her, that her mother didn't and would never blame her for any of this. She was still so angry... Vella had tied up and threatened her mum, and at some point in the future, that would have to be addressed. She was still so worried... what were Vella's plans for Trolberg? What was the threat Vella was trying to stop? What would happen if witch magic and troll magic were used together?
I... I can't...
But whenever Hilda's breathing or heartbeat would quicken, whenever she'd start trembling, whenever she screamed, she felt her mother's embrace, heard her muffled voice, sensed her presence... and she calmed down. She calmed down and felt...
I'm... so tired. It's... so late. How late is it? I've lost track of time. It's so dark... I'm... so sleepy.
Hilda began to drift in and out of consciousness, letting her head slump as her mum continued to hold her.
Johanna stayed awake and focused, holding Hilda tightly. She knew her daughter was starting to fall asleep, and could tell from the feeling of her heartbeat that despite the tightness of her bindings, there was no danger in letting her drift off.
I've got you, Hilda. You don't have to stay awake. I'm here.
Hilda felt one more wave of sadness come over her, feeling guilty that her mum was having to protect her like this.
I shouldn't be sleeping right now... you should be able to rest, you're not the one who got us into...
Hilda's thoughts became scattered, almost surreal in the darkness. Memories of her adventures, of Frida and David, of Alfur and Tontu, and of the trolls, filled her mind. Memories of her mother. She felt free, she felt herself moving when she knew she shouldn't be able to, but before she could dwell on it, she tried to open her eyes to no avail, seeing darkness and then visions again. She muffled quietly, groaning under the tape, mumbling to herself, while never once experiencing a single moment without her mother's embrace.
She snapped back into focus, twisting her head back and forth.
"Mmph...!"
Hilda, it's all right, I'm still here!
Hilda's head slumped again, and she let out another sob. She felt her mother's arms tighten once more, and she could hear her mum again...
Mum, are you crying?
Oh, Hilda, I'm sorry...
Hilda didn't know how long it had been. She was still tired, and she could feel that her mother's heartbeat had quickened, which caused her to feel even more frightened, and even more guilty. She called out to her mum again, and began to cry once more.
Then, she and Johanna both heard the door open. Their heads craned up, and they cried out together in fright.
"Oh my gosh!"
"Hilda!"
"And her mum too!"
Hilda recognized three distinct voices.
Kaisa. Frida! David...!
Footsteps, and more talking.
"What happened? Who did this to you?"
"Hurry, get them loose!"
Johanna, who could vaguely recognize Kaisa's voice but absolutely knew Frida and David's, let out an audible sigh of relief, while Hilda just smiled under her gag, so glad that her friends had come. She didn't know how they found her, but she was relieved that they did, and could feel the tape being pulled from her eyes, followed by her sight returning. She blinked her eyes open and saw Frida looking down at her, intense concern on her face.
"Hilda, are you okay?"
"Mmhmm!" Hilda replied, nodding her head rapidly. Frida!
Kaisa, meanwhile, was peeling the tape from Johanna's eyes, not being quite as careful as Frida had been with Hilda.
"I'm sorry, I know this must sting," said Kaisa as she pulled off the blindfold, allowing Johanna to see once more. "We'll have you out in no time, I promise!"
Though Johanna winced, she didn't care how the tape came off her face, she just wanted it off as soon as possible, and gave Kaisa a grateful look to show how much she appreciated the rescue. Behind her, she could feel David fumbling with the knots that kept her bound to Hilda, and though she was trying her best to be patient, she was also worried that her rescuers didn't have much time before that awful witch and her familiar returned from their meeting.
It's been several hours... thought Johanna, having stayed awake to comfort Hilda the entire time. That meeting of theirs has to be over soon... David, please hurry. Maybe some magic could free us faster?
Next up were the gags, with Frida pulling the tape from Hilda's lips, and Kaisa pulling the tape from Johanna's. Once again, Frida was quite a bit more careful, slowly peeling the tape from Hilda's face so as to protect her skin, while Kaisa, ever the pragmatist, simply ripped the tape off Johanna's mouth.
"Sorry," Kaisa said, repeating her apologies.
"No, it's quite all right, I'm not sure how much time we have..." said Johanna, her eyes darting back and forth.
"You must've been quite frightened," said Frida, looking into Hilda's eyes with concern. "I was terrified when that weather lady tied me up, and it wasn't nearly as thorough as all this...!"
"I was scared, yes," Hilda replied with a nod, looking up at Johanna. "But... I had my mum with me.. I'm so sorry I got us into all this, truly I am."
"Oh, Hilda," said Johanna, tears coming to her eyes. "You're so brave, and you know I don't blame you for any of this. No matter what trouble you get into, I will always love and support you."
"...mum..." Hilda whispered, tears streaking down her face. She could barely form the words to tell Johanna just how much she appreciated and loved her, and as the two exchanged a quiet look of love and understanding, Frida stepped back away from them, extending her hands and beginning to focus.
"David, it's all right, step back," said Frida. Behind Hilda and Johanna, David had managed to just barely loosen one of the knots securing the ropes that were binding the two of them together, and had quite the flustered look on his face as he rose to his feet. "I think I know an unbinding spell, I should be able to free you quickly..."
"Sounds good to me!" said David, wiping his hand across his brow in a gesture of relief. "Hilda, you're sure you're okay?"
"Of course I am, David, now that I know my mum's safe," she reassured him, smiling warmly. "Thanks for coming to save us... how'd you know we were here?"
"I've been trying to track down Vella's atelier for the past few days," said Kaisa, who'd already begun looking through Vella's research notes and papers as Frida prepared the untying spell. "Of all the visiting witches, she's the most skilled... and the most suspicious. I knew her activities had to be focusing on troll magic, but I needed to know to just what extent she was truly practicing it..."
"I started following her when she started doing those strange rituals near Amma's resting place," said Hilda. "I wasn't quite sure what she was up to, but I knew it had something to do with troll magic."
"She was trying to gather the resonance frequency of Amma's vocalizations..." said Kaisa, pouring over Vella's notes with uncharacteristic energy. "She's charted every troll leyline beneath the city..."
Kaisa continued to rifle through Vella's notes, her eyes scanning them extraordinarily quickly, moving rapidly from one paper to the other. Frida, meanwhile, was tracing lines in the air with her wand and whispering an incantation, and Hilda and Johanna could feel the ropes beginning to loosen from their bodies.
"Great work, Frida, you're doing it!" Hilda said in an encouraging tone.
"Now Hilda, don't break her concentration," replied Johanna, her eyes still darting back and forth between Kaisa and the door. "I'm not sure we have time for her to start over..."
"Neither am I..." said David nervously. "I've never even seen her before and she already sounds scary..."
"She has a human familiar too," said Hilda, "just like me, only he's much bigger and taller... and meaner. ...meaner than me, not, not meaner than Vella. Vella's quite mean."
"Yes, she's rather awful," Johanna added, eyes narrowing as she remembered everything that the witch had said and done to her and her daughter. "When she first came in I thought she was just misguided, and I even considered forgiving her, but after everything else she said, after leaving Hilda and I tied up and gagged with our eyes taped shut...!"
Johanna was breathing heavily as she continued to rant about Vella's cruelty, but Hilda just gave her a smile, calming her mum down just as she had done for her.
"It's okay, I'm fine... and she can't hurt us now. We're safe."
I'm not so sure... thought Johanna, silently imploring Frida to hurry with her spell.
"I've almost got it," said Frida, nearly completing her spell tracing. "Just a few more strokes, and then you'll be out, I promise."
"Another human familiar..." Hilda mused to herself, looking over at Kaisa. "Does that make two?"
"Two that I know of," Kaisa replied, holding a stack of papers in her hand. "Many witches these days don't take familiars at all..."
"So Frida and Vella are the only two witches with human familiars... it's a shame that we won't be able to get along," said Hilda, letting out a regretful sigh. "I just hope we won't need her help, if what she said about troll magic is right-"
"It's not," said Kaisa, slamming the stack of papers down on the desk and turning back toward Hilda and the others, just as Frida completed the spell to free the girl and her mum from their bindings. "Her calculations, her research, it's off... she's come to several false conclusions about troll magic."
Hilda and Johanna let out sighs of relief as they were free, and mother and daughter immediately wrapped each other up tightly in a tender embrace, while Frida and David stepped forward toward Kaisa.
"What do you mean she's wrong about troll magic?" asked Frida.
"Yes, is she wrong about how to break down the barrier between them?" Hilda asked, still hugging Johanna tightly but looking over at Kaisa now.
"That's just it... there is no barrier," said Kaisa, putting her hand to her forehead. "It's... it's as I suspected... but I... I still can't believe it. Vella's research might be shoddy, but it confirms my conclusions... witches can use troll magic, we can use it at our leisure!"
"But how is that possible?" asked Frida, eyes wide in disbelief. "The Committee of Three-"
"The Committee was lying!" Kaisa shouted, looking down toward the floor and clenching her fist in anger. "They lied to all of us, they lied to me! And because of that lie..."
Kaisa's expression grew sadder again, and she looked back up at Hilda, and at Johanna.
"...because of that lie, because of that lie that I stupidly believed... I refused to help you when you needed me," said Kaisa, her voice shaking.
"Oh, Kaisa, no," said Hilda, pulling away from Johanna's embrace and walking toward her. "You thought it would be too dangerous to use troll magic, that's why you didn't help me."
"I didn't help you because I didn't believe in myself! I didn't help you because I was afraid to mess it up and hurt myself..."
"You were afraid it would hurt me," said Hilda, reaching out toward her friend.
"That's right, Kaisa, you didn't help because you were scared to make things worse!" said David, also reaching out to reassure Kaisa. "I feel the same way, all the time. I worry about not being able to help my friends because I'm too scared or too weak..."
Immediately, Frida and Hilda both embraced David, holding him tightly between them and smiling at him. Johanna walked over to Kaisa, who was ashamed to even look at her.
"I gave up on your daughter. I was going to let her be a troll forever because of my own selfish fears," said Kaisa, a tear falling down her cheek. "I couldn't even bring myself to ask Tildy to help, and I know she's strong enough to use troll magic. Even Frida's used it, twice, and she's only been doing magic for a few months! I've been practicing for years, and I couldn't even bring myself to try, or ask Tildy or help. I just blindly believed the Committee's lies. You and Hilda had to endure so much because of me, and I'm so sorry."
"Oh, Kaisa," said Johanna, reaching up and brushing the tear from her face. "Hilda's told me how helpful and kind you've been to her, and how you're always willing to help... and how when you don't help, it's because you're trying to protect her. I know the feeling of wanting to keep someone safe, especially when they're determined to press forward."
Johanna looked back and smiled at Hilda, who came forward with Frida and David to show their support for Kaisa. Kaisa sniffled, looking back at all of them.
"I was right about one thing," said Kaisa, allowing herself a smile. "Hilda did solve the problem... I just wish you hadn't had to ensure so much trauma."
"It's okay, Kaisa... I bounced back pretty well, all things considered."
"You always do," said Johanna, leaning down and kissing Hilda's forehead before turning back toward Kaisa. "Kaisa, thank you for coming here and saving us."
Johanna reached out and gently took Kaisa's hand, squeezing it softly. Kaisa looked at Johanna, and for the briefest of moments, a slight blush formed on her face, though it dissipated quickly as Kaisa's humility returned.
"Honestly, I was just looking for Vella's atelier, I didn't have any idea you two would be in here..." said Kaisa, releasing Johanna's hand. "But I'm glad we were able to help."
"Kaisa, what did you learn from Vella's notes?" asked Hilda curiously.
"Oh, lots of things!" said Kaisa. "For example, that spell that turned you into a troll? I don't believe it was a bodyswapping spell, not after what I've discovered here."
"What?" said Hilda, blinking in surprise. "So what was it, exactly?"
"It's... somewhat difficult to explain, but-"
"MORE of you?!"
The five all turned toward the door to see Vella and Dobrik standing in the doorway, Dobrik with a stern glare and Vella with a look of frustrated anger.
