"We had a deal!" raged Kaspar the second the queen came into view. The hall was carved out of stone, a representation of the Lamiae's sheer strength and resilients; a vast room of intimidation, not unlike the queen herself.
Her look was of disenchantment as she took the only seat in the large cavern. Settling upon her throne, Hansel and Gretel were forced to kneel off to the side, their guards maintaining their iron tight hold. "Yes we did," she replied coolly, "and you failed to deliver."
"We've never had a timeline before. I'll find you someone else," retorted Kaspar, ripples of panic fraying the edges of his words.
"I'm tired of waiting and this one has cost me a lot of resources, which brings me to why I had to replenish our numbers."
"You can take girls from anywhere, our agreement was you'd leave my village alone. I'll find you someone else." Desperation was written on Kaspar's face, almost enough for Gretel to feel a tiny bit of sympathy towards the man if his betrayal wasn't becoming so apparent.
The queen leaned forward, placing extra emphasis on each word. "Your pet project was instrumental in lowering my numbers. I needed to replenish and your little village was the closest one and just ripe for the picking."
"I've supplied your sisters with enough magical boys over the years, I've earned the safety of that village!" The corner of his eye twitched with anger and Hansel had to give credit for the balls Kapsar had to have to be so brazen in front of such a creature in her own territory. He was well seasoned in dealing with the weird and magical, and the Lamiae had given both him and his sister a good, hard run for their money.
Hansel couldn't say he was surprised by this turn of events; he considered Kaspar shifty to begin with and no one ever did anything for nothing. Generosity wasn't something he's encountered in his life of chasing impossible things, there were always strings. Still, it was hard to ignore the disappointment radiating off of Gretel. Despite the evils of the world, she still had faith that there was decency in the world. He made a mental note to extend Kaspar's beating to make up for any heartache Gretel was feeling as a result of the man's betrayal.
"Then let this be a lesson in the price of failure and motivation for future success. I suggest you make yourself useful and find me someone worthy or I'll lay waste to the entire village and dine on you." Her teeth glistened with the sincerity of the threat and the Lamiae lining the room promised to succeed should the queen fail in that threat.
Kaspar shrunk back, adopting and more submissive stance. Everything he had worked so hard to protect was teetering on the edge. His own mother had conceded to council law and agreed to drown him at the tender age of five when he first presented his inherited abilities. There standing in the stream with her hands firmly pressed on his shoulders, she had a change of heart or rather a lapse in judgment. Told to run and never stop for fear of imminent death, he ran, ran until there nothing left and his small body collapsed from exhaustion at the base of the mountain. It seemed nature was going to finish what his mother couldn't as night set in and the wolves began to howl but an old farmer and his wife happened upon the weak boy. They cleaned him up and fed him in their village, the one place Kaspar would grow to call home and protect at all costs.
When the Lamiae finally caught up to him, sensing his magic from that far reaches of their territory, the villagers defended him. The old lady brought him up the mountain while the village distracted the Lamiae, and though it cost them dearly, and the life of the old lady's husband, she swore she didn't regret saving him. To ensure the future safety of all, the old woman sought out a local gypsy in search of something that could conceal the boy. She gave her life to get Kaspar to the gypsy woman who offered him a potion to remove all magic from his being, but at a price. The answer seemed obvious, but the more he thought about it, the more he couldn't let the sacrifices to protect him be in vain. Opting to keep his powers, he vowed to use them to protect the village and the people who had embraced him as one of their own. He had devoted his life to that promise and now it was threatening to be taken away, and all because he had a moment of weakness.
And yet, glancing at the hunters kneeling in forced submission, he didn't want to let go of what he tried to obtain. He had given so much of his life to protect the village, it was hard not to want either and companion or a replacement. The tenuous balance he had struck with the queen had seen him deliver any boys displaying magical powers that he could track down; strangers sacrificed for the innocent lives of the villagers. Kaspar wasn't a fool, he studied his craft until he was sure he could be considered a threat. Hansel had been the first in a long time that had the potential to take his place, his burden, allowing Kaspar to pursue a life, a happiness all his own.
Then there was Gretel, so willing to do anything to save her brother, a kindred spirit. She above all others could understand everything Kaspar had done. He had seen the way she looked at her brother, without judgment or disdain for what he was. Kaspar might protect the village, be treated like the protector he was, but there was always the underlying not one of us, different, dangerous voice that whispered to him even if the people wouldn't actually form the words. Gretel could be his one chance to not be alone anymore. Perhaps she could grow accept him.
"What are you going to do with them?" he asked pointing towards the hunters. Their glares of contempt and hate were almost a physical thing beating down on him.
"What does it matter to you?" questioned the queen, her annoyance growing with each word.
"He's no longer of value to you. There is no magic there."
"He has cost us dearly and deprived me of something I wanted. My satisfaction will come from flaying the flesh from his bones. He will be a message to future chosen not to deny the Lamiae what is their right, their duty."
Gretel pulled against the hands holding her down. No one threatened her brother and got away with it. The lack of magic, was news to her and Hansel didn't seem to be in any hurry to deny the claim. No longer having his powers was as much of a solution as getting them under control, perhaps even better because the Lamiae would no longer have interest in him but she couldn't help the foreboding feeling welling in her gut that promised it wouldn't end there. The fact that Hansel wouldn't meet her gaze didn't ease her fears any.
"What about the girl? She's too old for your purposes and thus is of no use. I'd be willing to take her off your hands…"
"Would you now?" interrupted the queen, coming to stand in front of Kaspa; her sharp eyes scrutinizing ever inch. "How magnanimous of you."
Hansel knew Kaspar's intentions weren't pure, certainly not considering his blatant betrayal, but he wasn't fool enough to think he and Gretel stood a chance against a whole nest of Lamiae. Against Kaspar… Gretel could handle one man, even if he did practice the dark arts. "Let him take Gretel." His voice sounded small in such a large space but it commanded everyone's attention.
"Let him have Gretel and I'll give you anything you want," promised the hunter.
"No," hissed Gretel, struggling even harder to get free.
The queen rose from her throne and sauntered over to Hansel. Running one of her sharp claws down the side of his face she asked, "And what could you have that I could possibly want?"
"You want magical boys right?" Determination filled in the holes of confidence in his voice. The queen's sickening smile was answer enough. "I can find them for you. I know where they'll be."
The queen cocked her head in intrigue as she considered the hunter's words. Having two minions to aid her sisters in their hunting would increase their spoils and both seemed to have a weakness for people that were easy to snuff out. At the very least she could replace her current servant. If she could read the subtle signs of body language amongst humans then the key to controlling both men might just be one woman. Of course, there were other ways to ensure Hansel's compliance and unyielding fidelity "You amuse me hunter. You'll stay here, of course, and the little bitch can go with Kaspar." Her demeanor took on an even more threatening tone. "Where she'll stay until you prove you're going to be useful."
Gretel glared at Hansel, desperately trying to get her feelings on the subject through his thick, stubborn skull. If there was one thing they should have learned over the years, was they were better when they faced things together, never mind the insult that Gretel could be passed around as property to be 'looked after.' There was a special ass kicking in this for Hansel when they got out this situation.
Hansel bowed his head. He messed up so badly, he messed everything up. The hole he had plunged them all in was so deep, even the strongest ray of sunlight couldn't find its way to him now. His first mistake had been placing witches into two categories: alive = bad, dead = good. Then at the first test of loyalty, he'd shut Gretel out when she threatened to prove his beliefs wrong, when she wanted to embrace her birthright. He'd let Mina die, he'd hurt Ben. He was born a threat. Gretel blessed with the gifts of their mother left him cursed with them. He didn't even handle that well. He had so easily fallen prey to the trappings of the black arts and took the first easy out without thought for the consequences. It was time to man up and start making amends. "Agreed."
"Hansel, no!" protested Gretel as the Lamiae hauled her to her feet. She scrambled to find purchase against the ground, anything to break free or slow things down. She needed a moment, a moment to think, to find a weapon, anything to stop her being separated from her brother, who was so clearly hiding something from her.
Kaspar watched in fascination. He understood sacrifice, could sympathies with Hansel's position but it was something else to be the one he was handing his sister to. Desperate times and all that aside, Kaspar might have been the best of a series of lousy options but the hunter had still agreed to allow Gretel to go with him.
"Get her out of here," Hansel hissed, his heart breaking at the sight of Gretel struggling so hard to stay with a sinking ship. He tried not to resent Kaspar as he wrapped his hand around Gretel's arm, whispered in her ear and took the lead as he and the two Lamiae holding her escorted her out of the room. He let his eyes linger until the last sign of her disappeared out of sight. It was the right thing to do, not another mistake. She could take care of herself, and do that even better against only two Lamiae and Kaspar, who would probably be stupid enough to underestimate the strength that lay beneath her natural beauty.
Sauntering back to her throne, the queen retook her seat. "Bring him to me."
Hansel relaxed into their strong grip. There was no use in struggling; he was where he wanted to be. Each step forward, furthered his resolve. His mistakes started when he began to doubt who he was. Yes, he didn't truly understand who he was until Muriel exposed his family's secret, but deep down on some level, he knew.
He was almost within reach of her sickening claws when he twisted and jerked suddenly. It wasn't enough to free himself of his guards but enough to get a hand free, and really that all he needed. Continuing his momentum, he plucked the knife attached to one of the creature's belt, completing his turn by slicing off the hand still tightly wrapped around his other arm. The creature let out a sickening howl as she tumbled to the side, thrown off balance by the loss of the appendage that was still wrapped around Hansel. Knife dripping with blood, he didn't hesitate to drive it deep in the other guard's neck. The body fell heavily, pulling the blade from Hansel's grasp and tumbling to the ground with the dead.
The queen sprung into action bringing her claws down and tearing through the hunter's already shredded back. He stumbled, dropping to his knee. She moved into position to offer the final striking blow to remove a thorn in her side, when Hansel sprung up. Her forward momentum ceased and she looked at him for a long moment trying to determine what he had done.
Hansel stood there, chest heaving and heart pounding as he waited for the queen to put the picture together, for realization to dawn on her. He, the lowly mortal had run her through, the claws from the hand he pulled off his wrist carving out five perfect holes as the claws appeared on the other side.
"What have you done?" she snarled.
"I killed you without magic, bitch." He brought his foot up, pushing her off of her impalement to collapse boneless on the floor. There was a certain satisfaction in watching his tormentor twitch in agony. The tell tale sounds of the rest of the nest coming to avenge their fallen rang out, but he would take this moment, this small victory before it all went to hell.
"You think you've won anything?" she choked out around a mouthful of blood. "Another will rise up and take my place. Unlike you we serve a purpose. We protect the world from your kind's natural defects and megalomania. You'll pay for this."
"Probably. But you won't be around to see it."
A red orb appeared in the queen's hand, fluid like a ball of flame. It took a second to catch Hansel's eye and another to move from her hand to his body like a possessed firefly. "Neither will you."
He grunted as it hit him square in the chest, a warm feeling spreading over him like wax from a candle. It through him off balance, knocking him to his knees. Witch's magic never worked on them, it usually passed right through with no ill effects.
She smiled at the hunter's bewildered look with blood stained teeth. "No magic remember. No protection." As realization dawned on the man kneeling next to her, life left her body.