Deirdra stood in front of the cottage, staring at her friend. Magant’s eyes seemed to speak to the witch. The water witch wished this moment could last forever, but she knew they had to prepare for their journey. Their expedition would last many days, so she wanted to get ready for it.
“Hello! Are you up yet?” Deirdra heard her friend’s cheerful voice.
Out of embarrassment, Deirdra pulled her hand away from Magant’s grasp. She looked toward the cottage door and smiled at her friend, trying to pretend that nothing had happened.
“Yes, we’re up. Did you sleep well?” Deirdra’s tone betrayed her embarrassment.
Martha, standing in the doorway with one hand on the frame, smiled.
“Not really, but that’s okay. I had a big breakfast, so I’m full of energy,” Martha said, clapping her hands. “Are you hungry? Agnes made some drop noodles.”
Deirdra realized that her stomach was empty. She also felt her mouth water at the thought of the delicious noodles. She looked toward Magant, wanting to ask if he felt like having breakfast, but he spoke first.
“Shall we go? You must be hungry,” he said, standing up and brushing off his clothes.
Deirdra nodded, and they both headed toward Martha.
“Hurry up,” Martha called out. “The noodles will get cold soon.”
The forest guardian waved at them, urging them to hurry. As Deirdra walked toward the cottage, a thought struck her.
“Why did Agnes suddenly make breakfast?” Deirdra wondered. “Just yesterday, she was yelling that we had to fend for ourselves.”
This made the water witch lose her appetite for breakfast. She wanted to pack up quickly and set off on their journey. Magant walked beside her, as hungry as a wolf. Though he loved the smell of morning dew and the gentle rays of the sun caressing his face, he didn’t notice any of it now. He was entirely focused on the delicious smell coming from the cottage.
“I wonder what these drop noodles are,” the monster thought. “They smell delicious!”
But he quickly sensed Deirdra’s hostility. He understood that the witch hated Agnes, but he felt that since she had offered them hospitality and help, he didn’t want to argue with Martha’s sister. They soon reached the cottage and went inside. As they crossed the threshold, Magant savored the aroma of breakfast, but he remembered not to show too much enthusiasm for Deirdra’s sake.
Martha invited them to the table, where they had already set out clay bowls. Wooden spoons lay beside them. Augustine sat at the table, looking noticeably sleep-deprived. Dark circles under his eyes starkly contrasted with his pale complexion.
“Good morning,” Magant said, extending his hand to Augustine.
“Huh…what?” The wizard was so groggy that he was barely aware of his surroundings. “Oh, good morning,” he said weakly, shaking Magant’s hand. His grip was feeble, and Magant thought the wizard must have had a rough night.
“The poor thing didn’t do well on the floor,” Deirdra whispered in Martha’s ear, making the forest guardian chuckle.
“They were up all night talking with Agnes. Apparently, they’re calling a special meeting about Wanda,” Martha whispered back.
The friends sat side by side on a bench by the table. Agnes entered the room, carrying a pot of drop noodles. She wore a beaming smile, which surprised Deirdra.
“Since when does she smile?” the water witch thought. “Does she even know what a smile is?”
Agnes approached Augustine first, serving him a large portion of noodles with milk.
“Enjoy. This should make up for your sleepless night,” Agnes said, leaning in very close to Augustine.
Seeing their interaction, Deirdra understood the sudden improvement in Martha’s sister’s mood.
“Oh, now it’s all clear. Agnes is being so sweet because her beloved is right next to her,” she thought.
The relationship between the two powerful mages did not escape Martha’s notice, but the forest guardian was happy that her sister had found someone.
“Maybe this will make my sister a little more agreeable,” Martha prayed silently that this would be the case.
Then Agnes served the other guests their portions, but they were much smaller than Augustine’s. This only confirmed the friends’ suspicions about Agnes and Augustine’s relationship. When Martha’s sister was about to serve Deirdra, the water witch said,
“No, thank you. I’m not hungry.” Her tone was polite; she didn’t want to reveal her dislike and spoil the atmosphere in the cottage.
Agnes merely shrugged and went to return the pot to the kitchen. Martha looked at her friend with a worried expression.
“Deirdra, you need to eat something. We have a whole day of travel ahead. You might faint,” the forest guardian said.
Deirdra didn’t respond to her friend; instead, she began playing with a wooden spoon.
“Agnes hates me. She’d probably put something in my bowl,” Deirdra thought.
The water witch noticed Magant’s concerned gaze on her. He clearly worried about her physical state, but Deirdra avoided his eyes and kept herself distracted with the spoon. Breakfast passed in a pleasant atmosphere, thanks to Agnes’s unusually good mood. For the first time, she made jokes and asked everyone how they were feeling.
Deirdra didn’t want to engage with Martha’s sister, so she sat quietly, continuing to play with whatever objects she could get her hands on. Meanwhile, Martha took advantage of the situation and relished her sister’s joy. However, the forest guardian couldn’t help but notice that her sister seemed oblivious to Augustine’s condition. He sat slouched at the table, and even the simple act of eating seemed to take great effort.
“Well, nothing’s changed in that regard,” Martha thought, recalling how her sister could be cruel to others.
When everyone finished eating, the group of friends began preparing for their journey. Agnes packed three bags for them, easy to carry over the shoulder, and included some food for the road.
“The bread and cheese should last you at most three days. I don’t have any food that spoils slowly,” Agnes said as she handed the packages to her sister. “I also have a fourth bag for you. It’s already packed.” She pointed to a bag lying by the fireplace. “It has blankets in it.”
The friends took their things and said their goodbyes to Agnes, thanking her for her help. Even Deirdra thanked Martha’s sister, though she could barely get the words out. Finally, the friends set off on their journey.
“We need to reach the trail on top of the Gatiset Hills,” Martha said as they left the cottage. She adjusted the bag on her shoulder and confidently started walking toward the mountain.
“Why there?” Deirdra asked, shocked. “Going through the fields would be easier and faster.” She hurried after her friend.
“Because there are fewer people,” Martha replied. “We’ll have less chance of encountering villagers or knights.”
Although Deirdra understood her friend’s reasoning, she still wasn’t thrilled about the prospect of trekking up the steep slopes of the mountain. As they journeyed toward the mountain, which wasn’t far from Agnes’s cottage, Martha explained to her friends how they should avoid attracting unnecessary attention from people. She also told them how to behave to blend in as ordinary mortals.
“I’m not sure if a blindfold is a good idea,” Magant said hesitantly. “I want to protect you, but how can I do that with my eyes covered?” he added, looking at Deirdra.
They reached the foot of the mountain. Tall coniferous trees grew everywhere around them, spaced far apart, so it felt more like a wooded meadow than a typical forest. Birds flew high in the sky, chirping merrily. The massive mountain loomed in front of them, seeming to touch the sky.
The weather was perfect for travel, with the sun shining but not too hot—ideal conditions for an expedition.
“We’ll have to think this through,” Martha said, pondering the problem.
“Maybe we could use a translucent fabric?” Deirdra suggested. “Your vision will still be limited, but you’ll be able to see something,” she added cheerfully, proud that she had found a solution.
Magant nodded, signaling that he liked the idea, but Martha wasn’t so sure. As they walked through the meadow, in the shadow of the tall trees, Martha said,
“With translucent fabric, people might be able to see his red eyes.”
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