“Here, for your cold.“
“But you're a clever little witch.“
“I have the best teacher.“
I went over to my little kitchen and boiled the mallow in hot water. Then the incident occurred to me again.
“Why didn't you tell your father about our encounter with the goblins?"
“He shall know nothing of it. I'm afraid he won't let me come here otherwise and I want to be a witch.“
“You're right, it was better not to tell him. How did it go after that night?"
“Actually good, very good, actually. To feel the fire in me was grandiose and a true liberation. It filled me from head to toe and submitted to my will.“
“There's a reason for that, too. You were born in the sign of the Dragon, this happens only once every thousand years. Your grandfather, Farold, by the way, shares this fate with you.“
“Really? I didn't know that.“
“Didn't your mother ever tell you?"
“I'm afraid not. When I talk to her about the tribal fathers, all she ever does is chase me away. I don't think she wants to give me any information about it. Why, I don‘t know."
Typical Lucia. Instead of still touching her daughter with kid gloves, she should rather accept the fact that there was nothing left to be done about the girl's fate.
“Enough chitchat, you better get back home before we get in trouble again. It's getting dark again.“
“I miss you Emily and your witch house. When are you going to teach me all those beautiful things again? In the castle, it's so terribly boring, despite my brother and cousins playing with me.“
“Well, in that case. Why don't you come by tomorrow? And then we will begin with witchcraft.“
Being a witch isn’t hard
I was sure that Larissa would be able to master the great art of witchcraft in no time at all. She had followed herbalism and botany with such passion, wanted to know every detail, so that I could now move on to the practical part. On Monday morning, as usual, she came to my cabin. The living area and the kitchen weren‘t separated from each other. In the middle of these two rooms stood my witch cauldron, forged from iron ore. Larissa sat down at her teaching table, which I had made especially for her.
“So you're a witch who can control the fire. Did you notice the sign next to your belly button?"
“Yes, it looks like a dragon.“
“This is an unmistakable mark that you were born in the sign of the Dragon. But you have to know, other witches and sorcerers can control the fire as well. Not many, but there are.“
Now I wanted to show her. Stretching out my arm, I concentrated on the flames below the boiler. Immediately the fire flared up and entwined the whole boiler. It, therefore, closed like the mouth of a snake around the body of a mouse. Larissa's eyes opened wide in amazement.
“You can do that too?"
“Yes, and more.“
I put my hands on the floor that started to tremble. The earth together with a few stones flowed up from the depth through the wooden floor, I let them dance in my palm. Then I paid attention to the water pot in the corner. By my will power, the water shot up, formed the silhouette of a mermaid whom I let float around before the eyes of the girl. She was amazed and obviously enjoyed it. I felt the wind outside and ordered it in. A gust pushed open the window, whirled and orbited the child. Then I desist from my demonstration and everything was just like before. The water sloshed back, the flames became smaller, the wind glided out and the earth moved into the depths.
“That was genius, Emily. How do you do that?"
“I'm the only one capable of controlling all four elements. My sisters and brothers can't do this. There's only one element witches can control at a time. Except for Claus, who controls two elements, the earth and the air. But I will also teach you this and soon you will be lord over all four.“
In the days that followed, I taught her to use the power of water. As expected, there were no difficulties. The girl stretched out her hand and let the water glide along the floor. She hasn't been able to form any figures yet, but every beginning is difficult. She controlled the elements Earth and Air just as quickly. It was wonderful to see this beautiful girl stretch out her hands and become one with the forces of nature. She never got angry when something didn't work out, she never let herself be subjugated by it. She's always been in control. She didn‘t suppress the elements, as many witches already did, but felt them, led them. And finally, she was able to use the four elements for all everyday situations. For example, she lit a fire by simply snapping her fingers or filled containers with water by raising her hand above them. Let things glide through the air and float over to herself. I particularly remember a situation when a deer had fallen into a swamp from which it could no longer escape. Larissa stretched out her hand, ordered the earth to release the deer from its muddy claws and immediately the animal jumped away, not without turning around to the girl again and obviously thanking her. Day and night she rolled my books through from front to back, she never got tired. She brewed potions like an A, turning ordinary objects into animals. My waiting was worth it. I recognized her to be more and more the child who should finish what I had once begun. Only she didn't know about it yet. The day would come when she would learn why she was the only one who was so extraordinary. And then she'd hate me and fall into self-doubt. And I‘d have to remind her to follow her destiny. Until her fate was fulfilled.
One afternoon, Larissa was hunting the squirrels in my garden, Mathilde and Wilbert came to my house. They were the most powerful in our circle after me and Claus. I chose them as other members of the Council at the time. Mathilde was probably more what one understood by a witch. She was skinny, with yellow teeth and black lips. One of her eyes was blind, her death eye I called it. Because with it she could entice the ignorant into her spell and kill them. Foolishly, she had used her gift in the eyes of the people. She had been persecuted, but had been able to save herself; I picked her up at a dirty little market where she sold stinking fish. Wilbert didn't get any better. This plump, bald man had been expelled from his homeland because he had helped a pregnant woman to give birth to her child, who was lying ahead with the coccyx, healthy and without further complications. They wouldn't tolerate anything like that. It was more acceptable to let the mother die with her unborn child. After his exile, he was restlessly wandering around until I found him and brought him here. Their uninvited stepping in brought me back to reality.
“My dear ones, your visit honors me. What can I do for you?"
“We‘re coming in the name of all of us," Mathilde began, “to tell you that your plan can no longer be tolerated.“
“What do you mean by that?"
“Look“, Wilbert continued, “none of us know what you're doing with the girl and whether you're training her analogous. Therefore, the Circle has decided that your student must take an exam. To prove that she’s worthy to be accepted as a witch.“
“This is ridiculous. Did Claus put you up to this?"
“My Mistress, be assured this decision has been made by all of us.“
“I'm not afraid.“
Larissa must have heard the conversation. She stood in the doorway, unmoved.
“If you want to put me to the test, go ahead. I'll be ready.“
“Then I guess that's settled. So I'll see you tomorrow at the Stonecircle.“
Wilbert patted Larissa on the shoulder, Mathilde passed her untouched. I hadn't consented, but I still couldn't hold the girl back. The fact that Claus stabbed me in the back like that looked very similar to him. He was and remained a false snake.
“Listen,