Chapter 10

  Meredith And The Bard

  Meredith strode through the village one Saturday morning to browse the shops. She had swapped her usual attire for leather sandals that tapped against the cobblestone streets and a frilly pink dress that bobbed forward with every step. Her leather bag hung stylishly off her shoulder.

  It was Meredith’s day off, and after her picnic with Victor, she realized she had never paid herself! Meredith enjoyed the sun on her skin as she bought herself trinkets throughout town. From Thomas’ memories and Grandma’s current clutter, Meredith deduced that every good magician needed trinkets; her room was agonizingly empty and dull! So far, she had collected a painting of a seascape sunset that she planned on animating, a large oval mirror set within an intricately decorated metal frame, a stake—in case the vampire returned—, a wind chime, a string of bells, some books, and a pair of new leather boots all stashed safely away in her bag.

  Meredith waved at familiar clients as she strolled aimlessly through town. As she approached the steep bridge connecting both sides of the town, she heard a soft melody waft over the smooth river. Intrigued, Meredith made her way across the cobblestone arch. As she crested it, she saw the top of the town’s central fountain.

  At the vertex, she gazed down at a crowd gathered around a young man standing on the edge of the fount. He wore shiny black boots and was dressed colorfully, with a purple and red striped tunic and trousers, trimmed with gold. A matching frumpy hat sat upon his curly brown locks.

  Multiple magical instruments bobbed gently in the air around him. A drum, trumpet, violin, tambourine, fiddle, and flute bobbled in rhythm as they magically played a soft tune. The handsome young fellow sang and strummed the lute strapped over his shoulder.

  “A bard!” Meredith exclaimed as she hurried over.

  ‘Cici will wish he hadn’t missed this,’ she thought. He was so lazy; all he ever wanted to do was nap in the sun.

  The bard and his magical instruments finished the song with a sharp crescendo. The crowd cheered and tossed coins into the open lute case set on the ground.

  “Thank you!” The bard exclaimed and bowed. “Don’t go anywhere; I’ve got more ditties for you!”

  They dutifully stayed, and even more villagers joined the ranks. Meredith trotted down and squished herself into the crowd along with the newcomers. The enchanted music moved her. She swayed as the bard delivered another song. When he was done, Meredith fished a few coins out of her bag and used her magic to float them over the crowd and into the lute case.

  As the bard began anew, Meredith felt her bag jostle. She instinctively shifted and reached down to push her bag closer to her body when she felt an object obstructing her arm. She glanced down, but nothing was there. The zipper pull on her purse stuck upward at an angle, as if being pulled. Then, the mysterious force was gone, and the zipper pull fell. Meredith grew wary.

  “Oof!” A villager behind Meredith exclaimed. She turned and saw a gap between the crowd that slowly began to fill. Another slight gap replaced it as villagers exclaimed and seemingly bounced away.

  Meredith’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. She stood on her tiptoes to see over the crowd’s heads. A trail of people being shoved left a gap amidst the crowd. She swiftly followed the trail of emptiness until there was nowhere left to pass. Before her stood a portly woman in a blue dress completely enamored with the bard. Her white leather purse hung off her shoulder. Meredith noticed the zipper of her bag slowly open.

  “Shael Veyna!” Meredith whipped her wand in a wide circle above her head.

  A slight figure shimmered into existence beside the woman. A young boy with black curly hair, dressed in a white tunic and leather pants, appeared with one hand buried inside her purse.

  “Thief!” Someone cried out. “Thief!” Others began to shout and point at the boy.

  The woman looked down, realized what was happening, and angrily ripped her purse away with a scoff and a curse. The enchanted music abruptly ended. The panic-stricken boy crouched within the encircled accusers. He had been caught red-handed.

  Meredith sensed the crowd begin to simmer as they clamored around the thief.

  “Throw him in jail!”

  “Where’s my bracelet?”

  “Cut his hands off!”

  “Hey! He stole my watch!”

  ‘By the hells, these people are furious!” Meredith thought, “This is mad!’

  She watched the usually friendly villagers she knew turn into an unrecognizable, angry mob as they jeered the thief. Was she in the wrong? She was the outsider; was this part of their culture or laws? Meredith didn’t know and didn’t want to see anything gruesome play out. There were no constables in Greenwood. The mob seemed ready to deal with the thief themselves!

  “String him up!”

  “Toss him in the river!”

  The boy looked at Meredith—the only person not yelling at him—pleading with his eyes. Meredith remained stone-faced, unsure. What should she do? Should she do anything? Her eyes flicked over to the bard who stood atop the fountain, fear and worry splayed across his face. The young witch noticed how similar the thief and bard looked.

  The thief tried to run but was shoved to the ground.

  “Let’s teach him a lesson!” A hand lurched out from the crowd and grabbed at the boy. He tried to struggle, but other hands lashed out at him, holding him in place.

  “Stop! Please! I’m sorry!” The boy cried out.

  Meredith’s heart ached for the boy. She couldn’t take it anymore.

  “STOP!” Meredith bellowed much louder than she thought herself capable. Her voice echoed throughout the cobblestone streets and sailed across the wind. The angry mob froze in place and stared at the witch as a heavy silence settled across the village. The wind didn’t whistle, the birds didn’t chirp, not even the river babbled. They had all silenced for Meredith, not by magic, but by something else.

  Nervousness immediately gnawed at Meredith’s chest. She’d never had so many eyes on her before, so much attention! It was paralyzing! Somehow, she steeled herself and managed to maintain a neutral face.

  “I’ll take care of him.” Meredith stepped forward. The mob parted in a mixture of apprehensive fear and measured respect as she stopped before the boy. She didn’t like the horror splayed across so many faces. The villagers released him and backed away.

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  “Are you sure?” A woman’s voice whispered from amidst the hushed crowd.

  Meredith thought for a moment, unsure of what to say. Should she make a joke? Should she tell them they’re being awful brutes and shame them? How could she make sure everyone left happy and intact?

  “Yes,” Meredith replied quickly as she looked down upon the boy. “I’ll make a nice stew out of him.”

  The dread on the boy's face grew, as did the bard’s. Some of the onlookers backed away nervously. Some beheld her with caution.

  ‘Yikes,’ Meredith thought and scrambled her brain to salvage her reputation and the situation. She needed to bring back some positivity! She thought they had turned to savages, and it appeared they felt she could be worse! What would Grandma do? Her eyes flitted across the crowd, searching for someone she knew by name. Yes, there was one! Across from her stood a thin old woman in a purple dress

  “How do you think I make your perfume, Dorris?”

  Meredith smiled at her. The onlookers, and Dorris, looked a little confused at her joke.

  “Yeah,” Meredith continued, unsure of where she was going, but ignored their stares. “I use pinky toes for that earthy smell.”

  Meredith smiled and said, “Come on, you,” as she pulled a long, thick rope from her bag and flung it at the boy. It magically wound itself around him, pinning his arms to his side and legs together.

  “But first!” Meredith raised her wand at the staggering boy. He flinched and tried to cover his face with his shoulder while all the villagers gasped and reared back. She searched her memory for the correct wording she needed for her spell. She didn’t know the proper grammar but hoped her intention was good enough to fill the magical gaps.

  “Theska Revan Vos!”

  Everyone watched expectantly, some hoping for punishment, some for mercy, and some staring in horror. But then trinkets, coins, and jewelry floated out of the boy's pockets, zipped over the amazed crowd’s heads, and returned themselves to their owners. The boy looked up in confusion and relief.

  “Broom!” Meredith then called out. She waited a mere moment before her broom whistled through the air and parked itself before the young witch. More spectators shied away at its sudden appearance. They seemed to stumble backward every time Meredith moved.

  With a flick of her wand, her broom slipped between the boy and the rope and scooped him up into the air. Meredith turned on her heel and began walking home. The mob parted before her as her broom followed. The boy shifted uncomfortably and wailed while the bard looked on in terror.

  Meredith decided to take the long way home. She went to the outskirts of town where the forest met Greenwood and walked along the edge toward the path leading to Grandma’s shop. When they were alone, the thief began to beg.

  “Please, Miss Witch!” He cried. “Please let me go! I’ll never steal again!”

  Meredith remained silent, and his pleas slowly turned into frustrated attempts to escape. Between the grunts and curses, Meredith heard the slight scuffle of footsteps far behind her. Eventually, the boy began to beg again.

  “Please!” He wailed. “Please don’t eat me!”

  Meredith could hardly suppress a snicker. She couldn’t believe she’d said she’d put him in a stew. The poor thing was terrified, and Meredith could imagine the rumors about her spreading through Greenwood like wildfire. Surely, they knew she was joking. After all, they knew her as the village witch who helped and healed, not the man-eating hag! She’d have to talk to Patricia; she’d sort everything out.

  “What’s your name?” Meredith hollered over the boy’s cries.

  “G-Guillermo,” he whimpered.

  “How’d you turn invisible?” Meredith turned to glare at the helpless, hanging Guillermo. “And don’t lie to me.”

  “I’ve got a ring! A magic ring! It turns me invisible whenever I want. See?” The boy disappeared and reappeared instantly.

  “See! I was honest! You won’t eat me in a stew now, right?”

  “I’m not going to eat you in a stew,” Meredith stated flatly.

  “You’re not going to eat me at all, are you?”

  “No. I’m not some trickster who spins their words.”

  “Of course not, Miss Witch!”

  Meredith turned and continued her way home.

  “What are you going to do with me?” Guillermo whined.

  “You’ll see,” Meredith replied tersely.

  The pair soon arrived in front of the shop.

  “Wait here.”

  Broom obeyed.

  Meredith went inside to the sitting room and gave a curt hello to Cici and Thomas before skimming through one of Grandma’s spell books she had recently finished. She stopped on a page, paused, then closed the book with a thump, satisfied. Meredith rummaged through a nearby pile of jumbled junk atop one of the tables and found a slender red string. She quickly enchanted it and returned outside to find the bard from earlier, unsuccessfully untying Guillermo.

  “You can’t untie it,” Meredith stated bluntly, startling the boys. “It’s bewitched.”

  The bard stepped in front of Guillermo.

  “I won’t let you take my brother!” His voice shook, but he looked primed to fight.

  “You can have him back,” Meredith flicked her wand, and the boy was spun out of his entanglement. Guillermo plopped on the ground and scrambled to his feet as his brother checked on him. Meredith’s broom brought the rope back to her, which she stuffed in her bag.

  “Thank you, broom.” Meredith smiled as her broom quivered and parked beside the shop door.

  “So that’s your scam, right?” Meredith interjected flatly as the boys embraced. “You go town to town and distract people with your music while your brother steals from them.” It wasn’t a question but an accusation. “Then you make double the profit from the performance and the thefts.”

  “What’s it to you, witch?” The bard retorted.

  “Guiseppe!” Guillermo gripped his brother's arm.

  “How impolite, Guiseppe.” Meredith pursed her lips, agitated. “Must I remind you that I took your brother from a mob that wanted to cut off his hands? And that I did not reveal your ruse? If you were following as closely as I suspect, then you would’ve heard me say that I wasn’t going to eat him. You can trick others, but you get mad when others trick you. How hypocritical.”

  “Yeah, you loud, bumbling oaf!” Cici emerged from the shop, surprising Meredith and the brothers. Cici turned to her. “I was watching from the crystal ball,” he admitted.

  “Then what do you want from us?” Guiseppe eyed them both suspiciously.

  “What I want,” Meredith continued mysteriously. “Is for Guillermo to wear this little red string around his wrist.” The witch held it up. “That’s all he has to do, then you’re free to go.”

  “We don’t make deals with witches!” Guiseppe retorted.

  “Then I’ll return you both to the villagers.” Meredith shrugged.

  “I’ll do it!” Guillermo announced bravely.

  “We don’t know what it’ll do to you!”

  “It’s enchanted to inhibit the wearer from stealing. It doesn’t come off,” Meredith answered.

  The brothers looked at each other.

  “No tricks?” Guiseppe asked.

  “No tricks,” Meredith replied.

  “What do you get out of this?” The bard inquired warily.

  Meredith sighed impatiently.

  “A village free from petty theft!” The witch crossed her arms in exasperation. “Look, it’s part of my job to help these villagers in any way I can, including calming a savage mob. I don’t want bloodlust to permeate my home. Wear the string or face the mob!”

  The boys whispered amongst each other before Guiseppe nodded to Guillermo. The younger brother trundled forward and extended his arm. Meredith tied the string around his trembling wrist.

  “How does it work?” Guillermo asked as he looked up at her.

  “Don’t steal, and you won’t find out.”

  Guillermo scampered back to his brother, and the pair turned.

  “Oi!” She called out. Guiseppe glanced over his shoulder.

  “You’re very talented. Don’t let greed ruin the good thing you’ve got going.”

  The elder brother nodded, and the pair ran into the woods. Meredith and Cici watched them disappear until the sound of them thrashing through the undergrowth faded away. They stood silently for a moment.

  “That was quite merciful,” Cici remarked beside Meredith. “I was looking forward to the stew.”

  “My goodness, you should’ve seen the mob!” Meredith exclaimed. “They were out for blood! Can you believe someone wanted to cut his hands off?” A shiver ran up the young witch’s spine. “I couldn’t imagine living the rest of my life physically and socially marred.”

  “Well,” Cici turned and padded towards the house. “You’re a kinder heart than most, and it’s good you have the power and will to correct mistakes before they escalate.”

  “Awe!” Meredith cooed as she scooped Cici up into her arms and hugged him tightly. “That’s so sweet of you to say!”

  “Alright, alright, that’s enough,” Cici grumbled in feline annoyance as he wiggled out of her grasp and trotted back inside. “What does that string even do?”

  “Stops the wearer from stealing.” Meredith followed him inside.

  “How, though?”

  “I don’t know. The book didn’t say.”