Chapter Text
Coco carefully trekked through the water of the spring, the still water resting just above her ankles and lapping gently against her legs at her movement. She held a large bowl filled with soap and dirty cloths. She tipped the bowl, keeping it nestled lightly in the crook of her elbow while holding one of the handles. The soap fell in like a small waterfall, right on top of where she’d dumped the cloth in the spring. Once the soap had drained must of the way, she grabbed both handles and dumped the rest in, causing a larger splash.
As she knelt down into the water, she grabbed a cloth and started scrubbing at it. The motion agitated the soap and caused bubbles to form on the water. Coco continued on, grabbing sheets and scrubbing them until the dirt was gone. The more she scrubbed, the more bubbles formed and coagulated into a mass of foam atop the water. When she was done, she raised her hand to grab a piece of hair that was close to falling, noticing a deer standing close to the spring.
“Oh! Sorry about the mess!” She said towards the deer. It just stared at her. She collected all the clean, wet sheets into the bowl she’d brought them in and walked over to the edge of the spring that was inlaid with slightly overgrown cobblestones, the trees around bending away from it.
“Don’t worry. It’ll be gone in no time,” Coco told the deer, turning to look back at it as she climbed onto the cobble. “This is a magic spring, you know!” She stepped out of the spring with a quiet splish, water droplets dripping onto the stones beneath her feet. Coco turned to look at the spring. There was a soft humming sound before the water shone brightly, the magic in the spring activated as soon as she left the pool. The glow crawled over the surrounding trees and broken stones, covering it in a beautiful shine. It dissipated soon after and the deer perked up, trotting forward before dipping it’s head to drink the water.
“So beautiful…” She sighed, staring at the spring, “It never gets old. Magic is amazing!”
*****
The world is brimming with magic. It brings boons to us all. It’s impossible to imagine life without it. But I have no idea… how exactly magic works. Only witches cast spells. The rest of us can only bask in whatever comes our way. You can’t just become a witch.
*****
Coco sat on her home’s shingled roof, holding her worn picture book. She had her knees curled up to her chest, her head resting on her arm. She stared wistfully into the distance under the sheets hung to dry.
“I wish… I had been born a witch.” She said, to no one in particular. The sheets behind her swayed gently in the wind. She glanced over to them and got an idea. Getting up she went behind the curtains of drying sheets. She balled her fists in some of the fabric before crossing her arms. Then she began her little speech.
“O, freshly washed sheet, clean and white… I command you now – be my cloak of flight!” She chanted, thrusting the sheets from her hands as she posed in what she assumed was a spell casting pose. She thrust her hands out towards another sheet. After a little bit of standing in a ridiculous pose she started to feel a bit like an idiot. Coco flushed as the sheet just hung there, not even moving in the breeze.
The sheet then caught in a sudden wind, so strong it blew right off the line.
“Huh?!” Coco knew that wasn’t normal, what happened? The sheet started to fly off and she ran after it, shouting for it to stop.
“No! Don’t get caught in the wind! Stop!” She yelled as she ran down the steps, wind buffeting her as she reached out for the runaway sheet. “That’s not the kind of flying I was talking about!!”
As the sheet flew higher and higher, something in the distance caught her eye. She gasped as she stared.
“Is that a…?” She pondered, as she raised her hands to shield them from the sun so she could see better. She moved forward to grab onto the railing as she stared up at the carriage in the sky. “It is!” She exclaimed, leaning over the railing to get a better look. “It’s a pegasus carriage!”
Coco watched as the pegasi pulling the carriage were brought down to land, the winged horses just as majestic on the ground as in the air. The carriage settled as the pegasi slowed to a stop with short huffs.
“I don’t believe it! It landed here in village!” She said, as she stared at the carriage that had landed so close to her and her mother’s home. She went straight for the little trapdoor in the roof, climbing down the ladder.
“I’ve never seen a pegasus carriage touch down before!” Coco chattered excitedly to herself. As she reached the landing underneath the ladder she began to run.
“Mom! Mom! Look outside!” She cried, her feet thumping down the stairs as she ran for the door to the shop.
“Mooooom!” She called, running through the halls. Coco grabbed the door handle with a question on her lips.
“Mom, where are you?” She pushed open the door, only to accidentally hit someone.
“Whoa, there.” Coco looked up to see a man with short white hair and odd glasses. He was holding a bag that looked to be camping materials.
“Oh, I’m sorry! I didn’t realize you were there!” She apologized, leaning around the door to look at him.
“That’s all right. It’s my fault for standing by the door.” He replied, before looking over into the shop in general, stating, “Seems I’ve come at a busy time…”
Coco looked at the small gaggle of women, listening to them talk about the items being sold.
“Wood sorrel embroidery? Is that still in fashion?” One woman was asking.
“I think it’s nice. Makes you look proper. Intelligent, even.” Another replied.
“But look! This is harrian lace! The castle markets ran out of this ages ago!”
“Bringing the carriage all the way out here was a good idea after all!” Coco started. They were the ones with the pegasus carriage!
“These little hamlets are amazing!” A third woman was saying.
“They’re the ones who came here on the pegasus carriage!” She quietly exclaimed, wowed. After some staring, she swiveled to look at the man standing by the door. The man took a bit to notice her staring.
“Hm?” He looked at her questioningly, before he seemed to realize, “Oh, no… I’m not with them.” He had a bit of a “you can stop looking at me like that” face, holding up a hand to motion a no.
Coco turned back to the conversation when one woman, the woman who’d been looking at lace, asked for something.
“Excuse me, but do you have any more lace like this?” The woman was looking to her mother, with the lace held out.
“We do! Just one moment.” Her mom replied, leaning over a chest and pulling out a box of fabrics. She then turned towards Coco as she moved to help the visitor.
“Coco! How about a hand?” She said, before turning to the man next to Coco. “And you, sir? What can we help you with?” Coco leaned around the man, watching him pull out a piece of paper.
“I need a length of smoke-colored cloth, but… I can come back if you’re busy.” He supplied, holding out the paper. “I’ve got the measurements right here.”
Coco took the paper from him, holding it in front of her as she stared up at him.
“I can cut that for you.” She offered. The man looked a bit surprised.
“You?” He asked.
“Coco knows her stuff.” Her mother said with a light huff, holding the box on her shoulder with a hand on her hip.
“Is that so?” The man replied. Coco nodded before turning to her mother.
“Hey, mom… when I’m done, can I go out and see the carriage?” She asked, with pleading eyes.
“What have I told you about playing with other people’s property?” She scolded. “You break that thing, there’s no witch around to fix it, you know.”
“I won’t touch it! I’m just going to look!” Coco exclaimed. “Please? I promise to stop talking about how I wish I could use magic.” She pleaded.
“Oh, heavens… Fine, but only if you’re quick about finishing your work!” Her mother conceded.
“Hooray!” Coco was ecstatic, jumping up and down before she rushed off to grab materials. She hurried around, chanting “go, go, go” as she went. Eventually, she collected all her materials and set to work. Coco took the smoke-colored cloth the man had asked for and, in one quick motion, flung it over the table, keeping a solid grip on it as it gently floated down onto the table. She then flattened it out and used the cutting stone to make a nick at the correct point. She tapped the stone against the fabric a few times, eliciting a little tick tick sound, before taking a breath in and focusing. The stone glided across the fabric, cutting straight and neat. Coco had her other hand braced on the fabric, keeping it stationary. Once she was done she breathed out, dropping her focus. When she looked up she noticed the top of a head. It was the man’s head, the visitor she’d been helping. He was leaning so far over the fabric he was practically bent at a perfect 90 degree angle.
Then she realized that he was staring at her work incredibly intently. Coco felt incredibly frazzled, internally screaming at the fact that someone was looking so closely at her work. ‘D-Does he have to so close?!’ she thought.
“My, my…” The man said. He removed the hand he’d had on his chin, picking up the fabric.
“Quite the concentration. Steady hands, too.” He spoke appraisingly, holding the cloth gently, before lifting it up. “Precise measurement… a perfectly straight cut..”
“I had no idea this village was home to such an artisan.” He said, with a warm smile. “This is some real magic.”
Coco became immediately flustered, crossing her hands in a X pattern while waving her arms up and down in rapid refusal.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa! You’ve got it all wrong! That is not true!” She started to pump her fists up and down in the air. “Magic’s all sparkly, and mysterious, and wonderful, and priceless… and… and… beautiful… and… precious… ohhh…” She trailed off, panicking and embarrassed at her word vomit, ‘What am I even saying…? Ahhh’ Luckily, the man didn’t seem too put off by it.
“It… would appear you are quite fond of magic.” He said, “Might I inquire as to why?”
*****
When I was really little, my mom once took to a festival at the castle… I bought a slim book that day… from a witch wearing a mask.
“A slim book?”
“Mh-hm! Seemed like it was handmade.”
*****
*this is a flashback*
She had found a witch. He wore a mask and seemed to be selling books in dingy little area near the drains. The cobblestone was worn and he was sitting on the ground with a bowl in front of him and his cloak covering everything except his hands and a foot.
“You there, girl. Wouldn’t you… like to buy a picture book about magic?” He had asked.
“’Magic’? I like picture books but… what’s magic?” She had asked in return, her little hands clutched together in front of as she tilted her head in question.
“Magic, my dear… is the miracle that makes our world vibrant…” He’d responded. He then held out his hand.
“Pegasus carriages that soar across the sky… springs of pure water that last for all eternity…” He’d pointed to the ground beneath her feet. “Even the cobblestones at your feet, gently glowing as you stride along…” She’d looked down, her tiny feet awash in soft light. “All these things are thanks to magic.”
“Wow, it’s so pretty...!” Coco had exclaimed, bringing her hands up to cradle her face. “Magic is the bestest…! I love magic!”
“Indeed. So, how about it? I’ll throw in this free wand.” The masked witch had offered and, as a little child, she’d bought it.
Coco had run all the way back to her mother and explained in great detail what had happened. Her mother’s response had been,
“And so this witch talked you into buying it, huh?” She said, with a hand on her hip. “I gave you that money because you told me you wanted a roasted strawberry treat, you know.”
“But it’s so amazing!” Coco replied, holding the book up so her mother could see, “A picture book about magic!” She started to rummage through her pocket, her tiny hands grasping for the wand she’d gotten. “And the magic person even gave me a free wand!” She had finally wrested the wand from the fabricky clutches of her dress pocket. “And, um…” Coco had pulled the wand from her pocket and brandished it towards her mother, “Ta-dah! See? On the bottom, it’s a pen! It came with ink, too!”
She held the book over her head, exclaiming, “When I grow up… I’m gonna be a witch and make the world vibrant, too!”
“You can’t.” With that her hopes were shattered. She was shocked at her mom’s blunt words.
“Huh?! Why not?!” Coco had cried out.
“You can’t become a witch. You have to be born that way.” Coco could only stare in that moment. “Regular folk like us just don’t have what it takes.”
“But look! When I walk, the ground lights up!” She said, stomping her feet for emphasis as they walked.
“All right. Lets head on home, and if the ground keeps glowing all the way there… then maybe you can use magic, after all.” Coco latched onto her mother’s hand, clutching her new book tight. She had tears brimming in her eyes as they walked home, the light under her feet dimming as they left the cobbled streets and trekked through the fields to home.
*****
“Ever since then, I’ve just liked watching it, and I guess…” She continued, fretting over the old memories and magic, curled into a ball, kneeling on the floor. “I couldn’t stop hoping that maybe… I mean, I thought with all the money I spent on that little book, it might show how use magic but… ohhhh…”
The man remained silent, seemingly pondering something. She could hear his muttered words, even with his back turned. “A witch… selling books at the castle festival?” Coco wondered what he was so apprehensive about before he suddenly whirled around, apparently with a new question.
“If you don’t mind, perhaps you could tell me more ab-” The man’s question was cut off by a large crash from outside. Coco jolted at the sound and could hear the faint sound of a couple of village kids. The other visitors in the workshop were all fretting over the noise.
Rushing outside, she saw the pegasus carriage broken apart, it’s pieces thankfully intact though they lay strewn about the grassy ground. A couple of the village boys stood from where they were near the wreckage.
“We didn’t even touch it! It just fell apart!” One declared, he had black hair.
“Nuh-uh. Tanerl was crawling around underneath.” The other countered, pointing at him.
“Tattle-tale!” Tanerl cried.
“His head hit the bottom and it fell over.”
A shout came from behind her.
“I don’t believe this!” Coco turned around to see the women who’d arrived in the carriage earlier, standing there, fuming and seething with rage.
“What have you done to our carriage?! That belongs to my father, you know!” One shouted.
“What are you going to do about this?!” Another yelled, pointing at the gathered villagers.
“I’m terribly sorry.” Coco’s mom came around and bowed slightly in apology, one hand on each boy’s head. “The children’s behavior was quite inexcusable.”
“An apology won’t get us home!” The third woman seethed.
“These bumpkins must have planned to strand us and take our valu-” The woman who’d pointed was now shaking her fist.
“Don’t be absurd! We would never…!” Her mother jumped in.
“Pardon me, but… perhaps I could be of service?” The man from earlier offered, his hand resting on one of the carriage’s parts. “The damage doesn’t appear serious.”
“And just who are you supposed to be?!” The woman who presumably owned the carriage accused.
“Ah. My apologies.” The man stuck a hand into the depths of his cloak. “Allow me to cap off my attire.”
“Whoa!” Coco couldn’t hold back her shock as she watched him pull a white pointed cap from his cloak and rest it on his head, a sleek black ribbon hanging from the tip.
“Qifrey the witch, at your service.” The ma- no, Mister Qifrey, said. One of the villagers in the small gathering got closer to get a better look at his cap.
“That hat!” He exclaimed, “You really are a witch. Can you fix it?”
“I merely have to re-cast the spell on the carriage’s baseboard.” Mister Qifrey replied, “Of course, that’s a little difficult outdoors…”
“You can use our workshop!” Coco jumped in, excitement filling her body at the idea of a witch performing magic in her home.
“Coco!” Her mother admonished.
“We’d be delighted!” She said, whirling around to look at her mom, “Right, Mom?!”
“Heavens, child. Your face is beet red. You really want this, don’t you?” She replied.
“He’s a real live witch! This kind of thing never happens around here!” She exclaimed, flapping her arms up and down. “And besides… we might even get a chance to see it…” ‘The moment he casts his spell!’ She finished in her mind.
“Ahh! This is soooo amazing! It’s just so unbelievable!” Coco started rubbing at her face in an attempt to massage her sore muscles from smiling too hard. “I’m smiling so hard, I think my face is going to break! Hang in there, little smile muscles!!”
A voice broke through her excited ramblings, jolting her out of her frantic movements with her arms raised to the sky.
“Erm, it’s uh… Coco…” She heard Mister Qifrey say. Coco turned around so quickly she might have startled the man. “Right?”
“...Uh-huh?” She replied.
“Many thanks. The use of your workshop would be most welcome.” He had his head in an inquiring tilt, “And… I wonder if I could impose one more request. Just a little something you could help with. Would you mind?” Coco could’ve screamed right then and there.
*****
All Mister Qifrey’s request got her was slumped in front of the workshop door. She thought back to his small ask. A simple task he’d given her that had her sitting on the grass in defeat.
“‘I’d like you to watch the door for me, and make certain there’s nobody peeking as I cast the spell. No one is to come inside. No matter what.” He’d said, closing the door as he asked, “Got that?’”
“My hopes and dreams, dashed to pieces…” She mumbled, tears in her eyes as she thought of her poor little betrayed smile muscles.
‘What’s so bad about watching anyway?’ She mused, head resting on her arm. Coco shifted and rested her chin on her hands. ‘There’s magic all over the world. Why would the part when it gets cast be such a big secret?’
Coco caught movement out of the corner of her eye. She looked over but couldn’t see anyone. Leaving her post outside the door, she rounded the side of the building, finding Tanerl and his friend climbing her roof.
“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?!” She shouted.
“Ugh! Busted!” The friend grumbled.
“What? It’s just Coco.” Tanerl said. “We’re gonna check out the skylight. Maybe we can see inside.”
“No! That’s not fair!” She announced before starting to climb a box. “...If you get to look inside, then I do too!” The next few minutes were spent climbing up to the two boys.
“Whoa. She made it up.” One said.
“Move over!” She wiggled her way in between them, pulling the skylight open only to be met with curtain.
“Aw, come on! The curtains are shut!” Tanerl groaned, pushing himself away from the window.
“This stinks! Let’s get outta here.” His friend said. They both climbed down, leaving Coco to stare at yet another closed door to her dream.
There was a large gust of wind, throwing one of the sheets over her. She startled and fumbled as the sheet blocked her vision, squeaking.
“What going on…?!” As the sheet fell, her eyes landed on the hatch she’d left open earlier in her excitement. She climbed up to it and slipped inside. Coco descended into the darkness inside, crawling over to a boarded area, the boards placed far enough apart that she could peek through. She was close to actually peeking before she caught herself and turned away. ‘Wait! I shouldn’t! But I… really want to see… But I’m not supposed to…’ Against her better judgement, she took a peek and couldn’t look away.
She watched as Mister Qifrey drew elegant and precise designs, a large pattern of circles and lines. The pen looked beautiful as he drew long, unwavering lines. ‘He’s… drawing.’ She thought, mesmerized by the creation being brought to life in front of her. ‘Magic being cast… with a pen?!’
“So that’s how it works…” Coco whispered to herself. ‘Magic isn’t cast with words… It’s drawn!’ Mister Qifrey finished the spell, clouds flaring up and surrounding him. He rolled his shoulder.
“Now then… Coco.” Coco startled as the man addressed her. She scrambled out of the little nook she’d crawled into, climbed up the ladder, slid down the roof, and ran all the way back to the door, catching her breath as she stopped in front of the door. She could hear a few knocks as Mister Qifrey called for her.
“Hm? It’s done, Coco. ...You still there?” The door opened, “Coco?”
Coco was still catching her breath as Mister Qifrey said,
“Erm… Thanks for the hard work?”
*****
The carriage had been put together hastily after Mister Qifrey finished drawing the spell on the baseboard. Coco watched beside her mom as the carriage kicked off from the ground and flew off into the distance. The villagers were all gathered to watch, pointing and shielding their eyes from the sun.
“Well, look at that!” One said.
“It took off!” Another exclaimed.
“Aren’t you excited?” Coco’s mom asked, “You couldn’t stop chattering on about that carriage earlier.”
“I-I’m okay…” She replied.
“Heavens, to think a day would come when you weren’t hopping up and down about magic…”
“Hopping up and down, hm?” Coco jumped at the sudden appearance of Mister Qifrey behind her. She quickly shoved his things into his arms, eliciting a little oof from him.
“H-Here’re your things! And the cloth!” She managed before she turned and hid behind her mom.
*****
Qifrey watched as Coco hid behind her mother, a clear signal that she didn’t want to talk to him. ‘I would have liked to hear more about that book…’ he thought, ‘…but I suppose I’ll have no such luck.’ He tried to look around the human shield but couldn’t see any part of Coco.
“I’ll be on my way, then.” He said, adjusting his hat, “Perhaps our paths will cross again someday.”
With that admission he turned and began his trek back home, the cloth secured and his pack strapped to his back.
*****
“Whew!” Coco started at her mother’s sudden relief.
“Were you worried about something?” She asked.
“Thought that maybe…” Her mother looked wistfully off into the distance, “You were gonna say you wanted to go with that man.” Her face filled with sorrow, quiet and aged, “I already lost your father to illness. I don’t think I could bear having you leave, too…”
“I’d never do that! I couldn’t leave you all alone!” Coco cried. Her mom rested her hand on Coco’s head.
“Thanks, Coco. How’d I get such a sweet girl?” She said.
*****
Coco closed the door to her room behind her later that night, one thing on her mind. Testing the picture book on magic’s designs with the wand. ‘…I’m sorry, mom. I won’t leave. But there’s something I have to try.’
She pulled all her materials onto her little desk, a small lit candle for light and the picture book, pen, and a few scraps of paper.
“All the patterns inside the picture book… and the wand thrown in for free…” She mused, picking up the wand and uncapping it. “The pen tip was no coincidence. The pen itself was the wand…!”
Coco drew a piece of paper in front of her and chose a simple enough design from the book. She hesitated as she held the pen above the paper, concentrating as best she could on the design. A small drop of ink fell on the page from her hovering wand. Painstakingly, she marked out the design, the lines all wobbly and the circle around it a mess. As soon as she closed her messy ring around the intricate little design, it started to glow. She watched as it grew bright and beautiful, her own little spell. Her dreams felt like they were all so much more achievable as she stared at the magic she drew.
She had so much energy, standing up and down on her stool, hands covering her face. Her excitement was so bright it made it impossible not to move.
“It just glowed! Just now! I don’t believe it!” She continued practically bouncing up and down on her stool, “I just used magic!”
Coco ran around her room, rolling around in her bed, practically shouting her new discovery.
“It’s magic! Magic! Real magic! This is amazing! I don’t even know what to do! Drawing! That’s been the secret this whole time!” She exclaimed hitting her stool and repeatedly ramming her head into her pillow.
Eventually, she ended up back on her stool, lamenting how she’d gained her new found knowledge.
“I wasn’t supposed to look, though. Am I gonna get in trouble if anyone finds out…? Ooohhhhh…” Coco cradled her head, guilty.
“I’ll try one more.” She decided, leaning back over her desk, “Just one more page…”
*****
Qifrey lay, wrapped in his cloak, a little fire spell keeping him warm. He thought back to the events of the day and Coco’s drastic change in behavior. ‘A picture book, hm? I just can’t get it out of my mind. To sell something pertaining to magic to a child who knows nothing of the art…’ He pondered. Suddenly, an alarming thought came to mind and he shot up from where he lay. Sitting there, backlit by firelight, he came to a realization of a frightening possibility.
“No, surely it’s not…?!”
*****
The paper imploded, engulfed in flames the second she finished the spell.
“AHHH! That one was a fire spell!” She yelled, batting at it with her pillow, “Stop! Stop! Go out, please!!” Coco quickly hit it with her pillow, suffocating the fire and killing it. She breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of charred paper and no embers. “That could’ve been bad.”
“But…” She said, flapping her hand over the paper to cool it down and get rid of the smoke, “I think I’m getting the hang of this!” Coco sat on her knees in front of rows of neat and messy spells.
“Big ones are stronger than little ones… and neatly drawn ones last longer than messy ones!” She exclaimed, looking over at one spell that was still going. “But it’s hard to draw them both big and neat. The visitor we had today made it look easy…” She tapped her finger on her chin as she thought.
“Wait! That’s it!” She clapped her hands, a spark coming to her. She pulled her picture book in front of her, laying it flat to a page with a large design. Carefully, she took her paper and placed it on top of the page in the book. Coco centered it, pressing down to make sure she could see through to the design on the other side. She brought her pen down onto the paper, focusing on the design, trying to make it neat as possible. ‘Hah! Just like I thought! If I put the paper on the book… I can see through it and trace the pattern perfectly!’ She felt triumphant about her idea, bent over her desk, all focus on the page. She put the last line in and pulled back.
“There! I wonder what kind of spell this one i-” Just then she saw movement out of the corner of her eye before she was pulled back and carried away from the spell that was glowing violently bright on her desk. Mister Qifrey jumped over her bed and out of her window, hopping down the roof before jumping straight off. He pulled his feet together and out underneath him and suddenly they were flying, high in the sky. Coco could see the popping of light coming from the spell she’d cast and held tight to Mister Qifrey’s cloak as they hovered at a daunting height. She felt Mister Qifrey grab her arms and hold her slightly out in front of him. He looked furious.
“WHAT DID YOU DRAW, COCO?! WHAT KIND OF MAGIC DID YOU DRAW?!!” He shouted.
“I… I don’t know! I just traced one of the patterns in the book and…!” She cried. Mister Qifrey quickly changed courses.
“The book! Is it still inside?” He questioned as she looked over his shoulder, staring down at her home.
“Y...yeah!” She exclaimed before she saw a familiar figure opening the door. “Wait! That’s…”
“Coco?” She could hear her mother call her name in the distance. Coco could make out the lantern she held up, illuminating her face with her well loved shawl wrapped around her shoulders.
“Mom!” She yelled, leaning forward, jostling Mister Qifrey in the process.
“Hold still! I don’t want to drop you!” Qifrey shouted as she squirmed to look at her mother.
“Coco!!” Her mom shouted right before the nightmare started. As her mother took another step away from the house, stone spread out on the ground the beneath foot, crackling and grinding as it crawled up her foot. Coco’s mom looked down in bewilderment and fear as the jagged, crackling stone encapsulated her body, crawling up her skirts to her torso.
“No… This can’t real…” She said softly as she watched everything she knew become trapped in stone, her mother included. The stone grew and grew till it had crawled up to the tippy top of Coco’s home, sharp and cruel.
“MOMMY!!” She screamed as her mother was completely engulfed in stone, the lit candle inside the lantern snuffed out, leaving an empty shell. She cried, safe in the air, safe from her own mistake.
“I… I’m… I’m sorry…” She blubbered, wiping at her eyes, “I didn’t know what…”
“Of course you didn’t.” Qifrey consoled her, before moving on to an explanation, “That’s why it’s kept secret. To prevent things like this. The conjuring ink… the patterns for the casting seals… That’s all it takes. With those, anyone can use magic.” His voice dipped dangerously low and quiet, “Hiding that truth is the one great rule of witches. And those who find out… must have their memories erased.”
Coco reacted on instinct, flipping herself so she could kick Qifrey in the face. She kept her feet pressed to his face as she squirmed upside down, trying to break free from his hold. She didn’t want her memories erased, she didn’t want to forget her mother.
“C-Calm down! Quit twisting around!” Qifrey exclaimed as Coco shook and squirmed violently in his arms. “I can’t hold onto you like this!”
“NO! LET GO! LET GO OF ME!” She cried, tears in her eyes as she squirmed and screamed. “If you make me forget… then what’ll happen to my mom?!”
“If you could tell me what kind of seal you drew, I might know how to reverse it, but…” Qifrey started, “Without that knowledge… owww!”
“If you’re asking about the picture book, I’ve read it so many times, I know it by heart!” She exclaimed as she returned to kicking Qifrey with enough vigor that they wobbled.
“Of course! The book!” Qifrey stated, the words a bit slurred due to Coco kicking him in the face.
*****
‘If that book was written by those whom I suspect… I cannot allow her to forget.’ He thought as he watched the girl in his arms try her hardest to escape his grasp. Qifrey felt horrible holding her like this but he had to reason with her. Alongside that, ‘She’s the only lead I have.’ He couldn’t lose her. She couldn’t lose her memory. This was the closest he’d gotten in years.
“You could identify the book if you saw it again, yes?” Coco was straining, pressing away from his as hard as she could, he kept his grip on her arms firm to keep her from falling. She wouldn’t survive if he did let go. “Could you point out which page you drew from?” The girl in his arms gasped, a hopeful thing. This proposition got her to stop struggling as much, thankfully.
“If I found another copy for you… and I showed you the shape…” She ventured. “The same one I drew… If you saw it, could you save my mother?” Coco asked, tears spilling from her eyes, looking more hopeful than she had before this entire event started.
“There may be hope yet.” He stated. Qifrey couldn’t fully promise it would work but he did hope it would. Coco suddenly pulled forward, clutching tight to his cloak with her arms wrapped loosely around his neck.
“Mister Qifrey, please! Please don’t take my memories!” She pleaded. “I swear I’ll find the book again! I’ll do anything! Anything to save her!!” Coco cried, desperation fueling her voice.
“Can you honor the secret?” He asked.
“Yes! I promise!” She replied.
“And do you have the will to study?” He continued. Qifrey felt her shift against his shoulder, most likely out of confusion.
“S-study?” Coco asked. He shifted her to a more comfortable hold, his hands placed under her armpits as he held her out to look her in the eye.
“If you are to retain the truth you have learned… then you choose to stand alongside us.” Qifrey said, the statement heavy in his mouth as he relayed it. “That is your only option.”
He looked at her hopeful face, wreathed in the light from the rising sun.
“Coco… from now on you will be… a witch.” He told her, as they flew high in the sky. The wind gently surrounded them as the morning broke, bringing light and hope to balance the suffering experienced in the night.