Chapter Text
Once upon a time, there lived a girl named Amity Blight.
Amity was the youngest daughter of Odalia and Alador Blight, and the youngest member of the long and prestigious line of the Blight Nobility.
When King Belos came to rule this land, the Blights offered him their power, as they were Witches of the powerful sort. They used their magic to create Slime Golems, and they offered these to King Belos, who used them as soldiers. Not because he feared an uprising, but because he was smart enough to be prepared in the case of one.
This being so, the Blights quickly became quite wealthy, and they took to a manor on a hill.
Lady Odalia Blight was notably one of the most insufferable of her lineage. Desperate to keep her power and riches, she restricted the playmates of her children, keeping to more noble bloodlines, and urged her children to marry.
Amity was the youngest of three children, but despite this fact, her mother set her sights upon Amity.
Likely it was because her elder siblings, Edric and Emira, who were twins, did not particularly care for their suitors.
The twins were cooperative for the most part, even specializing in their own kinds of magics, but they tended to act a bit unruly, as they often pranked their suitors and whatnot.
With this in her mind, Lady Blight began to ask her youngest daughter if she had considered any suitors.
"Not at the present, Mother. I'm simply too busy with practice to worry about such things."
"Ah, but my darling daughter, this would be a bigger help to our family than your practicing magic. While we do enjoy how hard you work, courting another member of nobility, or perhaps, dare I say? Royalty? It could be a bigger help to us, and I know you enjoy being useful."
"I'll think about it, perhaps."
"Please. And, so that you know what you are considering, I heard King Belos has a nephew looking for a partner. You could be a real princess!"
"Yes mother. I will consider it."
"You had better."
Truth be told, Amity was much more content practicing the magic that made her family valued, although it seemed her cooperation no longer suited her mother's needs.
With this fact weighing upon her, Amity retired to her chamber to think this over with her dear friend, her housecat.
Ghost was a small white kitten Amity's siblings had smuggled her as a 7th birthday present. Amity kept her hidden in her chamber, but she was relatively certain her father knew.
Amity had panicked when she saw her door ajar on the dawn of her 9th birthday, amd had been relieved to find that Ghost lay asleep on her pillow, a tiny purple collar upon her which Amity had never seen before.
She later found some scrap purple fabric in her father's workshop.
Alador Blight was never outspoken against Lady Blight, but he did occasionally provide his children with small showcases of his support. And though the three children agreed that his occasional kindness didn't erase his silence to Odalia's cruelty, they were all grateful for it.
Ghost purred the moment Amity opened her door.
"Hello Ghostie." Amity said in awnser as she stroked her pet.
"What on earth am I to do? How am I going to get out of this? I don't want to date a prince, but Mother isn't going to let this go."
As she finished the thought, a rock smacked her window. Or... a vine?
"Willow!" Amity threw open the curtains, and then the window.
"What's up, Lady Blight?" The green haired Witch called, light reflecting off her circular glasses.
"Don't call me that, that's my mother's name." Amity tossed back.
Willow Park was an average civilian, and not at all one of the people on her mother's list of 'approved comrades'. Willow and Amity had met when Amity had snuck into the village of Bonesburough as a child, and Willow had been sneaking to the Manor since.
"Come on Willow, climb up!" Amity called, as the Herbology Magician summoned vines across the brick manor wall.
"I'm coming! Geez, what's got you in such a hurry?" Willow grumped as she grabbed hold of her vines, pulling herself up.
"Come up and I'll tell you!" Amity retorted. She was eager to tell Willow everything, as the Herbology Magician gave quite excellent advice.
"Alright, what in the Titan's name has you in such a tizzy, Blight?" Willow asked as she pulled herself through Amity's open window, dismissing the vines.
"The unthinkable has happened. You know the king's nephew? Well... my mother... wants me to... get married. To him. Willow, I don't even know him! And you know I have NEVER wanted to wed or court a boy!" As soon as Willow climbed into Amity's room, she burst, forgetting to even attempt to give context.
"Oh Titan. That's a lot." Willow replied, sitting beside Amity on her green bed. "Well, hey, at least he's rather handsome."
"Willow. Seriously?" Amity whined. "Okay, okay, you switch places with me, and YOU court the Golden Guard."
Willow paused, as if deep in thought.
"Wait, is that possible? Willow, do you know someway we could do that? Willow?" It was well known that Willow Park knew most secrets of Bonesborough, as she spent most of her time running around it, talking to the occasional criminal. But a way Willow and Amity could swap places?
"Okay. So, you aren't going to like this, one. Two, we need help from... a friend of mine. And, uh, three, that friend... doesn't exactly love your family." This was no suprise to Amity. The Blights were... notorious to most of Bonesburough. Traitors for having joined King Belos rather than try to survive as commoners.
"So, maybe we make a pit stop, to someone who can disguise you... temporarily, and then, we go to someone who can perform... a... a Body-Swap Curse."
There was something about the name of that spell that left Amity on edge.
"Is it... safe?"
"Sure. I mean, the only one who can cast it, well, she's the most powerful Witch in the Kingdom. No offence to you Blights." Willow replied. "But, to be honest, I'm not sure this is the smartest idea, to try to trick The King, but I'm game for anything." Willow elbowed Amity. "So, ready to sneak out?"
~~~~~
Amity was more experienced with sneaking out of Blight Manor than you'd expect from someone so obedient. Still, she had snuck out with Willow more times than she'd ever admit. Willow would cover her with enough vines for her to pass as a plant golem, and they'd walk the streets of Bonesborough unnoticed. They turned into back roads to keep out of sight of King Belos' Guards, which told Amity a little more about where they were going than she wanted to know.
Soon, they turned in front of a run down looking shack.
"Here we are." Willow whispered. "The house of The Kingdom's greatest Magician. We'll stop here and then go to that Witch."
"This?" Amity questioned. Most talented Witches and Magicians lived in nothing short of a Manor. Unless this one was also a criminal, which would make sense given the route they took.
Willow just smirked and pulled Amity into the shack.
A sort of... veil... shimmered around her as she stepped into a... magnificent and well decorated palace.
"WHAT IN TITAN'S NAME-?" She exclaimed, but was cut off by the sound of a door creaking open.
A finely dressed old man walked out.
"Ah, Willow. Who have you brought me today?" He asked in a kind voice.
"You know him?" Amity whispered to Willow.
"Gus, she's a friend. This is Amity Blight. Now take that hideous disguise off." Willow said to the man, whom Amity presumed was Gus.
"This is THE Amity Blight?" Suddenly the man's voice went a lot more high-pitched, and with a poof of blue magic, standing there, in the place of the old man stood a teenage boy.
"This is your powerful Magician?" Amity demanded. "He must be at least two years younger than me!"
"And this is why I wear a disguise." Gus grumbled.
"Amity, yes, don't be a jerk, this is Gus. He is an incredibly talented Magician, probably even better than your siblings." Willow replied.
"PROBABLY? Wills, don't sell me short, I bet a hundred thousand snails I'm a more talented Magician than the King himself." Gus said with a bow.
"I'll take that bet." Amity replied.
"Amity, quit being a jerk." Willow snapped. "Gus, can you help us? We need a disguise for her."
"Depends. Will she be nicer?" The Magician asked, pretending to check his nails.
"Yes." Amity answered before Willow could jump in. Whatever Willow's plan was, it clearly relied on Amity's cooperation, and she was not about to be the reason her own rescue plan failed. "My apologies, sir. I should not have doubted your abilities. Anyone Willow knows to be a powerful Magician must be one. Please forgive my impertinence."
"Dang, this girl knows how to butter someone up." Gus replied with a smirk. "Fine, I'll help you."
"Good. Thank you, Gus." Willow smiled.
"So, what's the disguise for?" Gus asked, twirling blue magic through the air.
"Give us a disguise to meet The Owl Lady, please." Willow replied.
The Owl Lady. The most wanted Witch in The Kingdom Of The Boiling Isles.
Amity was beginning to think she might regret this.