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Saskia had thought that Philippa Eilhart was smart. When Saskia had returned alone to Aedirn, she had ordered that she’d be informed if the sorceress returned, just in case. No one had thought that Philippa would return after everything she had done and how witch hunt had begun. Besides Philippa was the most wanted sorceress for reason or other. Yet guards checked her house every now and then. They weren’t allowed to touch anything – not that a sane man wanted to touch any witch’s things.
“Miss Saskia!” a young boy shouted as he ran through the market place. The dragoness stopped and turned to face the running boy.
“The sorceress Eilhart has returned.”
Saskia’s breath hitched and not in a good way. Well, mostly but Saskia also had learnt to ignore all but strongest of her magically induced feelings. It had been few weeks. She had been forced to train herself to live as a human and tolerate with annoying aspects such as cold, lack of wings and thin layer of skin instead of scales so a bit of magic wasn’t impossible.
“I- thank you, young man,” Saskia managed to say before escaping to all way to her own private chambers. Part of her was panicking. Philippa was not supposed to come back! There had to be some kind of rule against returning to someone you had magicked to be in love with you.
A servant brought wine but it did absolutely nothing to calm Saskia’s nerves. She needed to talk to Philippa and make her dispel the spell. If needed, she could also use force. (And she spent next couple of minutes on not thinking back to Philippa whipping her assistant and how she herself could fit into the picture. She was above such thoughts, thank you very much.)
“My lady, I am terribly sorry to disrupt but a caravan of merchants has just arrived,” Master of Coin informed Saskia about an hour later. Saskia blinked and nodded trying to hide how much wine had slowed her thoughts down. On the bright side, she hadn’t been thinking about a certain sorceress. Until now.
Saskia stumbled a bit and shook her head, that felt like it was filled with wool. Damn that sorceress and her spells!
“Should I inform them that you are resting already, my lady?” Master of Coins asked but Saskia shook her head few times before she stopped, feeling too dizzy.
“Just give me a moment to freshen up,” Saskia sighed. She had a dragon trick to get rid of effects of alcohol but she had enjoyed her moments without thoughts.
**
Next morning Saskia decided to go to meet Philippa. After enduring a tedious council meeting while suffering a horrible headache, she was completely drained and just wanted to sleep.
When she woke up, it was time for dinner and therefore too late for a visit. And besides, she wanted to see in the morning.
**
The third day came and suddenly Saskia’s timetable was filled with meetings and gatherings of all possible and impossible sort.
“Are you sure you wish to meet with chief of stable boys? I’m sure that the matter can be resolved…” came a lazy voice near a window. Saskia turned around and looked at the pointy-eared man who was reading her timetable.
“It’s fine, Iorveth,” Saskia said to the elf who had arrived the day earlier.
“Are you seriously going to visit Philippa? If you don’t want to, putting an arrow through her heart would be a pleasure. Assuming that she has one of course…”
“She needs to lift the curse for good first,” Saskia said sternly. They had already managed to argue about this.
“Fine, but you need to skip all this rubbish then? Seriously, who cares about a random and totally harmless stone-orc anyways? Just get a witcher to kill it if it becomes a problem.”
“I won’t,” Saskia refused stubbornly. She knew someone else could decide the fate of demented troll who scared innocent sheep when it forgot it wasn’t a rock and got up.
“What’s the worst that can happen?” Iorveth asked and walked to a small table, and specifically to pour himself a cup of red wine. He raised the carafe in question. Saskia nodded.
“It’s Philippa. Last time I was cursed.”
“So… what? You afraid you jump on her and have wild sex with her on the bed?” Maybe Saskia had made a mistake when she had confessed that the spell hadn’t completely lifted… Iorveth seemed to enjoy making comments like this and Saskia seriously didn’t want to be reminded how strong her cursed feelings were.
Saskia felt heat rising on her cheeks. “Assuming we would make it to the bed.”
Iorveth laughed.
**
On fourth day of Philippa’s return Saskia was standing in front of the door. Her heart was beating wildly and breathing regularly seemed a lot harder than usual. A mere thought of the sorceress had her losing what little resemblance of calmness she had managed.
Aedirn wasn’t killing all things magical – at least yet. The pressure to follow example and hunt witches was growing daily. Saskia knew that she couldn’t protect magical beings forever which was exactly why she was running out of time. Philippa would flee sooner or later. She had to act.
The morning had been awful. First, Saskia had awoken after an embarrassing dream. Iorveth had someone guessed that and pressed for details during breakfast. The star of the dream had of course been the damn sorceress, and even the memory made Saskia shudder. And feel disgusted.
After washing herself with freezing water she had been too restless to do anything. Now she was toying with a gift ring and wondering if she should just walk away.
The door opened and Saskia stared at the face of the woman she was forced to love. How twisted her life could get… Saskia understood now why males complained how difficult human females were. Sorceresses had to be the worst.
“How long are you going to stand there?”
“I…” Saskia began but didn’t know how to go on. Philippa had a thick red bandage over her eyes. Otherwise she looked just as regal as before. It seemed that she had not escaped unscathed either. Saskia didn’t know if sorceresses had enhanced healing abilities like Witchers’.
“Are you here to kill me?” Philippa asked way too calmly for Saskia’s liking. She sounded resigned.
“I don’t kill humans. I have questions,” Saskia answered quickly.
“Do you want to ask them here or come inside?”
“Inside,” Saskia decided quickly. It could be a trap. Philippa would never ask her opinion. Or anyone else’s. The sorceress was always the one controlling everything. Had hurting her eyes caused this much damage? Or had she been truly blinded as rumours said?
Philippa walked confidently as ever to the fireplace and stove combination where was a pot. A steady stream of steam was coming out of it. However, it smelled like water only.
“I’d offer you tea but I understand if you refuse,” Philippa said as she poured water over a cup. The water was instantly turned to pale shade of lime. Saskia recognised it as a mild pain relief potion.
“No thanks,” Saskia refused quickly. She’d rather have sex with the sorceress than drink something she had made.
“Ask your questions then,” the sorceress went on when Saskia said nothing. Philippa sipped her drink carefully. She was holding the cup with both hands and moved slowly.
“What happened to you?” Saskia began slowly.
“Haven’t you heard? However, I seriously do not think that you came here for a social visit.”
“You released me from that mind control. Why am I still in love with you?” Saskia demanded to know. She had gathered most of facts but her own memories were blurry at the best. The worst, she didn’t want to think about. At this Philippa tensed and looked at her general direction for a moment.
“I never released you, my dear.”
“Well, the Witcher did. And that’s beside the point,” Saskia scoffed. She just wanted to hit the woman in front of her.
“He must have missed, then,” Philippa said indifferently and shrugged.
“Missed what?” Saskia asked feeling more and more irritated. She was a damn dragon and the woman in front of her wasn’t answering to her questions. Or was, but not properly. Philippa had been driving her mad so long and she hated every second of it. She didn’t want to feel anything except hate towards the woman.
“When he stabbed you at heart. I told him in detail where to aim so the spell would be broken.”
“I wasn’t stabbed at heart,” Saskia pointed out.
“Well, there is your answer then, dear.”
“Can’t you break the rest of the spell?”
Philippa laughed, though it sounded bitter. The sudden urge to comfort the sorceress was annoying. “Do you want a blind former sorceress to stab you?”
Saskia shook her head. “What do you mean former?”
“That’s a no then. I thought so. I need to see in order to use most of my spells which currently makes me only a little more than a village witch. I fully intend to change that but it requires some time,” Philippa stated like it was supposed to be obvious.
“And you cannot use magic to restore your sight?” Saskia asked hoping that it wasn’t the case. If Philippa could remove the spell, helping to restore her sight was small price to pay. And the spelled part of her wanted to help among other things.
“There probably is a spell for that…”
“But?” Saskia’s heart leaped. She could be released.
“Why should I have researched eyes when there were so many more interesting subjects? There might be something in one of my newer tomes or not but I can’t read them. I can’t even tell my books apart. Do you seriously think I’d stay here willingly? It’s only a matter of time before wrong people hear about me” Philippa said and looked so indifferent that it was weird. It was almost like the sorceress was empty inside. Saskia had seen the same before. Sometimes a sort of emptiness haunted soldiers. Said soldiers usually died by their own hand shortly after.
“So, what are you going to do then?” Saskia asked.
“Why should I tell you?” Philippa countered lightly but her voice had a slight edge. Maybe she wasn’t as comfortable as she pretended. If it was real, it’d make Saskia’s day a lot better.
“It may keep you out of that cell in my dungeon that I have been saving for you,” Saskia said darkly. While she didn’t want to kill the sorceress – and blind people even less – she had no qualms with locking her in a cell. She should even find one without windows and wooden door without bars so Philippa wouldn’t be able to fly away.
“Aww, you’re into that sort of thing? It is always the innocent looking ones…”
“I’m not joking,” Saskia growled through her teeth. She wouldn’t hit Philippa. That would be low but the thought was tempting. The sorceress was infuriating. How dared she to flirt? And oh goddess, Saskia felt a warmth in completely wrong places. At least she was in a woman’s body because having an erection now would be downright mortifying.
“Well, what the fuck do you think? I can’t read” Philippa snapped back. “Do you want details on my future experiments? Fine, I’ll-“
“No need,” Saskia interrupted quickly. She was a little taken back. Philippa didn’t usually swear at all. Everyone else did except her.
“Are you sure? There is this interesting spell that can be used to see through someone’s eyes. I was planning to see if I can use it after I have harvested a pair of eyes. From a child, preferably,” Philippa said, her voice void of any emotion.
“Philippa.” Saskia warned feeling a little disgusted. Philippa might actually do it. The sorceress didn’t seem to have any kind of moral compass. The creepiest part was that Saskia still wanted to help her. Well, part of her wanted, the same that was screaming that Saskia should kiss the sorceress. It was really getting old; she should be getting used to that already.
“What?” the sorceress spat. A gauze was hiding almost a half of her face and she still managed to look desirable. Saskia rubs her eyes and forehead to get rid of the thought. Generally, she didn’t mind being in love with Philippa, she just hated weird desires that just popped up suddenly. Her having thoughts about a human? Disgusting. Yet, it almost hurt when she reminded herself that Philippa didn’t care about her.
“What are you looking for? I can help.” Saskia couldn’t believe that she was suggesting it. She couldn’t stand Philippa but she couldn’t let her kill innocent children.
“What?” Philippa was absolutely gobsmacked. Saskia didn’t blame her for the reaction but she was delighted. It was an expression she had never seen on the sorceress’s face before.
“If I help you, you’ll release me. I may even give you an hour or two before I’ll go after you,” Saskia promised. She wasn’t sure she could kill the woman but she was going to try.
“To kill me?” Philippa asked dryly.
“Of course.”
“Then, why am I still alive?” Philippa asked curiously and in slightly mocking tone. Saskia loathed the tone. She had heard it so many times before. From men, usually. Asking if she could use her sword and if they should show how the real sword worked.
“Because I still love you,” Saskia said coldly. “It’s a good spell, I have to admit.”
“Of course, my dear. I aim to please. And… I believe we have a deal,” Philippa purred. Well, of course. Saskia knew that no one else could make a better one. She didn’t particularly care if Philippa regained her eyes. She wasn’t even sure if she wanted to see the sorceress for the final time when the curse was lifted.
“Good. I’ll come tomorrow. I expect that you’ll have a book for me?” Saskia asked ignoring seductive tone that the sorceress decided to use as well as she could. It didn’t mean a lot because she had had a lot of time to think how Philippa could please her. Of course her brain decided to remind her.
Maybe she could just kill the woman right now. Philippa probably hadn’t created a spell that would affect anyone after the object of love was dead. Okay, that was just stupid. If anything, Saskia had learned that the sorceress was manipulative bitch and would probably have started with such an annoying little bit.
“Yes, I believe I will have a few,” Philippa said slowly and nodded to herself. Why, Saskia had no idea but humans were weird that way. They even spoke to themselves like lunatics. The bright side was that there was no hint of seductiveness that she had been oozing before.
“See you-“ Saskia paused. See you was probably the worst expression she could use. Precisely that was why she was grinning a little as she went on: “See you tomorrow, Philippa.”
Philippa didn’t answer but didn’t look hurt either. Saskia opened the door and was almost out when Philippa called her.
“Say, love. Do you still desire me?” Philippa’s laugh followed her out.
Saskia regretted agreeing to help the sorceress already.