4. The Witch

"You WHAT?!"

"It's not that big of a deal, Yang."

"Are you insane? You can't just go ask the witch for a favor! She hates you!" Once again, Yang was not amused, even less than she had been at her sister's previous insane idea.

Ruby thought she was overreacting, just the blonde's usual short fuse, but there was a point to their argument: the village's magician was not fond of either of them, or anyone for that matter. It wasn't personal, she just didn't appreciate being bothered by the petty wishes of the populace, be it better weather for the crops or conquering the forbidden love of their desired. Not that she refused to comply, the sorceress was the unspoken bedrock of their community, but it always came with a price. And those who failed to pay their due soon found themselves deep in regret, victims of a swift and merciless vengeance.

"Well, I can't just leave Penny like that! She needs help, I won't let her keep being a prisoner forever. So unless you have a better idea, I'll do what has to be done."

"I just don't understand why you're risking so much for someo… something you barely know."

Ruby suppressed her frustration, feeling her insides fire up at her sibling's intolerance. Why she still couldn't let go of her prejudice of all things non-human was beyond the huntress. There were many creatures of danger and malice out there, but the poor statue wasn't one of them. The words that came out of the archer's mouth next were seeped in bitterness, venom flowing through her veins.

"Sheis my friend. And in case you didn't notice, friends are difficult to come by for someone like me."

And with that, she left, slamming the flimsy wooden door behind her. Ruby loved her sister, but her thick skull could be exceptionally hard to get around in some matters. Yang couldn't understand, she would never be looked at with upturned noses, treated like a lesser being by her peers. It was one of the reasons the dark-haired girl had took refuge in the forest, trading the scorn of the townsfolk for the silent and understanding embrace of nature. She didn't feel judged amongst the trees, free to be whoever she wanted.

The huntress made her way to the village, from their house that sat quite further apart from the central conglomerate of huts. It was a quaint space, calm and peaceful at the surface if nothing else. The homes closely resembled her own, disheveled shacks topped by straw roofs, and were linked to each other by beaten dirt paths, interrupting the grass and weeds that grew all around the ground.

The villagers were usually all poor, supported only by the sweat of their bow, ploughing the fields or shepherding cattle from dusk till dawn. Therefore, their houses were just as austere as Ruby and Yang's. The most exotic decoration nearby were short-sized pots of lilies and other colored flowers, kept by the door as both an ornament and an air freshener. Baths were an excessive waste of water, and so they had to use alternate methods of dealing with the constant stench of sweat and mud.

Further within there was a small square, drawn around the public well. It was the most important commodity for their survival, but it doubled as a meeting place for the commoners. Laundresses could be seen there early in the morning, busying themselves with more than one type of dirty laundry. It was also the chosen niche for the occasional village assemblies, but those never forewarned anything good.

The hooded archer hurried her step, feeling eyes of hatred burn a hole on the back of her head. This was why she mostly avoided the townsfolk, tired of the labels they stamped on her. It was hard to create roots when the people refused to give her the benefit of doubt.

Circling past the people and buildings, she at last reached her destination: a cottage on a small hill overlooking the surrounding fields. The entrance faced away from the town, almost a signal to dissuade anyone from using it. The construction was even more diminutive than the rest, clearly built not for a family, but only one person. Vines crawled through the outer walls, seeping in through the cracks, and if Ruby didn't know better she'd have said it was abandoned. There were no flowers at the door, but it never did smell anyway.

Reaching for the door handle, she steadied herself and swallowed a large gulp, fighting against the nerves tearing at her stomach. She was no stranger here, but it was distressing nevertheless to go into a place that went through such lengths to make her feel unwelcome. She wished the door would magically open by itself, inviting her in and sparing her the trouble, but she had no such luck. So she took a deep breath, twisted the lock and pushed it.

A cold breeze escaped through the opening, as if trading places with the red-hooded girl who'd just walked in. The compartment in which she stood was tiny, and felt quite claustrophobic. It consisted of a simple table with candles on top and a curtain behind it, with little room for more than one person. The sheet of cloth hid the sorceress' quarters, and access was restricted for any and all visitors. There was a strange force drawing her to it, asking her to tear the veil and discover who lied behind it, but Ruby fought the impulse, remembering the last man who'd tried. He had met a slow demise, torn apart and eaten by birds in the town square. Dispelling the unpleasant memories, she reminded herself of the protocol, and kneeled before the table, awaiting to be addressed. The voice took some time, but it came.

"You have a lot of nerve coming here, Rose." It was a soft sound, and the words were almost sang, with no trace of contempt. The archer always forgot how powerful that voice felt, beautiful but sharp and decisive.

There was a silence, indicating the woman on the other side expected an answer.

"I was hoping you could help me."

"Everyone that comes through that door does. But you… you still owe me. I hope you didn't forget." She hadn't. Her last request had been conceded, but there had still been no repayment.

"You never did ask for anything in return."

There was a chuckle from the opposite side. That was strange, all those years and Ruby'd never heard the sorceress laugh. She doubted anyone had.

"You are right. I'm saving yours for later, but that doesn't mean you're off the hook. But enough of that, what did you want, girl?"

The huntress stumbled her way through an explanation, retelling what she'd learned and experienced about her marble companion. She omitted the kiss, questioning its relevance to the story, but otherwise kept most of the details in, the ones pertaining the statue at least. From finding the golem, to its sudden awakening, their fight, the truce and the consequent trip back home. When it was over, the other woman wasted no breath in proceeding, her tone unfazed like she'd heard the very same tale many other times.

"And you expect me to turn it human? Still as foolish as ever, Rose."

"No! Well, yes but… If she could at least be away from her podium that would be a great help. Or being able to walk around during the day…"

"Hmm. That may be doable, but it will be quite the debt you're piling up. Are you sure you want that?"

"Whatever you need, as long as it helps Penny." The voice hummed in amusement, clearly satisfied with the answer.

"We have a deal. Come back in an hour and I'll have what asked for ready."

/

After a long stroll that did nothing to soothe her mind, time was up at long last, and Ruby returned to the shack. This time there was a vial of clear white liquid on the table. Forcing herself not to grab it straight away, she waited for instructions, which came not long after.

"Take the flask and use it to coat both the statue and its base. After that you are to return here."

The red-hooded girl took the glass bottle in her hand, feeling the cold surface against her skin.

"I'll give you until dawn, so you can make sure it works. When you arrive, I have a task that requires someone with your hunting skills."

"I understand. Thank you." The archer motioned towards the exit, but the conversation was not yet over.

"Oh, and Rose? Do not be late."

She ran all the way back to the house, gripping the flask close to her heart, the excitement guiding her way, and blinding her to the eyes of contempt cast upon her. She wasted no time applying the slimy formula to the sculpture, rubbing it all over its body.

The effects took a few moments to start showing, but soon thereafter the golem was rising once more, for the first time under the afternoon sun.

The newfound freedom was strange at first, the marble girl unsure of the new experiences at her disposal, the sunlight being merely the beginning. They spent the remaining day and night testing out the limits to her new predicament, now free to roam the world as much as she desired. They ran, talked and giggled as hours passed by, grateful for the gifts they'd been given. Even Yang, who had followed them with the pretense of making sure they were safe and away from the prying eyes of the creature-hating villagers, had to admit it was quite the endearing sight. Seeing the beast interact with her sister in such a harmless fashion, she found herself thinking that perhaps the sculpture wasn't a menace after all. She was still going to keep an eye on it, or rather, her.

/

Ruby looked at the horizon, noticing the rapidly approaching sun. Dawn was coming, and with it a promise she had no option but to keep. She was saddened to leave, interrupting the fun they were all having, but duty called, and it would be very foolish to ignore it.

"I'm sorry, I have to go. The witch said she wanted me to do some hunting job. Can't keep her waiting."

"How long will you be out?" Both the other girls stopped, and Yang was the one to speak. She knew how these deals worked, and she'd been expecting the con ever since her sister had returned.

"I don't know, she didn't even say what it is I'm after."

"Be careful!" Penny was clearly confused by the exchange between the two siblings, how undisturbed they seemed by the archer's departure, and was trying to maintain composure. Being new to the town, she did not understand the lay of the land. She reluctantly watched her new, and only, friend turn to leave, and she wasn't sure of why.

"Don't worry, Penny. I'm the best huntress around."

The golem felt satisfied with the confident answer, looking at the red-hooded back who gradually walked away. It was only a moment later that she came to a realization, struck by the depths of her ignorance, and yelled at the figure.

"Aren't you the only one?" She received no response but a chuckle.

Ruby kept walking resolutely, with no intention of making her appointment wait. The sun had not yet finished to unshackle itself from the landscape when she made it to sorceress' hut. She opened the door with determination and obediently paused, expecting her orders.

"Right on time, I'm impressed. Did everything work with no problems?"

"Yes, it did. Thank you."

"This is the part where you thank me, yes. I have a monster problem, Rose, and you just got promoted to exterminator."

I'm not entirely sure how to feel about this chapter, it's far from my best. It was mostly teasing of things to come, but I needed to get it out of the way to work on the next part, which I think is much more exciting.



Don't forget to review. I feed on your opinions to keep me going, be it good or bad, so it really helps to know what you think.