DWP FanFic - Queen's Witch - Chapter 15
For notes and disclaimers, see Chapter 1
Chapter 15 - An Ending
King Justin entered the catacombs and set down the lantern he carried. The center aisle was bathed in a warm glow of lit torches from the entry way to the midpoint of the room. Where the path of light ended, he saw a figure in a black robe standing at the foot of a vault. He felt his throat tighten and wiped a few tears from his face as he slowly walked to join her.
She was standing with her hands on the vault cover with her head bowed. Her long dark hair obscured her face, but Justin could tell by her shaking shoulders the witch was crying silently. He bowed his head in silent respect and waited. After a few minutes, she stepped back and turned to him.
“I’m sorry, Amira.” Justin stepped forward and enfolded her in a gentle hug.
“It’s okay,” she said in a muffled voice. “They’re together forever. These last few days they were more worried about me than anything else.” She stepped back and wiped her eyes.
“As soon as I heard that someone was down here, I knew what it meant.” Justin patted Amira’s back. “I’ve sent men to take care of the other thing.”
“Thanks, I know Andy would have appreciated it.” Amira ran her hand over the marble tomb cover. It had a sculpture of two female figures laid side by side. One wore robes and the other a gown and had a crown on her head. They were holding hands.
Justin cleared his throat. “When did it happen?”
“Last night. I took care of the preparations this morning. Queen Lily helped me bring them here. She’ll be down in a little bit to say goodbye.” Amira wiped a few more tears from her eyes.
“Is there anything else I can do?” Justin draped an arm around Amira’s shoulders.
“No, not right now.” Amira looked back at the marble vault.
“Okay then. I’ll go check on the other arrangements and let you know when we are ready. I’ll send word to the other kingdoms.” Justin kissed Amira on the cheek and left.
Queen Lillian and Pickwick passed Justin on his way out. Lily hugged the big man and Pickwick shook his hand. They exchanged a few words before continuing on their respective ways.
“How you doing, kiddo?” Lily rubbed Amira’s back as she gazed on the tomb.
“I’m okay, Lily.” Amira closed her eyes trying to will the tears away. She felt Pickwick move to her other side and wrap an arm around her waist. “Thanks for bringing them here for me.”
“Not a problem, lass,” Pickwick said gruffly as he wiped tears from his eyes. “Was the least we could do for our friends.”
“Look at us,” Lily huffed. “There is no way those two would want us standing around crying. They had a lot of years together.” She pointed at Amira. “They trained you and were very proud of how you used your power.” Lily then looked at Pickwick. “And you, you old goat, how many times did they get you out of trouble. They loved you like a brother.”
“And you more than a sister,” Pickwick whispered. “You’re right. They had several hundred years together. They deserve their rest. But knowing them, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them reborn before the next season.”
“Reborn? Does that really happen?” Amira looked back and forth between Lily and Pick.
“Yes, child. I knew and loved Andy a very, very long time ago. Miranda’s soul walked this kingdom many times and I’ve run into her a time or two before. Just like you,” she tapped Amira’s nose.
“Me, really?” Amira cocked her head. “Who was I before? Can you tell?”
“Lass, it really doesn’t matter who you were before. What matters is who you are now. Live looking forward not back.” Pickwick stepped up to the vault and laid his hand on the marble. “Well, Witch, I suppose I’ll be seeing you again one day. Try to stay out of trouble.” He then bowed to the tomb. “Your Majesty, it was a pleasure knowing you. Thanks for taking care of my friend here. You’ll have your work cut out for you the next time around.”
When Pickwick stepped back, Lily took his place. She bowed her head, fanning her wings gently, and silently communicated her wishes to her friends. As she finished, she sketched a figure in the air. A golden mist settled over the crypt and slowly faded away. She turned to Amira and whispered, “Protection spell.”
“Thank you. If you guys want to go on, I’ll catch up to you at the gate.” Amira watched Lily and Pick leave before turning back to the tomb. “Thanks Gran and Andy for taking care of me. I know we talked about this, but I never expected it to hurt so much. Gran, I’ll try not to close myself off and keep my heart open to love. Andy, I have no words to describe what you’ve done for me. You taught me more than just magic and I’ll never forget you. I’ll see that others don’t forget you either. Rest well.” Amira walked away from the tomb. As she passed, each torch was extinguished and darkness followed her out of the catacombs.
Amira met Lily and Pickwick outside the south gate. King Justin was directing the placement of a large stone pillar by a hole dug on the west side of the road. When he saw Amira, he waved her over. “The men have it close. Can you get it from here?”
Amira nodded and waved her arms as she softly spoke the spell. The crowd watched as the stone pillar floated up and became vertical. Amira directed it over the hole and gently lowered it. Once she had it in place, the workmen filled in around the base and packed the dirt down.
Amira stood back and admired the new pillar, comparing it to the older stone pillar on the other side of the road. This pillar was bright white in its newness with edges clean and sharp. In contrast the pillar standing on the opposite side of the road was gray and weathered. Lichen and moss decorated its plain sides.
“Yeah, Andy would have liked it.” Amira smiled her approval. Her heart ache eased slightly with this symbol of closure.
King Justin came up and ran his fingers over the carvings on the stone’s face. “I know the crown represents Miranda. But the rabbit?”
Amira laughed. “Nothing says magic like pulling a rabbit out of your pocket.”
Pickwick and Lillian started laughing and after a moment’s surprise so did Justin.
A few feet away two spirits watched. “Shall we, sweetheart,” Andy said as she held out her hand.
“Yes, my love,” replied Miranda as she clasped Andy’s hand.
The spirits walked away from the castle and slowly faded out.
The End
(sort of)
Chapter 16 - Epilogue
Chapter 15 - An Ending
King Justin entered the catacombs and set down the lantern he carried. The center aisle was bathed in a warm glow of lit torches from the entry way to the midpoint of the room. Where the path of light ended, he saw a figure in a black robe standing at the foot of a vault. He felt his throat tighten and wiped a few tears from his face as he slowly walked to join her.
She was standing with her hands on the vault cover with her head bowed. Her long dark hair obscured her face, but Justin could tell by her shaking shoulders the witch was crying silently. He bowed his head in silent respect and waited. After a few minutes, she stepped back and turned to him.
“I’m sorry, Amira.” Justin stepped forward and enfolded her in a gentle hug.
“It’s okay,” she said in a muffled voice. “They’re together forever. These last few days they were more worried about me than anything else.” She stepped back and wiped her eyes.
“As soon as I heard that someone was down here, I knew what it meant.” Justin patted Amira’s back. “I’ve sent men to take care of the other thing.”
“Thanks, I know Andy would have appreciated it.” Amira ran her hand over the marble tomb cover. It had a sculpture of two female figures laid side by side. One wore robes and the other a gown and had a crown on her head. They were holding hands.
Justin cleared his throat. “When did it happen?”
“Last night. I took care of the preparations this morning. Queen Lily helped me bring them here. She’ll be down in a little bit to say goodbye.” Amira wiped a few more tears from her eyes.
“Is there anything else I can do?” Justin draped an arm around Amira’s shoulders.
“No, not right now.” Amira looked back at the marble vault.
“Okay then. I’ll go check on the other arrangements and let you know when we are ready. I’ll send word to the other kingdoms.” Justin kissed Amira on the cheek and left.
Queen Lillian and Pickwick passed Justin on his way out. Lily hugged the big man and Pickwick shook his hand. They exchanged a few words before continuing on their respective ways.
“How you doing, kiddo?” Lily rubbed Amira’s back as she gazed on the tomb.
“I’m okay, Lily.” Amira closed her eyes trying to will the tears away. She felt Pickwick move to her other side and wrap an arm around her waist. “Thanks for bringing them here for me.”
“Not a problem, lass,” Pickwick said gruffly as he wiped tears from his eyes. “Was the least we could do for our friends.”
“Look at us,” Lily huffed. “There is no way those two would want us standing around crying. They had a lot of years together.” She pointed at Amira. “They trained you and were very proud of how you used your power.” Lily then looked at Pickwick. “And you, you old goat, how many times did they get you out of trouble. They loved you like a brother.”
“And you more than a sister,” Pickwick whispered. “You’re right. They had several hundred years together. They deserve their rest. But knowing them, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them reborn before the next season.”
“Reborn? Does that really happen?” Amira looked back and forth between Lily and Pick.
“Yes, child. I knew and loved Andy a very, very long time ago. Miranda’s soul walked this kingdom many times and I’ve run into her a time or two before. Just like you,” she tapped Amira’s nose.
“Me, really?” Amira cocked her head. “Who was I before? Can you tell?”
“Lass, it really doesn’t matter who you were before. What matters is who you are now. Live looking forward not back.” Pickwick stepped up to the vault and laid his hand on the marble. “Well, Witch, I suppose I’ll be seeing you again one day. Try to stay out of trouble.” He then bowed to the tomb. “Your Majesty, it was a pleasure knowing you. Thanks for taking care of my friend here. You’ll have your work cut out for you the next time around.”
When Pickwick stepped back, Lily took his place. She bowed her head, fanning her wings gently, and silently communicated her wishes to her friends. As she finished, she sketched a figure in the air. A golden mist settled over the crypt and slowly faded away. She turned to Amira and whispered, “Protection spell.”
“Thank you. If you guys want to go on, I’ll catch up to you at the gate.” Amira watched Lily and Pick leave before turning back to the tomb. “Thanks Gran and Andy for taking care of me. I know we talked about this, but I never expected it to hurt so much. Gran, I’ll try not to close myself off and keep my heart open to love. Andy, I have no words to describe what you’ve done for me. You taught me more than just magic and I’ll never forget you. I’ll see that others don’t forget you either. Rest well.” Amira walked away from the tomb. As she passed, each torch was extinguished and darkness followed her out of the catacombs.
Amira met Lily and Pickwick outside the south gate. King Justin was directing the placement of a large stone pillar by a hole dug on the west side of the road. When he saw Amira, he waved her over. “The men have it close. Can you get it from here?”
Amira nodded and waved her arms as she softly spoke the spell. The crowd watched as the stone pillar floated up and became vertical. Amira directed it over the hole and gently lowered it. Once she had it in place, the workmen filled in around the base and packed the dirt down.
Amira stood back and admired the new pillar, comparing it to the older stone pillar on the other side of the road. This pillar was bright white in its newness with edges clean and sharp. In contrast the pillar standing on the opposite side of the road was gray and weathered. Lichen and moss decorated its plain sides.
“Yeah, Andy would have liked it.” Amira smiled her approval. Her heart ache eased slightly with this symbol of closure.
King Justin came up and ran his fingers over the carvings on the stone’s face. “I know the crown represents Miranda. But the rabbit?”
Amira laughed. “Nothing says magic like pulling a rabbit out of your pocket.”
Pickwick and Lillian started laughing and after a moment’s surprise so did Justin.
A few feet away two spirits watched. “Shall we, sweetheart,” Andy said as she held out her hand.
“Yes, my love,” replied Miranda as she clasped Andy’s hand.
The spirits walked away from the castle and slowly faded out.
The End
(sort of)
Chapter 16 - Epilogue