Curse of The Witch

Princess of Abandoned Castle (2)

"Don't be shy and eat!"

A high voice enveloped the round table. The girl that took care of the shop placed a dish one after another on the table while the other two sat around it. Across Sarah, there's a girl with long blonde hair that shines because of the light reflection. It's Latina, all the time, she just bows her head and didn't see the interlocutor's eyes the whole time. Her ears still read, it seems she's still embarrassed. Beside her, there's Orion with both of his palms pressing against his face.

At times like this, the only rational thing that he thought is to keep silent until the end. He didn't want to spoil the atmosphere and mood that already build up.

"So, how both of you met each other?" Said Sarah.

After half of the food at the table was gone, Sarah tried to open a talk with them. Hearing that, Latina halted and blushed again.

'It's weird seeing someone blushing this much in a single day,...' Thought Orion.

"Nothing special actually,"

"I think we met each other six months ago or so,...." Said him.

Hearing that, Sarah's eyes widened. She put her palm over her mouth and said, " Waah, so you two only took a few months to love each other?!"

"My, how envious,..."

Orion feels tired of hearing that from her mouth. He already said it over and over but either his reason just passed through her ears. His only hope was Latina, but it seems she's useless right now. Her reaction to Sarah's teasing makes look like all of Sarah's statements are true.

"How many times I should tell you that we're not like that"

"Hmm, but her expression tells otherwise,...."

"...."

Latina's still silent, she's eating, making a small chat, and then turning red again.

The dinner goes on like that. Sarah kept pestering about Orion and Latina, In the first half Latina only blushed and was silent but after that, she seems to regain her composure. The topic of their married couple seems to be halted without any conclusion. Orion was tired of denying it all the time so he kept silent and Latina seemed didn't bother about it anymore even though her face turned bright red when Sarah mentioned it.

At the end of dinner, when the two of them want to search for an inn. But Sarah stopped them before they're leaving the table.

"Ah, you can stay here if you want,"

That statement caught Orion off guard.

"...What are you plotting this time?"

"Oh my, why would I?"

"That's, suspicious,...."

"Seriously, just take my kindness will you?"

"....."

"Look at your companion, she looks like a zombie,"

"Are you really want to search an inn with her like that?"

"I know you can search for an inn but, just think about your companion," Added Sarah.

Orion takes a peek at Latina, she's standing still, and sometimes her head will look down, and dozed off. It can't be helped, it was her first travel after hundreds of years of being cooped up at that house.

"Ugh, T-then, I will take your offer,"

Sarah only answered him with her smile.

After that exchange, Sarah guided them to their room. She's showing them a guest room, but inside, there's only a single bed.

"Hey Sarah, what-"

Before Orion finishes his sentences, Sarah cuts them and makes her leave.

"Well, good night you two~"

The door closed, leaving Orion and Latina inside. Without further ado, Orion assisted her to take off her robe and preparing the bed. When he wants to leap into the bed, he seems hesitant.

"..."

All the time for more or less six months, they've been sleeping on one bed but, this time he's weirdly conscious about Latina.

"Ugghh, zip it, I want to sleep....."

"Latina, move aside, give me some space....."

With his hand, he moved Latina's body to the wall and then he sleep on the edge.

When the sun rises, Orion wakes up with refreshed feeling. He didn't think that something was out of normal with Latina beside him and hugging him.

"Seems she still sound asleep,...."

When he wants to wake up from bed, he realizes something.

"Wait,...."

"If someone walks in and sees this, the misunderstanding will happen,....."

But when he still thinking about the possibilities, a clicking sound can be heard from the door. On the other side of the door, there stood a girl with an apron, who opened the door slowly. When she can see the inside of the room. A wide smile curved on her face.

'Shit,...' thought Orion.

And then, the whole morning becomes a mess again from Orion's perspective.

In the middle of their walk home, in the middle of the forest, after silence for a while. Latina makes small talk with him.

"She's a good person," said her.

"Yea, she is,...."

"She's the first person that telling me that witches are rare and so," added him.

"Is that so?"

"Yes, and we need to keep it silent,"

"Why?"

"Dunno, maybe there's a witch hunt or something?"

Hearing that, Latina's expression turned sour.

"You know that's not funny,...."

"...."

"It's just a speculation," added him.

"Hmm, I don't think so,..."

"In my era, Witch is like a legend and inspiring being," said Latina.

"....I hope so,"

"For some reason, she won't tell me the reason," added Orion.

What Latina's said is true. Witch is like a master of a master, a title that has been given to someone that pursues the word of possibility. There are only 13 witches that have been deemed a legend. A witch that defeated the demon lord that threatened the world hundred years ago and the one that happen to subdue that being is called the 13 witches. But after that, no one knows about their whereabouts. Because of that, the scholar and people called them The Lost Witches. There's a story about them, and people make storytelling about them for children. In the spawn of those years, a new witch began to appear but neither of them can be equivalent to the legend.

The books that Orion read are pretty old. And he can't even find a library in the village as well. The source of his knowledge is only from the villagers and the shopkeeper. With Latina's weird quirk and the minimum knowledge that he has, he can't decide to do something about it. But, some time ago, he heard some gossip about a witch hunt in the pub. With that in mind, until now he still wondering about the possibility. What if the gossip was true, what should he do, is his decision about selling goods related to witch really good?

Time flies when the two of them walk together through the forest. When they are at the end of the woods. Orion halted, he seems to realize that he forgot something at Sarah's house.

"....I think, I forgot something,"

"Really? How clumsy you are Orion,"

"Sorry, I will pick it up today and come home the later day,"

"Can't you just leave it there?"

"No, It's kinda important things,"

Latina's expression turned sour all of sudden. With a high voice, she said, "Ungh, ok.... make sure you come back ok?!"

With a smile on his face, he said, "For sure!"

And then off to the woods again. Latina stood still, watching Orion's figure slowly vanish inside the woods.

But, day after day, Orion didn't come back to the house, leaving Latina alone. Anxiety grew inside her heart. While opening the windows, she's looking up at the sky.

"Orion,....where are you,...."