Story: More Questions, Few Answers - Village Witch #7

7th session of the solo TTRPG Village Witch, this 917 word story was also inspired by the "Water" square on my January Story Sparks Bingo Card. You can read the earlier stories for this series on the landing page for Village Witch - Edwina! CW: Domestic Violence, Elder Abuse - aftermaths observed, not described in detail.

More Questions, Few Answers

The surprises Murkwell had to offer didn't end at the edge of the landing field. As Edwina touched down with her crank broom, then made her way off the Broom Landing, she followed a well-traveled grass path through a thin copse of willows along the bank of Lake Murkwell. A handful of minutes later the path became a wooden boardwalk raised above increasingly muddy swampland. She wouldn't be high in the treetops here, but she'd still apparently be living separated from the grounding energies of Terra. Turning a corner following the Southern edge of the lake the town came abruptly into view. It was a riot of color as each small structure, built up on stilts that reached into the dark water, was painted a different vibrant color. She saw up ahead peach with rose trim, followed on by bird's egg blue with navy trim, and a rich rubellite red with white trimming. There didn't seem to be any that repeated the same color combination, and it made the town appear as if a patchwork quilt had grown out of the edge of Lake Murkwell.

 

Broom in one hand and leather carry-all-case gripped tightly in another, Edwina's next unexpected discovery was the massive arched sign over the walk leading into the town. Made of fancifully carved woodwork the sign was also brightly painted and read "Murkwell - Alpha Minerals Mining Company - Towne #4." What in the world she thought in surprise? Nothing in her research had indicated a mining operation around Lake Murkwell. And all her correspondence with the town had been through Alderwoman Viola Brosser on plain pressed stationary with no guild or merchant marks in evidence. 

 

Her head swiveled side to side as she took in the town, passing unspoken to through a thin traffic of townsfolk. The scrollwork signs continued along the boardwalk, hung proudly over each building's contrasting color door. Edwina saw a sign for "Postmaster", "Gonyeau General Goods", "Coiffuer/Barber", and right before another curve in the walk led off to the west, "Alpha Minerals Mining Company - Offices." Her letter from Alderwoman Brosser (tucked tight in her carry all with Telsa's letter to Engel and Engel's secret letter to Rowen) had simply indicated to meet her at the town's Assembly Hall and made no mention of company offices. All Edwina could figure to do was keep walking on; see where the boardwalk eventually led her.

 

As it happened, a final surprise meant she didn't make it far enough to find the Assembly Hall that afternoon. Instead, as she passed a narrow wooden alley leading off towards what appeared to be miner's or fisher's cabins, she heard an unsettling commotion, and a frail woman's cry for aide. 

 

"Help, aidez-moi! Please, please!"

 

"Shut up, old mère!" 

 

Edwina dropped her crank broom and bag, turned back, and tore off down the alley. Her riding boots made sharp cracking sounds against the wooden planks as she ran full out towards the rising voices. Doors from neighboring homes flung open, and she found herself joined by two teen boys from one and a middle-aged woman from another. They all converged at speed on what she could soon see was a well-dressed man, fist raised over head, as a silver haired woman cowered on her side before him, knees drawn up tight and hands covering her face.

 

The teens outpaced Edwina by just a few strides, knocked into the man and brought them all down in a tumble that shook the planks. Edwina skidded to a stop above the old woman’s body and dropped to her knees, hands forward to instinctively begin the Arcane Order’s field spell for emergency healing. The other grown woman arrived just a moment later, cupping the victim’s hands and pulling them down from her face.

 

“Edith, dear, what has happened? What has come over your son?!” 

 

Edith was crying, her silver hair come loose from a complicated braid, and her lip swollen and cut where at least one blow had connected.

 

“He…he came home from the company office. He’s mad, he went mad. Claims I did this to us. Please help me!” Edith cried out; her voice still raised in panic.

 

“Ma’am, rest back. Let us help you. I’m a Witch, soon to be Witch-In-Residence here, and I can heal what’s been done with your assent,” Edwina implored.

 

“Yes. Help me,” Edith shook, and her tears flowed, as she agreed and lay back against the sun warmed planks of the narrow alley. Scooting knees under Edith’s head the other woman introduced herself, “I’m Cherre Desmarais. This is Edith Abreo. Our thanks to the Waters that you arrived at this moment!”

 

Edwina spared a nod of acknowledgement then released the emergency healing spell she’d been holding at the ready. The energy bathed Edith in cool blues and greys, Edwina’s signature sea tones, and around them the scent of brine wafted. She focused on twisting the surges of vitality into the proper patterns to heal Edith’s busted lip, and several other bruises hidden under her clothing. 

 

While she worked, Edwina spared a sliver of attention to notice the two tough teens marching Edith’s son further down the alley, away from the main boardwalk. She assumed they knew where to take such offenders and returned all her efforts to repairing the damage done to Edith’s elderly frame.

 

Edwina’s arrival here in Murkwell kept surprising her, and the questions were piling up in her mind about what exactly was going on in this remote lakeside town.